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Rock The Bells continues to be a living tribute to hip-hop at N.J. stop | Review

LL Cool J is on a mission to ensure the world never forgets the impact of hip-hop. The word “legendary” doesn’t feel like it could describe, let alone quantify, his legacy. In 1984, the man born James Todd Smith was the first artist signed to Def Jam at the age of 17. As a hip-hop pioneer, he was the first rapper to earn the Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2017 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Four decades later, Rock The Bells donning the name of LL Cool J’s third si...
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2025 Hot 97 Summer Jam straddles between hip-hop’s past and being a part of it’s future in Prudential Center return

Hot 97’s Summer Jam is the event that marks the beginning of the tri-state area’s long, hot summer ahead. The moniker of being the “Super Bowl of hip-hop” carries weight and expectations. If there’s one thing that has made Summer Jam a mecca for over 20 years, it’s moments - whether it’s using the stage as a launching pad for beef or the spontaneity of collaborations and special guests. But as the festival made its return to the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday after a two-year hiatus, it’s...
nj.com •

Rare backstage access with Japanese rock icons One OK Rock before their epic N.J. concert

Eleven years ago, Japanese rock mainstays One OK Rock performed on Vans Warped Tour, one of dozens of bands soldiering through the sweltering summer day at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. The dynamic group from Tokyo has since outlasted the traveling punk roadshow (which concluded touring in 2019), all the while building toward their mission of international recognition. Their sixth album, “Jinsei×Boku=” (2013), marked their ascension as a worldwide phenomenon, preceded by the success of th...
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Inside The Weeknd's massive N.J. concert. Don’t call it retirement, call it rebirth. | Review

Can you ever count on a musician to put a definitive end to their career — and stick to it? Mötley Crüe went as far as signing a contract stating they would never tour again, only to destroy the document and get back on the road. The brothers of Oasis, who may not have been in the same room together for years, are reuniting to play two sold-out shows at MetLife Stadium this summer. The list goes on: The Who, KISS, Jay-Z. For The Weeknd, named Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, it’s separating himself from t...
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Inside Mk.gee's booming N.J. hometown concert, finding glory in simplicity | Review

Mk.gee, New Jersey’s latest indie artist to break through on the national scene, wants to be known for making the best music with as few frills as possible. From releasing his first EP, “Pronounced McGee,” in 2018, the multi-instrumentalist from Linwood has demonstrated the musical expertise that led him to win the first-ever Somers Point Jazz Society’s jazz scholarship at 14. His penchant for chasing his impulses has earned the artist born Michael Todd Gordon showcases on “Jimmy Kimmel” and ”Sa...
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Musicians we ‘canceled’ are selling out N.J. concerts again. It’s not a good look.

It feels impossible now, but there was a time when Kanye West‘s music was actually a highlight in my life, even speaking directly to certain milestones. My friends and I played his 2007 album, “Graduation,” on repeat as we ourselves approached post-college life, wondering what was in store. A synchronicity existed between us — a group of millennial college kids — and the Grammy-winning superstar as we stared down the barrel of the the great recession of 2008. Songs like “Good Life” and “Can’t Te...
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Inside Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s explosive N.J. stadium show, a triumph of shared history | Review

The kickoff to MetLife Stadium’s record-breaking 2025 season Thursday night was a coronation of two artists at the top of their collective games. Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar and pop-R&B chart-topper SZA have joined forces for their Grand National Tour, a showcase of what happens when hard work and authenticity are at the forefront of what you do. The reward was a sold-out stadium (the first of back-to-back nights) full of excited and boisterous fans, a stage with three massive LED screens, anim...
nj.com •

Spiritbox unleashes ‘Tsunami Sea’ of sound and fury at blazing N.J. concert | Review

“‘Tsunami Sea’ is about the fear of being inadequate,” Spiritbox’s lead singer, Courtney LaPlante told her sold-out crowd in Montclair Tuesday night. “But you don’t make us feel inadequate. We never take this for granted.” Those words of gratitude, extended from one of heavy metal’s hottest acts, stems from a long road of a struggle. There was a time when the dynamic Canadian group’s future was uncertain. Before releasing their debut album, 2021’s “Eternal Blue,” COVID-19-related delays stifled...
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Deftones unleash 37 years of beauty and brutality in N.J., as rock’s longstanding trailblazers | Review

Don’t label them as metal. Don’t call them shoegaze. It’s futile to try to define them at all. For 37 years, Deftones have avoided all blanket assumptions — especially nu-metal, where they may have been lumped forever if not for a challenging and regularly brilliant discography (shown most recently with 2020’s “Ohms”). While the elder statesmen of rock are either reluctant to give up their mantles or skittish on who may bear their torches next, a lively and raucous sold-out crowd of 15,550 fans...
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Mary J. Blige’s emotional N.J. concert was a powerful night fit for a queen: Review

Mary J. Blige’s stop in Newark Sunday was a shared night of gratitude between a prolific performer and her fans. The R&B icon’s “For My Fans” tour comprised four costume changes, an extensive stage with huge LED panels, a massive crown adorned with the initials M.J.B. on the front, dancers, and a six-piece band to accentuate Blige’s 30-year catalog of hits. That’s all to be expected. We are talking about the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” who has sold 100 million records, performed during the Super Bo...
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10 years of ‘Emo Night’: How millennial nostalgia bled into Gen-Z one mosh pit at a time

For music lovers, there’s an existential fear when the songs they have clung to through various life markers become “old.” “Could what I love ever be deemed ‘classic,’” we wonder to ourselves. You never think it will happen to you, but then a couple of tracks end up on a “nostalgic era” playlist on Spotify. Soon enough, you’re reminiscing about the days of MTV, VH1, and music video premieres — and the younger generation has no clue what you’re talking about. The day we thought was reserved for m...
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How Nina Simone’s grandson brought Black music back to Asbury Park

For Alexander Simone, legacy is walking down the road created by two iconic Black women while paving his own. As the grandson of jazz and soul legend Nina Simone and the son of singer and actress Lisa Simone, the artist has left no stone unturned in exploring his gifts. He is a singer, songwriter, composer, activist and teacher. He’s also the leader of the Whodat? Live Crew, a musical collective and mainstay of Asbury Park’s vibrant music scene for more than a decade. They have shared the stage...
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N.J.'s Donna Missal lived in her car to keep dream alive. Her homecoming show was a triumph.

Los Angeles spells promise for many musicians, and New Jersey’s Donna Missal was no exception.The singer-songwriter from Somerset was on the upswing: Her 2016 self-released “Keep Lying” demo premiered on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show and reached the top of Spotify’s Viral charts with streams exceeding 1.5 million.Missal was lauded for her explosive, smoky voice, and emotionally raw perspective. As a new artist, she was more seasoned than most, honing her craft through childhood at her father’s...
Substream Magazine •

Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake Also Dealt With Our Perception of Musical Output and Frequency

J. Cole’s now-taken-back diss track ‘7 Minute Drill’ had a couple of lines that some saw as criticism of Kendrick Lamar’s musical output. “He averagin’ one hard verse like every thirty months or somethin‘ /If he wasn’t dissin’, then we wouldn’t be discussin’ him.” It is the same sentiments that Drake said (in another deleted for different reasons), ‘Taylor Made Freestyle,’ “I guess you need another week to figure out how to improve / What the f*ck is taking so long? We waitin’ on you.” After “Li
Substream Magazine •

Taylor Swift and The Tortured Critics Department

This post was first published at Capitalize the B Newsletter

Given the state of the many choices of social media platforms and their catering to a different piece of your attention, it’s been harder to cultivate communal moments like we used to. Fewer artists seemingly stop the world and invoke curiosity with each project they release. (Again, you can attribute this to how we receive and consume music). But this past Friday was different as Taylor Swift released her 11th full-length album, The
Substream Magazine •

Grimes's Coachella Difficulties Show That Tech Shouldn't Supplant Craft

Coachella is never without news or surprises. However, one particular moment is drawing eyes other than the great No Doubt reunion, Blur’s perplexed reaction to the crowd, and Lauryn Hill’s appearance during her son YG Marley’s set. Nope, the topic of discussion is centered around Grimes and the number of “technical mishaps” surrounding her DJ set. She repeatedly apologized to the packed Sahara tent crowd, rage screamed at points, and apologized after her set. Mistakes happen, and I’ve been to s
Substream Magazine •

J. Cole's Skill Will Live On, But This Was The Time To Cement Legend Status

We all love to see our favorite rappers at the top of their game and enter the lyrical ring if the moment calls for it. The “battle” is the essence of what hip-hop is built upon, and it wasn’t like we were going to see the likes of J. Cole, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar take things beyond the realm of the studio. The investment came to see the top dogs go line-for-line to see who can ultimately call themselves number one. That’s why Cole’s verse on “First Person Shooter” was so exciting to hear. It
Substream Magazine •

Beyoncé, Country Music, and the Weight of the American Flag

My first vivid memory of discovering country music was with my grandmother and discovering that she liked Randy Travis. This was a woman who was devoutly devoted to listening to gospel music, so it was a shock to me. It was also at the beginning of finding music outside of hip-hop and R&B. In those moments, there’s something pure about having something different permeate your senses. It’s because there’s a protective encasement around that sense of wonder that does not apply to gatekeeping — bec
Substream Magazine •

Jay-Z's Speech and the Conundrum of Needing The Grammy Award Accolade

Jay-Z’s acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award included a part in which he highlighted two previous Grammy boycotts he and Will Smith did — while still acknowledging they watched the show anyway. That is a perfect summary of the relationship we have with the Grammys at large now. It’s billed as “The Super Bowl of music,” where the industry’s best comes together with the spirit that the best works from the prior year will be awarded. Again, that’s at least the spirit of what the Gr
Substream Magazine •

'Cry Me A River' Is A Song Justin Timberlake Can't Seem To Shake

On November 25, 2002, Justin Timberlake premiered the video for a song (you may have heard it) named ‘Cry Me A River’ from his debut solo album, Justified. There was a time when he was silent about where the inspiration for that song came from. No doubt it was about a prior relationship that crumbled to the ground, but Timberlake stated it wasn’t specifically about anyone in October of 2002. Cut to the premiere of that video directed by Francis Lawrence, and the resemblance of the faceless blond
Substream Magazine •

The Essentialness of Music Journalism Must Be Recognized

Music is magical. It’s one of the few mediums where you can relive the feeling of hearing something for the first time in repetition. It will always repay you if you allow yourself to be overtaken by melodies, rhythm, and the shared stories of instrumentals and lyricism. For me, it was my late grandmother’s love for the piano and Gospel music. Then, it grew from my uncle’s vast CD collection full of R&B and classic hip-hop. Soon, I would make my own discoveries by watching MTV, where Nirvana’s “
DraftKings Network •

The 2024 major Grammy categories belong to women and (finally) not lip service

To say that the look of the top Grammy nominations from this year is an overall rebuke of former Recording Academy president Neil Portnow’s comments that female artists had to “step it up” to get recognized in 2018 would be an understatement. That’s with a year when albums such as Lorde’s Melodrama, SZA’s Ctrl, Rapsody’s Laila’s Wisdom, and Lady Gaga’s Joanne, amongst many great pieces of work, were released.

Low and behold – the 67th installment of the Grammys got it right, and seven of the ei
DraftKings Network •

Rage Against The Machine’s legacy was always bigger than the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Timelessness is a concept I have been more aware of as I listen to music lately. Some of the best bodies of work not only strike specific feelings inside of me the moment I listen to them, but keep their same purpose while applying to the current times I live in. I remember the first time I listened to Rage Against The Machine’s 1992 self-title album, 1996’s Evil Empire, and 2000’s The Battle for Los Angeles, and remarkably, they haven’t aged the bit. Not just from a musical standpoint.

The fou
DraftKings Network •

Olivia Rodrigo confidently excoriates the vortex of our expectations, fame, and love on ‘Guts’

Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, Guts, is a confident, heart-bearing, intricately disorienting encapsulation of what it must feel like to be a young woman trying to sift through the world of unrealistic societal expectations, heartbreak, and artistic pressures. Sometimes, you want to wallow in a particular betrayal. Other times, you want to get with a group of friends and contemplate methods of revenge against said ex-significant other. You don’t have everything figured out yet, and that’s the
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