Tag: Nas

South African GLOW Artist Mx Blouse Proudly Combines Hip-Hop Beats With Dance, Kwaito, and Queer Themes

October 24, 2023

Johannesburg-based creative Sandi has been a writer ever since they could remember. Short stories and poetry gave way to a career in journalism, and, eventually, to song lyrics that were inspired by American hip-hop artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill and Nas. In 2016, after quitting their journalism job and traveling in Southeast Asia, Sandi wrote a set of lyrics to layer on top of their friend’s beats. “I didn’t know a thing about music at the time,” Sandi told For the Record. “I didn’t know about mixing or mastering. I just thought the song was done. ” Shortly later, it was posted to Soundcloud.

Suddenly after publication, blogs back home began picking up the song, and called to Sandi to release more songs and perform. Sandi quickly began writing, looking to communicate in their own authentic voice, and then returned to South Africa to begin rapping live.   

“The feeling of being onstage is what convinced me, okay, this is what I want to do,” they said. “I went up to my sister after the show and said, ‘sis, I don’t know how I’m going to pay rent, so I’m moving in with you. And I’m going to try to make this music thing work.’ And she said, ‘after what I saw tonight, go ahead.’” 

Since then, Sandi’s been releasing hip-hop tracks centering their non-binary queer and South African identities as Mx Blouse. They’ve garnered a monthly listening base and picked up steam abroad. And this month, as Spotify’s GLOW spotlight artist, we’re supporting them on our flagship GLOW playlist, as well as through billboards and other efforts. 

As much as Sandi has discovered and developed their voice since sharing that first song, barriers persist. “I kind of feel alienated from hip-hop as a queer person,” they shared. “I don’t really feel like I’m part of that community. A lot of my community are people in the dance music circuit. And I love dance music myself, so I’ve been trying to mold those two worlds together because I do love hip-hop, as much as I feel alienated from it. I’m trying to mix hip-hop with dance music sounds and obviously, talking about my queer experience.”

In addition to drawing inspiration from local queer creators like Athi-Patra Ruga and genres like kwaito, Sandi has found an incredible source of joy and hope in American rapper Lil Nas X. Growing up without much LGBTQIA+ representation, they simply never expected to see a Black, queer, global pop star. “What he’s achieved is something close to impossible,” Sandi shared. 

“It’s a struggle for a lot of queer artists, trying to fit into a music industry that, for the most part, doesn’t see you,” they said. “I’m also very blunt about my gender and my sexuality. If you listen to ‘ICON,’ there’s a part where I’m like ‘I’m not a rapper telling you that I’m an icon.’ It’s me recognizing that I’m not a traditional rapper, and maybe you shouldn’t see me that way. And that’s fine, because this is who I am, and I’m going to do things my way.”

Over the years, Sandi has learned more about the music industry and what it takes to have a career as an artist. “First of all, I learned about mixing and mastering,” Sandi laughed, “but people have also taught me how to consider song structure and putting a song together. It’s not just writing. Anyone who’s paying close enough attention can see the improvements.” 

They’ve also become stronger as a performer, incorporating a band into several of their live shows, and they now serve as their own manager, booking agent, social media manager and producer. They’re also their own advocate, carving out space locally and globally for their work and work of those around them. “Recently, my friends and I got together to do a fundraiser for queer people in Uganda because their existence has been outlawed. Being pushed to do that, first of all, was very scary, but the feeling of being able to contribute to my community is something that really makes me feel proud.”

Sandi unabashedly claims that they “love people,” and “love being around people.” What they love most as an artist is a strong feeling of contributing to their community, and even while still early in their career, they’re advocating for more equity in available opportunities.

“I’ve played at a lot of festivals where the queer stages are always separate from everything else,” they said. “In many ways, we can celebrate that and say, ‘we are being included, we are being given our own space.’ and I think that’s great. But at the same time, we are being alienated. Why can’t the queer artist be on the mainstage? There’s a catch-22, in creating something that is explicitly for queer people, and something where all kinds of people can hear you. I would like to see a world where queer artists don’t have to have that prefix in front of them, where they can be artists, period.” 

Catch Mx Blouse on Spotify’s flagship GLOW playlist.

Toast Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary With Our Special Playlist Hub, Murals, Animated Shorts, and More

August 3, 2023

Fifty years ago, hip-hop was born in the Bronx. And today, it continues to influence music and culture on a global scale. To celebrate this massive milestone over the next month, we’re creating murals in some of hip-hop’s biggest capitals, giving fans a personalized hip-hop listening experience with our DJ, and releasing a series of animated shorts. But to kick off the festivities, we’re launching the Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub.

Highlighting the contributions of hip-hop’s greats, this special destination will live on-platform over the next month and house more than 40 global playlists that reflect the various eras, regions, and trends that have shaped the genre over the last half-century. This includes many of our top data-driven and editorially curated playlists, as well as dedicated shelves for the 50 most-streamed rappers and hip-hop albums on Spotify. 

“We wanted to acknowledge the anniversary in more than one way. Three months ago, we kicked off conversations on social media with our Top 50 Hip-Hop lists and are now showcasing how hip-hop’s and Spotify’s history intersects,” said Carl Chery, Creative Director, Head of Urban Music, Spotify. “Throughout August, we’re paying homage to some of the artists that paved the way in their own cities with murals and billboards, creating an animated shorts series narrated by artists, and built out a destination on platform that features a variety of playlists from around the world. Stay tuned for more—here’s to the next 50″

Fans can dive into the best hip-hop songs of each decade with special curations for the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s, as well as the ’20s, where listeners can tune in to RapCaviar, our flagship hip-hop playlist, to find the best of hip-hop today. As part of the global hip-hop shelf—which features playlists like Spotify Italy’s Plus Ultra, Spotify India’s Rap 91, Spotify Korea’s KrOWN, Spotify U.K.’s Who We Be, the Spotify Middle East’s Arab Hip-Hop, and Spotify Philippines’ Kayle Hip-Hop—we’re showcasing the hottest, freshest, and most diverse hip-hop sounds being created around the world.

We’re also revisiting some of our editors’ top picks through our 50 years of hip-hop shelf, which features episodes from podcasts like the New York Times’s Popcast and Fab 5 Freddy’s 50 Years of Hip-Hop, as well as Spotify Originals like The RapCaviar Podcast, Dissect, The Ringer Music Show, and Nas and Miss Info’s The Bridge. 

You can check out more of For the Record’s hip-hop content from over the years by visiting our special Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub. 

Spotify celebrates in hip-hop’s biggest meccas

To honor some of hip-hop’s biggest game changers, Spotify is collaborating with illustrator and image-maker Raj Dhunna to design large-scale murals and billboards. These pieces will put a spotlight on artists in their respective hometowns and depict the ways rap’s most influential sounds spread from region to region. 

In New York, Spotify will unveil a mural acknowledging the history of drill as it grew from its origins in Chicago with legends like Chief Keef, and expanded into London and Brooklyn with artists like 808 Melo and Pop Smoke. A second mural will spotlight the impact of women in hip-hop and feature icons like Lil’ Kim and Cardi B. 

In Atlanta, Raj will create a mural that celebrates the evolution of trap music, which was pioneered by Atlanta’s own T.I. and cultivated into a global phenomenon by artists like New York’s Arcángel.

Raj’s designs will also appear on billboards in Miami and Los Angeles. The L.A. billboard will feature Dr. Dre and Mustard, two of the city’s musical titans, with a tagline that reads “Long live the West Coast sound. Hip-hop is everywhere.” The Miami billboard, meanwhile, will pay tribute to the provocative sounds of the region’s most influential women rap acts.

Spotify will also commemorate hip-hop’s growth in Mexico and pay homage to its current and foundational artists with a mural that features over 15 Mexican hip-hop artists, including Akwid, Cartel de Santa, Santa Fe Klan, and Gera Mx.

The party continues

In addition to the on-platform destinations and custom murals, our AI-powered DJ will provide expert hip-hop commentary all month long on Spotify, supplying aficionados with cultural context about musical legends and retracing how hip-hop has grown through history.

To close out the month, Spotify will debut editorially curated animated shorts that underscore hip-hop’s influence in over nine countries, featuring narrations from artists. 

Our celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary will let fans discover and connect with artists of the past, present, and future. But this is only the start. Stay tuned for updates throughout the month as we commemorate one of the most beloved genres in the world. 

Hit play on our flagship RapCaviar playlist and discover the artists who are making their mark in hip-hop’s history books. 

The Music Masterminds Behind EA SPORTS ‘FIFA’ Soundtracks Break Down the Method Behind Their Magic

November 2, 2022

The arrival of a new EA SPORTS FIFA game is always an event eagerly awaited by millions of gamers around the world. The release of EA SPORTS FIFA 23 in September was no exception. But in addition to getting their hands on the latest and greatest gameplay, a major highlight for fans of the series was the launch of the FIFA 23 Official Soundtrack. 

Now, Spotify is introducing an exclusive and personalized EA SPORTS FIFA Mix that takes some of your favorite songs and mixes them with a handful of FIFA soundtrack classics to create the ultimate audio experience as you celebrate your wins. 

It’s also time to settle the age-old debate for the greatest tracks in EA SPORTS FIFA’s 25-year history. Along with the personalized EA SPORTS FIFA Mix, EA SPORTS and Spotify have also partnered to make the 1,000+ songs that have been featured on FIFA soundtracks playable in one place. From there, fans can back their favorite song and even share it on social media using the hashtag #UltimateFIFASoundtrack to fight for its rightful place on the Ultimate FIFA Soundtrack, slated to launch in-game November 9.

Ever wondered what makes the EA SPORTS FIFA playlists pop? For the Record sat down with long-time EA music supervisors Cybele Pettus and Raphi Lima to get the ins and outs of what goes into one of the most influential gaming soundtracks out there.

Creating a soundtrack for a franchise as big and storied as FIFA seems like a massive undertaking. Where did your process begin for FIFA 23?

Cybele Pettus: The process begins immediately after the previous year’s game soundtrack is finished. The actual sourcing starts with the hundreds of global contacts we’ve nurtured over the past 20 years, including labels, publishers, managers, and artists. And while that gives us a unique overview of emerging trends and new performers, it is still a massive undertaking. I think the process is ongoing in that our FIFA ears are open all the time.  

Raphi Lima: For me, the process is absolutely ongoing. Every time I hear a new song that triggers a huge emotion in me, I immediately ask, “How can we get behind this and put it in FIFA?” I feel like I’ve been happily in this process for the past 20 years. 

Steve Schnur, EA Games President of Music, has previously spoken about how the FIFA soundtracks have become culture. In your eyes, what makes the FIFA soundtracks so unique?

CP: Think about what MTV and terrestrial radio meant to young people 30 years ago. But even then, those formats were localized. Because soccer/football is the world’s most popular sport, tens of millions of gamers have come to know our FIFA soundtracks as their number one destination for discovering new music. Even more important, we’ve brought together so many different genres in a cohesive body of work. Again, it’s about commonality; people’s love for the sport and the game has united the world in a collective love for its music. That’s the power of FIFA.  

RL: Music is my favorite language and mixtapes were a way to communicate and connect back in high school. The music we shared became a part of each other’s lives and our identities.  

I’ll always see that as the foundation for what we do with FIFA. Every year, it’s as if we get to create the most incredible global mixtape ever. Cybele and I still have that same “You’ve GOT to hear this!” enthusiasm for music we both had in high school, only now it’s on a worldwide level.  

Over the past 20 years, we’ve had the ability to turn people onto the next song or artist they’re going to fall in love with. Even if you don’t speak a song’s language, you can connect with its vibe. The bridges we’ve built with music around the world have changed people’s lives. And we are incredibly proud of that. 

Are there specific qualities in a song you were looking for as you narrowed down the list for the soundtrack? 

CP: We start by listening to literally thousands of songs. Next, we pare it down to hundreds. Then we listen and discuss song by song by song. It can be a painful whittling process because while we agree on plenty, there will always be those songs that we individually feel passionate about. Those are my favorite arguments. Keep in mind that we’re often looking at new artists that haven’t released any music yet, so there are no quantifiable metrics to apply. So much of what we do is based on good ears and gut instincts. It may sound cryptic, but you know when you know.

Is there a particular mindset or mood that you want the soundtrack to evoke as people play FIFA 23?

CP: The main soundtrack will always have a global focus on new music from up-and-coming artists and new material from established stars. But the game’s Volta mode, which is street-play based, allows us a much grittier programming palette. This year, we’ve curated 52 tracks that bring together hip-hop, grime, electronic and more from U.S./U.K. performers like Jack Harlow, Central Cee, Nas, and Kojey Radical ft. Knucks, alongside new underground artists from places like South Africa, India, Germany, and Nigeria. The two soundtracks may wear slightly different hats, but they work really well together in that unique FIFA way. 

Are there any new sounds, ideas, or approaches that you worked into the FIFA 23 soundtrack?

CP: The year features 110 total tracks representing 34 countries, including artists from Malaysia, Lithuania, Sierra Leone, and Malta for the first time. That’s as global as it gets. I also think many of this year’s more unique new artists—Daniela Lalita, Haich Ber Na, SOFY, MILKBLOOD, Cryalot, and Bianca Costa, for example—will make a huge impression in the year to come. Add in that great gritty Volta vibe, and it’s truly a standout soundtrack.

RL: I think this year’s specific mix of genres, new acts, and marquee names works incredibly well. There can sometimes be a quick commercial trajectory on songs by established artists, so it’s important that their songs be both new and major. This year’s tracks from Phoenix, Gorillaz, M.I.A., Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ROSALÍA, and especially Bad Bunny are all that and more. 

One of the hallmarks of FIFA soundtracks is that they often feature rising talents. Are there any artists who broke through on Spotify after being featured on a FIFA soundtrack?

CP: The second the FIFA 22 Spotify playlist dropped, everyone knew Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” was an instant classic. The ultimate metric will always be the fans’ reaction.

RL: Every year we get feedback from our artists and partners when the FIFA soundtrack is announced. The impact is felt across big and small acts, with streams jumping over 500% for some of them during the weeks that follow. Smaller artists have leveraged major record or publishing deals after a FIFA placement, as well as booked international tours once a song made the list.

If you had to pick your FIFA anthem, what would it be?

CP: Certainly Blur’s “Song 2” is FIFA’s most iconic track. Kasabian’s “Club Foot” is another huge one. And I think John Newman’s “Love Me Again” is timeless.

RL: That’s a tough one. But Major Lazer’s “Que Calor” from FIFA 20 was a song we brought to life for the game, and it became an instant hit. Best of all, you still hear it at major sports events—not just FIFA—to this day. My heart explodes every time it comes on!   

Ready to revisit 25 years of FIFA soundtracks? Click here to create your own unique FIFA Mix. And to hear all the hottest sounds from this year’s entry to the series, check out the FIFA 23 Official Soundtrack below:

 

Dive Deeper Into Your Favorite Artists and Genres With Spotify’s Music Podcast Playlist theLINER

May 4, 2022

Abstract illustration of blue- and red-lipped mouths lined up behind a microphone on a yellow background

Spotify Senior Editor in Podcast Editorial Jessica Diaz-Hurtado is a true audio connoisseur. She spends her days flipping back and forth between her favorite music genres (hip-hop, salsa, reggaeton, R&B, and house) genreless Spotify playlists like Mixto, and at least five podcast episodes per day. As the curator for Spotify music podcast editorial hub theLINER, she straddles the two worlds of music and podcast, finding the spaces where they come together to tell stories, drive cultural conversations, or simply entertain. 

There’s been a boom in music podcasts in recent years, including Spotify Originals like rapper Nas-hosted The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip-Hop and Danyel Smith’s Black Girl Songbook, as well as Off the Record with DJ Akademiks, Spotify: Mic Check, and Bandsplain—not to mention classic favorites like Song Exploder. Jessica’s background as a music journalist in the audio space primes her to listen to and pick apart that next great music podcast any listener can fall in love with. 

“Really, anybody who’s a music listener or a music fan can find something on theLINER,” Jessica told For the Record. “We all have that artist, genre, or scene that we can relate to in a way that only music can bring out of us. theLINER engages those who love music, have that curiosity, and want to learn and discover more.”

Read on for our full conversation. 

You have a background in audio journalism. How does that inform your approach to podcast curation in your role at Spotify?

I used to be at NPR, where I was a Kroc Fellow as well as a producer. I spent a lot of time with the music teams—I’ve always loved music, and my background is in the arts and in writing. So I just gravitated toward that space and was able to produce and cohost and it was a lot of fun. From there, I did some documentary work, I taught a little bit, and then I found my way to the Podcast Editorial team at Spotify, where I started as an editor. Since then, I’ve focused on music and entertainment, given my background and reporting experience.

I know as a former audio journalist that there’s a ton of research and music listening before you step into an interview or story. So, when I curate, I look for that preparation within the stories. I look for the moments that the producers and editors may have cut intentionally to really try to pull the listener in. I also look for the storytellers’ intention in the way they put together and curate their own stories. 

What are some elements that you listen for when you first start to listen to a new podcast?

The intro is always important. It helps any listener understand the personality of the show, especially if it’s host driven. When it doesn’t sound too scripted—having a person who is comfortable with their voice, and that takes a long time to get used to—I think that also brings other listeners in. And then of course, the production and engineering and how sound is used to tell a story. Whether it’s being quirky or innovative, how a podcaster or storyteller builds a story through sound is always interesting to me. 

Each month, you program theLINER, and specifically the Best of theLINER playlist. What are some of the episodes you programmed this month? 

So one is from the podcast Rightnowish. It’s a Bay Area–based podcast where they interview a Richmond rapper named Pallaví aka Fijiana who embraces her Indo-Fijian identity. I thought it was a great point of view, a perspective I had never really heard. She talks about being a woman and owning her sexuality, as well as the sexism that she has experienced due to her identity, to her upbringing, and growing up in the Bay Area and how that impacted her music. I liked hearing about her before hearing her music; it made me want to discover it a little bit more. 

Another one that’s on is Still Processing. They just came out with a new season, and their first episode is about American Top 40. Wesley Morris, who’s one of the hosts and an amazing journalist, has a very interesting conversation with a cultural critic named Daphne A. Brooks where they challenge how we think about the music canon. More specifically, they take a deeper look into how we can care more about the music and the artists who make it, and about which kind of art gets prioritized. 

Another episode I’m including is from Snap Judgment called “J Dilla’s Lost Scrolls.” This episode actually came out in 2014, but I think it’s definitely a gem that’s worth listening to. This story is about a record store owner who stumbles upon a record collection that he brought out of an abandoned storage unit and then learns the collection belonged to the legendary producer J Dilla. It was a very interesting, crazy, historic find. The episode does a good job of blending curiosity, surprise, the love of music, and the love of people who create and honor the music. The fact that it came out almost eight years ago and is still relevant made me want to include it.

What do you look for in a music podcast? What qualities make a show a Best of theLINER candidate?

Stories that are intentional definitely get my attention, as well as ones that are unique—when they have an authentic, raw, real, vulnerable conversational format. To make art and music, we have to tap into that vulnerable side. 

I’m also fascinated when producers experiment with format, and a great example is the Spotify Original podcast and Sound Up production You Heard Me Write. It’s very interesting to listen to because it feels like an artistic workshop in real time. They give a one- or two-word theme that serves as a source of inspiration to a writer. Then the writer goes and writes a short-form written piece. From there they give that written piece to two different audio artists or musicians as a jumping-off point to create an original, sonic piece of art. None of the artists are in contact with each other until they get on the show to discuss the process. I find that format really breaks up what a podcast could sound like and it does more with music and artistry.

theLINER also features guest curations from artists like Dua Lipa and cultural figures such as Hanif Abdurraqim. What’s on tap for this month? 

Every month we find different curators—whether they’re journalists, cultural critics, or artists—who are really embedded into the music world. We get to really learn about music from their point of view, and about different podcasts around a specific topic that they’re really interested in. In May, we’re going to be having guest curations from Asian and Pacific Islander artists for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

Is there a dream guest curator on your bucket list?

Oh my gosh, Kendrick Lamar is always on my bucket list as far as collaborating goes. Also Janelle Monae. I think I would love to see what they would curate. I’ve heard Phoebe Bridgers loves true crime, so that would also be interesting. My hope is to continue to share these stories so people can feel heard and then for listeners to identify with or be inspired by them. 

Check out Jessica’s curation, Best of theLINER, which updates every month.

On ‘The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip-Hop,’ Nas Dives Into the Stories Behind the Genre’s Biggest Moments

February 22, 2022

For the past five decades, hip-hop artists have leveraged the genre to change society, culture, and the music industry as we know it—and have created icons in the process. So to mark the genre’s half-century milestone, The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip Hop, a Spotify Original podcast in partnership with Mass Appeal’s #HipHop50 program, dives deep into how hip-hop went from the microphones, turntables, and sound systems to big business and a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

Over the past four months, the hosts—rapper and hip-hop icon Nas and veteran journalist Minya “Miss Info” Oh—have interviewed icons such as Ice Cube, Cordae, Mary J. Blige, Jeezy, and Yara Shahidi. Each tells a story as unique as their music, giving listeners a glimpse of their particular place in hip-hop history. But with so many decades and names to choose from, Nas originally wasn’t sure where to begin.

“When I first thought about doing this, I thought it would be impossible to choose who to go after first,” he told For the Record in an interview. “I got love for everybody.” 

We asked Nas to share more about his perspective as a hip-hop icon speaking to other genre giants and about what podcasts he pays attention to.

What are some of the biggest changes to the genre that you’ve noticed in the three decades you’ve been on the scene?

The constant changing of the guard. The pioneers have truly inspired the youth. And that youth, they eventually become giants, and then they inspire the new, next generation to do the same and more. And it keeps growing and growing. I like to see the different artists that come out every 10 years. It’s crazy.

What’s something surprising that you’ve learned on the show so far? 

Just some of the stories—there’s so many untold stories that connect to other stories and allow you to see it as a piece of history. You see the work that was put in that you didn’t know had happened. I didn’t even know how much MC Lyte had done, just being a female artist waking up and going into a male-dominated industry because it was just something that she felt was her calling. 

Then there’s the Ice Cube and N.W.A. stories, like when they talk about coming to New York for the first time and getting booed. Those were hard times in the game. Then Ice Cube had a sold-out solo show at the Apollo Theater. He told the story of it on the podcast. I was actually on 125th Street, outside the theater that night, and I couldn’t get in. It was super lit outside in Harlem, NYC. It was that show that really established him in New York City forever. People were crazy for him. I was happy to see it because I was really into his music. And so just hearing from his side of it, how he tore the house down, was really cool.

How did these deep dives into hip-hop history influence your creative process as you put the finishing touches on your latest album, Magic?

They were really different. With the podcast, I got the opportunity to really be a fan, a student, and enjoy the people that really moved me. With Magic, it was just me putting the artist hat on. So, completely two different things, but I can say that talking to all of these guys made me more happy to be an artist in this art form because I could see that there is so much more for me to do. It makes me more happy to be a part of something that the people I’m talking to on the podcast are a part of too. They’ve inspired me. I am happy to be in their world, pushing what they are pushing.

What was the most surprising thing about creating a podcast? What have been the easiest and hardest parts?

It’s been great to step out of my comfort zone and do something that I never thought would be as fun as it’s been. I thought I’d be terrible at talking. Timing. Listening clearly—and it’s being recorded. I said ‘I’ll just be me.’ I don’t even watch my own interviews, and I thought that I’d upset people with all my prying. But I pushed through the sh*t and it’s exciting; people tell me they like listening so I guess I’m doing aight.

There are a lot of hip-hop legends who are no longer here to share their stories. If you could pick one person to have on the show, who would it be?

It would be Eazy-E or Young Dolph. I would want to learn more about Young Dolph. I’ve heard some of his music, but the people I listen to mostly are older, so I want to know more about the things that I’ve missed that only he can say and explain to me.

What are some podcasts you’ve been listening to besides your own? 

1619, Drink Champs, and a true crime podcast. 

Get more Nas and Teddy Riley (and maybe one day find out which true crime podcast Nas has been streaming?) on the latest episode of The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip-Hop every Tuesday, only on Spotify.