Click to download
Don’t have much to say about this, because I haven’t heard it yet. However, it’s Pac Div – you don’t need to know any more than that yo! Soon as I reach yard, it will be consumed.
Peace, Love & Pac Div
Speeakz
Shouts Carl
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/5615023]
Melanie Fiona represents the next chapter in a storied history of female soul singers to possess the passion, power and grace to lift the spirits of the musical hopeful with the simple sound of her voice. But God given ability aside, Melanie is most importantly, an avid music maniac! Dusty Fingers, the newest series in the Yours Truly canon, is set inside San Francisco’s best record stores, and is meant to demonstrate that all artists are first and foremost, fans.
Melanie and I met at Rooky Ricardo’s Records, home of the finest selection of 60’s and 70’s Northern Soul, Disco, Blues and Oldies 45’s and LP’s. Once inside, the conversation quickly turned to Sam Cooke, an early idol of Melanie’s and a singer she recently honored with a cover of Cupid from her latest collaborative mixtape with ?uestlove. In this clip she did not draw back her bow but she did burst into some bars from You Send Me right in the middle of the store!
Then she spotted Off the Wall on the shelf. This was shot months before Michael’s untimely passing but once MJ came up, Melanie began to dance and beaming about him “Anything from Off the Wall comes on and I can Moonwalk…when you hear that OOOOOO, anywhere you are, when a Mike record comes on the tone is set.”
Part 1 of our 2 part Dusty Fingers series with Melanie concludes with a heated discussion of her live performance, something I very much look forward to seeing very soon.
Peace, Love & Melanie Fiona
Speeakz
Shouts to JT
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvkazCZmMws&feature=player_embedded]
The future is looking bright. 2010 is gonna be a lot of fun.-See you soon! — Normally I wouldn’t glorify signing a “contract” – but this is a very good,”Agreement” much love. – Evidence
Peace, Love & Evidence
Speeakz
Wow! Wow! Wow x 100 trillion! Check out some previously unreleased/unheard Michael Jackson…
[audio http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_audio/071609_michael.mp3]
Only a few seconds long, but enough to make me nearly hit the roof!!! New Michael Jackson music? It’s so strange hearing a song of MJ’s I haven’t heard before! It just doesn’t happen – ever! Sony are tight with their unreleased music (due mainly because Michael Jackson refused to release anything that didn’t make his albums). But, according to Tommy Motola head of Sony BMG – the label has more than enough music to satisfy fans for years and years! While this is a good thing for music lovers, I’m not entirely sure exploiting his death by releasing album after album, after album, after album (think Biggie/2pac/Elvis etc) is the right way in which he should be honoured.
…But of course selfishly, I WANT to hear that music!
Peace, Love & Michael Jackson
Speeakz
Shouts to TMZ
The Way I See It was one of my favourite albums from 2008. This is why…
[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.850353&w=425&h=350&fv=videoId%3D29459742001%26amp%3BplayerID%3D10172910001%26amp%3Bdomain%3Dembed%26amp%3B]
I love how Raphael Saadiq has stayed true to the 1960 theme throughout all his videos. This album was, after Back to Black the most well produced ‘throwback’ album to have emerged in a long, long time. Don’t get me wrong, Daniel Merriweather and a couple others have done a good job, but Saadiq took it to a next level with his album. Will never forget the day my aunt (a massive, massive Motown fan) asked me “who’s this? I haven’t heard this before”? A true testament to it’s authentic sound.
Of course PinBoard was lucky enough to interview Raphael Saadiq a while back (a night before the U.S elections in fact) and so if you haven’t already, make sure you check it out - it’s a real dope insight into the man, producer and artist.
Peace, Love & Raphael Saadiq
Speeakz
I j’adore this lady!
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Love the tune. Love the video. Love the album. Epiphany is out now!
Peace, Love & Chrisette Michele
Speeakz
I didn’t know this, but Pharrell is producing the soundtrack to an animated 3.D movie called “Despicable Me”. This is the first track of leak off it…
Pharrell Williams – “Despicable Me”
I know I shouldn’t, infact, I normally wouldn’t – but I really do like this track? It’s a weird and has nothing particularly special about it – but something in there makes me want to listen to it again and again. It’s kinda left field, even for Skate Boy P – I’ll be damned if this isn’t a dope tune!
…You guys agree, or have I gone mad?
Peace, Love & Pharrell Williams
Speeakz
P.s Maybe it’s due in fact that I actually did have a “bad, bad day”?
This video has popped up everywhere, have you seen it? I just watched it for the first time, it’s really crazy…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lhhm0Zxvrg&feature=player_embedded]
Damn! I mean, everyone joked about it, said it wasn’t ‘that’ bad – but that video proves how serious that was. His entire head was on fire and he lost a big chunk of his hair – leaving him with a red raw scalp. Cannot imagine how painful that must have been. It’s been said that this was the point where MJ became obsessed with pain killers and consequently cosmetic surgery.
…Makes you wonder, if this never happened – would Michael Jackson have had ‘turned’ out the way he did?
In other MJ news (NOT GOSSIP) – the King of Pop has reportedly sold more than 9 million albums across the world since his passing 3 weeks ago. Even in death, he can’t help but break records. Incredible.
Peace, Love & Michael Jackson
Speeakz
The lip-licking, bicep flexing of LL Cool J are nothing compared to the innate charm of Dancehall superstud Sean “dutty eh” Paul. The Ladies love Sean Paul, or at least he loves himself a whole heap of women, and offers no apologies for this. Bursting into the dancehall scene in 1996 Sean Paul’s single “Baby Girl” was dedicated to…Yep, the ladies, a crooning, melodic, reggae ballad, advising women to step out of abuse relationships, [insert Ch-Rihanna reference gag here], from day one Sean’s music always struck a chord with the ‘gyal dem’. Sean affirms, “Some people DJ and talk about money ‘I’m he richest motherf***er’, some people talk about how they got all the guns. For me, it’s all the girls. Girls in my country choose my music, because they realise that the first thing I said to them was not “girl cock up your batty and ride…”.
And so began PinBoard’s chat with Mr Sean Paul on a sunny Wednesday in a swanky London hotel. Prior to meeting Sean-a-Paul one of his larger-than-life (literally) workers informed me that Sean was in particularly good spirits that day, attributable to ‘popcorn’. Whether that was literally or figuratively speaking remains to be confirmed. Either way, that fine day Mr. Paul was feeling particularly expressive, rather cheery, occasionally abrasive and ever charming.
Sean Paul’s career has spanned over 12 years and counting, with each of his albums propelling his popularity with his worldwide audience. With over 10 million albums sold off three alums: Stage One, Dutty Rock and The Trinity including a collaborative catalogue the size of a phone book, Sean Paul is one of the fair few dancehall artists that can boast international stardom.
International recognition, yes. Love from his wider Dancehall community in Jamaica? At first- not really. I recall a conversation I had with a tourism worker during a recent trip to Kingston, Jamaica in which I was told about the initial Sean Paul backlash. He was accused of not being Jamaican enough (his heritage of Jamaican, Chinese, Portuguese & Sephardic Jewish) not being ‘real’ enough (coming from privileged background young Sean played Water Polo for the Jamaica National team, not quite the rags to riches/ Rose out of concrete story that is often championed in the Dancehall circuit). And his music supposedly too commercial sounding to be appreciated by the underground Dancehall DJs.
It’s a bit of a sore subject, but one that Sean is anxious to get clear, I ask how he feels about often not being recognised by Jamaicans as one of the best Dancehall artists, to which he sharply responds, “Oh no for sure, neither was Bob Marley at the time, Shaggy, at certain times neither is Beenie Man even. In 1996 I was the latest artist and by 1999 I was old and Lexus was the new artist, so we have 10 times the number of artists that you do per land mass ‘pon here so. With the amount of artists you have there, there’s definitely a power battle. My step-up in the business has been exemplary to show people that competition sparks greatness. I know there’s no way everybody in the world would like me, but I know that everybody in my country respects me for what I’ve done and everybody feels good about where I’ve taken the music.”
Then, in a strange sequence, Sean Paul’s Press Officer, signals that there’s five minutes left of the interview. Clocking this, Sean playfully belts “Don’t ramp with me. I’m controlling this mate, got to get this out ‘cause she’s pissing me off with these questions. Facing me, he says calmly, “I have to get my story out to you tall girl, y’hear?”
…Stunned, I ask, ‘Am I really pissing you off?’
I can only thank Abjekt for this! Bruvva came through. I was getting overly pissed seeing P.O.S’ new video all around the blogosphere but because I live in the damn UK, I couldn’t view it. Anyways, Incredible Hunk angry aside, here goes the brand new video from the incomparable P.O.S…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JHbUuWzVNE&feature=player_embedded]
Such a DOPE video! P.O.S, ain’t no one like him. Simple. Never Better remains one of my most played albums in the past year. This track is just insane! Those drums, those bloody drums!
Peace, Love & P.O.S
Speeakz
Ryan Leslie is readying his new album Transition and as he does so, leaks are enevitably surfacing – this is the latest…
I mean, it ironically does ‘nothing’ to me. Yet again with Leslie, the track is produced and written brilliantly, I’ve just come to conclusion that he isn’t a great “artist”. It’s a shame, I thought he was, but his last album kinda proved to me this wasn’t the case. However, as ever – I will remain open minded and will wait to check out his new set before I judge it.
Peace, Love & Ryan Leslie
Speeakz
Oh my goodness. NOW we bow in the presence of greatness!
FINALLY, some brand spanking new Rakim. Hip Hop heads, I see you smiling. I am too. Let’s DO this…
Holy.Fu*k!!! Rakim, the “God emcee” goes in ‘aaard on this joint right here. Damn. I mean, yea…It’s on my iPhone already. I’m a very happy dude. This track comes off Rakim’s long awaited new album The Seventh Seal, which is to be released early fall, 2009 on the artists Ra Records imprint in a joint venture with TVM and SMC Recordings
Peace, Love & Rakim
Speeakz
Whitney Houston’s brand new album cover was unveiled earlier today and I must say, I’m very impressed! I think it’s a stunning picture and is both appropriate & contempory. She looks amazing (yes, I see the ‘touch ups’ – but that ain’t a thing).
It was also revealed at Houston’s London album playback (gutted I wasn’t there) that her first official single will be an upbeat track called “Mill Dolla Bill”, which was penned by Alicia Keys and produced by Swizz Beatz. “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” was simply a “hype track” confirmed Whitney’s long-time mentor Clive Davis who also attended the playback (again, gutted).
All good news. Can’t wait to hear the new track (which will drop June 28th) and the new album.
Peace, Love & Whitney Houston
Speeakz
[dailymotion id=x9v40x]
I mean, she looks good. I’ll give her that, but the video just…Isn’t doing it for me. Annoyingly, I find the song real catchy, but I still do not think it is what Mariah should be putting out right now. She’s got to stop trying to be so ‘current’ and just make music the way she used to make music. Like, she wrote some classic songs back in the day, what was the last ‘classic’ song she wrote? Really? It’s sad, but also, kinda understandable. I get why she wants a radio hit, I get why she wants to make ‘young’ music, but the truth is – she isn’t as young as she once was (or as young as she believes she is). In my opinion, she needs to come back with something more suitable, something that’s mature and shows some growth.
Wow. I’m proper ranting init? Sorry. It’s just it bugs me, even though her voice isn’t as great as it once was (fact), I still think she has it in her to record good music again. When I hear this, I can’t stop but think about songs like “The Roof”, “My All”, “Fantasy” etc – great songs!
Peace, Love & Mariah Carey
Speeakz
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/5582024]
Luke aka Ginger Kid said if I didn’t post this video up, next time he saw me he’d nicely fly kick me pon street. And as if that wasn’t enough, Mr Roc Money then started hurling abuse at me saying if I didn’t post his new Hot110 episode up, he’d tell the world I was supa-dupa late on “The Wire” (oh, shit?).
LOL! I kid, I kid! Always happy to support the extended blogging fam – these guys are most certainly doing their thing. Watch, laugh, pass on – do whatever, just support the movement, init.
Peace, Love, Hot110 & Ginger Kid
Speeakz
Note: Don’t think I didn’t realise you didn’t cite PinBoard as one of those sites who posted up that Twitter Commandment video. Infact, I think we were one of the first sites to do so. *Tuts* Don’t forget your London roots blad! hahaha! I got jokes today!
