Oceanairstream

B.I. - Buzzin’ (ft Coogie, GRAY) (single)
Release Date: Mar. 3, 2026
Title Track: Buzzin’ (ft Coogie, Gray)
Fave Track: Buzzin’

WOODZ - Archive.1 (album)
Release Date: Mar. 4, 2026
Title Track: Human Extinction
Fave Tracks: 00:30, Dayfly 🙌🏽, Na Na Na 🙌🏽, Beep, Cinema, SAMO

TradeL - LOVE MAZE II (album)
Release Date: Feb. 21, 2026
Title Track: ohaeya
Fave Tracks: hbu (ft Meenoi), woo ah (ft pH-1) 🙌🏽, ohaeya 🙌🏽 , PERSONAL COLOR

Big Ocean - The Greatest Battle (mini)
Release Date: Mar. 3, 2026
Title Track: One Man Army
Fave Tracks: Back, Cold Moon

aespa, Anderson.Paak - Keychain (single)
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026
Title Track: Keychain
Fave Tracks: Keychain 🙌🏽 🙌🏽

BLACKPINK - Deadline (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 27, 2026
Title Track: Jump
Fave Tracks: Me and My

RESCENE - [RESCENE X ???] (single)
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026
Title Track: Busy Boy
Fave Tracks: I didn’t care for this

xooos - Pop Pop (single)
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026
Title Track: Pop Pop
Fave Track: Pop Pop

ONE PACT - 1’ONLY (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 26, 2026
Title Track: SANE
Fave Tracks: I didn’t care for any of these

Minho - Sunkissed (single)
Release Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Title Track: Sunkissed
Fave Tracks: Sunkissed

KHAN - Albatross (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Title Track: Albatross
Fave Tracks: 1,2,3 (ft Wuuslime), Albatross, Overcast (ft The Quiett)

IVE - REVIVE+ (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Title Track: BANG BANG
Fave Tracks: BLACKHOLE, BANG BANG, Hush 🙌🏽, Force 🙌🏽

PADI - Press Winter (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Title Track: In Your Circle (ft BUMKEY, Janet Suhh
Fave Tracks: All The Way Around (ft SOOVI), In Your Circle (ft BUMKEY, Janet Suhh) 🙌🏽 , Never Mind

NCT JNJM - BOTH SIDES (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Title Track: BOTH SIDES
Fave Tracks: BOTH SIDES, I.D.O.L.

Ateez - Golden Hour Pt 4 (mini)
Release Date: Feb. 6, 2026
Title Track: Adrenaline
Fave Tracks: I didn’t care for any of these

And here’s Jaehyun using that sample in an unreleased track. He and other artists have also recommended Kool & The Gang songs.

Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness YouTube video by VIBEChannel

in the 90s in movies like “Pulp Fiction.” These highly influential artists are in the Songwriters Hall of Fame & the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. So where’s the Kpop connection? They are still shaping sounds - here’s the original “Summer Madness” +

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Summertime (Official Video) YouTube video by DJJazzyJeffVEVO

The group found new life through sampling, as hip hop artists delved into classic soul for beats and sounds. Tracks from “I’ve Got Five On It” to “Summertime” are using Kool & The Gang samples. (This is “Summertime Madness.”) Their tracks also resurfaced+

Kool & The Gang - Ladies Night 1979 (Remastered) YouTube video by TMC Records

Formed in 1964, the group had its first big breakthrough in 1974 with “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging”, then peaked again in the 80s with monster hits like “Ladies Night”, “Get Down On It” and “Celebration.” +

youtu.be/iAH9tY7ehhk?...

Kool & The Gang - Jungle Boogie (Soul Train 1974) YouTube video by DiscoSaturdayNightTV

28 - Kool & The Gang - group
This award-winning r&b, soul and funk band had a series of iconic hits through the 70s and 80s, and like Patrice, both wrote many of their tracks and are highly sampled in r&b, hip hop and pop. +

#BlackHistoryMonth

youtu.be/-BM5wPOe0xQ?...

Here’s the link back to Adrian McKinnon, who has written some of my fave kpop songs.

This is just another example of how deep the Black references run in Kpop and Cpop. And yes, there are Black writers on “Miracle”, notably the wonderful Adrian McKinnon, who I’ve covered in these lists in previous years!+

The previous song “Haven’t You Heard” (ye she cowrote it) was sampled by gospel artist Kirk Franklin for a popular hit called “Looking for You”. Then in WayV’s “Miracle”, there’s an interpolation of “Looking For You.” (Sorry gotta put in 2 posts here on the sky).+

Patrice Rushen - Haven't You Heard (12" Version) YouTube video by Strut Records

That have been utilized across a number of genres (songs she co-wrote!). She was also the first woman to serve as music director for the Grammy Awards and has been the music director for TV shows, movies and major tours. So where’s the kpop connection?+

youtu.be/Y584E6TIZuI?...

Patrice Rushen - Forget Me Nots (Official Video) YouTube video by Strut Records

27 - Patrice Rushen - singer, composer
A classically trained pianist & composer, this award-winning artist has had an extensive career and is well known for a slew of heavily sampled songs+

#BlackHistoryMonth

youtu.be/jtMHsNhQBvI?...

She has created choreo for Girlset, Lay Zhang, TXT and aespa, amongst others.

A cute lil mid class demo ✨🧚🏽‍♀️ #latricechoreography #timenaffection #rema #chrisbrown #shorts YouTube video by Latrice Kabamba

26 Latrice Kabamba - choreographer
This Australian choreographer has been featured in shows like Street Woman Fighter 2 and Street Dance of China while also creating choreo for Korean and Chinese artists and shows.+

#BlackHistoryMonth

youtube.com/shorts/zHovL...

IVE, David Guetta - Supernova Love Official Music Video YouTube video by IVE

BTOB (“Outsider”), Max Changmin (“My Breath Away”), Taeyeon (“품 (Heart)”), U-Know (“Leader”) and Ive (“Supernova Love”).

youtu.be/fyk6vjwI3wc?...

25 - Cameron Warren - singer, songwriter
In addition to creating and performing his own tracks, he has also crafted songs for artists across multiple genres, including kpop, like Shinee (“Marry You”), Kangta (“Maybe”), Girls Generation (“Freedom”), +

#BlackHistoryMonth

Lucid Dream

In Kpop, he has worked on songs for artists like Aespa.

open.spotify.com/track/285Bh5...