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Bump It Or Dump It? Xplosive, Xplicit, & unXpected

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : June 4, 2012
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If you read my last Bump It Or Dump It? review (Vocal Wars Behind The Music), you’ll remember that there was a wide range of artists and genres including Maroon 5, Brandy, Marvin Sapp and Goodie Mob. Well, it’s that time again and today I have another mix of artists who will be just as interesting…if not more. Check out my thoughts on each of these songs below…and feel free to leave your own.

Brian McKnight: iFUrReadyToLearn

We all know Brian McKnight for such smooth groove R & B hits like “Anytime”, “Back at One”, “Crazy Love” and “One Last Cry”.  He’s the clean-cut, contemporary artist that pushes the envelope at times (check out the 2006 song “Addicted” with rapper Juvenile that he’s featured on).  But he has finally turned the tables on us. Yep…all of em….the class room table, the dinner table and the operating table. In his new song “iFUrReadyToLearn”, he sings lyrics that would even make Nicki Minaj blush. What makes this so much more interesting is he’s singing the song as if it’s a real ballad. Really Brian McKnight???  The track is supposedly being used for an adult website. Good for him if he’s making money off of it, but is there a difference between pushing the envelope and ripping it open? I personally think he’s way out of his lane on this one. I understand being diverse and creative, but I don’t think any of his fans look to him for this kind of music. I’m just saying…I won’t post the full video here (due to extreme explicit content), but if you want to hear a preview of the song, check out the video above. ***Update: I just heard this morning that Brian McKnight has now released a new song that will put “iFUrReadyToLearn” to shame. SMH….*** What is really going on?

Estelle: Thank You

I’m not a huge follower or fan of Estelle, although I think she has a beautiful voice. Most people may know her for her hit song “American Boy”, but “Thank You” is a more mature, intentional and painful offering than we’ve seen from her on any other single. I instantly liked this song as soon as I heard it. I actually thought it was Sade though until about the middle of the song. There’s also a hint of Mary J Blige here. But the gist here isn’t who she sounds like, but how many more listeners she’s sure to gain with “Thank You” and her new CD All Of Me. I’m interested to see what direction her CD will go in (more ballads like “Thank You” or uptempo songs). I’ve been sleeping on Estelle, but I’m awake now. I see her possibly winning a Grammy for this one. Check out the song for yourself and see what you think about it.

Jason Aldean Featuring Ludacris: Dirt Road Anthem

What’s better than smoke blowing out the window and an ice cold beer in the console? According to Country singer Jason Aldean, there’s nothing better. I know what you’re thinking…”How the heck did this collaboration happen?” I thought the same thing. But, this song is actually really good and has surprisingly been out for over a year. I just recently heard it from a friend. Not only does Ludacris rap on the track, but so does Jason. And dare we say it…he’s actually got some skills!! This is a cool, laid back song that has a true country vibe to it. However it has a high energy that’s fun and enjoyable (complete with a jamming guitar solo towards the end). If you haven’t heard this song, check it out! You’ll be glad that you did. This just goes to show that with talent and creativity, great music can cross barriers and genres we didn’t think were possible.

Nas: Daughters

In case you didn’t know, rapper Nas is making a return to music with his 10th studio album, Life Is Good, in July of this year. The first single to be lifted from the project is “Daughters”, a transparent and honest look into how he feels to raise a daughter and the dangers, insecurities and prideful moments that come along with it. Nas has always been a conscious artist who shows he’s a deep thinker through his music. “Daughters” is no different, but in a sense it is. I was skeptical on if I would really enjoy the song, because….well, I don’t have kids, lol. But, I was pleasantly surprised and the video ties in the song well. I’ve always been a fan of Nas, and it’s good to see him making music again (especially after his highly publicized divorce with singer Kelis). Great to know that “life is good” for him and I’m eager to hear the new CD.

Bump It or Dump It??? Vocal Wars Behind the Music

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : May 7, 2012
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It’s Monday so you know what time it is….today I’m giving my reviews on new music from Rock to Gospel and Rap to R&B. But the question is, do these songs have repeated play potential or will they not even make it to the second verse before you hit the stop button? Check out my reviews and listen to see for yourself. Bump It or Dump It???

Brandy is making a return to music again this year.  However, with her recent Behind the Music special and reunion with Monica on the new song, “It All Belongs To Me”, many are calling this more of a comeback than a return.  So does she still have what it takes to deliver music with substance that rules the charts? Time will tell, but the first single from her upcoming Two Eleven CD, “Put It Down” featuring Chris Brown, just may give her the boost she needs. The song is produced by Bangledesh (“A Milli”, “Diva”) and has a catchy rhythm and even features Chris Brown and Brandy’s alter ego “Brand Nu” rapping.  Everything is promising here except for the main element that needs to be…the chorus…Instead of the edgy, grimy effect the song tries to go in, the chorus waters it down to bubblegum pop at some points. But hey, who really listens to words in popular music now anyway? Be on the lookout for Two Eleven to hit stores next month. I have a feeling this song will be growing on me…

Goodie Mob is most known for hits like “They Don’t Dance No Mo” and “Soul Food”.  It’s been 13 years since the release of a Goodie Mob album with all four original members (World Party).  Since then, the group’s resident eccentric soul singer/rapper, Cee-Lo has found success with the short-lived Gnarles Barkley and 3 solo albums. But apparently the group still had an itch to get back together. Perhaps their most crossover sounding song to date, it makes smart business sense that the group debuted the song on NBC’s “The Voice”, where Cee-Lo is one of the judges. But this song is crossover in a good way, without coming across contrived. The only weird part is the song features mostly Cee-Lo, with the other members merely chanting in the background. I think this will gain a lot of new fans for Goodie Mob and perhaps be the biggest song of their career. Hopefully the old fans will be open-minded enough to receive it as well. The song also has great lyrics that actually mean something…what a concept, lol. Look for the song to be featured on their new project, Age Against The Machine.

Maroon 5 has always pushed the envelope, but managed to sugar coat it to the point where it’s barely unrecognizable. From their upcoming album Overexposed, the group has teamed up with rapper Wiz Khalifa to give us the addictive “Payphone”. The song lyrics are a little explicit at some points. But so are some of the group’s other successful hits (“Wake Up Call” and “If I Never See Your Face Again”). The song talks about a fairy tale love story gone wrong and time too far spent.  Just the word payphone sounds like an obsolete word that has been buried to never be spoken again.  A few language beeps aside, Maroon 5 can more than likely count “Payphone” as another notch on their string of hits. Plus Wiz Khalifa will gain more crossover exposure, so it’s a win win situation.

Marvin Sapp seems to be following the old saying, “Strike while the iron is hot”. He’s been releasing CD’s back to back every year and a half for the past few years now (since “Never Would Have Made It). On his new CD, I Win, the opening track, “Teach My Hands To War” is a great song that’s sure to get you hyped up and ready to praise God.  The song is basically saying that you’re going to use your hands as weapons of praise against the enemy. Powerful message and the music is busy, but in a good way. Just be careful because you may forget you’re listening to a gospel song if you just listen to the music. The go go inspired tempo here has a bit of a throwback feel but is still current at the same time. I’m not sure if this song will be released as a single from I Win. But one thing’s for sure, it’s definitely the stand out up-tempo track on the CD.  I’m sure this would be a wonderful song to hear in concert.