Doja Cat

Doja Cat

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From Drake's "Toosie Slide" To Doja Cat's "Say So," What TikTok Dance Have You Been Practicing During Quarantine?

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There's also Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé's "Savage," The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights, Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now" and more to get your TikTok on to
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 14, 2020 - 4:34 pm

2020 has become the year of quarantine, livestreams and TikTok, with popular songs on the micro-video social media platform continually topping the charts. On this week's Billboard Hot 100, Doja Cat's "Say So" remix featuring Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" remix featuring Beyoncé, The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" and Drake's "Toosie Slide" each take the top four spots, consecutively, and all have popular dances on TikTok.

So, for this week's GRAMMY.com poll, we want to know what TikTok dance you've been perfecting during quarantine? And if you're still on the fence about joining Gen Z's favorite platform, which dance would maybe get you to make your debut?

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Let us know in the poll below, and read on to find out more about each song.

Polls

What TikTok dance have you been practicing during quarantine?

"Bored in the House" is a goofy song birthed by quarantine, beginning when Detroit rapper Curtis Roach posted the original clip rapping and snapping, "Okay I'm bored in the house and I'm in the house bored," encouraging others to share it on TikTok. It took off on the platform, and Los Angeles rapper Tyga jumped on board to turn it into a song, released late March, obviously, called "Bored in the House."

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On April 17, North Carolina rap powerhouse DaBaby dropped his latest album, BLAME IT ON BABY, featuring "Rockstar" with L.A.'s Roddy Ricch. A few of DaBaby's other buoyant rap tracks, including "Toes," have been popular among TikTokers, and his opening bars of "Rockstar" ("Brand new Lamborghini, f*** a cop car …Have you ever met a real n*** rockstar?") spawning a new dance challenge. The track currently holds the No. 9 spot on the Hot 100.

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When Doja Cat released the '70s-inspired music video for "Say So," earlier this year, TikTokers were thrilled to see that not only did the "Juicy" artist incorporate the TikTok dance moves into the choreography, the dance's teenage creator Haley Sharpe (who has 1.6 million followers on the platform) made a cameo! Just this month, the rapper/singer/fashionista followed with a new version of the "Say So" featuring rap queen Nicki Minaj. The duo now have a No. 1 Hot 100 song on their hands, the first-ever for Doja.

Poll: From "Savage" To "03' Bonnie & Clyde," What's Your Favorite Beyoncé Feature?

Drake is no stranger to topping the charts and streaming platforms with his infectious, melodic brand of hip-hop. Now, with April's "Toosie Slide," he's created the perfect TikTok hit, complete with simple dance instructions in the lyrics and a demonstration in the music video. The song debuted at No. 1 (it's currently at No. 4 after five weeks in the top 10) and flooded TikTok feeds. Even Anthony Hopkins, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have gotten on board via their officially TikTok accounts.

Back in fall 2019, British dance-pop queen Dua Lipa dropped the joyfully disco-nodding "Don't Start Now," which would eventually be revealed as the lead single to 2020's Future Nostalgia. Even though the album is filled with more great dance bops, "Don't Start Now" remains an incredibly popular dance on the video platform. The nu disco bop is currently No. 6 on the Hot 100.

Just ahead of his February album, Changes, Justin Bieber dropped "Intentions" featuring Quavo, along with a heartwarming music video starring Los Angeles' Alexandria House residents dancing along with the duo. The mellow track's chorus, where Bieber sings, "Picture perfect, you don't need no filter," has spawned many more amateur dance stars on TikTok.

Apparently, if you want a TikTok hit, you might want to get a Migo's Quavo on your track. Underground Atlanta rapper K Camp has been dropping mixtapes since 2011, but with 2019's "Lottery (Renegade)," and the viral Renegade TikTok dance the followed months later helped him, well, hit the lottery. 14-year old dancer Jalaiah Harmon uploaded her choreography to the dance in fall 2019 to Instagram, which took of there and was then copied on TikTok. It is widely cited as the most popular TikTok dance right now, and since its initial popularity, Camp dropped a Quavo-supported remix, further boosting its reach.

Like Doja, Houston rap hero Megan Thee Stallion brought on a superstar for a remix of her latest single, resulting in her highest-charting single ever. With the Beyoncé-supported remix of SUGA EP cut "Savage," the Houston hotties are currently No. 2 on the Hot 100. TikTokers were already dancing to the original version of the track and understandably are also dancing to the fire remix. The "Hot Girl Summer" rapper even recently uploaded a compilation video of dances to the remix to her YouTube account.

In late 2019, The Weeknd released the fabulously synthy "Blinding Lights," the second lead single to 2020's After Hours. In late March, as quarantine began to get the better of us, the enchanting track took off on TikTok, with an adorable trend of kids getting their parents and siblings to dance with them. Perhaps there is a TikTok star in all of us, if you're stuck inside long enough. 

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Beyoncé and JAY-Z

Beyoncé and JAY-Z

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation

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Poll: From "Savage" To "03' Bonnie & Clyde," What's Your Favorite Beyoncé Feature?

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From her latest verses on Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage Remix" all the way back to "03' Bonnie & Clyde" in 2002 with JAY-Z, we want to know: What Queen Bey feature is your very favorite?
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 1, 2020 - 9:16 am

If you haven't heard Megan Thee Stallion's new "Savage Remix" featuring Beyoncé, do yourself a favor and press play on that Houston fire right now.

The internet—Stallion included—understandably lost their minds this past week over the Queen Bey-supported version of the catchy, confident track whose proceeds support their hometown's Bread Of Life COVID-19 relief efforts.

Listen: Beyoncé & Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage Remix" To Benefit Houston COVID-19 Relief

Now that we've all heard the latest golden vocals the 24-time GRAMMY winner has offered on another artist's track, we want to know: what is your favorite Beyoncé feature ever?

Vote in our latest poll below to let us know, and read on for a quick refresh on the songs.

Polls

What's Your Favorite Beyoncé Feature?

 

Back in June 2017, J Balvin and Willy William's joyful reggaetón track "Mi Gente" was everywhere and firmly established Balvin as a global superstar. Two months later, Beyoncé came on for a remix of the already inescapable track, delivering electric vocals in Spanish and English for another good cause—disaster relief in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean. In December, she joined forces with pop singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran to turn his ÷ (Divide) love song "Perfect" into the "Perfect Duet."

Related: Beyoncé's BeyGOOD Foundation Announces $6M COVID-19 Relief Efforts

Two years prior, in December 2015, Coldplay dropped their GRAMMY-nominated seventh album, A Head Full Of Dreams, along with the euphoric pop track "Hymn for the Weekend," which opens with angelic vocals from Beyoncé. While technically not credited as a featured artist, she brings the track to heavenly heights and serves up goddess realness in the music video when it was released a single in early 2016.

In 2014, rap queen Nicki Minaj dropped her GRAMMY-nominated third studio album, The Pinkprint, along with a fierce Beyoncé collab in the form of bad b**** anthem "Feeling Myself." The song got new life in 2018 at Beychella in the form of an enchanting mashup with "Flawless." And before the world was gifted a Destiny's Child reunion on that Coachella stage, Kelly Rowland's 2013 track "You Changed," featuring Beyoncé and Michelle Williams brought the trio back together with R&B girl power perfection.

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Taking us back to the early '10s, in 2011, "Love A Woman" served up more female-led R&B power with the unstoppable vocal range of Mary J. Blige and Bey. The song was originally recorded for Bey's album 4 but didn't fit the final product—luckily it was released on 10th studio album My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act I). On 2009's "Put It In A Love Song," another fierce, empowered alliance was formed, this time with Alicia Keys, with an upbeat bop asking their lovers to let them know if the love is real, from Keys' The Element Of Freedom.

While there really is something special about the power of a song with Beyoncé slaying with another badass female, there is no denying the impact she's had bringing her feminine power and smoothness to remixes of male artist's tracks, a la "Mi Gente." Almost a decade prior to the Balvin collab, in 2008 she served up an appropriately rich dose of sexy to Usher's "Love in This Club, Pt. II," also featuring Lil Wayne, from Usher's fifth LP, Here I Stand.

This "Formation" singer's best features list would not be complete without inclusion of at least of few of her incredibly talented family members. Way back in December 2002, a then-16-year-old Solange released her debut album, Solo Star, with a sultry jam "Naive" featuring big sis/Destiny's Child lead Bey and '90s rap queen Da Brat. The album wasn't available digitally for years, but the track was recently released on streaming platforms just this year.

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Finally, in October 2002, back when The Carters were dating, they first shared their love and fierce partnership with the world on JAY-Z's unforgettable "03' Bonnie & Clyde." With this melodic track from his seventh studio album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, the unstoppable Jay and Bey began their reign in music, pop culture and our hearts.

Poll: From "Insecure" To "Euphoria," What On-Air TV Show Has Your Favorite Soundtrack?

Issa Rae

Issa Rae

Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

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Poll: From "Insecure" To "Euphoria," What On-Air TV Show Has Your Favorite Soundtrack?

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There's also "Atlanta," "Empire," "GLOW," "POSE," "High Fidelity," "Stranger Things," and "Westworld"—let us know which show has your favorite tunes!
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Apr 16, 2020 - 3:38 pm

With quarantine meaning more time to catch up on shows and movies for many of us, we want to know: What current TV show do you think has been serving up the best tunes? Vote in our poll below and read on for more info on the music behind some of the biggest series.

Polls

What on-air TV show has your favorite soundtrack?

The Emmy-winning dramedy "Atlanta," whose third and fourth seasons are slated for a 2021 release, sees its creator Donald Glover, a.k.a. Childish Gambino, co-starring as the manager and cousin of a rising ATL rapper. Glover also serves as an executive producer, writer, director and the executive music producer of the acclaimed series, which has featured an eclectic soundtrack including Flying Lotus, 2 Chainz, Yo Gotti, Curtis Mayfield, King Krule and Nas.

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Season one of "Dave" just launched last month. A comedy starring goofy rapper Lil Dicky a.k.a. Dave Burd, the show is based on his own rise to fame. The new show features hip-hop tracks from A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, O.T. Genasis and more. Burd and Jeff Schaffer are the show's co-creators and also serve as executive producers along with Saladin Patterson, Kevin Hart, Greg Mottola, Scooter Braun and a few others.

"Empire," the musical drama depicting the fictional Empire Entertainment hip-hop dynasty has not been without its own off-camera drama, but its sixth season will wrap up the critically acclaimed series this year. The talented cast, including Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard and Bryshere Y. Gray add great original music to an already fire playlist. GRAMMY-winning producer/songwriter Rodney Jerkins, a.k.a. Darkchild, has served as Supervising Music Producer since season three, taking over for fellow GRAMMY-winning production powerhouse Timbaland. This season has included music from Chaka Khan, Khalid, Gladys Knight & The Pips and Ciara.

"Euphoria" is a visually stunning, jarring teen melodrama that unflinchingly looks at addiction, sex, identity, toxic masculinity, social media and more, with a powerful soundtrack and score crafted by musical mastermind Labrinth, executive produced by Drake. With original music from series star Zendaya ("All Of Us"), along with perfectly timed bops from Lizzo, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Jamie XX, the emotions are high in this new HBO show, whose second season is set to resume filming following the coronavirus shutdown.

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Set in Los Angeles in the '80s, the Emmy-winning Netflix series "GLOW," or "Gorgeous Women Of Wrestling," features a synth-heavy, period-appropriate soundtrack featuring hits from Roxette, Billy Joel, The Bangles, Daryl Hall & John Oates and more. The fourth and final season of the show starring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron is set to resume production after COVID-19 restrictions lift.

Starring Zoë Kravitz as an obsessive yet effortlessly cool Brooklyn record shop owner Rob, "High Fidelity" has an appropriately edgy, eclectic soundtrack. The new Hulu series is a modern take on the 2000 film of the same name starring John Cusack and Lisa Bonet, Kravitz's mom, both of which are adapted from Nick Hornby's 1995 novel. GRAMMY-winning multi-hyphenate Questlove helps curate the vibes as Executive Music Supervisor, with season one featuring music from David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Fleetwood Mac, OutKast and many more. Episode three even features a perfect cameo from Blondie's Debbie Harry as they listen to "Heart of Glass."

Created by and starring everyone's favorite "Awkward Black Girl" Issa Rae, the flyness of "Insecure"'s soundtrack rivals that of its stars, which also include Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Natasha Rothwell. Led by Music Supervisor Kier Lehman, along with an original score from GRAMMY winner Raphael Saadiq, the series features a dope mix of hip-hop and R&B that soundtracks the wave of moods in their L.A. lives, with a strong emphasis on female artists, including Saweetie, Khia, Amber Mark, Kali Uchis and H.E.R. Season four is currently running on HBO.

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If the music, costumes and fierce dance moves on "POSE" don't make you want to strike a—well, you know—maybe you don't have the volume turned up loud enough. Starring iconic GRAMMY winner Billy Porter, alongside powerhouse rising trans actors Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson and Mj Rodriquez, the Emmy-winning FX show explores the glamour and inequality of late-'80s/early-'90s New York City through the lens of the LGBTQ+ ball scene. Shimmering with disco realness, the series features funky jams from KC & The Sunshine Band, The Gap Band, Chaka Khan, En Vogue and more with Amanda Krieg Thomas serving up the tunes as Music Supervisor. The show was renewed for a third season last year, set to launch after the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Netflix favorite "Stranger Things" is a fantastical, surreal journey set in a small town in the early '80s, in a nod to the golden age of sci-fi/fantasy films like "E.T." and "Labyrinth." Starring Winona Ryder and actors Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schnapp, longtime film and TV music supervisor Nora Felder ("Romy and Michele's High School Reunion," "Californication") bringing the dark, neon-lit '80s mood front and center. The stellar soundtrack includes '70s and '80s hits and deep cuts from Corey Hart, Don McLean, TOTO, The Clash and more.

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Rio Cinema in London

Rio Cinema in London

Photo: Barry Lewis/InPictures/Getty Images

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UK Government Pledges Arts Relief Package: "Biggest Ever One-Off Investment In UK Culture"

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Cultural institutions, including music venues, will be sharing funds from the "£1.15 billion support pot for cultural organizations in England," as the announcement states. £880 million of that money will be offered as grants and the rest as loans
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jul 7, 2020 - 1:17 pm

On July 5, the British government announced a £1.57 billion ($1.96 billion USD) coronavirus relief package for the gravely affected arts and culture sector of the country, including music venues, theaters, museums, galleries, independent cinemas, cultural institutions and freelance workers in the arts. No information on how to apply for funds—which will be distributed as loans and grants—has been given yet.

The news comes days after a coalition of over 1,500 British musicians, including Dua Lipa, the Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora, urged the government to assist the £4.5 billion ($5.6 billion) live music sector with the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign.

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"Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they're the lifeblood of British culture," wrote Rishi Sunak, U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the announcement. "That's why we're giving them the vital cash they need to safeguard their survival, helping to protect jobs and ensuring that they can."

"I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations. Today we are announcing a huge support package of immediate funding to tackle the funding crisis they face. I said we would not let the arts down, and this massive investment shows our level of commitment," U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden added.

The immediacy of the "immediate funding" is unclear, as applications and guidelines are not yet available. As Billboard reports, "Exactly how much funding will benefit the music sector, and what the process will be for allocating the funds, has not yet been fully fleshed out."

"We don't know the breakdown of how much will go to live music venues versus other sectors as applications are not open yet," the spokesperson says. "They will be soon."

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All applicable cultural institutions, including music venues, will be sharing funds from the "£1.15 billion support pot for cultural organizations in England," as the announcement states. £880 million of that money will be offered as grants, while the remaining £270 million will be repayable loans. An additional £188 million will be allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The government will determine who the grants are allocated to in partnership with "expert independent figures from the sector including the Arts Council England and other specialist bodies such as Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute. [Additionally,] repayable finance will be issued on generous terms tailored for cultural institutions to ensure they are affordable."

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As Billboard highlights, "The funding will also target employment, including freelancers in the music industry. More than 350,000 people in the recreation and leisure sector have been furloughed since the pandemic began. (The U.K. live music sector supports 210,000 jobs)."

"Eligibility for grants and loans must be as broad as possible to ensure maximum take up from across the industry from those in desperate need of help," Tom Kiehl, acting CEO at U.K. Music, told the outlet.

More Support: The Best Apps & Tools For Recording And Monetizing Music In The COVID-19 Era

For more information on COVID-19 relief for those in the music industry, please visit MusiCares useful resource page. You can also find more info on applying for a one-time grant from the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, or donating to the Fund, if you are able.

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Beyoncé at 2020 BET Awards

Beyoncé at 2020 BET Awards

Photo: BET Awards 2020/Getty Images

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Watch Beyoncé Dedicate BET 2020 Humanitarian Award To Those "Marching & Fighting For Change"

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Michelle Obama presented the honor to her friend, saying, "You inspire me, you inspire all of us"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 29, 2020 - 1:33 pm

Yesterday, June 28, Beyoncé joined the virtual presentation of the 2020 BET Awards, to accept the Humanitarian Award and offer a powerful speech. The seven-and-a-half-minute segment, which you can view in full below, also included former First Lady Michelle Obama, who presented the award and a video detailing the many philanthropic initiatives the honoree has led with her BeyGOOD Foundation and more.

According to Pitchfork, Chance the Rapper, Nipsey Hussle, John Legend and Quincy Jones have been past recipients of the Humanitarian Award.

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"She's always turning up, looking out and making us a little bit better, a little more fierce and she's doing it all while staying devoted to her children and the loved ones she holds dear," Obama said. "You inspire me, you inspire all of us."

Obama's speech was followed by the video detailing the extensive work Queen Bey has done giving back in her hometown of Houston and beyond. Beyoncé and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, through their nonprofits, collectively donated $6 million to various orgs fighting COVID-19 and supporting mental health, both focused on communities of color. BeyGood's coronavirus work helped open a wing at Houston Memorial Hospital, as well as offer mobile testing and food supplies. It also supported the National Alliance On Mental Health for their on the ground work supporting communities of color in New York, New Orleans, Houston and Detroit.

In the video, we heard from Tina Knowles-Lawson, Treyvon Martin's mother, the director of BeyGOOD, Homecoming Scholarship recipients and others. The scholarships are given to Black students in the U.S., especially those going to HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities). In partnership Global Citizen and Tyler Perry, BeyGOOD has also launched fellowship programs in Africa to support young people there.

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Beyoncé was up next, looking stunning with natural makeup, a diamond choker and strapless black dress. She used her speech to celebrate those taking action in protests around the country, encouraging everyone to not give up and to please vote.

"I want to dedicate this award to all of my brothers out there, all of sisters out there, inspiring me, marching and fighting for change. Your voices are being heard and you're proving to our ancestors that their struggles were not in vain. Now we have one more thing we need to do to walk in our true power, and that is to vote. I'm encouraging you to continue to take action, continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system.

We have to continue to do this together, continue to fight for each other and lift each other up, because there are people banking on us staying at home during local elections and primaries happening in states across the country. We have to vote like our life depends on it, because it does. So please continue to be the change you want to see."

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Her poignant words were followed by the trailer for her upcoming Disney+ film, Black Is King, featuring music from her 2019 Lion King: The Gift album. During the show, the "Formation" singer also earned the BET Her Award for "Brown Skin Girl," a track featuring daughter Blue Ivy Carter, Wizkid and Saint Jhn from the The Gift album.

The broadcast was filled with other powerful moments, including Public Enemy opening the show with a 2020 update on their still pertinent 1989 classic "Fight The Power," with support from Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody, YG and more. Another moving performance critiquing police brutality came from DaBaby and Roddy Ricch rapping "Rockstar," with DaBaby beginning the set on the ground as a white man dressed as a police officer kneeled on his neck, evoking the brutal killing of George Floyd by Derek Chuavin.

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Alicia Keys delivered the first-ever live performance of her touching new track "Perfect Way To Die," Jennifer Hudson brought chills with Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted & Black" and Anderson .Paak and Jay Rock delivering "Lockdown," among other epic musical moments. Watch more via BET's YouTube here.

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