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Natalia Mendez

The show provided a healing space to validate having needs, expressing desires, carving out a space, or even crafting your own world to safely do so. 


Sara Fish for MPR

Janelle Monáe brings sensuality and self-love to the Armory

Each week, we add new music, older tracks, which are known as “Gold adds”, and tracks that might not fit our general format, but still deserve a place in rotation because they serve our mission of showing the depth, breadth, and influence of Black musical expression - These are known as “Variety adds.”

. If you make music and want it considered for rotation, 

 If you want to give feedback directly, reach out to me at jgreen@mpr.org.

Tune in to hear our host Sanni B. live on The Message from 10 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday!

Keep all these tracks in one place with the 

 Spotify playlist. This playlist is updated weekly with all the new adds. When that playlist is cycled with new tracks, the tracks live forever on the 

 playlist. That playlist contains all of the music that we've added since the week of July 11, 2022 in chronological order of when it was added. All of the tracks available on Spotify, at least.

Julian Green built and manages the music library for Carbon Sound and oversees content creation.  


Julian Green

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of Sept. 11, 2023.


Image for New on Carbon Sound Spotify playlist

Natalia Toledo

New on Carbon Sound

Old on Carbon Sound

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of Sept. 11, 2023

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of August 28, 2023.


New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of August 28, 2023

Joely Kelzer

Wednesday’s show felt like what every house party should feel like: everybody was dancing, singing along to the words, and feeling comfortable.


bearBOI Photo for MPR

Review: Kari Faux Starts a Party at the Entry

Amaya Peña 

Twin Citis Hip-Hop Corner’s event celebrated the genre’s 50th birthday.


Amaya Peña for MPR

Photos: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop at Pimento

Justine Vance

The rising Minneapolis artist brought out a crowd last Thursday.


Justine Vance for MPR

Photos: ZORA turns up 7th St Entry

Superfans of Usher, rejoice. This Wednesday, the Atlanta-based singer released his third single of 2023, "Boyfriend", a smooth cut of 2010s-tinged R&B. With lyrics revolving around his mutual infatuation for a boo'd-up girl, the song is a perfect entry into Usher's discography as a smooth-talking Lothario.

But context is everything, and "Boyfriend" is far from the typical Usher single. One only needs to look at the album cover to see that something's up: is that Keke Palmer giving us a coy glance, talking on the phone to a mystery caller?

The picture becomes clearer given recent events. Palmer, the accompanying music video's star, has been embroiled in headlines since getting serenaded by Usher during his My Way Las Vegas residency last month. Donning a form-fitting sheer dress as Usher performs his 2010 song "There Goes My Baby", 

 of the concert quickly made rounds on Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). Fans of both artists celebrated the unlikely meetup, with many 

 that they were in Keke's shoes during the special moment.

One person stood against the crowd: Keke's then-boyfriend, Darius Jackson, the two of whom share a child. Jackson responded to the video on X with disapproval: "It's the outfit tho.. you a mom", he tweeted. The citizens of the internet quickly clapped back, wondering what Palmer's motherhood has to do with wearing a nice dress and feeling her oats during Usher's serenade. Jackson deepened his stance in 

, stating that "[w]e live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others [...] I rest my case".

To many, Jackson's public criticism of his then-girlfriend is a faux pas: even if he had a real issue with Palmer's behavior, tweeting about it is asking for trouble. But Keke took the matter into her own hands in an undeniably Keke fashion, first by releasing merchandise adorned with the words "I'm A Motha", and then by collaborating with Usher for the music video to "Boyfriend". The outcome is incredible: a cinematic video rife with tongue-in-cheek references to the July incident, from the video's setting in a Vegas casino to its denouement, where Keke lets out an "I’m a mother, after all" and a knowing wink. The pair's matching B-Boy outfits and excellent choreography round out a video that is masterfully executed, enthralling, and most importantly, 

. It's the most exciting and juicy four-and-a-half minutes I've seen since Rosamund Pike dismembered that dude in 

And that's not even getting into the song itself, which is nothing short of sublime. The perky and playful verses make way for a soaring chorus that emphasizes Usher's graceful, effortless tenor. The drama and buzz of the whole situation could have compensated for a middle-of-the-road song, but it didn't need to: the track is one of Usher's strongest releases in recent years.

The pair's collaboration serves as a warning for jealousy-prone men in relationships with confident women, be it Darius Jackson or Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., aka DDG, Halle Bailey's ex-boyfriend who 

 for holding hands with her co-star in "The Little Mermaid": beware. For every insecure man that will take to social media or 

 to throw public shade at their partner, there's a self-assured one like Usher who will celebrate their successes and relish their confidence.  Here's to hoping for more male-female collaborations that cut past tired tropes of jealousy and distrust. After all, who's gonna say no to a little serenade from the King of R&B himself?

Kaj Johnson

The single references a pop culture moment that sparked days of conversation.


Two people in the same outfit stare at each other

mega/gamma

Keke Palmer and Usher seize the moment on "Boyfriend"

bearBOI Photo

The fast-rising singer soothed a sold-out crowd on Tuesday night.


Photos: Coco Jones Shines at First Avenue

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of August 14, 2023.


New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of August 14, 2023

Michigan-born YouTuber Darryl Granberry Jr, AKA DDG’s, “Maybe it’s Me” sucked. Like, a lot.  

There was not a single moment between the uncomfortable overshares about his rocky relationship with the much more talented Halle Bailey, three separate versions of “Geekin’,” or endless boasts about sex with women other than his estranged girlfriend that made me think, “Wow, what a cool up and coming rapper this is!”  

“Maybe It’s Me” is another ebb in the troubling tide of internet influencers trying to reach a new frontier of fame: becoming shitty rappers.  

Pewdiepie did it, Jake Paul did it, and RiceGum, too. For some reason, internet celebrities believe that the next step in their online career is to become a rapper. I think this is for two reasons. The first being is that rap has a lower barrier to entry than other music genres, often being made from bedrooms and minimalist setups. The second is that rap music is viewed as only a medium to make money instead of art. Is rap now becoming just a piece of content? Regardless of the reason, it’s hurting the genre and those who love it. 

So, why are they rapping and not picking up oboe or forming barbershop quartets? To put it plain and simple, rapping makes them even more money. Their devout followers, hungry for whatever content they put out, eat it up. Not only are these big-name YouTubers getting it from the songs themselves from advertisements, but they also go to put them up on streaming sources, adding to their revenue. 

This trend raises questions about whether rap music is being seen solely to make money, rather than as a genuine art form. The danger lies in reducing rap to mere content creation, which compromises the authenticity and essence of the genre. As a rap fan, it’s disheartening to witness this shift, as it dilutes the quality of music I’ve loved for so long.  

The YouTuber Diss Track Craze of 2016 comes to mind as the fateful moment when this shift began. Enter Bryan Quang Lee, better known as RiceGum, who is infamous for being one of the key figures in many viral rap videos. Jake Paul’s “It’s Everyday Bro” came in pursuit, and then the rest was history.  

A lot of rap enthusiasts would agree that RiceGum’s and other influencers’ music lacks authenticity and a genuine connection to the genre. His early rap songs were often criticized for having simplistic lyrics that focused on personal drama and internet feuds rather than exploring deeper themes commonly found in rap music. Because these influencers are mass-producing music that lacks depth or misrepresents the culture, it contributes to a dilution of the genre’s reputation and integrity. 

When listening to newer rap albums, I often find the instrumentals captivating, but the verses are lacking. One reason for this is that some artists prioritize a catchy hook (whether they are successful is up for debate) and appealing production to cater to a broader audience. I believe YouTubers copy this approach, as it is easier for them to pick a good beat than be technically skilled at rapping. I think this is a direct correlation of rap culture shifting in a different direction, for the worse.  

No, every song doesn’t need to be a lyrical masterpiece, but for the sake of hip-hop, the missing ingredient for a lot of these fledgling rappers is artistic integrity.   

Rap can be fun. I’m not saying everything needs to be taken so seriously, but good rap music demands a skill set that goes beyond online clout. Because these people are directly in the public eye, arguably more than most rappers, this is slowly becoming the way people are broadly introduced to current rap, which is heartbreaking. 

DDG’s album is just the latest example of an influencer trying to make more money. You can hear authenticity and artistic integrity take a backseat. Are there more to come? Probably.  What can we do? We can call them out on it.  

This music created by influencers is a cash grab. The pursuit of rap only as a money-making venture leads to shallow and formulaic content. Are there content creators with actual talent? Of course, there are. Look at Quadeca, KSI, and JOJI, all of which were YouTubers who I think are pretty good. If people want to try new things and/or follow their passion, they should. If they’re just trying to make a quick buck, they should strongly reconsider. Because more often than not, it just sounds awful. 

Nikhil Kumaran

Shallow, half-baked attempts to enter the music industry hurt fans in the search of great music.


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Janelle Monáe brings sensuality and self-love to the Armory

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New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of August 28, 2023

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Review: Kari Faux Starts a Party at the Entry

Photos: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop at Pimento

Photos: ZORA turns up 7th St Entry

Keke Palmer and Usher seize the moment on "Boyfriend"

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Photos: Coco Jones Shines at First Avenue

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of August 14, 2023

Why Influencers Should Stop Making Rap Albums

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