Hey everyone, welcome to this awesome! Let’s kick things off with some music talk, starting with Van Jess. These talented sisters have really caught my attention lately. I discovered their music a few months back, and ever since, I’ve been completely hooked. Their latest EP, “Homegrown,” is just fantastic. Their R&B vibe is so smooth and captivating. If you’re a fan of the genre, do yourself a favor and check them out. They definitely deserve more recognition for their talent and the quality of their music.
Next up, a big shout out to Flo Milli! Her new video for “Roaring Twenties” is absolutely stunning. The 1920s theme is on point, giving off major Josephine Baker vibes. And let’s talk about the choreography – it’s top-notch. Huge props to Sean Bankhead, the mastermind behind the moves in this video and Cardi B’s “Up” video, which I’ll touch on later. Bankhead’s work with artists like City Girls, Doja Cat, Cardi B, and Flo Milli is really raising the bar for dance in the rap scene. So, major shout out to Sean Bankhead for his incredible contributions!
The next video I’d like to discuss is Megan Thee Stallion’s latest single, “Crybaby,” featuring The Baby. Personally, “Crybaby” isn’t my cup of tea. While I may not be fond of the song, I understand Megan’s team’s decision to push it as a single, given its popularity on TikTok. They likely aimed to replicate the success Megan and The Baby had with their hit “Cash [__].” However, I would have preferred if Megan released “What’s New” or her collaboration with SZA, “Freaky Girls,” as singles instead. In my view, these tracks hold more promise than “Crybaby.” Nevertheless, I acknowledge that Megan’s team is leveraging the song’s TikTok success, making it a logical choice for a single release, albeit perhaps delayed. Ultimately, this is just my perspective.
Let’s delve into the video. I must say, I admired the polished production quality; it seemed to hit the mark in terms of budget. It evoked strong Toy Story vibes, reminiscent of scenes from either Toy Story 2 or 3. It felt like a more explicit take on the Toy Story concept, which I appreciated. The visuals were undeniably captivating.
However, I found Megan’s song to be a mismatch with the video’s theme. The mature lyrical content didn’t quite gel with the innocent, childlike atmosphere. This dissonance was somewhat off-putting for me, making me question the pairing of the song with the visuals. Nevertheless, I must commend the stunning aesthetics showcased in the video.
Speaking positively, Megan’s various looks in the video were striking. I particularly adored the ensemble featuring black hair paired with a floral headdress; it accentuated Megan’s beauty remarkably. Additionally, the look with pigtails adorned with blue bows exuded a charming appeal. There was also a striking resemblance to Nicki Minaj in one of the looks, which I found intriguing. Overall, the hair, makeup, and visual effects in the video were truly commendable.
I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the dancing in the video. Jaquelle Knight, who choreographed it, is undoubtedly skilled, but I found the dance moves somewhat out of sync with the rhythm. Given the song’s moderate pace, the intensity of the dancing seemed unnecessary. Additionally, the upper body movements felt reminiscent of TikTok trends, which didn’t resonate with me. Personally, I believe her choreography for “Body” was much more impressive. Nonetheless, I acknowledge the effort put into it.
Overall, I thought the video was really good. Now, there was something that happened that was very uncomfortable to watch. Before Megan dropped her video, she did do a livestream on YouTube to build up anticipation for the video, and I didn’t get a chance to catch the live video because her team did remove it, but I did see a clip of her talking to The Baby live, and it was kind of hard to watch because The Baby didn’t look interested at all. He looked like he didn’t want to be there. He was bored, and I thought that was really unprofessional, in my opinion.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know sometimes people may not be in the mood to do certain things, but when it comes to things that are work-related, you sometimes have to put on a front, even if you don’t feel like being there. You have to pretend sometimes that you want to be there, especially when you have people watching. Now, The Baby didn’t show any type of enthusiasm. He was really dry with Megan, and Megan was really bubbly and friendly, and she was trying to get him to open up, but it just wasn’t working. The energy was just off, and there was an awkward moment when The Baby got off of the live, and some people were saying that The Baby’s friend in the background called Megan ugly.
Okay, so if you heard it correctly, it sounded like somebody said, “Oh yeah, that’d be ugly.” Some people assumed that he was talking about Megan. The Baby turned around and looked towards his friend’s direction, and they might have been talking about something else. I don’t know if they called Megan ugly. I would hope they wouldn’t call her ugly because Megan is not ugly, but either way, it was a little unprofessional to talk like that while promoting a song, and it was very awkward, which is probably why Megan’s team removed this live video.
“Anyway, on to the Cardi B Up. Last topic, I do want to talk about Cardi B’s new song and her video. She just released a new single called ‘Up,’ and I had to listen to the song a few times to get into it. The song is a grower to me. The beat of the song actually reminds me of Drake’s song ‘Non-Stop.’ It’s not bad, but you definitely have to listen to it more than once to get into it. Lyrically, the song is pretty subpar. This is where Cardi needs her writer, Partisan, because I think Partisan made a big difference in the way Cardi wrapped. But aside from the lyrics, the song is catchy enough to be a hit, and I think it’s way better than [__], way better. And another small little thing I want to point out about the song, this is very small, but I noticed that she used the phrase ‘I know that’s right’ in the song, and even though nobody owns the phrase and it’s not new at all, I couldn’t help but think of Sweetie when I heard that because Sweetie has kind of made the catchphrase ‘I know that’s right’ as a part of her brand, ‘I know that’s right.’ So when I heard that in the song, I was like, ‘Dang, this sounds like Sweetie’s voice right here.’ I wonder how Sweetie feels about that. But anyway, overall, the song was a cute bop. It’s not outstanding or great, but it is catchy enough to be a hit for Cardi, so I’m not mad at it at all.”
Let’s discuss the video. The highlight for me was the dance breaks, which showcased impressive choreography. There was a notable emphasis on Cardi B’s dancing, and it seamlessly complemented the song. She and her dancers executed the moves flawlessly, adding to the overall energy of the video. However, I couldn’t help but notice some similarities to Doja Cat’s live performances from last year. Certain scenes in Cardi’s video reminded me of Doja’s performances, from the looks to the dance moves. It’s an intriguing coincidence, considering Cardi may have filmed the video months ago. Whether it’s inspiration, shared creative teams, or mere coincidence, the resemblance sparks curiosity.
Moving on, while I enjoyed Cardi’s video, there was one aspect that struck me as odd. The scene where Cardi appears to tongue some of the video girls felt out of place, especially considering she’s a married woman. Had her husband Offset done something similar in his own video, it likely would have stirred controversy. However, knowing Cardi’s penchant for shock value, it’s not entirely unexpected. Despite this, “Up” stands out as a visually engaging piece. Cardi experiments with various looks throughout the video, showcasing her versatility. While not every look may resonate with everyone, the diversity keeps viewers engaged and talking about her latest release.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the video. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoyed this discussion. Thanks for watching, and until next time!