Darren is a Bronx-born writer/reporter who's dabbled in entertainment journalism for over a decade. Bylines have appeared in/on Maxim and Maxim online, AOL's The Boombox, Alternative Press, Popmatters, Star, Blender and others. His CD reviews have been published in the All-Music Guides to Rock and Hip-Hop.
Darren Ratner
Celebrity Cameos in Videos: Jennifer Lopez in Janet Jackson’s ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’
Before she became J.Lo, pop and R&B star Jennifer Lopez was gradually building her career as a dancer. This 1993 Janet Jackson video is an example of her earlier work. You don't see much of her here, maybe a couple of limber dance moves (wow, she can bend like that?) w...
Celebrity Cameos in Videos: Ron Howard in Jamie Foxx’s ‘Blame It’
Randomness doesn't get much better (and weirder?) than seeing Ron Howard in the Jamie Foxx video for 'Blame It.' From exiting Foxx's ride to the club, all the way to the dark VIP lounge where he sips champagne with the ladies, the famed 'Happy Days' star and film director earns kudos for really just being there, looking unexpectedly cool all the while...
Celebrity Cameos in Videos: Jaleel White in Cee Lo Green’s ‘Cry Baby’
Urkel?! Really?! We might never know the real reason behind choosing Jaleel White (formerly of the TV show 'Family Matters') for this '50s-themed video supporting Cee Lo Green's jazzed-up jam. But we were fairly stoked to see how well White pulled off some crafty dance moves and a charming presence -- and those plaid pants...
10 Controversial Videos of 2012
If there’s anything that rings true about the hip-hop and R&B world, it’s that there’s always something to talk about, right? So, as a tribute to the chatter making it all worthwhile, TheDrop.fm highlights 10 videos that spurred the most conversation, anger and overall public anxiety in 2012.
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘Dance Again,’ Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull
Nothing earth-shattering here, but this Latina superstar’s ‘Dance Again’ video did manage to offend many who saw its premiere during an episode of family-friendly ‘American Idol’ last season. During the clip, a sexed-up J.Lo gets a bit steamy with her real-life boyfriend, 25-year-old Casper Smart, and lies in a pile of masked, half-naked men...
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘Bad Girls,’ M.I.A.
Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. stole our breath and the breath of countless others when she released her uber-violent ‘Born Free’ video two years ago; to say this latest one (originally released from her ‘Vicki Leekx’ mixtape) is a bit tamer would be an understatement...
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘Bandz a Make Her Dance,’ Juicy J Featuring Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz
It took about… oh, half a minute for Miami Northwestern High School officials to flip out over members of their school’s marching band appearing in this debut from Juicy J. According to a September Miami Herald report, teachers and principals at Miami Northwestern agreed for their students to appear in an innocuous “drum-line type” video, and not one that includes makeshift stripper poles, heaving
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘Booty Pop,’ Albert Roundtree Jr.
Six-year-old Albert Roundtree Jr.’s ‘Booty Pop’ may have been an independent release, but it generated some major vitriol with news outlets and music bloggers in July. Not exactly a shocker since the South Florida tot is seen repeating the line, “I can make your booty pop,” as bikini-clad women gyrate around him by a pool...
Controversial Vidoes of 2012: ‘Animal Style,’ Murs
Two teenage boys enter into a romantic, bi-racial relationship in Murs’ video for ‘Animal Style,’ featured on the critically acclaimed ‘Love and Rockets, Volume 1: The Transformation’ album. And as a result, it became one of the most talked about videos of the year, utilizing effective images and emotional turmoil to perpetuate the ongoing dialogue about gay rights and acceptance...