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The CENSORED dialogue Interview

![kim 2024.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/kim_2024_7b0c68f1a6.png)

I asked Finals year-end contributors to do whatever they wanted this year, but also gave ideas of either a straight top 10, or to think of someone/place/thing that had a "huge year." Special Texas-via-Manhattan correspondent kimdollars1 did both, detailing an argument for the Upper West Side as having a legitimately outsized and generative year in rap music, and kicking in a hot 10 at the end. Endless salute to Kim for this kind of work, going above and beyond fr. Check the story below and buy/stream her new  project, out today, [*The Bohemian*](https://kimila.bandcamp.com/album/the-bohemian)!

-Andrew

--

Keeping in the vein of Finals EOY coverage, I wanted to write about “having a big year,” and while in 2024, the “downtown scene” continues to generate much of the cultural image, energy, and attention for Manhattan (within certain parameters of trendiness and cool), I have no choice but to cast my vote for the Upper West Side. 

This year, we got near daily dispatches from Manhattan Valley courtesy of the prolific Sweepers Ent. It was Jay Hound and Jay5ive who held it down after sending off 2023 with the minimal and menacing “[Ukraine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDXHek8uTUI),” as crew members Sdot Go and NazGPG remain incarcerated. My favorite from Jay Hound was the bouncy “[Mysterio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lulAhSmf8AY),” along with his appearance on Jay5ive’s Sweepa Baby tape with “[Pill Popper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY0fVnFW5kg).” It’s on this project where Jay5ive really carves out his own vision of gritty NY pain rap. Particularly on “Oh Lord (Интерлюдия),” we get reflections on his drug use, his criminal history and inability to break from it, and the feelings he has for his friends who are currently behind bars. In the lines where he speaks of his love for his daughter, his intonations make me wonder if he grew up listening to Juelz Santana (a bonafide Amsterdam Avenue legend).  

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-pFlJOMg8yE?si=nUhXawDD5arH32_B" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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Only ten or so blocks south, we saw a breakout year for M Row, who built a following around his versatility, delivering edgier, more traditional drill tracks alongside party, love, heartbreak, and pain raps, all culminating in a “heartbroken ooter” persona. “Undefeated,” his raunchy collab with MCVERTT, was a big highlight, but I found myself coming back to a solid handful of his singles. 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/giY2LY4Q3TI?si=S-3WnmEDTmJmQ8_a" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SMmE_2WMBDA?si=DfRavu-Sv01eYc4V" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/my8cacDcy9I?si=kpjp1UeCrNITzGxC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

These artists appeal to me in how they push the conventions of drill to meet their perspective, with new emotional depth as a result, but alas we still see the emergence of classic, more violent tropes. Here, this is staged as a “beef” between M Row and the Sweepers, particularly Jay5ive. I am not really at all qualified to speak on stuff like this, but my research indicates that M Row and 5ive actually grew up together and are… lowkey kind of friends? I suppose that the [hangouts on Instagram Live](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=64XihCRAaZ7I8AIY&v=65qZGH3L1Kc&feature=youtu.be) speak for themselves… Though I don’t doubt that their current dynamic produces tension amongst their circles? Who’s to say… I suppose I find it reassuring (albeit depressing) that the ultimate end to all the dissing is allegedly just some healthy competition, savvy kids playing into the warped demands of their audience. 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tl7cOpnQlPo?si=FoAw50JfE1kysGwZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

An analysis and critique of how violence is represented in contemporary rap music can be found across Kurious’ new album [*Majician*](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/kurious-mf-doom-rap-new-album-interview-1235113062/), which garnered attention for its MF DOOM credit as Executive Producer. Kurious is cemented as a hallowed figure in the underground rap world due to his feature on Operation Doomsday’s “[?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ldikD78vTw),” but his discography runs deep across decades, representing the Upper West throughout. Hopefully my description thus far hasn’t made the project sound stodgy and moralistic. The new album strikes a lovely balance of aged wisdom and fresh sonics, particularly on tracks like “Untainted” and “1984,” where Kurious waxes about the Upper West Side of his childhood. Other highlights for me include DOOM tribute “Cow’s Eye,” upbeat opener “Unknown Species,” and the head-bumping “Barry Gibbs.” It’s a great release, and it makes the Upper West Side’s big year a true multi-generational front.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EWx5WA5QfHE?si=pIyl3gagQTqKIGAf" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MVTQJQQkj4E?si=_YFL5CfScVXFPb35" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I would be remiss not to mention the Upper West Side rapper who garnered the most critical attention this year, even landing a [Nardwaur interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=w6c1CT5IKT8RU3QE&v=UrY9g0JB0uM&feature=youtu.be) about Riverside Park and local Chinese-Latin restaurants. Of course, I’m talking about Xaviersobased, the experimental vocalist who [skates at the Monument](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dakQJGsMyKg) and shoots [promo vids on 110th](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=zLAvq_7FRT66rIjj&v=7oCFjjOyTjY&feature=youtu.be). Like, I did a double take when I heard the V&T reference on “[Pediatrician](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=3IpTRHp8bYD-uzPy&v=3-5eQXy7wjo&feature=youtu.be).” I had my middle school graduation dinner there! Speaking of middle school, Xav kicked off the year with “[finna go ot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=_eU8pgdn8SG_gkT4&v=JzRwyv4Xq60&feature=youtu.be),” shot at St. John’s the Divine and the courtyard of MS 54 (alma mater of none other than [A$AP Rocky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=BYE9zKahPNm89640&v=xjQBzfLA9MA&feature=youtu.be)). Considering that I also grew up on the Upper West Side listening to a lot of Chief Keef, I liked this track a lot. I find it interesting how geographically close Xavier is to artists like the Sweepers, and yet his music occupies a totally different world, only connecting in tangential moments, like on SoundCloud-loosie-turned-Osamason-video-cameo “[Macaroni Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q5loTbMHio).” Once again invoking Keef, Xav delivers the best version of the 917 Rackz-produced track, which also saw a release from [Jay5ive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg--CqHFiS8). Between *keep it goin xav* and *with 2*, both solid tapes, we also got “ghost town,” blown-out and surreal with stand-out lines like the brazen and emphatic, “Baby I’m sorry if I fucked up your pronouns.”

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dy_XKcpBNvw?si=-alheD8iASNiStjh" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

![Screen Shot 2024-12-06 at 5.47.59 AM.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/Screen_Shot_2024_12_06_at_5_47_59_AM_33bed00569.png)

*Xav getting the Tay Zonday co-sign in the “Macaroni Time” Youtube comments ✍️✍️*

Writing for [Passion of the Weiss](https://www.passionweiss.com/2024/07/25/on-nettspend-xaviersobased-the-confusing-future-of-hip-hop/), Jayson Buford analyzes how Xaviersobased differs from more traditional rap stars, presenting an artsy rebelliousness over the rough grittiness that used to define New York lyricists. I understand how Buford views this as part of a broader, more frustrating shift that aligns with the corporate decontextualization of hip-hop. But simultaneously, it does feel like the article projects a kind of narrow expectation of masculinity onto Xavier that doesn’t feel quite right. Let’s not forget we’re talking about some young bisexual kid. His mom used to be a [house DJ](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/xaviersobased-nettspend-yhapojj-interview-1234982383/) and his dad allegedly works for [Microsoft](https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=iwjlo6blxr4FXBUo&v=yhJrYOkw7tI&feature=youtu.be). Welcome to the Upper West Side! While Buford shakes his head, I think to myself, “The kids are alright.” The last big rap phenom to come out of the neighborhood was Wiki, who depicted Buford’s grit as a suffocating feature of city life. But while Wiki and Ratking did innovate on the classic New York sound, they remained firmly rooted in tradition. It feels refreshing to see Xavier by and large upend that. As Buford points out, his strength is in taking the delocalized influences that come with an internet-based music education and presenting them in a singular manner.

Ultimately, I’m just happy when I get a glimpse of the neighborhood in a music video. Since I no longer live in New York, it’s one of the things that can connect me to home offhandedly when I’m clicking around the web. There’s no delight like catching some random shots of Broadway in the B-roll of a Max B [music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQdP30YH4xs) [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T08Pfm2sB4M). And before Xav was posted up in front of [PS 165](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idAJ9aXrDWs), we got our glimpses of 109th from [Cardi B](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-39SFNDiOCY). Anyways, here’s my top 10 songs – peep the Port Authority bowling alley in the [Diany Dior video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6CZzJMnbs8) if you remain unconvinced of West Manhattan’s cultural dominance this year! 

<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3AbNgEODyD0APxuunqe54Z?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe


Best Music 2024: kimdollars1 On a Huge Year for the Upper West Side

B IVERS

One of the most idiotic, incel-adjacent, lazy (yet simultaneously try-hard) collections of music I've come across in a long time. This is not sonic BDSM so much as mental BDSM, in that it punishes the listener for caring about anything. 

Garrett

Coprophilia more than anything else, imho. 

skerbz

an excellent capsule of the genre for 2024. thanks KPR and Finals! 
my cats and i loved it <3

![kpr 2024.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/kpr_2024_076cbc1d9a.png)

KPR is back with another Finals year end list, and it's full of digitally pulverizing, intermittently beautiful, heart-exploding music.  Shout out to Kieran, an incredible writer who had a banger year [profiling Nettspend](https://i-d.co/article/nettspend-debut-album-profile-interview-2024/) and getting added to P4k as contributing writer under the exciting new era of Mano. Onwards and upwards KPR!

-Andrew

--

The zoomers had fun with breakbeats, now they’re descending deeper, venturing into the zone of beats so hard and fast they’ll mash your brain to blissed-out pulp. Even more agitated, abrasive, and addictive, a new wave of viral electronica is reviving hardcore electronic strands like jumpstyle, hardstyle, and gabber. Much of it sounds cursed, like a laptop vomited it out in a malfunctioning fit. But there’s also unexpectedly angelic tunes with sweet samples and Auto-Tuned vocals. Ballistic kicks have infested everything from emo digicore and “indie sleaze” to sigilkore and movie soundtracks. There’s DSBM with so much juddering jumpstyle chaos it hits more like sonic BDSM. Time to enter the rabid rave abyss.

In descending order:

Degenerescence - "[LASIRENA69](https://showmeariverrecords.bandcamp.com/track/lasirena69)"

dj trippie flameboy - "[seXXXkapkan](https://soundcloud.com/djtrippieflameboy/sexxxkapkan)" / "[b0lit :(](https://soundcloud.com/djtrippieflameboy/b0lit)"

dj weeper - "[JUMPRZ ANONYMOUZ INTERLUDE](https://soundcloud.com/mc-c-ch-nh/jumprz-anonymouz-interlude)"

glixkz, kugakrewceo, woosubi, xoarwhy - "[набрали кондиции в моменте prod. kunkk6](https://soundcloud.com/salmiakkiplaya/nabrali)"

lagoyo - “[300](https://soundcloud.com/lagoyo/300a1)”

glaive - “[Even When the Sun Is Dead](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9iJFXpS1qo)”

*Challengers* Soundtrack, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross & Boys Noize - “[Compress / Repress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bubKYV72-Ng)”

Dayerteq - "[Лапидарностъ 2](https://soundcloud.com/dayerteqq/lapidarnost-2)"

voidvoice717 - "[умираю prod. Dj fullcola666](https://soundcloud.com/voidvoiceforever/umirayu)"

SAIBOTAJE - "[SCHIZOPHRENIA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xILtIjkPwLw)"

zatru - "[sick fukc](https://soundcloud.com/zatru/sick-fuck-prod-zatru)"

rainsdeaf - “[JKAYBITCHHHH](https://soundcloud.com/rainsdeaf/jkaybitchhhhh)”

ilyhiryu - “[econ_yalu2008](https://soundcloud.com/hiryu/econ_yalu2008)”

 hearteyesL - [*EP 2: egl/bjd*](https://soundcloud.com/heart-eyes-laboratory/ep-2-eglbjd)

kuru - “[if you can’t change i won’t either](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoOyOJCHJmY)”

Starcatcher - "[Jumpstyle 444](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxGp0oT57Y0)"

2hollis - “[crush](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWQNWbRiC6I)” / “[gold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X2TE2tjIf8)”

vyrval - "[*✻H+3+ЯД✻*7luCJIo0T6...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0gfSl0tTIY)"

Kieran Press-Reynolds' Brain-Mashing, Body-Bashing Best of 2024 (Jumpstyle, hardstyle, gabber)

![ali 2024.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/ali_2024_646b664db0.png)

She's back! The people's curator Ali Rosa-Salas with a little elite blogging. Thank you Ali!

-Andrew

-- 

When dance and music elevate each other, my spirit feels at peace. This year, I consistently returned to these three videos—inspired by the movement, sounds, and communities that make them so special.

Here it is—Ali’s version of an “end-of-year” list for my favorite dance videos of 2024 that feature incredible music. Shared with you in no particular order, because they’re all my favorites!

**Diane Nardone, John “Boots” Mersier, Bobby Ossias, and Paul Pellicoro at the World Disco Classic, 1999**

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g6wAqww38tg?si=wbUtlUGP_FOBds4Z" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This particular video is one of my all-time favorites on the internet. It was recorded at a jam during the 1999 World Disco Classic, a hustle dance competition and convention. The video highlights some of the elements I cherish most about New York hustle culture at the turn of the century: Diane Nardone, the dancer in the white dress, is one of the most spectacular improvisors I have ever witnessed. Her movement is so grounded and intuitive that it looks like breathing. Then there’s the song that starts at the 1:00 mark: Deborah Cox’s 1995 track “[Sentimental (Uptempo Mix)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9smDvF_-6k),” produced by Dallas Austin. The 1990s were a time when remix albums were still a significant part of hip-hop and R&B’s distribution cycle, which made for a lot of house remixes perfect for hustle. For some reason, the Uptempo Mix isn’t included in Cox’s expanded *Sentimental* album, and I finally tracked it down this year (I felt really smart when I Shazamed the song from my Apple Watch while watching the jam on my computer).

New York hustle is a dance form that is so close to my soul. I love it for many reasons: as an improvised social dance, it requires you to embrace a beginner’s mindset--it's akin to studying a language. For the nearly four minutes that “Sentimental” plays, each dancer adds an element to the conversation that amplifies their unique voice. I also love that in hustle, partnering is gender agnostic--everyone leads and follows. To top it all off, John “Boots” lives up to his name and turns effortlessly in work boots! The improvisational nature of hustle feels as close to magic as humans will get. 

**Academy of Hawaiian Arts’ Wāhine Kahiko Performance at the Merrie Monarch Festival, 2024**

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v4fN4XKYg7E?si=vG3IHy0UrGqVpico" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Often called the “Super Bowl of Hula,” the Merrie Monarch Festival is the most prestigious hula competition in the world. Held annually in Hilo, Hawaii, the festival brings together *halaus* (hula conservatories) from across Hawaii and the United States to compete in two styles of hula: *hula kahiko* and *hula ʻauana*. *Hula kahiko* is considered the traditional form, featuring percussion instruments and *mele* (chants), while *hula ʻauana* incorporates Western instruments like ukuleles and guitars.

*Hula kahiko* is my favorite because of its percussive power and its rhythmic complexity. During the Academy of Hawaiian Arts' 2024 kahiko presentation, they shared *He Inoa Ahi No Kalākaua*, a fire *mele* composed by David Malo to honor the Hawaiian King Kalākaua. Watching the live stream in the middle of the night from my apartment in Brooklyn, I was mesmerized by how the dancers simultaneously maneuvered the *kālaʻau* (wooden poles) and the *papa hehi* (wooden footboards) to create a collective embodied sound.


**Famous Biggs and friends dancing to an unidentified Cash Cobain track, 2024**

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4jYCmmSu-gU?si=80drPgU4FWfoqAe-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If anyone has had a great year, it’s certainly been Cash Cobain. One of the aspects I cherish most about our current era of New York City rap is how dance has been so lovingly embraced, especially by Drill artists. Cash’s “sexy drill” has inspired a playful and flirtatious movement language such as Reem’s [Reemski](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4drLMYLKfN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D) dance, offering levity to an otherwise sturdy-dominated vocabulary.

I recently came across an Instagram post by content creator and dancer [Famous Biggs](https://www.tiktok.com/@famousbiggs?lang=en). The video has the humid glow of a New York City summer night when you’re hanging out with friends way too late, passing around the aux. Surrounded by an affirming circle, Famous Biggs marches around to the beat, clearing his path by sweeping his arms out in front of him. Others soon join in (Reem included!) tenderly tapping their chests to the beat of the track. One dude even makes a heart over his chest with his fingers.

The track playing in the video is undeniably produced by Cash, but I couldn’t find it anywhere online. People in the comments demanded a track ID, to no avail! The only clue that brought me a centimeter closer to identifying it was the sample: Gerry Woo’s 1988 song “[Hey There Lonely Girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOvAR8QMJ94)”, which is a cover of Eddie Holman’s 1969 “[Hey There Lonely Girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tSpZnVnSLQ)”. Usher also recently sampled Woo’s version on his 2024 track “[Please U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hnn0S7e1WI)”.

At the very least, TikTok satisfied my curiosity about the dance's name. To my delight, I learned that it’s called the “heartbeat dance.” I love how a party can create space for tenderness among friends. We need more of that—now and always!

*Ali Rosa-Salas* is a curator who is devoted to the living arts and New York City [@prdiva09](https://www.instagram.com/prdiva09/?hl=en)



Best of 2024: Ali Rosa-Salas' Top 3 Dance Videos

![nick.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/nick_651abe641f.png)

This Finals year end list comes from Brooklyn based stand up comedian Nick Viagas, who runs a monthly show at Littlefield called Struggle Bus with Ivy Wolk, and who fancies himself something of a music expert and a writer as well -- hence the track by track writtens. Give him [a follow](https://www.instagram.com/nickviagas) if ya nasty, and if you ever meet him, give him a positive stroke and let him know how punk he is. Thanks Nick!

<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5bpw0kvZkiw0y8SeDuGIhV?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe>

**Miss Rackz - Bb trickz**

Viral catalan drill rapper. Beat sounds like it's by the guy who made [this reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv-Xim6sc4P/?igsh=MTlwcmk1Z2x5bDA2Ng%3D%3D). I like to sing along phonetically.

**Lock N Key - Anella Herin**

I FW this song so heavy yet Shaboozey is unlistenable to me (no eminem). Tipsy has the aesthetics of "authenticity" that are completely detestable to me after living through The Lumineers. Shaboozey's voice has that once-I-was-20-years-old, heyyyyyy-brother quality. The imagery in Lock N Key puts you at the center of a spinning city, Shaboozey gets you tipsy.

**Hellscape - Sleepwell**

Caught a Sleepwalk show been obsessed since. I have a soft spot for hardcore music about sobriety that isn't cloying. Captures how hopeless and haunted sobriety can be.

**Pandora - Wisp** 

I love fake tiktok shoegaze. Found this on the Gothboyclique ig, a reliable source of heat. Good for thinking about the beautiful and ailing women in your life.

**Rockman - Mk.gee**

Masculine, powerful indie rock. If Frank Ocean made a jock jam. We started a war. Eagle sound.

**The Spark - Kabin Crew, Lisdoonvarna Crew**

Ya know sometimes I can really get on my high horse about having cool music taste. I listened to this shit every day for months. Love a song about how "they're trying to stop us from partying." Thick Irish accent can almost fool you into thinking it’s political. It If yar prad of who you ar and what you do showt it.

**Funtown USA - TV Room**

Disturbing. You can't dance to it, you can't cry to it, you’re hype to kill yourself. I’m finally free. Crazy frog ass beat with some nylon guitar.

**Money Problems - Nino Paid, Lil Gray**

Heard about it in this very publication ([hyperlink](https://finals.blog/posts/thoughts-on-tommy-richman)). Im not a music journalist but this shit is hard. I like the production name FRISSONJOHN. Meezy means someone from Maryland.

**Hate the Real - 41**

Strong sense of form, otherworldly, self-contained. Insecure flows over a jersey club beat with ennui. I wonder what tiktoks TaTa watches.

**Missing Out - Maya Hawke**

I was stressed after the biggest show of my life in February (1200 people). I walked out the stage door of the Tampa Theater into pouring rain and listened to this on wired headphones to collect myself. I was feeling reflective. Whole song is kind of a humble brag. Maya Hawke if you’re reading this do you want to come to my show in January.

**Make It Real - Kurtains**

One of the reasons I like whatever youre supposed to call hyperpop is how my ear catches the switching between analogue and digital. The stop at 02:00 is like that. I can make it real or I can make it funny etc…


Best Music 2024: Nick Viagas' Top 11 Songs

Katy

![steph finals.png](https://finals.blog/api/uploads/steph_finals_c72fa6b553.png)

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Wife guy alert, I'm posting Stephanie Clary's top 10 songs because 15 years in, I love to see where her head's at. 

This list, to me, reflects what an amazing year 2024 was for women in pop. It also speaks to something else I love which is when artists have a huge year. Something about the rubber hitting the road, culturally, sonically, everything lining up and the music feels like it's soundtracking the times. Like, for example. Kendrick Lamar. Huge year. Unified the hating ass west coat. Bodied Drake.  

On this list, obviously Charli XCX had a massive year, and is rightly on there twice. Chappell Roan. Arguably the biggest year. Tinashe. Huge year for her! "Nasty" as a song hit harder than most artists' whole albums. Ariana: huge year, kind of quietly. Sabrina Carpenter, huge ass year. These artists were going for it on a mainstream level and, to me, not conceding anything. Their music is all as uncompromising as you could expect from a starving artist in love with their own visions, and the sounds they hear in their heads. You could say we are living in a true poptimist's dream right now, and I would not disagree. 

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Best Music 2024: Stephanie Clary's Top 10 Songs