GRAMMYs

Chika

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Chika Drops Stripped-Down Version Of "Balencies" For Press Play

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The Alabama rapper gives an intimate performance of her song "Balencies" from her major label debut EP 'Industry Games'
GRAMMYs
Aug 27, 2020 - 12:17 pm

Chika is having a breakout year, no matter how you look at it. Born Jane Chika Oranika in Montgomery, Ala., the first-generation Nigerian-American rapper was named to XXL Magazine's 2020 Freshman Class. And it's easy to see why:

Watch Chika Perform "Balencies" For Press Play

The self-described "professional truth-teller" with "a pen that's tactical," Chika shines in the latest edition of Press Play At Home, delivering an intimate version of "Balencies" from her major label debut EP Industry Games.

"The time that went into 'Industry Games,' was a year of my life, last year specifically," she recently told The Recording Academy. "I think that I fleshed out a lot more about myself with this project. You get more of my thought process, and the way my brain actually works––I get to share how crazy and hectic it gets in my brain sometimes. [Laughs.] You hear me versus my ego on it, and what that sounds like for me to be this soft-spoken person, but having a bigger ego, and having to defend certain words."

"Balencies," produced by Lido, also features production elements chosen by her puppy, Vision, who gets a nice shoutout in one of her verses. Chika's soulful, poetic lyricism shows her poetry slam roots and the influence of her southern upbringing in the church, which had a strong musical influence on her style. 

Enjoy Chika's very personal performance of "Balencies" and stay tuned for more outstanding original music from GRAMMY.com's Press Play series.

Chika Confronts Music 'Industry Games' With Candor & Confidence On Her Major-Label Debut

GRAMMYs

G Herbo

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G Herbo & Chance The Rapper Perform "PTSD" For Press Play

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The Chicago rappers give an exclusive performance of the title track from Herbo's latest album, 'PTSD'
GRAMMYs
Sep 10, 2020 - 4:22 pm

Thankfully, mental health is no longer such a taboo topic in the hip-hop world, thanks to brave work by artists like G Herbo. In the latest edition of Press Play, the Chicago rapper addresses "PTSD" head on with help from GRAMMY winner Chance the Rapper - take a look:

G Herbo ft. Chance The Rapper: "PTSD" | Press Play

In the exclusive performance, Herbo and Chance perform the title track from Herbo's latest album and pay tribute to their late friend and collaborator, Juice WRLD, who is featured on the album version of the song and died tragically last September at age 21.

G Herbo's album and mission is aimed to de-stigmatize mental health and demystify the commonly misunderstood mental disorder clinically known as post-traumatic stress disorder. In May 2020, Herbo launched Swervin’ Through Stress which offers free therapy and mental health resources for Black youth age 18-25.

For his remarkable efforts, PTSD debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Catch Herbo in the clip above for a moving performance of the album's title track, and read our exclusive interview with him here. 

G Herbo Talks 'PTSD' And The Importance Of Mental Health: "People Need To Treat Mental Health More Seriously"

The Pretty Reckless

The Pretty Reckless

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The Pretty Reckless Deliver An Acoustic Rendition Of "House On A Hill" For Press Play

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For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play performance series, the New York rock act serve up a powerful acoustic rendition of their 2014 track "House On A Hill"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 24, 2020 - 10:53 am

For the past decade, New York City band The Pretty Reckless have been putting out stadium-worthy rock anthems. Their sophomore album, 2014's Going To Hell, earned the group three No. 1 hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart, including for "Heaven Knows."

With the release of "Take Me Down," the lead single from their last album, 2016's Who You Selling For, the group earned a fourth No. 1 on the chart. They hold the record for the most No. 1s on the chart by a female-fronted act.

The Pretty Reckless Perform "House On A Hill"

For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play series (watch above), the powerhouse group perform an acoustic rendition of "House On A Hill" from Going To Hell. Frontwoman Taylor Momsen describes the heartwrenching song (inspired by the Vietnam War) as a "cry for humanity."

Making Heads Or 'Tails' Of Success: Lisa Loeb Celebrates 25 Years Of Her Major-Label Debut Album

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GRAMMYs

Skip Marley

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Skip Marley Asks Us To "Slow Down" For Press Play

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For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play series, the "My World" singer delivers a soulful acoustic rendition of "Slow Down"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 17, 2020 - 11:34 am

24-year-old Jamaican-born reggae artist Skip Marley, grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, grew up in the rich musical environment of his homeland and family, often touring with his uncles Ziggy and Stephen. In 2017, he collaborated with Katy Perry on her hit "Chained To The Rhythm," making him the first in his family to hit the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Now, with "Slow Down" featuring R&B songstress H.E.R., the lead single from his August 2020 debut album, Higher Place, Skip has earned more accolades for his family name. He became the first Jamaican-born artist to snag a No. 1 on Billboard's Adult R&B chart and the track was the fastest and biggest streaming song from the Marley clan.

Watch Skip Marley Perform "Slow Down" | Press Play

Watch Another: G Herbo & Chance The Rapper Perform "PTSD" For Press Play

For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play series, the "My World" singer delivers a soulful acoustic rendition of "Slow Down."

In Celebration Of Bob Marley: Late Reggae Hero’s 75th Birthday Commemorated With Special Releases & Events

GRAMMYs

Haim

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Haim Give A Groove-Heavy Performance Of "Gasoline" For Press Play

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The GRAMMY-nominated rock outfit shows off a sizzling song from their new album 'Women In Music Pt. III'
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Aug 20, 2020 - 1:59 pm

Greatness takes time, and there are no shortcuts. Haim have been creating music together for two decades now, and it shows:

Haim Perform "Gasoline" | Press Play

In the latest edition of GRAMMY.com's Press Play, the Los Angeles family band lay it down and light it up with this at-home performance of "Gasoline" from their newly released third album, Women In Music Pt. III. From the comfort of their home music room, the three sisters - Alana, Danielle and Este Haim - perform an infectiusly catchy, groove-heavy version of the tune L.A. Times called a "tender" song that "reflects the sisters' two decades of musical experience."

"Gasoline" was produced by Danielle, Rostam Batmanglij and Ariel Rechtshaid. Women In Music Pt. III dropped June 26 and is bursting with the band's command of the craft that cannot be contained by the confines of genre. Still, some have tried to reduce their artistic license and versatility to simply a move toward pop, a shallow judgement the band say is based on gender. 

"I think other bands that aren’t all female can dabble in a bunch of different genres yet they're still called a rock band," Danielle recently told GRAMMY.com. "Meanwhile, we’re women and we dabble in all sorts of genres, [but] because we’re women it’s pop. That’s frustrating to be honest with you."

Since their 2013 debut album, Days Are Gone, Haim have been pushing musical boundaries. Their debut earned them a GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist. Today, not even a pandemic can stop their groove, althought they hope to return to the stage as soon as it's safe.

"We can’t wait to start playing shows but want to be sure that we’re keeping our fans, our crew and everyone’s health and safety a priority. When it’s finally safe for everyone, we’ll definitely be playing live," Este told us recently.

Don't miss thier incredible performance.of "Gasoline" in the latest episode of Press Play above.

Read More: Haim Open Up About 'Women In Music Pt. III,' Protesting In L.A. & Music Industry Sexism: "Not A Lot Has Changed"