The Music Cypher

Here are the top 10 songs I listened to the most for the week starting on the 22nd March to the 28th March, 2026. 1. I.O.U. by Luke James  (23 ▶️) 2. 4C by Ms Banks  (21 ▶️) 3. Lovin On Me by Jack Harlow   (20 ▶️) 4. Leak It by Flo   (19 ▶️) 5. Gimme by Sam Smith, Koffee & Jessie Reyez   (18 ▶️) 6. The Sweetest Taboo by Sade   (16 ▶️) 7. Leg Over by Mr Eazi   (15 ▶️) 8.  Nothing To Smile About by Morgan Heritage   (12 ▶️) 9.  P_$$Y Fairy (OTW) by Jhené Aiko   (11 ▶️) 10. Change Clothes by Jay Z featuring Pharrell  (10 ▶️) What have you been listening to this week?  Let me know in the comments!

"Backward" by Jordan Ward album cover Jordan Ward is back with his sophomore effort titled "Backward". Jordan Alexander Ward (born February 1, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He began his career as a dancer before transitioning to music. Jordan studied dance, including ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, throughout his teens. Before venturing into music, Jordan Ward established himself as a dancer, training and performing with various dance companies and in numerous stage productions. After graduating from high school, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a backup dancer, touring with artists including Justin Bieber, Becky G, Janet Jackson, Usher, and Beyoncé. Ward launched his professional music career in 2017. In 2023, Ward released his debut studio album, Forward. Ward was nominated in 2024 for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist at the 55th NAACP Image Awards. Excerpt taken from  Jordan Ward Honestly, I did listen to his first alb...

  "SOUTH LDN LOVER GIRL" by Ms Banks album cover When she stepped in lookin' like a snack Mandem ready to attack You know what I want so give me dat And you know givers never lack (Uh-huh) When I stepped in lookin' like a snack The gyaldem ready to attack You know what I want so give me dat Yea we know givers never lack Lyrics taken from  Ms Banks - Snack Lyrics This bop as the youth say was my first introduction to the artist known as Ms Banks. However, while I love the song it was my first and only time listening to Ms Banks. Thyra Kigho Deshaun Oji (born 14 April 1994), better known by her stage name Ms Banks, is a Nigerian and British rapper, singer and songwriter. Ms Banks has cited Nicki Minaj as her biggest influence. She also cites Ms Dynamite, Estelle, Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown and Beyonce as her influences. Excerpt taken from  Ms Banks She has released four mixtapes, one EP and in 2026 she has released her debut album titled "SOUTH LDN LOVER GIR...

"Monica" by Jack Harlow album review Here is the deal, I am indifferent when it comes to Jack Harlow's music. There are songs that I like such as his breakout hit "Whats Poppin", "Tyler Herro" , "Lovin On Me" and "Just Us" but it is not like I am highly anticipating any new music dropping from Jackman. So it should not come as a surprise that I never listened to any of his previous albums. That is where this blog comes into play because since creating the blog on Instagram and moving on to this platform I have discovered new artist and delve deeper into the sounds of my favourite artist. In terms of Harlow I have missed hist first three studio albums but now I am here for his fourth studio album titled "Monica". It was released by Atlantic Records on March 13, 2026. It marks Harlow's first release in almost three years following Jackman (2023). It features a collaboration with James Savage and features production from ...

Jason Derulo In my latest review of Jason Derulo's most recent EP titled "The Last Dance (Part 1)", check  here  I mentioned that he was one of my favourite musical guilty pleasures. Be on the lookout for that  Music Matters  it is coming very soon. So I figured why not give Joel the  Rewind  treatment this week. Here is some more information for those who may not know much about Mr. Derulo. Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 million singles worldwide and has achieved fourteen platinum singles in the US. After contributing and writing songs for various artists, Derulo signed to recording label Beluga Heights, owned by record producer and industry veteran J. R. Rotem. After Beluga Heights became part of the Warner Music Group, Derulo became a recording artis...

Here are the top 10 songs I listened to the most for the week starting on the 15th March to the 21st March, 2026. 1. Never Gonna Let You Go by Faith Evans  (19 ▶️) 2. Snack by Ms Banks featuring Kida Kudz  (18 ▶️) 3. Escapism by Raye featuring 070 Shake  (17 ▶️) 4. Attitude by Leikeli47  (16 ▶️) 5. Popalik by Cho featuring Stefflon Don  (15 ▶️) 6. Soon As I Get Home by Faith Evans  (13 ▶️) 7. Boasty by Wiley featuring Stefflon Don, Sean Paul & Idris Elba  (12 ▶️) 8. Hard Out Here by Raye  (11 ▶️) 9. Boom Wuk by AlBeezy featuring Ce'cile  (10 ▶️) 10. Gueto by Iza  (8 ▶️) What have you been listening to this week?  Let me know in the comments!

"Ca$ino" by Baby Keem album cover Here is another train that I was late on boarding. However, this time I am not that far behind on Baby Keem's discography as I am for Harry Styles. That is because "Ca$ino" is only Keem's second studio album. Just like Harry, I knew of Baby Keem due to his connection to Kendrick Lamar but particularly because Normani starred in his video for the song "Family Ties". Ca$ino is Baby Keem’s long-awaited sophomore studio album, following his 2021 debut, The Melodic Blue. Throughout 2022, Keem was on Kendrick Lamar’s The Big Steppers Tour, along with Tanna Leone. Towards the end of the tour, Keem and Scott Bridgeway previewed multiple unreleased songs in Melbourne, Australia. Excerpt taken from  Ca$ino Baby Keem Based on only hearing that one song, I was intrigued but never really follwed through by listening to his debut album "The Melodic Blue" but I am here now so let us see what he has in store for us with ...

"Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally." by Harry Styles album cover Time to be honest as I always try to be with my readers. I have never been a fan of Harry Styles and his music. I was not a fan of One Direction as I simply find them to be corny with the exception of Boyz II Men, B5, 112 and some others. At the heart of the matter, I just prefer girl groups. Therefore, my opening statement about not being a fan of Harry's music should not be shocking. However, let us be clear I know of One Direction and all its members and enjoyed a few of their songs such as "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Story of My Life".  As for Harry's solo music, I am beyond late to this party. I have missed out on his three prior studio albums (expect album retrospectives) but as the sayings goes "better late than never!" So I am here now giving Harry a chance to turn me into an avid listener largely due to this blog. Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. was...

"3121" by Prince album cover The next album retrospective is " 3121 " by Prince. On Saturday 21st March 2026, this album turned twenty (20) years old. 3121 (pronounced "thirty-one twenty-one") is the thirty-first studio album by American musician Prince. Released on March 21, 2006 (3/21) by NPG Records and distributed, under a "one-album deal", by Universal Music, the album reinforced Prince's big comeback after the critical success of Musicology (2004). The only Prince album ever to debut atop the Billboard 200 during his lifetime, with over 180,000 copies sold in its first week, it knocked the soundtrack for High School Musical off the top spot and became Prince's first number one album since Batman in 1989, eventually being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).  The album's first single, "Te Amo Corazón", was released in the United States on December 13, 2005; the second single, "Bla...

"Rapture" by Anita Baker album cover The next album retrospective is " Rapture " by Anita Baker. On Friday 20th March 2026, this album turned forty (40) years old. Rapture is the second album by American vocalist Anita Baker, released in 1986. This became Baker's breakout album and earning her two Grammy Awards. The album's first track, "Sweet Love", was a top 10 Billboard hit in addition to winning a Grammy Award. The album has sold over eight million copies worldwide, including five million in the US alone. In 1984, while Baker was signed to Beverly Glen Music which had released her 1983 album The Songstress, she was offered a considerably better recording contract with Elektra Records, part of Warner Communications. As she was having some difficulties with Beverly Glen, she accepted Warner's offer and notified Beverly Glen that she was no longer willing to perform under the terms of her contract with them. As Baker commenced working on her f...

"I Want You" by Marvin Gaye album cover The next album retrospective is " I Want You " by Marvin Gaye. On Monday 16th March 2026, this album turned fifty (50) years old. I Want You is the thirteenth studio album by the American soul singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye. It was released on March 16, 1976, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla. Gaye recorded the album during 1975 and 1976 at his studio Marvin's Room in Los Angeles and at Motown's Los Angeles–based Hitsville West studio. The album has often been noted by critics for producer Leon Ware's cinematic, downtempo sound, the erotic themes in his and Gaye's songwriting, and the singer's prominent use of the synthesizer. The album's cover artwork adapts neo-mannerist artist Ernie Barnes's famous painting The Sugar Shack (1971). I Want You consisted of Gaye's first recorded studio material since his highly successful and well-received album Let's Get It On (1973). While i...

Sam Smith Samuel Frederick Smith born 19 May 1992 has been a staple in the pop music scene for fourteen years since they rose to prominence in 2012. Their career has gone through so many stages ever since bursting into our collective conscience with their hit collaboration "Latch" with the English electronic music duo consisting of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence called Disclosure. From being dubbed the male Adele, people wondering about their sexual orientation to becoming a target for openly embracing and expressing their sexuality, Samuel has earned their place among the icons from the 2010s. Let us go back to the start for a quick minute, you may confused as to who this weeks rewind is about but if you love music like I love music you have guessed the focus of this post is the one and only Sam Smith .  Smith has reportedly sold 49 million albums, 300 million singles worldwide and over 84 billion career streams, becoming one of the best-selling British pop artists of the ...

Here are the top 10 songs I listened to the most for the week starting on the 8th March to the 14th March, 2026. 1.  I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston  (22 ▶️) 2.  Goodbye Goodmorning by Leigh-Anne (21 ▶️) 3.  Most Wanted by Leigh-Anne with Valiant & Rvssian  (20 ▶️) 4. Happiness by Alexis Jordan  (19 ▶️) 5. Everyday by Elijah Blake  (17 ▶️) 6. Touch by Little Mix  (16 ▶️) 7. Supernatural by Raven Symoné  (15 ▶️) 8.  Fantasy Island by LeA Robinson  (14 ▶️) 9. Say Ok by Vanessa Hudgens  (12 ▶️) 10. Dumpling (Remix) by Stylo G featuring Spice & Sean Paul  (10 ▶️) What have you been listening to this week?  Let me know in the comments!

  "The Romantic" by Bruno Mars album cover Can we be honest? The male pop star has been under attack since the early 2010s and they have been losing that battle for some time. What do I mean? I can name off the top of my head numerous female pop stars that can sing, dance, perform, write, produce and deliver quality music. However, in the case of the men, the names could be named on one hand. One of those names that would be listed on that one hand is Bruno Mars . He has been basically carrying male pop on his back for over a decade. He has vocals for days, is a competent dancer, delivers hits and puts on a damn good show. There is not much male pop acts who we can say that about unless they are legacy acts. However, it has been almost been a decade since he has released a solo studio album, his last being the commercially successful and critically acclaimed "24K Magic" in 2016. However, Bruno did not completely drop off the face of the Earth. In between, he release...

"petal rock black" by Willow album cover Wait a minute I think I left my conscience on your front doorstep, oh oh Wait a minute I think I left my consciousness in the sixth dimension But I'm here right now, right now (Right now, right now) Just sitting in a cloud, oh wow I'm here right now, right now with you, oh wow, oh wow (Right now, with you) I don't even care I'll run my hands through your hair You wanna run your fingers through mine, But my dreads too thick and that's alright, Hold on, wait a  minute, Feel my heart's intention, oh, Hold on, wait a minute, I left my consciousness in the sixth  dimension, Left my soul in his vision, Let's go get it, oh, oh, Let's go get it, oh, oh Lyrics taken from  Wait A Minute!- Willow Lyrics Willow Smith has been in the public sphere early in her life being the daughter of the famous celeb couple Will and Jada Smith. I was introduced to Willow via her mega hit "Whip My Hair" and what should ha...

"Prizefighter" by Mumford & Sons album cover Avid readers of this blog have been reading my ranting about how Hip-Hop/Rap is my least favourite or listened to music genre. However, now I think about it thanks to the album I am reviewing in this post, a new genre has entered the chat and taken Rap's place and it is Rock.  Just like Hip-Hop, there are Rock N Roll songs I love such as "Cryin'" by Aerosmith, "Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin, "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty, "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore (on my list for favourite songs of all time) and "Wait a Minute!" by Willow just to name a few. Yet, that is where my love for the genre starts and stop, a few singles that I greatly enjoy.  Given this information it should not be shocking that I have never listened to an album from the iconic English folk rock band Mumford & Sons.  As a matter of fact while I know of the band, I may have heard their songs in passing but...

"Calm Before Riches" by DoggyStyleeee EP cover Here is an EP review brought to you not via an interesting album cover or album name this time but rather by an interesting artist name. By now avid readers of this blog know the script. I was scrolling through my favourite album news site to see what albums has been released and stumbled upon an artist I knew nothing about that had a captivating name. So, as you know by now I had to give the album a listen which leads to a review on the blog. The new artist whose album cover art piqued my interest is DoggyStyleeee . DoggyStyleeee born Chris Parson is a west coast rapper currently living in San Bernardino, CA, United States. The rapper is also known as Lil Slop Loc in his neighborhood. Doggystyleeee’s father was the founder of CGC, California Garden Crips. Naturally, the rapper is strongly associated with this gang, something that is often showed off in his songs' official videos. On October 4, 2019 Doggystyleeee dropped his ...