#FreshStyleFits: Flare Jeans – December 17, 2015

Brandon Clay’s Note: In addition to assisting me with everything #TeamPSB on a daily basis in the office, Taylor Johnson manages to be one of the most fashionable people in Atlanta. She serves as my personal stylist. Together we develop a style going into each season that I can rock both inside and outside of the gym. Keep a close eye on all of her #FreshStyleFits pieces.

By: @KTaylorPSB

Skinny jeans aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but flared jeans are making a comeback. Flared jeans are a dramatic piece to any simple outfit.

How to wear: I was introduced to the look after seeing celebrity fashion designer Rachel Zoe discussing the look recently. My take is that flared jeans look best with a great pair of healed booties in the fall and winter. The key to making them look right is to make sure they are the right length. With heels on the flared jeans should be almost touching the ground. The longer the jeans, the better for this dramatic jean look. I dropped my pair of Lucky Brand Brooke Flare jeans off at Brandon’s tailor today to make sure my jeans were the perfect length.

When to wear: Flared jeans are easy to dress up or dress down for a night on town or for a casual daytime outfit. I’ve got the jeans with some booties and an oversized sweater to dinner Friday night. I’ll post a picture afterwards.

Brands to buy:
Lucky Brand – “Brooke Flare” (pictured above)
7 for all Mankind – “Ginger Flare”
Hudson – “Taylor Flare”

Taylor-Staff-PicTaylor Johnson serves as Brandon Clay’s personal stylist and is one of the most fashionable people in Atlanta. While attending graduate school at Georgia State, she’ll contribute to various categories throughout the PSBPopCulture.com site.

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#PSBPopCulture: Staying Fit and Eating Healthy – December 9, 2015

By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB

Between spending time trying to keep a decent GPA and 50 cent wing nights at the campus Wingstop, it’s (real) hard to keep a good diet and real easy to gain weight in college. Luckily, I have three close friends that are constantly keeping me on track and headed in the right direction. Both of my workout partners, Taylor Grant and Bo Danso, are majoring in exercise science so they lead our workouts every night with their knowledge of the body and muscle groups.

SIDENOTE: Follow them on social media – @YaboyTG and @edanso132

Taylor wants to own a physical therapy facility, while Bo wants to own a gym. Because of that, every night is like a free professional personal training session. I take a lot of their health and fitness ideas as well and try to incorporate them into my life. I dig the way Bo always keeps track of his protein and carbohydrate intake to make sure he’s getting enough and the way Taylor plans his meals 2-3 days in advance.

The third person who does a great job of keeping me on track, in a competitive way, is my PSBPopCulture.com editor Brandon Clay. Being around him and watching eat extremely healthy then hit the gym twice a day, gives me that extra motivation to not slip up. Even after long red eye flights and his busy schedule, he finds time to get it done. I think to myself, “Surely if the boy B. Clay can manage to find time to prepare his healthy meals and hit the gym then I have no excuse.”

CLAY’S TAKE: I appreciate that fella. Honestly, for me it’s become a lifestyle. It’s a numbers game in terms of calories in versus calories burned combined with the amount of fat in those calories and protein intake as well. With my travel schedule, I have to be very cautious of what I choose to fuel my body with on a daily basis. I wasn’t blessed with the genetics to eat whatever I want and still stay in optimum shape. I had to greatly reduce my sugar intake in 2013 to see gains. I love slushies, Swedish Fish and things of that nature so it was an adjustment. I’ve replaced those things with other products that I like including granola and sugar free Trident gum.

This fall, I’ve adjusted my cardio to make sure I’m in the gym on a daily basis. I tell people often that it’s a daily choice to be great in any area. I feel as if I’m competing against myself and Jordan amongst others to get better each day. Owning the fact that I want to be in shape has made me that more accountable for sticking to my goal of being in great shape. The PSBPopCulture.com Team gave me a hard time when I made the life adjustment to reduce the sugar a couple of years ago but that’s exactly the motivation I need to be successful. I function at a high level when people tell me I can’t get something done.

Here are some of my favorite music lines to motivate me:

“I see rappers in the gym trying to tone up.” – J. Cole, Winter Schemes

“Living out a suitcase but I’m feeling good, Johnny’s got me pushing two plates.” – Drake, 9 AM in Toronto

“6 pack under my tank top.” – T.I., Trap Back Jumpin

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been rocking the latest trends since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

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What is PSBPopCulture.com – December 8, 2015

The initial vision for the PSBPopCulture.com website was to provide our team a home to discuss everything that happens when we aren’t in the gym. Since the release of the site in October, we’ve received feedback from people of all walks of life. From Elbert Kinnebrew in California to Shane Laflin in Texas, we appreciate everyone who has taken time to read the content we work so hard to post. That type of response is exactly what we wanted. Whether it’s interviews with the future of (Atlanta) music, reviews of the TLC series series “Coach Charming” to our take on the University of Missouri situation, we’ve aimed to bring a diverse set of topics to the website and our social media account as well.

Our Team has been fantastic with emerging stars Stella Alverson and Jordan Davis leading the way with top shelf content during the Fourth Quarter of 2015. Veteran writer Jonathan Hemingway has been as clutch as Jay Cutler was on Thanksgiving Day. We’ve delivered 40 original pieced since the mid-October launch. We could not have done it without article assists from people like Donte Grant, Terah Moore and Carl Reed.

So what’s next for our team as 2015 turns into 2016? We have interviews lined up with up-and-coming music artists like Riley Bierdrer, live access to NBA games and even have Justin Bieber’s “Purpose Tour” in Atlanta on the calendar to cover. If you want us to tell your story, feel free to contact us via DM on Twitter to make it go down.

Here’s a look at some of the social content we’ve posted since the launch:

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#EntertainmentPSB: “Fixer Upper” – Season Premier – December 1, 2015

As a homeowner, I find myself paying more attention to channels like HGTV than I ever did growing up in my parents home. My love for the series “Fixer Upper” is a result of having gone through the home buying (and renovating) process. I was introduced to the series by my Operations intern, Taylor Johnson, and have really enjoyed the first two seasons.

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture

As the show gears up for its’ third season on HGTV, Chip and Joanna Gaines are back at it. The married couple displays a unique way to blend their careers of renovating homes for clients throughout central Texas while raising a family based in the town of Waco, Texas. The couple is in the process of making themselves the most popular item to come from the town since Baylor University quarterback Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy in 2012. Before the show aired in 2013, the Gaineses had already renovated more than 100 homes building their Magnolia Homes business in the process.

In the third season, the two will tackle their toughest project to date as they build what is slated to be called “Magnolia Market.” It is scheduled to be completed sometime in July. In addition to silos and a warehouse that will contain the Magnolia Homes offices, part of the plan calls for a retail marketplace and an area for approximately 15 to 20 mobile food vendors and trucks. The WacoTrib reported that the city of Waco has contributed with a reported 208,376 in tax incentives to assist in the project. Even my dad, John Clay, is a big fan of the show and mentioned his excitement about the series premier over Thanksgiving Dinner last week.

Make sure to turn in to HGTV at 9 pm EST / 8 pm CST.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

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#iTunesSounds: Four To Know – December 1, 2015

“Four To Know” is a glimpse inside what’s current in the iTunes Music Libraries of our team members. We’ll provide four songs to grab and a breakdown of what appeals to us in each track.

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture

1) “Hello” by Erykah Badu feat. Andre 3000

BREAKDOWN: It’s always nice to hear from Miss Badu who was one of R&B’s go-to voices in the late ’90’s and early 2000’s. The fact that she brought Andre 3000 along for one of his few select verses that he drops annually was a pleasant surprise. The two team up over the classic Ronald Isley sample “Hello, It’s Me.” Andre delivers his seemingly timeless flow while Badu makes it feel like it’s 2000 all over again.

2) “No Shade” by Chaz French feat. Wale

BREAKDOWN: A relative newcomer to the mainstream scene, keep an eye on Chaz French. I owe an assist to PSBPopCulture.com Team Member, Jordan Davis, for this one. French comes through with a quality output on this one even singing the hook. Meanwhile his veteran counterpart, Wale, delivered a mean punch on the type of R&B type of track we’ve come to expect Mr. Folarin to body.

3) “Contradiction” by Mail Music feat. Jhene Aiko

BREAKDOWN: Mali Music has been on the scene for years but has started to breakout as a mainstream R&B solo artist since the release of “Beautiful.” I have to credit current Notre Dame freshman Ali Patberg for the lob on that track 18 months ago. Now Mali is back on the Spike Lee movie “Chi-Raq” soundtrack. He brought emerging female R&B artist Jhene Aiko along on this one and together the combine to knock this one out the park. The high pitch sound floating on top of the melody reminds me of the style Justin Bieber used on “Sorry” and adds to the sound of this one.

4) “Send My Love” (To Your New Lover) by Adele

BREAKDOWN: On a “25” CD loaded with soon-to-be Billboard chart toppers, this one stands out with it’s upbeat tempo as she does her 1-2 on the track. The feel in sequence and message makes me think of “Rumour Has It” off of Adele’s “21” output. Ironically, it’s the second track on the CD the same way Rumour Has It was.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

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#iTunesSounds: Justin Bieber – “Purpose” – November 30, 2015

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture

Since releasing his debut EP, “My World”, in late 2009, Justin Bieber has become one of the most popular artists worldwide regardless of genre. His latest release, “Purpose”, is his first studio release since 2012 and showcases a distinct sound that is maturing with his age. Over the past three years, the now 21-year-old singer has had some issues away from the music studio. That said, Bieber delivered a hit when needed with this one. We take a look at this latest album.

My Fantastic Four tracks off of Purpose are as follows:

2) “I’ll Show You”

BREAKDOWN: Bieber doesn’t waste anytime addressing the missteps of the past couple of years: the pressure of the fame, stardom and celebrity.



FAVORITE LINE: “This life’s not easy. I’m not made out of steel. Forget that I’m human, forget that I’m real.

4) “Sorry”

BREAKDOWN: This is a hit. From the opening sounds that proceed Bieber’s voice coming on the track to his voice floating over the strong melody. He performed this one at the American Music Awards and I am sure that will see this stay on the Billboard charts for weeks to come.

FAVORITE LINE: “You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty. You know I try but I don’t do too well with apologies.”

8) “Love Yourself”

BREAKDOWN: This is the moment that we all talk about with the significant other who steps in saying everything in life is wrong but them. Friends, family and even the other person. Bieber touches this with a smooth beat and a some lightly played instruments as his voice tap dances on the track.

FAVORITE LINE: “My mama don’t like you and she likes everyone. And I never like to admit that I was wrong.”

Listen to more about this topic on the PSBPopCulture.com Report at the 7:00 min mark:

17) “Trust”

BREAKDOWN: This is my favorite song on the album. The whole sound has a real Timberlake post-NSync feel. The bass line is a perfect compliment to the R&B like production on this one. Bieber does a good job of showing his growing diversity on a track that he can deliver live with a female fan on stage as opposed to having to choreograph a dance for this one.

FAVORITE LINE: “Let’s be honest with ourselves. Did we really come this far just to watch it go down the drain?”

Honorable Mention: “We Are” feat. Nas

BREAKDOWN: Bieber teams up with arguably a Top Five rapper in the history of the game for this one. To my surprise, the track didn’t feel forced even though at 42, Nas could be Bieber’s father.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

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#EntertainmentPSB: The Future of Atlanta Music – November 23, 2015

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture and By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB

Atlanta is a city well known recently for pushing the pace forward in entertainment, fashion and music alike. With everyone trying to get into fashion, art, and music the level of competition throughout is at what some would say is an all time high.

In addition to industry success: followers, likes and retweets are coveted by even the most established in the fields above. Two Atlanta-based producers share more than early age success and a household, they share a direct family bond. Brothers (@DamiThaPrince) & (@SoundByAde) continue to show they belong in the conversation of who has next from the city that forever changed the hip-hop landscape with OutKast emergence in the late-90’s.

In just four years, they’ve gone from producing beats in their family’s living room in the hopes for the glory to working with some of the hottest young artists in lavish studios reserved for the industry leaders. To date, the brothers have worked with emerging artists such as Bryson Tiller, BJ The Chicago Kid and Montana of 300.

At the ripe old ages of 19 and 20, Dami and Ade are creating their own fast lane in a city where the H-O-V Lane is always the move. Based on their current path, they are well on their way to be two of the hottest producers out of Atlanta for years to come. With a production team that resembles 808 Mafia, they plan on becoming the go to name for artists looking for the next Billboard chart topper.

We sat down with Ade & Dami to see what motivates them through the long nights in the studio, how they manage college while chopping up the music their friends will soon party to and where they are headed from here.

Question: Who do you look up to for music inspiration?

Dami: Honestly, my brother. It’s a musical competition in their house.

Ade: I look up to Kanye West as a musical inspiration. I like his “My Twisted Dark Fantasy” CD the most.

Question: Who would you love to work with?

Dami: PartyNextDoor. He’s just dope right now.

Ade: Pusha T. His style is inline with the music that I’m making.

Question: What was your favorite song of the year?

Dami: “Just Another Interlude” by Bryson Tiller

Ade: “Momma” by Kendrick Lamar off of “To Pimp A Butterfly”

Question: Take on Drake and Meek Mill situation?

Dami: People just love Drake. It’s honestly real hard to get at Drake because of the position that he’s in.

Ade: Everyone’s just riding Drake. Meek is a still a good artist. The people are gonna be back on the Meek bandwagon when Dreamchasers 4 drops.

Jordan: There should have just been Meek on the track, no other voices / no features. Classic battle rap: one on one.

Brandon: Meek tried to do too much. Should have spit quick facts, touched on Drake’s relationship with Serena all over three beats – that throwback Funkmaster Flex style. Rewind the dope lines three or four times in a row.

Question: Name an artist on the come up?

Dami: I vibe with Pouya. He’s an artist from Florida who definitely got bars.

Ade: I’m rockin’ with Travi$ Scott right now. You can see the Kanye influence.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been rocking the latest trends since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

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#iTunesSounds: Four To Know – November 22, 2015

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture

Angie Stone – 2 Bad Habits

Stone has long been one of my top R&B female artists dating back to the “Mahogany Soul” release in 2001. Though not a household crossover name like Mary J. Blige, Stone is go-to for quality singles and deep album cuts. Her latest album, “Dream”, is no different. “2 Bad Habits” is the lead single off of this CD and is what I’ve come to expect from the singer. Smooth production with a voice that carries the track from there and turns it into a hit.

Dave East – Forbes List

East went to a real member of the Hip-Hop Forbes List, Nas, for this title cut off of his 20-track debut album, “Hate Me Now.” East pays homage to Nas with the album title as a play on one of the legendary rapper’s classic hits. They both deliver some notable lines in the process.

FAVORITE LINE: “I been literally rich since ’96, would have hit my enemies with a Tek in ’96.” – Nas

MisterWives – Our Own House

MisterWives is an indie pop band who got the ball rolling in 2012. They released an EP, “Reflections,” in 2014. This one slipped right past me with a First Quarter of 2015 release. “Our Own House” is actually the title track off of their debut album with the same title. It’s done well on the U.S. charts reaching as high as No. 31 overall, No. 7 in Alternative. With an uptempo beat and full sound, lead singer Mandy Lee does her thing on this single tying it all together with a catchy sound.

Nick Grant – Royalty

Grant enlisted Cyhi The Prince for this single. Cyhi has been on the Atlanta scene for years and was even signed to G.O.O.D. Music for a while. That said, his counterpart on this track is so new to the scene that he doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page yet. If this song takes off of the way that I think it will, that gap won’t last much longer for South Carolina native Nick Grant. The beat favors a classic rap track from A Tribe Called Quest “Bonita Applebum” and both artists do their thing on the track.

FAVORITE LINE: “Only the Family Matters like Harriet Winslow/AK singing like it’s married to Swizz.”

BREAKDOWN: A play on the 1990’s hit TV show followed by a witty reference to Grammy winner Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz.

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

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#EntertainmentPSB: Call of Duty “Black Ops 3” – November 16, 2015

By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB

In college, the biggest thing that helps me get through the long and stressful semester is my (limited) free time. For some, it’s being on a sports team, but for me and my crew it’s a combination of working out and video games. My editor, Brandon Clay, thinks he’s stronger than me but I got him beat while still making time to play video games. Other than FIFA, NBA 2K, and Madden, one of our favorite video game franchises is the Call Of Duty series.

Last year, Call of Duty released “Advanced Warfare” but that one didn’t catch on with our crew. The extent of how futuristic the game was made it feel more like a Halo or Gears of War. Fast forward a year to the latest Call of Duty release of “Black Ops 3” was announced we knew what was going to be occupying our late nights. As expected, the graphics are superb and the realism of the gameplay can draw even non gamers to the screen. The moment you turn the game on the introduction page reads, “Forget a sick day, you’ll need a sick week.”

We are either all crammed into one apartment playing or playing together online. After we finish working out around 9:00 pm, my online group – Brett Byerly, Dante Sawyer and CJ James – will stay up until as late as 4:00 am (weekends only of course) glued to our flat screen. Without a doubt, Black Ops 3 is a game that I would recommend for any age and any game experience level.

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been rocking the latest trends since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

You can follow him on Twitter @JDavisPSB.

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#iTunesSounds: Four To Know – November 11, 2015

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture and By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB

I Lied – DJ Khaled

Keep an eye out for this one off of the latest Khaled release “I Changed A Lot.” Ironically, this track is a very standard cut off of a Khaled CD featuring French Montana on the hook. I got the assist thrown while attending the Keil Moore Showcase in Philadelphia at a Subway from Matt Jones as I was “breaking bread” with Rider assistant coach Sean “Sticks” Smith.

It’s been a rough fall for Meek Mill but the embattled rapper delivers a solid verse on this one. He teams up with fellow Northeast corridor rappers Beanie Sigel and Jadakiss to drop one of the more memorable tracks on the CD. – Brandon Clay

Kiss Me Quick – Nathan Sykes

I’ve been a fan of Sykes solo career since his duet with Ariana Grande on the track “Almost Is Never Enough” off of her Yours Truly album released in 2013. A former member of the band “The Wanted,” Sykes has a rich voice that over the Kiss Me Quick beat has a pop feel. This song has been in the rotation since the middle of October. Keep an eye on another Sykes’ track “Over and Over Again” as well. – Brandon Clay

Verge – Owl City

One of my favorite groups in the genre, Owl City, teams up with one of my favorite singers of the past 12 months in Aloe Blacc. In “Verge,” Owl City has another hit in their pocket similar to their “Fireflies” smash hit back in the summer of 2009. It’s an uptempo flow with Blacc playing his role well. – Brandon Clay

Vice City – Jay Rock feat. Black Hippy

“Black Hippy” is back since their last time being seen on the U.O.E.N.O remix (a performance that even my 40-year-old pops appreciates) and their incredible cypher at their BET Awards in 2013. A modern rap group that includes artist such as Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock. Black Hippy’s new song “Vice City” does an impressive job of displaying the versatility of the West Coast super group.

Kendrick starts off the song by making joking references to stereotypical ideology behind rap music saying, “I got big money, big booty women, man that stuff’s gonna be the death of me.” After his verse, Kendrick lets Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q obliterate the track. My personal favorite part of this batch of artist is the way each musician is able to bring in their own style to the group. – Jordan Davis

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been rocking the latest trends since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

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