Album Streams, Lists

Top 5 Songs from Chloe x Halle’s Debut Album ‘The Kids Are Alright’

It’s been over five years since Chloe and Halle Bailey released their cover of “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé. The video instantly went viral, racking up millions of views within a short span. Among the viewers was the queen herself, Beyoncé. Moved by their stellar performance, Bey wanted to sign the sisters to her label Parkwood Entertainment — and she did.

Since then, Beyoncé has kept the girls under her wings as she developed and mentored them into becoming artists. Known together as Chloe x Halle, the duo has finally released their debut album The Kids Are Alright via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records.

“The title means so much to us; we’re speaking about ourselves as we’re growing into young women, telling ourselves we’re going to be OK,’ Chloe told TIME. “We’ll make mistakes and we’ll have obstacles, but we’ll overcome them.”

The Kids Are Alright is loaded with 17 tracks including previously released songs “Grown” from Grown-ish, “Warrior” from A Wrinkle in Time, “Drop” and “Fall.” The last two tracks also appeared on their Sugar Symphony EP. Chloe x Halle kept their guest list short on this album, limiting it to three guest appearances from rappers GoldLink, Joey Bada$$ and Kari Faux.

Check out our top five picks from The Kids Are Alright. 

1. Everywhere [Produced by Chloe Bailey]

At first listen, one may assume “Everywhere” is a braggadocious track, especially hearing them sing “I got money everywhere / Falling off the tree.” However, in this case, Chloe x Halle use ‘money’ as a metaphor to speak great things into existence like love, happiness and success. The trap-inspired beat paired with the catchy hook is what makes this track stand out.

2. Hi Lo (featuring GoldLink) [Produced by Pluss and Chloe Bailey]

Co-produced by Chloe and Pluss, “Hi Lo” is about accepting yourself — flaws and all. “When I cannot tell each day apart / Yeah I like it yeah / Freckles on my face connect like stars / Yeah I like it,” Chloe sings.

3. Galaxy [Produced by Chloe Bailey]

“Galaxy” finds the sisters sharing their views on a relationship that has gone sour. With lyrics like “Imma throw you back into the galaxy,” it’s clear that they’ve reached their breaking point and are ready to move on with life.

Halle adds, “You’ve been tryna’ break me / You’ve been tryna’ shake me / But like the earth, I’m steady / I won’t lose it.” Although the song is about a breakup, it will definitely have you ready to dance with its melodic handclapping beat.

4. Happy Without Me (featuring Joey BadA$$) [Produced by Adam Messinger, Nasri Atweh, Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey]

Chloe x Halle goes back to singing about love on “Happy Without Me.” Despite throwing their ex back into the galaxy, there seems to be a part of them that can’t stand to see their past lovers in a new relationship. The song touches home for anyone who has let a lover go but isn’t ready to accept the fact that they may move on faster than they think.

“Bittersweet, those memories / And I see, you with her now / And it breaks my heart, and it breaks my heart (yeah) / And it breaks my heart to see you happy, without me,” Chloe sings. Joey BadA$$ shares the same sentiments as Chloe and Halle. “I wish the feelings would just go away / I still be thinkin’ ’bout you to this day,” he raps.

5. Cool People [Produced by Malay Ho]

Moving on a relationship isn’t always easy. “Cool People” gives hope to the brokenhearted. The emotional track is about finding a new love interest after being down on love for so long. “Cause darling when you smile it’s like the rain dries out / Now there’s no more room for clouds / Got me singing Hallelu, ah Hallelu oh / When you hold my hand it just reminds me of, there’s still cool people in the world,” they sing.

To be honest, creating this list was hard! The entire album is a solid body of work — from the colorful lyrics and refreshing production to the mesmerizing vocals! Stream it below for yourself.

Keithan is the founder/editor-in-chief of Rated R&B

Stream Mýa’s’ New Album ‘T.K.O. (The Knock Out)’

Just one-day shy of her self-titled debut album’s 20th anniversary, Mýa releases her eighth album T.K.O (The Knock Out).

The album includes 12 tracks with guest appearances from rappers and musicians GoldLink, AGuyNamedCliff and MyGuyMars. Mýa T.K.O. also includes her previously released tracks “Damage,” “Ready for Whatever,” “Ready, Pt. II” and “You Got Me.”

T.K.O (The Knock Out) will follow Mya’s 2016 album, Smoove Jones, which was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 59th Grammy Awards.

Tomorrow (April 21) marks the 20th anniversary of Mya’s self-titled debut album. The platinum-selling LP featured two top 10 singles: “Movin’ On” featuring Silkk The Shocker and “It’s All About Me” featuring Sisqo.

Stream T.K.O (The Knock Out) below.

Beyoncé Extends HBCU Scholarship for Second Year

Photo Credt: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Beyoncé continues schoolin’ life. After saluting historical black marching bands during her history-making Coachella performance on Saturday, the mother-of-three has extended her BeyGOOD Initiative’s Homecoming Scholars Award program (previously named Formation Scholars Award program) for a second year.

The program will award $25,000 to one student from Historically Black Universities and Colleges: Xavier University, Wilberforce University, Tuskegee University and Bethune-Cookman University for the 2018-2019 school year.

Ivy McGregor, Director of Philanthropy and Corporate Relations at Parkwood Entertainment, which houses BeyGOOD, shared, “We salute the rich legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. “We honor all institutions of higher learning for maintaining culture and creating environments for optimal learning which expands dreams and the seas of possibilities for students.”

Beyoncé launched the scholarship program in April 2017 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of 2016’s Lemonade, her second visual album. This year’s award program is open to all qualifying students at the four universities. The attached disciplines will include literature, creative arts, African-American studies, science, education, business, communications, social sciences, computer science and engineering. All applicants must maintain a 3.5 GPA or above. The universities will determine the finalists and winners, with receivers announced this summer.

4 Songs from Mariah Carey’s ‘E=MC²’ That Should Have Been Number One

Ten years ago, Mariah Carey’s faithful Lambs across the world were pulling out their TI-89 calculators to solve the equation E=MC², the title of her 11th studio album.

The album came three years after The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey’s comeback album and the best-selling album of 2005. The legendary diva won many awards for her 10th studio album, including three Grammy Awards. The accolades that probably meant the most to Carey were her two number one singles: “We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us.”

The latter tune helped Carey bag her 17th Hot 100 chart-topper, tying her with Elvis Presley for the most number one singles by a solo artist. She beat the rock and roll king’s record two months before the release of E=MC² with her sexually fantasizing single “Touch My Body.”

Speaking to the Associated Press in 2008, Carey praised herself for surpassing Presley.”For me, in my mind the accomplishment is just that much sweeter,” she said. “In terms of my ethnicity, always feeling like an outsider, always feeling different … for me it’s about saying, ‘Thank you Lord, for giving me the faith to believe in myself when other people had written me off.'”

What’s baffling though is that following the commercial success of “Body,” the five-octave Chanteuse pumped out three more singles (“Bye Bye,” “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time,” and “I Stay in Love”) but none were fortunate enough to be inducted into Carey’s hall of fame of No. 1’s.

Yes, an artist’s name alone isn’t enough to sell a single. Without backing from radio stations and proper promotion, the chances of a single swimming versus sinking are slimmer than Carey’s ‘90s waistline.

But in all fairness: Carey’s E=MC² album potentially had the right formula to equate her 19th number-one single on the Hot 100 and continue her reign as the undisputed queen of the No. 1’s.

Now as we playback E=MC² (and mimic her iconic finger twinkle) on its 10th anniversary, here are four songs that should have topped the Hot 100.

1. “I’m that Chick”

Credits: Mariah Carey / Johnta Austin / Mikkel Storleer Eriksen / Tor Erik Hermansen / Rod Temperton (Writers); Carey and Stargate (Producers)

Who’s to blame for Carey’s dreamy number, “I’m That Chick” not being worked as a single and skating to the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100?

Revisiting the disco era and Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall,” the confident singer tiptoed on the dance floor to enjoy nightlife. Like Usher, Carey found love in the club and used some of the best metaphors to let him know she is everything and more. She also referenced two hip-hop legends Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. to get her point across.

“Take this seriously / Like Pac, all eyes on me / That’s right you are intrigued (I’m that chick you like),” she sings lightly. “I do’s it naturally / Hypnotize like Biggie / But you ain’t havin’ dreams / I’m that chick you like.”

“I’m That Chick” had just the right amount of attitude to dance its way to number one.

2. “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time”

Credits: Mariah Carey / Aldrin Davis / Mark DeBarge / Crystal Johnson / Etterlene Jordan (Writers); Carey and DJ Toomp (Producers)

It goes without saying that Carey’s flirty single “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time” was shamefully robbed from basking in number one glory — and this was long before T.I. was enlisted for the remix.

Borrowing remnants of DeBarge’s “Stay With Me” for the hook and playful production, the jaunty love song heard Carey reassuring her then-husband Nick Cannon that it’s not a game and she’s here to stay.

From its timely release just ahead of summer to its proper video treatment and catchy lyrics, the cutesy tune had many qualifications to become a hit on the Hot 100. However, DJ Toomp co-produced ditty didn’t get close the top slot. It only reached No. 58.

3. “For the Record”

Credits: Mariah Carey / Bryan-Michael Cox / Adonis Shropshire (Writers); Carey and Cox (Producers)

Tell me one good reason “For the Record” wasn’t released as a single?

Bridging the sounds of a beautiful violin and a meek keyboard, Carey wanted to rewrite history with a former mate who foolishly let her go. Even though he’s moved on, she decided to let his mistake of leaving her sink in more by reminding him of how far her love went for him.

“For the record / You’ll always be a part of me, no matter what you do / And for the record / Can’t nobody say I didn’t give my all to you,” she sang.

As history shows, the New York native has an impressive track record with slow to mid-tempo songs (“Dreamlover,” “Always Be My Baby” and “Don’t Forget About Us”) leading the Hot 100. “For the Record” would have been in good company — just saying.

4. “Side Effects” featuring Jeezy

Credits: Mariah Carey / Jay Jenkins / Crystal Johnson / Scott Storch (Writers); Carey and Storch (Producers)

Carey has been fully capable rocketing herself to the top slot of the Hot 100 without any guest appearances. Out of her 18 number-one singles, she has 13 without a featured artist(s). But for her E=MC² era, we’re sure Mimi’s Lambs wouldn’t have minded her calling on hip-hop’s Snowman to release their blazing collaboration.

Blended with a knocking beat and techno effects, Carey had taken her final dose of torture from her unruly lover. Although she finished her prescribed bottle of heartache and pain, she still had to deal with the aftermath of the dissolved love affair.

“I kept my tears inside ’cause I knew if I / Started I’d keep cryin’ for the rest of my / Life with you I finally built up the strength / To walk away don’t regret it / But I still live with the side effects,” she sings.

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