Album Review: Clipse - Til The Casket Drops
Artist: Clipse
Album: Til The Casket Drops
Release Date: 12.8.09
The long awaited 3rd album from the Virgina duo known as The Clipse has finally arrived. Arguably one of the best duos to ever pick up a microphone, the Thornton twins have had their share of issues and setbacks prior to this release. Releasing a slew of mixtapes, freestyles and features, not to mention an interesting video blog, they have managed to keep their name in the streets and fans salivating at the mouth while awaiting their commercial release.
The Dream - Touch and Feel
Audio: The Dream - Touch N' Feel
Video: Rihanna Performs 'Russian Roulette' on X-Factor
Timbaland ft. Brandy (a.k.a. Bran'Nu) - Meet In The Middle
Audio: Timbaland ft. Bran'Nu - Meet In The Middle
Chris Brown ft. Ester Dean - I Love You
Audio: Chris Brown ft. Ester Dean - I Love You
Clipse - Footsteps x There Was A Murder (Feat. Kobe)
2 new tracks off the new Clipse album, Til The Casket Drops. Both featuring Kobe, and both produced by DJ Khalil. Speaking of Khalil, his production this year alone has been on point. Top 5 in production, as his resume this year is undisputed. Til The Casket Drops hits stores December 8th. I might throw another track up here later, stay tuned.
DOWNLOAD: Clipse - Footsteps (Feat. Kobe)
DOWNLOAD: Clipse - There Was A Murder (Feat. Kobe)
Ne-Yo - Let Me Know x That Girl x Over
I think we all are starting to realize that this man has put out more music than any other artist this year. And one month away from the end of the year, it doesn't look like he's anywhere near stopping. Here's 3 more tracks from Ne-Yo. You might have heard the That Girl track before, as it was a demo for Marques Houston.
DOWNLOAD: Ne-Yo - Let Me Know
DOWNLOAD: Ne-Yo - That Girl
DOWNLOAD: Ne-Yo - Over
Timbaland - Maniac (The One I Love) (Feat. Keri Hilson, Chris Brown & D.O.E.)
Here's a new track which will be appearing on Timbaland's Shock Value II album. But from what I've been told, Chris Brown was removed from the final version of this song. So, until the final track appears, hear what the track was originally supposed to sound like. Shock Value II drops December 8th.
DOWNLOAD: Timbaland - Maniac (The One I Love) (Feat. Keri Hilson, Chris Brown & D.O.E.)
R. Kelly - Fallin' From The Sky
Here's the bonus track from the UK version R. Kelly's Untitled album, dropping December 1st. As a bonus, i threw in another track off the album below.
DOWNLOAD: R. Kelly - Fallin' From The Sky
DOWNLOAD: R. Kelly - Like I Do
MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: Lupe Fiasco - Enemy of the State: A Love Story
DOWNLOAD - Enemy Of The State: A Love Story
FAN Video: Trey Songz ft. Gucci Mane, Soulja Boy - LOL Smiley Face
Video: Rudy Currence - Last Christmas
SADE Preps New 'Soldier' Album + Throwback Video
Wale ft. Marsha Ambrosius - Diary
Audio: Wale ft. Marsha - Diary
Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind (Broken Down)
Audio: Empire State of Mind (Broken Down)
Usher ft. T.I. - In My Bag
Audio: Usher - In My Bag ft. T.I.
R. Kelly - Pregnant (Feat. Tyrese, Robin Thicke & The Dream)
Audio: Pregnant
Beanie Sigel - Think Big
If you recall earlier, Mack posted the "How Can I Kill Jigga Man" track, dissing Jay-Z. Here's the other one he dropped. Mostly bars, but the shots to Bleek & Mr. Carter are there.
DOWNLOAD: Beanie Sigel - Think Big
The Soul Train Awards: Red Carpet Interviews - Part 1
Album Review: John Mayer - Battle Studies
Artist name: John Mayer
Album title: Battle Studies
Release date: 11.17.09
It’s probably too easy for me to associate the content of John Mayer’s Battle Studies with his recent split from former Friends actress Jennifer Aniston. Still, after multiple listens to Mayer’s latest recording, it seems as if the New York City musician is using his art to exorcise some very personal demons. Battle Studies is reflective and rooted in love, much like Lenny Kravitz’s classic Mama Said, an album in which the rocker atoned for his soured romance with Lisa Bonet. On Battle Studies, Mayer purges deeply into his soul to decipher how his romance failed, thoughtfully expresses his feelings and moves on.
Mayer has grown considerably from the young 20-something we first met to a full-fledged adult who uses his music to tackle life’s more challenging obstacles. Mayer’s major label debut, Room For Squares, was powered by his Grammy winning single, “Your Body Is A Wonderland.” In 2003, Mayer released Heavier Things, and the single “Daughters” went on to win a Grammy for Song of the Year. On his 2006 studio album, Continuum, Mayer merged pop music with the blues and won a Grammy for Best Pop Album. Until now, Mayer’s albums contained songs with multiple topics. Battle Studies can easily be called a “concept” album, since each song is focused on that ever sensitive matter of the heart — love.
“All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye” stands out because of the content and the sincerity by which Mayer delivers his message. The subtle pluck of the acoustic guitar and the occasional tap of piano keys help this song glide effortlessly across your ear drums. The pace picks up somewhat on the country twang of “Half Of My Heart,” which features vocalist Taylor Swift. Although half of Mayer’s heart has “a grip on the situation,” the other half’s “got a right mind to tell you that I can’t keep loving you.” But just as fast as the energy heightens, it deflates just as quickly on “Who Says,” which is produced using an acoustic guitar and drum brushes.
By the time “Assassin” rolls around, Mayer uses harder drums, deep bass and an electric guitar to deliver a hard shot to his departed love. “I was a killer, was the best they’d ever seen. I’d steal your heart before you ever heard a thing,” Mayer croons on the chorus to this edgy song. “I’m an assassin and I had a job to do. Little did I know that girl was an assassin, too.”
On “Edge of Desire,” Mayer uses more hard rock-n-roll to make one last plea to his lover before calling it off completely. By the album’s last song, the epic “Friends, Lovers Or Nothing,” he delivers an ultimatum and stands his ground. “There’ll never be an in-between,” Mayer sings, “so give it up.” All told, Battle Studies is best digested on a calm day, or during the course of a breakup. But even if you’re solidly in love, John Mayer has delivered an opus through you can relate.
Marcus J. Moore
Sound-Savvy rates Battle Studies with 4 out of 5 platinum headphones.
Dirty Money ft. Lupe Fiasco - Angels Remix
Audio: Angels (REMIX)
NEW: Kelis - A Capella
Audio: A Capella
Rihanna ft. Justin Timberlake - Hole In Your Head
Audio: Hole In My Head
Wale - Beast
Audio: BEAST
DISS: Beanie Sigel - How I Can Kill Jigga Man
Download Audio: Beanie Sigel - How I Can Kill Jigga Man
American Music Awards '09 Performance Recap
Janet Jackson - opening the show, Ms. Jackson rocked the stage and the crowd with a medley of some of her best #1 hits, including Control, Miss You Much, If, Together Again and her new smash Make Me. In slightly less than 8 minutes, the youngest of the Jackson dynasty reminded us what a performance is really about and again cemented her place as an icon.
Kelly Clarkson - took the stage in ballad form tonight for one of my favorite songs by her Already Gone.
Shakira - Give It Up To Me looked like a sorority step show scene from a music video, but it was actually pretty nice. I enjoy watching her move in sync with 60 other women...
Daughtry - These fellas are uber-talented, so simplicity will always work for them.
I'll lump The Black Eyed Peas in with Adam Lambert - LESS is MORE. Both are highly talented acts and should learn something from the seasoned professionals: sometimes its better to let the madness take place around you than for you to actually get lost in it.
Mary J. Blige - Quite simply, Mary better do it! I Am is her best ballad since Be Without You and this performance was elegant. I'm glad she didn't "take it to church", twas no need...
Carrie Underwood - she may have been outdressed by her own dancers, but there aren't too many that can outsing her, as she proved tonight.
Rihanna - I can't front, I wanted to see a dramatic performance of Russian Roulette - would've been killer! Her vocals were good, but it was the overall stage show that won me over: the theme, the energy, the wardrobe (outfitted with bullets containing laser light emitters).
Lady Gaga - Rihanna was good. Lady Gaga was better. Again, Gaga proved that she's just better. Her performance just had a stronger vibe, more energy and pushed harder than mostly anyone else's. Next to Janet, hers was the second best of the night.
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - 100% Swagger. Jay epitomizes it. So does Alicia. Nuff' said.
Alicia Keys - still not feeling the superhero vibe for Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart, the message speaks more than that to me. She sounded good, but the performance got a bit random and hard to follow at some points. Not her best.
Whitney Houston - Ya know, Whitney wasn't too bad. I think she chose a ballad because she had a better chance at hitting all the notes, though I was praying for Million Dollar Bill. She made me proud of her, but I also realized that old school Whitney=gone forever.
Timbaland - Without a doubt the worst performance of the night. Timbaland looked sloppily dressed and barely able to move. Nelly Furtado made the performance bearable, but not by much. Two types of leather tho Timbaland?
Green Day - rock band performances have been few lately, but Green Day managed to rock out very enjoyably
J. Lo - I liked the theme for her performance, it was very creative, and the performance was pretty good -- minus the fact that her vocal track was turned up late (making her lip synch obvious) and that unfortunate fall on her bum.
Eminem and 50 Cent - Well first, 50 served no purpose. Eminem totally owned Drake's song Forever and proved that fact to the world by performing his verse alone, without assistance from Drake, Wayne, or Ye.
Adam Lambert - again... WTF?
VIDEO: Janet Jackson - Make Me
Toni Braxton ft. Trey Songz - Yesterday
Video: Keri Hilson - I Like
INTERVIEW and MIXTAPE: Mullage - Elevators: The Pre-Album
Dirty Money ft. Jim Jones, Red Cafe and Fabolous - Love Come Down
Audio: Love Come Down (OFFICIAL REMIX)
LIVE VIDEO: Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind Part II
Ne-yo - Bad Habit
Audio: Ne-yo - Bad Habit
Timbaland ft. Justin Timberlake - Crazy Girl
Audio: Crazy Girl
NEW! Jennifer Lopez - Louboutins
Audio: Jennifer Lopez - Louboutins
Throwback Thursday: Redman - I'll Be Dat
VIDEO: Pretty Ricky - Say A Command
LIVE: Alicia Keys Performs 'Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart"
Joe Budden Remixes 'Russian Roulette'
Audio: Joe Budden - Russian Roulette
VIDEO: B.O.B. - No Man's Land
VIDEO: Robin Thicke - Sex Therapy
Jay Sean - Do You
Audio: Jay Sean - Do You
Kevin Cossom - U Know What U Doin' (Feat. Pusha T)
Another KC track off his Hook Vs Bridge EP, featuring one half of the Clipse. Keep it locked here, Kevin's EP drops tomorrow, for free might I add. Produced by Danja. As a bonus, i added another track from his EP, featuring Joe Budden.
DOWNLOAD: Kevin Cossom - U Know What U Doin' (Feat. Pusha T)
DOWNLOAD: Kevin Cossom - My Ex (Feat. Joe Budden)
Ne-Yo - Heartbreakers
What would #musicmonday be without Ne-Yo? Any day, for that matter, because Ne-Yo doesn't seem of slowing down with the music. On average at least 2-3 songs get put out from him weekly. Heres his newest. This one's produced by Chuck Harmony.
DOWNLOAD: Ne-Yo - Heartbreakers