FLOETRY FANS, MEET A. DIVA!
As a true music fan, the worst news you can ever hear other than hearing that one of your favorite artists has died is that a group you enjoy has broken up (A Tribe, Slum Village, Menudo)! I have suffered through those musical heartaches more than I can remember, and it never gets any better. Well, for those that haven’t heard already, the duo super group from London, England that we’ve all known as Floetry have called it quits! Yep, Marsha “The Songstress” Ambrosius and Natalie “Floacist” Stewart have parted ways under less than favorable terms. Rumor has it that the two had a terrible falling out during their last concert tour, which lasted over 8 months. The issues that came about during that time were never resolved, which put a definite strain on their personal and professional relationship. This strain led to their unfortunate break up with Natalie leaving the group behind for a solo venture. Marsha has retained the Floetry brand and now she has recruited a new addition to the group Amanda Diva. Even though I enjoyed Natalie’s contributions to group over the years, I think Amanda Diva is a great addition to the Floetry Remixed sound.

Most of you may not recognize Amanda Diva’s name, but her face may seem familiar to you? Amanda is a respectable writer, singer & emcee hailing from New York. What I like about her the most is that she’s seems to live in the hip-hop world. Her swagger, lingo and aura just seem to ooze that hip-hop flavor. If you’re rich enough to have HBO, you may have seen the raspy voiced Amanda dropping much knowledge through her poetry on the Russell Simmon’s HBO Def Poetry television show a few times between 2002 and 2005? Personally, I am familiar with her from her short stint on MTV2 doing the hip-hop news and special reports, basically like what Sway does on the original MTV station. Amanda is definitely easy on the eyes, so I normally paid attention to her commentary on MTV2 like any heterosexual male would? Outside of all that, she’s also a member of the DJ crew called the Aphilliates, who just happen to have a very popular morning hip-hop show on called “Breakfast at Divas” on Sirius Satellite Radio. She also does a little writing for XXL Magazine and Allhiphop.com to make her hip-hop endeavors complete.

Did I mention that she’s a pretty nice emcee as well? She released a mixtape back in 2004 called “It’s Bigger than Hip-Hop, The Mixtape: Vol. 1,” which I still haven’t heard in full just yet. I have heard several tracks from it though, and I like what I hear. This young lady definitely has some skills, which I hope will take Floetry to that next level? Amanda is currently working on her new EP “Filling the Void” that is rumored to be a new and refreshing spin on hip-hop? Maybe, she can fill the void of the missing Lauryn Hill??? We shall see…

Get more familiar Ms. Diva by checking out these clips of her diversity as an artist:

Amanda - 40 MCs feat. Q-Tip

Amanda & Questlove live @ Black Lily

Amanda Diva - Hot Sh*t (Def Poetry - Explicit)

Checkout Amanda Diva's web sites here:

www.amandadiva.com

www.myspace.com/amandadiva

Also, show some luv to Marsha as well here:

www.myspace.com/marshaambrosius

SOUNDNEXX FORGOTTEN ARTISTZ RE-MIXX
Recently, I came across a mixx I put together some time ago, and it got me thinking. There have been so many solid artists (at least I thought so anyway) whose musical careers have been toilet bound over the last few years. Some seem like they were heading in the right direction in the beginning, but eventually fizzled out? In most cases these artists disappeared without a trace leaving their fans confused about what happened. In most cases the fans never get a full explanation about why some of their favorite artists stop making music, but is that really necessary? No matter what the reasoning is for why they’ve stopped, the reality is that they’re not planning on making anymore music, which sucks! It sucks even more when the artists only have one or two albums before they give up on their careers. That leaves fans hitting the rewind button forever on old material with no hopes of getting something new. Research has revealed that the reasons most of the artists that stop their careers abruptly is because of personal life issues and/or bad record deals. Before I forget, I’d like to personally thank Puff Dummy a.k.a Diddy for ruining plenty of my favorite artists’ careers over the years!

One of my favorite female artists that left me high and dry from the 90s era is Monifah. I had hopes and dreams for this talented young lady. She began her career working with Heavy D, but eventually they parted ways. It seemed like when that happened her career took a nose dive, and then she vanished. The saddest part about her leaving the game is that she had the whole package: the voice, the vocals and the look. Another female artist that showed up in the back of a milk carton real quick was Mona Lisa. Most probably don’t even remember Mona, but she came from the Monica, Brandy and Aaliyah generation of young female singers. She had a couple solid singles to start things off, but after she released her first solo album “11-20-79” in 1996 her career was a wrap. B Angie B (MC Hammer's background singer) never seemed to get her foot all the way in the door as a solo artist. It seemed like she couldn’t get from under the shadow of Hammer even when she released a solo album some years a later. I still visit all of their musical grave sights every so often to pay my respect.

Let’s shift gears from the female solo artists to the female R&B groups for a minute. I would have to say that Total is definitely one of favorite ghetto urban female groups of all time. I liked how these ladies kept that tough girl swagger about them, but they knew how to be sexy and they could actually sing! They were the one of the best at flipping the most rugged hip-hop beats into something real smooth with their sexually driven vocals. I was shocked by their abrupt disappearance, but when you are signed to Bad Boy Records that is to be expected. Then you have the ladies of Xscape that still hold the trophy for the Least Attractive Group of the 90s Award just above the runner ups SWV. Even though they ranked low on the good looks meter, these women could actually sing in harmony at the drop of a hat. They definitely had plenty catchy hits during their run, but due to internal turmoil they disbanded. Kandi Burruss left the group and tried her hands at a solo career that failed miserably. I did hear a mediocre comeback track in 2003 from the new version of Xscape that included a new addition to the group, but I haven’t heard from them since.

I know when the subject of male R&B solo artists that have come up missing, the first two names that come to mind for most are Maxwell and D’Angelo for obvious reasons, bet let’s go back further into time. How many of you folks remember Christopher Williams? This dude stunk as an actor, but he was untouchable as a singer. Other than Al B. Sure, Christopher was the main reason why light skinned dudes were in back in the 90s? I thought with a voice like his, he’d be around forever, but I was totally wrong. He did pop back up in 2001 with his forgettable independent release “Real Men Do,” but by that time he had been long forgotten. Speaking of forgotten, who remembers Horace Brown a.k.a Mr. One4TheMoney himself? He was to the 90’s what the artist Tank is today. Both rarely have on a shirt and they both can truly sing. Horace was another artist that I thought would have a few solid albums under his belt by now, but again he did the David Copperfield on us too. I can go on and on naming the artists and groups that have vanished over the years, but I’ll stop here for now. I’ll let the music tell you the rest of the story.

The mixx I present you today is an oldie, but goodie! It’s showcasing remixed versions of songs from the artists mentioned above and a few others that weren’t. I call it “ForgottenArtistzRe-Mixx.” It’s definitely on that 1990s vibe, so if you enjoy music from the era this mixx is for you! The mixx track listing is coming soon, so until then enjoy this audio journey down memory lane.

FORGOTTEN ARTISTZ RE-MIXX TRACKZ:
01-Craig Mack ft. Q-Tip - Get Down (Remix)
02-Rotten Raskalz - Alright (Remix)
03-Angie B - My Life (Eric B Remix)
04-Horace Brown ft. Fabolous - One For The Money (Remix)
05-Nuttin Nyce - In My Nature (Dem Boyz Remix)
06-Total - No One Else (Remix)
07-Xscape ft. King Just - Do You Want To (Remix)
08-Mona Lisa - Wasting My Time (Remix)
09-Sweet Sable - Old Times Sake (Remix)
10-Mista - Blackberry Molassas (ATL Remix)
11-Joya - Gettin' Off On You (Eddie F Remix)
12-Monifah ft. McGruff - I Miss You (Hip-Hop Remix)
13-Craig David ft. Mos Def - 7 Days (Remix)
14-Vanessa Williams - The Way That You Love Me (Remix)
15-Tevin Campbell - Back To The World (Remix)
16-Next - Too Close (Hoppers Extended Remix)
17-Christopher Williams - Every Little Thing You Do (Hip-Hop Remix)

GET THE 4GOTTEN ARTISTZ HERE!

SOUNDNEXX RHYTHMATIK SENSATIONZ MIXX!
One of the most diverse producers in the music game right now is none other than the lead Black Eye Pea himself, William James Adams, Jr. a.k.a will.i.am. I still remember the first time I saw the Black Eye Peas’ video for “Joints & Jam” back in 1998. At first I thought they were a fake ass Pharcyde, but I realized that these dudes were on a different vibe. Their whole vibe and style was on some retro/b-boy/break dancing type stuff that definitely worked well for them. Most folks never knew that BEP was hip-hop dance group before they ever started rapping. So, I expected big things from this group, and I was pretty happy with their previous releases until Fergie joined the group! Suddenly, they seemed to have left their hip-hop roots behind for pop radio theme music. I know it’s not all Fergie’s fault for this musical shift though. It was obvious that the group was trying to make some new musical opportunities for themselves by reaching a broader audience. Throughout the early days of the Black Eye Peas’ movement, will.i.am handled the majority of their production. Impressively, he continued producing for the group when they crossed over into the pop side. That showed me that will.i.ma has diversity as a producer, which plenty of other producers lack in my opinion.

Now, I don’t want to sound like I have hated every song BEP has released since Fergie joined the group, because that’s not true. Shamefully, even some of the bubblegum type records have brainwashed my attention at times over the years. I am only human! I just don’t like as many of the BEP tracks as I did in the past. Outside of working with BEP, will.i.am has been producing for just about everybody that’s anybody in music, such as: Talib Kweli, Nas, Game, Chrisette Michele, Rihanna, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Carlos Santana, etc. Will is definitely one of the hottest producers making beats right now, even though the masses never really give him his props! Most folks just totally overlooked his two solo joints “Lost Change” and “Must Be 21,” but hopefully with his upcoming third solo release “Songs About Girls” people will begin to take notice? Just because the dude dresses like your great grandfather on most days doesn’t mean that he can’t make a hot beat, so stop going beddy-bye on this dude…

Okay, it’s mixx time again snitchez. I’m calling this voyage of uptempo soulfulness the “Rhythmatik Sensationz Mixx!” This mixx is dedicated to keeping your head bobbin’, so don’t be fooled by the melodramatic intro. Since, the topic of the day is will.i.am, I have infused a few of his tracks that I like into this mix as well. I also added a little Dwele, J*Davey, Yummy, Common, Donnell Jones, Lauryn Hill and Davina to keep things balanced.

RHYTHMATIK SENSATIONZ TRACK LISTING:

01~Hezekiah - Hurry Up & Wait Intro
02~Pharoahe Monch ft. Dwele - Trilogy Pt. 2
03~J*Davey - Slooow
04~Chrisette Michelle ft. will.i.am - Be Ok
05~Tamia ft. Mario Winans - Mr. Cool
06~Yummy Bingham - One More Chance
07~Talib Kweli ft. will.i.am - Hot Thing
08~Donnell Jones - Feelin' You
09~Dwele - Dance With Me
10~Sergio Mendez ft. Q-Tip & will.i.am - The Frog
11~Fyza - Holla
12~Davina - Let's Stay Together
13~L-Boogie ft. Pain & Live - All My Time
14~Jeff Hendrick - Old School Party
15~Ryan Leslie - Worth The Fight
16~Raheem DeVaughn - Closer (Got Rhythm Remix)
17~Black Eyed Peas - Feel It (Jazzy Jeff Remix)
18~Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
19~Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
20~Common - Go (Remix)

Black Eye Peas - Joints & Jam (Video)

GET THOSE RHYTHMATIK SENSATIONZ HERE!

DEELISHUS - RUMPSHAKER!

Now, ya'll know that I am about supporting my Detroit brothers and sisters that are on the come up, so here's Deelishus from the "Flavor of Love" reality shows doing her thang! Now, this is what I call natural talent! The girl is going places I tell you....

TRAGEDY: THE INTELLIGENT HOODLUM!
As the hip-hop genre seems to be pulling further away from its roots every year, sometimes I have to go back an reflect on some of the classic albums of the past to reminisce a little. When I normally read lists of classic albums of the 90s, Tragedy Khadafi’s “Intelligent Hoodlum” album rarely makes the list for some reason? Personally, this joint was one of my favorites from the Golden Era. The accuracy and political power of Tragedy’s lyrics on this album were undeniable, so the real hip-hop fans took notice immediately. This was back in the day when certain rappers pushed their freedom of speech rights to the edge. Songs like “No Justice, No Peace” and “Arrest the President” were very straight forward in their content! I wish more rappers today would express those kinds of messages instead of the regurgitated non-sense that seems more comfortable for them. The legendary producer Marley Marl handled the production on the Hoodlum album, so it was even harder to deny! Remember, Marley Marl was a production guru when the Pete Rocks, DJ Premiers and Jay Dees were just stains on the sheets! One of my favorite things about the Hoodlum album is the fact that Tragedy was able to remain politically conscious without being too preachy. Plus, he also kept his street edge throughout this project, which is the basis of the album’s title. This album still gets put back into my music rotation from time to time, which says a lot!

If you have slept on the “Intelligent Hoodlum” album up to this point, I would suggest that you put your ears on it. No, it’s not as groundbreaking in 2007 as it was back in 1990, but it’s still a solid album. If you care at all, this album was re-released as a double album CD with another dope Tragedy project called “Saga of a Hoodlum” that I like a lot as well. Two solid albums for the price of one is a great deal actually. Tragedy Khadafi has released several albums over his lengthy career, so check for him when you get a minute. Other than probably O.C. (rapper), I feel that Tragedy is one of the most slept on East Coast emcees of our time. Maybe one day they’ll actually get their just due?

Let's flashback to a couple of old Tragedy videos:

Tragedy Khadafi - Grand Groove

Tragedy Khadafi - Street Life

THEY'RE COMING ON 9/25/07!!!!























All you fake rappers...BE AFRAID...BE VERY AFRAID...snitchez!!

ALBUM TRACK LISTING:
1. Sirens feat. Carlitta Durand (angry song with a creepy chorus)
2. Can’t Win For Losing (neckbreaking song with weird meter change)
3. Breakin My Heart feat. Lil Wayne (song that will make core fanbase gasp in disbelief)
4. Good Clothes (produced by the Bad Ass Filipino)
5. After The Party feat. Carlitta Durand (song that features the same person who was on the first song)
6. ExtraHard (song to ride out to)
7. Step It Up feat. Dion (song that your girl will love)
8. Two Step Blues feat. Darien Brockington (song produced by the same person who produced the song that introduced you to the person on songs 1 and 5)
9. That Ain’t Love feat. Jozeemo (bittersweet song)
10. Dreams (tearjerking song)
11. When Everything Is New (the last song)

LAURYN HILL: IS SHE WASHED UP??
You would have to be a deaf mute to not know that Lauryn Hill was a true talent back in the day. If you have ever heard this lady rap and sing it’s hard to deny that she definitely had a special gift. Even though The Fugees was a rap group, it’s obvious that Lauryn Hill was the real star of the trio. That became even clearer when she released the solo project “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." That album changed the game and made Lauryn Hill a megastar. As her loyal fans were cheering for more, Lauryn disappeared from the spotlight like a thief in the night. She left her fans hopelessly waiting for her return. After several months pasted by without a word from Lauryn, rumors began to spread that she was going through a deep depression that may be linked to drug abuse? Her personal life had been turned upside down from rumors of infidelity in her intimate relationship, which supposedly led her to join a religious cult of some sort? She had basically alienated most of the friends and family from her life, including the other Fugee group members Pras and Wyclef Jean. Like me, most fans felt sorry for Lauryn during that time. We all hoped things would get better for her while we remained patient as she got tried to put her life back together.

Needless to say that her fans have been waiting for several years now for Lauryn to get her effin’ life together, but it seems to be getting worse rather than better? Lauryn’s first return that I personally witnessed was when she performed live on MTV’s Unplugged. Even though she was looking pretty tainted, I was curious to hear what she had to say in her music. I will admit that I was a little taken back by some of her melodramatic lyrics at first, but it wasn’t all bad actually. Then it happened! She broke down into tears in the middle of one the songs like a little school girl that had her lunch money stolen. I was stunned and confused at that same time? It was obvious that she still had a lot of issues on in her life that needed to be worked out. Over the next several months I began hearing news about how Lauryn was literally acting like a diva like asshole at several live events where her fans had paid good money to see her perform. I’m talking about showing up extra late for shows, cursing at audience members and walking off of the stage in the middle a performance while in a fit of rage! I tried to positively rationalize those situations as well, giving Lauryn the benefit of the doubt that maybe the media was blowing things out of proportion? The next time I saw Lauryn Hill was on the 200? BET Music Award Show where she performed with Wyclef and Pras in a Fugees reunion type vibe. I was pleased to see Lauryn as fragment ofher former self, but it was obvious that she had lost a small step vocally? I didn’t even care though because I was happy to see Lauryn back in stride again with a potential Fugees reunion album on the horizon?

Earlier this year I had been hearing even more negative rumors about Lauryn Hill acting bizarre at various live shows, leaving fans angered and disappointed. Actually, I am becoming angered too dammit! I am getting pretty tired of her shenanigans! I just heard yesterday that Ms. Hill has been accused of acting diva-ish by demanding that the staff at her live venues look away when she enters and exits the room. No one is allowed to look her directly in the face at anytime! What kind of ghetto royal mess is that? On top of that, today I just read where Pras is confirming the once planned Fugees reunion album project has been scrapped for good. Can you guess why? Of course Lauryn is the reason. Here’s a quote from Pras…”Me and WyClef, we are on the same page, but Lauryn is in her zone and I'm fed-up with that sh*t!” Pras ended his rant by saying "Here Lauryn is blessed with a gift with the opportunity to rock and give and she's running on some bullsh*t? I'm a fan of Lauryn's, but I can't respect that." After reading that statement from Pras, my Lauryn Hill pitty party is officially over people! She obviously doesn’t care about her fans anymore, so why should I keep caring about her? I’ll just continue playing my old Lauryn Hill material from yester-year like I’ve been doing, but I have officially uncrossed my fingers in hope that she will ever get back to her old self again. If that new song Lauryn has on the animated “Surf’s Up” movie soundtrack is the best that she has to offer up in 2007, I think we are headed for a world of disappointment? I don't hate the track, but I don't love it either. Is Lauryn Hill washed up as an artist in 2007, and we are all just in rebellious denial? Truth be told though, if Ms. Hill released a new album tomorrow, I would be right there buying it like the rest of the world, but until that day arrives I will remain BITTER…

Lauryn Hill - Lose Myself (Music Video)

SOUL CLASSIC: Cherelle - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On

Kneegrow History Fack: After falling in total jungle love on the set of this wonderful video, Cherelle and the big Gorilla dated for about a year before she kicked him to the curb for your favorite baby's daddy Alexander O'Neal. Thus spawned the classic tune "Saturday Love" by the couple, which was due to the fact that their first official date was on a Saturday evening. After the break-up with Cherelle the big Gorilla was devastated, so he tried to commit suicide by jumping off of a six story apartment building. Since, the Gorilla is 60 feet tall he was unable to kill himself, but he did manage to severely sprain his ankle after falling on top of a parked car located in front of the building. He was later prosecuted by the vehicle's owner and found guilty of reckless automotive endangerment with intent to kill. Come to find out that the Gorilla also had a warrant for his arrest out in California for stealing two cartons of bananas from a local fruit market. What a damn shame!

Even with a press & curl, Cherelle is still one hot chic!!

THE DIRTY MITTEN HIP-HOP MIXX!
For all of you non-Detroiters and Michiganders, let me briefly break down the term “Dirty Mitten” real quick. The word “Dirty” represents the underbelly and street side of Detroit City. Sadly, the Detroit has been linked with plenty of negative statistics and imagery over the years, but the reality is things were never as bad as they were presented. Truth be told though, like any other major urban city in this country there is plenty of dirt being done by just about everybody from the local politicians to the average bum on the street. The word “Mitten” is normally used to describe Michigan due to this state’s shape. If you’ve ever looked at Michigan on a map, it actually looks like a mitten. Even though Lansing is the capital of Michigan, most outsiders think that Detroit is capital for obvious reasons. The reality is that Detroit is the backbone of this state, so when we do well the state does well, and vice versa. Outside of all the things that Detroit is known for, the two major factors are automobiles and music. While the automotive industry has somewhat diminished over the years, the music scene has remained pretty consistent. No, it’s nothing like the boom of the Motown era, but the city is still developing plenty of local talents everyday.

Today, I have decided to shine some light on some my favorite underground hip-hop artists that rep Detroit pretty hard! There are several independent rap crews around the city that release plenty of underground material to keep their local fans happy, but that’s about as far as it goes in most cases? A lot of these local artists have become ghetto celebrities to many of the teenagers around the city, which has plenty of them believing that they have true talent when they really don’t! Every once and awhile though, there is a local artist that makes me take notice to the point where I am anticipating an album release. For example, I am big fans of up and coming emcees like Guilty Simpson, Finale and definitely one of my favorite female emcees period…MC Invincible (shown in the pic on the left)! While a lot of the female rappers these days have chosen to use sexually charged imagery and rhyme patterns, Invincible is a rebel that has put her thongs on the shelf for a crisp pair of Timberlands and some baggy jeans. Can you say B-Girl? Don’t let her short hairstyle and clothing fool you, because she’s all woman! She reminds me of some of my other favorite female rappers like Antoinette, MC Lyte, Sweet Tee, Bahamadia, Apani B Fly and Jean Grae. I like the type of female rappers that keep it rugged rather than raunchy. Invincible has been putting in work for some years now, but I first heard her rhyme on underground classic mixtape “Last Warning” back in 2004. She’s also a member of the Anomolies Crew, which is a 5 woman crew of emcees and producers that are trying to bring that lyrical boom-bap back. MC Invincible has worked very close with the producer Waajeed of the Platinum Pied Pipers as well. Her long-awaited solo album “Shapeshifters” will hopefully be dropping by the end of the year?

For your listening pleasure I have put together a Detroit rapper based compilation mixx I titled "The Dirty Mitten Mixx" that showcases several rap artists that are reppin' Detroit. It's a mixture of old and newer material. There are a few recognizable names and voices throughout this mixx, but most of these katz are basically locals on the come up. Since, MC Invincible is the hot topic of today's post, I have included 6 tracks in this mixx to get you folks familiar with what she's about. This mixx is very diverse in its subject matter, so prepare yourselves. Detroit is known for having pimps, players and hustlers, and some of the included tracks will reflect those types of images. Put your ears on this mixx and indulge in some real Detroit hip-hop flavor.

Get more information about MC Invincible at these sites:

www.myspace.com/invincilana

www.myspace.com/anomolies

www.bling47.com/

Dirty Mitten Mixx Track Listing:

01=Guilty Simpson - For The D
02=Ill Manored - Gorilla Pimpin'
03=Bareda ft. Mr.Wrong - I'm From Detroit
04=Illa J - Hot
05=Royce Da 5'9 - Royce Is Like
06=Waajeed ft. Invincible - Place Where We Dwell
07=Invincible - No Compromises
08=Grooveman Spot ft. Invincible - Who's This?
09=Waajeed ft. Invincible - Pick Your Poison
10=Buff1 ft. Invincible & Guilty Simpson - Supreme
11=Dabrye ft. Invincible & Finale - Viewer Discretion
12=Finale - Detroit Sh*t
13=Elzhi - Boomerang Slang
14=Blade Icewood ft. G~Rock & O~Dolla - Boy Would U (Remix)
15=Stretch Money - Takes Money To Make Money
16=Black Milk ft. Phat Kat - Lookatusnow
17=Frank-N-Dank - MCA
18=Ta'Raach - I Name (E.G.I.G)
19=T3 ft. Elzhi - Yawl
20=K-Doe ft. Juan & Royce Da 5'9 - The 4 The 5
21=Illa J - New Sh*t
22=Elzhi - Over Wit

Check this Invincible clip out too:



GET YOUR MITTENS DIRTY HERE!

BET WANTS US TO READ A BOOK!
Over the weekend I turned to the Black Entertainment Television (BET) station because I was actually trying to catch a viewing of the Lil' Webbie & Lil' Boosie "Wipe Me Down" music video. I hadn’t seen it yet, but I knew it was definitely on one of their video countdown shows for some reason? As we all know, BET is known for consistently playing the highest quality of ghetto music videos from the urban radio’s Top 20 most requested. After suffering through two episodes of BET’s new hit dating show “Hell Date,” which was HELL to watch actually! It's nothing more than a bad rendition of Blind Date meets MTV’s Punk’d! Luckily, I noticed that BET's greatest show ever 106 & Park was coming on next! This particular episode of 106 was a replay of Friday’s show, which doesn’t really matter because they show the same videos for weeks at a time in most cases. So, as I was getting my urban video overdose on, I heard the hosts of the show say that BET has worked directly with some cartoonist dude to create a new music video entitled “Read a Book.” Just hearing the title alone shocked me? I was actually felt a sense of pride toward BET at that moment. I initially thought that BET had turned over a new leaf by incorporating some positive imagery for our youth to indulge in, over the typical glorification of sex, violence and money in most videos today? Turn off the TV youngsters and pickup a book because BET said so is the message I was hoping to get from this video? Before I say anything more, I would like you to watch the video for yourself. Well, here is the uncut version of that special video that BET aired for the world to see. Brace yourselves if you haven’t seen it already…

Read a Book (Uncut Video Version)


Now, after watching this video in its entirety, how do you feel about it? Personally, I felt like I had been bamboozled once again by BET! I was actually a little offended as well. I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. It begged me to ask the question, have the folks over at BET finally lost their minds? Even the hosts of show seemed a little taken back and uncomfortable about the whole video experience. As I replayed this baffling video in my mind, I was trying to look past the simplistic ignorance and suggestive imagery that plagued the video tremendously to hopefully find a positive message. Is it possible that this video was saturated with such negative imagery to make a powerful point? The point being that there are so many music videos that use these types of negative images and language to promote negative stereotypes, why not use the same trickery to sell a positive message? Read a book, brush your teeth, wear deodorant and stop wasting money are all positive messages, but would a child actually digest these messages in a more positive demographic? Is this video a new type of tool for communicating positive messages to the youth today? Is putting the word BOOK on big bouncing cartoon booties more effective than an educated person saying the same thing in a lecture? Hmmm, I would hope that even in these dire times that our youth have not been brainwashed to the point where these types of videos are the only means of effective communication in 2007. Personally, I think whatever underlying message that was supposed to be understood from this video was lost, leaving black folks with another embarrassing BET moment for the records. Dammit, I hate when that happens, but on a more positive note...I have posted the infamous "Wipe Me Down" video for all to enjoy. I know after watching that previous video your forehead is probably full of sweat because of your frustration, so let Webbie and Boosie WIPE YA DOWN! Now, you can turn those frowns upside down and enjoy...

Boosie, Webbie & Foxx - Wipe Me Down (Hotta Uncut Remix)


Now, that's quality television at its finest ladies and gentlemen!!

SOUND SPOT: KEVIN MICHAEL
I have deliberately been holding off on doing a post on this up and coming artist named Kevin Michael because I just wasn't sure what all the buzz was about? I heard this dude's name a lot at the beginning of year before I actually knew what his image was about, or even what his music sounded like. I am pretty familiar with how the game of promoting a new artist works, so it’s sometimes difficult for me to decipher who is really worth paying attention to. Mister Michael’s management should be applauded for their tireless efforts to get his name out to the masses. After doing some necessary investigating and finally hearing a few tracks from Kevin, I am beginning to understand why so many folks are becoming fans of this young man. He has a unique and funky style that makes you take notice, while keeping the subject matter in his music very relatable to the masses. At first look Kevin Michael may seem like an artist with a gimmick, but after further investigation it becomes obvious that’s not the case. Avoiding the hurdle of being typecast as one thing, Kevin seems to effortlessly incorporate several genres of music like funk, pop and soul to create his refreshing sound.

In this age of digital music, Kevin Michael has decided to release his first musical EP project entitled “Kevin Michael’s Yadig?” through iTunes only for download. This project does have some definite gems on it for sure, but one of my favorite tracks him at this time is definitely the addictive “Vicki’s Secrets (Acoustic Version)” song! Good stuff no matter how you spin in my personal opinion. I must give props to Akil Dasan who handled the beat boxing and guitar playing on the acoustic tracks. Dude is pretty nice with his too. There will definitely be more to come on Kevin Michael in the near future, but before I end this post I will leave you with a few goodies to get more familiar with this up and comer.

First, make sure that you watch these two videos:

Kevin Michael - It Don't Make a Difference To Me (Acoustic)


Kevin Michael - Vicki's Secrets (Acoustic)


Second, checkout the very informative audio interview with Mr. Michael from my peoples over at Flowink:

www.flowink.com

Lastly, checkout these Kevin Michael's web sites to get more familiar with this artist:

www.kevinmichael.com

www.myspace.com/kevinmichaelmusic

THE PUMAZ & SHELLTOEZ MIXX!
I've been holding off on posting this mixx for a minute now, but I think it's about time to give some deserved shine to the original old school b-boys and break dancers from back in the day! I'm talking about the katz that carried their own piece of cardboard around at all times, because they never knew when somebody was going to challenge them. For the dudes that kept their suede Pumas fresh to def with fat colorful laces that purposely matched their headband. I'm talking about walking around with a boom box in hand blasting the latest cassette tape with eight double d batteries in your pocket just in case. I'm talking about those four fingered gold nugget rings, fury Kangol hats, Gazelle glasses, ski goggles in the Summertime, Lee Jean freshly creased and all dat! Now, that's hip-hop for real! I am happy to see that some elements of the b-boy/break dancing movement are still alive in some places around the country. I will admit that most of this new generation of break dancers is on some bionic steroid type ish with the difficult dance moves and tricks that they pull off these days, but it's all entertaining. I am still partial to the old schoolers though. The break dancing music has changed a little bit though? A song like Afrika Bambaataa's classic "Planet Rock" was a definite must have in the boombox when it was breakdance challenge time back in the day. It's funny though, because you can still throw that Bambaataa joint on at any club in 2007, and people will still get into an uproar. I guess that's how you know you have a classic record!

Check the classic break dance footage from back in the day:

Turbo - Broom Dancing in Breakin' Movie (classic)


Classic Roxy Breakdance Battle from Beat Street Movie

I pulled b-boy tracks from everywhere to put this mix together, including a couple of cassette tapes. Technology is a wonderful thing! So, today I present you with the "Pumaz & Shelltoez Mixx" full of my favorite electronic and break dance tracks. The quality of some of the tracks may be a little shaky at times, but that's what gives it that nostalgic feel. Breaks and beats playa! This is hip-hop music when it was still raw and gritty, so I hope you can appreciate it?

PUMAZ & SHELLTOEZ MIXX TRACK LISTING:

• 01*Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Looking For The Perfect Beat
• 02*Twilight 12 - Electric Kingdom
• 03*Cybotron - Clear
• 04*Newcleus - Jam On It
• 05*Newcleus - Jam On Revenge (Wikki-Wikki Song)
• 06*Globe & Whizkid - Play That Beat Mr. DJ
• 07*Planet Patrol - Play At Your Own Risk
• 08*Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock
• 09*Egyptian Lover - An My Beat Goes
• 10*Twilight 22 - Siberian Nights
• 11*Hashim Al - Naafiysh (The Soul)
• 12*Jonsun Crew - Pack Jam
• 13*Supreme Team - Hey DJ
• 14*Africa Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Renegades of Funk
• 15*Egyptian Lover - Egypt Egypt
• 16*Newcleus - Push The Button
• 17*Herbie Hancock - Rockit

KOPP PUMAZ & SHELLTOEZ HERE!

WHITE SOFT ROCKS THAT ROLL!
Personally, I am not an avid TV watcher anymore. Sadly, television has suffered the same fate as urban radio over the last few years by becoming predictable, uneventful, and basically just a waste of time. Even though the excessive amount of reality shows on TV these days is annoying, I feel that television's biggest tragedy are those damn infomercials! I hate those things with a passion just for the simple fact that everything from car waxing winter gloves to pipe cutting butter knives all end up costing the same low-low phuckin' price of only $19.99 (plus shipping & handling of course)! I can't believe that people actually buy some of that mess? Even though the majority of America's television programming has gone down the picture tubes over the last decade, there are a few exceptions I'd like to point out. I am actually pretty entertained when I watch sporting events, ESPN, Man vs. Wild, King of Queens (re-runs), Family Guy, and the occasional late night movies that Cinemax airs on Saturday nights (that should actually be on the Playboy channel) after the kiddies have gone to bed! Besides those few occasions, if the television is on in my house it's basically just playing the position of background noise while I am doing something else more constructive.

Recently, I had fallen asleep with the television was on staring at me after watching an hilarious late night episode of the Family Guy, when I was suddenly awakened by the sounds of a melodic tune playing? This familiar song made my unconscious mind pay total attention like being slapped in the face with leather glove. Reluctantly, I opened my very tired eyes to peek at the television screen, and after a few seconds I realized that I was watching a phuckin' infomercial! How could I have fallen for the late night TV trickery dammit? Looking through blurry eyes, I could have sworn that I saw Chuck Norris? I immediately thought it was probably, Chuck Norris and Suzanne Summers sweating to the oldies for 8 minutes with a Total Gym-Thigh Master duel workout machine or some shyt like that? If you haven't figured it out, wasting my precious eye juices looking at things of no relevant value really bugs the hell out of me! So, as I was angrily reaching for the remote control to put the television out of its misery, I heard another familiar song that made my earwax vibrate with overwhelming blissfulness! It was the classic song "What You Won't Do For Love" performed by one of my favorite old school white singers named Bobby Caldwell (shown in the pic above). For all of you youngsters that truly enjoy quality adult contemporary music, Mr. Caldwell is that dude! I know Bobby is sporting a freshly cut mullet in that photo above, but let's not make hasty judgments based on the man’s hairstyle people. Not only is this talented white man soulful, but he also sounds like a black man when he's singing, kind of like Jon B and Michael Jackson! After hearing Bobby playing through the television, I was totally focused at that point (infomercial or not). You don't sleep on Mr. Caldwell snitches...

After a few seconds, I finally figured out that the good folks over at Timelife were sponsoring the infomercial. They sell all genres of classic music from yester-year, but this particular infomercial was centered on promoting their 10-disc collection of Soft Rock Classics. Now, I bet when you most you saw the words 'SOFT' and 'ROCK' together in the previous sentence, you automatically became uninterested, right? If that's the case, I encourage you to keep reading anyway. Please, don't let genre titles deter you from discovering more great music. Personally, I think a lot of black folks (especially the young ones) have become conditioned to only allow themselves the opportunity to enjoy music from two basic genres...SOUL and RAP? Believe it or not, there are many more great artists and songs that should be heard by all. How can you ever discover if you never explore? I feel if more people opened their minds and ears to all genres of music instead of just two, there would be less folks giving up on music as a whole? With that being said, I will step down off of my musical soapbox and get back to the topic at hand...

As I was saying earlier, the folks over at Timelife have lots of classic music for purchase, if that's your thing? This infomercial reminded me of many groups from soft rock's past that had some real hits back in the day. If you watch any television commercials, I bet that you have heard the majority of these songs in many of your favorites. Those catchy commercial jingles that you thought were originally created by that particular company were probably ripped from an old soft rock tune. Even though plenty of you youngsters are probably not old enough to remember many of these old school classics, most of them sound pretty good today. While a lot of you are in your whips yelling out "Hey Bay Bay" and playing mediocre tracks from T-Pain and Akon, I'm playing Michael McDonald and Bobby Caldwell's greatest hits snitches! Sincerely though, I challenge all of my visitors to take a chance and put your ears on some this classic goodness. You can freely peruse through the Timelife.com catalogs of music at your leisure. I am actually pretty curious to know what you folks think about it...

Lastly, don't eva, neva, eva, eva think that SoundNexx is just another hip-hop or soul blog, because it's actually about a musical movement. We dabble in a little bit of everything out this way, and to prove it I'm doing a post on Folk music and Polka dancing next week, so stay tuned!

I have posted the TimeLife link below:

The Timelife Music Catalogs

Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do For Love (Video)

Get this Bobby Caldwell "What You Won't Do For Love" joint here...

I'll leave you with this Bobby Caldwell joint as well just for good measure! Who thought Dwele did it first??

SOUNDNEXX NASIRZ-DOPIST-RE-MIXX!
Who's world is this? Thee rap game has mentored (even with all of it's negative imagery)some rappers into a somehwat legendary status amongst their peers, and I would be a total lier if I didn't acknowledge Nasir Jones a.k.a Nas as one of them! No matter how you may personally feel about Nas as an artist, you definitely have to respect his impact on the rap and music movement as a whole. Personally, I have always admired Nas' ability to remain diverse in his subject matter over his career. He can easily shift gears between uplifting his people, to sharing in graphic detail the trials and tribulations of ghetto life. There are not too many emcees that can do that with such ease. Even through what some called a career slump, Nas has been able to remain relevant in 2007. While many of his peers have fallen to the waste side, Nas continues to challenge the powers that be and evolve as an artist while doing so! Whether you hate him or not, you definitely have to respect him and that's more than most rappers get from me in these dismal days in hip-hop!

I have been playing this mixx I call "NasirzDopistRe-Mixx" a lot lately, so I decided to post for you good folks to hear. It's a musical collage of many of my favorite Nas remix tracks. Some of these tracks are older and some are not, but either way kopp it while you can! The remix production is pretty thorough overall, so I think most Nas fans will enjoy this compilation of goodies?

NASIRZ-DOPIST RE-MIXX TRACKLISTING:

01~Good Morning (remix) feat. Slick Rick
02~Made You Look (remix) feat. Jadakiss & Ludacris
03~Thug Mansion (remix) feat. 2pac
04~The Flyest (remix) feat. M.F. Doom
05~The Cross (remix) feat. 9th Wonder
06~Bridging The Gap (remix) feat. Olu Dara
07~One Mic (remix)
08~Family (remix) feat. Mobb Deep
09~Hope (remix) feat. Chrisette Michele
10~2nd Childhood (remix)
11~Revolutionary Warfare (remix) feat. Lake
12~Fast Life (remix) feat. Kool G. Rap
13~Verbal Murderers (remix) feat. Styles P
14~F*ck You (remix) feat. 50 Cent
15~It Ain't Hard To Tell (remix) feat. Kid Slime
16~One Love (remix) feat. Q-Tip
17~Thief's Theme (remix)
18~Stillmatic (remix)
19~Warrior Song (remix) feat. Alicia Keys
20~Ethered (remix)
21~Blaze A 50 (remix) feat. M.F. Doom
22~Street Dreams (remix) feat. R. Kelly
23~One Love (Doom remix outro)

NAS GOT THEM REMIXES HERE!

SOUL CLASSIC: Rebbie Jackson - Centipede

Kneegrow History Fack: I bet most of ya'll probably didn't know that Rebbie Jackson was actually the first black woman to play the Marvel Comics character Storm (from the X-Men movies) on screen? She couldn't fly like Halle Berries did in her movie, but she'd definitely throw a lightning bolt on ya azz in a minute! Rebbie's movements were more believable than Halle's overall to me. I think it was the red dress that took it over the top for me? I felt like I was actually in a real thunderstorm while watching this video. Her pet cobra was the true star of this video in my personal opinion, but Rebbie delivered a helluva performance herself though! The sistah was talented!

Don't believe me...well peep it out for yourself:



Phuck Janet, Jermaine & Tito! It's all about Rebbie dammit! Don't sleep...unless it's time to go to bed...

ET 7: SOUNDNEXX SPACEBOOGIEFUNK MIXX!
When I think about old school funk a few names come to mind right off the back. Funkateers like James Brown, Parliment Funkadelic, George Clinton, Cameo, Zapp, Lyn Collins, etc. kept the funk alive back in the day. With the lack of live instrumentation in the music these days, it seems like the funk has been lost? Or has it? Actually, there are a few katz that still have the funk flowing through their musical veins. In my opinion artists like these keep the music industry balanced because they have chosen to go totally against the predictable, and sometimes tired sounding musical norms that have become today's standard. While many are afraid to push the creative envelope, artists like these thrive off of it! Many brainwashed music fans feel that these types of off-beaten sounds and rhythms can be undigestable and even annoying? Sadly, the mainstream has somehow bamboozled the masses into believing that these types of grooves are unworthy, and most of trash that saturates the radio airwaves is the truth? Unlike a lot of other sites that I have seen, I think that most of the folks that frequent SoundNexx on the regular are pretty open minded about hearing different types of music? That's what I entended this blog to be about when I first started it, and that hasn't changed. Hopefully, the music and info that I share is somehow healing the ears and minds of the folks that actually believe that great music can only sound one way?

With that being said, here is your next dose of funky soul medication entitled "Ear Test 7: SpaceBoogieFunk Mixx!" SoundNexx's prescription recommends that you take a listen to this mixx atleast once a day for 3 weeks. Clean your ears with a q-tip dipped in peroxide before every listen. WARNING: Do not listen just before going to bed because this funk can cause insomnia! MEDICATION SIDE EFFECTS: Neck soreness from bobbing your head constantly. This medication is safe enough to be heard on an empty stomach. If your symptoms don't get any better in one week, double your dosage and throw your radio in the trash!

THE SPACEBOOGIEFUNK TRACKLISTING:

01_Sa-Ra ft. Bilal - Sweet Sour You
02_Chronkite - No Trace of Luv
03_Luv Bugs - There For U
04_J*Davey - Cameras
05_Up Hygh - Let Me Look
06_Ty ft. Eska - Aim For Your Goals
07_Muhsinah - Millions
08_Waajeed ft. Tiombe - O'Bloody Days O'Starry Nights
09_Georgia Anne Muldrow - Wrong Way
10_Spacek - It's Not Gonna Happen
11_Up Hygh - The Gift
12_Leonne Ujare - Locean
13_J Dilla ft. Jack Davey - Red Light
14_Sa-Ra - Rosebuds
15_Plantlife - We Can Get Down
16_Heavy - Sqre One
17-Eska -DaShow
18_PPP ft. Rich Medina & Sy Smith - Can't Hold Back (Remix)
19_Pattie Blingh - Re
20_Ty ft. De La Soul - The Idea
21_Georgia Anne Muldrow - Leroy
22_J*Davey - No More
23_Illamath - Burn Rubber (Dam Funk Remix)

Typeout (written shoutout) to my peepz CubikArubik, DJ Jamal and DJ Synflood for going against the musical grain!

GET THAT SPACEBOOGIE HERE!

Chrisette Michele - Best Of Me

If you are still sleeping on Chrisy, time to wake up!!

DEATH OF THE MOVIE SOUNDTRACK!
A couple of decades ago, the average movie soundtrack was nothing but a score of opera sounding theme music that most urban music fans could care less about! I mean there were some great movie theme exceptions like "Star Wars" and the original "Superman" that plenty of folks probably liked, but would you spend your money to purchase those soundtracks on CD? Hell naww!! In most cases the music that a moviegoer may have enjoyed hearing while watching a flick inside of a movie theatre doesn't have the same impact as listening to it in your car. I just can't invision somebody saying "Yo, turn up that Empire Strikes Back theme music louder playa! That joint is pretty HOT??" Back in the day movie soundtracks were basically just scores of musical sounds that was considered just another component of the overall movie making experience. Soundtracks of that nature were never intended to sell millions of records. That was until somebody got the bright idea to use the movie soundtrack as a promotional tool. The movie soundtrack game would be changed forever! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the first label to use a movie soundtrack as a promotional tool was Suge Knight and The Death Row label when they released the "Above The Rim" soundtrack? This compilation was used as a movie soundtrack to promote the Death Row artists. I thought that was pretty clever myself. The majority of the soundtrack songs were not even heard in the movie itself. That didn't really matter because the soundtrack was classic material! That's back when the Westcoast was dominating the urban rap music scene, so the ATR compilation was a big hit! That soundtrack changed the movie soundtrack game forever. I realize that movies like Krush Groove, Juice and New Jack City had soundtracks that came out prior to Above The Rim, but they didn't have the same impact. Plus, most of the songs from those soundtracks were actually heard in the movies.

After that, just about every urban movie had a soundtrack filled with new singles and upcoming artists that some respecting label was trying to push. Some of the soundtracks were good, and some weren't. A few had a hot track here or there. I will admit that I have purchased plenty of movie soundtracks over the years, and in several cases I felt ripped off! It's kind of like tearing the package open on your last condom, and realizing that it has a hole in it! The reality is that mediocre songs are just that no matter if you package them as a soundtrack, compilation or an album. There were some cases where the movie soundtracks were actually better than the movie (Gridlock'd, High School High, Sunset Park). Then there were others where both the movie and the soundtrack both sucked (Sprung, Woo, I Got The Hook Up)!!

Now, it's 2007, and I can't remember the last movie soundtrack that actually made an impact musically over the last seven years? It seems like the artists promotion trend has finally faded away for good, or has it? Personally, I won't be buying a movie soundtrack anytime soon unless Prince, Dwele, Phonte and Joe Sample did a song together produced by Pete Rock, and it was only available on soundtrack, then I just might? An that's only if I couldn't find it on the internet first. Other than that happening...FORGET ABOUT IT!

Here are my two favorite tracks from the "Above The Rim" soundtrack:

Tupac - Pain

Sweet Sable - Old Times' Sake

Here's a list of my favorite movie soundtracks over the past few years:

Krush Groove
Juice
Sunset Park
New Jack City
Soul In the Hole
Boyz-N-The-Hood
Menace II Society
Jason's Lyric
Strictly Business
House Party (1,2 &3)
Higher Learning
High School High
Dangerous Minds
Dead Presidents
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Murder Was The Case
Friday
Poetic Justice
Player's Club
Belly
Boomerang
Waiting To Exhale
Set It Off
Don't Be A Menace...
A Low Down Dirty Shame
Tales From The Hood
Soul Food
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Black Mask
Gridlock'd
Do The Right Thing
New Jersey Drive Soundtrack (1 & 2)

Love Jones

The Show Soundtrack

SOUNDSPOT: ILLA J
You maybe thinking, I've seen this kat before?? If you peeped the late great J*Dilla music video for "Won't Do" then you have seen him before! He was the dude (that you thought was Jay Dee) lipsinging Dilla's verses in that video. He's actually an upcoming producer/rapper himself, and he goes by the name of Illa J. Oh yeah, and he's Jay Dee's younger brother as well. I'm always down for my fellow Detroit brothaz and sistaz trying to make a come up in the music business, but I will admit I was a little skeptical of the Illa J movement initially? Is this young man's musical movement a journey about paying homage to Jay Dee or is he just using his brother's fame to make a name for himself? You judge for yourselves. First off, his rap name sounds a too similiar to J Dilla, but that is his older deceased brother, so maybe it's a respect thing? Personally, I take his choice of name as him paying homage to his dead brother. The other ironic thing about Illa J is that he actually sounds and looks like a younger Jay Dee as well. They are kinfolk though, so I guess that can be expected as well? The boy can't pick his looks or tone of voice, right? Lastly, is Illa J's familiar production style. After hearing a few of his tracks, his style sounds like a combination of Black Milk and Jay Dee's blended together? He did learn his production skills and tricks from Jay Dee, so I would expect that Illa J would have that same sound to a degree. If it works, why change it?

With all of that being said, I still think Illa J is going to receive lots of negative feedback initially because his style resembles Dilla's in a lot of ways! Most of these fickle rap fans today are very cynical about things like that, so I hope he's prepared for it? Illa J doesn't seem like he's joined the rap game just to be another rapper trying to do a Dilla inpersonation. As a matter of fact, don't even call him a rapper because he considers himself a musician. A musician on a crusade to balance out the mainstream rap trash with some needed quality, and finish what Jay Dee started by remaining true to the music. It's true that Jay Dee's shoes are pretty big to fill, but I think with the right push and marketing that Illa can definitely make some serious moves in the industry. Mentoring under Jay Dee for so many years has given this kat lots of useful knowledge and experience that should definitely help him be successful in his career. Also, I think he truly understands that he's being passed the musical torch left by his brother, whether he wants the responsibility or not. After reading a couple of his interviews though, Illa seems to feel that he's up for the challenge. I checked out Illa's first E.P. release at a local record store around the way, and it didn't take that long to realize that the boy has some real talent. The beats were pretty hot, plus his flow was solid! He is still in the process of working on his first album release, which will hopefully see the light of day at the end of the year? You should be hearing his production on new material from Busta Rhymes, Phat Kat and Guilty Simpson in the near future as well...

Keep your eyes and ears open...

Checkout this Illa J track called:

"I'm Ain't Gonna Die"

Checkout more tracks from Illa J here:

www.myspace.com/illajmusic

Vintage Dilla studio video footage: