With five Grammy awards, 15 Stellar Awards and one American Music Award to his credit, Kirk Franklin has been an image of complete consistency in his illustrious career. He has worked with the biggest names in the industry, including Bono, Mary J. Blige and the legendary Stevie Wonder. Kirk’s voice and energetic songs of worship […]
Robert Nesta Marley was a man whose impact on the world of music and beyond remains timeless. As the creator of some of the most powerful masterpieces, the mold was broken when they made Bob Marley. None came before, and none shall follow. His legacy lives on not only through his countless releases, but through […]
Greetings, Planet Earth. Another week, another 25 cents collected, as super delegates threaten to determine who ultimately gets the Democratic presidential nomination. Roger Clemens engages in he say/he say with his ex-trainer while testifying to Congress that he didn’t take steroids, and President Bush finally signing that economic stimulus package so we can get our […]
Everyone – guys and girls alike, from the age of 16 to 106 – has or has had their own version of a “get the draws mix.” The inception of this concept started as a mixtape upon which we taped our favorite “love songs” which we were sure would get us lucky. With the creation […]
Every year, the media as well as the public are bombarded with images and propaganda from record labels claiming that their artists are the next big thing. In most cases these “big things” come and go without realizing the potential that we were told they have. However, every year there is also an artist that […]
Shout out to Tom Breihan at the Village Voice for always doing a running diary of award shows in his Status Ain’t Hood blog…which I read daily.8:00PM The Grammy Awards – this is all so exciting, considering I didn’t even watch them last year! Alicia Keys opens…there’s the right way to go about it. Frank […]
What’s shakin’ warriors? It’s been a long slow five days. This week came with destruction as deadly tornadoes killed 54 people and injured many more as they ripped through four states, the Phoenix Suns completed their trade to bring in Shaquille O’Neal as the newest member of their team, medical examiner reports revealed Heath Ledger […]
Look…maybe Hip-Hop is dead, maybe it isn’t, but sometimes you just need a break either way. Luckily, the independent scene has been churning out some alternatives that are plenty worthy of your time. Many of them aren’t Hip-Hop artists per se, but as Hip-Hop has officially become the standard for “cool” around the world, artists […]
On the surface, The D.E.Y. seem like a group who have applied the all too familiar formula consisting of a singer and a few rappers – a trio comparable to the likes of The Fugees and The Black Eyed Peas. However, with Fugees’ frontemen Wyclef and Pras giving them props, it doesn’t appear to be […]
What’s good weekenders? The spirit of the end of the week is alive and well amidst Barack Obama receiving two times the support from members of the Kennedy family, Rudy Giuliani dropping out of Presidential race and backing John McCain after losing the Florida Republican primary, John Edwards joining Giuliani as he makes way for […]
If you take the long drive down the I-15 in the West, you end up in one of two fairy tale cities – Los Angeles on one end and Las Vegas on the other. This part of the world also connected three members of a group, who adopted their name from this highway. As each […]
The music industry is one where the talented are often times shelved and the talent-less are developed. Rahsaan Patterson belongs to the earlier creed. Since his self-titled debut ten years ago, Rahsaan has released four studio albums, contributed to movie soundtracks like Brown Sugar and written several Billboard chart-toppers such as Brandy’s “Baby”. Even still, […]
Mark Ronson dominated 2007 with production work on Lily Allen’s Alright, Still and Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black, but his success didn’t stop there. His album Version took hits from days back and blended them with the likes of music’s most groundbreaking new artists, creating a style all his own. Before any of that happened, […]
What’s cookin’ everyone. The weekend is upon us and the news keeps coming. This week proved to be another lively one with Roy Jones getting the W over Felix Trinidad, Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama taking shots at each other as South Carolinians prepare to vote in the Democratic primary, Fred Thompson deading his […]
The year 2007 was the year of the good, the bad and the ugly for Amy Winehouse. With her trademark beehive hairdo, soulful vibe and retro production, it’s easy to see why she fascinated music lovers in need of rehab for the soul. And she delivered. In more ways than one as her latest […]
Strange, eccentric, odd- a few words some may associate with Star Trak’s teen sensation, Teyana Taylor. As for her, she prefers “bold, creative and different.” The world got their first taste of the 16-year old Harlem globetrotter when MTV featured her on it’s widely popular reality show, My Super Sweet Sixteen. While for some that […]
What’s the deal people? Two weeks away and things continue to remain scandalous. Job security guaranteed, I guess. It’s good to be back as we witnessed Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama declaring a truce after all the back and forth racial drama, Mitt Romney bounces back in the Republican presidential nominee race with a win […]
We wait only a few seconds for Lyfe Jennings to start his interview as he digs into his coat and grabs his cell phone to make an urgent call to Matthew Knowles. It’s all but apparent that this Toledo, Ohio native has had an incredible life turn-around – from stick-up-crime kid to platinum-selling artist. In […]
There is nothing more refreshing than a rebel in a world filled with sheep. It’s even more spectacular when that rebel is a young woman, standing 5’8”, boasting a four-octave range, who completely defies musical standards. Allow us to introduce you to Alice Smith – the strangest, most refreshing musical landscape to emerge in years. […]
Artist: MelodieLocation: Bronx, New YorkInfluences: Aretha FranklinWhy You Should Know Melodie:As a little girl, Melodie Nicholson couldn’t help herself as she sang her own versions of classic songs like “Man In The Mirror” – deep down she was an artist. It was all set in stone as she became a student of the legendary LaGuardia […]
