Tuesday 29 September 2015

Rihanna covers 'Fader'...

For the 100th issue of Fader magazine, Rihanna is the cover star. As a matter of fact, both Rihanna and her ex Drake share the double cover for this month (which hits newsstands October 27th.)
The cover isn't her best but I like it because it's not your typical magazine cover from Rihanna. It's not fashion forward or edgy. This one is really stripped back and gives off straight unedited, carefree vibes.  I admire the concept behind the shoot. Do you see the clicker in her hand? 

The cover is an actual self-portrait, where she is taking complete control and giving us the real her.  Fader says she took her own pics along with a photographer. Note how her name is nowhere in sight on that cover. Well, it's not needed when everyone and their Grandmothers know who she is already! People are also going to say she is copying Beyoncé for opting out of an interview to accompany a photoshoot but she's just as big and relevant enough to request it.

Video Premiere: JoJo – ‘When Love Hurts’...

JoJo's video for her dance-pop single ‘When Love Hurts’ received an MTV premiere this week, and it has a very liberating feel to it. JoJo struts about in an abandoned warehouse, while her troupe of dancers deliver some really expressive choreography. 
The video was nothing special, although it had its beautiful moments. Her body is snatched and clearly shows her months of hard work at the gym have paid off. I'm still rooting for this chick, even though I don't like her new singles. 

I'm very disappointed that she wants to relaunch herself into a full blown pop artist. Her appeal was that she was a young white girl with mad range doing urban-pop/R&B records. The only ones who did that effortlessly was Kiley Dean, R&B Pink and perhaps Christina Aguilera and even they weren't as young as JoJo back in the day. She truly was one of a kind.

Monday 28 September 2015

Full concert: Beyoncé headlines 'Global Citizen Festival' 2015...

More than 60,000 fans gathered for the fourth-annual Global Citizen Festival 2015, held in New York City’s Central Park. Beyoncé was the headliner and by the end of it, hugged it out with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Bey's set and stage production was pretty similar to what she delivered at ‘Made In America’ a few weeks ago. However, this was a shorter concert, so it would explain why there was only three costume changes this time round. 

There were some songs she didn't perform but fans still got their life from it. As expected her live vocals and energy were impeccable. There were a few surprises in there too such as Ed Sheeran joining her on stage to collaborate on 'Drunk In Love.' The goal of this festival  is to end extreme global poverty by the year 2030. Check out Bey's entire set below.

Full concert: Rihanna headlines 'Rock In Rio' 2015...

A packed atmosphere of 87,000 fans watched Rihanna bring the house down at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. For the event’s sixth night, she performed songs spanning a decade long career.
What made Rihanna's set so great? Well, she has hits for days and her stage swag was infectious. When you have such a colourful catalogue like Rihanna's it's so easy to rock out and get lost in the moment. 

Ri's live vocals were strong and her yellow outfit was giving pure 90s teas. It was very TLC meets Aaliyah. She looked beautiful and the new remixes were fire (especially 'S&M'). The crowd's energy and participation was on point, and they knew the words to every song. Check out her entire  'Rock In Rio' set inside.

Thursday 24 September 2015

Janet Jackson debuts second single 'BURNITUP!' ft. Missy Elliott...

Earlier today, Janet Jackson's new single 'BURNITUP!' featuring Missy Elliott received its first play during a slot on BBC Radio 1Xtra with MistaJam. The song will serve as the official lead single for the UK market.
This is why Brit-producer Naughty Boy was drafted in to create a special re-worked version of the song. The uptempo track sees Janet gracing her feather light vocal over a pulsing beat. 

The track itself serves as a fiery club banger made to put the party spirit into the iciest of souls. It's really that good and I'm thrilled to see these two reuniting again and doing so with a bang! This one should heat up dance floors everywhere. I mean, Janet certainly brings it to life with heat at her live shows during her current 'Unbreakable' tour.  Be sure to look out for her new album 'Unbreakable' when it hits stores on October 2nd via Rhythm Nation/BMG.

Little Mix debut new single 'Love Me Like You'...

Little Mix’s brand new single, 'Love Me Like You' premiered on the radio today, and compared to 'Black Magic,' it's quite underwhelming. The girls channel Supremes-style pop on the Motown-influenced cut.
'Love Me Like You' sounds very 'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes. Perhaps there's an official sample in there somewhere? They channeled Cyndi Lauper on the lead single so borrowing from the retro land of pop appears to be the theme this time round.  

The “sha-la-lala” hook really sticks in your head and the chorus is quite big. This one is definitely a grower and it could actually pass for a Christmas jingle. The good thing about it is that it shows how much the girls have vocally evolved especially Leigh-Ann who has always been considered the weakest singer.

Adele to release new album in November...

According to Hits Daily Double, the lead single from Adele's hotly anticipated third album is expected to drop in the first or second week of November. The album itself is due November 20th. 
Adele has also signed a new deal worth $50 million with her label Sony, as well as a deal with NBC to appear on the Today Show, Saturday Night Live, a prime-time special, and an unknown appearance. 

I won't take this news as official until Adele and her team make the announcement. We've had these types of reports floating around throughout 2015 and it's getting tiresome. I think Adele would be under huge pressure after her 2011 blockbuster album '21' sold over 11 million copies in the States and more than 30 million worldwide. I also think a lot of people only want her to return just so that she can trample all over Taylor Swift, who is pretty much untouchable right now.

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Anticipating a new Destiny's Child album & tour?

Well don't. Because Mathew Knowles has been singing the same fairytale of an official Destiny's Child reunion for how many years now? Yeah, exactly. 
Knowles, who is still contractually Destiny's Child's manager says he is extremely hopeful that the girls will come back with an album and tour. Other related projects include a Destiny's Child autobiography and a tell-all movie or TV series. He's hopeful that all this will come to fruition within the next 2-3 years. 

Is this man delusional, or is he just... DELUSIONAL? Beyoncé is not interested in an official DC reunion. It would be a step back for her given the magnitude of her brand and highly successful solo career. Why do you think Posh Spice is so desperate to shun a Spice Girls reunion?

Video Premiere: Chris Brown – ‘Liquor / Zero’ (VEVO Premiere)...

Anything to do with booze and women, and Chris Brown is there. Throw in some Michael Jackson choreography and you have some Breezy visuals.
His nine-minute self-directed video for 'Liquor' and 'Zero' premiered on MTV's website yesterday, but only Stateside peeps were able to view it. 

Now that the video was officially released to VEVO and YouTube a few hours ago everyone is happy. I'm happy, because these videos were top quality and he looked really good in them. Both songs will appear on his upcoming seventh album 'Royalty,' due this fall.

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Mariah Carey & billionaire boyfriend James Packer make red carpet debut in NYC...

We've seen all those candids of Mariah Carey and new billionaire boyfriend James Packer all loved up as they embarked on their globe-trotting adventures. 
But let's face it, a relationship just isn't official until two rich folk make their first red carpet appearance together. The high profile couple made their first red carpet debut at The Intern premiere in New York City last night. 

Mr Packer's ears really standout in these pictures and he doesn't look very comfortable being thrust in the spotlight like that. I can tell it's not something he's use to. Mariah on the other hand... looks nice fully dressed. Surprisingly, her boobs are fully covered too. I'm liking this demure side to her.

Leona Lewis responds to new album 'I Am' flopping...

On September 11th, Leona Lewis released her new album 'I Am,' her first under her new deal with Island/Def Jam. The problem is... no one bought it.
"It's not always about making a crater with a Big Bang, sometimes it's the small and subtle marks that begin to tip the scale and eventually weigh in our favour," she wrote on Instagram referencing the lukewarm response.

The project charted at #12 on the official UK charts this week, selling 8,500 copies first week.

Executives say "Rihanna is ‘hot’ because she’s ‘not too dark’"...

According to filed court allegations, Alan Kufeld, an executive at New York-based financial management firm Flynn Family Office called Rihanna hot because she's 'not too dark.' 
The suit states how said remark came to fruition during a debate about which Caribbean nationalities are most attractive according to skin tone. 

Kufeld and the company's chief operating officer Rick Flynn would also discuss the attractiveness of assistants remarking that one worker 'lost points in his eyes because she was too dark.' What's even more baffling is that this very firm counts Rihanna as one of its clients. Robert Solomon, who was once the company's marketing head, claimed he was fired for objecting to racist and sexist remarks and has since filed a lawsuit against the firm.

Sunday 20 September 2015

Christina Aguilera’s manager says she hasn’t peaked yet like Britney...

During a podcast with Pauly Shore this weekend, Christina Aguilera’s manager Irving Azoff says she won’t consider a Vegas residency because unlike Britney Spears she hasn’t peaked yet.
Apparently, Aggy isn’t ready to “sit down in Vegas,” because she’s returning to The Voice, releasing a new album soon, making a second cameo appearance on Nashville, and plans to tour the world. I admire anyone that vouches hard for their client this way but it sounds like Mr. Azoff is fifty shades of delusional. 

There is no way Christina is still in the prime of her career. Her peak was when she released 'Stripped' thirteen years ago and since then she has struggled to match or surpass the success of it. 'Back To Basics' did well but all her albums after that have encountered serious floppage.

New Pic: Cassie & supermodel Naomi Campbell stun in new photoshoot...

I'm not even sure we can call Cassie a singer any more at this point. Everyone pretty much knows her first career has always been modelling, and that's not changing anytime soon.
It's clearly what she excels in the most and that much can't be denied here. Diddy's gorgeous girlfriend shared this absolutely stunning photo of her and her ‘sister’ Naomi Campbell on Instagram.  Not much else was revealed about the mysterious photoshoot but I'm intrigued!

The pair seem to have struck up quite a close alliance ever since  Cassie walked the New York runway during Naomi's Fashion For Relief 2015 fall fashion show earlier this year in February.

 

Full set: Jennifer Lopez's iHeartRadio music festival performance...

Last night saw Jennifer Lopez giving fans a taster of what to expect from her upcoming residency in Las Vegas (beginning January 20th.) She announced exclusively during her set at the iHeartRadio music festival that the residency will be called 'All I Have.'
Sporting braided hair and a custom Bao Tranchi bodysuit, the singer shook what her mama gave her performing five songs, including a medley of some of her biggest hits. I have no doubt in my mind that her residency would be one of the hottest tickets in town. 

As seen in this performance, J.Lo certainly goes out of her way to put on a show. Britney Spears and Mariah Carey are also doing residencies in Las Vegas and people aren't really getting from the artist what made them so appealing. Mariah can't sing like she use to and Britney's dancing leaves little to be desired. But at least with J.Lo, you're still going to get the high octane showing and intricate choreography she's been admired for her entire career. Check out her entire set below.

New Music: Keyshia Cole feat. Young Thug – ‘Don’t Waste My Time’...

Keyshia Cole dropped some street music last night, titled ‘Don’t Waste My Time.’ The track serves as a snapping, urban jam courtesy of producer London On Da Track and features a high pitched verse from Young Thug
Lyrically it's cliche KC, with the singer pulling her hair out over a man messing her around. She posted a snippet of this song on her Instagram three months ago, only to delete it shortly after.  

I'm indifferent about the track. It's very mixtape-ish and could easily have been featured on her last album (which I really didn't like I'm sorry to say). Young Thug's squeaky verse wasn't needed at all, as I feel KC has enough hood and swag to pull this song off on her own. Keyshia confirms her first real single is coming and this will be preceded by her seventh studio album, her first one to be released independently.

Friday 18 September 2015

Janet Jackson pulls out of iHeartRadio music festival...

Janet Jackson has cancelled her weekend performance at iHeartRadio music festival in Vegas, due to an ear infection. 
The ear infection is what has prevented her from flying to Vegas. However, her concerts scheduled for September 18th (tonight) and September 20th, will still go ahead as planned. 

I was totally looking forward to seeing a televised performance of 'No Sleeep,' as the promo blitz for this era has been non-existent. Unfortunate news of course, but her health comes first.

Video Premiere: Tamar Braxton – 'Angels & Demons'...

Following yesterday's announcement that she will join Mary J. Blige on select dates of her North American tour this fall, Tamar Braxton drops a brand new video for 'Angels & Demons.' 
The track serves as a dancehall inspired cut off her upcoming new album 'Calling All Lovers' (pre-order here.) The cinematic video sees the current Dancing With The Stars contestant enjoying exotic paradise, while playfully churning out the track in a faux Island accent. 

She enjoys the waterfall, does a spot of boat sailing, and dances in the streets with local children. The song is nothing special, and none of the songs I've heard from her have any wow factor to them. The material has been really lackluster this era which is a shame because she has such an amazing voice when she knows how to use it right. Check out the colourful visuals inside.

New Music: Naughty Boy feat. Beyoncé & Arrow Benjamin – ‘Runnin’ (Lose It All)’...

Beyoncé is featured on Naughty Boy's new single 'Runnin’ (Lose It All),' alongside Arrow Benjamin.
According to Daily Mail, Bey heard the song on YouTube and fell in love with it so much that she reached out to Naughty Boy and asked for the original to be pulled in order to record it herself. The song starts off in ballad form with Bey sweeping her powerful chops over dramatic piano and strings. 

Then it evolves into a fast paced drum and bass style beat, where it is her amazing vocals that dominate most of the song. The track itself is very Brit-pop and it's different from anything we've heard from Beyoncé, but I don't like it at all. It's good that she doesn't like to be boxed and prefers to experiment, but her voice is better suited to funk-filled R&B and Hip Hop songs. Fortunately, she is just the featured artist and hopefully this sound is no indication of what's to come with her next studio album.

Thursday 17 September 2015

Rihanna's new album is not done yet, and Kanye West is to blame...

In an interview for the cover of NME, Rihanna confirms that her long awaited eighth album is not yet finished and that executive producer Kanye West is to blame for the hold up.
Apparently, conflicted time constraints is the reason behind it all. I can imagine Navy cussing Mr. West to hell and back. Are we even going to see an album this fall?

Horrible designer Mr. West has been too occupied holding New York fashion shows for rags he calls clothes, and Rihanna's album just isn't of high priority to him. I bet he ensures his album sees a release before hers. I'd put serious money on it in fact. Hopefully this will be the last time Rihanna makes Kanye an executive producer of anything. Her album campaigns are usually so well planned and watertight but this? This has to be the most disorganized era to have ever occurred in her career.

New Music: Chris Brown - 'Zero' (second single)...

Chris Brown releases his follow-up single 'Zero,' which serves as a retro-pop dance track with some electronic undertones. Breezy sings about lost love and moving on from a relationship, while his ex-girlfriend uses his Instagram page as her lurking ground.
Funny, considering he's been caught creeping around on Karrueche's Instagram page on multiple occasions, even after they split up. 

Also, Instagram is the very platform he uses to put any man on blast who dares express admiration towards that very ex-girlfriend. Just ask singer Marques Houston, model Tyson Beckford and rapper Game. He's probably lowkey talking about himself because it's therapeutic. This is a very solid pop song with a very engaging chorus. He should have released it first instead of 'Liqour', because it's clearly the better song. The track was played by RCA execs last month at the iHeartMedia Music Summit, and he's performed it live at various shows.

Rihanna covers NME magazine...

Rihanna is the first star to cover the brand new free NME magazine and it will be delivered to over 500 locations in the UK. 
For the exclusive interview, NME travelled to Los Angeles to interview Ri about her eighth studio album, her thoughts on Taylor Swift, life in the public eye, working with Kanye West, feminism and the fallout from her 'Bitch Better Have My Money' video. 

If you recall, the feminist community were fuming because they felt Rihanna was glorifying and sexualising violence against women. I also like what she said about Taylor. A lot of thirsty artists have jumped on the Taylor bandwagon, joining America's sweetheart on stage, but Rihanna would have no part of it. 

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Rita Ora's ‘Body On Me’ performance on GMA...

Why is Rita Ora's song flopping? Chris Brown or no Chris Brown, ‘Body On Me’ is one of her strongest songs to date. I think it's good she's promoting it in the States but she's coming across as another Nicole Scherzinger
Talented singer, but the hype and interest just isn't there. I think it's becoming more and more evident that she will never be a thing in the States, even with decent performances like these. 

A sextape leak showing her in submission to Jay Z would up her relevancy significantly. Yeah yeah I know. Not happening. Check out her performance on Good Morning America, below.

New Music: Christina Milian feat. Lil Wayne – ‘Do It’...

Interesting that Christina Milian drops a new single called 'Do It' in the same week as reports surfacing that she and Lil Wayne have split up. It would have made great PR, if people actually cared.
'Do It' is a Marley Waters-produced single, which sees Christina singing about falling for a bad boy over clapping R&B production. The midtempo cut serves as the lead single from her forthcoming EP 'Like Me,' due October 30th.  

This is the very song in which they debuted live at last month's Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival. Sans the autotune and a wack verse from Weezy, this song is quite the bop. As for their break-up, are we even surprised? How many of these situations is she going to encounter? You know this is just another case of déjà vu, and it's really not a good look when gambles like these do nothing to resurrect your flailing music career.

Aaliyah’s family launch tribute fragrance...

Aaliyah's mother Diane Haughton and her brother Rashad have teamed up with perfume company Xyrena to launch her first ever official scent, titled 'Aaliyah by Xyrena.' 
The unisex fragrance contains base notes of vanilla, sandalwood, amber, and jasmine; middle notes of black pepper, violet and leather; with top notes of mint, lavender, and mandarin. It comes 14 years after her tragic passing. 

This was a thoughtful tribute but she had no input in the fragrance so it doesn't truly embody her real personal taste in my opinion. I'm not knocking it, but that's just how I feel.  They practically just tagged her name onto a bottle and called it a day. I would have preferred a new album to be honest, but at least fans have something I guess. Here's the commercial for it below.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Once again, Chris Brown hits back at TMZ's Harvey Levin over Gay Pride gig...

Chris Brown continues to insist he was never booked at this year’s “gay pride” gig in Atlanta following a TMZ report insisting he had settled his differences  with party promoter Melissa Scott. 
As of writing, Scott is trying to recoup back the funds lost prior to his no-show. She is attempting to claim back at least $12,500 from him and his team or else she’ll sue his ass. 

This is something she should have done WITHOUT creating all this hoo-ha with the media. I find it highly unprofessional for a businesswoman to even pull such a stunt. It just makes me think she was looking to benefit from the publicity, given his celebrity and pull as a constant headline grabber, as well as his notoriety for homophobic fall-outs in the past. Anyway, check out his rant inside.

Rihanna's Puma Sneakers The Creeper sold out in three hours...

Why is this not surprising that the presale for Rihanna's PUMA Creepers sold out in three hours? Be it a clothes/shoes line, a fragrance or lipstick, the product is guaranteed to sell out all because her name is attached to it. Powerful impact. 
These were for the black suede sneakers with the matching soles.  The official collection will come out on September 25th with various colour blocks. 

"Fenty by Rihanna" is written on the inside of the shoe while "Puma by Rihanna" is embedded on the tongue. 

Boss moves!

Monday 14 September 2015

Mariah Carey’s ‘Game Of War’ commercial...

Mariah Carey is featured in the latest ‘Game of War’ commercial, with her classic hit ‘Hero’ serving as the soundtrack.
As random as this is, a fat cheque is a fat cheque at the end of the day. Many fans would have paid serious money to see Mariah in jogging mode. 

Things like that just don't happen. She's a diva and this is what makes her little sprint at the end all the more hilarious. As a matter of fact, it looked edited. She looked so awkward doing it. Anyway, get money, bish!

Tamar Braxton debuts new song ‘King’ on ‘The Real’...

During the season two premiere of her talk show ‘The Real’ (the ep aired today), Tamar Braxton debuted a new song off her upcoming album ‘Calling All Lovers,’ and it goes by the name of ‘King.’
Tamar felt some way when her album got pushed back to October 2nd. The reason for this is because she claims she only found out the same time as everyone else.

Isn't her label suppose to inform her about this stuff before it goes to press? Mess. And now her album will be competing for sales with Janet Jackson's comeback record 'Unbreakable.' The performance was okay and the song is somewhat decent (I don't love it to be honest). I've heard her excel at ballads much better than this. Nerves perhaps? This was a little shoddy in some places and nice in parts. Should she be worried that she's released several "buzz" singles already and none have really had an impact?

Alexandra Burke performs ‘I Will Always Love You’ at BBC Proms In The Park...

Alexandra Burke is currently touring in the sell-out run of Thea Sharrock's hit musical The Bodyguard. She promoted the stint with a performance of ‘I Will Always Love You’ at BBC Proms In The Park.
I won't compare it to other singer's renditions. I've seen plenty, and Whitney Houston will always be boss, but Alexandra did do a very nice job here.

Simon Cowell is a nut job for allowing X Factor winners like Leona Lewis and Alexandra to slip through his fingers. Other than Emeli Sandé, we don't have much powerhouses of colour dominating the UK scene and I find that painful. I think Alexandra could have been a force if she had the right material to suit her voice but her music sucked big time. 

Full concert: Leona Lewis performs at BBC Radio Hyde Park + GMA...

Leona Lewis performed to a 20,000-strong crowd during her 30-minute set at BBC Radio 2’s Hyde Park gig over the weekend.  The North Londoner belted out six tracks spanning almost a decade-long career. Those six tracks performed included some of her biggest hits, and new songs from her recently released new album 'I Am.'
It didn't look like she was into it and her backing singers actually expressed more enthusiasm. I don't think I could have stood there for 30 minutes watching that. I guess she was saving those effortless notes and charisma for her live band performance on Good Morning America earlier today. 

This is where she delivered her best ever performance of 'Thunder,' and she brought the house down. Her vocals were amazing and she commanded the stage with so much confidence. Makes me like the song a tad bit better now. More performances like this in the future please Ms. Lewis.

Sunday 13 September 2015

New Pic: Rihanna & Travis Scott 'Creepers' Puma Ad...

Rihanna's first collection, Puma by Rihanna is being launched and tomorrow it will be available here for presale. Rihanna's new squeeze Travis Scott also has a deal with Puma, so why not kill two birds with one stone?
This ad looks good but I still don't approve of them as a couple. Is it me but does this dude always make it a habit of hiding his face? I mean he does this same head bow in nearly all of his photos and it just seems weird that he extends it to his photoshoots too. Not that anyone's complaining.

Caption this! (starring Rihanna & rumoured boyfriend Travis Scott)...

TMZ caught Rihanna and Houston rapper Travis Scott making out at her NYFW block party over the weekend. Yuuuuck! It's gone without notice that the pair have been spending a lot of time together lately. Check out a video of their lip locking session here.
Justin Timberlake's face is priceless. Looks like he wants to save her ass. But if my friend, BFF, cousin or so was dating someone that looked like critter I wouldn't be able to hide my disgust either. Dude is homophobic.

Leona Lewis performs ‘I Am’ on ‘National Lottery’...

Leona Lewis dropped her new album 'I Am' this week. She's been doing the promo rounds, performing new single 'Thunder' on PerezTV and then making a final UK stop to ‘National Lottery’ where performed the album title track. 
The performances were nice on the vocal front, but Leona's problem is that she lacks star quality. Her first album 'Spirit' blowing up the way it did was down to 'Bleeding Love' being a really good song but more so the hype machine of being pegged the UK Mariah Carey. It was never going to work out that way and she must now regret the comparisons although she thrived on it back then I'm sure.

Ciara performs ‘Heal the World’ on ‘The View’...

On the 14th anniversary of 9/11, Ciara visited 'The View' where she paid a heartfelt tribute to the lives lost. She took to the stage to perform Michael Jackson’s philanthropic ballad 'Heal the World.'
The last time Ciara performed it was at the 2009 BET Awards, but who asked for it? Wasn't this day tragic enough as it is? The performance was a trying effort on Ciara's behalf. I mean, I have to be honest and say she's never been a strong singer, and live attempts at ballads always tell on her miserably. But she tried. She really did.

Janet Jackson's 'Unbreakable' album cover + tracklist (Target edition)....

Top retailer Target has confirmed that they will release an exclusive edition version of Janet Jackson's new album 'Unbreakable.' The repackaged set comes complete with an alternate cover and two additional bonus tracks not included on the standard version (due October 2nd.)
The unprecedented  demand for the legendary performer is so high, that she has added a third North American leg to her  'Unbreakable' world tour (full details here.) Janet's tour doesn't have billion-dollar production like Madonna's, but her performance skills is what keeps fans rushing back for more. Give me that any day of the week!

Britney Spears reunites with ‘Blackout’ producer Danja for new album...

Following the announcement she’s extending her Las Vegas residency for another two years, Britney Spears has reunited with the producer that arguably gave her one of the best, most underrated album of her career ('Blackout'). 
During a Periscope live chat with fans on Thursday, Danja revealed he was asked to work on Brit's new CD. Though we shouldn't get too excited because what are the odds that none of his songs even make the cut? Even if they don't, surely whatever she has in store must be a whole lot better than the atrocity Will.i.am served up the era before.

Saturday 12 September 2015

Tinashe debuts new single 'Party Favors' (featuring Young Thug)...

Tinashe's new (buzz?) single 'Party Favors' is very chilled, with sinister and dark undertones. Apparently, she revisits mixtape territory with The Boi-1da-produced cut. How disappointing is that?
The Young Thug assisted cut is about living young, getting high at raves and feeling liberated. This could do well on urban formats, but it won't do anything for her commercially. She needs something that wll make noise and I don't think this is it. Her sophomore album 'Joyride,' hits stores in November.

Friday 11 September 2015

Tamar Braxton debuts new single 'Catfish' + unveils 'Calling All Lovers' album cover...

Tamar Braxton's new single 'Catfish' has nice production despite the overplayed sample and repetitiveness. The 90s vibe is welcoming and her subtle vocal delivery is very pleasant on the ear. 
Official 'Calling All Lovers' album cover.

Tamar stays cussing out mankind but lyrically, this could use some work as it comes across very juvenile. The sample is Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats The Biz' (1988), and it was later popularised in the early 90s by SWV's 'Right Here (Human Nature).' As a result, my generation would be far more familiar with the beat from that era.  Tamar's new album 'Calling All Lovers' is due October 2nd. Check out the standard and deluxe tracklist inside.

Watch: Rita Ora & Chris Brown's 'Body on Me' performance on Kimmel...

Did they or didn't they? It's a question that will always plague Rita Ora and Chris Brown. The pair cranked up the sexual chemistry during their steamy 'Body on Me' performance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' this week. 
Why does Chris rely on backing tracks when not dancing? Rita sang live, and did a nice job of it. When it comes to greatness, an artist should strive for bigger, better...higher. He caught some flack for putting himself third after James Brown and Michael Jackson. But those are legends that have been performing for decades and decades and it took them a lifetime to reach unprecedented standards. Chris has a loooong way to go before he even gets there.

New Pics: Beyoncé for 'Flaunt' magazine...

Fresh off her stint on Vogue's all-important September cover, Beyoncé remains hot and fierce in yet another interview-less cover spread for Flaunt. She is just too pretty for words!
Gawjus! Much better than that messy Vogue spread! Bey continues to shun interviews, although she did however play a little game of word association. That's about as far as she was willing to go. What makes celebrity intriguing is the mystery and enigma surrounding them. When they reveal too much or engage in Twitter spats, it ruins the illusion. Bey is just letting her brand (and star power) speak for itself.

Tuesday 8 September 2015

New Pic: Janet Jackson & her 'J Tribe' are 'unbreakable', beautiful & fabulous!

Having followed all of Janet Jackson's previous tours, I feel like I've grown to know many of her dancers, and this new batch from her 'Unbreakable' tour will take some time getting use to. 
Saying that, these lot look great, and I love how Ms. Jackson forges a closeness to all the dancers she works with on tour. I still miss her Tina Landon days and always will, but Janet has been serving pure fierce lately and I'm so here for it. Bring on the new album!

Monday 7 September 2015

New Pic: Rihanna leaves L.A. recording studio in her pink PUMA slippers...

Rihanna stays working the hell out these fuzzy pink PUMA slippers. She may as well promote her brand some more while preparing to give us the next pop masterpiece.
Earlier in the day, she was seen wearing them to the record store while picking up the new Travi$ Scott CD. I'm not even mad at her. Pulling off bedroom attire as casual street wear is something this woman does so effortlessly.

Chris Brown responds to angry gay fans after reportedly snubbing 'Pride' gig...

Party promoter Melissa Scott has slammed Chris Brown for bailing on a Gay Pride performance at The Georgia Freight Depot nightclub over the weekend. 4,000 people had already packed the venue, during his no-show. 
She grew suspicious when she was exchanging text messages with the singer's team at 2am. Scott told The Georgia Voice that he took money for a performance he didn't attend. Rapper Fetty Wap was brought in to replace him. Breezy responded saying he was not aware of such booking and declared his love for the LGBT community. 

Sunday 6 September 2015

Beyoncé's EIGHT costume changes during ‘Made In America’ set...

One of the highlights about Beyoncé's headlining set at ‘Made In America’ were the mash-ups and new mixes to the songs. The way they blend and transition is so good and she always puts a different twist to them.
I want them all in MP3, so I can sweat it out at the gym! Now I'm anticipating her next tour! Plus, you can always expect a shitload of costume changes at a Beyoncé show. In total, there were EIGHT during her hour and a half set. Which one was your favourite? To help you decide, check them all out in high quality below!

New Pic: Mariah Carey's got granny swag...

Mariah Carey was spotted taking a stroll around Portofino, Italy this week with her twins Roc & Roe. She's never been known for her savvy fashion or sharp sense of style, but she certainly could have done a little better than this.
Can't believe I'm saying this but she's too young to be looking like that. This looks like something my Nan would wear right before hitting the sheets. On the other hand, she does look like a regular mom enjoying the day out with her kids.

Kelly Rowland & Jay Z get drunk & crunk to Beyoncé's '7/11' performance...

Jay Z really loves his woman. During Beyoncé's headlining set at last night's Made In America festival, he was singing and swaying like he just caught a gist of the holy ghost. 
Kelly Rowland was also in the house repping for her homegirl, and you just know the atmosphere whiffed of weed, alcohol and cigarettes! The rapper showed he was "drunk in love" while singing along to Beyoncé during her '1+1' and '7/11' performances.  It's so cute how much Jay Z stans for his wife, but wouldn't you, if you were married to this woman?! #MarriageGoals

Full concert: Beyoncé live at ‘Made In America’...

Last night, Beyoncé proved she was so much more than a "do nothing bitch" when she delivered an amazing headlining performance at Budweiser’s Made In America festival.
Fans were treated to a flawless set, with all her biggest hits and some of the new mixes to the songs were fire and very much MP3-worthy! She also rocked Philadelphia with debut performances of '7/11' and 'Feelin’ Myself' (sans Nicki Minaj). Electric energy was served up from Queen B and her live vocals were impeccable. Breathtaking way to end your Saturday night eh?

Friday 4 September 2015

Trey Smith salutes Beyoncé on 'Blame It On Beyoncé' (ft. DeCarlo)...

Will Smith's oldest son Trey 'Ace' Smith is getting in on the BeyDay celebrations, having released his very first musical offering in tribute to the singer. The clubby number is called 'Blame It On Beyoncé.' Hmmm...
The cut pays tribute to the pop icon he believes impacted fashion and music trends within today's industry. I was going to say this looped mess sounds like a gay man's wet dream but even that would be really insulting. Sorry Trey, but this is really shit. Not everyone is destined to be a musician or the next Calvin Harris. Stick to DJing, or better yet, use your cute face to do some modeling.

Beyoncé releases 'Crazy In Love' remix for #BeyDay...

In celebration of her 34th birthday, Beyoncé drops the 'Crazy In Love' remix onto Spotify and iTunes. Everyone from celebrities, media and fans are calling for September 4th to be made National Beyoncé Day.
That's quite a big ask, and there's even a petition being passed around to make it happen. Unfortunately, the response has been very slow. In 24 hours, only 1,095 signatures (as of writing) have been gathered. C'mon Beyhive. Do better!