2016

Summary

Podcast Summary: Black People Love Paramore – Episode: 2016

Date: May 28, 2026
Host: Sequoia Holmes
Co-Host: Ryann Graham

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Episode Overview

This lively, nostalgia-soaked episode dives into "2016"—specifically the unique period famously dubbed "Summer 16." Hosts Sequoia Holmes and Ryann Graham reminisce about why 2016 holds such a revered place in pop culture, Black experience, and personal histories. They unpack defining music moments, viral trends, evolving social media landscapes, and how the spirit of 2016 has become a touchstone for collective memory and joy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Magic of 2016 – A Scene That Cannot Be Repeated

• Endless Summer Vibes

  • Both Sequoia and Ryann describe the feeling that most of 2016 felt like "one long summer," representing hope, transition, and excitement.
  • "Summer 16, the Bad Bitch that you were. Many a ho has tried, but nary a ho has compared. 2016, she transcended the music, the vibes, the trends." – Sequoia (02:22)

• Major Life Transitions

  • Both hosts moved to LA in 2016, experienced career changes (joining BuzzFeed), and navigated the classic, stressful LA housing hustle.
  • Memorable anecdote: the difficulty of securing LA apartments without being in the city—and the era’s reliance on in-person job interviews (04:00–06:00).

Lasts and Changes: The End of Innocence

• A List of “Lasts” (09:03–10:30):

  • Last time Drake and Kanye were “normal”
  • Last Rihanna and Frank Ocean albums
  • Last year of Vine
  • Last time Instagram was lighthearted
  • Last monoculture moment in pop culture
  • Last time certain personal things (e.g., driver's license weight!) were accurate
  • "2016 was memorable in part because it was the last time for a lot of things, and we didn't realize it." – Sequoia (09:03)

• On Monoculture and Music:

  • Massive albums: Drake’s Views, Rihanna’s Anti, Lemonade, Frank Ocean’s Blonde/Endless, Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book, Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman (17:50–18:25)
  • "That was the last year where it's like, everyone's like, oh, yeah, that's a big album." – Sequoia (18:25)

Social Media & Internet Culture (20:25–24:24)

• Pre-TikTok, Pre-Ad Saturation

  • Instagram was about curated photos, not constant video content.
  • Influencers and content creators were mostly makeup/fashion girlies; “content creator” wasn’t even a term yet.
  • Club and nightlife culture existed with less digital intrusion— ring lights and phone lights in clubs are bemoaned as a modern downgrade (21:44–23:19).

• Facebook Albums & Murals

  • They reminisce about uploading full albums to Facebook, wing murals, the pink wall in LA, and the rise of location-based, highly 'grammable backdrops (26:00–27:44).

Music & Pop Culture: 2016’s Soundtrack

• Iconic Songs/Albums—A Lightning Round (from 33:13 onward)

  • Drake: "One Dance," "Controller," "Hotline Bling"
  • Rihanna: "Work" (w/ Drake), "Needed Me"
  • Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna: "This Is What You Came For"
  • Fifth Harmony: "Work from Home"
  • Designer: “Panda”
  • Chance the Rapper: "No Problem," "Blessings"
  • The Chainsmokers: “Closer,” “Don’t Let Me Down”
  • Sia: “Cheap Thrills”
  • Justin Bieber: "Sorry," "Let Me Love You"
  • 21 Pilots: "Stressed Out," "Ride"
  • D.R.A.M.: “Broccoli”
  • Lizzo: "Good as Hell" (not widely known until years later)

• Defining Club/Festival Vibes

  • "There was a certain sound at the time, a certain synth...it was plucky… and so much music at that time had that." – Sequoia (40:04)

• Happy Rap & Monoculture

  • 2016 was possibly the last year for "happy rap"—Chance the Rapper, D.R.A.M., Lil Yachty.
  • The rise of the “club banger” and the decline of radio dominance is explored.

• Era of Challenges and Virality

  • The Mannequin Challenge (to “Black Beatles,” Rae Sremmurd)—the last true viral “monoculture” trend
  • Other trends: Snapchat filters (dog, flower crown), VSCO edits, and choker necklaces

The Shift to Fragmentation (52:20–57:00)

• Billboard Top 10, Then vs. Now

  • They compare the Billboard Top 10 from 2016 to 2026: in 2016, everyone—regardless of genre—knew the hits. In 2026, charting songs are widely unknown beyond niche groups, a result of TikTok-driven virality and algorithm-driven music consumption.
  • "In 2016, it required monoculture to go number one. And now it absolutely does not." – Sequoia (53:05)

• Artists' Trajectories

  • Conversation on career “breaks”: musicians broke bigger and sooner in 2016; now, stardom is slower and more fragmented.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

On Why 2016 "Hit Different"

• "I think 2016 was memorable in part because it was the last time for a lot of things, and we did not realize that it was the last time a lot of things were true. And the last time a lot of things were happening." – Sequoia (09:03)
• "It feels like we're chasing the high of 2016." – Ryann (24:24)

On Club Culture & Influencer Evolution

• "Influencer then was trying to get a good picture… Now, [it’s about] good content, good video content, which kind of ruins a lot of experiences because you're always going to be in the background of somebody's video." – Sequoia (22:48)

On Defining Music Trends

• "We don't really have a song of the summer anymore." – Sequoia (18:36)
• "2016: The last monoculture. The last year everyone was listening to the same music at the same time." – Ryann (56:17)

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Laughter, Shade & Draft: Best Songs of 2016

At [59:16], Sequoia and Ryann competitively draft their ideal 2016 party playlist; standouts include:

Ryann’s Picks:

• “This Is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna
• “Cake by the Ocean” – DNCE
• “Into You” – Ariana Grande
• “Hotline Bling” – Drake
• “Too Good” – Drake ft. Rihanna

Sequoia’s Picks:

• “Work” – Rihanna ft. Drake
• “One Dance” – Drake
• “Broccoli” – D.R.A.M.
• “Jumpman” – Drake & Future
• “White Iverson” – Post Malone

"Let me know which party you’d attend: mine with the Blacks or Ryann’s with the gays." – Sequoia (68:05)

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Memorable & Humorous Exchanges

• On the Downfall of Club Culture:
  "I went to the club recently, and they kept lighting up the dance floor with those damn clip-on lights on their phones." – Sequoia (22:49)
• On Influencer “Dreams”:
  "I remember saying one time that I want to be an influencer...I meant being influential! I had just started to hear the term." – Sequoia (21:52)
• On Song Fatigue:
  “Happy by Pharrell...at first I loved it, and then it felt like torture. And ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ was never fun. Sorry!” – Ryann (36:01)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Introduction & 2016 as a Cultural Phenomenon: 00:00–03:10
• Personal Life Transitions (Moves, Jobs): 03:10–07:30
• The Lasts of 2016 (Music, Social Trends): 09:03–13:35
• Music, Albums & Monoculture: 15:00–18:36
• Discussion of Social Media & Influencer Evolution: 20:25–24:24
• Visual Trends: Murals, Facebook Albums: 26:00–27:44
• Club/Party culture & Shifting Norms: 22:49–24:24
• Defining Songs/Music Lightning Round: 33:13–49:49
• Comparing Billboard Top 10: 2016 and 2026: 52:20–57:00
• Song Draft: 59:16–68:06

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Tone and Style

Conversational, comedic, full of nostalgia, and sprinkled with pop culture shade. Both hosts expertly blend personal memories with sharp pop cultural analysis, and their banter brings laughs, hot takes, and relatable reminiscence for anyone who experienced or wishes they’d experienced 2016 in real time.

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For New Listeners

This episode is essential listening for nostalgia heads, music lovers, and anyone curious about the “last great year” of pop culture. The hosts create a vivid, entertaining snapshot of 2016’s energy, why it mattered, and what we lost as culture fragmented. If you ever catch yourself wishing you could go back to simpler, vibier times…this one’s for you.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Welcome to Black People Love Paramore, a podcast not about the band Paramore, but a show about the common as well as the uncommon interests of black people. In order to help us feel a little bit more scene. I am Sequoia Holmes. And I'm Ryan Graham. And before we get into the episode, if you have a second, take it and rate us 5 stars and actually write out a review if you feel so inclined, because the reviews are so fun. I don't know if you've looked at Apple podcasts. I haven't. But that's the only place where I think you can actually type out a review for the podcast. It is very, very fun.

[B]

It's probably, it's like, I'm assuming, very complimentary.

[A]

It's very complimentary. It's so nice. I mean, people do leave constructive criticism there as well.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Which I'm not. And, you know, I'm not a person.

[B]

I do love getting feedback.

[A]

I do like getting feedback.

[B]

Constructive.

[A]

You have constructive. Yeah. Don't be on some. Oh, your voice is annoying.

[B]

I can't fix that.

[A]

And it's not. My voice is not annoying. So let's start there. But yeah, if you have something constructive to say for truly, where you're like, I think this show would be better

[B]

if you did leave it there. Yeah.

[A]

I'm not mad. I wouldn't be mad at that at all. But Today's topic is 2016. I'm colloquially saying summer 16, but really we're talking about the space fan of the year of 2016. We might even throw in a little bit of 2015, maybe even a touch of 2017. So bear with us.

[B]

I think that just speaks to the power of 2016.

[A]

It does.

[B]

Also, I think we would refer to it as summer 16 because the whole year really felt most of the year. There's a distinct turning point, but most of the year felt like summer. It all felt like an endless summer.

[A]

I call it Summer Sixteen because Drake has a song called Summer Sixteen that came out in 2016 where that. I think that's where it came from. I don't know, because you're right.

[B]

It's certainly like, you know, is it like the stand of it all where, like, it came from a thing, but now it's just so.

[A]

But it just is. Yes. Like, nobody's like, oh, yeah, that's Drake. So.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, it's just like summer 16 because it was quite a vibe.

[B]

Yeah, it was quite a vibe. I feel that I distinctly. Summer 16 was such. Such a good time. Good energy, good vibes. I think everything still felt hopeful.

[A]

I did write out an introduction if you like it. Put five stars in the comments if you like it. Maybe five palm trees.

[B]

Yeah, give me something. Summer.

[A]

Yeah, give me something. Five suns, sun, emojis, five palm trees. Whatever you think is a mojito emoji. Whatever. Give me five of those. Summer 2016. The Bad Bitch that you were. Many a ho has tried, but nary a ho. As compared. 2015 was a vibe. 2017 was cute. But 2016, 16, she transcended the music, the vibes, the trends. We're going to unpack it all right here on Black People Love Paramore.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

That was like gospel. It felt like a download.

[A]

And I wrote a poem. Oh. Ooh. Please. I actually did try to write a poem, and I did not end up writing one. I did not have time, but I did want to write a poem.

[B]

You know what the thing is, I think that Summer sixteen is a poem in itself. How can one write a poem about a year? That feels so poetic.

[A]

Feel me.

[B]

That's really what it is.

[A]

The year in and of itself was so poetic. It had so much poetry to it. That year.

[B]

I, I, I feel like that year feels specifically really magical for me. It was the year I moved to la.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so, like, that was when I was like, Like, I, I graduated from grad school. It all felt like, oh, life is shifting to where I am now. That makes sense.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I really. That's. It's 10 years ago, which is also scary. Like, I've been in LA for 10 years. It's kind of scary.

[A]

Same. I moved to LA this year as well. In 2016. Yeah. What? But not in the summer. But I did.

[B]

When did you move?

[A]

I moved to LA in September. Maybe That's.

[B]

I mean, okay, so it literally, like

[A]

the end of summer. Yeah.

[B]

That's wild. And we. We didn't run into each other for years at that. A year, maybe two a year. It was BuzzFeed.

[A]

I started in BuzzFeed in 2017.

[B]

Same. But I don't know.

[A]

I started in October.

[B]

Oh. I got hired December. And that's the other thing. That's where I got. I got hired December 2016. And I didn't start until January 2017, but I got hired the day after. They had that really crazy holiday party at wizard of Our Harry Potter World. They all were like, everyone was in my. That's probably how I got the job. That's not. I'm talented. I shouldn't say that as a joke.

[A]

I Got the job.

[B]

But they were all hungover in my interview. Not all of them, but a couple of them hungover.

[A]

That's so funny. Oh, you had an in person interview. I forget. I did. I did. I just forget that that's how jobs used to work. Like I had to take off work to go to my buzzfeed interview.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I had to lie about going to a dentist appointment to go to my buzzfeed interview.

[B]

Didn't click in my brain.

[A]

Yeah, that.

[B]

Because like that was I guess, really the last in person interview. That was the last in person interview I have had for a job.

[A]

It wasn't the last one I had because I got laid off in Buzzfeed in 2019 and then I had in after that. But it was one of the last

[B]

ones I had for sure that I. Yeah, I. Cause like I. I stayed at Buzzfeed until 2019 when I got recruited. I didn't like interview. They just pulled me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then. And then Covid. So I really. Yeah. And I. In my brain until this very moment, I didn't even consider that. Yeah. You. Yeah. Gen Z. Anyone in the. Entering the job. You used to have to go to a building for a first round job. I'm telling you because I know sometimes people go now for like later final rounds.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But no, you're. You maybe might get a call back and you would have to leave work or take off work to go to a job interview.

[A]

I literally worked down the street from buzzfeed. My old job was at Attention, which was also a media company and it was like in the same neighborhood. And so I was like, I have a dentist appointment. And I just ran over to my buzzfeed interview, had my interview real quick and I dressed better than usual that day too. They were like, why are you dressed. You know what I mean?

[B]

Dressed better as in dressed up or. Oh, no, you meant attention was like.

[A]

Attention. Yeah. Attention was like, why are you dressed differently to go to your Dennis appointment? I'll be like, you're like, no, I'm not dressed differently. This is how I always dress, mind you. I used to come in and sweats in a crop top.

[B]

So I'm trying to become Mrs. Dennis.

[A]

Hello.

[B]

You know what I mean? Maybe I'm trying to get chose.

[A]

I have going on at the dentist.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Okay. He could be working in my mouth in multiple ways.

[B]

Right. Drilling something else. Hello.

[A]

Very much that actually. So mind your business. Okay. 2016, summer I was turning. I turned 22 that summer. I turned 22 in June of 2016. So the first half, well, I was 21. Second half, I was 22. Oh, what a time. And I was in D.C. you guys, in 2016.

[B]

You.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I always get your timeline so much.

[A]

I mean, because that year was kind of chaotic. It was like I was supposed to graduate college that year, but I graduated early. So I graduated at the end of 2015. I started grad school that year. At the end of 2016, I was in D.C. for the beginning, for the majority of 2016. And then I was in L. A for the end of 2016. It was just like, a lot. Yeah, I moved apartments. Like, I did. I moved apartments three times in 2016. It was just like, a lot of moving. Yeah, it was like I lived One place in D.C. was Tommy your roommate there too? Not this time. She was my first time in 2015 in D.C. but not in 2016. 2016. I moved back by myself after I graduated college. I had a roommate who was like a friend, and I was living with her in her studio apartment, and I was not supposed to be there. I was not on the lease. And so her leasing agent found out and was like, she has to get out. And so they gave me 30 days to evict the premises. And so then I moved to Hyattsville, Maryland, where I was also not on the lease, but moved to Hyattsville, which is like a short train ride outside of D.C. lived there, and then moved to LA at the end of the year. Got my own apartment for the first time.

[B]

By yourself?

[A]

No, you got my own apartment where I was on the lease.

[B]

Understood.

[A]

Yeah, I was like, where it wasn't college, you know, for the first time.

[B]

Great. I also had a similar, like, I shouldn't have been in this apartment story when I first moved to la. Cause, like, LA is a hard city to move to. It is a city that you have to be in the city to, like, get a job or an apartment. Really? Like, it is very. Unless you're very rich, it is very difficult to get a lease in your name without actively being here on site.

[A]

Is it?

[B]

Yeah. Like, I remember trying to call places before, and I mean, I don't even know if it's like a money thing. Some of it is just like, these apartments are going. Someone can be in here today.

[A]

Today and sign this.

[B]

So, yeah, so I like, no, you calling me about moving here a month. We don't care. Like, we need you in this weekend or not.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And so. And then Jobs always wanted your address to be in la. They were like, if I like Applying for Missouri.

[A]

They're like, we don't care. So you needed an LA address.

[B]

Exactly. So I moved into my friend's house, and similarly, we were just, like, living in their living room. And they. Their. The landlord's mother was like the next door neighbor, and she like, the first day, two days was fine. And then by day three, my friend was. So my landlord just said her mom noticed that we had come and gone for three days in a row and that the rules say that people can't stay longer. It was some. Oh, it was whack. And we had to be out. It wasn't even 30 days. It was like, be out by the end of the week. And so that's when we started Airbnb for, like, Airbnb.

[A]

I had the Airbnb as well.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Crazy. Wow. What a time.

[B]

It's crazy, though, to be fair. I think. But maybe that's. Again, it made summer 16 feel so. Because we were growing up as well.

[A]

Truly. It was such a crazy time. I think 2016 was memorable in part because it was like the last time for a lot of things, and we did not realize that it was the last time a lot of things were true. And the last time a lot of things were happening. I made a list.

[B]

Ooh. Ooh.

[A]

It was the last time Drake was normal. That's important to me. Okay.

[B]

And define normal.

[A]

What? Like the last time he was not skewing red pill. Skewing. It was the last time that he was for the girls.

[B]

You know what's crazy? Did we even have red? It was. We did last time. We didn't even know we would have red pill. What was red pill then?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Well, but yeah, I don't know.

[A]

And it was. It was the last time before he got into a beef with or. It was the last time he wanted. That was the last time. Yes. He was beefing with meek mill in 2016. That's the last time that he wanted back to back. It was pretty back to back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Crazy got the Drake and me going back. And then Summer sixteen was a dis. The song Summer sixteen by Drake was a diss track to Meek Mill.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah, that was great.

[B]

So his last year he was normal. And last year I liked Drake. I, like, actively was like 100, 100.

[A]

Last time Drake was normal. Last time Drake won a rap beef. Last time Kanye was normal. Last time Rihanna would drop an album. Last time the political landscape did not feel like hell on earth. The last time Frank Ocean would drop an album. The last year vine existed, the last time Instagram wasn't that serious, the last time buzzfeed was still iconic, the last time there was monoculture, and the last time my driver's license weight was still accurate.

[B]

That's crazy. Wow. I to ask, but I know I. I won't. I. A gentleman would.

[A]

It says 110, and that's insane. And you can't tell me that I'm not. Yeah, right. Thank you.

[B]

I can't believe that you now. It is like lying. The opposite. You're. It's overweight now. It's crazy.

[A]

I have not been £110. Oh, my God. I've been under for such a long time, you know?

[B]

Just kidding. All bodies are welcomed. Please love your bodies. At any rate what I'm saying, that list is insane. I didn't realize that Frank Ocean also hasn't put out music since then. In my brain. That doesn't compute.

[A]

He did Blonde and Endless in summer, both in 2016.

[B]

Rihanna. I knew. But that also feels crazy that it's been 10 years since we've gotten a Rihanna album.

[A]

Isn't it crazy?

[B]

Because, like, Rihanna used to be like, every year it's upsetting.

[A]

Year, it's upsetting. And she keeps talking about R9. R9. Like, girl, stop.

[B]

Let it go. I don't believe you.

[A]

Don't irritate me. Stop annoying me.

[B]

There's like, there's a whole generation of people who don't, like, she literally know

[A]

her as a musician.

[B]

It's celebrity. You're just a celebrity.

[A]

And Rihanna, she had just hit her stride at Anti. Like, I feel like that was where I was like, oh, I love this direction that you're going. What now?

[B]

Right?

[A]

Nothing.

[B]

I do feel like, because most of her things were just, like, hits. She was a hit maker. And like, literally, I'm just cranking.

[A]

But not a project maker. No.

[B]

Yeah. And that was the first time it was like, oh, this is a project. This is a project. Project. And, like, it feels interesting and, like, cohesive in a way. Her albums were always like, they go together a collection of songs. But that feels like, oh, there feels to be some, like, much more connective tissue here than you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I don't. I don't. I'm only comparing it to, like, eliminate in the sense of that felt like a breakout moment for Beyonce and that's what Anti felt like.

[A]

Exactly. I agree.

[B]

And yeah, it's weird to go from that to nothing. I mean, I guess I shouldn't say nothing. She released Things. We've gotten things from your innocence. But like barely. Very barely. Most of the dispersed movies actually, except

[A]

one for Smurfs movie. And then there was one, the other

[B]

animated movie she did as well.

[A]

Home. But there was also one for Utopia. No, it was the one with t' Challa in them. She's something for Black Panther, I think. I think for Black Panther too. I'm like, oh, what?

[B]

No, it was just Kendrick in her. And I don't know that it was Black Panther. Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty.

[A]

No, not that.

[B]

Oh, she did a black.

[A]

I think she did a Black Panther too. I think it was Black Panther 2.

[B]

There's a second Black Panther.

[A]

Panther.

[B]

I didn't see it.

[A]

Right. You didn't see the second Black Panther.

[B]

I didn't Lift. Lift me up.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

The negro spiritual. I didn't need it. I didn't need a negro spiritual from Rihanna, but thank you. I don't.

[A]

Not from Rihanna. I really don't.

[B]

I forgot she did that. But no, I really have not seen Black. I haven't.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That doesn't matter. That wasn't 2016, right?

[A]

No, that was. That was definitely not 2016. But yeah, that's the last time we got an album from Rihanna and I'm very annoyed at her for that. So Rihanna fix it soon now. Thank you.

[B]

Also, like, the thought of vine going away because again, I remember this was when TikTok was called musically or something. Cuz I remember being pro. Musically anti. I'm like, I think I'm really. I was someone who used musical ly and I never used vine and then

[A]

I stopped musically when it was called. You never used Vine? You never scrolled on Vine?

[B]

I don't even know if I had vine downloaded. No. What? I didn't do vine or Snapchat.

[A]

You never did either.

[B]

I, I. Because like, Snapchat always like directly felt like it was for nudes. And I'm like, I'm not doing that.

[A]

I never. And I never even thought about it as news.

[B]

That's what I guess. Because I was in a fraternity.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Anyone I knew who was using Snapchat, they were using it to like send news.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Most. I shouldn't say anyone, but a lot of people were. And so I always looked at it like, oh, this is just like a sex Sting app. And so I never got into it. Wow. And I don't know why I didn't do Vine. I just didn't.

[A]

Yeah. I'm very surprised by that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was not like a. Vine was. Oh, my God. Vine was Dying. But that was the last year, last full year that it existed. I think it went defunct. They ended it in January 2017. Right.

[B]

And then I remember Twitter bought it, but I don't know if they ever did anything with it.

[A]

I don't know like it was purchasing with it either.

[B]

But I don't know what happened.

[A]

And I. I'm hearing now that Jack Dorsey question mark, who owned. Owned Twitter, is supposed to be reviving vine now.

[B]

I feel like it's late.

[A]

I'd have it. And it's supposed to be anti AI, anti ads, question mark. Something like that, right? Something like that. I don't trust.

[B]

I'm saying that they all start that way. Yeah.

[A]

You gave Elon Twitter.

[B]

Twitter, yeah. Go away. Sure.

[A]

But speaking of the albums, there was big albums that year as well. There's views by Drake that really is. That holds a crazy spot in my heart. I was listening to it on the way here to prepare and I was like, wow, hits how far we have fallen. Sick. Rihanna's Anti Work was the song of the summer. Work was everywhere to this day.

[B]

It makes me move and like, I like, every time I hear, I'm just like, Jamie and is it.

[A]

And then that was Drake and Rihanna and they were together at that time.

[B]

They were dating at this time too. Did you know was that the song or that was the second one. That his first number one was from Rihanna with what's my name first. Drake's first number one.

[A]

Yeah, that sounds good.

[B]

Second one was with her on work. Yeah, he. That's what I'm saying. Like, Drake was also not a hitmaker that he is known to be more so today, but 2016 he was not. And like, I do feel like 2016 is what made him become.

[A]

He was a hitmaker. He just wasn't.

[B]

Sorry, when I say. But I mean, like, I think 2016 is what solidified him as ubiquitous in like a more mainstream way. Am I wrong?

[A]

That's not my read on it.

[B]

But I think for like non rap fans.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think that's when he like starts to do more. Like, because to me, that's when I really remember being like, oh, everyone loved Drake. Like, like everyone.

[A]

And maybe in 2016 this was not the case. Oh, maybe because I remember being in the minority being like, you guys views and people are like, that's his worst album.

[B]

Is this not Controller?

[A]

It's Controller. Yeah.

[B]

Didn't people love people?

[A]

Did people love Controller? People love one Dance. But people did not like views as a whole.

[B]

I'm boiling it down.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The hits. And I'm like, I remember those songs everywhere. Is this also Justin Bieber's sorry?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That's 2016.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Insane iconic video.

[A]

The Canadians was running it.

[B]

That's why.

[A]

Matter of fact, Drake said on summer 16, I'm not even from around here. How you let me run it down here. I'm not even from around here.

[B]

Crazy. Okay, well, not you. That really typed effect that upset me

[A]

when he said it. I remember being like, somebody come collect this Canadian.

[B]

Because I've.

[A]

I actually won't hear him say that again.

[B]

But that's crazy.

[A]

Canadians was running it in 2016.

[B]

What's more action packed than prestige television

[A]

with more continuity than comic books and more reality than reality television?

[B]

It's professional wrestling. And to better understand wrestling is the ultimate form of entertainment, you need the Tights and Fights podcast.

[A]

This is the perfect wrestling show with a lot of love, a lack of toxic masculinity, and just the right amount of butts, cats and spandex. Listen to Tights and Fights every Saturday on Maximum Fun. Lemonade came out that year. Blonde by Frank Ocean came out that year. Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book came out that year. Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande came out that year. It was a really good album. And it was again the last time we had monoculture. I think we see these as really big albums because they were everywhere, ubiquitously, really big albums. I think that was the last year where it's like, everyone's like, oh, yeah, that's a big. Yeah, that's a big album.

[B]

Everyone knew these.

[A]

And there was a song. It was like the last year there was a song of the summer. And it was work or it was controller or it was one dance.

[B]

It was certainly work.

[A]

It was.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

You know, by.

[B]

Not you.

[A]

Me. Yeah.

[B]

But I guess I'm wondering if. Because that really. I would argue that Dangerous Woman is what gave us. Not gave us Ariana Grande.

[A]

Ariana Grande was really broken.

[B]

But that's where it was like, oh, you are a. You are not. Just like, you know, she wasn't in the Kia Asylum, but she was in the testing stage. I forget whatever the breaks.

[A]

I don't. I don't think that. But I think she was like, still Kitty.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

And then she wasn't Kitty.

[B]

This was her adult album. I don't think that's true. I think her. Yours truly would have been that. Not yours truly. What was the one after that? Because NTU is not on Dangerous Woman, is it?

[A]

It is. Wait, Wait a minute.

[B]

Maybe it was Maybe Dangerous Woman was her. Like, can't be tamed.

[A]

It was her. It was her. Like, I'm moving into real music. Like, I know that I had a good Nickelodeon fan base, and so I made music that they could like, but also that other people could like as well. And then it's a Dangerous Woman. She said, so anyways, like, enough of Don't Attack.

[B]

That's when.

[A]

Don't talk to me about Cat Valentine again.

[B]

She's like, she was no longer attached to Nickelodeon the way that, like before was like, oh, yeah, the Nickelodeon kid.

[A]

That's how I feel about it.

[B]

I. What was in between yours truly and Dangerous Woman? I feel like there was an album and maybe there is.

[A]

No, no, no. There is Ariana Grande.

[B]

My Everything.

[A]

My everything correct.

[B]

I think my everything is when she was starting to be like, oh, actually, no, that. This is her breakout. This is break free. This is my everything.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Problem. Bang, bang. My. That's when she was in the test.

[A]

This is still kid.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

This little kid music.

[B]

Because bang bang. You know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it was like, she looks to Nicki Minaj and Jesse J. She looked like a child next to Baby Baby.

[A]

Oh, that's not the song. That was. That was. This is anyway crazy.

[B]

But yes, Dangerous Woman. You're right. Breakout. That was her.

[A]

Like, that's insane. So 26, you guys, if you weren't there, I'm so sorry that you weren't there, because it was really a time. It was also last time club culture was still a thing.

[B]

Yeah. I was like, I remember being outside. I remember, like, having drinks. Like, dance floors being packed.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, you're right. Instagram wasn't serious in the way. Like, there were influencers.

[A]

Yes, there were influencers, but they were not.

[B]

Not like it is now.

[A]

Not like it is now. There was way less of them, obviously.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's way fewer of them. And their intentions were different. Like, an influencer then was trying to get a good picture.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

An influencer now is trying to get good content. Good video content, which kind of ruins a lot of experiences because you're always going to be in the background of somebody's video.

[B]

You're always gonna be, you know, and it was like. Because, like. And not. Yeah. Like when they were just taking pictures, in fact, they would want you out of it because it's like, oh, this just.

[A]

They're not gonna be in the middle of the club, you know, with the. With a ring light.

[B]

It was never like a big lighting setup type of thing. It was never that like you or even like food content wasn't like that. Like people made food content.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

It was like, oh, in a kitchen. It wasn't like, oh, now I'm going and dining.

[A]

It was always like one picture. Yeah. It was like, oh, here's my the thing.

[B]

And then that's that it was never

[A]

kind of shifted food content to be kind of more video forward making stuff.

[B]

And it now is kind of shifted towards like, watch me eat this stuff.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Which. Yeah. And you're right, influencer culture was, it was so different. It was very vastly different. And there were fewer were. And it wasn't like, you know how everyone's like when they ask kids what they want to be, they say influencers or streamers. Now I think back then it still would have been like an actor.

[A]

I think they would have said YouTuber because it was the influencer. And that brings me to makeup. Girlies were like the dominant influencers.

[B]

Yeah, you're right.

[A]

Influencer had just started to become a term because I remember saying one time that I want to be an influencer without understanding what an influencer was. And then what I meant was I wanted to be influential. Like I wanted to like talk on the radio or whatever. And I had just started to hear the term influencer. Influencer. And I was like, yes, that's what I want to be. And then it started to be clear that influencer meant something different than what I was trying to make it mean.

[B]

I also feel like we didn't have the phrase content creator back then. It was just influencer. I feel like now there's like a

[A]

whole other thing because influencer seems like a certain level of content creator.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

To me, as I read it now, you know, whereas if you say you are a content creator, you are definitely somebody that makes content, but maybe you are not influencing other people or making a ton of other. A ton of revenue from that. From making the content.

[B]

Yeah. Interesting. I didn't consider how different the like being outside landscape was.

[A]

It was so different.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I went to the club recently, like maybe a month ago. I'm telling you, they kept lighting up the dance floor with those damn clip on lights on their phones.

[B]

Oh, people would bring them to everybody.

[A]

It was, it was so often. It was so often. It just takes you out of the moment, you know, like you're in a dark club, you're like kind of starting to get into it and then suddenly the brightest, brightest, brightest light is in your face because somebody is getting. It's so. And I'M in the background doing this while their friend records them, and they're like.

[B]

And I don't want to take that away from people. I guess I don't like it in the club. I don't like it. I just feel like, because I agree. Make your content, do your things. I just feel like we've become less present. Not even that. I mean that as well. But you are selfish in the sense that you are not. You are. Your content is becoming the priority over someone else's space. And, like, you were not considering that there's another person also enjoying the club

[A]

who paid to be here.

[B]

Yeah, I'm like, who did the exact. Like, why are you making this music video when I'm right here? I'm just trying to have fun.

[A]

And, like, literally light all in my face. And it happened over and over and over. It wasn't like. It wasn't once. It was, like, consistent the other night with every 15, 20 minutes or so. Right when I started to, you know, get into the vibe, I'm taking out of it again.

[B]

I do feel like summer 16, maybe that's a part of why we highlight it so much, because it still has all of the. All the things we like about now, but it still feels like. It feels like we keep doubling down on all of the things from 2016, but trying to chase it, but we never get back to what the original essence was. It's like we're chasing the high of 2016.

[A]

We are chasing the high of 2016. Let's talk about some of the trends that were. That gave us the high choker necklaces. I know you didn't wear choker Chokers were so back. Chokers were so back in 2016.

[B]

Is 2016 fashion. Keep going through the. Okay. Because I'm like. I remember, like, recently when everyone was like, here are the trends that were going, and they always have, like, some weird. I'm like, y' all weren't there. Like, we were pretty busted. Not busted, like, ugly. But, like, it was a very distinct thing. Our makeup. Worse draggy. Like, everyone looked.

[A]

I was gonna say makeup was definitely different. It was colorful. Eye looks were really, really in. Always a cut crease. And I. Oh, I was a cut crease queen. I lived in a cut crease. Like, my eyes were always done up, and it was like, a bright lip.

[B]

Yes. A bright hair.

[A]

Yeah, I think.

[B]

Yeah, it was. And I wonder if that's why Gen Z and thus Gen Alpha has become so trad wifey. Because we took up all the. The fun. We Took up all the.

[A]

We took up all the joy.

[B]

All the joy, all the whimsy, like, legitimately.

[A]

Wow. We were really whimsical.

[B]

Cuz, like, even I know we're doing summer 16, but a couple years before, we were doing, like, LMFAO party rock. Like, we had such fun music. That's what I'm saying.

[A]

2012 rivals 2016.

[B]

And I don't think people.

[A]

A special year, really. I won't. I won't get too far.

[B]

But 2012, I. I think what happened was 2012 was all of the silliness, because if you go back and listen to the actual music, it's kind of bad, but it's. It's fun bad. Like, it is not good quality, but it's fun. 2016 mastered that. It's like it took the essence, all the ingredients from 2012 and said, oh, we're gonna make it.

[A]

Actually, I'm telling you.

[B]

Timeless music.

[A]

I'll have a photo of myself from 2016, December 2016, where I have a choker. There's my. There's me.

[B]

This is what I'm saying. We.

[A]

Here's. And this is a very quintessential 2016 outfit. Like, this is a deeply. This from a Facebook album where I posted every single.

[B]

This is.

[A]

This is also very 2016 where I posted every single.

[B]

Y' all don't remember having Facebook?

[A]

You guys don't remember. You weren't there. I'm trying to tell you, you should

[B]

upload photos to Facebook. In and out, I'm telling you. And it was like. And it was never. They weren't aesthetic. It was just every moment that you were actually out and about. This is crazy. Why do you have five of the same photos?

[A]

Like, because that was. That was what was taken.

[B]

That.

[A]

And you uploaded it all on a digital camera. Yeah. And then we just put it up.

[B]

Do I have. I'm trying to think if I have. Like, I know I. I got rid of quite a few photos from 2016 on Facebook. Yeah.

[A]

Wow. You got rid of them. I use this as an archive. I would. I would get rid of it, you know, under certain circumstances, but not for real. I wouldn't really get rid of it, you know. Wow.

[B]

I realized I did a study abroad trip to Peru in 2016. Wow.

[A]

Oh, wow. You were living outside. This is such a 2016 photo. This is March 2017. But this is. But this.

[B]

I forgot about the murals. There are murals everywhere.

[A]

There are wing murals everywhere.

[B]

And you must stopped to take a photo of, like, there. It's like, it's not a thing.

[A]

Take a photo with the wing mural. It was. It was non negotiable and they popped

[B]

because that was the pink. Pink wall. Smith in la. I have one of those photos.

[A]

That one. Yeah.

[B]

Why did we do this?

[A]

My bestie. Yes. We went out to take these photos one day.

[B]

This is crazy.

[A]

I have the pink wall. Yeah.

[B]

It's just also this photo. The lighting and the outfit, everything about. Turn it around.

[A]

You guys will post these all on my Instagram. On our Instagram. Black people love paramore Instagram so that you can see what it is that we're talking about.

[B]

I'm trying to get back to my. I was a very Instagramy boy.

[A]

I was really. I was really Instagram. I have since archived a lot of my Instagram feed from that time. It still exists. It just is archived. But Facebook is where the real. The real gems lie.

[B]

And maybe that's what it is. No one's on Facebook anymore.

[A]

No one's on Facebook anymore. Yeah. Why would you be on Facebook? Oh, my God. Here's my photo shoot from my 21st birthday or my 22nd birthday. This is my photo. This is my cute photo, actually.

[B]

Did I not go?

[A]

No.

[B]

This is 2017. Wow.

[A]

I thought I was good at makeup and I simply was not good at makeup. Unfortunately.

[B]

I. There's so much 2016 that actually was just 2017.

[A]

And then there's Snapchat.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I did. Oh, yeah. This is what Snapchat had. The dog filter.

[A]

Yes. It was the flower crown filter. It was the dog filter. Those were the two for 2016. It was also the mannequin challenge. Ray Schremmer, remember that? What I want to know and what I don't understand is where was the mannequin challenge living? Because it wasn't on Tick Tock. Or was it. It wasn't on Tick Tock. So where was it living? Instagram didn't have video at that time, to my understanding.

[B]

Where.

[A]

So I'm like, were we placing the mannequin? Was it on Snapchat? I don't think it was on Snapchat, though.

[B]

I. You're so. It didn't. It had to be YouTube. It had to be YouTube because they were long. It was a long song.

[A]

The main challenge was a challenge that you would do to the song Black Beatles by Ray Shimmer. And it was pretty much you would get a big room of people or even a small group of people, I guess, and you would have to freeze, like in the middle of a pose. Everybody be frozen like mid Conversation. They recently race, remember? Recently performed at Coachella and they did the mannequin.

[B]

I do remember that.

[A]

And that was very fun and that was very cool.

[B]

But yeah, you're right. I'm like, looking back, I don't. No, but like, everyone was doing it.

[A]

Everyone's doing it. Every football challenge, every.

[B]

Like hospitals, like universities, any and everywhere. Anyone you could think of.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I wouldn't be surprised if the White

[A]

House did it, I promise you. Obama has a mannequin challenge somewhere.

[B]

Like, it felt it was inescapable.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, your white best friend's mom knew what the mannequin challenge.

[A]

100%.

[B]

She had no idea what black Beatles was or Ray Shrimmer, but she knew the mannequin challenge and had done one.

[A]

Yes, 100%. The mannequin challenge was like, I forgot about that.

[B]

And you're right. I don't know where they lived.

[A]

I want to say that's the last monoculture, like, trend too.

[B]

No, that and bucket challenge. And I don't remember which came first. That might be the same song.

[A]

What's the bucket?

[B]

ALS Bucket Challenge. When everyone was dying way before. Was it.

[A]

I think the ALS Bucket Challenge. I was in high school when that was happening. I think you're right.

[B]

It's 2014.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. I wasn't in high school, but yeah. Yeah. The LS Bucket challenges. Is that the last. I think that was the last monoculture. Like, we don't really like it because

[B]

I remember, I guess. Yeah, it's. It's in the same veins of doula Harlem Shake, which I know you would have hated. We loved Missouri College lives. God, yeah. Mannequin. I don't think I realized that was 2016.

[A]

Yeah, that was 2016. Isn't that crazy nostalgic? Do you remember VSCO?

[B]

Why does it sound so funny?

[A]

The photo editing. Yes, yes. The photo editing app that everybody would edit their Instagram photos with before they posted them.

[B]

This is like before Facetune. Because then you would like. Also this is when 2016, we still had like filters that you would use on Instagram. Like now you like, edit, but like, you would put like an XX Pro.

[A]

You would put like exactly that deep fried filter.

[B]

You would deep fry your photos. Turn the Contrast up to 10.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Add a little vignette blur on it. You would do lots of that.

[A]

Oh, my God, it was so bad.

[B]

I do think that these challenges lived on YouTube though.

[A]

Okay. Yeah. Because I really don't know where the American Challenge is.

[B]

They had Beyonce and Destiny's Child. Beyonce did this Child.

[A]

Beyonce don't be on the Internet. She does not be on the Internet.

[B]

Britney Spears did one. Garth Brooks did one. Adele did one. That's crazy.

[A]

Dominican challenge was like, crazy.

[B]

Is that also the year we got that Oscar photo where Ellen DeGeneres hosted Oscar selfie which like. No, that was 2014. Wow. There's so many years I gotta go to the lotta.

[A]

Yeah, 2014 was the year from hell to me. Like, I hate that year. For whatever reason, like everything bad happened. 2014. 2014 was like a trash year culturally. Not for me personally.

[B]

Culturally, I think this is rancid energy.

[A]

Yeah, like very bad energy. Come off 2415, 2016. It had fully rebound Pokemon Go. That's when that was the height of 2016. Well, I don't think it dropped in 2016.

[B]

But that's like when everyone was outside.

[A]

Everybody was outside.

[B]

I do remember that. And honestly, that brought us together in a lot of ways. Go outside and be. I didn't. There's so many monoculture moments and I don't think I realized that until Lip kit kits. Kylie and Jenner 2016. Kylie, Kylie and Jenner. Kylie in general, I do think that this is king.

[A]

This is king Kylie era, but this is the lip kick era. This is when she dropped the lip kit after lying to us for a couple years. At that point, I want to say about her lips and them not being filled at all. Her not having any filler. It just being lip over lining her lips and then putting her matte lip.

[B]

In retrospect, what a crazy thing to lie about. Because it's like Miss Girl and now

[A]

every has lip filler because of you.

[B]

Well, because I'm saying, like if you look at her lips before and after. Overlining, overlining. What was there would have looked so silly.

[A]

Like she would have. She would have legitimately looked like a menstrual.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah, she would have actually looked like a menstrual. Yeah.

[B]

That's not overlapping your lips. That's funny. That's what she tried to lie to us about. I'm like now Miss Ma', Am, I

[A]

also have a list of big songs from that year. This is not a. This is not a comparable comprehensive, a comprehensive list. This is just some songs that are big that year. Drake one dance controller.

[B]

We talked about that. Of course. Rihanna work still gets me going.

[A]

Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna. This is what you came for that baby.

[B]

This is what you came for.

[A]

Lightning strikes every time you move.

[B]

You know that's the one with Taylor Swift. Swift is still on it. She wrote the song.

[A]

That's Taylor Swift.

[B]

She goes ooh. The ooh Oohs the second ooze.

[A]

Oh, I thought the O.

[B]

That's Rihanna. The ooh is Taylor Swift. You like when you listen to it now if you didn't know I've heard it. Go back and listen. It is distinct. It is. They are two different people singing it. But yeah, Taylor Swift wrote it cuz she was dating Calvin Harris at the time. Oh. And thus. Yeah.

[A]

Now.

[B]

Yeah. Keep going through this list. That's crazy.

[A]

Fifth Harmony Work from home. Wow.

[B]

They're ahead of their time. They're covet brain. They were like work from home. That. That was when they did that VMA performance and they pretended to. They had the drills and they were drilling.

[A]

Absolutely. It was crazy. It was crazy.

[B]

Fifth Harmony was a thing.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Honestly. In itself.

[A]

Designer by Panda. Yes.

[B]

I can't do it.

[A]

Or designer by Panda. Panda by designer. CS Cheap Thrills.

[B]

Wow. As well.

[A]

Do you remember this song? GDFR by Flo Ride Going down For real. Of course. You knew.

[B]

I knew.

[A]

I knew. Yes. Hate it.

[B]

You would hate that song.

[A]

Did hate it a lot.

[B]

I. I understand how that.

[A]

That's.

[B]

Imagine that at a club. That was the thing. A lot of these songs you had to hear out and about. And I know we don't go out and about like that anymore.

[A]

I did.

[B]

But imagine being out and like if someone was videotaping it was because it was just their friends and it was just for them or it was just like their story. I don't even think Instagram stories existed at the time.

[A]

I don't think Instagram had gotten stories yet.

[B]

So I'm like in a world where this video went or they had just gotten.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

It was maybe going on Snapchat. It was. There wasn't like putting it on YouTube. There was no. Like, people weren't going viral in that way. So like you were still out dancing to this song and it is such club fun. You know what I mean?

[A]

Kind of.

[B]

I get how you could hate it. It's like a Pitbull song where I love.

[A]

And I also hated Pitbull at that time. I don't hate him as much now. When I listen back, I'm like, oh yeah, I'm not mad. Young Thug featuring Travis Watton. Quavo, Pick up the phone.

[B]

I don't.

[A]

Pick up the phone. Baby, I know you're home. Baby.

[B]

I know that. This is a hit.

[A]

Yeah, it was a hit. Okay. Justin Timberlake Can't Stop the Feeling.

[B]

God. What A terrible thing. That was like, God. And that was a response to Happy that I blame Pharrell for that because Happy came out and it was fun the first time I heard it and then it felt like torture. It was everywhere. And I was like, I don't need to hear. And can't stop the feeling was like. Just because it wasn't fun. It was never fun. Yeah, Happy at least was fun. It wasn't fun, you know, Sorry, I'm going to go.

[A]

Go, go. Yeah.

[B]

This is the rant of 2024 energy. 2014. Energy it is. Because happy is 2014. And that was when he did that 24 hour music video and they did play Happy on a loop and they recorded a 24 hour long looped video. And that is why we did not stop hearing that song.

[A]

It was horrible. That's horrible.

[B]

And can't stop the feeling was the response. It was worse.

[A]

It's torture. I feel bad for anybody who's working retail at that time because I know they was. I know they was

[B]

to the ground.

[A]

Garrick was working at like Gap or Old Navy or something like that at the time and he still has like a trauma reaction to some of these songs. Like sometimes he's like, please turn that off. Like, I can't. Like, I actually cannot hear that. He would work during the holidays. So like certain Christmas songs, he's like, can't do it. Can't do it.

[B]

Like turn, turn off. It's like it takes him back to like he's. He went to knob.

[A]

Like he very much quite literally jumps. He starts folding his pants. Turn it off. Let me love you. Justin Bieber, DJ Snake. I had to. There are so many songs called let me love you, but I couldn't remember how that one went.

[B]

Let me love you makes me think of a neo song.

[A]

Let me love you. Here's this one.

[B]

You should give up.

[A]

Don't you give up.

[B]

That was the other.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This was also like on the tail end of the unsun era of music.

[A]

Yeah. So like, thank God it was getting out. I was so tired.

[B]

Cuz again, 2016 is peak Coachella ish vibes. And so this. This was like. That was the fist pumping, like electronic choruses.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And so that was the better side of the electronic chorus. Even like into you by Ariana Grande has that electronic for sure.

[A]

Also 2016 and great Lizzo's good as hell came out this year. 2016. Isn't that crazy?

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

Let me verify. But I'm pretty sure.

[B]

No, that because Lizzo was a sleeper hit. What really blew Lizzo up was Truth Hurts and she had been releasing music before.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

So like, yeah, like I. Lizzo was not as big. She had a peak after a couple of albums.

[A]

They had an official remix with Ariana Grande come out in 2019, but the original version came out 2016. March 2016. Yep.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Chance the Rappers Blessing Slash no Problems. You Want a problem.

[B]

Wow. So good. Peak Chance. That was like. Chances, like he like literally was so mainstream before he felt corny.

[A]

Yes. Yes.

[B]

Is 2016 also the last year we could be happy and rap? Because I do think like the happy rappers don't work anymore and him and like Kyle and like all the. There were a lot of happy rappers. And I think. I mean, I know why we.

[A]

Cuz Chance just dropped a single like a week ago and I'm like, who is this?

[B]

Like, it's very different.

[A]

Yeah. I'm like, when you stop rapping about God.

[B]

Oh, what does he rap about now?

[A]

Shooting in drugs. And not in the way that he started off, because he started off rapping about God and drugs. But he was rapping about psychedelics. His first camp. It's not an album, it's a mixtape. I want to say it's acid rap.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

And I love acid rap. That came out in 2012.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Maybe 2013. But I loved acid rap a lot. Now I'm trying to think what year it came out. I think it's.

[B]

But I do. You're right. That sounds about right.

[A]

And he was rapping about drugs there. But it's very introspective. He also rapped about God often there. It was very church esque, even the sound of it.

[B]

2013. Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. And now that seems so off brand for him. Like who are you? Also because you're a father, like you're like from you. But I do think that that like doesn't work anymore. Like, like little Yachty also was.

[A]

I imagine Yachty was definitely happier rapping wise.

[B]

I'm like, wasn't he around this time? He was Yachty Drive.

[A]

I'm almost certain that he would.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Like him dropping around the middle makes sense.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So like I do think we had a thing and I mean the world did kind of change directly after 2016. So like I understand why, like people like, I don't want to hear that happy no more. What are we happy about?

[A]

2016 was the last year that we had happiness. Chain smokers, Closer, God, everywhere. It was everywhere.

[B]

Also I know Forever 21 ran it into the ground.

[A]

Hated it.

[B]

It was. Because it was something that was always on the radio when I was driving.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So, baby, pull it a God, so, so good.

[A]

I didn't. There was a certain sound at the time, a certain synth that was, like, really common, that I hated. It was plucky. It was like, can you sing that song again? Like, in the background, there's this plucky thing happening. Yes. And I'm like.

[B]

It's very staccato.

[A]

I'm like, I don't like. And so much music at that time had that.

[B]

I'm telling you, it was because it was like that electric off of the electronic wave. Even that has that, like. Like, sound.

[A]

And that's why 2014 was the year from hell, culturally, to me, because it was the peak. Hey. And it wasn't even. I don't mind Unans. I really don't.

[B]

No, it was that. But that was. It was.

[A]

It was that trash that I actually

[B]

hated because I think original in house. I'm calling it house music. I understand it has soul and energy, but, like, 2014 was, like, the most commercialized version of it. So all of the actual, like, soul vibes behind.

[A]

They took it. They took it away. It was so bad. And then there is 21 pilots rise. I'm trying to remember how this song goes. It goes.

[B]

God, I hate.

[A]

I don't like that. Plucky. I don't like.

[B]

Yeah. Like, I'm, like, painful to the ear.

[A]

Yeah. I'm like, please.

[B]

I did, like, stressed out from them, but I hate it

[A]

and also hate that riff. I'm falling.

[B]

We let a lot. You know, I prefer this to where are all the white men? No, they're doing, like I'm saying, because I was like, to. Whatever they're doing now, they're doing country or they're doing Alex Warren stuff. And I actually. I want more of this. I prefer you guys doing this than whatever the hell I prefer.

[A]

Y' all shut the hell up. If that's all you got. If that's all you got before you do nothing.

[B]

This is what you're all.

[A]

I'm telling you. Like, do something better. Get out. Move out the way. Actually, let me see. What does stressed out sound like? No, we're stressed out.

[B]

This reminds me, like, Gym Class Heroes.

[A]

I hated this. I hated that genre of Music in 2016. My God needed Me by Rihanna came out, of course, Mike Posner's I Took a bill and he beat that pill. I took a pill and he beat that.

[B]

And then. And now he's sober. Have you seen him lately?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

He became like basically like an Internet shaman. And he's like very like. Yeah, he's so. He seems like walked across. I forget the United States or something wild. Like.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. He like broke his leg like Forrest Gumped of him.

[B]

Gump of him to do it. But yeah, apparently now he's just like a very. Like, he like tries to help people. He was like, I don't do drugs or anything like that. But that song also everywhere but I love it.

[A]

I like that one. I like. That was good. Aunt Son's music.

[B]

Yeah, it was doing it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I was like, that's but good because he came from that world and so like he knew what he was doing.

[A]

Alessia Cara's here.

[B]

And so here. All right, can we talk about here for a second?

[A]

Let's talk about here for a second.

[B]

Alessia Cara came onto the scene with this song and like at the time, loved it. Cause it's like about this girl who's at this party and she's like, ugh, I hate being in this room. My friends don't know. And now in 2026, I'm like, go home, go home.

[A]

Lose. You're actually the loser. You looking around, judging all these people at this party, but you standing in the corner at the party saying with your arms crossed.

[B]

That's the thing. She had 2026 energy. Alessia Carl had the energy that people have at parties today. While everyone else was having fun in

[A]

2016, she was in 2026, she was

[B]

like, oh, I'm these girls over here talking about their haters. They don't have any while. And you're not. You're lying. You are one of their haters. You're sitting there talking about these two girls. You are the hater, Alessia.

[A]

And this is a pick me anthem. I hate to say it was very much like, I'm not like other girls. Like, I'd rather. I'd rather be at home, I. By myself or.

[B]

And yet you're not.

[A]

Instead of with these people who don't care about my well being.

[B]

I'm like, what? We're at a party.

[A]

I don't dance. Don't ask. Okay, then why are you. Go to hell. Yeah, that's Alessia Lie.

[B]

Yeah, that's the real thing is, like, you shouldn't be. If you feel this strongly about a party, don't go. I don't want you at the party. If you was beefing at that wedding.

[A]

You should have been beefing at that wedding at the end of the day. Alessia. Yeah. Go stay at home.

[B]

Yeah, Please.

[A]

And you're back. That's up. Or whatever. Oh, my God. This is not the year. That TOV low. No, that had to be 2015, maybe 2014.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Tuvalu.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No. Is it?

[A]

No, that had to be. That had to be.

[B]

If it's 2016, I'll die.

[A]

It's not 2016.

[B]

No, it's.

[A]

What? When is that?

[B]

Why was this not giving me a clear 2012? It's way old. Damn. I don't know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Dang.

[A]

Okay, I. I was listening to it in 2016.

[B]

Hey, I love Tulu. Still works to this day. Don't get me wrong. I. I get down cheaply.

[A]

Another one. Hands to myself. Selena Gomez.

[B]

So, okay, I am.

[A]

Can't keep my hands.

[B]

There's so many times when they're like, who's listening Selena Gomez's music?

[A]

Me. I've asked that question because I'm like,

[B]

why is she always one of the most streaming? And then I check my numbers and I'm like, oh, I. I ran revival to the ground. I love that whole album. It is such a good album. Enhance it myself because it's like good slut music. It's like quiet, coily.

[A]

It was a little too pop. It was a little too plucky for me, too. I think plucky is the word.

[B]

Like staccato that you don't like.

[A]

Yeah, well, to be fair. And like, I don't even mind staccato. It's plucky, though. Okay. You know what I mean? Like, it's like a. Yeah, she's crying. Let me hear the music. Let me hear the actual song.

[B]

I love this song. It's so fun. Like, it just makes me. I don't hate this on my body

[A]

and I don't hate this one. But, Like, I don't like that instrumentation at all. I hate that.

[B]

Is it too simple?

[A]

I hate that. I'm trying to. Okay, let me go to the middle.

[B]

It's more of that. It's worse. This is a Janet Jackson song. I'm not going to lie. It feels.

[A]

Janet would never have instrumentation like that.

[B]

That's not true. I feel. Yes, it is. You're right. You're right.

[A]

Yes, it is

[B]

disrespectful. I'm sorry. I think it's too simple. And then the fact that our Selena, on top of that, just generally in her music.

[A]

Yeah, just give her nothing.

[B]

She rarely Does a lot. Like, they rarely build to a thing. I don't think she often vocally builds to it. So, yes, the. The instrumentation around her should build. And it doesn't build enough.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I get it. But I like it.

[A]

But I don't even mind, like, not building. It's just. I don't like it anyways.

[B]

I love that song. It still does it for me.

[A]

Star Boy by the weekend.

[B]

That's what. That's when he cut his hair. This is when. For those who don't remember, you might have been too young. The Weeknd used to have, like, a very Basquiat style. Like whatever Jay Z's doing right now.

[A]

Yeah, it was.

[B]

Yeah, I think Jay Z.

[A]

It was doing free form dress.

[B]

That is. Oh, is that what it's called?

[A]

Freeform locks. But yeah.

[B]

Crazy.

[A]

Yeah. His were, like, the freest. Lots of people have them. They grow down the weekends was growing

[B]

all over the place. They had their freedom papers. That is true.

[A]

Starboy was an album and a song.

[B]

Yes, it was.

[A]

I loved both. Bad.

[B]

This is what led us to Can't Feel My Face, which I did.

[A]

I think this hat. Don't. Can't feel My Face on it.

[B]

I like question mark. Hated Starboy.

[A]

I feel like it might not have been. Yeah, no, no, no. That. I think that was next.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I think it was after

[A]

Starboy had Starboy on it. Party Monster was great. That was when he was dating Selena Gomez. That is about Selena Gomez. Allegedly. Allegedly. Allegedly. It had reminder on it. Reminder.

[B]

You know what a lot can't put. My face is before that. Before Starboy. I did not know that. Can't Feel My Face is before Starboy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because he still had his dreads when he was on. I didn't.

[A]

When he was with Selena, I think. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Crazy. Okay.

[A]

Sorry. Starboy was fantastic. Loved starboard so much.

[B]

It was everywhere.

[A]

And I love. And I will quote that to this day. Well, I'm a star boy.

[B]

Yeah. It is fun. It was quotable for sure.

[A]

What have you done? Low life Future in the weekend. Do you remember this one?

[B]

Loosely.

[A]

Low life, Low life, Low life. Are you repping for that love?

[B]

I don't. I never featured. So I don't. I'm so sorry. But I love that. You know what else was on this list?

[A]

What?

[B]

And I'm so. We were still kind of in the boom clap era of music, but once I was 7 years old.

[A]

Hate it.

[B]

And I agree. This was like this. The pre. Alex Warren was.

[A]

Yes. What was that? Who was that called?

[B]

Lucas K. I don't know if he went. Lucas Graham was his name. I don't know if he did anything else. But that song was also everywhere and drove me crazy.

[A]

And that this. Oh, this is 2015.

[B]

It came out, but it was like charting.

[A]

This was also, like, during the Fun era as well. Remember that. That group.

[B]

And I love. Did you really? I loved Fun. Oh, my God. We. You also don't like mlna, but they. They had this now.

[A]

I did like that song. I like it now. I did not like it then because it was just everywhere and I could not get over. Yeah. But I Now when I hear it, I'm like, this is quite a vibe.

[B]

It's such like. I think we will look back or we look back at some of the things that were cringe like, oh, this wasn't. Probably because things kind of get not as good now.

[A]

I know. I know. We're like, oh, this wasn't as bad as.

[B]

There's so many things that I associate with 2016 that I really realize they're not. Cuz Cake by the ocean DNC was.

[A]

That did. Come on 2016, did it not?

[B]

I thought it was 2015.

[A]

No, I'm almost sure Cake by the Ocean and that.

[B]

Cuz it felt like summer 16 to me. That one also like that vibe of like, y'.

[A]

All. That was 2015.

[B]

It was September.

[A]

It was September 2015.

[B]

Yeah. What else? I'm trying to think what else came out that year. There was Love Yourself by Justin Bieber. Was. I think it was just charting. I don't think it came out.

[A]

Yes. I think it just charting was. Well, Pillow Talk by Zayn. I think that was like, maybe his first movement into solo career after One Direction.

[B]

That's right. Because I think Harry left first, and then they kind of dissolved and then this was his, like. No, Zayn left first. This might have been why they left.

[A]

Zayn did leave first. Yeah. Zayn left first. Yes. And devastated. Girls.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At that age. Yeah. Everywhere. Yeah.

[B]

He left 2015 and then he was like, I'm working on my own stuff.

[A]

And then.

[B]

Yes. I do think that's how he got Pillow Talk. That's crazy, right? Wow.

[A]

Jumpman by Dragon Future was trending. I know that came out in 2015, but it's trending crazy to think about Meghan Trainor. I'm gonna lose you Like I'm gonna lose you Featuring John Legend.

[B]

That. No, I love it.

[A]

How'd that go?

[B]

I'm gonna love you Like I'm gonna lose you.

[A]

I don't think I Know you do.

[B]

It was a. It was like the wedding song of that year. You know that song?

[A]

No. By Meghan Trainor. Like, I don't know that.

[B]

I don't think My name is no. My sign is. That was another hater ass song song. Basically she's saying some guy was approaching her in the club, and she's like,

[A]

my name is no.

[B]

And I'm like, okay, well, get out of the club. So that's rude. You can be in a club, but sure. You don't remember this song?

[A]

Not even a little bit.

[B]

Really? Oh, this was like a wedding song. Distinctly remember wanting it to be a song that I got. I watched lol. In a world where I want to get married. Walked down the aisle too.

[A]

Oh, yeah. We were different in2016. Did you listen to two phones by Kevin Gates?

[B]

I got two phones.

[A]

Yeah. For free. Oh, my God. That came out this year.

[B]

What is for free?

[A]

DJ Khaled and Drake. You know, for free.

[B]

I actively don't.

[A]

You do. And I'm not. I'm not. I'm actually gonna wait because you do.

[B]

For free. Oh, exactly. Wow.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I do. Wow. What a great song.

[A]

That was a good one. Is this. Is this. No Friends to earth. Fake friends. This could have been.

[B]

Is this the last year? This is when we liked DJ Khaled. DJ Khaled had a book major key. That was. This was like, DJ Khaled when we still were, like, having fun with him and before he got annoying.

[A]

Friends by Drake come out. That's crazy. This one came out in 2016. Yeah. Fake friends came out in 2016.

[B]

I don't remember that song.

[A]

I've been down so long. It looked like up to me.

[B]

They look up to me.

[A]

Drake was a hitman. It straight up to my face. I used to be screaming. That was a hit straight up to my face.

[B]

I don't think. I think Drake had hits, but I'm saying, like, he did not have number ones the way he, like, always goes number one. Now. That was not a thing. You know what I mean?

[A]

Sure. But he would. Maybe he won number two. Like, you know what I mean? Like, only technicality. He was not reaching number one, but it was like he was going number two. White Iverson by post Malone.

[B]

2016.

[A]

It was charting in 2016. Oh, I was on that song. I loved that one.

[B]

When do we get Post Malone?

[A]

When did he had to be around this time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

2015. 2016. Had to be right around this.

[B]

I feel like something about the monoculture of it all Is we still could have, like, pop stars or, like, musicians could break in a way that they just don't anymore. 100 like, it's so much harder. 100 and I feel like musicians break so much later. Like, the people breaking now. Like, yeah. I guess Sabrina Carpenter. No, I guess Sabrina Carpenter. Olivia Rodrigo. Doja Cat. But even Doja Cat feels like it broke ish and then kind of went away in a way that she was like, it doesn't feel like that trajectory is the same anymore.

[A]

No, it does not feel the same.

[B]

And even. But now I'm wondering if we're so segmented that, like, I'm naming those people and maybe they don't because, like, Morgan Wallen is undeniably a huge star. But, like, even him, who is someone who has number one records all the time. And I'm like, I. I don't know. I know it's music.

[A]

You know why? Because I think what was required to go number one in 2016 and what's required to go number one today? In 2016, it required monoculture to go number one. And now it absolutely does not. If your song trends on. On tick tock in the right space and you know what I mean, then it goes number one. And it's like, that's not on my algorithm. And so I, like, go out of you. It's not. It's not present. Yeah, I've never heard that. I look at the top 10 list now and I'm like, oh, I saw

[B]

a tweet about this the other day. What were the Top top top 10 songs? Can you look up top 10 songs this date? 2016? I'll look up.

[A]

Yes, today.

[B]

This is insane that this is what these songs are crazy. Do you want me to read the ones today?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Top 10 songs right now of May 23, 2026. Choosing Texas by Ella Langley.

[A]

I don't even know who I heard about Ella Langley for the first time yesterday because a girl made a tick tock saying, why do men like Ella Langley so much? It makes me not like her. And then I said, who is that? And then I looked at her. I was like, oh, a pretty country singer, right?

[B]

Yeah. And I'm like, I. I think I've heard of her in the recent weeks because I'm like, it's crazy that she is blowing up in a way. While Casey Musgraves. Whole other thing. I love Casey Musgraves and I will ride for her. But yeah, it's why that she doesn't have this type of numbers. Ella Langley Also has a number two song with be her. Have heard neither of these songs before. Man I need by olivia dean, which I know.

[A]

I can't believe that's number. That's number three right now.

[B]

That's crazy. For that right now or the week of? Yeah, the week. This week.

[A]

See, and this is why tik tok

[B]

is running too much I just might by Bruno mars. Bruno mars dropped that album and I've heard nothing.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

That's crickets.

[A]

Yeah, same.

[B]

I'm like, what do you mean? So easy to love. Also, Olivia dean is number five.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

Ordinary by Alex warren is still charting. It is number six. Ordinary.

[A]

I can't believe that. That sounds like 2014, doesn't it?

[B]

Doesn't it? Boo. Drop dead by Olivia Rodrigo. Risk it all by bruno mars, which I'm like, what? Folded by kehlani, which I'm like, still. And then dracula by tame impala and Jenny. Yeah. I'm like, it's insane that, like, none of these songs. The only one that I can think of that is like, none of those

[A]

are a hit to me, you know?

[B]

Yeah. None of them feel like I hit

[A]

them, but they are.

[B]

They clearly are. But, like, the only one that I think feels you too, to me, that feel, like, ubiquitous. Actually, that's not true. A couple of these man I need is kind of like, all right, Ordinary is just everywhere. And then I feel like folded also feels like it's everywhere, sort of. Yeah.

[A]

Those feel like everywhere in the way that what I'm about to name feels like everywhere. Number one in 2010. On this date today is what May 22 is when we're May 22, 2026. On this date, May 22, 2016, here was the top 10 songs. Can't Stop the Feeling, Justin Timberlake, Everywhere One Dance by Drake Panda by Designer Work from Home, Fifth Harmony, Cheap Thrills, Sia 7 Years, Lucas Graham. This is what you came for. Calvin Harris, Brianna, don't let me down. Chain smokers. That's the first one. I'm like, I do. I can't. I don't have a thought about what that sounds like. Stressed out 21 pilots needed me. Rihanna.

[B]

That's what I'm saying.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm like, oh. And like, so the seven years and the other the don't let me down. I bet if we heard it because it's probably untie. We're like, we just don't know. It doesn't have lyrics.

[A]

I'm positive. I'm positive.

[B]

But I'm saying those Two songs which feel. Feel vague. Like, what are those? Feel like what? All of these are 100 everything. What is that?

[A]

I agree.

[B]

Like, oh, I've heard that the last

[A]

year the monoculture existed.

[B]

Yeah. Because like, all those other songs, I'm like, I could sing against my will.

[A]

Right. But I could. Let me see. Don't let me down. Chain smokers.

[B]

Yeah. Immediately I know the song.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Don't let me down Now.

[B]

I immediately know the first couple of notes.

[A]

I'm like, yes, yes, exactly. They were ubiquitous. These are songs that I kept hearing against my will that I did not have. Have any business knowing because I did not want to hear them, but I could not avoid hearing them. I can.

[B]

I have never heard Ella Langley number one in two songs. Have not. I couldn't tell you what she sounds.

[A]

Couldn't tell you.

[B]

I. Before a couple days ago. Couldn't tell you what she looks like.

[A]

Couldn't tell you right. Until before yesterday. I didn't. I wouldn't recognize her name. Wouldn't tell you what she looks like.

[B]

How long has she been around? I'm like, and not a knock at this lady.

[A]

She just knew. Yeah.

[B]

She presumably is very talented. She's been making music since 2024. That's what I'm saying. I'm like, I don't never heard this girl.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I like country. I do. I, I, you know, I don't.

[A]

But it doesn't matter, you know, like, either way.

[B]

I. Oh, yeah, that's wild to me.

[A]

Cut it. No limit. I'm looking at the rest of just the. Just wrapping it up for 2016. What else was trending? See you again was still trending.

[B]

What is.

[A]

That was Khalifa. It's been a long day.

[B]

They really took Paul Walker's death hard. They did that.

[A]

That song that. That was. That was eating. Yeah. Timmy Turner was number 98. Yeah.

[B]

They almost cut. Cut Charlie Puth from that song. He wrote it. But then they were trying to find someone else to sing it. Really. Because it was. It was always four of that movie.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And they were. I don't want to say they try to cut them, but they were just like, we want to find someone to sing it.

[A]

Right?

[B]

And they were like, but no one can sing it as good as him

[A]

because he can sing. They were like, well, because that boy

[B]

can sing, he can actively a very talented. I didn't know.

[A]

I didn't. And see, this is why. This is why in 2026, having a social presence is important. Because the only reason I Know the Charlie Putin thing, because his music does not resonate with me is because he will come up on my for you page. He will make a song in front of me, and he will sing it.

[B]

And I said, talented young man.

[A]

Oh, even the production. Even him producing it right then and there. And then like, whatever. Tell me on someone said, this is Charlie Booth. I'm looking at the name. I said, I wouldn't even know. Yeah.

[B]

Charlie Puth 100. He gives, like, music savant because, like, I feel like he's like, he's gotta be autistic in that way. Where, like, his thing is music. His music.

[A]

Broccoli by Dram Loyalty. That also came out.

[B]

This Dram also happy rapper. And where's he like? You know what I mean?

[A]

Drake took him out the game.

[B]

How?

[A]

Hotline Bling was apparently a Dram song, and Drake was like, oh, can I. Can I have that song? I think Dram said no, and I think Drake did it anyways. Correct me if I'm wrong on that, but that's. That's the story that I'm remembering.

[B]

Oh, my God. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That makes me so sick.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Why would he do that?

[A]

Oh, it's.

[B]

I like to Chacha. You're right.

[A]

Yes. I like the Cha Cha was Dram and then Drake took it for Hotline Bling.

[B]

Even I know, because Cha Cha exists.

[A]

Yeah. Wow.

[B]

In there. He must have got it said. Yeah. It goes inspired by Cha Cha by Dram. And it feels, like, stolen.

[A]

It's not inspired by. Right. I'm like, that's the same song.

[B]

He said it was originally seen to be a remix. Crazy damn.

[A]

Just took him off. Okay, can we do a song draft? If you were throwing a party in 2016, you can transport back to 2016, and you can use any wealth of songs from that year. Okay, what songs? You take a song, I'll take a song. You can use the top 100 list that I sent through. You could take a song. I'll take a song. We'll compile our top 100 list.

[B]

We're doing 100 songs.

[A]

No top five songs.

[B]

Top five, top five.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You got five songs. What songs you drafting?

[B]

I am gonna go ahead and put Baby, this is what you can. Because it's so.

[A]

That's a good one.

[B]

Calvin Harris and Rihanna as a pair. Always good. We Found Love Go Fantastic.

[A]

We Found Love Go so crazy.

[B]

I think it's her best song.

[A]

Upsetting. I love We Found Love, and I

[B]

feel like this song has a similar essence. Oh, actually, sorry. I I'm putting on the back burner. I'm putting in work. Work has to be.

[A]

Oh, see, no, I was. I was happy to shoot. No, no. Okay, fine.

[B]

Okay. This is what you came for. It's vibey. You can like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Feeling your body to it. Yeah, yeah. Okay. This is what you came for.

[A]

I'm going to take work. Oh, great.

[B]

Perfect.

[A]

Thank you. I'm taking work.

[B]

I get it.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I need it.

[A]

It's mine.

[B]

Because it work. To this day, if I'm, like, driving or doing anything, when I hear it, my hips.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I can't wait. And I couldn't tell you single. I don't know a lyric. I don't know what the hell she's talking about. I don't know what it has to do with work, but I am doing it.

[A]

Well, now I speak patois.

[B]

Because you're part Trini now.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Or not. Trini. Trini. Is it Garrick and Nicki Minaj from the same island.

[A]

They are cousins. They are. Garrick's family's from Tobago, which is the smaller island with the country. Trinidad and Tobago. It's one country, but two islands. Garrett's family's from Tobago. Her family's from Trinidad.

[B]

But, yes, they know each other.

[A]

Must be cousins. No, I don't know, silly.

[B]

Okay, okay, okay.

[A]

So I have work and you have. This is what you came for. So we're both leading with Rihanna. Yeah, we know that. Rihanna must be there.

[B]

That's fair. She has to be on this. I'm looking at other. Oh, I'm adding Cake by the Ocean. I love this song. I know it, like.

[A]

It's like, parties sucks. Okay, I.

[B]

The thing is, Joe Jonas is one of the coolest people on the planet. To me, I think he is just actively incredibly cool. All of his music is fun. Like, he seems like he brings the fun to Jonas Brothers and he makes their songs fun. Yeah, I love his music.

[A]

I'm not mad at that.

[B]

I love dnce.

[A]

No, certainly. Yeah, your party does suck.

[B]

I don't think that's true. Going to add future on this list.

[A]

I'm adding. I'm adding one dance.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

I'm doing.

[B]

Sure, let's. Let's throw it. That's basically work. What are.

[A]

And my party's cohesive. And you. Yours sounds like that.

[B]

Okay, whatever. This is the same party we're throwing. We're.

[A]

No, we're not doing the same party. You're doing your own party.

[B]

No, you said we were making a party. I thought we were making a Playlist together then I want work. You're making your own then work is at my party.

[A]

No party.

[B]

You can just steal a draft.

[A]

That's not how that I take the song.

[B]

No, I we drafting two different teams of songs did not explain the rules well enough and Fine, fine, fine. He mad cuz his party sucks. No, cuz my party doesn't suck. You didn't explain the rules. My party is fine.

[A]

Fun.

[B]

It's fun. I'm. I'm gonna take hotline bling then because that's a hit. That's okay. You know I'm putting here on your list so you can for all the hater hater standing in the corner. They can go over there.

[A]

I'm trying to see what other song do I want from here. I would hate to accidentally throw a Drake theme party. So.

[B]

Yeah, it's what it's giving. It's.

[A]

Let me not do that. Let me.

[B]

Oh wow. Is X's and O's also that? God, no. That's 2014. It was just still on this list.

[A]

I'll take broccoli.

[B]

Sure. That's fine. You can have that one. I wow. We don't talk anymore. It's also from this year. What a time.

[A]

We don't talk anymore.

[B]

I love that song. What was this form I am going to oh no. Oh, into you Ariana Grande.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Cuz the gays go up. That is the gay version of what is the. What is Back that ass up. You know like the effect of black that ass really into you has that for gays. If gays are in the club and you go. We hear that. We're like yeah, running. We run. We get up and gallop to the dance floor. We love the gates go up further.

[A]

Wow. Specifically

[B]

so that one's on my list 100%.

[A]

And we're like I've never heard it out.

[B]

Yeah. You don't hear the gay clubs right.

[A]

Clearly I don't be in the right place because I never get invited.

[B]

You don't go out.

[A]

I told you I'm outside this summer.

[B]

Okay. Hey, we can go. There's a new karaoke bar in WeHo and we can go.

[A]

Singing in front of gay men feels like a humiliation ritual for me.

[B]

Does it?

[A]

Yeah. Like they would be like you thought you ate that. Like I feel like I would be like I would embarrass myself.

[B]

Like I actually no, I don't. Well yeah. Depending on be gays that you did it in front of.

[A]

That's fair. Specifically if we're going out in West.

[B]

West Hollywood.

[A]

I fear that that would be humiliation ritual for me. Would I do it? Yes.

[B]

Hideaway. Why do I know this?

[A]

I. We talked about this recently. We don't even. Don't even play that song. I hate that song. It's that 2014 song with the girl in the suspenders walking down the street.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Why did we talk about this?

[A]

Because I was talking about how 2014 was a horrible year for music and I was like. Like that song.

[B]

Damn. You know I got ads, so. Yes, you. You're lucky to try to play it. But I'm like, hold on. I know. I remember it. That's not the song.

[A]

Yes, it is.

[B]

No, it's not.

[A]

Oh, it's not. There's another song called Hideaway.

[B]

This is where do the good girls Go to hide away?

[A]

What's your thing?

[B]

We talk. We did talk about this.

[A]

It's also called Hideaway.

[B]

Yeah, that one is Hideaway by Kea ke. You're right.

[A]

Kesha, wherever the you are, stay where you at, okay? I don't want to hear from you at all. I hope you deep off in the Kia asylum, mama. Cuz that song is horrible.

[B]

That was peak unsun in the worst way. You're right. I'm hearing it. I know what you mean. It's like. Yeah, it's bad. Un.

[A]

God, I hate.

[B]

I don't even know if we did.

[A]

No, no, I got to three. Okay, I'm sure. Let me see. Let me listen.

[B]

I got a four, so I need my fifth.

[A]

Okay, I am going to do. No.

[B]

Was this 2016? No, it's 2015, remember? O watch me, Watch me stilento.

[A]

I hated that song.

[B]

Was that whipping? Nae nae.

[A]

Yes. Now watch me whip.

[B]

Terrible time.

[A]

Absolutely horrible song. Horrible time. Silento is alive, right?

[B]

Oh, let me make sure.

[A]

I mean, he is alive. He's in jail. Okay. That was. That was the thing I couldn't remember. I'm like.

[B]

Like, that's fair.

[A]

What happened to him?

[B]

Beyonce really stopped charting here?

[A]

Yeah. Lemonade, like, I think, was the first thing that, like, I think she's still

[B]

another one album wise.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The songs.

[A]

Yes. It did not have a radio hit. And that goes to show again. The radio hits don't mean a goddamn thing because Lemonade is easily her best work. Beyonce's best work. I also doubt the Renaissance charted like

[B]

that Break My Soul did. But you're right. Nothing else did. But.

[A]

And I agree, that's the worst one, right?

[B]

Yeah, you're right. Why she really don't. And even like Cowboy Carter. I think other than maybe 16 characters got top 10 maybe, right? But yeah, I think Texas holding tick on number one. But you're right. Most of the time she does not.

[A]

She's not charged White Iverson. I'm taking it. I know it's a little down, but I'm taking it.

[B]

Have fun with that. Boring. Okay.

[A]

You got here by Alessia Car on your.

[B]

No, I don't. I would never put here by Alessia Car. At the time, I might have. I might have put it on there, but I'm not now. And then I'm going to add O.

[A]

You know what? What?

[B]

I'm gonna put too good on this. I love.

[A]

Did you see me just highlight it? No, I quite literally was taking that one from.

[B]

No, but I'm glad she's on Wikipedia highlighting this on. I'm like, did you see me highlighted? No. How could I? I. Too Good is such a good song. It is a very, very, very good song. So that's gonna be my last.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I'm too good. I'm too good for you.

[A]

Such a little biter.

[B]

He had so many good songs.

[A]

That felt like a slur. That felt like I called you. Yeah, it did. Okay.

[B]

That's more.

[A]

What do I want next? Yeah, it does.

[B]

You should add don't stop the feeling.

[A]

Go to hell. I might add Jumpman by Dragon Future.

[B]

Your party actually sucks. You can say my party sucks. Your party has the worst people.

[A]

Read yours again.

[B]

So my party has this is what yout Came for by Rihanna and Calvin Harris. It has Cake by the Ocean by Dnce. It has into youo by Ariana Grande.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

Hotline Bling by Drake and Too Good by Drake and Reese.

[A]

Rihanna. Okay. We're throwing totally different genre of heart.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Mine is fun.

[B]

What is yours?

[A]

Mine is black because I am a black person. I have Work by Rihanna. We're definitely gonna whine and grind. I have one dance by Drake because we're gonna continue winding and grinding. Thank you. I have Broccoli by Dram. Because it's fun. We want an up thin. What? Okay. Gonna. This is when everybody takes out their blunts.

[B]

Fair enough.

[A]

Hits it. It's fun. And then we need just like. You know what? Then I have. I'm actually gonna change my.

[B]

No, there's none of that.

[A]

I'm gonna change the. No.

[B]

Oh, same song. I'm gonna change order. Yeah.

[A]

I have Jumpman. I'm gonna go jump, man. At the time. Think about it. At the time. Jump in, jump in, jump in. You Know what I mean? And then I'm gonna mellow out the night, send everybody home with white Iverson by Post Malone.

[B]

Okay. That's fair. My party doesn't stop.

[A]

Stop.

[B]

My party is up the entire time we're doing poppers.

[A]

I like to go home. That's so I will tell y', all, I don't know where y' all about to go, but you got to get the hell out of here. I will tell you. That is funny, but that's our 2016 song drafts. Let me know which song, which party. Let me know if you would like to attend my party with the blacks or if you would like to attend Ryan's party with the gays.

[B]

So you racism or homophobic?

[A]

You be the right.

[B]

You decide. You decide. I don't know.

[A]

And if you are both black and gay like Ryan, you know where to go. You know where to go.

[B]

You know,

[A]

I think that's it. That's all we got for this episode. If you would like to connect with us, you can find us on socials at BPL pod. You can email us at black people up paramore gmail.com you can become a Max Fund member. That's it. I think that's it.

[B]

Yeah. We will see you all next time.

[A]

Bye, Sam.