McCain kills the set!
man listen to that sticking.. get it John..
Unreleased Beyonce Joint..
Here's a Beyonce joint that didn't make the final cut of the I Am...Sasha Fierce album. It's produced by Stargate and titled, "Roc." Matthew Knowles stated that his daughter recorded more than 70 tracks for her latest album. She's definitely talking about her hubby Jay-Z in the song. It's a nice track. I am sure that eventually we will see a Deluxe Edition for this disc and I am sure some of those unreleased tracks will find a place on there. Listen to the track below:
"Roc"
This Year in Music 2008...
The year is almost coming to a close in approximately 1 month. 2008 was supposed to be the year that we would hear some albums that we have been anticipating for a while. Some of them were released and others were not. Beyonce released her album I Am...Sasha Fierce as expected and so did Kanye with 808's and Heartbreak. Many were eager to hear Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 and Dr. Dre's Detox. Even, Michael Jackson was supposed to drop an album this year. It looks like we won't hear those albums until next year. Kanye has pretty much confirmed that Jay-Z's album won't be released until 2009. Recently, it has been confirmed by Jimmy Iovine that Dre won't drop this year either. I haven't heard anything about Michael Jackson's album so I guess it's safe to assume that it won't be coming out either. However, that is how things can go in the music world. Release dates often change and, especially for these albums that we expect to be masterpieces, it takes time to deliver classic material. I was really hoping that Detox would drop this year. I thought it was really going to happen since it was confirmed by so many, but if you remember last week, Eminem's album was cited as being the cause of the delay. I am definitely excited to hear Jay-Z's album as well, but maybe it's good we will these albums to anticipate next year.
Who's done the most damage in 2008 so far? The culprit seems to be Lil Wayne with his album Tha Carter III. The current stats on the album is about 2.4 million copies sold for the year of 2008. The thing that made Tha Carter III so phenomenal was it's first week sales, which surpassed a million copies. If you want to factor in total album sales for the year, Mariah Carey and Lil Wayne are pretty much neck in neck, according to the research I have done. However, Lil Wayne smoked Mariah Carey in the first week, who sold about 463,000 copies. T.I. did fairly well this year too selling about 500,000 copies in it's first week, with his album Paper Trail. Currently, the album is certified Platinum and I believe it will sell more. His single, "Live Your Life" ft. Rihanna is also doing damage on the Billboard Charts. In fact, it beat out Beyonce on the charts this week holding the #1 spot
Kanye's and Beyonce's albums were recently released and have the potential to do major damage as far as album sales are concerned. Beyonce has already went Gold in the first week and Kanye is expected to do the same. I wonder if they will have enough time to surpass Lil Wayne or even Mariah with one more month to go in the year? Will both albums sell as much as Lil Wayne, when it's all said and done. I really hope that Kanye's album continues to do well. I also believe that the album is going to do sell very well overseas.
You may ask, what left for 2008? Who else is going to drop? Common is going to drop his album Universal Mind Control on December 9th. Also, look out for Akon, Britney Spears, Keyshia Cole, Jamie Foxx, Brutha, Anthony Hamilton, Musiq Soulchild, Brandy, and Avant to drop this year.
Throwback Toni Braxton - Breathe Again
Toni is coming soon with a new album! Classic Babyface/La Reid:
It Looks Like D'Angelo Is Really Coming Back..
There have been rumors circling around for a while that D' Angelo is working on his comeback and it looks like the "Brown Sugar" crooner may be closer to making that "comeback" reality. According to sources, D' Angelo is going through a rigorous workout routine and trying to get in shape for his upcoming album and tour. His as yet untitled album is currently in the recording process and is scheduled for release in mid 2009. Sources say that D' Angelo wants the album to be classic and I'm sure that it will be. D' Angelo is one of my favorite artists period and I am pleased that his life is on back on track. His spokesperson recently stated, ""This is the next level of his artistic expression. He is like a proud father and this album is his musical child. This album will be well worth the wait." To accompany the release, D' Angelo will headline a major tour and is working hard to get in shape. I wish I had some scoop on who he's currently in the lab with at this time, but I unfortunately don't. The minute that I find out, I will indeed share. I wonder if he will stick to his usual element or venture into something new? I guess we will have to see. I would just simply love for him to pick up where he left off. He's an amazing artist. The excitement of his new release is looming everywhere too. Reportedly, RCA Music Group is backing him 100%, especially due to the buzz single, "I Found My Smile Again," which is exclusively available on Itunes and a remake or old song. The response of the single is good is increasing his buzz. I can't wait to hear the album.
9th Wonder did drop a classic beat for Luda.. and Premo killed it too!!
damn.. taking me back to the 90s with these.. classic premo jam
"808's and Heartbreak" Headed For Great Debut and Luda Has a Good First Week Too..
Kanye recently dropped his album 808's and Heartbreak this week and it's already on track to sell anywhere from 450,000-500,000 copies in the first week. The official results will be available next week and that is definitely a great debut for Kanye. However, I was hoping he would sell a million. The album is indeed worthy of such recognition and is one of the best albums this year. This is Kanye third No.1 album and this will actually be his third biggest debut of his music career. So if you have not bought the album, then definitely go get it. As far as I am concerned, you won't be disappointed if you have an open mind.
Luda's Theater of Mind was also released this week. He is on track to selling about 175,000-225,000 copies in the first week, which is not bad actually. Quite frankly, Ludadris is selling more than I thought he would. I haven't listened to Luda's album yet, but I heard it's pretty good. I guess I need to check it out and formulate my own opinion. I believe that if Luda would've waited until next week to drop his album, then he would've had better results. I mean, I don't think that was a smart move, but I guess what's done is done right? Still, he is having a fairly respectable first week of sales so both of them has something to smile about.
Throwback Joint-"Dear Mama" by Tupac
Happy Thanksgiving to you all from Stayondeck.com! Enjoy your family and friends. Most of all, be thankful for everything that you have right now, especially life. Give to the less fortunate this year if you are able to give. Here's a video from the legendary Tupac Shakur titled, "Dear Mama." This is one of my favorite Tupac joints. Enjoy reminiscing on the video and enjoy mama's cookin' this Thanksgiving too. LOL!! R.I.P Pac!!! You are definitely one of the greatest rappers of all time and we miss you!!! This is Rowrytah signing out...
R Kells remix to Like a Boy.. Kells gets emotional
woah... calm down Kells it isn't that serious.. How about these lyrics for a remix -- If I were a girl I'd stay at home all day and play with my boobs etc.
"Wayne, What's in that cup?"
Good afternoon stayondecker's! Like I said on my previous post I've been very ill. I've been in and out of my physician's office for a simple cough that has just turned out-right nasty now: Scratchy throat, chest pains, dry coughs, and fevers. Lately I've been feeling better. They downed my dosage and now I'm on my way to recovery. That medication did wonders instantly! Intrigued by its instant effect I simply decided to google it to see what exactly it is. I simply typed in "Promethazine Codeine" and my search results were unbelieveable. Before I can even see any medical facts or any Rx pages, a ridiculous amount of pictures of Lil' Wayne and Pimp C came out holding their styrofoam cups. Call me naive but every time I've seen Wayne holding that cup I've just assumed he's a very thirsty person. I did my research on this so called drink which they call "Lean, Drank, Purple Drank, Sizzurp, Barre". It seems that this is a Houston movement. It originated in Houston. It seems that in Houston(and apparently now the whole U.S.) abuse the cough syrup Promethazine/Codeine to get a high off of it. Apparently, this was responsible for Pimp C's and DJ Screw's death. After the autopsy, the coroner concluded that Pimp C's death was due to sleep apnea. True, but if you do your research you can see Promethazine contributes to sleep apnea. Here's another thing: Former San Diego Chargers free safety, Terrence Kiel, was arrested in September 2006 because he tried to ship a numerous amount of Prometh/Codeine to his friend in Texas. Early this year, Terrence died in a car crash when coming back from a teammate's 4th of July party. When the autopsy came back for him he apparently died from mechanical asphyxia....another side effect of Prometh. Am I really the only person that caught this?!?!?! I'm not here to be someone's mother. Im not here to tell you how to live. Im not here to offended anybody's ways. Im not here to veer off the music subject. I just really want to get some info out there: I personally do not want to see some off the industry's favorites die(or anybody for that matter) because of something so stupid. Drug abuse is extremely dangerous. We really should think about what we do and what we induce into our bodies. Thanks for reading my rant stayondecker's.
Throwback Joint: D'Angelo - Brown Sugar
I apologize Stayondecker's. I've been very ill and have not had the chance to post up regularly. My meds have had me in bed, sleeping, unwillingly and I'm hoping to get better really soon. Anyway, here's a throwback joint for ya'll.
No "Detox" This Year...
We all have been waiting for Dr. Dre's Detox to come out for years, only to get disappointed. Earlier this year, it was finally confirmed that Detox would drop by the end of the year. Well, the end of the year is quickly approaching and there still is no word of Detox's release until now. Recently, the Chairman of Interscope Jimmy Iovine shed some light on why Detox has been pushed back. Basically, he states that Dre had to stop working on his album in order to work on Eminem's upcoming project. His exact words are as follows: “We lost Dr. Dre to Eminem. Dre had to stop making his album to finish Eminem's album. Eminem hit a streak, and when a guy like Eminem gets on fire, you stop everything. Dre's going back in January. He'll be finished with Eminem by then, and he'll finish his album.”
Iovine stated that Eminem was supposed to drop at this end of this year as well to replace Dr. Dre's album. It looks like we will probably see Eminem's album before we see Dre's and we are talking next year folks. So for all of you who hoped to hear Detox this year, then get ready for some disappointment. I pretty much figured that all of these promises by Bishop Lamont and definite clarifications about the album dropping this year was just going to be a broken promise. We have been waiting for that album for what it seems to be "centuries." Iovine states that we will most likely hear both albums next year, however he did not make any promises. I am actually getting tired of buying into this Detox hype. When I hear a guaranteed single, then I will get excited....
Kanye West Interviews with Angie Martinez...
Kanye just released his new album 808's and Heartbreak and he's getting the promotion into full gear. Recently, he sat down to talk to Hot 97's Angie Martinez about the new album. This is a dope album and I encourage everyone to check it out. Some fans are confused by the album, but I am loving it. Check out the full interview below. Click on the links below to hear the interview:
Full Interview Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Kanye and Beyonce Perform at the American Music Awards 2008
Both Kanye and Beyonce recently performed at the American Music Awards. Beyonce performed "Single Ladies" and Kanye performed "Heartless." Beyonce is expected to hit Gold this week and Kanye's album debuts this week. I am pretty sure that Kanye will see those Beyonce numbers or even go over that. Do you think Kanye can sell a million in the first week? Anyway, enjoy the performances.
The Re-Release of "Seeing Sounds"
It seems that The Neptunes wants some of that holiday cash. N.E.R.D plans to re-release their album "Seeing Sounds, which was released earlier this year. The album will include three new tracks and will be released just in time for Christmas. Apparently, this news was recently confirmed by Shae at the Play Clothes Release Party the other day. For those of you who have been reading for a while, I am a major fan of The Neptunes or shall I say N.E.R.D. I really enjoyed "Seeing Sounds," but I still think that "In Search of...," which was their first album, ranks as my favorite.
In other N.E.R.D news, the group is currently on tour in Europe. They are also in the process of releasing another single from Seeing Sounds titled "Sooner or Later." In my opinion, I think "Yeah You" would've been a better choice for a single, but "Sooner or Later" is a nice track too though...
New Music: Bobby Valentino - Pull It Off
Exclusive new music from Bobby Valentino produced by Timbaland. This one is called Pull It Off. I wanted to treat all stayondeck.com readers and supporters because I know we have a large amount of Bobby V. fans. Don't forget, Bobby's new album The Rebirth will be in stores 1/27/2009. Tell me what you think.
Luda, 'Ye, and The Killers get rare Monday releases
I always anticipate Tuesdays. I wake up, get fresh, head out the door and have one thing on my mind, "Hmmm, whose album is dropping today?". New Music Tuesday has always been a tradition for as long as I can remember....this tradition has been broken. It is speculated in order to boost sales for the holidays, Kanye, Ludacris, and The Killers are dropping their albums a day sooner on Monday. It seems like we all are getting a little pleasant holiday surprise. I believe when SoundScan numbers come in next Monday, they will post up monsterous numbers. Who's album are you going to get?
Kanye's Offers Myspace Preview Tonight...
Indeed, Kanye's album doesn't hit stores until next week, but he's giving fans a sneak peak of the album. Tonight, on myspace.com, you will be able to listen to Kanye's full length album starting at 3 AM. Kanye is joining Beyonce, Guns and Roses, and Paul McCartney in this myspace promotional scheme. So for all of you Kanye fans who have not heard 808's and Heartbreak, don't forget to go his myspace page tonight to check out the album.
J. Dilla Tribute...Remembering a Legend..
J Dilla aka Jay Dee is considered to be one of the greatest producers of all time. In my opinion, he actually didn't get enough credit commercially, but had the respect of many music-heads, producers, and artists. In addition, to being a producer, J Dilla was a talented emcee as well.
You probably distinctly remember him from the group Slum Village, which hailed from Detroit, Michigan. After his tenure with Slum Village, J Dilla went solo and got even more into his production. He commonly worked with artists within The Soulquarians movement, in which he was the founding member. Some of the artists within this collective was Common, Erykah Badu, D' Angelo, Talib Kweli, and Bilal, just to name a few. He actually had a major production role on one of my favorite Common albums Like Water For Chocolate.
Sadly, the talented producer passed away in early 2006 in the arms of his mother known as Ma Dukes. He suffered from an incurable blood disease and Lupus. His last albums released were "Donuts" and "The Shining" released in 2006.
Today, I would just like to recognize the talented producer and his legacy. For those of you who are unfamiliar with J Dilla, then take a look at this collection of tribute videos below. I also posted the video "Won't Do" from his album "The Shining." J Dilla is truly missed in the Hip-Hop community and his legacy will continue to thrive. Enjoy the videos and good-bye to a legend!
Is Beyonce On Her Way to Number 1?
Beyonce's new album I Am.....Sasha Fierce was released earlier this week on November 18th. According to current reports, it looks like the songstress is headed for a #1 debut next week. The latest numbers show that Beyonce's album will probably end it's first week debut with anywhere from 500-550,000 copies sold. Beyonce definitely seems to be a roll too. If the reports are true, this will be Beyonce's third No. 1 album and I am sure the numbers are going to be accurate.
It seems that fans are mixed about this album. Some are saying that this album is one of Beyonce's best, while some label the release as "garbage" and claim that she is falling off. Regardless, of how people feel about this album, I think that Beyonce will continue to have respect in the music community for a while. She has been on top for a while now and it would definitely be weird to see her at the bottom. Furthermore, I am actually surprised that Beyonce is not getting those platinum numbers in her first week. I thought for sure that she would get close to those Lil' Wayne numbers. Either way it goes, gold is still great for the first week. She is definitely on track to have one of the biggest first week debuts on the year.
Album "Overview": 808's and Heartbreak
Over the the last couple of years, Kanye West has been one of the most respectable and consistent rappers in the game: his rhymes are ridiculous, his productions are very recognizable, and his voice is unmistakable...but most importantly, he's a very creative man who likes that stand out of a crowd and come with something different every time, and that is exactly what he came with in 808's and Heartbreak. Let's get into this CD shall we?............
First and foremost, I believe that sing you sing a song it really limits you from alot of things. It's very hard to be expressive when you've been a rapper for so long. This is the very first thing that I noticed when first listened to the entire album. Kanye really sounds monotone throughout the album. It's very hard to stay concentrated on this album to be honest. Another thing, it's difficult to deliver clever and witty metaphors when singing, it just sounds too odd. I sat there patiently hoping to hear one of Kanye's usual outbursts and did not hear anything. The album starts out with "Say You Will", a very awesome track that also stays on theme with a heart monitor chiming throughout the song. I really enjoyed the beat on the second track, "Welcome to Heartbreak". 'Ye also brings it on this track. The only thing that bugs me about it is that it seems that Kanye used way too much distortion on his voice. Sounds like I'm listening to AM frequency radio. Track 3 is the second single of the album, "Heartless". In my opinion, its just another heartbreak song with a nice tune. "Amazing" featuring Jeezy is a respectable track. I really enjoyed Young Jeezy. "Paranoid" really got me bobbing my head. This is personally my favorite track. We actually get to enjoy Kanye rap this song and it has a killer beat with an 80's feel to it. "Robocop" is a very odd track. It'll be one of those love/hate tracks. Another track I enjoyed on this album was "See You in My Nightmares". Wayne adds that extra touch to it. The CD ends off with "Coldest Winter". Also, a good track but it's very redundant because he repeats every line. I honestly did not want to get into this review thoroughly because I really feel like this project was really done as a prototype to see if it would work. Either that or for the real Kanye fans. I enjoyed this album but there was never any anticipation from me like in the last albums where I would stand outside Virgin Records and we until the stroke of midnight to cop the album. It really saddens me as a big Kanye fan. I miss the 2nd verse of "All Falls Down". I miss the first 30 seconds of "Get Em High". I miss the crazy metaphors bar after bar. I miss the Common, GLC, Consequence, Dwele, Jigga, and Talib collaborations. I miss the old Kanye......
Kanye, I hope Graduation wasn't the last time we heard you drop rhymes. :(
2 Pistols ft. Lloyd - Let It Go
Although I'm not a big fan of 2 Pistols, I see this song being huge. Lloyd kills the chorus. Tell me what you think.
Rolling Stone: 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
The latest issue of Rolling Stone Magazine has the 100 greatest singers of all time. I love this list. They truly did some thorough research. Some familiar popular faces that we are accustomed to see all the time are: Mary J. Blige at 100, Mariah Carey at 79, and surprisingly, Christina Aguilera at 58. They also legends like: Gladys Knight at 51, Al Green at 14, Stevie Wonder at 9, Ray Charles at 2, and the all-powerful Aretha Franklin at the best of all time. I personally haven't given something like this much thought. It's more of an opinion. We know all of people will agree with the list but I've also spoken to people who are infuriated that certain people were placed above others. Again, i like this list and Rolling Stone is one of the most credible mag's out there, but ultimately, this is an opinion. Who do you guys think is Number 1?
Great Advice from The Neptunes...
This interview was conducted a few years ago, but I thought I would post it. It's some helpful advice to aspiring producers from The Neptunes.
Is T-Pain the Auto-Tune King?
I am sure that many of you are familiar with Auto-Tune and T-Pain has received a lot of credit for bringing it back. Would you consider him to be the master at using Auto-Tune? Many people feel that he is. In a recent interview with Rhapsody.com, T-Pain discusssed his use of Auto-Tune. Also, Kanye and and Lil Wayne, pretty much gave their blessings to T-Pain as being the King of using it. T-Pain recently stated: "I brought it back. I didn't start it. I didn't invent the damn thing. People think that I feel that way when I say that I should get respect or recognition for bringing it back. Lil Wayne will tell you right now that the only reason he is doing it is because of me. He saw that people accepted it."
Reportedly, Kanye recruited T-Pain for his upcoming album 808's and Heartbreak. In reference to working with Kanye, T-Pain stated:"Kanye called and said, 'I got to borrow your style for a second.'," T-Pain explained. "He's kept it a little longer than he said he would he was going to, but at least he gives me the props."
Now considering that many artists are jumping on the Auto-Tune bandwagon, such as Lil Wayne and Kanye West, who sounds the best using it? I definitely would like to know your opinions on this matter.
Ne-Yo ft. Fabolous - How I Do
Just in case you guys haven't heard it. Ne-Yo and 'Loso plan on making a joint album(kind of like R.Kelly and Jay-Z)
J. Holiday - Sing 2 U
New track by J. Holiday. I really enjoy it. I can't wait until he releases a new album. I really enjoyed Back of my 'Lac but it seems like he is not working on anything yet or is keeping it under wraps very good. What do ya'll think of the track?
Catch Bobby Valentino on 106th & Park tomorrow!!!
Bobby Valentino - Beep (featuring Yung Joc)
Bobby Valentino is going to premiere his new video for "Beep" ft. Yung Joc this tomorrow on 106th & Park. It was originally going to be Thursday but was fronted to tomorrow. Do not miss it. The Rebirth, Bobby's new CD under his own record label Blu Kolla Dreams, will be in stores on 1/27/2009.
Artists are Relying on Promotional Schemes Nowadays..
In this music age where downloading music is the thing to do, artists are getting more creative in the promotion department. It's not as easy to sell a million records as it was years ago. Musicians have progressed to releasing double-disc CD releases in an effort to sell more records. Artists such as Beyonce, Nelly, R. Kelly, have ventured into this realm. Some artists have even added extra bonus DVD's to the CD package. Nowadays, many artists are re-releasing their albums and adding bonus songs. You may ask yourself why are they doing this? In my opinion, the answer is pretty logical. The music industry is trying to make as much money as they can, since record sales have declined throughout the years. So many artists have re-released their projects already this year, such as Rihanna, Alicia Keys, and Chris Brown.
Many people have predicted that we've approached the end of physical CD sales and I really believe that's true. Oftentimes, people download CD's or just get them free from various online programs. Rapper Commmon is relying on a promotional scheme by selling his latest project Universal Mind Control for 99 Cents on Zune.com on the first day that it's released. That's a pretty clever idea, but will it work? I am definitely interested to see how Common's plan will turn out. Lil Wayne is also trying something different with his upcoming album and will re-release the Carter III with completely new tracks. Even Q-Tip tried to jazz things up a little by releasing his album on Election Day. Before concluding, I have to ask myself if things will ever get better in the music department. I honestly don't think that it will. CD sales are continually declining and people are still downloading, but can we totally blame album sales strictly on downloading, however? I believe that there are a few answers to this question. First, the economy is definitely affecting the industry. Secondly, the current music material that artists are releasing is just not as appealing at it was years ago. Quite frankly, I believe that most of these albums nowadays are not even worth buying. Many artists are just not taking the time to release a good, quality album anymore. People want to feel like their money is well spent when they purchase an album. True, there are some jewels out there, but they are definitely scarce. Artists will continue to get creative with album releases and try different marketing schemes in an effort to get their fans interested in buying their albums.
T Pain on track to sell about 120-130,000
Thanks to Dave for betting with me! He bet me that T Pain would sell more than 250,000...Pay up Dave!! but hooooold up.. I gotta make a comment on this video. Is he comparing auto tune to Roger Troutman and Teddy Riley. He knows that what they were using wasn't auto tune. Just to clear this up for people: Auto tune is a plug in. You put it on your voice and it works automatically to pull your "off notes" to a key center. The Vocoder that Teddy Riley used would not put you on key. You had to have a tube in your mouth and play an instrument at the same time in order for it to work. It takes a million times more skill to use a vocoder and only a few group of singer/instrumentalist could really work it. I am not an auto tune hater but if you use auto tune don't compare an automated digital effect to a manual instrument effect.. Just be happy that you use the same thing Cher used in the 90s but can actually make money with it.
Beyonce Performance on AOL Sessions...
Here is a performance from Beyonce on AOL Sessions. Her new album I Am....Sasha Fierce was released today. I predict this album will definitely move a lot of units. She's definitely still a great performer judging from this video and very talented.
"Amazin" by Kanye West ft. Young Jeezy
Here is a new track from Kanye West, which will be on his upcoming album 808's and Heartbreak. The track features rapper Young Jeezy. A few days ago, Kanye made these following comments in reference to working with the rapper:"We've been doing pretty good with the singles I'm dropping. We'll put this one out today, and hopefully get more sales because of it. It's got Jeezy on it. Jeezy came down to Hawaii with us. Every time I write a chorus or write any type of hook, I be like, 'Man what would Jeezy do.' Niggas have big bumper stickers with 'What would Jesus do?" but my shit is 'What would Jeezy do? What would he say on this record?' I make my shit straight white t-shirt ready at all given times. So, he came down and helped out. But he actually helped with other records. So it's records that's straight singing records that have Jeezy lines on it. And you'll feel that energy throughout the entire joint."
I am not too sure if I like this track better than "Love Lockdown," but it's a nice track, nonetheless. Jeezy is definitely a plus on this one.
Drake In December '08 Issue of Vibe
Young rapper and actor Drake is in Vibe's new December 2008 Issue. The Canadian rapper has been looking for a deal and has finally inked a contract with Interscope Records. Before signing to Interscope, rumors were floating around that Drake was signed to Young Money Records. I personally thought that as well. Drake and Lil' Wayne are always jumping on each others records and their was even an interview with Wayne were he states that Drake is one of his new stars. If you haven't heard of Drake you might remember him from popular Nickolodeon show, Degrassi, were he played Jimmy. He's been around for about 2 years and had a single with Trey Songz called "Replacement Girl". It might be bold of me to say but I've been a big fan of Drake and I really believe he's one of the best rappers in the industry. He really is a multi-talent who can not only deliever ridiculous metaphors and "finese" with his flows but he also has a great singing voice. If you haven't heard of him before I suggest everybody to take a listen to "Comeback Season", his last mixtape. You will be in for a very pleasant surprise.
Here are a couple Drake tracks:
The Last Hope ft. Kardinal Offishal
Ransom ft. Lil' Wayne
Brand New(he sings this one) ft. Lil Wayne
The Presentation
Ne-Yo - My Diamond
This is a new track by Ne-Yo. Not an any album but I feel like this is a beautiful track. I feel real strong about this song. Perfectly sung and written.
Album Review: I Am...Sasha Fierce
With the album date approaching soon, It's only fair that Stayondeck would be one of the first to review the album. Let me start by saying that this is not your typical Beyonce/Destiny's Child album. It's divided into two parts(standard edition, their will be a deluxe edition as well): Disc 1 will be "I Am..." which has a very adult-contemporary feel to it, and Disc 2, "Sasha Fierce", which is...well...simply a mess in my opinion. Lol.
Let's start with Disc 1. The album starts off with the first single off the album "If I Were A Boy" which since the moment I heard I thought I was a very clever track. I don't believe it appeals to her younger(13-18) crowd though. The very short 6 track disc continues with a very "adult" feel to it. The following tracks: "Halo", "Diasppear", "Heart-Broken Girl" simply to not impress me much. They are good tracks but it's definitely nothing we have not heard before. Track 5 is "Ave Maria" which we've all heard everybody and their own rendition of it. Nothing special but Im sure B's fans will enjoy. Disc 1 comes to an end with "Sattelites" which I simply do not understand. In my opinion, its very redundant and simply doesn't make sense to me. (Cop the album, you'll see what I'm talking about)
So heading into Disc 2, feeling a bit undecided about the first album, Im excited to see Beyonce's alter-ego and see what she can do....Boy, was I in for a "surprise". The first track is also a single, "Single Ladies" which to me sounds like a recycled concept of "Get me Bodied" and a similar beat sequence to "Switch" by Will Smith. Track 2 is "Radio". Im not trying to be harsh on Beyonce but this song sounds like it belongs on a Miley Cyrus album. You'll like this song...if you're 9 years old. But the biggest disaster comes with "Diva". Right at the moment you play this track the first thing that'll come to mind will be "A Millie!". Identical beat sequence and most likely a Bangledesh track(not certain though). Sasha Fierce tries to show us very rapping skills and quite frankly fails....miserably. This definitely should've been left out of the album. Track 4, "Sweet Dreams" is the most tolerable track off Disc 2. It's quite catchy and if there is to be another single of this Disc this should be the one. "Video Phone" is another disaster just like "Diva" that I'm simply just not going to comment on.
Again, Im not trying to put down Beyonce but she should've stuck to her usual self and made another Dangerously In Love(which I believe is very good). Overall, this album is very shaky and sub-par at best.
Keyshia Cole A Different Me Album Cover
Keyshia Cole's new album A Different Me will be released on December 16th. Here is the official album cover. So far the album will feature appearances from Kanye West, Nas, Monica, and Tupac. As far as production is concerned, Ron Fair, Polow Da Don, Trackmasters, The Runners, Kwame, and Neffu, will offer some of their services on the album.
Beyonce Interview on Oprah
As the release date to Beyonce's new album approaches, she is doing a lot of interviews. Here's an interview that she did with Oprah the other day.
*Breaking News* Blueprint 3 Comes Out Next Year?
I am really tired of getting pulled into different directions about these albums, but I've been skeptical about the release of this album for a while now so it shouldn't come as a surprise. Haha!! In a recent interview, Kanye West stated that we would not be seeing Jay-Z's album until February. He also contends that the album is almost finished. I was expecting for this to happen though. Release dates always seem to change nowadays.
Why Didn't Kanye Stick to the School-Inspired Theme With 808's & Heartbreak?
With Kanye's new album 808's & Heartbreak, it seems that the multi-talented musician is embarking on new territory, so to speak. All of his subsequent albums have been related to the school-boy theme. The first album was titled The College Dropout. Then, he came with Late Registration, and his last album was titled, The Graduation. In a recent interview, Kanye explains why his album deviates from his usual theme. I can pretty much sum things up and remind you that Kanye has experienced a horrible loss this year with the death of his mother. And if you really think about the title of his new album, then it pretty much explains everything. 808's are basically drum kits that many producers use, including Kanye. "Heartbreak" is relatively self-explanatory. In that sense, it tells us that this album is personal in nature. Kanye recently stated:
"I'm at a listening session in the UK playing my joint right now. I love listening sessions, because it feels like Christmas Day when the parents get to see their kids open up the gifts. I feel like I try to give the gift of music. This album is based off the devastation and the hurt that I’ve felt the past year. All the hurt that I’ve felt within the past year from all the losses that I’ve endured, have sort of settled me into being this fucking super-famous alien, where everywhere I go, somebody wants a fucking photograph…it’s hard when you not really a celebrity, but you’re just a real person that ended up being famous for your craft."He continues stating:
"What’s good is that this is therapeutic for me…it’s better than suicide to just keep on putting out music and art. I got a lot of backlash for the medium that I wanted to do this in. I created a thing I call ‘Heartbreak,’ that’s like a mixed drink. It’s Auto-Tune meets distortion, with a bit of delay on it and a whole bunch of fucked up life. And that’s what I call my ‘Heartbreak.’ And that’s what every record basically has. I’m delivering what I feel like is art, and that’s what I want to deliver from this point on. The records I’m doing right now might not have high hats and shit like everything else has. But when I go out and be listening to shit like Jimi Hendrix and The [Rolling] Stones and Lenny Kravitz, they wouldn’t play no Hip Hop records in the midst of that. I feel like niggas give up on trying to make music on the Quincy Jones level. On this record I’m trying to improve my craft and take it a level that no nigga ever made it to. No niggas are rocking 50,000 people and stadiums with 100,000 people 10 years after their records came out. Anybody that saw the tour knows my goal is to take it to a whole ‘nother level."Reportedly, the album that was supposed to come after The Graduation was going to be titled, Good Ass Job. Will Kanye still go back to his school-inspired theme with his next album? From what I hear, Kanye is already getting pressure to release a new album next year.
"It’s rumors of another album coming soon. I’m not gonna put that pressure on myself. I’m probably coming with another tour in June though. But, that’s where I’m at with my life right now. I really wanted to release this music, and I forced L.A. [Reid] to give me this release date. I was like, 'Don’t fuckin’ wait months and months to set it up. Just give people the music!' I’m constantly making music."Even though it looks like Kanye will not release another album next year, it remains to be seen if we will hear Good Ass Job. Regardless, if he using the school-boy theme or not, his fans are definitely excited to hear his new album.
Myspace Beyonce Interview...
Inside the mind of Beyonce/Sasha Fierce
Myspace interviewed Beyonce about her new album I Am....Sasha Fierce. She also talks about her upcoming film project and her reaction to Barack Obama's presidential victory.
A sneak peek at 808's & Heartbreak.....
With the release of 808's & Heartbreak approaching I ask myself, "Is this album going to be groundbreaking?" Though I really like Kanye's concept and approach on this album I really believe that this album will not live up to the hype of The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation. I can't even say I will be able to compare the albums. I feel like they're too different to make any kind of comparisons. This is definitely going to be a "love it or hate it" album that's only going to appeal to die-hard fans, in my opinion. We will have to see on November 25th.
Here's a peek at a couple of more tracks of the album. How do you feel about them?
Kanye Confirms Blueprint 3's Release This Year
I've been a bit skeptical about Blueprint 3 being released this year. However, Kanye has recently confirmed to MTV that the album will be released this year. According to Kanye, the album was finished, but Jay-Z wanted to go back into the booth and record some more songs. His exact words were:
"I mean, it's phenomenal. We went in and we done the whole album. He wanted to do a few more joints, so he kinda pushed it back. Now we're gonna go in and just work on some more records. So I got some more stuff to kill it with! I think [Jay pushed the album back because] 'Swagger' just did so incredible. We wanted to go up [and make sure] everything was on that level."Well, it's already November and December is quickly approaching. Do you think they can get these other tracks finished in time? No matter what time the album comes out, I'm sure that it will be worth the wait.
"Ego" by Beyonce
Reportedly, this is going to be Beyonce's next single from her upcoming album, I Am....Sasha Fierce. Let me be one of the first to say that this song is not hot at all. It's definitely mediocre and does not scream "single" potential. I hope this will not be a single. I am definitely not impressed by what I am hearing so far from this album...
Music industry advice - I posted it in the stayondeck forum
Check out the article I wrote on the music industry. My personal experiences and theories so far. I wrote a long article so hopefully this will get you all to FINALLY subscribe to the forum and join in.. haha thanks!! Click below to join or go to the top of this page and click on forum on the link bar!
Visit stayondeck
Common's Ok Player interview..
I bet universal mind control is jamming live.. I wish Common could flip up the flow a little but still pretty hot..
Common Interview w/ OkayplayerTV from Okayplayer on Vimeo.
Common on Electric Circus, OkayplayerTV from Okayplayer on Vimeo.
Throwback-"Crusin" by D' Angelo
This is one of my favorite songs. D' Angelo did a really good job remaking this Smokey Robinson classic. I love this version just as much as the original. I am definitely a big D' Angelo fan and can't wait until he comes out with a new album. Enjoy reminiscing on this classic...
New Jay-Z Track "History"
A new track recently surfaced from Jay Hov titled, "History." This track was produced by Kanye West and comes around the time of Barack Obama's historic presidential win. Reportedly, this track will be on Blueprint 3. You can listen to the track below:
"History" by Jay-Z
New music from Beyonce and Kanye
Kanye West - Anything --(kind of sounds like a skateboard p influence..) I'm just really having mixed emotions about this new Kanye. I really like where he is going but I've actually never been that big of a fan of him as just a rapper and his singing is 100 times worse.. I've just always loved his music (production) and his vision as an artist. Plus, he makes great songs.. Don't know if singing is going to work for him.. Very Depeche Mode vibe here..
here is a Depeche Mode song this production reminds me off although I am sure there is a Depeche Mode song out there that is exactly the same as Kanye's song... I'll find it soon:
Beyonce aka Sasha Fierce one of the corniest sounding stage names I've ever heard in the history of music. In fact, the songs that leaked are called "video phone" and "diva." I'm not feeling them at all and most likely nor will you. Sounds like Beyonce is going for 1 urban album and 1 pop album on this one.. I thought it might have been a little more creative with the album concept but I guess I was being naive. Here is a link from (Necolebitchie.com) New Beyonce songs.."
I Am...Sasha Fierce Preview
Beyonce's new album will be released on November 18th. Here is a preview of some of the tracks on the album, which was originally posted on 7digital.com. Snippets of some of the tracks were compiled in this video. Does it sound good to you?
Jay-Z Last Chance for Change Video
Well, we all know that election day is almost here so things are very political right now. In the video, Jay-Z speaks to a crowd of listeners about the election. It is good to see that musicians and artists are getting involved. Remember to vote tomorrow if you haven't already!
R.I.P. Shakir Stewart
left to right: LA Reid, Sean Garrett, Shakir Stewart
Click here for full story from Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper. Details are still unclear so I wouldn't believe the early rumors. Shakir was an influential figure in Atlanta. He has been a positive influence to many people's careers and lives in and out of the music industry. R.I.P. Shakir. Life is too fragil. Our prayers are with you and your family.
Common Performance in Atlanta
BCTV: Common Live in Atlanta at the 595 north from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.
Common performed in Atlanta recently. He performed some of the songs from his upcoming album and some new ones too..
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