Royce Talks about the potential of Slaughterhouse signing to Shady records and what that could mean for hip hop. He says it would bring a balance back to hip hop because they would have the right machine backing them. Again however he says this is all hypothetical nothing is guaranteed.
“Who’s to say Slaughterhouse and Eminem ain’t did a record already?” And then he laughed. I caught up with Slaughterhouse member and Detroit emcee Royce Da 5′9 yesterday after his MTV interview made hip-hop headlines when he confirmed the Shady Records rumors. He answered three of the biggest questions fans have been asking and compared the situation to what Young Money has been able to do, which, in my opinion, was a great analogy. He finished by saying, “Slaughterhouse signing to Shady Records is not a guarantee to me or to Slaughterhouse.”
E’ arrivato, finalmente, il momento per la recensione di MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL: nuovo capitolo della lunga carriera di Mariah Carey, scritto e prodotto interamente con Tricky Stewart e The-Dream. Per onorare la mia nota passione per la diva, è giusto raccontarvi questo album nel dettaglio, traccia per traccia:
Betcha Gon’ Know (The Prologue): canzone che nasce come introduzione alle memorie di un angelo imperfetto, è in realtà uno dei brani migliori dell’album e dell’intero repertorio della Carey degli ultimi anni. Un r&b raffinatissimo con un’intensa interpretazione vocale che restituisce alla perfezione i sentimenti di tradimento e vendetta raccontati nel testo. La mia preferita in assoluto.
Obsessed: chiacchieratissimo primo singolo per i presunti riferimenti ad Eminem (ve ne avevo parlato QUI), caratterizzato da un andamento ipnotico e dall’utilizzo dell’auto-tune, con un risultato estremamente radio friendly e in linea con il sound urban del momento. Leggero e divertente.
H.A.T.E.U.: l’acronimo del titolo sta per Having A Typical Emotional Upset. Il brano è una delle slow jam per eccellenza di questo album e si candida a diventare una delle preferite dei fans. Forse un po’ troppo cantilenante, ma con un arrangiamento particolarmente riuscito.
Candy Bling: ritmo a schiocco di dita, sensualità profusa per un’interpretazione a lume di candela. Non è decisamente fra le mie preferite.
Ribbon: probabile prossimo estratto. Una ninna nanna ipnotizzante, con un fraseggio killer e Mariah che splende in quello che sa fare meglio: r&b di altissimo livello.
Inseparable: anche questa viaggia sui ritmi della slow jam urban e cita Time After Time di Cindy Lauper. Risente dell’essere la quarta ballad consecuitva e la noia fa capolino, nonostante l’uso profuso dei noti sovracuti della diva.
Standing O: fra le mie preferite dell’album. Accellera i ritmi con un r&b più sostenuto e nello stile a filastrocca che a reso noto il duo The Dream/Tricky Stewart (avete presente Umbrella di Rihanna?). La voce della Carey impreziosisce il tutto con una delle interpretazioni più convincenti dell’album.
It’s a Wrap: qui i toni si fanno quasi blues. Atmosfere vintage per una delle slow jam migliori dell’album e una performance vocale da applauso.
Up Out My Face: uptempo frizzante, uno degli episodi più easy dell’album. Bello l’intro al pianoforte che poi esplode in un’arrangiamento da marcia che si palesa nella traccia…
Up Out My Face (Reprise) con la melodia proposta in salsa banda con le majorettes.
More Tha Just Friends: questa campiona One More Chance del compianto The Notorious B.I.G. al servizio di un testo particolarmente divertente e ricco di citazioni multilingua. Peccato la melodia un po’ debole e troppo ripetitiva.
The Impossible: qui la noia inizia a farsi sentire pesantemente. E’ l’ennesimo episodio di r&b rallentatissimo: evitabile.
The Impossible (The Reprise): anche un reprise? quando è troppo è troppo!
Angel (Prelude): solo un intro, anche un pochino inutile se vogliamo, per sfoggiare qualche high notes di troppo.
Angels Cry: una ballad, ma dal sapore rigorosamente r&b, nella migliore tradizione di Mariah. Fra le tracce migliori dell’album, ha perfino le carte in regola per diventare una hit negli Stati Uniti. Davvero bella e con una performance vocale in crescendo fra le migliori degli ultimi anni.
Languishing (The Interlude): una piccola composizione, che riporta indietro negli anni, alle atmosfere dei vecchi album della diva. Un gioiellino, che fa da introduzione alla cover che chiude il disco.
I Want To Know What Love Is: secondo singolo estratto (ve ne avevo parlato QUI). Cover del successo firmato Foreigners negli anni ‘80, è una power ballad perfettamente in linea con la produzione più romantica di Mariah, che si abbandona ad un’interpretazione dolcissima e particolarmente ispirata, impreziosita da un’ottima performance vocale. Virtuosa ma non eccessiva. Perfetta chiusura di questo nuovo capitolo che è a tutti gli effetti un concept album dedicato all’amore.
Tirando le somme, se avete avuto la pazienza di leggere fino a qui, questo Memoirs abbandona i sound più modaioli e da classifica (presenti anche negli ultimi album stessi della Carey) a favore di un r&b elegantissimo, sofisticato e d’atmosfera. Ben scritto, prodotto e cantato divinamente: la cura è minimale in ogni dettaglio e sfumatura. E rende il tutto prezioso. Perfino i virtuosismi vocali sono, una volta tanto, non fini a se stessi ma a favore delle melodie e delle canzoni. I testi, poi, denotano uno stile di scrittura sempre più personale, strasbordante di riferimenti auotbiografici e cultura americana, che ci restituiscono una Mariah sempre patinata ma più vera e vicina del solito.
Stupirà i fan questo Memoirs e resterà nel tempo. Probabilmente annoierà (pesantemente) tutti gli altri per la mancanza di hit spiccatamente radiofoniche e per l’eccessiva lunghezza (17 tracce, di questi tempi da fruizione iPod, sono davvero troppe). Ma in fondo, poco importa, perchè questo è un album per fare l’amore: non ci sono davvero dubbi. E l’amore, quando è fatto bene, ha i suoi ritmi e le sue atmosfere. Mariah, evidentemente, lo sa bene: finalmente è tornata a raccontarcelo.
In 1984, Def Jam Records was born. Def Jam was the brain child of New York University student Rick Rubin and he gave birth to what would be come one of the biggest record labels ever in his dorm room. It’s been 25 years and VH1 is honoring & celebrating the legacy that is Def Jam Records.
The show was taped last nigth at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The show which is set to include performances from Mary J. Blige, Method Man, DMX, Eminem, Ja Rule, Fabolous, Onyx, Redman, Kid Rock, Warren G, Trey Songz, and more.
Here’s a taste of the red carpet:
VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009 airs on Tuesday, October 13th, at 9 pm ET/PT only on Vh1.
The music video aimed to support Drake’s single “Forever”, which is the theme song for LeBron James’ forthcoming documentary “More Than a Game”, has just been debuted. The premiere of the video comes more than two weeks after two on-set pictures taken during the shooting of the clip were posted on the Twitter page of a fan who goes by the name iLuvlola.
More than 6 minutes long, the music video reportedly shot in a club in Miami in early September, was produced by Boi-1da and directed by Hype Williams. It mostly features scenes captured inside a huge night club which is packed with partygoers. Basketball star LeBron is featured at the very beginning of the video. He is shown sitting inside a car with laptop on his laps as Drake begins singing the song.
Hip-hop artist Kanye West makes a cameo in the music video. He is videotaped singing some verses being surrounded by fireworks. Lil Wayne is seen in the clip singing in between sexy girls. Eminem is featured rapping in the companion of some other male stars. On top of all, the music video also shows clips of LeBron during his high school years and as a kid playing basketball. (via aceshowbiz) WATCH VIDEO HERE!
The video for the biggest song of the year is here. Drizzy, Yeezy, Weezy, and Em all make their appearances in order while highlights of LeBron’s early life are shown throughout the video. The video is probably not up to par with the song, as the visuals get a little hectic, especially during Drake’s verse, but it will do. LeBron playing online poker at the beginning of the video doesn’t make sense either, but hey its a dope song. Close your eyes if it bothers you that much I guess.
R.A. The Rugged Man teamed up with members of the Black Market Militia (Tragedy Khadafi, Hell Razah & Timbo King) for The Renaissance a few years back and will also be featured on his upcoming Legendary Classics Volume 1 due out 10-27-09. http://hulkhatetimetravel.com/2009/09/03/legendary-classics-volume-1-r-a-the-rugged-man/
The Renaissance – R.A. The Rugged Man Feat. Hell Razah, Timbo King & Tragedy Khadafi
Funny Vlog from Mr. Crustified Dibbs where he does his best Joe Budden impersonation, touches on how the music industry has Hip-Hop all fucked up, racist e-mails, Lil Wayne being over-rated and name dropping.
I usually don’t watch MTV’s Video Music Awards, mainly because I don’t watch videos, and I think most music they play sucks anyway, but this year I decided to at least watch some of it, man I’m glad I did. I’m even more happy that I DVR-ed it so I can see all the crazy shenanigans I missed because of Sunday Night Football. These are the things I did see though….
First of all, I’ve never been a Madonna fan, until now. Her opening speech/monologue was perfectly immaculate. It both humanized and exhausted and Michael Jackson to his rightful place, King. Long live his legacy! I’m glad to say that I share her birthday after that one.
The opening performance was a tribute to that legacy. When the dancing paused and that white washed Scream video began to play the crowd went nuts. Janet Jackson gave probably one of the most emotion filled performances of her life, even more so than when JT ripped her titty out at the Super Bowl, HA!
As an aside, that video effect at the end, where MJ and JJ were standing hugging each other, and the picture blacked out to only show MJ’s face…..DOPE.
Then the show really began. I’d like to say that, as a host, I love Russell Brand. He’s genius. He hosted the show well, and kept me entertained both with his jokes and the mannerisms of a heroine junkie.
I was excited to see that Wale and UCB were doing the music for the night, DC stand up! Did anyone else notice though that the crowd didn’t seem to be getting into it though? MTV just doesn’t understand that DC flavor, anyone that keeps up with America’s Best Dance Crew knows what I’m talking about. Anyways……
The next thing I saw was Taylor Swift winning her award, followed immediately by the most ignorant thing I’ve seen in my life. Kanye West. Don’t get me wrong I like his music, and love his beats, but with each display of such heightened ignorance it’s harder and harder to support the brotha. I’m not a Taylor Swift fan, in fact I sort of despise country music, but that’s irrelevant. Somewhere, thousands of people voted for her song/video to win. While Beyonce’s video might have been better to some, it wasn’t better to the majority, Taylor Swift won fair and square. I think Kanye’s outburst was more about Kanye not winning ANYTHING than it was about Beyonce not winning, here’s why, who remembers this clip from 2007’s VMAs…
…I thought you were done with MTV and “this pop shit” Kanye. Moreover, if it wasn’t about himself, Kanye, why are you so concerned with Beyonce winning? She’s already on top of the world. Get off of Jay-Z’s d!c% already.
Speaking of Beyonce, she killed her performance. Something about about 100 half-naked women gyrating is pretty cool, what could that be? Nah seriously though, it was a good performance. Also, Beyonce deserves all the praise in the world for being a classy and honorable woman. She tried her best to right the wrongs that Kanye unleashed with his tirade. It really showed her in a light that we don’t get to see her in. I gained a lot of respect for her last night. Big ups B!
Somewhere else in the night of Video Music accolades Pink wanted the world to know that she’s phasing music out and taking up the art of the trapeze full-time. HAHA just kidding, but what was all that about? I get it. I’m safe, up high, nothing can touch me….I have two words for her though….OWEN HART.
Moving on. Lady GaGa. WTF. That chick is crazy daring. I feel her, not her outfits, and not really her music either. Her voice was a lot better than I thought it was though. Any ideas what was up with the blood though? I also thought it was kinda funny that she dedicated her award to “the gays” with Eminem next to her, all he could do was nod.
Also, big up to Eminem on his award. It’s been a long time is right my dude. Don’t like the song you won it with, but hey, I’m glad you won, now give me some more new music.
All in all, that’s about all I remember seeing during my first run through of the VMA’s. I’ll get to watching it in it’s entirety (minus commercials of course, I LOVE my DVR) probably Tuesday night. Nothing comes on TV on Tuesdays, nothing good at least, and tonight’s a double header on Monday Night Football. Football is definitely more important.
Eminem won the MTV award for Best Hip Hip Video last night for “We Made You”, off of newly released “Relapse” LP, which spoofs US Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, Amy Winehouse and Jessica Simpson.
Accepting his award he thanked his fans and Dr Dre, among others, and dedicated the award to the late rapper and lifetime friend Proof, who was fatally shot in 2006, saying: “Proof, this one’s for you.”
While paying tribute at Proofs’ Funeral in 06, Eminem stated… “Proof, he loved people, and people loved him. He was just a people magnet. When you first met him, you wanted to know more about him,” said Eminem, who wore a black suit and occasionally wiped his eye as he stood by the gold-colored casket. “Without Proof, there would be no Eminem, no Slim Shady and no D12. You’re the man.”
Eminem accepting the Best Hip Hop Video award for ‘We Made You’ at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Source: MTV- Copyright belongs to MTV
