As we groove to and celebrate Renaissance, it’s paramount to remember the lives of those living and dead impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. More so, as the world faces the latest monkeypox outbreak, it’s important to deal in facts when discussing the virus, instead of spreading homophobic rhetoric.

While some artists rely on a fandom’s reach to publicise new records, there is a bourgeoning breed of musicians going above and beyond industry conventions to rival their peers, signed or independent. To illustrate as much, consider Bra Nyoga, Tyson Sybateli, Underground King, Sipho The Gift, and for the love of all things NORMVL, please say the by, ByLwansta.

Too often, being romantic is seen as "doing too much", with people biting their tongues when they really want to write long, sentimental love letters. For many, the Gone Girl "Cool Girl" monologue perfectly describes this. Vengeance à la Amy isn’t attainable, but in 2022 let us lean into romance, shed our savagery, and consider justice for the romantic.

“All it takes is fear and a little focused violence,” says the Riddler in the 2022 Batman action film. But what is focused violence and when is it a good time to acknowledge its power? Certainly, without blowing any thing or any one up, it’s fair to interrogate the place for violence in the face of corruption.

Gone are the days where people assume that being in the entertainment industry is as glamorous as Old Hollywood suggested. We can thank the rise in Behind the Scenes content, documentaries, and social media for that. But there still seems to be a lack of understanding that entertaining is work, even when you’re in a destination city.

28 Grammy award winning, Billboard #1 charting, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter demanded we disco before we discourse. With dance videos and TikTok transitions galore, it’s finally safe to discuss Beyoncé’s 7th solo studio album, Renaissance; a love letter to the Black women who created the lane she exists in and the audience that loves them. Is the album her best work? That’s for that audience to decide. It will be up to Black queer people to decide if this music deserves a place on the podium that houses Diva Classics. 

In 2021, Netflix premiered Donavan Marsh’s chilling film about a global sex trafficking syndicate, ' Am All Girls'. South African actresses, Hlubi Mboya and Erica Wessels lead this thrilling crime mystery. While parts of i am ALL GIRLS is fictitious, the relationship between Apartheid regime sex trafficking is true. While democracy for all was achieved in 1994, by 2021, South Africa had been named gender-based violence capital of the world. In recent weeks, the news of a gang rape in Krugersdorp, South Africa topped every local news cycle and sparked national discourse.

South African singer Nanette has made her album debut with nothing less than vocal prowess, candid lyricism, and moody melodies set against the backdrop of bad weather. This UMG signee makes a solid case for accepting and making space for post-relationship acrimony without the burden of shame with the release of her 9-track album, Bad Weather.