For what he says will be his third and final album, THE DREAM is very much all wrapped up in love. Judging by his whirlwind courtship of singer Christina Milian, their nuptials and new baby, there’s no wonder why “Love King” has his romantic, sexual and sensual side shining through the new effort.
In true Dream fashion, the title track is simple, fun and tailor made for the radio, as he brags about the plethora of women he has in various places (here’s hoping life isn’t imitating art). Intertwined within the maze of catchy tracks like the T.I. assisted “Make Up Bag,” in which Dream flexes his financial worth and how it relates to keeping a woman happy; by of course showering her with gifts. The story of “Nikki Part 2,” unfolds down a road suspiciously similar to that of his first marriage to singer Nivea, but the production, writing and delivery mesh so well the lyrical inspiration is unimportant. “Abyss” is the pit of bottomless heartache following a love let down. Refreshingly, this sad song is paired with a “trippy” beat and quickly transforms into a celebratory release of a venomous relationship rather than remorseful reflection.
After dropping a Grammy nominated mixtape and performing with some of music’s biggest names, Drake is finally ready to offer up his debut album “Thank Me Later.”
Arguably one of the most anticipated albums of the year, the 14-track record is much of what we have come to expect from the Toronto native joined with traces of his artistic gonads. Yes, there is a lot of singing, but if there’s one thing that Drake knows how to do it’s make a catchy hook equally matched by his poetic flow.
With production from the likes of Timbaland, Kanye West and Swizz Beatz, the 23-year-old pretty much cooked up a recipe for commercial success. Perhaps the most blatant introduction to his career altering year is the lead single “Over,” which re-teams Drake with his ‘Best I Ever Had’ producer. The thoughtful club ready track carries an intro that sounds as if it were birthed in the 1970s with new aged pride and a tricked out symphony that explodes into fiery appeal.
Kansas City native Janelle Monáe originally planned to pursue a career on Broadway but instead began focusing on music. By 2003, she had moved to Atlanta and recorded a self-released album, The Audition, which introduced the whole Metropolis/Cindi Mayweather concept.
Four years later, Sean “Diddy” Combs signed the singer/songwriter to his Bad Boy label, offering an official release for her Suite I of IV: The Chase EP which earned Janelle a Grammy nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her single “Many Moons”.
Janelle disclosed last year of the deal with Diddy (which he considers one of the most important signings of his career) that it’s not the traditional label-artist kind; it’s more of a partnership. And it seems to be a fruitful one with the release of her first full-length album, The ArchAndroid (pronounced Ark Android), hitting stores today.
After being diagnosed in ’08 with microvascular angina, a heart-related illness, Toni Braxton says she “didn’t think I’d ever be able to do music again.” Fortunately, while undergoing cardiac rehabilitation, a conversation with an elderly patient who had survived four heart attacks motivated the six-time Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter to continue making music: “That’s when I found my pulse again,” she says. And today, she’s releasing her sixth album, aptly titled Pulse.
It’s been a long road since 2005′s Libra, filled with personal and professional roadblocks for Toni, but through it all she’s managed to endure. After she signed with Atlantic Records in 2008, Pulse was initially planned for release the following year, but the album found its way online and Toni returned to the studio to replace a few of the leaked tracks, including “I Hate Love”, “Clockwork”, “Melt” as well as a duet with Robin Thicke entitled “Don’t Leave”, and rework some of the others.
[audio:http://cdn.concreteloop.com/wp-content/uploads/Lupe-Fiasco-Around-My-Way-Freedom-Aint-Free-BMF.mp3]♫ Lupe Fiasco - Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)
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For what he says will be his third and final album, THE DREAM is very much all wrapped up in love. Judging by his whirlwind courtship of singer Christina Milian, their nuptials and new baby, there’s no wonder why “Love King” has his romantic, sexual and sensual side shining through the new effort.
