Friday, May 28, 2010

ALICIA KEYS & SWIZZ BEATZ EXPECTING 1ST CHILD, ENGAGED


Reps for R&B superstar Alicia Keys and hip hop producer Swizz Beatz have comfirmed that they "are expecting a baby and are engaged to be married in a private ceremony later this year." This will be Key's first marriage and child, while Swizz Beatz has two sons from a previous relationship.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

EMINEM'S TRACK LIST FOR RECOVERY IS LEAKED


Eminem's chart-topping single "Not Afraid" already has the music industry in a frenzy. The Detroit-rapper is ready to release his highly anticipated follow up to his comeback album Relapse, with his new body of work entitled Recovery (in stores June 22). This week the album's track list was leaked online and features collaborations from artist such as Lil' Wayne to Rihanna. Check it out:


1. Cold Wind Blows

2. Talkin 2 Myself (feat. Kobe)

3. On Fire

4. Won't Back Down (feat. Pink)

5. W.T.P.

6. Going Through Changes

7. Not Afraid

8. Seduction

9. No Love (feat. Lil' Wayne)

10. Space Bound

11. Cinderella Man

12. 25 to Life

13. So Bad

14. Almost Famous

15. Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna)

16. You're Never Over

Thursday, May 20, 2010

DRAKE'S "THANK ME LATER" TRACK LIST REVEALED


The most anticipated hip hop album of the year, Drake's Thank Me Later track list was revealed this week. Album in stores June 15, 2010. Check out the album's line up:


1. Fireworks (feat. Alicia Keys)

2. Karaoke

3. The Resistance

4. Over

5. Show Me A Good Time

6. Up All Night (feat. Nicki Minaj)

7. Fancy (feat. T.I. and Swizz Beatz)

8. Shut It Down (feat. The Dream)

9. Unforgettable (feat. Young Jeezy)

10. Light Up (feat. Jay-Z)

11. Miss Me (feat. Lil' Wayne)

12. Cece's Interlude

13. Find Your Love

14. Thank Me Now

Monday, May 17, 2010

ALBUM REVIEW: NaS & DAMIAN MARLEY: DISTANT RELATIVES: UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC/ DEF JAM



When NaS and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley decided to make a collaborative album called Distant Relatives last year, they didn't set out to make a cookie-cutter album fused with hip-hop/reggae. The master plan was to create a body of work that inspires to teach, motivate, listen and learn a thing or two about Africa's rich history. The result is nothing short of a masterpiece, that transends a positive message, that can be heard from the streets of the inner-city to the dusty roads in Africa. NaS and Damian Marley bring vivid social commentary to life through song, and the album stands as a testament to both men and their stoired careers. The revolution begins with the energetic, heavy baseline opener "As We Enter". The jump off finds both been trading bars back and forth like a tennis match, with no one outshining the other. The chemistry between NaS and Marley is undeniable. Both of them seem to have found a way to coexist without getting in each others way as they merge their respected genres of music together. That chemistry can be found on "Friends" as Nasir and Damian tell tales of the true meaning of friendship, while exposing the fake impostors in the process: "Salty niggaz hate the smarter ones/ These are the doubters that sour about my run/ I barely made it out the slums/ My value high, cause I do more than rap about a gun/ I made money for niggaz/ Y'all never lookin out for none..." raps NaS. Topics such as this, and more can be found throughout the album. The somber, guitar-laced "Count Your Blessings" is a true gem, as Damian Marley and NaS lists the things in life that people should appreicate the most despite life's shortcomings. Marley sings: " I got love and assurance/ I got new health insurance/ I got strength and indurance/ So I count my blessings/ And gives thanks to the Master that throughout all the disaster/We're still here together after/ Better count your blessings." Distant Relatives never strays off course, and is enjoyable from the beginning to the end, which is rare in this music industry, because today's albums consist of one or two singles surrounded by an orgy of filler tracks. Lil' Wayne pops up on "My Generation" and delivers one of his best verses in a long time. Other standout tracks are the revolutionary "Strong Will Continue" and the infectious-in-your-face- "Nah Mean". What NaS and Damian Marley have done with Distant Relatives was exactly what Marvin Gaye did with his milestone What's Going On decades ago, and that was to create music that was a reflection of the times, and in doing so, they just created 2010's first real hip hop classic. I rate this 5/5

DIDDY ON XXL MAGAZINE FOR THE 1ST TIME!!!!! IN STORES THIS JUNE


Monday, May 10, 2010

MIXTAPE REVIEW: JEEZY: TRAP OR DIE 2: BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY


Life is about repetition. We repeat things over and over again to improve on a certain craft or just because it's a force of habit. For Atlanta's Jeezy, repetition means both. Using the same formula that propelled him to stardom some odd years ago when he stepped on the scene with his classic mixtape Trap or Die. That same ambition and cockiness grabbed the attention of the streets and major labels as Trap or Die set the tone for his Def Jam debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 to rack a million in sells. The rest was history as they would say it, but over the past couple of years the climate of the game has changed. Jeezy had to sit back and watch his fellow Atlanta rival Gucci Mane garner mainstream exposure, and deal with the backlash of critics and fans alike question his position in the rap game. For those who thought the Snowman had fell off, Jeezy returns with the sequal to his monster mixtape with Trap or Die 2: By Any Means Necessary, just a couple months before his highly anticiapted TM103 hits stores. The controversial cover features a Malcolm X-inspired Jeezy (hince the "By Any Means Necessary" subtitle). DJ Don Cannon hosts the mixtape taking over for DJ Drama (who hosted the first TOD). "Damn my nigga you still here? They thought you fell off by now", says DJ Don Cannon on the mixtape opener "Introduction" Jeezy takes time to re-introduce himself and remind you what's his number one priority: money. "That money is like a movie/ Just something you have to see/ You just can't say you real/ It's just something you gotta be..." The ballistic "Trap Or Die Reloaded" is sure to damage speakers and break a few laws for disturbing the peace, while the Hov-influenced-hook on "Hood Politics" only purpose is to motivate while captivate you with it's steller production. Jeezy strentghs has always been his delivery and production choices. The mixtape contains a mixture of sonic gems. The soulful "Time" finds Jeezy taking listeners on a journey down memory lane, and the horn-driven "Greatest Trapper Alive" is classic Jeezy. The Snowman manages to entertain the bulk of the disc alone, with a few carefully-placed guest features. The Clipse ride shotgun on "Ill'in" as Pusha T leaves both his brother Malice and Jeezy in the dust with his ever impressive wordplay. Trick Daddy and Scarface make a cameo on "Ride Wit Me" and Plies pops up on the TM103 single "Lose My Mind". With a mixtape that's 22 tracks deep you're sure to bump into some filler tracks. The lackluster- Don Cannon produced- "D-Boyz" finds Jeezy covering no new grown, and "Insane" is a lazy effort. Jeezy topics stay basic (trappin', money, hoes, and clothes) and that's the only thing that hurts this disc from being another classic. You can't expect to top a classic, if you still talking about the same topics from the last go around. Where Jeezy lacks in growth, he makes up with charisma and top notch production. Trap or Die 2 proves that Jay Jenkins is still a force in the music industry, and we should think twice about saying he's washed up. Though not the classic as the first TOD, it still contains the key elements that make up Jeezy, and his relentlessness to stay ahead of the game by any means necessary. I rate this 4/5

Sunday, May 9, 2010

ALBUM REVIEW: B.o.B: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray/ Grand Hustle/ Atlantic


What a difference a song can make. In any given moment a virtually unknown can become an instant success with just the right song. For Grand Hustle's latest signee, B.o.B, the timing could have not been better. B.o.B has gotten his modest share of fame over the past couple of years (XXL Freshman class of '09 alum, applying song stealing-vocals to T.I.'s Paper Trail), but it wasn't until this year, when his declaration-for-the-apple-of-his-eye song "Nothin' On You" shot up the charts, knocking Rihanna's "Rude Boy" out the number 1 spot. B.o.B or Bobby Ray (whatever you choose to call him) went from a 21 year old with a lot of promising potential to potentially a superstar in the making. That potential can be found on his Grand Hustle/ Atlantic records debut, The Adventures of Bobby Ray. The opus finds B.o.B showcasing dual roles as both rapper and singer. The jump-off track "Don't Let Me Fall" could be his version of Biggie's "Juicy" as it tells the tale of Bobby Ray's dream-like rise to stardom. Other introspective tracks like the Lupe Fiasco-guested song "Past My Shades" gives you a closer look into the young upstarts state-of-mind: "If you asked me what's on my mind/ You probably won't believe it/ Cause if life was one big pool/ I'd be in the deep end/ So, I play my role and never ever speak it like a secret..." The cocky "Bet I" featuring T.I. and Playboy could become a new summer anthem, and "Airplanes pt. 2" with Hayley Williams and surprise guest Eminem is sure to be popping up on people's iPod playlist. While some die hard rap fans would prefer B.o.B's rapping than singing, some songs, i.e. "Lovelier Than You" can become pretty catchy tunes with a few more listens. The best quality of B.o.B is the fact he's willing to take chances and travel new ground, but sometimes those risks can also be his wrongdoing. Above all else, this album provides a glimpse of great things to come from a kid who's just at the legal age to buy liquor, so Father Time is on his side as B.o.B has a whole career ahead of him to finish first in the race amongst his peers. And judging by the way things are going for him now, he's off to a good start. I rate this 3.5/5