Curtis Waters was in a bad mood, "trying to make some stupid shit and cheer up", and made 'Stunnin'', a moody song with a laid-back, appealingly shabby dance routine. It suddenly picked up hundreds of thousands of views overnight, and last week, 'Stunnin'' became the fastest unsigned record to go into Spotify’s flagship playlist, Today’s Top Hits, since Arizona Zervas’ 'Roxanne'. But unlike Zervas, who inked a deal with Columbia Records, Waters is choosing not to sign with a major label - "I felt like I was being treated like a commodity, like I was just a product”. So he wrote another song, 'System', a brittle, declamatory punk missile with a blunt message - “I’m boutta fuck the system up”.

Bay Area rapper Young Curt (27) - born Curtis Denton Jr. - lost his life in a car accident this week, KTVU reports. The accident, "a rollover crash”, happened in Contra Costa County, California early Monday morning. All Hip Hop sums up all the higher profile tragedies that hit hip-hop this year: rapper Pop Smoke was murdered; Lexii Alijai and Chynna Rogers, two beautiful starlets in the twenties, died of alleged accidental drug overdoses; Jordan Groggs of the Injury Reserve, has died aged 32; 5th Ward Webbie, Tre Koast, Dee Dave, Big Booda, Nick Blixky, Mac P Dawg, Kj Ball, and just the other day, Huey add to the dark list.

The most interesting artists right know, as selected by editor and journalist Matthew Schnipper for Music Journalism Insider: Dean Blunt, Lara Sarkissian, John Beltran, Jabu and Daniela Dyson, DJ Python, Mariah the Scientist, Akasha System, Ydegirl, Celia Hollander, Rod Wave, MIKE, Duval Timothy, Yu Su, Young Jesus, Nkisi, The Weeknd. Best song in the last 12 months - 'Hope Road' by Anne Clark; best music journalists: Cat Zhang, Mina Tavakoli, Ben Dandrige-Lemco, Mankaprr Conteh, Hubert Adjei-Kontoh, Arielle Gordon, Olivia Horn, and Jenzia Burgos.

A great bass line is like a mantra: It sounds like it could go on forever, and it only feels more profound the more you hear it - Rolling Stone says in its introduction to the list of 50 best bassists of all time. It starts with Thundercat - who went from Suicidal Tendencies to West Coast Get Down - on spot No 50, to Motown's home bassist James Jamerson.

"The UK government’s idea of gigging in the age of coronavirus is an unworkable shambles. And no wonder. It’s an experience and an industry of which they have as much first-hand knowledge as a maggot does of mountain biking... Have you seen a Conservative attempting to enjoy music? It’s like watching a drunk goose try to water-ski" - NME's Mark Beaumont writes about his government's plan to save live music venues. There's a real solution - "Luckily the Music Venues Trust, backed by 500 grassroots venues across the country, have come up with their own roadmap to reopening. It’s a far simpler affair, consisting essentially of just two steps. Step one, the Government provides a £50 million fund to ensure all venues can survive until October, the earliest many envision being able to put on viable gigs. Step two, they fuck off out of it".

Jordan Groggs, a member of the Phoenix rap group Injury Reserve, has died aged 32. Last year the experimental rap trio released their debut album, compared to such greats as Death Grips and Run The Jewels.

Up to Sony's invention of Walkman, music was primarily a shared experience. "After the Walkman, music could be silence to all but the listener, cocooned within a personal soundscape, which spooled on analog cassette tape" - New Yorker writes on the 40th anniversary of the genius gadget being shared with the world - "The Walkman wasn’t the end of meeting people, but it paved the way for surviving an unthinkable era in which we would find ourselves unable to meet at all".

Resident Advisor reports on specific rules on nightclubs reopening, as the COVID-epidemic is weakening in parts of the world: China has cautiously restarted its nightlife; South Korea has shut down its club due to a recent spike of COVID-19 infections in the country connected to the clubs; Switzerland has increased the maximum number of people allowed to attend indoor public gatherings from 300 to 1,000 with no social distancing; in Australia, nightclubs could be allowed to open as early as August if community transmission rates are kept low, although a four-square-metre-per-person rule to allow for social distancing is likely to be enforced; New Zealand has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions, aside from international border controls; Bars and nightclubs in Iceland opened their doors as the government eased lockdown rules.

On June 19 - or Juneteenth, the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States - Die Jim Crow, the first nonprofit record label for formerly or currently incarcerated musicians in America, released its first full-length album, Shirelle’s 'Assata Troi'. Shirelle, 32, was incarcerated twice, but now she holds the position of deputy director of Die Jim Crow, trying to look back on her life so far - “this album really is about coming of age, but not of age 21, more like of age 28, where you’re just starting to realize certain things”, as she's told the LA Times. Die Jim Crow was founded in 2013 by Fury Young, an artist and activist, who took to Kickstarter to raise funds for a one-off record featuring incarcerated artists, generating nearly $20,000.

In 1990, Richard Shannon Hoon started filming himself, and continued doing so during his days in psychedelic rock band Blind Melon, until he died of an overdose in 1995. His recordings are assembled in a new documentary 'All I Can Say' where everybody can see "the disillusionment of stardom psychically shut somebody down, piece by piece, before your eyes", as Rolling Stone says in their review.

An immensely talented, LA-based collective that has grown from a group of school friends using jazz as a form of escapism to become one of the most influential forces in contemporary music - Dazed writes in a big profile of West Coast Get Down. They were playing for years in LA jazz bars perfecting their craft and style – "they" being Tony Austin (drums), Ronald Bruner Jr (drums), Stephen ‘Thundercat’ Bruner (bass), Cameron Graves (keys), Brandon Coleman (keys), Miles Mosley (bassist), Ryan Porter (trombonist), Patrice Quinn (vocals), Terrace Martin (multi-instrumentalist), and Kamasi Washington (saxophonist) – when they got their big break, playing of Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly'. That wasn't the highpoint, rather a kick - West Coast Get Down is only just getting started, Dazed argues.

"[Henry] Rollins wore shorts and no shirt and slowly covered his torso with tattoos, including ones for his own band. Was it ego or pride? I loved it either way, because I had neither... I had a poster of its ['Damaged'] cover up on my bedroom wall, Rollins punching his reflection in the mirror, breaking it into a million pieces. He felt like garbage and hated himself too! Plus he had a lot of muscles. I could not have invented a more appropriate role model if I tried" - GQ's Matthew Schnipper wrote a heartwaring and earnest article about how he decided to name his son after Henry Rollins, hoping that hardcore icon will "make him tough in ways I can’t".

Venezuelan-born, Barcelona-based artist Arca released her new album, an avant-pop record 'KiCk i' which celebrates the "prenatal kick; that instance of individuation, that unmistakable moment where parents realise their baby is not under their control but has its own will to live, its own impulses that are erratic and unpredictable, separate to their own", as she told i-D in an extensive interview - "So this is celebrating the moment of disagreement that is an expression of feeling alive". About her own change from gay to trans Latina woman she said "we’re all in constant flux, you know? We’re all transitioning: from birth to death, it’s inevitable. And then there’s this transition that is optional, that socially – as imperfect and flawed as it is – allows you to express this thing that is so abstract and physical and primal".

Kanye West has shared a song 'Wash Us in the Blood', mixed by Dr. Dre and features Travis Scott, with video directed by Arthur Jafa. It goes back to West's raw sound, but it keeps the Christian narrative and gospel undertones. The video features plenty of protest footage, and some from West’s Saint Pablo Tour and Sunday Service rehearsals. The new track is set to feature on an album presently titled 'God’s Country'. Vulture has an interesting perspective on the song - "On one level, the song is a return to form and a smoother pairing of West’s newfound faith and existing politics. It’s also motivational boilerplate. But that’s to be expected. The sneaker man does not want you so free that you stop wanting sneakers”.

American composer Johnny Mandel, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning songwriter of 'The Shadow of Your Smile', 'Emily' and the theme from 'M*A*S*H', has died aged 94. Mandel is considered one of the finest arrangers of the second half of the 20th century, providing elegant orchestral charts for Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Hoagy Carmichael, and others.

opMatters had made a very good selection of 50 best albums released in the first half of the year. There's albums that received wide critical acclaim, like the latest by Fiona Apple, Bob Dylan and Perfume Genius, and some that were less talked about like Amnesia Scanner, Drab City, Yves Tumor etc. To round up the review of the first six months of this year, Pitchfork made a selection of the best overlooked albums released this spring.

A beautiful article in the Sunday Long Read about alt-country musician Jim White, who was struggling with poverty and mental health, while also trying to build a career, and raise a daughter. SLR writes about how White bought a house, which turned out to be the foundation for his life, his career, and his relationship with his daughter - "Jim had learned to stand tall during his personal storms, drawing artistic inspiration from them. When he bought the Winterville house, he was in the midst of a protracted custody battle with Willow’s mother. The fight, fierce as a Category 5 hurricane, would shape his daughter’s upbringing and his identity as a parent. This struggle, and untold others to follow, would test the limits of the bond between father and child". A great read!

"Gabriel Ólafs understands how to craft short yet expressive piano pieces that recall the intimate sensibility of 19th-century salons as much as modern Icelandic indie groups" - PopMatters says in a review of the new album by the young Icelandic pianist. PM argues Ólafs "focuses on mood and emotive gestures to develop pieces, both concise yet brimming with beauty", adding he "shares more in common with the art-rock artists of his homeland (Sigur Rós, Sóley) than prominent contemporary classical pianists".

NPR Music has published a massive project documenting A Century of Black Music Against State Violence - a 50 songs list describing specific acts of police violence, and some of the ugliest stories with which America - and, since it goes international, the world - has to reckon. It is a story of Black American music and its response to oppression, and particularly, state-sanctioned violence. It starts with 1927 Sara Martin's 'Georgia Stockade Blues', continues with John Coltrane, Nina Simone, Michael Jackson, N.W.A., and dozen others from the Afro-American canon, to finish with this year's Leon Bridges' 'Sweeter'.

Fact magazine presents multidisciplinary artist Cecilia Bengolea with a 13-minute video 'Dancehall Weather' where performers dance at various times of a day and in various weather conditions. “Dancing in the wet weather of the Caribbean, sweat and tropical rain further dissolve the boundaries between inside and outside”, says Bengolea, “reminding us perhaps that inner body fluid is an electrical conductor that functions for the body in similar ways to the synapses of the brain”.

Metallica fans have voted 'Master of Puppets' as the most significant song by the band, Loudwire reports. The knockout tournament called "Some Kind of Bracket" started a month ago when Metallica initially distributed the contest's first-round bracket on social media with over 60 songs in the competition. On June 18, the semifinals found 'Master of Puppets' going up against 'Fade to Black' and 'One' battling 'Enter Sandman'. By June 22, the tournament had winnowed down to the 1989 single from '…And Justice for All' and the title track from Metallica's 1986 album. By the following day, a victor had emerged - 'Master of Puppets'.

This is the perfect time to focus on outdoor or semi-outdoor events where a “concentrated plume of droplets” is less likely to hit you, Gabriel Scally, honorary professor of public health at the University of Bristol, told the Guardian about the future of shows, music or otherwise. The issue that is going to matter a lot is - how well is the venue ventilated, which spells trouble for the punk bands from the basement circuit. Nightclubs have an even lower chance of returning soon, not until there’s a vaccine - with the exception of New Zealand where they’ve basically eradicated the virus - or unless everybody dances in a certain direction!?! Daisy Fancourt, associate professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London points to a new way of thinking: “Our focus shouldn’t be on getting back to normal, but on finding a way to adapt".

Country singer Chase Rice staged a large concert in Tennessee last weekend with zero social distancing and not one face mask in sight. In the 10,000 capacity venue about 1,000 people turned out for the concert, and all attendees were given temperature checks, although organizers were unable to enforce physical distancing during the actual concert, TMZ reports. A similar case involved American Vice President Mike Pence, the leader of the administration’s own coronavirus task force. On Sunday, Pence attended a near-capacity, indoor event at the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas with 2,200 attendees, and a 100-person choir singing without face masks, CNN reports.

The United States Postal Service is releasing a series of Forever Stamps on July 1, recognizing the timeless impact hip-hop has made on a global scale. Photographs by Cade Martin will be the focal point of these special release stamps, depicting emceeing, breakdancing, deejaying and graffiti art. Each stamp features the words “Forever”, “USA", “Hip Hop”.

Big winners at the 2020 BET Awards included Migos (Best Group), Lizzo (Best Female R&B/Pop Artist), Megan Thee Stallion (Best Female Hip Hop Artist), DaBaby (Best Male Hip-Hop Artist), Roddy Ricch was named Best New Artis while his album 'Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial' won Album of the Year, and Beyonce’s 'Brown Skin Girl' (HER Award). Chris Brown won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Best Collaboration ('No Guidance' featuring Drake), and DJ Khaled won Video Of The Year for 'Higher' featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend. Check out the full list of nominees and winners at Deadline. Public Enemy joined forces with Nas, The Roots’ Questlove and Black Thought, YG, and Rapsody for a special performance of 'Fight the Power' to kick off the 2020 BET Award - watch here, and Alicia Keys gave a powerful performance of 'Perfect Way to Die'.

Lil Baby's 'My Turn' sits in the top spot of the Billboard 200 for the fourth week of 2020, with 70,000 in sales, Billboard reports. In the runner-up spot is Bob Dylan's 'Rough and Rowdy Ways', which scored him the highest spot that he's gotten to in more than a decade; it sold in 53,000 equivalent albums, most of which came from traditional album sales. Dylan has now become the first artist with a US Top 40 album in every decade since the 1960s. Teyana Taylor achieves her first top 10 album, as 'The Album' bows at No. 8 with 32,000 equivalent album units earned.

Sam Valdez released her new single, a shoegaze-folk beauty 'Clean'; Flaming Lips announced their new album with big words in a laid back song 'My Religion is You'; with Mourning [A] BLKstar everything is seemingly unusual - the name and the dark gospel genre - whereas music is actually deep and warm; Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament struggles with vivid dreams and helplessness in 'The Divine Perfume'; Anteloper play modern jazz + electronica which makes for hypnotic 'Bubble Under'; Gordi's 'Sandwiches' is an elegiac love song; an impressive line-up of Tony Allen, Shabaka Hutchings, Dele Sosimi, Tamar Osborn, Miles James, Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne, Afla Sackey and Antibalas on Keleketla's upbeat and harmonious 'International Love Affair'.

Kid Cudi has released a teaser of the new CGI animated series 'Kids See Ghosts', based upon his 2018 collaborative album with Kanye West., Complex reports A new trailer features the iconic Kanye West bear, voiced by West himself, and another character, Kid Fox, voiced by Cudi. It's directed by Takashi Murakami, and Cudi promises it's “coming soon.

Documentary film 'Carmine Street Guitars' is "the digital equivalent of hanging out in the Manhattan shop of the title, a Greenwich Village institution of sorts... It is 80 minutes of pure woodwork-musicianship-upcycling erotica for a very specialist but passionate market", Guardian says in a review. "If a film had a smell, this one would be of sawdust, varnish and pure love" - the G says in its verdict. It's available on digital platforms now.

"I’ve always liked doing the stuff that I like" - super-producer Rick Rubin told about the way he chooses albums he produces. There were hip-hop albums, metal, pop-superstars, classic rock - The Ringer listed 100 of those, from best to worst. "If Rick Rubin had assisted no superstars and done absolutely no work in the previous two decades (Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Slayer, Johnny Cash, 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik') or the two decades or so to come (Dixie Chicks, Avett Brothers, Adele, Black Sabbath, 'Yeezus'), his superproducer rep would still be assured for "I’m thinkin’ we start '99 Problems' a cappella alone" - The Ringer writes in a profile.