Nicki Minaj

How the Super Bowl Halftime Show is Exactly like the Andrews Sisters (Kind Of)

Let me enter these facts into evidence: I enjoy the Super Bowl Halftime Show well enough, and I love the Andrews Sisters. One more: I think the 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Show, featuring the indestructible Beyonce, is liable to be the strongest show in--well, since your favorite of the aging rock star ... More >>

Here Are the Songs They Play at a Middle School Dance

Last Friday, Voice Media Group announced the winners of their first music writing awards. This winning piece by Shea Serrano first appeared on L.A. Weekly's West Coast Sound music blog. By Shea Serrano 1:04 pm: In about 25 minutes, I'm going to be chaperoning a middle school dance. The dance is fo ... More >>

Five Rap Albums That Changed the Game in 2012

Five Rap Albums That Changed the Game in 2012

Before the storm of best of lists start hitting the blogs, I wanted to take a second to put aside the artistic merit aspect of the year in review, and take a look at what happened in the cultural landscape of rap music. Some of these albums were really good, some of them were really not, but all of ... More >>

Get To Know Your DOMA 2012 Nominees: Snow Tha Product

Leading up to our November 10 showcase, we'll be getting you familiar with some of our Dallas Observer Music Awards nominees, either via past features we've done on them, or new ones. You can vote for your favorite acts, venues and more right here. This piece originally appeared in our June People ... More >>

Where Are The Women in EDM?

By Katie Bain In the past three years, one woman has ranked in DJ Magazine's yearly Top 100 DJs poll. (Lisa Lashes, #75, 2009). The international EDM circuit is dominated by men like Justice, Diplo, Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia, Tiësto, David Guetta and Avicii, and the underground scene is as mu ... More >>

2 Chainz

Tuesday, September 25, at House of Blues

Six Korean Pop Artists To Watch After "Gangnam Style"

Korean comedian/musician PSY's track "Gangnam Style" became a global viral hit over the summer and served as an example of the Hallyu, or Korean wave. This week, Schoolboy Records (the crew behind Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen) picked PSY up for releases in North America, the most high-profile ... More >>

Nine of This Week's Show Announcements: Public Image Ltd, Why?, The Sea and Cake and More

Public Image LtdThursday, November 1, at Granada TheaterBefore the group hits Fun Fun Fun Fest, Dallas gets its own intimate show. It will be cool to see what John Lydon does best: walk around the stage in clown pajamas.

Nicki Minaj - Verizon Theatre - 7/29/12

Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz Verizon Theatre Sunday, July 29 I would have been happy just hanging out in the ladies room of Verizon Theatre last night, peaking over the stall, David Attenborough-style, taking notes and observing the various plumage. It's this neon cult following that's made Nicki Minaj su ... More >>

Nicki Minaj at Verizon Theatre

Sunday, July 29, at Verizon Theatre

The Problem With... Cher Lloyd's "Want U Back"

See also: The problem with... Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" The United Kingdom is revving up songs on U.S. charts this summer, likely in tandem with the 2012 London Olympics. However, instead of promoting fresh British artists like Michael Kiwanuka and Emeli Sandé, they're giving America by-t ... More >>

Snow Tha Product: The Human Alarm Clock

In this week's Dallas Observer, we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. Claudia Feliciano has lived in Fort Worth for the past three years, but she's flown under ... More >>

11 Great Show Announcements: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Nicki Minaj & More

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Thursday, October 11, at Granada Theater, $25Legendary Canadian post rock act Godspeed You! Black Emperor have reunited for the first tour in nearly a decade. The band, famous for their intense live show, expansive arrangements and vivid projections, will be an incredible ... More >>

Top 10 Modern Hip-Hop Ad-Libs

Throughout hip-hop's history, rappers have sought to distinguish themselves through a variety of methods. While some have focused exclusively on lyrical content, others have focused on style and cadence. As of late, hip-hop has experienced a fundamental shift from an emphasis on substance to an emph ... More >>

Azealia Banks - Coachella - 4/21/12

See also: Our Complete Coachella Coverage by Rebecca Haithcoat One assumes that thousands of people shouting, "I guess that cunt getting eaten" in unison has never happened at Coachella before. Yet you could hear just that yesterday during Azealia Banks' set; it was afternoon, and most of us were ... More >>

Who Should Bon Iver Collaborate With Next?

With the news this week that former Dallas/current Minneapolis rapper Andy Bothwell, aka Astronautalis, is collaborating with Bon Iver on a new album, it made us think of his recent collabo with The Flaming Lips, and his James Blake team-up. Is Justin Vernon like one of those rappers you pull in for ... More >>

Look, I Like That Nicki Minaj Video For "Beez in the Trap"

I still have to think back to Nicki Minaj's verse on Kanye West's "Monster," what seems like an eternity ago, when people start breaking her down. There, in the span of one verse, were a handful of Minaj's personas, as the NYC rapper asserted herself as both masculine ("My money's so tall") and femi ... More >>

The Best of SXSW Music: Thursday 3/15/2012

If you're familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day at SXSW. To break down the bright, scintillating chaos, Village Voice Media's roving music e ... More >>

The Problem With... Nicki Minaj's "Starships"

Since the beginning of the year, Nicki Minaj has blazed across entertainment media like a supernova, all on the run up to her next album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. Along the way, she's managed to incite controversy with vindictive misogyny in "Stupid Hoe," and used religious imagery in her Grammy ... More >>

The Best and Worst Performances of Last Night's Grammys

Five Best Performances 1. Jennifer Hudson Grammy host L.L. Cool J had a hard enough job presiding over a celebration undercut by tragic circumstances, and he achieved a perfect, almost pastor-like tone from the get-go. But Miss Hudson's musical tribute to Whitney Houston - a subtly searing but stil ... More >>

Culture Club: A Few Thoughts on Madonna's Halftime Performance

If I had to explain Madonna's Super Bowl performance in one word that isn't followed by question marks and exclamation points, it would be synergy. She was in a commercial before the event, and her new song, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" was featured afterwards. OK, fine, the Super Bowl is commerce, and ... More >>

In Defense Of... David Guetta's "Turn Me On" feat. Nicki Minaj

Among the electronic music producers who have cashed in on dance music's popularity in the States, I'm most ambivalent about French DJ/producer David Guetta. Last year's album, Nothing But the Beat, took its title pretty literally with two discs of beat, and a couple cameos to keep things interest ... More >>

In Defense Of... Nicki Minaj's "Stupid Hoe"

After a year of being the single most popular woman in hip-hop, Nicki Minaj is getting some competition from all sides in 2012. On her right are jealous industry perennials like Lil' Kim. On her left are blog-buzzed upstarts like Azealia Banks. This might actually turn out good. Competition breeds ... More >>

Fashion Week Dallas Day One: Carolina Herrera Keeps it Pretty

​Kicking off Fashion Week Dallas 2012 is best done with an oversized jeweled anklet, a note proven last night as collections by SOCIAL List and Carolina Herrera shared the runway at the Adolphus Hotel, outfitted with jewelry by local companies Body Elements and BootGlams. ​Dallas designer SOCIA ... More >>

10 Albums To Not Overlook In 2012

In case you're already blinded by the golden aura of 2012's major releases -- The Shins, T.I., Soundgarden, Nicki Minaj, Mumford & Sons, Muse, Sigur Ros -- we want to make sure you don't forget about some other sure-to-be-top-notch albums that will see release next year. They may not shine on the iT ... More >>

Eating Crow and Looking Back at 2011 Music

Big Sean, Now Really Big

Last Night: Star Slinger and Mux Mool at the House of Blues' Cambridge Room

Star Slinger, Mux MoolHouse of Blues' Cambridge RoomOctober 13, 2011Better than: yesterday's Rangers game.Star Slinger​Perhaps you've heard of Star Slinger by now. His smooth, sexy and sample-heavy hip-hop beats have earned him accolades from nearly every music publication and caught the attentio ... More >>

Erasure Adds A Little Techno to Their Pop Blend

The Problem With... Gym Class Heroes and Adam Levine's "Stereo Hearts"

Wow, I haven't heard the name Gym Class Heroes in a while! I remember the group, though. They were a hip-hop-and-pop-punk hybrid band that sounded tailor-made for the kids that got their music cues solely from MTV2.Then the band's emcee, Travie McCoy, went off and did a solo thing, releasing the pro ... More >>

Symbolyc One Explains How He Came Up With Kanye West and Jay-Z's "Excellence" Joint

Symbolyc One's on fire.​In this week's paper, you'll find a heads up of sorts about what's really going on in Dallas hip-hop these days -- essentially it's no longer the rappers making waves so much as it's the producers. And that's not just fluff. As noted in the article, in the past couple of ye ... More >>

Listomania: Top Ten Songs About Ingesting Cough Syrup for Leisure

​Ahh, codeine cough syrup. It started off innocently enough, as a remedy for a sore throat. However, if it can get you high, people will use it to get high. And, if it gets you high, someone will at some point write a song about it. Purple drank, sizzurp, lean -- whatever you choose to call ... More >>

Last Night: Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj at the American Airlines Center

Britney Spears, Nicki NinajAmerican Airlines CenterJuly 12, 2011Better than: most shows by folks who actually sing, dance and write their own music. Mike MezeulIt's Britney, bitch. For more photos from last night's performance, check out the slideshow.​ Here's the thing about Britney: She's a med ... More >>

Dallas Police Release Nicki Minaj's Hotel Palomar Incident Report

Mike MezeulNicki Minaj performing at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Tuesday night. For more photos from the concert, check out the slideshow. Read our review fo the show here.​We knew that Nicki Minaj was involved in an altercation on Monday night at the Hotel Palomar in Dallas. We just ... More >>

BREAKING: Nicki Minaj Allegedly Involved in Fight at Dallas' Hotel Palomar Last Night

First things first, she'll eat your brain.​Late-breaking news this early evening as rap femme fatale Nicki Minaj prepares to take the stage at the American Airlines Center as the opening act for tonight's Britney Spears concert: TMZ is reporting that Minaj was "'struck' in the lower lip by a man" ... More >>

Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj

Tuesday, July 12, at American Airlines Center

Video Explosion: Centro-matic, Selena Gomez, Virgin Wolves and Four Others Release Clips

One small step for local music. One giant leap for local music videos.​Can't really pin down a specific reason for this, but there sure have been a lot of local music video releases in the past few weeks. Good ones, too, and featuring bands that run the entire local gamut. There's a new Centro-mat ... More >>

Going SoBro: Like Nick Before Him, Joe Jonas Goes Solo, Releases Debut Single "See No More"

​So, this morning, Joe Jonas, after months of threatening to do so, released the lead single off his upcoming full-length album, which is pertinent news to us here in Dallas because, like seemingly every other Disney-backed teen star of the post-millennium, the middle JoBro's family calls the Dall ... More >>

Play-N-Skillz's New Collaboration With David Guetta Has Already Charted In 18 Countries

Steve VisneauCollaboration swag.​Late last week, we passed along word that the latest single from French house producer David Guetta (the man behind, among other songs, the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling") to blow up the Internet was actually a Play-N-Skillz co-production -- and the first of a ... More >>

Play-N-Skillz Goes Electro: Grammy-Winning Duo Remixes Kanye, Collabs With David Guetta

Seems Play-N-Skillz is on a new tip these days. A couple weeks back, the Grammy-winning, Dallas-based production duo behind such hits as Chamillionaire's "Ridin'" and Lil Wayne and T-Pain's "Got Money" released an electronic remix of Kanye West's "All of the Lights" (see the video for their remix a ... More >>

Physical CD Sales Still Thrive at Dallas' Big T Bazaar.

Big Chief Signs To Cash Money Records

Big Chief​A little more than two years has passed since we openly wondered if Big Chief, long one of Dallas' premiere underground street rappers, has what it takes to be the Next Big Thing out of the Dallas hip-hop scene. Now, though, it seems as if we're closer to our answer. The ever-prolific Ch ... More >>

Show Announcements: Chris Cornell, Lil Wayne, Unwed Sailor, Tapes N' Tapes, Mix Master Mike, Sleigh Bells, The Psychedelic Furs, Band Of Heathens, Basshunter, Danielson, Black Lips, The Strange Boys, Screeching Weasel & More!

Chris Cornell​Chris Cornell hasn't fallen off the map like most of his '90s grunge-rock counterparts -- he's actually done the opposite. His impressive work with Audioslave and recent Soundgarden reunion tours have kept him in the public eye. Hell, even his dud of an album, Scream, couldn't slow h ... More >>

Unexpected Influences: DJ Sober May Be Known For Hip-Hop, But He Loves Him Some Annie Lennox and They Might Be Giants, Too.

Welcome to a Unexpected Influences, where we talk to musicians about the music no one expects them to like. Kelsey FosterDJ Sober​In a city as chock full of DJ talent as Dallas is, there still has yet to emerge any real rock star. And yet, if there were such a figure whose longevity and skill war ... More >>

Today In Music News: Scott Weiland Needs A Backup, Drake And Nicki Minaj May Have Gotten Married And Axl Gets The Plug Pulled On Him

Your daily dose of national music news for Monday, August 30, 2010...Scott Weiland was not only humiliated from falling off the stage in Cincinnati, but he also inadvertently revealed the fact that he uses "backing" vocal tracks.Did Drake and Nicki Minaj get married? Their tweets say they did.Readi ... More >>

The Problem With... Nicki Minaj's "Your Love"

Count me among the thousands who've been charmed by Nicki Minaj's eyelash-batting. I swear, it's like she's that eyelash-implants girl from The Simpsons. Nicki has been making rounds this past year releasing mixtapes and guesting on a bunch of tracks, including Luda's "My Chick Bad" -- where she ... More >>

The Problem With... Young Money's "Bedrock"

You know the saying: "Too many chefs spoil the broth."Well, this week's The Problem With... is an example of a broth with a host of problems: It's too salty (or as all the cool foodies say these days, too umami) and doesn't have enough herb. And, dammit, I expect more herb out of Lil Wayne.

Tracklist: The Local Hang with Playlister P, Vol. 7

Kind of amazing.​Another month, another Local Hang at The Libertine. Thanks to everyone who came out. It was great to see you. You all rock. I hope it was a good time. If not, well, at least I know I enjoyed it. So, y'know, there's that.Anyway, I hope to see you all out next first Monday of the mo ... More >>

Ludacris Bends Genders On New Disc