FEVER 333 are studying the January 2019 cover of Kerrang! Magazine, which prominently features the band. "You look great," frontman Jason Aalon Butler tells guitarist Stephen "Stevis" Harrison, who, in the photo, has his arms folded and is wearing a firm expression.

"It’s 'cause I’m not smiling for them,” he responds. Butler, meanwhile, is amused at how he appears on the cover, which is considerably less stone-faced. OK, he's actually bent all the way back, upside down, in mid-hysterics. "I knew they'd be waiting for it," laughs Butler, who by "it" means his ear-to-ear joker grin. He's definitely not mad, but one gets the impression that in a perfect world Butler would've liked for his expression to emulate Harrison's.

The trio, who perform a modern hybrid of punk and hip-hop, actually do have a lot to feel upbeat about—it's been only days since they found out about their first GRAMMY nomination, which is in the Best Rock Performance category for their confrontational, fist-pumping anthem "Made An America."

Formed in collaboration with punk-rock figureheads Travis Barker (Blink-182) and John Feldmann (Goldfinger), FEVER 333 also comprises drummer Aric Improta (also of Night Verses), with whom Butler, formerly of post-hardcore act letlive., had worked with in the past. All together, Butler, Improta, and Harrison (who also plays in metalcore outfit The Chariot) are on a mission to promote awareness around racial and gender inequality, among other things, and their music doesn’t so much address those issues as it does come at them with a sledgehammer.

"Made An America," a Rage Against The Machine-sounding chant, furiously calls the country out on its inherent inequalities, which Butler, who is biracial, has experienced firsthand growing up in Los Angeles’ Inglewood neighborhood. And to that end, the group's just-released debut album, STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS, is a full-length, all-caps call to arms.

During a visit to Butler's L.A. home, we sat down with the members of FEVER 333 to talk about their very first GRAMMY nomination, working with rapper Vic Mensa on the "Made An America" remix, tackling the issues many working artists are afraid to touch, and how Butler first met Barker while attempting to—of all un-punk things—sell cookies to a grocery store.  

Congrats on the GRAMMY nomination! Where were you when you heard the news?

Stephen "Stevis" Harrison: I was in Atlanta in my room. It was like, seven in the morning.

I was like, “What?” It was way too early for me to [process the news]. I was like, “If this isn't true or you're joking, or if there's any chance that this could not be true, please don't do this to me right now."

Jason Aalon Butler: I was in Sicily at the time. I was driving from Venganza to Cefalù. I was [driving] on a different side of the road, [and] I don't want to answer the phone at that moment, so I was like, alright, when we get there I'll answer. And then I got a call from management and I got a call from our A&R and I got a call from the president of the label and a text from our attorney, so all these people... I was like, oh, we've been dropped, like from the label. I was like, “It’s a wrap, it’s a wrap.”

We were in a lot of disbelief. We weren't aiming for it by any means really, we're just trying to create.

FEVER 333 is a relatively new project. Can you tell me about how the band came together?

Butler: Yeah, we were all in bands before. Aric is still in another band, and we’d done music together from my other band [letlive.]. We had written together, we had done some solo stuff together. Stephen and I had toured together, we basically shared a lot of the same ideals and understanding of this specific genre of music, like, guitar-based music being people of color and trying to find your place in all of this. The three of us ideologically already shared a lot of the same ideas, and we always kind of discuss playing music together at some point.

Then, a year before FEVER happened, I went to speak with [A&R rep] John Feldmann one day about my future and he just said, “You always got to believe. You make it happen.” He’s a “if you build it, they will come” kind of guy.

Then my wife got pregnant, and I was still in letlive. I needed a job to make sure that I could afford insurance and having a baby, 'cause that s**t's mad expensive.

So I was working for this cookie company through a family friend and I was selling these accounts for the cookies to these grocery stores and I was in one of the grocery stores, like, hustling these cookies, and this young woman came up to me and was talking about letlive. Then she left and then Travis Barker walks in, also talking about letlive. He had been watching videos of my performances, this, that and the other. And we talked about having a mutual friend, John Feldmann, and we decided we should maybe get together and make music.

I didn't really think it was going to happen, and then it did on Superbowl Sunday of 2017. We got together and wrote this song called “We're Coming In.” its like this nexus manifesto of what this project is going to be and then Stephen, Aric and I got together and said, “All right, this is what we’re going to do.”

That's crazy, all of this happened because you just happened to run into Travis Barker?

Butler: Yeah, it just sort of happened. I had this idea a while ago, about offering a larger sense of representation. Being biracial, I was always struggling to find an identity in the world, but then in a subset of music which was supposed to be more alternative but then it was kind of like a heteronormative white boys’ club. [John and Travis] were very, very interested in the idea. They agreed that it was time to create a space for people just to exist and to have the discussion that needs to be had.

So by having a conversation in your music about representation, what void are you hoping to fill in the rock genre at large?

Harrison: I feel like we grew up with a rock generation where people were trying new things constantly and no bands sounded the same. Lately, it just seems like people are kind of repeating things that have been done and all of the exploration is happening in other genres. I feel like different types of people just gravitate towards indie and hip-hop because it just seems like rock has become such a specific audience and everybody has this specific goal that we create things that feel kind of dated at this point. Since we grew up on [rock] and didn't want to give up on it, I feel like we tried our best to integrate all of our influences and not limit ourselves to what I guess was expected of the genre at this point in time.

As an artist today, you can literally get just about anything aside from authenticity, which is what we hope to provide. We hope to really explain ourselves for who we are and in doing so, offer representation. I think that's our lane: This is who we are, this is why we say what we say, and we're very open to have the conversation but ultimately, you can't really tell somebody "no" to their truth.

The song "Made An America" describes a violent reality for a lot of Americans, especially those of color, who are promised an American Dream that ultimately never arrives. To what extent does this song describe your experience?

Butler: The double-edged sword was education for me. I learned about all these things from the books that we were told, but I never saw my own face, really. I never saw my father's face, I never really saw women, and I was raised by basically my sister and my mother. The idea of identifying with things that I'm familiar with in our history as a country, I didn't really have that. Any time that I did see black faces or women they were subjugated. They were relegated into these submissive positions, which I found to be very interesting because the black culture I knew was strong and was full of love and full of a rich, deep history.

Harrison: I grew up in Georgia, and ignorantly I grew up thinking that when I got older and when I could move outside of Georgia that some of the ignorance and racism that I had experienced would just go away or settle down or wouldn't be as harsh, and it’s not true at all. As I got older, I just realized that [racism] takes different forms, and depending on where you are and what's happening.

I just thought it was like a kid thing. Like a young person's kind of ignorance, or an old-person, Southern kind of ignorance, but that's not really the case. Especially touring the world, you realize it’s everywhere.

Aric Improta: For me, I grew up in Southern California, and both my parents are really into art. My dad designed for television, my mom's a drama teacher. Even the school I grew up in was predominantly Asian, so I just had no perspective of [racism]. Then when you start to travel you just see the different degrees of it everywhere. I think that was the biggest change for me growing up, which is that I wasn't in a position to see how apparent that stuff was. I mean, I heard people say, like, “Oh, well, if you go to the deep South this stuff happens, but it wasn't something that was ever [in my worldview]. I was just fortunate with my upbringing that it wasn't in front of me. And then as you get older and you start to travel, like I said, it starts becoming a lot clearer.

Who did you all listen to when you were growing up? Who would you say informs your sound?

Butler: I think we have a common ground with Rage Against The Machine.

Harrison: That was the first band where I was like “Wait, what does he mean?” 'Cause other bands I listened to weren't making me like look back in history.

Butler: Yeah, we have to put that out there on the forefront, 'cause they paved the road for a band like us to be successful in music and society.

Me personally, as far as like, subverting and challenging the status, N.W.A and Public Enemy were huge for me. And then all punk rock, 'cause I'm from L.A., so we have Circle Jerks, Black Flag. And the bands from the east, obviously Minor Threat was huge. The idea of straightedge to me was so interesting when it was explained as an effort to challenge normalcy.

Nina Simone is huge for me too. I think she was like one of the most punk, most in-your-face artists.

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You partnered with Travis and Vic Mensa on the "Made An America" remix. How did you guys connect with Vic?

Butler: [We connected with him] through Travis. Travis has done stuff with him before, at the time that Vic was, for better or for worse, being very vocal about some pretty hot-button issues. He was getting more and more involved in sociopolitical [issues] and even the gender discussion. It seemed like good alignment.

Sometimes it can be hard for us to find someone who will openly discuss certain issues, and the issues that we discuss are pretty challenging and confrontational.

Travis had shown him the “Made An America” record and he felt it, and we linked up one night and he dropped the verse. What a wild night… And then he continued on his path of f**king saying what he felt.

That's the thing, it’s like, the fact that this man feels as though his voice can be used to shed light on something that he thinks is wrong… That's why we can't have these discussions, 'cause people aren't really looking at the facts. I understand when to separate legacy from personal history, 'cause like, to be fair, some of my greatest idols as far as even politics, were pretty unsavory people in their personal lives. But I do think that the bigger thing here, the point I'm trying to make is, we should be able to have those discussions without being berated.

Speaking of encouraging conversation around the issues, you founded a charity, the Walking In My Shoes foundation. Could you tell me a little bit about its mission?

Butler: The Walking In My Shoes foundation is essentially a launch pad for people to participate in the change that they want to see. We try to do it tri-yearly. We're going to hold these events where we highlight issues that we think need to be brought to attention or that are dear to us. Currently we’re with the Man to Support committee, the Black Women Lawyers Foundation, and United For A Fair Economy.

A lot of language for change can be really convoluted. What we’re trying to do is break down the idea of being able to help and being able to be a part of change. By simply buying a shirt, an album, going to a demonstration of ours, or just going to our website, you can look a brief statement that gives you information on the issues, and you can choose which one you would like to support. Since we have a platform, since we have people's attention with the music and the art, we try to offer a component if they want to learn about what it is we're actually talking about.

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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It's been a minute since we've seen the classic blink-182 lineup of Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker, and Tom DeLonge together — eight years, to be exact. While the band has gone through some hardships and personnel changes during that time, their music has remained ubiquitous and engrained in today's music landscape.

With new single "Edging" in tow, blink-182 ushered in the latest era of the group — one that kicks into full gear on May 4, when their world tour launches in St. Paul, Minn. After spending the summer rocking arenas throughout the US and Canada, they'll hit Europe in the fall and resume in Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Mexico in 2024.

The trio teased a hit-filled set list with two surprise sets at Coachella, where they were welcomed as heroes. The performances showed that blink-182 still sound (and look) like those punk-rock kids who went streaking in the streets of LA in their music videos — and while they may be a little older, they're still not ready to act their age.

As the beloved rock group begin their latest tour together, GRAMMY.com revisits 15 of blink-182's essential tracks.

"Carousel," Chesire Cat (1995)

When blink-182 first started, Hoppus and DeLonge were just kids who bonded over a shared love of punk rock bands like Bad Religion, NOFX, and The Descendants. They played high schools and small clubs throughout San Diego, creating a buzz in the SoCal punk rock scene.

The first album, Chesire Cat, is a bit rough around the edges, but it is undeniably the start of blink as we know them now. Album opener, "Carousel," moves at a frenetic pace of pent-up energy, and it's our first taste for what was to take over the world a little later on. They sound young and spunky, ready to get the party started.

"Dammit," Dude Ranch (1997)

Forget "Smoke on the Water" — for kids learning guitar in the early 2000s, it was the "Dammit" riff they wanted to master. And in the same vein, "Dammit" as a whole was the perfect introduction to blink-182. Everything we know and love about them — the bouncing guitars, the breakneck drums (albeit not recorded by Barker, who didn't join the band until 1998), the juvenile gossip, the singalong chorus — is all there.

In "Dammit" is the blink-182 too-cool-for-school philosophy. They don't want to go out with you anymore? Whatever. Just tell yourself they'll regret it and shrug, "I guess this is growing up."

"Josie," Dude Ranch (1997)

A fan favorite from blink-182's Dude Ranch, "Josie" doesn't waste any space. It's loud and fast, just like the music that shaped the band growing up in SoCal.

Almost like a little cousin to the Ramones' "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," "Josie" is a punk rock love song hidden behind brash drums and snot-nosed guitars, about a girl who is out of their league — who laughs at their dumb jokes, drives them when they're too drunk, and doesn't get jealous when they hang with the guys. With her they know that everything is gonna be fine. Who doesn't want a relationship like that?

"What's My Age Again?," Enema of the State (1999)

Mark Hoppus is 51, and both Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge are 47. So as DeLonge's guitar rang out and the band launched into "What's My Age Again?" at Coachella, it felt more like a protest song — because what is age but a number?

"What's My Age Again?" was the first single released from their pivotal Enema of the State album, and the first official taste of the Hoppus/DeLonge/Barker lineup. It is blink-182's mission statement, an anthem for those who never want to grow up. After all, as Hoppus sings, "No one should take themselves so seriously, with many years ahead to fall in line."

Every line is quotable, every riff is memorable, and not a moment is wasted. Now that's how you make one catchy pop punk song and win over a generation in the process.

"All the Small Things," Enema of the State (1999)

If "What's My Age Again?" was a reintroduction, "All the Small Things" was the song that made damn sure you'd never forget. Sure, blink-182 may not have invented SoCal pop punk, but they were the first band to bring it to the mainstream, and "All the Small Things" was what made them a household name. It propelled them into superstardom.

Since its initial breakthrough as an MTV mainstay in 1999, the song has become a classic pop-punk party anthem with its sing-along hook and catchy undulating verses. It's a song about nothing and everything at once; it's about letting go and being free from any troubles. Work sucks, they know — so why not just sing "Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na, na"?

"Going Away to College," Enema of the State (1999)

On Enema deep cut "Going Away to College," blink-182 perfectly captured what it's like for a kid heading off on their own for the first time — heading into the unknown, leaving family and friends you grew up with behind.

"I haven't been this scared in a long time," DeLonge admits in the chorus, one of blink-182's best, most endearing in their catalog. The song is largely an adorably clumsy valentine to a high school sweetheart, and the words Hoppus sings read like a message hastily scribbled on a note in a locker: "This world's an ugly place, but you're so beautiful to me."

"Adam's Song," Enema of the State (1999)

Van Halen were once challenged to write a song other than hooking up with women or partying, so David Lee Roth wrote "Panama" about a car. In a similar way, blink-182 challenged themselves to write about something a little serious. In comes "Adam's Song," a tune sung from the perspective of a depressed teen thinking about ending his life: "Please tell mom this is not her fault," Hoppus pleads over a subdued, dirge-like guitar.

It's a heavy song that changed the idea of what a blink-182 song should sound like. Though the song was almost left off of Enema, "Adam's Song" ended up becoming one of the more important and cherished singles in the band's discography.

"Man Overboard," The Mark, Tom And Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!) (2000)

On its surface, "Man Overboard" might seem a bit like a throwaway song as the only studio track on blink-182's 2000 live album, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!). The band needed a song to help promote the live album, so they turned to a song that didn't make it on the previous year's Enema of the State. Yet, the single is a bright, driving song that's chock full of hooks.

Upon closer look, there is a deeper story of confliction within, and about watching a friend succumb to alcoholism. In many ways, "Man Overboard" served as a sort of predecessor to the more serious content blink-182 would write about the albums that followed it.

"First Date," Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)

First dates spawn a range of emotion — hope in the opportunity, butterflies in your stomach. Who wouldn't want to make that excitement last forever, and ever?

On "First Date," DeLonge sounds downright giddy at the prospect. He's so nervous he really can't eat, dreading the thought of the first kiss because it's a target he's "probably gonna miss." Barker's frenetic drumming on the track only heightens the feeling of anticipation, and the combo is a vivid portrayal of punk-rock romanticism.

One of the things blink-182 always does so well is getting right to the point in their songs. There's no count in, no slow build, no BS. One swift drum roll and we're off to the races. "First Date" is a prime example of this; a thrill ride from the jump.

"Reckless Abandon," Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)

The hardest part about growing up is that you don't know you're in the "good old days" until you leave them. On the driving Take Off Your Pants and Jacket deep cut "Reckless Abandon," Tom DeLonge waxes poetic about all the good times and those crazy memories from those endless summers gone by. Like a pop-punk "Glory Days," DeLonge looks back at those days with rose colored glasses, practically smirking as he sings in the chorus "we left a scar extra large."

"Reckless Abandon" is a fast-paced, rockin' roller coaster, the blueprint for today's blink-influenced rockers like the Menzingers or Japandroids who write similar anthems yearning for those days of youth. Because of its frenzied pace, "Reckless Abandon" has become a mainstay in blink-182's live setlist — one that is sure to get the crowd rip-roaring.

"Stay Together for the Kids," Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)

"Stay Together for the Kids" is blink-182 at their angriest. "It's so pathetic," Hoppus spits in the opening verse, before a wall of guitars blaze through in the chorus, in which DeLonge spitefully yells, "I hope you enjoyed this time, you gave it all away. It's not right."

Like several of blink-182's songs — and rock/pop-punk songs in general — "Stay Together For the Kids" digs into a very painful, yet relatable sentiment. And as blink-182 air their own grievances out in real time, they gave anyone who has also been there something to scream along with.

"Feeling This," blink-182 (2003)

blink-182 was always about Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus. They're the yin and yang at the heart of the band – the McCartney/Lennon of blink-182, if you will. The way they played off each other in their songs and on stage was a major part of blink's appeal.

However, on 2003's self-titled album, it became clear their songwriting was moving in separate directions. That was initially apparent on blink-182's lead single, "Feeling This," one of blink's raunchier tracks. With DeLonge's snarling verse giving way to Hoppus' melodic chorus, "Feeling This" almost sounds like two separate tracks that shouldn't work together — but with the magic of Hoppus and DeLonge, they most certainly do.

"I Miss You," blink-182 (2003)

While "I Miss You" is inarguably one of blink's most iconic songs, it's seen a resurgence within social media and meme culture, particularly thanks to DeLonge's trademark vocal delivery about the voices inside his yyyyeeaaaaad. So, it can be easy to dismiss the song as a novelty — but you'd be wrong.

"I Miss You" is as sentimental as any classic ballad, and blink play it without an ounce of irony; it's as self-aware as it is self-deprecating, but in the end, it's about being lovesick. It's also the first blink-182 track to be recorded with acoustic instruments, with the band unplugging their guitars and using upright bass and drum brushes, giving the song a haunting, ghostly feel — creating a song so affecting that it remains one of their biggest to date.

"After Midnight," Neighborhoods, (2011)

In 2005, blink-182 announced that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus to pursue other projects outside of the group. A few years later in 2008, two incidents brought the band back together: Longtime collaborator and producer Jerry Finn passed away, and Travis Barker was involved in a near-fatal plane crash. The trio reconciled, and in 2009, they appeared at the 51st Grammy Awards together with the announcement that they would be picking up where they left off and a new album was on the way.

That album, 2011's Neighborhoods, sees the band coping with life's near-misses and unpredictability. While much of the album is composed of old demos and separate ideas, "After Midnight" sounds like the band writing as a cohesive unit again. With Barker's skittery drum beat and the song's soaring chorus, it has a sort of grandeur that was a new look for blink-182, but they wore it well.

"EDGING" (2022)

You didn't think blink-182 grew up yet, did you? The bouncy new single "EDGING" — the first song in over a decade to feature Hoppus/Delonge/Barker together — is proof that blink-182 have clearly not lost their ability to write tight, catchy, sophomoric pop-punk.

Today, blink-182 have become the unlikeliest of elder statesmen, influencing new generations of kids who are creating their own pop punk anthems. But while the blink-182 on "EDGING" may be older, who says you have to get any wiser?

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

**Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?**

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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