Beyonce has been dropping videos left and right. While others have left much to be desired, there is something about this “Party” visual that is irresistible. It’s vibrant, retro, and Solange has a cameo. That’s enough for me.
I saw this video and immediately cracked a smile. The reason being, TWEET. Her voice is like butter, the more you use it , the better it taste. With all due to respect to Ms. Johnson I have never been a fan, however that could change after watching this. Her voice is just as full of texture and beauty. Syleena’s latest LP, Chapter V:Underrated is available now.
A positive message is always in and these ladies voices together – magic.
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What this artist means to me…its endless. With each opus, she further cements her status as one of the most gifted artist music has ever seen. My biases aside, Meshell’s greatness is rarely in question. Her ninth studio LP, Weather is slated to drop November 8. Lead by the single “Dirty World”, Meshell is back with her enveloping lyrics and that pulsating bass. …Lets not forget that voice of hers…
Szjerdene has been on my radar since the moment I heard her entrancing voice. It captivated me beyond measure. The more heard, the more I fell in love. With the release of her latest offering, “Leila’s Tale” , Szjerdene expanded her sound by leaps and bounds into a more electronic territory.
As if then song was not enough, the video totally amplifies Szjerdene’s mounting artistry and uniqueness. Needless to say, Szjerdene is headed to greatness. Her debut on Plug Research is slated to drop in 2012.
Get on board…
If you religiously visit any urban music blog, there is a pretty good chance that Bridget Kelly is a name you’ve seen a over the past couple of months. Much like Soul expressed, when I learned that her song “Thinking About Forever” was actually a Frank Ocean demo, I swiftly kept it moving. However, after giving her new EP, Every Girl, an unbiased listen, it became clear that I have been wasting some time.
Unlike any other artist to surface in 2011, Emeli Sandé has left a truly indelible mark on my passion for music–sure, there is plenty of talent out there, but Emeli distinguishes herself as a vocal, lyrical and musical firestorm. As I’ve previously expressed, Ms. Sandé needs no assistance from trendy producers or a gimmicky, attention-grabbing image. Contrasting from much of the competition, Emile Sandé only needs what she has been born with.
If you haven’t seen Rihanna‘s video for her new single “We Found Love,” you’ve probably been living under a rock. Nonetheless, as Rihanna’s best video yet, it is definitely an important moment to document. While mixed opinions still surround the actual song, we can all agree that the cinematic visual is a fantastic piece of work.
If I could, I would write a post about Solange everyday. She represents the type of artist that fans truly cultivate a genuine personal connection to; it is greater than a simple appreciation for their music, but fulfills that need to have your life story understood by another human being. The type of artist who reaches the inner depths of the listener and sets their vulnerability free, all without trying. The type of artist who only creates music an expression of themselves, not for fame and an entry-way to a yearly Forbes list.
That’s what Solange means to me. She continually defines what it means to fearlessly live for yourself. She’s everything I am, everything I’m not, and everything I want to be.
ATTENTION: Azealia Banks has made her entrance, and she’s making sure that all ears are open. I have yet to determine what is so damn addictive about her show-stealing “212″–is it its enticingly vibrant personality, or the sparkle in the rapper’s theatrical flow? Perhaps its the fact that the infectious production makes me want to shake my ass? Hmm.
Regardless of which option it may be, the track surely lives up to the inspiration behind its title. After listening to the track for the thousandth time, I have a feeling that this is just a warm-up to the tricks Azealia Banks will pull out her of hat in the near future. If you’re like me, you’re getting excited.
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And this, my friends, is how to make simplicity spectacular. The divine Erykah Badu has dropped another video from her critically-acclaimed New Amerykah Part II:Return of the Anhk. This time, it’s the second movement to the album’s scene-stealer, “Out My Mind, Just In Time.” There isn’t much to say about this, as the greatness speaks for itself. However, I will add that I am loving the direction that was taken with the visual accompaniments to the song. As always, major applause to Ms. Badu.
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When tragedy struck one of the most famous rap superheroes in the world, the result was an unexpected masterpiece that sky-rocketed the megastar to new heights of artistic credibility. After the sudden loss of his beloved mother and painful break-up with his longtime fiancé, Kanye West officially reached rock bottom.
While 808s and Heartbreak was recorded at a time of extreme emotional turmoil for the rapper/producer, the series of unfortunate events seemed to illuminate the genius of Kanye West at its possible brightest. The world has never witnessed the innovation, artistic bravery, creativity and multi-dimensional talent that Kanye West displays on 808s; more than any other album that he has birthed thus far, 808s exemplifies why Mr. West has established a league of his own in popular culture as a whole.
On a cool June evening, I stood anxiously as I basked in the moment in which I would finally see one of my favorite groups, J*DaVeY, live for the first time. Dressed in a smile from ear to ear, my excitement was interrupted by a gentle pat on my back, accompanied by a voice telling Soul and me to “move to the front, fellas.” When I located where the voice came from, my eyes were completely taken by a flamboyantly-dressed, afro-licious, hip-hop amazon. I had no idea who this chick was, but I knew she excited me. As she made her way to the front of the room, she confidently grabbed a microphone and made her way to the stage. This mysterious figure was none other than Kalae All Day, J*DaVeY’s opening act and future game-changer. As her set unfolded, I was comforted by the confirmation that the rapper is more than a larger-than-life personality with even bigger hair. She’s a fearless M.C. with the personality and creativity to move rap beyond the borders that few too many rappers dare to cross.
Aah. The great things that are dug up during a healthy Youtube binge. In the spirt of our recent celebration of Diana Ross, it only seems right to pay homage to her with an artist who surely knows what her impact is all about. Taken from her performance during the Diana Ross tribute at the 2007 BET Awards, Erykah Badu brings on the hair, sensuality and feminine elegance that Diana made famous. But don’t get it twisted. Badu is still Badu. From showing off a bit of her range to the raw soulfulness of her interpretation of the song, Erykah leaves her footprints in ground.
Classic moment…
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I’ve always kept an eye on Mayer Hawthorne, but I must admit, somehow his latest project managed to pass by me. While strolling past iTunes’ “Song of the Week,” I came across this little number. I downloaded it, and an eargasm soon followed. Even though I am several months behind, I am in love with this pleasant flashback to the purity of feel-good soul music. What often comes off as unoriginal and cheesy when attempted by contemporary artists, Mr. Hawthorne’s meticulous study of 70s R&B, funk and soul translates into a smooth and addictive mid-tempo banger. I’ve been sleeping too hard on this one.
When it comes to J*DaVeY, I have come to expect nothing but embrace everything. As a duo, they are more talented than most artists in the music industry. Although they have amassed quite the cult following, they have yet to reach the level of popularity that they deserve to reach. But this will soon change with the release of their debut album, New Designer Drug, which will drop in the near future. Thanks to the insanely dope music heads over at PinBoardBlog and their Rehearsal’s Room series, we now have this video of J*DaVeY performing “Queen of Wonderland” to tie us over until we get our next fix.
BTW- Miss Jack Davey broke the dawn with those vocals…
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