The Boombox Music Blog

Kenny Lattimore: 'Back 2 Cool' Album Won't Be 'Personal,' Tour Is 'Fantastic'

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:20:00 EST

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images For Kenny Lattimore, authenticity is about reaching his audience through song. And he is now reaching out to that audience in other ways. The Grammy-nominated singer is also extending his benevolent brand through his nonprofit organization, The Kenny Lattimore Foundation, and his involvement with the United Negro College Fund's fourth annual Empower Me Tour. In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, the multifaceted singer-actor opened up about his role with UNCF's latest initiative, as well as dishing the details on his forthcoming album, 'Back 2 Cool.' Read the Full Article at HuffPost BlackVoices. ...

Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Pusha T, Joe Budden, Rockie Fresh

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

Moses Robinson, Getty Images Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. This week had more than its fair share of exceptional punchlines. However, there seemed to also be something a bit more serious in the air, as several of our top lines are concerned with topics more weighty than how many synonyms for a kilo you can fit into one bar. While Pusha T talks money, Saigon tells us about animal flatulence -- no, really! -- Rockie Fresh shouts out Ed Norton, and Black Spade and Joe Budden provide a glimpse of other, more bleak sides of life. 5. "Used to be a college girl eating Lunchables/ Now your Phillip Lim sweats fitting comfortable" -- Pusha T, 'Untouchable' Despite the "coke rap" tag often hung on Pusha's group The Clipse, the Thornton brothers have always been comfortable talking about subjects other than drugs. For example, clothes. Pusha, a clothing magnate himself via his Play Cloths brand, is always up on the latest trends. Here, P promises his lady designer sweatsuits, while drawing a hysterical contrast to her Oscar-Meyer-eating days a poor student. ...

4. "And a couple white boys tried to tell me I wasn't next/ Then they learned to love a n----, 'American History X'" -- Rockie Fresh, 'No Fear'

While we are certainly no fans of the long-played-out "Supa Dupa Flow" -- basically a simile without the word "like," for example "And I got her, grocery bag" was the Young Money-rapped nadir of the style -- we give credit where it's due. This callback to the 1998 film 'American History X,' starring Ed Norton as a reformed white supremacist, single-handedly redeems the device -- well, almost.

3. "S-A-I-gon, keep it funkier than a skunk fart/ Blow the back of your face off the front part/ I'm what they call a living contradiction/ Why? Cause I'm dumb smart" -- Saigon, 'MTV RapFix Live Freestyle'

Sai-giddy absolutely rips this short freestyle -- no small feat, given that he was standing right next to living legend Too Short at the time. While the pun on "dumb" as meaning both "not smart" and "extremely" is not new, it's used well here, and the "skunk fart" line moves this section from pretty good to exceptional.

2. "She said all I ever made her feel was hurt and disgust/ Which in turn hurt, cause that was my version of love" -- Joe Budden, 'No Church In The Wild'

While Joe Budden has long been a punchline machine and a font of Jay-Z disses -- "Let's get one thing understood, son/ Every encore ain't a good one" remains a favorite of ours -- he also stands out for another reason. He has been unusually open and introspective since the beginning of his career, and continues the trend on this freestyle -- over, pointedly, a Jay-Z beat. Here, he reflects on his own propensity to mix up love and hate in a way that feels shockingly intimate.

1. "Put your lighters in the air for the unsung/ The sufferers, coal miners dying of black lung" -- Black Spade, 'Spand'

St. Louis rapper-singer-producer Black Spade releases a great political song for this election season. While we doubt any of the Republican candidates would like its references to Pat Tillman's death, inner-city desperation, or the unfortunately resilient "Bush knocked down the Towers" meme, the tune provides a welcome reality check -- again, excepting the 9/11 conspiracy nonsense. This couplet is especially poignant, adding victims of coal workers' pneumoconiosis, commonly known as "black lung disease," to the list of the fallen mourned by hip-hop.

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Scarface, Meek Mill, Freddie Gibbs

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:35:00 EST

Scott Gries, Getty Images Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. While the Drake and Common war of words may have reached a detente recently, Drizzy continues to inspire. His song 'The Motto' provided grist for not one, but two of our lines of the week, as Freddie Gibbs and Meek Mill both ate that beat up and spit it out. In other news, Bishop Lamont reveals his favorite kids' TV program, Scarface lands an odd-looking girlfriend and Jon Connor manages to suck up to his interviewers in a most entertaining fashion. 5. "Birds for the 33, I got my Larry on/ Where the thong at? Freddie home," -- Freddie Gibbs, 'The Motto (Remix)' Gary, Ind., native Freddie Gibbs has been a critics' darling these past few years, making mainstream moves since hooking up with Young Jeezy. On this Drake remix, he and Jeezy leave the original in the dust, especially in this punchline. Gibbs compares his cocaine prices -- $33,000 per kilo -- to another No. 33, his fellow Indiana native Larry Bird. We can't wait to see the Hick from French Lick jump on a track with Gangster Gibbs. It's going to be amazing! ...

4. "I'm on the highway, buzzed from the contact/ Her body nice, but her face look like a wombat," -- Scarface, 'Chase'

Scarface is a rightful legend in the rap game for countless reasons. His powerful voice, top-tier storytelling ability, emotional delivery that rises to -- and, quiet as it's kept, usually surpasses -- Tupac-level intensity. But his humor is often overlooked, and comes out in full force in this punchline. The sharp comic detail of choosing a wombat as the point of comparison here always makes us crack up.

3. "But I ain't like these other rappers, talking about they'll clap ya/ 'Cause I be at home with my daughter watching 'Yo Gabba Gabba'," -- Bishop Lamont, 'Sway in the Morning Freestyle'

West Coast veteran Bishop Lamont is one of the very few rappers working today who can actually freestyle off the top of his head, and he does so for several minutes straight on this superb radio show appearance. Early on, he reels off this gem, which is entertaining, funny and surprisingly revealing for someone who spent almost his whole professional career penning tough-guy rhymes for Dr. Dre.

2. "I really went from whipping 62's to whipping 62's/ Ain't none of the homies Cripping, we giving n----s the blues," -- Meek Mill, 'The Motto Freestyle'

Our second entry in the Drake freestyle sweepstakes this week features one of RG's favorite rap tricks, the homophone. We are never able to resist a good one, and this example reminds us of our favorite homophone of all time, from Cam'ron. Here, the first "whipping 62's" refers to cooking up small quantities of poor quality crack, and the second to driving a Maybach 62. Mill continues the sharp wordplay in the second line, punning on the Crips gang's favorite color, blue.

1. "I shine sharp like a ruby hornet/ Ironic when I set it off, they be like, the dude is on it," -- Jon Connor, 'RubyHornet Freestyle'

No rapper's freestyle is complete without a nod to the host of the show he or she is appearing on. For some, it's a perfunctory shout-out, for some a comic insert. Here, Connor delivers one of the best we've heard. While appearing on the RubyHornet show, he ends his verse by comparing himself to an actual jeweled insect. He follows this with some "off"/"on" wordplay to complete his tenure on the show with a bang.

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Jay-Z, Young Dro

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST

Moses Robinson, WireImage Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. There's a song commemorating the most widely anticipated baby in hip-hop, but plenty of other childhood-related events also happened. Kid favorites of many '70s and '80s babies received their props this week, as Fred the Godson shouted out the Fat Boys and southern staple Young Dro name-dropped Pee-wee Herman. On a more serious note, Cassidy pondered the ultimate philosophical quandry, and the rapper formerly known as Mos Def compared life in the hood to a slasher movie. 5. "What came first, the weed plant or the seed of weed?/ Put a Magnum on when you smash a jawn or get Eazy-E," -- Cassidy, 'You So Phony' We at RG have had great affection for Cassidy since the beginning of his career. While his albums have often been underwhelming, his freestyles and mixtape songs can be amazing. 'You So Phony' is notable for its sudden shift in tone, from a chicken-or-egg query -- humorously changed to a far more relevant piece of nature -- to a safe-sex PSA. He gives a nod to former NWA member Eric "Eazy-E" Wright, who died of complications from AIDS in 1995, but with no transition between the ideas. Somehow, the hustla makes it work, mostly by the sheer conviction in his voice. The fact that it's an ODB-style, non sequitur barely registers and when it does, the line suddenly becomes even more amusing. ...

4. "I'm so Fat Boy fresh/ With that rap, boy -- they know that boy best," -- Fred the Godson, 'Set It Off'

Fred is getting to be somewhat of a line-of-the-week regular, having taken the crown two weeks ago. But this nod to the hefty rapper's progenitors in the big-man-rapping game brings us a smile and a sudden urge to re-watch 'Disorderlies.'

3. "Up the coast is where I be, burn a tree in Germany/ Thirty inch rider y'all, on them Pee-wee Herman feet," -- Young Dro, 'Boomin''

Atlanta's Young Dro has an ability to talk endlessly about the colors of his different cars. Writer Tom Breihan notably cataloged the hues in Dro's garage over the course of one of his mixtapes -- the list went "whirlwind, sour apple, Jolly Rancher, Patron, Tropicana, Mars bar, tofu, your lipstick, high-tide ocean, Papa Smurf, Patron again, bell pepper, the nose on Rudolf, Tropicana again, cocaine, Superman, vanilla, and Ric Flair hair." Sadly, the rapper seems to be past the car-color phase of his career, but his new mixtape, 'We Outchea,' is still great. These lines paint a fairly standard picture of a rapper living the high life, except for the absurd -- and perfect -- detail of his car's wheels being as big the ridiculous platform shoes Pee-wee Herman wore in the film 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure,' during the infamous 'Tequila' scene.

2. "Psycho, I'm liable to turn Michael, take your pick/ Myers, Myers, Myers, face it," -- Yasiin Bey a.k.a. Mos Def, 'N----s in Poorest'

The mighty Mos Def, now known by his new name Yasiin, is making somewhat of a comeback after an unpredictable past few years. First there were several stellar new Black Star songs, and now this. A pointed freestyle over the monster hit 'N----s in Paris,' Yasiin's take on it emphasizes the struggling classes, to whom $50,000 -- a dollar figure that Jay-Z dismisses as barely worth taking note of in the original song -- is "more than my annual salary." This couplet takes Jay's -- via Biggie Smalls -- "Michael" puns -- "Tyson, Jackson, Jordan, Game 6" goes the second half in the original -- and cleverly points out the craziness and violence visited on the minds and bodies of those stuck in forgotten, crumbling neighborhoods by making horror-movie-level violence the only option on the table.

1. "Your Grandpa died a n---- failure, then he died of liver failure/ Deep down he was a good man, goddamn I can't deliver failure," -- -Jay-Z, 'Glory'

In several parts of Jay-Z's ecstatic and touching ode to his and Beyonce's newborn daughter, he suddenly turns serious and melancholy in a way that proves an extremely effective balance to the song's general mood. A quick reference to his friend Aaliyah's fatal plane provides one such moment, and so does this section. Much of Jay's best work has been reckoning with his relationship, or lack thereof, to his father, Adnes Reeves. Reeves was Hov's early idol but left when the rapper was 12, on an ill-fated quest to avenge the murder of his brother. After years of being out of touch, the two briefly reconciled around 2003, shortly before Reeves' death. Jay's incredible diptych of abandoned father duets with Beanie Sigel, 'Where Have You Been' and 'Still Got Love For You,' are career highlights for both artists, and the too-late father and child reunion has been a recurring image in Hov's later work. Here, the use of it brings a full sense of his newborn daughter's family legacy, and the pun on "deliver" serves to pick up the mood before it gets too melancholy.

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Rick Ross, Jean Grae

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:25:00 EST

Vallery Jean, Getty Images Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. The big release was Rick Ross' mixtape 'Rich Forever,' which spawned 'Stay Schemin'' and sparked a war between Drake and rap veteran Common. In every other way, it was a week for reminiscing and reflection. Ross himself looks back at old teachers, Jean Grae at old boyfriends and West Coast hero -- and newly minted Eminem buddy -- Crooked I at New York City in 1980. 5. "My teacher told me that I was a piece of s---/ Seen her the other day, driving a piece of s---," -- Rick Ross, 'Holy Ghost' The revenge-on-teachers rap subgenre has quite a distinguished history. Our favorite is Freeway's 'Hear the Song,' where he calls out an old teacher by name on a record that ended up selling over half a million copies -- good luck with those future students, Ms. Lee! For Ross, calling someone out on driving a cheap car is the ultimate insult. He loves expensive rides so much that he named his record label after the now sadly defunct Maybach, and called a Diddy-assisted song on the 'Rich Forever' mixtape, 'Bugatti Boys,' after another seven-figure car. ...

4. "Back when, if a n---- reached it was for the weapon/ Nowadays, n----s reaching just to sell they record," -- Drake, 'Stay Schemin''

While Drake's performance overall on this song was on the side of acceptable, these lines contain the only real points scored in his war against Common. Their feud began seemingly out of nowhere, with Common dropping lines clearly aimed at Drake on a song that just happened to be from a soon-to-be-released album. Here, Drizzy calls Common out for starting the feud as a PR stunt to sell records.

3. "Don't play dumb, I'm the one that acknowledged it/ Son of a bitch, I imagine what your father is," -- Common, 'Stay Schemin' (Drake Diss)'

While other lines on this pretty-great-but-too-short response track got more attention -- in particular the song-closing Canada Dry joke -- to those who know anything about Drake, this line stands out as particularly devastating. The star raps a lot about his beloved mother and his often-absent father. He has admitted in song that to say he's like his father is the one thing he can't stand to hear. So for Common to get at both those sacred cows in 10 words is a feat of -- sadly unacknowledged, for the most part -- genius.

2. "I know, you're lazy/ It's easier to pick a partner less crazy/ Much less work, less purpose, less of A to Z/ 'Cause I'm an alpha, bet it's hard to stay with me," -- Jean Grae, 'U&Me&EveryoneWeKnow'

This single from your favorite rapper's favorite Twitter user's upcoming album, 'Cake or Death,' does something extremely rare in rap, but something that the genre turns out to be great for. It paints a mature, grown-up picture of a person coming to terms with the end of a relationship, with all the regrets, anger, self-blaming, resignation and hope that implies. In all of that, Jean still finds time for some amazing wordplay. See, for example, the string of rap world puns at the beginning of the song, and here, where the "A to Z" formulation leads naturally to punning on her "alpha" personality, as the words "alpha, bet" take on a second meaning as "alphabet."

1. "Slaughterhouse is hot as hell, y'all on that same ol'/ But I'm like SAMO, before you knew him as Jean-Michel," -- Crooked I, 'L.A. Leakers Freestyle'

Jean-Michel Basquiat has recently become hip-hop's favorite artist, with name-drops by Jay-Z, Kanye, Rick Ross and more. He even, despite being long-dead, has his own sneaker line, courtesy of producer Swizz Beatz. Crooked takes it back to the beginning and reminds us that, before art stardom, Basquiat was part of the influential graffiti collective called SAMO, who garnered attention in the 1980s for writing mysterious, poetic phrases all over New York City.

Groaner of the Week
"Pop a chicken in that grease and make one into two/ All these rides in my yard, my s--- a carni-voo," -- Rick Ross, 'King of Diamonds'

Ross is both our big winner and our big loser this week, as the Bawse finds a new way to make us cringe, pronouncing "carnival" as "car-ni-voo" in order to fit the rhyme scheme. It's worth hearing once -- and only once -- just for the involuntary scream of agony you will inevitably let out.

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From T.I., Young Jeezy

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST

Michael N. Todaro, Getty Images Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. From T.I.'s 'F--- Up Da City' mixtape to Rick Ross' freestyle over Watch the Throne's 'No Church in the Wild' beat, here are the Genius Rap Lines of the Week. 5. "Mandarin manicure, DEA in pursuit," -- Rick Ross, 'No Church in the Wild Freestyle' You might think a Mandarin manicure is some sort of bad-ass Chinese mafia thing where they cut off a dude's fingers. But actually, Rick Ross is bragging about stopping to get a manicure for his fingers even as the D.E.A. is trying to nab him for slinging coke. And it's no ordinary manicure -- in a Mandarin manicure, a papaya or pomegranate enzyme masque enriched with fruit enzymes and shea butter is applied to remove dead skin cells and hydrate even the driest hands. Rick Ross hasn't gone soft -- yet -- but his hands have. ...

4. "B---- my closet so big I swear I got lost," -- Young Jeezy, 'F--- Up Da City'

Along with Line No. 5 above, we're really seeing some brags by rappers in 2012, way beyond the normal "girls, drugs, money, cars" quartet of topics. Young Jeezy might be taking a cue from fellow Atlanta natives 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' and substituting "clothes, nails, jewelry, butt" as the things to brag about. How long until a typical Sunday for Young Jeezy and Rick Ross is hitting the mall then getting mani-pedis?

3. "Pay n----s no concern, ain't no DiGiorno, I'm deliverin'," -- T.I., 'I'll Show You'

Who can forget those ads for DiGiorno frozen pizza in the '90s, where a man convinced his date that she was eating freshly delivered pizza when in actuality she was eating frozen DiGiorno pizzas, and then a squinty-eyed French Stewart boasted "It's Not Delivery - It's DiGiorno"? Certainly not T.I., who brags that he's delivering the real, fresh stuff, unlike those rappers who're passing off their DiGiorno-style stale, frozen lines as fresh delivery.

2. "I see B.o.B./ He's standing on top of Dunkin' Donuts; it's like he own it," -- Andre 3000, 'Play the Guitar'

In a guest verse on B.o.B.'s track, Andre 3k imagines his fellow ATLien standing on top of Atlanta Police Department hangout Dunkin' Donuts like he owns it. In response to Atlanta cops staking their territory by permanently parking squad cars in African-American neighborhoods, B.o.B. would be staking his territory in the cops' zone by standing atop their snack spot Dunkin' Donuts. Only question: why don't the cops go to Krispy Kreme since they're in Atlanta?

1. "Fresh s---, we on it, no matter what the joint/ You the Hornets, you lost Chris Paul, what's your point?" -- Fred Da Godson, 'Luxury Rap'

In a clever allusion to a recent NBA mega-trade, Raekwon's protege Fred Da Godson calls out other rappers for using the excuse that the beat -- or "joint" here -- they're rapping over is bad, just as the New Orleans Hornets are now complaining that they're a bad team because they lost star point guard Chris Paul when they could no longer afford him. Fred and his crew can spit a hot verse over any beat, so stop whining!

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From The Weeknd, Pusha T

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:20:00 EST

Daniel Boczarski, WireImage Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. From Fabolous' 'There Is No Competition 3: Death Comes in 3s' mixtape to fighting words from The Clipse's Pusha T on a freestyle over a Common beat, here are the Genius Rap Lines of the Week. 5. "You're preying on the bitches with the lowest self-esteem/ It's a common running theme," -- Pusha T, 'Sweet Freestyle' Pusha T throws himself into the long-simmering Common-Drake beef with this line -- spat over a Common beat -- that places him firmly on the Chi-town MC's side of the fight. Just as Common often says, Pusha T agrees that Drake isn't a player -- he's a pretender who picks up girls with low self-esteem. 4. "My cup full of Texas/ Flowing on that OVO jet, yeah I said it," -- The Weeknd, 'The Fall' While Drake was taking a beating in line No. 5 above, he got some love from his crew member The Weeknd here on line No. 4. After bragging about his cup being full of purple drank -- the painkiller-laden drink that originated in Houston, Texas -- The Weeknd boasts that he was on Drake's October's Very Own private plane, dubbed the OVO jet. And even though stuff like flying on a private jet is why people call Drake and The Weeknd soft, he's not afraid to admit it. ...

3. "And I touched my first 45/ When Jordan was wearing that 45/ And I couldn't ball, I was like 4'5" -- XV, 'Learn to Fly'

XV first got his hands on a 45mm pistol back in 1995, during that brief period right after Michael Jordan came out of retirement when he wore No. 45, since his customary 23 had been retired by the Bulls. But unlike MJ, XV was a little runt at the time -- only 4'5" -- so he wasn't exactly "his airness."

2. "The top five, least I see myself inside/ Cause who f---ing with us -- "us" being me, myself and I?" -- Crooked I, 'Sweet Freestyle'

Pusha T wasn't the only one freestyling over Common's new single 'Sweet.' Crooked I takes the opportunity here to boast that he's not only among the Top Five rappers in the game right now, he's posting up on three of the top five spots -- me, myself and I are all up there. We're not sure Crooked I should be in one of those top spots let alone three, but you have to give the guy some credit for confidence.

1. "My n---- moved so much Britney Spears/ They gave that boy Kevin Fed time" -- Fabolous, 'You Don't Know Bout It'

In one of those clever couplets Fabolous never ceases to spit, he tells us that his boy sold so much cocaine -- also known as white girl, hence the Britney Spears reference -- that the government sent him to federal prison -- Kevin Fed time. Of course the Kevin Fed is a reference to Britney Spears' former husband Kevin Federline, who come to think of it, might end up in federal prison once he can no longer cash in on his D-List celebrity status with reality show appearances.

Rap Genius Lines of the Week

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Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Andre 3000, J.R. Writer

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:15:00 EST

George Pimentel, WireImage Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. From J.R. Writer's 'Still Standing 3' mixtape to choice lines from Outkast's Andre 3000 on a pop star's track, here are the Genius Rap Lines of the Week. 5. "I call her Kiesha, she like it because it's hood to her/ She call me Andre 6000 because I'm good to her," -- Andre 3000, 'Sleazy 2.0: Get Sleazier.' In his guest verse on Ke$ha's single, Andre 3000 trades nicknames with her: he calls her "Kiesha" so she feels more 'hood, and she calls him "Andre 6000" because he's extra nice to her -- twice as nice, since 3000 x 2 = 6000. 4. "Benny the Jet hits got chicks on my L7 weenie," XV, 'Chaka Shao Khan.' In 'The Sandlot,' Benny "the Jet" Rodriguez is the best baseball hitter, and main character Scotty Smalls gets called an "L7 weenie" -- Level 7 Weenie. And XV's hit songs make girls jump on his L7 weenie. When it comes to that kind of weenie, the higher the level the better. ...

3. "Damn, I'm somebody you cannot avoid/ I Chris Farley O.D. with the tommy, boy," J.R. Writer, '100 N the Clip.'

Chris Farley starred in the 1995 comedy hit 'Tommy Boy' and later died of a drug overdose -- O.D.'d. Similarly, J.R. Writer shoots his Tommy gun so much that he might O.D. on it, boy. Be careful, J.R.!

Check Who Came in the No. 1 & 2 Spot Here

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The BoomBox Gift Guide

BoomBox Staff — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:50:00 EST

Tis the season for online shopping! Each year, people peruse the Internet in search of new ways to surprise their family members and significant others with unique holiday gifts. The decision-making process isn't always easy, and as a result, a random gift card and the typical lotion-and-body-gel basket are common stocking stuffers when nothing else seems to work. The BoomBox understands the pressures of choosing the perfect present, so to alleviate the stress, we've compiled items for hip-hop and R&B lovers that didn't make it onto Santa's Naughty list. buyolympia.com Boom Box Belt Buckle Before you jump to conclusions, we didn't pick this one because it's the name of our beloved site. OK, maybe it has a little to do with it, but with this multi-dimensional image of a boom box, it looks like your stereo is getting down as you walk around. Amazon.com 'Decoded' Paperback Last year, Jay-Z released the hardcover edition of his book 'Decoded,' which gave an in-depth look at the story behind his lyrics. This year, the softcover version arrives with some extra material, and a size that is more portable than the original textbook. You spent the second half of 2011 watching Kanye West and Hov's throne. Now dig deep into the latter's words. ...

Amazon.com

'Hip-Hop Crossword Puzzle' Book
Test your knowledge of hip-hop history with the Icon Group's Hip-Hop Crossword Puzzle. The perfect head-scratcher for a long holiday trip, this 24-page paperback is filled with trivia about hip-hop history, and there's even a little R&B. Comprising definitions found in Webster's online dictionary and history pulled directly from Wikipedia, this crossword puzzle is a great way to exercise the brain and have fun doing it.

Amazon.com

Amy Winehouse's 'Lioness: Hidden Treasures'
The untimely passing of Amy Winehouse earlier this year hit the music world pretty hard. To honor her legacy, producer Salaam Remi compiled previously unreleased tracks and versions of hits that date all the way back to the British soul singer's teen years. She may be gone, but she's never forgotten.

Amazon.com

Silicone Cassette Tape Skin for iPhone
Everyone knows that expensive products -- especially cell phones -- are prone to unexpected damage. Often the cases are crafted of hard plastic that turns a phone into a brick. Here you can have a sleek protector with a subtle nod to the old school.

Amazon.com

Black Eyed Peas Experience Video Game
Test your dance skills, with the Black Eyed Peas Experience video game. Mimicking choreography made specifically for Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo, players can perform such Peas hits as 'My Humps,' 'I Got a Feeling' and 'Boom Boom Pow' in venues all over the world. And for those looking to avoid holiday weight gain, this experience is also a pretty good workout.

Amazon.com

Numark iDJ Live DJ Software Controller for iPad, iPhone or iPod
Just like DJ Khaled and DJ Drama, you can be the master of the mix. As technology keeps advancing, your Apple products get the special treatment with a controller deck for spinning tunes. Take this anywhere and get the party started. Just don't set the roof on fire.

House of Marley

House Of Marley's Midnight Ravers Earphones
Finding a sturdy pair of earbuds is difficult these days. House of Marley came to the
rescue with these wood-aluminum combo 'phones that have inner speaker durability for
really hard bass. Keep on jammin!

Amazon.com

'Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall' DVD
Hip-hop and R&B fans alike are fans of Adele, and anyone who has attended her show can attest to the fact that it's nothing short of magical. With 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall,' you can bring Adele's intangible something home with you and relive it over and over again.

buyolympia.com

Guitar Lessons T-shirt
Music lessons are expensive, and thanks to the advent of YouTube, they're highly unnecessary. However, practice makes perfect, and self-teachings are vital to become a future rock star -- Lil Wayne did it. With this T-shirt, you can learn on the go. Just a heads up: this guitar doesn't play music. That's your job.

Amazon.com

ProTunes I Am T-Pain Auto-Tune Microphone
So you thought Auto-Tune was dead? Silly you. Admit it; as much as T-Pain's robotically challenged cooing was cumbersome at times, you always secretly wanted to hear how he had the ability to sound that way. Now you can! Just leave the top hat with the dreadlocked rapper.

Amazon.com

Rihanna Reb'l Fluer Fragrance
You may never get to meet Rihanna, but you can smell like her by picking up the singer's first fragrance, Reb'l Fluer. The kickoff scent in what looks to be a growing perfume line combines subtle floral scents with fruit extracts. Titled after the nickname Ri's grandmother gave her -- Rebel Flower -- this scent seems to bring the best out of the 'Talk That Talk' performer's personality: soft with a little bit of an edge.

Amazon.com

Retro Cell Phone Headset
In a world where technology moves so fast, sometimes you just want that old thing back. The retro cell phone headset from HandHeld Items is a slice of yesteryear, before cell phones were mini-computers and mini-computers were replaced by tablets. Similar to what you would see on a rotary phone -- remember those? -- this headset plugs right into your cell phone so you can have the best of both worlds.

Amazon.com

Mariah Carey's 'Merry Christmas II You' Deluxe CD Box Set
Mariah Carey is widely known for being a top-selling female artist, but she's also recognized for crafting Christmas songs like nobody's business. Her latest holiday LP comes in the form of a box set with extra goodies. Gems include a 40-page photo album and a butterfly holiday ornament. Listen as the mother of twins uses her five-octave vocal range to revamp holiday classics like 'Santa Clause is Coming to Town.'

Amazon.com

'Hip-Hop: A Cultural Odyssey' Book
If you want to travel through hip-hop history, then this book should be at the top of your holiday wish list. Billed as a "coffee table book," the pure girth of the 420-page 'Odyssey' proves that it belongs in your library, not your living room. A comprehensive exploration of the birth and influence of the culture, complete with first-person testimonials, this is one read that will keep you occupied well into the new year.

Amazon.com

'Beyonce Live at Roseland: Elements of 4'
Want to see a pregnant lady get down? Over the summer, Beyonce took footage from her four intimate shows at New York City's Roseland Ballroom -- to promote her fourth LP '4' -- and turned it into the 'Beyonce Live Roseland DVD.' With special performances of select solo tracks and music from her Destiny's Child days, the R&B queen moves, shakes and belts out her hits, all while secretly pregnant. The DVD also features never-before-seen video from the superstar's 2008 wedding to Jay-Z.

wesc.com

Chambers Headphones by RZA
As the head of the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA's changed the dynamics of hip-hop and his earphones will change the way you hear music. The Chamber headphones hold a sleek design, provide noise cancellation and offer a LED equalizer with lights that move to the beat of the music. Doubling as a mobile phone headset, the product possesses a music-sharing function, plus a 3-touch hands-free unit that can control volume and music playback all with one click.

Amazon.com

Sonivox Sampla Hip-Hop Production Sampler
Have you ever wanted to create your own hip-hop music? Then why not use some of the best equipment to get the job done? Sonivox Sampla Hip-Hop Production Sampler is a certified production toolbox. You can import your own loops, pull rips from vinyl or build a beat with more than 200 instruments included. Sampla software also interfaces with pad controllers, MPCs and MIDI keyboards.

Amazon.com

R. Kelly 'Soulacoaster' Book
For most people, life is a roller coaster, but only R.Kelly can take you on a 'Soulacoaster.' Throughout his career, Kellz has made some questionable choices -- like his exhausting 'Trapped in The Closet' song series -- but also garnered some notable career accomplishments. Luckily, all those stories and more unfold between the pages of his new autobiography.

SUCK UK

Cat Scratch Cat DJ Scratching Deck
MC Skat Kat isn't the only feline who gets to partake in hip-hop. With this Cat DJ
Scratching Deck, your little furry friend can cut up a rug on the turntables. It's like killing
two birds with one stone, and we know how much cats hate birds.

Watch 'The Life and Career of Beyonce'

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LL Cool J, Ne-Yo Drop 'No More,' Debuts on 'NCIS: Los Angeles'

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:25:00 EST

Mark Seliger LL Cool J is both a Grammy Award-winning recording artist and a NAACP Award-winning actor. The New York native will be blending those talents seamlessly as part of his hit TV show 'NCIS: Los Angeles.' On Tuesday night's (Nov. 15) episode, which airs on CBS 9PM-10PM, ET/PT, LL will debut the original new song 'No More,' featuring Ne-Yo, as a soundtrack to his character's storyline. ...

The song, written by the lauded rap star and helmed by multi-platinum producers Rico Love and Jim Jonsin, finds LL dropping lyrics as a backdrop to an emotional scene for both the personal and professional life of his character Special Agent Sam Hanna.

LL Cool J/Rebel Rock Entertainment

"Slip in the door, you hold my hopes so/ All I hear is, 'Love don't live here anymore'/ We could tear the house down or build some scaffold/ We're sitting on the fence so where you wanna go/ You're the architect of your life, it's your show/ You create the blueprint, and how the rooms flow/ Before you burn a house down, think, take it slow/ Even arsonists need shelter, let me know," he raps.

Ne-Yo croons in support of the 2011 BET I Am Hip-Hop Icon Award winner's track, "I don't understand what we goin' through/ But it's like you don't know me and I don't know you.

'No More' is available for purchase on iTunes now.

Listen to LL Cool J's 'No More'

Watch 'LL Cool J on His Business Adventures'

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Win Tickets to Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' Tour

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST

WireImage | ELIOT PRESS/bauergriffinonline.com Since Jay-Z and Kanye West joined forces for their 'Watch the Throne' album, the highly anticipated effort has given rap fans something to both adore and argue over. From lyrics to production, the hip-hop duo's work of art is on full display for the masses. In Atlanta today (Oct. 28), Hov and Yeezy kick off their joint tour. Atlanta is just one stop on the 26-city tour, where they'll give music lovers more reason to babble when they perform tracks like 'Otis,' 'N----s in Paris' and 'New Day,' among others, off their collaborative LP. ...

The BoomBox is gifting one reader with a pair of tickets -- on sale now -- to the rappers' show in East Rutherford, N.J. on Nov. 5 or Nov. 6.

*TO ENTER: Head over to @TheBoomBox to follow us on Twitter, then use your Twitter account to tell us why you should win in 30 words or less. Include #BBWTT in the answer. Tickets are only available for the New Jersey concert listed below. One entry per person. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets. Winners must provide their own transportation.

IZOD Center
50 NJ-120
East Rutherford, N.J. 07072

Check out the Watch the Throne tour dates below. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit here.

10/28: Atlanta, Ga. -- Philips Arena
10/29: Atlanta, Ga. -- Philips Arena
10/30: Greensboro, N.C. -- Greensboro Coliseum
11/1: Baltimore, Md. -- 1st Mariner Arena
11/2: Philadelphia, Penn. -- Wells Fargo Center
11/3: Washington, D.C. -- Verizon Center
11/5: East Rutherford, N.J. -- IZOD Center
11/6: East Rutherford, N.J. -- IZOD Center
11/7: New York, N.Y. -- Madison Square Garden
11/8: New York, N.Y. -- Madison Square Garden
11/14: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. -- BankAtlantic Center
11/15: Miami, Fla. -- American Airlines Arena
11/18: Uncasville, Conn. -- Mohegan Sun Arena
11/19: Atlantic City, N.J. -- Boardwalk Hall
11/21: Boston, Mass. -- TD Garden
11/22: Montreal, QC -- Bell Centre
11/23: Toronto, ON -- Air Canada Centre
11/24: Toronto, ON -- Air Canada Centre
11/26: Detroit, Mich. -- Palace of Auburn Hills
11/27: Pittsburgh, Penn. -- Consol Energy Center
11/29: Kansas City, Mo. -- Sprint Center
11/30: Chicago, Ill. -- United Center
12/1: Chicago, Ill. -- United Center
12/3: New Orleans, La. -- New Orleans Arena
12/5: Houston, Texas -- Toyota Center
12/6: Dallas, Texas -- American Airlines Arena
12/9: Las Vegas, Nev. -- MGM Grand Garden Arena
12/10: San Jose, Calif. -- HP Pavilion
12/12: Los Angeles, Calif. -- STAPLES Center
12/13: Los Angeles, Calif. -- STAPLES Center
12/16: Tacoma, Wash. -- Tacoma Dome
12/17: Vancouver, BC -- Rogers Arena
12/18: Vancouver, BC -- Rogers Arena

Watch Jay-Z Speak About the Future of the Recording Industry

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Win Tickets to Mary J. Blige's Concert in New York City

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST

Kevin Winter, Getty Images The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is gracing the stage in New York City on Thanksgiving Eve and The BoomBox is thanking loyal readers by gifting two lucky winners with a pair of tickets to watch the soulful performance go down live. Mary J. Blige will grab the mic at Terminal 5 in New York City on Nov. 23, to showcase songs like the Drake-assisted 'Mr. Wrong' and Rick Ross-supported 'Why,' off her upcoming album, 'My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act I).' The effort, which marks her 10th album and is due out Nov. 21, serves as a follow-up to her lauded 1994 sophomore LP, 'My Life.' ...

Power 105.1 presents the concert, which will take place just a borough away from her stomping grounds in the Bronx. While it's not confirmed the R&B songstress will coo through old hits, chances are she'll sing some of her classic tracks. Mary is set to shine in the spotlight at 8PM that evening, with doors to the venue opening at 7PM.

*TO ENTER: Head over to @TheBoomBox to follow us on Twitter, then use your Twitter account to tell us why you should win in 30 words or less. Include the hashtag #BBMJB in the answer. Tickets are only available for the city listed below. One entry per person. Two winners will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets. Winners must provide their own transportation.

Terminal 5
610 West 56th Street
New York, N.Y. 10019-3512

Watch Mary J. Blige's 'I'm Goin' Down'

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Wiz Khalifa Drops New Songs, 'Dessert' and 'Rich People'

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:05:00 EST

Daniel Boczarski, Redferns Wiz Khalifa drops some lyrical bombs on two new tracks that fans won't hear on his debut LP, 'Rolling Papers.' The Pittsburgh rhymer introduces 'Dessert' and 'Rich People,' delivering freestyles on two widely recognized rapper's beats. On 'Dessert,' the weed-smoking MC spits lines over Wale's 'Bait' track. ""Money getting stupid/ I'm still rolling weed on my iPad/ And these n----s mad that I'm doin' good and they f---ed up, so that's my bad," he rhymes. When it comes to 'Rich People,' tattooed Wiz, who's toting Amber Rose on his arm, is once again bigging up his smoke of choice over Mac Miller's 'House Party' instrumental. "N---- I smoke good everyday/ I probably live the life that you wish you could everyday," he boasts on the hook. ...

Listen to Wiz Khalifa's 'Dessert'

Listen to Wiz Khalifa's 'Rich People'

Watch Wiz Khalifa in DJ Drama's 'Oh My'

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2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards Winners

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:20:00 EST

YouTube.com The 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards brought out the likes of rap heavyweights T.I., Young Jeezy and Rick Ross, while vets such as Heavy D, DMX and El Debarge graced the stage and treated attendees to surprise performances. Hosted by comedian Mike Epps, younger rhymers like Wale and Wiz Khalifa wowed the awards show audience with their respective hits, 'That Way' and 'Taylor Gang,' and the BET hip-hop cyphers -- seven in all -- saw Eminem, Joe Budden, Yelawolf, Estelle, Ace Hood, Blind Fury, Stalley, Pill, Nitty Scott and more newbies showing off their lyrical prowess. ...

LL Cool J scored the I am Hip-Hop Icon award, delivering a memorable acceptance speech, where he dropped gems like "Maintain your focus through the ups and downs" in rap form.

Though the entire categories of winners were not televised, The BoomBox has the rundown on who walked away with accolades. Chris Brown, who wasn't present but had Busta Rhymes accept on his behalf, came out on top overall, earning three awards -- Best Hip-Hop Video, Reese's Perfect Combo Award and Verizon's People's Champ -- for his 'F.A.M.E' smash 'Look At Me Now.'

Check out the full list of winners of 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards below.

Best Hip Hop Video
Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - 'Look At Me Now'

Reese's Perfect Combo Award (Best Collab)
Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - 'Look At Me Now'

Best Live Performer
Lil Wayne

Lyricist of the Year
Lil Wayne

Video Director of the Year
Hype Williams

Producer of the Year
Lex Luger

MVP of the Year
Nicki Minaj

Track of the Year
'Black and Yellow' - Produced by Stargate (Wiz Khalifa)

CD of the Year
Kanye West - 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'

DJ of the Year
DJ Khaled

Rookie of the Year
Wiz Khalifa

Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style)
Nicki Minaj

Best Hip Hop Online Site
WorldStarHipHop.com

Best Club Banger
Waka Flocka Flame - 'No Hands' (Produced by Lex Luger)

Best Mixtape
J. Cole - 'Friday Night Lights'

Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse
Busta Rhymes - 'Look At Me Now' (Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)

Hustler of the Year
Jay-Z

Verizon People's Champ Award (Viewers' Choice)
Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - 'Look At Me Now'

Watch Chris Brown's 'Look at Me Now' Featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes

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2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards Performance Recaps

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:35:00 EST

Chris McKay, Getty Images The 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards offered bars upon bars from some of rap's finest MCs. From T.I., Young Jeezy, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean to Heavy D and more, The BoomBox is keeping a running recap of the night's show-stealing performances. Young Jeezy, 'F.A.M.E.' & T.I., 'I'm Flexin'' Young Jeezy came out of the shadows, decked out in all-white everything and shades, commencing the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards with a performance of his new hit, 'F.A.M.E.' With fire lighting up both sides of the stage, the trap star heated up the center floor with his rhymes. A surprise was the song's featured MC T.I., who came out of the shadows dressed in a grey Gucci sweatsuit. "What's up, world?" he shouted before moving into his verse. The formerly incarcerated rapper closed the set with his new Big K.R.I.T.-produced track, 'I'm Flexin'.' "A-Town, we back!" Tip stated before exiting the stage. ...

Wiz Khalifa, 'Taylor Gang' Featuring Chevy Woods

A shirtless Wiz jumped around the stage with more stamina than the Energizer Bunny. Rocking khaki cut-off shorts and knee-high tube socks with his sneaks, the slim-waisted rapper performed with his 'Taylor Gang' collaborator Chevy Woods in front of a backdrop of flashing lights and flames.

Wale, 'That Way' & Meek Mill, 'I'ma Boss' Featuring Rick Ross

With a growing empire, it only makes sense that Maybach Music Group's logo would boast the power color of red as its signees and label boss took the stage. Before Wale and Meek Mill took their turn on the mic, veteran R&B singer El Debarge crooned a few lyrics, though he sounded rusty and in need of some more vocal practice. The 'Ambition' creator, donning a denim jacket and Nike Air Mags, then graced the stage to perform his hit 'That Way,' preceding his MMG colleague Meek's anthemic track 'I'ma Boss,' of course which spawned an assist from Ricky Rozay, who was dressed in a sateen navy tracksuit.

DMX 'Get at Me Dog,' 'Ruff Ryders' Anthem,' 'Party Up (Up in Here)'

DMX brought it back to the old school with a rap medley of throw-back jams. The recently-released-from-jail rapper came back strong with three of his classics, the first two from '98 and the last from 2000, while sporting a puffy vest, low slung jeans and silver studded black T.

Lupe Fiasco, 'Words I Never Said'

Chi-town's conscious rhymer performed his 'Lasers' single, 'Words I Never Said,' sans Skylar Grey, but instead, brought out a woman cloaked in a black mask to sing the hook. As Fiasco rapped through the political tune with a full band behind him, he rocked his mic -- decorated with a flag representing Palestine -- to and fro. His eyes stayed shut during his entire set, even when rocking out during the mysterious woman's -- she turned out to be Erykah Badu -- crooning. The song's lyrics displayed on a screen behind the rhymer, who was decked out in a black T-shirt decorated with the words "occupy" to pay homage to the recent Occupy Wall Street protests.

Big Sean, 'I Do It,' Big Sean & Roscoe Dash, 'Marvin and Chardonnay'

Jean vest, black leather shirt and red hoodie-rockin' Big Sean did his thing with 'I Do It' while black-and-white animation rolled on the jumbo TV screen in the background. Sean was joined by a bicep-flashing Roscoe Dash, who donned an army green zipper-clad vest with a silver "R" screen printed on the back. The two performed their Kanye West-assisted 'Marvin and Chardonnay,' but no appearance from Yeezy himself for this stage collab, the guys held it down as a twosome, all the same.

Heavy D 'Nuttin' But Love,' 'Is It Good to You,' 'Now That We Found Love' Featuring Tyrese

The 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards took viewers on a trip down memory lane when late '80s rap star Heavy D grabbed the mic for a special show of his classic hits. Opening his set with a medley that included the famed 'Teach Me How to Dougie' dance, Heavy proved age is nothing but a number as he kicked off some dance moves like a rhymer half his age. He eased through his famed tracks 'Nuttin' But Love,' 'Is It Good to You' and 'Now That We Found Love,' which brought out an all-black everything sporting Tyrese to sing the hook.

Listen to T.I.'s 'I'm Flexin'' Featuring Big K.R.I.T.

Watch T.I.'s 'Bring 'Em Out'

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2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards -- Best & Worst Red Carpet Fashions

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:15:00 EST

Prince Williams, FilmMagic Red carpet fashions tend to do one of two things: amaze or disappoint. At the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards, held at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta, Ga., some entertainers hit the mark with their polished outfits while others should've opted to ask for the opinion of someone other than their "yes men" before they walked out the door. Hip-hop is notorious for taking wild chances in the style department while R&B is more on the refined tip, but some of these major players just might shock with their fashion choices. Here are the best and worst dressed of the star-studded awards night. ...

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Win Tickets to Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Watch the Throne' Tour

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST

WireImage | ELIOT PRESS/bauergriffinonline.com Since Jay-Z and Kanye West joined forces for their 'Watch the Throne' album, the highly anticipated effort has given rap fans something to both adore and argue over. From lyrics to production, the hip-hop duo's work of art is on full display for the masses. In October, they'll give music lovers more reason to babble when they unite once again for a 24-city tour to perform tracks like 'Otis,' 'N----s in Paris' and 'New Day,' among others, off their collaborative LP. The BoomBox is gifting one reader with a pair of tickets in the market of their choice as well as a copy of the 'Watch the Throne' album. ...

*TO ENTER: Head over to @TheBoomBox to follow us on Twitter, then use your Twitter account to tell us why you should win in 30 words or less. Include #BBWTT in the answer. Be sure to include the city you want tickets for. Tickets are only available for the cities listed below. One entry per person. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets. Winners must provide their own transportation.

Check out the Watch the Throne tour dates below. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit here.

Oct. 28-29: Atlanta, Ga. - Philips Arena
Oct. 30: Greensboro, N.C. - Greensboro Coliseum
Nov. 1: Baltimore, Md. - 1st Mariner Arena
Nov. 2: Philadelphia, Penn. - Wells Fargo Center
Nov. 3: Washington, D.C. - Verizon Center
Nov. 5-6: East Rutherford, N.J. - Izod Center
Nov. 14: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. - BankAtlantic Center
Nov. 15: Miami, Fla. - American Airlines Arena
Nov. 19: Atlantic City, N.J. - Boardwalk Hall
Nov. 21: Boston, Md. - TD Garden
Nov. 22: Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
Nov. 23: Toronto, Ont. - Air Canada Centre
Nov. 24: Toronto, Ont. - Air Canada Centre
Nov. 26: Detroit, Mich. - Palace of Auburn Hills
Nov. 27: Pittsburgh, Penn. - Consol Energy Center
Nov. 29: Kansas City, Mo. - Sprint Center
Dec. 1: Chicago, Ill. - United Center
Dec. 3: New Orleans, La. - New Orleans Arena
Dec. 5: Houston, Texas - Toyota Center
Dec. 6: Dallas, Texas - American Airlines Center
Dec. 9: Las Vegas, Nev. - MGM Grand Garden Arena
Dec. 10: San Jose, Calif. - HP Pavilion
Dec. 12: Los Angeles, Calif. - Staples Center
Dec. 16: Tacoma, Wash. - Tacoma Dome
Dec. 17-18: Vancouver, B.C. - Rogers Arena

*UPDATE: Contest is closed. Winner has been chosen.

Watch Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Otis'

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Nicki Minaj Joins Taylor Swift for 'Super Bass' at L.A. Show

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Getty Images The surprises keep coming on Taylor Swift's Speak Now World tour. During her sold-out, four-show run at Los Angeles' Staples Center, the singing superstar has treated her fans to duets with some of her most famous friends, including Justin Bieber, Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Mraz and Hot Chelle Rae, a pop band who helped write Taylor's hilarious 'Thug Story' duet with T-Pain. Sunday night's show saw the country cutie doing a little rapping, as her pal Nicki Minaj showed up to sing her hit, 'Super Bass,' with Taylor. Watch a fan's video of the performance below. Nicki was doing double-duty on Sunday. She jetted over to Taylor's concert just after winning Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. ...

Watch Nicki Minaj Perform 'Super Bass' With Taylor Swift

Watch Nicki Minaj's 'Super Bass'

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Get Schooled: A Hip-Hop and R&B Study Guide

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:20:00 EST

August is coming to a close and while it signifies summer's end, it also marks the beginning of a new school year for a wealth of students. With class back in session, The BoomBox is teaching some valuable lessons with this Hip-Hop and R&B Study Guide. Not in tune with rap veterans? Can you never quite get a grasp on R&B's roots? Not a problem. From solo acts to groups, there's a bunch of lyricists and singers to listen to but we've narrowed them down to a select few -- though there are so many more to include. Adding these 10 essential albums to your collection will have you on your way to understanding the fundamentals of hip-hop and R&B. After all, it's never too late to get schooled. 'The Chronic' Dr. Dre Amazon.com With 'The Chronic,' Dr. Dre single-handedly launched a West Coast rap takeover, popularizing gangsta rap and introducing both his signature Parliament-Funkadelic-sampled G-Funk sound and his team, which included Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Lady of Rage, Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. While Dre never considered himself a rapper, and has regrettably only released one studio album since, he more than held his own with his smooth vocal delivery. His beats will always be unf---withable. ...

'Share My World'

Mary J. Blige

Amazon.com

R&B fans had grown accustomed to Mary J. Blige providing the perfect anecdote to love's hangover, but the release of 1997's 'Share My World' moved the Brooklyn native in a different direction. From the authoritative Lil' Kim-assisted single 'I Can Love You' to the euphoric title track, Blige showed the different facets of her professional range. And the move paid off when 'Share My World' became her first album to top Billboard's Hot 200 in 1997.

'The Low End Theory'

A Tribe Called Quest

Amazon.com

A Tribe Called Quest forever altered the face of East Coast hip-hop with their sophomore release, which featured their breakout hits 'Scenario' and 'Check the Rhime.' Over Tribe's signature jazzy production, the original rap hippies waxed eloquent on a variety of subjects, including wack promoters, the importance of owning a SkyPager and the dangers of date rape, unwittingly creating a conscious rap masterpiece that sounds as good today as it did back in 1991.

'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'

Lauryn Hill

Amazon.com

Lauryn Hill's 1998 debut album, 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,' is a staple for any music lover's collection. Blurring the lines between hip-hop, soul and R&B, the former Fugees frontwoman proved to be one of the few artists whose rhymes were as commanding as her vocal abilities. The album not only showcased her prolific writing skills but was hailed by critics, revered by fans and earned her a record 10 Grammy nods, of which she took home five in 1999.

'Songs In A Minor'

Alicia Keys

Amazon.com

Alicia Keys changed the tide of R&B music with five simple words: "I keep on fallin'..." The lead single 'Fallin',' off her seminal debut LP, 'Songs in A Minor,' acted as a precursor to a new sound that was part R&B, part soul, part hip-hop and all piano. The New York native delivered each track with the gusto of a woman well beyond her years. Mix that with her around-the-way-girl persona and lyrics touching on love and self-esteem, and it's no wonder that the album remains relevant today.

'Illmatic'

Nas

Amazon.com

Arguably the most hyped debut, with the biggest payoff of all time, at the age of 20, Nasty Nas' name was murmured everywhere from junior high schools to prison yards as hip-hop's second coming. With the most impressive production lineup of all time -- depending on which hip-hop head you ask -- including DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor and Q-Tip, Nas delivered a legendary lyrical performance. The voice of a teenage poet immortalized a New York that no longer exists with his visual wordplay.

'The Writing's on the Wall'

Destiny's Child

Amazon.com

Regardless if Destiny's Child were comprised of four ladies with a penchant for soulful singing or three, the R&B set grabbed hold of the spotlight and shared their fresh formula for girl group super stardom with the masses. Their words on their sophomore LP were replete with getting rid of cheating men ('say My Name'), paying their own way ('Bills, 'Bills, Bills') and spending quality time with their lady friends ('Jumpin, Jumpin''). The album scored multi-platinum sales mainly for Beyonce and Kelly Rowland's chemistry on record.

'Reasonable Doubt'

Jay-Z

Amazon.com

An undisputed classic album from a Brooklyn rhymer who's never seemed to falter in front of a mic, Jay-Z's 'Reasonable Doubt' put his life growing up in a drug-infested neighborhood riddled with crime on public display. His brutal honesty and the gritty imagery showcased in his rhymes proved that he had a story to tell and he wasn't shy in sharing the highs and lows of it all. Legends like DJ Premier and Clark Kent added beat work while Hov's braggadocio raps on 'Can I Live' and 'Brooklyn's Finest' gave hip-hop fans lyrical food to feed off of.

'One in a Million'

Aaliyah

Amazon.com

Aaliyah worked with the likes of R. Kelly on her debut album 'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number,' but she helped to usher in a new sound of R&B when she released her sophomore album in 1996. Crafted in part by beatmaker Timbaland and Missy Elliott, who wrote many of the R&B beauty's songs featured on the LP, the trifecta came together as a force to be reckoned with and served as a new guideline to follow. The title track as well as 'If Your Girl Only Knew' and '4 Page Letter' were just an inkling of the changing musical landscape that R&B was heading towards.

'Life After Death'

Notorious B.I.G.

Amazon.com

His sophomore album and unfortunately a posthumous one, Biggie showcased his rhyming dexterity on this follow-up to 1994's 'Ready to Die.' The rotund rapper was more polished on this effort and gave new meaning to feature collaborations when he teamed with some of hip-hop and R&B heavyweights -- Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, 112, R. Kelly, Too $hort -- and still had the ability to outshine his counterparts. From 'Sky's the Limit' to '10 Crack Commandments' the esteemed storyteller took listeners on a lyrical journey into his world that was unbelievable.

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2011 MTV VMAs Performance Recaps -- Watch

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST

WireImage If you're looking for a play-by-play of all the 2011 MTV VMA performances, look no further. We're keeping a running recap, right here at The BoomBox! Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Jay-Z and Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Adele, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Young the Giant, Pitbull with Ne-Yo and Nayer -- they're all here. Be sure to check back for a full summary of all the 2011 VMA performances, as they happen, here! Cobra Starship and Sabi -- 'You Make Me Feel' (Pre-Show) Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta and Sabi kick off the VMA's Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show with a high-energy performance of Cobra's single 'You Make Me Feel,' featuring the Femme Fatale-touring songstress, and as promised by Sabi in an exclusive interview with AOL Music, they brought it! Gabe looked dapper in a suit and tie, while Sabi went sexy-casual in metallic skinnies, cropped pink tank and white blazer. 'You Make Me Feel' ready for the VMAs! ...

Watch Cobra Starship at the VMA Pre-Show

Lady Gaga -- 'You and I'

Gaga opened the 2011 VMAs like only she could. Before launching into a rocking rendition of her new hit single, 'You and I,' Gaga acted out an entire monologue in drag. With slicked-back hair, white T-shirt and a 5 O'clock shadow -- hallmarks of Jo Calderone, the male alter ego she gave us in the 'You and I' music video -- Gaga wowed the audience before welcoming to the stage Queen guitarist Brian May.

Watch Lady Gaga Perform 'You and I'

Jay-Z and Kanye West -- 'Otis'

New-daddy-to-be Jay-Z and his 'Watch the Throne' collab partner Kanye West were surprise performers at the 2011 MTV VMAs. The hip-hop kings turned in a high-energy version of their 'Watch the Throne' lead single 'Otis,' rapping in front of a huge American flag. Rocking casual, almost too-cool-to-care street clothes, Jay and Kanye set the stage on fire, while sparklers blazed behind them. Lady Gaga may have been a hard opening act to follow, but we're sure everyone will be talking about this momentous and unexpected addition to the VMA line-up for days to come.

Watch Jay-Z and Kanye West Perform 'Otis'

Pitbull With Ne-Yo and Nayer -- 'Give Me Everything'

Pitbull and crew kept the party going with a larger-than-life performance of No. 1 single 'Give Me Everything.' Model-turned-singer Nayer steamed things up, wearing a sheer, nude bodysuit with strategically placed black floral embroidery. Pitbull played it preppy in a nautical-themed white blazer, red slacks and blue-and-white striped button-down. With his velvet blazer and fedora, Ne-Yo was an island of classiness in a sea of scantily clad backup dancers and strobe lights.

Watch Pitbull, Ne-Yo and Nayer Perform 'Give Me Everything'

Adele -- 'Someone Like You'

Some artists need strobe lights and costume changes and gender-bending alter egos. Not Adele. Adding some welcome class to the proceedings, the British songstress performed 'Someone Like You' in a simple black dress, relying on raw emotion and her outsize voice.

Watch Adele Perform 'Someone Like You'

Chris Brown -- 'Yeah 3X'

A harness-wearing Chris Brown didn't just fly through the air. He also sailed through time, going back to the '90s and paying homage to the Wu-Tang Clan and -- somewhat curiously -- Nirvana. As he raged along to 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' dudes in flannel shirts leaped around on trampolines. Mercifully, the camera didn't pan over to Dave Grohl.

Watch Chris Brown Perform at the 2011 VMAs

Beyonce -- 'Love on Top'

When pop stars say things like, "I want you to feel the love that's growing inside me," it's usually just mindless blather. But since news broke earlier tonight that Beyonce is preggo, the words she used to preface 'Love On Top' felt especially meaningful. At the end of her performance, Beyonce rubbed her belly as a proud Jay-Z beamed.

Watch Beyonce Perform 'Love on Top'

Young the Giant -- 'My Body'

VMA audiences are known for their enthusiasm, but Young the Giant wasn't taking any chances. The indie-rock fivesome rolled up Sunday with a few dozen friends from their hometown of Irvine, Calif. When singer Sameer Gadhia jumped into the crowd, there was no doubt he'd be caught.

Watch Young the Giant Perform 'My Body'

Bruno Mars -- 'Valerie'

The year's most shocking celebrity death has easily been Amy Winehouse, who was given an incredible tribute at tonight's awards. Decked out in a retro-style cobalt suit and accompanied by an amazing backing band, Hawaiian-born crooner Bruno Mars straight-up nailed the tune 'Valerie,' a Zutons song Winehouse famously covered. Channeling both Sam Cooke and the late British singer, Mars provided one of the night's most stirring moments.

Watch Bruno Mars Perform 'Valerie'

Lil Wayne -- 'How to Love' and 'John'

Introduced by his very own protégé, Drake, Lil Wayne took to the stage to perform his non-rapping, singing-only, mid-tempo single, 'How to Love,' clad in a leather hat, white T-shirt and leopard-print skinnies. Before things got too sentimental, Wayne ripped of his T and jumped up and down like a wild man, transitioning into his Rick Ross-assisted 'John.' Rick didn't join in the fun, but Wayne did rock out on the electric guitar, whipping his dreads back and forth.

Watch Lil Wayne Perform 'How to Love' and 'John'

VMAs Red Carpet

All VMA Winners

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Lloyd Talks Touring With Lil Wayne, Andre 3000's Influence

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:30:00 EST

Michael Loccisano, Getty Images During his time on Irv Gotti's label The Inc., Lloyd released three successful albums and established himself as a talented R&B vocalist with hit singles like 2007's 'Get It Shawty' and 'You.' After the label's dissolution, the 25-year-old lingered on Universal Motown where he developed a close working relationship with Lil Wayne's Young Money crew. He joined them on the popular track 'Bedrock' in 2009, and a few months later, he released 'Like Me: The Young Goldie' EP for free, with features from both Wayne and Drake. This month, Lloyd returns with his first label-backed project since 2008's 'Lessons In Love.' His new album, 'King of Hearts,' out today, was recorded under his new label, Interscope Records, where he landed in 2010, to work with Jimmy Iovine. The new deal with Interscope allows the Atlanta native to create a more dynamic album with a long list of features from Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Young Jeezy, R. Kelly and Andre 3000, just to name a few. ATL beatsmith Polow Da Don handled production on the album and the public got their first taste of the collaboration on the 50 Cent-featured track 'Let's Get It In,' which premiered in January. According to Lloyd, he and Polow crafted an album that reflects his evolved tastes and experiments with a new sound. "'King of Hearts' is a very hard and bass-driven album," Lloyd tells the BoomBox. "It's all the things I loved growing up in Atlanta." Read on as the crooner discusses his ability to snag Andre 3000 for a collaboration, his upcoming tour dates with Weezy F. Baby and what department he's a little more "wiser" in. ...

This is your first album on Interscope, where you are excited to work with Jimmy Iovine. Has the new label provided you with more opportunities?

There have been way more resources and that's the beauty of it. That's the reason I went to Los Angeles to work on the album, so that I could tap into more resources. We have songs on 'King Of Hearts' with trumpet players, saxophonists, live strings and there are even records where I'm playing the piano and records that have the word p---- ['Dedication to My Ex'] involved [laughs]. We just wanted to come out swinging, we've got a lot of heavy hitters on the album -- we have a lot of dangerous R&B, if you will.

Were your options restricted before signing the new deal?

Definitely. There's always a beef here and always a grudge there and a lot of times when you deal with someone who has an issue with someone else, you kind of end up in the middle of it. That has a lot to do with the reason behind me with working 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and even being able to have a conversation with Dr. Dre. It's not to say, "Forget those guys," it's just to say that this is the year for building bridges and not putting up walls for me.

So it's safe to say that you plan on sticking around at Interscope?

I'm confident not only in this album, but in the many more wonderful albums we'll create here. I'll just continue to work on growing and developing with this newfound freedom at Interscope. Having the power to work with whomever I feel is something that I really look forward to exploring.

It's been three years since your last album, what has you kept busy since then?

Three years to say the least. I've been pretty active, even with 'Bedrock,' owning it somewhat when it first came out and being a part of Drake's first mixtape. I also released a free 'Like Me: The Young Goldie' EP, which featured Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and Rich Boy, to name a few. It was just about eight songs, with the track called 'Pusha,' which was really popular. I do this regardless of what's going on with the business side of things; I'll continue to be a creative force to be reckoned with. The beautiful thing about YouTube, Twitter and the do-it-yourself mindframe is that you don't have to wait on anybody. If you have a great idea, all you have to do is record it, give it back to the world and they'll catch onto it if it's worth feeling.

Watch Lloyd's 'Cupid (On Tour)'

You have a ton of features on the new album. Were any of them difficult to land? Andre 3000 is notorious for being a difficult catch.

Andre is a sucker for great music and he loves great songs, so every blue moon he'll step outside of his world and into mine. This is the second time we've collaborated -- we did a remix to 'You,' which features Nas as well. I think it is, by far, the greatest R&B remix this side of the Maxon Dixon mixed with Patti LaBelle. Andre knows how much he influenced me growing up in Atlanta. He knows how hard I've been working on this album and he knows how much it means to me. I think he just wanted to be a part of this new transformation of my sound and my style and ultimately, the way I make people feel with my music.

What has changed the most about your sound and style in the past three years?

I've just changed as a person. There are obviously changes you see on the outside, but I think those are reflections of the core of the person who is growing. I think there is a certain rebelliousness that I've learned to bottle in my music. I try to let it all out in the music now and I try not to bleed over into the things I do outside of the studio. I use that as my relief. And when you hear songs like 'Lay it Down,' that's more powerful; it's louder, it's stronger-I'm just singing it out more. With this music, you can almost hear my facial expressions. You can hear when I'm tight enough to hit that real high note, or you know I'm about to cry when I'm singing the lyrics to 'World Cry,' which is a song with R. Kelly and Keri Hilson about poverty, injustices to minorities and war. It's about how we all really hate to see people struggle and unfortunately, be mistreated.

Why was 'World Cry a selection among so many songs dedicated to relationships?

There are many sides to the man who is Lloyd, who is the 'King Of Hearts.' The king has many responsibilities to love and to protect, and to be honest in baring his soul. He has to be someone who is the example of a man.

Have you evolved in the relationship department like you have in music?

Great lovers aren't born, they're made. The experiences we have in our lives -- the good
and the bad -- are all worthwhile, and they all build character. Obviously, the older you
get, the wiser you get. So I'm just a wiser 21, if you will. It's a wiser street run if you will.

When you're putting so much emotion onto each track, are you very careful about selecting complimentary features?

I'm naturally picky and that probably has a lot to do with the music that I chose for the album. We didn't record a lot of music, surprisingly. Usually I record a bunch of songs, then I narrow it down, do the first cut, and then go back and for a second cut, and then the final cut. This time we did about 17 or 18 songs for the album. We originally wanted to use only 10 songs, and we had the 10, but then Polow Da Don wanted to do something a little more hip-hop, a little more aggressive. So we decided to do these really crazy, dope hip-hop infused R&B records, like 'Be The One,' which features Trey Songz and Young Jeezy and 'Shake it For Daddy,' for which I have a really cool version with Snoop that didn't make the album. My original version on the album is basically me and Polow freestyling in the studio on the spot but it ended up being really cool. There's a song called 'Bang,' which is one of the last songs we recorded, featuring an up-and-coming young lady who is very talented.

It sounds like you had a lot of fun recording the album.

I did! I recorded a little bit in Atlanta, a little bit in L.A., and even a track at the Palms
Studio in Vegas, which was a big experience.

This fall you'll be on the road opening for Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music tour.

I haven't been on an actual tour with Wayne before and I can't wait. I'm excited about touring with the Martian. I really look forward to taking a trip to his world, and bringing people over into mine. Our worlds collide a lot, so I get the best of both young worlds with this.

--Written by Nadeska Alexis

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Missy Elliott Turns 40: 15 Videos Celebrating Her Career

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:40:00 EST

Steve Eichner, Getty Images Beginning with the visuals for her 1997 debut single, 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),' Missy Elliott has released over a dozen memorable music videos throughout her career. Her early hits range from 1997's 'Sock It 2 Me' and 2003's 'Gossip Folks' to more recent tracks such as 2008's 'Ching-A-Ling. Misdemeanor's bold style, often paired with Hype Williams' experimental directing, resulted in videos that will always remain pop culture staples. As Missy celebrates her 40th Birthday today (July 1), the BoomBox joins the esteemed rapper in showcasing 15 of her zany visuals. ...

'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),' 1997

The lead single from Missy's 1997 debut 'Supa Dupa Fly' introduced her off-the-wall style and marked the beginning of her partnership with director Hype Williams. Together they would showcase Elliott's funky ways -- who could forget that black garbage bag-inspired outfit -- and Williams' love for warped visuals in countless clips. Though it was Missy's first solo video, the Virginia native often ommanded features from Diddy -- still Puffy at the time --, Total and Lil' Kim.

'Sock It 2 Me,' 1997

In the Mega Man-themed video for 'Sock It 2 Me,' Missy took both Lil' Kim and Da Brat into orbit with her, as they battled toy robots in space. Timbaland, who would eventually become a fixture in Missy Eliott videos, doubles as a mad scientist and Da Brat saves the day on a space scooter. The dancers, fitting with the motif, are decked out in sleek, black gear that likens them to robots.

'Beep Me 911,' 1998

For one of her most R&B-tinged tracks to date, Missy deviated slightly from her over the top antics to release a sexier video. Like her scantily clad backup dancers, she appears in the form of a doll-like human figure and changes multiple outfits -- including a Wicked Witch-inspired look -- while crooning on the track. Missy's unusually slow jam also features vocals from R&B group 702 and former Timbaland co-hort Magoo, who gets into character for the video.

'Hit Em With Da Hee,' 1998

Missy found more success with this 'Supa Dupa Fly' single in the U.K. than she did stateside, and for the video she decided to venture to the dark side. The visuals were shot in a gloomy medieval castle where Missy, serving as a knight, is in control of a fire-breathing armored horse. Timbaland appears as one of the goons in the video, while rapper Mocha guests to deliver her verse and, for the accompanying dance sequence, Missy and her crew sport four-piece suits.

'Hot Boyz,' 1999

'She's A Bitch,' 1999

By the time her second album 'Da Real World' rolled around, Missy had achieved enough success to commission a $2 million budget for this Hype Williams-directed clip, one of the costliest music videos to date. Bright colors were traded in for a darker, more ominous scheme and the video climaxes when Missy and her backup dancers rise out of a dark ocean to perform on an "M"-emblazoned platform below a stormy sky. This is spliced with close-ups of Missy's baldhead, silver makeup and rhinestone-studded eyebrows.

'All 'N My Grill,' 1999

'All 'N My Grill' can be safely considered one of Missy's least theatrical videos, with no space trips, trippy special effects or body distortion to be seen. Instead the slow-paced visuals, city scenery and guest appearances from Big Boi and former protégé Nicole Wray craft a rounded R&B video. The video's most eye-popping moment finds Missy and her dancers, decked out in neon raincoats, dancing in the streets.

'One Minute Man,' 2001

If the title and implications of this song weren't straightforward enough, Missy further drove the point home by setting this video in the 'Get Ur Freak On Hotel,' where the going rate is $10 a minute. A little dance party in the hotel lobby suddenly gives way to a new shot of the rhymer, who has managed to decapitate herself without missing a beat on the track. Ludacris and Trina both drop in for their respective verses on the hit.

'Get Ur Freak On,' 2001

The first single from 'Miss E...So Addictive' spawned one of the singer-rapper's most iconic videos. In a jungle-like backdrop, Misdemeanor and her motley crew of backup dancers are flung here, there and everywhere -- some dressed in camouflage gear, others in white body paint hanging from trees. As she raps, Missy's head extends a few feet from her body, alien-like. Still, the video's most cringe-worthy moment finds a dancer swallowing a mouthful of spit from across the room, before continuing to move.

'Work It,' 2002

A sample from Run DMC's 'Peter Piper' might explain Missy's decision to sport full Adidas tracksuits with matching Kangol hats and an oversized gold chain in this video. Also to be expected are numerous break-dancing segments. And while Missy doesn't decapitate herself in this one, she does manage to swallow a model-sized Lamborghini and relax with a face full of bees. Plus, finding Halle Berry at the bottom of a beer glass is still pretty funny.

'Gossip Folks,' 2003

In a surprisingly colorful video that address the rumors surrounding her personal life, Missy gets comfortable in her familiar Adidas tracksuits and Kangol hats with hoop earrings. Included is one of her signature video breakdowns, where the song and scene switch suddenly to create an entirely new setting. When the original track picks up again after a few rowdy moments, Ludacris, with his exaggerated Southern drawl, spits his verse.

'I'm Really Hot,' 2004

In this Tarantino-inspired clip, Missy and her foreign-speaking counterparts butt heads with a rival crew, which results in what can be described as an epic dance-off. In a barren warehouse and nearby streets, dancers face-off in their respective costumes and makeup, from colorful to creepy. With less than two minutes left in the video, Missy switches up the beat completely for one of her signature breaks, but eventually things cut back to the rowdy dance warehouse scene.

'Lose Control,' 2005

Popular hip-hop DJ Fatman Scoop lends his amp-me-up vocals to this track, which immediately creates the sensation of being in a club. In the video, the sentiment is similar as Ciara joins Missy to dance along with her own back-up crew. Past the halfway point, the David Meyers-directed video switches to the track 'On & On,' where the rapid-fire spitter appears in a brand new scene alongside rocker Tommy Lee.

'Teary Eyed,' 2005

Continuing with the R&B lean previously displayed on tracks like 'All 'N My Grill'
and 'Beep Me 911,' Missy slows down the vocals on 'Teary Eyed.' To paint the
tale of a love gone wrong, she ends up bound in a straight jacket after crashing
the car of a cheating boyfriend. Despite the slower pace of the track, the singer still
incorporates a breakdown near the video's end, which switches the beat entirely,
as she dangles upside down from the ceiling of an asylum.

'Ching-A-Ling,' 2008

Missy commissioned the talents of popular Japanese dance group U-Min for this video's choreography. Against a series of backgrounds, which range from stark white to gold-toned, Missy and her dance crews swap outfits to contrast with their surroundings. Dancers clad in all-black even don white sneakers on their hands before Missy gets into a quick game of DDR. Halfway through, the video cuts to a house party where her 'Shake Your Pom Pom' track can be heard spinning.

-- Written by Nadeska Alexis

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Happy Birthday Tupac Shakur

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:10:00 EST

AP Hip-hop enthusiasts are celebrating the lyrics and life of Tupac Shakur today (June 16), as the talented West Coast rhymer would have turned 40 years old. Pac, who was taken too soon on Sept. 13, 1996, after a drive-by shooting left him mortally wounded, stood as one of rap's esteemed poetic forces. His words were carefully crafted and his tracks were filled with vivid storytelling from a man with more than money and cars to speak of. For those that never had the opportunity to see his live performance, hearing his lyrics and watching his videos sufficed, only to prove to his legion of followers that he was a rapper that excelled in every aspect of his craft. ...

The famed MC released four studio albums -- '2Pacalypse Now,' 'Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.,' 'Me Against the World' and 'All Eyez on Me' -- during his lifetime, and several posthumously, including 'The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory' and 'Greatest Hits.' He also joined forces with the group Thug Life, later dubbed the Outlawz, to craft the LP, 'Thug Life: Volume 1.'

His album sales, which go well over 75 million -- a number reported back in 2007 -- prove even after death his legacy as a cultural icon still lives on. Songs like 'I Ain't Mad at Cha' and 'Dear Mama' showcased his knack for speaking from the heart while 'Hit 'Em Up,' his famed diss aimed at Notorious B.I.G., shed light on his animated delivery in the face of the East Coast-West Coast rap war.

From his roles in movies like 'Poetic Justice' to his many bids in prison, he proved to be a talented yet troubled black man. But never did that take away from the impact and influence on those he left behind.

While his murder is still a mystery 15 years later, news broke on the eve of his birthday, Wednesday (June 15), that Dexter Isaac was the famed gunman during the 1994 shooting and robbery of Pac at Quad Studios in New York City. Though Isaac reportedly confessed to the crime and named music industry veteran Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond as the man who planned the act, there is still much speculation regarding his claims.

Watch Tupac's 'Thugz Mansion'

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Ryan Leslie Sings Less, Raps on New Album, 'Les Is More'

BoomBox Staff — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST

Evan Rogers for NextSelection Following the release of his successful sophomore album, 'Transition,' Ryan Leslie walked away from his contract with Universal Motown to pursue an independent release. Since then the singer-songwriter-producer, and now rapper, has not looked back. Two weeks after the label split, Leslie wrote, produced and released 'Glory,' the first single from his third album, 'Les Is More,' which finds him rapping instead of singing R&B tunes. A European tour followed that, as well as his first performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year -- a specific goal he wanted to accomplish due to the lack of R&B performers usually invited to stadium shows. Leslie, who has produced tracks for artists like Ne-Yo and recently, the remix to Fabolous' 'You Be Killin' Em,' has also enjoyed the freedom to create music on his own terms, citing his single 'Joan of Arc' as an example. "I went into the studio; wrote, produced, recorded that song and released it that same night," he explains. "To have that artistic freedom is just amazing." This summer, following the official July 4 release of 'Les Is More,' Leslie will once again take the stage in front of expansive crowds at Lollapalooza, abroad in Zurich, Switzerland and at Central Park's SummerStage concert series. And between performances, the 32-year-old entrepreneur will invest serious time into his NextSelection brand. Read on as R. Les speaks on his new business model, questions newcomers Frank Ocean and the Weeknd and embraces his rap side. ...

Watch Ryan Leslie's 'Glory'

How did the split from Universal change the scope of the past year,
creatively?

The real difference is that I didn't have a "big brother," in terms of a distribution
company, looking over my shoulder at every move that I made. From a business
standpoint, obviously there's a huge difference when you're self funded -- that means
that every single dollar is coming out of your bank account. You're looking a lot closer
at the financial health of your business, as an artist. Fortunately for me, I'm a pretty
successful producer with a lucrative publishing business, the proceeds of which I used to fund the 'Les Is More' album.

Did that result in an entirely different body of work from albums like 'Transition'
and 'Ryan Leslie?'

It's a rap album so it's markedly different from the other two and many people think it's
a risky move. Here's a guy coming off a Grammy-nominated contemporary R&B album,
deciding that he wants to exercise his creative and artist license to make a rap album. I
would venture to say that my former distribution company might not have supported
that decision. But since it's now my own independent venture, I'm able to do any and
everything that I want to do. That includes releasing records on the same day as I write
them, which is what I did with 'Joan of Arc' on March 16.

There's great storytelling on 'Joan of Arc.' Why did you include the
voicemail at the end?

The voicemail was what inspired the record, because I was going through a pretty
tumultuous situation and that was really the icing on the cake. I literally woke up and
for the first time in my life was being confronted by the NYPD. I was in the studio
with Ne-Yo all week and I woke up that morning, made a call and asked if I could go
into the studio a couple of hours early to get something off my chest. I went in, wrote,
produced, recorded and released that song the same night. To have that type of artistic
freedom -- to write about something that was going on that week and have the freedom
of distribution -- is just amazing. And for it to end up on the radar of USA Today and
Entertainment Weekly is a real testament to the new landscape of the music business
today.

Since you branch out into rapping on this album, was producing it more of a
challenge?

I produced the entire album and I don't know if it's any different for me, whether I'm singing or rapping. In my very first single that broke the charts, 'Diamond Girl,' the opening line is, "They try to put me in a box, it's impossible." I never want to be boxed into categories, like, "Hey, this is an R&B guy," or "Here's a producer trying to be an artist" or "Here's a piano and synth guy trying to make R&B records." It's just really about art and creative expression, so the process hasn't changed at all. I'm just delivering the message in rap form.

You fulfilled your desire to perform at Coachella this year. Was that a big
career accomplishment?

I had an amazing run this past year. I did a European tour in the fall -- a lot of that
footage made it into the 'Glory' video -- and with a huge response to the new music, we
also did Coachella. Upcoming, I'm booked at Lollapalooza and I'm doing a festival in
Zurich, Switzerland in July. For any young artist that says, "Man, I wanna get a VMA
or Grammy," it's a testament to the fact that when you put a desire into the universe,
that you really work hard to achieve, it's within reach. Not that I've put a lot of weight
on awards and accolades but they do serve as amazing milestones to landmark your
career. I opened Coachella on Sunday, the last day, and we just rocked out. It was very
comfortable for me just because I've been touring and organizing my own tours in
Europe, with my internal team since 2004. So if by 2011, I can't get on the Coachella
stage and rock out, then I probably shouldn't be doing this. This is just what I absolutely
love to do.

Watch Ryan Leslie's 'Breathe' Featuring Mr. Hudson

Considering the popularity of acts like Frank Ocean and The Weeknd,
do you think that R&B artists will secure more chances for festival
performances?

It just comes down to the lineup at those festivals. Do you have stadium status music?
Do you have performances that are thrilling, exciting and exhilarating? With Frank Ocean being part of Odd Future, he made it to Coachella. But you look at someone with the success of Ne-Yo and Trey Songz -- both of them having three to 10 times as many Twitter followers as I've got -- and they're not invited to be on those stages in front of 100,000 people. I want to break down those barriers. The landscape is changing, thanks to artists like myself who have the passion to say, "Hey, we want to be able to present on those stages too." Artists like the Weeknd and Frank Ocean, I hope they're working toward creating that explosive performance. What are they offering in that live experience that makes them unforgettable and sets them apart from everyone else? That's what I try to do in my live performance element. Is there an emotive quality there which connects with an audience?

When you lost the masters for 'Les Is More' on your stolen laptop last year,
did you consider trying to re-record the entire thing?

I would never try to do something exactly the way I've done it before. I would want to
improve upon it and pick the seams that are strongest. I look at life this way: There's
a reason for everything, so if those masters were really completely gone, that which I
remembered and was inspired by, would be the foundation for some new recordings,
which would be exponentially more engaging and exciting and amazing.

Most people would have been pretty devastated and might have considered
giving up for awhile.

I look at my life and I think to myself-I'm in such an amazing position because I have
put in the work to be able to live the American Dream, which is getting paid for what
I'm passionate about. So after any snafu, setback, stolen laptop, hard drive crash or bad
show, I have the ability to wake up the next day, go in the studio and potentially write
the record that could change mine or someone else's life. It's an amazing position to be
in.

As an independent artist, are you always on the lookout for possible
marketing-promotion partnerships?

We're working on upcoming promotions but I'm being very specific about what
messaging I want to convey creatively. We've already shot three videos for this album: 'Beautiful Lie,' 'Maybachs & Diamonds' and 'Dress You To Undress You.' We're looking
at a fourth and a fifth and for 'Joan of Arc' and 'Breathe.' This album is just as much a
visual presentation as it is a musical one, so we want to find partners that are aligned
with the brand messaging and visual roll out. I'm even toying with the idea of a feature-length film that we could do potentially with MTV. There's any number of marketing
collaborations that could happen, but I'm really focused on the creative message. I'll
take that creative message, present it to brands and see who would be best suited to align with it, from a messaging standpoint.

You've long-stressed the importance of social-digital media. Have you had
any developments in the past year?

We launched NextSelection, which is a consulting group for creative initiatives. This
is an amazing time because an artist can now look at themselves as a personal brand.
They need to really be engaged in the same behaviors, activities and business practices
as any other brand, whether it's Coca Cola or Starbucks. At NextSelection, we've been
taking the best practices from some of the biggest brands in the world and toying with
this idea of "owned audiences." That means you can create an audience of even just a
thousand loyal fans who will spend $100 bucks a year with you, and then you're doing
double the median income of an average family of four in the U.S. It's a platform and business paradigm for an artist.

Can you actually make a career out of a thousand die-hard fans? It won't make you a multimillionaire but as long as you can keep the lights on and you've got a captive audience that is engaged with your content, it buys you that extra day to walk into the studio and maybe make a record that's going to change your life. It's about creating an environment that fosters and nurtures real creativity from artists and allows them to make a living while contributing to the culture of today and tomorrow.

--Written by Nadeska Alexis

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10 Best Songs of 2011 (So Far)

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

At the halfway point in 2011, the year's biggest hip-hop and R&B hits have already run the gamut from eccentric love anthems courtesy of Nicki Minaj and Wiz Khalifa, to southern-tinged club bangers from Ace Hood and Rick Ross. Each of these songs commanded one ear to the stereo and one finger on the repeat button. Check out the 10 best songs of 2011, so far. 10 'Novacane' Frank Ocean Frank Ocean's independently released debut 'Nostalgia: Ultra' took flight with some help from this captivating and off-kilter modern day love song. The L.A.- based singer-songwriter lays down rich vocals on a self-penned track about sordid affairs with a porn star and a tangle of drugs that result in a decidedly bittersweet love story. Besides the Odd Future member's ingenious storytelling, the haunting and drawn out hook on 'Novacane' is hard to shake. Wendy Redfern, Redferns ...

'Hustle Hard (Remix)'

Ace Hood feat. Rick Ross & Lil Wayne

DJ Khaled's Florida-bred protégé Ace Hood infiltrated the clubs with this dirty South banger that reinforces an important message: to hustle is necessary. Over a signature Lex Luger production (not too distant from the beatwork on Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'H.A.M.'), Hood locked down an instant street anthem that brought on a Lil Wayne verse and as well as one from Rick Ross. The driving chorus -- "Hustle, hustle, hustle hard" -- sums it all up. This is simply the hustler's anthem.

Rick Diamond, Getty Images for BMI

'9 Piece'

Rick Ross feat. T.I.

Rick Ross' larger-than-life persona and never-ending catalog of hits have been contributing factors to his current surge in popularity. This track, which originally appeared on his 'Ashes to Ashes' mixtape, featured T.I. and was revamped with a new verse from Lil Wayne to make a second go-around on his forthcoming album, 'God Forgives, I Don't.' The classic Rick Ross Southern drawl, played out over a gritty, bass-heavy beat has become a no-fail formula for the Bawse.

Larry Marano, Getty Images

'Racks'

YC feat. Future

To enjoy this cash-flaunting anthem from ATL rapper Young Chris, better know as YC -- not to be confused with the Young Gunz rapper of the same name -- listeners need only appreciate his passion for keeping track of stacks. He dubs them "racks" though, which are the equivalent of a stack of one thousand dollar bills. Just how many racks YC has amassed is hard to say, but according to the repetitive lyrics on this song, he's collected enough racks, on racks, on racks, to score condos, cars and a closet-full of designer wear.

YouTube

'Motivation'

Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne

The lead single from Kelly Rowland's third album, 'Here I Am,' is a sultry, bedroom ballad laid down over a hypnotic beat from Jim Jonsin, resulting in her sexiest solo track to date. Her sensual, come-hither vocals -- "Go longer, you can last more rounds/ Push harder, you're almost there now" -- over the minimal but intoxicating beat are perfectly complemented by Lil Wayne's teasing lyrics. All of that motivation also gave the former Destiny's Child songstress her best chart-topper to date.

Chris Jackson, Getty Images

'Super Bass'

Nicki Minaj

After Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez declared their love for this effervescent pop tune by reciting the lyrics in YouTube videos, it was destined to become another mega hit for Young Money's first lady. Nicki Minaj's bubble gum boy anthem is a favorite amongst the girly set for its sugary sweet melody littered with some classic Barbie attitude. The video, appropriately, is an equal mix of sweet and sexy, with Nicki's signature pastel colors and a lot of extra skin.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images for ABC

'S&M'

Rihanna

For her fifth album 'Loud,' Rihanna turned up the volume with this erotic anthem. If the cheeky lyrics weren't risqué enough ("Sticks and stones may break my bones/ But chains and whips excite me") they were accompanied by rated-R visuals of RiRi engaging in scandalous behavior with a banana. The video was banned in 11 countries, but a Britney Spears assist on the remix led to a lip-lock between the two songstresses during their first live performance.

Jamie McCarthy, WireImage

'Roll Up'

Wiz Khalifa

Wiz Khalifa dropped his marijuana-themed 'Rolling Papers' album in March, with the second single 'Roll Up' released just a month earlier. The breezy, sing- a-long track ushered in the first thoughts of warm weather, setting it up to be a perfectly mellow summer anthem. The catchy refrain of "roll up" doubles as an affectionate gesture toward a desirable girl, proving that Wiz has more than just green on the mind, once in awhile.

Dave Kotinsky, Getty Images

'Give Me Everything'

Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo & Nya

Mr. 305 has remained true to this standard of churning out pounding, club-ready hits, continuing with his dance floor favorite. An energizing electronic beat is layered with Ne-Yo's smooth vocals and Pitbull's Miami-accented Spanish- English verses. The infectious beat, perfect for a celebratory night of drinking and debauchery, makes this a hit everywhere, from the U.S. to Australia. Side effects of listening to this song may include the urge to locate the nearest disco ball.

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

'Look At Me Now'

Chris Brown feat. Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne

Chris Brown had a few public wins and fails this year, but this one was a certified win -- 61 million YouTube views don't lie. For the second single from his 'F.A.M.E.' album, Breezy recruited Lil Wayne and more importantly Busta Rhymes to lay down his fast-balling, double-time flow over this eerie, otherworldly beat from Diplo and Afrojack. Busta might have stolen the spotlight on this feature, but Chris Brown still scored a runaway hit.

Dave Kotinsky, Getty Images

Written by Nadeska Alexis

Top Songs of 2010

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20 Best Feel-Good Songs by Great Black Artists

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

June 2011 marks the 32nd anniversary of Black Music Month, which gives us 30 full days to celebrate the dedicated musicians who have entertained us throughout the years. To commemorate the occasion, we selected 20 of the greatest feel-good songs, from contemporary artists such as Beyonce and Kanye West to legendary performers that include Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. Check out the BoomBox's favorite songs from black artists who know how to have a good time. 20 'Ride Wit Me' Nelly The third single from Nelly's debut LP, 'Country Grammar,' did not garner as much chart success as its title track, but still, 'Ride Wit Me' became an instant favorite, thanks in part to an impossibly catchy guitar riff. Combined with carefree lyrics about cruising with the top down, chasing girls and living the easy life, it remained an indisputable warm weather go-to. So much so, that in 2010, the cast of ABC's 'Glee' even performed their own cover of the song. Michael Buckner, WireImage ...

'Night To Remember'

Shalamar

1970s group Shalamar found success with their popular blend of upbeat disco- soul, and more notably with their 1982 hit 'Night To Remember.' During a live performance of the track on BBC's 'Top of the Pops' show later that same year, dancer Jeffrey Daniel executed the "Moonwalk" for the first time on TV, capturing the attention of a young Michael Jackson. From there, the rest is musical history.

Getty Images

'Ordinary People'

John Legend

With three successful solo albums under his belt, John Legend has detailed the many highs and low of romantic relationships over the years, but it was his 2004 single, 'Ordinary Love, that first demonstrated his raw talent for tackling human emotion. Over a pared down piano melody -- his musical weapon of choice -- Legend croons about love's ability to triumph over the many hurdles we encounter, earning him one of his very first Grammy Awards.

David Livingston, WireImage

'Can I Kick It?'

A Tribe Called Quest

Try as hard as you can and it will still be difficult to equate this song with anything but a laid-back afternoon kicking it with your best friends. The hypnotic, extended introduction transports listeners down memory lane, even before Q- Tip officially begins the song 30 seconds later, asking, "Can I Kick It?" While historical references may date the track, playful quips such as, "If you feel the urge to freak, do the jitterbug," simply never get old on this ATCQ track.

Getty Images

'The Light'

Common

Common's introspective and uplifting lyrics have earned him accolades for being a conscious MC, and his Grammy-nominated single 'The Light' is a prime exhibition of his craft. The heartfelt tune, released in 2000, is one of hip- hop's most tender and sincere love songs to date, thanks to lyrics like, "Love has no limit, let's spend it slow forever." Rumors that the song was dedicated to Common's onetime girlfriend Erykah Badu only enhanced its appeal to the masses.

Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

'I'm Every Woman'

Whitney Houston

In 1992, Whitney Houston released her rendition of Chaka Khan's 1978 breakout hit, reinventing the song for a new generation of women who dared to dream of doing and having it all. The fresh cover, recorded for 'The Bodyguard' soundtrack, bumped the girl power meter up a notch with video appearances from Khan herself, as well as the members of TLC. Whitney, Chaka, TLC together. Need we say more?

Larry Busacca, Getty Images

'Only You'

112

112's 1996 debut marked one of the earliest R&B releases on Diddy's Bad Boy Records. The group's first single, 'Only You,' was remixed with verses from the Notorious B.I.G. and Mase -- at the peak of their respective careers -- instantly making the song a stuck-in-your-head variety. Hit play, and it will likely transport you to a dance floor somewhere in your memory, or at least conjure up images of four guys, dressed in all-white-everything, dancing in front of a back lit screen in the original video. Bad Boy, baby.

WireImage for BMI

'Real Love'

Mary J. Blige

On the second single from her 1992 debut album, 'What's The 411?' a young Mary J. set the tone for early '90s R&B with this youthful, but soulful anthem about the quest for a fulfilling romance. Crafted over a catchy drum sample from Audio Two's 1998 track 'Top Billin',' the future Queen of R&B scored her own classic, carefree love song way before all of that drama and the impending 'Growing Pains.'

Michael Tran, FilmMagic

'Dear Mama'

Tupac

Every musician paints a portrait of their personal journey but Tupac's 1995 tribute to his mother, Afeni Shakur tugged at the heartstrings, with its focus on the struggles of an impoverished single parent. Over a nostalgic beat, the late rapper rhymes about the woman who shaped him as a man, thanking her for sacrifices, acknowledging her hardships and cementing 'Dear Mama' as a classic tribute to dynamic mothers everywhere.

Evan Agostini, Getty Images

'Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang'

Dr. Dre

No feel-good playlist is complete without this classic number from the breezier coast, which introduced Dr. Dre and 'The Chronic' to the hip-hop game back in '92. Over one of Dre's signature beats -- which became instantly recognizable by the era of Aftermath Records -- the Doc and Snoop let loose their free-wheeling, Cali-tinged rhymes, breathing new life into the rap scene without ever looking back. Like Snoop said, "Unfadeable, so please don't try to fade this."

Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

'So Fresh, So Clean'

OutKast

OutKast members Big Boi and Andre 3000 harness some old school swag on this 'Stankonia' single with talk of Monte Carlos, Teddy Pendergrass and late nights at the Apollo, set to a smooth funky beat, that oozes laid-back cool. And if there was any doubt that they were the coolest dudes on the planet, refer to the lyrics to hear Big Boi explain why he's as cool as "sippin' a milkshake in a snowstorm."

Frank Micelotta, Getty Images

'Step In The Name Of Love'

R. Kelly

R. Kelly's standard bedroom-friendly lyrics take a backseat on this PG-rated tune, which has become a dance floor favorite at memorable events from marriages to birthday parties and even neighborhood block parties. With Kellz' detailed dancing instructions on the track's breakdown -- "Step, step, side to side/ Round and round, dip it now" -- this song was undeniably crafted for dancing, or stepping, the night away with a loved one.

'If I Ruled The World'

Nas

In 1996, Nas put lyrics to that age-old dream of world domination, with lofty desires for new whips and trips to Paris, accompanied by visions of catapulting the revolutionary Coretta Scott King to power. Lauryn Hill's haunting vocals on the chorus -- a spin on The Delfonic's 'Walk Right Up To The Sun' set to the thumping bass line -- resonate throughout the song, creating the fleeting feeling of floating in a dream... where you rule the world.

Mike Coppola, FilmMagic

'Respect'

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin's two-time Grammy award-winning rendition of Otis Redding's 1965 track overshadowed its predecessor to become the original anthem of female empowerment. But with Aretha's soulful and commanding vocals over a lively melody, both men and women absorbed the positive, progressive message of the tune. It's believed that a troubled marriage inspired Aretha's passion on the track, because sometimes everyone needs a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Monica Morgan, WireImage

'Doo Wop (That Thing)'

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill's first and only studio album, 1998's 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,' spawned the hit single 'Doo Wop (That Thing),' which was the sometimes-AWOL musician's closest effort to a pop song. At its root, the track is based in important social commentary but upbeat drums, peek-a-boo horns and Hill's energetic vocals all combine for a casual listen that screams summertime.

Vallery Jean, FilmMagic

'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'

Beyonce

In lieu of the usual heartbreak sob story, Beyonce puts a positive spin on romance gone sour, by making one point: Men, it's your loss. On the chart-topping hit from 2008's 'I Am...Sasha Fierce,' Hov's No. 1 gal coins one of the most exciting R&B-pop catch phrases since Aretha's 'Respect' with, "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it." The accompanying dance moves -- including that unmistakable hand snap -- are also integral to the enjoyment of this track.

Jordan Strauss, WireImage

'Juicy'

Notorious B.I.G.

Biggie's timeless rags-to-riches tale from his debut album, 'Ready To Die,' is often touted as hip-hop's version of the American Dream, as told by one of the genre's greatest wordsmiths. With a rising profile in the music industry, the late rapper -- then only 22 years old -- reminisces, details difficult days in the hood and remembers those who didn't want him to succeed, as he enjoys his success. In modern day jargon, this is a cult favorite track about #winning.

Larry Busacca, WireImage

'Stronger'

Kanye West

No contemporary artist understands the significance of moving forward after a public setback quite like Kanye West. Appropriate then is the driving single from his 'Graduation' album, a fast-paced, bass-thumping number harping on the importance of perseverance. 'Ye's signature through-the-roof swagger plus a sample of Daft Punk's 'Harder, Better, Faster' equaled a 2008 Grammy win for Best Rap Solo Performance and the perfect pick-me-up song for those slip-of-the-tongue moments.

Andreas Rentz, Getty Images

'I Want To Be Where You Are'

Michael Jackson

Long before he was the King of Pop, 14-year-old Michael Jackson belted out the words to this classic love song with the same fervor that would later make him an icon. And while the romantic lyrics ("I could love you better than I used to/ And give you all the love I have inside") might have been advanced for a tween, Michael's childish innocence still seeps into the tune, retaining its appeal, almost four decades after its original release.

Steve Granitz, WireImage

'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)'

Marvin Gaye

This classic love song was first recorded and released by Marvin Gaye in 1964, during his residency as Motown's leading solo vocalist. Since then, it's been covered countless times and featured in popular films, but still no version can measure up to the original. Gaye's smooth, buttery vocals add another dimension to the simple, heartfelt lyrics, "You were better to me than I've been to myself/ For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else."

Doug McKenzie, Getty Images

Written by N. Alexis

Hip-Hop's Top Protégés

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Rhymefest Says Lil B 'Needs a Dad,' Rapper Responds

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST

Getty Images | WireImage During a Coachella performance in April, West Coast rapper Lil B announced plans to title his upcoming album 'I'm Gay.' The stunt attracted a fair amount of attention and since then the comments have continued to pour in. Fellow rappers have been pretty supportive of Lil B's swag movement and his outrageous antics up until this point -- his most famous one being a threat to sexually assault Kanye West -- but during an interview with CNN Radio this week, the 21-year-old was forced to respond to some purported criticism from rapper Rhymefest. The CNN reporter probed Lil B for a response to Rhymefest's recent tweet about him. "Homeboy [Lil B]needed a dad in his life," the Chicago MC wrote. Lil B didn't attempt to bite his tongue. "I'm going to say, who is Rhymefest? So he needs to work on promoting and marketing himself, because I don't know him," Lil B began. ...

Lil B went on to explain that he actually agreed with the sentiments expressed by Rhymefest. "But what I feel about his comment is that it's true, I needed a father figure in my life, but I'm not complaining about that. What do you mean, I need that? Tell Rhymefest I'm very happy. Tell Rhymefest I actually wake up and I'm happy, and I'm positive and I love people. Ask Rhymefest, does he feel the same way?"

In an effort to nip the beef in the bud, Rhymefest broached the issue on Twitter once more, writing, "When I said Lil B needed a 'father figure' it wasn't a diss, it was what i saw from his actions he's searching." Hear that, Lil B? No love lost.

Lil B's 'I'm Gay' album is slated for a late 2011 release.

Watch Lil B's 'Fake Family'

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Help Celebrate 10 Years of Alicia Keys' 'Songs in A Minor'

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST

Diana Levine for AOL It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since Alicia Keys' incredible debut album, 'Songs in A Minor,' hit shelves, selling 50,000 copies on its first day of availability alone. The album went on to secure five Grammys and shift over 10 million copies worldwide, gaining platinum status in 10 different countries and securing recognition for the then 20-year-old native New Yorker on the international stage. To mark the 10-year anniversary of 'Songs in A Minor,' the woman who made 'Fallin'' a household tune is reissuing the classic album it was first heard on as a Deluxe Edition, available on June 28. While we celebrate alongside her, we at the BoomBox would like to enlist you, the reader to share your thoughts on this memorable work of art. Using the comments section below, the BoomBox's Facebook or Twitter (be sure to use hashtag #AliciaSessions), tell us one of the following: ...

Which song on 'Songs in A Minor' resonated with you and how did the song impact your life?

Tell us about a concert experience you had when Alicia performed songs from the album.

Tell us about the first time you heard 'Songs in A Minor.'

Which of the videos from the album is your favorite and why?

What is it about Alicia Keys that you like the most?

We can't wait to hear your responses. The best ones will be included in another post marking the anniversary, so stay tuned for that. Thank you for helping us celebrate this amazing album!

Watch Alicia Keys' 'Fallin'' video.

Watch Alicia Keys at Sessions

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Nappy Roots Embrace Country in 'Waste Some Time' -- Video

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Stephen J. Cohen, FilmMagic Colt Ford knows the recipe for a great party: take some of the brightest names in hip-hop, a big helping of their fans, a homemade Slip 'N Slide and a dash of Crisco, and you've got for one helluva bash. The country rapper's 'Waste Some Time' video has all the key ingredients, filmed at a lake just outside of his hometown of Athens, Ga. "We invited a bunch of fans out, and there was even a cow out there ... I think her name was Amber," Colt tells the BoomBox's sister site, the Boot. "The farm owners kept saying she was bottle fed and friendly, but I don't run fast so I kept my golf club handy ... just in case!" ...

'Waste Some Time' is from Colt's third studio album, 'Every Chance I Get.' The brand-new record includes an eclectic who's-who list of vocal guests. "It was really cool and such an honor to get to record a song with such amazing artists -- Nappy Roots and Nic Cowan," Colt says of 'Waste Some Time,' "and the fact we all come from different genres doesn't matter to the fans. That combination of sounds is what I think makes music great.

"'Waste Some Time' has a cool, mellow grove and gets you in the mood for having fun in the summer," he continues. "And we figured out at the shoot, it's also the perfect song to lather up with some Crisco and belly-flop onto a homemade slide into a lake, as well. Who knew?"

Watch the world premiere of Colt Ford's 'Waste Some Time' video, featuring Nappy Roots and Nico Cowan, below.

Watch Colt Ford's 'Waste Some Time' Featuring Nappy Roots and Nic Cowen

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Tyler, The Creator Gets Verbal Whipping From Tegan & Sara

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:10:00 EST

Getty | AP Tegan and Sara's Sara Quin posted a lengthy message on the band's site May 13 addressing offensive lyrics by Odd Future's ringleader Tyler, The Creator found on his new 'Goblin' album. She also blasted the lack of response from fellow artists and the media regarding the content, noting that her outrage comes not just from being "both a girl and a lesbian" (as is Odd Future's DJ and engineer Syd tha Kid) but because she's, y'know, a human being. "When will misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving result in meaningful repercussions in the entertainment industry?" Quin wrote. "When will they be treated with the same seriousness as racist and anti-Semitic offenses? While an artists who can barely get a sentence fragment out without using homophobic slurs is celebrated on the cover of every magazine, blog and newspaper, I'm disheartened that any self-respecting human being could stand in support with a message so vile." ...

"In any other industry would I be expected to tolerate, overlook and find deeper meaning in this kid's sickening rhetoric?" Quin continued. "Why should I care about this music or its 'brilliance' when the message is so repulsive and irresponsible?"

After stating that nobody else was speaking up regarding the issue, Quin later asked if other popular artists or bands had a released an album like 'Goblin' with "lyrics littered with rape fantasies and slurs, would they be labelled hate mongers?"

"I realize I could ask that question of DOZENS of other artists, but is Tyler exempt because people are afraid of the backlash? The inevitable claim that detractors are being racist, or the brush-off that not 'getting it' would indicate that you're 'old' (or a faggot)? Because, the more I think about it, the more I think people don't actually want to go up this particular bully because he's popular? Who sticks up for women and gay people now? It seems entirely uncool to do so in the indie rock world, and I'll argue that point with ANYONE."

Quin also said that while every genre of music has its share of controversy or "offensive characters," she felt the need to speak out "because in this case I don't think race or class has anything to do with his hateful message but has EVERYTHING to do with why everyone refuses to admonish him for that message."

Tyler, The Creator responded via Twitter to Quin's post on May 15 prior to an Odd Future (or OFWGKTA) show at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre with the following: "If Tegan and Sara need some hard dick, hit me up!"

Quin concludes the letter by stating that while she enters this topic with "great hesitation and hand wringing" she hoped "that someone reading this might be inspired to speak out."

"At the very least, I will know that my voice is on record."

Watch Tyler, The Creator's 'Yonkers'

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Janet Jackson at 45: Her Hottest Looks in History

BoomBox Staff — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:40:00 EST

Getty Images (3) I WireImage (2) Janet Jackson has reason to celebrate. As she welcomes her 45th birthday today (May 16), the superstar entertainer can breathe easy knowing that during her lauded career, she's had more fashion hits than misses. Jackson's never been dull, pulling off a chic military look during her 'Rhythm Nation' days and even sporting a nose ring and fiery red hair in 1997. Then there was her racy ensemble at Super Bowl XXXVIII and, in contrast, such classic, angelic looks like the white gowns she'd showcase at awards shows. X17online.com For those wondering how she's managed to radiate both on and off stage, the secret may be best found in the music icon's new book, 'True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself,' which serves as both an autobiography and self-help manual. "Achieving your true you is going to be different for everyone," Jackson tells the BoomBox. "For me, it is about having confidence in myself, loving myself for how I am and living a happy life." To celebrate Janet Jackson's 45 years with us, we take a look back at the ever-changing styles she's brought to red carpets, music videos and the like. From her childhood to the present, here's 45 ways the Grammy-winning pop star and actress has remained in control of her style. ...

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Janet Jackson's Most Iconic Looks

Before she became the superstar she is today, Janet was just Michael's baby sister. Here the famous siblings are in their groovy get ups in 1973. See More Pics >>

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Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs on stage during the Good Vibrations music festival at Claremont Showgrounds on February 20, 2011 in Perth, Australia.

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs during the Soul Train awards Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010 in Atlanta.

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs at the 2010 Hennessy Artistry concert series at Cipriani Wall Street on October 14, 2010 in New York City.

Erykah Badu at 40

Singer Erykah Badu performs onstage at Credicard Hall on August 29, 2010 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs at Chene Park on August 12, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan.

Erykah Badu at 40

Musician/vocalist Erykah Badu performs in concert during the 2010 Lollapalooza festival in Grant Park on August 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs during her "Out My Mind, Just in Time Tour" at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort June 24, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Badu is touring in support of her new album, "New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh."

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu visits BET's "106 & Park" at BET Studios on March 29, 2010 in New York City.

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu performs live at The North Sea Jazz Festival, Ahoy, Rotterdam in Holland on July 11 2009

Erykah Badu at 40

Erykah Badu (L) performs on stage with Snoop Dogg during Bonnaroo 2009 on June 14, 2009 in Manchester, Tennessee.

Erykah Badu at 40

Dizzee Rascal Turns to 18th Century Poetry for Inspiration

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST

AP Photo Dizzee Rascal has taken to reading classical poetry in order to improve his lyric-writing skills, reports say. Currently taking time off from the live scene to write his fifth album -- the follow up to 2009's 'Tongue N' Cheek' -- the rapper is said to be poring over the works of 18th century poets such as John Keats, William Blake, Lord Byron and William Wordsworth. A source told The Sun just what the 25-year-old hopes to gain from this sudden interest in the original masters of rhyme, "Dizzee hopes reading poetry will broaden his horizons and make him an even better rapper. He knows he has to push himself to make a great fifth album and reading accomplished poets can only help." ...

So far it's been a relatively quiet year for the London rapper while he works on the as-yet-untitled album. There was speculation last month that he was set to star in a sitcom based on his life but so far there have been no further developments.

Watch Dizzee Perform at Glastonbury 2010

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Ne-Yo Discusses Fifth Album, Fatherhood and New Cartoon

BoomBox Staff — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST

Kevin Winter, Getty Images Over the past half-decade, few artists have loomed as large in the worlds of pop and R&B as Ne-Yo. Born Shaffer Smith, the Arkansas native joined his first R&B group, Envy, while still in his teens. When they broke up, he honed his skills by writing songs for other artists. By the time he released his solo debut, 'In My Own Words,' in early 2006, Ne-Yo was a musical forced to be reckoned with. Since then, not only has he racked up a string of his own hits -- 'So Sick,' 'Because of You,' 'Miss Independent' and 'Closer,' to name a few -- but he has continued working as a writer and producer with such high profile artists as Beyonce, Mario, Jennifer Hudson and even Celine Dion. In March, Ne-Yo returned from a trip to Japan, where he has an extremely loyal fan base -- his greatest hits package, 'Ne-Yo: The Collection,' was released there exclusively in 2009. While overseas, he launched a campaign to help victims of last month's massive earthquake and tsunami by designing his own "Spread Love Through Music" t-shirts. Available now in black, white and red, proceeds from the sales of these shirts will benefit people in Japan who are struggling to put their lives back together after the recent tragedy. The BoomBox recently caught up with Ne-Yo to discuss not only his experiences in Japan but a bunch of other projects he has in the works. The man is nothing if not busy. His 2008 album was called 'Year of the Gentleman' but it looks like 2011 may just be the year of Ne-Yo. ...

I wanted to start by asking you about this new initiative for Japan involving T-shirts, with proceeds to benefit the victims of the tsunami.

Yeah, the campaign we started while we [were in Japan]. We did about a week out there, doing shows and whatnot. It initially started out as just something we just wanted to put on the donation box. We had some construction paper and some markers and I wrote "Spread love through music," with a heart in the place of the word "love" and a music sign in place of the word "music" -- you know, just to make it more universal. They dug it enough to [think] it was a good idea to put it on a T-shirt. So we put it on a T-shirt. We sold them at the shows and all the proceeds go directly to victims of the quake and the tsunami. We raised somewhere in the ballpark of a $100,000.

The T-shirts are currently on sale on my website -- yearofthegentleman.com is my website. Also, neyothegentleman.com. Either one of those should have a link going directly to where you can get the shirts.

Tell me a little about your time in Japan. What your experience was specifically with some of the people that have lost things in the tsunami?

Mind you, the shows that we had set up were scheduled before the tragedy happened. So when we first heard about the disaster, of course some people were a little skeptical. I never felt like, "OK, we're not going." I felt like, "OK, let's do the research. Let's not depend on the newspapers or whatever, let's really do the research ourselves and figure out what's gonna be safe and what's not. You know, if it's impossible for us to go, alright. But if we can get over there, let's get over there."

So as it turns out, we only had one show that was in the danger zone, which is Tokyo -- you know, with the radiation. That's the one show that we didn't get a chance to do. [But] even that show, we just postponed it, we didn't cancel it. We did four cities. The shows went over fantastic. Spirits were high. Just about every show we did, there were people in the audience that either lost family members or [friends]. I took it upon myself to learn one or two phrases in Japanese to let people know that my heart goes out to them [and] to keep their heads up. I didn't do it for the recognition or for the story, I did it because I felt like it was necessary. At a time of tragedy, people need a reason to smile -- something to take their mind off what's going on, even if only for a second. That was the purpose of going over there. And I decided while I'm over there, I might as well use my influence to raise some money for these people. It's one thing to put a smile on somebody's face, it's another thing to put some money in their hands to help them start their life over or whatever the case may be.

It reminds me a little bit when musicians came out after September 11 to perform.

On a personal note, you became a father recently, right?

Yeah, I have a 5-month-old little girl that's getting bigger and louder by the day! Her name is Madilyn Grace and she's the love of my life, man. You know, I've been in love with women before; I know what that feels like. This is something completely different. It's the best thing I've ever done. It was a little scary at first. I didn't know what kind of dad I was gonna be but I think I'm doing alright if I do say so myself.

You're also in a new film, 'Battle: Los Angeles.' From what I hear, you trained pretty hard for that.

Yeah, we had about a two or three-week stint with real live Marines! To say the least, it was hell. It gave me a whole new respect for the armed forces, period. In reality, I don't think that I could hack it. [Even with] all the confidence in the world, I don't think I could hack it. The drill sergeant that we had, you know, they didn't treat us like actors, they treated us like real occupants. But I will say this: it was the best shape that I've ever been in in my life!

So you were getting up early in the morning and stuff like that?

Oh man! Up at five [AM], jogging three, four, five, six miles. Then we'd do calisthenics. You know, learning how to take the gun apart, put it back together, how to clean the gun, shooting practice -- the whole nine. They say that normally [there's] a six-month training period for the Marines. But they had to cram six months into three weeks for us -- and they definitely made it count!

I can't even imagine. Can you tell me a little about working with actress Michelle Rodriguez?

Michelle Rodriguez is one of the few women on the planet who can pull off tough and sexy at the same time. You feel like if you were to get into an actual fistfight with her that she just might give you a run for your money. She definitely is the kind of girl that gives that off. But at the same time, she's a very beautiful woman. She's 100 percent professional. Anything that I didn't know how to do, all I had to do was look to Michelle or Aaron Eckhart and I was alright.

You've worked with a lot of people in the last few years. What musician haven't you worked with that you'd still like to work with?

There's a list a mile long! I've been on an indie thing as of [late]. [There are] a lot of independent artists out there that I really dig. Diane Birch is somebody that I've been listening to a lot lately. Adele's been doing a lot of things. She's incredible. Zero 7, Air, Brazilian Girls -- this is the stuff that I've been listening to a lot and I think it would be cool to get in the studio
with some of these artists.

Anything else that you have in store?

My fifth album is on the way. I felt like I had to drop something relatively quickly behind 'Libra Scale' because [that album] went over some people's heads. This next album, there will be no complicated concept or story line, it's just about good music.

Look out for 'I Heart Tuesdays,' which is my cartoon that The Cartoon Network just closed on. It's not a cartoon about me; it's about a very shallow, rich, 16-year-old brat who, through a curse on her bloodline, is forced to save the world on Tuesdays for the rest of her life.

Also, I have a hat line that will be in stores relatively soon. What else, what else... Oh, one more thing: The movie 'Red Tails' directed by George Lucas. Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in it, Terrence Howard's in it, I'm in it. It's the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. That will be out next year.

--Dave Steinfeld

Watch Ne-Yo's 'Beautiful Monster'

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50 Cent + More -- Top Five Tweets of the Week

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST

jpistudios.com (2) I WireImage (2) I Bauer-Griffin In this week's round-up of the Top Five Tweets of the Week, the beef between 50 Cent and Ja Rule reignites after 50 pokes fun at Ja's latest legal woes. Following a very in-depth interview on Jamie Foxx's XM radio show, Kanye West's former girlfriend Amber Rose wants everyone to know she's not a whore or a groupie. Dad-to-be Nick Cannon says he needs to man-up before his wife, Mariah Carey, hits the delivery room to give birth, and Chopper City, a former member of Diddy's Da Band, tweets from the back of a squad car after he finds himself in hot water for a probation violation. Be sure to follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter. 1. @50Cent (50 Cent): "LOL RT@YouCantBSerious: Ja Rule pleads guilty to tax evasion aww this is the biggest headline for Ja since @50Cent destroyed his career ... Damn you don't want to pay taxes fool. Take 3 more years hahaha. Oh s--- I'm crying LMAO ... Tell him (Ja Rule) I said don't worry I got him when he come home. Lol ... Yo word to my mother if anybody knock jah out and f--- him in jail it's gonna be on." ...

2. @RuleYork (Ja Rule): "I wouldn't expect anything different from a ho a-- n---- like @50Cent. This Curtis fellow is a real clown clothing line dead sneakers dead album sales been dead and y'all let him talk like he's poppin @50Cent...Don't worry about my tax issue there gonna pay that 1.1 mil ... most of u n----s can't pay your phone bill lmao #WINNING STILL..He got 3 mil followers and his last album barely went gold gtfoh @50Cent."

3. @amberrose (Amber Rose): "Morning Twit Fam, [I] didn't really wake up in a good mood today. I'm just so sick of being ridiculed. [People] assuming things without knowing. I'm super nice to everyone I meet. I'm a very caring, compassionate person. I don't deserve to be talked about so negatively. I really hate explaining myself that's why I stay so quiet but I will say this . . . I was with my ex for 2 years and now I have a new Love. [Two People] that's it. If that makes me a whore then so be it. I have NEVER slept with Fabolous, Drake, Chris Brown, Amar'e, Lebron, Cassidy, etc. Nor have I ever been a Prostitute."

4. @nickcannon (Nick Cannon): "I am probably going to faint in the delivery room! I need to man up! Or maybe I should say WOMAN UP since they are the ones that have to be the strongest in the whole ordeal! I am in awe of my wife! ' ' ' I'm trying to prepare but I get queezy in Hospitals LOL."

5. @iamch0pper (Chopper City): "THEY JUST CAME 2 MY CONDO I'M IN THE COP CAR I AIN'T DO NOTHING #FREECHOPPERCITY ... THEY BOUT 2 TAKE MY PHONE BRA DAMM. HOLD ME DOWN Y'ALL I'M IN CUFFS TWEETIN ... #FREECHOPPERCITY RT RT ... PROBATION VIOLATION"

Wyclef Shot During Haiti Visit

BoomBox Staff — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 08:42:00 EST

Guillermo Arias, AP Wyclef Jean has reportedly been shot at during a trip to his native Haiti. The former Fugees member was visiting the country to lend his support to presidential candidate Michael Martelly, during Martelly's preparations for the final round of elections against former First Lady Mirlande Manigat. A car he was riding in was attacked and shot at as he was driving through the capital of Port-au-Prince, accompanied by friend and fellow artist Busta Rhymes and the record executive Jimmy Rosemond. The three traveled to Haiti to take part in a concert to support Martelly's bid for presidency. ...

The 'If I Were President: The Haitian Experience' creator's right hand was injured by a bullet, but it seems no other injuries were incurred by Wyclef or the other passengers. Wyclef's representatives confirmed the shooting and tweeted, "We have spoken to Wyclef, he is OK. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers."

Wyclef's hand was struck by a bullet in Port-au-Prince around 11PM, his publicist said on Sunday. "He is doing well," Cindy Tanenbaum told CNN. No other details about the incident were revealed. However, a photo of Wyclef has since emerged online here, showing the entertainer lying on what appears to be a hospital bed, his right hand bandaged and his left hand resting over his face.

Watch Wyclef's 'Election Time'

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50 Cent + More -- Top Five Tweets of the Week

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST

Getty Images I jpistudios.com (2) I AP I Bauer-Griffin In this week's round-up of the The Top Five Tweets of the Week, Tameka Raymond responds to reports regarding a sex tape featuring herself and ex-husband Usher. Rapper 50 Cent says he's starting over his rap career and Lupe Fiasco still remains in bliss that his new album, 'Lasers,' debuted at No. 1. Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg shows his love to fallen rap singer Nate Dogg and Bobbi Kristina Brown denies that her mom and dad -- Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown -- are sending her to rehab following rumors that she has a coke habit. Be sure to follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter. 1. @tamekaraymond (Tameka Raymond): "NEWSFLASH!! BREAKING NEWS! GUESS WHAT??!! I have copulated w/my husband! O_O. Why is this news again?? #ConfusedTweet. End of discussion...I cant stress over what I cant change. Hey I was married, happily. So theres a chance that we might...Its silly 'news' 2 me. A new day.. Of course theres always. new foolishness with a new day.. Desperate times calls 4 desperate measures I suppose. Never fails Smh!" ...

2. @50Cent (50 Cent): "I'm starting my rap career over. I'm gonna work like I need a record deal again. Now the world will see how good I am. I'm a true artist."

3. @lupefiasco (Lupe Fiasco): "And there it will remain, for atleast another week, right at number 1, hahaha yeah nigguh, stay strong Japan, Nate Dogg REST IN PEACE!!!"

4. @realbkbrown (Bobbi Kristina Brown):"Excuse me, but I'd like to say that I am NOT going to rehab? I'm perfectly healthy and I am not addicted to anything but life."

5. @snoopdogg (Snoop Dogg): "We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb. One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met. I love u buddy luv. U will always b wit me 4ever n a day u put the g n g funk u put the 1 n 213 n u put yo stamp on evrybdy u ever didit wit. I miss u cuzz I am so sad, but so happy I got to grow up wit u and I will c u again n heaven cuz. U know d slogan - all doggs go to heaven yo homie n baby brotha bigg snoopdogg!! RIP NATE DOGG"

Ne-Yo + More -- Top Five Tweets of the Week

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST

Getty Images, Bauer-Griffin, Getty Images, Getty Images, Getty Images In this week's round-up of the Top Five Tweets of the Week, Ne-Yo is disappointed with Rolling Stone magazine for placing MTV's 'Jersey Shore' star Snooki on the cover. Then after finding out Ne-Yo's opinion, Snooki says she's no longer a fan of the R&B singer. Chris Brown isn't happy his new album has leaked and DJ Franzen talks Drake's verse on the remix to Kanye West's 'All of the Lights.' Then to wrap things up, the Game says his new single 'Red Nation' is a winner. Be sure to follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter. 1. @NeYoCompound (Ne-Yo!!): "Wow. Snooki is on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Really? I quit. (Just kidding, but almost serious . . . ) No disrespect to Snooki, I don't know her, but damn Rolling Stone? REALLY? REALLY! I guess ... I feel a rant coming on, but at the sake of sounding like I'm complaining or even hating, Imma chill. I got y'all. New album on the way. I WILL get the respect I deserve in this business or I won't be in this business. PERIOD." 2. @Sn00ki (Nicole Polizzi): "Neyo's mad that I got the cover of rolling stone? Hm you lost a loyal fan. What a buzz kill.#sorry." ...

3. @chrisbrown (Chris Brown): "I've heard that my album has leaked!!! That sucks!!!"

4. @DJ FRANZEN (Fran Zenatra): "Drizzy murdered the 'All Of The Lights' remix with @kanyewst ... He played it at the Suite Party last night! I heard it 1st last Sat."

5. @thegame (The Game): "My word #RedNation is a #winner @charliesheen voice."

Raekwon-Designed Customized Meister Watch -- Giveaway Rules

BoomBox Staff — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST

@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }.MsoChpDefault { font-size: 10pt; }div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; } THE BOOMBOX GIVEAWAY OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN 1. ELIGIBILITY: The BoomBox Giveaway (the "Giveaway") is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia) who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of AOL Inc. and companies involved in the design, implementation, or promotion of the Giveaway, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Giveaway is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. 2. SPONSOR: The Giveaway is sponsored by AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). 3. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. TIMING: The Giveaway begins at 4:00 pm Eastern Time ("ET") on March 8, 2011 and ends at 4:00 pm ET on March 15, 2011. Entries received prior to or after the Entry Period will be disqualified. 5. HOW TO ENTER: During the Entry Period, follow @TheBoomBoxBlog on Twitter and retweet @TheBoomBoxBlog giveaway tweet. Entry must be made by the entrant using their Twitter account. Entries made by any other individual or any entity, and/or originating at any other Internet web site or email address, including but not limited to commercial sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering service sites, will be declared invalid and disqualified for this Sweepstakes. The use of any device to automate the entry process is prohibited. 6. DRAWING: Immediately following the conclusion of the Entry Period, the Sponsor will select the name of one (1) potential winner in a random drawing of all eligible entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. The Sponsor will attempt to notify the potential winner on or about March 16, 2011. If you are selected as a winner, you will be Direct Messaged via Twitter and asked to provide your name, complete address, telephone number, date of birth and e-mail address within a specified time frame. If potential winner does not respond with the requested information by the stated deadline, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all remaining eligible entries received. 7. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNER: Except where prohibited, the potential winner may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") before receiving the prize. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. 8. PRIZE: One (1) winner will receive one (1) Raekwon-Designed Customized Meister Watch (approximate retail value $300). Prize is nontransferable and non-refundable and must be accepted as awarded. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by Sponsor, who reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute a prize with another prize of greater or equal value in the event that a prize or portion of prize is unavailable. Winner is solely responsible for any and all applicable fees and taxes associated with prize receipt and use. Limit one (1) prize per household. 9. GENERAL CONDITIONS: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 10. PUBLICITY: Except where prohibited by law, participation in the Giveaway constitutes an entrant's consent for the Sponsor and the Sponsor's designees to use of entrant's name, likeness, voice, opinions, biographical information, and state of residence for promotional purposes in any media without further payment or consideration. 11. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, its officers, directors, employees, and agents (the "Released Parties") and Twitter from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) printing errors; (c) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (d) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (e) injury, death or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt and use of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 12. DISPUTES: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 13. GIVEAWAY RESULTS: To request a copy of the Winners' names, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to The BoomBox Giveaway, c/o AOL, 770 Broadway, Rm 5A:B33, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received by March 31, 2011. ...

Diddy + More -- Top 5 Tweets of the Week

BoomBox Staff — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST

WireImage, Getty Images, Getty Images, WireImage, Getty Images In this week's round-up of the Top Five Tweets of the Week, Diddy continues to ride the Charlie Sheen wave by joking that Sheen and his girlfriends will be the opening act for his Coming Home tour. Erykah Badu and fast food giant McDonald's surprisingly also poke fun at the Charlie Sheen drama with tweets referencing the actors recent statements. Meanwhile, pop singer Pink mocks Christina Aguilera's recent arrest for public intoxication. Then to wrap things up Bobbi Kristina -- the daughter of R&B singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown -- responds to photos released this week showing the 18-year-old allegedly snorting cocaine. Be sure to follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter. 1. @iamdiddy (Diddy): ATTN! @charliesheen &the goddesses have just signed on to be the opening act of the ComingHomeTour-Get ur tix here!> http://diddy.it/fcpuDr 2. @fatbellybella (Erykah Badu): Y'all don't understand me. I'm just like Charlie Sheen. I don't give a fffF-@k!! Understand me? ...

3. @MCDonald's (McDonalds): Despite all the rumors there r no plans 2 bring #mclobster or mcsushi 2 the US menu. We r working on a new menu item called McWinning.

4. @Pink (P!nk): "Out of Myself, Britney, and Christina -- didn't everyone think I was gonna be the troublemaker? LOOK MA!!! No CUFFS!!!"

5. @realbkbrown (Bobbi Kristina): Ps, excuse my french_Screw all of you who are going along with this rumor. That was LONGG LONGG ago, and personally I live 4 god_NOTU!

Lil Wayne, '6 Foot 7 Foot' -- Video

BoomBox Staff — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST

Weezy's back and now there's a visual reference to go along with his fresh out the pen hit '6 Foot 7 Foot.' The video kicks off with Lil Wayne tied to a chair and eventually dumped in a bath because he won't wake-up. There's some irony in that considering the rapper -- once known as the hardest working emcee -- has been said to avoid sleep. As expected Cory Gunz and the Young Money militia join Weezy in the Hype Williams-directed 'Inception'-themed video. Look out for the bulldog on his back, Wayne's head falling off his body and Professor Weezy. Watch Lil Wayne's '6 Foot 7 Foot' Featuring Cory Gunz if(typeof AOLVP_cfg==='undefined')AOLVP_cfg=[];AOLVP_cfg.push({id:'AOLVP_821488256001','codever':0.1,'autoload':false,'autoplay':false,'displaymnads':true,'playerid':'89761511001','videoid':'821488256001','width':476,'height':357,'playertype':'inline','stillurl':'dynamic','videolink':'#','videotitle':'dynamic','videodesc':''}); Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter Download Lil Wayne Songs | Buy Lil Wayne Albums ...