As you lay in bed and reflect on the past year, the future, and how bad your hangover is, it may just be the perfect time to discover some new music.
Today, we turn to the world of hip hop and mixtapes. Fabolous’ Soul Tape 3 seems to be the hottest one out right now (Download) and if you haven’t listened to it yet, well, you should — even if mixtapes aren’t really your thing.
Equally as interesting though is discovering the “non-mainstream artists”. You’ll have to sift through the bad and the good, but nothing is sweeter than finding the good. One mixtape that seems to be gaining some traction is Bizzy Crook’s 84: Off Season (Download). Bizzy is an up and coming artist that hails from Miami, FL. He was signed by Mona Scott Young (you know, the hip hop mogul, and the lady who controls VH1’s Love & Hip Hop) at the age of 18 and has been developing his career ever since. Below, is one of his latest videos “21.”
Since Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter has officially taken over the world, it seems only appropriate to look at her journey from a fan perspective. Her music has touched a multitude of people from different cultures, races, and cities. The below videos display some of the best tributes to Beyoncé that are on the Internet, as well as covers of her songs. After 5 albums with Destiny’s Child, 5 of her own, a baby and a husband…you have to wonder how she does it all. While the videos don’t display all of the amazing musical tributes that her Bee Hive has created, it does speak to the influence that she has had on fans around the world–not only in changing the meaning of “creativity,” but in many cases, helping fans propel their own careers to the next level (related: How Artists Get Views on YouTube).
1. Evolution of Beyoncé by Pentatonix
2. Love on Top (Cover) by Syesha
3. Drunk in Love by Ari Lennox
(seriously thought she was lip synching at first)
3a. Had to add this Drunk in Love cover…this kid is adorable
4. Beyonce Dance Series by WildaBeast Adams
5. Run the World (Girls) – Dance Cover by Black Queen
5a. This is also adorable..
6. Best Thing I Never Had by Tori Kelley & Todrick Hall
7. If I Were a Boy (Cover) by Rachel Crow
Yea, this one went viral pretty quickly..
8. Say My Name (Cover) by Flearoy The Band
9. Cater 2 U (Cover) by Passion & Melvin
10. Listen (Cover) by Melanie Amaro
(Let’s be real, everyone did a cover of “Listen” at one point, but this one was pretty impressive…)
11. Hello (Acoustic Cover)
11a. Hello by Rin on the Rox (using the above instrumental)
And as a bonus…remember this amazing live version of Halo by Queen B herself?
“Sail Out means to be free, go with the wind, like a sailboat. I think that’s really important when it comes to peace…inner peace especially. You can’t help anyone else if you don’ t have it together for yourself.” – Jhené Aiko
If you haven’t listened to Jhené Aiko’s new EP Sail Out yet, then you should.
Not because it’s good, not because it will change your life, not even because you have nothing else to do (besides read this article). You should listen because it will make you a part of history.
That line is dramatic, I know…but it caught you’re attention. Perhaps starting with Kanye West and moving all the way to Frank Ocean and to Drake’s most recent project, the “R&B” and “Pop” records being put out today are…well, different.
Take Jhené Aiko. This is her first project under Artium (part of Def Jam), which was established by producer/Def Jam executive VP of A&R Dion “No I.D.” Wilson, who signed Aiko as his first artist in late 2011.
When speaking about Aiko, he says, “When I heard Jhené, she immediately struck me as the first female voice in what I call the new wave of R&B. She understands full-on melodies and emotion but writes freestyle lyrics on par with hip-hop depth and complexity. In my eyes she’s a modern Sade.”
He seriously thinks she’s the new wave of R&B, a modern Sade at that. To be honest, I don’t really hear it. If anything, she reminds me of the female version of Drake. That stream of conscious [emo, to be frank] type of music where each song compliments the other. Almost as if you were listening to one very long track.
Still I can’t deny the fact that her music is finally garnering a lot of interest—she has been creating music for quite a long time. Jhené was signed under Epic (the same label as B2K) at the young age of 13, but left after 2 years to finish school and “explore her options.” She spent the next several years around the music business, but by 2008 she had given birth to a girl with Omarion’s brother, singer O’Ryan.
Her next project was a mixtape called Sailing Soul(s). This latest EP, Sail Out is a precursor to her first solo album, Souled Out (see the pattern here?).
Even if you aren’t quite in love yet with Jhené’s music, you have to give her credit for her lyrical talent (she wrote all 7 songs on the EP) as well as sticking with a consistent style. The genius behind putting this EP out before her album is that it gives her leverage as an artist. Given the politics behind the music industry and her dropping from Epic at an early age, we can surmise that she hasn’t been given the creative power that she desires. She has been featured on songs by many reputable artists, but has never “broken out’ per say. Building momentum pre-album release not only gives her a broader fan base, but it also gives her creative power for her subsequent performances, music videos, and subsequent projects.
Now, onto the music.
Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Childish Gambino are just a few who appear on her EP. And here are a few of my favorite lines by Ms. Aiko:
“We do not exist in any other instant. Here in this dimension you and I are meant to be. I have waited lifetimes to find you. Now that you’re here I can remind you of the things you’ve been dreaming, times two.“ – Stay Ready
“I am Alice, I’m in Wonderland. Where’s the rabbit? He is late again. Goodness, Gracious. I can’t wait for him. Who has got the time? Round and round and Round and round we go. It’s just like the same scenario. Good for nothing, feels like somethin’ ain’t right” – WTH
“wait, now my thoughts so cloudy and my heart so crowded with pain. I am so frustrated like my soul’s been taken away. Broken promise of everything that I thought you were. Thought you said this would never hurt. That’s what it did that is all…I do not fear the thought of falling, thought I could fly…” – 3:16am
“And don’t take it personal, but you’re the worst. You know what you’ve done to me and although it hurts I know…I just can’t keep runnin’ away” – The Worst (see below for the new video)
I ran across this music video today by sitar* player and composer Anoushka Shankar. This song, titled “Traces of You” features her half-sister Norah Jones. Overlapping voices create the feeling of a dream-like sequence that make up most of the song. But perhaps the most appealing feature is the cross cultural aspect of the music—it contains “traces” of India, and Western culture as well.
*The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument used mainly in Hindustani music and Indian classical music. Anoushka trained on the sitar with her father (famous Sitar player Ravi Shankar) as a child, and signed her first record contract with Angel Records (EMI) at the young age of 16. In 2003, she was nominated for a Grammy, becoming the youngest-ever and first woman nominee in the World Music category for her third album, Live at Carnegie Hall. Her fourth album RISE earned her another Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary World Music category in 2005, and in February 2006 she became the first Indian to play at the Grammy Awards.
As you’ve seen on this site many times before, Taylor Simone is an amazing artist with a gift for making music. So go out and help support her fundraising set tonight! 7 – 9:30 pm @ The Underground Lounge (more details in the flier below).
Firstly, I have to apologize to all of my readers for being extremely late on this post. This should be about getting all of you the interesting music quickly, before mainstream takes over and ruins all of the fun, and I’ve failed here.
I watched the video below of Lalah Hathaway a week or 2 ago, and sadly, I’m just writing about it now. Nevertheless, it’s still important to highlight because she may just be changing the face of music as we know it today.
Snarky Puppy is a Brooklyn, NY based group led by Michael League that was formed in Texas in 2004. The band comprises nearly 50 musicians, many of whom were once students at the University of North Texas. They are not your typical band as they perform on a variety of instruments including guitars, pianos, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
In March of this year, Snarky Puppy and special guests convened at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, VA to record a series of live performances that would bring attention and benefit to the ongoing work of the center.
One of the performers was Lalah Hathaway, who needs no introduction. She stands at the edge of the stage as a conductor normally would—though a microphone takes the place of the typical conductor’s music stand and her voice takes the place of the baton. Each band member can see her clearly; they do not have music stands either, nor a single piece of sheet music.
Neo-soul, afrojazz, Earth Wind & Fire, grand improvisation,perfect crescendos and decrescendos are all words that come to mind while listening to this song (what comes to yours?).
And then Big band…
The number of talented musicians that grace the stage makes the process seem complex in and of itself. But the music may not be as complex as one may initially believe. In fact, it ‘s foundation is simple. The keyboard begins in half steps and initial transitions are in whole steps – maybe a jump or two in between (a 4th to be exact). Why? Well, check out minute 3. It’s all about the voice, the music creates itself around Lalah Hathaway, as if her voice is the tree, and leaves flow from the branches perfectly (or something).
And then the vibes…
4:40, the backup singers kick in, the band starts vibing, Lalah’s tempo takes off in jazz-influenced ad-libs.
And then the magic…
6:12, I don’t know what else to call it besides a chord – or maybe two simultaneous notes? Lalah sings simultaneous notes with her voice. I think. Is that even possible? Then she does it again. Really, how is that possible? Again. I think, it might be possible Again. IT’S POSSIBLE.
“…I’m fairly sure what she’s doing isn’t actually “overtones”, as in the air in oral cavities resonating to create another note (which are the high overtones or “harmonics” that the Mongolian/Tuvan singers do). Lalah’s is a vibration of the “false vocal folds” (also called “ventricular folds”), which are two fleshy parts either side of the vocal folds that can be drawn together to create extra notes (or noise!). It’s these that create the Tuvan/Tibetan/Inuit throat singing “growls”, as well as death-metal screaming and rock distortion. But what Lalah is doing is a much lighter, breathy contact”…
I’m pretty sure it’s a combination of overtones and the above description – along with two notes. Don’t take it from me though. Let your ears have a listen.
Summer is over, and while most of us have nothing but fading tan lines and Instagram photos to show for it, Taylor Simone is out with a new project that may very well boost her career to the next level.
Now a senior at Columbia University, Taylor’s fan base seems to be growing larger and larger every year. Her new project is titled Songs From the Front Yard, and she is going big to say the least. When asked about the inspiration behind the title, Taylor says, “It’s based on a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks called ‘A Song in the Front Yard.’ In a nutshell, the CD is an introduction, a coming of age from a woman(ist) perspective…”
So with the official release party set for this Friday, she is already gearing fans up with her first official music video release: “Name of the Game” feat. Chill Pittman.
The video is sporting around 700 views and as usual, B&C is here to break down the song for those of you who may not immediately catch onto the musical details. So before you even watch the video (if you haven’t already), read below for Olivia Harris’ artistic spin on it:*
The playground hand game introduction says it all: Taylor is ready to tell us the name of the game and win it. Y’all remember Concentration? Guess it’s throwback Thursday already. Time to concentrate, so pay close attention to what Taylor’s saying. The smooth, spare, yet still danceable beat paired with Taylor’s assured vocals get us hype, but there’s still plenty of space to think about Taylor’s message to all the ladies: “don’t front, do better/ don’t quit.” As she asks us how we would feel about changing the flow, we ask ourselves, is it the lush jazz chords changing the flow or is this even bigger? Taylor seems unafraid to add a lil’ hip hop flow to a lil’ soul. And that mix sounds like the dreamy futuristic world where only Ms. Badu and Ms. Monae have been taking us. Chill Martin complements with rhymes that remind us of that good ol’ Country Grammar and every childhood ditty we’ve ever forgotten. And the music video dreams just as big, with a very creative and inventive blacklight scene that keeps us floating. Somehow, Taylor has managed to take a home-sweet-home feeling and update it for a sophisticated crowd with get-down sensibilities.
Love it? So do we. If you’re in NYC, tell all your friends that you have plans this Friday the 13th. The album release party kicks off at 8 pm in the IRC on Columbia’s campus (552 W114th St btw Broadway and Amsterdam). For more info, click here.
P.S. Expect a lot more from the incredible Olivia Harris (CC’13) this year on the site! More info. to come.
Since my little hiatus, a lot has happened in the world of music—too much really, but not enough at the same time. The summer is known for a lot of things in NYC, from tourists swarming Times Square and ConEd thriving in overpriced bills, to lots of weekend BBQs and getaways to popular beach spots (no matter how gross they are). But perhaps most of all, it’s known for its wonderful music festivals and shows. So I’ve compiled a list of interesting events, and of course, the top 10 songs of Summer 2013.
Based on Billboard, iTunes, MySpace, the VMAs, and my own bias (sorry, I refuse to include Miley on here), here’s the list:
Avicii, “Wake Me Up”
Robin Thicke, “Blurred Lines”
Daft Punk, “Get Lucky”
Jay-Z, “Holy Grail” (I mean, we could highlight the whole album, really)
Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Can’t Hold Us” (seriously, this is played at least once an hr on the radio)
Ellie Goulding, “I Need Your Love,” “Burn” (& “Fall Into the Sky” if you so please)
Miguel, “Adorn”
Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX, “I Love It”
Kendrick Lamar “B*tch, Don’t Kill My Vibe“
Lorde, “Royals” (I know I said 10, but she’s probably going to blow up, so just think of it as a bonus)
So to recap this summer…
Daft Punk took us into another decade* (once again) with Random Access Memories
The hippies of the 21st Century took the “high life” to another level
Jay Z and JT changed the face of music once again
And most importantly of all…I ran into Robin Thicke (more to come on this), and then a week later, Miley twerked on him
So was your summer in NYC a success? I hope so. And if not, I hope you’re at LEAST taking advantage of Made in America this weekend. Either way, there’s a lot of new music coming up so be sure to check the FB page/back here every once in a while.
Oh, and just in case you didn’t know…LEATHER IS BACK.
Back in 2004, a young Jennifer Hudson was voted off American Idol’s Season 4. Despite her impressive rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” during the prior week, America chose 6 other contestants to advance into the top spots. Now, almost 9 years later, Hudson’s career has far surpassed those of any of her fellow contestants’ careers –even the singer that won, Fantasia Barrino. Hudson’s success took off when she starred in Dreamgirls. Now Hudson sports a Grammy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Academy Award…just to name a few.
So what’s the moral of the story? Well, when it comes to TV shows, America’s voters don’t always know best. Success isn’t handed out on a platter in the music industry. A singer may have an incredible voice, but without the proper work ethic — the do what you have to do to make it type — chances are, that singer won’t have a long successful career.
Fast forward to 2013, another controversial vote occurred last week during America’s The Voice. Judith Hill, mainly known for working with Michael Jackson in preparation of his “This is It” Tour, was voted off the show. Ironically enough, America chose 6 other contestants to move into the next round, the exact number of contestants that advanced past Jennifer Hudson.
Judith Hill’s presence on the show has been fairly controversial. Many argue that she is already a professional, and that the show should be about amateurs trying to make it big. But when asked about why she went on The Voice, Judith Hill answered with a very different reason: “I had all sorts of weirdos coming at me [with possibly shady offers], and I didn’t know who to trust. I was kind of overwhelmed. You know, a lot of people may promise you the world or say certain things. I did get into a few different situations, and I learned quickly that these people weren’t right for me or they had other motives that weren’t clean. I learned a lot. It was good to go through that process and realize that I’ve got to be careful.”
Shows like American Idol and The Voice give artists opportunities to not only develop their style and character, but to also gain a huge fan base. This gives them leverage. As opposed to auditioning for a record label, which has substantial power in determining how artists should be “shaped” to sell records, successful artists from The Voice are already recognized by the world–a world that is waiting for a new album. Last week, Judith Hill performed her own rendition of Will.i.am’s “That Power” (see below). Some could argue that it was an even better version than the original. Unlike many of the other contestants who looked nervous and awkward on stage, Hill graced America with her unique style, big hair, and amazing musicianship. Yet, for some reason, she was voted off.
So we have to wonder if Hill gained enough leverage to guide her own career and avoid the “weirdos,” despite being voted off early. Only time will tell, but if I had to put money on it, I’d say that she may just wind up with a few more Grammys that Jennifer Hudson herself.
Kanye’s swarming the world with his new music videos, premiering on a wall near you. His lyrics are racy, and the marketing plan is genius. If you’re in the NYC area tonight head out to one of these locations to see the next premieres:
1:15am – Louis Vuitton – E 57th St & 5th Ave
1:30am – Prada W 56th St & 5th Avenue
They throwing hate at me Want me to stay at ease Fuck you and your corporation Y’all niggas can’t control me I know that we the new slaves I know that we the new slaves
Bars & Chords ♫ Entertainment 