The Boombox Music Blog

Maybach Music Group 'Self Made, Vol. 2' Track-by-Track Breakdown

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:35:00 EST

Amazon Thirteen months after the first Maybach Music Group compilation, Self Made, Vol. 1, Rick Ross and his team of labelmates and affiliates -- Gunplay, Stalley, Wale, Meek Mill, French Montana and Omarion -- return with Vol. 2. Ricky Rozay's first go at the group album wasn't a disappointment, it just lacked hits. Frankly, the Bawse and his posse don't nail it on Self Made, Vol. 2, but it's a step in the right direction thanks to several guest features from the likes of Nas, T.I., Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar and Roscoe Dash, among others. Lyrics, not beats take the front seat on this 14-track effort. Maybe Ross isn't trying to feed the listener a club banger or an overproduced hit. Therefore Vol. 2 becomes more an album for the rap fan to dissect than move to in the club. However, the lyrics get redundant about packing coke or how many ways Mr. "Square-Root-of-a-Kilo-Is-Me" can tell you he has more money than you. The album's saving grace is the conscious raps by MMG's own Stalley and Wale. Check out The BoomBox track-by-track breakdown of the album below. While we're not going to award this album five stars, we will say Ross and his crew leave much to be desired for a Vol. 3. ...

1. "Power Circle," Gunplay, Stalley, Wale & Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross & Kendrick Lamar
Rick Ross starts the nine-minute album opener by toking in honor of the late King of Pop. "If Michael Jackson came alive right now, he'd ask you to smoke one for him." Why? We can only presume its because the release date of the album comes almost three years ago to the day of MJ's untimely death. Following Rozay's lead, each MMG member (except Omarion) takes a turn at the mic. The hip-hop opus focuses on the group's lyrical prowess over a piano-heavy, Lee Major-produced beat. Wale drops the best line: "There's a difference between underrated and hasn't made it." Guest MC Kendrick Lamar chimes in on the last verse and gives a little taste of his reality: "I know that section eight wanna discontinue my Moms/ When they heard that Ohio state gave me 30 racks in July." Kendrick, it's time to by your mama a nicer place.

Watch Maybach Music Group's "Power Circle" Video Feat. Kendrick Lamar

2. "Black Magic," Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross
Rick Ross once lit a stack of money on fire, so when he raps, "poof, a hundred mill, David Copperfield," on this gritty Meek Mill-assisted track it's hard not to believe that he can make a hundred milli disappear. We also can't help but question if this track might be a dig at 50 Cent and his shelved "Black Magic" album. Following the more radio-friendly "Power Circle," "Black Magic" flips a switch on the vibe of the album, reverting to the predominantly menacing, post-apocalyptic beats of Vol. 1.

3. "This Thing of Ours," Wale & Omarion feat. Rick Ross & Nas
This synth-heavy Nas feature shows that Ross and his crew aren't afraid of trying something new on Vol. 2. They experiment with delivery and Omarion croons in between each rappers' verse like Drake on "Forever," except "This Thing of Ours" comes nowhere near the greatness of that 2010 track.

4. "All Birds," Rick Ross feat. French Montana
Rick Ross does cocky best, but he gets bragging help from coke rapper French Montana here. The Bawse dishes his net worth ($50 million, if you were wondering), and drops gems like "All my CDs gold but the Visa darker," and "Last problem I had, a n---- head-shot him," which really doesn't put Ross in a good position if they were to reopen the case of the shooting at his Miami mansion this past February. For his part, Montana does what he does best: rap about all the cocaine. "No luggage in the trunk, man, it's all birds." We'll take a cab, thank you.

5. "Actin' Up," Wale & Meek Mill feat. French Montana & Rico Love
This is one of the three tracks Ross doesn't appear on. Wale, Meek Mill and French Montana rap a not so sweet song about their exes, complaining that their "hoes be actin' up." While Kanye West poked fun at baby mama drama on "Gold Digger" in a way that made it a fun, international hit, this bunch just degrades the opposite sex with lackluster puns: "Want to Kobe me, want to Humphrey me, want to Michael me, Russell me, take me to the bank and Tiger me." Props to producer Rico Love for stepping out of the box with an opera sample that adds a little gothic flare to the album.

6. "Fountain of Youth," Stalley feat. Rick Ross & Nipsey Hussle
Stalley, MMG's youngest MC, shows he's got potential in joining the ranks of conscious rap's elite on this mellower and more sentimental Vol. 2 track. The Ohio-bred rapper's lyrics are obvious about his Nas influence: "These rap books buried in gold/ The treasure of a million men, Versace shades trimmed in gold." Cardiak, who produced two of the grimier tracks on Vol. 1, returns to the table here with a piano-driven beat that even has the three rappers chillin' out on the hook. "Lost in the instrumental/ Keys got me sentimental," the rhyme.

7. "I Be Puttin' On," Wale feat. Wiz Khalifa, French Montana & Roscoe Dash
Wiz Khalifa never fails when he's helping out. "I'm Puttin' On" is a wake up call that adds a little feel-good to the thug mentality on most of Vol. 2. Khalifa gets it. After all, not everyone that wants to like this album has a rap sheet. "My fan base consist of n----s with drugs around 'em/ Educated sisters to bitches dancing with ones around 'em," the Pittsburgh native raps. However, it's French Montana who provides the wittiest reference on the Boi-1da-produced track: "Wanna hit the fans, selling work on the Internet -- call it Instagram."

8. "The Zenith," Wale & Stalley feat. Rick Ross
Along with "Power Circle" and "I Be Puttin' On," this track is the closet thing to a club banger on the LP. The track warrants replay. Stalley, Wale and Ross keep in theme, rapping about how they are self-made over a punchy Harry Fraud beat.

9. "M.I.A.," Omarion & Wale
Omarion takes the reigns on this track and switches the mood, making things steamy and sexy like a song from The Weeknd. "Got her in her underwear/ Gave her what she want, now she need me/ I got more of that coming over soon/ Lingerie all up in my room," he croons. Wale jumps in at the end to add a little bit of hip-hop to the R&B, but it's too brief to be necessary.

10. "Bag of Money," Wale & Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross & T-Pain
The first single off the album features T-Pain and has Rick Ross daydreaming about money and ladies, but all in one. "That bitch bad, looking like a bag of money," Rozay raps on the hook. We're not sure if a gal would appreciate being compared to a bag of money literally, but if we're talking all dressed up and down in diamonds, it's probably not a bad thing.

Watch Maybach Music Group's "Bag of Money" Video Feat. T-Pain

11. "Let's Talk," Omarion feat. Rick Ross
Something tells us Omarion's real motive on this one is something that involves no talking. A play on Salt-N-Pepa's "Let's Talk About Sex," Maybach O tries to pick up ladies at the club and is pretty convincing on this Ayo-produced R&B number. While Ross drops a rap towards the end, it's the Notorious B.I.G. -- his lyrics are sampled from "Big Poppa" like "Ask you what your interests are, who you be with?" -- that keeps popping up between Omarion's pickup lines.

12. "Black on Black," Gunplay feat. Ace Hood & Bun B
Gunplay, Ace Hood and Bun B go hard over another Beat Billionaire beat, professing their love for all things black: Amex Card, guns, black Hennessy, even black hats and of course black Maybachs.

13. "Fluorescent Ink," Stalley & Wale feat. Rick Ross
Stalley and Wale wax poetic about their love life. "Womanizer admittingly, but mind you I'm deep," admits Wale. Money talks but according to the track's hook -- "the ink is why they feel me" -- being a rapper is why the chicks really flock to their side.

14. "Bury Me a G," Rick Ross feat. T.I.
While T.I. still preps his first post-prison album, Trouble Man, due later this year, he drops a line for the MMG team. Tip caught some slack for this feature -- rapping about guns after serving time for gun possession isn't exactly a bright idea -- but the ATL rapper can't erase his past and he's sure to give a shout out to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, aka ATF.

Check Out 10 Rising Rappers in Honor of Black Music Month

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-157889|157554|156181%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Maybach Music Group Songs | Buy Maybach Music Group Albums

Sean Kingston 'Back 2 Life' Album: '100,000 People' Features Wiz Khalifa, Shakira Unites for Song

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST

Epic Records In May 2011, Sean Kingston came face-to-face with death when a jet ski he was maneuvering crashed into a bridge in Miami. In the months leading up to the accident, the singer -- best known for his reggae-pop hit "Beautiful Girls" -- had been working on his third album, releasing several singles like the Nicki Minaj feature "Letting Go (Dutty Love)," "Dumb Love" and the Justin Bieber collaboration "Eenie Meenie." After two months of rehab to mend both injuries sustained during the incident and the two surgeries for a torn aorta doctors found, Kingston's near-death experience made him reexamine his life. He decided to start from scratch and go back to his reggae roots for his third effort. Kingston returned to the lab, this time with producer J.R. Rotem, who helped the 22-year-old crooner create the sound on his eponymous 2007 self-titled album. With a new batch of collaborators, Kingston says fans can expect "a whole new me" on the forthcoming LP, fittingly titled Back 2 Life. The BoomBox caught up with Kingston and had him dish some details about the project -- he and Shakira unite on a song. He also told us about iChatting with Wiz Khalifa and their collaboration, his favorite Bob Marley track and the ladies man he tried to be back in elementary school. ...

Where are you right now?

I'm actually in L.A. right now, Hollywood. I come to LA when I want to record and stuff like that.

Are you putting the finishing touches on Back 2 Life?

Yeah, it's almost done. It's basically done.

It's been a longtime coming, right?

Yeah, man. It's been about a year-and-a-half. I was in a tragic accident and I'm really just excited to be back. I'm excited to be alive. I'm excited to be back making music again and I can't wait for my all fans to hear what I've got going on.

When I saw the title was Back 2 Life I couldn't help but think that it had anything to do with the jet ski accident. You were badly injured during that.

It came from the accident. I'm coming back to life. God gave me a second chance at life, ya know. I'm coming back, this is basically a whole new me. I'm more humble. I'm more levelheaded. I've been through a lot. I appreciate life, so it's basically I'm back and this is me.

Did the incident make you want to do things differently now?

I wouldn't say that. It made me appreciate the little things in life. I don't take nothing for granted now. I enjoy everyday like it's my last. I live it up because you never know when it's going to be your last.

Watch Sean Kingston's "Back 2 Life" Feat. T.I.

A Sean Kingston album always has some fun surprise guests. Who did you get for the new album?

We have Wiz Khalifa. We have Nicki Minaj again. We have T.I. [on "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)"], Busta Rhymes, Shakira and some other people, but working with Shakira was amazing. She's talented and one of a kind.

How did you and Wiz Khalifa hook up?

Me and Wiz have always been friends, since before "Black & Yellow," before he got into the mainstream world. Then basically one day I just was like, "Yo, I got a record for ya," and I sent it to him. I think I iChatted it to him, actually. And he was like "I love the record. The record is amazing!" He did the record and sent it back to me. He was perfect for the song.

The song is called "100,000 People." It's a feel-good stadium type of song and I think people are going to love it. It's an anthem. When people hear this record they're gonna start crowd-surfing at my shows. It's one of those high energy records.

What about collaborating with Shakira?

My peoples played her peoples my record and they loved it. I wasn't able to be in the studio with her actually, but she's a great person. She's talented.

So the songs you began recording and releasing in 2010, before the accident, aren't going to be on the album?

Yeah, we got a whole new batch of songs. This is a whole new me. I'm humble. I'm back working. I switched it all up. I wouldn't say I was cocky before, but a lot of the stuff I was recording it wasn't really ... I had a sound but I was all over the place. I had a lot of time to recover, so I had a lot of time to come up with the concepts and melodies. I have a better sense of direction of where I wanted to go with the album. I'm more than 100 percent excited and happy with the album.

I heard you returned to your roots?

Yeaaaah, the island reggae mixed with pop a vibe. I hooked up with the original guy who made all my beats and all my production, J.R. Rotem. He wasn't really on my second album as much, but I'm back working with him now and he did the whole album. I just felt that we had a chemistry that was unreal. His beats and my songs go together so perfect, I didn't want that to stray. I wanted to work with somebody that knew the real me. That's the guy that gave me my chance, he discovered me, so I wanted to go back to my roots, my culture.

You were raised between Florida and Jamaica. How often do you go back to Jamaica?

I go to Jamaica probably three times a year. Usually I get a hotel, if not I stay with family. My uncle has a nice spot in Kingston and my aunt has a spot in Ocho Rios. I'm from Ocho Rios and Kingston. It all depends. If I'm going down there for a have fun type of vibe and jet ski and that stuff, then I go with my dad to Ocho Rios, but if I want to go to the clubs I go to Kingston. They love me there. I always represent my country to the fullest so they love me for that.

Did you listen to some reggae while making the album?

I definitely listened to a lot of reggae, but I always listen to reggae, so I wouldn't say I just listened to reggae for the album. I definitely did listen to a lot old school music -- Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley, Earth Wind & Fire.

What's you favorite Bob Marley track?

"No Woman, No Cry." I love the melody, it always makes me feel good. I like the concept of the song, what he's talking about.

Like that song, some of your recent past tracks -- "Letting Go (Duty Love)" and "Dumb Love" -- talk about love. Is that the influence?

I'm just a romantic type of guy. I've been in certain relationships and take off experience and start writing songs off of it. I feel like relationships make great songs. And I feel like a lot of people go through love and want to hear about it.

Do you have girlfriend now?

No, I don't have a girlfriend now, but I look for just honesty, just to be loyal, humble, just to be there and to have my best interest. You have to have ambitions, you have to want to go places in life. I love a girl who could make me laugh and a girl who can cook.

Do you remember your first crush?

I think it was a girl in elementary, in fifth grade at Horizon Elementary in Florida. I don't remember her name.

Was Sean Kingston a player when he was a kid?

I guess. I did write notes. I use to write letters and leave them in lockers.

Watch Sean Kingston's "Letting Go (Dutty Love)" Video

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Sean Kingston Songs | Buy Sean Kingston Albums

Jay Electronica, Kate Rothschild Affair: Rapper Caught With Ben Goldsmith's Wife

Charley Rogulewski — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 11:55:00 EST

Getty Images Jay Electronica may be close to finishing his long-awaited Roc Nation debut LP, however, the New Orleans native is making a different type of headline today. The once homeless rapper now finds himself in the middle of a love scandal involving two British socialites. According to the U.K.'s Daily Mail, Electronica, who's been living in London recently, has reportedly broken up the marriage between music executive Kate Rothschild and British financier Ben Goldsmith. Rothschild, a daughter of late billionaire banker Amschel Rothschild and founder of British-based record label Round Table, is often mentioned in tweets on Electronica's Twitter page -- he last tweeted a photo of Rothschild on May 21. The 30-year-old British beauty is married and has three kids with Goldsmith, the son of the late Jimmy Goldsmith, a financier and politician also worth billions. ...

The love triangle imploded this past week when Rothschild's husband of eight years intercepted some naughty texts and emails between his wife and Electronica. "They were very intense messages planning sexual liaisons," a source told the Daily Mail.

The messages led to a heated altercation between the married couple where cops were called, eventually causing news of the affair to hit the press. Goldsmith apparently slapped his wife over news she was having an affair with Electronica and subsequently said that he would be filing for divorce.

Electronica, born Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, has been the center of news for his past relationships as well. When he was only a fresh face in the hip-hop scene, the "Exhibit C" rhymer began dating the already well-established Grammy winner Erykah Badu. Together they have a 3-year-old daughter.

The rapper's debut album, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn), is currently in the works. Roc Nation founder Jay-Z recently opened up about the upcoming LP. "It's exactly what it should be -- it's amazing," he said. Of Electronica he boasted, "He's scary good."

See 15 New Albums Debuting This Summer

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-156181|154727|150731|149066%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Jay Electronica Songs

Travis Porter 'From Day 1' Album: Rappers Discuss 'Weird' Mike Posner & Beastie Boys Comparions

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:45:00 EST

RCA Travis Porter began dropping several mixtapes almost four years ago. So many in fact, that the Atlanta rap trio can't even remember how many mixtapes they've dropped. "Like five or six. Or nine?" member Ali pondered while speaking with The BoomBox. Their debut album, From Day 1, out May 29, is dedicated to all the fans that spun those nine street tapes -- as the group dealt with label issues -- and hyped their movement to get them to the top of the charts. The album's Tyga-assisted lead single "Ayy Ladies" is successfully navigating radio, with looks on Billboard's Rap Songs and Heatseekers charts, the latter which they topped. Commandeering beats from producers like Diplo, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Lil Lody, Travis Porter also added some more star power by recruiting 2 Chainz, Mac Miller, Mike Posner and Jeremih for guest spots. The three rhymers -- stepbrothers Ali and Quez, plus Strap -- called The BoomBox from their tour bus while en route from the Big Apple to the City of Brotherly Love. They talked about groupies, strip clubs, "weird" Mike Posner, Beastie Boys comparisons and provided a list of party essentials. There were also lessons to be learned about the meanings behind From Day 1 tracks "Make It Rain," "Wobble" and "Thirty Bands." Be prepared to laugh at the discourse. ...

Listen to Travis Porter's full album, From Day 1, on AOL Music's Listening Party here.

Amazon.com

What did you guys switch up between the mixtapes and the debut album?

Ali: The mixtapes were just songs that we had recorded. The album was put together.

Quez: It was a different mindset with the album. We put 100 percent into the album.

You guys said that the album is about "The fun, the real life stories and of course, the ladies." What are the real life stories that make their way onto From Day 1.

A: It's not really emotional songs on the album, like a song that talks about real life, or how we're feeling nowadays. There's a song titled "That Feeling" featuring Mike Posner and that's really hot riff, but the album is uptempo most, and pretty fun. It's about having a good time.

Watch Travis Porter's "Ride Like That" Video Feat. Jeremih

A song like "Make It Rain," that's about throwing cash in the air and making it rain money, like from the sunroof of a limo or in a strip club. Have you guys done that? There isn't any real inspiration from that song?

A: Of course! We wouldn't be rappers if we didn't do that.

Well, there are a lot of lady-lovin' tracks on the album like "Ayy Ladies" and "Pussy Real Good," that's a very poetic title there. Which of you three guys gets the most tail?

A: It all depends on how we are feeling that day. The girls are very easy to get. You just stick your hand out and they fall into your hand.

There are some hot producers on this album, like Diplo and J.U.S.T.I.C.E League.

Q: Yeah, yeah. Diplo, that's our homie. We actually knocked out five records with Diplo, but we only picked the right one for the album. But you should see some more Diplo-Travis Porter records soon. And the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League record, that's crazy!!! They actually came to the studio, brought some beats and played some stuff, and came out with a crazy hit.

You guys put Mike Posner on a track. Talk about that experience.

Q: Mike Posner is the man. That's a homie, but he's kinda weird, like the way he records. He puts his mic in front of the board and then sits and records himself in front of the computer, just records himself.

The song he's on is called "That Feeling." What's this feeling you guys are talking about on the track?

Q: You know, that feeling like a football player that's going to the Super Bowl. A basketball player going to the playoffs. A baseball player just hit a grand slam! You just smoked weed for the first time in your life. That feeling. You know what I'm sayin', it's crazy. You know how you get butterflies, but it's butterflies plus adrenaline. That feeling's crazy.

That feeling you get right before you are about to drop a hit debut album?

Q: Exactly. That feeling.

The Diplo track you did is called "Wobble." I looked up the definitions for wobble, thinking it was some new hip-hop term you guys may have coined. I found some crazy definitions for the word on UrbanDictionary.com. Did you know that wobble had more than one meaning?

Q: No, no. Let's hear it.

OK, "wobble" is the street word for Ketamine, according to UrbanDictionary.com.

Q: Ketamine? What's that?

Special K. A horse tranquilizer people take it to get high.

Q: Ooooh nooooo [laughs]!

Then there's the obvious definition: For one's body to teeter, rock or lean. And then they get more hilarious: A sensation caused by listening to certain styles of drum and bass or dubstep music. And, lastly: A method of masturbation where a girl sits on her foot and rocks forward and back 'til she comes, often proceed in a public classroom.

Q: Oh my goodness! Who would do something like that? I like the shakin' it, causes one's body to move or rock, one. I don't like the one with the feet, and masturbate stuff. I don't like that.

Rocking is this song. It's really wobble, like the group would say it, not the dictionary would say it. It's wobble, shake your ass side to side, you know what I'm saying. So it's really about that, but it's a really crazy beat, man. Diplo went crazy on it.

Well if "Wobble" is crazy, what about the song "Party Time"? What's essential for a Travis Porter party?

Q: You got to have some chicks, music -- preferably Travis Porter or any party anthem. You have to spike the punch, and have a pole in the middle of the room. We need a midget and 100 hot wings. More than 100. Like, 200 hot wings. Weed and pineapples. And Ciroc.

Watch Travis Porter's "Aww Yeah" Video

You guys are a rap trio and another famous rap trio, the Beastie Boys, just lost member MCA. I was looking back at your history and before the label mixup you were going to call your debut initially No Sleep till Atlanta, a play on the Beastie Boys' track "No Sleep till Brooklyn." Were they a band you looked up to on the come up?

Q: No, actually. I think, before we got signed, they was more comparing us to 2 Live Crew. So we looked up 2 Live Crew, and were like, "Oh, damn! They was with Uncle Luke and shit, so I was like, 'That's cool.'" But then when we got signed they were like, "Shit, you guys really remind us of the Beastie Boys." We weren't hip on the Beastie Boys until we got signed and then we looked them up. All I know about the Beastie Boys is that Run-DMC put them on the road and that's how they really broke, and they lived together and were like a family.

So who was the rap group that you emulated growing up?

Q: We used to imitate the Hot Boys. We got a new song, No. 1 on our album, called "Aww Yea" and the video to that is based on a Hot Boys video. It's like a block party, cookout, girls, pitbulls, money, jewelry. Everything that used to be in the old Hot Boys videos, we just really brought it back to life.

We've heard the words "Pop a Rubberband" before. Gucci Mane has a track like that. Pop a rubberband when you are spending that wad of cash. When you guys say "Pop a Rubberband," what do you mean?

Strap: "Pop a Rubberband" is an automatic strip club record. You can't go into strip clubs and be just standing around, because that's not what you do in a strip club. Pop a rubberband is one of those records where Lil Lody produced it and we shot a video in [Strap coughs], in the strip club [Strap coughs again].

Are you taking hits from a bong right now?

S: Yeah, excuse me.

Last year, in February, right before you guys dropped the Music, Money, Magnums mixtape, Strap, you were arrested for gun possession.

S: We're passed that now. I got arrested at the airport with a gun at the airport. It was no biggie.

How are you forgetting that you have guns in your bag? How does someone forget there is a gun in their bag?

S: We have a crazy schedule. It's not like, "Oh, I got my gun and I'm gonna go rob somebody." It wasn't nothing like that. It's for protection, you know what I mean. That's all it was. I'm just a grown man who has a weapon.

What about the song "Thirty Bands?"

A: That's what we call $1,000 -- that's one band. And if you got 30 of them, you've got $30,000, know what I'm saying? So we really just talking shit.

You guys don't have 30 bands on you where ever you go, c'mon.

A: No, but our show price is 30 bands, so really we're just talking about how much we get paid. Really we was just getting paid and we was counting our money on our tourbus because we had just played a show. We were like, "30 Bands!" and then, like, let's just make a song.

Of all the tracks, which one do you think is going to be the biggest banger on this album?

S: The tune we got with 2 Chainz is crazy. It's for the ladies. It's not derogatory, we just getting to the point. The record with 2 Chainz, Lil C produced it; it's called "Pussy Real Good."

I just had a heated conversation with a friend about the desensitization of the word "pussy" in hip-hop. It's used so much in hip-hop that it just becomes commonplace, but in the real world, yeah, it still offends people.

S: I don't know why. I think of it being more like a flower. The pussy flower, vagina.

How did you get your nicknames.

S: My papa started calling me Strap when I was 14. He called me Lil Strap actually.

Q: My mom gave me that name. My name is Donquez Woods, that's my real name, so its just a part of my name and she just took a part off and started calling me Quez.

A: I use to hate my name when I was in middle school, like in 5th grade. I made up the nickname. I had a rap group back in 5th grade and we needed a name and I had to find a nickname. My real name is Lakeem. I used to hate that name. I like it now.

We're counting bands right now. Wanna hear me count some bands?

Sure.

[Ali fans money into the phone].

Watch Travis Porter's "Ayy Ladies" Video Feat. Tyga

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Travis Porter Songs | Buy Travis Porter Albums

Lauryn Hill to Azealia Banks: 10 'Oh No She Didn't!' Moments in Female Rap

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:35:00 EST

Getty Images For the longest time it was testosterone running hip-hop's beefs and feuds. However, in recent years, estrogen has been proving itself a vicious antagonist. With the female rap pool constantly expanding, and Twitter allowing these ladies to immediately voice their opinions to large fanbases, many femcees are known more for their outrageous actions and 140-character tweets rather than their stellar verses. From veterans like Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown to newcomers Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks, The BoomBox looks at 10 shocking moments where raptresses have thrown the term "ladylike" out the door and left us saying "Oh no she didn't!" ...

See 10 Female Rappers' "Oh No She Didn't" Moments

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-156094|156088|156065|155063|154811%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Lil' Kim Songs | Buy Lil' Kim Albums

Forbes Celebrity 100 2012: Jennifer Lopez Tops List, Rihanna Close Behind

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:25:00 EST

Getty Images Forbes released their annual Celebrity 100 list earlier this week, and it's reason enough for Rihanna's frequent exhaustion spells. The "Where Have You Been" singer clocked in at No. 4, three spots behind the No. 1 seeded Jennifer Lopez. Beyonce -- the current "Most Beautiful Woman" -- is considered to be the 16th most powerful celebrity, behind Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Dr. Dre led the way for rappers on the list, landing at No. 26, ahead of Jay-Z (No. 38), Diddy (No. 42), Kanye West (No. 45) and Lil Wayne (No. 69). Unlike other Forbes lists -- i.e. "400 Richest Americans and World's Billionaires" -- that strictly tally net worth and money, the Celeb 100 measures earnings and the not-so tangible nor calculator-friendly property that is fame. ...

"We define fame as media visibility in print, television, radio and online, plus social media power, which we measure by looking at each celebrity's presence on Facebook and Twitter," the article explains. Forbes also cites cover spreads as "an important part of our fame algorithm." The list was compiled for the period between May 1, 2011, and May 1, 2012.

When it comes to hip-hop alone, the list is a head-scratcher. Dr. Dre, now a minority owner of Beats By Dre, reportedly earned $110 million in 2011, but only made two live appearances within the last year, both at Coachella. He has yet to put out his long-awaited Detox album. Not a major player on the Twitter medium, he can only boast 430K followers.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z and West put out one of the most successful and critically-lauded rap albums of 2011, Watch the Throne, and toured to sold out venues behind it. @kanyewest has more than 7.4 million Twitter followers and the 'All of the Lights' rapper's tweets are often news stories in and of themselves.

There are other questionable discrepancies as well, but endorsement deals and an already well-established fanbase might come into play here.

View the entire Forbes Celeb 100 list here.

Watch Jennifer Lopez's "Dance Again" Video Feat. Pitbull

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Jennifer Lopez Songs | Buy Jennifer Lopez Albums

Rye Rye, 'Go! Pop! Bang!‬': Rapper's Eclectic Debut Finally Sees Release

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:00:00 EST

Kevin Winter Getty Images In 2008, things were moving quickly for Rye Rye. Her debut track, "Shake It to the Ground" -- released with DJ Blaqstarr at the end of '07, when she was only 17 -- had caught the attention of Diplo and later electro-pop artist M.I.A., who recruited the Baltimore teen as a hype-woman for two tours and later signed her as the first artist for her newly minted Interscope subsidiary N.E.E.T. And then Rye Rye, known for her energetic dance moves and rapid-fire delivery, caught the postponement bug. Originally set for 2009 release, her debut kept getting pushed back, but for good reasons. "The first delay was I got pregnant," Rye Rye, born Ryeisha Berrain, tells The BoomBox. "I needed time off to be with my baby, so that was that." ...

With a year gone by, she was feeling alienated from her old recordings.

"It was kind of more about getting comfortable with the album," she explains. "After I had my baby, I started experimenting with other grooves. I felt like I wanted to get some different sounds in. I felt like I was evolving as well, and the times were changing. The first album I did, it was around for awhile, even though nobody else had heard it, it had been around in my ears for so long."

Out today (May 15), her long-in-the-making debut, Go! Pop! Bang!‬ is a pop experiment complete with big name producers -- Bangladesh, the Neptunes and RedOne -- and guest spots from Tyga, Akon, Robyn and Porcelain Black. Mentor M.I.A. shows up on "Better Than You" and "Sunshine," the latter of which she also produced. Thanks to its musical confections and Rye Rye's quick-paced and sweet, soft voice, ‪Go! Pop! Bang!‬ lands somewhere in the burgeoning hip-pop/pop-rap territory, in between Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and Santigold's 2008 debut.

"The track I did with Pharrell -- that's almost a dub sound," Rye says of the multifaceted percussion on "Shake Twist Drop." "That was strictly drums and it gives you a tribal feel. Then I worked with Bangladesh, and he played the 808s on one of the tracks."

She describes her track with Akon, "Crazy Bitch," as "really different" for its melodic hook.

"With 'DNA,' that's more Euro," she says, describing the RedOne-produced club banger. "I was just working with different people that had different sounds, and I wanted to kinda work with all of them."

But perhaps what sets Rye Rye apart from all the other pop-rap artists out there is her uninhibited tendency to bust a move. The 21-year-old was a dancer before she pursued music. (Last year, she also ventured into acting and was cast in the remake of '21 Jump Street.')

"I was always dancing," she says. "I basically got into a dance troupe when I was eight years old and started dancing with other girls that were my age. I stopped dancing in my teenage stage, so I went through the teenage stuff. Then, when I started making music it was just a given."

Vocally, she says, she wasn't inspired by one artist, but rather by house music.

"It basically came out like that," she says. "I can't really classify it, because I feel like I do something in different lanes that is difficult to classify. You can't classify it in one genre because it's like everything. That's what I want it to be. I don't want it to be classified at all. I want it to be in its own lane."

Watch Rye Rye's Video for "Learning to Drive"

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Rye Rye Songs | Buy Rye Rye Albums

Famous Faces on TV: 10 Commercials Starring Singers and Rappers

Charley Rogulewski — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:00:00 EST

Getty Images Before Nicki Minaj got a check to rep Pepsi and Eminem reinvented Chrysler into a classy, badass vehicle in just 60 seconds, veteran hip-hop and R&B artists paved the way for earning extra coin by endorsing drinks, fashion and other products. The BoomBox went back in time and found 10 commercials where entertainers -- ranging from the late Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Notorious B.I.G. to R. Kelly, Paula Abdul, Nas and AZ -- applied their powerful vocals to jingles. Surprisingly, these famous reps did well for their associated brands, with some of these spots leaving us thirsty for a soda or itching to put on a pair of Adidas Superstars even today. ...

10. Whitney Houston Channels Big Hair and Power Vocals for Diet Coke

Diet Coke was first introduced in 1982, and four years later, Whitney Houston -- fresh off the release of her eponymous 13x platinum 1985 self-titled debut -- was plugging the one calorie soda with her diva hair and slim figure. Houston attached her high notes to the "Just for the taste of it!" slogan, making it sound like it too was Grammy worthy. Sadly for the iconic singer, a different type of "coke" would lead her down a different path.

9. Paula Abdul Dances for Diet Coke

Paula Abdul filmed several dance-tastic montages for Coca-Cola Company, but the most popular of the bunch is this 1991 Diet Coke ad that paired her with her childhood dance hero Gene Kelly, among others. But what's the connection? It's all in the 1s. Diet Coke was still a "one calorie" drink, and Abdul's 1988 debut album, "Forever Your Girl," had four tracks -- "Straight Up," "Forever Your Girl," "Cold Hearted" and "Opposites Attract" -- that all reached No. 1.

8. R. Kelly Plays Ball for Reebok

R. Kelly's love for the game was not only apparent in his weepy "Space Jam" hit, "I Believe I Can Fly," but also in this interesting 2002 ad for Reebok. Before his Lolita-like sex scandals, the Chicago R&B star inked a deal with the sports outfitter and brought basketball and slam dunks into the recording studio.

7. Lil Kim Cozies Up in Old Navy Hoodies

Right around the time she released her third album, La Bella Mafia, Lil' Kim appeared alongside "The Nanny" star Fran Drescher in this 2003 spot for retailer Old Navy. Dressed up like a snow bunny, Kim plugged "every color fleece" and the store's graphic hoodie. "Lil' Kim will keep it hot in the Old Navy hood," she promised. Get it? Hood, like neighborhood but also hoodie.

6. Chris Brown Chews Doublemint Gum to Top of the Charts

This well, thought-out chewing gum campaign only went down in 2008, but it produced a hit single for its spokesperson, Chris Brown. Breezy put his own spin on the longtime Wrigley tagline singing, "Double your pleasure, double your fun and dance forever" in the refrain. The single version that was added to the reissue of Breezy's second album, Exclusive, went 4x platinum. Despite all the varying degrees of "commercial success," Wrigley later dumped Brown from his deal days after his assault on Rihanna in 2009.

5. LL Cool J Looks Fly in FUBU

Can't say we've seen the dapper actor LL Cool J rock anything but a fancy suit on the red carpet in recent years, but back in the day, the "Mama Said Knock You Out" rapper loved his FUBU. Oddly enough, this commercial ended up having the opposite intended affect. Instead of making you want to put on FUBU, LL's sexy, breathy delivery -- "FUBU: runs the fashion world for real/ FUBU: the look, the style, the vibe, the feel," he raps -- makes you want to get naked.

4. Michael Jackson Lites Up for Pepsi

This 1984 Pepsi commercial starring the Jacksons did not have a happy ending. The cola company sponsored the Jacksons final tour in exchange for two commercials. During filming for the second TV spot -- the "The Choice of a New Generation" jingle played to the tune of Michael Jackson's hit "Billie Jean" -- stage pyrotechnics infamously lit MJ's hair on fire leaving him seriously burned. The pop icon would blame the mishap for his future skin augmentations. Alas, ever loyal to the No. 2 cola, the Jackson estate recently signed a posthumous deal that will put the King of Pop's silhouette on Pepsi cans.

3. Nas & AZ Drop 16 Bars for Sprite

Let's just assess what we see in this clip. Nas and AZ. Sitting on a stoop. Rapping about Sprite. Pass this delicious, refreshing, citrus soda our way, now! This '90s commercial still delivers thanks to the fresh 16 bars these two frequent collaborators spit almost two decades ago: "Here's a little story that must be told/ About true players rocking the ice and gold ... Playas hate us why?/ Gators made us fly/ And we rock all the linen with the latest ties." Is this up on iTunes, yet? Gonna go take a bath in Sprite now.

2. Notorious BIG Knocks Back 22oz Bottles of St. Ides

Rap and St. Ides went hand in hand together in the '90s, with everyone including Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur sipping and repping the malt liquor. But the standout spot for this 21 and over drink belongs to the late Notorious B.I.G. Forget the usual 40 ounces of freedom. Biggie used to be a hustler, now he's a 22-brew guzzler. When Biggie raps "Other beers I'm not lovin' ya" in this commercial, it's time to turn up the bass and pop open this 8.2 percent ABV beverage.

1. Run DMC Turn Hip-Hop Into a Lifestyle for Adidas

Apart from being hip-hop pioneers, Run-DMC were also known for three things: fedora hats, big-ass gold chains and their Adidas kicks (no laces). So when Adidas needed a campaign that would make it the new Reebok, the "My Adidas" rappers -- who just dropped their Golden Era album Raising Hell -- were a no-brainer. Future-mogul and then-manager Russell Simmons invited Adidas executives to a show, which prompted them to sign the rap trio to a 1.6 million dollar deal that included their own line of laceless footwear.

Download Run-DMC Songs | Buy Run-DMC Albums

Lil Boosie Found Not Guilty of Murder After Week-Long Testimony

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:15:00 EST

Ray Tamarra, Getty Images After six days of testimony, rapper Lil Boosie, born Torrence Hatch, was found not guilty of first-degree murder charges. The "Bad Azz" rapper faced life in prison if convicted. Hatch was accused of soliciting hitman Marlo Mike, born Michael Louding, to murder Terry Boyd for $2,800. Boyd, 35, was found dead in his Baton Rouge, La., home in October 2009. While Louding, 16, originally was said to have admitted his guilt in killing Boyd to law enforcement, he backtracked his words in court earlier this week, saying he had been forced by police into a confession. Prosecutors tried to use Louding's statements, cell phone records and infamously tried to use Lil Boosie's gun-loving rap lyrics (i.e."five dead in six months" and "Yo Marlo, he drive a Monte Carlo, dat' bitch grey, I want him dead today, here go the cake") as evidence in the trial. ...

Despite almost 30 witnesses taking the stand for the prosecution, the defense shied away from calling anyone to the stand in the week-long trial, according to Billboard. A jury of nine women and three men took an hour to agree on the not guilty verdict.

In 2011, Boosie wasn't so lucky when it came to drug smuggling charges. He was found guilty of trafficking illegal substances into two separate correctional facilities and sentenced to eight years in the slammer.

He will remain in jail to finish his sentence on the drug-related charges.

Watch Webbie's "Independent" Video Feat. Lil Boosie & Lil Phat

%VIRTUAL-globalVideoEmbed-{"videoIds":"517608945","width":"476","height":"357"}%

Download Lil Boosie Songs | Buy Lil Boosie Albums

Kanye West's Wild Activities: 10 Things MC Should Do Besides Date Kim Kardashian

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:20:00 EST

FilmMagic Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have only been dating for a month, but already, tabloids are spreading rumors about marriage and babies, predicting that this infamous A-list couple are in it for the long haul. Not that it's a bad thing. Kanye and Kim, aka Kimye, aka K Squared, aka the Furred Ones, share an outlandish taste for luxury that makes them a match made in heaven. He is the Louis Vuitton Don, and she is the latest victim of a PETA flour bomb. She comes from strong family roots, while West considers fellow rapper Jay-Z his "Big Brother." Before they get too serious, however, The BoomBox has put together a list of things the G.O.O.D. Music honcho can do to keep his mind otherwise occupied. Love can make people act crazy and stupid, and it's good to keep oneself grounded when Cupid's arrows take flight. Check this list of 10 things we encourage West to do -- some as wild as his choice of current arm candy -- to keep his mind off of a relationship, so his next album doesn't get all R. Kelly. ...

See Wild Activities Kanye West Should Do Besides Date Kim Kardashian

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-155054|154873|154727|154811|154105%

Watch "Kanye Professes Love for Kim Kardashian in New Song"

Watch Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" Video

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Kanye West Songs | Buy Kanye West Albums

National Poetry Month: Is it Edgar Allen Poe or Beyonce? Take Our Quiz

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:25:00 EST

BeyonceOnline April showers don't just mean May flowers. The spring month also blooms with iambic pentameters and tetrameters, marking National Poetry Month. Since it's birth in the Bronx in the late '70s, hip-hop has often been tied to poetry, with MCs often considering themselves spoken-word poets who rhythmically deliver prose over a beat. Lyrical poetry it's been called. Jay-Z has vouched rap is poetry. "It's thought provoking, there is thought behind it and there is great writing in rap as well," he once said. The BoomBox went back to our ol' Poetry in America 101 campus notes. We intermixed lines by esteemed poets Allen Ginsberg, Maya Angelou, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allen Poe alongside verses by well known rappers and R&B artists, leaving it to the reader to decide the rightful author of the lines. Can you guess if the words were uttered by famed poet Emily Dickinson or songstress Beyonce? How about Nas or 1950's wordsmith Allen Ginsberg? Share your score in the comments. No cheating! ...

Take The BoomBox Poetry Quiz

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-154268|154020|153584|153591|151454%

Watch Beyonce Sessions

Watch Beyonce's "Me, Myself & I" Video

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Beyonce Songs | Buy Beyonce Albums

Tank 'This Is How I Feel' LP: Singer 'Believes In' Chris Brown, Talks Busta Rhymes' 'Fire Alarm' Phone Call

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:05:00 EST

Christian Lantry He's called the "R&B General." While his abs of steel make him look bulletproof, Tank's true armor is in his music. Getting his start as a backup singer for Ginuwine, Tank rose to R&B stardom thanks to his sultry hit single "Maybe I Deserve," off his 2001 debut, Force of Nature. But the muscleman wasn't always on the path to become an R&B singer. His military upbringing almost set him down a different road. In advance of his fifth album, This Is How I Feel, due May 8 on Atlantic Records, the L.A.-based R&B crooner talks to The BoomBox about doing different things with his sound. Tank tells us why, as a veteran producer and songwriter, he's not afraid to collaborate with up-and-coming talent or hip-hop stalwarts like Chris Brown (yes, Breezy raps on Tank's album), T.I. and Busta Rhymes, who turned his tour bus around at 2AM and booked it to a studio to lay down his verses. The "Please Don't Go" singer also traces his military roots to explain how he got his nickname. At ease, ladies! ...

Your single "Compliments" has several features, namely rapper T.I. and your artist Kris Stephens. How did you get everyone onboard?

I've been trying to fuse R&B along with more upbeat club music. I've been trying to find the perfect balance for me; to not to be so chanty and out there, but have a record I can sing on that can make sense in the club. Kris Stephens is my first artist off my label, so I had her on there showing off, giving a sultry vocal. We already dropped it as a single, but we added T.I. to the mix and made it fresh. We had already dropped it as a street-buzz thing to let people know Tank was back doing his thing. If it's gonna be an R&B song, it's got to be about a woman. I created the record with a call-out, so women can participate, and so we could get back to celebrating women in that way, just as simple as a compliment. How better to get that point across than put it on a T-Minus beat that burns the clubs up? I was just trying to create that feel-good moment for women. We added T.I. to make the record totally unfair.

The King and the General!

The King and the General, baby!

Do you mind being called the R&B General?

Somebody said it to me in an interview a long time ago. I have a military background. My father was in the military, and I, myself, was getting ready to go into the military as well. We were going through that conversation about the military and the Tank theme: "I'm Tank, and when I come to your city I want you to feel like I've been through there. I want to leave tank tracks all over your streets." Somebody was just toying around, "You're like the general in here, the general of R&B!" And I liked it. It fit with everything I was doing, so I started rolling with it.

You usually collaborate with R&B artists, and here you changed the pace with some hip-hop collaborations, namely Busta Rhymes.

I totally agree with the change of pace. I didn't want to think about what people are used to hearing from me, or are people going to be disappointed I have rappers on there? I just wanted to make good music based on how I felt that day. I didn't want to do Sex, Love & Pain again. I didn't want to do Now or Never again. This should be a new album with something on it that makes you say, "Tank is continuing to evolve and not stuck in 2007 or 2010."

Busta is a good friend of mine. We've been trying to work together for the longest time. He actually did a rap with me before, but it never saw the light of day. I was suppose to have other features on this song. I didn't have Busta, because I knew Busta was expensive. I called Busta in the middle of the night like a fire alarm: "Busta I have to turn this record in tomorrow morning, is there anyway you can lay a verse for me?" Busta turned his tour bus around, booked a studio and laid a verse for me at 2AM.

No way! That's incredible.

Absolutely. That's the kind of guy he is. I appreciate him doing that for me. It was big for me, really big.

He shows up on the track "Nowhere." What's the vibe of that song?

"Nowhere" is about your house being the party, you are the club. You're going "nowhere," because we got a party that we are going to have right in here ... with your body and my body all over each others body ... on the couch, on the stairs, in the kitchen, on the microwave.

Watch Tank's "Next Breath" Video

Sounds like you'd make a lot of money as a party planner. And of course, there is Chris Brown. You have a history working with him. Why did you choose to do another song, the album opener "Lonely," with him?

I just support him. I think his talent is crazy amazing. As far as an entertainer, there is nobody better. I wanted to support him in his new venture; he's getting his rap thing on and sounds good doing it. I wanted to be one of the first people that said, "I believe in you and I'll make it official with a single on my album." Through the good, through the bad, through the whatever, that's my guy and we'll always work together.

He did the rap for me, and then he was like, "I want to sing this part, too." When you get into the studio with Chris, he gets crazy excited when he hears stuff he wants to do. I had to go back and re-enter the song 'cause he sang more on the song than I sang! I was like, "Hey man! This is my song!" So I had to go back and cut the stuff out so we could at least share the song [laughs].

I was looking at your album titles in chronological order. It's interesting because the titles mature -- from 2001's Force of Nature and 2002's One Man to 2007's Sex, Love & Pain and 2010's Now or Never to 2012's This Is How I Feel. I don't know if the word is "mature," but it sounds like there's more of an emotional awakening.

It's the confidence factor. You know who I am, you know my track record -- I don't have to keep selling you on that. I love radio, but I don't want to lose track of being creative and taking my music to a new level. I just want to make music and don't want any handcuffs on me while I'm making music. It is a maturity factor, once you start hearing a certain amount of your songs on the radio, once a certain amount of people start screaming for you, you feel like you are doing something right, you own it.

Does that come into play on the title track?

Danja actually produced that track. Me, Kris Stephens and Luke James wrote it. It's one of those 3AM records. I don't really record that late. I like to record during the day, when the vocals are nice, fresh and perky. But, that was a 3AM record. Kris said, "I got a line for the verse. Will you just lay this line really quickly?" We were getting ready to leave the studio, and I laid that line and we just never stopped. Once I started getting away from the savior aspect of what I wanted the album to be, and I just started to just make the music I wanted to make, This Is How I Feel just became the perfect title.

The way that you just described that sounds like you are making love to the microphone when you record.

It's spiritual. The thing about my music is that it's not really calculated. It's not sitting down and typing out lyrics, and formatting the verse and bridge. I just go into the booth and start singing.

The closer, "Lost It All," sounds like a serious song.

It is a serious song. I was thinking about the Aaron Hall "I Miss You" record and the video, where she was having the baby and she passed away. I wanted to re-create that moment for 2012. The song is basically about, "When I lost you, I lost it all." Stranger than that, it's a Bonnie and Clyde situation: A woman and her man are riding on the other side of the law. This one particular score that they are about to take down is going to be their last one, and something goes wrong, and he looses her. At this point, he's like, "I don't care. They can lock me up and take my money. I've lost everything so nothing else even matters." It's a gangster song with a twist.

You worked with Kris Stephens, but you're great at producing and songwriting as well, so how does this type of collaboration work exactly?

Kris helped me write a lot of the last album as well. I've had her as an artist for a few years now, and my thing with her was to make sure she had a foundation. The thing that kept me alive, period, was that I was able to write and produce. Being an artist doesn't always pay the bills. Being able to write and produce was the foundation I needed to live and help build everything around me. Even to live for that matter. I wanted her to have that, so she wasn't just a struggling artist, but she would be more in control of her own situation, because she would be the driving and creative force behind it. She's young. She's 23, and her ideas progress so fast. We started thinking the same. Her young energy and the things she learned from me, it made for a good combination of something fresh. She helped me do that.

I'm more of a one-stop shop when it comes to producers. I really wanted to A&R my project. I wanted to get with some dope producers. I wanted to hear what some other writers had to say. Me and Danja worked together before but I wanted to get it right this time. Luke James, cause that's my youngster, wasn't a problem to get him. T-Minus I got through a middleman. He's got a certain energy to his tracks, that although they are club tracks, they have some sort of intimate thing to it that makes you feel good. Kevin McCall is on it. Remember the singer Sammie? He helped write my single "Next Breath." It's a little mixture going on. I wanted to get some different vibes and build on what I already had.

There will be interludes on the digital release?

I am the interlude king, that's what people call me. I kinda got that from Devante Swing, like how he did with Jodeci. I like the intro to the album. It's killer, but I also did a twist on the "Compliments" interlude. I didn't sing at all. The interludes are so crazy, it's stupid.

Watch Tank's "Please Don't Go" Video

Watch "How to Play R&B Love Songs on the Piano"

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Tank Songs | Buy Tanks Albums

Trapped in the Closet: 10 Castmembers for R. Kelly's Soap Opera

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EST

Getty Images Last month, the Independent Film Channel (IFC) announced that it will air the third installment of R. Kelly's addictive, R&B-laced soap opera "Trapped in the Closet." Made up of three-minute chapters, the "Ignition" singer released the first batch of videos, Chapters 1-12, in 2005. The first five chapters of the project originally appeared as tracks on the crooner's TP.3 Reloaded, with "Chapter 1" serving as the album's lead single. With fans enamored by the many twists and love triangles, part two -- known as Chapters 13-22 -- soon followed in 2007. Kelly, whose last album was 2010's lusty Love Letter, has reportedly penned 32 more chapters for the third part of the series. Not only does R. Kelly narrate the entire "hip-hopera" though his singing, with actors poignantly lip-synching over his iconic R&B crooning, the three-time Grammy winner stars as the protagonist Sylvester, who discovers a web of deceit and adultery following a one-night stand that leaves him hiding -- you guessed it -- trapped in a closet. For those not familiar with the synopsis, in short: Sylvester is cheating on wife Gwendolyn with her friend Cathy, who finds out her husband and pastor Rufus is sleeping with a man, Chuck. Gwendolyn, in the meantime, is sleeping with James, a cop married to Bridget, who might be pregnant with little Big Man's baby. He accidentally shoots Twan, Gwen's brother, who finds out he is the father of Tina's baby, but Tina is hot for Roxanne. Other characters like mob boss Joey and nosy neighbors Rosie and Randolph also help move the plot along. While the first two parts of "Trapped in the Closet" feature a cast of relatively unknown actors, The BoomBox decided to up the stakes for part three. We choose several familiar faces from the R&B and hip-hop community -- some with acting ties, others who have collaborated musically with R. Kelly. Here's the cast we'd like to see play this motley group of characters. ...

See Potential "Trapped in the Closet" Characters

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-152132|151454|150841|150152|149363%

Watch R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet: Chapter 1" Video

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download R. Kelly Songs | Buy R. Kelly Albums

Nicki Minaj's 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' Album Track-by-Track Preview

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:45:00 EST

Getty Images Nicki Minaj's sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, leaked a week before it's April 3 release date, and was quickly branded a mediocre LP. There is a lot to listen to. Minaj's second effort should be a double album, maybe even a triple disc. It clocks in at 19 tracks, 69 minutes and crosses three genres: hip-hop, pop and EDM (electronic dance music). Tracks 10 through 15 are an all-out dance party -- a place Minaj's full-length debut didn't dare to go -- thanks to club-friendly production from RedOne. Despite being named after her troubled and flamboyant alter-ego Roman Zolanski, Minaj's sophomore album doesn't conceptually rely too much on her inner man -- only a handful of tracks are belted out in character. The 29-year-old MC does return to her early rap roots singing more explicitly and along with more experienced players -- Nas, Beenie Man, Young Jeezy and Cam'ron -- and the usual cast -- Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. Truth be told, Roman Reloaded doesn't have the same continuous start-to-finish play objective as its predecessor -- diss tracks get repetitive and one-too-many "let's get wasted at the club" bangers make fingers wander toward the skip button -- but the album does have something for everyone. The BoomBox listened to Nicki Minaj's album non-stop for two days straight. Here we provide a track-by-track breakdown of her genre-bending and fun sophomore album. ...

Amazon.com

1. "Roman Holiday"
Minaj premiered this schizo-track -- the Young Money MC flip-flops between her alter egos Roman Zolanski and his mother Martha Zolanski -- at the 2012 Grammy Awards with an over-the-top performance that included a mock exorcism. The haywire intro sets the tone for the confrontational first half of the album. We're in Minaj's world now.

Standout Lyric: "Cuz y'all know who da f---, what da f---/ I do, I done put the pressure to every thug I knew."

2. "Come On a Cone"
Unlike the more candy-coated "I'm the Best" off her first LP, Pink Friday, Minaj sings her own praises by pointing out what other "bitches" lack, instead of what makes her so great. She even takes a cheap punch at a fellow rapper: "7up went and gave my commercial to Cee-Lo." Many critics have deemed this album a return to Minaj's early mixtapes, and, yes, her pre-fame brashness shows up here like it did on Sucka Free's "Set It Off" and Beam Me Up, Scotty's "I Get Crazy."

Standout Lyric: "When I'm sitting with Anna [Wintour, Vogue magazine editor-in-chief]/ I'm really sitting with Anna/ Ain't a metaphor, punchline/ I'm really sittin with Anna."

3. "I Am Your Leader" Feat. Cam'ron & Rick Ross
Minaj turns to profanity to convince she's a boss, telling her non-believers to "suck a big dick." With her wordplay lacking in any real creativity Dipset's Cam'ron and Maybach Music Group head honcho Rick Ross overshadow the Harajuku Barbie with their verses on this track. Hit-Boy delivers with a percolating beat that's not as menacing as Watch the Throne's "N----s in Paris," but still ear candy.

Standout Lyric: "See the car is European but got imported from Tokyo/ Looking like a shark, the nose call it Pinocchio/ Well off, well f, LV, logo," -- Cam'ron.

4. "Beez in the Trap" feat. 2 Chainz
Producer Kenoe's sparse production and storm-drain synths recall last year's hip-hop favorite "Look at Me Now." Minaj continues the digs here with the hook "Bitches ain't s--- ..." but with Mr. Trap-A-Velli himself showing up here, the song becomes more of a catchy nod to the dirty south's trap music, than Minaj's tiresome feud with hip-hop's original Queen Bee, Lil' Kim.

Standout Lyric: "I don't smoke no bobby, but my denim be from Ricky," 2 Chainz.

5. "Hov Lane"
Expect #imintheHOVlane to show up as a meme come April 3. To prove she drives in her own lane, Minaj takes a break from the guest feature and pairs her articulate, machine gun-delivery with a shooting laser beat. But don't look too deep into the lyrics. "I'm in the Hov lane/ And you n----, you you you you Soul Train." Sounds like another diss at Lil' Kim. And if it is, it's getting old.

Standout Lyric: "I don't shotgun, I be driving my own car/ I don't do shots neither/ I'm buying the whole bar."

6. "Roman Reloaded" feat. Lil Wayne
Minaj and her Young Money honcho get trigger happy on this Rico Beats-produced track. Bees swarm and sirens go off in the background as Minaj demands a bigger payday for her acting roles -- so far, only an "Ice Age" voiceover is on her resume -- and Weezy jokes about a Nicki Menage à trois. Lil Wayne's got nothing but banging on his mind.

Standout Lyric: "I guess I went commercial/ Just shot a commercial/ When I flew to the set though/ I ain't fly commercial."

7. "Champion" feat. Nas, Drake & Young Jeezy
Have Nas, Drake and Young Jeezy ever appeared on a track together? Nope. Minaj puts together an unprecedented backup team on this victory lap. Nasty Nas delivers extra street cred to the song's made-it-from-the-ghetto celebration. Toronto-based producer T-Minus returns -- he also produced Minaj's Drake feature "Moment 4 Life" -- with his trademark laid-back beats and distorted organ synths that paint a skyline soundscape.

Standout Lyric: "My 24th bday, I'm sailin' to Bimini/ You can see me on a yacht blastin Pac, little nah, I ain't greedy," Nas.

8. "Right By My Side" feat. Chris Brown
This Breezy feature serves as a turning point for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded with the music and content becoming more pop-driven and sunny. One of the album's more radio-friendly singles, Minaj drops her rap style in favor of some good old-fashioned romantic crooning: "I-I, I'm not living life/ I'm not living right/ I'm not living if you're not by my side."

Standout Lyric: "You own my heart, he just renting."

9. "Sex in the Lounge" feat. Lil Wayne & Bobby V
Instead of taking it up an octave, like she did it on the previous track, the Harajuku Barbie goes back to spitting her verses and enlists Bobby V to sing dirty. Lil Tunechi also reemerges to give this sultry R&B track a vivid XXX-rating.

Standout Lyric: "Sit that p---- on my bottom lip/ Then after that you know we gotta switch," Lil Wayne.

10. "Starships"
"Starships" picks up where the previous Pink Friday LP's sugar-coated "Super Bass" left off. Already a platinum-selling single, the track sonically channels Minaj's vibrant, interstellar visual style. The first of five consecutive RedOne-produced tracks, "Starships" transforms the middle part of the album into a rave thanks to the Moroccan producer's eurodance roots.

Standout Lyric: "Jump in my hoopty hoopty hoop, I own that/ And I ain't paying my rent this month, I owe that."

11. "Pound the Alarm"
Minaj's starship lands in Ibiza on this anthem, but could play at any nightclub around the world. Mama Barbz finds international crossover singing the necessary ingredients for a one-night stand, which begins with partying at a club: "Bottle, sip, bottle, guzzle" and "fill my glass up a little more, we 'bout to get up, and burn this floor." By the time the "pound the alarm" chorus rolls around, it's hard not to be drunk and sweaty off the fun.

Standout Lyric: "Come get me, baby we're not getting younger/ I just want you tonight, night/ Baby we won't do it for life."

12. "Whip It"
The most EDM-focused song by Minaj to date. Lyrics come whipping out of the wig-wearing MC's mouth at Busta Rhymes-speed on this Carribbean-tinged banger. The "na na nas" on the chorus sound like they could be sung by Rihanna. The islands of Barbados and Trinidad are only some 226 miles apart. Minaj catches her breath on this high-adrenaline anthem with a small rap verse sandwiched between the techno where she boasts about her high SAT score.

Standout Lyric: "Is that my cue? I'm looking for some brain to boost my IQ/ I'm like 5'2", my SAT scores was high too/ But I don't mean to brag, I Louis Vuitton bag 'em/ Hopped out the jag proceeded to sha-shag em."

13. "Automatic"
Another feel-good party anthem, "Automatic" is the catchiest of the RedOne-produced tracks. Again, Minaj robotically sings about the body's uncontrollable tendency to move on the dancefloor, over a soaring production. When the beat drops towards the end, it's Minaj's cue to spit 16 bars.

Standout Lyric: "I can't control the way I'm moving hips/ Bet you never ever seen it like this/ I'm a monster on the floor I can't quit."

14. "Beautiful Sinner"
Minaj teams up with her "Super Bass" co-writer Ester Dean on this final club banger, which is co-produced by Alex da Kid and RedOne. Darker than the other bangers, Minaj stretches her voice on the refrain, showing off her powerful vocal chords as she sings about a cheating lover.

Standout Lyric: "I didn't know that bad could love so good/ You are the type of bad that feels so good."

15. "Marilyn Monroe"
Minaj finds refuge from fame in old Hollywood, comparing her life to that of Marilyn Monroe. This piano ballad brings the dance party on the previous five tracks to an end, and is a complete 180-degree turn from the in-your-face attitude of the opening tracks. Minaj sings about insecurities and how she'll "never be perfect." She subsequently takes us back to the old Minaj that connected to fans on soft pop ballads like "Save Me" and "Right Thru Me."

Standout Lyric: "Call me cursed/ Or call me blessed/ If you can't handle my worst/ You ain't getting my best."

16. "Young Forever"
A sweet ballad about a crush, the sugary beat comes via the Godfather of Pop Production, Dr. Luke. On the track, Minaj puts the pink in Pink Friday, fantasizing with lines like, "I'd used to think that we'd reunite/ I'd be your wife, in the real life." This heart-shaped song is the perfect jam for Valentine's Day -- the original proposed release date for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.

Standout Lyric: "Frozen in time, always be mine/ Baby boy you'll be young forever."

17. "Fire Burns"
Minaj definitely has love on her mind on the latter part of this album, however, the love story doesn't end well. You can't help feeling bad for Minaj's strikeouts in the game of love. "This is a sickening joke that you play with my emotions/ And so I pray you burn in hell and you never find the ocean," she laments on this slower electropop jam. At least she gets things off her chest.

Standout Lyric: "I hope you lay down in your sleep and you choke on every lie you told/ And when you're reaching out for me you'll see you reap everything you sow."

18. "Gun Shot" feat. Beenie Man
Minaj manages to make gun shots sound uplifting on her collabo with dancehall legend Beenie Man, who has relatively stayed away from pop albums. The duet works with Minaj complimenting the "Bossman" singer's Jamaican accent with her own Trinidadian roots. The duo shine over dreamy synths.

Standout Lyric: "My gun go shot, give dem all blood clot."

19. "Stupid H--"
Minaj finishes things off with her staccato-y diss track, nailing everyone from Lil' Kim to actress Jennifer Aniston. The alterego the album is named for reappears after a long absence. With Minaj's discography filling up with several uppercuts at her haters, "Stupid H---" comes off as a cheap punch due to its grade school name calling, but then again this is the bad bitch the world fell in love with from the start.

Standout Lyric: "I'm Angelina, you Jennifer/ Come on bitch, you see where Brad at."

Watch Nicki Minaj's "Stupid H--" Video

See Nicki Minaj's Fashion Evolution
%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-141082|151454|150841|149363|150152%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Nicki Minaj Songs | Buy Nicki Minaj Albums

R&B Quiz: Answer to Find Out Your Singing Counterpart

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:55:00 EST

Getty Images R&B songs often tell us that love is no easy task. Sure, lyrics speak of those sexy, intimate moments in the bedroom, but twice as many describe heartaches and heartbreaks. Luckily, the driving rhythms and smooth soul of R&B are around to put our many relationships into song. Like Whitney Houston said, you can find "the greatest love of all" or like R. Kelly, get "trapped in the closet." The BoomBox has compiled a quiz made up of 10 questions that will pinpoint your R&B counterpart. Are you the type of person that doesn't get enough of someone's love, or keeps fallin' in love? Do you have the ex-factor or do wish someone would un-break your heart? Whichever it is, one thing is for sure, there's a little R&B in everybody. ...

Take The BoomBox's R&B Quiz
%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-150731|149066|149363|150569|150152|147257%

Watch 'Chris Brown and Rihanna Turn Up the Music'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Chris Brown Songs | Buy Chris Brown Albums

Hip-Hop Quiz: Answer to Find Out Your Rap Counterpart

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:10:00 EST

Getty Images Ever wonder who your hip-hop soulmate is or which rap crew you'd be riding with? Rap, like blue jeans, comes in many different styles. Some rappers rap because they have a message, others to entertain and the rest hustle so they can live the high life. As a result, you as a fan support their craft based on how their music suits your lifestyle. The BoomBox has compiled a list of 10 questions to help you soul-search for your true hip-hop identity. Are you the type of hip-hop-head that would make your own beats, collaborate with a Grammy-winning producer or prefer being a guest feature on another entertainer's hit single? Keep track of your answers and then tally them up at the end to find out who is your rap counterpart. The answer might surprise you. ...

Take The BoomBox's Hip-Hop Quiz

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-149066|144619|146856|148891|144943%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Nicki Minaj Ingredients: What's the Recipe for Her Success?

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images With flamboyant pop stars from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry saturating the music scene these days, Nicki Minaj has somehow managed to steal some shine. The most recent example is her hell-raising performance at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this month. But what makes Nicki Minaj tick? Here The BoomBox dissects the many things that have made what we know of the rapper-turned-pop star. From her monster Giuseppe heels and colorful style to being all up in the bank with her many funny faces and alter egos, we examine the 'I'm the Best' singer's rise to glory thanks to her many quirks and haters. "Pink wig, thick ass, give em whiplash," Minaj machine-gunned on Kanye West's 2010 track 'Monster.' Minaj without a wig is like Jay-Z without a Yankees cap or Lil Wayne without a skateboard. We've seen her 'do go from pink to green, to pink and green, to spotted animal print, to multi-colored, to a blonde height-defying flattop and more -- you catch the drift. Up close, the 29-year-old MC's fashion sense might not be what you'd want to wear out on Friday night at the movies, but step back a little farther and the neon green leggings coupled with an orange tennis skirt come together like a Monet painting thanks to the fluorescent mop on top. ...

She doesn't have that Gucci problem or Fendi fetish that many of her fellow male rappers have, but she'll cop a million Jimmy Choos just for fun, as she raps on the 'Pink Friday' track 'I'm the Best.' "Materialistic, I'm narcissistic, my shoe game is mean it's so sadistic," she also rhymes on 'Muny.'

Minaj isn't afraid of being hated. Hip-hop beef makes this rhymer stronger. Leading up to the release of her studio debut, 'Pink Friday,' in November 2010, the wig and stilettos were quickly becoming synonymous with Minaj's style and somebody didn't like that too much. Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s first lady Lil' Kim pioneered the "bad bitch mentality," fake mane and curvy look in the mid-'90s. Kimmy Blanco began an assault on Minaj, but the latter slowly drew out her well-manicured claws and made subtle jabs back.

"Is this the thanks that I get for puttin' you bitches on?" Minaj raps on 'Roman's Revenge.' "Is it my fault that all of you bitches gone? Shoulda sent a thank-you note, you little h--." The beef with Kim has given Minaj a bevy of material to work with in her songs. "Bitch talkin' she the queen when she looking like a lab rat," she sings on 'Stupid H--,' and similar sentiments ring true on other songs. Being hated by a hip-hop veteran only upped Minaj's street cred and made her more loved by the world.

Controversy goes hand in hand with Nicki Minaj. When the Young Money femcee started to gain some heat on the charts, photos from Minaj's 'Dear Old Nicki' days started popping up. The pictures of the 'Super Bass' singer showed a less extensive derriere. People cried "Kim Kardashian!" on Minaj's super ass, charging she had gone under the knife. "I ain't got to wonder if I want to lease or buy/ And I dictate how I'm gon' piece the pie/ I ain't talkin' about no mothaf---in pizza pie/ 'Cause I keep a bad bitch booty big and the waist thin," Minaj spits on 'Muny,' giving credit to her curvy backside. Real or fake, Nicki's bottom could be subconsciously to blame for the success of her biggest single to date, 'Super Bass.'

In the three years since Nicki Minaj rapped 'I Get Crazy' on her breakthrough mixtape 'Beam Me Up, Scotty,' the world has seen just how crazy she can actually get thanks to her many alter egos and their attendant weird faces. "Take your medication Roman," she spits on the schitzo track 'Roman Holiday.' You might recall the song from the 2012 Grammys, where Minaj introduced the world to two of her many sides -- the troubled Roman Zolanski and his mother Martha, the latter who called upon a bishop to exorcise Roman's demons.

The wackiness factor ante is upped when coupled with Minaj's other alter ego: The soft-voiced and uber-feminine Harajuku Barbie. The fun part of going to see Minaj perform is never knowing which person will show up. Roman, the most notorious of the rapper's many facets, appears on tracks like 'Roman's Revenge' and Trey Songz' 'Bottoms Up,' and will take center stage on Minaj's 'Pink Friday' follow-up titled 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.' Then there's the Harajuku Barbie, whose lash-batting persona shines on pop-laced tracks like 'Fly' and 'Your Love.' These personalities take Minaj where no female rapper has gone before and make her the most popular girl at hip-hop central.

Lastly, Minaj wouldn't be the superstar she is today without her Twitter-obsessed fans. Her loyal supporters are comprised of two legions: The Roman Empire and the Barbz. While critics, haters and the clueless world might be puzzled by her antics and the ingredients that make up her rap recipe, her Roman Empire and Barbz eat it all up.

See Photos of Nicki Minaj's Grammy Performance

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-147192|146263|141718|144943%

Watch 'Top 10 Fun Facts About Nicki Minaj'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Nicki Minaj Songs | Buy Nicki Minaj Albums

Rihanna Birthday: 24 Things the Singer Could Do in 24 Hours

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST

Samir Hussein, Getty Images On Feb. 20, Robyn Rihanna Fenty turns 24. It's hard to believe that seven years have passed since she told us how to "dip it low" on her breakthrough single 'Pon de Replay.' Since her 2005 debut LP, 'Music of the Sun,' we've seen the 'We Found Love' singer become a household name thanks to the 25 million records she has sold worldwide, countless hits on the Billboard 100 and rampant tabloids and rumors she's managed to commandeer. "Ooohhh s---!!! My bday is really in 2 freakin days!!! Old ass heifer, what am I gonna do????" the pop star tweeted to her 13 million Twitter followers over the weekend. At 24, Rihanna is hardly the "old ass heifer" she thinks she is. While she's supposedly spending her birthday in London, The BoomBox looks back at some of her past jet-setting escapades and song catalog to imagine 24 things Rihanna could do to make her 24th birthday one for the books. The 'Talk That Talk' chanteuse's love of the beach and boozy late nights plus the obligations of a world renowned three-time Grammy winner all come into play. See if you can keep up with the 'Good Girl Gone Bad.' ...

See Rihanna's 24 Hour Birthday Extravaganza

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-147946|147192|147248|141718%

Watch Rihanna's AOL Sessions
%VIRTUAL-globalVideoEmbed-{"videoIds":"517722988","width":"480","height":"429"}%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Rihanna Songs | Buy Rihanna Albums

Valentine's Day Music: 10 Albums to Get You in the Mood

Charley Rogulewski — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

Amazon.com This Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) put the red roses and boxes of chocolate aside and turn up the volume in the bedroom with The BoomBox's playlist. We've gone back in time as far as the '60s to find 10 R&B and soul albums that tickle the heart and will leave you floating on cloud nine. From Drake's Canadian crooner The Weeknd to the enigmatic "Purple One" Prince, the lyrics featured on the following LPs are sure to set the mood for lovers everywhere. ...

See the 10 Albums to Get You in the Mood for Valentine's Day

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-147086|147192|146263|141718|144943%

Listen to a Date-Night Playlist

Watch 'Valentine's Day Celebration Tips'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Grammy Awards: Hip-Hop and R&B Albums That Should Have Won

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST

Amazon.com The Best Rap Album category was born in 1996, during the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. To put things into perspective, that's 38 years after the Grammy Awards' inception, 12 years after Run-D.M.C. released their self-titled debut album and four years after Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic' LP became a hip-hop staple. Since The Recording Academy missed the boat on honoring some of the greatest records created, The BoomBox has compiled a list of other misses at the Grammys, including the Best R&B Album and Best Rap Album categories. The Fugees over Tupac Shakur? Diddy -- or Puff Daddy as he was called back then -- winning over the Notorious B.I.G.? We won't even say that's a close call. Check out the rap stars and singers who should have walked away with a golden gramophone. ...

See Albums That Should've Won

%VIRTUAL-MultiGallery-146856|146263|141718|144943%

Grammys 2012

Watch 'Learn About the History of Rap'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Notorious B.I.G. Songs | Buy Notorious B.I.G. Albums

Albums 2012: Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj + More to Look for

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST

There are a lot of things to look forward to in 2012: Dr. Dre's Coachella appearance, the first photos of Jay-Z and Beyonce's baby, Blue Ivy, and the impending doom coinciding with this year's winter solstice. But before the world implodes into a fiery oblivion, several rap and R&B artists will make an attempt at what could be, according to the Mayans, their swan song. OK, that may be dramatically pushing it. The BoomBox has compiled a list of 10 albums that we anticipate to make a big bang in 2012. While there are many albums we are looking forward to this year -- Dr. Dre's ridiculously long-overdue 'Detox' included -- we are giving love first to the albums with solid album titles and release dates. Consider it a reverse year-end, best-of list and enjoy. John Shearer, WireImage 10. 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,' Nicki Minaj Nicki Minaj's debut LP, 'Pink Friday,' birthed seven hit singles, soared to No. 1 on the charts and was crowned platinum six weeks after its November 2010 release -- then double-platinum in December 2011. The first round of accolades ignite high expectations for Minaj's follow-up 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' -- which takes its name from Minaj's alter ego Roman Zolanski. The Queen Barbie has already dropped two high-octane singles from the album -- 'Roman in Moscow,' 'Stupid Hoe' -- promising her legion of Barbies -- the pet name she calls her fans -- a return to her brash mixtape roots. 'Roman Reloaded' drops Valentine's Day aka Romantime's Day. ...

Angela Weiss, WireImage

9. 'New Life,' Monica
A lot has happened to Monica since the release of her 2010 album 'Still Standing.' There was her secret marriage to NBA player Shannon Brown, followed by a move to RCA Records and a gig mentoring on NBC's 'The Voice.' So, it makes sense the R&B singer is calling her seventh studio album, 'New Life.' While she's crafting the effort, she's also recording with 'The Boy Is Mine' collaborator Brandy. Could a feature on the new LP be in the works? For now, two singles from the often pushed back album have been released -- the Missy Elliott-produced 'Anything (to Find You)' featuring Rick Ross and the more recent 'Until It's Gone.' 'New Life' drops on Feb. 21.

Jeff Fusco, Getty Images

8. 'We Sell Drugs Too,' Goodie Mob
It's been eight years since this sect of Atlanta's Dungeon Family crew released an album, and in that time, the group's standout crooner Cee Lo has made quite a solo name for himself. Along with Khujo, Big Gipp and T-Mo, Cee Lo has already logged in studio hours for Goodie Mob's fifth album, reportedly titled 'We Sell Drugs Too.' The LP was expected to drop last year, but never surfaced. The group, however, did get to flex their performance skills at the 2011 Soul Train Awards, proving they still have what it takes to command audiences. With the 'F--- You' crooner done promoting 2010's 'The Lady Killer' album, hopefully the GM project will make its way to the frontlines just as the "Dirty South" hip-hop they coined makes its sweet return to hip-hop glory.

Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images

7. 'Knees & Elbows,' Willow Smith
Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's baby girl Willow found her own spotlight thanks to the explosive, pre-teen-friendly single 'Whip My Hair.' Rihanna comparisons, a contract with Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, two tracks -- '21st Century Girl' and the Nicki Minaj-assisted 'Fireball,' which spawned a video directed by Hype Williams -- followed. With a year gone by since 'Whip My Hair' went platinum, the self-professed "leader of the new school" is gearing up for her debut album 'Knees & Elbows,' intended for a 2012 release. While the youngest Smith and her label remain hush-hush on the details, one can only keep their fingers crossed that the Fresh Prince will step up to the mic for a feature or two to bring this thing full circle.

Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images

6. 'Live From the Underground,' Big K.R.I.T.
Mississippi native Big K.R.I.T. drops his major label debut for Def Jam this year. Titled 'Live From the Underground,' the LP, entirely self-produced, comes on the heels of two hyped mixtapes: 2010's 'K.R.I.T. Wuz Here' and 2011's 'returnof4eva.' The latter tape produced the neo-southern-rap anthem 'Country S--- (Remix)' featuring Ludacris and Bun B and paved the way for Big Krizzle's collaboration with T.I. on the ATL rapper's first post-prison track, 'I'm Flexin'.' Fans can get a taste of 'Live From the Underground' thanks to the prematurely released bouncy single 'Money on the Floor.' But before he gives us the full effort, he'll release his '4EvaNADay' mixtape, what he touts as a "concept project" -- in February.

Slaven Vlasic, Getty Images

5. 'God Forgives, I Don't,' Rick Ross
No one has unabashedly embraced the big money, fancy cars, bitches and hoe's hip-hop lifestyle in the past few years like Rick Ross. Rozay's 2010 album 'Teflon Don' was crowned No. 1 on The BoomBox's 2010 year-end list thanks to boisterous, headstrong singles like 'Aston Martin Music' and 'B.M.F.' where he compared himself to the notorious Black Mafia Family druglord Big Meech. After holding us over in 2011, with the debut compilation from his rap label Maybach Music Group, the Bawse has already rung in the new year with his new mixtape 'Rich Forever,' which serves as a warm-up to his fifth studio album, 'God Forgives, I Don't.' Two songs off 'GFID' -- 'You the Boss' featuring Nicki Minaj and 'I Love My Bitches' -- have already found their way to ears, suggesting this album may be steering towards more radio-friendly beats.

Gary Miller, FilmMagic

4. 'Master of My Make Believe,' Santigold
Santigold bridged the gap between indie and mainstream hip-hop with her -- sort-of -- self-titled debut, 'Santogold.' After a lawsuit filed by entertainer Santo Gold forced the Philly MC to change her name to Santigold, little has been heard from the 'L.E.S. Artistes' singer. There have been scarce collaborations with the Beastie Boys, Drake, RZA, M.I.A., Bassment Jaxx and she appeared on the Fat Boy Slim and David Byrne concept album 'Here Lies Love.' That's not much considering it's been four years since her debut dropped. Her sophomore album, 'Master of My Make Believe,' is due out later this year, and we're hoping it's been worth the wait.

David Livingston, Getty Images

3. Busta Rhymes, 'E.L.E (Extinction Level Event)2: End of the World'
Hip-hop's resident motormouth Busta Rhymes helped propel Chris Brown's 'Look at Me Now' to the top of the charts last year. After announcing he was the newest member of Birdman and Lil Wayne's Cash Money/Young Money imprint, Rhymes had the favor returned with Breezy jumping on 'Why Stop Now?' which picks up pretty much where the labyrinth rap of 'Look At Me Now' left off. The rapper, who turns 40 in May, has plans to release his ninth album this year on the new label. Originally tilted 'The Chemo,' Busa Buss changed his mind, opting for the more P.C. title 'E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event) 2: End of the World,' a nod to his 1998 album 'E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front.'

Roger Kisby, Getty Images

2. 'Good Kid in a Mad City,' Kendrick Lamar
The year 2012 is already being coined as Kendrick Lamar's takeover. In 2011, the Compton-raised rapper released his critically-lauded mixtape-turned-digi-album 'Section .80' -- a conceptual throwback to Lamar's come-up thanks to tracks like 'A.D.H.D.' and the J. Cole-produced 'HiiiPower.' Lamar's nonchalant and emo-driven delivery helps ease the tension on songs detailing the hard-knock lifestyle. Lamar has a lengthy resume when it comes to guest features, so it's likely many rappers will return the favor on his own album, dubbed 'Good Kid in a Mad City.' Rumors are swirling that everyone from Dr. Dre to The Neptunes and DJ Quik will make their way into the liner notes.

Eric Ryan, Getty Images

1. 'G.O.O.D. Music: The Album,' G.O.O.D. Music Artists
Unlike some of his other Twitter tirades, Kanye West kept it simple and under 30 characters last October, when he posted "GOODMUSIC.THE.ALBUM.SPRING2012." This will be the first compilation from West's label, which calls home to many of the R&B and rap game's prized stars. Among those expected to appear on the tracklist are Kid Cudi, CyHi da Prynce, John Legend, Common, Pusha T, Big Sean and Mr. Hudson. In December, Big Sean told MTV the project was "almost done" and Weezy reportedly sampled some tracks off the album while DJing at a London nightclub last month. With anything Kanye touching turning into gold, this album is sure to make a huge splash went it lands upon eager ears.

Artists to Watch in 2012

Watch 'Kanye West's Twitter Marathon'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Kanye West Songs | Buy Kanye West Albums

Yelawolf 'Let's Roll' Video: Kid Rock & Rapper Ride in Style

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:15:00 EST

Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images There are several hints of awesomeness in Yelawolf's new music video for 'Let's Roll,' a single off his debut LP, 'Radioactive' that features Kid Rock. The visuals, released today (Jan. 11), take viewers on a ride from the rapper's native Gadsden, Ala., to the Bronx, N.Y., with Yela behind the wheel of several different suped-up vintage rides. Our favorite? The stretch white limo and monster truck hybrid he floors along a dirt speedway. 'Let's Roll' embraces all things redneck: Rock, rifles, ATVs and hunting fatigues. From there, Yela-"two-punch"-Wolf heads up North to the streets of the Big Apple where hip-hop legend DJ Kool Herc drops in for a cameo. ...

'Let's Roll' is the second single from Yelawolf's Shady Records debut 'Radioactive,' which dropped last November and peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart. Apart from Kid Rock, the album also features appearances by Eminem, Killer Mike, Mystikal, Lil Jon and Gangsta Boo.

Watch Yelawolf's 'Let's Roll' Video Feat. Kid Rock

Watch 'The Future of Hip-Hop'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Yelawolf Songs | Buy Yelawolf Albums

Snoop Dogg Wins $72,500 for Charity on 'The Price Is Right'

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST

Tommaso Boddi, Getty Images Snoop Dogg won big during his appearance on the long-running CBS game show 'The Price Is Right.' The guest spot, which aired Monday morning (Jan. 2), was part of the show's Celebrity Charity Week and saw the rapper acting as a good luck charm for several contestants. He also modeled prizes like a refurbished '60's convertible and read off the Showcase, which included a VIP package to see him perform live at the 2012 Voodoo Music Experience festival in New Orleans. The real win for the 'Doggstyle' creator was for the Snoop Youth Football League. Snoop took home $72,585 for his non-profit after helping five out of six contestants win on games like Plinko and the Range Game, where the contestant came within $150 dollars of the correct price of a Harley Davidson motorcycle to win it thanks to Snoop's advice. ...

"This is like one of my favorite shows," Snoop revealed in a post-game show interview. "As a kid watching, coming home from school, even acting sick and didn't want to go to school and just watching 'The Price Is Right' -- just loving the way it was put together, the prizes, Bob Barker -- the feeling is still there."

Other celebs appearing on 'The Price Is Right' Celebrity Charity Week include Heidi Klum, Jenny McCarthy, Neil Patrick Harris and rocker Chris Daughtry.

Watch Snoop crown 'The Price Is Right' winner and freestyle to the audience below.

Watch Snoop Dogg on 'The Price Is Right'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Snoop Dogg Songs | Buy Snoop Dogg Albums

Best Albums of 2011: Hip-Hop and R&B

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:15:00 EST

Hip-hop and R&B had a big showing in 2011, with the genre controlling the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for about 12 non-consecutive weeks by 11 different artists. Take that, country music! There was a lot to sift through when compiling The BoomBox's Best Albums of 2011 list, and it seemed at times that the genre had multiplied at the speed of a gremlin in water. Indie rap made a big showing this year, several lyricists plagued with label issues finally got their albums released and veteran MCs made surprising comebacks. This year-end list is compiled of hip-hop and R&B albums released Jan. 1 through Nov. 16, 2011, so albums like Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' and the Roots' 'undun' didn't make the cut. This list does not include EPs -- sorry, Bad Meets Evil -- or mixtapes -- The Weeknd, Lil B, Big Krit, Frank Ocean & Kendrick Lamar -- we're waiting for that proper studio debut. But, above all, we feel that this list of 16 captures the hip-hop & R&B footprint left on this year. Amazon.com 16. 'Relax,' Das Racist 2011 proved that Das Racist -- hip-hop's adamant outsiders -- have come a long way since their days thinking outside the bun at the 'Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell' on Jamaica Avenue. The alt-rap trio -- Dapwell, Heems and Kool A.D -- brought their racially-provocative verses to sold out rooms this year thanks to a debut album that's as diverse as the group itself. Das Racist don't stray from their catchy grade-school raps, spitting "Michael Jackson/ A million dollars/ You feel me?/ Holler!" on the album's homage to the late pop icon, but they succeed most in hyping their ethnic roots. The title track gives nods to Kashmir and Heems' New Delhi roots, while 'Punjabi Song' booms to a Bollywood beat. The club-ready 'Girl' sounds like a pop track malleable enough for a David Guetta-style Ibiza dance party, before it comes back to hip-hop earth. ...

Amazon.com

15. 'Goblin,' Tyler, the Creator
While slapstick rap collective Odd Future have yet to drop an official studio debut, frontman Tyler, the Creator already has two solo releases under his sleeve. His sophomore effort 'Goblin,' which docked on the Billboard 200 at No. 5 after its May release, was fueled by his grim reaper speak-rap 'Yonkers.' The hip-hop hipster, who took the Twitter world by violent storm -- riling Chris Brown, Tegan Quinn for starters -- brought his grave-digging, misogynistic flow to the frontlines with songs like 'Sandwitches,' 'She' and 'Bitch Suck D---.' His fellow Wolf Gang members also show their support with several appearances across the album. In the end, the ghastly humor in his music had cheery results for golf-loving Thurnis Haley. It even got him a photo op with Justin Bieber.

Amazon.com

14. 'Lasers,' Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco got a ton of s--- -- excuse our French here -- for his long-delayed studio album when it was finally released. It took the Chicago native four years to put 'Lasers' out after a rift with his label, Atlantic Records. Fans helped propel the release, launching an online petition and rallying in protest on what was deemed "Fiasco Friday" in front of Atlantic's NYC offices. But when 'Lasers' -- which dons the pop-radio and surely label-pleasing single 'The Show Goes On' and rock-inspired 'State Run Radio' -- finally dropped, it was panned by critics alike. Lupe says he didn't compromise too much on 'Lasers,' though the label had much input that went into its creation. On tracks like 'Words I Never Said,' he questions war and politics, which has pushed him into the spotlight as the prolific rapper he is. The guest features like Trey Songz on the love ballad 'Out of My Head' and John Legend crooning along for 'Never Forget You' mean the only pointless thing about this album is all the negative feedback.

Amazon.com

13. 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two,' Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys' ninth studio album was postponed for the better part of two years after member MCA was diagnosed with cancer. Healthy enough again, he and his two comrades -- Mike D and Ad Rock -- struck back with 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two,' rather than the initially announced 'Part One.' The organic reggae beat of the Santigold-featured 'Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win' picks up on the instrumentation of their Grammy-winning 'The Mix-Up.' They revisited their early punk-meets-rap uprisings on 'Lee Majors Come Again' and the album opener 'Make Some Noise,' the latter which was accompanied by the A-list-saturated, MCA-directed 30-minute video sequel to '(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party).' Ailing aside, the Beasties comeback reminded everyone of their definition of "ill."

Amazon.com

12. Lil Wayne, 'Tha Carter IV'
Lil Wayne's fourth volume in 'Tha Carter' series isn't his greatest, but after having to wait an extra eight months while Weezy sat in a Rikers Island jail cell for a gun possession charge, it satiated wagging tongues. The anthemic lead single, '6 Foot 7 Foot,' showed promise, but Wayne surprised fans, taking a turn from the usual money-loving and gun-slinging themes of his earlier tracks to his own take on love, especially on songs on 'How to Love,' 'How to Hate' and 'So Special.' 'Blunt Blowin' 'John' and 'President Carter' show that despite taking chances -- and taking up skateboarding -- there was still a little bit of the ol' milli-loving, 'P---- Monster' in the sober, post-prison Mr. Carter.

Amazon.com

11. 'Greatest Story Never Told,' Saigon
For a while it seemed Saigon's debut, 'The Greatest Story Never Told,' would become just that. Like fellow rapper Lupe Fiasco, the Brooklyn-bred MC battled for his artistic integrity with Atlantic Records, which he signed to in 2004. Seven years in the works, when it was finally released via indie imprint Suburban Noize Records in February, critics everywhere gave it a standing ovation and Saigon even tweeted his surprise. While Just Blaze served as executive producer on the long-delayed album, when it finally surfaced, songs had been dusted off by additional beatmakers -- Kanye West, Buckwild -- and were amped with extra vocal pizzaz thanks to Jay-Z, Marsha Ambrosius, Raheem DeVaughn, Bun B, Faith Evans, Black Thought, Swizz Beatz, Devin the Dude, Layzie Bone and Fatman Scoop. Here's to hoping Saigon's follow-up doesn't take as long.

Amazon.com

10. 'Black Up,' Shabazz Palaces
One of the best hip-hop albums of 2011 comes from one of the most unlikely corners of America: Seattle. Although this technically West Coast duo released their debut this year, they're not new to the scene. Ishmael Butler spitting on the mic might sound familiar to those who were fans of '90s jazz-rap trio Digable Planets, where he rapped under the alias Butterfly. Butler builds on the mellow syncopated influences of Digable Planets with his new group; high-hat cymbals crash alongside typewriter-staccato beats that skew this effort toward refreshing experimentalism, which leaves you wanting to spark up without any real literal hints.

Amazon.com

9. 'All 6's and 7's,' Tech N9ne
Strange Music co-founder Tech N9ne hit a grand slam with his skit-heavy and star-studded 12th studio album. The album brought new attention to the veteran indie rapper, including a BET cypher and props from Lil Wayne, who also raps on the album. Known for his often-disturbing lyrical imagery, which coined him the title "King of Darkness," 'All 6's and 7's' -- as Tech N9ne puts -- sheds "some light with the dark," thanks to tracks like 'I Love Music' and the upbeat, Busta Rhymes-featured 'Worldwide Choppers.' But TechN9ne still stuck to his old tricks on tracks like 'Pornographic,' a XXX-detailed song about making a porno; and the masochistic, B.o.B-produced 'Am I Psycho?' Appreciation for the rapper was dutifully noted when the album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, Tech's highest chart debut ever.

Amazon.com

8. 'Watch the Throne,' Jay-Z & Kanye
The biggest collaboration of 2011, hands down. This soul-saturated joint EP-turned-LP all started with a simple tweet from West a year ago, and then spun into a high-tech covert operation. To dodge Internet hackers and prevent premature leaks of the hyped 12-track album, Jigga and his rap kin took to chic hotel rooms with only a couple of engineers having access to the recorded files via fingerprints. The tight security was a success with fans going 'H.A.M.' for the album and it subsequently broke iTunes' one-week sales record when more than 290,000 downloads were sold in its first week. But its downfall is that it doesn't offer anything new in the "taking chances" category, apart from the two rapping together on a dozen consecutive tracks like 'Otis' and 'N----s in Paris.'

Amazon.com

7. 'Late Nights & Early Mornings,' Marsha Ambrosius
Marsha Ambrosius isn't new to the R&B scene, having spent a decade as one-half of British duo Floetry. Her ties to the hip-hop community are deep with her voice filling the background on tracks by Nas, the Game and more. Now 34, Ambrosius finally decided to go it alone this year and took listeners on a "romantic journey" with her soul-drenched solo debut, 'Late Nights & Early Mornings.' Her robust voice ricochets between weep-heavy and empowering on tracks like 'Tears' and the Just Blaze-produced 'Far Away,' which fared well on the charts. Her own penmanship is her strength though, especially on tunes like 'Hope She Cheats On You (With a Basketball Player)' and 'The Break Up Song.'

Amazon.com

6. 'Cole World: The Sideline Story,' J.Cole
Jay-Z's Roc Nation protégé came out punching on his hotly anticipated debut -- just play 'Dollar and a Dream III' and you'll see what we mean. Two years in the making, with huge media blitz fueling the hype created by J. Cole's preceding mixtapes -- 'The Come Up,' 'The Warm Up' and last year's spectacular freebie 'Friday Night Lights' -- the 26-year-old North Carolina native delivered under pressure and debuted atop both the Billboard 200 and Hip-Hop/R&B charts. To add to his credit, Cole produced a majority of his studio debut, earning him the "self-made" merit. His LP has all the makings of a solid album -- big name, but not too many guest stars -- Jay-Z, Trey Songz, Drake, Missy Elliott -- eclectic beats and lyrical wordplay. "I wish somebody made guidelines/ On how to get up off the sidelines," the young gun raps, simultaneously proving he's for the job.

Amazon.com

5. '4,' Beyonce
Beyonce's '4' got off to a rocky start with the release of the post-apocolyptic anthem 'Run the World (Girls),' which entered the charts at No. 23 and then fell to No. 76. Double digits aren't exactly what you'd expect to see in Queen B's court, and the diva struck back, feverishly releasing follow-up singles and their accompanying videos like 'Love on Top,' 'Countdown' and 'Party.' While '4' doesn't have the same chart adrenaline as its predecessor 'I Am ... Sasha Fierce,' it's heavy with sleeper singles, namely 'End of Time' and 'I Miss You,' eclectic songs that when looking back 20 years from now, will undoubtedly make her 'Best of' compilations.

Amazon.com

4. 'F.A.M.E.' Chris Brown
When it comes to Breezy's fourth studio album -- released on the heels of his not-so favorable 'Graffiti' -- it's all in the YouTube numbers. His video for 'Look at Me Now' featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes has generated 129 million views since premiering in March -- that's more than the lead singles for Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' and Weezy's own '6 Foot 7 Foot' videos combined. Along with the visual eye candy, tracks like the poppy 'Yeah 3x,' sultry 'Deuces' and the Justin Bieber duet 'Next 2 You' are proof enough that Brown can not only transform ya but also his own image.

Amazon.com

3. DJ Quik, 'The Book of David'
DJ Quik's first album in six years lives up to its opening line: "You're gonna like this." The Compton, Calif. rapper's laid-back grooves and simple-yet-smart delivery recall early '90s West Coast gangsta rap and the g-funk movement his name is synonymous with, especially on 'Nobody,' 'Do Today' and 'Luv of My Life.' While many gangsta rappers these days are quick to jump in with limitless profanity, Quik's album is still bold without having to go down that road too much. The end result is the West Coast producer-MC coming off as raw and redefining "self-made," having produced and written the entire effort; and his "old school" approach comes off more relevant than most of the new beats and rhymes released in 2011.

Amazon.com

2. Jill Scott, 'The Light of the Sun'
Following a four-year hiatus, Jill Scott returns with sass on her fourth studio album. It's hard not to move on upbeat and funky tracks like 'So In Love,' which breaks halfway through with a shimmery, modern day disco swagger. Doug E. Fresh lends his trademark beatbox on the stripped down 'All Cried Out Redux' that's interrupted vaudeville bounce, and the nine-minute 'Le BOOM Vent Suite.' Scott proves she's not afraid of anything on 'The Light of the Sun.' She slows things down on the second half of the LP, but still adds some jazz on 'Quick' and gives a big exhale on her poetry jam 'Womanifesto.' From the sound of things, the self-professed "queen of throne" -- see 'Shame' lyrics -- is celebrating her re-established self-worth following another failed relationship and having a lot of fun as she does it. And the fun sure rubs off.

Amazon.com

1. Drake, 'Take Care'
Bravo, Drake. The Toronto native's second album is better than his first. Picking up where 'Thank Me Later' left off, the rhymer smooths things out vocally on his sophomore effort, ditching rap for the title track, 'We'll Be Fine,' 'Make Me Proud' and a few others. No overproduction here either -- 'Lord Knows' might be the exception -- with most tracks favoring mellow, drowned-out beats than anything anthemic. The overall effect is a beautiful rap&B record that can be played continuously, and is so different from anything else in both genres. As a result, 'Take Care' almost sounds like an indie effort. It seems hanging out with fellow Toronto soft singer The Weeknd, who shows up on 'Crew Love,' has paid off for Drizzy. And the rest of the guest features -- the return of Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, along with Rihanna, Birdman, Rick Ross and Andre 3000 -- aren't too shabby either.

Best Videos of 2011

Best Songs of 2011

Watch 'Drake Discusses Fame, Family and Toronto'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Drake Songs | Buy Drake Albums

Talib Kweli: Seu Jorge, Nelly Added to 'Interesting' Solo LP

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:25:00 EST

Eugene Gologursky, WireImage Talib Kweli is a busy guy. When he's not performing new music with Black Star on 'The Colbert Report,' doing press for his side project Idle Warship, freestyling on Wall Street or releasing a new album with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal, he's jet-setting to far corners of the earth to work on his fifth solo album, 'Prisoner of Consciousness.' "Prisoner of Consciousness' is a record I've been working on for the better part of four years," Kweli tells The BoomBox. "I wasn't happy with my last album with Warner Brothers [2007's 'Eardrum,'] and I knew I didn't want to give them 'Prisoner of Consciousness.' I knew the project was too important for me, so I opted to get out of my deal." ...

The omnipresent Kweli released the follow-up, 'Gutter Rainbows,' earlier this year. The effort was his first solo album off his own imprint, Blacksmith Music. "I'm a touring artist," he admits. "Prisoner of Consciousness' wasn't ready but I still had a bunch of great songs that were timely; a lot of the songs on 'Gutter Rainbows' were songs that work for that time, but if I held on to them, were going to have to be updated. So, I was like let me put together a project and put it out myself and that was what 'Gutter Rainbows was."

However, the 36-year-old rhymer didn't just craft his last project from leftovers from his forthcoming LP. It was all a part of a bigger picture. "'Gutter Rainbows' was not necessarily the outtakes from 'Prisoner of Consciousness,' but 'Gutter Rainbows' was started with the spirit of 'Prisoner of Consciousness' and became its own thing, almost like a prelude to 'Prisoner of Consciousness,'" he explains.

Watch Talib Kweli's 'Waitin' for the DJ' Feat. Bilal

A cathartic, yet solid hip-hop album when it comes to Kweli's mic skills, 'Gutter Rainbows' surfaced with little attention, and 11 months later, Kweli was making headlines with the release of the Idle Warship debut -- his group with Philly neo-soul singer Res. He was also hitting the road and releasing the first of new music in over a decade with Mos Def -- aka Yasiin Bey -- as Black Star. Not wanting to take away from his side projects, Kweli pushed back the release of 'Prisoner of Conciousness.'

Two tracks have surfaced since: 'Burn Notice' and 'Push Thru.' Produced by RZA, Kweli introduced 'Burn Notice' live earlier this month, while 'Push Thru' features 2011's mixtape darlings Curren$y and Kendrick Lamar. "I also worked with 9th Wonder, Mos Def, Nelly and [Brazilian neo-samba-soul musician] Seu Jorge when I went down to Brazil. There are going to be some interesting guests on this album," he assures.

With 'Prisoner of Consciousness' pushed back to a 2012 release, Kweli has more time to focus on his other projects. "It's nothing for me to wake up in the morning and tweet about Idle Warship all day and then go do 'Colbert' with Mos Def, and then go into the studio and do my solo work and then go to the club and spin Chris Brown records," he shares.

"It's nothing for me, but it confuses people how I can live in all these worlds. I think I've always been this type of person. You know how people say they don't have any free time? Hogwash! I really, definitely don't have any free time. It's all separate in my head. The challenge is getting it out of my head to people."

Talib Kweli's 'Prisoner of Consciousness' is set for a 2012 debut.

Watch 'Teachers Use Hip-Hop to Teach History'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Talbi Kweli Songs | Buy Talib Kweli Albums

Carl Thomas: 'Conquer' Album Track-by-Track Preview

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:40:00 EST

Verve Forecast Carl Thomas has never had a No. 1 record. The Chicago crooner has come close though, with each of his previous three solo albums -- 2000's 'Emotional,' 2004's 'Let's Talk About It' and 2007's 'So Much Better' -- clenching the No. 2 spot on the Billboard R&B chart. Now, this is where things get a bit ironic. On his fourth and latest album, aptly titled 'Conquer,' Thomas has mixed up a 10-track R&B recipe that has every bit of potential to do just what the title suggests -- conquer the charts, once and for all. Thomas is more experimental with the music on this album and it serves up a new, ineffable energy to his usual, slow-singing style. Thomas dealt with some personal deaths before setting out to make 'Conquer,' and instead of moping about it on the record, he resurrects himself with newfound pop finesse on many songs. 'Conquer' drops everywhere on Dec. 6. Check out The BoomBox's track-by-track preview of the effort below. ...

1. 'The Night Is Yours'
The opening riff of the album immediately suggests Thomas is taking a new approach with 'Conquer.' The track begins with a wailing electric guitar that adds a rock 'n' roll feel to Thomas' usual R&B tendencies. His voice mirrors the change as he croons less and sings more in an upbeat, pop-inspired bravado that recalls the hollow-y whispers of Seal.

2. 'Long Distance Love Affair'
On track two, Thomas questions the old saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder.' Uncertain, he wonders, "Could you still love me with your heart, if your hands couldn't touch me?" The song maintains a similar pop aesthetic, thanks to a steady drum beat, and hints of reggae chirp in and out throughout. However, something is missing on the production side, perhaps even purposefully to channel the emptiness and paranoia that goes hand in hand with being apart from a loved one.

Amazon.com

3. 'Conquer'
Thomas' weapon of choice in his quest to "conquer"? Answer: Love, of course. "Let love rule," he sings on the title track. Thomas lures his prey on this one with the soothing, reverb-heavy chorus -- "Girl, I will conquer you" -- but the refrain overpowers his own voice and message at times. The end result is still positive, with the track serving as an anthemic trance that gets him what he wants.

4. 'Round 2'
One of the stand-out tracks on 'Conquer,' 'Round 2' is one you'll want to hear on repeat. Thomas paints a vivid story with lyrics of late-night drinking that doesn't end well. He croons for another chance after piecing together his memories of a fight with his lady. On the refrains, his voice cascades into different auto-tuned falsettos that create tranquil walls of sound that are only interrupted by a shimmery raindrop beat.

5. 'It's Not the Same'
Like the album opener, 'It's Not the Same' chimes with similar pop zest. Horns blow and hands clap along to the beat in the background. Overall, the track has more of an adult contemporary vibe. This song, like others, has a heavy theme attached to it -- how people change and grow apart during a relationship -- but Thomas manages to lighten up the content by way of the bouncy beat.

6. 'Don't Kiss Me'
A little bit of the old Thomas creeps back in on this Motown-tinged track. He slows things down, singing at a Smokey Robinson tempo and the languid delivery helps draw it out into the longest track on the album, clocking in at five-and-a-half minutes. 'Don't Kiss Me,' the bonus version, features Snoop Dogg and serves as the album's first single -- see below.

Listen to Carl Thomas' 'Don't Kiss Me'

7. 'It Is What It Is'
No surprise on this one. One of the sleepiest tracks on the album, 'It Is What It Is' finds Thomas singing in barely a whisper about a friend he wishes he could apply the "friends with benefits" rule to. He resists temptation, but his sexy singing hints that maybe he at least made it to first base.

8.'It Ain't Fair'
Another highlight of the album, 'It Ain't Fair' is a healthy helping of old-school R&B and has Thomas painting a picture of his perfect woman. He gushes about all the things that make his special lady, well, special -- 'She's so perfect, flawless, gorgeous ..." -- as the ending theme, albeit reworked, from the recent 'Seven Samurai' remake chimes in the background.

9. 'Sweet Love'
What would an R&B album be without lyrics like "making sweet love to you girl over and over again," as Thomas croons on this slow jam. As the nights get darker and colder, this ballad is the one you want playing as you cozy up by the fireplace next to your loved one. Clothing is optional.

10. 'Runnin'
More serious than the other tracks, Thomas becomes a motivational speaker on this one. The song picks up where R. Kelly's 1996 megahit 'I Believe I Can Fly' left off, but on a more serious and personal note.

11. 'Don't Kiss Me' feat. Snoop Dogg (Bonus Track)
The Doggfather is no stranger to R&B -- 'Sensual Seduction,' hello! -- but he is the only guest on Thomas' album. If you're wondering what these two Gs have in common, Snoop explains it in his guest rap spot: "Tried to be so faithful/ Used to be so playful/ Now I got my cane out/ About to pull my game out/ Staying at my main house/ Crazy how we came out/ Me & him we down because we both walking that same route ..." Playas.

Watch 'Interview With Snoop Dogg'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Carl Thomas Songs | Buy Carl Thomas Albums

Tinie Tempah: 'X Factor' Gig Shows Off His Crowd Appeal

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST

X Factor, Getty Images Before Tinie Tempah took to the stage last night (Dec. 1) on Fox's 'X Factor,' a list of the U.K. rapper's accolades flashed before those watching at home. The talent search tagged him "U.K.'s Biggest Selling Rap Artist," noted his "Double Platinum Debut Single" and "4 Million Record Sales" in big graphics that flashed across the screen. The success behind Tempah's debut album, 'Disc-Overy,' is an amazing feat for a guy who only emerged in 2010. His journey to flashing light-stardom is exactly the type of road the 'X Factor' judges anticipate for their contestants, given the jaw-dropping $5 million award show booty. But Tempah didn't take the same televised path from small town MC to big name lyricist. "I use to jack loads of people's records," Tempah tells The BoomBox of his early ambitions. "Not like people that you would expect. So, not like hip-hop artists, but I jacked, like, the Lilly Allen records and I'd send it to her label." ...

To be clear, what he means by jacked, is "take their records and rap over the instrumentals and put them in the hooks." The end result was a pseudo list of collaborators on tracks he would deliver to labels to get their attention. "It'd be like Tinie featuring Lily Allen, things like that. It's nothing crazy, a bit boring but I did use to do a lot of that. I think I even done it with Madonna," he notes. "I was that brave. It was a lot more of the urban stuff she started doing more recently with Pharrell and Justin Timberlake and things like that. "

Tempah did have to do it all over in the U.S. after making it big in the U.K. "Everything in the U.K. happened very quickly," Tempah agrees. "So I remember those days like they were yesterday because they basically were. And to get that again is very humbling and shows that things don't really happen overnight and sometimes you got to come out here and work your butt off again and start again. I don't think there is nothing wrong with that."

Every success story has its hiccup, and last night on the 'X Factor,' Brooklyn teenage rap sensation Astro, who calls his fans "Astro-nauts," and the answer to a 21st century Alanis Morissette, Drew Ryniewicz, were both sent home. Five contestants remain.

Watch Tinie Tempah perform 'Pass Out' on 'X Factor.'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Tinie Tempah Songs | Buy Tinie Tempah Albums

24 Moments and People We're Thankful for in 2011

Charley Rogulewski — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:55:00 EST

In 2011, hip-hop and R&B ruled not only the charts but the news headlines as well. There were artists' triumphs and tribulations, veteran comebacks, rookies that stole the show, baby news and prison hijinks. In celebration of Thanksgiving, The BoomBox looks back on a year leading up to the holiday that was just as entertaining musically as it was outside of the studio. Here's 24 artists and accompanying moments that made us thankful to be a part of hip-hop and R&B in 2011. 24. Shabazz Palaces Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images Hip-hop has always been about big names, big cars and bling, but in 2011 it took a turn down a more literal, independent road. Shabazz Palaces is one of the acts that drove down the indie avenue, as the first hip-hop act signed to rock-based indie label SubPop. The duo, led by former Digable Planets MC Butterfly, dropped on the scene with the critically lauded album 'Black Up,' showing that like rock 'n' roll, hip-hop can usher in different types of sub-genres. ...

23. Lil' Kim

%VIRTUAL-globalVideoEmbed-{"videoIds":"517559793","width":"476","height":"357"}%

If there's one thing 2011 taught us, it's that Lil' Kim doesn't go down without a fight. Everyone was ready to roll their eyes when Junior Mafia's first lady announced she was releasing a diss tape aimed at Nicki Minaj for jacking her wig-wearing style. All Kimmy Blanco wanted was some respect and when she didn't get it, it was off with Minaj's head. Lil' Kim released 'Black Friday' -- a rip on Minaj's debut LP, 'Pink Friday' -- for $9.99 on Valentine's Day with a cover that depicted her brandishing a sword next to Minaj's decapitated head. Fans loved it and Lil' Kim found her way back onto the hip-hop map.

22. The Cool Kids

Roger Kisby, Getty Images

Along with rappers Lupe Fiasco and Saigon, Chicago duo the Cool Kids -- comprised of Mikey Rocks and Chuck English -- finally settled their label dispute and managed to release their long-long-awaited debut, 'When Fish Ride Bicycles' in 2011. The album was victory for the blog-hyped underdogs, getting positive feedback thanks to tracks like 'Swimsuits,' which features the high-pitched croons of neo-soul man Mayer Hawthorne, and 'Sour Apples,' which sports Travis Barker banging his drum kit.

21. Big K.R.I.T.

Big K.R.I.T. had a prolific 2011, with the release of two mixtapes -- 'Return of 4Eva' and 'Last King 2: God's Machine.' The first tape grabbed attention with the single 'Country S---,' which featured Bun B and Ludacris. The Mississippi rapper and producer also found its way onto T.I.'s first post-prison track, 'I'm Flexin'' -- a big look for the emerging rapper. His debut studio album will be out in 2012 via Def Jam, and it's surely one of the most anticipated albums for the new year.

20. Bell Biv Devoe

The new jack swing trio is back. Well, Bell Biv Devoe never really went away, having spent the past decade touring and performing classics like 'Poison,' 'Do Me!' and 'B.B.D. (I Thought It Was Me)?' at shows here and there. The '90s R&B sensations flew under the radar until they promised a new EP -- their first collection of new music in a decade -- and made an appearance on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' their first late-night television appearance since having racing stripes shaved into your head was cool.

19. Rick Ross

Johnny Nunez, WireImage

Rick Ross gave the hip-hop posse thing a go this year with the first joint LP from his Maybach Music Group, 'Self Made Vol. 1.' With the success of Rozay's bestie Lil Wayne and his Young Money regime beefing up, Jay-Z busy building Roc Nation and Kanye West promising a Good Music compilation for 2012, a joint effort from MMG made sense. While it didn't herald the pop hits, it stuck true to the MMG gritty gangsta attitude. Meek Mill, Wale, Pill and Teedra Moses all got face time on 'MMG Presents: Self Made Vol. 1.'

18. Rihanna

In 2011, Rihanna broke the record for scoring 20 Top 10 hits in the shortest amount of time when her club-ready anthem 'We Found Love' notched No. 1 in October. Currently Madonna holds the record for the most chart-topping singles with 37, so Rihanna has her work cut out for her if she'd like to nab the Material Girl's spot. However, the 'Good Girl Gone Bad' is on her way with her flirty sixth album, 'Talk That Talk,' combining the global electronica scene with her sugary R&B pop, poising it for the top of the charts. By the time she's done with music, we wouldn't be surprised if she had the record for breaking the most music records.

17. Gucci Mane

Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images

One second Gucci Mane is a free man prepping another mixtape, the next moment he's picking up chicks at malls, soliciting sex and pushing them out of moving vehicles. 2011 proved that the state is obviously not on Radric Davis' side, considering he was in and out of jail almost as many times as he was in a recording booth. After he was released from prison in May 2010, on parole violations, he was caught driving on the wrong side of the road with no proof of insurance and other traffic infractions in November 2010. Instead of heading back to the big house in January 2011, Gucci's lawyers had him committed. While it seemed as if he'd be lucky enough to bypass jail, the mall incident put Gucci back in the pen in April -- he tried to obtain an early release in October and failed. We're not pleased he's still in the slammer, but the antics that got him there are thoroughly entertaining.

16. Lil Wayne

After his release from Rikers Island in 2010, Lil Wayne decided to take a stab at the sober life but needed some extracurricular activities to do it. Trying new things in the studio -- he croons on the 'Tha Carter IV' track 'How to Love' -- he also decided to be a daredevil out of the lab and take up a new hobby: skateboarding. Unfortunately, while in St. Louis, he busted his head open at a local skate park and received nine stitches. Could a Weezy skateboard helmet line be in the works? One thing's for sure: Mr. Carter gets credit for improving hip-hop's M.O. -- skateboarding gashes are a better look than bullet holes.

15. Gil Scott-Heron

David Corio, Redferns

Before his death in May, at age 62, spoken word poet Gil Scott-Heron got his swan song. 'I'm New Here' was Scott's first album in 16 years. Scott-Heron started 2011 in a new direction, partnering up with Jamie "xx" Smith for the indie-electro-fusion remix album 'We're New Here,' which brought his album to a new audience with even Drake sampling the opener 'I'll Take Care of You' on the title track to his sophomore album, 'Take Care.' While the cause of his death was never disclosed, Scott-Heron, who in recent years revealed he had been living HIV-positive, was eulogized by Kanye West at his funeral.

14. Tyler, the Creator

Jason Merritt, Getty Images

This year was a breakout one for Odd Future and a banner year for the hip-hop collective's ringleader, Tyler, the Creator. The 20-year-old released his second album, 'Goblin,' via indie label XL, and it bowed at No. 5 on the charts. Kanye West and other rappers gave their cosign by lauding his grimy track 'Yonkers,' where he disgustingly dines on some cockroach. He also took on the world via Twitter, definitely bringing on more attention and plenty of haters for his brash 140-character wisecracks. Yet his biggest accomplishment would be snagging the title of Best New Artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

13. Nicki Minaj

Move over, meat-dress-wearing Lady Gaga -- Nicki Minaj sported some of the year's craziest outfits and hair-dos. The Queens-bred MC released her debut album, 'Pink Friday,' at the tail-end of 2010, which made her a hot commodity at every 2011 awards show and allowed her to show off her wild style. At the VMAs, she wore a Hannibal Lecter-inspired face mask, and during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City, she stepped out in an animal-inspired get-up. More evidence that she was the style beast of 2011: Minaj's name made the list of most-searched Halloween costumes on Google. Hot pink wig sales are seemingly through the roof these days.

12. Lupe Fiasco

Jerritt Clark, Getty Images

When Lupe Fiasco butted heads with Atlantic Records over the release of his third LP, 'Lasers,' it was his fans who came to the rescue. Before tents occupied Wall Street, Fiasco fans took to Atlantic's New York City offices in protest on what they deemed 'Fiasco Friday' last October. The outing was a success, and the label agreed to release the album in March, after a four-year delay. Not surprisingly, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. His single off the LP, 'The Show Goes On,' also nabbed him his second platinum-earning accolade, with 2007's 'Superstar' being his first.

11. Beastie Boys

Last year was quite the bummer for the Beastie Boys. One second, they're onstage hyping up the crowd at Bonnaroo with songs from their album 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two,' and the next they're fighting for life. Right before the rap trio was to release their eighth studio album, the Beasties gave the project the red light when MCA was diagnosed with cancer. But before you could blow your nose with a boohoo moment, the Beasties were back, unleashing 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two' in April -- only eight months later -- along with a 30-minute, MCA-directed mini-film for the lead single, 'Make Some Noise.' The footage was nothing short of spectacular, featuring a pool of A-list celebrities paying homage to the Beastie Boys of the past and present.

10. Lil B

YouTube.com

Lil B took the hip-hop world by storm when the West Coast native courageously announced during a 2011 Coachella set that his next album would be called 'I'm Gay.' Death threats and backlash from GLAAD followed, as haters charged the brash statement was just a publicity stunt. But the Bay Area rapper held his ground, saying he chose the title because "the hip-hop community is being very close-minded and very hateful, very violent." When the 12-track effort finally dropped at the end of June, Lil B had settled for a more elaborate and perhaps less offensive title: 'I'm Gay (I'm Happy).'

9. The Weeknd

Clinton Gilders, FilmMagic

Listening to The Weeknd's 'House of Balloons' reminds us of all those mornings we spent as a kid eating Lucky Charms for breakfast. Remember how the moon marshmallows would turn the milk blue? On the album's standout track, 'The Morning,' the mysterious Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, sings about drinking blue-hued Alize with his cereal, and his mixture of moody synths and whispery, pulse-igniting vocals make everything else on the street tape sound magically delicious. Before the year was over, Drake's Canadian buddy had dished a follow-up freebie, 'Thursday,' and promised yet another by year's end.

8. Kanye West

Two years ago, it didn't seem possible, but in 2011, Kanye West kept his cool and avoided negative publicity and unexpected award show disasters like 2009's infamous Taylorgate. Perhaps a four-month break from tweeting helped. Instead, 'Ye focused on headlining festivals like Coachella and the inaugural Lollapalooza Chile on the heels of his 2010 release, 'My Dark Twisted Beautiful Fantasy.' Then, of course, came the 'Watch the Throne' album, his joint effort with Jay-Z. While we miss the old Kanye, the 'Lost in the World' rapper seems to have found his way on the straight and narrow and deserves a big kudos for that.

7. Bad Meets Evil

Eminem and Royce da 5'9" officially put the past behind them this year with the release of their debut joint EP, 'Hell: The Sequel,' under their Bad Meets Evil alias. Led by the track 'Fast Lane,' the album really took off with the ballad-y 'Lighters,' featuring Bruno Mars. Making amends with Royce Nickel-Nine brought more good karma Slim Shady's way; apart from the EP reaching No. 1 on multiple charts, Em broke a new music industry record when his last solo effort, 'Recovery,' notched one million in digital sales a year after its release.

6. Mobb Deep

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

Mobb Deep made a comeback this year when one-half of the Queensbridge rap duo finished serving a three-year sentence for criminal possession of a weapon. Following his release in March, Prodigy released the controversial tell-all 'My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy' and hit the lab again with his MC partner Havoc, who promised new music by the year's end. They lived up to that promise playing shows and releasing new collaborations, namely tracks with Nas and Rick Ross.

5. T.I.

T.I. didn't have it so good in 2010, and 2011 almost turned out the same way for the Grand Hustle CEO. After violating his parole last year, Tip was served with an additional 11-month prison sentence -- punishment that seemingly took him out of trouble's way for most of this year. But upon his release in September, T.I. was detained for using an illegal mode of transportation -- a tour bus -- to get to a halfway house where he was to spend his final month in custody. Luckily, things turned out better this time, and the rap star finished his sentence without any further problems. By mid-October he was a free man again and had appeared onstage with Taylor Swift and had two new singles under his belt, the Pharrell Williams-assisted Hear Ye, Hear Ye' and Big K.R.I.T.-produced 'I'm Flexin'.'

4. Jennifer Hudson

Almost a year after becoming the new spokesperson for Weight Watchers, Jennifer Hudson wowed at the Grammys last February with her tribute to Aretha Franklin and her new jaw-dropping figure. Once a size 16, the former 'American Idol' contestant-turned-Oscar winner reportedly shed 80 pounds and several dress sizes, surprising herself and the audience with her svelte transformation. "I didn't expect to go as far as I did," Hudson told the New York Daily News of her inspirational weight loss.

3. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon

Fresh Air Fund, WireImage

With bi-coastal nurseries, a diva for a mom and one of America's favorite TV hosts for a dad, "dem babies" -- the nickname for Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's twins born on April 30 -- are destined for a decadent upbringing. Instead of the usual "oohs" and "ahhs" in the delivery room, dem babies entered the world to a live performance version of Carey's 'Fantasy.' "The only reason I wanted it to be the live version is because I wanted them to hear the applause upon entering the world," Carey said.

2. Beyonce

Kristian Dowling, Getty Images

Before she made an announcement at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards that she and hubby Jay-Z were finally expecting their first child, Beyonce was no stranger to pregnancy rumors. "With all the rumors, she'd have five or six children now," her mother, Tina Knowles, confessed during an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres in 2010. When the rumor finally turned to truth, instead of selling the gossip to a tabloid or releasing a press statement, the former Destiny's Child frontwoman opted to take a different route. At the end of her 'Love on Top' set at the awards show, she rubbed her belly and gave a big wink.

1. Michael Jackson

Michael Caulfield Archive, WireImage

More than two years following the sudden death of the King of Pop, justice was served when Michael Jackson's personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The verdict put the end to a lengthy legal battle. "This is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment," said Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor. "This was a crime where the end result was the death of a human being." Murray faces up to four years in the slammer when he's sentenced on Nov. 29. He was denied bail, and Pastor denied a motion for new laboratory tests on evidence used in the trial. Now the famed 'Thriller' creator can finally rest in peace.

Watch the Early Years of Michael Jackson

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Michael Jackson Songs | Buy Michael Jackson Albums

Idle Warship Drops 'Habits of the Heart,' Talib Kweli Sings

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:50:00 EST

Mel D. Cole Talib Kweli is a veteran rapper. His music has been labeled everything from conscious rap to underground hip-hop, but on his latest release, he is going where he's never gone before. Idle Warship -- the group he's formed with Philadelphia-bred soul artist Res -- is Kweli taking a very big step outside of the box. The Idle Warship partnership goes back almost a decade, when Res first collaborated with Kweli and Hi-Tek on the Reflection Eternal track 'Too Late.' In the decade that followed, Res would be featured on a handful of Kweli tracks. "It was infinite destiny," the singer says of the road to their proper debut, 'Habits of the Heart,' out today (Nov. 1.) Kweli hit her up randomly one day in 2008, with the idea that they should lay down their previous collaborations, and a couple new ones, for a mixtape. The end result was 2009's 14-track tape, 'Party Robot.' "One song we did together -- 'Steady' -- was so different and greater than all the previous songs we've done that we decided, 'Let's keep going.'" The primary difference? Res rapped on the album and Talib would sing -- yes, sing. While making 'Habits of the Heart,' that model didn't always work and Talib does end up spitting verses on 'Enemy,' 'Driving Me Insane' and others. The BoomBox chatted with both Res and Kweli, the latter admitting he hasn't read or been able to find a description that captures Idle Warship's genre-bending ideology. Electro-hop, yes. Disco-beat-influenced rock-rap? Some of that too. Read on as the duo of Idle Warship explain how 'Habits of the Heart' came to be, why Talib chose to showcase his singing voice and Res' thoughts on the English language. ...

Would you call this an underground hip-hop album?

Res: No. To me, underground hip-hop right now is more like Odd Future and stuff like that. I think this is a record that twists and bends genres and pulls from a lot of things. It's our own thing, which is what we like to do. Music is ever-changing.

Talib: I wouldn't call this a hip-hop album. It's very far from a hip-hop album. That doesn't mean there's no hip-hop influences on it -- I'm in the group. It's certainly influenced by hip-hop, but it's influenced by hip-hop in the same way any artist that makes music today is influenced by hip-hop.

Listen to Idle Warship's' 'Laser Beams'

How would you classify this album? What kind of genre-bending is going on here?

Talib: With the type of influences that are on this album, there is no classification on it. That's something I've dealt with in my career for a long time, because I've never classified myself as an artist, even though people have said you're an underground rapper, you're a political rapper. These are not things that I've said. These are things that people who have heard my music have decided, and I take those things as compliments, but Idle Warship uniquely gives us an opportunity to truly say there is no box for this, it's Idle Warship music. And the other artists that I look up to that do that are Bjork, Fitz and the Tantrums, Gnarls Barkley and there's the Gorillaz.

Res: It wasn't thought out. We weren't like, "We're going to do a dance record." We just stuck to the beats that motivated us.

Talib: My focus has always been on lyrical content. To be able to find better ways to marry lyrical content with what people are dancing to is great for me.

Why did you want to honker down and actually make a group out of your collaborations?

Talib: It felt right for the simple fact that Res and I have collaborated on so many different songs and projects, so part of the appeal of Idle is that we are that comfortable in the studio with each other. When I collaborated with Mos Def -- that really is Talib Kweli and Mos Def. When I collaborate with Hi-Tek that really is Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek and that's really the sound that you would come to expect from these artists. When Jay-Z and Kanye made 'Watch the Throne,' it's not a whole different sound, and Jay-Z would have picked any of those beats for his album, and so would 'Ye, and the subject matter wouldn't have been that different. That's what's interesting with Idle, beyond it being a group with a female, it's the first time I've done a group where you don't know what its going to sound like, or you don't know what to expect.

Res: You get so caught up in what you are suppose to do, what your brand is, and what art is and what people want to hear you do and what you want to give to your fans and what they expect -- and basically all that s--- was out the window. It was like, "Let's just do what we want to do right now."

Talib, you straight-up sing on 'Rat Race.' Why did you feel like belting it out all of a sudden?

Talib: I sang and I wrote on that song. I wish I could sing better. The only reason you haven't heard me sing more is because I can't sing that well. Man, I would totally be a crooner if I really had a singing voice. It's something you have to work on and develop. I feel like if I put the time and energy into learning how to sing and learning my voice, I could accomplish that. I have not put my time and energy into that. When you hear me singing, it's really a product of I just felt good at that moment.

Listen to Idle Warship's 'Rat Race'

Are you afraid of your fans' reaction to you singing or are you excited for it?

Talib: Yeah, afraid is the wrong word. I know that there are going to be fans of mine that go beyond not liking it. There are fans of mine that are going to feel betrayed when they hear this album, like I smacked them off. There are fans that are going to really take it real personal like I came over to their house and was like, "F--- you," and that's very exciting and something I'm actually looking forward to because I have enough faith in my creative ability and enough confidence in what I do, and enough to stand on, as far as what I've already put out there.

It's like, "Look man, if you don't like what I'm doing with Idle Warship, you don't have to. You can listen to 'Gutter Rainbows,' which is a great example of a hip-hop, boombap, beats and rhymes album that I dropped last year, independent of all these record labels. Or, buy 'Prisoner of Consciousness' when it comes out next year, which will be my 10th hip-hop album. I got 10 other albums for you because you don't like what I'm doing here."

There are a lot of features on this album. How did you pick those?

Talib: Certain songs ask for people, but we also work with people who are around and down for the cause. Jay Knocka is someone whose friends with the group and is at every show and that verse you hear from her [on the album's track 'System Addict'] is her freestyling to that beat. We were just having fun in the studio -- and she's not even known to be a rapper; she's a fashion person, she's a stylist. It was the flow that she had that was dope. Michelle Williams is somebody I became friends with through Twitter. She's been such a gracious person and she came to New York and we did a bunch of music together. She heard the song and really fell in love with it and asked to be on it. John Forte is my good friend since the time I was 14 years old.

The title of the album is 'Habits of the Heart.' Did you initially have this concept for the album or did it naturally evolve after writing for it?

Talib: We picked the title last. We just wrote songs. Once we picked the songs they started telling a story. The songs tell the story from a female perspective, from the perspective of a young woman, who is caught up in fame and fortune. When I think of tracks like 'Beautifully Bad,' 'Enemy' and 'Katya,' they're almost about the same person. When I thought of the title 'Habits of the Heart,' it flowed off the tongue so well that I had to actually Google it to find out where else it had existed. It was like Bonnie Rait or some country song had to have picked up on it. When I Googled it, I couldn't find the words put together any artistic way, which I was surprised by because it sounded so natural.

Res: And, 'Idle Warship' is a play on words. The English language is funny like that, where you can use one word and have two spellings and double meanings, or triple meanings. Right now, the trend of everyone having a television show for just being a pretty girl, or just for no reason at all -- we idolize those people on TV and we are doing all these things that are like oxymorons. She has a show but she hasn't done more than what the average person has done, or this person has a whole cult following but all they are on TV for is just cooking or something. It's really strange how the world is right now. It's an oxymoron with those words "idol worship." You have to choose "warship" as able to do or destroy all these things but it's sitting "idle," not working to its full potential. It's not being able to be fully productive but having all this attention.

Do you find the inner workings of a women's heart a difficult thing to understand?

Talib: Yeah, and I have a quote that I didn't even realize was famous when I said it in an interview offhandedly. Someone asked me if hip-hop was complex, and I'm like, "Well, hip-hop is nowhere near as complex as a woman is."

Watch Talib Kweli's 'Get By'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Idle Warship Songs | Buy Idle Warship Albums

Hip-Hop and R&B's Second Coming -- New School vs. Old

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST

We've all heard the saying "history repeats itself," and the stoic adage is inevitably finding accuracy in today's hip-hop and contemporary R&B culture. With both genres well into their fourth decade and bending away from their vintage roots, there's an increasingly finer line between the gap that bridges the old school and new school. Still, some of today's urban crooners and MCs bear striking similarities to their predecessors and inspirations. Sometimes it's a similar upbringing, fashion sense, or the way they captivate an audience. The BoomBox looks back in time at rap and soul artists who have shaped music with the way they entertained and motivated a new generation of performers. There will never be another King of Pop or Godfather of Soul, but that doesn't mean they didn't help inspire the second coming. Jay Electronica vs. KRS-One Getty Images (2) Jay Electronica raps "N---- I was homeless/ Fightin', shootin dice, smokin' weed on the corners" on his candid, breakthrough track 'Exhibit C,' but Jay Elect isn't the first MC without even a single slice of pizza to his name. Before he earned his Lifetime Achievement Awards and Hip-Hop Honor creds for pioneering conscious rap, KRS-One called a South Bronx homeless shelter home. Their lyrical account of the hard-knock life on the streets has brought them success and created a new type of hip-hop renaissance man, with KRS putting the masses onto his own pseudo-religion, Temple of Hip-Hop, and Electronica preaching his own social awareness at live shows and through Twitter. ...

CeeLo vs. Elton John

Getty Images (2)

They both play piano, but this analogy is all in the flamboyant threads. Word of Cee Lo channeling a revamped, soul-tinged Elton John started to swirl following the former Goodie Mob member's set at the 2011 Grammy Awards, where he donned a wild peacock-inspired outfit. The stage show served as a homage to John's equally extravagant performance in 1977, when he sang 'Crocodile Rock,' on 'The Muppet Show,' donning the original feathered get-up. "People used to look at me in an odd way," Cee Lo told the Daily Mail later. "Maybe I looked peculiar. But now I'm seen as being cool. Who'd have thought that would be the case? Who'd have thought Elton John could be reincarnated as a bald-headed black man?" Cee Lo -- whose singing voice we'll admit bares more of resemblance to preacherman Al Green -- didn't stop there. During his Billboard Awards performance this year, the rapper-crooner bedazzled himself in rhinestones and performed air-defying acrobatics with a piano, channeling John's glittery psychedelic '70s era.

Odd Future vs. Wu-Tang Clan

Getty Images (2)

Not since Wu-Tang Clan has there been a hip-hop group as difficult to tally as West Coast troublemakers Odd Future. Wu-Tang's 1993 debut, 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),' tapped into hardcore rap thanks to its underlying martial arts theme, and Odd Future kicks things up a notch by taking the morbidly explicit route, thanks to murder and rape-friendly lyrics. With OFWGKTA members crafting solo albums and releasing side projects -- Tyler, the Creator's 'Goblin' and MellowHype members Hodgy Beats and Left Brain's 'BlackendWhite' were both released this year before a proper OF group LP -- their business savvy is already on par with the Shoalin knights of Staten Island, who have consistently dropped solo efforts.

Lloyd vs. R. Kelly

Getty Images (2)

R. Kelly has songs about 'The Greatest Sex' and 'Feelin' on Yo Booty,' while Lloyd croons about a 'Party All Over Your Body' and 'Sex Education.' So it's safe to say these two R&B artists share the same baby making music M.O. Their affinity for the ultimate love fantasy has brought them together on a couple of tracks already, namely Lloyd's 'Lay It Down' and 'World Cry.' Maybe the smooth lyrics they showcase have something to do with sharing a similar appreciation for cornrows and the occasional unbuttoned shirt featured on an album cover.

Wiz Khalifa vs. Snoop Dogg

Getty Images (2)

Rappers who smoke together, stick together, as is often the case with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. Both aren't shy about their puff-puff-give mentality, rapping about the sticky icky that binds them together. While Snoop blazed his niche in the early '90s gangsta rap scene, the younger Pittsburgh native channeled the same vibe after clam-baking the pop-rap scene with his 2010 'Kush & Orange Juice' mixtape. Hip-hop's latest Cheech and Chong are getting ready to unleash a stoner comedy titled 'High School' and have released a handful of toker tracks together that praise the 4/20 deity -- 'The Weed Iz Mine,' 'That Good' and the latest being the laid-back 'Young, Wild & Free.'

Ne-Yo vs. Babyface

Getty Images (2)

Babyface's production credits include some of R&B's biggest divas -- Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, to name a few. Despite a 20-year age gap, Ne-Yo is already mirroring the same type of production resume having tweaked songs for the former Destiny's Child leader, Blige and Rihanna, plus others. In addition to manning the soundboard, both artists have had a successful career as a solo recording artist. But, Ne-Yo needs to do some catching up. Currently, he only has three Grammys to his name, while Babyface has garnered a cool 10 trophies over the course of his career.

Kanye West vs. Tupac Shakur

Getty Images (2)

Tupac Shakur inadvertently caught the media's attention with his in-your-face, thug-driven outbursts and racially-charged allegations against authority. Kanye West also doesn't shy away from saying whatever is on his mind, and it often lands him on the front page of controversy. Having activists for parents could have contributed to both of their extreme extroversion. Pac's 'rents were active members of the Black Panther Party, while West's father had ties to the organization. Ironically, despite their mood swings, both rappers share a soft spot for one person in particular -- their mama. The West Coast MC rapped about his mother's child-rearing ways on 'Dear Mama,' off his third solo album 'Me Against the World,' while the Chi-town native gave a big thanks to the woman who raised him on the 'Late Registration' track 'Hey Mama.' Both women, in turn, spearheaded foundations in their respective son's names.

Chris Brown vs. James Brown

Getty Images (2)

These two Browns aren't related, but what makes them each other's double is their shared ability to "Get up offa that thing and dance 'til you feel better." Chris Brown holds the current best hip-shaker title in male pop music thanks to his back-flipping choreography. While James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, revolutionized dancing with "the popcorn," "mashed potato" and "split-and-pop" dance crazes, Breezy took funky knee-bending to the next level -- see his video for 'Forever' and 'Yeah 3x' to get a clue. And then there are their respective lady issues. James Brown was repeatedly arrested for domestic violence, and on the flip-side the media refuses to let go of CB's infamous 2009 altercation with Rihanna.

Nicki Minaj vs. Lil' Kim

Getty Images (2)

Both ladies got their start as the first ladies of hip-hop groups -- Lil' Kim rapped with Notorious B.I.G. in Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Nicki Minaj stole the show in Lil Wayne's Young Money crew. But, this comparison is in the wigs, and it didn't take long for Kimmy Blanco to get her claws out after she decided Ms. Roman Zolanski stole her look. Minaj's ability to blend hip-hop and pop has shot her to the top of the charts faster than Lil' Kim could change her wig, but the old-school femcee wasn't going down without a fight. Kim released the 'Black Friday' diss-tape -- a play on Minaj's platinum debut 'Pink Friday' -- with a not-so-silent shot at her new-age counterpart. On the album cover, she brandished a sword and showcased a decapitated head donning a pink wig. Can't we all just get along?

Beyonce vs. Michael Jackson

Getty Images (2)

We weren't the first ones to call Beyonce the new Michael Jackson; it's B's hubby Jay-Z that should get the cred. "I know that's blasphemy to compare the two because Mike was such an innovator -- but I think she's like the second coming," Jay said in an interview earlier this year, also pointing out their similar "hard work and dedication." While both performers blend R&B and pop into multi-platinum hits, they both got their start in groups managed by their fathers, then branched off to bigger solo careers and movie deals. And, Beyonce certainly doesn't lack the King of Pop's meticulous attention to hyper-choreographed music videos. Michael's clips left everyone doing the moonwalk, and Beyonce started a worldwide dance fetish with the wrist-flinging moves of her 'Single Ladies' video.

Watch Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Michael Jackson Songs | Buy Michael Jackson Albums

Eminem Brings Royce Da 5'9" + More to Lollapalooza

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:45:00 EST

Rob Loud, Getty Images Lollapalooza is big. It's a mile-long walk between the festival's two main stages with 90,000 music lovers filling in the big gap. And on Saturday night, America's biggest-selling artist of the last decade drew what could go down as Lollapalooza's biggest crowd to date to the fest's biggest stage, and still made it feel like it wasn't big enough. "Holy s---, there is a lotta people here," an astonished Eminem exclaimed after pausing a handful of songs deep into his Lollapalooza debut. The Detroit rapper's set list was big too. After kicking things off with 'Won't Back Down' of his five-time platinum album 'Recovery,' Em charged through two dozen tracks, with the help of hypeman Mr. Porter, that spanned his 13-Grammy-winning discography. ...

The adrenaline? Also big. For an hour and a half, Marshall Mathers rapped to what felt like the beat of a marching militia. Roughly 10 minutes in, Em had checked off five songs, but the show was only beginning.

"Yo Chicago, how many people ever had beef with their parents?" Em asked the crowd before jumping into 'Cleanin' Out My Closet,' a throwback from 2002's 'The Eminem Show,' where Em raps about his mama. Midway through his set, Em got assists from three special guests, first welcoming his Bad Meets Evil collaborator Royce da 5'9" for two tracks off their recently released EP 'Hell: The Sequel' -- 'Fast Lane' and 'Lighters.' On the latter tune, both rappers got more help from an unannounced Bruno Mars, who donned his trademark fedora and strummed on an acoustic guitar while the crowd held up their fire. And while Em played several tunes that feature female guests like Dido on 'Stan,' Paramore's Hayley Williams on 'Airplanes Pt. II' and Rihanna on 'Love the Way you Lie,' the only added estrogen on stage all night was singer-songwriter Skylar Grey, who came out for her vocals on 'I Need a Doctor.'

"Do you love Nate Dogg like I love Nate Dogg?" Em asked the Chicago crowd before dropping the toker-friendly 'Till I Collapse,' calling it one of his favorite collaborations with the late gangsta rap legend. "This is my first Lollapalooza and I can't think of a better place to relapse," he said putting on his serious acting face and taking a sip from a jug. But instead of getting back on the sauce mid-set, the booze spilled from bullet holes in his hoodie, like a Carrot Top prank. "I guess I'm just not built for that s---," the rapper concluded before asking if instead he could take the crowd to a time when he "used to get fucked up," and sending everyone into a frenzy with 'The Real Slim Shady' and 'Without Me.'

At the end of the very big evening Eminem came out for a surprisingly small encore. Just one song -- 'Lose Yourself.' But in the theme of Eminem's debut Lollapalooza set, it didn't just leave a big lasting impression. It left a huge one.

Eminem Performs 'Love the Way You Lie' at Lollapalooza

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Eminem Songs | Buy Eminem Albumst

Royce da 5'9" Reveals 'Merry Go Round' Behind His Success

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Gracie Productions On 'Merry Go Round,' a poignant track from Royce da 5'9"s fifth solo album, 'Success Is Certain,' the Detroit-bred rapper gives a run-down of his storied, rapacious -- no pun intended -- past: "My life has been going around and 'round since '95/ Went from going somewhere to about to die," he raps on the Nottz-produced track. Listen a bit further than the hook and Royce Nickel Nine comes clean on his alcohol use ("Went from bein' a kid addicted to basketball to bein' an ignorant n---- addicted to alcohol"), his rekindled friendship with Eminem ("If it wasn't for [former Shady records signee] Cashis sayin' that he gonna beat my a--/ Then me and Em probably wouldn't be laughin' 'bout us gettin' past it") and how being disgraced in the hip-hop community lead to Royce's resurrection in the game ("If it wasn't for me bein' outcasted, I woulda never been on the underground rappin' with Slaughterhouse!") In 2004, Royce released the solo effort, 'Death Is Certain.' At the time, he had a big weight on his ego-centric shoulders after he entangled himself in a beef with fellow Detroit rappers D12 that lead to his fall out with Slim Shady. "It was a real dark period in my life," Royce tells The BoomBox. "I was very unhappy. I had a lot of beef in the streets. There was a lot of people against me and I was stuck in a zone where all I could rap about was negative s---, failure, people treating me a certain way, powers affecting me. It was just depressing, but it was still my most critically-acclaimed work to this day probably because it had so much emotion and integrity in it." ...

Listen to Royce da 5'9"'s 'Merry Go Round'

Seven years later and his beefs aside -- as is obvious from the nine-track, chart-topping joint-EP, 'Hell: The Sequel,' he released with Em in June under the moniker Bad Meets Evil -- Royce is rapping from the other end of the spectrum on his sophomore album's delayed spin-off. 'Success Is Certain' serves as a coming-of-age testament to the thugged-out gangsta rap mentality of the '90s.

"This album and where I am today is the exact opposite," Royce says of his ego-centric and hostile past. "I'm probably more successful than I've ever been right now, and then back then I was probably the most least successful that I've ever been. This album is about that -- it has the same darkness, but the content is a little brighter. It's speaking about overcoming adversity, leaping over hurdles -- just triumph in general, over the same type of production. It's still introspective, it's still emo, but it's just speaking about winning now. Not so much like na-na-nanana," he says making a teasing noise, "but more so 'Wow! I got through that."

Pushed back a month to an Aug. 9 release date, while the Bad Meets Evil album still rides high on the charts -- it is currently No. 10 after seven weeks on the charts thanks to the hit 'Lighters' featuring Bruno Mars -- the 11-track 'Success Is Certain' has already suffered the fate of leaking early online. Three tracks from the album -- the Slim Shady-featured 'Writer's Block,' the album-opener and Travis Barker-assisted 'Legendary' and the DJ Premier-produced track 'Second Place' -- were released previously as official singles.

"Writer's Block' is just raw lyrics letting everybody know where I am; the kind of level I am spittin' on today," Royce says of the lead single. "There's a song that Alchemist produced that's called 'I Ain't Coming Down' that really sticks to the concept of the album. I just try to go in there and keep the integrity. I think everybody knows I can rap, put words together. I'm trying to strike a nerve and say some things that you can relate to and just let you get to know me; tell you my story." The there's 'ER,' which features a cameo from his little brother Kid Vishis.

When asked what has made his own story change towards that happy ending everyone is hoping for, the 34-year-old rapper blames one thing only. "I just grew; some natural maturation," Royce admits. "I think you spend the whole decade of your 20s f---in' up and making mistakes, unless you one of those special cases where you are real mature in your 20s -- I wasn't. So, now that I'm in my 30s, I'm just a lot more mature; I'm able to handle it. The way that I am now, I'm in the position where whatever success comes my way, I can handle it better."

Watch Royce da 5'9" in 'Fast Lane'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook | Sign Up for Newsletter

Download Royce da 5'9" Songs | Buy Royce da 5'9" Albums

Wiz Khalifa Joins Tinie Tempah in 'Till I'm Gone' Video -- Watch

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:15:00 EST

Getty Images Switzerland, Monaco, Amsterdam, Australia and Singapore. When Tinie Tempah raps, "I'll be going til I'm gone" on his Wiz-Khalifa-assisted track 'Till I'm Gone,' these are the places he's going. 'Till I'm Gone' is the second single off the U.S. release of the British rapper's debut, 'Disc-Overy.' The song, helmed by the Grammy-winning Norwegian production team Stargate, was not featured on Tempah's U.K. release. As for teaming up with Khalifa, Tempah reasoned that both rappers were "in the same kind of situation but in reverse," in an interview with Rolling Stone at Coachella this year. "[Wiz Khalifa's] really huge in the U.S. and I have a lot of presence in Europe and UK, so if there was ever a time to collaborate now would be the time." ...

In the video, Tempah kicks his love interest out of his Aston Martin and to the curb in favor of the jet-setting rock star lifetsyle. Instead of taking his girl on the road, Tempah plays the player rapping, with the Los Angeles skyline in the backdrop, about how he's got "a mistress that is fine like a f---ing parking ticket." Look out for cameos from Good Charlotte's Benji and Joel Madden too.

Watch Tinie Tempah's 'Till I'm Gone' feat. Wiz Khalifa

Follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Tinie Tempah Songs | Buy Tinie Tempah Albums

Lil B Drops 'I'm Gay' Album Without Release Date

Charley Rogulewski — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST

Lil B Lil B's new album announcement came with a big bang, but the actual release of 'I'm Gay' -- now titled 'I'm Gay (I'm Happy) -- came quietly without warning, with Lil B releasing the 12-track effort independently June 29 on iTunes. When Lil B announced that his next album would be titled 'I'm Gay' during his Coachella set this past April, he didn't specify a release date. As the coming months passed, the Bay Area hip-hop artist was met with opposition and death threats about his chosen title. While Lil B defended himself, charging that the controversial title was necessary because "the hip-hop community is being very close-minded and very hateful, very violent" in an MTV interview, still no word about a release date. Apart from non-stop tweets on Lil B's Twitter page in the last 24 hours that lead his followers to the album's purchase link, no other news of the release date was made public. ...

"I just wanted to make this to show words don't mean anything," the Based God said in regard to the album. Fellow rapper Lupe Fiasco agrees with the ideology. Fiasco gave a lengthy cosign to Lil B yesterday (June 30) on his own website, writing: "Let me make something abundantly clear, the title 'I'm Gay (I'm Happy)' I think is absolute genius. Those two words together side by side in almost any format in the society we live in can be a cultural and social death sentence."

Surprisingly, Lil B's album has very little to do with one's sexuality. Check out the album's self-reflective track 'I Hate Myself,' where Based God realizes, in his usual effortless delivery, that he actually loves himself despite the media commotion around him.

Listen to Lil B's 'I Hate Myself' off 'I'm Gay (I'm Happy')'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Lil B Songs | Buy Lil B Albums

Jay-Z, Kanye West to Release New Album on 4th of July?

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:45:00 EST

Kevin Mazur/WireImage Rumors usually end up being just what they are ... rumors. But if there is one rumor in the world the BoomBox is hoping is true this week, it's word that the Jay-Z and Kanye West joint album 'Watch the Throne' will drop -- without much warning -- this Monday (July 4). Word that 'Watch the Throne' would surface unannounced, everywhere and with a big bang on Independence Day -- just like the aliens in the Will Smith movie of the same name -- came earlier this month via the Source. Then today (June 30), AllHipHop.com suggested that not only would the album be dropping on the 4th of July, but it would be a digital-only release. The rush to release is being blamed on the paranoia that if such action isn't taken, the album will be leaked. West's latest album, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,' and its tracklist were both leaked prematurely before the official Nov. 22, 2010 drop date, while Jay-Z's last solo effort, 'Blueprint 3,' found its way online two weeks before its scheduled release date in 2009. And, proving the point further, an unofficial tracklist for 'Watch the Throne' made its way to the Internet earlier this month. ...

CyHi da Prynce, who is signed to West's G.O.O.D. Music label, added more fuel to the fire in an interview with MTV's RapFix on Wednesday (June 29.) "They are ready to go," CyHi said in regards to the Jay-Z and Kanye album. "Right now, all the music and everything is done." CyHi added that if there was any delay to the release it was because Kanye was adding "his last little pizzazz" to the effort.

Originally announced by Kanye on his Twitter page as a 5-track EP, 'Watch the Throne' has been a top secret project engineered across New York City hotel rooms over the course of the past year. Only one track has surfaced from the project so far, the gritty in-your-face 'H.A.M,' which is an acronym for "Hard as a Motherf---er."

Fingers-crossed till Monday. Both hands and maybe toes too.

Listen to Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'H.A.M'

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Jay-Z Songs | Buy Jay-Z Albums

Lupe Fiasco, Trey Songz Team Up for 'Out of My Head' Video

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST

Ray Tamarra, FilmMagic In Lupe Fiasco's visuals for 'Out of My Head,' the Chicago MC is trying to have himself any other ordinary day. For the most part, a normal 24 hours for Lupe in the music video involves riding in elevators with old grumpy ladies, getting peed on by a dog and, of course, singing with R&B's resident don juan Trey Songz on the balcony of a pimped out penthouse. While most of Lupe's encounters would add up to a bad day for most people, the rapper is all smiles at the end of it, when he finally lays eyes on his girlfriend, the same broad he's been eying all over town in every women he's passed by. And though it's Trey Songz singing "Girl I want you to know/ I can't get you out of my head /My head my head," on the track's refrain, Lupe's the one that's been hit by cupid's arrow. ...

'Out of My Head' is the third single from Fiasco's almost-shelved third album 'Lasers.' Since its March release, 'Lasers' has found its way to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Rap charts and earned Fiasco his second platinum hit with 'The Show Goes On,' the album's lead single.

Watch Lupe Fiasco's 'Out of My Head' feat. Trey Songz

Tags: Lupe Fiasco, Music, More Music Videos

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Lupe Fiasco Songs | Buy Lupe Fiasco Albums

Alicia Keys Speaks of Romance in 'A Harlem Love Story' -- Video

Charley Rogulewski — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST

Diana Levine for AOL Alicia Keys wrote her five-time Grammy-winning debut 'Songs in A Minor' at the turn of the century, when she was just 19. "Some people may say I was still a kid, but the city has a way of making you grow up quick," the New York City native notes in 'A Harlem Love Story,' a 10-minute ode-to-uptown music video medley that revisits her breakthrough hits 'Fallin'' and 'A Woman's Worth.' The video is a warm-up to Keys' one-woman piano show tonight, Thursday, June 30, where the soulful singer-songwriter is set to commemorate the 10th anniversary of her debut LP during Piano & I: A One Night Only Event With Alicia Keys at the Beacon Theatre. Fans can tune into the intimate show and watch live here at 9PM EST. ...

"I fell in love three times that summer," Keys candidly admits in 'A Harlem Love Story.' "I fell in love with my piano, I fell in love with songwriting and I fell in love with him ..." And while Keys says she wouldn't change anything about the last decade, it's the journey of the next 10 years that she's looking forward to.

Watch Alicia Keys' 'A Harlem Love Story'

Read Exclusive Interview With Alicia Keys

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Alicia Keys Songs | Buy 'Songs in A Minor -- 10th Anniversary Edition'

Fantasia Pregnant With Cheating Boyfriend's Baby?

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:15:00 EST

Steve Granitz/WireImage Tabloid-prone 'American Idol' winner Fantasia Barrino was pictured sporting a baby bump while on vacation with her adulterous boyfriend, Antwuan Cook. Barrino made dramatic headlines last August, after she pounded a cocktail of sleeping pills and aspirin in an unsuccessful suicide attempt two weeks before her third album, 'Back to Me,' was released. The singer's camp put out a statement following the incident, saying she was left with emotional baggage after aborting Cook's baby upon learning he was still married to -- and had three kids with -- someone else. Barrino was forced to testify at Cook's child custody hearing later that same year, in November. However, the couple has apparently let bygones be bygones. They were spotted in Barbados snorkeling on a beach with the singer looking like she had a bun in the oven, according to TheYBF.com. When pregnancy rumors began swirling earlier this, Barrino's manager blamed the weight gain on her starring role in the biopic about New Orleans gospel queen Mahalia Jackson. ...

Barrino performed on the Caribbean isle over the weekend, and while there was also spotted with her 9-year-old daughter, Zion.

Watch Fantasia Perform 'Bittersweet' in Our Studios

%VIRTUAL-globalVideoEmbed-{"videoIds":"517721896","width":"476","height":"357"}%

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Fantasia Songs | Buy Fantasia Albums

Chris Brown Joins Drake's 'Marvin's Room' Love Triangle

Charley Rogulewski — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:55:00 EST

Jason Merritt/Getty Images Chris Brown adds his name to the list of artists to cover Drake's 'Marvin's Room,' a song from Drizzy's forthcoming sophomore album 'Take Care.' In the last two weeks, two females -- JoJo ('Marvin's Room (Can't Do Better)') and Teyana Taylor ('Her Room') -- have put their own polar spin on Drake's drunk-dialing, home-wrecking, sex-tinged rap, switching words around so that they answer back with the female counterpart. On Brown's remix, the 'F.A.M.E.' singer channels Drake's nemesis. ...

"F--- that n---- that you love so bad/ I know you still think about the times we had," Drake sings on the original version of 'Marvin's Room,' for which he just released the music video for this morning. "I say f--- that n---- that you think you found/ And since you picked up, I know he's not around."

In the remix, Breezy croons, "Don't listen to what that n---- say/ 'Cause he's just saying he could do better/ And baby all I'm saying is he sound like a hater/ And baby he could just f--- off and do us a favor/ Mind your business, n---- stop being a hater."

The only thing that could make this R&B love triangle even more intriguing is if Rihanna hopped on another remix to the song, as both Brown and Drake are past love interests ... but with two other females already taking turns, five might be a crowd. One thing is for sure, as summer approaches, the R&B world's obsession with the Noah "40" Shebib-produced track is undeniable, and resembles this past winter's remix craze on Wiz Khalifa's infectious rap single, 'Black and Yellow,' which everyone from Lil Wayne to Snoop Dogg and the Game put their spin on.

Question is, who is next on this one?

Listen to Chris Brown's 'Marvin's Room' Remix

Follow @theboombox on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Chris Brown Songs | Buy Chris Brown Albums

Mariah Carey Tweets Photo of Baby Girl Monroe

Charley Rogulewski — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST

Arnaldo Magnani, Getty Images Mariah Carey gave birth to twins Monroe and Moroccan Scott in April and so far the world has yet to see their cute little chubby cheeks. Page Six reported that Carey and her husband Nick Cannon were to fetch somewhere in the ballpark of $200,000 for the first snapshots of their brood, and was quick to point out that was a meager offer compared to the $14 million Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got for the first photo reveal of their newborn twins the year before. Well, apparently Carey's daughter Monroe isn't too eager to have her mug spread across magazine covers. Over the weekend, the diva posted an adorable twitpic of her baby girl already displaying her mother's diva-like ways and brushing off the camera. "This is baby Monroe saying "no pictures dahhhhling" at 7+1/2 weeks ... oh dear :)," The photo showed Monroe swaddled in a pink houndstooth baby blanket and waving away the picture taker. ...

Carey and Cannon, according to the Page Six rumors, aren't really concerned with how much the first photos of #dembabies -- their hashtag nickname for the twins -- fetch, but rather with how they are shot. "They're talking to a number of publications about doing it in the best and most tasteful way," a source told Page Six. "Nick has said on radio he doesn't feel entirely comfortable selling pictures of his children. But the first picture remains very valuable to the paparazzi."

Well, seems little Monroe already knows how to fight them off.

Watch Mariah Carey's 'I Stay in Love'

Follow @theboomboxblog on Twitter | Like the BoomBox on Facebook

Download Mariah Carey Songs | Buy Mariah Carey Albums