Interview: Usher

Usher hit up Atlanta's V-103 to talk about his new Diplo produced hit single "Climax," and while most people assume it's a sexual song, Usher talks about his interpretation of the joint as well as the double entendre notion of the joint.

Song of the Day: "Valerie" (Amy Winehouse)

"Valerie"

• Writers: Dave McCabe and The Zutons
• Producer: Mark Ronson
• Record Label: Columbia Records
• "Valerie" was released in 2007 from Version
• It reached #1 on the UK R&B Singles Chart

Live Video of the Day: "Thank You" (Estelle)

Estelle's latest album "All of Me" was released yesterday and the singer/songwriter/rapper appeared on CBS's "Late Night with David Letterman" on the release date to help promote her third album. Performing her latest hit single "Thank You," Estelle coos out a solid rendition and you can watch her performance below.

New Video: "Think Like A Man" (Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, Rick Ross)

The new video for "Think Like A Man" from Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo and Rick Ross was released moments ago and the fresh visual finds Jennifer Hudson working out a solid two step along with her sublime vocal skills. Peep the official video below and go out and cop the single on iTunes and all other digital retailers.

Second Listen: "Queen of the Night" (Whitney Houston)

Though never officially released as a single from "The Bodyguard" soundtrack on the US, "Queen of the Night" is one of those Whitney Houston joints that fans will forever remember from the iconic singer. Co-written by Houston, L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, "Queen of the Night," became a #1 Dance hit and received some much radio play that it rose to number 36 on the Hot 100 Airplay. Take a first or hopefully second listen below to Houston's "Queen of the Night" below as we continue to honor her legacy.

Amazing Cover: In A Sentimental Mood" (Ledisi)

One of my favorite joints from her discography is her sublime take of the Duke Ellington classic  "In A Sentimental Mood."Lifted from her sophomore jazz album "Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue," Ledisi croons and coos a phenomenal version of the song and offers up in my opinion one of, if not the best vocal version of the song to date. Take a listen below and let Ledisi's legendary vocals take you to a higher place... Enjoy!

New Joint: "Sexy to Me" (JoJo)

Only JoJo and her team know when her third album "Jumping Trains" will be released, but as we wait, another new joint from the effort has hit the net, this time "Sexy to Me." Take a listen below to JoJo's certified urban banger and Enjoy!

Live Audio: "Butterfly" (Corinne Bailey Rae)

Back in 2006, Corinne Bailey Rae released her debut album and one of the cuts from her self-titled debut was the smooth joint "Butterfly." Take a listen below to this solid live audio rendition of "Butterfly" and Enjoy!

New Joint: "Bad Gurl" (K'Jon)

K'Jon is back with another new joint from his forthcoming album "Moving On." Entitled "Bad Gurl," K'Jon's latest second single is a bit of a departure form the smooth sounds some have become accustom to hearing from the crooner. Either way you feel, take a listen below to his latest joint.

New Video: "Day Dreaming" (Nina Sky)

It's been a minute since we've heard some official music from Nina Sky, but the sister duo is back with the official video for their joint "Day Dreaming." Lifted from their forthcoming sophomore album "Nicole & Natalie," which is due out this summer, "Day Dreaming" is a solid visual from the duo and you can check it tout below.

Live Video of the Day: "4 AM" (Melanie Fiona)

Melanie Fiona is kicking off her promotional tour for her forthcoming sophomore album "The MF Life." Slated for a March 20th release date, Melanie Fiona is kicking it into high gear to help promote "The MF Life," and she took to Jimmy Kimmel Live last night to perform her latest single "4 AM." Watch her sublime performance below and Enjoy!

Trailer: "Think Like A Man" (Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, & Rick Ross)

Jennifer Hudson has started to promote her latest joint with Ne-Yo and Rick Ross and now the songstress has released a trailer for the official visual, which is slated for release tomorrow on BET's 106 & Park and VEVO. Peep the trailer below for "Think Like A Man," and lookout for the new video tomorrow.

Song of the Day: "The Glamorous Life" (Sheila E)

"The Glamorous Life" - Sheila E

• Writer: Prince
• Producers: Sheila E & Prince
• Record Label: Warner Brothers
• Released in 1984 from "The Glamorous Life"
• Peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 & #9 on the Hot Black Singles

Live Clip: "I Want You" (Luke James)

Luke James has been building a name for himself while on the BET Music Matters tour that has helped introduce James to audiences across the country. With that said, Luke has been performing his amazing first single "I Want You" everywhere and falsetto and all have been killing it during all of the performances that I've seen thus far. Watch his killer performance of "I Want You" from his recent performance in Atlanta below and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Breathe Again" (Toni Braxton)

Back in 1993, Toni Braxton released her self-titled debut album "Toni Braxton" and the second official single from the effort was the Babyface penned ballad "Breathe Again." Eventually peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song went on to become Braxton's most successful song from her debut album and would earn her the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, after "Another Sad Love Song," won her the same award the year before. With that said, take a first or second listen below to "Breathe Again," and lookout for forthcoming material from the songstress in 2012!

Live Audio: "What A Wonderful World" (Esperanza Spalding)

During this past Sunday's Academy Awards, Esperanza Spalding was on hand for the "In Memoriam" segment of the show to perform a sublime rendition of the Louis Armstrong classic "What A Wonderful World." Take a listen to her phenomenal performance with the accompaniment of the Southern California Children's Chorus below and Enjoy!

Amazing Cover: "On My Own" (Brian McKnight & Jill Scott)

During BET's "Walk of Fame," honoring Patti LaBelle, Brian McKnight and Jill Scott honored the Phoenix of Philadelphia with a sublime rendition of Patti's #1 duet hit "On My Own." Watch Jill Scott and Brian McKnight's phenomenal cover of Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald's hit "Own My Own below and Enjoy!

New Album: "Art Dealer Chic Vol. 1" (Miguel)

Miguel has recently released the first of his forthcoming mini free EPs, this one entitled "Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1." All of the songs from the EP were written and produced by Miguel himself, with some added production from Fisticuffs on the joint "Gravity."Click here to get your free copy of Miguel's EP "Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1." and Enjoy!

Remix: "Witches' Brew (Remix)" (Katy B)

Katy B has been making a name for herself in the UK ever since she released her debut album "On a Mission" back in 2011 and now Diplo has released a remix of last single "Witches' Brew." Take a listen below to Diplo's take on Katy B's "Witches' Brew" below and Enjoy!

New Video: "3 AM" (Bobby V)

Bobby V has just recently released the latest visual from his "Vitamin V" mixtape and "V-Day" EP entitled "3 AM." For those who consider themselves grown and sexy you can peep the sensual visual below.

Live Video of the Day: "I Love You Porgy/And I Am Telling You/I Have Nothing" (Whitney Houston)

Back in the 1990s, award shows would let the phenomenal Whitney perform medleys of her hits and covers because there was and will never be anyone like The Voice.  With that said, watch her sublime medley below from the 1994 AMAs where Whitney performing rousing renditions of the classic "I Love You Porgy," the Dreamgirls' showstopper "And I Am Telling You," and her hit "I Have Nothing" from the Bodyguard and Enjoy!

New Joint: "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B)" (Robert Glasper featuring Ledisi)

Robert Glasper's "Black Radio" is slated for release tomorrow featuring a myriad of artists including seven time Grammy nominee Ledisi. Featured on the thumping "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B)," Ledisi and Robert Glasper make a smooth solid joint that warrants a listen or two below.

Song of the Day: "So Gone (What My Mind Says)" (Jill Scott)

"So Gone (What My Mind Says)" - Jill Scott

• Writers: Jill Scott, JR Hutson, Mozee, Paul Slayton, Strother
• Producer: JR Hutson
• Record Label: Warner Brother 
• Released in 2011 "The Light of the Sun"
• Peaked at #28 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Amazing Cover: "Take Care" (Rebecca Ferguson)

X-Factor UK contestant Rebecca Ferguson has been making a name for herself recently in the UK and now the songstress has added a sublime cover of the Drake and Rihanna hit "Take Care" to her live set. Watch her solid take below and Enjoy!

Behind the Scenes: "Pretty Lil' Heart" (Robin Thicke)

Robin Thicke has released a behind the scenes feature for his single "Pretty Lil' Heart" to help build buzz for his latest single featuring Lil' Wayne. Peep the behind the scenes vignette that Thicke and his team put together to help raise awareness of the pending video below and Enjoy!

New Album: "#Luke" (Luke James)

Luke James released his free pre-album EP entitled "#Luke" to help build buzz and anticipation for his work late last year.  Featuring his lead single "I Want You" among other tracks, I thought it would be appropriate to repost this link to cop your own copy of the entire EP as it seems that Luke James is starting to garner the attention and buzz that his talents deserve. You can preview the entire EP below and if you like what you here, click here to get the set.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Tracklisting:

1. Evol Ot Edam Intro
2. Soldier
3. Made To Love
4. Signs of Rain
5. Powerless (Intro)
6. Powerless
7. Guilty Pleasure
8. I Want You
9. Evol Ot Edam Outro

Live Audio: "In Love with Another Man" (Jazmine Sullivan)

Listen to this live audio of Jazmine Sullivan performing her classic "In Love with Another Man." Lifted from her performance at Seventeen Magazine before her debut album "Fearless" hit shelves in 2008, Sullivan croons over a simple piano accompaniment that really shows off her amazing vocals. Listen below and Enjoy!

New Video: "Going To The Go-Go" (Kindred The Family Soul, Chuck Brown, DJ Kool)

The other Kindred The Family Soul video that was released recently is their thumping visual for their Chuck Brown and DJ Kool assisted joint "Going To The Go-Go." Watch the fun-filled official video below and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Share My Life" (Kem)

On Kem's latest album "Intimacy," he featured a smooth cut entitled "Share My Life." Though it was released as his second single, in my opinion it is the strongest track from this effort. With that said, take a second listen to "Share My Life" below and Enjoy!

New Video: "Authentically You" (Kindred The Family Soul)

Kindred The Family Soul recently released two new video from their latest effort "Love Has No Recession." Though I am a bit late on the new visuals, it appears as though the rest of us have been sleeping on them too. With that said, peep the new black and white video for "Authentically You," which features some vocal assistance from Lady Alma Horton below and Enjoy!

Live Video of the Day: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Mary J. Blige)

Earlier this evening, Mary J. Blige performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" to help open up the All-Star Game. With that said, you can peep her performance below for those who missed it, or for the ones who want to watch it again.

Album in the Works: "Beautiful Surprise" (Tamia)

Tamia has been hard at work on her forthcoming fifth studio album "Beautiful Surprise" and over this weekend, the songstress was busy filming the official video for the lead single "Beautiful Surprise." Slated for a summer release, hopefully the lead single will hit airwaves and digital outlets soon as she's just completed the video for the lead single. Feature production and writing from Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Chuck Harmony, Andrew Harr, The Runners, Claude Kelly, Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias, "Beautiful Surprise" marks Tamia's official followup to her 2006 release "Between Friends." I am still holding out for her rumored live album, but while we wait for word on her forthcoming album, you can peep the official photo taken on the set of Tamia's "Beautiful Surprise" music video.

Song of the Day: "Hollywood Swinging" (Kool & the Gang)

"Hollywood Swinging" - Kool & the Gang

• Writers and Producers: Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George M. Brown, Robert Spike Mickens, Claydes E. Smith, Dennis R. Thomas & Rick A Westfield
• Record Label: De-Lite
• Released in 1974 from "Wild & Peaceful"
• Peaked at #1 on the R&B singles Chart

Artist News: Jordin Sparks remembers Whitney Houston

During Essence's Black Women in Hollywood luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Jordin Sparks opened up about her first interaction with the legendary Whitney Houston on the set of "Sparkle."

"The first day she got [to the set] she's scolding me, and I'm thinking this is the best day ever," says Sparks. "She went from being this unreachable supernova pop star to my costar, friend and someone who was like a mentor to me. It was a gift and an honor to play opposite Whitney Houston in the film."Jordin also mentioned how sprited Whitney was while filming what would become her last motion picture. "When you see Sparkle, you will be so happy to see the joy that is on her face. Everyday started with Whitney saying, 'How are my babies doing? Are you guys good? God is good.' It translates on the screen."

While Sparks and the rest of us continue to mourn the loss of Whitney Houston, it's nice to remember her legacy through the kind words of her peers and colleagues. 

Live Clip: Oscars Dreamgirls Medley (Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Anika Noni Rose)

During the 79th annual Academy Awards, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, and Anika Noni Rose teamed up for a sublime "Dreamgirls" medley to honor their film which was nominated for three Best Original Song nominations for "Listen," "Love You I Do," and "Patience." In honor of the Oscars' tonight I thought it would be appropriate to showcase their phenomenal medley of the nominated songs. Watch it below and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)" (Luther)

Back in 1976, Luther Vandross was the lead vocalist for a group coincidentally named Luther, who would release their self-titled debut album with the thumping second single "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)." Though the single would only go onto peak at #34 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, David Bowie would rework the song with the assistance of Luther Vandross for his joint "Fascination," which is lifted from Bowie's "Young Americans." Shout out to Josh Kun for reminding me of this gem in Luther's discography. Take a first or second listen below to "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)" and Enjoy!

Live Audio: "Amazing Grace" (Aretha Franklin)

Back in 1972, Aretha Franklin released her career defining live gospel album "Amazing Grace." Recorded at her New Bethel Baptist Church, Franklin let into numerous spirited renditions of Gospel hymns though her rendition of the title track"Amazing Grace" proves to be the definitive version of this famous hymn. With that said take a listen bellow to her phenomenal vocal performance of "Amazing Grace" and Enjoy!

Amazing Cover: "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Luther Vandross)

While Sam Cooke holds the standard with his recording of "A Change Is Gonna Come," only a few have come close to the greatness that Cooke possesses. One would be Patti Labelle and the other in my book is Luther Vandross. With that said, check out Luther's spirited and smooth performance of "A Change Is Gonna Come" below and Enjoy!

Interview: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige stopped by The Morning Show on MIX 105.1 this past Friday where she opened up about her forthcoming film "Rock of Ages,"  the passing of  Whitney Houston, her forthcoming performance at the NBA All-Star Game, as well as her new album "My Life II: The Journey Continues Act I." Take a listen below to her interview and lookout for her performance later today.

Artist News: Twista tributes Whitney Houston

Twista released a tribute record in honor of the late Whitney Houston days after she passed. Though I am a bit late on this joint, it's better late then never and Twista really adds some spirit to this tribute recording. Listen below 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!

Live VIdeo of the Day: "So High" (John Legend)

While John Legend is currently busy working on his followup to his Grammy winning covers album "Wake Up!," below you will find the crooner performing a fan favorite "So High," which is lifted from his debut album "Get Lifted." With that said, peep his performance below and Enjoy!