Image Source: WENN.com

I can still remember when the Control album came out and you’re telling me janet. is 20 years old?! Someone hand me a cane because I must be old as…anyway.

Janet Jackson spoke with Billboard about the 20th anniversary and where she was mentally during the creative process.  If you’re old enough to remember (don’t leave me hanging, I know some of you are), janet. hit a very high sexual peak.  Some of the songs we could only sing while our parents weren’t around or with headphones in our rooms…with the door closed. Yes, that was intentional on Janet’s part:

“I can’t believe it is already 20 years! I always write my music based on what is going on in my life at the time. I wanted to allow people in… I want my fans to really know me. The ‘janet’ album was sexual and I was beginning to really discover that side of me.”

Yes girl, don’t we know it! From the clear lyrics to the dance moves, Janet let us know what was on her mind and what she wanted to do about it. Producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were geniuses in how they put it all together for her.

But what does she think about artists like Kendrick Lamar who’ve sampled her music and given their take on it?

“I have listened to the music that is out there and I love Kendrick’s “Poetic Justice.” There are artists, true performers that have come before me who have been a big inspiration to me. I hope I do the same for others.”

Oh and about that new music? It wasn’t much but Janet gave just a glimmer of hope:

“I am working on a new project now. We are creating the concept and initial thoughts on the music.”

Don’t be mad at me, fans – I told you it wasn’t much! But if you still get excited about the idea of a new Janet Jackson album, it sounds like you have something to look forward to!

Did you own the janet. album? If so, what was your favorite song? Would you buy a new Janet Jackson album or do you think her time has passed?

Oh Kanye, you slay me.

After taking yet another moment to go on yet another rant – this time to denounce his celebrity status – Kanye went out and did some of the most famous ish ever.

Late Friday night, Kanye tweeted that his new song “New Slaves” and the visual for the song would be projected across the globe on 66 buildings. You read that correctly: he and his team picked 66 buildings in the States, Canada, Brazil, England, Asia and a host of other places to premiere the song.

“New Slaves” sounds much like a culmination of Ye’s previous rants: he’s sick of the big corporations trying to take over, hes not a celebrity, he will smash a photographer’s camera and he knows that people will throw him Maybach keys so he’ll sign a contract. Here’s a snippet of the lyrics:

I throw these Maybach keys/I wear my heart on my sleeve
I know that we the new slaves/I see the blood on the leaves
I see the blood on the leaves/I see the blood on the leaves
I know that we the new slaves/I see the blood on the leaves
They throwing hate at me/Want me to stay at ease
Fawk you and your corporation/Y’all [n-word] can’t control me
I know that we the new slaves/I know that we the new slaves
I’m about to wild the Fawk out/I’m going Bobby Boucher
I know that p—y ain’t free/You [n-word] p—y, ain’t me
Y’all throwing contracts at me/You know that [n-word] can’t read
Throw him some Maybach keys/Fawk it, c’est la vie

Lyrically, Kanye might be saying things that, for years, both he and his peers have been scared to say. Most celebrities – and Black celebrities specifically, according to Kanye – know that fame comes at a cost. But this level of “slavery” is one that most of us listening know nothing about: nobody at any of our day jobs is going to offer us big cars to stay at job where we’re likely underpaid.

This is a type of upper class slavery and I suppose, for those people who fall into that class, they know what it is all about.

Anyway, Miss Info has compiled some awesome footage of some of the locations. You can check that out here and also, check out the footage below from the Williamsburg location? What do you think?

Janelle Monae (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, file)

It’s 2013, and with some Grammy nods under her belt, a chart-topping song w/the band Fun., a contract with CoverGirl, and a slamming new single, “Q.U.E.E.N,” Janelle Monáe is a glow in the middle of a music industry dim with pre-packaged clones.

I was especially grateful for the new single after seeing much of 2013’s first quarter music attention go to self-indulgent tunes. “Q.U.E.E.N” an electrifying women’s empowerment anthem, asks the tough questions about women’s rights and our ability to simply be who we are – no questions asked. The beat is sick. Monáe’s rap is beyond dope. And the video reintroduces her with a new edge but the same black and white baseline of authenticity.  With humility that is severely lacking and heartfelt commitment to honoring those who paved the way, Monáe almost seems too good to be true.

I was immediately taken with Janelle Monáe back in 2009 when I watched her perform her thought-provoking single, “Sincerely, Jane” on NPR. Her black and white ‘uniform’ as she calls it stood out amidst an entertainment industry that begs skin and stilettos to move units and grow fame. Her lyrics weren’t the same old narcissistic drivel we were used to. No, there was depth to this young lady and I dug it.

I thought: How is she doing this? How is her star consistently rising without a racy video? Without suggestive lyrics? Without being romantically linked to another star?

Simply put: Her gift makes room for her. Watching her rise on the music scene, you can’t help but to respect her even if you don’t necessarily vibe with her genre of music. Looking at the body of work, the poise, the performance, the image, the lyrics –  you see someone who decided a long time ago not to yield to the ‘packaging’ of the industry. Instead, Monáe decided to fold her heritage and eclectic style into her music. With musical talent in spades to boot, she’s done a great job of branding herself.

At the most visible layer, we see a young woman who isn’t conforming to standards of how a female artist should behave or be ‘packaged’ in order to be a star. But the story beneath her black and white attire and thought-provoking lyrics is steeped in a background that many of us know firsthand.

Accepting her award at the 2012 Black Girls Rock! Celebration, Monáe recounted her days as a maid when she took her first steps toward becoming a music artist. She also held a spotlight on her mother, stepfather and biological father for their pride in their working-class roles as janitors, garbage men and mailmen in the poorest county in Kansas City, Kansas. Understanding, accepting and appreciating the legacy of pride in what most consider menial occupations, Monáe was compelled to do the unconventional for a music sensation – wear a uniform. And it absolutely makes sense. It’s honest and compelling in a way that invites us to remember our own heritage. No matter where she goes, who she meets, how long she performs, what awards she is given – she can look at herself, look inward, and be reminded of who she is at her core and the values she learned from a working-class background.

Another thing to love about Janelle Monáe is that she is the definition of a beautiful woman of color. She has reminded us of what it actually means to be beautiful. Having become the newest addition to a long list of gorgeous CoverGirls, Monae’s face is hard to look away from. How revelatory is that? It’s not her curves we’re staring at. We’re breathless at her beautiful face and her warm personality. We’re focused on her lyrics and how deeply we can identify with them. We’re thrilled by the exhilarating performance she gives whenever she graces a stage. We notice and are enthralled with Janelle Monáe because of who she is, not her cup size or how racy her videos are. She is beautiful because she chooses not to be packaged for male gratification. There is nothing about her that is suggestive or lewd in an attempt to sell records. She’s simply open, honest, creative and ripe with multiple layers of talent.

A true musical role model our babies can emulate like this little Q.U.E.E.N:

And then, this one:

And this one:

Peace to Janelle Monáe for being a colorful example of ALL the possibilities.

La Truly seeks to encourage thought, discussion and change among young women through her writing. Follow her on Twitter: @AshleyLaTruly and AboutMe www.about.me/latruly.

Photos courtesy of via iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com, Pinterest and via ecobeautybytes.com.

While it might have been a bit unnecessary, we can see why singer/songwriter The Dream publicly distanced himself from Keyshia Cole after she criticized Beyoncé’s “Bow Down.” He knows King Bey is that money maker and it would be career suicide to go against the machine. So, it really comes as no surprise at all that Beyonce’s featured on The Dream’s latest album IV Play. After all, The Dream says she’s family. You know black folk love a play cousin. Anyway the song, “Turnt,” also features 2 Chainz and gives all parties involved a chance to display their less than professional, (read: ratchet) sides. (Not that The Dream and 2 Chainz ever stray too far from that anyway.)

Though the song is called “Turnt” don’t expect a head banger. It has more of a winding, slow grind feel. In the song Beyoncé confronts a potential suitor: “Talking ’bout you gon’ kill it/beat it up till I black out.” 

And then The Dream comes in talking about what he and the ladies want in a man or woman. “I need that black leather, when it’s hot outside, in the summertime. She need that cocky, ready to back…”

He even goes to so far as to explain how the ladies approach him: “She said you the reason why all of these cute girls got babies.”

Ha! He ain’t never lied. He does tend to reproduce with very attractive women…and then dip. Ratchet indeed.

Check out a snippet of the song below.

You can listen to the whole album by pre-ordering on iTunes. The album hits shelves Tuesday, May 28th.

So what do you think is this song hot fire or is it a hot mess?

Source: WENN

From The Grio

If you were following the Metropolitan gala via twitter last night,  you may have heard that rapper Kanye West performed and premiered some new music.

The annual star studded-event brings A-listers from all parts of the entertainment world, and while Kanye was with his very pregnant girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, no one was expecting Yeezy to surprise the audience.

Read more at TheGrio.com

Paul Smith/ WENN

When you are locked into contracts and legal battles, sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

On Saturday, without anyone knowing it was going to happen, Lauryn Hill dropped a song on her Tumblr page called “Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix).”  I’m just going to put it out there now: it took a lot of focus for me to drown out the beat so I could understand what she was actually rapping about.

“Neurotic Society,” simply put, talks about the state of the world as Lauryn – and many others see it.  She believes the world is surviving because the people choose to be ignorant to a lot of things and focus on a “fake” world that isn’t of importance. Further, children are being taken advantage of and losing their innocence and quite frankly, many of us would agree with that.

Still, where in the world did this song come from? Well, when Lauryn posted it on Tumblr, she added the following message:

Hello All:

Here is a link to a piece that I was ‘required’ to release immediately, by virtue of the impending legal deadline. I love being able to reach people directly, but in an ideal scenario, I would not have to rush the release of new music… but the message is still there. In light of Wednesday’s tragic loss (of former label mate Chris Kelly), I am even more pressed to YELL this to a multitude that may not understand the cost of allowing today’s unhealthy paradigms to remain unchecked!

- MLH

Again, the electronic beat situation is “the most” but if you can get past it, you just might agree with the message:

Let us know what you think! By the way, if you do love it, “Neurotic Society” is available for purchase on iTunes.

Source: Twitter

After a successful first season, the stars of TV One’s hit reality show R&B Divas are gearing up for the premiere of Season 2. The sophomore season promises new faces, great singing  and of course, more drama. During a recent interview with Cocoa Fab singer Keke Wyatt revealed that she didn’t really want to return for a second season because she’s so tired of all of the drama. Check out some of what she had to say below.

On being tired of drama between her co-stars:

“I wasn’t really going to come back at first because they was getting on my nerves fighting and carrying on, and I thought this show was supposed to be not all that crap. So they told me that it wasn’t going to be like that this season, which that was a lie, but whatever. I’m on there.”

On taking on the “voice of reason” role:

“I just felt like if I (was) quiet, I won’t have to pop nobody in the head. I just had to chill out. I love Nikki and I love Syleena, I love all of ‘em genuinely. It’s real for me, and I just don’t want to see family and friends fighting. It just don’t make no sense. Although they’re not physically fighting, verbally fighting is just as damn bad.”

“I think so. I think that it’s a great platform to do what I’m trying to do, so my main mission in life is to reach people and what better to reach people through television and music?”

“I’m actually almost done with it. It’s some new Keke Wyatt, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do from the very beginning of my career versus being told what to sing and how to sing it. I feel like this music is more relatable in other areas versus just the love, make-up, break-up and all that crap that I’ve been singing before, which  is fine — no shade to it — but the new stuff is more love because I love to love, love to love, love to love, period. I’m serious.”

Thoughts?

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You know that feeling you get when you hear your favorite singer sing live or even better, when you hear an old school song that makes you swoon? I’m pretty sure this guy can do the absolute same thing for you.

BJ The Chicago Kid is a singer/songwriter who hails from the south side of…yes, Chicago.  His parents were choir directors and music was a constant in his home.  His parents, though of the church world, were well-rounded enough to be open to listen to all kinds of music.

BJ moved to California when he was 19 and became a background singer for gospel stars Mary Mary.  His words can be heard on songs by Mary J. Blige, Anthony Hamilton, Toni Braxton and Musiq Soulchild. He’s also sung background vocals or with stars like Usher and Stevie Wonder. BJ’s own music is extremely soulful, giving you very 70s soul and funk with a hip-hop slap on it.

Last year, he released Pineapple Now & Laters on iTunes which was possibly one of the most slept on R&B albums of 2012.  Songs like “Fly Girl Get ‘Em” and “Aiight” are stand outs as he celebrates black women and also love and sex, respectively. Oh yes, BJ loves singing about bedroom activity; his most recent single, “Honey” is the proof in that pudding.

While, it seems like BJ is becoming a slow burn in the music industry, hip hop artists like Kendrick Lamar and Big K.R.I.T (who I’ll get to another day because you all are still sleeping on him) have also embraced him; Kendrick dropped a couple of verses on Pineapple Now & Laters and BJ sings the hook on “Life Is A Gamble” from K.R.I.T.’s latest mixtape, King Remembered In Time.

Now, I’m not going to force him on you but as a whole, we’re always complaining that music sucks and no one is really making anything good anymore, right?

Well, here I am: Serving you BJ The Chicago Kid on a platter.

Check out “Fly Girl Get Em” below:

As you might have suspected, due to all the recent interviews, Chris Brown is back on the scene with some new music. And fortunately, he’s leaving the techno stuff alone for a little while. Instead, he’s taking it back to his R&B days. Remember “Yo”? I still swear by that song. But I digress. In this new song, “Fine China,” Chris Brown is exercising his vocal chords sliding in and out of falsetto range with ease. Listening to the audio alone, there were definitely moments where I wondered if there was a woman on the track accompanying him. It’s impressive. Then instrumentally, there’s a funky bass line and violins throughout.

As for the visuals, Chris Brown is in Michael Jackson mode so tough it nearly slaps you in the face. Fortunately, it stops short of being a cheesy imitation and comes across as more of a nod of appreciation. The comparisons are far too numerous to list here but he does Michael’s high pitched wail, the video could easily be considered one of Michael’s signature “short films,” and the emphasis on choreography, though uniquely Chris, is still a nod to the King of Pop.

The story follows Chris as he and his Asian (remember Fine China) love interest hit the streets together, despite her father’s objections. Daddy is not going to give up easily though and things go from light-hearted and fun to threatening and dangerous. Check it out and let us if you’re feeling the song and video.

Credit: Shutterstock

If you’re an R&B/Hip-Hop music lover, 2013 is gearing up to be an exciting year for music. Although no album is official until it actually hits the market, let’s keep our fingers crossed that most of these do. Here are nine albums to be released this year.