Tuesday, January 13, 2009 |
Seems as though Usher has hit the studio again with long-time friend and collaborator, Pharrell Williams as well as Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. It seems as though they’re working on a new album to be put out sometime this year. Interesting, considering how terribly Here I Stand flopped. I guess he’s trying to make people forget the bad taste that it left in their mouth.
LIL’ KIM TALKS NEW ALBUM
We’ve heard a little something from the the Queen Bee herself, Lil’ Kim, but she’s been keeping it fairly quiet about what’s been going on with her new project, and what she’s been working on as far as the music front. She recently sat down with MTV.com to talk about what she has in store for the new album.
She claims the new record will carry something new and unheard of from the Queen, and that she’s “getting ready to come with a whole new flavor, a whole new style.”
Here’s what else Kim had to say:
“And I don’t care what nobody says, I’m not gonna let anyone pigeonhole me. This is what it is. I’m coming with it,” Lil’ Kim explains further. “I got to hang in there with the fellas. The only way to hang in there with the fellas is to be able to do what the fellas do. And with Lil’ Wayne singing and rapping, T-Pain singing and rapping, and everybody singing and rapping, somebody got to represent for my laaaaaaadies.”
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Friday, January 9, 2009 |
According to AllHipHop, Jermaine Dupri is no longer President of Island Records Urban Music.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source close to the situation confirmed to AllHipHop.com that Dupri has in fact been terminated effective immediately.
A formal announcement of his departure from the position, which he has held for nearly two years, is expected later this week.
KID SISTER SPEAKS ON DELAYED DEBUT
Kid Sister, spotlighted over a year ago, is still waiting to release her debut album.
Tentatively titled Dream Date, the album has been pushed back several times since the original July 2008 release date. She says, though, that she’ll turn the album in when she’s ready and assign a date then.
“I turned in the record initially because I was pressured by deadlines, but I didn’t feel good about it because it wasn’t done. I found myself saying, ‘I wish I hadn’t done that or this’,” Kid Sister tells Billboard.com. “So, I petitioned the label heavily to take it back and do it the way I wanted to do it, and they were supportive of it. I want a body of work that really has my stamp on it, so, release dates be damned, I’ll turn it in when I’m ready.”
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Saturday, December 20, 2008 |
Some of you may remember the artist spotlight we did on J*DaVeY earlier this year. If not, then you should definitely check out their music.
The very eclectic group who is described as a cross between Prince and the B-52, signed a major album deal this year and they are currently working on their full-length major label debut for ‘09.
In related news, J*DaVeY will perform at the new Dakota Music Lounge in Santa Monica (previously the Temple Bar) on New Year’s Eve.
ESTELLE PREPS NEW ALBUM
It seems as though after the success of her debut LP in the States, Estelle is eager to get started on her sophomore release. Although she’s had projects in the UK, Shine and her second single, “American Boy,” featuring Kanye West has garnered her huge success over in the U.S.
When asked about the new project, which is tentatively set to release sometime in the second quarter of 2009, Estelle said that she was looking to collaborate with fellow Brit Adele, and also had this to say:
“I’m really excited to start working on my next album. I’m going to go totally left field and surprise a lot of people… I’m going to hit it out the ball park with this one. I’m thinking a mix of Coldplay and Marvin Gaye.”
Interesting! Estelle, who is also a recent Grammy nominee, definitely seems pretty confident with this new album. I’m excited to hear what she comes up with.
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Thursday, December 11, 2008 |
After the recent tragedies with her family, Academy Award winning actress and recording artist Jennifer Hudson is finally making her way back to the spotlight.
It has been reported that she will shot a new music video next week for her second single, “If This Isn’t Love,” from her self-titled debut. She was originally slated to shoot the clip for the video before the murders of her mother, brother and nephew.
I had thought that the promotional trail for Jennifer had come to an end, and understandably so, but I’m glad to see that she’s decided to not stop working on the album.
Jennifer also was nominated for 4 Grammy’s this year, for best R&B album, best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song for “Spotlight” and best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals for her duet with Fantasia, “I’m His Only Woman.” Here’s what she had to say about the nominations:
“It’s been a childhood dream of mine to release an album,” she said in a statement, “so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing. I’m extremely honored and humbled by the nominations.
Good for Jennifer.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008 |
It seems as though Ciara’s new album, Fantasy Ride which has changed release dates so many times that I haven’t been able to keep up, is going to be up for being shelved by Jive Records. The album was again slated for release for Spring 2009 (with no tentative release date!), even with Ciara’s new video for the first single, “Go Girl!” being out already and more than several tracks leaking.
But sources have been saying that the album may not even see the light of day. With pending lawsuits, multiple tracks leaking and a single that is tanking, even with high-profile features like T-Pain and the awesome Melina-directed video, it seems as though Fantasy Ride, originally Ciara’s first concept album, has run into a lot of problems. It’s been rumored that the whole project is to be scrapped and that Ciara will head back into the studio to work on a completely new package.
Seems like a headache, and a lot of money going down the tube…
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Saturday, November 22, 2008 |
Jamie Foxx reveals the album cover for his new release, Intuition, which hits stores December 16th, just a few weeks after the official release of his T.I.-assisted single.
The new album contains productions from Tricky Stewart & The Dream, as well as Timbaland, hitmaker Ne-Yo, as well as Sean Garrett, and Salaam Remi. Even though I haven’t really been blown away by much of the material that’s leaked, I think this new album will be good for Jamie, considering that we haven’t heard anything from him musically since 2005’s hugely successful Unpredictable.
BEYONCE LINES UP 2 NEW SINGLES
Still on the promotional trail for her new album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, Beyonce, who first released the singles “If I Were A Boy” and “Singles Ladies,” is lining up two new singles in hopes of topping the charts once again.
It was originally reported that the second single from the Sasha Fierce side of the disk would be “Ego,” featuring none other than the ego man himself, Kanye West. However, with recent charting of the Bangladesh-produced, Sean Garrett-penned “Diva,” (it’s already charted on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop) has sat plans in new motion.
The Ryan Tedder-assisted “Halo” will be the second single from the more intimate I Am… side. Rumor has it that Beyonce had casting calls early this week in LA to find the leading man and that videos will be shot soon. I’m sure that the video for “Halo” will be gorgeous, but I’m interested to see what this “Diva” video will look like.
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008 |
50 Cent’s label, Interscope Records released a press release, stating that the rapper’s new LP, Before I Self Destruct, originally slated for December 16th release, will drop early 2009!
Interscope says the artist was “rushing” to meet the December date but “with the deadline to secure advertising and retail placement for the album imminent,” the rapper opted to wait until next year.
The album boasts production and guest turns from mentors Dr. Dre and Eminem; producer Scott Storch helmed first single “Get Up.”
Before I Self Destruct will be bundled with a full-length feature film of the same name, in which 50 Cent plays a budding basketball star who becomes a criminal after his mother’s murder.
Early pressings of the album will also include a second DVD with the documentary “Two Turntables And A Microphone: The Life & Death of Jam Master Jay,” which 50 Cent executive produced.
Color me surprised. I don’t think the new single jumped off like they thought it. In the mean time, Eminem has also planned his comeback in 2009 with his anticipated LP, a follow-up to 2004’s Encore, Release. Originally to hit stores by the end of the year, Eminem is back in the studio with Dr. Dre in Detroit. He has recorded around 100 songs over the last couple years.
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