The Menu is a pop culture anthology content series celebrating the art of curation. Each season is dedicated to a single artist, album, or cultural theme, with every episode serving another course in understanding its subject.
Chucky Thompson
“Tears Away” by Faith Evans
Apart of a underrated and stellar 90s movie soundtrack, this is absolutely Faith Evans and Chucky Thompson at their individual and collective best. Whilst Faith is best known for moody classic, “Soon As I Get Home” (#10), the radical optimism she adopts in the wake of her life post-Biggie is where she reaches her artistic stride. Interlude track “Tears Away (Interlude)” serves its purpose brilliantly on her 1998 album Keep the Faith - but pales in comparison to the full song; that dances the line between pop and gospel whilst reminding forward-thinking R&B.
21st Century Pop Bibles
FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) by Justin Timberlake
Conceived by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as Thriller 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds doesn’t just chase pop dominance - it embodies it. Where Thriller projects authority through a desperate ambition, FutureSex/LoveSounds exudes effortless self-possession. From “SexyBack” onward, Timberlake isn’t asking to be the biggest pop star alive; he already sounds convinced that he is.
Full Moon (2002) by Brandy
Conceived by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as Thriller 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds doesn’t just chase pop dominance - it embodies it. Where Thriller projects authority through a desperate ambition, FutureSex/LoveSounds exudes effortless self-possession. From “SexyBack” onward, Timberlake isn’t asking to be the biggest pop star alive; he already sounds convinced that he is.
More Life (2017) by Drake
Conceived by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as Thriller 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds doesn’t just chase pop dominance - it embodies it. Where Thriller projects authority through a desperate ambition, FutureSex/LoveSounds exudes effortless self-possession. From “SexyBack” onward, Timberlake isn’t asking to be the biggest pop star alive; he already sounds convinced that he is.
LOUD (2011) by Rihanna
Conceived by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as Thriller 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds doesn’t just chase pop dominance - it embodies it. Where Thriller projects authority through a desperate ambition, FutureSex/LoveSounds exudes effortless self-possession. From “SexyBack” onward, Timberlake isn’t asking to be the biggest pop star alive; he already sounds convinced that he is.
In the Zone (2003) by Britney Spears
Conceived by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as Thriller 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds doesn’t just chase pop dominance - it embodies it. Where Thriller projects authority through a desperate ambition, FutureSex/LoveSounds exudes effortless self-possession. From “SexyBack” onward, Timberlake isn’t asking to be the biggest pop star alive; he already sounds convinced that he is.
