Podcast: "Reparations" (The BackBeat)

This Week on The BackBeat, we get into the 2018 GRAMMY nominations and talk through some of our favorite nominees. From Album of the Year to Best Urban Contemporary Album, we have you covered. Later we get into the passing of Lil Peep and the importance of discussing addiction and mental illness. We've been gone for too long but it's time we brought it back! ;)

Podcast: "Ur In Trouble" (The BackBeat)

This week on The BackBeat, we get into a petition starting to get Missy Elliott a monument in Virginia, Aaliyah and Nicki Minaj's Mac Cosmetic Collections, Mystikal turning himself in on rape charges, and a woman coming forward breaking her nondisclosure agreement with R. Kelly surrounding his latest scandal.

Also, make sure you tune into the end of the podcast for songs of the moment from Ledisi, Nicole Nicole Scherzinger, Mary J. Blige, Tyler the Creator, and more!

Podcast: "For Us" (The BackBeat)

In this week’s episode, we discuss Nicki Minaj’s new interview with Marie Claire in which she talks about being an entrepreneur and the double standards for black women in the entertainment industry. We touch upon Kid Cudi’s new video “Frequency” and the awareness he is bringing to mental health. Next, we discuss Emeli Sande’s new song “Garden” ft. Jay Electronica and her upcoming album, which we can’t wait to hear. We run through the nominees for the 2016 American Music Awards--where Drake and Bryson Tiller scored huge nominations. Finally, we plug Michel’le’s movie “Surviving Compton,” which airs on Lifetime this Saturday (October 15th) at 8pm.

Don’t forget to stay tuned in until the end of the episode to hear our Songs of the Moment. Marcus chooses cuts from Aretha Franklin, Mary J Blige, Whitney Houston, and DVSN. Kyera gives us some of her favorite songs from Mahalia Jackson, Solange Knowles, and Vince Staples!

Enjoy!

Podcast: "Dey Know" (The BackBeat)

This week on The Backbeat, we get into Mary J Blige singing to Hillary Clinton, Solange dropping her new album A Seat At the Table, as well as new music from The Weeknd. We also talk about Tinashe exposing sexism within the music industry and give a shout out to Shawty Lo who recently passed away in ATL.

Be sure to tune into the end of the episode where Kyera gives us songs of the moment from Shawty Lo, Usher and Mac Miller. Marcus also gives us some jams from SZA, SG Lewis featuring Gallant and a collaboration between Yuna and Usher.

Enjoy!

Live Clip: "No More Drama" (Mary J. Blige)

With the GRAMMY Awards airing live tonight on CBS, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of the best performances to ever grace the stage.

With that said, in 2002, Mary J. Blige lit up the stage at the Staples Center with a high-octane performance of her anthem "No More Drama." One of her first post-9/11 performances, Mary channeled the feeling and time into her emotive performance that took the energy to another level that night.

Watch Mary's performance of "No More Drama" below and Enjoy!

Cut: "Need Someone" (Mary J. Blige)

Back in 2010, Matt Morris released his major label debut album When Everything Breaks Open and one of the stunning cuts from the LP was his ballad "Someone to Love You." Fast-forward to 2011 and Mary J. Blige releases her tenth studio album My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) and a stunning rendition of Morris' ballad has been re-imagined by Blige.

While Mary stays true to the lyrics and melody penned and created by Morris, the production from Martin Terefe takes the song to a different level with Mary's powerhouse soulful voice. Now entitled "Need Someone," I dare say this is Mary's finest vocal moment from My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1).

With that said, take a listen below to Mary's cut and sublime rendition of "Need Someone" and Enjoy!

Cut: "Doubt" (Mary J. Bige)

With Grammy Award eligibility coming to an end, I am sure Mary J. Blige's latest album The London Sessions, will be in contention because the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul stepped out of her boundaries and comfort zone and put together a solid body of work.

With that said, my favorite song from the set has to be "Doubt," a smooth mid-tempo that showcases off both Mary's powerhouse vocals but also her pen as she co-wrote this song that truly speaks to all of us about self-doubt. Therefore, take a listen below to Mary's cut "Doubt" and Enjoy!

Podcast: "The BackBeat: I Will Always Love 90s R&B"

This week, we celebrate our love for 90's R&B. We cover WhitneyHouston vs Mariah Carey, Jodeci vs Boys II Men, Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Monica, Toni Braxton, Mya, SWV, TLC, Luther Vandross, R. Kelly, Ginuwine and much much more.

For the Hip Hop heads, we got you covered! We discuss the hottest R&B and Hip Hop collabs ft. Biggie Smalls, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Jermaine Durpri, The Brat, Ma$e, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, YoYo, and many more.

Make sure you stay tuned for our special segments. We play a game of 21 questions, where each host has to decide between two iconic singers, songs, soundtracks, and albums of the 90's. We also discuss the weirdest, sexiest, and downright problematic R&B pickup lines. As a special treat, we introduce our listeners to a special preview of a longer interview with Jon Schulyer, whose mixtape 199X is heavily inspired by the 90's.

We hope you fall back in love with the 90's after this special episode!

Podcast: "The BackBeat: I Will Always Love 90s R&B"

This week, we celebrate our love for 90's R&B. We cover WhitneyHouston vs Mariah Carey, Jodeci vs Boys II Men, Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Monica, Toni Braxton, Mya, SWV, TLC, Luther Vandross, R. Kelly, Ginuwine and much much more.

For the Hip Hop heads, we got you covered! We discuss the hottest R&B and Hip Hop collabs ft. Biggie Smalls, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Jermaine Durpri, The Brat, Ma$e, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, YoYo, and many more.

Make sure you stay tuned for our special segments. We play a game of 21 questions, where each host has to decide between two iconic singers, songs, soundtracks, and albums of the 90's. We also discuss the weirdest, sexiest, and downright problematic R&B pickup lines. As a special treat, we introduce our listeners to a special preview of a longer interview with Jon Schulyer, whose mixtape 199X is heavily inspired by the 90's.

We hope you fall back in love with the 90's after this special episode!

Amazing Cover: "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (Mary J. Blige)

During the MOBO Awards in the UK several years ago, Mary J. Blige performed a stirring rendition of Elton John's classic ""Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word."

While Blige has recorded her own rendition for the "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" soundtrack, I still prefer her live interpretations of this Elton classic as she really leaves it all out there on the stage. Watch her sublime interpretation of "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" below and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Deep Inside" (Mary J. Blige)

Back in 1999 Mary J. Blige released her fourth album Mary, which featured some now classic joints from the famed songstress. With that said, one of the standout joints from Mary, was her third single "Deep Inside," which featured a brilliant sample of the Elton John bar classic "Bennie and the Jets."

"Deep Inside" would go onto become a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs peaking at #9 and is still one of my favorite joints from Blige. Take a second listen below to "Deep Inside" and Enjoy!

Live Clip: "Rainy Dayz" (Mary J. Blige ft. Whitney Houston)

A few days ago on Twitter, I was reminded of the brilliant performance of Mary J. Blige's "Rainy Dayz" from Divas Live! that went down in Las Vegas back in 2002.

Featuring Whitney Houston, the friends testified on Mary's then hit single and really blew the roof off the joint in my opinion and a bittersweet personal moment was shared with the masses.

With that said, watch the duo's sublime performance of "Rainy Dayz" from Vh1's Divas Live! from back in 2002 below and Enjoy!

Cut: "Need Someone" (Mary J. Blige)

Back in 2010, Matt Morris released his major label debut album When Everything Breaks Open and one of the stunning cuts from the LP was his ballad "Someone to Love You." Fast-forward to 2011 and Mary J. Blige releases her tenth studio album My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) and a stunning rendition of Morris' ballad has been re-imagined by Blige.

While Mary stays true to the lyrics and melody penned and created by Morris, the production from Martin Terefe takes the song to a different level with Mary's powerhouse soulful voice. Now entitled "Need Someone," I dare say this is Mary's finest vocal moment from My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1).

With that said, take a listen below to Mary's cut and sublime rendition of "Need Someone" and Enjoy!

Cut: "Talk to Me" (Mary J. Blige)

I was going through Mary J. Blige's discography late last night/early am and (re)discovered her gem "Talk to Me," which is featured on her eighth studio album Growing Pains,

Written by Blige, Johnta Austin, Robert Wright, Eric Hudson and Verdine White and produced by Eric Hudson, the spare production allows for Blige's soaring vocals to take centerstage as well as the simplistic yet powerful lyrics.

With that said, hopefully Mary's next studio album will be in line with similar material to this as we all eagerly await announcement of its release. Therefore, take a listen below to Mary's "Talk to Me" and Enjoy!

New Video: "Doubt" (Mary J. Blige)

Earlier this week, Mary J. Blige, The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul guest starred on FOX's hit new drama Empire and while her new joint "Shake Down" appears on the show's soundtrack released earlier this week, Mary also released a new video yesterday for my favorite joint from The London Sessions, "Doubt."

While a simple video, it's a powerful statement from Blige where she makes her way onto an empty stage belting this powerful ballad produced by Rodney Jerkins and Sam Romans. Peep Mary J. Blige's new video below for "Doubt" and Enjoy!

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

Last night on the BET Honors telecast, Mary J. Blige honored the honorees with a special performance of her joint "Doubt," which is my personal favorite joint from her recently released album The London Sessions.

With that said, peep Mary's sublime performance of "Doubt" below from the BET Honors and if you like what you hear, go and support Mary and cop her new album The London Sessions which is in stores now.

Live Video of the Day: "Not Gon' Cry" (Mary J. Blige)

During the Eric Clapton & Friends In Concert: A Benefit For The Crossroads Centre At Antigua, Mary J. Blige dropped a sublime performance of her classic jam "Not Gon' Cry."

While others have attempted and imitated the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary is truly in a league of her own and the below performance offers up just one example why. Mary unlike a lot of her contemporaries really gives each performance, song, and note the emotional vigor it deems and she really infects this  performance with that special Mary brand of soul.

Peep her sublime performance after the jump and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Never Gonna Break My Faith" (Aretha Franklin ft. Mary J. Blige)

Everyone has a song or two that they go back to religiously during a time of need and this collaboration between the Queen of Soul, Ms. Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige is one of those such jams for me.

Back in 2006, the Emilio Estevez directed film Bobby was released and the theme song for the emotional film was the Bryan Adams written and The Underdogs produced gem "Never Gonna Break My Faith."

Performed by Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, and the Boys Choir of Harlem, "Never Gonna Break My Faith" was played during the closing credits and to this day is a go to song for me in times of struggle.

As we continue to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., I thought it would be appropriate to revisit this anthem lifted from the Bobby soundtrack below.

Year End Favorite Albums: 2014

2014 really brought the conversation of cultural appropriation to the forefront in music with the breakout year for Iggy Azalea and Sam Smith, who have both found tremendous success with Black sounds on the charts. While Iggy commanded the single's chart and Sam broke ground on both the Hot 100 and Top 200 Album charts, D'Angelo made a much welcomed return with arguably the best album of the year, if not the past few while K. Michelle continued to grow her fanbase with a sublime sophomore effort and Ledisi continues to pump out solid and thoughtful material.

While a lot of great records were released within 2014, these 5, ok 6, as well as the honorable mentions stood out to me as some of the best vocal, sonic, and lyrical work to debut this year. The list is not numerical in order of "most favorite" as the field this year was so tight and definitely offered a variety of great albums depending on your mood. Some artists had strong comebacks this year (D'Angelo; Mary J. Blige), others were brought more into the mainstream with solid efforts (Ledisi; K. Michelle), and two superstar were overlooked with stunning sets that is some of their best work in years in my opinion (Mariah Carey; Whitney Houston). Peep the list below and in addition to several honorable mentions.

Live Video of the Day: "Not Loving You" (Mary J. Blige)

A little late on this Mary J. Blige performance from Capital Records' 1 Mic, 1 Take series, but as I always say, better late than never and this one take performance of "Not Loving You" from Mary J. Blige is yet another riveting performance from her The London Sessions era.

Co-written by Sam Smith, the powerful ballad truly showcases off Mary J. Blige's iconic tone and soulful belts in a way that brings her classic sound into the current retro soul/British invasion era. With that said, watch Mary's powerful performance of "Not Loving You" below and Enjoy!