If you were in the Southern California area this past weekend (November 6 and 7), the only place to be was ComplexCon. The perfect middle ground between all things music, fashion, food and pop culture, this highly-anticipated, two-day event provided the ultimate interactive experience for anyone who had the pleasure of attending.

Powered by one of the world’s leading media platforms, Complex, ComplexCon has something for everyone, almost like an adult playground for the ultimate shopping experience. The intentionally-curated festival draws together brands from all over the world and gives them the opportunity to be seen by the masses, with detailed schedules on the app to guide them along the way. Musical performances and DJ sets were included, along with an epic lagoon full of food trucks and endless giveaways.

Photo courtesy ComplexCon

Irvine Weekly was present to cover the festivities at the Long Beach Convention Center, which involved strict Covid-19 protocol and passing the Health Check before proceeding inside.

Of course, masks were worn inside.

If you were a returning ComplexCon attendee, suddenly you’re reminded of how truly dope these festivals are, reminiscing on the epic memories tried to past ComplexCons. No matter which way you turn, there’s good energy and vibrations… everyone was there to have a good time and enjoy one another’s company.

Day one was discovery, getting acclimated with all there was to do. One booth that stood out is Kids of Immigrants, a clothing line to inspire you no matter what your background, we are all equal and the same. Their goal is to create, empower and love through all mediums.

Photo courtesy ComplexCon

Co-founder Daniel Buezo states, “To be here at ComplexcCon in 2021, I can only come here with my people. I can’t come here alone, so it’s bigger than us. If Kids of Immigrants comes to ComplexCon, the whole hood comes to ComplexCon. We didn’t know what to expect. We knew it was going to be poppin’, but it’s been nonstop since the jump. More than anything, it just feels good. Everyone’s welcome here, you could feel the love in the air.”

Day two concluded ComplexCon 2021, with a highly-anticipated set by A$AP Rocky. The Harlem, New York rapper recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his critically-acclaimed debut album, LIVE. LOVE. A$AP, which just recently hit all streaming platforms. His 7 p.m. set led all attendees to the arena next door, as he brought his iconic project to life. These were songs he hadn’t performed since 2011!

praise the lord @asvpxrocky pic.twitter.com/nirvAeFgO6

— Shirley Ju (@shirju) November 8, 2021

Day one A$AP Rocky fans were ecstatic, as he also sprinkled in some of his newer catalog such as “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” featuring Skepta. Rocky also took the time to remember the loved ones he lost, including A$AP Yams. He also brought out A$AP Ferg to the stage, who reminded folks that their first tour ever was with Drake, selling out amphitheaters.

With everyone on a high from the weekend, the East Coast rapper left us with a life update: “I ain’t just been designing clothes all day, I’ve been working on an album.” The crowd went nuts and filled with applause.

There were also rumors of Rocky bringing out Rihanna… maybe next time.

Photo courtesy ComplexCon

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DesignerCon is officially back! This time better than ever. Coming into fruition in 2005, the annual art and design convention reels in the who’s who in the designer toy and vinyl collectibles market, mixing them with everything happening within the fine and urban art space. From artists and retailers to manufacturers and distributors, there’s a place for everyone at DesignerCon.

On the weekend of November 12 – 14, DesignerCon returns to take over the Anaheim Convention Center, located at 800 W Katella Ave. The hype and anticipation are at an all-time high, given last year’s adaption to the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in virtual programming. Now, fans of art and geek culture have the opportunity to relive their DCon dreams both in-person or virtually once again in partnership with Popshop Live.

DesignerCon is deemed “the largest art and toy convention in the United States,” and once you enter the premises it’s immediately evident why. You can expect long halls filled with the most limited-edition drops, offering attendees an exclusive window to purchase the most highly sought-after collectibles, art, toys, and even some NFTs.

Camille Rose Gracia Vulture Sculptures (Courtesy DesignerCon)

This year’s featured artist includes Greg Mike, who designed all of the 8 collectible badges for 2021. Fan favorites are also returning, including MEDICOM TOY from Japan debuting items that can only be purchased at DesignerCon in the States.

Irvine Weekly caught up with founder Ben Goretsky to discuss what it means to be returning this year.

What are you most excited about for this year’s DesignerCon?

The most exciting part is just being able to bring the community back together. It’s been rough for all the artists to not be able to be in front of fans and sell their products and the fans have been craving the ability to come back to the scene, see their friends and meet their favorite artists again. We are keeping it safe based on guidelines, but we’re still excited to bring it all together again in person.

How does it feel to be back after the COVID-19 pandemic?

It feels great. The community has been patiently waiting to come back and more importantly come back in a safe environment. We all know how to stay safe as we go through this “endemic” and our fans, vendors, artists… are all excited to come back within this safe environment.

What’s one exhibit we must see for the weekend?

It’s impossible to just pick one. With vendors like Tristan Eaton, Greg Mike, MEDICOM, Pop Mart, Veve, MightyJaxx… and so many more being at the show, you can’t pick just one must-see exhibit. Everyone’s bringing their best to the show and it’s going to be amazing from all ends of the vendor spectrum. We’re so excited and the fans are as well!

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Every year on June 21, people around the world celebrate Go Skateboarding Day in honor of the action sport. This year proves to be the most exciting one yet, with everyone eager to be back outside following the COVID-19 pandemic that plagued the majority of 2020. With summer on the horizon, cannabis brand STIIIZY debuted their newest skate team featuring professional skateboarders Boo Johnson, David Loy, Mikey Jones, Donny Hixson, Maurice Jordan, Derrick Wilson, and more.

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A post shared by Pharmacy Long Beach (@pharmacylongbeach)

On Monday, June 21, in commemoration of Go Skate Day, skateboarders, skateboarding fanatics and fans of the sport gathered at Boo Johnson’sPharmacy Boardshop (on Pine Street) around 12 p.m., before skating down Broadway towards Cherry Park in Long Beach. There, the festivities commenced, which included cash prizes for various competitions such as Highest Ollie, Best Trick and Longest Ollie.

Partnering with merch partners DGK and Boo’s company JustHaveFun, STIIIZY proves why they are far more than just a cannabis brand. Deemed the nation’s fastest-growing Asian American and minority-operated cannabis brand, their love and care for skateboarding culture was immediately evident, providing nothing but good vibrations for all those in attendance. This follows last week’s event where everyone met and filmed a dope skate edit video at MLK Park in Long Beach, really emphasizing the feeling of community that goes far beyond just skateboarding.

With the Grizzly (the world’s biggest griptape company) tent set up right next to Rouxs Tacos, attendees from all walks of life conjoined to participate and enjoy the good weather in LBC. The first competition took place with contestants doing all sorts of tricks over a Stiiizy trash can, with David Loy winning $300 for the Highest Ollie and Donny Hixon winning $500 for the Longest Ollie, which measured out to over 15 skateboards laid down on the concrete. At one point, Johnson even stands on top of the Stiiizy trash can to pass out free STIIIZY decks.

Josh Walker, manager of the STIIIZY skate team, states, “My role in this is to create a vibe for STIIIZY skate team, not be so much pressure on the tricks but more on the fun of going out and being together as a team. Bringing everybody all together as one, that are from all different places in southern California. It means a lot ‘cause I’m from Long Beach, I grew up skating here. I stopped skateboarding to be a working man, but now to work with the skate team and direct the younger kids on the team is hella dope.”

Irvine Weekly was in attendance, speaking with Johnson and Loy about what it meant to host such a great event in Orange County.

Boo Johnson:

What does it mean to be hosting this event on Go Skate Day?

Boo Johnson: I’m hosting this event through Pharmacy and JHF. I also have a bunch of rad sponsors behind it as well. It means everything to me, another year with everyone getting together. Especially with the doors being opened, everyone’s outside. You could see it here, it’s a beautiful sight. At the end of the day, it’s all about National Go Skateboarding Day. It’s the first day of summer, getting everyone out on four wheels. All around just blessed to be out here with everyone.

How does it feel to be in Long Beach/OC area specifically? 

Boo Johnson: To be in Long Beach is beautiful. We’re right in the middle of California. You got San Diego down there, you got L.A. on the other side of us and this is central. This is the mecca of skateboarding, so it couldn’t mean any more to me.

What’s been the highlight of today for you?

Boo Johnson: Honestly, all the best trick contests because the hype gets so real and everyone gets all juiced up. Everyone’s cheering each other on, it’s a beautiful sight. Everyone getting air. And earlier, we skated from Pharmacy Boardshop, downtown Long Beach to here. Seeing that whole sight was really cool. I was leading the pack, looking behind me and seeing everyone marching in order is really cool. You don’t get to see that all the time.

What are your thoughts on the Longest Ollie competition? 15 boards is insane.

Boo Johnson: That was insane. I couldn’t even ollie 15 boards. I couldn’t do it. I’m a professional, but that’s the cool thing about skateboarding: everyone has a different style. Everyone has different techniques for what they do. That’s what makes it so cool.

What is your relationship with cannabis?

Boo Johnson: That’s my partner in crime. It gets me where I need to be and keeps me grounded honestly.

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A post shared by Shirley Ju (@shirju)

Anything else you want to let us know?

Boo Johnson: I hope everyone’s having fun out there in the world since everything’s opening up. Keep elevating each other. Keep staying grounded. Spreading peace, spreading love. Working together so we can be the best us that we can.

David Loy

How does it feel to be here on Go Skate Day?

David Loy: It feels great to be here on Go Skate Day. Coming out with all the kids and having everyone get together. Boo J made this happen with the help of STIIIZY and Pharmacy. It’s a good time to get everybody together and rip for the day.

What does it mean to join STIIIZY’s skate team?

David Loy: Being part of STIIIZY’S skate team is really rad, we get to do super cool things. Me and Boo J have been really good friends for a long time. I’ve known him since I was a youngin’, we go way back. Being a part of it from the beginning to having it grow to where it is now is super cool. We’re going to do a lot of dope shit in the future: working on new projects, traveling, doing skate trips with the team. All sorts of stuff, this is just the beginning for us.

What does it mean to celebrate today in Long Beach/OC area? 

David Loy: Doing this event in Long Beach is really cool because I’m from Orange County, so this is super close. This is local for me. I’ve been skating Cherry Park since I was young. To have 200 people out here is pretty awesome, having it local and keeping it in the community is really cool.

What part of OC are you from?

David Loy: I’m from Santa Ana.

How’d it feel to win the Highest Ollie contest?

David Loy: I ollied over 9 boards I think. It felt good to snap a high ollie. It felt good for sure. It took awhile, took a couple tries to figure it out. I won $300, it’s a good day.

What is your relationship with cannabis?

David Loy: Cannabis is one of my loves. Stay STIIIZY!

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4th & Orange are paving the way for reggae/rock bands all across the nation. The group is spearheaded by lead singer Garrett Douglas and Chris “DJ Irey” Garcia, who are longtime friends hailing from Long Beach. Their overall vibe, sound and energy pay homage to their hometown — giving audiences positive, uplifting records, in stark contrast to current, oversaturated state of music today. 

The Southern California band is comprised of talented and experienced musicians from all different walks of life. But their ability to come together and unite as one entity is what propels them to the forefront of the fans’ radars, providing an escape for all those who listen. Not only do the instruments and production all collide smoothly and perfectly, it’s their relatable stories in their lyrics that listeners resonate with most.

To carry on with their momentum after the release of their last single “Only You,” 4th & Orange unleashed their first song of the decade: “In the LBC.” Not only is this an anthem for local fans, but it pays tribute to Dove Shack’s 1995 hit “Summertime in the LBC,” featuring Warren G. Directed by Michael Garcia. 

The bandmates also recently shut down Long Beach’s own One Love Cali Reggae Fest, with their childhood idol Sublime with Rome even present to watch their set. Irvine Weekly caught up with 4th & Orange to discuss their love for their hometown, love for Sublime, inspiration from Collie Buddz and the best moments from One Love Cali!

IRVINE WEEKLY: How was One Cali Love Fest with Sublime with Rome?

GARRETT DOUGLAS (lead singer): [I’ve been a] believer in [the] law of attraction since I was 13 years old. I based this whole band off that shit. Literally anything we ever talked about always happened. Sublime with Rome, I talked to him two weeks before Cali Love Fest. He fucking came over and stood on stage while we performed. We performed at 4 p.m., he performed 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. He didn’t have to come out his trailer, he didn’t have to do shit. We just killed the show, we slapped each other’s hands. Then we walk over, he’s standing there with a big ass joint. I’m like “what’s up bro?” He said “I wanted to come check you guys out.”

How did you guys meet initially?

DOUGLAS: Obviously when you first hear of somebody else representing the band that you love your whole life, you’re skeptical. “Fuck man, he’s not Bradley Nowell.” That’s exactly what he’s not, he’s not Bradley Nowell. He’s himself, but he did a fucking hell of a good job on stage at One Love. You forget Bradley’s supposed to sing these songs. It doesn’t feel like that now, it feels like he’s supposed to sing the songs. 

I reached out to him in a comment because I saw him commenting to somebody else. I said “yo what’s up Rome, I love the analog sound you guys have. Hopefully, we get to do that more this year.” He commented back to me. “yo we got to work on something.” I hit him back immediately, “for sure, let’s get something good before we even get together and we’ll make it happen.” Then he shows up there. This is some real shit! We’ve only been a band since February last year. To be sharing the bill with him, it’s fucking cool. It’s surreal.

Did you stay for Sublime with Rome’s set too? 

DJ IREY: Yeah, we did. We watched the whole god damn thing, and we smoked up. We brought a two-ounce joint. It was a vibe. There were a lot of photo ops. 

DOUGLAS: Fucking crazy, it was wild.  

How did it feel to perform in your hometown of Long Beach? 

DOUGLAS: Our team sends us our itineraries for what the year looks like so far. They ask “what’s your first concert of 2020?” Our first concert ever to be honest. We’ve done showcases. We’ve done small venues, important venues like Hotel Cafe in Hollywood down the street. Then we get our first announcement of where we’re performing for the first time on an outdoor stage called One Love Festival. They’re like “yo, and it’s in Long Beach, California.” It was unplanned, it wasn’t planned that way. 

You’re telling me that our first show is in fucking Long Beach? It felt like we’re in the right place at the right time. We couldn’t have been in a better place to say “look man, all your friends get to come out to it because they all live there.” It was honestly a blessing because when we’re there, we performed literally 50 feet away from the actual Queen Mary. Right behind the stage were the big ole tubes. It was a huge vibe because we just released a couple Long Beach-specific, homage-type songs, it was a homage. We dropped “In the LBC” that day, the same day as One Love. 

4th & Orange (Jimmy Fontaine)

Things were meant to be this way. Through all the years making music, this year really showed us we’re finally making music that we’re supposed to be making for the moment that we’re in. The moment we’re in is what we did for experiences of our last practices and putting them on stage somewhere it can be heard by thousands — instead of the minimal amount of invites that we had before. We’d only be able to invite people. Now it’s an open crowd where these people came to see Sublime and they get to see this random ass band called 4th & Orange on the stage. They ask “where are you guys from?” Fucking Long Beach! 

They started pouring over. Because our stage was built right where the line entered at so people would be trying to get to their band, but they’d look to the right and see this band on the stage. They stopped dead in their tracks, came over and heard us. It was fucking amazing guys, we fucking did it. We did big vibes that night. 

Did you guys celebrate that night? 

IREY: We smoked a lot. [laughs] Nah, we just enjoyed the rest of the show. Definitely got inspired by all the other bands that played after us. 

DOUGLAS: Especially inspired by the bands that we’ve been inspired by to make the music that we make today. We don’t take from anybody but everybody in the world is always made up by their favorite artists. When you listen to a band, that band’s probably inspired by so many other bands. That’s why they sound the way they do. 

We’re inspired by so many other people that we used to make music like or somewhat in the same realm as. Now we’re on the same stages as them? It shows that we’re headed in the right direction. 2020 should be a big year of combining our band and our sound with everything else that we’ve been inspired by. Now that we’re there, our only next mission is 1) gain fans and 2) be friends with these guys now. Let’s brush shoulders. Let’s fucking share joints. Let’s …

Have you crossed paths with Snoop? 

DOUGLAS: Oh, plenty of times. For the last five years before this band, I was signed to Big Boy from Big Boy’s Neighborhood. I had a five-year contract, that’s where I met Nick Ferrer. I met him about 10 years ago. I was only 19 years old, I made this song called “LA You Drive Me Crazy.” I used to be a rapper my whole life, it ended up being on the “New at 2” with DJ Felli Fel. Felli literally went onto a website and saw my song there being promoted really hot, and he ended up putting it on Power 106.

My homie called me one day, “yo you’re on Power right now!” I’m like “nah, you’re probably listening to 96.3 Latina or whatever,” they play my stuff all the time. He’s like “bro, Felli Fel does not spin on 96.3. You’re on Power 106 right now.” I went out to the car, put the radio on. 105.9, boom! Banging my song. I thought “yo this is crazy.” 

What was your artist name? 

DOUGLAS: I was Beach Boy back then. Because when I came up from Long Beach, everyone would call me the Beach Boy. It was weird. I’ve been Beach Boy since I was 13, so this is 16 years ago. I ended up getting that shit tatted on my fucking chest. I just ran with hip-hop for a long time.

Talk about loving Long Beach so much you named your band after streets, 4th & Orange.

DOUGLAS: I love Long Beach a lot. It’s the city that created the whole vibe for what I wanted to base our sound off of. We went through a whole procedure of trying to figure out a name. Atlantic Records came to us like “what’re you going to call yourself? We want to give you guys a deal.” At the time, I didn’t know these guys [points to room]. I only knew DJ Irey, I’ve known him since high school. 

IREY: We were called Long Beach Boys. [laughs] That’s what they would say. 

DOUGLAS: Because they didn’t know our name. We’re throwing names back at each other. Everyone’s in the chat like “what should we call ourselves?” One person said “you should call yourself Mez Cali,” it’s a play off Mezcal. I’m like “nah man.” Just because we’re from Latin descent, doesn’t mean we should strategically name ourselves a Hispanic name. Some of us come from Hispanic backgrounds. This guy’s white as hell [points to DJ Irey]. I’m half-white too. 

But we didn’t want to put ourselves in a box in the beginning. If we named ourselves a Latin name, we’re narrowing our fucking audience. People will think “oh, I don’t really know what Mezcal is….” I’m like “nah man, how about we do it what we’re from?” I live on 4th and Orange at the moment.

4th & Orange (Jimmy Fontaine)

Wait, are people coming to your crib? 

DOUGLAS: Yo! After the music video… in the music video, they didn’t fucking blur the address out. When I’m walking down and smoking my joint, it says “1134 East 5th Street.” I’m sitting right in front smoking a joint with my boys in the music video with the fucking address above me. I’m like “I don’t know how this is going to turn out.” We got the final edit of the video and it showed it, I’m like “we might want to blur it out.”

But it’s cool because I plan on moving soon to be closer to work, which is out here in Hollywood. I don’t mind because man, I wear orange everywhere I go. I have orange hair, you can’t really miss me anyways out there. So it’s not a bad thing. But for me, at least we based our band off of what we feel like. Every time we’re in the studio, we’re at home. When we rehearse, we’re at home. My home is 4th and Orange, I’ve even brought them down multiple times to 4th and Orange.

Honestly, it’s not a bad thing that everyone knows where we’re from or where we’re at. Because our band is a representation of “remember where home is. Remember where you came from to know where you are going.” 4th and Orange is just a regular ass band of regular people. Hopefully, we eventually become superstars. We can make a lot of money that way but until then, we’re going to represent the fact that we came from nothing. Now, we’re trying to make something out of nothing. 

What does each person bring to the table? 

DOUGLAS: So I’m the lead singer. I don’t play instruments. I know how to write music, I know how to write songs. Irey used to be my producer. He still is, he produces a lot of our stuff. The thing is, we didn’t play all these instruments. They bring the live instrument side to us that me and Irey didn’t really dabble in. Irey can’t just go to the drums and start slapping it. It took a lot of responsibility off of us when it comes to providing all the elements you need to make a song. All the elements are live instruments and good songwriting. Me and him have songwriting, we have production, but we didn’t know how to play every instrument.

When they came into the band, we get to write songs now according to what everyone does. We don’t ask Sam [Ward] to stray away from what he knows. Sam’s our drummer, he adds the drums lines. Alex [Bursztyn] over there adds the bassline. Ricky [Santiago] adds the lead guitar that we need. Honestly, it’s everything that we needed that we were missing, which was the fucking talent on our own instruments. I’ll never ask these guys to try and write for me, even though they’re really good. A lot of times, you guys have great ideas when you send them to me. But I focus on songwriting, you focus on drums, Alex focuses on his bass, and he focuses on his guitar. That helps us out literally when we’re writing our songs. We need certain elements and we’re able to ask them to add the elements, that way our job isn’t as hard as it is. That’s what we do now: we just vibe, write music, and it becomes the best songs we have now. 

What are you most excited for touring with Collie Buddz?

IREY: Man, Collie Buddz is a sick-ass band first of all. We know they’re going to make us play hard, definitely going to inspire us because we know they’re a great band. They’re veterans. 

DOUGLAS: Mmhmm, Collie Buddz is our main inspiration. Because the first song me and Ire ever made together, before we even knew the boys, was a song called “My Ganja.” It was a Collie Buddz instrumental that was uploaded to the internet. 

IREY: A long time ago. 

DOUGLAS: That song ended up being our first reggae song ever. I saw them the other day at One Love. I didn’t want to seem like a groupie, but I’m totally a groupie. Even Mackenzie said “he’s standing behind you.” I go “oh, I knew 10 minutes ago he was.” [laughs] I almost went over there and jumped his shit for a second. 

IREY: He’s dope. 

DOUGLAS: He’s so talented so to be able to share the stage with him, it’s another part of this whole law of attraction thing I was telling you. How are we going on tour, our first tour ever, with the guy we made out first reggae song from and I am definitely going to walk up to him and have the song read, put it up to his ear. He’s going to be like “yo, that’s my beat.” I know, but wait till you hear my vocals… 

You don’t think he has heard it? 

IREY: Nah, we made that 10 years ago. Nobody knew who the fuck we were. [laughs] But he will. He’s going to trip. It’s going to be fun. Collie Buddz is sick. 

What’s next for 4th and Orange?

SAM WARD: Hard touring. We’re going to be on the road with some of our favorite artists. We already are. To answer your question about Collie Buddz, for me personally, when I was 14, 15, 16, getting out of high school and smoking some weed behind my house — sneaking it out, I’d always have Collie Buddz playing. To be opening up for Collie Buddz is dope because I love all that music. If we keep picking up shows with good artists like that, it’s natural that the audience will connect with us as well as they do with them. That’s the main goal. We keep trekking, we keep working hard, we keep playing shows. 

DOUGLAS: That’s very true. 2019 was about getting our sound right, rehearsing and getting our show right. 2020 should be about gaining fans first of all, because nobody really knows us yet. They might know the individuals from the band, but they don’t know who 4th and Orange is yet. 4th and Orange is that band that goes on stage and becomes a representation of everybody’s spirit animal. When people want to live free and compare themselves to an animal, it’s because they try to compare themselves to something they know that animal does. 

Some animals are wild, and we’re wild. We’re wild. Sometimes, we’re too wild. We should probably tame it down a little bit. But at the same time, 2020 should be about showing people how fun we are on stage. Literally, we don’t focus too much on our sound. We know we have the sound, we just want to focus on making people love us in a way that we love our favorite bands in the past. Our favorite bands always went on stage and brought a party. When we went to go see Sublime, they brought a fucking party. 

IREY: It was them. It was authentically them and that’s what we want too. 

DOUGLAS: 2020 has to be about growing our fans. Letting them know the genuine side of us, not just the musical side of us. 

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Ashanti, Ja Rule, DMX, XZIBIT, Baby Bash, Frankie J and N2Deep in one lineup? Count us in! With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, there’s only one concert that should be on your radar: The Heart of Hip Hop. Taking place the evening of Saturday, February 15 (just one day after V-Day), this will be a night of throwbacks and classics — that old school ’90s R&B we all love and adore.

It’s no secret Ashanti and Ja Rule can perform. In fact, the two recording artists have been touring for almost two decades — shutting down stages all across the world. Both were signed to Murder Inc. in the early 2000s, eventually collaborating on timeless hits “Mesmerize,” “Always On Time,” “Happy,” “Wonderful” and many more.

Of course, DMX will be putting on for all the Ruff Ryders in the building. The New York native is a certified rap legend, paving his own lane with his one-of-a-kind raspy voice and aggressive flows — neither of which has seemingly altered since he started three decades ago. When you think of a pure, genuine rap show, DMX is your guy. No cell phones needed, he’ll be able to turn up a crowd in his sleep.

To prepare for this epic evening of music, Irvine Weekly has compiled the top six records to prepare you for the show. Note: Nostalgia will most likely be present.

1. Ja Rule featuring Ashanti: “Always On Time”

“Baby, I’m not always there when you call, but I’m always on time / And I gave you my all, now baby be mine.” Who doesn’t know the words to this record? This is that early 2000s R&B we all know and love, a timeless era when it comes to romance. Going on to become an international smash, “Always On Time” would become Ashanti’s first Hot 100 #1 single (and Ja Rule’s second).

2. Ashanti: “Foolish”

“Foolish” quite possibly might be Ashanti’s biggest song to date. With over 130 million views on YouTube alone, the visuals highlight a romantic love story with the singer and a man that she can’t help but fall in love with. Regardless of the tears and trials and tribulations, she keeps on running back to him. This will be a song to hold your boo with.

3. DMX: “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”

It doesn’t get any harder than DMX’ “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.” This isn’t just a song, it’s a whole brand and movement. Produced by the legendary Swizz Beatz, the hit single hails from DMX’ 1998 debut studio album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. The melody and beat follows a rhythm reminiscent of the military, reflected in the hook’s theme of moving as a unit. That’s how Ruff Ryders roll!

4. XZIBIT: “X”

“Broadcastin’ live to you and yours, it’s Mr. X to the Z, Xzibit.” This beat, this collab with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, these bars, the nostalgia … no one can ever replace the greatness of Xzibit. His raspy voice and aggressive flows matched with his signature style continues to sweep audiences away when it comes to live performances. Plus, he created one of the greatest shows on MTV: Pimp My Ride! 

5. Baby Bash: “Suga Suga” ft. Frankie J

“Suga suga how you get so fly?” We can all almost instantaneously sing these lyrics in Baby Bash’s voice. This song has romance written all over it, giving you that ’90s R&B vibe and energy we miss. The music video clocks in at over 139 million views and counting, as both artists serenade multiple women.

6. N2Deep: “Back To The Hotel”

“Back to the Hotel” isn’t just N2Deep’s biggest hit, it’s the name of their debut studio album, Back to the Hotel. Hailing from Vallejo, California, the Chicano rap group released the project in 1992 on Profile Records. This set will indefinitely turn the nostalgia levels up in the arena!

The Heart of Hip Hop takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday, February 15 at 7:30 p.m.

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The post Ashanti & Ja Rule to Headline the Heart of Hip Hop at Honda Center appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Slightly Stoopid has been around for decades and they’re still going strong. On Sunday, February 9, they’ll perform at One Love Cali Reggae Fest at Queen Mary Park in Long Beach. Hailing from Ocean Beach near San Diego, the beach-friendly bandmates consist of founders, multi-instrumentalists, and childhood friends Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald, along with drummer Ryan “Rymo” Moran, percussionist Oguer “OG” Ocon, saxophonist Daniel “Dela” Delacruz, keyboardist Paul Wolstencroft, and trumpet and trombone player Andy Geib.

The diverse musical ensemble came into fruition in 1994, quickly catching the attention of Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell. After discovering the band, he asked them to perform at Foothill Tavern in Long Beach. Eventually, Nowell went on to sign them to his Skunk Records label while they were still in high school. (Crazy!)

The band’s claim to fame has everything to do with their sound — a fusion of eclectic genres spanning folk, rock, reggae, blues, hip-hop, funk, metal and punk — along with their mantra: Spreading positivity in all ways they can. While their lyrics and music speak for itself, it’s the group’s humble journey from performing small, intimate bars to touring the world. Since then, they have done almost every major festival, from Coachella to Harmony to Lollapalooza to Austin City Limits.

Last year in July, the group unleashed their ninth studio album titled Everyday Life, Everyday People, a testament to their normalcy, independence and humility. The 13-track project features appearances from Ali Campbell (UB40), Alborosie, G. Love, Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), Don Carlos, Yellowman and Sly Dunbar (Sly and Robbie).

Still going strong after more than 20 years, Slightly Stoopid has created their own counterculture at the intersection of music, art and social action. Their philanthropic efforts do not go unnoticed, with the band oftentimes working and raising money for various charities and nonprofit organizations. 

Irvine Weekly caught up with lead singer Miles, who cherishes his off days with his three beautiful daughters, as he prepares for the One Love Cali Reggae Fest in Long Beach.

Irvine Weekly: You guys came into fruition in 1995, how have you evolved since with the times and the social media era?

Miles Doughty: Well in my mind, we’re a little bit behind the ball of the social media world [chuckles]. Just because we grew up the old school way of touring: nonstop, flyer in the towns, our street teams always taking care of stuff. The wave of social media, that’s basically what people are on 24/7 nowadays. We’ve been trying to step up the game a little bit and be more conscious of it. Because the way we grew up touring, we never really had that in the beginning. We’re behind the ball just because we started the grind a little early.

What are your fondest memories of just the early days and just coming up?

Just mashing in the van all over the country with your boys, having some of the craziest shows and bars all over the country. Starting out in those small bars, it’s so intimate and just rad because the fans are up close and the chaos is right in front of you. You miss those days a little bit because when you’re playing the bigger venues, the stages are always a little bit further from the crowds. There’s something to be said about that whole circa 1,000-capacity rooms or smaller, where it’s just really tight and right. The pits are dope. The dancing’s crazy. The fans are right up in your face, so it’s pretty rad.

Slightly Stoopid (Courtesy of the artist)

How has the energy in the group shifted as a dynamic between the members. The same? Is it different now? 

Me and Kyle, we grew up since we were 1 or 2 years old. We’re basically brothers from other mothers and we’ve been making music since the start. For us, we’ve just evolved as people and musicians over the years. Like anything, you mature in what you’re doing. Still have the same mentality, but more aware of what’s going on around you. Not always the chaos at the party and whatnot. Creatively, if you listen, every record sounds completely different except for it still has the staple sound of Stupid. We always try as many styles of music as we can, because we enjoy it as fans of music ourselves. Just not being stuck in one little genre, we like to play it all.

What are you most excited for with One Love Cali Reggae Fest approaching?

I mean, it’s always raging when you’re playing in SoCal. Damian Marley is going to be nuts. Iration, J Boog, Common Kings, there’s so many killer bands. The whole weekend’s rad really: Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Stick Figure, Atmosphere. It’s going to be killer. What’s dope is that the scene has just gotten so big and crazy. The people that come out are amazing, just all the fanbase. You’ve seen this culture and movement stretch across the country. It’s really dope to see just as someone who’s toured for a couple of decades around the States. Just to see it grow like it has, it’s turned into something special.

Growing up in San Diego, which is super close to O.C., how do the two counties compare? 

Each kind of has their own vibe. I grew up in a town called Ocean Beach, which is a very hippie kind of town. Still kind of true to its roots, one of the last old-school vibe towns. What’s good about the O.C. is just the energy that people bring always. In general the beach culture and Southern California, everyone rolls together in that vibe. That’s also something that’s spread around the world globally, the SoCal beach culture, surf roots, rock/reggae vibe. It’s pretty cool to see. 

What’s your favorite part about Long Beach?

My favorite part about Long Beach is just the whole Skunk Records crew. Growing up, seeing those guys back in the day from teenagers till now. Miguel Happoldt, Opie Ortiz, all those guys, It’s just cool to go up there every time we’re there, to hang out with our boys that we’ve known for a couple decades. That’s really what we look forward to.

Favorite song to perform in a set? 

That’s a tough one. I always like playing “Officer.” “Wicked Rebels” is fun. “Wise Man” is a fun track to play. “Closer to the Sun.” Those are four songs that are always fun, just the message in them and the energy you get from the people. When those songs start to play, there’s something about the songs that elevates people to a certain energy level. It’s fun to play them.

Your last project was Everyday Life, Everyday People. What’s one thing you want fans to get from this one?

Well if you listen to the words of the songs, it’s our experiences through life. What and how we see things, what we’ve gone through from our experiences on the road through our experiences raising our own families. Just like anything, music evolves and people evolve. Like the title says, we’re just regular beach kids that surf, skate, grew up hanging out together and we just happen to play music. There’s nothing different about us except that we’re on a stage preaching a certain message about a lifestyle that we enjoy, that we embrace and try to push to the people. 

Slightly Stoopid (Courtesy of the artist)

Talk about creating your own counterculture following through music, art, social action. 

We let everything speak for itself as far as not necessarily creating the culture, but just absorbing and embracing it. The way we lived growing up, surfing and skating. Me and Kyle we literally spent our whole lives at the beach as kids, and you can feel it in the music. When we walk out on stage, what you see is what you get. We’re going to be wearing probably some Vans or some Converse. Whatever we wore all day, we just walked right on the stage with the same stuff on. We’re there to have a great time with the fans, party as hard as we can while we’re there with the fans and hit the next town. [laughs]

Best encounter you had with a fan? 

Honestly, there’s too many. We have a really amazing fan base: the Stoopidheads. It’s a very organic, grassroots fan base that’s been with us a long time. They travel all over the country. All-year long, they’re at multiple shows so it’s hard to say the best experience. We’re on a first name basis with hundreds of people that we’ve seen along the way over the years. It’s pretty special that what we’re doing affects their lives in a certain way, but we’re also friends with them outside of the music. It’s pretty cool to have that engagement with a lot of the fans.

Slightly Stoopid (Courtesy of the artist)

Your fans have been with you for 20 years, what is it about Slightly Stoopid they love?

I think just our attitude and what we’re talking about. Our energy that we put out. What we’ve talked about in our music, people come up and say it does certain things for their lives. For us, that means everything because what we’re saying that’s affecting our lives, is affecting their lives. It’s really cool to see the message being absorbed the way it is.

Ideal day off? 

Being home with my family: my kids and my wife. Let and watch the kids play, surf, whatever they want to do. Go to the beach, play ball, everything. Family time is not to be taken for granted when you live on the road. You miss a million moments. When I’m home, every day off I have a chance I literally try to fly home so I could try to catch a couple of moments.

What are some goals for yourself at this point of your career?

My goal is always just to keep bringing music to the people and keep the energy the same level. I don’t want to be out there just to play. We love to be on stage and play music, so I want it to continue like that as far as my passion for it and always loving what you’re doing. I don’t want to just do it for the sake of doing it, you know? It’s not worth it. Music is a special thing. I don’t care who you are, music reaches everybody. It’s something that’s universal. There’s no borders anywhere in the world that can separate music from people, so it’s pretty cool to see that.

Slightly Stoopid performs at One Love Cali Reggae Fest on Sunday, February 9 at Queen Mary Park in Long Beach.

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The post Slightly Stoopid Talks 20-plus Year Legacy  appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Ariana Grande quite possibly might be the biggest pop star of our generation. Hailing from Boca Raton, Florida but now residing in Los Angeles, the singer-songwriter has had a momentous year, especially with the release of thank u, next. The project’s title track itself is an ode to all her ex-boyfriends, including Pete Davidson, Mac Miller and Big Sean.

Beyond her sonically-appealing, feel-good records, it’s her honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity she exudes in all that she does. Her lyrics stem from real-life experiences and allow audiences into her life, proving she goes through obstacles just like the rest of us. At the end of the day, music is her saving grace and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Boasting 166 million followers on Instagram alone, Ari might have one of the biggest fanbases the music industry has ever seen. Everything she does gets picked up, from what she eats for lunch to her interactions with her dog. Most recently, the former Disney star made headlines with the new ink on her hand, the word Toulouse in cursive etched across the back of her hand. Toulouse is the capital of French region Occitanie, also known as The Pink City.

To prepare for Ariana’s highly-anticipated show at The Honda Center in Anaheim on Friday, December 13, Irvine Weekly has compiled eight of her biggest hit records. If you’ve been to an Ari show, you already know it’s going to be a night for the books.

1. “thank u, next”

The second Ariana Grande dropped “thank u, next,” the entire music industry froze. Not only did this pop star just release yet another incredible record, but the realness and vulnerability she bared made the record 10 times greater. This song is an ode to all her ex-boyfriends, including the late Mac Miller, who we all miss dearly.Plus, the Mean Girls-themed music video (which boasts over 448 million views on YouTube) is everything.

2. “Don’t Call Me Angel” featuring Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey

This is the female-empowerment song the world has been waiting for. If you saw the recent Charlie’s Angels in theaters, this brings the theme of badass women who slay to life. The song’s official music video has over 118 million views on Youtube and counting, with all three artists dressing up in white angel outfits inside a boxing ring. Ariana’s voice crooning the words “don’t call me angel,” is both catchy and fierce, reminding you females rule the world.

3. “7 Rings” 

As with every Ariana song, “7 Rings” broke the internet. With the music video already at over 625 million views on YouTube in less than a year, this record serves as the second single off thank u, next. The title refers to her collection of matching friendship rings Ariana and her six friends purchased in New York. If you’ve got a bestie and you guys share anything matching, you already know the sentimental feelings these items bring.

4. “Side To Side” featuring Nicki Minaj

This is one of the best music videos Ariana has ever put out, clocking it at a whopping 1.6 billion views on YouTube alone. The scene opens with a beautiful Grande leading a sexy cycling class, with all the riders in sync with the dance moves. This is Soulcycle: Ariana Grande edition. Nicki Minaj spits, “I’m the queen of rap, Ariana run pop.” That’s a bar!

5. “The Way” featuring Mac Miller

Rest in peace, Mac Miller — gone way too soon. While fans ate up every second of Ariana and Mac’s relationship, it’s both of their loves and talents for music that made this record what it was. The visual, which clocks in over 382 million views, showcases the two lovebirds hanging, playing and enjoying each other’s company. At the end of the way, it’s that bond you share with your significant other that cannot be replaced.

6. “Boyfriend” featuring Social House

“I’m a motherfucking trainwreck…I don’t want to miss too much. But I don’t wanna miss your touch.” Ariana’s ability to persuade (and unpersuade you) she’s your wifey comes completely naturally. At the end of the day, the secret’s all yours. Although some members of Social House may feel some type of way; 111 million views in just a few months.

7. “no tears left to cry”

Arian’s music is happy, it’s sad, it’s happy, it’s sad… but ultimately it’s happy. “No tears left to cry” seemingly comes off as a depressing song, but it’s actually about coming into your own without needing a partner to hold you up. The record also serves as her ability to blend genres, from dance-pop to disco to dance-R&B over a U.K. garage beat. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #3, as she became the only artist to debut in the Top 10 with the lead single from all of her projects.

8. “Monopoly” featuring Victoria Monét

Ariana and Victoria Monét’s friendship is everything we look for our own. “Monopoly” arrives as a fun-filled, good vibes only  anthem amongst two best friends who work together, hang out together, have sleepovers together, and slay together. They croon on the chorus: “Bad vibes, get off of me, Outta here with that fuckery / Treat my goals like property, collect them like Monopoly.” Play this song on repeat as you head into 2020!

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The post Ariana Grande’s Top 8 Hits appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

The OC Block Party might be Orange County’s biggest block party yet! Taking place on Saturday, November 23 at the Santa Ana Civic Center Plaza in Santa Ana, this one-day festival features all the hottest names in hip-hop, from headliner Ice Cube, The Dogg Pound, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Suga Free, Kid Frost, Zapp, Lisa Lisa and more.

With summer 2019 behind us, we’re ready to take on fall like never before. This block party takes place right before the holidays, in perfect timing for everyone in the spirit of celebrating. With all ages welcome, this family-friendly function will feature festival rides, food vendors, fully stocked bars, merch vendors, and of course, live performances for all music-lovers.

The all-day event begins at 3 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m., as locals and out-of-towners converge for one day of full-blown hip-hop. To prepare for the show, Irvine Weekly has compiled a Top 8 playlist for all the artists on the bill. Listen below!

1.  Ice Cube: “Today Was A Good Day”

Arguably one of Ice Cube’s greatest songs to date, “Today Was A Good Day” will definitely be one festival-goers look forward to. The actual phrase “today was a good day” in Cube’s voice ignites instant nostalgia, as fans are reminded of the good days and living life to the fullest. With this block party taking place in Orange County, locals will celebrate and thank the West Coast spitter for such a feel-good anthem. 

2. Zapp: “Computer Love”

Time to get funky! Zapp brings us all the way back to the 1970s, when disco, funk, R&B and soul were in their prime. “Computer Love” in itself automatically brings great energy and vibes, a record that’s been sampled multiple times over in the music game by some of the greats. In addition, the Dayton, Ohio, band were best known for trademarking their use of the talk-box effect.

3. Lisa Lisa: “Head To Toe”

Lisa Lisa is another classic name on the bill. Comprised of vocalist Lisa Lisa, guitarist Spanador and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes, Lisa and her band Cult Jam became one of the first freestyle music group to come out of New York in the ’80s. Call it pop, call it rock, call it R&B, every record brings a certain aesthetic that will get you grooving on the dance floor.

4. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: “Crossroads”

“Meet me at the Crossroads!” This song is just one of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s timeless hit records. The hip-hop group consisting of rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-n-Bone exploded onto the scene in 1993, when Eazy-E signed them to his Ruthless Records. “Crossroads,” originally a tribute to the late West Coast rapper, went on to win a Grammy in 1997.

5. Suga Free: “If U Stay Ready”

Suga Free is a legend in his own right. Aside from him being an ex-pimp, the Gardena-raised rapper is a huge name in West Coast hip-hop as a whole. His biggest work to-date includes his debut album Street Gospel in 1997, collaborating with another West Coast legend, DJ Quik. The project went on to peak at #37 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Honestly, any records of his will bring you all the way back.

6. Kid Frost: “La Raza”

Kid Frost is a Los Angeles legend. Putting on for the Latin community, the 55-year-old has been in the game for decades. Ten years ago, he unleashed his single “La Raza,” which currently has over 12.5 million views on YouTube alone. Translating to “The Race” in English, this record will put you in a good mood no matter where you are. Get on the dance floor and get moving!

7. JJ Fad: “Supersonic”

One time for the females! Hailing from Rialto, California, JJ Fad is an American female hip-hop group putting on for their city in the Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles. The name was originally given as an acronym of the original group members’ names, but once members shifted it became Just Jammin’ Fresh and Def. “Supersonic” will have you guys grooving on the dance floor!

8. Mellow Man Ace: “Mentirosa”

A few seconds into “Mentirosa,” and you’ll immediately recognize this timeless hit. Aside from the number of records that have sampled this joint, it’s Mellow Man Ace’s presence as a Cuban-American rapper that audiences can’t help but gravitate toward. Fluent in both Spanish and English, it’s his novelty delivery and rhymes that pushed his name to the mainstream light in music.

While the show is sold-out, OC Block Party takes over Santa Ana Civic Center Plaza on Saturday, November 23rd!

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The post Ice Cube To Headline OC Block Party appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

This past weekend, ComplexCon returned for a successful fourth year in a row in Southern California. Following their launch of the inaugural ComplexCon Chicago in July, the two-day streetwear and music festival took over the Long Beach Convention Center where it originally started. This year’s lineup included headliner Kid Cudi and Lil’ Kim on Day One, with Anderson .Paak and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie closing out Day Two.

While ComplexCon is described as “the groundbreaking festival that brings together pop culture, music, food, innovation, activism, education … the list goes on,” this year’s motto resonated even more deeply: “Come experience the future.” That theme attracted some of the world’s biggest and most influential creatives, artists and brands, giving attendees the opportunity to shop hundreds of exclusive drops and releases. 

One thing Complex prides themselves on is providing the “most immersive and ambitious pop culture experience yet,” which is exactly why Takashi Murakami serves as creative director. The legendary Japanese artist may best be known for his work on Kanye West’s third studio album, Graduation, but it’s his signature style and taste that cannot be duplicated: a fusion of Japanese contemporary high- and low-brow arts, sprinkled with his highly-respected stroke. 

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 2, select press outlets were invited to an exclusive walkthrough of the exhibit floor with ComplexCon Long Beach executive producer, Isis Arias Clermont. While Murakami’s arrival was postponed due to a flight delay, he arrived in true Murakami fashion alongside five giant-sized characters. As Drake says in “Going Bad,” “Lot of Murakami in the hallway…”

Takashi isn’t just the art director, he’s the mastermind behind the event’s entire identity, design and aesthetic experience. In an exclusive interview with Irvine Weekly, we asked him to compare Japan’s influence on American culture and vice versa.

MURAKAMI

He answers, “You know Harajuku? The Harajuku culture is exactly the U.S. culture from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Then we bring it back here, the Chicago movement is kind of from the Harajuku culture. Then it’s back and forth.”

On that note, we asked him how exactly does art evoke emotion? “Maybe through technique,” he states. “I saw Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, the actor and actress they picked were amazing, very in detail. When I watch this movie, I think, ‘Oh, I have to do that. It’s a very precise technique.”

He clarifies, “You can see the inspiration in my paintings. People are watching everything, that means everything needs to have concentration.”

When doors for the VIP ticketholders opened at 9 a.m., the hypebeast factor rose to the forefront as sneakerheads rushed over to the Sneaker Drop line. Two hours later, general admission attendees entered. 

A major highlight had to be Cudder’s Playground, bringing to life Cudi’s critically-acclaimed debut studio album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Not only did hip-hop lovers nostalgically celebrate the project’s 10-year anniversary on September 15, but they were able to play laser tag and pose for the photobooth inside the dark purple moon-themed backdrop. 

Another standout stop was PUMA’s build out called FUTRO LAND, yielding the hybrid culture the brand was founded on mixing in sports, esports, fashion, music and more. To celebrate, they brought back their original Fast Rider which launched 40 years ago when running began to shift from the track to the streets. 

On top of the free games, prizes onsite, and artist sightings from Matt Ox, DaniLeigh, YBN Cordae, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, it was the customization station with Chinatown Market that proved to be the biggest hit. Only two styles (Future Rider and Style Rider) were available for purchase, highlighting FUTRO (future meets retro) designs that pull from the brand’s 70+ year archives and combine them with today’s digital trends. 

As with most collabs on the floor, only a few hundred pairs were made available at ComplexCon. Beyond all the above, many who have attended ComplexCon in the past already had the Complex (Con)versations planned out into their schedule. Whether it was Matt Barnes and Allen Iverson joking about their early fashion styles back in the day (Tunnel Takedown), or on a more serious note: “Disruption: How Gen Z Is Taking Control,” festival-goers arrived ready to absorb the wisdom and inspiration from, again, some of the greats.

Tunnel Takedown Live with Allen Iverson

Day Two featured surprise performances from 21 Savage and DaBaby, the latter at spicy wings live on Complex’s Hot Ones. Handing the baton over to the females, Kamaiyah, Rico Nasty, Eve and Trina spoke about the stigma of female rappers and this new age of social media. Finally, Anderson .Paak shut down the show with his live band and smooth, sultry voice. “Yes Lawd!”

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The post Takashi Murakami Talks Art Influence At ComplexCon Long Beach appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Post Malone is a growing superstar who can hardly be boxed into any one genre. While it’s nothing new for an artist to have a slew of hit records, Posty is in his own lane with his own sound and one-of-a-kind personality. It’s one thing to make fire music, but it’s another to be one of the most happy, lovable humans for the public eye to adore.

Born in Syracuse, New York, but raised in Grapevine, Texas, real name Austin Post exploded onto the R&B/hip-hop scene with banger “White Iverson,” which actually served as his first single ever. Eventually signing a deal with Republic Records, he quickly proved he was the opposite of a one-hit wonder, releasing his debut album Stoney, which is now certified triple Platinum.

If that’s not enough, the project’s standout single “Congratulations” recently went diamond, pushing over 10 million units since its release two years ago. Produced by Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes and Louis Bell, the song itself is one of the most uplifting, positive, celebratory records to grace the rap game, the soundtrack to everything from graduation to promotions to simply living the best life possible.

Beyond the music, it’s Posty’s knack for living life to the fullest, partying hard with the broskis and living each moment like it’s his last. Beyond that, his business endeavors are incredibly on brand, including deals with Bud Light and Crocs. Closing out 2018 with a bang, he released his instant hit “Wow.”, which ended up being the lead single from his third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding. The 17-track project peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and features radio-favorite “Goodbyes” featuring Young Thug.

To celebrate Post’s upcoming show at the Honda Center in Anaheim California on the Runaway Tour, Irvine Weekly compiled a Top 8 playlist of Post Malone essentials. Listen below!

“Better Now”

“Better Now” comes off Posty’s second studio album beerbongs & bentleys, which went on to become his first #1 album on the Billboard 200. The song itself transcends the genres of R&B, pop and hip-hop, as he reminisces on a past relationship — feeling those emotions that come with heartbreak while trying to stay strong. 

Not only is this relatable, but it reminds fans he’s human just like the rest of us.

“White Iverson”

This is the song that blew Post Malone’s name to the mainstream light. Ensuing instant nostalgia upon hearing it, the record wasn’t meant to blow up like it did. On the chorus, he sings, “Saucin’, saucin’, I’m saucin’ on you / I’m swaggin’, I’m swaggin’, I’m swaggin’ / I’m ballin’, I’m ballin’, Iverson on you.”

Filled with basketball metaphors, Posty compares his rise in the rap game to being the MVP of the basketball court.

“Sunflower”

If you saw the latest Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film, you already recognize this single. Post Malone and Swae linking up for a song on the soundtrack is everything music-lovers ever wanted. The feel-good anthem not only came in perfect timing for the beautiful Southern California weather, but it reminded you that love does exist.

Sunflowers represent loyalty and longevity due to the flower’s ability to retain its beauty in an environment where other flowers wilt. In this case, it’s that one special female.

“Psycho” featuring Ty Dolla $ign

This collab is R&B heaven all in one. Not only did it impact radio airwaves all across the world, but “Psycho” reminds you that dreams really do come true if you work hard and do whatever it takes to get to the top. Both Post and Ty$ croon about their expensive habits, from diamonds to convertibles to high-end watches.

This is Posty at the best version of himself.

“Rockstar” featuring 21 Savage

This quite possibly might be one of the best visuals from Posty to date. With over 578 million views on YouTube alone, the four-minute clip comes with a “parental advisory and viewer warning” disclaimer at the very beginning, setting you up for the explicit scenes that unfold. Regardless, the single compares his “rock & roll” habits reeling in some of the greats.

As for 21 Savage, he’s a rockstar in the rap game as well.

“Goodbyes” featuring Young Thug

Any time Posty drops a new song, it automatically hits radio. This record with Young Thug was no different. “Goodbyes” is a heartfelt ballad about a man who’s in love with a girl, but knows he needs to remove her from his life altogether. The cinematic visual sees Posty being stabbed and murdered at the beginning, eventually returning in zombie form.

Eventually, he encounters a female who left him initially, allegedly his ex-girlfriend Ashlen Diaz. 

“I Fall Apart”

If you’re emo like me, “I Fall Apart” hits home each and every time. While the actual track is fueled by a heartbreak Post experienced in high school, the feelings and emotions of being broken are relatable across all fronts. We all go through shit in life, it’s about bouncing back and overcoming those trials and tribulations that make us stronger. 

Plus, Posty’s voice on the chorus makes you feel like you’re not alone. We’re all in this together.

“Circles”

Hailing from Post’s third studio album Hollywood’s Bleeding, “Circles” arrives in perfect timing for the fall. Piggybacking off the heartbreak theme of “Goodbyes,” he continues to reminisce on heartbreak and broken relationships. But the breakthrough comes in the song’s official music video, seeing Post in a gladiator form in what seems like the ancient times. 

He sings on the chorus, “Seasons change and our love went cold / Feed  the flame ’cause we can’t let go.” We’re all running in circles in this thing called life. 

Post Malone performs at Honda Center in Anaheim on November 16 with opener Tyla Yaweh. Purchase tickets here

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The post Post Malone’s Top 8 Tracks appeared first on Irvine Weekly.