black bubblegum

it's amerie szn! in this episode, i cover her career trajectory from the early 2000s up through april 2025 (ie, i recorded this before her recently released tiny desk went viral for the wrong reasons, sigh).  i dive into everything from "why don't we fall in love" and "1 thing" to some of her best deep cuts, the 2007 album "because i love it" that never saw a proper release in the united states, t...

spotify playlist    happy new year! i recorded this episode january 2nd and it'll probably be dated upon posting, but c'est la vie. i wanted to start the year with a casual grab bag of thoughts about a range of topics including:    mariah carey's rainbow 25 (0:48) destiny's child - destiny fulfilled (6:05) flo (9:03) jade (11:10) ashlee simpson's autiobiography (12:43) kelly clarkson's breakaway (...

spotify playlist happy sagittarius season! in this episode, i'm diving into joanna "jojo" levesque's nyt bestselling memoir, "over the influence."   the book describes: her childhood in new england and on the talent show circuit, her ascension to teen pop stardom and the racial politics animating her career, the extenuating forces that stalled her trajectory, the personal challenges she faced with...

spotify playlist email me: blackbubblegumpod@gmail.com   this one's for hot girls only!! diving into megan thee stallion's storied life and career including: early mixtape era ascent to mainstream success hot girl summer ongoing label disputes collaborations with beyoncé and cardi b t*ry l*nez saga the deluge of music she released between 2020 and 2023 dr*ke & n*cki m*naj interpersonal conflicts ...

let's strike a match and light up this juke joint. before the block gets too hot again during grammy season, i am going deep into beyoncé's eighth studio album, cowboy carter.   episode playlist intro cmas backlash (0:37) yeehaw agenda, priscilla renea, lil nas x, mickey guyton (17:19) first rumblings of a beyonce country project (19:53) launching cowboy carter, jay-z's grammy's speech, verizon co...

  this episode finds me gabbing about some of the trending stories of summer 2024:  kendrick v. drake, shaboozey (0:30) diddy - (12:32) camila cabello's c, xoxo album  (13:35) charli xcx and brat summer (17:10) backlashes:  katy perry (21:20) chappell roan (24:28) blake lively (31:36) movie thoughts:  trap (lady raven supremacy) (37:04) the substance (38:16) janet jackson (39:55) concert experienc...

ciara playlist in 2004, ciara burst onto the scene with one of the greatest debut runs of all time --  "goodies", "one two step" and "oh." her career has taken an interesting trajectory after her initial golden era. this episode delves into all of her albums, the socio-cultural shifts that occurred in the aughts, her string of romantic relationships, the label politics she's faced, vitriol from so...

tinashe playlist because this episode truly demands it   in this episode, i dive into tinashe's career trajectory, describe the various social media backlashes she's faced, and ponder the racialized challenges of black artists. please match my freak, thank you.     

in this episode, i describe the long and winding road towards normani's debut album, "dopamine." from fifth harmony to "i have my album title, y'all" to "where's the damn album?" and beyond.

i'm reliving the golden era of pop music nostalgia by way of the june 7, 1999 trl countdown. this episode covers boy bands, britney, the latin explosion, nu metal, the triumphant return of tlc, and more!   instagram: blackbubblegumpod          

in thinking about why mariah carey, one of the most commercially successful artists of all time, doesn't receive the recognition someone of her stature deserves, i honed in on the flurry of misconceptions that have been present throughout the 30-plus years of her career, including her racial identity and the myriad implications and complications that arose, payola and industry plant allegations, s...

normally i don't condone spinning the block but i'll make an exception for myself. in celebration of one year of black bubblegum, i wanted to circle back to a few of the women i discussed last year. in this episode, i discuss: rihanna's continued streaming relevance the whole she has left in the pop music space fefe dobson's new music ice spice's whirlwind of a year, from taylor swift to dunkin th...

this is a story about resilience! what did janet do after the super bowl? a lot. albums, movies, tours, a book, a marriage, a late in life baby, a documentary and more! i also address the state of her legacy as i see it. 

in this episode, i look back at janet jackson's 2004 halftime show and offer some thoughts on the performance itself, the infamous reveal, the aftermath, and the cultural reassessment of the last few years.  follow me on instagram        

some quick high-level musings about taylor swift and the allegations she's never beating about her lack of style. then i conclude the episode with some reflections spurred by recording this on the night of new year's eve. 

catch me on the jesse's girls podcast chatting/giggling about mariah carey! ( apple ) ( spotify ) my first episode centered around a man (but really, it's about women). in this episode, i cover:   chris brown's trajectory and his road to being a golden boy the inflection point that changed it all his attempted redemption arc an abridged rundown of his legal troubles highlights/lowlights of his int...

in this episode, we are talking about black women's sexuality as it's represented in the media. specifically, i talk about the responses and the psychosis that has been directed at janelle monáe, chloe bailey, megan thee stallion, and sexyy red. i get into capitalism, colorism, the male gaze, and in general, try to untangle the many cultural forces that inform sexual expression and our reactions t...

black bubblegum instagram spotify playlist show notes   a cute look at a moment in time! this episode was inspired by the 2003 new york times article the solo beyoncé...she's no ashanti . i discuss: the musical landscape of the early aughts the impact of aaliyah's death ashanti's whirlwind  trajectoryashanti's underrated traits beyonce's shaky transition the key argument of the new york times revi...

show notes spotify playlist instagram: @blackbubblegumpod   this episode is all about the life and times of blu cantrell, including: her journey to acquiring a record deal how her career unfolded as a major label artist between 2001 and 2004 the jay-z and beyonce connection her transition to being an independent artist her relationships (confirmed and rumored) her stint on celebrity circus in 2008...

show notes ice spice playlist black bubblegum instagram this episode is for the baddies and their baddie friends! i felt cosmically called to dedicate space to ice spice, including: her upbringing her career trajectory how the cultural context created an environment for her to thrive industry plant allegations the drake of it all what makes ice spice stand out colorism and more!

show notes spotify playlist this episode is about all the life and times of christina milian, including:   triumphs and setbacks relationships christina's impact on early 2000s music misogynistic double standards the importance of recognizing the girls who don't make it and more! black bubblegum instagram

in this black bubblegum episode, i dive into the following:   • fefe's upbringing • her "brandy spears" nickname • her moment as an mtv darling • record label drama derailing her momentum • fefe's connections to jordin sparks, miley cyrus, and selena gomez  • what she's been up to for the last decade • how her influence reverberates through the music industry    spotify playlist of music/song refe...

the black bubblegum podcast offers an analytical and appreciative look at nostalgic and contemporary pop culture from a black millennial's perspective.    "a meditation on rihanna" is a reflection and vibe check on rihanna's trajectory, impact, influence, and controversies as of february 2023. includes the following topics: auditioning in barbados thinly veiled threats from jay-z teairra mari inte...