Podcast: "Irreconcilable Differences" (The BackBeat)

This week on The Backbeat, we talk about Jhene Aiko filing for divorce, Rihanna being cast in Ocean’s Ocho as well as receiving the 2016 MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. In addition we get into Jennifer Lopez being cast as Griselda Blanco in an HBO Original Film, Fantasia’s “The Definition Of…,” and Chance the Rapper’s Billboard cover story.

Make sure you stay tune until the end to hear songs of the moment from Marcus and Kyera. In a semi flashback friday edition, Marcus gives us selections from Tevin Campbell, Kelly Price, and Janet Jackson while Kyera touches on Monica, Drake, and Young M.A. who is a rapper on the rise!

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)!

Live Clip: "No Time For It" (Fantasia)

While Fantasia is busy putting the finishes touches of her fifth studio album with the likes of mega producer Ron Fair, she found time to release a sublime acoustic performance of her current single "No Time For It."

Released last week to continue the buzz following Tasia and her forthcoming tour with Anthony Hamilton, I hope we get a video for "No Time For It" as it's been over two months since the single's original release in January.

With that said, watch Fantasia's powerful performance of "No Time For It" below and lookout for her on her joint headlining tour with Anthony Hamilton when it kicks off April 21st in Buffalo, New York!

Podcast: "#FactsOnly" (The BackBeat)

In this week’s episode of The BackBeat we get into some of 2016’s highly anticipated releases including Rihanna’s Anti, Ariana Grande’s Moonlight, Christina Aguilera’s follow-up to 2012’s Lotus, Kanye’s Swish, and Missy Elliott’s followup to 2005’s The Cookbook. In addition we speculate about new releases from D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Beyonce and Maxwell with a shoutout to Drake. We then tackle Complex’s list of the best rappers each year since 1979, which shamefully only features one woman, Ms. Nicki Minaj. We then rejoice at Beyonce joining Coldplay at this year’s Super Bowl in addition to rumors that Rihanna might join the festivities, get into some of the new music thus far in 2016 (Kanye West’s “Swish” and “Best Friend”; Brandy’s “Beggin and Pleadin”; Fantasia’s “No Time For It”), talk about Netflix’s highly anticipated series “The Get Down,” and interrogate RZA thinking Black youth should stop scaring police.

Make sure you stay tune to the end of the episode when Marcus and Kyera get into their songs of the moment from Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, and Kelela.

New Joint: "No Time For It" (Fantasia)

After teasing fans about new music in 2016 and releasing the single cover for "No Time For It" yesterday, Fantasia has released her new single.

Featuring a mellow mid-tempo beat and a reserved vocal from Fantasia, this is the first official taste of her highly anticipated forthcoming fifth studio album, which follows her sublime 2013 effort Side Effects of You.

Take a listen to "No Time For It" below and Enjoy!

Live Video of the Day: "Soul Train Babyface Tribute"

Earlier tonight, the 2015 Soul Train Awards telecast aired simultaneously on Centric and BET and the highlight of the night had to be the Babyface tribute which included a laundry list of hit singles he's written and produced for others as well as a finale that included Babyface himself.

Featured on the piano, Babyface accompanied the majority of the acts who honored him including Tevin Campbell on "Can We Talk," Brandy on "Sittin' Up In My Room," Fantasia on both the Whitney Houston classic "Exhale (Shoop Shoop) and Karyn White "Superwoman," Bobby Brown, and Boyz II Men who offered up a medley of some of their greatest hits.

Babyface closed it out with a rousing rendition of "Whip Appeal" and you can watch it all go down below!

Second Listen: "You Were Always On My Mind" (Fantasia)

Back in 2004, Fantasia released an amazing cover of the classic "Always On My Mind." Retitled "You Were Always On My Mind" from Fantasia's debut album Free Yourself, it is a standout gem on her album and when performed live by the soulful songstress, it truly becomes a gospel-tinged testament.

With that said, take a few minutes and soak up the testimony that Fantasia has to offer on "You Were Always On My Mind" and hopefully we will be hearing about some new music and/or a tour soon cause Fantasia and music belong together in my book!

Song of the Day: "Free Yourself" (Fantasia)

"Free Yourself" - Fantasia

• Writers: Missy Elliott, Craig X. Brockman
• Record Label: J Records
• Released in 2005 from 2004's Free Yourself
• Peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
• Nominated for two Grammy Awards Best R&B song & Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

Amazing Cover: "Stormy Weather" (Fantasia)

During the 2014 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party, Fantasia offered up one of the evening's highlights with a powerful performance of the jazz standard "Stormy Weather."

At the time, Fantasia was co-starring in After Midnight on Broadway, and Fantasia's spirited rendition of "Stormy Weather" has me begging to hear a full on jazz album from her sometime during her legend-in-the-making career as her voice can really do anything in my book.

With that said, watch Fantasia's powerful performance from earlier this year of "Stormy Weather" from Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Party below and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Free Yourself" (Fantasia ft. Missy Elliott)

Back in 2004, Fantasia released her debut album Free Yourself, after winning the third season of American Idol and the title-track, "Free Yourself" which featured Missy Elliott, was released as the fourth single from the set.

"Free Yourself" would go onto peak at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #3 on the US R&B/Hip Hop chart, while peaking at #1 on the US Adult R&B Airplay chart. "Free Yourself" went onto garner two Grammy Awards for Best R&B song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and won the ASCAP R&B/Hip-Hop award.

With that said, take a second listen below to Fantasia's joint "Free Yourself" and Enjoy!

Cut: "Ain't All Bad" (Fantasia)

While Fantasia is busy working on the followup to her stellar fourth album Side Effects Of You, I thought it would be nice to revisit one of the cuts from her album as it really only spawned two singles, "Lost to Win" and her Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland collaboration "Without Me."

With that said, one of my favorite cuts from the album is her thumping joint "Ain't All Bad," which was produced by Harmony Samuels. Co-written by Fantasia, Samuels, Al Sherrod Lambert, Courtney Harrell and Andrew Scott, "Ain't All Bad" would've be a perfect choice for the set's third single in my opinion.

Therefore, take a listen below to Fantasia's cut "Ain't All Bad" and Enjoy!

Amazing Cover: "Always On My Mind" (Fantasia)

One of my favorite covers from Fantasia has to be her rendition of the Willie Nelson classic "You Were Always On My Mind." Featured on her debut album Free Yourself Fantasia rarely performs this stunning cover anymore and I really wish she would because she truly owns this cover.

With that said, watch Fantasia's stunning cover of "Always On My Mind" below from Fantasia's AOL Sessions and Enjoy!

Song of the Day: "Free Yourself" (Fantasia)

"Free Yourself" - Fantasia

• Writers: Missy Elliott, Craig X. Brockman
• Record Label: J Records
• Released in 2005 from 2004's Free Yourself
• Peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
• Nominated for two Grammy Awards Best R&B song & Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

Second Listen: "The Thrill Is Gone" (Fantasia ft Cee-Lo Green)

One of my favorite joints from Fantasia's third album Back To Me, was the smooth mid-tempo duet "The Thrill Is Gone" with Cee-Lo Green. Though never released as a single, I believe it's one of the strongest songs on the album and definitely deserves to be given a second listen.

With that said, peep the thumping "The Thrill Is Gone" below and if you haven't checked out Fantasia's latest album Side Effects Of You, it's worth a purchase and listen in my opinion!

Amazing Cover: "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (Fantasia)

While Fantasia is hard at work on her forthcoming fifth studio LP, I am reminded of one of my favorite performances from the Grammy-winning songstress what I would love to hear a recorded version of on her new album.

Back in 2004 freshly off of her American Idol win, Fantasia took to the Kennedy Center Honors to perform a touching tribute to Elton John. Watch after the jump as Fantasia performs her emotionally poignant rendition of "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" and even brings Elton John to tears.

Second Listen: "Free Yourself" (Fantasia ft. Missy Elliott)

Back in 2004, Fantasia released her debut album Free Yourself, after winning the third season of American Idol and the title-track, "Free Yourself" which featured Missy Elliott, was released as the fourth single from the set.

"Free Yourself" would go onto peak at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #3 on the US R&B/Hip Hop chart, while peaking at #1 on the US Adult R&B Airplay chart. "Free Yourself" went onto garner two Grammy Awards for Best R&B song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and won the ASCAP R&B/Hip-Hop award.

With that said, take a second listen below to Fantasia's joint "Free Yourself" and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "Hypothetically" (Lyfe Jennings ft. Fantasia)

Back in 2004, Lyfe Jennings released his debut album Lyfe 268-192 and one of the standout tracks from the set was the duet "Hypothetically." Though the original 2004 version featured a singer named Erin, Lyfe rereleased his debut album in 2005 with a new version of "Hypothetically" that featured then newly crowned American Idol Fantasia.

Though "Hypothetically" would later be released in 2006, it never received the attention it deserved in my opinion and you can give it a much warranted second listen below!

A Cappella: "Lose To Win" (Fantasia)

Back at the top of 2013, Fantasia's new single "Lose to Win" was released digitally and to build then buzz for the single, the Grammy-winning songstress released an a cappella video clip of her singing the chorus.

Lifted from The Side Effects of You, you can peep her a cappella performance of "Lose To Win" below as we await her followup to her sublime LP!

Amazing Cover: "'Til My Baby Comes Home" (Fantasia & Anthony Hamilton)

When Luther Vandross passed away on July 1st, 2005, the singing world was struck as the best male R&B vocalist ever (in my opinion and Clive Davis' as well) to grace the microphone was taken from us musch to soon.

With that said, Fantasia and Anthony Hamilton offered up a stirring rendition of the Luther Vandross classic "'Til My Baby Comes Home" during Clive Davis' annual Pre-Grammy celebration back in 2006 in honor of the late and great Luther Vandross.

Therefore watch it all go down below as Fantasia and Anthony do their thing on this near gospel turned performance of "'Til My Baby Comes Home" and Enjoy!

Second Listen: "You Were Always On My Mind" (Fantasia)

Back in 2004, Fantasia released an amazing cover of the classic "Always On My Mind." Retitled "You Were Always On My Mind" from Fantasia's debut album Free Yourself, it is a standout gem on her album and when performed live by the soulful songstress, it truly becomes a gospel-tinged testament.

With that said, take a few minutes and soak up the testimony that Fantasia has to offer on "You Were Always On My Mind" and hopefully we will be hearing about some new music and/or a tour soon cause Fantasia and music belong together in my book!