August 25 marked the 7 year anniversary of Aaliyah Dana Haughton's untimely death. The Brooklyn born singer/dancer/actress will be remembered for her quick rise to fame in the mid 90s. To date Aaliyah has sold around 32 million albums worldwide as well as charted six hit singles. (see chart below)(of course I'll cross reference this with my Billboard Chart book tomorrow when I get to work) It's sad, I've looked at Aaliyah's bio on various websites and noticed how short it is in comparison to other artists. It only makes me wonder what we could have expected from the graceful songbird. In real Michaelangelo/Picasso fashion she was nominated/won most of her awards & accolades after her traggic death. Below are just a few.
American Music Awards 1999, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist ; Nominated 2002, Favorite Female R&B Artist; Winner 2002, Favorite R&B/Soul Album: Aaliyah; Winner 2003, Favorite Female R&B Artist; Winner MOBO Awards 2002, Best Video: "More Than a Woman"; Winner 2002, Best Dance Video: "More Than a Woman"; Winner 2002, Best International Act; Winner Image Awards 2002, Outstanding Female Artist; Winner 2003, Best female video: "Miss You"; Winner World Music Awards 1997, World's Best Selling Female R&B Artist; Winner 1998, World's Best Selling R&B Artist; Winner 1998, World's Best Selling Single: Are You that Somebody; Nominated 1998, Entertainer Of The Year; Winner 2000, World's Best Selling R&B Artist; Nominated 2000, Female Entertainer Of The Year; Winner 2002 World's Best Selling Female R&B Artist; Nominated 2002 World's Best Selling Female Pop Artist; Nominated
But life must go on... Since her passing we've had a bunch of poorly put together imitations. I believe when Aaliyah passed she took with her the sincerity, depth, and originality the R&B sector once offered its fans. There was something about this young lady that screamed trendsetter. I remember me and my old college roomie used to watch the Aaliyah I Care 4 You DVD every Friday morning. (we should have been at our 8:40 but ahh oh well it was Friday) Thats the type of impact she had on our generation. We have to ask ourselves, will the pop icons we idolize have a lasting impression? If not, why are they our idols? Rest in Peace Aaliyah (melodies of an angel)
Sidebar-Every time I hear I Miss You I revert back into a budding, coming-of-age 17 year old college freshman living in Franklin House. Ah the memories (nothing significant it just sucks that I'm getting old) Take a trip with me down memory lane. (See music player below)
One of my favorite Aaliyah videos, More Than A Woman. (Uggh I can't believe I used to try dancing along with her while watching the DVD) I think I may have burned a hole along this track in the I Care 4 You DVD. Whatever I'm still cool :o)
**I have to apologize for the extremely late Aaliyah posting. In the world of blogging one day is a eternity :o)
Name: Jayceon Terrell Taylor Birthplace: Compton, California Birth date: November 29, 1979 Occupation: "Change of Heart" contestant-turned gangster-turned rapper
I started this post a while ago but thought today would be the appropriate day to actually publish. This is more or less an opinion piece (of course with supporting data) on The Game's career. (I'll include a album review a little later!) For a relative new comer with only 4 years (give or take) in The Game (no pun intended) he's released a number of singles that have been chart topping, trend setting, rap reviving, party jumping, gang banging, game day prepping, hits. (need I go on) Sidebar-I just want to take it back to 2004 hit single How We Do . I would have jumped up out of my sleep if someone road down my street blasting this song at 3am. Whether you believe the hardcore gangsta gimmick, this guy sells himself and his music. As we all know the industry has indefinitely changed. We are a generation of temps and by temps I mean temporary fans. (We favor one artist today and have another favorite tomorrow) Therefore I can't blame artists for going along with the gimmick(marketing) that allows them career longevity. I know he was a former Change of Heart contestant. But don't hard core rappers/gang bangers have changes of heart as well? (hehehe) Ok enough of the sarcasm. Below I've listed just a few career accolades
*BET Awards 2005, Best New Artist N 2005, Best Collaboration ("Hate It or Love It") w/ 50 Cent N *Grammy Awards 2006, Best Rap Song ("Hate It or Love It") with 50 Cent N 2006, BestRapPer.By Duo/Group("Hate It or Love It") w/ 50Cent N *MTV Video Music Awards 2005, Best Rap Video ("Hate It or Love It") w/ 50 Cent N *Ozone Awards 2008, Best West Coast Rap Artist W 2007, Best West Coast Rap Album ("Doctor's Advocate")W
N=Nominated W=Won
I'm sure it helps that I work for NBM, so I know exactly where to look for this information. See list of The Game albums below (note L.A.X. album release date was pushed back to 8.26.08) Here's a screen shot from Billboard.com of some of The Game's music (Song, Chart, Peak position) Of course I had to insert my opinion somewhere in this post, so I'll start right here. In the end we need to allow The Game to do his thing. He's definitely one of the best rappers in 2008 (no denying that), and he tells the story of an entire population that otherwise does not have a voice. If anything we should respect rappers for having the courage to speak on behalf of the people, no matter how gruesome or gory the details. I remember hearing my pastor equate rap music and CNN, saying Rap music is the CNN of the hood. It's true. I know this genre catches a lot of flack for the degradation of women, the idolizing of material items, violence, profanity, hatred (in some cases) and the list goes on. But deep down there is a message. And if you're patient and willing to hear our story (which most people aren't accustomed to doing), it's well worth the wait. I'll leave you with a few lyrics from Game's Pain
Everybody’s first bootleg was Boyz ‘n the Hood Whoever thought gangsta rap would make noise in the hood When the cars ride by with the boomin’ system Two door Mustang and the roof was missing
I had the pleasure of seeing Ashanti in concert today at City Hall Park. Honestly I was pleasantly surprised. (Of course it didn't hurt that the concert was free but she really didn't sound that bad) So that got me to thinking, "Why does everyone hate Ashanti? After all, shes a pretty girl, she can hold a note, and she doesn't dress horribly. But on the other hand, she can't dance too well (her backup dancers annoyed the hell out of me. They were really EXTRA), shes kinda hood, and I think its her mannerisms and frequent annoying sayings like "That was Bananas" that drive people crazy. Well lets address the issues at hand. With the right choreographer and the proper dance routine one breakout video is all it takes. We've never seen Ashanti perform a complicated dance ensemble. (I'm not talking Aaliyah or Janet but a little more than Mariah. Give us a happy medium) To address her hood-isms, well she can't help it. Shes definitely a product of her Glen Cove environment. (Not that I've ever been or know anyone from the area)lol I just take it as her being a NEW YORKER and let's face it New Yorkers are extra. (I've even had to catch myself recently being a little too dramatic)Her mannerisms are just a term of expression. (I talk with my hands even when I'm talking in my sleep. It's just a part of my conversation) After a brief analysis let's wipe her slate and start over. I think the young lady deserves that much, at least! I mean come on you can't deny the success of Foolish. Everyone wanted to know who the hell was Ashanti and what did she have to offer to the industry. No she isn't a reincarnation of Minnie Ripperton or Raberta Flack but she is quite entertaining. Love Life I think Shanti and Nelly are my favorite celebrity couple. My boyfriend and I have this weird thing where we compare ourselves to celebrity couples.(It's a way of vicariously living through those who have more money than us :o( Please don't ask me why) We've narrowed it down to Sanya Richards and Aaron Ross, Nelly and Ashanti, and of course Michelle and Barack Obama. I think I'm going to have to go with Nelly and Ashanti (of course for blogging purposes) They both look genuinely interested in each other (No Beyonce & Jay-Z do NOT look interested in each other), their careers are complimentary, together they've gotten through a number of hardships,and they look great together. Achievements Here are a few interesting facts about Ms. Ashanti
*She broke records again by having three Top Ten songs Foolish, What's Luv, and Always on Time, with Ja Rule, on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the same week, being the first female to accomplish this feat and being second only to The Beatles *Ashanti also wrote and sang background on the song "Ain't It Funny" (Murder Remix) sung by Jennifer Lopez which was also in the top 10 charts at the same time as "Foolish", "Always on Time" (with Ja Rule), and "What's Luv" (with Fat Joe) *As of 2007, Ashanti had sold more than 6 million albums in the U.S., and nearly 15 million records worldwide *In 2003, Ashanti partnered LidRock and the San Francisco-based Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and to distribute the "Rain On Me" mini-movie using LidRock’s unique platform
So let's get off her back and give her another chance. After all we worship Rihanna and she has NO talent!
Note Worthy: Stacey Epps You can hear a heavy jazz influence in her music. Her song Deeper reminds me of a cold snowy night in New York City. (One of those nights when I walk out of my office and the sun has already gone down. One of those nights when the New York sky line is already lit with building lights. One of those nights when the snow is covering the ground and you can see your breath hit the air everytime you exhale. One of those nights when you rush home to go get in the bed and watch a movie) (ok I'll get off of my sentimental ish) Yeah the saxophone/trumpet sound always seems to put me in that place. California native Stacey Epps takes you back to that moment(whatever the memory,wherever it may be)with every element of her music. I'm guessing part of the reason why I like Epps's music is because it reminds me of Floetry, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and instumentals similar to The Roots (Quest Love)all fused into one. I'm not ready to place her in the Neo-Soul category because her music mixes a few genres. Sometimes we do artists a diservice by labeling their music. Please believe, music takes a lot of time, patience, and thought to create so lets take the same amount of time to evaluate and analyze. The Youtube gadget at the end of this post includes a snippet of one of Epps songs. There isn't much mentioned about her via the internet and I couldn't find ANY of her music on Imeem. Visit her myspace page by clicking here. I know she has a international hip hop underground following as mentioned on her myspace page. (also see tour schedule)Songs iLike Floatin Deeper U Do
I saw Terrence Howard perform twice in one week and I honestly don't know what to think! I guess when you have money the sky is the limit. And that's the approach Terrence Howard has taken with this music endeavor.(Hmmm I could probably dig a tunnel from here to Australia if I had enough money.) Well his lyrics(song writing ability) are respectable, the guitar melodies are tasteful, but I would rather hear both of these elements in unison with harmonious vocals. (which he doesn't posses) At the concert in City Hall Park (which ended up being more of a girl chat session between me and my coworker) it seemed as though he was screaming as opposed to singing. At that moment I figured out the dilemma. Howard's style of performing is more suitable in a "MTV Unplugged" environment. That means, fewer instruments (just a acoustic guitar) one back up singer, a stool to sit on, two microphones (instead of 8) and wha-la, we have a Wyclef Jean type performance. (Wyclef can't sing, but he sounds incredible over a guitar and NOTHING ELSE) Below, I've included a few tracks from his up coming cd. I would have uploaded pictures and video from his performance at the Billboard cafe but instead I decided to go back to my desk and fake working. :o) ***BTW the chick who sings backup needs her own record deal...PRONTO!
HA! This pic makes me laugh uncontrollably. Looking back, uggggh the 90's was such a ugly decade. I came of age during the 90s, therefore I wasn't as fashion conscious as I am now. lol I saw a few pictures the other day and I can officially blame my mother for dressing me like a clown in loud bright clothing. (regardless of fashion trend cycles remind me to never ever dress like this again) Well that's besides the point! The point is... I was the oldest-most grown-hot ass seven year old who knew every single word to almost every song on Tony Toni Tone's The Revival. Just last weekend me and a few friends from college took a day trip to Cape May and what should be playing in the background during the taxing drive from Philadelphia to Cape May? Why Tony Toni Tone's Greatest Hits cd, of course! I'm sure many-a-baby were made to that album. Just as a recap I've included a chart listing their studio albums. Tony Toni Tone (hmm that's too much to write so let's just call them Triple T) has got to be one of my all time favorite male groups next to Jodeci & Jagged Edge. So VH1 casting emailed me the other day about a Raphael Saadiq concert (in Brooklyn) the last Thursday in August. (They must not know that I'd be willing to give my first born child) When I got the email I almost jumped on top of my desk and started screaming. But whatever..they didn't call me back so I guess I'll be at home listening to these songs.
How dope is this video? I've heard the song before but just came across the video on Kanye's blog. Word Pharell....instead of video girls you animate the Women's restroom sign. (Although she is backing that thang up though) See for yourself lol
So, thought I was super ahead-of-the-game since I'd heard this song (Paper Planes) way back in November 2007 when no one else thought it was cool. To my surprise Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (known by many as M.I.A.) has been involved in this here music thing since 2004. Arulpragasam is a accomplished visual artist and has released 2 albums. The 31 year old writer, singer, producer, visual artist became widely known in 2004 for the file sharing of her two singles Sunshowers & Galang. (So you mean all I have to do is get me a microphone & video camera and file share my songs in order to become famous? Ok I'm on it!) M.I.A.'s style of rapping/singing has most commonly been compared to Santogold. (see Fools Gold? No Santogold) In all honesty the lyrics (Paper Planes) are complete garbage, but really who cares. Check some of the garbage below!
I fly like paper, get high like planes If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name If you come around here, I make 'em all day I get one down in a second if you wait
Pirate skulls and bones Sticks and stones and weed and bombs Running when we hit 'em Lethal poison through their system
Hmmm that shit sounds kinda crazy but like I've said before its all about gimmicks and marketability. I'm sure this song alone contributed generously to box office ticket sales for Pineapple Express's opening weekend.(See chart below) I think I'm more impressed with M.I.A. being a prominent visual artist. According to Wikipedia, "Arulpragasam's first public exhibition of paintings in 2001 at the Euphoria Shop in Portobello, London, featured candy coloured spray-paint and stencil pictures of the Tamil rebellion movement. Graffitied tigers and palm trees mixed with orange, green and pink camouflage, bombs, guns and fighters on chip board off-cuts and canvases. The show was nominated for the Alternative Turner Prize,(Jude Law was among early buyers of her art) and a monograph book of the collection was published by Pocko, simply titled M.I.A." Given that I'm familiar with her upbringing I can understand why her artwork is reminiscent of someone suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. (You can see excerpts of M.I.A.'s past all throughout her artwork) Well in the end, Jude Law purchased her art and her single Paper Planes made the iTunes top 100 downloaded songs, Billboard Hot 100 as well as was featured on the soundtrack of box office hit Pineapple Express. Not bad...not bad at all! The video is dope in that weird "I wear my pants backwards and use finger pant on my face kinda way". This girl is on the Pineapple Express to fame. :o)
***BTW I'm super hype the video was shot 3 blocks from my house
Hype for the critical beatdown! These ghetto blasters, Boombox inspired bags will have you steppin` to a phat beat so whether you love or hate you know radio rahim would be proud!!!
Cotton Twill Body Pink Mini Boombox Bag With Stereo Print Zip Fastening With Nautical Zip Pullers Two Working Speakers With Ipod/ MP3 Attachment Speakers Powered By Ipod/ MP3 Battery Carry Handles Orange Logo Tab On Right Side Interior Zip Pocket With Rubber Logo Tab 11.5W X 6H X 4D Inches *Description provided by chemical-records.co.uk
I definitely needed this when I was on the beach out in California a few weeks ago. It was a slight strain for me and my boyfriend to share my 10 dollar Sony headphones :o( Never again!
Can the church say AMEN? AMEN! Every bit of this song is accurate. I agree "something' gotta give" especially since my landlord raised my rent an additional 200 dollars a month. Anyway, I'm sure you've seen in a few of my posts where I've commented about music lacking lyrical content and connection. I guess this song should pacify us for the next year. (or at least until Election Day)I'm not necessarily feeling the songs instrumentals but there's a great message, and sometimes that's what's most important. Check out some of the lyrics!
You Know the commonfolk, blue collar, day to day workers that squeeze a dollar, so maybe they can swallow, a little, not a lot, just enough to fill that bottle.But its a million dollars a gallon for gas to get to work tomorrow.They try to tell us to stay strong, but every day we losing jobs, from College Park down to Beverly Hills, Somethings Gonna Have to Give. Across the world they live in fear but its the same thing over here. If you can hear me on Capitol Hill, Somethings gonna have to give.
"If you're walking down the right path & you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress"-Barack Obama When this man wins the Presidential election, I'm taking off the rest of the week and praying prayers of thanks at least 5 times a day :o) YES WE CAN! OBAMA 08
I don't know what's gotten into me, but writing this post was quite the laborious task. I was thinking about 90s girl groups, which led me to think about Total--Bad Boy--Danity Kane. (that's exactly how the chain of thought process panned out) Back in the day I was a huge Total fan. I still listen to Kima, Keisha,& Pam on Saturdays when I'm cleaning my messy apartment. In my opinion its the ultimate girl power cd. But what the hell happened to them and where did they go? They completely fell off the radar. Well I guess that's not uncharacteristic of Bad Boy artists. (Diddy somehow manages to run all of his artists away)Moving along to 2005 (Making the Band 3) Diddy choses five of eleven girls to form Bad Boy's next girl group, Danity Kane. Three years and two albums later I'm still not conviced Danity Kane has reached the same level of success as Total. So this calls for a quick session of compare and contrast.
Who has the most hit singles? Total, looking back total has had more Billboard Top 100 singles as a group as well as collaborative efforts Who has the larger audience? Danity Kane, mostly due to the fact the group is Multi-racial and they've had two seasons of cable network exposure. Who is more marketable? Danity Kane(but who knows, Bad Boy hasn't been marketing their groups too well lately) Who is considered one of the best R&B girl groups? Total (See chart below) Who has had better albums? Hands down I can listen to both Total albums from beginning to end. I can't say the same for Danity Kane
Regardless I hope Danity Kane doesn't fall victim to the Bad Boy curse like poor Total. In conclusion I'm going to go with Total on this one yall!
Here are a few DK & Total tracks-Take that Take that(In my best Diddy voice)
I know this is off topic considering I usually blog about music. Watch the video, then see if you can help me with a few questions. Since when did fireflies have missing teeth and sound like country bumpkin whinos? Should I be offended by this? I'm not sure Should I feel some type of way that the movie is set in New Orleans, post Katrina?
I do think Princess Tiana (formerly named Maddy) is adorable. Check out the Disney Press Release here
Well its Beyonce's little sister again! I wish I could say this album is phenomenal, but its not. There are a few songs in particular, Fuck The Industry (signed sincerely), that I've added to my ongoing playlist but in all honesty it's no comparison to B-day or Dangerously In Love. I know its near impossible for this young lady to distinguish herself from her superstar older sister. AND I know she's trying extremely hard, but give us something Solange. In my opinion she does posses star quality, but not the type of spotlight and fame shes seeking. Hmmm let's see, I could imagine Solange being the fly, single mom (but I landed on my feet), entrepenuer, no I'm not going to settle for riding my sisters coat tail, I am who I am (don't play me), I'll write a few books and do some abstract shit (because after all I do have a nice fat cushion to fall back on) STAR. See, there you go honey you're still a star in my eyes lol. I think its extremely convenient for her to jump on the R&B bandwagon. BUT its not for everyone. What may have worked for your sisters Beyonce and Kelli, may not be your cup of tea. I'm fighting for you Solange, trust me I'm in your corner but you just don't tickle my fancy. (as far as singing goes) Now if we were to address Solange's sense of fashion & style she by far blows her sister out of the water. I'm certain Beyonce has a stylist dressing her 24/7 and well Solange..... probably doesn't. (But she still manages to look great 97% of the time) This is what I would do if I were her: 1)Become a personal stylist and use my (Solange) great sense of style to dress the stars 2) Come out with my own line of infant/toodler clothing and accessories 3)Continue to ghost write and possibly do some backup vocals 4) Live off my sister's (Beyonce) money for the rest of my LIFE. Come on now! We are all trying to catch our big break. And you Solange, you're running away from it!(Go figure)
Check out this article from Blender Mag on Solange Knowles (I saw this on Around The Way Girls Blog)
Why did you paint Minnie Mouse covered in tampons and Trojans? I love the contradiction. Minnie Mouse is this perfect, iconic, all-American thing, which is how people expect me to be. Yet she has tampon hair and a condom tongue! I think it came out pretty dope.
Us too. OK, so it’s a Friday night at 11 p.m. What are you doing? I’m either at home with my son or out drinking some Coronas and adding to my beer belly.
Where do you drink your Coronas? Dive bars. Two doors down from here there’s a little joint that’s full of old rednecks. I go in there, drop $10 in the jukebox, play nothing but Marvin and Prince and just get wasted. The rednecks are like, What the fuck?!
What kind of drunk are you? I am a Miss-Tina’s-in-the-back-of-my-head kind of drunk.
You mean, your mom. What is she saying? “Girl, you better have some panties on!” My mom’s so reserved—last year, for my 21st birthday, she was like, “You can have one glass of champagne, and that’s it.” I said, “First of all, I haven’t lived with you since I was 17. Second, I’m divorced. And third, I have a kid. I am drinking tonight.”
If we drug-tested you, what would we find? I’ve got a song called “Champagne Chronic Nightcap.” That’s about as wild as it gets for me—that and the Coronas.
What’s your favorite curse word? I’m on a campaign—I want black people to start saying douchebag. It just sounds so grimy. I tried to say it on MTV last week, and they wouldn’t let me. Only douchebags don’t let you say douchebag on TV.
Are you a good girl or a bad girl? Definitely … um … You know, I was so trained to say a good girl, but I really straddle that line.
Ever doubted your sexual orientation? You mean like in that Katy Perry song? Negative. I’m strictly dickly.
How about videotaped yourself having sex? Nope. Ain’t no Solo tapes, y’all.
Sorry—solo tapes? Solo—that’s short for Solange.
Oh, I thought you meant “solo” solo. Ha! None of that, either.
How would you characterize your taste in sex? A good girl never kisses and tells. Didn’t I say I straddle that line?
Again with the straddling. Get out of my house!
I think she's destined for stardom. Just like the rest of us, she has to pin point her strenths and develop them into a lucrative profession. (Well she probably thinks singing is a strength...hmm) At the end of the day I like Ms. Knowles #3 (Tina, Beyonce, Solange = #3) Or is Beyonce Mrs. Carter now? Whatever Check out her website http://www.solangemusic.com/ Album Expected release date 8.26.08 ***See Solange in concert at City Hall Park this week!***
Detroit based Hip Hop group,Slum Village, became a fan favorite with 2004 hit single Selfish. The genious collaboration featuring Kanye West & John Legend propelled the group (Whom was on the cusp of success)into instant stardom as well as nationwide exposure. (Or did it?) Just two questions...Where are they now? AND Who knew they had more than one single?
Check out this list of singles-- 1999 "Get Dis Money" (Interscope) 2000 "Climax" (GoodVibe Recordings) 2000 "Raise It Up" (GoodVibe Recordings) 2002 "Tainted" (featuring Dwele) (Barak/Capitol Records) 2002 "Disco (Remix)" (featuring Ms. Jade & Raje Shwari) (Barak/Capitol Records) 2004 "Selfish" (featuring Kanye West and John Legend) (Capitol Records) 2004 "Do U" (Capitol Records) 2005 "EZ Up" (Barak Records)
Regardless, I was feeling this song and I think its time for a reunion!
LONDON (Aug. 16) - Madonna won't have much time to fret about turning 50. While many people passing the milestone may prefer to pause and reflect, the "queen of pop" is in the midst of final preparations for her world tour which kicks off in Cardiff, Wales, a week after her Aug. 16 birthday. If previous shows are anything to go by, the 40-plus "Sticky & Sweet" dates around the globe will put Madonna under the kind of physical and mental strain that would test a woman half her age. But the world's most successful female recording artist has never let age, sex or background get in her way, and has remained in the ascendancy with an uncanny ability to reinvent herself just when the old Madonna was nearing her sell-by date. CONTROVERSY Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16, 1958, the third of eight children in a devout Italian-Catholic family.Her big breakthrough came in 1984 when she signed a record deal and made her first two big hits "Like a Virgin" and "Holiday." The following year she married Hollywood wild boy Sean Penn and landed one of her most memorable screen roles in "Desperately Seeking Susan." Madonna then urged director Alan Parker to give her the biographical role of Argentine heroine Eva Peron in the musical film "Evita" that won her a Golden Globe Award in 1996.She has appeared in over 20 films, several of which have bombed, most notably 2002's "Swept Away," directed by Ritchie.Musically, she has few, if any real rivals.The Recording Industry Association of America has described her as the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States.Guinness World Records list her as the world's most successful female recording artist of all time and she has sold an estimated 200 million albums. Her last tour, "Confessions," became the top-grossing tour ever by a female artist.The Sunday Times estimates Madonna and Ritchie's fortune at around $600million. Much of Madonna's success is built on her shock value. In 1989, the video for "Like A Prayer," her third transatlantic chart-topper, with its links between religion and eroticism, was condemned by the Vatican and caused Pepsi-Cola to cancel a sponsorship deal with the star.The resulting publicity helped the album of the same title to become a global bestseller.In her 1990 "Blonde Ambition" tour, she famously wore a Jean Paul Gaultier conical bra and covered the stage in religious imagery. The Vatican called it "one of the most satanic shows in the history of humanity." At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera as they performed her classic song "Like A Virgin." Copyright 2008, Reuters via(Source:AOL News)
Musiq, stick to the love ballads please! I guess people actually like this song since it made the Radio & Records top airtime singles for the week. (see chart on the right hand side of page)
I want that old thing back! Who can forget this song?
For those of you who live in the Atlanta area (hopefully that will be me soon) Monica has a show that airs on Peachtree TV Tuesdays at 10pm. I was wondering what happened to her!
Her voice doesn't strike me as being powerful, but the 25 year old Atlanta native does possess star quality. Songwriter recently turned artist Keri Hilson has been writing for industry artists since 2001. Her repertoire includes singles written for Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Ciara, Usher, Teairra Mari, the Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane , Avant, Ruben Studdard, B5, Diddy, Chingy, LeToya, Ludacris, Rich Boy, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Desman, Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger, Lloyd Banks, Keke Palmer, Omarion, Tiffany Evans, and Timbaland. (This sounds like the same list of artists Ne Yo has written for) Again, does anyone write their own music? Let's see, I didn't think much of this young lady until I read her Myspace bio. (mind you written in her own words)While her story is similar to most aspiring artists, she mentions one thing:
WHAT YOU SEE now took nine loonnnnng years of group changes, voice changes, situation switches, financial drought...there was so much upward and downward motion but the only thing steady was my relationship with GOD. He laid the love for music on my heart at an early age for a reason. So I always found comfort in knowing that doing music was my destiny. Never once did I question whether my dreams would see the light of reality. I don't force the hand. Things will be when they're supposed to be. And my time is coming...soon...I can feel it. SO I WRITE while I wait.
That's exactly what I like to hear. Patience is a virtue my friends (Like I have any room to advise) Again her music isn't anything out of the ordinary, but she does have a decent voice, a nice look and best of all STRONG faith. Although, I can't deny After Love (Diddy f/ Keri Hilson) was the most played song on my iTunes list totaling 378 plays. What can I say, I was feelin the song! :o) For more check her out on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/kerihilson I'm digging the houndstooth print on her page! It seems as if she's very articulate and quite educated. (Not that R&B artists can't be described using either of these two adjectives)
This commercial makes me wonder if I should have put more thought into chosing my college roommates. They look like they get along :o) I love the song and the dancing is cute. It's that time kiddies, BACK TO SCHOOL!
***If you know who sings the song, please leave a comment***
I thought it would be interesting to focus on Ne Yo the songwriter as opposed to Ne Yo the Grammy award winning artist. We are all familiar with his debut album In My Own Words and chart topping singles So Sick and Because Of You. But we don't know much about the man behind the scenes. Ne Yo has been credited for writing music for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Corbin Bleu, and Enrique Iglesias. In addition he intends on writing singles for upcoming albums from Usher, Craig David, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis, and Michael Jackson. Well let's take a look! Here's a list of songs "allegedly" ghostwritten by NeYo.
TQ’s “Westside" Youngstown’s “Let’s Roll” Youngstown’s “Don’t Worry” Youngstown’s “Lose My Cool” Youngstown’s “Pedal to the Steel” Youngstown’s “Away With the Summer Days” Youngstown’s “Dance Floor Pt. 2” Youngstown’s “Down For The Get Down” Youngstown’s “Float Away” Youngstown’s “So Tight” Marques Houston’s “That Girl” Christina Milan’s “I’m Sorry” Christina Milan’s “Y’all Ain’t Nothin” Nivea’s “Still In Love” Mis-teeq’s “Scandalous” Samantha Mumba’s “Always Come Back To Your Love” Rhianna’s “Just Be Happy" Rhianna’s “The Hotness” Cassidy’s “Kick It With Me" Jaiden’s “Escape” Jalen’s “All I Need” Boxie’s “Bridging The Gap” Candace Jones’ “You And Me” Heather Headley’s “The Letter” Ruben Studdard’s “Feel Beautiful" Cassie’s “Kiss Me” Joe’s “It’s On You” Mario’s “Let Me Love You” Paula DeAnda’s “Walk Away" Paula DeAnda’s “So Cold" Paula DeAnda’s “When It Was Me” Chris Brown’s “Like That” Snoop Dogg’s “Let Me” – vocals written by Ne-Yo Mary J Blige’s “Be Without You” Mario Vazquez’s “Gallery” The Blay’s “My Story” Rhianna’s “Let Me” Rhianna’s “Unfaithful” Rhianna’s “We Ride” Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” Beyonce’s “Hollywood” Marques Houston’s “Wonderful” Elliot Yamin’s “Wait For You” Joe’s “If I Was Your Man” Musiq’s “Ms. Philadelphia” Mario’s “If” Mario’s “What’s It Gonna Be” Rhianna’s “Don’t Stop The Music”
Geeeesh (Wiping my forehead) Does anyone write their own music anymore? Obviously Rhianna, Youngstown, and Paula DeAnda are just singing heads.I'm confused how another artist could write a entire album for someone else. Alas, the days of Smokey Robinson and Motown are long gone. :o(
For more on this try http://www.defsounds.com/rumors/Ghostwriters_exposed_part_2
Where was I? Well I was hmmmm let's see 11 years old. I used to spend my entire summer running recreational Track & Field for The Baltimore Ed Waters Track Team. Ahhhh the memories! When I think back to the summer of 1996 4 things come to mind, Monica-Miss Thang album, New Orleans Louisiana, AAU Junior Olympics, Ghost town Djs. I don't know why, but hey we all have special memories that might not make much sense to anyone else. This post is nothing significant. I was just laying around thinking about summers passed. I've included some of my personal picks for the summer of 1996. If you think of something I didn't include....PLEASE comment and I'll make sure to upload the song or video!
You know I had to include a video. My mother had this weird thing about not letting us watch music videos when we were younger. I guess she thought we were very impresionable. Ha she's such a silly lady :o)
Honorable Mentions Hay Crucial Conflict Keep On, Keepin On MC Lyte Loungin LL Cool J (one of my favories) Like That Monica How Do You Want It 2Pac I Can't Sleep (If I) R Kelly
Check out the Billboard Hot 100 for 1996 http://www.cylist.com/List/400300062/
Just in time for the Olympics Mr. West releases the video Champion. How perfect! I've included the video below for your viewing pleasure. I'm mad at the little puppet/muppet thing running track. :o)
DISCLAIMER:You have to pardon my lack of knowledge about the subject at hand. If you disagree or have any suggestions, please let me know.
I decided to ask a few people who they considered popular, legendary, and successful Reggae artists. Below is a quick list of names give or take a few:
Bob Marley & The Wailers (only because EVERYONE knows who he is), Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Damien Jr. Gong, Shabba Ranks, Red Rat, Bounty Killer, Spragga Benz, Movado,Maxi Priest, Beenie Man, Mr. Vegas, Baby Sham, Buju Banton, Chaka Demus, Tenor Saw
Notice majority of the artists mentioned came to rise during the dance hall era. I've heard a number of people say they prefer Reggae as opposed to dance hall. In fact a few of my friends have said, " I like the painful music, the music that tells a story. I don't like that shake your ass trash." So my questions are, when did we officially make the transition from Reggae to Dance hall? When did one style become more popular and almost immediately send the other into "EXTINCT" status? Finally, why are more people familiar with dance hall artists if most prefer Reggae music? Let's start by defining the two.
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based on a rhythm style characterized by regular chops on the off-beat, known as the skank. Reggae is often associated with the Rastafari movement, an influence on many prominent reggae musicians from its inception. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including faith, love, sexuality, relationships, poverty, injustice and other broad social issues.
Dance hall is a type of Jamaican popular music which developed in the late 1970s, initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of reggae than the roots style that had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably, with digital dance hall (or "Ragga") becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms with little connection to earlier reggae rhythms. Modern dance hall is also known as bashment
I did a little bit of research and noticed the transition from Reggae to Dance hall came in two waves. If I'm not mistaken artists such as Bob Marley & The Wailers, Larry Marshall, and Johnny Nash initiated the Reggae movement, followed by Shaggy (I know people really don't consider him as a Reggae artist), Patra, Super Cat and Shabba Ranks who sought the transition to Dancehall as early as 1990 segueing to artists like Elephant Man, Sean Paul, and Beenie Man in the mid-to late 90s. According to Joel Whitburn's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles 1942-2004 , Bob Marley & The Wailers had 6 Top 100 Billboard hits.
Roots, Rock, Reggae Peaked at 37 Exodus Peaked at 19 Waiting in Vain Peaked at 38 Wake Up and Live Peaked at 93 Could you Be Loved Peaked at 56 Buffalo Soldier Peaked at 71
*I'm beginning to question the billboard charts because hardly any of his more recognizable songs made the Top 100... hmmm :o( Flipped through the book a little more and came across Super Cat who had 5 Top 100 Billboard hits between 1992-1995
Super Cat Top 100 Hits Ghetto Red Hot Peaked at 89 Dem No Worry We Peaked at 87 Dolly My Baby Peaked at 64 Scalp Dem Peaked at 49 Girlstown Peaked at 59
Finally I looked up Sean Paul who had 12 Top 100 Billboard hits (some of them as a featured artist), with 5 of them peaking at least at #10 and below on the charts.
Hot GalToday f/ Mr. Vegas Peaked at 66 Deport Them Peaked at 80 Gimme The Light Peaked at 3 Hey Sexy Lady Shaggy f/ Sean Paul Peaked at 97 Gimme The Light (Remix) f/ Busta Rhymes Peaked at 4 Breathe Blu Cantrell f/ Sean Paul Peaked at 83 Get Busy Peaked at 1 Like Glue Peaked at 9 Baby Boy Beyonce f/ Sean Paul Peaked at 1 Shoomp De La Soul f/ Sean Paul Peaked at 43 I'm Still In Love With You f/ Sasha Peaked at 13 Say Ay Ay Ay Tony Touch f/ Sean Paul Peaked at 77
Compare those numbers to Bob Marley and The Wailer's 6 top 100 hits (only Exodus peaking at #19)its obvious Dance hall is the more popular brand. With the rise in Dancehall popularity there was more opportunity for dancehall artists to collaborate hence the many Sean Paul callabos making the top 100. It may have taken time for people to adjust to the changes (the 2 waves throughout the 90s) within the genre, but the popularity of Dance hall has skyrocketed to heights old school reggae has never seen. I'm sure there are a number of reasons Reggae didn't see the same success as Dance hall. This could be due in part to certain artists resisting crossover music (sell out music) thus limiting their exposure. (Although I've heard many people believe Bob Marley was becoming more and more commercial once his celebrity status began to grow exponentially) Some believe encompassing crossover elements causes the music to loose track of its agenda. Referring back to the Wikipedia definition, Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including faith, love, sexuality, relationships, poverty, injustice and other broad social issues. Dance hall as opposed to Reggae doesn't cover such a wide range of social issues. I tend to think the music has lost its passion by loosing the message. In addition, digital instrumentation became more prevalent in the mid-1980s changing the sound considerably, with digital dance hall (or "Ragga") becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms with little connection to earlier reggae rhythms(Wikipedia), thus becoming more popular in the mainstream. (clubs, radio, television) In conclusion I feel comfortable saying the transition from Reggae to Dance hall was implemented throughout the 1990s. Although the messages imposed in Reggae music may have been lost or compromised for commercialism the history remains deep routed. Lets be real, Dance hall is more widespread because of the exposure it receives. With mediums such as satellite radio, niche cable networks, as well as the Internet, the music reaches twice as many people. (Reggae didn't have as many outlets for exposure in 1970 as Dance hall does in 2008) In my opinion there is a time and place for everything! When I'm in my apartment getting ready for girls night out, please believe Movado, Red Rat, Sizzla, and a little bit of Bounty Killa is on the play list. But when I've had a hard day at work, it's B. Marley and The Wailers all day.
Check this site for the 100 Greatest Reggae artists http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_artists-reggae.html
Please note a couple of the songs are freestyle tracks. For those who aren't familiar with the term, a freestyle track is when a artist performs over instrumentals/beats previously used.(Freestyles are usually performed on mixtape compilations)
I can't leave you without a video. Check out my favorite Marley songs
Setting: South Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Date: Saturday April 26 2008
What a perfect place and setting for my first audio encounter with this powerful soul-felt songstress. It was Penn Relays weekend 2008. (I'm starting this post like it was the night before Christmas lol) Well the day was a total bust. I traveled all the way from New York only to get to UPenn's stadium and sit outside for 4 hours. After twiddling my thumbs for half the day I decided to take a trip to South Street to visit a good friend (hey Holli) and scarf down some cheese fries from Ishkabibbles. Holli was super anxious to let me hear a few songs from up and coming Philadelphia artist Jazmine Sullivan. Knowing how thirsty I am for new music, Holli definitely fed into my eagerness by handing her iPod right over. Needless to say I heard one song and that's all she wrote.(I promise I'll stay away from the cliches) Her debut single Need You Bad made me think about my boyfriend and really that's all it took for me to evaluate and conclude that she is the change we've all needed. As soon as I got to work Monday morning I stalked her on iTunes... NOTHING! I ended up surfing the Internet trying to find more of her music... still not much. Finally after 2 weeks, her song arrived on iTunes.
Why is she better than everyone else? Well I'm just tired of talentless, pretty face, "I'll just dress nice and dance half decent" artists. Her voice tells a story, her sound is reminiscent of Lauryn Hill, and her image is non traditional. In my opinion it takes a lot of guts to release a R&B song over reggae instrumentals as your first single. Most die hard R&B fans aren't prepared for that blend. Sullivan's love songs touch on everything from cheating, to breakups, back to reconciliation. Here are a few lyrics from Bust your Windows
I bust the windows out ya car And no it didn't mend my broken heart I'll probably always have these ugly scars But right now I don't care about that part
I bust the windows out ya car After I saw you laying next to her I didn't wanna but I took my turn I'm glad I did it cause you had to learn
I must admit it helped a little bit To think of how you felt when you saw it I didn't know I had that much strength But I'm glad you know what happens when...
I like this chick! One worry of mine is that they will try and make her loose weight thus diverting attention away from her talent and onto her appearance.(This industry is known for its superficial, delusional standards of beauty) Personally I think she's just perfect the way she is! Crisette Michelle vs. Jazmine Sullivan Hands down Jazmine Sullivan wins! I can't quite put my finger on it, but everything about this girl seems genuine. 1)It could be the fact she did a remake of Andre 3000's Prototype from the album The Love Below -OR- 2) It could be the fact that she was absolutely adorable on the Apollo (see You tube video below)
I've been surfing around the Internet and found out a lot of people are knocking her for sounding very similar to the legendary Lauryn Hill. (I agree she does sound a lot like her) Well, you can't help what your voice sounds like and in all honesty we need a Lauryn Hill resurrection. (or something close to it) There's no Wikipedia submission so I guess that leaves me sourceless (Ahhh that's terrible) So you can find out more about J. Sullivan on her page (http://www.myspace.com/jazminesullivan) I've included a few of the songs iLike on the media player below. And that's how great music spreads people! Here's a throw back of ole girl singing at the Apollo. I'm sure she's thrilled to see this resurface :o)
Songs iLike Bust your Windows Lions & Tigers Prototype (yes its the Andre 3000 remake) Need You Bad remix f/ T.I.
Who:Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. What:Tha Carter III Where:Anywhere in the US where there's a radio, cd player,MP3 player or TV When:Summer 2008 Why:It's been 3 years since he's dropped an OFFICIAL album
OMG he's everywhere! I see this little gremlin-midget all over Youtube, BET, MTV and any other station that hasn't quite grown tired of him...yet. I've even noticed my mother unconscious of her Lil Wayne rants as if she knows what shes talking about. Quite honestly I've grown a bit agitated and annoyed with the constant quoting of Lil Wayne as if he's speaking the gospel. But for some reason I can't grow to hate him. Tha Cater III could be considered by many as the official album of the Summer for 2008. His record sales have reached ultimate industry heights having sold over a million copies in the first week. In my opinion this is one of the best collaborative albums in the history of recent hip hop. The Carter III callabos include Jay-Z, Bobby Valentino, Robin Thicke, David Banner, T. Pain etc. (The list goes around the corner and out the door) But enough of that. Let's look at Lil Wayne's progress throughout the years from a member of The Hot Boys to self proclaimed "Best Rapper Alive". For reference I've included a chart of record sales I found in the Feb 9 2008 issue of Billboard Magazine. Weezy has released six albums and has more than 40 guest appearances since 1999--17 of those collaborations in the last two years. Below are the top 11 collaborations as sited in Billboard Mag. Billboard Chart Topping Collaborations You (LLoyd f/ Lil wayne) Peaked at #1 Soldier (Destiny's Child f/ T.I. & Lil Wayne Peaked at #3 Duffle Bag Boy (Playa's Circle f/ Lil Wayne Peaked at #4 Back That Thang Up (Juvenile f/ Manny Fresh & Lil Wayne) Peaked at #5 Gimme That Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne) Peaked at #5 Make It Rain (Fat Joe f/ Lil Wayne) Peaked at #6 Stuntin Like My Daddy (Birdman & Lil Wayne) Peaked at #7 Bling Bling(BG f/Baby,Turk,Manny fresh,Juvenile,& Lil Wayne) Peaked at #13 Pop Bottles(Birdman f/ Lil Wayne) Peaked at #15 Tha Block Is Hot(f/ Juvenile & BG) Peaked at #24 Holla @ Me(DJ Khaled f/Lil Wayne,Paul Wall,Fat Joe,Rick Ross &Pitt Bull) Peaked at #24 How's that for a track record? According to the Billboard article, Wayne plans on continuing to make guest appearances on other artists' records which he considers his most essential promotional stategy.
A lot of people tell me not to jump on all these features, but I don't listen to nobody. I love to make music with people and for people. If you create it for yourself, it's selfish of you. What I create is beautiful, and I like to share the beauty. I promote myself. At the end of the day, who is the victor in that situation? Lil Wayne.
Now back to the issue at hand Did I buy the whole cd(Tha Carter III)? No Did I download some songs from iTunes? Yes Do I blast it while I'm cleaning my house on a Saturday morning? Yes Do I Let the Beat Build every morning while I'm getting ready for work? Yes Well that's good enough for me. In conclusion, I dig Tha Carter III and Lil Wayne as a artist. I'm just a little Weezied out for the rest of the year. Hopefully, just hopefully they won't exhaust his stardom like they often do with most popular artists.
I was uploading music onto Imeem one day and came across the music page of 20 year old producer, writer, and rapper Charles Hamilton. As the page slowly uploaded I noticed the multicolored solar systems with swirly lights and lots of distracting graphics. Of course I love the pretty, outerspace, stary, cosmo type stuff but not exactly what you expect to see as the page backdrop for a aspiring rapper. At first glance I'm thinking, "Is this another Lupe Fiasco-I'm going to try the weird kid- outer space- skateboard gimmick?" Actually, its not that at all! In fact, Hamilton's persona and music successfully carve out its own space in the Hip Hop world. First let me explain how utterly disgusted I am with this years summer "bangers". There has NOT been one song that I can officially say was my speaker blaster for summer 2008. That is, until now. Take a listen to Brooklyn Girls track 3 on the media player below (I'm getting better with technical side of blogging lol) Regardless of when the song was released I think newcomer C. Hamilton may have stepped up to the plate and claimed the title of "Brandi's most played summer track" Just a few lines from Brooklyn Girls
I'm an uptown boy with Soho flava The beat is D minor but I'm oh so major I do my own thing so I owe no favors Can't do it now then I wont go later
Back to the Basics OK let's face it. We are amidst a generation of music where beats and instrumentals by far out weigh lyrical content. Hamilton's music is neither conscious nor gangster rap,but it does have that new hip hop generation appeal. Now I know it sounds pretty shallow of me to like music based on beats but this kid produces everything himself. Recently, sampling has become a major staple in the industry with producers such as Pharell, Kanye West, and Swizz Beats meshing the sounds of 70s & 80s hits with new school hip hop to give it a funky updated flair. It should be as easy as adding a little bass, a few other instruments, speeding the tempo, and sprinkling a few dope lyrics over a hot track...right? Wrong! Here's what C. Hamilton has to say about how he chooses to sample music.
"When I sample, I'm not just doing it to sound good. I'm trying to tell a story. To convey an emotion. If I sampled it, there is a reason I sampled it. I believe that music is based on moments, and that there are some moments that people may have missed back in the day. They may have even missed it a year ago. When I sample, I'm giving the artist their respect, while simultaneously creating something new."
Well, he must have a growing fan base considering popular NY DJ Green Lantern helped produce and promote the mix tape. We all know of Harlem for what it has contributed to modern day African American-culture. Consider this, Hiphop has traveled all over the country sparking movements of all types. Maybe its time for the genre to return to its roots before it goes back out on tour. This is the future! The future consists of artists who can mesh rhythm with rhyme, pop with old school, swag with talent. I'll leave you with this quote.
I want to show the world that I, a Black kid from the hood, can connect the whole world through music. I also want to show the world that my hood is Harlem, the home of the Harlem Renaissance, which gave birth to most, if not all of modern-day art. Harlem is where art lives. The Greek god of Apollo was the god of entertainment. Where's the Apollo theatre?"
Songs iLike Brooklyn Girl Don't Touch Me Superman Check out this freestyle-- "Hip Hop isn't dead....It just turned 20" lol I like that!
Ok so here's the deal! My coworker suggested I write a post on this group before they reached "larger than life" status. I'm sure you've heard their music before. In fact you can find them all over youtube and performing at clubs and events in NYC (Most recently Prospect Park in Brooklyn) They are The Brazilian Girls a local NYC group known for their worldly eclectic sound.Of course the name Brazilian Girls is a bit contradicting considering the group is composed of two guys ONE girl and not one member is from Brazil. But hey whatever works! (Its all about marketability people) Why are they so different then the regular run-of-the-mill band? For starters the lead singer (Sabina Sciubba) was born in Rome and grew up in Munich and Nice. Growing up, she learned to speak German, Spanish, French, Italian and English, languages which she regularly incorporates into her songs. (Wikipedia) (I know I need to stop with the Wikipedia references) Wow, when I tell you BG (Brazilian Girls) samples a little bit of everything I really mean they sample ALL types of music. It's particularly evident in the 2007 hit single More Than Pussy. I don't care much for the title but this creative montage of reggae, hip hop,and soul ,performed by a group of people who you'd least expect, is a great example of a group who isnt afraid to dabble in multiple genres.
Initially I was a bit hesitant to feature this group in a post, but I took a chance and found myself plesantly surprised. Sometimes people get so caught up in labeling artists by the obvious. Prematurely jugding talent based on factors as simple as race, genre, age, and over all appeal (attractiveness, sexuality, presentation) limits the consumer to buy music based on familiarity as opposed to individuality and uniqueness. We usually find ourselves listening to the same types of acts regardless of how boring and repetitive it becomes. Well try something new! (After all this blog is called expand you music horizon) In a culture where everything is beginning to become repetitive,this is a breath of fresh air from a group of people who you'd least expect. Give them a try. I'm begging you. You might just find yourself buying a song off of iTunes.
Just an FYI... Brazilian Girls song Good Time will definitely go down in my book as one my all time favorite beach songs. Pardon me for associating great music with particular memories but I think we all do it from time to time.
My picks Don't Stop Good Times St. Petersburg
Check them out! http://www.braziliangirls.info/ http://www.myspace.com/braziliangirls
For your listening pleasure :o)
Don't Stop music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIykKakGA8M
What do Nelly, Sheryl Crow, Kate Voegele, Colbie Caillat and 3 Doors Down have in common? They're among the top artists recording exclusive tracks for AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack to inspire and support U.S. Olympic Team athletes as they pursue their dream of competing in the Olympic Games. The music — debuting during the NBC and Telemundo broadcast of the 2008 Olympic Games — will be available during the Olympic Games right here at AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack, and downloads will benefit Team USA. Other participating artists will be announced later, so come back August 8, 2008, to download exclusive tunes and support Team USA!
PROCEEDS INFORMATION Due in large part to the generosity of artists, labels, publishers, and others involved in the production of this exclusive content, AT&T will donate to Team USA 100% of the purchase price paid for any AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack content (other than Ringtones and AnswerTones) downloaded during the Olympic Games (July 22 - August 25, 2008). For any AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack Ringtones and AnswerTones downloaded during the Olympic Games, AT&T will donate to Team USA 100% of the purchase price paid less a third-party operational charge of 10¢ for Ringtones and 56¢ for AnswerTones. Separate charges for data transmission of downloads may apply.
(Copied directly from the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack website) http://www.attblueroom.com/sports/teamusa/soundtrack/english/index.php
List of artists to be featured on soundtrack
*3 Doors Down *Army of Me *Chris Brown*Clique Girlz *Colbie Caillat *Flipsyde *Goo Goo Dolls *Josh Kelley *Kate Voegele *Lady Antebellum *Luis Fonsi *Mere *Nelly *Queen Latifah *Sheryl Crow *Taylor Swift
Speaking of the Olympics, I'm super syked to watch. I remember when I went to the 96 games in Atlanta. The night of the 100 meter finals was one of the most memorable moments of my life.
Song to remember-- "Reach" by Gloria Estefan
For more on historical TV ratings and buzz leading up to the Olympic Games (8.8.08)check out the Nielsen blog http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/category/sports/2008-olympics/
One of the keys to guaranteeing a fantastic day is to make an intention upon awakening that something wonderful and beautiful is going to happen to you today. Once you set this intention you need only "expect" it to happen and then remain aware of what is going on in your life. Something wonderful and beautiful will happen, it is guaranteed, but you must recognize it when it happens. Be open to everything and see the beauty in life.
It's sad, I've looked at Aaliyah's bio on various websites and noticed how short it is in comparison to other artists. It only makes me wonder what we could have expected from the graceful songbird. In real Michaelangelo/Picasso fashion she was nominated/won most of her awards & accolades after her traggic death. Below are just a few.
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