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Emotional Realism Shines in ROZZZQWEEN’s Latest Single ‘Praise Me’

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Emotional Realism Shines in ROZZZQWEEN’s Latest Single ‘Praise Me’

Birmingham-born Afro-British artist ROZZZQWEEN has released her new single ‘Praise Me’. She has become one of the UK’s most talked-about independent artists through her distinctive voice and her ability to move between soulful intimacy, alternative R&B textures and infectious hooks. Support from BBC Introducing, Radio 1’s Jess Iszatt and Billboard has helped build a loyal fanbase, while a recent collaboration led Maverick Sabre to call her “one of my favourite voices right now“. Named a BBC Introducing One To Watch for 2026, her fearless songwriting stands out for its unfiltered approach to the spaces between confidence and vulnerability.

‘Praise Me’ weaves together alternative R&B, soul, and razor-sharp storytelling to explore the tug-of-war when you know someone is wrong for you, yet a part of you aches for them to stay. The song plunges into the kind of relationship most people hesitate to confess: where you recognize you deserve more, but love keeps you tethered. Instead of a typical breakup anthem, it captures the charged moment before the split, when logic and emotion wrestle and neither side prevails. The track zeroes in on emotional imbalance, the ache of giving more than you get, and how affection can make us endure what we know we should leave behind. ROZZZQWEEN’s unmistakable voice delivers these truths with power, refusing to tidy up the chaos of craving more from someone while still needing them. As the newest chapter in her monthly single series leading up to an October EP, it deepens the unfolding narrative of real-time growth and experience.

ROZZZQWEEN shared: “Ever been in a relationship with someone who’s just so ungrateful and wrong for you but you’d be damned if they left? This is for the people out there in terrible relationships but feel as though they can’t leave because of that little thing called love.”

Stream ‘Praise Me’: 

Follow ROZZZQWEEN:

Spotify – Instagram – Facebook 

Shekhinah Makes Waves with Dynamic New EP, Love On Repeat Vol. 1

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Shekhinah Makes Waves with Dynamic New EP, Love On Repeat Vol. 1

Image Credit: @stephenobi.jpg

Shekhinah released her debut EP, Love On Repeat Vol. 1, on June 5, 2026. The South African singer-songwriter, known for her distinctive vocal timbre and a catalogue of chart-topping pop singles, uses the four-track project to step confidently into house, weaving in the intricate rhythmic patterns of South African three-step. This evolution preserves her core strength: songwriting that is direct and emotionally resonant. Producers Fatso 98, Master A Flat, 2KayMusiq and MotiveSoul shape the EP’s sound, keeping the grooves taut and the production contemporary, always allowing Shekhinah’s delivery to remain front and centre.

Each track makes Shekhinah’s stylistic transition unmistakable. The lead single, ‘Say You Love Me‘, featuring Brandon Dhludhlu, channels a dancefloor momentum that underscores the EP’s genre-blurring intent. On ‘My Baby‘, Dhludhlu returns with Fatso 98, intensifying the low-end while letting the melody unfold with clarity. Shekhinah also collaborates with Simmy, uniting two of South Africa’s most distinctive voices on songs where love and rhythm become inseparable.

What anchors the EP is its unmistakable Shekhinah signature: intimate, soulful, and deeply expressive, even as house and three-step textures frame her vocals. She approaches the project as both a creative exploration and a celebration of the sounds currently shaping her artistry. Love On Repeat Vol. 1 is out now on all major streaming platforms, arriving as a reminder of Shekhinah’s ability to reinvent her sound while keeping listeners coming back.

Stream Love On Repeat Vol. 1 

‘2POPS’ Sets the Summer Tone as Tyga Delivers Another Hit

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‘2POPS’ Sets the Summer Tone as Tyga Delivers Another Hit

On May 22, Tyga released ‘2POPS’, his first solo single of the year and a direct successor to 2025’s NSFW. The Compton rapper first emerged under Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, earning platinum certifications and a top-ten Hot 100 placement with ‘Rack City’, followed by further milestones including the diamond-certified ‘Taste’ featuring Offset. Over more than a decade, his catalog has remained anchored in trap-influenced West Coast rap, favoring heavy bass, memorable hooks, and dance-floor immediacy rather than following fleeting trends.

​The track revolves around a signature low-end pulse, with producers Nic Nac, Count Bassy, and Jacob Olofsson shaping a summer-oriented groove that maintains momentum without excess. Tyga delivers his verses with characteristic assurance, the bassline anchoring the production while nuanced rhythmic changes sustain the forward motion. The result is a streamlined, effective single that underscores the qualities that have kept his work in regular rotation: clarity, immediacy, and an unmistakable catchiness.

Accompanied by visuals featuring Deon Cole, the release finds Tyga adhering to the formula that has defined his career. Following the subdued reception of his previous album, ‘2POPS’ serves as a testament to his enduring consistency: bass-driven, hook-laden, and primed for summer rotation. The single integrates seamlessly into his discography, reaffirming the enduring appeal of his established sound.

Watch the music video here:

Global Sounds Collide in the Release of ‘Emotions’ by SPINOFF and Monblaire

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Global Sounds Collide in the Release of ‘Emotions’ by SPINOFF and Monblaire

SPINOFF and Monblaire’s collaborative single ‘Emotions’, released May 8, 2026, unites the Mexico City-born, Spain-based producer with one of house music’s most reliable international voices. SPINOFF’s signature sound fuses indie dance and house with tropical inflections, anchored by robust basslines and rhythmic grooves designed for the dancefloor. His club credentials include residencies at Dinsmoor, Houdini, and Bonbonniere, alongside appearances at Silencio in Paris, Sol in New York, Gallery Club in London, Playa Padre in Marbella, and Jolene Sound Room in Miami, with an Ibiza debut on the horizon. Monblaire, whose club-driven productions have found homes on Size Records and Bedrock Records, is recognized for his propulsive rhythms and charting tracks such as ‘The Church‘, ‘Don’t Depend‘, and ‘Energy‘, reinforcing his presence on the global dance circuit.

Drenched in 80s nostalgia and a sultry vocal, ‘Emotions‘ pulses with slick melodies and rolling percussion, inviting listeners on a sunlit journey to the Mediterranean’s heart. The track’s tension crackles, coming alive in the heat of a packed dancefloor. When SPINOFF sent the vocals across the ocean, Monblaire instantly locked in the bassline, and the rest unfolded organically, merging two creative worlds into a single, unforgettable moment. For SPINOFF, it’s another step in his cross-continental evolution; for Monblaire, it deepens his atmospheric club sound while keeping his signature drive. Both artists know music bridges distances faster than any map. ‘Emotions‘ is proof: two stories, one dancefloor.

SPINOFF had this to say: “’Emotions’ is a reflection of the tension and contrast we’re living through right now. Inspired by 80s textures and a sensual, nostalgic vocal, the track blends warmth and darkness into something meant for the dancefloor. It’s about escaping reality, even if just for a moment, and connecting through music.” Monblaire added: “When SPINOFF sent me the vocals, the bass popped into my brain immediately. The rest is history.”

Stream ‘Emotions’:

Follow SPINOFF:

Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud 

Follow Monblaire:

Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube

The Founding of YouTube A Short History

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YouTube is one of the most influential platforms in modern media, but its origin story is surprisingly simple: a small team wanted an easier way to share video online. In the early 2000s, uploading and sending video files was slow, formats were inconsistent, and most websites weren’t built for smooth playback. YouTube’s founders focused on removing those barriers—making video sharing as easy as sending a link.

Who Founded YouTube?
YouTube was founded by three former PayPal employees: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They combined product thinking, engineering skills, and a clear user goal: create a website where anyone could upload a video and watch it instantly in a browser.

Chad Hurley — product/design focus and early CEO role
Steve Chen — engineering and infrastructure
Jawed Karim — engineering and early concept support
The Problem YouTube Solved
At the time, sharing video often meant emailing huge files or dealing with complicated players and downloads. YouTube made video:

Uploadable by non-experts (simple interface)
Streamable in the browser (no special setup)
Sharable through links and embedding on other sites
Early Growth and the First Video
YouTube launched publicly in 2005. One of the most famous early moments was the first uploaded video, “Me at the zoo,” featuring co-founder Jawed Karim. The clip was short and casual—exactly the kind of everyday content that proved the platform’s big idea: ordinary people could publish video without needing a studio.

Key Milestones Timeline
Year/Date Milestone Why It Mattered

2005    YouTube is founded and launches    Introduced easy browser-based video sharing
2005    “Me at the zoo” is uploaded    Became a symbol of user-generated video culture
2006    Google acquires YouTube    Provided resources to scale hosting and global reach
Why Google Bought YouTube
By 2006, YouTube’s traffic was exploding. Video hosting is expensive—bandwidth and storage costs rise fast when millions of people watch content daily. Google’s acquisition gave YouTube the infrastructure and advertising ecosystem to grow into a sustainable business.

What YouTube’s Founding Changed
YouTube didn’t just create a popular website; it reshaped how people learn, entertain themselves, and build careers online. Its founding helped accelerate:

Creator-driven media and influencer culture
How-to education and free tutorials at massive scale
Music discovery, commentary, and global community trends
From a small startup idea to a global video powerhouse, YouTube’s founding is a classic example of a simple product solving a real problem—and changing the internet in the process.

New UK Music Study: Black Artists Behind 80% of Industry Revenue in UK Since 1994

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New UK Music Study: Black Artists Behind 80% of Industry Revenue in UK Since 1994

Equity and representation issues stand out sharply in the music business according to fresh data released March 17. UK Music‘s report shows that despite massive contributions from Black creators, support structures have not matched their influence. Only 22 percent of senior roles go to Black, Asian or minority ethnic workers. Black professionals point to persistent unfairness in contracts, pay, funding access and general backing within the sector.

Titled Black Music Means Business: Driving Economic Growth In The UK, the document marks Europe’s first major calculation of Black recorded music’s footprint between 1994 and 2023. It reveals these artists delivered 80 percent of all UK music revenue during the period – a total of £24.5 billion from an industry pot of £30 billion. The findings frame Black music as a central force in the UK’s commercial music landscape over those 30 years.

Tom Kiehl, Chief Executive of UK Music, explained: “UK Music wants this report to not only be a point of reference but also a basis for facilitating change and positive action through its recommendations.” Ammo Talwar MBE, Chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, had this to say: “The report should give us great optimism for the future of Black British music. However, this phenomenal cultural force must be nurtured. The aim of the report is to act as an advocacy tool and rallying cry, that is a catalyst for ongoing analysis, growth, increased representation, equity and stronger collaboration, thereby building confidence in Black music.“

Read the full report: HERE

Lizzo Releases Music Video for ‘Don’t Make Me Love U,’ Her First New Track of 2026

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Lizzo Releases Music Video for ‘Don’t Make Me Love U,’ Her First New Track of 2026

While Lizzo lines up a September children’s book about a girl bonding with a flute and steps into the Sister Rosetta Tharpe role for a biopic she is co-producing with Forest Whitaker, she has also dropped her first 2026 release. ‘Don’t Make Me Love U’ arrives with its music video already out, coming after the 2023 album Special and the lawsuit that followed from former staff citing sexual harassment and a difficult work environment. In 2025, she released ‘Love in Real Life’ and ‘Still Down Bad’, setting up the still-unscheduled Love in Real Life album.

The video brings Lizzo face-to-face with the version of herself from the Cuz I Love You era. Tension builds as present-day Lizzo, with blonde hair, stares down her past self. The meeting acts as a bridge between eras, placing past and present in the same frame so the song carries the weight of time without losing its message of embracing the past to move forward. Its emotional core and Lizzo’s ability to explore her authenticity through music are exactly what we’d expect from this release.

This single shows Lizzo treating her career as one continuous project that stretches across formats. The music keeps moving forward as the film and book sides expand, building toward whatever comes next on the announced album. The combination is a natural extension of how she has always worked, keeping listeners tuned in across every lane she occupies.

Watch ‘Don’t Make Me Love U’:

Hip-Hop Icon Jay-Z Books Yankee Stadium for Two Nights of Classic Album Performances

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Hip-Hop Icon Jay-Z Books Yankee Stadium for Two Nights of Classic Album Performances

As a defining presence in hip-hop whose selective live dates always create buzz, Jay-Z has lined up two Yankee Stadium appearances this July focused on key albums from his catalog. The back-to-back shows fall on July 10 for Reasonable Doubt and July 11 for The Blueprint. Roc Nation confirmed the details shortly after mentioning his planned Reasonable Doubt set for the 2026 Roots Picnic.

His activity on stage has been measured lately, with contributions to the Super Bowl LIX halftime performance that received an Emmy nomination and a guest appearance during the 2025 Cowboy Carter tour in Paris standing out. He also performed at Tom Brady’s 2024 Hall of Fame induction and took part in the 2023 Grammys. That pace follows his last solo tour in 2017 and the co-headlining OTR II dates with Beyoncé in 2018. These elements highlight how Jay-Z spaces out full performances while maintaining impact through targeted appearances.

The Yankee Stadium run will center on the distinct approaches found across those two projects, letting the audience experience the interplay of his flows and the beats that marked those periods firsthand. Given the gaps in his touring history, the opportunity to hear this material presented in full at a major hometown venue feels significant for the genre. It ties into broader interest in full-album live sets and positions the nights as highlights for fans invested in hip-hop’s foundational artists. With the shows still ahead, they represent a chance to engage directly with the roots of Jay-Z’s enduring influence this summer.

Jack Harlow Delivers Surprising Neo-Soul Turn on Fourth Album, Monica Out Now

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Jack Harlow Delivers Surprising Neo-Soul Turn on Fourth Album, Monica Out Now

Jack Harlow dropped his fourth album, Monica, this past weekend, and it’s a surprising change from what fans might expect. Harlow, who started out as a viral hip-hop artist and later became a pop-rap star, was known for his polished beats and confident lyrics. But on Monica, which he recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, he leaves that style behind. The nine songs swap out the usual swagger for softer, live instruments and lyrics that feel more honest.

​The change is clear right from the first track, ‘Trade Places.’ The upbeat, catchy beats from songs like “First Class” are gone. Instead, Harlow sings over live drums and jazz-inspired sounds that feel more thoughtful. ‘Lonesome‘ explores what it costs to put yourself first instead of relationships, and ‘My Winter’ uses the seasons to show feelings of restlessness, with Ravyn Lenae’s vocals adding emotion. The highlight is ‘Against The Grain,‘ where Harlow talks about the pressure of keeping up appearances, ending with a real conversation between his parents that grounds the album.

​When ‘Say Hello’ wraps up the album with Robert Glasper on piano, it’s obvious that Harlow is working through adulthood, loss, and personal growth in a way he hasn’t before. Longtime fans will probably see this as a positive step forward.

Listen to Monica, here:

D’Chrome Foster Blends Soul and Sharp Flows on New Single ‘Rain’

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D’Chrome Foster Blends Soul and Sharp Flows on New Single ‘Rain’

Brooklyn-born artist D’Chrome Foster is making waves in hip-hop and R&B with his new single ‘Rain’ set for release in 2026. Born Serge R. Thony, he got his start in New York’s battle scene, trading verses at The Pyramid’s “End of the Weak” nights on the Lower East Side. That raw energy now mixes with acting skills he picked up at Esper Studios and during his MFA at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. He’s appeared off-Broadway in shows like Ethel Sings, In Bed with Roy Cohn, and Kansas City Swing, earning praise from The New York Times, which called him “young, cocky and ready to take over the world.” You can still hear the influence of Harry Belafonte and Michael Jackson in the way he delivers every line.

On ‘Rain,’ Foster glides effortlessly between silky melodies and crisp, rhythmic flows. The track weaves R&B’s inviting warmth, pop’s glossy sheen, and hip-hop’s swagger into a groove that feels authentic and lived-in. Like his previous single ‘Pack Yo Bagz,’ it drives forward with momentum, but this time Foster adds emotional clarity that makes every hook linger. Playful yet sincere, the song offers a jolt of energy with a crisp flow and an air of authentic 90’s hip hop charisma.
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Foster’s stage experience shows in how he handles the mic, making ‘Rain’ feel like a powerful mini-performance. Mixing classic soul style with modern confidence, he gives the song a unique feel while still tipping his hat to artists like Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, and Kanye West. With each new release, he gets better at balancing openness and control, showing he’s one of the most promising new voices out there.

Stream ‘Rain’:

Follow D’Chrome Foster:

Spotify – Instagram – Youtube

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