FROGGO

@@Trash Magic shared this me, this makes me really happy to read: 

Exclusive: Katy Perry’s ‘Prism’ Is a Pop Music Masterpiece

Well, better one song than an entire career. *cough* AZEALIA *cough*
 
#SHOTSFIRED

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. We're on a forum. We DISCUSS THINGS. I happen to think it makes the forum a far more interesting place to frequent as opposed to only talking about music releases and photos and appearances and tours. 

I legitimately don't understand what is being said. Please note that I:
...never said that Mexicans were a minority, nor implied that simply by way of being "non-white", one is a minority. (What is this logic??) ...I never made any comment about the style of dress Lana chose to wear for Tropico, nor have I made any mention of her culturally appropriating anything in relation to Tropico. I have not criticised Lana once in regards to Tropico.  ...I made a specific point of using the term "visible minority" and not "minority", which means something different. ...The only point I did make was about those not in a position to question the validity of the criticism of cultural appropriation doing so. I never said anything more.  Please refrain from putting words in my mouth. I have not commented specifically on Tropico or appropriating Mexican culture and I would appreciate if any replies or mentions to me acknowledged this.

I have an emotional attachment to Iggy's music :') <3 :')
 
 
 

Can't I poke fun? I love your sig and you were by far the most supportive person on the forum of my need to use tiny hip hop heads everywhere. :') 
 
SORRY I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY LEGITIMATE CRITICISMS OF YOU       
 

Her interviews are an absolute delight. She's incredibly eloquent, intelligent, and well-cultured (in terms of being into the arts). It's really quite refreshing to see an up-and-coming pop girl (she's basically pop at the end of the day, imo) be so outspoken, honest, and so smart. (Why so many artists choose to hide or downplay that part of themselves, I'll never know). Love it. 

Thanks for the info @@elllipsis! I'm inclined to go with Iggy on the multiple album versions; I'm just not a fan of different editions for various regions and re-releases and deluxe versions and certain store-only versions (i.e. Target). Such money-grabbers, I love the idea of releasing the one, complete, perfect version as intended by the artist and having that be that, especially in this day and age. I'm sure if must be frustrating for some heavily-involved, hands-on artists to have their dream album art, packaging, songs and track order done up only to have what you deem to be the finished project -- as according to the concept you developed and spent months/years on -- be sliced apart and repackaged to someone else's specifications. Or I suppose, even worse: being forced to release a single you feel is not representative of your work. Just another way the industry takes the agency out of being an artist, but that's what happens when you make a deal with the devil.   
Anyway, It really is a pity that she doesn't get a say in this. 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

Christ, I feel the same way.
 
I think her discography is terribly overrated and overhyped, and her "saving grace" -- her ability to perform and put on a show -- really isn't all that great as it's been made out to be. She is NOT the female Michael Jackson, imo. While she is a great technical performer; hitting every mark, every note, carrying herself with the "perfect" amount of sass, etc, it all seems very calculated, and not at all genuine. Every move she makes seems so deliberate, the way she moves her body (not sure how to describe it, she's technically doing the moves correctly but doesn't move like an actual dancer), her voice, although brilliant, can be so affected in its delivery, portraying perfect amount of pain, the perfect amount of playfulness, the perfect amount of forcefulness. Perfect, perfect, perfect. I don't know. Her interactions with her fans and banter while on stage seem so insincere, right down to the way she smiles, throws her head back and laughs, and that single tear that falls as she looks off into the distance while performing something that "moves her". It's as though there's something kind of robotic that's holding her back. It's as though her fixation on her image and appearing a certain way transcends to the stage and effects her delivery. I just can't get into it, as much as I want to and as talented as she undoubtedly is. I've just never once gotten the impression that she gets truly lost in her performances. 
 
I feel like Britney at her peak, Freddie Mercury, two very different artists from one another -- are those on par with MJ for putting on a great fucking performance. Beyonce doesn't deserve to have her name mentioned in the same sentence as him. 
 
I touched a bit on her legendary, iconic status here. Basically, her team marketed her as a ~legend~ and ~iconic~; these were not bestowed upon her through the usual means of time passing and retrospection as they ought to be be. Funny how carefully worded press releases, demands for media outlets, and certain marketing can give someone a title and status that should only be earned in time and not as a hungry grab for a crown the public never set upon their head, if that makes any sense. 
 
ANYWAY, I said a lot more than I was meaning to and I only popped in here to mention a couple of op-ed pieces I feel hit the nail on the end in regards to both Beyonce's and Rihanna's career. The first touches on what @@elllipsis mentioned about her lack of notable songs despite her supposed status in music...
 
Beyonce: An Icon Who's Struggled to Make Iconic Music?
 
AND
 
Like She's the Only Girl in the World: The improbable, unstoppable success of Rihanna
  -- Choice quote:
          "Mariah, Whitney, Beyoncé, Gaga—these stars feel like stars. Rihanna feels like something else: a one hit-wonder several dozen times over."
 
(What is this accuracy? What a succinct way of putting it.) 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

(read from the bottom up, like twitter)
 

Christ, I feel the same way.
 
I think her discography is terribly overrated and overhyped, and her "saving grace" -- her ability to perform and put on a show -- really isn't all that great as it's been made out to be. She is NOT the female Michael Jackson, imo. While she is a great technical performer; hitting every mark, every note, carrying herself with the "perfect" amount of sass, etc, it all seems very calculated, and not at all genuine. Every move she makes seems so deliberate, the way she moves her body (not sure how to describe it, she's technically doing the moves correctly but doesn't move like an actual dancer), her voice, although brilliant, can be so affected in its delivery, portraying perfect amount of pain, the perfect amount of playfulness, the perfect amount of forcefulness. Perfect, perfect, perfect. I don't know. Her interactions with her fans and banter while on stage seem so insincere, right down to the way she smiles, throws her head back and laughs, and that single tear that falls as she looks off into the distance while performing something that "moves her". It's as though there's something kind of robotic that's holding her back. It's as though her fixation on her image and appearing a certain way transcends to the stage and effects her delivery. I just can't get into it, as much as I want to and as talented as she undoubtedly is. I've just never once gotten the impression that she gets truly lost in her performances. 
 
I feel like Britney at her peak, Freddie Mercury, two very different artists from one another -- are those on par with MJ for putting on a great fucking performance. Beyonce doesn't deserve to have her name mentioned in the same sentence as him. 
 
I touched a bit on her legendary, iconic status here. Basically, her team marketed her as a ~legend~ and ~iconic~; these were not bestowed upon her through the usual means of time passing and retrospection as they ought to be be. Funny how carefully worded press releases, demands for media outlets, and certain marketing can give someone a title and status that should only be earned in time and not as a hungry grab for a crown the public never set upon their head, if that makes any sense. 
 
ANYWAY, I said a lot more than I was meaning to and I only popped in here to mention a couple of op-ed pieces I feel hit the nail on the end in regards to both Beyonce's and Rihanna's career. The first touches on what @@elllipsis mentioned about her lack of notable songs despite her supposed status in music...
 
Beyonce: An Icon Who's Struggled to Make Iconic Music?
 
AND
 
Like She's the Only Girl in the World: The improbable, unstoppable success of Rihanna
  -- Choice quote:
          "Mariah, Whitney, Beyoncé, Gaga—these stars feel like stars. Rihanna feels like something else: a one hit-wonder several dozen times over."
 
(What is this accuracy? What a succinct way of putting it.) 

Christ, I feel the same way.
 
I think her discography is terribly overrated and overhyped, and her "saving grace" -- her ability to perform and put on a show -- really isn't all that great as it's been made out to be. She is NOT the female Michael Jackson, imo. While she is a great technical performer; hitting every mark, every note, carrying herself with the "perfect" amount of sass, etc, it all seems very calculated, and not at all genuine. Every move she makes seems so deliberate, the way she moves her body (not sure how to describe it, she's technically doing the moves correctly but doesn't move like an actual dancer), her voice, although brilliant, can be so affected in its delivery, portraying perfect amount of pain, the perfect amount of playfulness, the perfect amount of forcefulness. Perfect, perfect, perfect. I don't know. Her interactions with her fans and banter while on stage seem so insincere, right down to the way she smiles, throws her head back and laughs, and that single tear that falls as she looks off into the distance while performing something that "moves her". It's as though there's something kind of robotic that's holding her back. It's as though her fixation on her image and appearing a certain way transcends to the stage and effects her delivery. I just can't get into it, as much as I want to and as talented as she undoubtedly is. I've just never once gotten the impression that she gets truly lost in her performances. 
 
I feel like Britney at her peak, Freddie Mercury, two very different artists from one another -- are those on par with MJ for putting on a great fucking performance. Beyonce doesn't deserve to have her name mentioned in the same sentence as him. 
 
I touched a bit on her legendary, iconic status here. Basically, her team marketed her as a ~legend~ and ~iconic~; these were not bestowed upon her through the usual means of time passing and retrospection as they ought to be be. Funny how carefully worded press releases, demands for media outlets, and certain marketing can give someone a title and status that should only be earned in time and not as a hungry grab for a crown the public never set upon their head, if that makes any sense. 
 
ANYWAY, I said a lot more than I was meaning to and I only popped in here to mention a couple of op-ed pieces I feel hit the nail on the end in regards to both Beyonce's and Rihanna's career. The first touches on what @@elllipsis mentioned about her lack of notable songs despite her supposed status in music...
 
Beyonce: An Icon Who's Struggled to Make Iconic Music?
 
AND
 
Like She's the Only Girl in the World: The improbable, unstoppable success of Rihanna
  -- Choice quote:
          "Mariah, Whitney, Beyoncé, Gaga—these stars feel like stars. Rihanna feels like something else: a one hit-wonder several dozen times over."
 
(What is this accuracy? What a succinct way of putting it.) 

I think Sirens is seriously underrated. It may not be as poetically articulate of an album, but there are so many beautiful songs from it. I love the simplicity, I love how it sounds like a beginner guitarist/songwriter. Hell, I disliked "Birds of a Feather" with a passion when I first heard it. Now I love it. There's so much to appreciate about Sirens. So much.

@@Trash Magic shared this me, this makes me really happy to read: 

Exclusive: Katy Perry’s ‘Prism’ Is a Pop Music Masterpiece

POLL ADDED!

I look forward to reading everyone's shade   so don't hold back!

UGH THIS PERFECT SONG




And L.A.M.B. was such a solid pop album. I don't think Gwen will be making another solo album any time soon; she's working on a follow up No Doubt album.

 

Best track off the album imo

I'm not terribly invested in Rihanna, but she's in this underdog position now among us crazy music stans and I just need her to take time off and come back with a critically acclaimed album that she had heavy input in and didn't just phone in the vocals. I JUST NEED HER TO DO WELL TO PROVE EVERYONE WRONG BUT SHE NEEDS TO TAKE TIME OFF FOR THAT TO HAPPEN  
 
Seriously though, can you imagine Rihanna making a personal, cohesive (perhaps flowy!) album without this faux-thuggery she's adopted? I JUST NEED IT IN MY LIFE.  Gimme dat concept album or her version of Blackout, pls. She can make snide remarks about Ciara all she wants but at the end of the day, Ciara recently dropped an incredible album that while isn't comparable to Rih's success, has been far more well-received than any of her recent efforts.
 
Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y.
 
And I'm also side-eying those that voted for Britney. She hasn't ever said a single bad thing about anyone or shaded anyone and she doesn't have horrific, off-putting stans. She is a SWEETHEART. FOR SHAME. FOR SHAME.   SHE'S ALSO A CASSIE STAN, WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE???   
 
I am praying for Blackout 2.0.   Britney is my most anticipated and I am proud to say it. 

I don't know what it is, I just can't get behind an artist that consistently says, "I want to be a legend". The consistency in which she says this and in which its evident makes it seem as though her music is an after-thought; she's chasing that legend status first and foremost. I really and truly believe that of Beyonce. I just don't understand why someone would have that be their primary focus instead of their craft and work, but hey, to each their own.
 
Her albums have a tendency to be mediocre (except for 4, I'm a sucker for old school R&B            ) I think Beyonce's artistry is sorely lacking. As you mentioned, she's not particularly creative. She's not a risk taker. She's the epitome of safe. She's too concerned with maintaining her current stature within music to ever do anything outside of the box, and to me, that exemplifies the "music is an after-thought, legend-status is of utmost importance" she seems to hold near and dear while making decisions. I just really think her music is suffering at the result of it. She doesn't need to have hits, but churning out mediocre album after mediocre album certainly isn't helping her cause imo.
 
I totally agree with you on her being the most driven artist in the industry right now. If I had Beyonce's drive, holy fuck, I could have a Phd right now. Or have published 4 novels. Or own my own business. Or be one of the most successful people in my area of expertise, whatever that may be.  We'd all be crazy successful if we had her work ethic