Interestingly enough, as much as I’ve been trying to avoid T-Pain on the radio, I actually thoroughly enjoy this song. Chris Brown’s second album, Exclusive, due out in stores September 17, is expected to have some treats on it. The newly 18 R&B heartthrob will make his way over this sophomore slump (which is really, in most cases, the hardest hump to get over) if the material on his album is as versatile and well-put together as it’s rumored to be. And I just feel like “Wall to Wall” hasn’t exactly been getting the push it needs.
Either way, I am pleased with what Chris has been bringing. “Kiss Kiss” is definitely radio-friendly and single-ready. As much as T-Pain has been lighting up the radio, regardless of whether not the song is great or not, people will eat it up (perfect example: “Same Girl” — remix) just off the simple fact that Teddy Pain’s on it. Let’s see how this song fairs for the “nappy boy” and “pretty boy.” As stated before, Chris Brown’s new album, Exclusive is due out tentatively on September 17.
NICOLE SCHERZINGER ON THE SET OF “WHATEVER YOU LIKE”
Nicole Scherzinger feat. T.I. - Whatever You Like
With a new single produced by Polow Da Don, a video just being shot and a release date of October 16 being confirmed, I think it’s safe to say that Nicole is ready to stake her claim. Why, do you ask, is her album appropriately titled Her Name Is Nicole? Well, the lead Pussycat Doll was tired of being known as just that: the lead singer from the PCD, so in order to gain her own identity, she reintroduces herself to the industry that she’s worked in for so many years.
Her Name Is Nicole is a collaboration between herself and some of the hottest producers in the game today. With songs from The Neptunes, Polow Da Don, Ne-Yo, Akon, Will.I.Am (with whom she’s worked with before on the PCD project), and Timbaland, you can tell that budgeting definitely wasn’t a priority with Scherzinger’s project.
Don’t ask me how they did it, but “Beautiful Girls” is one of the hugest songs in the country. Sean Kingston’s song just seemed to pop up on the radio and everyone loved it. It transcends age barriers, race barriers, everything. It’s funny, because when I first heard it, I thought it was Amy Winehouse on speed. But then I got into the lyrics and realized that this was a lonely boy who’d been made “suicidal” by some beautiful girls, I just wasn’t feeling it at all. I can’t knock it though, it’s huge. I thought that perhaps the dancehall/reggae era in mainstream pop had died down, but it’s been resurrected by no one other than Sean Kingston, who released his debut album just this past Tuesday.
For more information on Sean Kingston, visit his official site seankingston.com, or his MySpace page. And if you’re digging the sounds you’ve heard here, make sure you purchase the album on Amazon.com, iTunes, or your local record store.
M.I.A. is back with her second album, Kala which hits stores on August 21. Her first album, Arular was a huge success in the United States and garnered her a lot of endorsements using a couple of her songs. I was actually surprised by how well she was recieved. Producing and writing all of her own music, people just took a liking to her. However, with all of this success, people were wondering what M.I.A.’s sophomore set was going to sound like.
She actually worked with a few American producers this time around, such as Bangladesh (who produced the hit “Bossy” for Kelis), and Timbaland. She still used some of her own production, and it seems that her album varies in sound a lot more than Arular did, but sticks to the same format. I will admit that Kala is a little shotty and has some holes in it. I definitely saw where she was going, and with that being said, the album has some stand-out, fun tracks.
For more information on M.I.A. and Kala, log on to her official website, MySpace. If you like what you’ve heard, make sure you pick up Kala on August 21.
Bryan-Michael Cox and Diddy have done it again. Even though I haven’t been keeping up with Making the Band 4 like I should be (because I was watching Making the Band 3 all the time), this song is really going off to me. I love the production, and the boys, whomever they’ve chosen to be a part of the band, are actually singing! In the past couple of episodes I have seen, I haven’t really seen any boys that I really think would be great as performers. They just seemed a little watered down. But this song, I think, proved me wrong. B. Cox put it down. I’m eager to see whether or not these boys will put out an album that was as well put together as Danity Kane’s.
Making the Band 4 - I Want You Exclusive (full) - download / alternate
Make sure you tune into MTV Monday nights at 10 pm to catch all new episodes of Making the Band 4. For more video clips, photos and highlights, check out the Making the Band 4 page on MTV.com.
NOTE: Sorry about the link mix-up, guys. I updated it. It should work now.
Cassie - Is It You? (full) - download
Cassie was supposedly working on a new album due out in the fall, but this song isn’t from it. “Is It You?” is actually taken from the soundtrack for the sequel to the movie, “Step Up.” I honestly admit that I can see where this song was going, regardless of how much I hate Cassie’s lack of vocal ability. I like the feel of the track, which I’m sure was produced by her alleged boyfriend and producer, Ryan Leslie. It feels like a soundtrack song to me though.
J. Holiday - Don’t Wanna Lose (full) - download
I haven’t really been excited by the lot of J. Holiday’s music that I’ve heard besides, “Bed,” and a couple of other tracks I really like this song. It’s simple, and it just displays his vocal ability really well. I like the doo-wop direction that this song is going, and the boy really does have a set of pipes on him. I guess this has sort of revived my excitement for Back of My Lac, out October 2nd.
The song “Bed” has been heating up all over the radio. Everyone seems to love it. Produced by Los Da Mystro and written by the Dream (who we just did a feature on, as well as the man who brought to you Rihanna’s “Umbrella”). It turns out that Dream also recorded his own version of “Bed,” which I’m sure was probably a guide vocal that he’d sent to the label before J. Holiday recorded it. I’m a little torn, because to me, they sound similar, Dream’s version is just a little more raw, of course. I think my ear has just been trained to J. Holiday’s version. Dream has his own project out on the way, but you know we’ve got to ask the question: Who sang it better? It’s up to you.
J. Holiday - Bed (full) - REMOVED The Dream - Bed (full) - download / alternate
Make sure you support J. Holiday’s new album, Back of My Lac, due out October 2nd, and check our exclusive interview with him. Also, don’t forget to check out The Dream on MySpace and look for more heat coming from his way.
