Throwback-Slum Village What Ever Happened To Them?

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!

The Queen Of Pop Turns 50

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)

Anyone Hate This Song As Much As I Do?

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?

Who Knew? Monica on Peachtree TV

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!

Keri Hilson: The Beautiful Songbird

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)

How Cute!

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***

Ne Yo-Songwriter Genius

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

***TAKING IT BACK*** NeYo's first single

Throwback Summer 1996:Where Were You?

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/