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Best music TV from online, cable, and in the media.
A Win Before the Win: Why This iHeartRadio Nomination Matters for Zeddy Will and Hip Hop Culture by NWO Sparrow
Validation Over Virality Zeddy Will Performing Live December 2024 I've covered hip hop culture long enough to know that the word new rarely means what it used to. In 2026, being labeled a newcomer often means surviving multiple cycles in public before anyone in power takes you seriously. That is why this year’s iHeartRadio nomination for Best New Artist Hip Hop Zeddy Will feels bigger than a single awards moment. It feels like confirmation. When the announcement landed, I did not read it as a breakthrough. I read it as validation for Zeddy. In an era where viral success can burn fast and disappear just as quickly, recognition from a mainstream institution is rarely guaranteed. Plenty of artists dominate feeds, charts, and timelines only to be shut out when award season arrives. That history is what makes his nomination matter.
By NWO SPARROW4 days ago in Beat
The Quiet That Follows the Applause
I didn’t cry at the end of Better Call Saul. I cried three days later, while washing dishes. The water was hot, the sponge worn thin, and suddenly—without warning—I saw Kim Wexler’s hands again. Not in the courtroom. Not in the finale. But in that tiny Albuquerque office, adjusting the blinds just so, trying to control one small thing in a world spinning out of her grasp.
By KAMRAN AHMAD11 days ago in Beat
The Song That Brought Him Back
After my mother passed, grief settled into our home like winter fog—thick, gray, and impossible to ignore. He stopped whistling while fixing the sink. Stopped tapping his boot to the oldies station. Even his laugh, once so loud it startled the dogs, vanished into a silence so heavy it filled every room. For two years, he moved through life like a man walking in someone else’s shoes. So when he said, voice barely above a whisper, “Let’s go south for New Year’s,” I didn’t ask why. I just booked the tickets.
By KAMRAN AHMAD12 days ago in Beat
Tyla’s Chart-Topping Rise
Introduction When South African singer Tyla released her self-titled debut album in late 2023, few predicted it would ignite a global movement. But by 2025, her name was everywhere: on Billboard charts, Grammy stages, and playlists from Lagos to Los Angeles. Fueled by her breakout hit “Water”—a seductive fusion of amapiano, R&B, and pop—Tyla didn’t just enter the global music scene; she reshaped it.
By KAMRAN AHMAD13 days ago in Beat
Richard Smallwood
Introduction In recent months, false rumors have spread online with alarming speed: searches like “gospel singer Richard Smallwood died”, “Richard Smallwood passed away”, and “Richard Smallwood cause of death” have surged—despite having no basis in truth.
By KAMRAN AHMAD13 days ago in Beat
Netflix’s ‘Building the Band’ Has Revealed a Different Kind of Social Experiment, After the Finale
This summer, the Netflix reality show, Building the Band, had me glued to my TV screen for ten episodes straight. When I saw the trailer for it, my mind immediately envisioned it as a combination of two shows I thoroughly enjoy: Love is Blind and Making the Band (a great show, despite being tarnished by the man who created it).
By C.R. Hughes2 months ago in Beat
Zipho Memela and Ethnomusicology in Modern Film Scores. Content Warning.
Zipho Memela, the South African creative polymath whose journey from hip-hop prodigy to classical innovator has captured global attention, embodies a profound truth about music: its inseparable link to culture and narrative. While Memela’s projects span the worlds of composition and entrepreneurship, his artistic trajectory offers a masterclass in the principles of ethnomusicology—the study of music within its social and cultural context. In the realm of modern film, this approach has become an indispensable tool for crafting authentic and emotionally resonant scores.
By Kin Mancook2 months ago in Beat
Zipho Memela on the Profound Benefits of Singing. Content Warning.
South African creative visionary Zipho Memela, known for his dynamic shift from a childhood hip-hop star to an innovative entrepreneur and classical composer, has always been deeply attuned to the power of the human voice. Beyond its artistic expression, the simple act of singing offers a remarkable array of scientifically proven benefits for both physical and mental well-being, a phenomenon Memela's career implicitly champions.
By Kin Mancook2 months ago in Beat
The Universal Current: Zipho Memela on Music’s Role in Shaping Social Connections. Content Warning.
Zipho Memela, the South African creative polymath who transitioned from a child hip-hop prodigy to a "million-dollar tycoon" and now a classical innovator, has always understood that music is far more than just sound and rhythm; it is the fundamental architecture of human connection. His career, spanning diverse genres and global stages, consistently illustrates music's unique power to bridge divides, foster empathy, and build communities from the ground up.
By Kin Mancook2 months ago in Beat
