Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Live Videos of the Day: "Sometimes It Snows in April" (D'Angelo & Princess)


Earlier tonight, D'Angelo paid a moving tribute to Prince by covering his classic "Sometimes It Snows in April" with help from Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum's cover band, Princess, for The Tonight Show audience.

With that said, what the trio's touching tribute of "Sometimes It Snows in April" below and Enjoy!

Live Clip: "Dangerous Woman" (Ariana Grande)


Last night on NBC's The Tonight Show, Ariana Grande continued her promotional rounds for her forthcoming album Dangerous Woman and on the show, Ariana Grande belted out the title track to her upcoming third album.

With that said, watch Ariana Grande's powerhouse performance of "Dangerous Woman" below and Enjoy!

Friday, April 22, 2016

Podcast: "Music Is On Life Support" (The BackBeat)


On this week’s episode, we honor the late, great, legendary Prince sharing some of our fondest memories of the musical icon. In addition we briefly talk about Birdman giving the shortest interview in Breakfast Club history in addition to the casting news of BET’s New Edition miniseries.

We hope you enjoy!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Amazing Cover: "Purple Rain" (Jennifer Hudson & The Color Purple Cast)


Earlier tonight in New York City, Jennifer Hudson along with her fellow The Color Purple cast offered up a riveting tribute to Prince with his iconic classic jam "Purple Rain."

With that said, take a few minutes out of your mourning and watch Jennifer Hudson and her fellow cast members break it down on "Purple Rain" and let Prince continue to live on through his music!

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

New Joint: "Phenomenal Woman" (Laura Mvula)


I don't know about you but every single new single lifted from Laura Mvula's forthcoming sophomore album The Dreaming Room has been fire.

With that said, following her thumping joint "Overcome" and the powerful "People," that features a verse from Wretch 32, Laura is back with another powerful joint,  "Phenomenal Woman."

Deriving its title from the Maya Angelou poem of the same name, ""Phenomenal Woman" is another banger from Laura and if you haven't pre-ordered her upcoming album, I'd definitely head over to her website and do that now!

Either way, take a listen below to "Phenomenal Woman" and lookout for The Dreaming Room when it's released June 17th.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Song of the Day: "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (Aretha Franklin)


"Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" - Aretha Franklin
  • Writers: Chips Moman & Dan Penn
  • Producer: Jerry Wexler
  • Record Label: Atlantic Records
  • Released in 1967 from Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
  • Peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart
  • Ranked #476 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time



New Joint: "Let Me Love You" (Ariana Grande ft Lil Wayne)


We are almost a month away from Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman era with the release of her third studio album on May 20th and ahead of the set's release, Ariana has released a new joint from her highly anticipated LP.

Entitled "Let Me Love You," the smooth mid-tempo joint features Lil Wayne and is reminiscent sonically for me of Kelly Rowland's monster smash "Motivation." With that said, take a listen below to "Let Me Love You" below and lookout for Dangerous Woman on May 20th.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Song of the Day: "The One I Gave My Heart To" (Aaliyah)


"The One I Gave My Heart To" - Aaliayh
  • Writer: Diane Warren
  • Producers: Daryl Simmons (album version); Guy Roche (single version)
  • Record Label: Blackground
  • Released in 1997 from One in a Million
  • Peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart



Friday, April 15, 2016

New Joint: "People" (Laura Mvula ft Wretch 32)


I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Laura Mvula's forthcoming sophomore album The Dreaming Room, which is slated for release in the UK on June 17th.

With that said, a new single has been lifted from the project in the form of her Wretch 32 collabo "People" that lyrically is offering up some powerful food for thought.

Take a listen below to "People" where Laura vocally take you into a trace but her lyrics offer some serious cognitive dissonance and lookout for The Dreaming Room in June!

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Song of the Day: "Emotional Rollercoaster" (Vivian Green)


"Emotional Rollercoaster" - Vivian Green
  • Writers & Producers:Vivian Green, Eric Roberson, & Osunlade
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Released in 2002 from A Love Story
  • Peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart



Wednesday, April 13, 2016

New Joint: "Life Is Good" (Jazmine Sullivan)


Back when Jazmine Sullivan was signed to Jive Records and working on her debut album, it appears as though she linked up with Mike City to record some music.

With that said, a few days ago, Mike City released an unreleased gem from Jazmine that she recorded when she was 14/15 and it truly underscores the point that Jazmine is one of the greatest to ever touch the mic.

Regarding the unreleased song "Life Is Good," Mike City said the follow:
When you're in the presence of greatness, you usually know right away..I knew Jazmine was great immediately!! She was only 14-15 yrs old and was an absolute BEAST and she STILL IS..being that today (4/9) is her b'day, i wanted to let the real R&B/Soul heads hear how she was getting down BACK THEN...She cut her vocals in 1-2 takes and was under the weather too..#BEAST MC
Therefore, take a listen below to Jazmine Sullivan's "Life Is Good" and Enjoy!

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Podcast: "Back To SUMMERS'night" (The BackBeat)


On this week’s episode, we welcome back Maxwell to the musical scene with his new single "Lake by the Ocean" and his tour kicking off this summer. We review Big Sean and Jhene Aiko’s new album Twenty88. Next, we discuss rumors of André 3000's new album as well as Beyonce’s Elle Magazine cover in which she discusses Formation and police brutality. We then update everyone on the latest developments in Kesha’s sexual assault case against Dr. Luke and Sony Music. Finally, we wonder if we will ever hear Tinashe’s Joyride album since she has postponed the tour to work on new music!

During our songs of the week segment, Marcus chooses cuts from Rihanna, Maxwell, and Jill Scott. While Kyera encourages us to listen to some Kaytranada, Drake, and Schoolboy Q.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

New Joint: "Lake By The Ocean" (Maxwell)


After years of teasing and nearly seven years since Maxwell released his last album BLACKsummers’night, the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter is back with the lead single from his forthcoming album blackSUMMERS’night.

Entitled "Lake by the Ocean," the mellow jam is classic Maxwell and it's refreshing to hear his voice on some new music. With that said, blackSUMMERS’night is slated for release on July 1st and you can get the first taste of the second album in the trilogy below!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

New Joint: "Ugly" (Fantasia)


Our favorite American Idol Fantasia is back with another new joint "Ugly," which is possibly lifted off of her forthcoming fifth studio album, which is due later this year.

Featuring a country-twang on the guitar structure of the song, Fantasia's soulful vocals fill out the sparse instrumentation of "Ugly" and really allows her voice to shine.

With that said, take a listen below to "Ugly" and lookout for Fantasia as she co-headlines a tour with Anthony Hamilton this spring when the tour kicks off at the end of the month (April 21st)!

Monday, April 4, 2016

Cut: "Gotta Get Up (Another Day)" (Jill Scott ft 4Hero)


In honor of Ms. Jill Scott's birthday today, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of my favorite joints from her throughout the day.

Back in 2001, Jill Scott released her live double album Experience: Jill Scott 826+ and while the set is best known for her live renditions and the single "Gimme," my favorite joint from the bonus studio LP has to be her 4Hero assisted joint "Gotta Get Up (Another Day)."

While the song was never released as a single and Ms. Scott has not performed it live to my knowledge, the song has such a necessary meaning and a dope beat to accompany it. With that said, take a listen to "Gotta Get Up (Another Day)" after the jump and Enjoy!

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Second Listen: "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Marvin Gaye)


"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"was the third and final single lifted from Marvin Gaye's 1971 landmark album, What's Going On. Written by Gaye and James Nyx, the song depicted the ghettos of inner-city America as it discussed how the bleak economic situation would lead to someone wanting to holler and throw ones hands up. The song was recorded in a mellow funk style with Gaye playing piano. Several of the Funk Brothers also contributed, including Eddie "Bongo" Brown, and bassist Bob Babbitt.

The song helped Gaye make history by being one of the few artists to have three or more Top 10 songs off Billboard's Pop Singles chart peaking at #9 and one of the first to have three consecutive #1 hits on Billboard's R&B Singles chart where it stayed for two weeks. Although not certified by the RIAA at that time, all three releases from the What's Going On album gained Gold status by selling over 1,000,000 copies in the United States.

In its unedited version as it appears on the album, the final minute of the song (and of the LP) is a reprise to the theme of "What's Going On", the album's first song, then segues into a dark ending. This final minute was cut off of the single version, as well as other sections of the song so the single edit runs under three minutes--this edit appears on subsequent reissues of the LP.

With that said, take a second listen to my favorite song from Gaye's discography and one of my top 5 favorite songs of all time and Enjoy!

Saturday, April 2, 2016

A Cappella: "Ain't That Peculiar" (Marvin Gaye)


Marvin Gaye was one of the greatest male voices to ever grace the microphone and luckily for fans of the crooner, several of his classic songs have received the a cappella treatment.

With that said, below you will find an a cappella rendition of "Ain't That Peculiar" from Marvin and you should definitely take a listen or two for yourself as these vocals are killer in my book.

Listen below to this a cappella rendition of "Ain't That Peculiar" as we remember him today on his birthday!

Second Listen: "I Get Lonely" (Janet Jackson)


I had the pleasure of seeing Janet Jackson a few months ago at The Forum during her Unbreakable World Tour and one of the numerous standouts for me during her set had to be "I Get Lonely."

Lifted from her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope, the song was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Jackson's then-husband, René Elizondo, Jr. (co-wrote).  Released as the album's third single, "I Get Lonely" expresses loneliness and the desire for an estranged lover and became Jackson's  eigthtteenth consecutive top ten hit on the Hot 100, setting a record as the only female artist to achieve that feat, surpassed only by Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

The song received a BMI Pop Award for "Most Played Song" and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. With that said, take a second listen to "I Get Lonely" below and Enjoy!

Friday, April 1, 2016

Live Clip: "Selfish" (Jhené Aiko & Big Sean)


Big Sean and Jhené Aiko released their secret collaborative project TWENTY88 last night and the duo offered up their first performance together on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live of their joint "Selfish."

Streaming exclusively on Tidal at the moment, TWENTY88 is currently #1 on iTunes at the moment and is a solid effort between these two stars. Jhené and Sean's musical chemistry is undeniable and "Selfish" is just one of the solid joints from their 8 track project.

Watch their performance below and go out and support them by streaming and/or buying yourself a copy of TWENTY88.