General Manager – Dylan Guiterrez : “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap

Content Director – Vinay Ranganathan : “Ongoing Thing” by 2syl, Oddisee

Events Director – David Levy : “Hearts on Fire – From “Rocky IV” Soundtrack” by John Cafferty 

Events DJ –  Negan Fu : “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette

Music Coordinator – Hailey Feller : “Do It Like A Dude” by Jessie J 

Program Director –  Ell Pikor : “SHUM” by Go_A

Production Director – Megan Atwell : “Weightlifters” by Car Seat Headrest 

Branding Director – Taylor Eby : “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy 

Social Media Director – Kshirja Raje : “Sooraj Ki Baahon Mein” by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Listen now on Spotify Staff Picks.

Check out who’s who on “Meet the Staff”

The post Staff Picks Week 6 appeared first on SCAD Radio.

The album starts with his biggest and most controversial hit so far, “MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)”. This song, while not the most complex, is a great start to the album, the 2 chord song is pretty unique beatwise and its very plucky guitar style lends itself well to the album. The clap drums and bass work very nicely in harmony with the flamenco style. The lyrics about owning up to his sexuality are also particularly strong.

Next we get to the areas which I like to call the brass section of the album, both “DEAD RIGHT NOW” and “INDUSTRY BABY” follow the title track and include heavy brass sections in the beats, the mixing is really well done on both these songs and even the whole album. The production is consistent and the lyrics on these 2 tracks like the title track are very personal. The playfulness of Industry Baby is a nice breather on the album of mostly sad or self reflective songs. It recaps some of his achievements in music and includes a Jack Harlow feature that is a pretty good complement to Lil Nas’ voice.

There are, however, two songs where I feel the album dips. “LOST IN THE CITADEL” and “THAT’S WHAT I WANT” feel derivative in a lot of ways. While I definitely appreciate the different sound Lil Nas was going for, “THAT’S WHAT I WANT” feels like a generic indie rock sound with nothing unique to offer. “LOST IN THE CITADEL” has some of the more simpler beats on the album. One of the great things about Lil Nas X is as an artist he always adds an interesting flair to his music, but I feel that that’s only true here in the sense that lyrically these songs are strong, but instrumentally they aren’t memorable. 

Some of the last few songs on the album are probably my favorites. “DOLLA SIGN SLIME” with Megan Thee Stallion as a feature is super playful, it’s got a strong trap beat and it sounds awesome. I love the brass on this song like the previous ones; it complements well with the aforementioned trap beat. Megan Thee Stallion is one of the stronger rappers of today and her verses and vocals are complementary and very strong and elevate the song to a whole new level. 

Finally, the last songs I thoroughly enjoyed off the album were ones I did not expect to like as much as I did. “SUN GOES DOWN” and “AM I DREAMING” prove that Lil Nas X, when he sticks the landing, is an extremely versatile artist. On my first listen to “SUN GOES DOWN” felt a bit average and not unique, but now in the context of the album I really enjoy the instrumentals, the fuzzy guitar really wraps a neat bow around the track. The lyrics about his early life dealing with bullying, these deeply personal vulnerabilities, make the song stronger and worth the listen. The last song “AM I DREAMING” surprised me because I’m not a huge Miley Cyrus fan but this song was fairly nice, the instrumentals were well produced and vocally I thought Miley Cyrus sounded nice. It was a good use of a feature, although I thought the distortion on Lil Nas’ voice was clearer than Cyrus’. 

Overall this is an album with some pop duds, but it’s a solid debut and I’m excited to see where he goes especially with such strong features.

Favorites: “Dead Right Now”, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”, “Industry Baby”, “Dolla Sign Slime”, “Sun Goes Down”, “Am I Dreaming”

Least Favorites: “Lost in the Citadel”, “That’s What I Want”

The post Lil Nas X Releases Long Anticipated Debut Album appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Cardi B has her Lemonade moment on “Be Careful”, a surprisingly candid track from the usually conceited star, detailing infidelity in past relationships. Immediately, speculation touched on the song’s aim at said fiancé, who’s been under suspicion of cheating on Cardi in the past. However, she denied it in a recent interview.

Recently, Latino music has seen a sudden uprising thanks to hits like “Despacito” and “Mi Gente”, and “I Like It” continues the trend. J. Balvin joins the rapper to deliver perhaps the most danceable tune on the LP, helping bridge the gap between hip-hop and Latino music.

Other features include Chance the Rapper on “Best Life”, who’s upbeat, positive tone from Coloring Book translates well to compliment Cardi B’s “I made it” mentality. The album closes with a SZA guest bit where the two go back and forth about their dominant status, capping off a record full of flamboyance from start to finish.

After Invasion of Privacy, not even the biggest of haters will have grounds to call Belcalis Almanzar a one hit wonder anymore. The 13-track album is loaded with hits that build on the braggadocio nature that made “Bodak Yellow” so iconic. Along with the hard-hitting lyrics from last year’s megahit, the LP contains many more witty quips, most notably the hysterical “P*ssy so good/I say my own name during sex”.

Through its ostentatious lyricism and terrific trappy production, Invasion of Privacy serves as a memorable full-length debut from the rapper.

Our rating for Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy is 8.6/10 collaborations.

The post Let Cardi B in with Invasion of Privacy appeared first on SCAD Radio.