Bradley Andrews Profile Photo

Bradley Andrews

Peacemaker. Rabble-Rouser.

🎵 Music & Hip-Hop

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    🎵 Been listening to this week:

    Just discovered Samara Cyn, but she is easily one of the most promising MC’s I’ve seen in a while. Her new project drops soon.

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    🎵 3 songs recommended/shown to me by friends this week:

    Just a reminder that both my 2025 and my 2026 listens are public. They are disparate playlists, but you are guaranteed a few gems.

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    🎵 Been listening to this week:

    There was a bonus track on the Baby Keem CD called “Tubi” that I wanted to share, but it doesn’t exist online. I had a link, then it got taken down… Sorry 🤷‍♂️ That’s the benefit of physical media though. Buy your music! Don’t rent!

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    ✌️ Came across a wildly fun video of Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Superbowl performance in American Sign Language from deaf interpreter Jeremy Lee Stone. It’s well worth the watch.

    However, it’s his breakdown of the interpretation and explanation for his choices that is easily the most creative thing you’ll see all week. It’s a beautiful blend of artistry, language, and expression. I don’t know sign language, but I feel this gave me an even deeper appreciation for the deaf community.

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    🎶 Update: Can’t sleep. Album too good. I was definitely trying to play it cool in my last post. Like I said, no skips; and there is a different genre of hip-hop for all the fans. 😮‍💨

    🎰🕺🪩🎤🎼

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    🎵 Just finished the livestream of Ca$ino by Baby Keem. Always dangerous to speak too soon, especially because I’m very biased, but gonna give broad thoughts. May talk about individual tracks after the album has time to breathe.

    Baby Keem is a style-bender, which is why I love him. The Andre 3K, Kanye, and dare I say, Tyler the Creator, influences are so evident. None as palpable as Kendrick though, and I imagine the most critcism will be that he is so similar to Kenny.

    I think it is a phenomenal album— more melodic and catchy than his last, but still energetic and absolutely hype. He gets into his singing bag for real. It is going to please hip-hop fans and causal listeners. Above all, there are NO skips.

    Lyrically it’s not the strongest (but still leagues ahead of the zeitgeist), something Keem himself acknowledges in a song called “im not a lyricist”. The West Coast joints with producers like Too Short are my favs, I think— but maybe that’s the 909er in me. I’m feeling this one STRONG 🕺

    Being 25 years old, I think he understands how to make a “meme”, or moments, that feel so perfect for online culture. There are a million of them sprinkled throughout the album. That being said, Keem also digs deep into some traumas and hardships. This stuff is real art.

    Lastly, I think PgLang knows they knocked it out of the park with the rollout. The livestream listening party was sick, like everything they do. I need them to expand their projects ASAP. With two great albums, Keem has successfully cemented himself as a player to be reckoned with. However, if he is going to really ascend and take over for Dot, I’m not sure that pgLang can afford to be as insular as they’ve been. I understand that they want to keep it small and family, if only to keep out the bad culture. But playing nice with others is part of the game and the album could’ve beneffited from some other great features.

    Conclusion: amazing album. Happy I pre-ordered the CD. As I predicted earlier this week, it is going to be on repeat for a long while.

    Oh, and Kendrick’s features are frickin’ fire, funny, and PLAYFUL. My GOAT for real.

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    🎵 R&B recs for the week:

    Had to post because it’ll be nothing but Baby Keem after Thursday. 🔥

    Bonus: Julia Wolf on Under The Radar

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    🎶 Mentioned this before, but I am becoming a fanatic for Durand Bernarr’s Grammy-winning album, BLOOM. He is a remarkable vocalist. Do yourself a favor and listen to one of these performances:

    And I would love for him to do the hook on a hip-hop song.

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    🎵 Been trying to listen to all the Grammy winners and was wholly unprepared for how good Bloom by Durand Bernarr would be. 80’s and 90’s RnB fuzed with hip-hop, gospel, theatre, and jazz? Lyrically, he weaves in very modern themes of love and relationships without being gauche. Highly recommend.

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    🎵 I posted my Grammys predictions back in November. Here is how I did, along with some thoughts:

    Record of the Year:

    • Wish: Luther by Kendrick and SZA
    • Predict: DtMF by Bad Bunny
    • Actual: Luther by Kendrick and SZA

    Album of the Year:

    • Wish: Let God Sort ‘Em Out by Clipse
    • Predict: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny
    • Actual: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny

    Song of the Year:

    • Wish: Luther by Kendrick and SZA
    • Predict: Golden from KPop Demon Hunters
    • Actual: Wildflower by Billie Eilish

    Best New Artist:

    • Wish: Leon Thomas
    • Predict: Leon Thomas
    • Actual: Olivia Dean

    Producer of the Year:

    • Wish: Sounwave
    • Predict: Dijon
    • Actual: Cirkut

    Pop Solo Performance:

    • Wish: DAISIES by Justin Bieber
    • Predict: Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter
    • Actual: Messy by Lola Young

    Best Pop Duo:

    • Wish: Defying Gravity by Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
    • Predict: Defying Gravity by Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
    • Actual: Defying Gravity by Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

    Best Pop Vocal:

    • Wish: SWAG by Justin Bieber
    • Predict: Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter
    • Actual: MAYHEM by Lady Gaga

    Best R&B Performance

    • Wish: Folded by Kehlani
    • Predict: It Depends by Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller
    • Actual: Folded by Kehlani

    Best R&B Song

    • Wish: Folded by Kehlani
    • Predict: Folded by Kehlani
    • Actual: Folded by Kehlani

    Best Rap Performance

    • Wish: Chains & Whips by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice ft. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell
    • Predict: Chains & Whips by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice ft. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
    • Actual: Chains & Whips by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice ft. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell

    Best Melodic Rap Performance

    • Wish: Luther by Kendrick and SZA
    • Predict: Luther by Kendrick and SZA
    • Actual: Luther by Kendrick and SZA

    Best Rap Song

    • Wish: The Birds Don’t Sing by Clipse
    • Predict: The Birds Don’t Sing by Clipse
    • Actual: TV Off by Kendrick Lamar ft. Lefty Gunplay

    Best Rap Album

    • Wish: Let God Sort ‘Em Out by Clipse
    • Predict: Let God Sort ‘Em Out by Clipse
    • Actual: GNX by Kendrick Lamar

    Couldn’t be more thrilled for K-Dot to become the most Grammy-decorated rapper of all time, even if Clipse’s comeback was overlooked by The Academy. Kenny and his team were pure class acts onstage and looked fantastic on the carpet. He keeps the West Coast proud and, as far as I’m concerned, has sealed his place among the greats forever. If you know me, you know I am very happy with this outcome.

    Similarly, Bad Bunny deserves his wins and every time he pops up in public, I like the guy more. I found his acceptance speeches to be both bold and inspiring. We are all in for a very Latin-American Superbowl. 🕺

    It become obvious to me about a month ago that Olivia Dean was going to win the best new artist. She is everywhere these days and deserves to be so, even if I think Leon Thomas might be new RnB’s next wunderkind. Lady Gaga’s performance was next level. My only serious complaint was that Justin’s SWAG was horrendously snubbed. The album contains some real art, and the man reinvented his sound for the album and created a project that was so much more mature, artistically and sonically, than we’ve ever heard from him. His performance is apparently polarizing, but it was honestly my favorite of the entire night.

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    🎵 J Cole’s Golden Goose Freestyle has been on repeat since it dropped—dude is floating on the beat. I am going to try and write a blog post soon about my mixed feelings toward Cole, but the best version of his pen always makes me want to write:

    And I don’t like those odds, so I stay in my lane / despite every bit of dirt thrown my way / there’ll never be a stain on my name / it’s why I walk around as if ain’t nothin' changed / without a chain on my frame / N****s can never know the pain of Jermaine / but I can’t name a thing that I ain’t overcame / I despise my celebrity, I ain’t into fame

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    🎵 When I pressed play on IDK’s album this morning, I was NOT expecting such a FIRE project. I need a few more listens—but it is an immediate purchase from me. It has the lyricism and energy that I am always looking out for in hip-hop: e.t.d.s. A Mixtape by .idk.

    (Disclaimer: Explicit)

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    🎵 Recent listens:

    *These are songs that my friends put me on to.

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    🎵 New A$AP Rocky album exceeded expectations. Production is top-tier, Danny Elfman & Tim Burton made great contributions, & the features (especially Doechii) all killed it. Here is a great interview with A$AP talking about the album.

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    🎵 From the new CDs & a few online finds:

    Shrek did Sly dirty on this one. Also, brief essay on Peter Gabriel coming soon. 👀

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    🎵 3 new CD’s added to the growing stash today, found at Record Whirled in Brooklyn for a great price:

    • Peter Gabriel (3) Album
    • Prince’s Self-Titled Album
    • Sly and the Family Stone Greatest Hits Album
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    🎵 I was reminded today that the “Shazam app history forms a uniquely fascinating record of personal delight, curiosity and serendipity.” It was a fun exercise to go back and listen to some of the songs that had caught my attention in the wild this year—if you use the app, I highly recommend you take time to do the same. I found a grip of absolute 🔥 fire 🔥 songs that I want you all to enjoy too:

    My full Micro.blog playlist here, as usual.

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    🎵 Oh man, this track from Method Man (of Wu-Tang fame) and Erick Sermon is insane. First verse is incredible. These older artists have been showing up this year. 🫣

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    🎵 Been listening to:

    So a lot of time in the Mk.Gee and Dijon extended universe, plus a little Drake bc I like him with the melodies, not when he acts tough.

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    🎵 My Thoughts On Dijon’s Album “Baby”: bradley-andrews.com

    (Hint: I love it)

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