New Artist Alert: Goapele

Technically, I guess she isn't that new. But her videos are lusciously vivid. And that's a rarity these days. I think alot of artist forget about the power of a music video. And tha'ts a shame.

Stereo Hearts mashup. Collin McLoughlin (New Artist Alert).

Not sure who Collin McLoughlin is....but this medley, covering a combo of three songs: “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine, “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Black Eyed Peas, and “Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars...is nice. I'm keeping my eyes out for this dude.

New Artist. Aloe Blacc.

New Artist alert. Ding! Ding! Ding!





I love discovering new artist. This guy has soul. I like where music is going these days. Talent is reemerging. I knew it wasn't all just rap songs you do dances to and fist pumping. Go Ahead Aloe.

New Artist Alert: B.o.B

So, I'm here to review the B.O.B album. Something I would have never thought I would do. After I heard that Beautiful Girls song 10 thousand times on the radio, I took it off my ipod and thought I'd never hear from this guy again, willingly. Well, it turns out I spoke too soon. Stuck in someone elses car driving from NJ, I heard the whole album. And it is truly refreshing. Apparently he is multi-talented artist....sings, raps...plays instruments too. Above is his lasted video for the song Airplanes which features Kyley Williams (???).

What I like is that he isn't afreiad to mix sounds on his album. He clearly is an urban music head at heart....but his album still manages to feel like every song is different- featuring artist from Weezer, Janelle Monae, Eminem Lupe Fiasco, TI and more. It's good sh*t mang (and womang). Below are a few of my favorites from what apparently is his freshman album: B.o.B: Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray. Get on it.

You are welcome.

Archandroid. Janelle Monae.

Wow. I cant even begin to tell you guys how fresh this album is. Janelle Monae has done it again with her sophmore album, Archandroid. Talk about new music. She hit us early with Tightrope and Coldwar just to wet our whistles, but the album as a whole needs to be discussed. Every. Single. Song. Is different and unique. I cant even classify this in a genre. I want to say it's R&B, but that's like saying Aretha is only the princess of soul.

Just when you think you know how a song is going to play out, she switches it on you- makes it better. She is truly an original artist with her own approach to music. Below are a few of my favorites...but the entire album is beautiful. The type of music that artist just dont make anymore.... I might just buy this album. Yikes!

"U will not be disappointed. Ms. Monae has conquered undiscovered territory. This album will go where none have gone before. U might not be ready for it now...but when it hits and we are awakened all our lives will change and our eyes will be opened. Our nostrils will flare to that funk that we have been all been missing."
-Android62789

Love Dealer. Esmee Denters ft Justin Timberlake.

The american dream, Youtube star one minute...making tracks with Justin Timberlake the next.

This is a nice little Jammy jam. I wish this girl luck, cause she can sing.

VIA c'est la vie

Rübe. New Artist Alert.

This style is so ridiculously fresh. I dare you to listen to these tracks from German artist Rube, and not me completely impressed. I accidentally ran into thier track "Get Up",.... on Lala and I knew I had to post about him. It's a tough follow, seeing as how I could not find the song in full that inspired this post. But below is another track he did on what I think is a compilation album...called Jazz & Milk Breaks.

The breakdown:

INFORMED AND INSPIRED BY JAZZ, BEAT POETRY, AND BIG BAND SWING, RUBE'S "ANOTHER GONE RECORD" IS THE KIND OF RECORD THAT B-BOYS, B-GIRLS, LINDY HOPPERS, JAZZ CATS, BEATHEADS AND HEP CATS CAN ALL APPRECIATE.
In Rube's mind, bop jazz, beat poetry, big band swing, and hip hop live together. As Rube's first EP, "Another Gone Record" demonstrates, the fore mentioned arts get along very we

Sickness. Who thinks to combine those genres? Anyway, I hope the links I've supplied don't throw you off too much. I would suggest listening to him on Lala. You get a few free listens before you have to sign up (which is free). But Lala is a little useless seeing as how you can only listen to songs once, without purchase. But hey... I've been googling for hours, I can't find anything better to forward you too. I'm gonna see what my friend LimeWire has to say about finding this track tonight. I need this ish on my ipod, Theo asap-thus ushering in a new era of my life hosting wine and drug parties at my Swanky Upper East Side apartment with glass tables and leather couches.

I'm just kidding...my place is in Harlem. I've got a ways to go. I digress. This is more about you than me. Enjoy!

Milkman. Mashups.

I just discovered this dj that does the meanest mashups. It's on the same level as Girl Talk, but much, much better. Here is a little sample. Enjoy.




The beat that drops at 3:24....sick!

Been in Love. Eric Roberson.

Eric Roberson feat phonte- been in love
by exotiklady

New artist (to me) alert. This track is smooth as hell. I'll be on the watch out for this dude. He sound like Dwele. Soul R&B brotha. Check out his album. Smoke Signals is also a nother hot joint. 

New Artist: Chrisette Michele.

New Artist Alert. Ok...she is not new. Just new to me. Chrisette-Michele. I went to Boston for memorial day. I took the bus up (which I came to the conclusion that I will never do again), but I was able to talk my way into a ride back. And on that ride back I got a chance to hear this lovely young woman's new album Epiphany. There are a few songs I can't get down with...but for the most part, it's a great album. Beautiful jazzy strong voice dropped over some old school real r&b.

These are the songs I'm really diggin off the album:

Porcelain Doll - Chrisette Michele

Mr. Right - Chrisette Michele

Im Okay - Chrisette Michele

Fragile - Chrisette Michele

And check out her latest video. I see you Jimmy from Degrassi. Not sure how you got out of your wheel chair, but welcome to America.

Ok, that's it. Nice new artist. Here's her whole album. I only like a few songs, but maybe she will evolve into a true talent. One that can battle the likes a Beyonce and Ciara...and we can get some real music back on the airwaves. Fingers crossed. 

Is that French???

New Music alert!!! I was put on by TAN. You know about my love of finding anything "out side of the box" and this new artist/group Op Swamp 81 fits the bill, so to speak (since we are using cliches). I have no idea how to describe the group so I have stolen a passage from someone more experienced, with terms and such.  

"A collage of hip-hop inspired performances from newcomers Bless Roxwell & Ra the MC, electric funk band OP Swamp 81, funky hip-hop’s Eagle Nebula, and electro-hip Ms. TK Wonder (with Taylor McFerrin)."

It's very eclectic. It is what Gnarles Barkely was 5 years ago, before he went mainstream but way more soulful and....french. And you may not know how I feel about the French. But every time I hear the accent. I think of this guy. And I don't like him. And I feel no need to explain myself.

Give it a listen...

{OP SWAMP 81:PEAU NOIRE,MASQUES BLANCS}{2008}

Much like TAN...I cosign on this find.

Old School in a New School Era.

Now, I was never really a Raphael Saadiq fan before. Infact, I try to draw a very distinct line for myself when it comes to the "Neosoul" genre. But there something about Raphael's new album The Way I See It, that quiet literally puts the soul back in soul music. It transports you back in time and makes you wish you were around back in the day to grind and get down in someone's momma's basment, fro'ed out and sweatin.

Check out these tracks below and tell a brotha if he's fibbin.

Even Jay Z gets all Temptations on us. And yes...that was Stevie Wonder. Tell me you're not feelin this. I dare you. These four songs alone have gotten me through my daily commute for the past week, and it has been the most relaxing week of my life. I promise that (minus the stomach virus part).

from across the pond....Estelle.

New artist alert. I like this song. Its my April jam...and its good at the gym too.

Estelle - "American Boy" ft. Kanye West


think its also funny how this video portrays "American Boys." Being one myself, I was not in this video. And lets be serious....5ft 7 is not the ideal man height. That's bordering little man complex, aint it?

Other Estelle joints...

"Wait A Minute"
"wrap it up cuz i ain't carrying your embryo" ....
1980
she has actually been around for awhile, but she is black and British...and those two things aren't exactly the ideal situation. Word is, she is starting to speak up about the incongruousness of the British "soul music" scene. And how there are no people of color. Do it to it.
Go Gone
This is like, Knarls Barkly meets Sister Act....back when she just started...or should I say began.


She's also got a look....I'd hollar, or atleast stare at her real hard from across the club w/ a martinin in hand. I use to date someone who looks alot like her. So I may be partial. But, I am never wrong. New artist Grammy. Trust. The new Lauren Hill (rapper/singer...you gitta hear the album).

And yall know, I dont do well with accents. And I'm still feelin her.

PS I was reading some of the comments below the youtube videos....holy ape shit, the slang some of the Brits use, makes English look like a crazed mid-east dialect. Dazed and confused, I thought they were all cultured across the pond?

just a few (10) things.

Just a few things on this lovely Friday.

1. The lovely painting to the left is by John Currin. Click on the boobs to see what other wonders he embellishes upon in his free time.

2. Marc jacob has a new charity t-shirt line out, meant to warn people of the peril that is overexposing your skin to the sun. The ploy....naked celebs strategically covered by the bolded aerial typeface. Celebs include Victoria "Posh" Beckham, Hiedi Klum, Niaomi Cambell.....whether you buy the shirt because you support the cause or you just want nekkid celebs on your chest,you get an "A" in my book.

3. G.I. Joe. I dont know if you know but Paramount is making a live action movie of this old cartoon. Word on the street is that "Actor" Dennis Quad and Channing Tatum have been picked up by the film. So basically, you can expect atleast one breakdance/pop-and-lock dance off from the Combra Commander. *please note the presence of Marlon Waynes, this is what we in the industry call a well casted film*

4. Heath Ledger just cannot rest in piece. ET, Insider and Page Six bid on some past footage of Heath doing some cocaine at a party some years ago. Why do famous people keep taping themselves doing stupid sh*t? Anyway, the following is striaght from the clip.

“I’m gonna get so much sh*t from my girlfriend,” Ledger
is seen saying in the vid.
Why, he’s asked.
“We have a baby together…Matilda Matilda Rose.”
The tables at the party are filled with drugs, one person who has seen the tape tells us.
Ledger also talks about his drug use and other not so pretty things are seen.
“I used to smoke five joints a day,” Heath reveals.

And that’s not the only thing. It’s being reported that Ledger also battled addiction to heroin, cocaine, alcohol and prescription pills.

via http://icydk.com/

5. Proudly continueing my information collecting addiction to the movie "Cloverfiled"....click here to see (and hear) the comprehensive party playlist that was bumpin in the beginning of the movie, during Rob's party- before the monster attacked. Why would you need to see this? Because....just because, ok.....

6. Global Monopoly. The old game Monopoly (predictors of one future financial properity in real life) is steppin up, and replacing the old board spots with real citites. They are asking you to vote for your city to make the board. Track it all right here. Apparently, there is only 28 days left to vote...so lets all come together and vote Afganistan onto the list. Imagine how cheap that property would be if you landed on it...$2 at most. Andits perfect place for the use of a get out of jail free card. Get out of jail with all your limps intact and untortured.

7. Spice Girls. Apparently if I was a spicegirl, I would be Baby Spice. Who would you be? This test is probably more accurate if you have a vagina, but hey...I had fun.

8. Victoria Secret's top sexiest list. Clearly they need to meet me, cause I am not on it. Top Sexiest Unemployed Wanna Be Art Director in Chicago who happens to be Black-->me.

9. iv'e discovered a new artist. Ryan leslie. And by discovered I mean, I heard for the first time and down loaded as much of his music I could from Limewire. Then after careful consideration, I considered him worthy of keeping on my computer. This track, Diamond Girl is stella.....but I'm not giving it its own post just yet.

10. Have a good weekend. Root for the Giants. And do a shot for your boy.

Holler.