Everything but the Song: The Friday release makes for a lazy music-listener
When you write about music, work in “the industry” or are just a general listener and want to stay up to date on what’s new, Fridays are dreadful.

Everything but the Song: There’s always something to be said about the music of ‘Insecure,’ mostly good things
Sunday’s fourth season premiere of “Insecure” opened on a high note.

Everything but the Song: If Ne-Yo v. Johntá Austin provided one lesson, it’s that R&B is the greatest genre out there
As someone who grew up in the 2000s, listening to every R&B album I could get my hands on — “The Emancipation of Mimi,” “B’Day,” “Trey Day” and the list goes on — I know that there are two men (among others) who most certainly have the formula for a hit record: Ne-Yo and Johntá Austin.

Everything but the Song: Genres change and evolve but R&B is far from dead
With millions of songs — new and old — available on streaming services and thousands of artists to discover, there is absolutely no reason why anyone should claim the genre of R&B is dead.

Everything but the Song: There are too many hip-hop debates on Twitter and it’s tiring
In 2020, I want all of us hip-hop heads to use our Twitter fingers in a smarter way.

Everything but the Song: Here Jay-Z goes again: Partnership with NFL is bad move
Essentially, Jay-Z, the “Inspire Change” campaign and the NFL watered down Kaepernick’s message while excluding him from the league’s efforts to address social issues.

Everything but the Song: ‘Circles’ is how you release an album posthumously
There is no right answer for releasing posthumous music — a sentiment expressed by the family of rapper Mac Miller who died in 2018 from an accidental overdose. But his latest and possibly final album might be the blueprint for bringing music to life after death.

Everything but the Song: The decade’s best albums are the most emotionally impactful to me
I can’t write to you about the definitive album of the decade or give you a hodgepodge of songs that make up the quintessential soundtrack of the 2010s.

Everything but the Song: This is why people hated Drake at Camp Flog Gnaw
When taking into consideration Tyler’s audience and Drake’s complicated history with likability, a world where Drake isn’t well-received makes sense.

Everything but the Song: Kanye West should be held responsible, not just canceled
Not only is Kanye not canceled, but the act of cancelation is socially performative — talked about online but not put into practice.

Everything but the Song: Celebrities are also affected by mental health issues
Summer Walker isn’t the first artist to publicly speak on mental health or to be criticized for how their mental health condition perpetuates in their artistry.

Everything but the Song: Black choir music is pimped out by artists
Elements of Black American gospel music have long been used outside of the church’s four walls and have infiltrated into mainstream pop culture. 

Everything but the Song: Roddy Ricch’s rap is more than materialism
A smile comes across my face whenever I hear 702’s “Get it Together” fade into “I put the new Forgis on the Jeep.” “Ballin’” isn’t the rapper’s victory lap or celebratory dunk — it’s a warm-up track.

Everything but the Song: As Jay-Z said, ‘Mac Miller nice too though’
Just a year ago, the hip-hop community and beyond saw headlines reading “Mac Miller dead at 26.” The Pittsburgh-born rapper and producer was an ever-changing artist within the hip-hop community.

Everything but the Song: Celebrities must be more conscious about their activism
This year, “@badgalriri” will honor Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and civil rights activist Shaun King will receive the Diamond Ball Award.