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Issa Rae Partners With Synchrony Bank For Financial Responsibility Mixtape

Words by: Michelle A. Dartez Financial services company Synchrony has teamed up with Issa Rae and her label Raedio to release a 3-song mixtape, The Bankroll EP, where the songs take…

Words by: Michelle A. Dartez

Financial services company Synchrony has teamed up with Issa Rae and her label Raedio to release a 3-song mixtape, The Bankroll EP, where the songs take you on a journey towards financial responsibility.

Many know Issa Rae from her hit HBO series Insecure which is coming up on its last season soon. Music played such an important part in the shows that Issa was a part of, so it is no surprise that she created a music label. But she is so much more than the loveable personas that we see on screen. This multi-talented actress, writer, and producer has been making a lane for herself, as well as other young black creatives.

Synchrony Bank is a premier financial services company that provides customized financing programs across top industries. Two main categories that they service are the healthcare and retail industries. They aim to assist businesses to increase their sales, using up to date technology innovations, build customer loyalty, and enhance the overall customer service experience. Adapting to our current world and use of technology, Synchrony has a plugin that allows you to easily access their financial solutions from anywhere.

This collaboration may be a little surprising to some. It is not the first time that these two have partnered up for a project, though. They debuted a short film called Pay Day at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. The film project is like The Bankroll EP, telling the story of a young frivolous spender, who learns to save instead of spending every time she earns a paycheck.

Just like many other companies, Synchrony wanted to find a way to reach a younger audience, while also being relatable. This mixtape is a carefully curated playlist, consisting of three songs that take you on a journey from the view of young, up and coming artists. The artists featured on this EP are Latashá, Rae Khalil of Netflix’s Rhythm and Flow, Secret Jones, Amindi, and Jorge Amadeus. They were selected by Issa and her team, who already have had worked with them before.

The first song on The Bankroll EP, “Pay Out”, starts the character’s journey where they spend money without a second thought. Next is “Golden,” where the prior decisions back-fire, and they are forced to face the consequences of not being more responsible with their finances. The end of this story, and the lead song, “Raindance” shows the positive effects of developing good money habits and becoming more financially literate.

A music video was shot for “Raindance,” directed by Laurence Lamont, who is known to have worked on projects with Big Sean. The visuals for this song are so fun and colorful, showing a group of friends seeing what it is like when you make better decisions with your money. You can check out this EP on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream your music. Hopefully, this is not the last time that we see a project from Issa Rae and Synchrony.

The post Issa Rae Partners With Synchrony Bank For Financial Responsibility Mixtape appeared first on The Source.

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Celebrity

Meek Mill Draws Mixed Reactions With Drill Take on Nico & Vinz’s “Am I Wrong”

Meek Mill has released a couple of songs that leaked online recently, giving fans a proper way to hear the tracks after they popped up over the weekend. “Philly Heathens” has been praised for its attention to street culture and youth affected by violence, but his other new album, “Am I Wrong,” has received a much more divided response.

“Philly Heathens” has been praised for its lyrics about street culture and the young people who get caught up in violence. “Am I Wrong,” however, takes a vastly different approach, remixing the song of the same name by Nico & Vinz as a drill centric interpolation.

“Am I Wrong” is now 12 years old, and its connection to the EDM sound of the time makes it especially recognizable to those who grew up with it. So Meek’s take is built on a familiar musical reference, but the response has been far from universally complimentary. A lot of the criticism has been directed at the hook. The production has also been called dated, but the track was leaked, which may explain its sound. But the strongest reactions have focused on Meek’s chorus vocals.

Some of the responses have been good, though. Some listeners felt the track was a throwback to the blog era, while others thought the criticism targeted almost entirely the hook, not the song as a whole. One Reddit commenter wrote that the track was good, but the chorus was bad, suggesting that Meek’s performance on the rest of the song was better than the reception to the hook may suggest.

The different reactions demonstrate the contrast between Meek’s two new leaks. “Philly Heathens” has resonated with audiences for its subject matter, while “Am I Wrong” has sparked discussion due to its interpolation and vocal approach.

Both songs are now officially available on YouTube so that fans can decide for themselves. The response to “Am I Wrong” shows how difficult it is to reinterpret a well known song, especially when a recognizable hook becomes the centerpiece of the new version

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Celebrity

Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Drake made a surprise appearance in Houston this weekend, joining Karol G on stage for the first-ever live performance of their collaboration, “Ahi.”
The surprise appearance took place during Karol G’s show in Houston, where Drake jumped out from the bottom of the stage to perform the song with her. “Ahi” is the latest from Karol G’s project No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, and the Houston show marked the first time the pair had performed the collaboration together on stage.

Drake made his entrance to a loud reception from the crowd. The rapper popped out from under the stage, bowed to Karol G, hugged her, and launched into their collaboration. With “Ahi,” the performance was not over. Drake stayed on stage and carried on with the set, performing “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” and giving the Houston crowd a long set from the Canadian rapper.

The collaboration also sparked speculation about Drake’s upcoming music. A rumor started that Karol G was one of the collaborators on the project, along with Molly Santana and Future, days before ICEMAN is expected to drop. Future and Molly Santana were among the names on the rumored list, and Future ended up on “Run To Atlanta.”

Drake’s Houston appearance comes as he continues to promote music outside the traditional album release cycle. He released FOMO, a visual YouTube project featuring visuals for several songs from Habibti and Maid Of Honor nearly two weeks ago. The project also featured a couple of unreleased songs, including new material with Yeat and new unreleased music with Don Toliver.

Drake and Don Toliver have also dropped a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” The remix has recently sparked speculation about the artists after re uploaded visuals allegedly erased all footage of Langley.

But the Houston show shifted the focus back to Drake and Karol G. The surprise appearance turned the stop into the first live showcase of “Ahi” for the audience, while Drake’s renditions of “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” extended his surprise time onstage. It also gave fans their first chance to see the two artists perform their collaboration together, adding a live chapter to the release of “Ahi. “

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