Music

Dear Nicki Minaj, I own AllHipHop.com. AllHipHop has been historically uber supportive of the rapper Nicki Minaj. That’s YOU, homie! When I say historically, we can take it all the way back to when you had to stand in line to get into parties or those grimy underground videos you once pumped out on the streets. You know, that period of time before Lil Wayne and Young Money. Along the way, something changed. This isn’t the change everybody wants to talk about though. No hate there. AllHipHop had published an old image for some reason or another some years ago. You remember the one of you licking a lollipop and evoking the now-classic image of Lil Kim in all of her crotchiness? Of course you remember your version of that image, because you asked us to take it down through a member of the...

When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they've had enough, that they're ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it's too late, she's gone. Frustratingly it's not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene. I've known Amy Winehouse for years. When I first met her around Camden she was just some twit in a pink satin jacket shuffling round bars with mutual friends, most of whom were in cool indie bands or peripheral Camden figures Withnail-ing their way through life on impotent charisma...

Dear Kelly There's a good chance you'll never see this note, seeing as how you're busy being awesome at life: churning out hit singles, killing it on "Ellen," raising your gorgeous kid. But I'm writing in anyway, because being picked on for your appearance is so universal — and your response to it is such a thing of beauty — that I feel compelled to write. I'm glad Fox News host Chris Wallace apologized for telling you to "stay off the deep-dish pizza for a little while." I'm glad radio goofball Mike Gallagher apologized for asking Wallace, "Have you seen Kelly Clarkson? Holy cow, did she blow up." I hope British blowhard Katie Hopkins locates the better angels of her nature and realizes her jabs at you are neither witty nor relevant. (Not holding my breath. Doubt you...

Dear Taylor Swift, It's the face we choose to make when we get to an autograph line. Little girls are lined up with posters and guitars with our names on them, anxious to tell us about their upcoming talent show. We're walking with our security and our team hurting and broken about the pain inside but the second we turn that corner, we have to put our lives on hold for the sake of the lives in the crowd. We're not being fake... not lying about what's going on... merely doing what we have to do to be who we're called to be. Like you, I "came out of nowhere" (in the music industry) as many blogs and reviewers have said. Though I've been singing my whole life and playing (semi... ha-ha) payed gigs since high school, I didn't get a record deal until I was around 18. I was signed to (a...