Still In The House
In the last couple of weeks, the summer of 2022 got a little more normal, when two of the biggest music artists in the world both released surprise projects. As we are coming out of a pandemic that had most of us confined to our houses, unable to freely move about in the world, we are entering the first summer since 2019 that is not hindered by major covid restrictions. Both of the new offerings from Beyonce and Drake are invoking the freedom to move once more. And, coincidentally, happened to both be House Style music. House music has been a part of the culture just as long as hip hop. While New York DJs were evolving disco and rapping over the breaks, Chicago DJs were speeding up the tempo and creating a new sound. The origins of the term House Music are not universally agreed upon. It's either from a popular club in the 70s called the Warehouse or due to the tracks most commonly being created by the DJs in their homes using their own equipment versus going to a studio. Regardless of the origin, it has made its mark in our ears.
Enduring two years of a pandemic has had obvious impacts on our daily lives. For some this has meant isolation, while others found new ways to stay connected. During this time, many were confronted with the issues they had tried to avoid; which led to a time of reflection, healing, and growth. It became an opportunity to restart, pivot, or end things that had been outgrown. Some used this time stuck in our houses to create.
I would say the ability of both artists to create music that not only resonates but shapes culture is what adds to that familiar summer feeling. The type of feeling when you opt to roll the windows down and blast the radio instead of chilling with the ac. The feeling of being at the bbq and as one Philly MC put it “The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia”. The feeling of hitting a party on the weekend and the song of the summer comes through the speaker and EVERYBODY gets it in. The last one, in particular, was the feeling I felt after hearing “Honestly, Nevermind” and the first single from “Renaissance,” "Break My Soul”. Beyonce and Drake are, each in their own right, unquestionably in rotation year-round. But something is different about summertime music that makes you want to move.
Frankie Knuckles “The Godfather of House” described the sound he created while resident DJ at the Warehouse as “disco's revenge”. It wasn't until he started seeing different clubs advertising ‘We play House Music’ that he realized just how popular it had become. That was in 1977, since then House music has spread across the globe, from Chicago to Detroit, New York, and the Caribbean to London and throughout Europe. It has adapted and endured over its 45-year history. Which honestly is a true mark of any aspect of culture. It remains a part of each generation in new iterations that fit the needs of the time.
This is why Honestly Nevermind brought so much excitement with every track. It was a fusion of cultures that we desperately needed. After what I would call a disappointing release with Certified Lover Boy, with no tracks really having that typical Drake longevity (including Way 2 Sexy and Girls Want Girls), this album feels like it will go the distance. Even though it has a total runtime of just over 52 minutes, the tracks hit with an energy that makes you play them back to back. In the first week, 8 of the 14 tracks debuted in the Billboard top 25 with the remaining 6 tracks at various spots in the Hot 100. The collab featuring 21 Savage landed #1. While this type of commercial success is not new territory, I think it is still significant that House Music is finding its place at the top of the charts in a major way.
And while Beyonce has only given a small peak into her upcoming project, one can only hope for more of the same. Break My Soul is exactly what we have come to expect from Beyonce. Beyond the production, this song hits right where many people are right now, feeling the stresses and pressures of life and getting to that breaking point. But the message of letting go of the things that you have held onto that are stress-inducing while “Looking for something that lives inside me.” Yet, the production is what I believe will give this song airplay for months. When you’re talking about releasing and letting go of things, what better way to shift your mood than to get up and dance. Dancing, moving your body, allowing what's inside of you to be fully present. It resonates within the culture, House Music transformed to fit what the audience needs at the moment.
While it's highly unlikely that there was any sort of coordination between the two superstars, it's nice to see they are tapping into the same stream of consciousness and energy at the same time. Although, it is worth noting that both of these projects will be each artist’s 7th studio album. For the rest of the summer, keep dancing whether you're “that outside” or still in the house.