The ever-brilliant Complex Magazine has put together one hell of an article for those who thought the ‘Super Sweet 16’ kids were spoiled.
I think the title says it all really, but follow the link for some interesting reading!
[LINK] Great Moments in Rappers Performing at Bar Mitzvah Parties
Ex-The Streets star Mike Skinner has returned to the music scene as part of his new project on The D.O.T; a collaboration between Skinner and ex-The Music singer Rob Harvey.
The pair, who formed under the DOT moniker last year, are ready to release their sophomore effort, following October’s LP ‘And That’. The new album, ‘Diary’ is expected for release on May 6th, and will be preceded by new single ‘How We All Lie’.
The tracklisting for ‘Diary’ has been confirmed as:
– Make It Your Own
– Don’t Look At The Road
– Blood, Sweat And Tears
– How We All Lie
– Under A Ladder
– Makers Mark
– Left At The Lights
– Left Alone
– Wherever You May Be
– Most Of My Time
– What Am I supposed To Do?
– How Hard Can It Be?’
New single ‘How We All Lie’ can be heard below:
Hip-hop/RnB producer The Dream has confirmed that rapper Jay-Z is indeed back in the studio and recording ‘grittier’ material.
In an interview with MTV-owned ‘RapFix’ The-Dream was asked whether he felt becoming a father had mellowed out Jay-Z’s lyrics, to which the producer replied “Nah, I think he’s gotten a little bit more gritty.”
The Dream also teased that he has been working on something ‘a little bit special’ with Jigga, however declined to give any further details. The producer said: “It’s so hard because on one hand, I’m really always anxious and excited about new music with everybody that I’m working with. On the other hand, they’re always A-List, high-profile, so nobody really wants them to know,” he said. “So it’s hard for me to actually explain what I’m working on, when it’s coming.”
This is exciting news – The Dream has worked on some of the biggest tracks of the past decade (including co-writing Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’); a grittier Jay-Z combined with The Dream’s fluid production could be a match made in heaven. Roll on PSA II if you ask me!
To whet your appetite, watch Jay-Z perform some of his greatest back catalogue from his phenomenal Hackney Weekend set below:
Soul/RnB singers Terri Walker and Nicole Wray have released their new joint collaboration album ‘Lady’ to stream for a limited time.
A seemingly positive nod to the Motown-era, the album’s fresh and funky feel pays homage to some of the great soul acts, as well as transporting users to where they believe the future of soul lies. As online music blog ‘OkayPlayer’ aptly puts it, the album has ‘a feel that falls as easily into the territory of Martha Reeves as it does The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.’
Check the album out below and let us know your thoughts:
‘Green Garden’ singer Laura Mvula has made her debut album ‘Sing To The Moon’ available to stream on iTunes.
Mvula certainly has been making waves of late – from being nominated for the BRITS Critics’ Choice Award to coming fourth on the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2013’.
The album, which has been generating some strong reviews over the past few days, is available to stream here. Lucky ticket holders will be able to catch Mvula supporting Jessie Ware on her forthcoming UK tour.
Snoop Dogg’s new alter-ego ‘Snoop Lion’ has revealed more about his forthcoming new album ‘Reincarnated’.
The new reggae-inspired album is set for an April 2013 release, with Snoop enlisting the production brilliance of Diplo and the Major Lazer team. The album is set to feature a plethora of guest stars too, with Akon, Busta Rhymes, Chris Brown, Rita Ora, TI and Drake all confirmed collaborators.
In support of the album’s release date, Snoop will also release a full-length documentary, set to drop in UK cinemas once the SXSW premiere in a fortnight. The documentary will highlight Snoop’s transformation from a Dogg to a Lion, and shares the same name as the ‘Reincarnated’ album title.
Speaking of the album, Snoop said”
“We were searching for true reggae music and the message of peace and hope it reflects….. It’s so much a part of who I am, and this record is all about paying homage and giving respect to those who created and love reggae music, and hopefully introducing it to a whole new audience. I feel truly honored to make this album and respect to all who blazed the path for me.”
Reincarnated, the album, is set to be released on April 23, whilst the documentary is expected to drop on 15th March. Watch the trailer below:
Justin Timberlake has spoken to Capital FM to discuss his new album and what it feels like to be back in the studio.
The singer/songwriter, whose 3rd studio album ‘The 20/20 Experience’ is set to drop on 18th March, told the London radio station “I feel like I’m 19 again, like that unabashed excitement … It’s nice to be excited about something that you want to put out”. He went on to talk about how he wanted to focus on a more experimental album whilst still maintaining that ‘classic JT sound’.
Talking about new single ‘Mirrors’ (which is set to top the UK charts on Sunday), Timberlake said “From the moment I wrote it, it felt like a signature record for me, and with this album it’s experimental in a lot of different ways. To have this record on the album it feels familiar to me but moves in a different direction as well”.
The singer also continued to describe his relationship with producers Timbaland’s and Pharrell Williams. Whilst all of ‘The 20/20 Experience’ is produced by Timbaland, Timberlake did not rule out future work with Williams (who he famously collaborated with on debut album Justified). “I’ve recently worked with Pharrell on some stuff that he’s doing. We talked about getting back in at some point…”
Finally, Justin dropped some hints about his upcoming joint tour with Jay-Z. “Well we’re still working it out. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s going to be a completely collaborative show. What that means, we don’t know yet because we haven’t put it together.”
The 20/20 Experience will be available on 18th March in the UK, whilst those lucky enough to have bought tickets will be seeing Timberlake headline Wireless Festival in the summer.
British DnB/dubstep quartet Rudimental have scored big with another anthem. ‘Waiting All Night’ is a superb vocalised club-stormer, featuring the sublime vocals of Ella Eyre (who also appears on Bastille’s ‘No Angels’).
It’s a pure party DnB track – smooth vocals that’s bound to get heads thumping and bodies jumping come festival season. Everything about this track is complete – the vocal harmony, the crazy beat….
Check it out for yourself below:
Fresh from announcing her new single ‘Yung Rapunxel’ as well as confirming her Glastonbury appearance, young US rapper Azealia Banks has surprised the music world with her cover of ‘Barely Legal’ by The Strokes.
Fans of The Strokes will instantly hate it – Banks has transformed the seemingly garage-rock nugget into a club banger. I’ve never been a fan of these kinds of mutations, but this, to me, is phenomenal. Placing a seminal 2-step ‘garage’ beat on there, this is certain to go down well in the club-scene. The beat does seem to overshadow her vocals, which is a shame, however it’s a great attempt nonetheless…. if you’re not a Strokes fan that is.
Listen below and let us know your thoughts.
Solange, the more-credible of the Knowles family, took to the stage on David Letterman’s show last night for a very cool performance of new song ‘Don’t Let Me Down’.
I’ve always been a fan of Solange, right from the early days (remember ‘Feelin You’ ft NORE?), and she’s just grown into the most talented of young artists over the years.
Watch the video of the performance after the jump. ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ is off Solange’s new 7-track EP ‘True’, available now from iTunes.
