A$AP Rocky - A$AP Forever ft. Moby [Music Video]

A$AP Rocky is gearing up for the release of his third album whenever he and his label can find a single that will pop enough to get the needle really moving and the momentum really growing. It wasn't "Bad Company". It wasn't "5 Stars". Will it be "A$AP Forever," which feels like it doesn't so much feature Moby as much as it samples entire sections of Moby's "Porcelain"?

We'll see. Either way, I like "A$AP Forever," as a song and as a video, but A$AP Rocky is overrated as a rapper. @ me, bro.

Little Boots - Shadows ft. Joyce Muniz [Music Video]

This new chillwave techno track from Little Boots just feels sexy to me. Like I need to be in the corner of a dark club just vibing the fuck out. Probably on some purple illicit substances.

Lil Jon ft. Offset & 2 Chainz - Alive [Music Video]

Lil Jon recently dropped his latest single, "Alive", and it really feels like an ode to partying for 20 years straight and not being dead. So to that end, I guess it's something to look forward to?

As far as the music video goes, I feel like most everyone has seen those random IG videos in the trending tab about 3D motion graphics. Well, this video is one big-ass 3D motion graphic, and it's kinda lit. Especially the part where 2 Chainz literally flies in between some butt cheeks. Side bar: tomorrow is payday. Thank god that I'm alive!

Diplo ft. DRAM - Look Back [Music Video]

The homies Diplo and DRAM hook up for a trippy, 70s inspired rock jam that comes completely out of left field for both artists. I vibes with it, tho. Quality over expectations, ya dig?

Natalie Portman Returns to SNL to Rap Circles Around Bitches

Natalie Portman has appeared on SNL a few times. Once was back in 2006, when the Lonely Island first blessed Natalie with the lyrics that she murdered in "Natalie's Rap," a video lambasting her Harvard-educated, clean girl image. She recently visited again, and blessed us with "Natalie's Rap 2.0". Andy Samberg also shared some BTS on how it all went down with Vulture.

Introducing Ängie - Swedish Indie Pop Influenced by Weed and Rap

Angie is a new artist from Sweden. Her sound is indie-pop, her lyrics are like a lesbian Wiz Khalifa and her vibe is 90s goth. That's a weird sentence to write and an even odder combo because I'm crazy into it all. It sounds like it should be trash but there's an introspectiveness to it all that really connects, on top of being really catchy. There's a boldness and aggressiveness that feels very much rooted in rap music. These are some fucking incredible tracks and I'm really, really interested in hearing more and eventually seeing her live whenever she makes her way to NYC.

Here's an interview from GuestList from 2 years ago where she discusses growing up in Sweden, smoking weed (obvi), being suicidal and finding herself. Show love and check out her Instagram, Twitter and Spotify.
"Smoke Weed Eat Pussy" "Spun" "Housewife Spliffin"

Jaira Burns - Ugly [Music Video]

I bought this single. I paid money specifically for this track. I'm old school, I like to own the music I listen to. It doesn't happen often but I like to support up and coming artists. "Ugly" is about what happens when the attraction fades and the arguments begin. Some cool indie-pop with shades of reggae. Show love and check out Jaira Burn's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify and website. You can also check out this interview with All Access Music.

Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future and James Blake - King's Dead [Music Video]

The whole TDE crew has been putting in overtime with the release of the Black Panther soundtrack, which just debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. They've released three singles ("All The Stars," "Pray for Me," "King's Dead") and and two videos — "All The Stars" and the above "King's Dead." One of the motifs in the "King's Dead" video is being higher than the rest: more powerful, more successful, more dangerous; bolder. The video opens with the crew sitting atop palm trees in LA, at least 30 feet above the everyone else, which might be the most Compton thing I've ever seen. They also have several scenes where Jay Rock, K Dot and Future are perched on three consecutive buildings. Pretty dope shit.

And as you may or may not have heard yet, the Black Panther film is breaking all sorts of box office records. As of Monday afternoon, it's projected to earn as much as $245 million in it's opening four days. If those numbers stick, it would represent the second highest four-day opening of all time, behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($288MM) and just ahead of Star Wars: The Last Jedi ($241MM). As someone who saw the film and absolutely loved it, I hope it breaks every record possible. More black stories on screen, told by more black filmmakers, would be incredible.

Patti LaBelle's 1996 "This Christmas" Performance

Patti LaBelle, the great Patti LaBelle, sang at the ceremony for the 1996 Christmas tree lighting. She performed "This Christmas" and it is a sight to behold. Why? Because it's one of those performances that go so badly that, after a few years to laugh off the embarrassment, it becomes something immortal and incredible. And that's what happens here. She didn't have any backup singers during the performance, so she keeps yelling into the mic "where are my background singers!?" She doesn't know the words, so she tells the crowd she doesn't know the words and starts ad libbing. It's incredible. I mean, ad libbing a song, complaining AND singing fantastically, all at the same time? After watching this, it's 100% true that she could sing the phone book and have everybody jamming.

DMX - Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer

You never knew you needed DMX singing Christmas music in your life until you've heard DMX singing Christmas music, specifically "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer". How did this happen? A few years ago, DMX was giving a radio interview and began singing Rudolph. Someone heard this short clip and thought "EUREKA!," this deserves a studio-recorded version. So here we are, with a studio recorded version. Do we want a full album worth of DMX Christmas music? Depends on who you ask. But I'll put it like this: I hate Christmas music, but I'd bump the shit out of this hypothetical album.

N.E.R.D. & Rihanna - Lemon [Music Video]

N.E.R.D's new album, No One Ever Really Dies, drops December 15.

Come Back, Barack [Music Video] - SNL Digital Short

Chance The Rapper, Kenan Thompson and a third guy (sorry, dude, haven't watched SNL this season so I'm not familiar) get their Boyz II Men on in this 1990s throwback music video. The subject of their 90's-style love? None other than former president Barack Obama. And as someone with a Barack Obama tattoo, I 100% understand and agree.

NERVO - Champagne ft. Chief Keef [Music VIdeo]

And the oddest pairing of the year goes to NERVO and Chief Keef for making a NERVO song featuring Chief Keef.

DRAM - Ill Nana ft. Trippie Redd [Lyric Video]

I've been coming around to DRAM for a while now. It all started 2 years ago when my best friend would play "Cha Cha" incessantly. At first I hated it, with it's Mario-sounding beat. But I grew to love it. It continued last year with "Broccoli." I hated that song, too, but it grew on me. Now where here with "Ill Nana" ft. Trippie Red, and there's no hate in my bones, only love. A song about sweet, sweet, nana, it's one of those atmospheric, kind of mumbly jams that you hum along with because you don't know the words — but at the same time still wanna jump all on the couch with a bottle of Jameson in hand. Show love and follow DRAM on Facebook and Twitter, and check out his website.

Ludacris - Vices [Music Video]

After watching the video for Luda's latest single, I feel like I should get an oversized mask and be him for Halloween. Also, the first verse makes it sound like Luda's been an alcoholic for a looooonnnnggggg time. Separately, outside of the Fast franchise, what does dude do all day?

Noah Cyrus - Again ft. XXXTENTACION [Music Video]

I had never heard a Noah Cyrus track until this one somehow slipped into my weekly list of music to check out. And I was immediately captivated. The melody, the writing, the producing...you think it's going to sound one way because of her age and lineage, and it kind of starts out that way, but then the pre-chorus starts and it kind of takes a different, more emotion and mature twist, while still being fantastic, energetic pop that fills the speakers and entire room. Easily one of my favorite tracks as we transition out of the Calvin Harris funk-filled summer and into fall.

Having said that, I'm conflicted every time I listen to the song because it features XXXTENTACION, an up and coming rapper who, even at the tender age of 19, has a long and extremely concerning history of domestic violence (and other violent crimes). You can read about it over at Pitchfork, and be warmed — it's grim. I try very much not to support artists who repeatedly commit violent crimes and don't learn from and/or atone for their actions. DV is especially difficult for me to look past. But I've done it here, and I don't feel great about my choice. But I'll be reminded of it every time this track plays, which I figure will be often.

Ty Dolla $ign - So Am I ft. Damian Marley & Skrillex

Ty Dolla $ign is everywhere. Literally everywhere. He even co-wrote a handful of tracks on Kanye's The Life of Pablo. Now he's gearing up for his second album, Beach House 3, in late October. One of the singles, and one of my favorite tracks of the past few months, is "So Am I" ft. Damian Marley and Skrillex. How does reggae and dubstep work together, one may ask? By having Ty Dolla $ign hold them together. They fit perfectly under his guidance, with a subtle intensity that's best heard through speakers with sufficient bass.

Fuckery: Insane Clown Posse - Miracles [Music Video]

Someone told me to watch this video. I did. I'm glad I did, but a week later, I'm still very unsure of what I witnessed. I've heard of Insane Clown Posse before. You've heard of Insane Clown Posse before. We understand them the music to be white Odd Future 15 years before Odd Future. But this song? "Miracles"? Maaaaannnnnn, it's what happens when you smoke too much weed and watch Planet Earth at the Gathering of the Juggalos. A sample:

Water, fire, air and dirt / Fucking magnets, how do they work? / And I don't wanna talk to a scientist / Y'all motherfuckers lying, and getting me pissed

Watching this video worth the four minutes, if for no other reason than to simply be astounded by the many WTF moments.

Kesha - Praying + Woman [Music Video]

Kesha without the $.

Big Boi - Mic Jack ft. Adam Levine [Music Video]

I'm a big Big Boi fan. He recently released his third solo record, Boomiverse, this past summer and it included a lot of dope music. "In The South" ft. Gucci Mane and Pimp C was hot. "Chocolate" ft. Troze goes in (it's actually a heavy sample of Jesse Rose & Trozé - Chocolate (Milk Version)), but my favorite song is "Mic Jack" ft. Adam Levine. Something about Levine's voice crooning on this beat, with this hook, just gets me. Like, as a person, it gets me lol.