ON FRIDAY NIGHT, by the golden glow of hazy street lamps, we followed the strains of jazz to a clearing in the park to discover couples swing dancing. It was unexpected and utterly perfect for a midsummer’s night, and really rather romantic. On Saturday night, again in the park, we happened upon a full jazz concert, white garden chairs set around an outdoor stage in front of the water fountain filled with late-night revelers, some with children in tow, late-arriving tourists on bicycles and circles of friends on blankets on the grass, sharing a bottle of rosé. Summertime here is the very essence of joie de vivre and we’re lucky to be a part of it. This week’s links include Living with Pink and London’s 30 Most Instagrammed Restaurants, a blue & white beach house and much, much more …
De La Soul’s contributions to hip-hop over the past three decades are mighty, but the Long Island trio has often been challenged by its own creativity. In an era where music is becoming increasingly accessible, De La’s catalogue has been noticeably absent from iTunes, Spotify, and other free and subscription-based platforms due to issues with sample clearances. It’s a war Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo have been waging for years: How do we make music on our own terms without interference from lawyers, labels, and other industry gatekeepers?
DJ Khaled might not actually do anything, but whatever he’s doing, or not, it’s working. He’s still the best famous-person-wrangler around, and he’s managed to round up a truly absurd posse of superstars on his upcoming album Grateful. You’ve already heard the #1 Justin Bieber/Quavo/Chance The Rapper/Lil Wayne team-up “I’m The One” everywhere on the radio, and you’ve probably already heard the Drake collab “To The Max” and the post-Grammys Beyoncé/Jay Z duet “Shining” too. Now, Khaled is sharing “Wild Thoughts,” which features Rihanna and Bryson Tiller and samples Santana’s “Maria Maria” guitar riff.”