Jessica McKinney

New York

Copywriter at Publicis Sapient

alotta thoughts, but mostly about music and pop culture.

Articles

Travis Scott Albums, Ranked Worst to Best

1 month ago | complex.com | Jessica McKinney

Since releasing his first solo project back in 2013, Travis Scott has built a near-bulletproof discography, earning him a place among the most popular rappers on the planet. In more than a decade he’s released a half-dozen solo albums and two collaborative projects. As he preps the next step in his career—aka a new album—now is a good opportunity to rank all of his releases.
Drake Kicks Off 2025 Tour With Bullet Hole Hoodie

Feb 4, 2025 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney |Joe Price

Drake promises he isn't going anywhere. On Tuesday, the 6 God kicked off his 16-date Australia and New Zealand trek with his first show in Perth. At reportedly the end of the concert, he appeared to bring up his beef with Kendrick Lamar. “My name is Drake. I started in 2008, I came all the way from Toronto, Canada,” he said in a clip.
What's On Our Playlist: ScHoolboy Q, Tierra Whack, Gunna, Karol G, And More

Feb 16, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney |Ecleen Caraballo |Jordan Rose |Liam Allan |Stefan Breskin

Complex OriginalIt's a good week for new music. Following the kick-off on Sunday with two country music-inspired tracks from Beyoncé, artists across genres held it down with plenty to listen to this weekend.
15 R&B Artists To Watch In 2024

Feb 14, 2024 | complex.com | Ecleen Caraballo |Jessica McKinney |Jordan Rose |Jon Barlas |Kemet High |Peter A. Berry

For fans of: SiR, Kendrick LamarListen to these songs first: “Broke Folk Funk,” "Honeysuckle Neckbone,” "Judas & the Holy Mother of Stank"BLK ODYSSY is an emerging Austin-based artist that is bringing a lot of value to the music scene with his socially conscious music. Influenced by iconic figures like Kendrick Lamar, Outkast, and D’Angelo, his creative expression is deeply rooted in personal experiences, notably the tragic loss of his brother to police violence at the tender age of 12.
From “Daddy Lessons” to Act II: A Look at Beyoncé’s Love for Country Music

Feb 14, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney

Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording AcademyBeyoncé never fails to leave our jaws on the floor and our bank accounts empty when she announces a tour or any sort of musical release. The Houston vocalist continues to astonish fans with her performances and surprise releases, and her latest surprise announcement may be her most internet-shattering one yet.
Rappers To Watch In 2024: Karrahboo, BigX and Lay Bankz

Feb 13, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney |Ecleen Caraballo |Eric Skelton |Insanul Ahmed |Jordan Rose |Peter Berry | +2 more

Store and/or access information on a device Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Was Incredible. Here Are All Our Thoughts

Feb 11, 2024 | complex.com | Ecleen Caraballo |Jessica McKinney |Eric Skelton |Jordan Rose

Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Roc Nation Usher kicked off the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show on Sunday with a performance that left a lasting impression. Layered and jam-packed with enough songs and moments to dissect for the next week and beyond, there are also plenty of immediate takeaways to digest and appreciate.
Usher’s Halftime Show Predictions: From Serenading Taylor Swift to Roller Skating

Feb 9, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney |Jordan Rose |Stefan Breskin

The 2024 Grammys have passed, and now all eyes are on sports' biggest event: Super Bowl LVIII. Set to take place on Feb. 11, the San Francisco 49ers will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs. Amidst the buzz surrounding the game, there is a lot of anticipation surrounding Usher's Super Bowl halftime show. Usher will be the first independent artist to grace the halftime stage. Reflecting on this momentous opportunity, Usher said during a press conference on Feb.
“We Went No.1. It Is What It Is”: LilJuMadeDaBeat Talks Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” Triumph and Controversy

Feb 8, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney

When producer LilJuMadeDaBeat crafted the beat for Megan Thee Stallion’s track "Hiss" last year, he didn't consider it anything remarkable at the time. Having collaborated for years and produced viral hits such as 2018’s “Big Ole Freak” and 2020’s “Body,” Ju and Megan had established a strong working relationship and had settled into a comfortable routine of simply making music together.
"We’re Being Bold Today": The Ice Spice And Latto Beef, Explained

Feb 6, 2024 | complex.com | Jessica McKinney

Getty ImagesEvery other day, it seems like conflicts or rising tensions between rappers are becoming more and more frequent. Just last month, the conversation was focused on feuds between Drake and Mos Def or Blueface and Soulja Boy. Now all eyes are on Latto and Ice Spice. This rumored feud has been simmering for at least a year. Initially, Latto seemed to be in conflict with Nicki Minaj after a heated Twitter exchange in 2022 over their past issues.