Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Live Video of the Day: "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)


It's always a pleasure to see the legendary genius Stevie Wonder perform and if you are ever fortunate enough to see him live yourself, you are in for a once in a lifetime treat. With that said, watch Stevie croon out one of his numerous classics below from 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' and Enjoy!


Award Nominations: 2012 Grammy Awards


A few minutes ago the Grammy Awards Nomination Concert took place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and the nominees for several of the categories were release. Below you will find nominations for the entire R&B, Rap, & Pop fields as well as the major four. Kanye West leads the field with seven nominations while Adele, Foo Fighters, and Bruno Mars trail with six nominations apiece.
With that said, lookout for the 54th Grammy Awards when then go down live on  February 12, 2012 at the Staples Center.



Album Of The Year
"21" - Adele
"Wasting Light" - Foo Fighters
"Born This Way" - Lady Gaga
"Doo-Wops & Hooligans" - Bruno Mars
"Loud" -- Rihanna


Record Of The Year
"Rolling In The Deep" - Adele
"Holocene" - Bon Iver
"Grenade" - Bruno Mars
"The Cave" - Mumford & Sons
"Firework" - Katy Perry


Best New Artist
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex


Song Of The Year
"All Of The Lights" (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie) - Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters

"The Cave" (Mumford & Sons) - Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters

"Grenade" (Bruno Mars) - Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt,songwriters

"Holocene" -- Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)

"Rolling In The Deep" (Adele) - Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters


Best R&B Performance
"Far Away" - Marsha Ambrosius
"Pieces Of Me" - Ledisi
"Not My Daddy" - Kelly Price & Stokley
"Is This Love" - Corinne Bailey Rae
"You Are" - Charlie Wilson


Best Traditional R&B Performance
"Sometimes I Cry" - Eric Benét
"Fool For You" - Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
"Radio Message" - R. Kelly
"Good Man" - Raphael Saadiq
"Surrender" - Betty Wright & The Roots


Best R&B Song
"Far Away" (Marsha Ambrosius) - Marsha Ambrosius, Sterling Simms & Justin Smith, songwriters 

"Fool For You" (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona) - Cee Lo Green & Jack Splash, songwriters

"Not My Daddy" (Kelly Price) - Kelly Price, songwriter 

"Pieces Of Me" (Ledisi) - Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly & Ledisi Young, songwriters 

"You Are" (Charlie Wilson) - Dennis Bettis, Carl M. Days, Jr., Wirlie Morris, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters 


Best R&B Album
"F.A.M.E." - Chris Brown
"Second Chance" - El DeBarge
"Love Letter" - R. Kelly
"Pieces Of Me" - Ledisi
"Kelly" -  Kelly Price


Best Pop Solo Performance
"Someone Like You" - Adele
"Yoü And I" - Lady Gaga
"Grenade" - Bruno Mars
"Firework" - Katy Perry
"F***in’" - PerfectPink


Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Body And Soul" - Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
"Dearest" - The Black Keys
"Paradise" - Coldplay
"Pumped Up" - KicksFoster The People
"Moves Like Jagger" - Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera


Best Pop Vocal Album
"21" - Adele
"The Lady Killer" - Cee Lo Green
"Born This Way" - Lady Gaga
"Doo-Wops & Hooligans" - Bruno Mars
"Loud" - Rihanna


Best Rap Performance
"Look At Me Now" - Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
"Otis" - Jay-Z & Kanye WestTrack 
"The Show Goes On" - Lupe Fiasco
"Moment 4 Life" - Nicki Minaj & Drake
"Black And Yellow" - Wiz Khalifa


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Party" - Beyoncé & André 3000
"I'm On One" - DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
"I Need A Doctor" - Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
"What's My Name?" - Rihanna & Drake
"Motivation" - Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
"All Of The Lights" - Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie


Best Rap Song
"All Of The Lights" (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie) - Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters 

"Black And Yellow" (Wiz Khalifa) - Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters

"I Need A Doctor" (Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey) - Andre Young, Marshall Mathers III, Alexander Grant & Skylar Grey, songwriters

"Look At Me Now" (Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes) - Jean Baptiste, Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Trevor Smith, Dwayne Carter, Jr. & Wesley Pentz, songwriters

"Otis" (Jay-Z & Kanye West) - Shawn Carter & Kanye West, songwriters (James Brown, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Roy Hammond, J. Roach, Kirk Robinson & Harry Woods, songwriters) 

"The Show Goes On" (Lupe Fiasco) - Dustin William Brower, Jonathon Keith Brown, Daniel Johnson, Kane & Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriters (Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci & Eric Judy, songwriters) 


Best Rap Album
"Watch The Throne" - Jay-Z & Kanye Wes
"Tha Carter IV" - Lil Wayne
"Lasers" - Lupe Fiasco
"Pink Friday" - Nicki Minaj
"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye West

Song of the Day: "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" (Janet Jackson)


"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" - Janet Jackson
  • Writers: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
  • Producers: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
  • Record Label: A&M
  • Released in 1990 from "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814"
  • Peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 & #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
  • Became Janet's 7th Top 5 hit from "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814"
  • Only album to create seven top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100

Tour Dates: "Love After War" Promo Tour (Robin Thicke)


To help build anticipation for his forthcoming release "Love After War," Robin Thicke has put together a promo tour to hit several different key markets before and after his upcoming album is released next week. With that said, peep the tour itinerary below for Thicke's promo tour and lookout for ticket information on the venue's websites.


Nov. 30: Washington, D.C. – 930 Club
Dec. 7: Atlanta, GA – The Loft
Dec. 9: New York, NY – Highline Ballroom
Dec. 10: Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live
Dec. 12: Chicago, IL – The Mid
Dec. 16: West Hollywood, CA – Key Club

Interview: Monica


Grammy Award winner Monica stopped by The Wendy Williams Show earlier today to open up about her new marriage, her forthcoming album "New Life" (which is due out in February), her charity work, and much more. Watch the interview go down below and lookout for Monica's upcoming album towards the top of next year!


Second Listen: "Giving You The Best That I've Got" (Anita Baker)


Back in 1988 Anita Baker released her third album "Giving You The Best That I've Got" and the title track off her release would go onto become her biggest charing hit to date peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. With that said, " Giving You The Best That I've Got" went onto win Baker two Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal performance and Best R&B Song in addition to being nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Therefore take a second listen below to this amazing gem from Anita Baker and Enjoy!


Preview: "Love After War" Album (Robin Thicke)


Robin Thicke's forthcoming fifth studio album "Love After War" is slated to hit stores next week (December 6th) and to help build buzz for the album Thicke has released a preview video to give his fans a taste of his upcoming album. With that said, take a listen below to the "Love After War" album preview and lookout for it when it's released in stores on Tuesday.


Amazing Cover: "Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)" (Jennifer Hudson)


Back during Jennifer Hudson's American Idol days, she covered the Gladys Knight and The Pips classic "Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)" for the traditional Idol's album and as always JHud nails it. With that said, take a listen to her sublime cover below and Enjoy!


Contest: "Say Its So" Covers (Mateo)


Mateo asks his fans to videotape themselves covering his latest single, "Say Its So", upload it to YouTube and post the link on his Facebook or Twitter pages with the hashtag #SayItsSo for a chance to win a free copy of his new EP 'Love and Stadiums II', a special Mateo T-Shirt and a chance to spend the day in the studio with Mateo


Live Clip: "Mr. Wrong" (Mary J. Blige)


Mary J. Blige stopped by The View yesterday to perform the second single lifted from her new album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)." As always, Mary performs a sublime rendition of her song and you can watch her put it down below!


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Behind the Scenes: "A New Day" Episode 1 (Day26)


Day26 is putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming third studio album and to help build buzz for the project the group has created a webseries. With that said episode one has hit the net where the group opens up about their downfall, their former member Que, what their future beholds and much more. Peep the first episode below and lookout for the new album in 2012!


Live Video of the Day: "Woo" (Anthony Hamilton)


Anthony Hamilton took to the Soul Train Awards stage and during the telecast of it this past Sunday the crooner belted out his new single "Woo," which is lifted form his forthcoming December 13th release "Back To Love." With that said, peep his sublime performance below and Enjoy!


Song of the Day: "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Janet Jackson)


"What Have You Done for Me Lately" - Janet Jackson
  • Writers: Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, & Terry Lewis
  • Producers: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
  • Record Label: A&M
  • Released in 1986 from "Control"
  • Peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Live Audio: "The Best" (Tina Turner)


Tina Turner heated up Divas Live '99 with her heartfelt rendition of her classic "The Best." Take a listen to the live audio below where the soulful Turner croons out her funky joint as only Tina can. Listen below and Enjoy!


Amazing Cover: "Ain't Nobody" (Mary J. Blige)


Mary J. Blige has cover Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing" and now she's added Chaka's classic hit "Ain't Nobody" to her discography. With that said, Mary has included a reworked rendition of Chaka's classic on her latest album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)" and you can listen to her cover below!


Second Listen: "Everything I Do" (Beyonce featuring Bilal)


Back in 2003 "The Fighting Temptations" film was released and the accompanying soundtrack gained critical praise for the vocal stylings of Beyonce and the cast. With that said, one of the standouts from the soundtrack was the Beyonce and Bilal duet "Everything I Do." While the song was briefly showcased in the film, the song is a solid effort that shows of the phenomenal vocal stylings of both Beyonce and Bilal. Take a second listen below to "Everything I Do" and Enjoy!


Interview: Frank Ocean


During Frank Ocean's photo shoot for GQ's "Rookie of the Year"slot, he opened up about what he's learned from Kanye West,  his adoration for Adele’s album "21," Jay-Z’s studio advice, his personal style and much more. Peep the interview below and lookout for Ocean's debut album in 2012!


Remix: "Lotus Flower Bomb" (Raheem DeVaughn)


Raheem DeVaughn is putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming mixtape "Jackin’ 4 Beats Vol. 3". While there is no scheduled release date or tracklisting yet, DeVaughn has dropped his take on Wale and Miguel's collaborative joint "Lotus Flower Bomb." Take a listen below to his remake and Enjoy!


New Joint: "Christmas Without You" (One Republic)


One Republic has just recently released a holiday jam entitled "Christmas Without You." Though it doesn't sound like anything the group has done before, it has that classic Christmas vibe to it and deserves a listen or two. With that said, take a listen below to their new joint "Christmas Without You" and Enjoy!


Live Clip: "Can't Let Go" (Anthony Hamilton)


Anthony Hamilton is currently on a promo tour to help raise buzz for his forthcoming album "Back To Love." With that said, Hamilton has been performing solid shows this past month before the his album drops December 13th and one of the standout joints from his tour is his classic hit "Can't Let Go." Watch his solid performance in this live clip below and Enjoy!




Monday, November 28, 2011

Live Video of the Day: "Love After War" (Robin Thicke)


During last night's telecast of the Soul Train Awards, Robin Thicke took to the stage to perform his latest single and the title track to his forthcoming album "Love After War." With that said, peep his solid performance of the smooth jam below and lookout for his upcoming album when it drops this December.


New Video: "Woo" (Anthony Hamilton)


Anthony Hamilton is currently on his 19-city promo tour to help build buzz for his forthcoming December 13th release "Back To Love." Though its been a few years since Hamilton has released an LP he's been released, the crooner has now dropped the official visual to his lead single "Woo." Peep the clip below and Enjoy! (If the video doesn't appear click here to be relocated to the video)





Song of the Day: "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" (Soul II Soul)


"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" - Soul II Soul
  • Writers: Jazzie B, Caron Wheeler, Nellee Hooper, & Simon Law
  • Producers: Jazzie B & Nellee Hooper
  • Record Label: Virgin Records
  • Released in 1989 from "Club Classics Vol. One"
  • Peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B Songs

Live Audio: "Boogie Wonderland" (Earth, Wind and Fire)


EWF always have held it down and back in 1997 they released a live DVD entitled "Earth, Wind & Fire: Live At Montreux 1997." With that said, one of the highlights from the effort is their infectious performance of "Boogie Wonderland" and you can take a listen to them croon it out below.


Interview: Ledisi


Back towards the end of September Ledisi performed at the Le Nouveau Casino in France and during her time in the country Funk-U Magazine caught up with the four time Grammy nominated songstress and she opened up about performing live. The interview is also spliced between clips of her performing in France and is truly a treat since she's wrapped the US leg of her Pieces Of Me Tour. With that said, watch Ledisi open up about performing live and Enjoy!


Second Listen: "No Diggity" (Blackstreet)


Back in 1996 Blackstreet released their most infamous song "No Diggity" from their album "Another Level." Featuring verses by Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, the song went onto peak at #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts and would go onto win the 1998 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. With that said, take a second listen below to "No Diggity" and Enjoy!


Showcase: "Live At The Royal Albert Hall (30 min Preview)" (Adele)


Though Adele's first live DVD "Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall" won't be released until tomorrow, she and VEVO have teamed up to offer her fans a 30 minute preview of the set to help build anticipation for the two disc DVD and CD release. Having seen Adele live in Chicago this past May, I can tell you that this is worth a gander and a purchase. Watch the first third of her concert below and Enjoy!


Live Clip: "Fool For You" (Cee-Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)


One of the standout performance's from last night's Soul Train Awards telecast was Cee-Lo Green and Melanie Fiona's sublime duet on his joint "Fool For You." While a lot of the performances suffered from vocal and technical issues Cee-Lo and Melanie crooned out a phenomenal live rendition of their duet. Watch them belt it out below and Enjoy!


            

New Video: "Countdown (Alternative Version)" (Beyonce)


Though controversy surrounded the original release of Beyonce's "Countdown" video due to claims of plagiarism by Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, an alternative version has now hit the net. With that said peep the modified video and Enjoy!


Amazing Cover: "Love's Holiday" (Lalah Hathaway)


Yesterday Lalah Hathaway took part in the Earth, Wind and Fire tribute during the televised Soul Train Awards. During the segment Lalah performed a sublime rendition of "Love's Holiday" which she recorded several years ago for the EWF tribute album "Inspirations." With that said, take a listen below to her recorded rendition of "Love's Holiday" and Enjoy!


Sunday, November 27, 2011

New Joint: "Don't Give Up" (Bruno Mars)


Bruno Mars recently crated a new joint "Don't Give Up" for Sesame Street and the fun mid-tempo joint features the crooner's signature vocals. With that said, take a listen below to "Don't Give Up" and Enjoy!


Live Video of the Day: "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" (Gladys Knight and The Pips)


Though Gladys Knight was honored tonight during the telecast of the 2011 Soul Train Awards, I was left craving a little something more from the tribute. With that said, I thought why not let Gladys and The Pips do it themselves on my favorite joint from them, their rendition of  "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me." With that watch their sublime performance below and Enjoy!


Interview: Mary J. Blige


"CBS News Sunday Morning" caught up with Mary J. Blige earlier today and during her promotional rounds for her just released tenth studio album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)." During the segment Blige opened up about the sexual abuse she endured as a child, her rough start entering into the business,  her need to sing,  trending "ghetto fabulous," her relationship with her husband, and much more. Peep the interview below and go out and support Mary by getting her latest album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)."


Song of the Day: "Georgy Porgy" (Eric Benet featuring Faith Evans)


"Georgy Porgy" - Eric Benet featuring Faith Evans
  • Writer: David Paich
  • Producer: Eric Benet
  • Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Released in 1999 from A Day in the Life
  • Peaked at #56 on the Hot 100 and #15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks

Live Clip: "Who You Are" (Jessie J)


Jessie J stopped by the UK version of "The X Factor" earlier today to belt out her emotionally charged ballad "Who You Are." While a lot of current top "pop" acts need falshy stage antics and catchy songs from the current hit producers, Jessie J is a talent in her own lane who possesses the vocal prowess of few who are on the charts today. While she hasn't crossed over to the States with the same success as she has in the UK, hopefully some key Grammy nominations (Best New Artist) will help propel her career to the heights that her talents warrant.


Second Listen: "Buy Me A Rose" (Luther Vandross)


Luther Vandross recorded a sublime cover of the Kenny Rogers classic "Buy Me A Rose," for his final studio album "Dance With My Father." His smooth soulful cover was one of the highlights from Vandross' "Dance With My Father" for me and should've received the single treatment in my mind. With that said, take a second  listen to this smooth gem bellow and Enjoy!


New Joint: "Curbside" (James Blake)


James Blake is always one to push the sonic limits and his new joint "Curbside," which is lifted from his forthcoming December release EP "Love What Happened Here" seems to be doing just that. With that said, take a listen to the experimental sounds of Blake's "Curbside" below and Enjoy!


Live Audio: "My Grown-Up Christmas List" (Aretha Franklin)


Now that December is just days away, the Christmas holiday season is in full swing and there ain't nothing like hearing the Queen of Soul belt out one of those classic holiday tunes. With that said, take a listen to Aretha's soulful rendition of "My Grown-Up Christmas List" below and Enjoy!


Amazing Cover: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (Misha B)


Last night on the UK version of "The X Factor," Misha B busted out a sublime rendition to the Cyndi Lauper classic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." While so many acts over the years have remade this joint Misha B infected it was a contemporary urban flavor that made the song all her own. Watch Misha B's phenomenal performance below and Enjoy!


New Joint: "Halftime" (Amy Winehouse)


Amy's postmortem release "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" drops on Friday, December 2nd in the UK and this joint "Halftime" is everything that we as fans and casual listeners love about the late songstress. From her breezy vocals, to the lyrical depth, as well as her swag on this Salaam Remi joint "Halftime" is the best song I've heard off of the record thus far. With that said, take a listen below to this new joint and Enjoy!


Saturday, November 26, 2011

Amazing Cover: "Oh Holy Night" (Tiffany Evans)


Back in 2005, singing sensation Tiffany Evans took to the Soul Train stage to perform a sublime rendition of the Christmas classic "Oh Holy Night." While still just a teenager, Evans possesses the vocal chops of acts who are more then twice her age. With that said, peep Tiffany's amazing cover of "Oh Holy Night" below and Enjoy!


Interview: Mary J. Blige


Mary J. Blige appeared on a special Friday edition of "Chelsea Lately" to help promote her tenth studio album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)." During her time on the show Mary opened up about where her latest album is coming from, how she balances her relationship with her husband (who also serves as her manager),  her forthcoming film "Rock of Ages," her latest single "Mr. Wrong" that features Drake, and much more. In addition Blige performed her latest single "Mr. Wrong." Peep the interview and performance below and go out and support MJB as her latest album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)" is in stores now!


Song of the Day: "Funky Broadway" (Wilson Pickett)


"Funky Broadway" - Wilson Pickett
  • Writer: Arlester "Dyke" Christian
  • Record Label: Stax
  • Released in 1967 from "The Sound of Wilson Pickett"
  • Peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Soul Singles Chart

New Video: "Never Did" (Stacy Barthe)


I've been a fan of singer/songwriter Stacy Barthe for a while now and you probably have too seeing as she's written for the likes of Brandy, Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Kelly Rowland, and Rihanna to name a few. With that said, she released her EP "Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe" back in August and now the first official visual from the joint has hit the net in the form of "Never Did." Peep the brief visual below and lookout for Stacy's forthcoming full length LP in 2012!


Live Video of the Day: "Mr. Wrong" (Mary J. Blige)


Mary J. Blige stopped by 'The Today Show' yesterday to help promote her latest tenth studio album "My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)." During her time on the show Blige gave a brief interview on why she decided to create a sequel to her "My Life" album 17 years later. In addition to her interview Blige performed the second official single from the project entitled "Mr. Wrong" and you can watch her belt it out below!


Second Listen: "Back Together Again" (Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack)


Back in 1980, Roberta Flack released her ninth studio album "Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway." Though it was originally intended to be the second duet album between the duo Hathaway only recorded two songs for the album before his untimely passing. With that said, one of the two duets from the album is the thumping "Back Together Again" and you can take a first or hopefully second listen to this gem below!


New Video: "The Knowing" (The Weeknd)


After countless fan made videos for several of The Weeknd's tracks, the singer/songwriter has released his first official visual for his joint "The Knowing." Lifted from his mixtape "House Of Balloons," you can peep the official seven minute video below and Enjoy!


Album in the Works: Fifth Studio Album (Alicia Keys)


It seems as if Alicia Keys has been hard at work on her forthcoming fifth studio album, which would be the official followup to Key's 2009 "The Element of Freedom." While I highly doubt that the effort would debut this year, Key's tweeted the above picture with the following tweet "The process.... Are u ready for the next installment? ;-)." With that said, it would seem reasonable that Keys' next record will debut in 2012 and hopefully a lead single will drop sooner rather then later.

Preview: "20/20 Interview" (Beyonce)


It's no secret that Beyonce is pregnant with her first child and now the songstress is taking to 20/20 to set the record straight about her pregnancy, open up about her recent four night stand at the Roseland, and much more. Peep the clip below and lookout for Beyonce's interview with Katie Couric when it airs Friday, December 2nd at 10pm EST/ 9pm CST on ABC


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