Lots of anticipated videos and singles are dropping this week, from major artists like Mariah Carey to up-and-comers like Azealia Banks. Here are the week’s new release highlights:
Chrisette Michele- “A Couple of Forevers” Video
In this mellow video, Chrisette lives up to her “Rich Hipster” name, walking through a park in scenic Savannah, GA with her lover. They also get matching tattoos.
Michele explained the video’s white palette to Rap-Up: “I’m wearing mostly white this year just because I feel I’m in the best space I’ve ever been. And I think white exemplifies that pure feeling.”
Trey Songz- “Fumble” Video
Set appropriately in a mournful black and white, “Fumble” tells a story about losing the one you love. Trey described the song and video concept to Billboard as “a song about having the one person that’ll do whatever for you, the one person that’ll go to the end of the world and back, and you not realizing it until it’s damn near too late. It’s essentially about having someone’s heart in your hands and dropping it.”
Azealia Banks- “Yung Rapunxel”
http://youtu.be/R4X94Zom9wk
In the middle of her beef with Rita Ora, Azealia stopped tweeting long enough to drop a single. “Yung Rapunxel” combines angry lyrics and head-throbbing club beats, making for a modern, yet aggressive sound. The opening chant of “danger danger danger” sounds like a message to her many Twitter enemies.
Mariah Carey- “Almost Home” Video (theme from Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful)
The video is standard theme song fare, blending glamorous black and white shots of Carey with colorful shots from the film (which stars James Franco as the Wizard). “Almost Home” places Carey’s voice back in the grandiose setting it deserves. With the vapid R&B ditties she’s produced lately and her antics as a judge on American Idol, her talent as both a vocalist and songwriter has taken a backseat. “Almost Home” is the diva ballad we’ve been waiting for, full of rich belting and a dramatic key change.
Bridget Kelly featuring Kendrick Lamar- “Street Dreamin”
http://youtu.be/Hnq5oQ7nf3I
Kelly capitalizes on her spot in MTV’s “Hottest MCs” lineup with “Street Deamin,” off her upcoming album debut. Kendrick Lamar is featured on the track, opening the song. “Street Dreamin” also features a sample of Tupac’s “Got My Mind Made Up.”
Lupe Fiasco- “Light Blue”
http://youtu.be/5u5bBkSfMYM
Lupe Fiasco is still at work on his new album, but wanted to give fans something to listen to anyway. As he posted “Light Blue,” Lupe tweeted “DONT MIND ME….JUST STAYING IN SHAPE…JUST PRACTICE…LIKE A PIANO PLAYER OR A GYMNAST.” The song combines Lupe’s signature rhymes with electronica beats.
Tiffany Fox featuring Lil’ Kim- “Twisted” video
http://youtu.be/iMJg5aUA_QA
Fox enlists her mentor Lil’ Kim for the “Twisted” video. “Twisted” features the ladies dancing in a club. Lil Kim’s rap also reveals her jarring new look, rumored to be the effect of plastic surgery. The video also features an odd cameo from Miley Cyrus dancing in the crowd.
