Too often, hip-hop is minimized as being intellectually lesser-than in terms of songwriting and composition compared to other genres. These generalizations usually come courtesy of an opinionated uncle who owns every single Doobie Brothers record. Knowing that, it always feels like a victory when someone speaks intelligently and with conviction about the musicality of hip-hop. In his Pop Music Masterclass video series, prodigious Canadian pianist and composer Chilly Gonzales analyzes the techniques used in pop music today, proving that there’s more to today’s hits than a cracked copy of FL Studio and a bootleg DJ Mustard sample pack.
If anyone can lend an expert ear to a Drake song, it’s Chilly Gonzales—he co-wrote and played piano on “From Time,” “Marvin’s Room,” and “Good Ones Go.” In the most recent episode of Pop Music Masterclass, Chilly Gonzales breaks down one of the most strangely satisfying hits in recent memory, Drake’s remix of “Tuesday” by ILoveMakonnen. With the aid of a massive cathedral organ, Gonzo explores the ambiguous nature of Sonny Digital’s chord progression, and the continuous synth sounds that make “Tuesday” sound claustrophobic and blurry simultaneously.
Watch the “Tuesday” breakdown above, and check out other episodes of Pop Music Masterclass where Gonzales tackles Taylor Swift, Iggy Azalea, Daft Punk, and more over at his YouTube channel.
