I found this interesting article featuring British singer Estelle getting real about the blindness to black talent in the U.K. She is basically sick of the white soul singers getting all the press when they’re many of singers who are black who aren’t getting any shine. Peep this:
Singling out Adele and Duffy, who she knocked off the number one spot at the weekend, she says:
“I’m not mad at them, but I’m wondering – how the hell is there not a single black person in the press singing soul? Adele ain’t soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she’s got a deeper voice – that don’t mean she’s soul. That don’t mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I’m like: you’re telling me this is my music? Fuck that!” [READ MORE]
I get a lot of emails from my U.K. readers saying the same thing. So to all our British peeps, who should we look out for this year?
CHRIS BROWN SAYS HE ISN’T WITH RIHANNA
Rihanna and Chris Brown both walked the orange carpet at the Kids’ Choice Awards over the weekend, but were not pictured together once. Check out what Chris said to the press while at the event:
”We’re not in a relationship or anything,” Brown told The Associated Press before Saturday’s slime-filled ceremony.
Chris also told MTV something similar last week:
“I am a single guy. I have a close friend but it’s not like a relationship. I’m just living my life and having fun.” [source]
PAPOOSE & REMY TO TIE THE KNOT
Following Remy Ma’s conviction an major assault charges last week, her rumored boyfriend, rapper Papoose, has spoken out – in an email to MTV – announcing that they will tie the knot in prison – next week:
“We always wanted to keep our personal lives personal, so that’s why we never went public with our relationship,” he wrote in an e-mail to MTV News. “Right now, I just feel like she gotta live through me. Yes, we were scheduled to be married on a yacht April 27th. But due to circumstances beyond our control, we are now making arrangements to be married in prison.” [READ MORE]
sorry wrong image…but we need to support our people in every genre…so we can all be on our global grind
pAPOOSE HOW YOU GOING MARRY SOMEONE THAT IS MORE MASCULINE THEN YOU. WHO WEAR THE PANTIES IN YA’LL RELATIONSHIP
ehh duffy doesn’t sound good to me and adele sounds good but i only like one song from her. and whoever talked about how leona acts white, please explain to me what acting white is. there’s no such way to act like a race. society puts that in your head. stop being so dumb. and just to add, i’ve got to say that black ppl created practically every genre out there (r&b, hip hop, rock, blues, jazz, i’m sure there’s more). just saying. but yeah i see what estelle is saying and that’s true but like someone else pointed out, ppl expect black girls to sing soulfully but when a white girl does it, they become amazed. black ppl get amazed too and let’s not deny that. i remember seeing this white girl dutty whining b4 and EVERY black person there was cheering her on like “omg did you see that white girl?” she definitely was not the best one there but she stood out b/c she was white and b/c of stereotypes, we didn’t expect her to dance like that. we do this in our everyday lives.
that being said, i don’t care for estelle’s music just like i don’t care about adele’s music or duffy’s music and she’s not particularly soulful so idk. oh yeah and i CAN’T STAND teena marie. why do ppl think she has natural soul? she sounds forceful to me
@23 London Gurl. I’m sorry but your comment about Leona Lewis acting white kind of bothered me. speaking proper english means you’re acting white? smh. please, we have a black (albeit half black) person in the media, I’d rather they did not speak like a hoodrat.
Chris Brown and Rihanna- why these “celebrities” got to lie! They are NOT going to lose fans over who they humping! I mean c’mon knock it off. Now we allll know Mr. Brown done at Least sniff the panties- at the very least! C’mon if you ask me Ms. Fly-watch-yo-ass-Beyonce Rihanna is a FaaaReak in the making. Do the damn thing youngin’s I aint mad at ya! I am sick of the Lauren Conrad and them other The Hills cartoon characters.
Speaking of Cartoon Characters DangerMouse and Batgirl getting married. From behind bars. That’s Ghetto Love fo’ ya ass! Next they will adopt a crack addicted baby from Harlem just to keep up with the new hollywood trend!
I bet if Chris saw RiRi with some other dude hugged up or vice versa they’d be in a relationship- getting mad, jealous and all…
@grGREATEST LOVE OF ALL….FOR ONE..ITS NO SUCH THING AS WHITE MUSIC….ITS MUSIC U CALL WHITE CUZ U DONT KNOW THE ORIGINS….POP JUST MEANS POPULAR AND RIGHT NOW ITS R-N-B AND SOUL….THEY WOULDNT TELL RIHANNA 2 STOP SINGIN THERE MUSIC BECUZ ITS WRITTEN BY BLACK PRODUCERS AND WHITE GIRLZ HAV BEEN USING STRICTLY BLACK PRODUCERS FOR THERE MUSIC AS WELL…MAKING ALL OF THIS SHIT…BLACK MUSIKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK…EVERY CHICK IN THE GAME NEED A BEAT AND A HOOK….ALL OF THA BIG NAMES R BLACK…THE FUCKIN KNIG..KING OF POP…A BLACK MAN…GODFATHER OF SOUL..ETC..ANY TITLE U WANNA GIV OUT….TEENA MARIE AND AMY ,AVG WHITE BAND..HEATWAVE..GET PASSES..;..EVERYBODY COPIEZ SOUL..FACT
What is this Estelle talking about? and WHO IS ESTELLE? there is no classification on music,hell if you got it you got it!!!!!! and just so you guys know DUFFY’s album is and will be one of the best this year, nothing against a bootleg LAURYN HILL but can we stop this Race thing? Soul is Soul whether it’s BLUE EYED or not!!!!! Damnnnnnnnn it’s only the first quarter of the year and Bitchassness is reaching the U.K.
Estelle is not a soul singer and if anyone should be pissed it should be those whom actually perform soul music and especially those from this country…Where was soul invented oh yeah….Estelle sounds and looks like she came straight out of munchkin land and if anybody sounds as though maybe they had heard aretha records and that is the extent of their soul school so to speak it’s her…
Sit down
Oh and how can you say such a thing when you worked with Kanye the greatest biting thief in the game….Aren’t All of his hits hits because they sampled old soul music
STFU
This just makes me respect you even more Estelle big ups to you baby girl!!!
Chris needs to either stop faking the funk or continue doing so b/c they look so good together
And Remy needs to hope for that good ol’ appeal so that way she doesn’t have to marry the gecko for conjugal visits…
But then again she can save up to15% on her insurance by switching to Geico…eh why not???
- chris and rihanna are pulling a jay and beyonce, but i love dem together
- im not sold on estelle yet
- papoose looks like a frog lmao.. i’d love to be next door neighbours to that couple.
Now all of a sudden pappose wants to announce his love for remy and talk about getting married. When shes going away for 25 years. Whatever, to each is own. Chris stop denying Ri/Ri.
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Estelle is right and its a shame when a black person makes a comment that is relevant and progressive and eye opening, all some blacks can do is laugh or act as if they can’t comprehend.
I stand behind her 100% on her comments.
Anytime something is black, or black excel in it white people go on a mission to take it over and claim it as their own. They do not allow us to do that in their arenas. I too am getting a little tired of these white girls singing soul, its getting boring. There is maybe 1 that gets it, but the rest are created.
Just like in rap, we have no power. 40 years from now it will be in the record books that Eminem was the greatest rapper of all time, why? Not because he was, but because white people said it and a few niggas co-signed it.
I love Estelle and her music. I do agree with the gimmick behind blue-eyed soul, but it tends to not last very long because the music is often times not genuine. As is the case with Justin Timberlake… people don’t buy the sincerity behind him because he’s almost a caricature of black culture (anyone remembers that track he did with Nelly for Bad Boys 2 video). Eventually he had to wake up and realize no one was buying his “urban” sensibility. Stick to your talents and if people like it then they love it. You see how easy it was for Eminem to fall of?
hairsmystory.com
What I think is hilarious, is the fact that people will say Corinne is soulful with the quickness, but Adele is not. I guess we are putting ourselves into this ‘color defines everything’ mindset. And what’s even funnier is that I’m black.
I can believe Estelle and other young black talent might not get their time to shine in the UK, but she comes off a lil bitter towards other talent that is getting notoriety. I love Adele and if her music isn’t soul than i LOVE whatever it is! Now that Duffy, i hadn’t heard of her music and when i checked it out i wasn’t impressed but i don’t quite understand; so does Estelle think the only artists’ that should be singing in a soulful manner should be white?
Estelle sounds like a racist bitch!
REMY &PAPOSE.. EWWWW..
HE LOOKS LIKE A TURTLE..OH LAWD FORGIVE ME..
Um…”VickieD”, I hear ya and stuff adopting “Diva-Tude” before ones time, and I’m definitely not hating on you, but I ain’t wronging her on this one. This is Estelle’s 2nd Major Album release and industry wise she’s on her grind longer than Adele and Duffy. So, if she wanna get a bit rowdy then she should just go right ahead. I mean, I don’t think it’s right that folks let her homie Kanye run his mouth all the time, dropping 10 cents instead of 2 about whatever, but hey he’s been getting ish done doing it his way with the tantrums so she might as well give it shot, LoL. She’s making good points, and honestly being from Canada as I am, I notice a lot of parallels and similarities when it comes to how the UK and Canadian Entertainment Industry “Deals” R&B/Soul Artists. In other, words “Blue Eyed Soul” is always in Fashion. But when those same white soul artists decide to double back into their roots of Rock & Country and not look back, it sucks for those artist are consistent “Soul” artist and have no interest in Chaging that. Trust me it’s a whole other world there.
LMAO @ 70 and 71…tooooo funny
I’m going strait to the ESTELLE Comment
I’ve wondering for too long why is kind hard to hear about black UK singer, actor,entrepreneurs in general,it’s good that she kind brought this up, but black UK need to know that nobody will give the respect or will recognize they afford if they don’t fight for it, black Americans fought to be where they are and still doing, even though doesn’t look like, BET opened the doors for R&B, HIP HOP & so on, it was a black man that had to start it, what I am trying to say is that black UK will have to get together, unite, I understand that most of yo came from different background and still have good connection with yo ancestries ( the opposite of African American ) this is good but if it can also be bad, this different backgrounds make black UK weaker, even though it might look like yo are Unite, if you all pay attention to the circumstances and different scenarios, a lot of yo do not support each other just because this person does not have african, jamaican, Caribbean… background, this need to stop, its about blacks in UK, doesn’t matter were yo came from, so yo need to Unite first, stop hating each other, and bring something different to the table don’t need to be the next Kanye, 50cent or beyonce, bring Black UK style, the world is hungry for new stuff, I meant Music, acting, designers, etc…, BET is already there, that’s a plus, people need to get involved, do not wait for Black americans or the white UK man, to make you shine, you all are the Sun, YO JUST NEED TO COME UP AND LET US SEE YOU ALL, BURN OUR FACE WITH A LOT OF SHINE, COME ONNNNNNNNNNN UKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
ok I got a little bit excited, hahahahah
Peace out
Just ME
Duffy sucks she tries too hard to emulate soul music and people eat it up and call it “soul” Estelle is right though and I agree with AKA New Yorker’s music.
excuse me not music comment.
Papoose looks like a geico or a lizard somewhere in thta family of reptiles.
IM WID ESTELLE 100%
U DNT NO HOW PISSED I GT
OVER HERE IN THE UK
DER ANT NO BLAK PPL ON T.V
STRAIIT
AND SHE AINT NO DIVA
SHES SPEAKING THE TRUTH
SO U LIL IDIOTS CAN JAM
TRY LIVING OVER HERE B4 U OPEN YOUR MOUTH.
WWWhile Estelle may have come off a little hostel I have to agree with her somewhat. Don’t know much about UK artist but over here in the U.S they do the same thing with some white artist. They will have you believing Amy Whinehouse and Joss Stone are more soulful than any black female artist. Don’t get me wrong they are good but not the best I’ve ever heard. Same with Eminem they will say he is the best but what about the long history of past great rappers we’ve had. I do love some blue eyed soul like Jon B and Robin Thicke but I put them in the categorie they belong in and not say oh they the best soul singers that was ever out like white america does for almost all of them. At the end of the day I like good music that I can listen to no matter what the color but at times I know it may be frustrating to some artist.
Estelle’s sour about Amy Winehouse…everybody is…I can’t really be mad at her, though I dig Amy to no end.
Chris is lame…
Remy…too bad, girl!
WHATS THE POINT OF GETTING MARRIED FOR YOU GONE BE IN JAIL FOR MAYBE 25 YEARS HE CAN’T SEE HER ASS EVERYDAY
at the minute there aint no UK singers that are coming up but on the underground there are quite a few..its onli because the UK arent into all dat black soul music dey into da white shit…whereas da US like all dat but jus aint really feelin da british…heres an artist to look out for within the next year or 2 though hopefully http://www.myspace.com/deliarene1
@90.Jamie872006 the purpose is to prove that his lizard lizard ass aint gay. -”-I am happily married and my wife, a she-man is currently incarcerated”
papoose and Remy have been a couple 4 yrs and yo seem like you didn`t know
well look out for Dizzee Rascal and not sure if Lemar have anything coming out soon
mARK rONSON works witha lot of black folks
other than this people look out for nobody cos i hate the kind of rap thats being put out here
in the scoul scene there is a guy who is just like Prince from make-up to voice
if anyone know his name pls note that cos you know who am on about(the mixedrace guy who sings in the rain etc)
I def agree with Estelle. There are so many talented black UK artists and you hear NOTHING about them.
You need to be listening to Goldy Roxx!
http://www.myspace.com/goldyroxx
I wish Papoose and Remy success. That’s some real love
Whatever to Chris Brown –> I guess his manager is getting pissed at all the pics of him and Rhianna together…
I agree with Estelle…but thats the music business. I guess in the UK, they would much rather promote a white girl singing soul music than a black girl singing the same shyt…
Estelle did NOT just hate on my girl Adele. I understand when she said that there ain’t enough black people gettin their shine on in the UK. But why resort to saying Adele ain’t soul? Last time I heard them, their voices sound AS good. I did NOT hear Estelle’s being any better vocally than Adele, or the other way around. So why turn around implying you got soul, and she ain’t? Puhlease honey. Take that outta here.
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN THE U.K IS FUCKING RACIST, ESPECIALLY MUSIC. THEY DON’T SPEND NO MONEY IN DEVELOPING BLACK ARTISTS & TALENTS OVER HERE. THATS WHY THE ONLY AWARDS AT THE BRITS FOR BLACK PEOPLE: THE URBAN CATEGORY WAS SCRAPPED GIVING PEOPLE SHIT EXCUSES. NIGGAS BUSTING THEIR ASS GRINDING & KEEP IT MOVING. IF YOU GONNA ALLOCATE £1MILLION TO POP, £1MILLON TO ROCK, ALSO ALLOCATE £1MILLION TO R’N'B, £1MILLION TO SOUL, £1MILLION TO HIP HOP, £1MILLION TO GRIME & GARAGE. LETS SEE WHO DOES WELL AT THE END OF THE YEAR. DEM WHITE GIRLS DUFFY, ADELE CAN’T GET THE SAME SUCCESS LIKE LEONA LEWIS BECAUSE SHE WORKING ON THE SAME BUDGET & PROMOTION LIKE THE ROCK, POP ARTISTS AND ALL THE OTHER WHITE ARTISTS. THE UK LABELS DIDN’T SPEND NOTHING ON ESTELE THAT’S WHY SHE WENT STATES & SHE GETTING HER PROMOTION RIGHT, DOING BIG NUMBERS & TOPPING THE CHARTS. ALSO FUCK THE PRESS, SOME TV & RADIO STATIONS. THEY ONLY PROMOTE DRUGGIES & SKINNY ASS BITCHES WITH AVERAGE TALENT.
YOU CAN CHECK OUT: BEVERLY KNIGHT, KEISHA WHITE, GABRIELLE, TERRI WALKER, TAIO CRUZ (GOOD SONG WRITER), BUENA MUTYA, CRAIG DAVID, STEVIE HOANG (FUTURE STAR), KAY B (FUTURE STAR), JAY SEAN, JAMELIA( DO MORE RnB YOU BETTER THAN THAT POP SHIT), SWIZZ, BASHY, SWAY, KANO, BENGA, T2, WILEY, DIZZE RASCAL, LETHAL B, LEMAR, PLUS MANY MORE BLACKS & MINORITIES WITH TALENTS IN THE UK. THANX.
look out for fdm or fundamental 03, they recording in america but born n raised from the uk,
Estelle is super talented and she, like Sharon Jones, will probably never achieve mainstream success. She’ll just be the black singer of the moment for the white hipsters but that’s it…damn shame.
Cosign with # 29.
She pretty much summed up the apalling state of Black British representation in the UK Music Industry.
The term ‘Urban’ is ridiculous and just an attempt toappease the white mainstream audience.
Estelle is speaking the truth, black artists can’t get no love in the UK unless they repackage you and dilute your sound down to generic pop.
There are many singers on the underground scene who are better than Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Adele, Duffy etc but they can’t get the light of day.
It’s the same scenario, if not worse for Black British male singers. For example, Lemar has a truly souful voice, but the shit they got him singing is ridiculous. You’ve got blue-eyed soul boys like James Morrison and Scott James who are basically recycling what was done a long time ago by many unsigned black artists.
That is why I love Estelle cos she tells it like it is. For all you people saying she’s acting like a diva, I disagree…people don’t like to hear the truth.
I see a few people have mentioned Taio Cruz and whilst I do agree that he is talented, his music is pretty bland to me.
Terri Walker is the truth, yet she get’s no love.
Beverley Knight could sing most singers, both UK and U.S out of the water, yet she get’s no love. She only get’s chart recognition when she waters down her sound to generic pop.
Keisha White is great, but I wasn’t feeling that song she did with Cassidy. Hugely underrated.
Tawiah is great(think of Floetry, but more diverse).
Shola Ama and Kele Le Roc have had their day which is a shame beause they could sing.
FDM have also been grinding for years but to no avail, but I hear that they are recording their album in LA so watch this space….
I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
Thanks CL for highlighting our plight…you never forget your UK readers!
@# 98- Amen! And I can’t believe I missed out Shystie and Lemar in my original post, but yeah all them artists you mentioned have been grinding for years or are up and coming and should get the shine they deserve, such a shame.
*BTW in my other post I meant Keisha White did a song with Cassidy not Fabulous.
THose Horny FUckheads are gettin married so they can have conjugal visits. They are not foolin me.
close as in they are fuck buddies, chea
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You should see how European media and blogs are discrediting Estelle’s comments about the British music industry’s blindness to blacks artists. Her words are distorted by bloggers and journalists who pretend she said that white singers should not sing Soul music. Which is absolutely false !!!
Here, in France, the situation is rather the same – or even worse – than in Britain. Music should not suffer from the narrow-mindedness of people. No matter what’s your skin color, if you sing with passion, authenticity and sincerity, I don’t see any problems. But European music industry and media are far too chauvinistic !!! That’s why so many Afro-european artists have to move to the US to get a chance to do their thing. The Nubians had to come to the US first, before being praised by French media. And unhappily, it ain’t ready to end.
Congrats to CL, keep up your good job. An Afro-french fan !
What about Craig David? He’s in the UK and I hear he sells alot! Europe is soooooooo tiny compared to the rest of the world- I would branch out too – in order to get recognition; although some people are interested in the money instead of the art of the music. i must agree in the US, it’s the other way around, black artists are heavily promoted- but your first album better do well.
if chris don’t like RIHANNA den i don’t know nuthing
i think rihanna and brow should be together i love u rihannaxxx olliexxxxxxxx