JumpinJack AJ

ALI SHAHEED MUHAMMAD, AYAH/MERNA, JAPOET, + DAVID LUKE - CPR (2014)

I love this. I find this so much more interesting than any movie-related news. And those guys can SANG. Someone get them a proper deal and get their voices and harmonies on the radio.

I may be the only one who follows Snow's music, but if anyone wants to read about his new single with Fat Joe and his future endeavors, here's the link... http://www.samaritanmag.com/musicians/informer-rapper-snow-drops-%E2%80%98shame%E2%80%99-cancer-wants-help-inmates Informer Rapper Snow Drops ‘Shame’ for Cancer, Wants To Help Inmates By Karen Bliss | www.samaritanmag.com Posted on December 17, 2014 — photo credit: T.E. Dennis. “I’m going to entertain for two more years. After that, I’m going to start doing some real goodness, real charity, real helping,” rapper Snow tells Samaritanmag. Having grown up in Toronto’s Allenbury Gardens housing projects, the 45-year-old always has charity at the back of his mind from helping disadvantaged kids in his old ‘hood to nurturing the artistic potential of inmates, something he wants to do next. But now he is doing something else that hits close to home. All of the proceeds from his long-awaited new single “Shame” — featuring reggae legend Mykal Rose (Black Uhuru) and produced by Kent Jones and Cool & Dre — goes to the U.S.-based Karen E. Mumford Cancer Foundation (KEM) in honour of his late wife. “Tamei passed away five years ago. It just came out of nowhere. We knew for like two weeks,” says Snow, whose real name is Darrin O’Brien. Tamei Edberg died of uterine cancer just after receiving the terrible news. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs but unfortunately in Tamei’s case was diagnosed too late and wasn't able to be treated. Founded in 2007, KEM not only educates people about preventative practices "that can sharply eliminate chances of acquiring cancer," it states on its web site, but "will donate funds to cancer research while financially assisting sufferers of cancer and those undergoing treatment." Snow didn’t write “Shame” about cancer or his wife but as an explanation to his U.S. fans about why he disappeared off the radar following the release of his 1993 hit, “Informer,” which spent seven weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. “So after the song was done, we were thinking, ‘Let’s do something for cancer,’ so we got hold of the KEM Foundation. They help people with cancer. They don’t just take the money and do research; they help. So let’s do that that in her honour," says Snow. In Canada, Snow has had hit singles since “Informer,” including 1999’s “Everybody Wants To Be Like You,” which reached No. 2, and 2002’s “Legal,” which peaked at No. 13, but he hasn’t dropped an album in 12 years. He has always worked at his own pace, releasing albums when he meets a group of people (producers, co-writers, managers etc…) that are committed and fun. After all, he never set out to be an entertainer, he says. It just happened when he landed in jail on two attempted murder charges, then for assault causing bodily harm and came up with “Informer" (listen to the lyrics for the story). A jury found him not guilty but he had other charges on his criminal record that prevented him from entering (thus touring) the U.S. The matter that has finally been resolved (“no guns, no drugs, no violence towards women, just stupidity,” Snow says), allowing him to work in America now, which he is doing with Kent Jones, Scott Storch, Fat Joe, and others. His next single is “Ohh Baby,” featuring Fat Joe and a sample of Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way.” It is due out in January. “I’ll probably give all that money away to some people in Ireland or Jamaica or something,” Snow laughs. When he mentions he’d like to continue entertaining for two more years then dive into charity work, Samaritanmag asks him what he’d like to do. “I’d like to…I don’t know. See, what makes me mad is jail, how they treat the inmates in jail. I don’t care what you do, whatever whatever whatever but they’re not dogs.” In August, Samaritanmag covered something that might be right up Snow’s alley. Musician/producer Chris Brown (Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Barenaked Ladies, Chris Brown and Kate Fenner) runs the Pros and Cons program, which strives to assist prisoners through mentorship and constructive hands-on work. Postcards from the County is an album recorded behind bars with inmates and Canadian artists, such as Sarah Harmer and Luther Wright. “I wanna do it. Tell them to get a hold of me. I’ll do it. I know them all in jail,” enthuses Snow. “I wanna do two songs with the inmates. Everybody knows my family down there; when I go down there, everybody, big dogs down there. There’s so much talent there. And it’s a shame that if you’re walking down the street and you get caught with a bag of heroin or a bag a crack, you’re a crack user or a heroin user; you’re not a criminal. “Money will go to something to do with the jail – more instruments, more this, more that," he adds. "The talent is crazy. It’s not just music. It’s lost talent and they could be doing artwork for record companies or something, while they’re in there.” - See more at: http://www.samaritanmag.com/musicians/informer-rapper-snow-drops-%E2%80%98shame%E2%80%99-cancer-wants-help-inmates#sthash.Catw7QO2.k8FjyJUU.dpuf

TLC - All I Want For Christmas A LaFace Family Christmas (1993) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptL8FD87d28

BRIA MARIE + DJ JAZZY JEFF - French Fries & Apple Pies (2012)

I've been listening to it almost non-stop for the past 24 hours. I love the album. It's been a long time since I've been this into a Hip-Hop album.

J. COLE - Apparently 2114 Forest Hills Drive (2014)

:::BUMP::: <----- There's a little Sony message board humor for some of you. :-P For those of you who love Christmas music, use this tread just like the "What Are You Listening To" thread, or simply share Christmas music that you like... CHRISTINA PERRI - Something About December A Very Merry Perri Christmas (2012)

MARY J. BLIGE - Whole Damn Year The London Sessions (2014) I love this album. I particularly love the piano on this...it reminds me of the warm piano on A. Key's stuff before she started making her style a little more slick.

Rapper Beanie Sigel Shot in New Jersey By Joe Coscarelli December 5, 2014 5:34 pmDecember 5, 2014 5:34 pm Photo Beanie Sigel being treated near the scene of the shooting on Friday.Credit Michael Ein/The Press of Atlantic City, via Associated Press The rapper Beanie Sigel, formerly of Jay Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, was shot in the stomach on Friday morning in Pleasantville, N.J., Philadelphia’s NBC-10 reported. The incident occurred just after 9 a.m. outside Beanie Sigel’s home, following “some sort of altercation next to that property,” Jose Ruiz, Pleasantville’s chief of police, told NBC-10. Another man was reportedly injured, but refused to cooperate with the police. The 40-year-old Beanie Sigel (whose real name is Dwight Grant) was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery. He was awake as of Friday afternoon, according to The Associated Press. A lawyer for Beanie Sigel said the rapper was not the intended target of the shooting. Beanie Sigel’s last album with Roc-A-Fella was “The Solution” in 2007. In August, he was released after serving more than two years in federal prison for tax evasion. According to the federal Bureau of Prisons, his probation is scheduled to end on Saturday. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/rapper-beanie-sigel-shot-in-new-jersey/?WT.mc_id=AD-D-E-AOL-AD-FP-DEC-ARTSRISK-ROS-1202-1217&WT.mc_ev=click&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1417496400&bicmet=1451538000&ad-keywords=DecAdRisk&icid=maing-grid7|aol20-s|dl5|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D576815&_r=0

I didn't realize it existed until the early-mid 2000's. I believe it was a rather limited release and that it was only released in one or two countries.

I've wanted this album for ages. It was released in 1998, but all of the music is from 1992 to 1995. It's a compilation of remixes from their previous albums. Normally it's priced really high since it was only released overseas, but when you posted this, I checked up on it and found one at a reasonable price, so I got it. Some of the best music from the 90's.

De La drops music, and I'm like "take my money," ...but I'm cool with free music too. LOL

I know there aren't many Madonna fans, but these are the two songs that leaked yesterday. I like this two better than the majority of the stuff on her past two albums. MADONNA - Rebel Heart (upcoming 2015 album) (2014) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSK2FNSJXEw

MADONNA - Wash All Over Me (her or Avicii's 2015 album) (2014) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCKl3EhV0VQ

BLACK MOON - Who Got Da Props? Enta Da Stage (1993)

Whoa, I just checked me email and they are giving the song away for free! You can get it here: http://www.wearedelasoul.com/products/51944-the-people-feat-chuck-d-digital-download?utm_source=Link+1&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=The+People

Prepare your ears for dopeness... For some reason I'm unable to copy and paste the article, so you can read about it here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/de-la-soul-chuck-d-the-people-20141128

Great interview. I didn't know they were the first signed to A Touch of Jazz. I think this is the first time they've ever shared that. Zhane seemed to have a love/hate relationship with "Ring My Bell." I remember talking about it early in their career fondly, but a little later they talked about it reluctantly. I think they got caught up in the talk that JJ+FP was too accessible to the mainstream at that particular time. I'm glad that that it's being mentioned in a better light now. Here's the full article if anyone wants to read the whole thing... Nineties R&B group Zhané celebrates twentieth anniversary of debut album, Pronounced Jah-nay For Pronounced Jah-nay's twentieth anniversary, we spoke with Renee Neufville about recording one of the more definitive R&B albums from the 1990s. by Chris Williams By the mid 1990s, there was an assortment of R&B groups dominating the musical landscape. On the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two young women were on the verge of staking their claim amongst R&B music’s elite. After a chance meeting with Benny Medina, Renee Neufville and Jean Norris decided to join forces to form a dynamic songwriting tandem. As a result, their debut album achieved platinum success. On February 15, 1994, Pronounced Jah-nay was released by Motown Records. Riding the wave from their overwhelming smash hit, “Hey Mr. D.J.,” Zhane ushered in a new, refreshing sound to rival their contemporaries. For the album’s twentieth anniversary, I spoke with Neufville about recording one of the more definitive R&B albums from the 1990s. What is the story behind the forming of the duo? We were the first artists signed to A Touch of Jazz by Jazzy Jeff. We were students at Temple University. We met Jazzy Jeff because we were students in Philadelphia, and we would enter talent shows to pay our bills. Word got to him that there were these girls at Temple University who could sing. Somebody introduced us to him, and he took us under his wing and formed A Touch of Jazz production company. While we were working with Jazzy Jeff, he was working with Will Smith on their Homebase album, which went platinum. During that time, Will Smith was going back and forth to California because he was pursuing an acting career. So Quincy Jones and Benny Medina were very instrumental in that transition for Will. With the amount of hours that my partner Jean and I spent at the studio, we in turn got to meet Benny Medina. Benny Medina saw us play and sing when we were separate artists, but we were roommates, too. He suggested to us that we should become a group. So – we said OK, and that’s how we became a group. It was Benny Medina’s idea. This happened during a random sighting at a studio. During that time, it was rare to see two women as a duo. Can you explain the process that Jean and you went through to become a group, since you were solo artists in the beginning? How long did it take you all to get acclimated to each other’s styles to make it work? It didn’t take us long because we were roommates. We spent all our time together as roommates. There wasn’t a learning curve at all. Earlier you were going to speak about your group’s look, and how it was so different from the norm back then. It’s one of the many things that made you all stand out besides the fact you were a duo. Well, prior to the 1990s, most of the girl groups had a uniform, homogenous look. I was 5’9 ½ and my partner, Jean was 5’2. I knew that aesthetically we were different. I was dark-skinned and thin, and she was light-skinned. So I tried to think of a way for us to have a look that would make sense for people to accept. I suggested that we would keep our hair cropped. I told Jean to cut her hair low and I would wear mine low as finger waves. So that way, aesthetically, it would be something that would tie us together. And, she agreed. How did you come up with the group name? We were presented with a contract, and I’m not sure where Jean was at the time, but I was sitting at my kitchen table trying to figure out how we were going to sign this contract. At this time, we were just recording material, and we weren’t really thinking about the name. I sat down at my kitchen table in Brooklyn. I took out a piece of paper, and I started jotting down names. I tried different names like Nah-jay, Fade to Black, and many others. I remember brainstorming about it by myself knowing that we had to sign this contract, but we didn’t have a group name yet. When I thought of Jah-nay, at first, it was a combination of her name and mine because they’re both French names. I used the J from her name and added to my –nay sound at the end of my name. However, I thought to myself that, if we happen to be famous one day, and we do autographs, the Z would look better. That’s how I came up with the name, and then I told Jean later. She agreed that it was a good name. The sound emanating from this album was much different than what was popular during that time period. What direction were you trying to go in with the sound of the album? To be honest, we didn’t sit down and think about a direction for the sound. We just recorded song after song after song, and then at the end of that process, the album was complete. But the influences for most of the hit records from that album stemmed from my childhood in Brooklyn. In the 70s and 80s, I was exposed to music from Patrice Rushen, Atlantic Starr, and Loose Ends. I loved the vibes from those records. It was my thing. I loved that classic sound. To me, it was easier to not start a trend, but trying to create a classic sound. The appeal of a classic record is infinite. If you look at today’s market, vintage happens to be popular amongst the younger generation. Everyone likes to go back to what is classic. The music from the 70s and 80s, which is so soulful, is what I listened to in New York City. Were you influenced by any of the music your contemporaries were releasing during the making of this album? Yes. Definitely! When N’Dea Davenport came out with that Brand New Heavies album, it was a breath of fresh air. The sound was cutting edge. It wasn’t a New Jack Swing sound. We came from the New Jack Swing era, but our music wasn’t New Jack Swing. We had more of a London, rare groove, soul, jazzy feel. I loved the Brand New Heavies stylistically and visually. They were somewhat of an influence because they were trying to push the envelope and going against the grain of the New Jack Swing sound. They were trying to have a more individual sound. I felt like, back then, the artists coming out of London definitely approached their music with a very individualistic mindset. Of course there was music that we loved, but didn’t sound like ours. Mary J. Blige’s album came out a year or two before ours. Mint Condition was hitting big. We loved and respected those artists. What was the creative dynamic that existed between Jean and you while you were constructing this album? For the most part, on this album, there were certain songs that were 100 percent us. We were both musicians. Some of those songs were written in the music hall at Temple University on a piano. For the hit records that were released, they were produced by Kay Gee from Naughty by Nature. He would provide us with a cassette tape with a bunch of instrumentals on it, and send us home with it. We would go back and forth from Philadelphia to New Jersey. Both Jean and I would have a cassette of those beats. Whoever wrote lyrics to those tracks, we would move forward with it. It just so happened that I was writing prolifically at that time, and Kay Gee liked it and it worked. Writing is where my heart is. I would write the lyrics to the songs. I would write the arrangements. I would teach Jean her parts within a song, and we would record it. We recorded our songs in a studio in northern New Jersey. At that time, Naughty by Nature was starting to hit, and it was at the beginning of their careers. So Kay Gee didn’t have his own facility, yet. He was working out of a spot off of Route 1 and 9 near Jersey City. We would go back and forth from Philadelphia on the weekends. We would take the Amtrak train every Friday night to Newark, and he would pick us up and put us in a hotel. Then, we would go into the studio first thing on Saturday morning and work all day. We would work on Sunday, too and head back to Philadelphia on Sunday night. He did this for a long time until the album was done. Most of our friends at Temple University didn’t even know. It wasn’t the popular thing to record records back then. Getting into the music business seem far removed from most people’s realities at that time. It wasn’t as accessible as it became later on. We were still living in the dream. We didn’t understand what was happening. We didn’t know what was going to be the outcome. We didn’t know if people were going to understand us because we were so different than what was out in the mainstream. We just took a chance, and that’s what youth allows you to do. The groove between Jean and I was that the tonality of our voices were very compatible. I wrote a lot of harmonies back then. So when we got together and did a song, our harmonies almost sounded like one voice. She had a lot of highs in her voice, and naturally, I had a lot of lows in mine. So together, it really worked sonically, and we lived together. You know when you live together with someone for a long time you start to sound like them — that’s what was happening. If one of us picked up the phone, the person on the other end couldn’t tell if it was me or Jean. Our connection was seamless. How long did it take for you to start and finish this album? The process took from 1990 through 1992. What is the background story of you getting signed to Motown Records? The song “Hey Mr. D.J.” was one of the many tunes we recorded for the album. Kay Gee was doing some work for a compilation album called Roll Wit Tha Flava under Flavor Unit Records, which was run by Queen Latifah. Queen Latifah essentially signed us into the business. We came into the business under Flavor Unit for that one song. She did Kay Gee a favor by putting that record on the compilation album to give his group, us, Zhane, a little bit of shine. It turned out that song was the breakout hit from the album. Back then, deejays weren’t dictated to as to what to play. So when the deejays got the promo copies of Roll Wit Tha Flava, which had Fu-Schnickens, Freddie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Naughty by Nature, and many other great artists, they, for some reason, decided on their own to play our first single. So our first single ended up being forced to be our first single because the record label couldn’t ignore any longer the success that was bubbling up from the underground. So they jumped on it. That’s when Zhane’s career started. We had to rush our album, and we had to get a record deal because the song took off. We hadn’t finished recording songs for the album yet. The song was climbing up the charts. We were playing in everyone’s car. People were requesting us to perform across the country, so we had to strike when the iron was hot. Our album wasn’t done, and we didn’t have a follow up tune to that song. I wrote that song in my bedroom while sitting on the floor. I remember presenting it to Kay Gee. I told him I had this song called “Hey Mr. D.J.” I told him it reminded me of when I had block parties on my block back in Brooklyn. When I sang it to him, he laughed at me. [laughing] He thought it was a joke. But we recorded it, and everyone seemed to love it. So imagine that “Hey Mr. D.J.” was a hit, there’s this group that no one has ever seen before, there’s no video for the song, the album isn’t done, and we hadn’t sign to a record label for a full length album yet. There was a bidding war for us. We ended up signing to Motown Records. Queen Latifah’s mother was very instrumental in terms of us being signed because she was the first person we met. She told us that we needed to meet her daughter Dana. When we met Dana, she said, “I want to sign your group.” Kay Gee said, “Cool.” And we were on Flavor Unit Records. After that, there was a bidding war for the group. We went with Motown for the album deal. The album was released in the first quarter of 1994. It was the fastest gold-selling album in the history of Motown Records. It went gold overnight. I remember being under a lot of pressure because we needed a song to segue from “Hey Mr. D.J.” into everything else that was on the album. We needed a song that had a similar feel and rhythm, but we didn’t. So Kay Gee sampled Patrice Rushen’s “Haven’t You Heard.” He slowed it down, and he sent us the cassette. I went into the basement, and overnight I wrote “Groove Thang.” He listened to it, and he told us this would be our second single and now, we could release the album. After “Groove Thang,” we released “Sending My Love.” Everything happened so, organically. A lot of the process was capitalizing on the opportunities as they came. Once we realized that the audience was responding to the music with this energy, it was important for the label and Kay Gee that we continued that. It has stood the test of time because these songs are still played pretty much everyday in New York City, which is amazing and a blessing. How many songs did you record for this album? Every song that you heard on the album is how many we recorded for it. [laughing] It wasn’t like we went into the studio, hung out, and got a big budget to record the album. We went in and recorded the songs. Then, we would come back the next week, and do the same thing. When we had enough songs to make a record, we put it out. Every song we recorded made the album. We had a small budget for the album. We weren’t proven artists, yet. Kay Gee was basically taking a chance with us. He just had a whim that this would work because he liked it. He followed his own instincts. Queen Latifah followed her instincts. When I was writing these tunes, I was following my instincts. Jean followed her instincts. Patrice Rushen was our blueprint. Take me through the creative process in making each song for the album? On “Vibe” we used a sample from George Benson’s “Love X Love” record. The chord changes were very jazzy because George Benson’s background is in jazz guitar. This song was written for the people. It wasn’t about love or a critical situation. It wasn’t personalized. It was basically a song to the people telling them to keep their mind in a state of Zen and stay optimistic and be open to life. It’s one of those songs that sounds like background music, but feels like a glass of cool water when you hear it. I remember WBLS at the time was called “The Vibe.” So – when radio stations got the album, they were told to start playing the second single “Groove Thang,” but WBLS decided to play what they wanted to play, which was this song. It caused a bit of drama with the record label because they liked to keep everything uniform throughout the market. WBLS wanted to do their own thing. They coined that song as their theme record. Between commercial breaks, they would use our song. I do remember that. I remember writing “Sending My Love” when I was coming home from college on the New Jersey transit bus. I was going to my brother’s house in Philly. “Sending My Love” was a song I wrote for my boyfriend at the time. We had a long distance relationship. He lived in the next town over but it was still long distance. He was my first love. I thought about Stephanie Mills and the way her lyrics were written. Her words were so poetic and visual. I sat on the bus and said to myself, “If I could mail my heart right to you, I would.” And that was the first line to “Sending My Love.” “I would pack it up, seal it tight, and send it overnight.” To me, that’s how grown folks used to talk to each other when they fell in love. The studio that we worked out of in New Jersey was run by a guy named Dave Bellochio, and Dave played keys. I think Dave and Kay Gee came together, and Kay Gee would get on the MPC and he would make a break beat. The break beat that was used for “Sending My Love” has been used by EPMD and Jodeci. It’s a very common break beat. Dave would add some color and chords on it. Kay Gee always loved hearing the keys, and the track is very simple. Kay Gee comes from a hardcore hip-hop background, and Zhane’s sound along with Kay Gee’s edge was a very nice marriage. A lot of guys who were into hip-hop could relate to it because it wasn’t too soft or too sweet. With “Sending My Love,” Kay Gee made sure that the balance was there. He sent the track to us and I came up with the song. “Sweet Taste of Love” was written at Presser Hall in the music department at Temple University in one of their practice rooms. This song was also written for my first love. “Changes” was also written about my first love. It was written over the summer of 1989. I was working at the Department of Social Services on 98 Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. I was a clerk there. I would type out all the welfare checks for the recipients. I remember being at work writing down lyrics to this song because he and I might of had a quarrel. It’s your first love. There’s distance and you’re missing each other. I felt like he was putting me through a lot of changes. When I got home, we had an upright piano in the living room, and I wrote the chords to it and I put the poem I wrote to the chords. It was one of the first tunes Jazzy Jeff had heard when we met him. These were songs that I came to Temple with. I’m going to let you guess who “You’re Sorry Now” is about. [laughing] He cheated on me. It was my first love, and my first heartache all in one. They always say love can do one of two things: it can break you or you can make beautiful music out of it. I used music at that time as a diary. It was my way of dealing with my life. “Love Me Today” was a song that was written about love lost. It was a rebound situation where you’ve broken up with someone you love because you felt like you had to. However, you’re not ready to let go of one another. So there’s a tug of war that goes on between the two of you and some days you want to forget about everything and tell them love me today and make love to me right now. It’s a real feeling. We’ve all been there. “Off My Mind” was a song where I was feeling feelings for the very first time in my life. This song was that moment where I was trying to be so strong, but I had to be honest with myself that I’m extremely vulnerable and I’m weak, and I can be as strong as an oak tree or I can bend like a willow. “Off My Mind” was a song written in three movements. It started off like a slow ballad and then it went into what we call in jazz, a swing rhythm, and after that, it goes into a classical arpeggio without the drum machine. I have to be thankful for this relationship. It was me on the piano. We hired an acoustic bassist and trumpeter. We had live drums. We cut the record so we could have a jazz record on there. It was a very emotional tune. “La La La” was a song that Jean and I wrote together. We were in Presser Hall. Jean played the piano. We sat beside each other at the piano, and we would vibe together between classes and this song came out. It was a combination of whoever she was dating at the time, and the same guy I was dating. “For a Reason” was a song that Jean wrote. It was a time where our years at Temple were over, and life as we knew it, was pretty much over. We were embarking on this new journey with the music business. This was unmarked territory for us. “For a Reason” was really about the transition from college to this new world from adolescence to adulthood. As you look back 20 years later, how do feel about the impact the album has made on popular culture? I’ll never get over the feeling of hearing our songs on the radio for the first time. Every time I hear them, it’s like the first time. It’s a feeling I’ll never get over having. One thing I can say is during the peak of our success, I was fully aware of the blessing that it was and the importance and rarity of it. I never took that opportunity for granted. So now, when I hear our songs, I feel very proud of the material, and the mark that was made. I’m grateful to know that once my soul leaves the physical body, the music will outlive all of us. It’s one of the biggest gifts I could ever imagine receiving because life is so short. This is the legacy we’ve left behind. We came up in a time when classic music was being made. Not just hit records, but records that will be played forever. The music industry has changed so much. I don’t know if that formula is there anymore to make a classic record that will last 60 years from now. I’ll always love the music we created.

I love her albums too, but her overly sexy moments come off as forced. J. Lo may be confident in herself, but it seems like an popular female artist has to wear what she's wearing. It's unfortunate that everyone plays along.

Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones unhappy about ‘An EnVogue Christmas’ Nov 25, 2014 By Tracy Scott Lifetime aired a made-for-TV Christmas movie Saturday, featuring ‘90s R&B group EnVogue, excluding original member Dawn Robinson, and the former “R&B Divas: LA” star was none too pleased. Dawn threatened to sue the network for airing the An EnVogue Christmas, starring Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron and newer member Genelle Williams,” according to TMZ. According to reports, Dawn has no rights to the EnVogue name, but wanted her character included in the film, in which she expressed little confidence. “I have no interest in watching it. It looks horrible. I’m sad for them,” she told TMZ, referencing Lifetime’s much-criticized Aaliyah biopic. “I’m extremely worried that this is going to be a train wreck.” Apparently, original member Maxine Jones was equally perturbed by the Lifetime film, though, she isn’t planning to file any lawsuits. I think it’s wack,” Maxine told the HipHopSocialite earlier this month. “I don’t like it when I’m watching them; I don’t. I don’t because I feel like they’re calling themselves EnVogue, and they’re not.” Even though she’s given up any legal claim to the EnVogue name, Maxine doesn’t like the feeling of being replaced in a group she helped make a success. “It’s supposed to be an EnVogue reunion. It’s two of them there,” she said. “You think you can just get somebody off the street and call it a freakin’ reunion? I don’t think so.” Even though an honest-to-goodness EnVogue reunion would include Terry, Cindy, Maxine and Dawn, Maxine said she’s not too sure that would work either. “I have tried everything in my power to work with Dawn,” she said of the former Lucy Pearl singer who spent one season on “R&B Divas: LA.” "She’s talented and beautiful. There’s not a question about that, but the girl is looney. That’s what I’ll say about it,” Maxine said. “I’m not trying anymore; I’m done. That’s never going to happen ever again.” An EnVogue Christmas airs Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. EST and twice in December. http://s2smagazine.com/2014/11/25/dawn-robinson-maxine-jones-unhappy-about-an-envogue-christmas/

I must say, I have crazy respect for these two. Everyone forgets that this topic is tied closely to Hip-Hop culture, which SHOULD be the fire behind the music...a fire that has been nearly dead for a long time. Their presence and support is a reminder of what Hip-Hop is.... Q-Tip And Macklemore Hit The Front Lines In Protest Of Ferguson Decision Iyana Robertson Posted November 25, 2014 The failure of the Ferguson grand jury to indict Darren Wilson in the killing of Mike Brown last night (Nov. 24) brought about emotional reactions across the Internet and in the nation’s streets. As a slew celebrities took to their social network accounts with solidarity, support, condolences and urges for peace, Q-Tip and Macklemore got up and got out. Q-Tip was vocal on his Twitter account following the Ferguson decision. Noting a lack of “value for black life,” the rapper expressed his discontent online, but took his stance a step further. Hitting the streets of New York City, The Abstract led protesters in a chant of “Whose streets? Our streets” (above). SEE ALSO: #Ferguson Critics Roundtable: Is Hip-Hop Doing Enough? Also taking to Twitter was Macklemore. Bashing the Ferguson decision as one that “protects white supremacy,” the Seattle-bred rapper turned words into action as well. He hit the streets of his city to join protesters. http://www.vibe.com/article/q-tip-macklemore-ferguson-protests?utm_source=sc-fb&utm_medium=ref&utm_campaign=Ferguson

I'm a fan of Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande. I can't say I follow Bette Midler, but I recognize her as a legend (even though she did that horrible cover of TLC's "Waterfalls"). I actually like the point she's making though... Bette Midler Says Ariana Grande Looks 'Ridiculous' Trying to Be Sexy By Katie Atkinson | November 24, 2014 9:04 PM EST Ariana Grande performs onstage at the 2014 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 23, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. 'You don't have to make a whore out of yourself to get ahead,' Midler says in U.K. interview. So what did Bette Midler think about those AMAs on Sunday night? According to a new interview with the U.K.'s Telegraph, she probably didn't think too highly of it -- not with all the sheer outfits, booty rubbing and a double dose of Ariana Grande performances. Bette Midler Scores Fifth Straight Decade of Top 10 Debuts Let's hear what Bette had to say: "It's always surprising to see someone like Ariana Grande with that silly high voice, a very wholesome voice, slithering around on a couch looking so ridiculous. I mean, it's silly beyond belief and I don't know who's telling her to do it. I wish they'd stop. But it's not my business, I'm not her mother. Or her manager. Maybe they tell them that's what you've got to do. Sex sells. Sex has always sold." From the sound of it, Midler wouldn't be too fond of Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea's "Booty" video and AMA performance either. "Apparently people really like to pretend they're having sex," she said. "They really like to slap each other's butts. I mean, don't ask me. It's beyond me. I'm too old. I don't know what the end game is going to be. I don't know where you go from all that sex in your 20s. I don't know how you sustain it." She capped her diatribe off with this bit of advice: "Trust your talent. You don't have to make a whore out of yourself to get ahead. You really don't." http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6327695/ariana-grande-bette-midler-whore-telegraph?facebook_20141125

I like it. I just hope the album dips into some more soul, or a fuller sound. The auto tune at the beginning of Romeo's verse is a little annoying, but doesn't last long. If anything, I know Brakes will be happy to hear this.

Premiere: Immature 'Let Me Find Out' VIBE Posted November 24, 2014 VIBE.com presents the world premiere of Immature's (Marques "Batman" Houston) (Jerome "Romeo" Jones) and (Kelton "LDB" Kessee) new single, "Let Me Find Out." The group is back in full force and plans to work on a new album and tour in the near future. "We wanted to give our fans and new comers a few free songs in 2014 to hear our new direction and sound. The first one is called "Let Me Find Out" produced by T Black The Hitmaker. We are so excited to bring our dedicated fans a tour and album." --Immature. http://www.vibe.com/article/premiere-immature-let-me-find-out?utm_source=sc-fb&utm_medium=ref&utm_campaign=Immature