New Videos

Mariah Carey - Right to Dream-- I'm over you Mariah


Ryan Leslie - How It Was Supposed To Be


Plies - Family Straight


Kardinal Offishall - NINA--Kardinal is really coming with it


Nelly - One And Only


Ludacris - Everybody Hates Chris


Scarface - Can't Get Right (Feat. Bilal)


Wale - Nike Boots


Jamie Foxx - Just Like Me (feat. T.I.)


Diddy “I Am King” Mini-Movie---What are you MIchael Jackson? Making mini movies and isssh

Janelle Monae

Kind of staged and corky yet adorable and comical!


Check out more from the gap right HERE

Tha New New

New Videos!!!!

It's the real straight, no chaser! I been away, now I'm back.

Bobby Valentino Beep Beep - Nice come back Bobby V


Neyo- Mad.-Hmm I think we've had enough of the predictable videos, but still cute


Busta Rhymes - I Got Bass-Is Busta relevant?


will.i.am - She Loves Me-Quite Wierd!!!


Keri Hilson - Turnin' Me On (Feat. Lil Wayne)-Absolutely love this song. Too bad they keep pushing back the cd drop date


Solange - T.O.N.Y.-Ok You're looking cute Solange a.k.a. lil sis a.k.a. fly baby momma


Robin Thicke - The Sweetest Love That's not Paula. I'm gonna tell!


Avant - Break Ya Back (In A Good Way)--I dig! Did Avant go to jail or something? That sweater is looking a little tight over all those extra muscles :o(


Coldplay - Lost+ (Feat. Jay-Z)-Jay on his cross over ish again


Young Jeezy - Crazy World-Leave it to Jeezy to bring the truth


Rihanna - Rehab (Feat. Justin Timberlake)-Rih Rih you can stop making videos Beyonce dropped her CD


Mya - Paradise I'm sorry Mya. -I'm BORED!

This Is A Great Reenactment

New Music!!!!

Kanye West Heartless

New Videos

Lil Wayne f/ Bobby Valentino Mrs. Officer Yeah This is hot... Makes me want to go back on vacation


Jim Jones f/ Ron Browz & Juelz Santana Pop Champagne Ithink I could have made this video with my camera phone :o(


Ludacris f/ T-Pain One More Drink This video is hilarious. I don't know what's funnier, the fake hand or the beer goggles. Whatup Big Boi!


Jadakiss f/ Ne-Yo By My Side Hmmm whack video chicks, thas all I have to say!


Ace Hood f/ Trey Songz, Rick Ross & Juelz Santana Ride Remix / Get 'Em Up


Keyshia Cole f/ Tupac Play Ya Cards Right Ok Keyshia, ya lookin good girl


T-Pain f/ DJ Khaled Karaoke

Cadillac Records

No more Beyonce for the rest of the year.... Please! In theatres 12.5.08

New Videos

Usher Hush


Shontelle (Rihanna # 2)Battle Cry-- YES WE CAN!!! Obviously the video was filmed by a two man crew at Union Square and West 4th subway station lol


This one is for you babe! E-40 - Poor Man's Hydraulics

Tuesday Morning Mix

Official Notorious Trailer

Can't wait can't wait! Obviously I'm going to have to trek out of state to see this movie. The theatres are going to be packed in Brooklyn, guarantee

New Videos

Estelle f/ Sean Paul Come Over--absolutely love this!!! Just what I imagined it to be. (Please don't sleep on Estelle)


Kardinal Offishal f/ Keri Hilson (Tide Is High) Numba One--I like the song & the video (Keri Hilson is everywhere)


Soulja Boy Turn My Swag On--OMG he can't be serious. This non sense must be stopped immediately! Straight up coonery!


Return The Favor Keri Hilson f/ Timbaland

Tuesday Morning Mix

New Musiq & Mary J--If You Leave

How cool, I thought they were singing to each other. BTW is that YaYa from America's Next Top Model?

New Music-Hot R&B

LL Cool J-Mr President f/ Wyclef Jean

Hmmmm LL Cool J is officially wack and lacks swag. But I like the message.

My Fav Destiny's Child/Beyonce Videos

I decided to subscribe to the Beyonce Channel on youtube (ugggh I'm such a dork)
It took some time, but yesterday I finally realized how flyyyyyy of a woman Beyonce has become. Yes she is everywhere, Yes she is a horrible actress, Yes I'm tired of seeing her on the front cover of EVERY magazine, Yes I'm tired of hearing Get Me Bodied at clubs, weddings, baby showers and Bah Mitzfahs. But Mrs. Beyonce Knlowes-Carter is ONE hard working woman. So I decided to take a journey throughout the years.

Here are the links to some of my favorite Destiny's Child videos. Take a look!

Bills, Bills, Bills
Get On The Bus
Say My Name
Bootylicious
Nasty Girl

My all time favorite was a difficult decision between 2 Destiny's Child singles off the platinum selling album Destiny Fulfilled. Drum roll please......

1st Runner up is Soldier How cute is Solange and her big pregnant belly? And who doesn't like Weezy & T.I. on a track?

AND THE WINNER IS (I'm too hype about this) Lose My Breath
I love the choreography in this video. I mean who didn't think the whole dance off concept was HOT???

And this video right here is just for kicks. (I don't ever remember Sesame Street being this fly when I was watching)


Now moving on to the DIVA extrodinaire--Mrs. Beyonce Knowles. Here are a few of my favorite Beyonce picks. Take a look!

Crazy In Love
Me, Myself, and I
Get Me Bodied (Even my mother loves this video)
Irreplaceable (I love when she takes his chain & jacket, Classic!)
Upgrade U
If I Were A Boy

Here we go again. My all time favorite was a difficult decision between 2 Beyonce singles. One off the multi-platinum selling album Dangerously In Love and the other from the Pink Panther Soundtrack. Regardless she looks beautiful in both. Drum roll please......

1st Runner up is Check Up On It Minus the ghetto-like patting of the horrible looking braids, this video is flawless. The entirely pink video set/wardrobe and very sexy dance routine are both on point (Although her back up dancers usually out shine her :o(

AND THE WINNER IS (Again too hype) Baby Boy I love this video. It reminds me of a hot summer sexscapade in the tropics. (No I've never had one of those) I love going on vacation and this video seems to take me there. It mixes glamour, grit & grime with fantasy, lust and desire. Let's not forget the perfect wardrobe picks and near flawless dance routine.

Now there are other extensive lists that categorize Beyonce songs as if they were senior superlatives for example:

Best Fashion Show Song -Rock Star/Dangerously In Love
Best Drag Queen Anthem -Get Me Bodied/B-Day
Best Inspirational Women's Anthem -Independent Women(I know its not a B album)/Survior
Best Love Song (and by love I mean making it )-Yes/Dangerously In Love

Chris Brown f/ Keri Hilson --Superhuman NEW VIDEO

I don't really like the song and the video is uber corny (ya know with the whole car explosion and everything) but I like those two together in a duet.

Aww Rih Rih, are you going to be replaced by Keri Hilson? Hmm I actually think they look kinda cute together. Ok maybe its because she looks fairly similar to Rihanna(enough of my 2 cents)

Check out the video

Anthony Hamilton f/ David Banner--Cool New Video

Swagger/Lyric Jacking-Beyonce Style

As much as I love to hate Beyonce I usually give her the benefit of the doubt. But even this is a ultimate low B! How do you swagger/lyric jack a 21 year old girl?
Wasn't this same issue addressed in Dream Girls when Jamie Foxx's character jacked Effie for those songs? Tisk Tisk Tisk Matthew Knowles and crew. Shaking my head!

More music from BC Jean (Why do I want to call her Bille Jean?)


I actually like the gruffiness in BC Jean's voice. I tried searching for other music from this sweetie pie, but I couldn't find much. Check out BC Jean online right here (Note the piano keys on her page are creative at first but become quite annoying after 5 minutes)

MIA's "Boyz" gets new verses from Hov and Wale

Copied from Imeem--
The power of the Pineapple Express trailer continues to astound as Jay-Z has recorded a brand new verse over M.I.A.'s "Boyz". Not to mention we put Maya on the cover in September of 2004. Hello, World! Obviously, we're kidding. We know these things take time, and we're genuinely excited to hear her voice all over the place. According to the Elitaste blog post where we found Wale's version, Interscope will be re-releasing her album from last year, Kala, with "Boyz" as the single.

Check it out--These 2 joints from The Fader



The full story on the origins of this song comes to us via The Elitaste

"So back in June of 2007 Wale met with Jay while he was still at Def Jam. On the way out of the meeting, MIA’s “Boyz” video came on TV and Jay jokingly said to Wale, “Man I should test you with that beat” as they were walking onto the elevator. Wale had been touring Europe with Ronson for about 2 months at this point and had hung out with MIA so he was already savvy. He went and recorded to it the next day. Interscope asked Wale to do a remix and I guess Jay-Z and Akon did ones too. Well now that Jay’s is out we thought, hey, let’s put this out with the verse Wale recorded 3 weeks ago and a brand new verse he recorded today. "
And here's the aforementioned video


I honestly like the Wale version better!

Back In The Day C-O-Double M-O-To Tha N

Boy has he come a long way! lol I love to see artists progress over the years
Check it out Common Sense UnAmerican Caravan 1991 Demo



Universal Mind Control in stores 11.11.08

Lil Wayne Cameos @ The Roots Performance In Miami

I found this post on Imeem and I thought it was kind of fun--- That's what I love about concerts in major cities, you never know who is going to show up! Click for the Direct link


So... The Roots brought out Weezy at the Fillmore in Miami. They did "A Millie." It was hilarious, bizarre and shocking, all at the same time.

Not to mention the crowd went absolutely apeshit.

I mean, I know most of the seperations of hip-hop artists (underground, mainstream, etc) are fan made. But still. Like, if Jay-Z comes out at a Roots show, it's "OH SHIT!!!", but it's not shocking, since The Roots and Jay-Z have a working history. Same can be said for most of the artists The Roots have brought out over the years.

But I guess I always (naively) assumed someone of Lil Wayne's stature (he has the best selling album of any genre in the last several years) to not have any idea who The Roots are. So seeing him come out, rock it, give props to ?uesto and then hug Black Thought... it was just weird.

And quite awesome, I might add.

Luckily, Weezy spared us the guitar playing.

New Video --Q Tip Move

This is a long way from Breathe & Stop and Vibrant Thing. I'm not sure if I'm quite feeling this track!

Tuesday Morning Mix

I thought it would be kinda cool to give people a taste of what keeps me sane during my 45 minute commute on NYC MTA. I've tried almost everything to block out the masses. (masses= crying babies, the singing subway peddlers, the annoying cat calls as well as the random kisses from undesirable men) I've found my iPod to be the most suitable distraction for the chaotic morning commute. So every Tuesday I'm going to upload songs that help me tune out the New York City mess that goes on around me!

T Pain f/ Ludacris-Chopped & Screwed--New Video

New Video from the Mad Hatter a.k.a. T Pain.

Single Ladies-- New Beyonce

I'm not thrilled!

Girl Power--Beyonce If I Were A Boy--New Video

Beyonce - If I were A Boy (New)
Uploaded by Le-Tour-2Lor

This song is reminiscent of Ciara's Like A Boy & Madonna's What It Feels Like For A Girl.

These are all great songs!

Make The World Go Round --New Nas

This makes me want to take a vacation!

**My 100th post **Mike Jones Cuddy Buddy

This is one of my favorite songs out right now. I wonder why they didn't put Weezy on the video. Could it be that we have gone into Weezy overkill for 2008? Hmm possibly!
Who knew Mike Jones was getting busy in the gym shedding those pounds during his rap hiatus? I don't know if I like the weight loss look.

Oh yea this is my 100th post. I feel like such a accomplished journalist. lol I've found blogging to be very therapeutic. (Mainly because I'm too worn out to think about my problems once I've finished writing a 600 word blog post)I hope you guys enjoy the information I post to the site as well as find the topics informative. Most of all I hope the posts quench your thirst for good music. We all know the industry has gone through its ups and downs but US faithful music lovers will stick around and ride this thang out.

That's what expanding your music horizon is all about. Taking the good, the bad, the ugly and embracing it all. Because us genuine music lovers reconize the melodies of music as our heartbeat.

John Legend, Raphael Saadiq Team For Tour

John Legend, Raphael Saadiq Team For Tour

October 07, 2008 , 3:40 PM ET Copied directly from Billboard.com

Hillary Crosley, N.Y.
John Legend will begin a short fall tour Nov. 19 in Minneapolis in support of his upcoming album, "Evolver," due Oct. 28. Columbia labelmate Raphael Saadiq will support on the trek, which wraps Dec. 13 in Durham, N.C.

The singer's current single, "Green Light" featuring Andre 3000, is No. 32 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart this week. "Evolver" also features appearances from Kanye West, Estelle and Brandy.

"This album doesn't sound like me," Legend tells Billboard. "The tempo is faster than I've done before. It will be different for people, because 'Evolver' has a bit more instrumentation than I've used before. But it's not like you won't recognize the artist-it's still me."

Here are John Legend's tour dates:

Nov. 19: Minneapolis (Northrop Auditorium)
Nov. 20: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
Nov. 24: E. Lansing, Mich. (Wharton Center For Performing Arts)
Nov. 26: Detroit (Masonic Temple Theatre)
Nov. 28: Toronto (Roy Thompson Hall)
Nov. 29, Dec. 1: Montclair, N.J. (Wellmont Theatre)
Dec. 2: Boston (Orpheum Theatre)
Dec. 5: Philadelphia (Tower Theater)
Dec. 8: Baltimore (Lyric Theatre)
Dec. 9: Washington, D.C. (Constitution Hall)
Dec. 10: Greenville, S.C. (Peace Center)
Dec. 12: Charlotte, N.C. (Ovens Auditorium)
Dec. 13: Durham, N.C. (Durham Performing Arts Center)

Sidebar--Pro-NUN-cee-Ay-Shun of Designers--Check It Out!

Check this out! Another stolen post from Around The Way Girls Blog. Wait I think they jacked it from Ferrari Murakami :o)

Sidebar--Speed Paint From Salena Barnes Hip Hop Reached Germany

Check out these two videos from German artist Salena Barnes
See more of her work on Myspace




Stolen from Around The Way Girls blog. Find them under my list of blogs on the right side panel

New Video--Jazmine Sullivan Bust Your Windows

Me likey!

Ladies, please note she did not actually bust the windows or cause any damage. You can actually make a point without making a fool of yourself. Food for thought!

"Now watch me yulllllle!" lol

Bust Your Windows Trey Songz vs. Jazmine Sullivan

Hot new remake! Real cute Trey real cute!

New Music From Mario!

I'm really feeling the song Inside Of You. Please note he is describing being on the inside of someones' heart. Get ya mind right!

New Video--Common --Universal Mind Control

Yea I'm definitely feeling this. It has the old school Run DMC tempo/cadence to it. Check it out. Common's new album is set to be released 11.11.08

New Video--Love Lockdown

What is this Coming to America, Michael Jackson Do You Remember The Time non sense? Has Kanye gone off the deep end? lol Just playing. The song, given the elements in the video, actually makes a lot of sense.

A few questions--
I wonder why he decided to premiere the video on The Ellen Show?
Is this song a dedication to his recent break up with Alexis?
Where is Kanye's inspiration coming from for the new album?

Usher Courts The Ladies With November Tour

Usher Courts The Ladies With November Tour

October 06, 2008 , 12:50 PM ET Copied directly from Billboard.com

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Usher is hoping to get up close and personal with his female fans on a 14-date November club tour, which is being billed as "One Night Stand: Ladies Only."

A Jive spokesperson clarifies that although ladies may be the focus, men are welcome at the gigs, which begin Nov. 2 in Atlantic City, N.J., and run through Nov. 25 in Dallas.

Usher is touring in support of his latest album, "Here I Stand," the ninth best U.S. seller of the year at 1.029 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. A video for new single "Trading Places" is set to premiere this week.

Here are Usher's "One Night Stand: Ladies Only" tour dates:

Nov. 2: Atlantic City, N.J. (Borgata)
Nov. 3: New York (Hammerstein Ballroom)
Nov. 4: Washington, D.C. (Warner Theatre)
Nov. 5: Philadelphia (Electric Factory)
Nov. 7: Mashantucket, Conn. (MGM Grand)
Nov. 8: Toronto (Kool Haus)
Nov. 10: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
Nov. 12: Detroit (Fillmore)
Nov. 13: Chicago (House of Blues)
Nov. 18: San Francisco (Warfield Theatre)
Nov. 19-20: Los Angeles (Club Nokia LA Live)
Nov. 21: Las Vegas (the Pearl)
Nov. 24: Houston (House of Blues)
Nov. 25: Dallas (House of Blues)

Music Marketing & Brand Promotion

I thought it would be a great idea to post on the integration of music marketing & brand promotion. The most recent example that comes to mind is the 2008 Chevy Mary J. Blige commercial. This happens to be a perfect example of the infusion of pop culture and brand promotion. Just a little something to think about.

Obama on Hip Hop- Check It Out!

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

From MTV:

Yes, hip-hop loves Barack Obama. From Weezy to Jeezy, Jay to 'Ye, some of rap's biggest names have saluted him in their lyrics, and he's inspired mixtapes, bootleg T-shirts and onstage shout-outs.

But what does the senator think of hip-hop?

Sure, he went all Jay and brushed dirt off his shoulder at an April campaign stop and referenced Lil Wayne during a speech in July. But he was also quick to admonish Ludacris for a particularly fiery freestyle aimed at George W. Bush and then-rival Hillary Clinton. And while stars like Oprah Winfrey, Usher and John Legend have turned up next to Obama at campaign stops, the hip-hop nation has been virtually absent from the senator's stage.

So how does Obama feel about the genre that has rallied around him?

"I enjoy it, but these days I don't have the time to listen to it all the time," he told MTV News. He said that he still finds time to shuffle through MCs like Jay-Z and Kanye on his iPod, but he thinks the genre's impact extends far beyond a few hot tracks.

"I'm a little older than hip-hop culture," he said. "I was there at the beginning, but I was already getting older. ... What I've appreciated, watching this hip-hop generation, is to see how entrepreneurial they've been. In the past, musicians oftentimes were commodities. They were just shuffled around. Obviously, they did well, but they didn't have the vision to say, 'I'm going to build a business. I'm going to build my own studio. I'm going to create my own production operations.' I think they're a lot more sophisticated than in the past, and that is a wonderful thing."

He went on to tell MTV News that he's still seeing growth in the genre and that he's optimistic about what's ahead for hip-hop.

"What I'm starting to see is them stretching out more and thinking about social responsibility and how they can impact the culture in a positive way," he said. "And I hope that continues."
And where does he weigh in on hip-hop's hottest issue -- the greatest of all time?
"Oh no, I'm not going to get caught up in all that," he laughed.

Sidebar--Perfect For My Mood Today

Don't worry I'll have some substantial material on the site in the next few days! lol

Online Hip-Hop Awards--Kinda Cool Right?

Online Hip Hop Awards For all you Hip Hop headz. Try this site and cast your vote!

Usher-- Trading Places

Lil Wayne Already Recording 'Tha Carter IV'

Lil Wayne Already Recording 'Tha Carter IV'

October 03, 2008 , 10:20 AM ET copied directly from Billboard.com

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
His latest album, "Tha Carter III," has only been out since May, but Lil Wayne is already recording its follow-up. According to his blog on ESPN.com, the rapper is in the studio working on "Tha Carter IV" as well as a new mixtape.

The latter, "Dedication 3," will fall under DJ Drama's "Gangsta Grillz" series and "you can expect [it] real soon," Wayne says.

In a nod to his well-recognized prolific output, Wayne says immediately after "Dedication 3" comes out, he'll re-release it "with 20 extra songs for free on my Web site."

"Tha Carter III" is far and away the best-selling album of 2008, having shifted 2.5 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Lil Wayne is also collaborating with T-Pain for a highly anticipated duet album, "T-Wayne," which is slated for 2009.

"We've got three or four songs we've finished," T-Pain tells Billboard. "They don't really have titles. We're just doing music and however it comes out, it comes out."

The singer says the tracks won't sound like his current Wayne-featuring single, "Can't Believe It," but will have the collective flair shown on tracks like "Got Money."

Wayne will take a break from recording later this month to play the Voodoo Music Experience on Oct. 25 in his New Orleans hometown, and will also drop by Power 105.1's Powerhouse concert three days later in East Rutherford, N.J.

Sidebar--I Swear There's A Song For Every Emotion

It's been one of those days! The older and more mature I become it seems easier to put things into perspective. Regardless of the situation (dead end career, financial stress, baby mama/daddy drama) we have to learn to live our lives. Most issues we stress over aren't worth the agony or attention. I'm sure you've heard the never ending list of cliches, for example "Tomorrow is never promised" or "Live life to the fullest". These sayings don't quite capture the reality of just how short life is. Well let me help to put things into perspective. The reality is, everyday we are one day closer to dying. But, the beauty lies in knowing we still have time. No matter how short or long that span of time may be, its imperative that you're efficient with your life's' stop watch. Ask yourself these questions. 1)What projects, goals, or tasks would you attempt to pursue today if you knew tomorrow would be your last day on earth? 2)If failure weren't an option, think of the list of things you would try? 3)What's stopping you from achieving those goals? 4)Who are the people that mean the most to you? 5)Are they aware of their importance?

Recently, I've been forced to answer some of these questions and incorporate these same answers into both long term and short term goals. I've known 5 people in their early 20s who have passed in the last 2 months. While very unfortunate, death seems to force us to recognize our own mortality at any age. But we must not become discouraged. We are not promised another second, minute, hour or day on this earth. Therefore it's your responsibility to make today different from yesterday. Seek that encouragement and inspiration from wherever or whomever it may be. And as T.I. says, just Live Your Life. Nothings' promised to us in this world. Anything we need and/or want we have to acquire on our own. (Of course through the guidance and direction of God) So why not dispose of all the unnecessary garbage, stop hording the baggage and just live your life! Don't worry about what people think, stop bothering yourself with the thought of failure, shed the additional anguish and worry, and just be free!

Here are a few songs that accurately depict my spectrum of emotions on 9/29/2008. It's easy to be the counselor, but hard to be counseled. Take my word for it :o)


Let me know which songs fit your mood!

Jazmine Sullivan --Top Debut

Sullivan Earns Top Debut
After becoming the first female artist in four years to reach No. 1 with a debut single, Jazmine Sullivan posts the second-best debut by a woman this year as "Bust Your Windows" bows at No. 29 (up 525 plays). Mariah Carey's No. 23 entry with "Touch My Body" stands as the best by a female in 2008. Sullivan's first single "Need U Bad," which spent two weeks at the top, dips 3-5.

Kanye...Love Don't Live Here Anymore!!!!!

I normally support ALL things Kanye, but this song is unacceptable. After listening for a little over a minute I realized he was going to use the annoying voice box for the entire song. I understand there's a need for originality, but don't you think the anime and muppet videos were enough? We get it, you're trying something new! But uniqueness these days is more than resorting to the voice box. (please take note Lil Wayne and friends) At one point I thought I was going to hear screams on the track. The bass and melody are comparable to the score played to build suspense in horror flicks. I know its time for Kanye to change up his "SWAG" (OMG I can't believe I used that God Awful word) by reinventing himself, but I don't think we were ready for this one. (let's face it not everyone can pull off the Andre 3stacks crossover) Nor do I think we (mostly me) will support his music if this is the direction its headed. Is this even classified as Hip-Hop? Word to the wise...If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

T.I. A Few New Tracks From Paper Trail

***New Avant*** When It Hurts

This video makes me laugh. Are women really this crazy and desperate? If so let me keep my man CLOSE!

Notorious-The Movie Jan 2009

STARS OF THE ‘NOTORIOUS’ MOVIE ANNOUNCED (Information provided via Concrete Loop)


After a nationwide search, it looks like Jamal Woolard (also known by his rap name Gravy) has landed the lead in the biopic Notorious, based on the life of rapper Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace, who was gunned down in 1997.

The movie also stars Angela Bassett, who will play Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace; Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur; and Derek Luke as Sean “Diddy” Combs. George Tillman Jr. will direct the film, which begins shooting March 24 in New York City.

Make sure you peep the other side-by-side photos of the stars of the movie after the cut…

VOLETTA WALLACE PLAYED BY ANGELA BASSETT

DIDDY PLAYED BY DEREK LUKE

TUPAC PLAYED BY ANTHONY MACKIE

I'm hype this was filmed up the street from my house.. Yall might just see me walking by being nosey lol Sike

Kanye Gone Muppet Baby?

Copied directly from Billboard.comSeptember 23, 2008 , 11:00 AM ET

Kimberly Nordyke and Chad Williams, The Hollywood Reporter

Comedy Central has teamed with Kanye West for a project described as hip-hop meets the Muppets. A half-hour pilot has been shot for the project, tentatively titled "Alligator Boots."

It's from Jackhole Prods., the production company founded by Jimmy Kimmel, Daniel Kellison and Adam Carolla that also was behind Comedy Central's puppet-centric "Crank Yankers."

The project, which is under consideration for 2009, would feature music produced and performed by West and fellow rapper Rhymefest, both of whom are serving as executive producers on the pilot alongside Kellison.

West also hosts the pilot; the idea is to have a different celebrity guest host for every episode, similar to the setup on the original "Muppet Show."

West's new album, "808s & Heartbreak," is due Dec. 16 via Def Jam. First single "Love Lockdown" is at iTunes now.


Sidebar--I guess Champion was such a great video Comedy Central saw potential for more muppet action from Kanye lol (I hope this isn't borderline Crank Yankers)

**Brand New** Nina Sky--Curtain Call

My favorite Rican twins are back! I absolutely love this song, although I think it should have been released at the beginning of the summer. Sorry guys, I couldn't find the official version of the song with Rick Ross but hey this Brooklyn kid does the track justice.

Take a listen!!

My Video Pick Of The Week

Rising Up--The Roots f/ Chrisette Michele & Wale

The Roots feat. Chrisette Michele & Wale - "Rising Up" from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

That's funny I feel this way about Hot 97. Radio keep playing the same songs all day long!

My New Picks

New Tracks via iTunes radio... although I heard I might need to get up on the Zune player. Hmm let's see about that!

Top Video Hairstyles That Should Never Be Duplicated

Cristina Aguilera- Dirty Instead of looking "Dirty" it just looks homeless. I would imagine this is the pile of mess my hair would form into if I ever (God forbid) became homeless and didn't have a comb. We've seen Cristina with plenty of different looks, some appealing and others quite awkward. But the slight dreadlocks, blonde/black mix, with cookie crumbs, lent, and dirt all packed in tight is definitely not one of her more suitable hair styles. But then again I'm sure Ms. Aguilera wasn't trying to appease my tastes in hair when she decided to go this route.So ladies, exoticists, bohemians, artsy peeps etc. stop trying to go for this look. Cristina can style her hair like this one day and wear a strawberry blonde bob the next. And well you guys are kinda stuck with it if you decide to go the messy dread route, so let's leave this one for the video. (Please note I love locks. I intend on locking my hair someday)

Aaliyah-More Than A Woman R.I.P. Ms. Aaliyah!~ But I have a bone to pick with women who are still wearing their hair in the long phony pony with the little raised "bump" at the top. Aaliyah could pull off this hair style because after all, she's Aaliyah. lol No seriously she had a team of stylists (notice more than one) who could blend her hair with the texture of the ponytail and who could create an entire look surrounding this simple yet somehow elaborate hairstyle. In addition, I'm sure the creative (genius) director who created the looks for the shoot did not intend for the style to be worn as everyday casual hair wear. (I like coining new phrases) Ladies, let's retire this style and leave it as one of the many video hairstyles that need not be duplicated.

Amy Winehouse-Tears Dry On Their Own I know this picture is a bit blurry. Amy, I understand you like the 60s-70s Mod-Big-hair-look but for once please wear your hair like a normal person. If we could somehow lock her in the bathroom with only a flatiron or simple curling iron, some Garnier Fructis smoothing hair serum and a few clip in extensions, I think we might have ourselves a new (less suicidal/depressing/drug addict) look for Ms. Winehouse. You know, something a little more presentable like this.... Thatta girl, there ya go :)

Ashanti-Body On Me We all know Ashanti's style is kinda hit or miss. Sometimes she hits the target dead on and sometimes she misses completely. I didn't want to jump all over the bun/Pocahontas braid she sports at the end of the Body On Me video because that overlaps with my number 1 "worst video hair style to duplicate". This hair style is exceptionally fly in the video. I can dig the three braid action on one side with the smoothed hair on the other side to give it the Mohawk look. I also like the idea of the loose curls and exaggerated swoop bang. But, in the wrong hands and on the wrong person this can be a complete Diana Ross MESS. Ladies please do not go to the local hair store and buy a pound of hair and try attaching it to your head. Once again this was a look created for a video not a night out at the club. I can guarantee if you wear this much fake hair out to the club it will get caught in a hook on someones jacket, or possibly in someones earring. :o) Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!


Last but not least, Ms./Mrs. Beyonce Knowles Carter ...whatever! Upgrade U That braid is a definite NO NO. I remember when I was little my mother would try to put one big braid in my hair and I would break out and have a fit. I would roll all over the floor, kick and scream, cry, throw chairs etc because I knew how absolutely stupid I would look with one long thick braid growing out of the crown of my head. I have naturally thick curly hair so one big braid was just not an option, unless my mother was planning on intentionally trying to humiliate me. Ok Beyonce, this is fine for the video. I see you in the back seat of the car with gold interior to match your blonde braid. You should have provided a brief disclaimer at the beginning of the video instructing young black girls to not try and duplicate any of the hairstyles in this video. I must admit this is one of the best vids in 2007, but definitely not the best way to upgrade the style of impressionable young women.



If there are any others you can think of please leave a comment letting me know. I'm certain there are other completely offensive hairstyles many of us commoners have tried to pull off, but they just need to be left in the video

Billboard Hot 100 50th Year Anniversary

This is one of the most useful resources for any music blog. Go online to the Billboard website for lists on the All Time Top Artists, All Time Top Latin Songs, Hot 100 Songs Of The Year 1958-2007. This is definitely some interesting stuff people, so go check it out!

Concert Must See

Two of my favorite artists are performing at SOB's the last week in September. I think I might go to both since VH1 slighted me on the Sadiq tix way back in August. (I'm still a little salty about that) Teedra Moses's The Young Lioness was set to drop sometime this year, but until then we shall enjoy her in concert.

Sidebar--The Soloist Staring Jamie Foxx

Another fall must see!

Teenie Bopper Part Deux: Teyana Taylor

I'm really starting to believe Harlem USA is its own planet. I mean, have you ever been? As soon as you step off the train and breathe the air, it's almost as if you've walked onto the pages of a story book. The place is quite magical and by far one of the most historical neighborhoods New York City has to offer. (Ok enough...moving on) Our second teenie bopper for the week ,Teyana Taylor, is Star Trak Entertainment's new teen protege. The 17 year old singer/rapper skipped onto the scene in 2007 decked out in her fresh Air Force Ones, Heatherette dresses and 10 speed mountain bikes. Her debut album From A Planet Called Harlem was scheduled for release in August. Although the album didn't drop, the Jazzy Pha produced hit single Google Me has received lots of attention over the internet via Youtube. You've also probably seen her 80s themed MTV Super Sweet 16 episode. (You know you're getting old when kids have themed parties for the decade you were born)But what else is there to know about the self proclaimed teen president of the nerd squad? This excerpt from a Trace Magazine article discusses Ms. Taylor's sense of style, her working relationship with Pharrell, and even her somewhat secret crush.(provided through Concrete Loop)

TEYANA ON TEACHING BEYONCE
Beyoncé even enlisted Teyana to teach her the dance for a segment in her “Ring The Alarm” video.

“She was mad focused and really wanted to learn,” recalls Teyana.

TEYANA ON HER CRUSH
“It’s Shia Labeouf! I’ve got my eye on him. I mean, for real. He’s so cute and I looove his swagger.”

But she makes sure to note that her career is her boyfriend

“Yeah, I do have my eye on Shia, but to be honest performing is my boyfriend right now. That’s just what I really love and we’ve been together for so long.”

TEYANA ON HER LOOK
“I always stood out as far as dressing,” she says. “I like to look different and people know me for that. My look is a mix of old-school hip-hop and skater.”

TEYANA ON PHARRELL
“I sang for the Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal, and he asked me the top five people I would really want to work with and my first three were Pharrell. It was crazy to meet him. I mean I love that dude and we connected,” Teyana recalls.

Pharrell couldn’t agree more, “I heard about how talented she was, and I wanted to meet her. I was impressed she could, sing, dance and rap, so we gave her a shot.”

TEYANA ON RECEIVING FREE CLOTHES FROM ‘HEATHERETTE’
“I love their clothes. They make a dress, and it’s not like a pretty princess dress. It’s not girlie but more rock star and out there. That’s like the only dresses I’ll wear. They are just like me – they are unique and don’t care what people say. I fell in love with them, and them with me,” says Teyana.

In all honesty, I think the young teenie booper's style is more engaging then her music. Don't get me wrong, I dig a few of her songs. Let's see, if I were a stary eyed, naive 16 year old kid I would probably ditch Lil Momma and go cop From A Planet Called Harlem as soon as it droped. But since I'm past the teenage love affair stage and looking more for...umm grown up music, I'll just download a few tracks from iTunes. The fact she's Pharell's young protege and the most recent act in the Star Trak line up has her teenage fans in a craze. Having a great production squad is half the battle, and when one of your label mates is the King of hot beats its almost inevitable that you'll sell records. She can dance, she can sing, she has tremendous style, and she's interesting. After all there's nothing worse than a boring entertainer. (cough cough Deborah Cox, Maxwell, just to name a few) Check out her website for more information on tour dates, events, and featured articles.

iTunes Radio

Almost everyone I know has an iPod. If you don't you should crawl back into your cave,sit down, and think about getting one.

A friend of mine came to visit a few weeks ago and introduced me to the Radio feature on Itunes. Believe me, this is a perfect alternative to advertisement filled radio stations. The streams are categorized by genre and include over 25 stations per genre. The greatest part of it all is... NO COMMERCIALS!!!! Don't worry, they are up to date on all the NEW NEW music and actually have old school stations if you're tired of todays pop culture.

*Just as an FYI, this is perfect for:
Alt to Yahoo radio (which plays the same 6 songs over and over)
Non stop commercial free music to play during cookouts, get-togethers, or Saturday morning cleaning
Previewing songs before they air on main stream radio

Teenie Bopper Blackout: Chasing The Legacy

25 years after Run DMC appeared on the front cover of Word Up Magazine, Joseph Simmons and Team Blackout will follow in their footsteps. The Queens/Long Island based group consisting of JoJo Simmons and his childhood friends Zach and Reggie have been rhyming together since the 7th grade. The trio officially decided to unite in 2003 after the 2-day power outage (blackout)affecting most states in the Northeastern US territory. Their first single Billion Dollar Boyfriend off their debut album Light's Out was released August 19, 2008. The entire album was produced by upcoming production duo Chris n Teeb, Grammy award winning producer Rockwilder and Ron Browz. Team Blackout became a recognizable group after being featured on the MTV reality series Run's House.

NOW for my 2 cents--
These youngins are doing BIG things. As mentioned above, the entire album was produced by up and comping producers not to mention the video for Billion Dollar Boyfriend was filmed by up and coming video producer Joe Cap, a recent graduate of Hofstra University. My advice, if you have a dream and a little bit of change in your pocket...GO FOR IT! These young gentlemen sure did. On the other hand, if your not a fan of the artificial-studio-instrumental sound DO NOT listen to the Imeem player below THIS IS NOT THE GROUP FOR YOU! lol After listening to a few tracks, I'm under the assumption one of the members sings the chorus & bridges and the other two rap. This is a perfect combination given the direction of the industry. Now-a-days you can't find a Hip-hop song without a featured artist singing on the hook. Sure they rap about girls, money, cars, chains, and all of the things us regular people don't have. Honestly, what else is there to write about at 18-20 years old? Would we really expect Rev Run's son Jojo to spit lines inciting the struggles of growing up impoverished....NO! And I'm almost willing to bet my next paycheck his fellow group members aren't strangers to middle class living (which is quite apparent in the single Why Wouldn't I) :o) I know privileged kids when I see em. Some of the songs bare an uncanny resemblance to Pretty Ricky singles which could prove to be a issue for the trio. In my opinion, Team Blackouts 3 members versus Pretty Ricky's 4 may help with marketability.

It may be extremely difficult to top Run DMC's legacy but Team Blackout has the essentials to give them a run (no pun intended) for their money. If we are going to compare lets look at a few Run DMC songs to make the Billboard charts.

Run DMC (please note only the singles peaking at #30 or below are included)
It's Like That Peaked at #15
Hard Times Peaked at #11
Rock Box Peaked at #22
30 Days Peaked at #16
King Of Rock Peaked at #14
You Talk Too Much Peaked at #19
Can You Rock It Like This Peaked at #19
My Addidas Peaked at #5
Walk This Way (f/ Steven Tyler) Peaked at #8
You Be Illin' Peaked at #12
It's Tricky Peaked at #21
Run's Hous Peaked at 10
Mary, Mary Peaked at 29
What's It All About Peaked at #24
Down With The King Peaked at #9

I see Rappers weren't that big on callabos back in the day. We are all aware the industry has changed. Hip Hop has evolved from lyrically conscious raw material to beats and swag. I mean what can I say? Soulja Boy made this a reality. So let's break down the elements they have working both for and against them.

Team Blackout
In house R&B singer
Cable network (MTV) platform
Russell Simmons's money :-D
No street credibility
Mostly studio produced/enhanced instrumentals
Young chicks will dig them
We all love the Simmons family

Run DMC
In house DJ better known as Jam Master Jay
None of Russell Simmons's money (he wasn't bankin back then)
Street credibility
Young chicks dug them

I'm certain I'm more excited about the group being a product of the Simmons family as opposed to them being new school Hip Hop pioneers. Well, what hasn't this family done? Angela & Vanessa have the Pastry Shoe line, JoJo & friends have recently formed a rap group, now all we need is Diggy and Russy to organize some type of variety show/circus act. Watching those two is comparable to a Barnum & Bailey experience. Might I add they are quite entertaining and adorable. In the end, Team Blackout gets a 3 star rating. One for each member of the group!