Sometimes, an artist is able to epitomize the concept of “understanding the assignment.” On “Rush,” Troye Sivan earns an undeniable A+ in the category of thot boy summer. Atop a thumping House/Pop amalgamation, Sivan glides effortlessly, evoking the sounds and sensations of a very hot, very sweaty, and very gay night at the club. Ever fearless and never desperate, Sivan’s music has always embraced and celebrated his sexuality, and “Rush” is the sonic embodiment of Pride. With the lead single from his first album in 5 years, the 28-year-old singer is making it clear he’s all grown up.

Watch the “Rush” video, stream it, or preorder the album, “Something To Give Each Other.”

In celebration of summer, the staff at THE 97 has compiled a playlist containing some of our favorite summer songs, from then and now. Each day we will reveal one song, rotating daily between past and present with pairings from 1998 and 2023, for a total of 97 days/songs. Since we love nostalgia, we’re celebrating summer songs from 1998 as they turn 25, alongside new songs that we feel deserve some shine. Pairings could be thematic, sonic, or based connections between the artists.

Check out our full “THE SUMMER 97 (1998 x 2023)” playlist here.

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Earlier this week Fergie touted something was in the very near future. Something that was ready for release on 11/11. What wasn’t known then, was if it was a new single, music video, or her entire forthcoming anticipated album!

Turns out it was a single, titled “Life Goes On,” strategically released after the 2016 presidential election’s results; which seemed to shock many. However as the lyrics say, “Life goes on, with or without you/It’s up to you, what you gonna do/You could go, or you could stay.” The choice is ours fellow American and global citizens.

“Life” finds Fergie cooing alongside a Tropical House infused Pop melody that would have been perfect as a summer single. Though perhaps Interscope is going for this season’s Trop-House smash like last year’s “Sorry,” which carried Bieber into 2016, notching him a second #1 hit.

Fergie Ferg even spices up the Island themed tune with a rap verse to keep the song exciting. The Black Eyed Peas front woman encourages everyone to, “Go crazy, go insane, go for everything/Get the money, dollar bills in your wallet, say cha-ching/Sign the deal-y, make a milli, sound famili[ar].”

It’s clear to see why “Life Goes On,” was selected as the new Fergie single. It has everything that “M.I.L.F. $” seemed to lack. A modern radio ready beat, an uplifting timely relatable message, mixed with the super chill, down ass chick vibe that Fergie brought to her debut album. With proper promo, plus a push at radio, this may be the life Fergie needs to finally launch Double Dutchess (her decade in the waiting making sophomore LP) for the world to consume!

GRADE:

85/97

The post Single Review: Fergie Reminds The World That “Life Goes On” appeared first on THE 97.

While the original track is already heavily influenced by hip-hop, Mariah took it a step further with it’s Bad Boy and So So Def remixes.  The Bad Boy remix, already mentioned in my first “Honey” article, is not drastically changed from the original.  There are minor changes to it’s production, such as the omission of certain string elements, which make the song a bit less pop and a little more hip-hop.  Of course, the song also features verses from Mase and the L.O.X. who were new, upcoming hip-hop stars.  This makes the song seem more like a collaborative effort rather than a pop song featuring guest rap verses.  One of the highlights of this collaboration is how Mariah layers her low octave background vocals beneath Mase’s verse, truly melding her sultry voice with Mase’s hip-hop flow.  This sort of seamless fusion has become a trademark of Mariah’s hip-hop collaborations.

Bad Boy was the leading hip-hop label in 1997, and its artists were crossing over to pop radio in a big way.  Its leader, Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, appeared in the remix video, co-produced the original and Bad Boy remix, as well as his own hit singles that year, such as “I’ll Be Missing You.”  Additionally, Mase had crossed over as well, appearing on alongside Puffy and Biggie’s “Mo Money Mo Problems,” another #1 hit.   They owned the charts and the airwaves and Mariah stayed current by working with these artists.  However, with Mariah it didn’t appear forced.  “Honey” feels fresh and natural, almost effortless, even today.

For the So So Def remix, Mariah teamed up with “Always Be My Baby” collaborator Jermaine Dupri who co-produced and provided a guest verse on the remix alongside Da Brat.  By using different elements from “Hey DJ,” sampled in the original, and a new Jackson 5 sample, the So So Def remix transformed “Honey” into a completely different song musically and vocally.  All that remains from the original version are its lyrics.  This remix has a playful vibe, as its bouncy beat encourages the listener to bop along.

Finally there is the Classic Mix, a house version of “Honey,” co-produced by David Morales.  On this remix, Mariah took the song’s essence of sexual yearning to the next level.  The vocal is more impassioned and sung over the vivacious house track provided by Morales.  While the original song is sexy and sensual, and the So So Def remix is a bit more playful,  the house mix is best described as intense.  Mariah closes the remix by very zealously repeating of the phrase “I need it” with soaring, soulful runs that jump octaves in a way only she can.

This innovative approach of creating multiple reincarnations of the same song in the form of remixes was not completely unique to Mariah.  However she indeed pioneered the art of creating hip-hop and house remixes of “pop” songs.  If you listen to the “Honey” CD single, it’s almost like listening to four different songs.  By the end, you’ll be saying, “I can hardly wait for another taste of honey…”

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