Every week, AskMen highlights the rad, the bad and the straight-up sad in music. Thisweek: Meek Mill takes girls to church, Little Boots reemerges and Serena Williams tries torap (seriously). Here are this week’s hits and misses:
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"Amen" by Meek Mill Featuring Drake and Jeremih Gospel meets sexual bravado? Somewhere R. Kellymust be happy that his sensibilities have inspired the next generation of artists.“Amen” is a standout track from Meek Mill’s buzzy new Dreamchasers2 mixtape, which has clocked in a few million downloads since its early May release.TheMaybach Music Group rapper holds his own amid formidable assists from Drizzy Drake andsinger Jeremih and burgeoning producer KeY Wane’s organ-laden beat. There’splenty of sweet-talking the ladies with religious metaphors, but it’s moreentertaining than sacrilegious. “Now it's a lot of bad b*tches in the building(Amen).”"Jumanji" by Azealia BanksLions and tigers and one venomous female rapper -- ohmy. Harlem’s bratty newcomer follows up her ubiquitous “212” (which madeit on everyone from Kanye West to Karl Lagerfeld’s radar over the past few months)with “Jumanji,” from her forthcoming mixape Fantastic (slated for aJuly 4th release). Banks’ frenetic flow offers a lot of tough talk and designername-drops while playfully weaving through Hudson Mohawke and Nick Hook’s Calypsopercussions. At times, Banks is even reminiscent of NYC’s beloved and oftnonsensical hip-hop cadre Dipset. Harlem on the rise."Headphones" byLittle BootsThe cute British pixie made a splash with her 2009debut, Hands, and while her sophomore album remains in limbo, this new track(courtesy of the good folks at BBC Radio 1) can tide you over. “Headphones” isan infectious disco ditty that just begs an impromptu dance party, or at least somelow-key shoulder swiveling. Summertime-ready, it’s pop without the fluff.
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"Scream" by Usher (Live)Usher tookthe stage on Saturday Night Live last week to perform “Scream” and“Climax” from his forthcoming album Looking 4 Myself. Ursh shows offhis seasoned performing chops and proves that after nearly two decades in the business,he’s still got it, sparkly leather jacket and jazz hands notwithstanding. Memo toRihanna and Lana Del Rey: This is what live performing looks like on SNL.You can check out his performance .
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Serena Williams RapsSerenaWilliams drops her Wilson tennis racquet and picks up the mic. A recording surfacedthis week of the tennis pro rapping and, as expected, it’s pretty sucktacular.“I ball hard/no tennis racquet,” Williams raps all too seriously and throws inempty boasts like, “Schooling these rappers, they should pay tuition.” Shereally should have enlisted the help of former boyfriend Common to help her out in thelyrics department. According to USA Today, the song was never meant for publicears (no kidding) and now Serena is blaming her treacherous friends for the leak. "Well, Iwas in the studio with friends and I wanted to do something and so they said -- do thisand it was for me. The next thing I know -- that was one or two years ago and then I readonline that I was a rapper and so my backstabbing friends did that to me and so if I seethem, I will act like a rapper -- if you can get my drift." Remember kids,friends don’t let friends rap bad.
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