Music Video: Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind
After quite a few sneak previews of the video, we finally get the clip for NYC's new anthem. Great video, there's an underlying message of progression in the song that's reflected just as well in the video. If you didn't get it, watch again. This song is enough to make ANYONE feel proud, even if you're not from NYC. Take a look, enjoy...
Wale ft. Melanie Fiona and J. Cole - Beautiful Bliss
Audio: Beautiful Bliss
NEW VIDEO: Britney Spears - 3
Video: Ne-yo - Never Knew I Needed
After about a hundred leaked tracks, this one actually turned out to be an official Ne-yo song. Never I Knew I Needed is a nice little love song that will appear on the soundtrack for Disney's new animated movie The Princess and the Frog, which will feature the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard and more. The movie is in theaters November 25.
Wyclef Jean ft. Eve - Suicide Love
Audio: Wyclef Jean ft. Eve - Suicide Love
Ludacris ft. Shawnna - How Low
Audio: Ludacris & Shawnna - How Low
NEW: Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart
DJ Khaled ft. Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Drake - FED UP
Audio: DJ Khaled, Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Drake - Fed Up
BET Hip-Hop Awards Recap: The Ciphers
One of the highlights from last night's BET Hip Hop Awards was the series of rap ciphers that were intermingled into the 2-hour broadcast. This was the truest representation of rap I've seen in a while. The hottest of the cipher circles? Joe Budden, KRS-One, Eminem, and Mos Def. Nicki Minaj came kinda hard too!
New Music from MULLAGE: Dope Emcees x Where I'll Be
Audio Download: Mullage ft. OB - Where I'll Be
Audio Download: Mullage - 2 Dope Emcees
MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: Lil Wayne - No Ceilings
It's finally here folks... Weezy's new No Ceilings featuring his remixes to Swag Surfin, D.O.A., Wasted and a bunch of others... download it here and let me know what ya think!
MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: Lil Wayne - No Ceilings
Missy Elliott ft. Teyana Taylor and Pharrell - Put It On Ya'
It's been a long time, but Missy's back with a dope beat and some fresh sounds to make you move once again. This time, she's got Pharrell and the rising star Teyana Taylor in tow to deliver Put It On Ya. I can't wait to see what 4 minute visual masterpiece she's cookin up for this one. In case you're wondering, Put It On Ya is set to appear on Missy's forthcoming 7th album Block Party which will also see appearances from Tweet, T-Pain, Jazmine Sullivan and others. After multiple pushbacks, the album is due out first quarter 2010.
Audio: Missy, Teyana Taylor and Pharrell - Put It On Ya
Album Review: Amerie - In Love & War
Artist: Amerie
Album: In Love & War
Release Date: 11.03.09
Since she first stepped on the scene with her 2002 debut, a few things have been evident about Amerie: she loves drums, she has a round-the-way-girl approach, and she’s NOT a powerhouse vocalist. Still, her limited range has always served her well in delivering love songs and tales of the heartbreak. With her Def Jam debut however, she reached for a grungier, grittier sound, more raw and revealing. The result is not quite where it should be, a misshapen attempt at mixing alternative rock sounds with R&B. In Love & War suffers from a lack of depth, and with 3 projects already behind her (one overseas release), it's about time she dug a little deeper.
Similar to her previous releases, Amerie’s strength still lies in her percussion-heavy hip shakers like the tribal-inspired single Heard ‘Em All and the opening cut Tell Me You Love Me. The other highlights on the album are the songs that offer some contrast to Amerie’s vocals, including Trey Songz on the Mint-Condition sampled Pretty Brown and Fabolous’ verse on More Than Love. Higher evokes the rocker-side, very Kravitz-type sound and is a decent song, as is the standout ballad Different People.
On many of the offerings here, the production outshines the star. While the melodies and arrangements reach the intended effect, it’s the vocals and even the lyrical flow that fall short. Dear John is everything a ballad should be, but when Amerie’s vocals are added, the track seems to falter a bit. The same holds true on The Flowers – both songs are just missing the crucial element that makes a ballad – the pure emotion. Beyond all that, Amerie is far too deep in her career to still have such surface-level content. There’s no connection with the listener beyond the dance numbers.
The album is very hit-and-miss and even the hits are mediocre at best. Amerie’s new home at Def Jam have brought about a new sound that has great potential for her vocal style, but fall just short of making hit records. From the vivid album art, I expected to hear a more soulful and eclectic style – I was halfway satisfied. Eclectic style is present, soul and depth missed the bus, and Amerie’s In Love & War misses the mark…
Sound-Savvy rates In Love & War with 2.5 out of 5 platinum headphones.
Video: Four Questions With The Flaming Lips
Funny, because after I got in from One Mic Mondays last night, I caught the end of the Fallon show and saw The Flaming Lips on there. The origins of this group pre-date my interest in and knowledge of the musical world (and probably most of yours as well), still I found this video interesting to hear the honest answers of a seasoned artist. This is an exclusive backstage clip, not aired on the show. Check it out...
Video: Flo-Rida - Touch Me
Flo-Rida rises to a new level of cornball in this new espionage-style video that captures the muscle-bound pop star on a mission to save The Baddest Chick Trina from the... Adult-Friend-Finder Girls? You CANNOT be serious... It's one thing to do what you must to get paid, but when it comes to corny endorsement deals, Flo-Rida goes hard! LMAO!
VIDEO: Melanie Fiona - The Subway Series II (Canada)
In the second edition of Melanie Fiona's Subway Series, we find her in her native Canada re-creating You Stop My Heart alongside a street-side harmony quartet, and It Kills Me with a concert cellist. This Subway Series is the epitome of unplugged, to be able to take your music anywhere in the world and re-create it with musicians from all walks of life. The Bridge, the classic debut album from Melanie Fiona is now available on iTunes, and you can read the Sound-Savvy Review as well.
Video: Chris Brown - I Can Transform Ya!
Okay, so who couldn't predict the "Transformer" references with the graphic effects? This video is like an 80's kid's fantasy, transforming into vehicles, assasins, robots, etc. The dance breakdown was the most standout part of the video for me, that kid is amazing, a dance phenom for real!! Graffiti in stores December 15th!
JAHEIM'S BACK!! 'Ain't Leaving Without You'
Audio: Jaheim - Ain't Leavin' Without You
Soulja Boy ft. Drake - Play Ball
Audio: Soulja Boy ft. Drake - Play Ball
New Music from Keri Hilson - I Like
Wow... can I say I Like this?? Definitely a hot joint from Ms. Keri Baby! I've heard (unconfirmed) that this is a cut off her upcoming sophomore album, and if the rest of it sounds like this, she'll have some heat on her hands! Check it out...
Audio: Keri Hilson - I Like (CDQ)
Mary J. Blige - I Can See In Color
Audio: Mary J. Blige - I Can See In Color
Video: Raheem Devaughn ft. Ludacris - Bulletproof
This is one of Raheem's best videos, definitely one of the best and most creative out right now by far. The masses may not pick up on this because of the message it bears, still it's an important one. This joint also gives yet another reason why I'm forever a Ludacris fan - HOT VERSE! Bulletproof is the first single from Raheem's forthcoming 3rd album The Love and War Masterpeace, which is slated for release next month, but with pushbacks these days, it appears that no release date is bulletproof...
Ciara - Turn It Up
Audio: Ciara - Turn It Up
Bow Wow ft. Lil Wayne - Can I Be Your Man
Hmmmm... I kinda like this joint! Could this move to Cash Money be the magic Bow Wow needs to ensure that his career has some longevity? I'm not making any predictions for his future, but this is a nice start...
Audio: Bow Wow ft. Lil Wayne - Can I Be Your Man
Usher - Rockband
Audio: Usher - Rockband
Album Review: Mr. Hudson - Straight No Chaser
Artist: Mr. Hudson
Food For Thought - A Typical Love Story...
All my fellow late night tweeters know how this works: lately I come home from work and crash and around 11PM my nocturnal vampire energy kicks in and I'm up til at least 3 AM grinding away with all my might (minds out of the gutter, focus please). Last night I couldn't get Be Good To You by Vivian Green out of my head so I wanted to hear her first album - A Love Story. I dashed to my stash and searched through my alphabetized collection of over 1000 CDs and wouldn't ya know it wasn't there? Story of my life: when I'm looking for a love story, it eludes and almost evades me - can't find that shit nowhere. So i resorted to streaming it online. Then this morning, as I'm getting dressed what do u think I found tucked behind my CD shelf? A Love Story. Typical. After I settled for a watered down, interrupted-by-ads version last night. Message?
The Game - Heaven
Audio: The Game - Heaven
Lloyd ft. J. Holiday - Take It Off
Audio: Lloyd ft. J. Holiday - Take It Off
Juvenile ft. Bobby Valentino - Everything
Audio: Juvenile ft. Bobby Valentino - Everything
Rihanna feat. Kardinal Offishall - Russian Roulette (Remix)
REMIX: Rihanna ft. Kardinal Offishall - Russian Roulette (REMIX)
Video: Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over x Destiny's Child Medley
Kelly Rowland is not a forgotten child of destiny... She's been making crowds roar overseas performing her #1 hit single When Love Takes Over with UK DJ David Guetta (from his One Love) album. In this clip, she gives the crowd 20 minutes of performance hits including Work, Dilemma, and a Destiny's Child medley that includes Say My Name, Independent Women, Bootylicious, Survivor and Jumpin Jumpin.
VIDEO: Adam Lambert - Time For Miracles
Despite his disappointing loss at the title of last year's American Idol, Adam Lambert is and will continue to emerge as the bigger star... but you knew that already right? Here's his new single, the theme song from the soundtrack to the upcoming disaster flick 2012. His debut album is entitled For Your Entertainment, and is slated for release on November 23. He's reportedly worked with some huge songwriters, including One Republic's Ryan Tedder, Kara DioGuardi, Linda Perry and most recently Lady Gaga. I'm looking forward to it...
Time For Miracles
Adam Lambert | MySpace Video
Amerie feat. Trey Songz and Lloyd Banks - Pretty Brown Eyes (Remix)
Audio: Pretty Brown Eyes (REMIX)