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.

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Cardi B in Feb. 2020

Cardi B

Photo: Prince Williams/Wireimage.Getty Images

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Poll: With Albums From Cardi B, BTS, BLACKPINK & More On The Way, What Fall Release Are You Most Looking Forward To?

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Alicia Keys, 2 Chainz, Drake, Kylie Minogue, Public Enemy, YG and others also have big albums on the way—let us know which one you are most excited about
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 10, 2020 - 5:48 pm

With Labor Day here and gone, fall is almost upon us (it starts Sept. 22). While 2020 didn't quite deliver on a song of the summer—or a galivanting poolside vibe—luckily there are tons of big album releases slated for the coming autumn months. For our latest GRAMMY.com poll, we want to know which fall album you are most looking forward to.

Polls

What Fall Album Are You Most Looking Forward To?

Related: RIAA 2020 Mid-Year Report: Recorded-Music Revenues In The U.S. Grew More Than 5 Percent During The First Half Of 2020 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

The rap game is set to be big, with Atlanta heavyweight 2 Chainz set to drop So Help Me God, Bronx queen Cardi B primed to deliver a follow-up to her GRAMMY-winning major label debut Invasion Of Privacy and Toronto's finest Drake serving up Certified Lover Boy. Also, Los Angeles hard-hitter YG will release MY 4HUNNID LIFE and OG New York crew Public Enemy will drop What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?, to feature their 2020 update of classic protest track "Fight the Power."

Representing some of the biggest players in K-pop and the global pop landscape, BLACKPINK's debut studio album, titled The Album, is forthcoming this October, and BTS have revealed they have a new album on the way.

Another Poll: From "WAP" To "Big Booty," What's Your Favorite Megan Thee Stallion Feature?

Sure to be odes to the empty dancefloors of the world, Aussie dance-pop queen Kylie Minogue's DISCO, U.K. dance mainstays Groove Armada's EDGE OF THE HORIZON and Irish dance music legend (remember Moloko?) Róisín Murphy's Róisín Machine will keep us grooving.  

While this list of fall 2020 albums is far from exhaustive, there are two more albums we have to mention. 2020 and 2019 GRAMMYs host extraordinaire Alicia Keys will be offering up her first LP in four years sometime this fall with ALICIA, which will include "Underdog," "Show Me Love" and more glowing gems.

Finally, the expansive music of the late experimental jazz legend and Afrofuturist Sun Ra lives on with the Sun Ra Arkestra, who will be releasing their first album in 21 years, Swirling. Which one are you looking forward to the most?

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Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Poll: From "WAP" To "Big Booty," What's Your Favorite Megan Thee Stallion Feature?

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From her latest p**sy power anthem with Cardi B to her "Big Booty" ballad with Gucci Mane, we want to know which of the Houston hottie's guest bars you love best
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Aug 14, 2020 - 6:01 pm

Happy one-week anniversary to "WAP," the amazing, no-holds-barred p**sy power anthem served up by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion with empowering femme fierceness! In celebration of the debut collaboration between these epic rap/fashion queens, we want to know—what's your favorite Megan Thee Stallion feature?

Dive In: Cardi B And Megan Thee Stallion Deliver A Juicy Collaboration With "WAP"

Vote in the poll below, and read on to learn a little more about each feature, all of which go hard with the Houston rap goddess' fire bars.

Polls

What's Your Favorite Megan Thee Stallion Feature?

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Prior to "WAP," the "Savage" rapper already delivered several big features this year, including on Young Dolph's "RNB" (which doesn't stand for what you might think). Released in May as a lead single to his new album (Rich Slave), she is one of only three guests on the project.

"You looking for a freak? I'm the biggest one," the Houston hottie raps on Los Angeles rapper Tyga's 2020 single "FREAK," which samples Black Eyed Peas' party classic "My Humps." On DaBaby's BLAME IT ON BABY cut "NASTY," R&B songstress Ashanti keeps it sexy with a flip of her 2002 slow jam "Baby," while Meg matches the North Carolina rapper's nastiness with in her flow and lyrics.

On Gucci Mane's 2019 album, Woptober II, the "Hot Girl Summer" rapper answers his call for thick ladies on "Big Booty," entering the track with her trademark aayys and "Big old a** is heavy, shake that sh*t like jelly." She also offers a guest verses on one of the standout tracks on Chance The Rapper's 2019 album, the confident, slow burn-trap beat-backed "Handsome."

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

On D.C. rapper Wale's "Poledancer," the closing track on his 2019 album, Meg comes in a little after the halfway mark to add some real bad "B.I.T.C.H." energy to the track. On Khalid's "Talk REMIX," featuring Meg and Yo Gotti, she opens the pop/R&B track with rapped and sung verses, offering a female perspective to the remix of the young Texan's hit single.

On Juicy J's bouncing, whisper-filled 2019 single "Three Point Stance," also featuring fierce Miami rap duo City Girls, the Houston queen kicks the bop of with a major bang, with lyrics embracing her sexual prowess and rightful place on the throne. "I get treated like a queen by every ni*** I'm wit' / 'Cause this p**sy got power, goin' for some hours. / B*tch, I got bars, I ain't looking for no towers."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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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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