Bop Shop: Songs From Nipsey Hussle, Ben Platt, Alex Lahey, And More

Bop Shop: Songs From Nipsey Hussle, Ben Platt, Alex Lahey, And More




The search for the ever-elusive "bop" is complicated. Playlists and streaming-service suggestions can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?


Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn't discriminate by genre and can contribute anything — it's a snapshot of what's on our minds and what sounds good. We'll keep it fresh with the latest music, yet expect several oldies yet goodies) every once in a while, also. Get ready: The Bop Shop is currently open for business.





  • Nipsey Hussle: "Last Time That I Checc'd"



    Last year, I studied Gary Vaynerchuk and Nipsey Hussle in different ways. Both were prosperous. Both explained how to get there. Although If I studied Gary Vee like an instructor from afar, with Nipsey, it felt like a big brother locking his arms around your neck and shoulders, schooling you on how things should be. Nipsey was like that to a lot of people. His music and actions away from the microphone portrayed a guy who wanted to share the wealth as much as he wanted to obtain it. He also kept it in the community; right after years of giving out game, he earned the ability to take a step back and talk his shit. That track was 2018's "Last Time That I Checc'd" and it's impossible not to listen to it and smile. This guy knew he was good.


    Nipsey wasn't one for excessive smiling. He routinely appeared either plain faced or disgruntled, however whenever he talked, it was from a place of eloquence and tranquility as an alternative opposed to confusion or annoyance. "Last Time That I Checc'd" sounds like smiling all over the course of its four minutes. Nipsey's loud, and his upset energy gives me life. However he's not forcing his greatness upon you. As a substitute, he makes you get off your backside and get to work. In the video, he rides in Lamborghini cars clad in white, fiercely glaring at the camera as if to mention, "This is my reality, right now make yours similar." It's angelic. He could have tragically died on March 31, however his message is living on by way of the song's dancing brilliance. Change your reality. —Trey Alston






  • Alex Lahey: "Am I Doing It Right?"



    Alex Lahey is speedily becoming the queen of big, catchy pop-rock hooks, and her latest single "Am I Doing It Right?" Is a brilliant example of this. On the next track to be released from her forthcoming sophomore album The Best of Luck Club, Lahey shares her struggles with career anxiety with the very relatable lyrics "Day and night and night and day / I can fuck it all up in a million different ways." Also real, Alex. Also real. —Bob Marshall






  • Barns Courtney: "99"



    "Nintendo, Atari. Sega's my Ferrari."


    I never fail to sing along to the outro to Barns Courtney's "99" because it so properly sums up my childhood. It's a song I'm constantly searching for on my main go to radio station, giving it hundreds of Spotify plays a week, and aspiring to be as cool as.


    Though the track didn't hit airwaves up until late 2018, I only recently discovered it, so I'm feeling like I really missed out. Encapsulated in a breezy, retro-flavored tune, I noticed the shining moments of my childhood. Courtney sings about staying awake all night by the light of your television, sleeping all day and talking night, and all of the simple pleasures that came with growing up in the '90s. Every verse feels so personalized, as if I might have penned the track myself. That's why it's rapidly become one of my go-to Rock Musical group 4 tracks.


    I'll habitually remember the nights I stayed on the phone with my companions, boyfriends, and internet acquaintances on the phone or through the AOL Instant Messenger in the pitch black, the inky darkness illuminated only by my computer or television screen. Much of my adulthood is spent chasing the joy of my childhood and the moments I thought would last forever, like as soon as the most tough decision I had to create at the time was which game to rent from the Movie Gallery by my residence. Life was simple, easy to understand, and beautiful.


    I never wish to let go of these memories, and "99" ensures I'll never have to. —Brittany Vincent






  • Ben Platt: "Grow As We Go"



    With a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical already under his belt – shout out Dear Evan HansenBen Platt could've taken his album any collection of ways. Blue polos and arm slings totally aside, his pop debut follows the rise and fall of a relationship with candid intensity. He doesn't shy away from male pronouns, nor signs of weakness. Stand-out track "Grow As We Go" is restrained and soft pleading – nearly a whisper – over guitar plucking and warm background vocals. The simplistic out in any relationship is to mention, "We need time to grow," or "People change," yet what if the required for development wasn't solely singular? Platt pleads for a compromise – to grow as we go, with each other. His voice is never totally convinced that it's going to work, however he's totally enamored and prepared to give anything a try. It's a tune as melancholy as it's hopeful, lending itself to any listener's hesitation or instinct. Still, Ben never gets an answer from his lover, making it all of the more heartbreaking. —Carson Mlnarik






  • Georgia: "About Work the Dancefloor"



    What elements make for a brilliant dance song? Because there's something about London producer Georgia's new banger "About Work the Dancefloor" that makes it the best companion for a sweaty night in the club. Is it the Stranger Things-y percussive '80s synths? The grammatically awkward nevertheless with little effort chant-able chorus? All the above? (It's all the above.) —Bob Marshall






  • Kim Viera: "Here For Ya"



    Old is new again with Kim Viera's "Here For Ya." The opening thing you notice about the upbeat pop song is the nostalgic excellent it possesses. It's not up until the hook that you realize the song interpolates Ghost Town DJs' '90s hit "My Boo (I Desire to Be Your Lady Baby)." In the ultimate mix of old school meets new school, Viera gives a tune that’s on the cusp of turning 25 a fresh take. It's a song made for summer, and however it forces you to long for the days of cassette mixtapes and roller skates, the catchy Miami bass and feel-good lyrics pair just as well with high-tops, headphones, and daydreams of the beach. —Virginia Lowman













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