Lakeia Brown is a Recording Academy/GRAMMY.com contributor.
YoYo has created a new lane for herself. But that should come as no surprise—it's what she's always done. Known best for her hit single "You Can't Play with My Yoyo," the hip-hop pioneer exploded on the scene in the early '90s as Ice Cube's protégé. Carving out a space for strong female voices in a male-dominated industry, the GRAMMY-nominated artist…
Almost 20 years after Carl Douglas dropped a #1 disco hit, "Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting," ten other black men showed up to the fight, but they had swords. On Nov. 9, 1993 RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and later Cappadonna collectively entered battle as Wu-Tang Clan with their groundbreaking…
The night was enchanting. So many beautiful things came to life at Jay-Z’s "B-Sides 2" concert held at the iconic and newly renovated Webster Hall in New York City. A designated landmark for the Big Apple and its oldest operating music venue, Webster Hall underwent renovations for nearly two years before swinging open its doors on Friday night for a homecoming…
As college graduation season quickly approaches, most seniors have begun the search for their “dream job" in musc. While it's an exciting time, the quest can be daunting, especially when applying to roles in an industry as competitive as the music biz. So how do you stand out? GRAMMY U provided answers and so much more at last week’s GRAMMY…
25 years ago this month, Renée Neufville and Jean Norris released Pronounced Jah-Nay, an R&B masterpiece and timeless body of work rooted in jazz, blues, hip-hop, soul and love. Yes, love. A love of music, artistry, words and self. The certified-platinum album was both futuristic and vintage in its versatility, astonishing vocal range, composition and overall musicianship, easily making it…
There is no greater gift than time. As the official timepiece for the GRAMMYs, Bulova teamed up with The Recording Academy again to celebrate timeless music, which included a live performance by 10-time GRAMMY winner Chaka Khan. The exclusive event began in the Clive Davis Theatre of the GRAMMY Museum, where producers, record executives and tastemakers filled each seat for a…
We all fall in love differently. But most of us rely on a combination of stimuli from the eyes, ears, smell and touch. H.E.R., has forced us to fall in love with her music using just one thing: our ears. Two years ago, the California native made a splash with H.E.R. Vol. 1, a powerful seven-track EP with cover art…
Throughout history, many important movements have omitted the significant contributions of women. History simply became his-story. The same is true in hip-hop, a genre that is historically and largely dominated by men. <iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IKA8H_LolNM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> But hip-hop pioneer Lolita "Roxanne Shanté" Gooden is adding more proof that #TimesUp with her new biopic, Roxanne Roxanne, which…
Time is a gift and no one knows that better than Bulova. That's why the Recording Academy partnered with the New York-based maker of classic timepieces this afternoon for the "Tune of Time" brunch, which featured a live performance by three-time GRAMMY winner, Nile Rodgers. The exclusive event was held at the posh Cipriani in lower Manhattan, N.Y. Tastemakers, musicians, producers,…
