Raheem DeVaughn Feat Jill Scott, Bilal, Anthony Hamilton, Ledisi, Chico DeBarge, Dwele, Algebra & Chrisette Michele - Nobody Wins A War

Just heard this track now. Any song that features some of my favourite Neo-Soul artists deserves a post. Check out track 15 from Raheem DeVaughn's latest album "Love & War"

OFFICIAL VIDEO: Maxwell - Bad Habits

Probably my favourite track off the Black Summers Night album. Enjoy!

Mos Def - Casa Bey

Mr Def drops the first video from his anticpated Ecstatic album, I am definitely copping it. Are you?

Friday Means Throwback

Diverse artist, conscious & intelligent lyrics, love for the craft & master of the art. Mos Def is one of those Hip-Hop artists that will have longevity because of his dedication to Hip-Hop, his beefless career and because he's just that damn good. Today's Throwback is a personal favourite of mine; it's theraputic, inspiring, relaxing and nurturing. Despite Mos Def not rapping the track still reigns supreme due to it's poetic and tranquil substance. Word of advice, play this track as soon as you wake up, instant focus.

Mos Def - Umi Says

Make sure you pick up his album "Ecstatic" this year

"Life is a song of your choice"

PREMIER VIDEO: The Foreign Exchange Feat Darien Brockington - Take Off The Blues

Not many know about the Foreign Exchange but they are one of the few musicians that are holding the flag for modern music. Made up of Nicolay and Phonte from rap group Little Brother, FE have a great blend of Neo-Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop & Funk and you can hear a couple of their tracks off my playlist. Here's their new video with affiliate Darien Brockington; keep a look out for the second track at the end, should sound familiar.

The Foreign Exchange Myspace & Darien Brockington Myspace

"Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body"

Lil Wayne Feat Young Money - Every Girl

Been bumping this track for a while now, didnt think they would bring a video for it due to the language but they did. I will definitely be bumping this in the summer, old or not. Here's Lil Wayne bringing through his Young Money label including Dreezy, enjoy!

"Music is a performance and needs the audience"

Friday Means Throwback

You always get those unprompted moments which rarely get repeated ever again; earlier this week I was chilling with a group of friends and we were talking about how music developed then kinda declined in originality and pureness over the past few years. Then we found ourselves bubbling to old school motown classics, 80's/90's grooves and Hip-Hop. For once I actually stayed in the room to bare some of the tone deaf girls shriek the tunes of Cheryl Lynn, Anita Baker, Regina Belle etc and the guys rapping over each other in unison (its possible) to Nas, Big L, Pac and Biggie etc. We joked, sang and flowed all night and the setting/atmosphere reminded me of the track below. Mainstream R'n'B will never be the same...

Janet Jackson - That's The Way Love Goes

"Music is an artform that transcends language"

Friday Means Throwback!

Right now if someone was gonna ask me who have been the top female solo voices of R'n'B in my era the list in no order would include Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Toni Braxton & Lauryn Hill, Brandy, Aaliyah, India Arie, Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey & Ledisi. (Yes there's no Beyonce, shock horror). I couldnt say who's the best because I'd be twiddling my thumbs for hours, days, weeks but what I will say is that out of all the above Mary J Blige has probably had in my opinion the most amount of stand out classic tracks (sorry Jill). She envokes alot of passion into her songs and you can feel it every time she performs, hear it in every album and see it in every video. I dunno what it is but "There's something about Mary".

Mary J. Blige - Seven Days

Eric Benet - Chocolate Legs

Despite his mental illness (you gotta be crazy to cheat on Halle Berry) you cant deny he knows how to make good music. I will definitely be picking up his new album, the tune below is big.

Friday Means Throwback

In order to be the best in Hip-Hop some say you have to have a high pedigree in these fields : Flow, Lyrical ability, freestyle ability, versatility and content. There are a few yet substantial amount of rappers who have applied to the fields successfully regardless of record sales (I'll be posting a blog about it next week) but being a fan of content alone I still believe there was/is none greater than 2Pac. Some....well many may argue that he doesnt necessarily excel in all categories but like I said Im a man of content and when it comes to that I cant think of any better. There's a long list of 2Pac videos but Im gonna put up a tune that is rumoured to have been ghost produced by J Dilla. I will indeed get slack from a couple people for my "opinion" but it's my blog and I run this, ya hear? (Hip-Hop debate blog next week, stay tuned)

2Pac - Do for Love



"Music is perpetual, and only the hearing is intermittent"

Keri Nice

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Friday Means Throwback!

Every decade you'll hear the same words from a different generation "they just dont make music like that no more". The music you grow up listening to cannot be compared to the music you listen to now because there's no nostalgia to modern music, Im starting to realise that times must move on but damn!! The 90's was just too big of a decade when it comes to music; elders and youngers can say what they want but that decade right there is untouchable, it started soul, new jack swing, neo-soul, new age conscious hip-hop the whole nine yards!! This track was part of my 90's compilation mixed CD that I made a few years back and I still bump it to this day. A Tribe Called Quest are Hip-Hop Legends and when you blend their flow with the soft but powerful voice of Faith Evans you get that this track below. Sigh....they just dont make music like that no more.

A Tribe Called Quest Feat. Faith Evans - Stressed Out



"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent"

Music Video Premier: Jamie Foxx - Blame It On The Alcohol

Finally after a few months of me hyping this song, the video is finally out. Jamie pretty much put everyone he could find in the damn video from the oscar winners, to the entertainment moguls to that random dude that hangs around the set looking for his big break. Lets just hope this dont get overplayed causing me to hate it, who am I kidding thats exactly whats gonna happen but who cares? The song is fire!!!!

North London Stand Up!

There's always a period in modern music where the geographical aspect plays a major part in a genre. If we look a few years back Hip-Hop was dominated by the influence of New York rappers and lifestyle in the states (LL, Jay-Z, Big L, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang etc) while R'n'B had Atlanta crooners and songstresses lighting up the charts. In the UK, South and East London bred the more popular faces of UK Garage and later on Grime (Heartless Crew, So Solid, Wiley, Kano, Lethal B etc). Now we fast forward to the latter stages of the "noughties" decade and the southern influence is more than apparent in Hip-Hop stateside but UK Hip-Hop and Grime is more spread out. However it seems from recent exposure that North London is breeding a new force of talent AND artistry.

Now Im not gonna pretend that Im the biggest fan of Grime/UK Hip-Hop but I appreciate talent when I see it and over the past year or so I've seen alot of progress in both genres especially from the North side of London. In my opinion North has the best UK rapper in Sway, fair do's he hasn't reached his peak just yet but thats even more testiment to his talent and he has a flow not emulated anywhere in the UK. There's been a lot of talk about him retiring early but fingers crossed Akon can make a bigger star out of him because the potential is there.

Chipmunk is doing alot in the scene right now and after winning best newcomer at the Mobos Im hoping he can push on; Im biased when it comes to him mainly because he went to the school of my sixth-form and is part of my cousin's music label but at 18 he's definitely gonna be on top when he reaches his lyrical peak. Wretch 32 is another beast and deserves big props. Lyrically he's nearly untouchable in London and you can see his influences have given his delivery a much needed boost. His last mixtape was dope, get to know.

Scorcher, Northstar, G, Marvell, Ram and a host of others along with the R'n'B influences of the likes of Lemar, Ny and Keisha White are beginning to push North London to the forefront of the underground/mainstream music scene. Now I know other Londoners will have something to say about it (especially East) but Im gonna go ahead and be biased/controversial and say North London may not have the most amount of musically talented artists in the capital but they have the best.....Hmm then again East are doing alot too. Ok I'll get back to you on that statement.

"Magnified. Undeniable. Sustained. Intense. Contagious.....thats MUSIC"

Day 'n' Nite

Everyone always has those days, weeks or a similar period where a song is randomly in your head and you cant stop singing it whether it has significance to your life or its just catchy. Kid Cudi's Day 'n' Nite has been in my head non-stop for the last month, I heard the track last year and liked it but the UK club version kinda dented it's effects for me even though its a banger. The original version has been on rotation since the star of the year and I find myself belting out the tune at random moments including today at work when my manager was talking to me. No idea why, I just did it. Anywho while I was up writing at 2am I saw on WSHH that the video had been released so it was all good timing ay? I know everyone else has posted this vide in their blog but I dont ind joining the list, the tune is big. "Day 'N' Nite (bwah bwah)"!

Friday Means Throwback!

This week's gone mad quick! Im already pissed about going work this monday. Back to the title. Many a artist are slept on in the industry whether it be 'cause of record sales, their music wasnt mainstream enough or just because they dont acquire the superstar quality labels are looking for, I dunno. One guy that went about his business quietly during the 90's was Horace Brown, the dude had some serious tracks! I actually had a problem choosing which one I'd pick for today. I recently downloaded his album and reassured myself why the 90's will never be emulated for great R'n'B music. Everything was smooth, real and most importantly everyone could legitimately hold a note. (Who the hell signed Lumidee?....kill yourself). So without further a do, here's Horace Brown. Do you remember?

Horace Brown - Things We Do For Love

"Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music"

Friday Means Throwback!

Friday definitely means throwback but I had to choose another post millenium track just for the fact that this song takes me back, memories, memories, memories. They always say that people want what they cant have, but what if you can have it but are forced not to?......Me and another girl was seeing our partners respectively but KNEW we were both feeling each other, the looks and the dialogue was enough for us to realise it but we kept quiet. Its not a good predicament to be in trust me; homewrecker is not something you want on your CV so I managed to stay clear but you always wonder what if? with those situations. Hmmm. Anyway Enjoy!

Avant - Read Your Mind

"Music is what life sounds like"

Friday Means Throwback!

You'll see from my profile and my playlist that Neo Soul gets nothing but love from me. I listen to it for every occasion because nothing beats the sound. This week's choice is a neo-soul track that isn't as throwbackish (new word shh) as others but it still takes me back far enough to remember good times. Here's the classic track from a classic group (UK Stand up!) that need to get back together. Nonetheless I'll be looking forward to Marsha's individual album, her mixtape was kinda dope!

Floetry - Say Yes

Floetry - Say Yes

"Music is love in search of a word"

It's Throwback Time

Supposed to do this every friday in line with the pbleepd blog but I got caught up in listening to foxxhole radio (best radio show ever, too highlarious!) and didnt get back in til 3. Today I had to bring a song/video that never gets old. R'n'B at it's very best and I DARE someone not to feel it. Donnell Jones is highly underrated and its too bad (or maybe good) that he hasnt blown and doesnt get the props he deserves. When this track came out I remember I was doing my SATs exams in secondary school and every day while I "studied" I made sure this was on the playlist. I'd go far to say it's my favourite ever track off my favourite ever album. Enjoy!

Donnell Jones Feat. Left Eye - You Know What's Up



"Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought."

Friday Means Throwback!

This is why I love Hip-Hop because there was a story to tell, the messages were real. The 90's was taking Hip-Hop in an exciting and new direction with better concepts, better beats, better videos and the world was beginning to recognise the power of it's genre. Some of the nonsense we hear now is almost wiping away the memory but I cant let it happen. Here's a classic video and track from the 90's; the clip where they nod their heads in unison is classic!

Method Man Feat Mary J Blige - I'll Be There For You (You're All I Need)

"Play the music, not the instrument"