These days, you have to be living under a rock to not know who Childish Gambino is. Whether it’s from his Grammy Award winning single, “Redbone” from the album, Awaken, My Love! or his appearance as an actor (under his real name, Donald Glover) in Solo, or his hit show, Atlanta, his presence is everywhere. The rap-singer made a triumphant return to music earlier this year with the thought provoking, poignant single, “This Is America”. The single will likely be featured on his upcoming album. Childish Gambino says it will be his last album using that moniker. There’s no word yet on whether or not it will be his last album period. Nevertheless, he’s poised to go out with a bang.
Last week, he debuted two new songs that are billed together as Summer Pack. The short EP consists of two socially conscious love songs, “Feels Like Summer” and “Summertime Magic”. The former is a melodic, slow groove that would make Sade raise an eyebrow and take notice. Again, he changes up his delivery here and it works extremely well. This song is much more of a smooth R&B offering, unlike the jagged, lyrically explosive, “This Is America”. The latter, “Summertime Magic” continues the tropical island groove with steel drums. The song kicks in with a heavy bass line as Childish Gambino sings about a woman who reminds him of summertime.
Both songs ooze summer love at its finest. I can’t pick which song I like more than the other. They both are equally satisfying to listen to. At this point, four potential songs have been heard from Childish Gambino’s as yet untitled, upcoming album, This includes the song “Saturday” that he performed on SNL in May of this year. I’m curious to see how the accompanying visuals will look (if he releases them) for these new songs. Both tracks have a current, yet vintage feel. Childish Gambino won’t be going anywhere anytime soon; whether he changes his stage name or not.
“All this sauce so yummy,” Ciara sings on her new single, “Level Up”. She’s back with plenty of that sauce on the new track from her upcoming seventh studio album. This will be her first studio album in three years. Rumors are flyingthat the uptempo dance record is a reference to her upgrading her relationship status (after leaving Future and marrying Russell Wilson). The song and its accompanying video take it back to the early days of the singer’s career. She is arguably the best dancer in her era of female R&B artists. As she dances from start to finish (in total sync with Request Dance Crew).
Although Ciara has had success with some slower singles (“Promise” and “Like A Boy”), her sexy dance moves were still incorporated in her music videos for those songs. “Level Up” is a celebratory single about snapping back in life and being completely on top of your game. The song definitely sounds like it could be a subtle jab at her ex, Future. She sings, “Thank God I never settled/This view is so much better”. She’s got a cool, confident sexiness here that’s pretty infectious. Although the chorus is a bit redundant, it’s one of her best singles in quite sometimes. Apparently, fans think so too. The music video has already garnered nearly 3,000,000 views in just 2 days of its release.
There’s no word on the direction of her as yet untitled album or when it will be released. However, she seems to have it right again, by focusing on what fans love most about her. She’s glowing, sexy and obviously on another level. These days, she’s all smiles about being a wife and a mother. This is the comeback she needed to remind people of her hit making potential. Could Ciara come back and rule the charts again with her new album? Only time will tell. She’s suffered her share of unjust backlash musically. It’s her time to win again this time.
What are your thoughts on Ciara’s “Level Up”? Does it fit comfortably next to some of her biggest hits?
Mary J. Blige has recently had some of the biggest moments of her career. She released her critically acclaimed studio album, Strength of A Woman. The album served as a diary of sorts, detailing her raw feelings regarding her divorce from Kendu Isaacs. Then, she co headlined the King and Queen of Hearts Tour with Maxwell. Afterwards, she toured on her own, earned her first two Oscar nominations for Mudbound and performed at this year’s Essence Music Festival. Plus, she just launched a new jewelry line called Sister Love with LL Cool J’s wife, Simone Smith. Oh and she just officially finalized her divorce. So, it’s only fitting that Mary J. Blige would also be working on new music.
She takes the high road on her new single, “Only Love”. The track is a bit of a detour from the emotional anguish of recent hits like “Thick Of It” and “Set Me Free”. Instead, she takes a celebratory approach and offers up a R&B infused disco-pop track that’s reminiscent of 2007’s “Just Fine”. The lyrics on “Only Love” showcase a woman who has been burned by love, but still believes in its power. This is not sad, My Life Mary J. Blige. She’s living life to the fullest here and in full celebratory mode. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s her.
Although the song doesn’t move me like the majority of the tracks from her latest album, it’s a decent listen. “Only Love” fits comfortably next to uptempo soul classics of the 70s. Even in her brightest moments, her pain is omnipresent. She doesn’t just sing the music. She lives it. Perhaps this is the greatest reason why her career continues to reach new heights over 25 years later.
So, what are your thoughts on her new single, “Only Love”? Plus, reminisce on some classic Mary J. Blige hits and album cuts.
Iggy Azalea owned the summer of 2014. Her Clueless inspired music video for “Fancy” was an instant fan favorite that revisited one of the most vibrant eras of the 90s. The song quickly reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. She had the endorsement of T.I., one of rap’s most respected artists. She wasn’t the best rapper ever by any stretch of the imagination, but she had a few catchy tunes. However, her fall seemed to have happened just as quickly as her rise. Pundits called her out for not writing her own lyrics and labeling her as a gimmicky one hit wonder.
The Australian rapper has dropped a few mixtapes since her The New Classic debut studio LP. she dropped the lukewarm single, “Savior”, featuring Quavo. Now, she’s back with two new singles (“Kream” and “Tokyo Snow Trip”), hoping to shake up the music industry again. Both songs are lifted from her upcoming Survive The Summer EP. Dropping an EP vs another studio album may be a good move for Iggy Azalea. Studio LPs are getting short and shorter these days anyway.
So, exactly how does her new music sound? The music video for “Kream”, featuring Tyga, just dropped on Friday. The clip looks like an exclusive look inside a fluorescent strip club. Think Hype Williams’ Belly, circa 1999. Showing skin is still associated with driving up record sales. Nonetheless, it’s a bit disheartening to see Iggy twerking on her knees next to an oven full of money and clear platform heels. This is not the approach that will make people push pause on Cardi B or Nicki Minaj.
However, the production on the song is actually decent (though a tad bit too trendy). Also, someone must have told her that it was time to retire her signature nasal, animated voice. Good call. Lyrically, the song is a major let down. The fact that Wu Tang’s classic “C.R.E.A.M.” is sampled here really is an injustice. Tyga’s gravel voiced feature does little to raise the quality of the song. “Kream” will be a sleeper strip club anthem at best.
How about “Tokyo Snow Trip”? This one is better, but it still misses the mark. “Hocus Pocus” and “rats and roaches” lines devalue the message she’s trying to convey here. Then again, that message seems to be about how much money she has. “Tokyo Snow Trip” has whispers throughout the song that are reminiscent of the Ying Yang Twins “Wait The Whisper Song”. That is not the formula to craft for a music takeover. Iggy is back. Sadly for her, few will likely sit up and take notice. Iggy Azalea’s new uber gangsta persona is not believable. Perhaps she would have fared better addressing her haters, with some catchy punch lines.
Check out the music video for “Kream” and the audio for “Tokyo Snow Trip” below. Warning, this one is NSFW (not safe for work). What are your thoughts on her new songs?
Ro James’s debut studio LP, ELDORADO, was one of my favorite R&B albums of 2016. His raspy (and at times falsetto) tenor is kin to the early days of Prince. I have been waiting on him to drop some new music. This year, he decided to break his nearly two year studio silence. Ro James’s latest EP, Smoke, was released late March of this year. However, I was still jamming ELDORADO and nearly missed it. Now, I’m all caught up. EPs (along with shorter studio) are becoming more popular, especially when artists take an extended break in between albums.
Smoke was lead by the bass thumping first single, “Lost My Mind”, which features looped lyrics from the late Notorious B.I.G. His smooth vocals pair extremely well with the edgy production here. He takes a bit of a detour from his normal style with a more street wise approach. Thankfully, he pulls it off well enough that he should try it more often. “Outside The Box (How Bout That)” is more mesmerizing and seductive. This track sounds like it could have easily fit alongside the well crafted songs from his first album. However, his lyrical content is tighter and slicker here. He’s asking (but more so telling) his lover to let him have complete control over her body.
“Special” follows, showcasing Ro James’s higher register. He then slips into a lower tenor during the verses before it taking it back up on the chorus. Vocally, this is the strongest song on the EP. This song effortlessly fits the classic R&B sound of the 90s that is desperately missing in today’s music. “Devotion” is more tender, yet explicit at the same time (as he compares the taste of his woman to gummy bears). The song has layered elements of club groove and spiritual awakening that mesh surprisingly well together.
Smoke’s main objective is to seduce; a feat Ro James pulls off without coming across as contrived. Look for Ro James to be one of the performers at this year’s Essence Festival in New Orleans. I’ve seen him in concert once and have no doubt he will put on a memorable show. Hopefully, Smoke is just the portent from a forthcoming full length sophomore album.
The Fourth of July is always a reflective time of year for me. Of course, it’s Independence Day. However, it’s also the day (now, seven years ago) I launched the website that you’re reading this blog from. Any entrepreneur or blogger knows that it’s not easy handling your own business, even if it’s just a hobby. When I first started out my site, I was really doing it for mere recreation. I loved music and sharing my thoughts on it. Plus, I was on the brink of releasing my first poetry book, Blurred Vision.
I remember feeling so nervous, wondering if people would like and understand my book. I was also unsure if people would be engaged with the posts I made on my site. Every day hasn’t been easy and I have wanted to throw in the towel plenty of times. Nonetheless, it’s all been worth it. My first book’s reception was more than I could have ever imagined. I soon kept bumping into other aspiring authors who desired to have their stories published. This lead me to start my own publishing company, 7th Sign Publishing. Now, I’m seven books in (plus others I’ve published for other authors), with more projects in the works.
I have had the opportunity to interview some great people along the way, inspire lives and gain first hand knowledge that only experience can teach you. So, today, I would like to personally say thank you to anyone who has subscribed to my site, read/shared a blog post, bought a book or simply given me words of encouragement when I needed to hear it most over the last seven years. Believe me, your support is appreciated and valued, more than you know.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming books I have in the works and a new project that I may reach out to you for inspiration on :). Plus, if you’re in the Dallas area, you can catch me this Saturday at Toasted Coffee + Kitchen (5420 Ross Avenue, Suite 120 | Dallas, TX) from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. I’ll be signing copies of all of my books and celebrating the one year anniversary of the release of my second novel, No Cream in the Middle.
Oh yeah, just one more thing. Be the first to respond to/contact me after reading this post to receive a free copy of any of my books…your choice!
I haven’t posted a Thirsty Thursday drink in a while. However, the drink that I tried this week was definitely worth talking about. I go to a local market in the Dallas area almost every Sunday. They have everything from drinks, tacos, breads, salsas and fresh vegetables. This past Sunday, there was a new vendor, SoCo Ginger Beer. I had never heard of them before but I love ginger beer and decided I would give it a try. In fact, in the past couple of years, I have become quite obsessed with most things that are ginger flavored.
All it took was one sip and I was hooked. This delicious drink is “rooted in Austin, made in Denton”. So, this is a Texas product to the core. The standard ginger beer was amazing and then I tried the watermelon flavor. I tried the peach flavor last and I was in love. All of them were very good, but the peach one was my favorite. There was just enough of the spicy ginger taste, coupled with a subtle sweetness of the peach. It was amazing. They poured right from a tap and filled my glass bottle. Save the bottle and you get a discounted price of the next one. Let’s just say this weekend can’t come fast enough. I wish I had bought two bottles on my first try.
This is hands down the best ginger beer I have ever tasted. The ingredients are pretty simple (sparkling water, fresh lemon, fresh ginger, fresh cane sugar). Basically, it’s a must have and so refreshing in this summer heat. If you’re in the Dallas area, make your way to the local markets to catch them or visitwww.socogingerbeer.com. Trust me, you will not be disappointed if you try it!
I’ve always been a fan of Jessie J’s voice. She’s sultry, sexy and boisterous, without being too over the top. I kept waiting for her and her ex boyfriend, Luke James, to do some songs together. However, she has since moved on from that relationship. What happened? The singer has stated that she felt Luke James was just with her to gain clout in the music industry. Nevertheless, the end of that relationship has created her most introspective album to date. She just recently dropped her latest album, R.O.S.E. I love a great concept album and Jessie J has delivered just that with her new project. So, let’s dive in to each section of her latest album.
Realisations
R.O.S.E. is comprised of four EPs that melt together to tell one chilling narrative. In this first installment, Jessie J opts for bare bones tracks, airy melodies and down to earth lyrics. On “Oh Lord”, she’s pleading to God to give her a sign of why she first got into the music business. “Think About That” comes from a dark place of anger. Although her vocals are slick here, her words are jagged. She tells her lover, “Say it…you wanna be famous. Using my juice….”. By the time she really gets fed up, the production changes to a 90s esque, bass thumping groove. This definitely serves as one of the album’s stand out tracks.
“Dopamine” is just as intoxicating and just as irresistibly sexy. Ironically, the song speaks of the sick state of the world. I would love to hear her sing this one live. Something tells me it would be quite epic. “Easy On Me” serves as a reminder to herself to move at her own pace. This easily could have been a track from P!nk’s Missaundaztood album, but with Jessie J’s own special sauce.
Obsessions
“Real Deal” is an edgy, street banger that finds Jessie J reminiscing about the feelings of budding love. The song effortlessly blends some elements of subtle pop, making it a no brainer radio track. “Petty” may sound like it’s speaking about an ex lover’s childish ways. Instead, the song details the fake women around her that posed as friends. The synth heavy song is a bit more aggressive than fans may be used to hearing from Jessie J. “Not My Ex” was actually released as a single late last year. The song cautions her new lover about her damaged past. At least she gave him fair warning.
“Four Letter Word” takes a detour from the pain of love. She dives into a deeper void here; that of wanting to be a mother. The song details her deep yearning to one day have children. She’s as honest and transparent as ever here. This track rounds out the things that currently or at least at one time occupied much of her thoughts.
Sex
“Queen” is another single lifted from R.O.S.E. The song sensually celebrates women loving their bodies and the skin their in. Jessie J manages to deliver a sexy track that also tackles overcoming serious self image issues. “One Night Lover” is about an ex who won’t leave her alone. She scolds herself for constantly taking him back….just for that one night. This one is definitely a sleeper ladies anthem. Songs like this showcase Jessie J’s extreme vulnerability through her music. This is territory she has entered before, but now she’s diving in head first.
“Dangerous” is an internal struggle against a powerful, magnetic attraction and the flashing red lights of a man that means her no well. Still, she doesn’t think she can stay away. This is one of the few uptempo tracks on the album. The song could easily be played in clubs, but avoids that dreaded bubblegum pop feel. “Play” is a catchy, innocent spin on the Cheryl Lynn classic, “Got To Be Real”. This is the only song that Jessie J didn’t pen (and it shows). However, every album needs a lighthearted, feel good track and this is definitely it.
Empowerment
The final installment of the album kicks in with a heavy, vintage feel on “Glory”. The brassy, soulful feel would make Donna Summer proud. “Someone’s Lady” is an instant classic. Jessie J delicately explains her plight of needing to be loved. The song is somber, soft and honest all in one breath. Backed by just a piano, Jessie J shines brightest on songs like this. I would love to hear her do a jazz infused album with songs like this.
“I Believe In Love” sums up all of Jessie J’s struggles in one track. She is still optimistic for love and respects its power. Our greatest hurts often produce our biggest successes. Here’s to hoping that R.O.S.E. gets the recognition it really deserves. Jessie J has truly outdone herself this time.
Luke James returned with new music this weekend. Although it’s been nearly four years since the release of his self titled debut album, he has been keeping himself quite busy. He has released two EPs in the last year, Move Me and Spellbound. He also starred as Johnny Gill in the critically acclaimed New Edition biopic. Plus, he currently has a recurring role on the TV show, Star. Luke James’s voice has a tone and maturity that reaches beyond his 33 years of age. Nevertheless, he seems to keep the integrity of his music intact. He also has maintained a level of mystery throughout his whole career (rarely doing interviews or attending red carpet events).
However, the soulful elements of his music still remains intact. This is clearly evident in his new single, “These Arms”. He comes in strong hitting some melodic, falsetto high notes. The production here meshes well with his voice and is just complicated enough to compliment the song. However, it doesn’t steal the show from his vocal ability. “These Arms” is definitely sensual, but there’s a larger, spiritual undertone that is felt throughout the song. There’s also timeless element here that simultaneously sounds very now, yet vintage.
There’s no word yet whether or not this will be a single from an upcoming album. It is just good to have new music from an artist who clearly puts some thought into his craft. Hopefully, this single will help catapult him into the status he deserves. Luke James should be commended for making relevant music for today’s times, without selling his soul in the process. I could definitely see him snagging a few awards for this one (perhaps even a Grammy).
Check out the song for yourself below. What are your thoughts on “These Arms” and Luke James’s music?”
Eight days ago, Kanye West was finalizing the cover art artwork for Pusha T’sDaytonaalbum. Now, we all know that $85,000 “cover art” to basically be an old photo of Whitney Houston’s bathroom, with drug paraphernalia sprawled across the counter. Want to know how much he spent for the Ye cover art? Not a penny. The cover is a photo he took last night on the way to his listening party. He then scribbled the words, “I hate being bi-pilor its awesome”. Yes, you read that without the apostrophe after the “t” on “its”. Who knows if the omission of the correct “it’s” was a deliberate cover art gesture or not. Today, after a myriad of media controversy, Ye has arrived.
“The most beautiful thoughts are always inside the darkest”, he says on Ye‘s disturbing opening track, “I Thought About Killing You”. He recognizes how hauntingly ominous this sounds, but he continues to delve deeper into the pit of confusion that is loving himself. The song plays out as a battle against two versions of himself. He wants to end the life of one of them (if not both). Honestly, it was difficult for me to imagine the same Ye that made “Through The Wire”, “Celebration” and “Monster” created a song like this. However, we had a portent of what was to come as far back as 808s and Heartbreak.
“Yikes” is more militant. He boasts about being bi-polar and calling it his superhero quality. Kanye has always been the “entertainer who cried wolf” for so long, that it’s hard to know when he’s serious or not. Nevertheless, he isn’t afraid to call out other superstars, like Russell Simmons (“Russell Simmons wanna pray for me too/I’ma pray for him cause he got #MeToo’ed”). “All Mine” is a welcomed ode to the old Kanye. The rocking bright colored polos Kanye. The happy go lucky Kanye. His punchlines are fierce here and he knows it. “Wouldn’t Leave” is a gentle contrast that finds Kanye West making fun of his own controversial statement about the concept of slavery being a choice. “I live for now. I don’t know what happened after here”. This song could have fit comfortably on 2016’s highly underrated The Life Of Pablo.
“No Mistakes” has a melancholy, soulful feel. There’s just a slight pang of realization that as Charlie Wilson sings, “Make no mistake girl, I still love you”, Kanye is talking about Kim Kardashian. The track-listing of the album (as is the same as some of his previous releases) is void of featured artist listings. It comes off a bit narcissistic, but after all, this is Ye we’re talking about here. Kid Cudi, Valee, Ty Dolla $ign, PARTYTNEXTDOOR, John Legend and Jeremih all appear as well, just behind the veil of the visible track-listing. “Ghost Town” is a scratchy, triumphant audible monument that sums up everything Kanye West has represented throughout his career. It’s what we can touch, but harms us if we do.
“Violent Crimes” closes out on a nostalgic, Phil Collins “I can feel it in the air tonight” kind of way. As the last audible vocals of the track fade (interestingly supplied by Nicki Minaj…..weird), I felt a bit short changed. I wanted more. I needed an explanation of all the quirky, crazy and uncool things Ye has said and done in the past couple of years. But that’s not Ye (or Ye himself)and that’s not life. Sometimes we don’t get all the answers and sometimes they lie between the chords and inflections we missed the first time.
However, Kanye West season is in full effect. By this time next week, everyone will be listening to the Kanye West and Kid Cudi collab album. This will be followed by Nas and Teyana Taylor’s highly anticipated albums, to round out the June G.O.O.D. Music releases. The question isn’t whether Ye is a solid album or not. Of course it is (although it’s not his best). The greater concern is just how close Kanye really is to the edge this time. Hopefully, this is just a sum of his craftiest publicity stunts to date. The seven track, 23 minute album is his shortest studio album to date. Ironically, it’s also the one that requires the most unpacking.
Here’s an in depth interview between Charlamagne and Kanye West, just weeks before Ye‘s release.
