brown study vs. nyt (sexyback, part II).

stay locked to this blog for the all new commercial free hip hop & r&b (and pop, in this case). i would like to thank every urban radio station known to man for the above line.

anyway, i was one step ahead of the new york times in offering my words on timberlake’s new single “sexyback.” check out the times review here.

the review is largely favorable but begins with a somewhat mocking “feminist critique” of pretty boys in the music industry. the time hip hop reviewer, kelefa sanneh, does tease out a narrative storyline in what may sound to some as a redundant merry-go-round of narcissism.

we agree on 1 major point – that is, the song’s attempt to evoke what i call a princetonian vibe (no relation to the ivy). she says, “mr. timberlake isn’t the new prince, not by a long shit. unlike prince, mr. timberlake hasn’t made a career of acting as his own object of desire.” we both called the prince comparisons; i just called it first. i would wager sanneh and say that prince fans will secretly enjoy the song the song and if they don’t they should because it’s on honest attempt at musical creativity.