From scale to line-up, few spectacles can rival the bolt of electricity the Wireless Festival brings to London annually.
The 2016 instalment was no different.
Over a three day duration, the extravaganza played to thousands in Finsbury Park and brought with it powerful performances from the likes of Miguel, J.Cole, Future, and Fergie.
Its final day set off fireworks with spirited showings from Big Sean, Kehlani, Young Thug, and Boy Better Know – who brought out guest Pharrell.
Cop a gander above and below to see what over 70,000 revellers enjoyed during the most “turnt up” Wireless yet!
“I have a wife and two children who love me, I am the victim of police brutality”
This week’s From The Vault comes courtesy of Michael Jackson and his plaintive ‘They Don’t Care About Us’, a more than apt selection considering the social climate that has been reigning for the past week in the US.
The third single from the ’HIStory’ LP, the track was produced entirely by Jackson and remains to this day one of his most controversial cuts.
Earlier efforts such as ‘Heal The World’ and ‘We Are The World’ saw the entertainer adopt a universalist point of view. ‘About Us,’ however, was markedly more aggressive in its subject matter. It’s central narrative saw Jackson’s complain that he was fed up with the way the collective “us” was being treated.
Quickly, accusations of racism – particularly antisemitism – were raised which the superstar fervently denied.
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A huge hit in Europe, the song was only a moderate hit in the US because of radio’s reluctance to play the track. No doubt due to the truth serum at the heart of the cut.
Still, it peaked inside the Top 10 of every European country it was released in, including Top 5 placings in France, Sweden and the UK.
To keep up with the public awareness theme of the track, MJ chose to work with Spike Lee to bring the song to life and oh did he succeed.
Two videos were shot, both making social commentaries in their own way.
The first presented Mike in a Brazilian favela; but instead of putting the emphasis on the dangerous and ruthless aspects of that environment, the artist chose to paint a colorful, upbeat and optimistic picture of the neighborhood.
The second was shot in a prison and made much more obvious allusions to the way people of color are (mis)treated in America – with footage of the KKK and police brutality among other poignant images.
Sam Cooke famously crooned that change was “gon’ come.” Sadly, despite positive strides in the right direction, there’s a lot more ground to tread.
At a time where the #BlackLivesMatter movement is at the center of every discussion the world over, it’s interesting to observe how relevant the lyrics of this song are 20 years on.
Our wish is that more artists will follow Jackson’s lead and be able to “conscious” content within a banging beat.
They share a mutual friend in the model Rob Evans and now, thanks to VH1’s reviving of ‘America’s Next Top Model‘, Tyra Banks and Rita Ora now share the responsibility of ensuring the series soars when shooting begins this year.
Welcome to Retro Rewind, the TGJ original feature carved out to celebrate TV and Film’s glorious and informative past.
Today, we step back to 1998 to revisit ‘Beloved‘, the movie starring Oprah Winfrey, Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover and Thandie Newton.
Based on the Toni Morrison novel of the same name, the film deals with the horrific and traumatic lives of enslaved African-Americans after slavery was abolished in 1864 and the desperate measures they took to protect their children during the trade.
In the book and movie, we are introduced to a woman (portrayed by Winfrey) who, much to the horror of her community, murders her children to stop them from being captured by oppressors.
What happens when one of the dead refuses to stay dead?
A harrowing movie about the psychological affects of slavery after the jump…
While some stars shy away from illuminating their views on recent events in the US, Beyonce is addressing the issue head-on.
Following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police officers, Queen Bey urged fans to put pressure on authorities act.
Many shared her sentiment to protest peacefully, however a select few have resorted to violence (which is never the answer). One such instance was an incident in Dallas which saw Micah Johnson shoot 11 police officers, five of which have since died.
Responding to the latest events, the 34-year-old singer offered the following…
