My blog post on Grown Folks Music

Usher needs to get on his knees and thank Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for this song. I was getting a bit frustrated with the previous song releases on this album. They all felt like he was trying to woo a teenager audience instead of showing growth. Paraphrasing my man, Jay-Z, “You a grown man! What you trying to do date a 16-year-old?!?” Personally I think Usher needs to coach cats not copying them.  I just hope this album shows growth, maturity and confidence -  not an artist trying to find his audience.  Anyway, this song is pretty hot in my opinion. Take the poll and tell us whatchu think?

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Between earthquakes in Chile, health care debates and US senators saying, “Tough sh*t” regarding the extension of unemployment benefits, budget deficit California wants to do something that will really change the fate of all these important issue. Pass a “Cuss Free Week” resolution through the Senate. When I heard that I was like, “WTF!!!” What do you mean no cussing for a week?!? Are you kidding me?!?! Just because some 14-year-old conducts an experiment about cussing doesn’t mean you need to pass it through the Senate!!! Hell, people are looking for work, they need to cuss. Don’t take away the one “free” privilege they have.

Now, I’ve thought about this and honestly, I don’t know how this will work. Let me give you some examples:

• What do you say when you hit your pinky toes…………Oh shoot?

• You catch your partner cheating…………..Oh heck no, mutha fluffy.

• Your kids break the new plasma (52 inch).

Yeah, I see ya forming the cuss words right now on that last option. LOL!

However, I’m not gonna be a bad sport about it. I’ll place my $7.00 in a jar Monday morning and dedicate this throwback video:

On stage at the Annual GRAMMY Awards - February 2008

My blog post on Grown Folks Music:

While Kanye can be a gossip column’s wet dream and a music publicist’s nightmare, this video reminds me why I love his artistry. Though Kanye has been known to play with a minimalist style to a few of his videos through the help of director, Nabil Elderkin, this visual presentation says so much with so little about a dark period in his life. No matter how you interpret this video,  Kanye’s absence plays as a blindfold which heightens the visual and emotional senses of the production. Having the elements of a psychological drama, the video is beautiful, haunting and definitely a signature of Kanye.

Tell me what you think!!!

Mike sending his love

“Michael Vick offered 1 million to pose nude for Playgirl. Million can go to PETA”

Are you for real, WTF are these people doing with their lives. We got recession issues, still need support for Haiti and other more pressing priorities and you wanna talk about paying a damn debt to a dog?!?! Ain’t that a b*******!!!!! Ok Whitney say this for me cause I’m “trying” to stay saved:

Thank you, Whitney. Now back to what I was saying. Could someone tell me how you shoot a moose, shoot a deer, or any other wild life with a legal permit with no apologies but I gotta pay homage to a dog if they’re harmed. How did the dog get so high on the evolutionary chain of respect. Now let me say this, I like dogs. I had a pooch crush on Benji when I was a kid but this is ridiculous! When I really think about this, what is this really about?!? Is this really about repaying a debt to dogs or is this just about money. Read this statement from Playgirl spokesperson, Daniel Nardicio and tell me what you think:

” I sent the request to Michael Vick on Wednesday. But we haven’t heard back yet. I figured he paid back society for dog fighting, but what about the animals?

“This way he could donate a large sum to PETA and all he’d have to do is pose for the magazine! It’s kind of a win-win situation!”

Please don’t tell anyone you went to college because if that’s the only logic you can give to justify trying to take naked pictures of Mick Vick, you need to stop payment immediately on any remaining student loan payments. Hell, you need to pay “your” debt to society for being that stupid.

Tell me what you think?!?!

Courtesy of J Records

My blog post from Grown Folks Music

I am so excited to see Monica in this video. She looks absolutely regal but please believe, she brought Madea’s “nuck if you buck” style she’s known for. Let’s hear it fam!! Whatchu think?

Courtesy of Kedar Entertainment

My blog from Grown Folks Music

Hola mi amigos, it’s ya girl WestStyle

Ok, I got something for my Dru Hill fans – and please forgive me for being late with this. Between the occasional drama, SisQo, Jazz, Nokio and a new member, Tao (pronounced Tay-oh) are back on the music scene. Here is the new video from their upcoming album, “INDRUPENDENCE DAY” coming out March 23rd. Holla at yo girl and tell me what you think?

Secret Garden from "Back On the Block" Album

My blog post from Grown Folks Music

Last week was quite the week for the remix. While I’m an advocate of creativity and stamping your own individuality to a song, I do have boundaries when it comes to certain songs. The other week I was glad to see artists coming together for the relief efforts in Haiti however the remake of “We Are the World” shouldn’t have been the song they rallied behind. I can’t say the remix didn’t have “any” hopeful moments but honestly the bad faded out the good efforts. I, like many fans, probably agree with Jay’s statement given to MTV about the remake efforts.

“I’m a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that’s going on in Haiti. … So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but We Are the World is [musically] untouchable like Thriller is untouchable.  It was a valiant effort, but for me, it’s gonna be untouchable.”

Truthfully, there are some songs that just have a magic. Maybe the stars are perfectly aligned or Jupiter just happens to rise in Leo’s moon – hell, I don’t know, but they have a timeless, “Sistine Chapel” appeal to them. In this case, “We Are The World” happens to be one of those songs. Unfortunately, when you touch a song of that caliber, it can lose the magic and take an awful turn as we saw in that remake. Another song that’s been placed on the assembly line for a “spit shine” remix is Quincy Jones’ “Secret Garden” (see video on linked post). Now, when I heard this I was deeply troubled especially when I heard the artists they’re considering on the single. The artists that would replace Al B. Sure, El Debarge, and James Ingram would be Usher, Robin Thicke, Tyrese, and Trey Songz – Barry White will remain as the “Micheal Jackson” piece of the song. While I was cool with Robin Thicke, I didn’t understand why Maxwell wasn’t even included in the conversation!? It also amazed me that Barry White’s vocals are seen as “untouchable” but the idea of remaking the song isn’t seen in the same light. Now between the passing of Michael, the desecration of “We Are the World” and now possibly “Secret Garden”, I wonder if the “Musical Antichrist” is near. When it’s all said and done, I have to wonder what happens to the musical integrity of songs when more interest is in the amount of star power than the amount of your musical maturity and emotional depth in a song. In all truth, you can be a great star and not have musical maturity. Now, I’m not saying star power doesn’t hold any importance or the artists chosen have “no” talent. They are all successful in their own right. I just question whether they can humble themselves to respect the spirit of the song. Will they approach the song with the mindset of a “musician” or as a “star”? Will they see this as an opportunity to grow as a musician or just an opportunity to promote their star? This is the question that haunts me when popular artists of the moment are chosen for certain classics that require some range. It’s like giving an acting role of a complex character to someone who has box office appeal but can’t reach the emotional depth the role requires. Also, you have to consider whether the co-starring artists can rightly play against the pillar role, Barry White. So with all that said, what do you think? Do you think this song should be remade? Holla at ya girl.

And to the new artists being considered for the “Secret Garden” remake, please take a loooong, hard look at this decision. Don’t take it lightly and pleeeeeese don’t let this be you………

So, I’m hanging with my GFM crew and the Music Addikts at our 1st Hit Listening Lounge for Sade. If you didn’t make it, you missed a treat. Hell, we did a giveaway for stuff “I” wanted. Anyway, while we’re setting up and making finishing touches, low and behold I see the video for Chico Debarge’s “Talk to Me”. I tried to find that video on Youtube but Chico must be trying to shut that “mo fo” down. Dude, when I saw that hair and what the hell he had on I was like:

I have to admit I knew nothing about this album. I was so use to seeing him as the “Mr. Iggin’ Me” sex symbol that it threw me the hell off – I’m sorry. But we all got some Jeri Curl mugshots we’d rather hide in the closet. Hell, I got a few  myself. However, in the spirit of this post I got the “Solid Gold” performance of the single. Ya’ll better check it out before he shut this “mo fo” down too. In the profound prelude of the song “I Call Your Name”: ” You a grown man, Chico…..a grown man…….and you’ve come a loooooooooonnnngggg way!!!”

Ok, so I’m having a conversation with one of my friends. I was telling him about this guy I met at a concert one night. We’ll call him Albert for the fact that I can’t remember his name at the moment. Anyway, I continued to explain to my friend how the guy wasn’t bad in his approach or conversation. On paper he looked good but something was missing. After our back and forth conversation, my friend flat out asked me, “what do you want?!?”  I told him it wasn’t that the guy wasn’t a good person – he wasn’t a jerk at all. I’m just attracted to men who are more outgoing.  My friend asked did you give him a chance? I said, “Well, he said he’s more of a laid back person.” There is nothing wrong with that – nothing at all. I just thought it wouldn’t be a good match. My friend proceeded to say, “maybe if you gave it more of a chance, you might have seen another side you didn’t know was there.” When I thought about it, he made a good point. Then I thought is that the reason most of us as women are single? We expect too much from men in  “one” moment.  Not that I believe in having low expectations – I don’t believe in settling. However, can we have such high expectations “in the moment” of meeting someone that we rush into something or knock ourselves out of the game?

What do you think?????

“He probably has a bad tooth, a tooth that’s abscessed,” Dr. Rudd explained to MTV News

When I heard this, you know I had to say something. Some hip hop artist kill me with the “hard” image they portray and then they pull b****h moves like this. You’ve got to be kidding me. You get a temporary “get out of jail free” card because you got an issue with your tooth?!? Dude, man up!!! Have you looked at yourself in the the mirror?!? You got bigger issues than a damn tooth!! And by the way, when did Wayne become the Colgate kid for good dental health, when he got the gold in his mouth?!?

According to BET.com here is a quote from Lil Wayne that may have been taken around early 2009:

Lil’ Wayne has confessed he has a serious addiction – to anything sweet. In fact, he says his teeth are so jacked up that he has to hide them with a permanent grill that doesn’t come out. Wayne, whose teeth have pretty much rotted away, says, “I like Skittles and Starburst, but I have bad teeth due to too much candy.”

Ain’t dat a b*******!!!!  So while you’re “tasting the rainbow” and storing Skittles like a little black leprechaun, you just happen to find you got a bad tooth?!? Man, please!!! Well regardless of the circumstances, Wayne will still have to face the big house on March 2nd. I saw a video on MTV.com not too long ago about “what he can expect in jail” and I figured I’d make my own personal list:

1. I know you’d “rather be pushing flowers” but please know you will be sharing a lot of showers. So in light of that please -  whatever you do, don’t pick up the soap. Leave that bastard on the floor otherwise your next remix song will be Luda’s “How Low”.

2. Sagging, skinny jeans my not be the fashion statement you wanna make in the  pen. I really don’t think “Pants on the Ground” will be a wise choice. You might wanna check out some other options from “CYA” Designs (slogan – We Cover All Your Assets)!

3. You may wanna change your name. “Lil Wayne” don’t sound too good. Get a big dude’s name like “Big Leroy”, “Diesel”, “Big Debo” or “Bosco”. Stay away from names like “Huggy Wayne”, “Lil Wayne”, or “Shawty Wayne”. Otherwise you might become  Big Debo’s girlfriend.

4. In this entire process you may wanna just find Jesus so you don’t get in this situation again. The doors of the church are always open. However, if that’s not the path you want, you may wanna get a better lawyer. I hear R. Kelly’s lawyer is available.

5. And last but not least, don’t let this be you…..remember what happened with that Birdman kiss…..

Scene from “Money Talks” courtesy of New Line Cinema