Travis Wade/WENN.com

Well, look what we found!

Kelis is known for her loud and eccentric style making you love her when you’re not always sure why. But a few days ago, she very quietly dropped a song on Soundcloud  titled “Jerk Ribs.”

Now, we are not even going to take a guess at why she named it “Jerk Ribs,” especially since she repeats “Call On Me” during the chorus. Then again, artists come up with song titles all the time that are never in the song. But we can tell you that she’s giving a mix of dance, funk and traces of calypso in the beat.  There are whistles and steel band sounds all through it.

So what’s it about? The best we can tell it is about Kelis’ love of music and always hearing and feeling the melody in everything, including music and possibly love.

Oh and even better news? Kelis tweeted that her album is done and sounds like “love and summer balled up into one.”  We haven’t had a Kelis album since 2010 when she released Flesh Tone to not so rave reviews.

So check out “Jerk Ribs” below and tell us what you think! Are you ready for the return of Kelis?

Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com

Actually, these aren’t first world problems; these are rich and famous people problems.

According to Zimbio, the producers and judges recently did an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in which they discussed trying to get the show back on top.  When they asked Nicki about finally agreeing to do the show after the rumors had been floating, she said:

“Sometimes you are afraid of being too famous because it’s almost, like, is that even cool? Being that accessible, someone you see on TV every week? I never pictured myself as that type of person. I’m still surprised I decided to do it.”

Wait, I think I get it. American Idol is a wildly mainstream show and it is understandable that some artists, particularly hip-hop artists, would be a little reluctant to join a show like that which airs weekly.  But that only applies to artists who have never crossed over into the mainstream world. Nicki has been part of the mainstream world so long that many would actually hesitate to still consider her a hip-hop artist or rapper; some just call her a pop artist who also raps.

She’s worried about how collecting a check for judging singers (something she doesn’t do quite well) on a major show makes her look versus the crazy hair, facial expressions and cheesy pop songs? Well, alright then. We all have to figure things out for ourselves.

Do you think that Nicki will ruin (not in a bad way though) her hip-hop image by being on American Idol?

Women rule pop music. They hold the top spots for digital downloads, money earned and albums sold. For the most part, the female dynamos dominating the music scene manage to coexist without stepping on each other’s toes. Each has a unique brand that allows them stay in their own lane.

This is why so much emphasis is placed on branding. In a crowded market, your brand sets you apart and allows you to attract an audience, even when other brands offer a similar product.

Developing your brand is as simple as embracing who you are and allowing your identity to influence how you do business. Here are a few concepts to help you articulate your brand:

• Mission – What do you do? What is your purpose?
• Offer – What are you selling?
• Relevance – How do you meet your audience’s needs?
• Values – What’s your personality? What is important to your brand?

Let’s look at how today’s reigning divas epitomize their brands. Which diva best matches your personal brand?

Rihanna performing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Image: Nicholas Hunt/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images)

Rihanna – The Vamp

Mission: Rihanna’s image has morphed through many phases since “Umbrella” launched the star into the pop stratosphere. In recent years, Rihanna has settled on being pop culture’s symbol of youth and sexuality. An unrelenting stream of singles and gossip ensure the singer’s flirtatious presence is constant.

Offer: A good time, and all the mistakes that come with it.

Relevance:

1. Stay on trend. Rihanna molds her style and sound to mimic the pulse of pop culture.
2. Stay on the scene. Rihanna doesn’t give her audience a chance to miss her. She constantly releases music, and her life provides endless fodder for entertainment outlets.
3. Remove your filter. Rihanna’s potty mouth, suggestive lyrics, and unbridled sex appeal create an image of youthful rebellion her audience loves.

Values: unapologetic, open, risqué, trendy, fun

Image: Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Nicki Minaj is a star, whether you want to admit it or not. More than that, she is on the brink of ascending to new heights of celebrity. Television is the platform that will cement her “Icon of the Moment” status. An E! three-episode series, Nicki Minaj: My Truth will debut on Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 pm, preceding her debut as a judge on American Idol next year.

Her endorsements with Pepsi and Adidas, and the product deals with MAC and Elizabeth Arden fragrance are cute. But, her foray into television is a different ballgame. After being declared the clear winner in female rap, Minaj is working on pulling ahead of the pop star pack.

The next level of stardom for Nicki – true mainstream success, where parents and grandparents know your name – will require the star to face her most common criticism.

Minaj bristles at the mention of the dividing line between rap and pop in her image. She told Vibe magazine when promoting Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, “I cannot break my album down into how the normal person like yourself would break an album down and say, well this is rap and this is pop. There is no rap or pop for me. It’s Nicki Minaj. It’s one collective body of amazing work.”

But, her collective body of work debunks her point. Both of Minaj’s album releases can be divided into separate rap and pop discs, and have been criticized for “exploring her musical identity… rather than perfecting one.” She even employs a two-face strategy to music videos, releasing them in pop- and rap-themed pairs.

Minaj’s decision to embrace her inner theater geek and follow the larger than life path Gaga paved has paid off for her. But, the wigs, makeup, outfits, and personalities could also be her undoing. To those who aren’t firmly in her fan base, and some who are, she can come off as a screaming wall of color. She makes an entertaining spectacle, but is hard to connect with.

For all the personalities in Minaj’s arsenal, we have yet to be introduced to the one that really matters. Even her fans debate her true identity. Is she “old Nicki,” the mixtape diva whose return was called for before her debut album could settle on the charts, or the opportunistic pop princess that rose out of a Taylor Swift co-sign? Minaj has gotten away with being two stars at once. But, creating a brand with universal appeal requires a cohesive image.

The hallmark of an American icon is having something real – whether it is a captivating story or sheer talent – that fans from all walks of life can connect to. Minaj’s decision to invite E! cameras into her life and set up shop in America’s living rooms every week is a sign that she is ready to forge that connection. The only question is, which Barbie will we get? It’s time for the real Nicki Minaj to stand up.

Her performance on E! and American Idol will give a hint of who Minaj wants us to believe she is. She may opt to appeal to a broader audience and risk alienating her hip hop base beyond repair. Her on-set feud with fellow Idol judge Mariah Carey shows Minaj brought Queens with her, but too much attitude could alienate the parents of the kids who love her.

Minaj has another option, one that she rarely manages sonically. She could find a balance between her two sides, and meld them together into some type of the-hood-meets-Candyland concoction that leaves everyone craving more.

Whatever direction she chooses, Minaj’s next moves will be among the most important she has made. Watching her find herself should make for good television. Her performance will be an important determinate of how much longer we’ll be seeing her around.

C. Cleveland is a freelance writer and content strategist in New York City, perfecting living the fierce life at The Red Read. She is at your service on Twitter @CleveInTheCity.

I’m sure I’m not the only person who used to get soooo much crap for liking a certain musician or group who weren’t big with family or friends. For me, back in the day, if it wasn’t hip-hop or R&B, my brother used to get on me about digging pop musicians like Christina Aguilera, Fiona Apple, and Celine Dion. You listen to unique bands and singers today that don’t fit the BET mold and you look more cultured, deep and well-rounded, but back in the day, I just used to get called weird. Ah, well. Were you fans of any of these folks years ago? Well, now you know you weren’t the only one…

Source: marcellachamorro.com

The White Boy Bands

I used to say I liked the Backstreet Boys to my family, and often times, they would assume I was talking about BLACKSTREET. Uh, no boo boo, there’s a big difference. I couldn’t help it, “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, “Bye, Bye, Bye” by N’Sync, and “Step By Step” by New Kids on the Block were THE jams. But if you played them around my folks, or asked someone to turn the radio back to the one of these tracks, folks would treat you like you were trying to listen to Insane Clown Posse. Shame…

Source: iamboigenius.com

Miss Nicki Minaj just loves to show off her curves these days doesn’t she? From booty popping in both the “Dance (A$$)” remix video and “Stupid Ho*,” to rocking bikinis in “Beez in the Trap” and for this new “Starships” video, she literally wants you to kiss her a**, whether you think it’s real or not.
The visuals for her hit song off of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded debuted last night, and in the clip, Minaj struts around in an array of revealing outfits that show off her well-documented derriere, and swings some colorful wigs for folks in Hawaii. Minaj winds up there thanks to a spaceship, and once she lands, the party begins with some Hawaiian dancers, paint and some sand that homegirl keeps rolling around in. Love the colors in the video (the water looks amazing!), but that’s about it honestly. She looks great actually, but all those booty shots she kept giving the camera were a bit much. The song still isn’t my thing, but it’s clear that somebody out there is loving it to the nines. Check out the video below and let us know your thoughts:

PS, this is the explicit version, so excuse the language from time to time. Thanks!

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Source: rap-up.com

Here she goes singing again.

But Nicki Minaj is not alone in her attempt to pretend she can sing on the track “Right By My Side.”  She gets some backup from Chris Brown on this poppy, formulaic track. And by formulaic,  I mean that it sounds exactly like everything else on the radio. Not all too well executed, pretty repetitive…you get the idea. And is that Auto-tune I hear? *sighs* At this point in the game, if you have to rely on Auto-tune, just stick to what you do best and leave singing to the pros.

But in all honesty, this track could be pretty decent if Minaj just stuck to lyrical tirades about ratchet chicks like she does around the 2: 50 mark. But alas, we’re all pretty clear on the fact that she’s changed and is hoping to be a mainstay in the pop world, so this track fits.  The song will be on her upcoming album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which comes out April 3. Check it out below and let us know if you’ll be rocking in the club to it, or shuddering at the mere thought of it later.

Sooooo. Pass or play for you?

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Source: Cool Spotters

Nicki’s gone pop for real—as in beverages. Forbes reports that the first female to grace it’s hip hop cash kings list last year will no doubt rank even higher in 2012 now that she’s signed a multi-million dollar deal with Pepsi.

Nicki Minaj will be the face of the cola giant’s new campaign and a commercial filmed with the rap star in South America is expected to debut within a couple of months. According to Derek Jackson, the Glu agency chief who brokered the deal,

“That’ll be a segue into a new beverage Pepsi has, called ‘Pop,’ and she’ll be the face of the brand … it’s going to be explosive.”

Everything Nicki does is over the top so that’s not hard to believe.

The barbie doll’s deal is one of two major partnerships between Pepsi and Young Money Cash Money. Lil Wayne just debuted his DEWeezy campaign under Pepsi’s Mountain Dew brand at South by Southwest, and although details of his contract haven’t been revealed, Nicki Minaj is said to be bringing in seven figures for her “Pop” deal.

Get ready to see a whole lot more of Nicki on your screen.

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Source: Global 14

Now last time The Dream spoke out about singers, ya’ll weren’t feeling his claim that R&B dudes have been trying to steal his sound, but this time he may actually have a point about music today.

In an interview with the Guardian in the UK, he spoke about the transfer of soul from the R&B genre to artists who you would expect to be more pop in the US, and how black artists have in turn adopted a more pop sound. He spoke on the genre he considers himself to be a part of, saying:

“It’s called rhythm and blues; they just took the blues out of it for so long.

“What’s crazy is that blacks can’t do soul records any more,” he said. “We love Adele singing it, but Beyoncé singing it? No, the tempo’s too slow, gimme the club hit. Now the blacks in America are responsible for the pop records, and everybody else is singing soulful records. It’s weird to me. We’re pigeonholed over there.”

On this, The Dream is absolutely right. This is an issue we talk about a lot, asking what is it that’s so unique about the Adeles, the Amy Winehouses, and the Duffys—basically soulful white singers from the UK that make a killing in the US—is it just that their sound is unexpected based on their looks and consumers go crazy over it? Is that what black artists are trying to do now by taking over the pop scene?

A friend just texted me this weekend asking me what was the deal with Chris Brown’s CD, saying he’s not R&B anymore, he’s strictly pop. That explained my confusion with his Grammy performance this year. But even Usher dabbled with the pop sound a bit on his last album, and no one would argue against the charge that Rihanna and Beyonce are extra heavy on the pop and light on the soul. The question is, is that the type of music these singers want to do or do they make this type of music because it’s the only music they can sell? There are obviously several black entertainers who have a soulful sound, but they’re not the ones getting the mainstream shine.

What do you think? Is it impossible for soulful black artists to have mainstream success in the US?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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hypetrak.com

When you win a Grammy and a resounding response is, “WHO,” you want to make sure that never happens again. With that in mind, Esperanza Spalding’s new album Radio Music Society is widely “mainstream jazz” so that it appeals to more than just jazz fans. The result? An album where the only real theme is, “I want them all to love me.”  I don’t know that she can reach the pop world and this album certainly won’t do it but if you’re an R&B fan, you’ll definitely want to give this a listen.

Esperanza starts off with “Radio Song” which basically addresses those who don’t know who she is by basically saying, “Even though you never heard it, you keep singing along…this song.”  It is quite uptempo and serves perfectly as an introduction to what most of the album will sound like.  Here’s the thing about her voice: I think it is fairly strong but because she’s trying something new, it often sounds a little like…a Broadway singer.  Most Broadway singers are good singers but I’m sure that isn’t the intent with her voice. As we go on, there are songs like “Cinnamon Tree,” “Hold On” and “Smile Like That” which offer a good and bad look at love. Then there’s “Land of the Free” and “Endangered Species” (which features vocal beast Lalah Hathaway) that tackle social issues. She even covered Michael Jackson’s “Can’t Help It” which quite frankly, people will hate or love – I guarantee there won’t be an in-between with that one.

Without a doubt, my absolute favorite track is “Crowned & Kissed.” Yes, it is a love song (though many lines in the song could be references to a Higher Power) but it isn’t even about that; the horn section epitomizes musicianship to me. They take the song to another level. In fact, if you find that you can’t get into Esperanza the artist (and I strongly encourage everyone to listen to her previous albums), just listen to the accompanying music. If that doesn’t make you sway, then maybe you just haven’t learned to fully appreciate music just yet.

Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Music Society is in stores on March 20^th. Pick it up and add a little something more to your collection!