New Video: Be With You - David Banner & 9th Wonder feat. Ludacris & Marsha Ambrosius

David Banner - New Music - More Music Videos

Shout out to UnderGround Charizma for bringing the video to my attention!

Video Preview: Monster - Kanye West feat. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver

I'm hype.

Just In Case You Forgot...

Classic.

*runs to watch Boomerang & Coming to America...*

New Video: 10 Seconds - Jazmine Sullivan

Amazing.
But the ending? Hm..

New Video: What's My Name - Rihanna feat. Drake

I surprisingly like it... minus her crazy red hair.
But she made it work, for what it is.

Michael's Employees as Cards

knocks me off my feet

1. 'Before I Let Go' by Maze feat. Frankie Beverly (1981)
2. 'Outstanding' by Gap Band (1982)
3. 'Love Come Down' by Evelyn Champagne King (1982)
4. 'A Night to Remember' by Shalamar (1982)
5. 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' by Whitney Houston (1990)
6. 'Ain't Nothing Going On (But the Rent)' by Gwen Guthrie (1986)
7. 'All Around the World' by Lisa Stanfield (1989)
8. 'Candy' by Cameo (1986)
9. 'Da Butt' by Experience Unlimited (1987)
10. 'Groove Me' by Guy (1988) [download]
11. 'Don't Walk Away' by Jade (1993)
12. 'Back to Life' by Soul II Soul (1989)
13. 'You're the One' by SWV (1996)
14. 'Sittin Up In My Room' by Brandy (1995)
15. 'Mary Jane (All Night Long)' by Mary J. Blige (1994) [download]
16. 'Diggin On You' by TLC (1994) [download]
17. 'Roni' by Bobby Brown (1988)
18. 'If It Isn't Love' by New Edition (1988)
19. 'You Can't Turn Me Away' by Sylvia Striplin (1980)
20. 'For the Cool in You' by Babyface (1993)
21. 'This is for the Lover in You' by Shalamar (1981)
22. '100 Ways' by Quincy Jones feat. James Ingram (1981)


Smooth transition! Songs you should know... Especially those ones sampled by your favorite songs.

If you like em, add em to your iTunes. In the meantime, enjoy these videos!

Releases to Notice...

RECENT

Mixtape: Friday Night Lights (free download)
Artist: J. Cole
Release date: November 12, 2010
Songs to hear: Blow Up, Higher

Comments: I haven't listened to it... yet! But I've been bumpin Higher and Blow Up for a minute now (Blow Up is the reason why I can sometimes be found mean-muggin when I'm walking around... ha!). Plus, I love J. Cole. And Wale is one of the featured artists. Thus, I predict good things :)

Bonus: peep this article.

Album: The Lady Killer
Artist: Cee-Lo
Release date: November 5, 2010
Singles: F*** You

Comments: Once again... I haven't listened to it yet! I know, I'm being a slacker. But Cee-Lo's a really talented and seasoned artist, so I'm very hopeful. Bonus points: seems like the album's received some great reviews + the F You video is so clever.





















Album: Nothing
Artist: N.E.R.D.
Release date: October 29, 2010
Singles: Hot-n-Fun (feat. Nelly Furtado), Party People, Hypnotize U
Favorites: Perfect Defect, Sacred Temple, Hot-n-Fun

Comments: Well... certainly not their best effort (the reviews don't seem too positive), but I think I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for N.E.R.D. Bottom line - you should listen to it at least twice and then feel free to take it or leave it.




UPCOMING

Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Artist: Kanye West
Scheduled release date: November 22, 2010
Singles: Power (feat. Dwele), Runaway (feat. Pusha T), Monster (feat. Rick Ross, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z), All of the Lights (feat.... uh... everyone!)
Favorites: Dark Fantasy, Lost in the World, Runaway, Monster.... okay, basically everything.


Comments: With the advent of GOOD Fridays came a restored excitement/love for Mr. West. But let me just point out that my love never disappeared. Not even during his 808's & Heartbreak days (though I'll admit, I did have to smdh a little bit...). Anyway, when Kanye comes back... he REALLY comes back. A 30+ minute film featuring new dope music? Weekly releases? Great promotional techniques! ... oh, yeah, and good art too :) Anyway, I support this 102%, with a 2% margin of error. Get on the bandwagon, just embrace it.

New Song: Chain Heavy - Kanye West feat. Talib Kweli & Consequence

Download it (and the rest of the Good Friday tracks) for free at www.kanyewest.com/goodfridays

The Trial of R. Kelly (The Boondocks, Season 1)

The Boondocks - R Kelly Trial

o[* _ *]o | Myspace Video

New Song: 1st Time - Talib Kweli feat. Consequence

New Song: Looking for Trouble - Kanye West feat. Pusha T, CyHi the Prynce, Big Sean, & J. Cole)

Download it (and the rest of the Good Friday tracks) for free at www.kanyewest.com/goodfridays

Video: Holding You Down (Goin' In Circles) - Jazmine Sullivan

Aw yes, Jazmine Sullivan is the business. The song & video aren't new, but I just saw the video for the first time today. Love the party scene... and all the cameos!

New Video: Runaway - Kanye West

He's really back.


Full Length Film Version (34 minutes)







Video Version (4 minutes)






Also, check youtube.com/KanyeWestVEVO for the extended video version (8 minutes) and the clean full length version (34 minutes).

New Video: Whip My Hair - Willow Smith

I wholeheartedly approve. I really really do.

I wish I was one of Will Simth's kids... or married to him... or him...

New Video: Aston Martin Music - Rick Ross feat. Chrisette Michele and Drake

Drake adds a verse (and a little more singing...) - but I ain't mad at it.

New Song: Take One for the Team - Kanye West feat. Keri Hilson, Pusha T, and Cyhi the Prince

[Love it... but did he really have to come at girls who wear Victoria's Secret Love Spell? C'mon son, that used to be my favorite scent in like 8th grade!]


Download it (and the rest of the Good Friday tracks) for free at www.kanyewest.com/goodfridays

for the cool in you

I'm rereading some thoughts I wrote down in June (yeah, I'm reminiscing at 3am - typical me) and it's hella interesting to see what I used to think about, how I would write it, how secretive I would be (even though it's a personal journal, so I'm the only one who's really gonna be see it).

It's just so amazing how things work out. How one sentence, phrase, word, utterance... can be so important. I love that.



("For the Cool in You" by Babyface, 1993)

10 Seconds - Jazmine Sullivan

New Song: Don't Stop - CRS (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams)

Download it (and the rest of the Good Friday tracks) for free at www.kanyewest.com/goodfridays

Passion, Pain, & Pleasure

(originally posted here) <3



With only six years in the game, Trey Songz has made quite a name for himself. Best known for his provocative lyrics, seductive videos, and sexy performances, he seems to have the magic to make the ladies melt and the fellas take notes (think: “I Invented Sex” video). Just over a year after releasing his Grammy-nominated album Ready, the self-proclaimed “Prince of Virginia” is back with a new album to test just how deep our love for him goes. I’ll admit it: Trey stepped up his vocal skills on Passion, Pain, & Pleasure, but will that be enough to counter claims that he’s an updated version of an oversexed teenage boy?

New Video: Can't Be Friends - Trey Songz

I love this song and this CD. Shout out to Passion, Pain, & Pleasure! Review coming soon. But in the meantime... enjoy the video :)

New Song: Lord Lord Lord - Kanye West ft. Mos Def, Raekwon, and Charlie Wilson

A gift and a curse

I wish it were possible for dope relationships to continue until you wanted them to stop.

I mean, I guess they can... But it's so hard; there are so many factors that can affect how close you stay to someone else. And by factors I mean forces. External forces that you can't really affect back.

No bueno.

I think it's kind of a curse to be as nostalgic and reminiscent as I usually am. I'm always looking back and feeling sad about the people I'm not longer close to. Or that I no longer see regularly. I know I should be looking back and enjoying the really great times, but the fact that I can't really relive them kind of sucks!

At some point it's going to be come hard to meet great people who you can talk to for hours a day. Dope people who make you a better person. Amazing people who warm your heart.

... But I guess that's a pessimistic attitude, right? Or maybe just a realistic one. I guess I'll find out in a few years.

Song You Should Know: Love Come Down - Evelyn "Champagne" King

1982.

New Song: It Won't Be Long - J. Cole

A current favorite

Song You Should Know: Rock Witcha - Bobby Brown

From the 1998 Don't Be Cruel album... too good.

Song You Should Know: Candy Rain - Soul for Real

It'll never get old.

Favorite Mark Ronson Songs + Video: Bang Bang Bang - Mark Ronson ft. Q-Tip & MNDR

My love for Mark Ronson officially started during my junior year of high school (almost 4 years ago! ah! I'm feeling old...) when I bought (yes.. BOUGHT!) a copy of his second album Version (2007). Then I got his first one Here Comes The Fuzz (2003). And now, I'm hype for his upcoming project, Record Collection (2010).

This video and song are both so dope. Especially because I love Q-Tip too!




Other songs to check out:
 - She's Got Me (with Daniel Merriweather)
- Valerie (with Amy Winehouse)
- Oh My God (with Lily Allen)
- Ooh Wee (with Ghostface Killah, Nate Dogg, Trife, and Saigon)
- Stop Me (with Daniel Merriweather)
- Just (with Alex Grenwald)
- Amy (with Kenna)
- LSF (with Kasabian)
- Anything he produced for Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, or Wale

It's like my RADIO's stuck on replay...

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Now I admit, I'll listen to Top 40s songs every now and then (especially this summer). I even enjoy Justin Bieber. But c'mon now. To me, some things are just absurd... and it's good to know I'm not alone in that sentiment.



I've been against this dang "OMG" song since the album came out (check the review).  I never expected it to get so popular. If there's any redeeming part of the song, it's the little breakdown toward the end... which lasts less than 10 seconds. Great!

[22 million views though? REALLY?]





"California Gurls" (it's really spelled "gurls" by the way... isn't that just the worst? *sigh*...) isn't a bad song, I enjoy it! I used to listen to it a lot when it first came out. But for real, when I heard that thing about it having the same beat as "Tik Tok" I just couldn't do it. Plus, the song had been overplayed (oversang?) by all summer by 5th, 6th, 7th, AND 8th grade girls. And then when the video came out... oh lord. I was done.








You got any feelings on the subject? :)

New Video: Power - Kanye West

Well... I really wish this wasn't the post I'm using to make my comeback, but it's relevant/brand new so I kinda have to do it, right?





I really wanna tag this with a "womp" but for now... I just won't say anything...


*Updated August 6 @ 3:09 pm*

Here's the unedited version (can't decide which one I like better)




Also, I think I've changed my mind. I don't hate it / it's not "womp" worthy. I just wish I had known in advance that it wasn't gonna be a full video. But I guess that's my fault for being out of the real world for most of the summer... Slowly but surely, I'm making my way back in.

Directed by Marco Brambilla, here's a word about the video (thanks UnderGround Charizma!):

"Well, it's a video portrait of Kanye. It starts with a very tight shot introducing him that's kind of a reinvention of a neoclassical painting. It pulls back from the shot, without any cuts, and we reveal the video canvas, populated by all these characters who are depicted in various stages of undress and decadence. The iconography comes from Roman iconography, Renaissance iconography, and it connects to the sexuality of the music as well. As we reveal the setting for it, there's a feeling of a moment of transition for him. A fall from grace, if you will. It visualizes power, and him as the icon as power, and then at the end of the piece it challenges the power that I set up at the beginning. It's an elliptical piece of storytelling:

New Video: Closer - Corinne Bailey Rae

Finally! A video! <3 She's great. Pay attention to her.

Song You Should Know: You Make Life So Good - Rahsaan Patterson

New Video: All I Want Is You - Miguel feat. J. Cole

So far, my favorite song of 2010... and now there's a video! Yes!

Song You Should Know: For the Lover in You - Shalamar

New Video: Who Dat - J. Cole

One of my favorite people.

How do you feel about the video (and the song)?






Sidenote: I've been really busy the past week and a half, but I'm going to get back on this. I promise!

:)

New Music Blog: 7 Day Music Civilian

Shout out to the homie Alexis & her friends! They just started a new blog called 7 Day Music Civilian & I'm sure it won't disappoint. Sounds like it'll be just the right thing for anyone with a remote interest in music and a great way to find new songs/artists. I'm really hype about it! I'm into people doing the whole blog thang.

[via google]

Check out the info/about section:


What is 7 Day Music?

7 Day Music Civilian is 7 kids blogging 7 days a week with 7 different tastes in music and  7 overload. One day Lester AKA DJZesty had the brilliant idea for us to start a blog with everyone posting a different day of the week, and we all thought “Lester, what a brilliant idea.” And in 7 Days, 7 Day Music Civilian was created. You can read about each of us above but in general, we are all music-loving, fun-loving people whose mama’s taught us to share so we’re sharing our musical finds with you. If there’s something you want us to post or look into, share with us too! And don’t forget to become a Civilian and sign up for updates. The great thing about 7DMC is that you’ll always be able to find something you like or take a chance with something you don’t know. Some things we post will be brand new, and some will be tried and true, but it’s all for your enjoyment.

Beats and Love,

Alexis, Cara, Christina, Lester, Mark, Marissa, & Max

keep me where the light is

1. 'Gettin Up' by Q-Tip
2. 'Faithful' by Common featuring John Legend and Bilal
3. 'SpottieOttieDopaliscious' by OutKast
4. 'Vultures' by John Mayer
5. 'Just Friends' by Amy Winehouse
6. 'Diamonds' by Robin Thicke featuring The Game
7. 'P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)' by Michael Jackson
8. 'Rock the Boat' by Aaliyah
9. 'Naive' (The Kooks cover) by Lily Allen
10. 'Sex, Love, and Money' by Mos Def
11. 'Find a Way' by A Tribe Called Quest
12. 'Pro Lover' by Usher
13. 'Get Me Home' by Foxy Brown featuring Blackstreet
14. 'Falsetto' by The-Dream
15. 'Don't Let It Go to Your Head' by Brand Nubian
16. 'All I Want Is You' by Miguel featuring J. Cole
17. 'Eye Know' by De La Soul
18. 'Nothing Even Matters' by Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo
19. 'Body Bumpin (Yippie-Yi-Yo)' by Public Announcement
20. 'Faster' by Slum Village featuring Colin Munroe


.

Throwback Column: My Place

September 20, 2007

This is a time in my life when I am getting to know myself and my place among people.

No, not my “place” as if I’m lower than my peers and I should be have as such. I mean my “place” as in my role and position in the world, in my world.

I’ve come to recognize and accept my flaws and quirks better, which helps me to accept the flaws of others without being so judgmental. Who am I to tear someone down when I am going through the same things? Of course, I have relapses, slip-ups, mistakes. But I try to think before I react because I know that everything I do, say, or express has a consequence: negative, positive, or insignificant.

Throwback Column: The Corner of the Sofa

September 17, 2007 (English journal)

Sometimes when I look back, I realize how little I’ve changed in some aspects.

It often went like this: it was summertime and of course that meant that Tasha was always at our house or we were at hers. Being young and having nothing better to do, we spent our days either making up games or making up performances. We were rehearsing for our Mothers’ Day presentation when the typical thing happened. After running through the play, in which I portrayed a bad little girl who put gum in people’s hair, we moved on to the dance. Now, we thought that we were pretty skilled dancers and singers. We’d don’t countless performances for our parents and even one for our neighbors – we pass out fliers and everything. Somehow, in the middle of learning the choreography, the topic of interest turned to me.

“Jasmine, you’re so dumb.” (Untrue. I knew I was smart.)
“You’re just a little kid.” (Of course. I knew this.)

Still, I let these comments get to me.

Attention to practicing kind of drifted away from all of us and so we sat to watch TV. I sat quietly in the corner, hiding my face, trying to be invisible.

“Stop trying to make us feel bad.”
“Gosh, way to go.”

It was as if I would never win.


This trait has carried into my teenage years. I voice my opinion and people can tell when I’m unhappy, but I still feel like it’s those who love me that sometimes hurt me the most, and they’re the hardest people to stand up to.

Now I don’t have a corner of the sofa to hide in… The corner of the car maybe.
My personal corner.
The corner of the conversation.

A mental corner.

We got the jazz, we got the jazz...

When reminiscing and music combine, I go a little crazy.

Tonight I sat down and explored some old jazz favorites (and trying to discover some new ones), thanks to the time I spent in the car with my dad earlier this afternoon. When I was younger, we would ride around listening to Smooth Jazz 105.9 (WJZW, DC area radio), especially in the summer, with the windows down, on the weekend... when neither of us had anything to worry about. I remember him taking me to some event at the Kennedy Center and seeing groups like Incognito and Pieces of a Dream. I remember riding in the backseat hearing the jock with the really smooth voice spit out names like Joe Sample, George Benson, and Chuck Mangione. I especially remember my frustration with the fact that there were usually NO words with these songs. I really didn't understand it back then! ... It would annoy me so much, that I would make up my own words to go along to the music. Looking back, they were either ingenious lines... or useless junk. Since none of it was written down, I guess I'll never know!


In no way would I ever call myself 'a jazz person.' What an over-exaggerated compliment that would be! I wish. Maybe some day..

But in honor of WJZW 105.9 (which last strong 14 years as a smooth jazz station, until the format was switched in 2008), in honor of hip-hop samples, in honor of "Jazz" by ATCQ, in honor of my dad, in honor of my childhood, and in honor of good music... here's some music:

Winelight by Grover Washington, Jr.




Breezin' by George Benson



Give It All You Got by Chuck Mangione



Mister Magic by Grover Washington, Jr.



In All My Wildest Dreams by Joe Sample



Take Five by Dave Brubeck



We're In This Love Together by Al Jarreau



Nature Boy by George Benson



Morning Dance by Spyro Gyra

Did you just... congratulate me... for reading?

I'm not normally one to suggest books, especially cuz I'm so sloth-like that I don't take the time to sit down and finish books. But I was searching through my books as I was unpacking earlier and came across the books we used for this hip hop course last semester. Needless to say... I didn't do all of the reading for the class. But c'mon, who really does. It's college! There's no way you can read everything. But I can honestly say that I at least read part of all of these books, and the majority are worth spending some time with. [Thanks, Professor Rose!]


 
*Angry Black White Boy (Adam Mansbach, 2005)

"Peopled with all manner of race pimps and players, Angry Black White Boy is a stunning breakout book from a critically acclaimed young writer and should be required reading for anyone who wants to get under the skin of the complexities of identity in America. "

*Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (Tricia Rose, 1994)

    - Chapter 1 Voices from the Margins: Rap Music and Contemporary Black Cultural Production
    - Chapter 2 “All Aboard the Night Train”: Flow, Layering, and Rupture in Postindustrial New York
    - Chapter 3 Soul Sonic Forces: Technology, Orality, and Black Cultural Practice in Rap Music
    * Chapter 4 Prophets of Rage: Rap Music and the Politics of Black Cultural Expression
    - Chapter 5 Bad Sistas: Black Women Rappers and Sexual Politics in Rap Music


*Black Sexual Politics: African-Americans, Gender and the New Racism (Patricia Hill-Collins, 2005)

    Wiki summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sexual_Politics:_African_Americans,_Gender,_and_the_New_Racism

    Key chapters:
    - Chapter 3 Prisons for Our Bodies, Closets for Our Minds: Racism, Heterosexism and Black Sexuality
    - Chapter 4 Get your Freak on: Sex, Babies, and Images of Black Femininity
    - Chapter 5 Booty Call: Sex, Violence, and Images of Black Masculinity


The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture (Bakara Kitwana, 2003)

Wiki summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hip_Hop_Generation

The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop and Why It Matters (Tricia Rose, 2008)


* That’s the Joint: The Hip Hop Studies Reader (Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal, 2004)

Sampled: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine -> Suckas

Original: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (Weavers)




"New": Suckas (Jay Electronica)

New Song: Faster - Slum Village ft. Colin Munroe

Love this :)
(Via okayplayer.)

"So the release date has just been announced for Slum Village's new LP, Villa Manifesto, which is set to drop on July 27th. This will be the first album from the group to feature vocal contributions from T3, J Dilla, Baatin, and Elzhi. The LP also features Dwele, De La Soul, Little Brother, Colin Munroe, and Phife. On the production side of things the project boasts a line up of Young RJ, J Dilla, Dave West, Hi-Tek, and Mr. Porter."I wanted to pull the whole squad together," explains T3. "The reason why we call it Villa Manifesto is that it was a statement we want to give our people because we had been away for so long. What we're doing, what's going on, how we're feeling and where we're at today." To give ya'll a sample, here is what will be the first single, "Faster" featuring Colin Munroe."

(click the link to hear the "Faster")

New Video: What's Not To Love - Dwele

Thank you, okayplayer :)




Dwele What's Not To Love album in stores 6.29.10

DWELE | MySpace Music Videos

Video: Many Moons - Janelle Monáe

This video is exxxxtrrrrraaaaa nice! It's from her 2007 EP Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase.

Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione

Bathroom Wisdom

While frantically studying the other night for my final exam, I made frequent trips to the library bathroom (special thanks to Starbucks Coffee and the library café for sending me there so many times!)

...That's not the interesting part of the story. I promise I won't sit here talking about the bathroom for much longer....

So you know how people like to do that really cool, rebellious [read: cliché & played-out] thing where they whip out a pen while they're in the stall and write on the walls? Yeah, well I guess A LOT of people over the years have decided to defy the rules. I was hit with hundreds of statements, questions, poems, etc... Most of it was pretty useless, but I came across one timely/appropriate piece of wisdom that summed up how I feel about a lot of the social interactions around me.


"There's a difference between listening and waiting to talk."


Far too often do I come across people who don't seem to realize the difference. In at least 50% of the interactions I have every day, someone seems to think they're listening... when they're only waiting for me to be finished so that it can be their turn to speak.

Next time you're in a conversation, step back and notice how you're handling the situation -- Are you just waiting for the other person to stop talking so you can say your piece? Do you even wait to speak? Do you just interrupt? Do you find yourself talking about YOU about 75% of the time? (And don't exclude talking about yourself in relation to the original topic from the calculation...) Do you ask other people how they're doing?

If you tend to find yourself in rushed conversations with people trying to get away from you, you might have a problem.

We're all guilty of it sometimes -- it's probably just human nature. But always "waiting to talk" rather than "listening" is an issue. And good relationships will be hard for you in the future if you don't address it now.



Now... who knew a bathroom stall could sum up everything I've been feeling in 9 simple words?!

:)

New Video: What They Been Waiting For - Diggy Simmons

Go 'head lil man.

New Video: Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) - Alicia Keys

Video for the fourth official single "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" from Alicia Keys's album The Element of Freedom.












Video after the break!

New Video: Find Your Love - Drake

Drake - New Music - More Music Videos

(6:56pm: Youtube video taken down... but I found it on MTV, woop woop!)



Commentary:

I really dislike Drake. There's no doubt about it
When people were pushing for him to come for Brown University's Spring Weekend 2010, I was not at all supportive. I almost even wrote a response to some poorly written opinion piece in the school newspaper back in October or November.

All of that being said... I tried to step away from my previous feelings and think about the song and video objectively. The song itself isn't amazing, but I won't hate on it. Coming from Drake though, it's a problem. Drake needs to stop singing. Straight up. Yes, I enjoy songs like "Brand New" and "A Night Off" from his So Far Gone mixtape, but I still think he needs to stop singing.

Matter fact... he needs also needs to let go of this whole Young Money thing. It's not a good look. Why be associated with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and the rest of them? Womp womp for you, Mr. Graham.

The video, though a bit extra at times [examples: any shots of him in the studio, him talking in the introduction, the ending where "FIND YOUR LOVE" is flashed with three weak gunshot sounds, etc], was acceptable - I approve! It's especially better than the failure of last summer's "Best I Ever Had," but I guess that's not really saying much...

-- "Find Your Love" is Drake's second single from his upcoming debut full length studio album Thank Me Later, due to be released June 15.

Drake fans and haters alike, be sure to check it out and share your response!

New Video: It's In The Morning - Robin Thicke feat. Snoop

This is my favorite song from his most recent album Sex Therapy so I was hype to see it... But I think it leaves a lot to be desired.

I.e. it was bland. But! I still like the song, so I can't really complain all that much.

Janelle Monáe... Album Release: May 18!

Um... She's dope. If you don't know her, you should hit up google & check out the video for her single Tight Rope with Big Boi.

Her new album The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III of IV) will be out next week!

Video: J. Cole "College Conversations" w/ the Source

J. Cole talks about inspirations, his story, and his hopes.




(Via okayplayer)

If you don't know what this is all about, you better step your game up...

A Message From the President: Barack Obama Responds to "Dick Riding Obama"

Lucy Pearl

Tribe

Grrrrr...

Why can't we be angry, grumpy, upset, sad, mad, or whatever WHENEVER we want to be? With no consequence? I think it's healthy for people to be in a bad mood every now & then...

Raymond v. Raymond

(The original review is HERE, but I added the videos in this post!)



Five-time Grammy winner and multi-platinum recording artist Usher Raymond is best known for topping the charts and giving us albums with the perfect mixture of songs:

* 1 part club banger,
* 2 parts ballad (both the loving and the depressing kind), and
* 1 part baby-makin’ music.

Citing the late Michael Jackson as his greatest influence, it seems Usher has been on the ride of his life, releasing hit after hit. Since MJ’s death, even Jay-Z himself said Usher would become the next King of Pop.

So with his long list of hits and the five-month build up, it would be safe to expect his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond, would deserve pretty high marks, right? 4 stars? A B+?

Video: Window Seat - Erykah Badu

Video: Call Me - Joell Ortiz ft. Novel

Still a favorite.






Will finally update over spring break (starts this Saturday!)... just gotta make it through this week. Let's goooooooooo!

New Video: My Sweetie - Wale

I just really need to buy a DMV tee shirt. It will make everything about me infinitely better.

New Song: Sounds G.O.O.D. 2 Me - Consequence

Favorite of the week!!

New Video: Pretty Girls - Wale

The video is average/kinda weak... but I still had to put it up. DMV :)

New Video: Rude Boy - Rihanna

I actually really like this video! I see some MIA inspirations... Okay, Rihanna. I see you!

Streetcorner Symphony

In my senior year of high school, I had quite possibly the best English teacher in the nation. (I'm not even kidding though, she was legit.) We had this one really great section where we had to write columns on whatever we wanted. This was my last one before graduating.




----

Streetcorner Symphony

“It’s morning, I wake up –

The taste of summer sweetness on my mind…”

With only six days left until graduation, these words (in some form or another) can’t seem to escape my brain. Even though I’m going to dread setting foot outside into the sweltering 90 degree weather, I’m excited for freedom, fun, and that last hurrah with friends that this summer will undoubtedly bring.

But there’s something still holding me back…

In my four years at TJ, I don’t think I’ve ever been as busy as I’ve been this past month. After getting into college, everything was supposed to be easy as pie. I had dreams of doing minimal work, watching movies during classes, and relaxing every day after school with my friends. As always, I was completely wrong. Teachers kept piling it on, finding any and every reason to give us work. It got to be so extreme that everything, even non-school things, started to feel like little monsters ganging up on me, plotting and scheming to take me down. My head was constantly spinning with a list of things that I needed to do. My brain was screaming “Finish your tech lab project!” and “You’d better buy prom shoes tomorrow or you’ll run out of time” and my all-time favorite “You know there’s absolutely no way you’re going to sleep tonight, right? You have a project due tomorrow!” At one point, I was physically aching just thinking about all of my obligations. I didn’t think we’d ever make it to the last week of school, the light at the end of the tunnel.

“…We’ll make it through this somehow

And we’ll paint the perfect picture

All the colors of this world will run together…”

This was the only way I was able to survive. I told myself that we had come so far and that we had only a little left to go. Now, we’re more or less there. Three more school days, a graduation rehearsal (or two), senior picnic, and a million graduation parties are the only things stand between us and what we’ve been working toward for the last 18 years. Adults are always saying “Where does the time go?” and “They’re growing up so fast!” And (for once), they’re right. Right now I’m looking back at yearbooks from middle school and art projects from elementary school thinking, This wasn’t so long ago. I can remember vividly my 7^th birthday party and the field trip we took in 7^th grade. I can remember 9 years of church Christmas plays and my 9^th grade biology teacher. I can even remember begging my sister to teach me how to write in cursive and how she got in trouble when she refused.

So I wonder: What will I accomplish in these next short 18 years? What moments will I remember? What faces will unexpectedly stand out when I look over my life thus far?

“…I may never find the meaning of life

But for this moment I am fine…”

Words: 501