Time to slow the this muthasukka down a bit! Peep these new videos from Chrisette and Jaheim...
Chrisette Michele - If I Had My Way
Jaheim - Never
"Life without music is not really living!"
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
THE PHONTIGALLO PHAVORITES MIXX!
Just yesterday I was telling my dude PD that when it comes to Southern rappers there are two katz that are currently at the top of my greatest emcee list! An there names are Phonte Coleman (Little Brother) and Andre 3000 (Outkast)! My boy PD made a great point about Andre when he said that 3000 has never spit a wack verse on a record. That's a very bold statement, but I definitely agree. I feel that way when it comes to Phonte as well. Both artists are always clever with their wordplay, punchlines, and lyrical content, plus both of them have that confident swagger that's necessary to be great! Is it a coincidence that both of these dudes can sing? I would love to see these two go at in a serious rap battle because I think it would go down in the history books. If I had to choose between them, I would have to go with Phonte based on the fact that I have actually met and talked extensively with this kat when they came to Detroit a while back. As far as all of the rappers that I have personally met over my years, Phonte is one of the coolest katz out of them all.
That's because even though Phonte is definitely serious about his craft, he's very humble and he sincerely appreciates his fans. He's just a regular dude that can rap and sing pretty damn good! The craziest thing about Phonte is that he's a true fan of hip-hop music. Five minutes into our conversation before his set, we got on the subject about who our top 5 emcees were. That's a typical conversation for real hip-hop heads by the way. I won't repeat his top emcees list, but he seemed very shocked when I revealed that he was on my top 10 emcee list? Phonte could tell that I wasn't blowing smoke up his you know what just because he was standing there in front of me. He could tell that I was serious, so he immediately extended me his hand for some well deserved dappage and thanked me for the love! Being from Detroit, I don't think Phonte initially realized that I knew that much about his music let alone to have him on my top emcees list. Real recognize real so it was cool exchanging some extensive verbage with that kat. If you haven't already and you get that chance to catch Little Brother live be sure to check them out. It's a very entertaining event especially when Darien Brockington and Yahzarah are with them handling the vocals.
Recently, my favorite soul blogger and friend Honey over at Honeysoul.com conducted an interview with Phonte after a Little Brother concert in Houston. During this exclusive interview Phonte talks about 9th Wonder's departure, leaking the latest Little Brother album and his upcoming musical projects for 2008. Check out that interview here: PHONTE INTERVIEW ON HONEYSOUL
Shout out to Honey for kicking it with me at the Soul Tracks Award Show a couple of weekends ago!
I have decided to share a Phonte mega-mixx of some of my favorite Phonte musical moments. This one is from my personal stash, so take it for what it is. I call this musical collage "The Phontigallo Phavorites Mixx" and it's finally available for you folks to kopp it!
Just yesterday I was telling my dude PD that when it comes to Southern rappers there are two katz that are currently at the top of my greatest emcee list! An there names are Phonte Coleman (Little Brother) and Andre 3000 (Outkast)! My boy PD made a great point about Andre when he said that 3000 has never spit a wack verse on a record. That's a very bold statement, but I definitely agree. I feel that way when it comes to Phonte as well. Both artists are always clever with their wordplay, punchlines, and lyrical content, plus both of them have that confident swagger that's necessary to be great! Is it a coincidence that both of these dudes can sing? I would love to see these two go at in a serious rap battle because I think it would go down in the history books. If I had to choose between them, I would have to go with Phonte based on the fact that I have actually met and talked extensively with this kat when they came to Detroit a while back. As far as all of the rappers that I have personally met over my years, Phonte is one of the coolest katz out of them all.
That's because even though Phonte is definitely serious about his craft, he's very humble and he sincerely appreciates his fans. He's just a regular dude that can rap and sing pretty damn good! The craziest thing about Phonte is that he's a true fan of hip-hop music. Five minutes into our conversation before his set, we got on the subject about who our top 5 emcees were. That's a typical conversation for real hip-hop heads by the way. I won't repeat his top emcees list, but he seemed very shocked when I revealed that he was on my top 10 emcee list? Phonte could tell that I wasn't blowing smoke up his you know what just because he was standing there in front of me. He could tell that I was serious, so he immediately extended me his hand for some well deserved dappage and thanked me for the love! Being from Detroit, I don't think Phonte initially realized that I knew that much about his music let alone to have him on my top emcees list. Real recognize real so it was cool exchanging some extensive verbage with that kat. If you haven't already and you get that chance to catch Little Brother live be sure to check them out. It's a very entertaining event especially when Darien Brockington and Yahzarah are with them handling the vocals.
Recently, my favorite soul blogger and friend Honey over at Honeysoul.com conducted an interview with Phonte after a Little Brother concert in Houston. During this exclusive interview Phonte talks about 9th Wonder's departure, leaking the latest Little Brother album and his upcoming musical projects for 2008. Check out that interview here: PHONTE INTERVIEW ON HONEYSOUL
Shout out to Honey for kicking it with me at the Soul Tracks Award Show a couple of weekends ago!
I have decided to share a Phonte mega-mixx of some of my favorite Phonte musical moments. This one is from my personal stash, so take it for what it is. I call this musical collage "The Phontigallo Phavorites Mixx" and it's finally available for you folks to kopp it!
GET THE PHONTIGALLO PHAVORITES HERE!
Phontigallo Mixx Track list:
01-just because (with Jack Davey)
02-real good (with Yahzarah)
03-whatever you want (with Jazzy Jeff & Big Pooh)
04-dillagence (with DJ Spinna)
05-autopilot
06-always something (with Selan)
07-take on me (with Zo)
08-rollerskating (with Yahzarah)
09-steppin' out (with Zo)
10-4 everyday (with Liquid Spirits)
11-paper chaser (with Playaz Circle)
12-can't let hef (with Big Pooh)
13-so lovely
14-road trip (with Critically Acclaimed)
15-stormy
16-soul clap remix (with US and Jean Grae)
17-apologies
18-nic's groove remix (with Nicolay and Big Pooh)
19-africa (with Zo)
20-rise (with Strange Fruit and Big Pooh)
Check out this Detroit meets North Carolina collaboration:
Phonte and Zo - Take On Me (Video)
JUSTUS LEAGUE JOINTS IN 2008!
The Justus League and I go back like funk and unwashed armpits! I've been there with these katz from the very beginning when the only way to get their stuff was through HipHopSite dot com. Now that they are a household name amongst the average hip-hop head, I still try to support their movements whenever I can. Since, 2008 is right around the corner it's time to get prepared for some new music from the J. Leaguers. Outside of the upcoming Foreign Exchange project I am pretty amped about these two projects as well:
U should be too!
The Justus League and I go back like funk and unwashed armpits! I've been there with these katz from the very beginning when the only way to get their stuff was through HipHopSite dot com. Now that they are a household name amongst the average hip-hop head, I still try to support their movements whenever I can. Since, 2008 is right around the corner it's time to get prepared for some new music from the J. Leaguers. Outside of the upcoming Foreign Exchange project I am pretty amped about these two projects as well:
U should be too!
CHERI'S IN & OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT!
Why does the name Cheri Dennis sound so familiar? It’s familiar because the young lady has been playing the background at the Bad Boy record label since 1999! Puff Daddy has been notorious for stagnating several artists’ musical careers over the years, so just add Ms. Dennis to that lengthy list. Cheri started out singing hooks on a couple of tracks showcased on Mase’s first album. I didn’t take notice of her abilities until I heard the track “So Complete” off of Puffy’s “The Saga Continues…” album. Then all of sudden it seemed like she disappeared from the music scene like those other three girls from Missy Elliott’s original R&B group Sista! I wrote her off and then suddenly out of no where in 2005 Cheri releases a new single entitled “I Love You,” which I thought was pretty hot. I saw the music video and everything, so I was tricked into believing that Cheri was on the come up finally? Wrong! She vanished once again, but now she back in 2007. I have been sent several tracks from her upcoming album “In and Out of Love,” which was supposed to be released in the fourth quarter of 2007. Well, I was recently informed that her album was pushed back to February 2008? Her management team obviously wants the Cheri Dennis album release to be a successful one, so they are working really hard at promoting it.
I am not sure when this album will finally drop, but I have provided you folks with an opportunity to check out the sounds for yourselves and hear what you think! Personally, I am diggin’ the joint, so put your ears on it and give it a listen below.
CHERI DENNIS – IN & OUT OF LOVE
Check out her site:
www.cheridennisonline.com
Why does the name Cheri Dennis sound so familiar? It’s familiar because the young lady has been playing the background at the Bad Boy record label since 1999! Puff Daddy has been notorious for stagnating several artists’ musical careers over the years, so just add Ms. Dennis to that lengthy list. Cheri started out singing hooks on a couple of tracks showcased on Mase’s first album. I didn’t take notice of her abilities until I heard the track “So Complete” off of Puffy’s “The Saga Continues…” album. Then all of sudden it seemed like she disappeared from the music scene like those other three girls from Missy Elliott’s original R&B group Sista! I wrote her off and then suddenly out of no where in 2005 Cheri releases a new single entitled “I Love You,” which I thought was pretty hot. I saw the music video and everything, so I was tricked into believing that Cheri was on the come up finally? Wrong! She vanished once again, but now she back in 2007. I have been sent several tracks from her upcoming album “In and Out of Love,” which was supposed to be released in the fourth quarter of 2007. Well, I was recently informed that her album was pushed back to February 2008? Her management team obviously wants the Cheri Dennis album release to be a successful one, so they are working really hard at promoting it.
I am not sure when this album will finally drop, but I have provided you folks with an opportunity to check out the sounds for yourselves and hear what you think! Personally, I am diggin’ the joint, so put your ears on it and give it a listen below.
CHERI DENNIS – IN & OUT OF LOVE
Check out her site:
www.cheridennisonline.com
Monday, November 26, 2007
SOUND SPOT: GUILTY SIMPSON
So, who’s this Detroit emcee that goes by the name Guilty Simpson anyway? The first time I heard Guilty I didn’t even know that I had heard him. He was on some local Detroit mixtape that my friend had dubbed for me back in 2002 hosted by another local favorite named DJ Houseshoes. It wasn’t until I heard an advanced promo of that Jaylib (J-Dilla & Madlib) album “Champion Sound” that featured a dope track by Guilty called “Strapped” that I finally put the name and voice together. His emcee name sounded strange to me when I first heard it, so here’s the meaning the behind the madness. He was originally given the name Guilty back in the day because of his aggressive rap style. He was guilty of being a talented emcee that was true to his hip-hop roots. He soon found out that another artist was already using that moniker. That caused him to add his real last name Simpson to it, which gave it that personal touch. Guilty had several musical influences like BDK and N.W.A., but his biggest influence was Kool G. Rap. That’s obvious by his vivid and raw rap delivery. For you youngsters that don’t know about Kool G., check out some of his early classics from the 1990s and get your understand on!
Guilty’s rap career started with a local rap crew called the Almighty Dreadnaughtz before befriending J-Dilla in 2001. Dilla did use some Simpson verses on his hip-hop cult classic “Ruff Draft,” but it was on the Jaylib (2003) project that folks really started to take notice. For several years Guilty has stayed on his grind working with other underground artists like Jay-Dee, Fourtet, Bling 47, Dabrye and Slum Village dropping verses here and there to keep his name in the streets.
In 2006, Guilty signed with the Stones Throw label, which took his career to the next level. Stones Throw knows how to market an artist of Guilty’s caliber, and they have been convincingly showcasing his raw talent on several projects over the last couple of years. For an overdose of Mr. Simpson’s verses put your ears on recent projects from Buff 1, Monica Blaire, Percee P, Chrome Children 2 (Stones Throw), Phat Kat, Black Milk and B-Ball Zombie War (Stones Throw). One of my favorite Guilty Simpson tracks is definitely “Baby” featuring Madlib off of the classic Dilla “The Shining” album! Those albums should keep you occupied until Guilty drops his debut album “Ode to the Ghetto” in 2008. Production duties for the album are being handled by J-Dilla, Mr. Porter, Madlib, Black Milk and Oh No, so I am pretty hyped about this release. His vicious flow with those hot beats sounds like a win-win situation for my eardrums.
Unless you have been out of touch with hip-hop for the last few years, you already know that the Detroit hip-hop scene has been one of the most consistent as far as solid album releases recently. If you are a fan of Detroit artists like Dilla, Royce, Phat Kat, Slum Village, Black Milk and Ta’Raach, make sure you add Guilty Simpson to your list as well. He’s definitely next up for putting more of that Detroit hip-hop on the map, so keep your ears open. Forget about the airport chair jumping, Las Vegas robbery committing Orenthal James (O.J.) because there’s new Simpson in town, and his name is Guilty!
Check out this Simpson joint:
CLAP YOUR HANDS
Check out these web sites for more Guilty info:
www.myspace.com/guiltysimpson
www.stonesthrow.com
So, who’s this Detroit emcee that goes by the name Guilty Simpson anyway? The first time I heard Guilty I didn’t even know that I had heard him. He was on some local Detroit mixtape that my friend had dubbed for me back in 2002 hosted by another local favorite named DJ Houseshoes. It wasn’t until I heard an advanced promo of that Jaylib (J-Dilla & Madlib) album “Champion Sound” that featured a dope track by Guilty called “Strapped” that I finally put the name and voice together. His emcee name sounded strange to me when I first heard it, so here’s the meaning the behind the madness. He was originally given the name Guilty back in the day because of his aggressive rap style. He was guilty of being a talented emcee that was true to his hip-hop roots. He soon found out that another artist was already using that moniker. That caused him to add his real last name Simpson to it, which gave it that personal touch. Guilty had several musical influences like BDK and N.W.A., but his biggest influence was Kool G. Rap. That’s obvious by his vivid and raw rap delivery. For you youngsters that don’t know about Kool G., check out some of his early classics from the 1990s and get your understand on!Guilty’s rap career started with a local rap crew called the Almighty Dreadnaughtz before befriending J-Dilla in 2001. Dilla did use some Simpson verses on his hip-hop cult classic “Ruff Draft,” but it was on the Jaylib (2003) project that folks really started to take notice. For several years Guilty has stayed on his grind working with other underground artists like Jay-Dee, Fourtet, Bling 47, Dabrye and Slum Village dropping verses here and there to keep his name in the streets.
In 2006, Guilty signed with the Stones Throw label, which took his career to the next level. Stones Throw knows how to market an artist of Guilty’s caliber, and they have been convincingly showcasing his raw talent on several projects over the last couple of years. For an overdose of Mr. Simpson’s verses put your ears on recent projects from Buff 1, Monica Blaire, Percee P, Chrome Children 2 (Stones Throw), Phat Kat, Black Milk and B-Ball Zombie War (Stones Throw). One of my favorite Guilty Simpson tracks is definitely “Baby” featuring Madlib off of the classic Dilla “The Shining” album! Those albums should keep you occupied until Guilty drops his debut album “Ode to the Ghetto” in 2008. Production duties for the album are being handled by J-Dilla, Mr. Porter, Madlib, Black Milk and Oh No, so I am pretty hyped about this release. His vicious flow with those hot beats sounds like a win-win situation for my eardrums.
Unless you have been out of touch with hip-hop for the last few years, you already know that the Detroit hip-hop scene has been one of the most consistent as far as solid album releases recently. If you are a fan of Detroit artists like Dilla, Royce, Phat Kat, Slum Village, Black Milk and Ta’Raach, make sure you add Guilty Simpson to your list as well. He’s definitely next up for putting more of that Detroit hip-hop on the map, so keep your ears open. Forget about the airport chair jumping, Las Vegas robbery committing Orenthal James (O.J.) because there’s new Simpson in town, and his name is Guilty!
Check out this Simpson joint:
CLAP YOUR HANDS
Check out these web sites for more Guilty info:
www.myspace.com/guiltysimpson
www.stonesthrow.com
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
HIP-HOP LUV MIXTAPE (SIDE A)!
So, unfortunately I was listening to the local radio the other day while getting ready to hit the streets when I overheard an interesting topic about rap music. This particular radio station doesn’t play rap music at all, so why they chose to discuss the state of rap music boggles my mind. Basically, the radio hosts and guest speakers were ripping rap music a new one by saying stuff like “it’s damaging to the urban community” and “there’s too much negativity in the music today!” There main concern was about how much this music influences the kids of today and why there isn’t a balance. It’s fake, misogynistic, blah, blah, and blah. You’ve all heard this discussion before, right? Out of all the negative things that were stated throughout this conversation, the one that got me the most was the statement that “rappers never talk about love” in their lyrics. That statement got me to thinking about some of my favorite rap romance joints from back in the day. Even though I didn’t particularly care for the song personally, LL Cool J’s “I Need Love” shook up the rap world back in the 1980s. I don’t know if it was the first love rap song recorded, but I know it was the biggest as far as impact! That song put Ladies Love on the map with the ladies for sure, and was the true launching of his career. With that song LL made it cool for hardcore rap katz to have softer side.
Who says rap music doesn’t have any love dammit? Over the years of rap history there have been three albums that have in my opinion captured the essence of what romancing a woman rap style should sound like. First up is the almost BDK looking Father MC. The album "Father's Day" made folks pay attention. No matter what you thought about Father MC as a rapper, this dude made some pretty solid joints overall. Hell…with them boys from Jodeci providing most of his hooks I guess it wasn’t that difficult to achieve success. That joint “Treat Them Like They Want Be Treated” featuring Jodeci was Father’s biggest hit and it got heavy rotation on the radio and video stations. He had a few other bangers on that album like “I’ll Do For You” ~ “Tell Me Something Good” ~ “Dance 4 Me”…so if you missed this album for whatever reason, check it out and hear what you think.
Second on my list is Prince Markie Dee’s “Free” album! This was the joint that reinvented the Prince. He was no longer the Fat Boy from that lame “Disorderlies” movie smearing pizza sauce on his face for a laugh or the emcee that flowed easily over Buff’s original beat box rhythms standing next to Kool Rock Ski. PMD was now the smoothed out brother rapping about love, life and relationships. When I first saw this album back in the day, I was very skeptical of what it would sound like. I kopped it anyway on the strength of my love for the Fat Boys and I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. The album definitely has a strong R&Bish type flavor that puts me in the mind of Big Bub/New Jack Swing vibe that was popular in the 1990s. Markie did his thing, but it was the hooks and background vocals that made this album flow to me. I still throw this joint on from time to time when the mood is right, and no matter when I play it atleast one person asks who’s that? Same goes for this joint if you missed it. Check it out if you and when you get the chance.
Last, but definitely not least is in my opinion the master of the catchy love raps Mr. Heavy D! This kat is one of the main reasons why rap music was fun and free back in the day. Heavy D has a strong catalog of hit tracks from his years in the business that have made him a household name amongst rap’s elite. His flow was major and with tracks like “Mr. Big Stuff” ~ “Now That We’ve Found Love” ~ “Is It Good To You” ~ “Got Me Waiting”…how could he be denied? He made those kinds of rap records that your mother liked, so he was cool all the way around. Definitely one of my favorite Heavy D albums to date is “Waterbed Hev” and that’s because it’s so soulful. Great old school samples and catchy hooks made this joint a classic in my CD book! If you are trying to get a party started put on that “Big Daddy” track and watch everyone’s head start bobbing back and forth. That beat is hypnotic like so many others present on this album. If you missed this joint shame on you, but it’s never too late to redeem yourself.
To bring this post to life, I am going to post this mixx I did a minute ago full of the tracks that shows hip-hop has and still talks about love. I call this one the “Hip-Hop Luv Mixtape (Side A).” Paying homage to those old 60/90 minutes cassette tapes from back in the day I have divided this mixx into two sides. I am posting SIDE A today and in the near future I will post SIDE B, which is the other half.
So, unfortunately I was listening to the local radio the other day while getting ready to hit the streets when I overheard an interesting topic about rap music. This particular radio station doesn’t play rap music at all, so why they chose to discuss the state of rap music boggles my mind. Basically, the radio hosts and guest speakers were ripping rap music a new one by saying stuff like “it’s damaging to the urban community” and “there’s too much negativity in the music today!” There main concern was about how much this music influences the kids of today and why there isn’t a balance. It’s fake, misogynistic, blah, blah, and blah. You’ve all heard this discussion before, right? Out of all the negative things that were stated throughout this conversation, the one that got me the most was the statement that “rappers never talk about love” in their lyrics. That statement got me to thinking about some of my favorite rap romance joints from back in the day. Even though I didn’t particularly care for the song personally, LL Cool J’s “I Need Love” shook up the rap world back in the 1980s. I don’t know if it was the first love rap song recorded, but I know it was the biggest as far as impact! That song put Ladies Love on the map with the ladies for sure, and was the true launching of his career. With that song LL made it cool for hardcore rap katz to have softer side.
Who says rap music doesn’t have any love dammit? Over the years of rap history there have been three albums that have in my opinion captured the essence of what romancing a woman rap style should sound like. First up is the almost BDK looking Father MC. The album "Father's Day" made folks pay attention. No matter what you thought about Father MC as a rapper, this dude made some pretty solid joints overall. Hell…with them boys from Jodeci providing most of his hooks I guess it wasn’t that difficult to achieve success. That joint “Treat Them Like They Want Be Treated” featuring Jodeci was Father’s biggest hit and it got heavy rotation on the radio and video stations. He had a few other bangers on that album like “I’ll Do For You” ~ “Tell Me Something Good” ~ “Dance 4 Me”…so if you missed this album for whatever reason, check it out and hear what you think.
Second on my list is Prince Markie Dee’s “Free” album! This was the joint that reinvented the Prince. He was no longer the Fat Boy from that lame “Disorderlies” movie smearing pizza sauce on his face for a laugh or the emcee that flowed easily over Buff’s original beat box rhythms standing next to Kool Rock Ski. PMD was now the smoothed out brother rapping about love, life and relationships. When I first saw this album back in the day, I was very skeptical of what it would sound like. I kopped it anyway on the strength of my love for the Fat Boys and I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. The album definitely has a strong R&Bish type flavor that puts me in the mind of Big Bub/New Jack Swing vibe that was popular in the 1990s. Markie did his thing, but it was the hooks and background vocals that made this album flow to me. I still throw this joint on from time to time when the mood is right, and no matter when I play it atleast one person asks who’s that? Same goes for this joint if you missed it. Check it out if you and when you get the chance.
Last, but definitely not least is in my opinion the master of the catchy love raps Mr. Heavy D! This kat is one of the main reasons why rap music was fun and free back in the day. Heavy D has a strong catalog of hit tracks from his years in the business that have made him a household name amongst rap’s elite. His flow was major and with tracks like “Mr. Big Stuff” ~ “Now That We’ve Found Love” ~ “Is It Good To You” ~ “Got Me Waiting”…how could he be denied? He made those kinds of rap records that your mother liked, so he was cool all the way around. Definitely one of my favorite Heavy D albums to date is “Waterbed Hev” and that’s because it’s so soulful. Great old school samples and catchy hooks made this joint a classic in my CD book! If you are trying to get a party started put on that “Big Daddy” track and watch everyone’s head start bobbing back and forth. That beat is hypnotic like so many others present on this album. If you missed this joint shame on you, but it’s never too late to redeem yourself.To bring this post to life, I am going to post this mixx I did a minute ago full of the tracks that shows hip-hop has and still talks about love. I call this one the “Hip-Hop Luv Mixtape (Side A).” Paying homage to those old 60/90 minutes cassette tapes from back in the day I have divided this mixx into two sides. I am posting SIDE A today and in the near future I will post SIDE B, which is the other half.
TRACK LISTING:
- Kay ft. Mint Condition - Walked On By
- Rakim - What's On Your Mind
- De La Soul - With Me
- ED O.G. - Let Me Tickle Your Fancy
- Little Brother ft. Lil' Wayne - Breakin' My Heart
- NORE ft. Chico DeBarge - The Way We Live
- Maspyke - Lightly Anxious
- DJ Quik - Thinkin' Bout U
- Bahamadia - I Confess
- Common - Star 69
- Chinah Blac - Touch Me With Ur Handz
- 50 Cent ft. Nate Dogg - 21 Questions
- Little Shawn - I Made Love
- A Tribe Called Quest - Find A Way
- Encore ft. Ladybug Mecca - Real Talk
- Pancea - Katana
- Heavy D - Big Daddy
- Jean Grae - Love Song
- Mos Def - Beauty In The Dark
Sunday, November 18, 2007
NAS TAKES ON A BIGGER ISSUE!
I have been a Nasty Nas fan since his "Live at the BBQ" and "Halftime" days. He's always had a different swagger compared to his peers, and that's why I feel he's remained relevant for so many years. Recently, I have been getting asked by several people what I think about Nas naming his new album "Nigger?" Personally, I feel that Nas always has a plan whenever he gets into his controveral mode. I think it's unfair to judge this project solely based on its name alone. When I finally hear this album the way Nas intended us to I will then make my final conclusion. I appreciate the fact that Nas is willing to take on this topic when he really doesn't have to as an artist. Some feel that the release of this album will be career suicide for Nas, but I beg to differ. No matter how you feel personally about the album title or the word itself, the reality is that folks are talking about it and with that I think Nas has already met his short term goal.
Check out this clip below where Nas explains to a news woman about his reasoning for the controversial album title:
The funniest thing to me is trying to visualize the faces on the non-blacks that ask for the new Nas album at the music store....
I have been a Nasty Nas fan since his "Live at the BBQ" and "Halftime" days. He's always had a different swagger compared to his peers, and that's why I feel he's remained relevant for so many years. Recently, I have been getting asked by several people what I think about Nas naming his new album "Nigger?" Personally, I feel that Nas always has a plan whenever he gets into his controveral mode. I think it's unfair to judge this project solely based on its name alone. When I finally hear this album the way Nas intended us to I will then make my final conclusion. I appreciate the fact that Nas is willing to take on this topic when he really doesn't have to as an artist. Some feel that the release of this album will be career suicide for Nas, but I beg to differ. No matter how you feel personally about the album title or the word itself, the reality is that folks are talking about it and with that I think Nas has already met his short term goal.
Check out this clip below where Nas explains to a news woman about his reasoning for the controversial album title:
The funniest thing to me is trying to visualize the faces on the non-blacks that ask for the new Nas album at the music store....
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
MY INDIFFERENCES ABOUT MS. KEYS!
I think I love Alicia Keys? The thing is I think I love her for the wrong reasons though. Since, I can’t truly love someone I have never known personally, let’s just say that I appreciate her as an artist. In my eyes Alicia has always been a very respectable songstress who easily exudes class, grace and beauty in everything that she does. The passion and genuine emotion of her music is unparalleled and I think that has been the main reason for her continuous success over the years. Even though some of Alicia’s music does not stimulate my listening experience, visually the woman is stunning! Honestly, her transition from the petite framed, pimpled faced tomboy with the long braids into this voluptuous bombshell we see today is nothing less than spectacular. Alicia has always been very pretty in the face, but in 2007 she has some serious sex appeal. Male teenage fantasies have passed through my mind at a very speed on several occasions after seeing Ms. Keys in person. So, I asked myself, do I really appreciate Alicia Keys for her music or is it more about her looks?
Since, I understand that most great music takes time to be truly understood and enjoyed, I decided to pull out my old Alicia Keys’ albums that have collecting dust for a minute to give them another critical listen. Her first album “Songs in A Minor” had plenty of great songs on it, but mainstream America exploited the hell out that joint! Between the live performances on every talk and award show, radio spins and video showcases I was losing my mind. I hate when the mainstream tries to shove an artist or song down your ear hole. If I heard that song “Fallin” one more time I was going to commit musical suicide! So, I pulled out her second album “The Diary of Alicia Keys” and gave that spin. When I first played this album back in the day, the only song I really liked initially was her single “You Don’t Know My Name” because of its soulful feel. After listening to the album again nothing much has changed. I recognize that her music on that album had plenty of well written stories with some impressive dramatic effects throughout, but they didn’t move me.
So, just recently I put my ears on her Alicia’s latest musical endeavor “As I Am” for the first time. As suspected I am indifferent about it. I am diggin’ her first single “No One” for sure, especially the video! I won’t make my final judgment on her new album just yet in hopes of it growing on me like a heat rash! Maybe all of her music is great and I am the one with the problem? Who knows really? I may never figure the mess out dammit!
On a brighter note I have discovered the video for her second single “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” just floating around on the internet, so I decided to share it with you folks. Some how I think this Alicia Keys video is related to new Common video for “I Want You” with all of it’s similar dramatic effects. Common and Alicia are definitely showing more of their theatrical sides in these two video joints, so get your microwave popcorn ready folks.
Common - I Want You (Video)
Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again (Video)
I think I love Alicia Keys? The thing is I think I love her for the wrong reasons though. Since, I can’t truly love someone I have never known personally, let’s just say that I appreciate her as an artist. In my eyes Alicia has always been a very respectable songstress who easily exudes class, grace and beauty in everything that she does. The passion and genuine emotion of her music is unparalleled and I think that has been the main reason for her continuous success over the years. Even though some of Alicia’s music does not stimulate my listening experience, visually the woman is stunning! Honestly, her transition from the petite framed, pimpled faced tomboy with the long braids into this voluptuous bombshell we see today is nothing less than spectacular. Alicia has always been very pretty in the face, but in 2007 she has some serious sex appeal. Male teenage fantasies have passed through my mind at a very speed on several occasions after seeing Ms. Keys in person. So, I asked myself, do I really appreciate Alicia Keys for her music or is it more about her looks?Since, I understand that most great music takes time to be truly understood and enjoyed, I decided to pull out my old Alicia Keys’ albums that have collecting dust for a minute to give them another critical listen. Her first album “Songs in A Minor” had plenty of great songs on it, but mainstream America exploited the hell out that joint! Between the live performances on every talk and award show, radio spins and video showcases I was losing my mind. I hate when the mainstream tries to shove an artist or song down your ear hole. If I heard that song “Fallin” one more time I was going to commit musical suicide! So, I pulled out her second album “The Diary of Alicia Keys” and gave that spin. When I first played this album back in the day, the only song I really liked initially was her single “You Don’t Know My Name” because of its soulful feel. After listening to the album again nothing much has changed. I recognize that her music on that album had plenty of well written stories with some impressive dramatic effects throughout, but they didn’t move me.
So, just recently I put my ears on her Alicia’s latest musical endeavor “As I Am” for the first time. As suspected I am indifferent about it. I am diggin’ her first single “No One” for sure, especially the video! I won’t make my final judgment on her new album just yet in hopes of it growing on me like a heat rash! Maybe all of her music is great and I am the one with the problem? Who knows really? I may never figure the mess out dammit!
On a brighter note I have discovered the video for her second single “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” just floating around on the internet, so I decided to share it with you folks. Some how I think this Alicia Keys video is related to new Common video for “I Want You” with all of it’s similar dramatic effects. Common and Alicia are definitely showing more of their theatrical sides in these two video joints, so get your microwave popcorn ready folks.
Common - I Want You (Video)
Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again (Video)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
LIL' KIM IS CHILLIN' TONITE!
Over the last few years I have lost my interest in Lil' Kim and her music for the most part. It seems like once Biggie died, Kim took on a whole new personality? She abandoned her Queen B image to become this excessive surgery having Barbie Doll that hangs out at bougie cocktail gatherings and award show after parties. After having several cosmetic surgeries I couldn't even recognize her at one point. Outside of her obvious physical changes, Kim's music seemed different as well. It was still pretty raunchy in context, but not nearly as catchy and interesting as her earlier work. I felt Biggie and Puffy's presence missing from her music lately, and that's why it's nice to hear her kind of getting back to the basics with her lastest single.
Kim is back with a new joint called "Chillin' Tonight" that actually doesn't sound too bad. It's definitely not a classic, but still worth a listen. If you haven't already, check it out:
Lil' Kim - Chillin' Tonight
What do you folks think about this track?
Over the last few years I have lost my interest in Lil' Kim and her music for the most part. It seems like once Biggie died, Kim took on a whole new personality? She abandoned her Queen B image to become this excessive surgery having Barbie Doll that hangs out at bougie cocktail gatherings and award show after parties. After having several cosmetic surgeries I couldn't even recognize her at one point. Outside of her obvious physical changes, Kim's music seemed different as well. It was still pretty raunchy in context, but not nearly as catchy and interesting as her earlier work. I felt Biggie and Puffy's presence missing from her music lately, and that's why it's nice to hear her kind of getting back to the basics with her lastest single. Kim is back with a new joint called "Chillin' Tonight" that actually doesn't sound too bad. It's definitely not a classic, but still worth a listen. If you haven't already, check it out:
Lil' Kim - Chillin' Tonight
What do you folks think about this track?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
GET YO GROOVE ON VIDEO BREAK!
Since, my music vibe changes more than a woman getting dressed to go out for the evening, I never know what I will be listening to from day to day. I was recently listening to a bunch of old school joints today, so I figured I would post a few of the videos for you folks to get some of this goodness in your ears as well.
HEATWAVE - GROOVE LINE
JUNIOR - MAMA USED TO SAY
CAMEO - BACK AND FORTH
EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING - BETCHA SHE DON'T LOVE YOU
Since, my music vibe changes more than a woman getting dressed to go out for the evening, I never know what I will be listening to from day to day. I was recently listening to a bunch of old school joints today, so I figured I would post a few of the videos for you folks to get some of this goodness in your ears as well.
HEATWAVE - GROOVE LINE
JUNIOR - MAMA USED TO SAY
CAMEO - BACK AND FORTH
EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING - BETCHA SHE DON'T LOVE YOU
NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE MUSIC...
As I stated in my previous post on this topic of courting a woman, music is just one piece of puzzle when a man is trying to get next to a woman. Some folks think that you need strong game to be successful with a woman, but I think it’s more about having a solid game plan. The objective is not to trick the woman (in most cases anyway), but instead to convince or persuade her into allowing you to get closer to her. You know, some good old fashion touchie-feelie moments with some lip service and maybe an inspection of her back pockets. To bring this point home about having a game plan, I have decided to share some of my favorite tips (tricks) I’ve used in my younger days to get next to a woman. I’m no relationship counselor, but I have had my share of courting ladies. Amazingly, most of this stuff actually worked for me, but maybe I was just lucky? Some of them are pretty funny actually. Remember, these tips are not foolproof, but with the right amount of confidence and know how they definitely have the potential to be very successful. Use these tips at your own risk so if you get slapped or kicked in the jewels doing so don’t blame me. I’ll call these scenarios Nexx’s Seductive Sessions (NSS).
NSS #1: Using the heat & air conditioner to your advantage.
Items needed: 1 pack of large white t-shirts, 1 comforter/afghan, 1 couch/bed/futon/loveseat, and 1 television.
Synopsis: I would invite a woman over to my place to spend a little quality time. My objective was to make her feel safe and comfortable, because good things always happen when a woman feels relaxed. If it were during the summertime, I would turn the A/C on full blast about 2 hours before the young ladies’ arrival to make sure it was good and cold inside my place. I’d do the same thing with the heat in the winter months to make sure it was steaming inside. So, when she arrived and we began to chill, after awhile she would become too hot or too cold. That was the sign for me to immediately turn the air or heat off.
If she was cold, I would come to her aide. It can never cool down or warm up fast enough, so I would then offer her some options to get more comfortable. When it was too cold, I would offer her the option of wrapping up in a blanket while we sat on the couch or bed get warm. I would give her blanket to use by herself initially while she was sitting on the couch, but eventually I would playfully make my way under there with her. Now, I’m playing the snuggle game with her, and it was normally smooth sailing from there.
If she was too hot, I would pull out my trusty package of fresh white tees and offer her one to put on to allow her to cool down accompanied with a cold refreshing drink. Normally, there is some hesitation by the female, so I would play it cool and avoid becoming too pushy. Taking off her top to put on one of my t-shirts was probably the last thing she planned on doing. To make her feel more comfortable about it, I would change my shirt and put on a t-shirt to show her it’s all right. I would give her the shirt to hold while she thinks about it. This is a great measurement to check out her comfort level. If she’s down changing her top, then I can assume that she felt pretty comfortable with me, but if not that meant that I still had some more work to do. What happened next usually depended on the woman and the situation. I got you half way there, so take it from here fellas...
As I stated in my previous post on this topic of courting a woman, music is just one piece of puzzle when a man is trying to get next to a woman. Some folks think that you need strong game to be successful with a woman, but I think it’s more about having a solid game plan. The objective is not to trick the woman (in most cases anyway), but instead to convince or persuade her into allowing you to get closer to her. You know, some good old fashion touchie-feelie moments with some lip service and maybe an inspection of her back pockets. To bring this point home about having a game plan, I have decided to share some of my favorite tips (tricks) I’ve used in my younger days to get next to a woman. I’m no relationship counselor, but I have had my share of courting ladies. Amazingly, most of this stuff actually worked for me, but maybe I was just lucky? Some of them are pretty funny actually. Remember, these tips are not foolproof, but with the right amount of confidence and know how they definitely have the potential to be very successful. Use these tips at your own risk so if you get slapped or kicked in the jewels doing so don’t blame me. I’ll call these scenarios Nexx’s Seductive Sessions (NSS).
NSS #1: Using the heat & air conditioner to your advantage.
Items needed: 1 pack of large white t-shirts, 1 comforter/afghan, 1 couch/bed/futon/loveseat, and 1 television.
Synopsis: I would invite a woman over to my place to spend a little quality time. My objective was to make her feel safe and comfortable, because good things always happen when a woman feels relaxed. If it were during the summertime, I would turn the A/C on full blast about 2 hours before the young ladies’ arrival to make sure it was good and cold inside my place. I’d do the same thing with the heat in the winter months to make sure it was steaming inside. So, when she arrived and we began to chill, after awhile she would become too hot or too cold. That was the sign for me to immediately turn the air or heat off.
If she was cold, I would come to her aide. It can never cool down or warm up fast enough, so I would then offer her some options to get more comfortable. When it was too cold, I would offer her the option of wrapping up in a blanket while we sat on the couch or bed get warm. I would give her blanket to use by herself initially while she was sitting on the couch, but eventually I would playfully make my way under there with her. Now, I’m playing the snuggle game with her, and it was normally smooth sailing from there.
If she was too hot, I would pull out my trusty package of fresh white tees and offer her one to put on to allow her to cool down accompanied with a cold refreshing drink. Normally, there is some hesitation by the female, so I would play it cool and avoid becoming too pushy. Taking off her top to put on one of my t-shirts was probably the last thing she planned on doing. To make her feel more comfortable about it, I would change my shirt and put on a t-shirt to show her it’s all right. I would give her the shirt to hold while she thinks about it. This is a great measurement to check out her comfort level. If she’s down changing her top, then I can assume that she felt pretty comfortable with me, but if not that meant that I still had some more work to do. What happened next usually depended on the woman and the situation. I got you half way there, so take it from here fellas...
No matter what happens, have a game plan...
SOUNDNEXX CLOSER THAN CLOSE MIXX!
In the spirit of the Retro Sexx post I did a couple of months back, think of this post as the second of many more to come. In the infamous words of the legendary Rudy Ray Moore a.k.a Dolemite, “Let’s make love, not war!” Music has the power to change the world, so I want to do my part by exposing my visitors to as much of it as I can. I get a lot emails from people that visit this site on the regular, but it was amazing how many emails I received about that post I did on how to use music to get next to a woman (Retro Sexx Mixtape). A lot of women were thanking me for sharing that information with men, because it seems to be a lost art in the new millennium. The truth is that most young R&B artists are not making songs about romance anymore. Their lyrics are basically only detailing the explicit escapades about having sex, but not much on what happens before that point. So, how does a young person get familiar with courtship when all of the songs on the airwaves are talking about making the bed squeak? I enjoy songs like that too, but their still needs to be a balance. So, here's the 2nd edition of the SoundNexx Retro Sexx Mixtape!
You can't go wrong having Luther, Anita, O'Bryan, DeBarge, Anthony Hamilton and Maxwell sharing space on the same joint, so definitely put your ears on this one. Check the tracks...
Raheem DeVaughn - Woman
Lucy Pearl ft. Dwele - Without You (Remix)
Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down
Anthony Hamilton - Icing On the Cake
Brian McKnight - Back Seat
O'Bryan - You and I
Luther Vandross - Wait For Love
Freddie Jackson - I Don't Want To Lose Your Love
Anita Baker - Caught Up in the Rapture
The System - Don't Disturb This Groove
Jagged Edge - Healing
Loose Ends - Symptoms of Love
Bobby Valentino - Boy Shorts
DeBarge - Time Will Reveal
Maxwell - Drowndeep
Dale - Soulful Moan
Jill Scott - Crown Royal
Ne-yo - Go To Sleep
Alantic Starr - Am I Dreaming
In the spirit of the Retro Sexx post I did a couple of months back, think of this post as the second of many more to come. In the infamous words of the legendary Rudy Ray Moore a.k.a Dolemite, “Let’s make love, not war!” Music has the power to change the world, so I want to do my part by exposing my visitors to as much of it as I can. I get a lot emails from people that visit this site on the regular, but it was amazing how many emails I received about that post I did on how to use music to get next to a woman (Retro Sexx Mixtape). A lot of women were thanking me for sharing that information with men, because it seems to be a lost art in the new millennium. The truth is that most young R&B artists are not making songs about romance anymore. Their lyrics are basically only detailing the explicit escapades about having sex, but not much on what happens before that point. So, how does a young person get familiar with courtship when all of the songs on the airwaves are talking about making the bed squeak? I enjoy songs like that too, but their still needs to be a balance. So, here's the 2nd edition of the SoundNexx Retro Sexx Mixtape!You can't go wrong having Luther, Anita, O'Bryan, DeBarge, Anthony Hamilton and Maxwell sharing space on the same joint, so definitely put your ears on this one. Check the tracks...
Raheem DeVaughn - Woman
Lucy Pearl ft. Dwele - Without You (Remix)
Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down
Anthony Hamilton - Icing On the Cake
Brian McKnight - Back Seat
O'Bryan - You and I
Luther Vandross - Wait For Love
Freddie Jackson - I Don't Want To Lose Your Love
Anita Baker - Caught Up in the Rapture
The System - Don't Disturb This Groove
Jagged Edge - Healing
Loose Ends - Symptoms of Love
Bobby Valentino - Boy Shorts
DeBarge - Time Will Reveal
Maxwell - Drowndeep
Dale - Soulful Moan
Jill Scott - Crown Royal
Ne-yo - Go To Sleep
Alantic Starr - Am I Dreaming
Also, thanks to all of the folks that emailed me to see how I was doing during my little blog break!
Monday, November 05, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
PREPARATION FOR PREFUSE 73!
While the powers that be consistently try to pigeonhole artists by labeling them and placing them into genres that they don’t belong, the artist known as Prefuse 73 has somehow avoided that. His name is Guillermo Scott Herren and Prefuse 73 is only one of the many stage names that he uses when making his unique brand of music. Honestly, I have been listening to this artist’s music for years and I never really knew what to call it. Is it hip-hop, funk, electronica, rock, soul or what? The answer is yes, because Prefuse 73 uses all of the above. The preferred name of this type of music called “glitch.” The definition is glitch music is a sub-genre of electronica that eschews traditional instrumentation, while using mechanized and non-natural sounds, while putting rhythm as a focal point. I like the Prefuse vibe because most of his music is up-tempo with a mixture of hypnotic rhythms and baselines.
Prefuse 73 is back with a latest release “Preparations” that dropped back in October, and it’s full of that goodness that his fans have come to appreciate. If you have never been exposed to Prefuse 73 before until now, make sure you check out some of his previous albums like “Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives” ~ “92 vs. 02 Collection” and “Surrounded by Silence” as well. Those joints should bring you up to speed nicely. Talk about some crazy instrumentation!
Check out this cut "Pomade Suite Version One" and hear what you think. Let me know if you're feeling it or not...
Check his Myspace page too:
www.myspace.com/prefuse73music
While the powers that be consistently try to pigeonhole artists by labeling them and placing them into genres that they don’t belong, the artist known as Prefuse 73 has somehow avoided that. His name is Guillermo Scott Herren and Prefuse 73 is only one of the many stage names that he uses when making his unique brand of music. Honestly, I have been listening to this artist’s music for years and I never really knew what to call it. Is it hip-hop, funk, electronica, rock, soul or what? The answer is yes, because Prefuse 73 uses all of the above. The preferred name of this type of music called “glitch.” The definition is glitch music is a sub-genre of electronica that eschews traditional instrumentation, while using mechanized and non-natural sounds, while putting rhythm as a focal point. I like the Prefuse vibe because most of his music is up-tempo with a mixture of hypnotic rhythms and baselines.Prefuse 73 is back with a latest release “Preparations” that dropped back in October, and it’s full of that goodness that his fans have come to appreciate. If you have never been exposed to Prefuse 73 before until now, make sure you check out some of his previous albums like “Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives” ~ “92 vs. 02 Collection” and “Surrounded by Silence” as well. Those joints should bring you up to speed nicely. Talk about some crazy instrumentation!
Check out this cut "Pomade Suite Version One" and hear what you think. Let me know if you're feeling it or not...
Check his Myspace page too:
www.myspace.com/prefuse73music
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