Introducing . . . Tinashe

Tinashe has all the ingredients of a superstar. She's only twenty years old, she can sing, write, produce and dance and she is sickeningly beautiful.
Tinashe released two mixtapes last year which got her signed to RCA records and saw her music being compared to Frank Ocean and The Weeknd, which I totally agree with. Her sound is definitely underground 'urban' and sets a dark and mellow atmosphere which is hard to describe so is best understood by actually listening to her music.
With her debut studio album set for release later this year, 2014 may be the year of Tinashe.

Artist of the Week : Juicy J

Since signing with Taylor Gang in 2011, Juicy J has been everywhere... especially these last couple of weeks.
 His feature on Maejor Ali's record Lolly was released along with a video, as was his unexpected feature on a Katy Perry track from her forthcoming album.

But it was the video for 23 which features Mike.Will.Made.It, Miley Cyrus and Wiz Khalifa which caught my eye and many others as it already has over 14 million views and it been out for 3 days.

The song is catchy - although Miley's squeaky rapping is annoying - (couldn't they have got Teyana Taylor or better yet, Nicki Minaj) and the video is cute but I don't expect it to be a massive hit.

Drake Brings The Drama In New Video

My favourite song of the year finally has a video to go with it and it doesn't disappoint.
Drake has graced us with a very theatrical, seven minute long music video for Hold On, We're Going Home with a guest appearance from ASAP Rocky.
The video is set in 1985 and in the first two minutes Drake's beautiful girlfriend is kidnapped whilst he is having a celebratory gathering with friends and business partners. Drake and his associates then proceed to rescue the damsel in distress in a dramatic climax.
I love when videos are creative and well-executed like this, even if it doesn't necessarily fit well with the song itself; visuals, in my opinion, are more about elevating the song by being entertaining and of high quality.
A brilliant video from Drake!

Birthday : The Party Starts Here

I've been so busy these past few days what with moving back up to Birmingham on Sunday and freshers week starting yesterday, so I apologise for the lack of posts - things should be back to normal tomorrow. Not only that but I have recently joined the writing team of a brilliant new teen magazine, in association with 02 Think Big, called Birthday.
Birthday magazine aims to bridge the multicultural gap in current teen magazines so that young black girls can finally be represented and feel included in the teen magazine industry.

When I came across the idea on Twitter a couple of months ago, I had no idea as to what it would grow to become as already Birthday has interviewed Fuse ODG, Alisha White and artist Funny Tummy and that's before the magazine has even launched!
As part of the entertainment team, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to interview Lady Leshurr who I am a huge fan of and was a pleasure to talk to. The interview will be up soon and probably feature in the magazine which launches in December.
But whilst you await launch day, you can always have a look at the website which was officially up and running as of 23rd September (so yesterday). There you will find a bunch of celebrity interviews, fashion and beauty tips, a gossip column, education/career articles and much much more.

So click the link : www.birthdaymagazine.co.uk
Like us on Facebook and follow @BirthdayMag on Twitter

Introducing . . . Elle Varner

I have been a fan of Elle Varner for a while now after hearing her song Only Wanna Give It To You being played during my shift at work. I think her music is best described as soulful R'n'B with blues and jazz influences and her vocals are delightfully silky and soothing.
As much as Elle's debut single, which featured J. Cole, was a success, she has been under the radar for the last few months, but rest assured she is not a one hit wonder. Her album Perfectly Imperfect was a brilliant introduction to the singer-songwriter; it produced two more stunning singles Refill and I Don't Care (posted below) and reached number 4 on the Billboard charts.
With a second album on its way, Elle is hoping for world-wide recognition and I am sure it won't be hard if she continues making the kind of music she has already gifted upon us.

TKO - Justin Timberlake

New music from JT !
As the release date for part 2 of The 20/20 Experience draws closer, Justin gives us a taste of what to expect. It sounds very much like a Justin/Timberland song should which is never a bad thing; however, after all the amazing music Justin has provided this year I was expecting something a little better than this.
I feel like we've been transported back to his FutureSex LoveSounds era and all the progression and maturity that we heard on his latest album has disappeared.
I'll need to listen to it a few more times - having only played it once so far - before I decide whether or not I like it but I will be buying the album next month regardless.

Artist of the Week : Naya Rivera

Anyone that watches Glee already knows Naya Rivera can sing her butt off, so now the actress, who plays fiesty Santana, is trying her luck at a music career. With the help of her rapper boyfriend Big Sean, Naya has dropped her debut single Sorry and it's quite a good pop jam.
Ms Rivera has all the ingredients for a successful music career, a catchy debut song, an amazing voice and she's stunning so I have no doubt that she will do well. Fingers crossed her album has some stronger tracks on it but Sorry is not a bad place to start.

Misogyny ?! In Music ?!

So everyone has been kicking and fussing over Robin Thicke's summer hit, Blurred Lines, because of the misogynistic lyrics and sexist video.
Anyone would think that Robin is the first male artist to ever feature women in a video as sexual objects or sing about having sex with a girl who, apparently, 'wants it'. In actual fact, it's harder for me to name a song that doesn't refer to females as bitches or hoes than it is to find several that do.
In my opinion, it doesn't even seem as though Robin was demeaning women in any way in his summer smash, as he clearly sings 'that man is not your maker' - could there actually be a message of female empowerment hidden amongst the controversial lyrics?

One genre of music which has always been swarmed in controversy is hip-hop, for both its overtly sexual lyrics and derogatory display of females in music videos, and it's become so common that the women that feature in the videos are commonly known as 'video hoes'.
It is a very rare occurence to find a video where there isn't a girl in a bikini or a curvaceous lady shaking her booty next to the rapper or singer of the track (congratulations Jay-Z, your Holy Grail video was a nice break from the female nudity). In most cases, it is only expected that a girl will be twerking for at least 75% of the video seeing as the song is called, Twerk It, or, Clappers, so I can't really be all that surprised, they are relating the lyrics of the song to the video.
With women and sex being at the forefront of the majority of hip-hop music over the past decade or so, you would think that the media and public have become accustomed to it, but this doesn't seem to be the case what with all the journalists and music fans labelling Blurred Lines 'disgusting' and 'demeaning'.

Even though it's a far less mainstream genre, dancehall deserves a mention seeing as it thrives on objectifying women by asking them to 'whine on male genitalia' amongst other sexual deeds. This is most probably because it is a genre fiercely dominated by men and as an audience we have been saturated with these sexual lyrics so much, that they aren't that shocking any more.
Dancehall is less about having clever lyrical content and more about the 'riddims' and catchy hooks, but now that the dance craze which accompanies these songs - twerking - has become a mainstream phenomenon, it wasn't going to be long before outrage spread amongst many people who aren't so familiar with this culture.
I'm not denying that the way females are represented in the songs and videos of dancehall artists, and the overtly sexual dances that go with that, isn't derogatory towards women, and at times shocking; however, once you realise that no harm is meant by these lyrics (it is just simply a celebration of physical intimacy and the female body) you stop taking offence and start to enjoy the music.

Other genres have their fair share of misogynistic themes and undertones too. For example, 'Smack My Bitch Up' by The Prodigy and even country music, such as 'Stand By Your Man' by Tammy Wynette, uses demeaning lyrics towards women. You can find examples of female objectification in the lyrics and music videos of all genres of music if you look and listen closely enough, and this has been the case for near on 30 years now.


I'm not saying that I don't get up and pretend I can twerk when a French Montana song drops in the club or I don't find myself singing along to, FDB by Young Dro, on full volume in the car because I don't take certain types of music - trap hip hop and dancehall - ,or some artists, too seriously.
I am just confused as to why a lot of people are in uproar over Blurred Lines when there are a lot worse things being said and done in music videos and it has been that way for quite a few years. It should come as no surprise by now that music can be derogatory towards women, it can even be derogatory towards men on rare occasions, it just needs to be taken with a pinch of salt and accepted as a light-hearted form of entertainment. Lil Wayne is not running for president or working in the education system; therefore, there is no need to worry about how a few lyrics are going to effect the progression of equality amongst genders in society.

J. Cole Drops A New Video

Round of applause for J. Cole!
He is really pushing the envelope with his videos lately, and it's refreshing and encouraging to see a hip-hop artist using their music videos for something other than half-naked women twerking or to show off their extravagant lifestyle.
In his new video for Crooked Smile, J. Cole tells a tragic story based on true events that will have your eyes watering by the end. Who cares that the video has nothing to do with the song? He uses his single simply as background music for this short film so that the message he is trying to promote in the video - about the war on drugs - takes precedence.
I won't ruin the video for you but have a tissue at the ready and watch below.

New Video Courtesy of Solange Knowles

Solange may look the spitting image of her older sister from the facial features to the flawless hair but she is certainly trying to carve her own lane in the music industry.

Lovers in the Parking Lot is a pretty song with nice vocals and Solange looks ever the fashionista with her quirky style and dance moves; however, I wasn't jumping out of my seat with this video. It just feels like a 2.0 of her previous single Losing You - there's no progression or growth in the visual aspects which is disappointing because I am a fan of Solange and I really like the song.

Judge for yourself below:

Album Review: Nothing Was The Same - Drake

Having listened to Nothing Was The Same almost six times over now, I can gladly declare that it is definitely one of the top three hip-hop albums of the year.
Drake remains honest, sentimental and sensitive which is what people love, and often mock, about him but there is a new found confidence and boastfulness that underlies many of the lyrics. He can go from sadly reminiscing about the girls he has loved and the relationships that didn't work out to boldly listing off his achievements and acknowledging his rise to the top without sounding arrogant.
Nothing Was The Same may only be his third studio album, but Drake can already compete with the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z and all the other great lyricists who have been in the industry long before he was even gracing the TV screens on Degrassi.

Here is a track by track review of the deluxe addition :

Tuscan Leather
The perfect way to open the album. It's an aggressive yet refreshingly - from other hip hop albums - honest track that discusses not only his success and makes references to his hits No Lie and Started From The Bottom but also his shaky relationship with Nicki Minaj and friendship with Tatyana Ali. It's obvious that there will be no holding back on this album and I am definitely looking forward to what is to come.
The production is an added bonus, with multiple changes in tempo and flow that keep the song running strong for over six minutes.

Furthest Thing
"Furthest thing from perfect, like everyone I know", once again, Drake is unafraid of being vulnerable and exposing his flaws to the world which is what has set him apart from other rappers who often hide their insecurities behind a façade of cars, clothes and chains.
This is one of few moments where I am reminded of his previous album Take Care but with an obvious new found maturity; embracing his flaws and admitting his past mistakes.
Listen out for the brilliant change in beat during the last minute - it shows the growth in Drake as he switches from a sentimental and thoughtful young man to the powerful and successful rapper he is.

Started From The Bottom
We may have heard it a hundred plus times by now but it never gets old. Although it is Drake's weakest song lyrically, it has slowly become one of my top 5 Drake songs for it's annoyingly catchy hook and club heavy beat. It adds a different dimension to this somewhat reserved album.

Wu-Tang Forever
The first time on the album where we get a bit of singing from Drake, another thing that separates him from the likes of Kanye and Eminem, he doesn't need a bucket load of auto-tune to sound good holding a note. Although some of the lyrics could be seen as a dig at Chris Brown, I found Wu-Tang Forever to be a really pretty and lyrically beautiful 'love song' which is why it's one of my favourites on the album.

Own It
Own It continues on perfectly from Wu-Tang Forever and reminds me a lot of other slow jams from Drake like Practice and Shot For Me. It has the typical sweet-boy Drake lines like "next time we talk I don't want to just talk, I want to trust" which, after a couple of shots, will have you calling someone special in a heartbeat. But that's what is expected and wanted in a Drake album; lyrics that bring about actions which would otherwise been seen as pathetic but when Drake writes about it, it's cool.

Worst Behaviour
This track stands out from the rest but for all the wrong reasons. The first half of the song lacks in lyrical content, with too much "turn up" and "mother fuckers never loved us", but redeems itself slightly when Drake pays homage to Mase's verse in Mo Money Mo Problems. However, it still felt misplaced on the album and should have probably been discarded or released as promo like 5am in Toronto rather than lodged between two stunning songs in a well executed album.
Maybe it will grow on me after a few more listens but I have a feeling it will remain my least favourite Drake song.

From Time
After the chaos of Worst Behaviour, Drake returns to his reflective self and runs through the many girls who got away on this stand out song. Accompanied by the beautiful vocals of Jhene Aiko - a singer/songwriter who worked with Drake on July - every minute of this song is perfection, from the lyrics to the production to Drake's flow.

Hold On, We're Going Home
This is by far my favourite song on the album, and quite possibly my favourite song of 2013, as this is unlike anything we have ever heard from Drake or any other artist in the charts right now. Hold On, We're Going Home has an 80-esque vibe without sounding dated or cheesy, a feat which is hard to achieve in hip-hop. I'm hoping this is released as a single and gets a video a.s.a.p because everyone needs to be singing along to this by the end of the year.

Connect
It's not quite on par with the rest of the album but it has grown on me immensely since my first listen so I might just need to hear it a few more times before I love it. It just feels as though something is missing and I can't quite figure out what - a catchy hook? more aggression on the verses? a feature? - I'm not sure but it left me unsatisfied by the end.

The Language
The Language is Drake at his best. When his flow is strong and rhythmic and you can hear the passion in his voice. It helps that the beat is understated and quiet so you are really drawn to the lyrics which have been highlighted as possible digs at Kendrick Lamar after his controversial Control verse.
It's slightly more up-tempo and I can definitely hear this being remixed in clubs over the next couple of months, which is a welcome change in tone on the album after a succession of slower and more romantic songs.

305 To My City
Another example of a well structured and fluid album, as this follows on nicely from The Language. The production on this track is one of my favourites because it creates a mellow atmosphere that almost juxtaposes the lyrics without sounding chaotic or confusing. It's cleverly executed in a way that only Drake can get away with.

Too Much
Love, love, love this song. The unapologetic honesty in Drake's words, the musical elements in the background and Sampha's soothing vocals are all perfection and elevate this album onto a whole other level of greatness.

Pound Cake
Pound Cake has had a lot of buzz surrounding it because of the Jay-Z feature but there are so many other great tracks on the album it didn't really stand out as a particularly special moment to me. I enjoyed the production, which sounds a lot like something The Weeknd would release, and the unexpected change in tone towards the latter half of the song. But Jay's verse wasn't ground-breaking and didn't live up to the hype in my opinion.

Come Thru
I can understand why this track is only available on the deluxe addition because it doesn't quite feel like a finished track compared to the high quality of the rest of the album. I appreciate the attempt to add an electronic sound 2 minutes and 20 seconds in but it touches on all the subjects that Drake has already explored so really doesn't add anything new or exciting.

All Me
Another track that was released a while ago, therefore many are already familiar with it. But when you listen to it in the context of the album it sounds a lot better because I wasn't a massive fan of it at first.
It's fun - an aspect that is neglected largely by Drake on this album in his attempt to be serious and sensitive and reflective (as illustrated by the two album covers available). It's a moment where he lets loose alongside 2Chainz and Big Sean without sounding unrecognisable like he does in Worst Behaviour. It could be seen as a Started From The Bottom part 2 but more authentic and with better lyrics.

All in all, there are no huge surprises or risks on the album - maybe with the exception of Hold On, We're Going Home - but Drake delivers an honest, emotional and truly original body of work which he should be proud of.
Although it has leaked a week early and there is no controversy surrounding the album and hardly any features on it, I am certain that Drake will go straight to number one and this album will get all the success it deserves. It has already received rave reviews from critics and fans alike and I will add to that by giving it five stars and another listen!

Introducing . . . Jhene Aiko

For many of you reading this, Jhene Aiko is probably a name you are already familiar with, yet she is still such an underrated artist that I feel she still has a long way to go before she gets the recognition she deserves; hence, the 'Introducing' feature for her.
This 25 year old vocalist first made her impact on the music scene when she released her debut mixtape in 2011 entitled 'Sailing Souls'. The mixtape is filled with poignant songs, including collaborations with Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, and went on to be critically acclaimed and led to her being signed by Def Jam. She has featured on hit songs for Big Sean, Drake and Schoolboy Q but is yet to break the charts with her solo tracks.
Her voice is soothing and soulful, her lyrics are moving, her music is unlike any other female singer/songwriter out there right now and she remains authentic so it's a mystery why she isn't topping the charts and touring the world yet.
Hopefully her success will come when her debut studio album 'Souled Out' drops later this year but whilst we eagerly await new music from the songstress, here is one of my favourite songs from her mixtape, 'Stranger'.

OVOXO return !

Whenever Drake and The Weeknd get together magic happens and a masterpiece is created so it comes as no surprise that their latest release, Live For, is a favourite of mine.
The video dropped on Wednesday and although it isn't particularly exciting - in fact, nothing happens at all really - I am a massive fan of the song and both the artists so it only feels right that I post it !

Artist of the Week : Miley Cyrus

Miley has been plastered across headlines for the past few months, let alone this week.
First, she caused a hell of a lot of controversy after her raunchy VMA performance, her rocky relationship with fiance Liam Hemsworth has been creating a stir and her fashion choices are always a talking point but this week she has actually been getting some publicity for her music.
In the build up to the release of her new album, Bangerz, Miley has dropped the video for the second single which is titled Wrecking Ball. In comparison to We Can't Stop, it's a far more vulnerable and emotional side to the 20 year old songstress and offers a powerful insight into what could be her true feelings on her own relationship with Liam.
The video has already broken records for being the most watched on Vevo in 24 hours and that may well be due to the fact that Miley spends a good portion of the video butt-naked. She also enjoys an up-close and personal moment with a sledgehammer before rolling around in some rubble.
The nudity may just be a metaphor for the exposure and vulnerability she felt in her relationship but I feel like it's more likely to be another cry for attention in the ongoing saga that is Miley Cyrus' music career.

Introducing...Todrick Hall

So a few days ago as I was browsing Youtube, I happened to stumble upon a video entitled Cinderonce and, noticing that it had over a million views, my curiosity led me to follow the link and watch.
I then got my life for eight whole minutes as the classic Cinderella story was re-enacted with two modern and, surprisingly well executed, twists; all the characters are black and the story is told through music. But not just any music, the music of the Queen that is Beyonce Knowles-Carter.
Every song fits perfectly with the progression of the plot, from 'Diva' as an introduction to the evil stepmother and ugly stepsisters, to 'Countdown' as the clock strikes midnight and Cinderella has to leave the ball.
The performances also come with some accurate Beyonce-esque dance routines, beautifully shot ballroom scenes and strong vocals from the Prince Charming and video director, Todrick Hall.
Todrick is the mastermind behind this video and over 80 others on his self named Youtube channel where his almost 450,000 subscribers are treated to an array of musicals (amongst other videos), most of which feature original music written and performed by Todrick.
I have only gotten the chance to watch around six videos thus far, and each has impressed me even more than the next.

Below I have shared not only the Cinderonce video but also another musical starring Beauty - from fairytale Beauty and the Beast- with a hilarious original song and creative plot courtesy of Todrick Hall.
Enjoy !

Guess who's back !

Eminem has just dropped the brand new video for his single, Berzerk, and he seems to be back to his old self. As opposed to a lot of the dark videos he has dropped in the past few years, Eminem seems to have lightened up again as we see him kicking back with Rick Rubin, Kendrick Lamar and others.
Although I am not a massive fan of the song, the video is decent and I have a feeling the album, whenever it may be, will be great.

Album Review : Yours Truly - Ariana Grande

It goes without saying that Ariana Grande has an outstanding voice which has often seen her compared to the diva that is Mariah Carey, and after hearing her first two singles the comparisons only grew stronger. So I was interested to see how Ariana would showcase her individuality on her debut album, Yours Truly, and separate herself from her idol.

The album opens with a stunning R'n'B ballad titled, 'Honeymoon Avenue', where Ariana can show off her extensive vocal range but, even more importantly, the lyrics are far more mature than anything we have heard from her before. This is followed by her new single, 'Baby I' (which I have written a post on) and a pleasantly surprising collaboration with Big Sean which, although sounds quite similar to her debut single, is a great uptempo track.
Then Ariana breaks out another ballad with 'Tattooed Heart' and it's the only song on the album that I am not particularly a fan of. Once again, the lyrics are mature and heartbreaking and beautifully executed with her powerful voice; however, I found it a bit dull and repetitive after two minutes.
Luckily, Miss Grande saves herself with the next track which is my favourite on the album, the aptly entitled 'Lovin' It'. It's an extremely catchy R'n'B song with a lot of mainstream potential and it's the first time on the album that Arianas vocals are matched with a strong production rather than being out-shined by it.
Another highlight of the album is track ten which features Nathan Sykes from The Wanted and it has already gained popularity commercially over the last couple of weeks. It's a huge ballad that showcases Ariana at her best and reminds us why she could be as great as Mariah given the right material.

Overall, the album didn't disappoint. The vocals were as perfect as I expected and the production was satisfactory but what surprised me the most was how well Ariana manoeuvred between uptempo and ballads without losing her way.
 A lot of vocally gifted female singers such as Mariah, Whitney and Christina, have many a times been criticised for being incapable of having a fair balance between ballads and uptempo songs as they rely heavily on their strong and moving vocals.
Ariana doesn't seem to be flawed in this sense because she offers a lot of variety on this album from dance to pop to R'n'B all whilst keeping her composure and holding her own within every genre.
For this matter, I applaud her efforts on her debut CD and look forward to hearing her future music projects.

4.5/5

Cassie Knows

First came Numb, then Paradise and now Cassie has dropped a third music video for her song, I Know What You Want. It samples Kendrick Lamars', m.A.A.d City, with the addition of her sultry vocals making for a fun dance track. But with so many other great tracks on the mixtape, I was a bit disappointed that this is the one she chose to create a visual for; however, fingers crossed she'll drop a fourth and final video.
Although the video is short and simple, Cassie looks stunning - as usual - making it visually appealing and the graphics are undoubtedly creative and interesting.
Check it out below: