ThugPop's meditation

Along with NYMPH, all other content created by THUGPOP will live on his new online platform, ThugPop.farm.

Listen below.

Bling, Bling, Bling, Bling, Bling

March 13, 2024

By now, you should know who Amaarae is. And if you don't, I'm genuinely sorry. The limitless international superstar just released her long-awaited music video for "Angels in Tibet." Off her sophomore album, Fountain Baby, released this past summer, the project's second track has been taking the internet by storm. A trend of dancers, from at-home amateurs to professional groups, continue to create choreographed masterpieces that Amaarae shouts out whenever she sees.

As the music video begins with swirling images of opulence, the frame freezes on a statuesque Amaarae, where the crescendo is met with an immediate title drop: "Fountain baby, wash her, make it wet." Director Yavez Anthonio captures every angle of the tantalizing Ghanaian-American singer, a leather vixen whose genius overflows like the fountain behind her.

Text by Michael Anthony Hall
Photo by Yavez Anthonio

Continuing a US headlining tour with multiple sold-out dates, Amaarae is at an all-time high. This constant state of prosperity is evident in her recent visual offering, an extravagant mise-en-scène of hot and sweaty dancers lured in by Amaarae's orbit. Creative Director Paradhime sets the stage where the multidisciplinary artist sparkles like the jewelry she sings about. As the track comes to a close, Amaarae adorns a white fur coat accentuated by gold chains and her lustrous voice. As she stands on a platform, the song's bridge, "Tell me who you are. Is this what you wanted? Step into your power. Come on home to God," elicits a yearning that only Amaarae can evoke.

Check out the music video for "Angels in Tibet below," and catch Amaarae in a city near you here.

Music

Dayglow Plays M3F

Our time in Phoenix for M3F was nothing short of magical — I always love playing Arizona. Something about those desert people gets me jazzed.

It was the first show of the year for me, so it was pure rock and roll, the best kind of nervousness that can only occur at the beginning of something new. I look forward to being back if the city will have me.

Music

Brooke Candy Is Back

March 05, 2024

As an artist who has consistently pushed boundaries and remained relevant for over a decade in the music and pop culture machine, Brooke Candy has earned the title and honor of industry vet. Her infectious pop songs paired with her unique talent for creative direction has, over the years, allowed her to become more and more of a truly independent artist. Yet despite her accolades and years of success, Candy shares that she sometimes still feels invisible in the pop world. In a landscape where everything can feel overproduced and micromanaged, she strives to garner more and more control over her own art. While this may isolate her from the more traditional ends of the music industry, it is the same reason why her fans appreciate her. After a break from making music to focus on other mediums in her art, Candy shares that she is back, with a vengeance, to take over the pop business. Frankly, she couldn’t have come at a better time.

Words by Deren Owji
Photography by Brandon Reed
Styling by Brooke Candy and Elvis Glass
Makeup by Sophia Sinot
Music Video by Kyle England

With the release of the first single off her new record, “Safe Word,” Candy is sharing her musical evolution with us as she embraces a more mature sound that harnesses the sexiness she is known for. office caught up with the artist following the single’s music video release to talk art, independence, and visibility.

Brooke Caaaandy! How are you?

I’m doing great, babe, thank you!

Amazing. Could you tell us a little bit more about the new music you are starting to put out? What is different now…what excites you about it?

I think overall I’ve had more control with this single and the new album and it’s just really seamless. The sound is a little bit more adult and mature and like, full. It's a little bit less crass, which is important for me as I get older because I find I'm much less slutty these days. I need to make music that is a little bit more honest. It's still raunchy to an extent but I think it is slightly more digestible and the sound is really solid. It’s fun dance music!

Where does it fit in categorically with the rest of your discography?

Every song on the new album is pop, which is something I don't think I've done really thoroughly in the past. I feel I've always straddled the line of being a hip hop artist as well. I think people like to classify me as a hip hop artist, which is amazing. I love hip hop always and forever, but I'm really a pop girly deep down. It's always been my dream to make really good pop music, but I just really didn't have the tools in the past.

I think people like to classify me as a hip hop artist, which is amazing. I love hip hop always and forever, but I'm really a pop girly deep down.

I understand that your husband, Kyle, directed the music video. Could you share what that process was like and how you feel about the final product?

Oh my gosh, it was honestly so fun to do with him. I've been begging him to make art for me for five years now. So I broke him finally. I badgered him and begged him and then he finally said yes. It was the first music video that he's made in his life, which to me is mind blowing because it's so phenomenal. He's just so talented. He’s been a really honest and supportive sounding board for me in my career the last five years… someone I always can go to for guidance…so it was so nice to actually collaborate with him finally. I had full faith that he was going to kill it, and we just ended up having the most fun. We were also just very nice to each other on set and it felt very easy to communicate because we have this way of talking that goes deeper than language. We can communicate without saying anything. It was very cool to have that kind of connection with the director.

That is so sweet. The video really did turn out so beautiful. I felt like there were so many hidden references in it. The car scene especially felt like I was watching you as a young Rose McGowan in The Doom Generation.

Oh, wow, that is a huge compliment. I think The Doom Generation is absolutely incredible. I feel like I've always tried to reference it throughout the last 10 years. The direct reference in this video, though, is Wong Kar-Wai’s Fallen Angels. The cinematography in that film is incredible. We emulated some of those super close up, wide angle shots. It can be very unflattering but it’s also just so trippy and fun. We wanted the whole thing to feel like an acid trip.

I hate to use the word comeback, because I feel like it can be both corny and kind of disrespectful to artists who have been around. That being said, I feel that we are at a watershed moment in your career. Would you agree with that?

Yes! I feel I've been completely dormant for the past two years and I kind of just took a break. I was on the verge of quitting because I was just over it and I was focusing on other projects but I feel lately that I've had like a burning fire inside of me. I feel an insane, almost vengeful demonic drive to go harder than I've ever gone because I feel invisible. I felt like I spent a decade of my life just trying so hard to make cool shit and be recognized for it. And then for the past couple of years I felt very overlooked. I’m at this moment in my life. I'm trying to regain that power that I had before. I want respect and I want people’s attention.

Behind-the-scenes look at the making of the "Safe Word" music video.