Usher is ready to work. After dropping a full length album only five months ago, Usher is back with an EP, Versus. Usually, when artists release an EP right after an album, it's to add some mediocre songs they feel are good. 'Versus' is the exception. Every song is a viable contender for release. Needless to say, Usher has found the mojo he lost when he was married.
There isn't anything brand new on the disc, but the songs are a solid set filled with machismo and sexual advances. It opens with "Love 'Em All". Where Usher sings about there being too many women in the world and he wants them all, so he needs to have more than one at a time. For most men, that's just a fantasy, but you get the sense this man
gets what he wants. Despite the name being utterly laughable, "Hot Tottie" is a hot piece of music. Jay-Z addresses his rumored Illuminati affiliation without compromising the bounce and theme of the record.
Fan favorite, "There Goes my Baby" is here to provide a direct connection from the former project to this one. The Justin Beiber
assisted, "Someone To Love (Remix)" is the only joint that gets a PG rating. Adding a sixteen year old doesn't quite help your case for making music for the grown and sexy. Otherwise, this is Usher doing two things: showing younger cats why he's as successful as he is and making sure nobody forgets who he is. It's Usher, baby!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Top 9 Aaliyah Dance Videos
It has been nine years since Aaliyah passed. im realizing now, more than ever, how fast time really does fly. I was just a thirteen year old kid about to enter my freshman year of high school when i found out her plane had crashed in the bahamas. actually, i was finishing up the last few pages of sister souljah's book, The coldest winter ever.
I was a huge fan of hers. not because of all of the obvious things like her beauty, voice, talent, style, and mystery. but because she had a duality to her. There was so much mystery surrounding her, yet she was so human and tangible. and while everyone is taqking time to mourn and reflect, i want to do something a bit different.
Aaliyah was one of the best dancers in my time. she was entirely too smooth doingthose dance sequences. thats what added to her sex appeal. whereas, janet jackson looked well rehearsed and expensive, aaliyah made Fatima Robinson's choreography look effortless. so i present the nine best Aaliyah dance videos.
9. If your Girl Only Knew-
This lands on the countdown because of the tiny dance routine. A few shoulder shrugs and knee lifts and so much swagger. Aaliyah melted into her leather biker outfit with ease. The big dark shades added to the mystique of the video. Looking like that, what man wouldn't want to see if the grass was greener. No disrespect, ladies.
8.Hot Like Fire-
The only thing better than a beautiful woman driving a beautiful car is a beautiful woman dancing suggestively. In this case, "Hot Like Fire" features both. The R&B songbird is seen driving a fire red Lambo. The pelvic thrust ladden dance sequence cements the notion Aaliyah is hotter than a summer day in California.
7.We Need A Resolution-
In this futuristic, post-apocalyptic clip, we find Babygirl writhing with snakes and looking all around sexy. She was ultra feminine in the video. but when it came time to bust a move, she was hit hard and maybe even a bit harder than the boys. And that's enough for me.
6. 4 Page Letter-
Mimicking Timbaland's stuttering drum pattern, Aaliyah dances to save the man she loves, who happens to be locked away. Once he is freed, the dancing is celebratory, slinky, and passionate. and who can resist a little passion in their dancing?
5.One In A Million-
This video is mostly beauty shots of the singer. The choreography features her and a partner acting out the song's theme of one's love being rare. the best part is when she is hugging the guy from behind and staring into the camera. That always had me feeling like she was asking me if I wished that was me and I most certainly did.
4.More Than A Woman-
Aaliyah always did things that got her noticed. The male populaion definitely took notice when we saw her riding a motorcycle. The concept of the flick was a party going on inside of the bike, which alluded to other things. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to the lyrics. The dancing was slick and still cutting edge. The only downside, it was released after our angel had fallen.
3.Rock The Boat-
Sandy beaches, beautiful women, sexy music, that sounds like paradise. Well, it was paradise in the last video Aaliyah ever shot. in this video, the dancing rode the fine line of being suggestive and sexy, yet never crossed int othe category of rauchiness. How sweet is that?
2.Try Again-
The reason why female superheroes are popular is because men like watching women kick butt. Aaliyah took heed. She and dancers jam with a samurai's percision. Aaliyah goes on to toss and throw the dancers around like rag dolls.
1.Are You That Somebody-
this has to be one of her all around best. Her best song, video, dancing--everything. The choreography is complicated. However, it looked easy. Every type of dance style was thrown in--from tap, salsa, booty bounce. Everything put together made for one classic moment in time. Plus, the video is so good it made you forget how bad Timabaland is as a rapper.
I was a huge fan of hers. not because of all of the obvious things like her beauty, voice, talent, style, and mystery. but because she had a duality to her. There was so much mystery surrounding her, yet she was so human and tangible. and while everyone is taqking time to mourn and reflect, i want to do something a bit different.
Aaliyah was one of the best dancers in my time. she was entirely too smooth doingthose dance sequences. thats what added to her sex appeal. whereas, janet jackson looked well rehearsed and expensive, aaliyah made Fatima Robinson's choreography look effortless. so i present the nine best Aaliyah dance videos.
9. If your Girl Only Knew-
This lands on the countdown because of the tiny dance routine. A few shoulder shrugs and knee lifts and so much swagger. Aaliyah melted into her leather biker outfit with ease. The big dark shades added to the mystique of the video. Looking like that, what man wouldn't want to see if the grass was greener. No disrespect, ladies.
8.Hot Like Fire-
The only thing better than a beautiful woman driving a beautiful car is a beautiful woman dancing suggestively. In this case, "Hot Like Fire" features both. The R&B songbird is seen driving a fire red Lambo. The pelvic thrust ladden dance sequence cements the notion Aaliyah is hotter than a summer day in California.
7.We Need A Resolution-
In this futuristic, post-apocalyptic clip, we find Babygirl writhing with snakes and looking all around sexy. She was ultra feminine in the video. but when it came time to bust a move, she was hit hard and maybe even a bit harder than the boys. And that's enough for me.
6. 4 Page Letter-
Mimicking Timbaland's stuttering drum pattern, Aaliyah dances to save the man she loves, who happens to be locked away. Once he is freed, the dancing is celebratory, slinky, and passionate. and who can resist a little passion in their dancing?
5.One In A Million-
This video is mostly beauty shots of the singer. The choreography features her and a partner acting out the song's theme of one's love being rare. the best part is when she is hugging the guy from behind and staring into the camera. That always had me feeling like she was asking me if I wished that was me and I most certainly did.
4.More Than A Woman-
Aaliyah always did things that got her noticed. The male populaion definitely took notice when we saw her riding a motorcycle. The concept of the flick was a party going on inside of the bike, which alluded to other things. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to the lyrics. The dancing was slick and still cutting edge. The only downside, it was released after our angel had fallen.
3.Rock The Boat-
Sandy beaches, beautiful women, sexy music, that sounds like paradise. Well, it was paradise in the last video Aaliyah ever shot. in this video, the dancing rode the fine line of being suggestive and sexy, yet never crossed int othe category of rauchiness. How sweet is that?
2.Try Again-
The reason why female superheroes are popular is because men like watching women kick butt. Aaliyah took heed. She and dancers jam with a samurai's percision. Aaliyah goes on to toss and throw the dancers around like rag dolls.
1.Are You That Somebody-
this has to be one of her all around best. Her best song, video, dancing--everything. The choreography is complicated. However, it looked easy. Every type of dance style was thrown in--from tap, salsa, booty bounce. Everything put together made for one classic moment in time. Plus, the video is so good it made you forget how bad Timabaland is as a rapper.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dondria - Dondria vs. Phatfffat (Album Review)
There's something missing on the Youtube sensation's freshman album. Could it be a sense of self, actual star power, or true soul? The answer is all three. Dondria has the vocal chops to interpret a song beautifully. But she only proves that on two of the eleven songs.
Blaming the lack of quality all on her is wrong because she has two of the biggest producers in urban music in her corner. Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox craft subpar R&B-pop records that are boring instead of being captivating. The exceptions are two singles, "You're The One" and the hip hop sprinkling of "Shawty Wus Up". Dondria's voice is the saving grace on the former. As for the latter, the song is full of that ATL bounce. The only issue is Dondria comes off sounding like a
high school freshman trying to talk fresh to impress the captain of the football team, instead of a 23 year old woman trying to entice aman.
'Dondria vs. Phatfffat' is uneven because she doesn't know which part of her personality she wants to showcase. She definitely needs to make a choice. If she's going to be Phatfffat, she needs to head back to Youtube and continue her series of viral covers of today's Top 40. But if she so chooses to be Dondria, she's going to have to head back to the drawing board because this isn't cutting it.
Blaming the lack of quality all on her is wrong because she has two of the biggest producers in urban music in her corner. Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox craft subpar R&B-pop records that are boring instead of being captivating. The exceptions are two singles, "You're The One" and the hip hop sprinkling of "Shawty Wus Up". Dondria's voice is the saving grace on the former. As for the latter, the song is full of that ATL bounce. The only issue is Dondria comes off sounding like a
high school freshman trying to talk fresh to impress the captain of the football team, instead of a 23 year old woman trying to entice aman.
'Dondria vs. Phatfffat' is uneven because she doesn't know which part of her personality she wants to showcase. She definitely needs to make a choice. If she's going to be Phatfffat, she needs to head back to Youtube and continue her series of viral covers of today's Top 40. But if she so chooses to be Dondria, she's going to have to head back to the drawing board because this isn't cutting it.
Fanatasia - Back to Me (Album Review)
"Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned." Erykah Badusang that on her debut single, 'On & On'. Fantasia Barrino most certainly has taken heed. Especially, considering the recent controversy she's been involved in. However, on her third outing, the former American Idol winner is the strongest she's ever been. The immature boasts of being a baby's momma is cast aside in order to let a grown woman shine through. And shine she does.
'Back To Me' opens assertively with "I'm Doing Me". Fantasia isn't standing for a lover's drama or anyone else's. Sampling from soul jams of yesterday, Fantasia continues on her grown woman journey. She informs her man that she is strong enough to handle the things he refuses to, yet brave enough to admit she doesn't know everything when it comes to his needs. Which brings us to the standout track of the disc, "Teach Me". It is a song where she asks her partner to show her the things he wants that she hasn't figured out. This is the most mature we've seen her. While, this is the best song of the collection,
the rest of the thirteen tracks don't pale too much in comparison.
Fantasia's album hearkens back to a time when singers didn't sing but sang. When personal turmoil forced artists to use their work for therapeutic purposes. At this point in the game, Fantasia is going through it some things. Her name is being dragged through the mud more so now than ever before. But if 'Back To Me' is any indication, she'll be a much stronger and more at peace with herself once the storm has passed.
'Back To Me' opens assertively with "I'm Doing Me". Fantasia isn't standing for a lover's drama or anyone else's. Sampling from soul jams of yesterday, Fantasia continues on her grown woman journey. She informs her man that she is strong enough to handle the things he refuses to, yet brave enough to admit she doesn't know everything when it comes to his needs. Which brings us to the standout track of the disc, "Teach Me". It is a song where she asks her partner to show her the things he wants that she hasn't figured out. This is the most mature we've seen her. While, this is the best song of the collection,
the rest of the thirteen tracks don't pale too much in comparison.
Fantasia's album hearkens back to a time when singers didn't sing but sang. When personal turmoil forced artists to use their work for therapeutic purposes. At this point in the game, Fantasia is going through it some things. Her name is being dragged through the mud more so now than ever before. But if 'Back To Me' is any indication, she'll be a much stronger and more at peace with herself once the storm has passed.
Wale - More About Nothing (Mixtape Review)
Wale made big waves in 2008 because of his go-go styled rhymes, indicative of his D.C. roots. That was the heavily praised, 'Mixtape About Nothing'. However, his major label debut, 'Attention Deficit' belied the actual talent Wale possesses. Whereas, he was swallowed by the grandiose production and big budget guests, 'More About Nothing' captures Wale stripped of a big budget and back to basics. He dissects the ins and outs of relationships. Since returning to his rhyming roots, he sounds refreshed and finally ready for his close up, Mr. Demille.
DJ Omega, Kosmik, and other little known producers give Wale music with an elated bounce to it. Which causes the rapper to match the feel of each record. Instead of riding the beat, he sits inside of it and explores himself while he's in there.The best part of this mixtape, besides, the actual lyrics, is the attention to detail. Wale's mixtapes are based on his favorite show, 'Seinfeld'. So he picks skits from the hit sitcom that compliment the songs nicely. Also, the old school samples are flipped in a way not of the average. "The Problem" borrows from Debarge's "All This Love" in an interesting way.
'More about Nothing' is the album he should have put out instead of 'Attention Deficit'. This mixtape features the laid back rapper with a heart we've come to know and love. There's an element of freedom here. Probably because he wasn't trying too hard. This is the material that will give Wale the mainstream praise he deserves. Like he says on "The Power", "I aint Jay. I aint Wayne. I aint Tip. I am Olu Folarin." And he gets the best results when he is just that, himself.
DJ Omega, Kosmik, and other little known producers give Wale music with an elated bounce to it. Which causes the rapper to match the feel of each record. Instead of riding the beat, he sits inside of it and explores himself while he's in there.The best part of this mixtape, besides, the actual lyrics, is the attention to detail. Wale's mixtapes are based on his favorite show, 'Seinfeld'. So he picks skits from the hit sitcom that compliment the songs nicely. Also, the old school samples are flipped in a way not of the average. "The Problem" borrows from Debarge's "All This Love" in an interesting way.
'More about Nothing' is the album he should have put out instead of 'Attention Deficit'. This mixtape features the laid back rapper with a heart we've come to know and love. There's an element of freedom here. Probably because he wasn't trying too hard. This is the material that will give Wale the mainstream praise he deserves. Like he says on "The Power", "I aint Jay. I aint Wayne. I aint Tip. I am Olu Folarin." And he gets the best results when he is just that, himself.
The World Famous Tony Williams - Finding Dakota Grey (Mixtape Review)
Since 2004, Tony Williams has been the constantly overlooked voice behind some of Kanye West's best songs. Think back to cuts such as "Last Call", "We Major", and "Spaceship", to name a few, that was Tony's soulful crooning adding to the ambiance. Now, the world famous back up singer is ready to step out of the large shadow casted by the Louie Vuitton Don.
'Finding Dakota Grey' is a balanced collection of laid back neo-soul grooves, creative remixes, and praiseworthy covers. Even though most of the material is written by Williams himself, he is selfless when it comes to the spotlight. He brings a group of underground singers and rappers to flex their sizable talent. Al B. Back and Chop Chop add suave rhymes to the low key jam, "Late Early". While there aren't any noticeable low points of the mixtape, the best moments come when Tony flips some Kanye joints into a totally different songs. "Amazing"and "Nightmares" are a lot more melodic with him singing than the auto-tuned vocals of Kanye.
Tony Williams proves with 'Finding Dakota Grey' he is capable of more than playing the background. Kanye West has known this fact since the debut of 'The College Dropout'. now it's our turn to catch up. Oh, sorry are we late?
'Finding Dakota Grey' is a balanced collection of laid back neo-soul grooves, creative remixes, and praiseworthy covers. Even though most of the material is written by Williams himself, he is selfless when it comes to the spotlight. He brings a group of underground singers and rappers to flex their sizable talent. Al B. Back and Chop Chop add suave rhymes to the low key jam, "Late Early". While there aren't any noticeable low points of the mixtape, the best moments come when Tony flips some Kanye joints into a totally different songs. "Amazing"and "Nightmares" are a lot more melodic with him singing than the auto-tuned vocals of Kanye.
Tony Williams proves with 'Finding Dakota Grey' he is capable of more than playing the background. Kanye West has known this fact since the debut of 'The College Dropout'. now it's our turn to catch up. Oh, sorry are we late?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Game - Brake Lights (Mixtape Review)
The game never strays too far from a certain style. With his oft-delayed 'R.E.D. Album' having no release date in sight, The Game returns with a new mixtape, 'Brake Lights'. With it, he delivers something old, new, borrowed, and the gangs' opposite of blue.
Most of this project is finds Jayceon Taylor in the same situations as his prior albums. He's in the hood riding around in his Phantom. Most of the material sounds dated. It would be an amazing body of work if it was released in 2005. Obviously, he doesn't listen to Jay-Z because we're off that. The only time he sounds fresh is when he is rapping alongside Robin Thicke's slippery falsetto. Luckily, they have three songs together.
The production is a notch under great, but it is really good. Dark and heavy beats compliment his husky vocals nicely. Some of the tracks sound as if Jeezy would be a better fit on them. The Game might have realized this because on majority of the songs he gives his best Jeezy impression, instead of sounding like himself. If Jeezy was a west coast blood, this would be the album he would make.
The Game is stuck in the past. He is still trying to recapture the success from his debut album. The name checking every rapper he's come in contact with is growing tired. The drug conversation has been in need of a finale for a long time now. What he needs to understand is his fans have grown and moved on since then. He needs to catch up and do the same.
Most of this project is finds Jayceon Taylor in the same situations as his prior albums. He's in the hood riding around in his Phantom. Most of the material sounds dated. It would be an amazing body of work if it was released in 2005. Obviously, he doesn't listen to Jay-Z because we're off that. The only time he sounds fresh is when he is rapping alongside Robin Thicke's slippery falsetto. Luckily, they have three songs together.
The production is a notch under great, but it is really good. Dark and heavy beats compliment his husky vocals nicely. Some of the tracks sound as if Jeezy would be a better fit on them. The Game might have realized this because on majority of the songs he gives his best Jeezy impression, instead of sounding like himself. If Jeezy was a west coast blood, this would be the album he would make.
The Game is stuck in the past. He is still trying to recapture the success from his debut album. The name checking every rapper he's come in contact with is growing tired. The drug conversation has been in need of a finale for a long time now. What he needs to understand is his fans have grown and moved on since then. He needs to catch up and do the same.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Shareefa and Don Cannon - The Misunderstanding Of Shareefa (Mixtape Review)
Who? That's the usual response when asked an opinion about Shareefa's music. Nobody really knows her, or if they do its only for her 2005 hit, "Need A Boss" featuring Ludacris. After dropping her debut album in 2006, Shareefa damn near dropped off the face of the R&B scene. Now she's returned with a brand new mixtape to reintroduce herself to the masses. She's not your average singer, she goes harder, such is the statement made on "My Life".
The thirteen song collection opens with random men and women questioning her whereabouts and kicking different rumors around. The best rumor is she was on 'For The Love Of Ray J' after having a terrible performance at R&B Live. With the comedy out of the way, 'Reefa comes out of the gate with strong vocals that are the love child of Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige. But what brings Shareefa out of the two powerhouses' robust shadow is her attitude. She is a chick straight off the blocks of East Orange, New Jersey. And that New Jersey brashness is stamped all over the composition. She sings about wrapping hands around a girl's neck for trying to steal her man. Not too lady-like, but entertaining nonetheless.
'The Misunderstanding' is a winner because this is early nineties hip hop soul music-- strong and raspy vocals that have the chameleon ability to be sweet meshing with harder edged hip hop beats. Chucky Thompson, Justice League, and Teddy Bishop create sounds where Shareefa can flex her golden pipes and remain cool while doing so. "Warrior" features her sounding cool and sexy over reggae inspired production.
Shareefa has undeniable talent. She has what it takes to be a star. Her voice and lyrics are reminiscent of the greats, but with Jazmine Sullivan steadily jocking for position at the forefront of the new crop of hip hop soul chanteuses, is there room for Shareefa to grab a piece of the spotlight? That remains to be seen, but 'The Misunderstanding' is sending an astounding warning shot to those atop the heap that she's on her way to stake her claim.
The thirteen song collection opens with random men and women questioning her whereabouts and kicking different rumors around. The best rumor is she was on 'For The Love Of Ray J' after having a terrible performance at R&B Live. With the comedy out of the way, 'Reefa comes out of the gate with strong vocals that are the love child of Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige. But what brings Shareefa out of the two powerhouses' robust shadow is her attitude. She is a chick straight off the blocks of East Orange, New Jersey. And that New Jersey brashness is stamped all over the composition. She sings about wrapping hands around a girl's neck for trying to steal her man. Not too lady-like, but entertaining nonetheless.
'The Misunderstanding' is a winner because this is early nineties hip hop soul music-- strong and raspy vocals that have the chameleon ability to be sweet meshing with harder edged hip hop beats. Chucky Thompson, Justice League, and Teddy Bishop create sounds where Shareefa can flex her golden pipes and remain cool while doing so. "Warrior" features her sounding cool and sexy over reggae inspired production.
Shareefa has undeniable talent. She has what it takes to be a star. Her voice and lyrics are reminiscent of the greats, but with Jazmine Sullivan steadily jocking for position at the forefront of the new crop of hip hop soul chanteuses, is there room for Shareefa to grab a piece of the spotlight? That remains to be seen, but 'The Misunderstanding' is sending an astounding warning shot to those atop the heap that she's on her way to stake her claim.
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