Critic Stephen Kearse joins Pop Pantheon for the conclusion of our two-part series on Kendrick Lamar ahead of his Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday. Stephen and Louie tackle Kendrick’s string of hit-making guest appearances in the mid-2010s, his first solo number one, “Humble,” and 2017’s critically adored Damn. Then they discuss Black Panther and Kendrick’s final album with Top Dawg, 2022’s sprawling Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Finally, they unpack the Kendrick/Drake beef, his recent hot streak and 2024’s GNX, before ranking Kendrick Lamar in the Official Pop Pantheon.Check out our Kendrick Lamar Essentials Playlist on SpotifyCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous Valentines Day in LA on 2/14Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 3/1Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
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2:07:04
Are the Grammys Good Now? Plus "Abracadabra" Reactions! (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, last night's Grammys featured show-stopping performances from Doechii, Chappell Roan and others, plus wins from Roan, Kendrick Lamar and, finally, a long-awaited crowning for Beyoncé in Album of the Year. Louie and Russ share their reactions before going deep on Lady Gaga's newest single, "Abracadabra", the third from her forthcoming album Mayhem and the video for which dropped during the awards ceremony. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
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10:04
KENDRICK LAMAR: PART 1 (with Rolling Stone's Mankaprr Conteh)
Rolling Stone’s Mankaprr Conteh returns to Pop Pantheon for part one of our two-part series on Kendrick Lamar ahead of his Super Bowl performance. Louie and Mankaprr dig into Kendrick’s origins in Compton, his teenaged mixtapes under the alias K. Dot and his independently released studio debut, 2011’s Section.80. From there, they tackle 2012's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, a mainstream pop breakthrough immediately hailed as a masterpiece. Finally, they walk through how Kendrick weaved together musical traditions from across the Black diaspora on 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly. Tune in next week for Part 2, covering Damn, Kendrick’s beef with Drake and Kendrick’s induction into the Official Pop Pantheon.Check out our Kendrick Lamar Essentials Playlist on SpotifyCome to our dance party Main Pop Girls on 2/1 at Parkside Lounge in NYC!Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Valentines Day in LA on 2/14Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Ultimate Friend of the Pod Rich Juzwiak returns to the show to make predictions in the top 4 categories for this Sunday's Grammys with Louie and Russ, before the three break down FKA Twigs' latest album, Eusexua, which Rich reviewed in Pitchfork. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
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10:44
The Best Pop Albums of the 2020s So Far (with Joe Coscarelli, Aisha Harris & Mic The Snare)
Somehow, we're halfway through the 2020s, which makes it the perfect time to take stock: what have been the best pop albums of this decade so far and what do they tell us about the state of both the album and music more broadly in 2025? The New York Times' Joe Coscarelli, NPR's Aisha Harris and YouTuber Mic The Snare join DJ Louie to discuss all of that, before each sharing their top 5 albums of the 2020s so far. Come to our dance party Main Pop Girls on 2/1 at Parkside Lounge in NYC!Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Valentines Day in LA on 2/14Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
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