Let me reintroduce you to Hollyweerd. Back in January, we featured them in our artist spotlight section, and they got a swelling response from readers, other blogs and even some label executives.
So, they felt is was time to give the public another taste of what they’ve been grinding on. “Monkey” is that just that - a wild, loose animal, all over the place, a lot different than their previous track, “Have You Ever Made Love To A Weerdo?” But the group is still going strong and working on their debut, banging out cuts with a few different producers.
T-Pain and Lil’ Wayne are set to team up to do an album together a la R. Kelly and Jay-Z on Best of Both Worlds. Even though the idea sort of makes me cringe, I don’t see why not. These two have definitely been at the top of their game for the past year, with Lil’ Wayne selling over a million records his first week out, and T-Pain being featured on everyone and their grandmother’s song.
Well, here’s “Can’t Believe It,” a track from Thr33 Ringz, T-Pain’s forthcoming circus-themed album, due out in September, with its lead single, “Silver & Gold.”
Say hello to Stacy Epps. When I first heard her, of course the first influence that popped into my mind was Amel Larrieux, of whom I happen to be a big fan of. Stacy, who would never denounce hip hop as her first love, rattles of the names of KRS 1, MC Lyte and Queen Latifah as some of her main influences.
Her first single, “Floatin’” is a mellow, grooving track that has been getting a lot of love as of late. Her album is slated to drop in July, and will be what Stacy calls a “truly independent venture.”
Meet Shanell. You may think that you don’t know Shanell, but if you’ve picked up Kelis’ last album, Kelis Was Here, or Danity Kane’s Welcome to the Dollhouse, you’re familiar with her music.
Appearing on Lil’ Wayne’s The Carter III, Shanell has shared studios, stages with some of the industry’s hugest heavyweights. Gathering her inspirations from the versatility of Madonna, the edginess Cyndi Lauper, the sultry sexiness of Vanity, the fun experimentation of Missy Elliott and TLC. “Night Shift” is a nod to the era of Prince and Vanity 6, where it was just safe enough to hit radio, but risque enough for parents to want kids to cover their ears.
When Angel passed this girl along to me to hear the music, I was very intrigued. At first by her pictures and then when I got into some of the tracks, I was really liking what I heard. Cherri V is well on her way to becoming the next sensation in the UK. Her music is a great blend of Rock, Pop, and R&B.
In 2006, Cherri was a member of the girl group Trinity Stone and they were signed to Sony/BMG. The group soon disbanded, but Cherri was fortunate enough to travel to many places across the globe and learn about the industry, allowing her to discover where she could now hold a spot in it. Right now, she’s recording her album at her own pace and is gaining as much performance exposure in the UK as possible.