The Boombox Music Blog

Big Boi, 'Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors': OutKast Rapper Shares Biggest Lessons From His Mama

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:45:00 EST

Getty Images To say Big Boi has already made his stamp in music history would be an understatement. As one half of the legendary duo OutKast, he has sold millions of albums over the span of his career, and won six Grammys, including the coveted album of the year award, only given to two hip-hop acts. Despite his many accolades, the diminutive rapper, born Antwan Patton, is a family man at heart. The title of his second album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, which hit shelves yesterday (Dec. 11), comes directly from his grandmother. "It was going to be the title of my grandmother's book. But she didn't want to put the book out because she said she was going to fuck up everybody in our family household, because she was going to tell all the family secrets," Big Boi tells The BoomBox. ...

His family similarly made the final call on the album's cover, which features his face in splashes of colorful paint.

"The colors represent emotion," Big Boi reveals. "We was looking at football and we had cousins there, and I had like three family members passing it around, taking a vote. All the kids wanted this, and all these people wanted this one, but all three concepts of what was supposed to be the cover actually are incorporated in the artwork of each record. Each song has its own stand alone piece of art."

The album's title, meanwhile, is solely inspired by the information age. "People just can't take things at face value on social networks and just run with it. Feed your brain," he says, vehemently.

Big Boi worked with some unexpected artists on the album, including Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel from the indie pop group Phantogram on "Lines," and s Little Dragon on several songs.

"With Little Dragon and Phantogram, we were in the studio for like seven days at a time and it was like a party, man. It was fun, a lot of fun, and when it's fun it shows in the music," he says. "The whole goal of this is to make something that's really going to be banging, that they can bang ten years from now, and keep on banging everything else we've been doing. I'm happy."

Originally his single, "Mama Told Me" featured Little Dragon, yet due to a business agreement that couldn't be made in time for the release, Kelly Rowland added her vocals to the hook, which Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano wrote.

Watch Big Boi's Video for "Mama Told Me" Feat. Kelly Rowland

On the playful, funk-inspired track Big Boi lists his mother's various pearls of wisdom. The BoomBox sat down Big Boi to further discuss the subject, and you may be surprised at some of the things he had to say...

No Grades, No Music
"One major thing my mama told me was that if I didn't get good grades, that she was not going to sign off on my recording contract. I was 16, and that was one of the hardest things mama told me. I ended up with a 3.6 GPA for real. Dre [Andre3000] had dropped out of school and he was going to open campus. I was still going everyday because if I didn't get no good grades, I couldn't rap. So that was one of the coldest things my mama ever told me. It was always about education. We didn't have a lot."

No Sibling Rivalry
"Another thing mama told me, you and your brothers and sisters must stick together. I lived in a Motel 6 with my mom and my younger siblings for like months ... six, seven, eight months at a time and this is like a kid being in like 6th grade in a Motel 6, actually eating lunch meat out of a cooler with ice in it. So to be able to take care of my mom and retire her from work, that's what it's all about. She taught us unity. Me, my brothers, and sisters had a real close-knit family from that, so when people see it now, it might look a different way, but they have no idea where I came from. It's a beautiful thing now."

Don't Burn Off Your Sister's Hair
"My mama didn't really tell me a whole bunch of shit because she had to work all the time. She was working and going to school. I guess she told us don't put candles in your sisters hair. My sister had a jheri curl. Me and my brother almost burned her hair up one time. My mom was at work and we got our asses whooped for that."

Leave Stray Cats Alone
"One time my mama told me 'Stop fucking with them cats!' We had cats in the neighborhood and we fuckin' locked my brother in my closet. This [was] because we ain't had shit to do. Locked my brother in the closet with a cat. That's the most craziest shit ever. I swear this is a true story. My brother had to be like five or six, and the cat would be tearing his ass up. He'd be screaming, going crazy, with a stray cat off the street. I'm a put this shit in a movie. I got some real stories. This is for real."

Persevere
"She's just like 'Keep doing what you doing. Have fun and live your life. And also put God first period, done deal.'"

Big Boi's Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors is in stores now.

Check Out Big Boi's Surprising Favorite Musicians

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In House With The Game: Rapper Talks 'Jesus Piece,' Strip Clubs, Weed & God

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST

Gino DePinto, AOL The Game is disrespectful -- well, almost. The Los-Angeles rapper says one of his big brothers in hip-hop, Busta Rhymes, once told him he's good at teasing those fine margins without going overboard. "He [Busta Rhymes] says there's a line called disrespectful, and I'll run right up to it and urgghhh [screeching] right when I get to it," Game tells The BoomBox. Though rough around the edges, peel back a few layers and you might just understand Jayceon Terrell Taylor's complexities. In his early teens, he lost one of his older brothers. He lost his grandmother at the end of high school, and many childhood friends shortly thereafter. He survived a three-day coma after being shot at five times. ...

Last year, Game became a Christian, and began looking to understand his newfound faith. He was working on an album called F.I.V.E. (Fear Is Victory's Evolution), but he scrapped it after Trey Songz released Chapter V. He took a track called "Jesus Piece," which he recorded with Common and Kanye West, and began to build the project around that title.

The result, Game's fifth album Jesus Piece, which he calls "a thin line between religion and street," is an album full of features from heavy hitters, including 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Meek Mill.

"I'm 30 years old now, getting a little older, and some days I have trouble trying to find a balance with my life, my family, my music, and religion," Game reveals. "I love God. I love Jesus."

The Game that goes to church and reads his Bible regularly admits that he is still his same troublesome self in many ways. "I like smoking weed, I like going to strip clubs, fried chicken. You might see me on Worldstar fighting sometimes. Doesn't mean that I don't love Jesus."

The album artwork adds to the controversy surrounding Jesus Piece. "There's little small pieces of the makeup of my life put on my album cover," he says of the original art, which featured a gang-affiliated Jesus in a stained glass window, but has since been replaced with an image of his deceased brother. "I knew it was going to be controversial, so I waited 'til I felt it was the right time, and I put it out on Sunday and pissed people off. My fans were like 'you can't change Game's artistic mind!'"

While his mind was ultimately changed, Game isn't looking to explain himself. "I'm trying to find my balance between life, religion, streets and my music. You can listen to me do it, or you can just leave the album on iTunes for someone else to download."

Watch Game's "I Remember" Video Feat. Young Jeezy and Future

Speaking of Jesus pieces, Game, who claims to own 10 such chains, wears a giant studded ornament with a smaller tinier Jesus piece attached to it, taking up the space of his chest, to this interview. His fascination with chains was inspired by Biggie, the first artist he saw wearing the elaborate over-the-top pieces. However, some rappers take it too far, according to Game.

"It was kind of funny that we as rappers will sometimes take 20, 30, sometimes 50 grand, talking about my chain, and go take it to a jeweler, who 10 times out of 10, not even have a belief in Jesus, making these Jesus pieces and you put it on your neck, but you won't put a $100 in the offering plate. The same guy who has the Jesus piece that won't put a $100 in the offering plate, will go around the corner and jack somebody for a Jesus Piece. Like how do you pull out your gun and demand that somebody give you their Jesus piece?"

The Compton rapper has less enthusiasm however, when explaining his VH1 reality show "Marrying The Game," which focused on his family life. The father of two sons, Harlem and King "Justice" and daughter, California Dream, says that even though he enjoyed filming the show, he could have skipped it.

"If it was up to me, I would have never done a reality show. I just don't care about it that much. But my kid's mom, she was steadfast on you know, she just wanted a reality show ... The thing about me is that from the beginning of my career up till now, I've pretty much always been an open book. You know my kids, you know my life, you know my story."

Game's Jesus Piece is in stores today.

View Photos From Game's In House Visit With The BoomBox

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In House With Freeway: Philly Rapper Reveals His Top 5 Craziest Travel Experiences

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:18:00 EST

Gino DePinto, AOL Although Freeway is best known for his stint with Roc-A-Fella records at its height, and has released three albums since, the Philadelphia rapper had big dreams besides rapping. "I just liked the sky," said Freeway tells The BoomBox, of his childhood dream of being a pilot. "I used to always look up in the sky and see planes flying and I just wanted to get away. I from the hood, I'm from Philly, I always wanted to see the world." The 34-year-old MC chose the recording booth instead of the cockpit, but he's still been able to travel the world off of his craft, only piquing his interest. As he prepares to release his fourth studio album, Diamond in the Ruff, Freeway still has a bucket list of countries he would like to visit. ...

"I want to go to Japan. I want to go to Australia. I haven't been to Australia yet. And I want to go to the moon," he tells us.

We sat down with the aspiring pilot to find out the inside story on Freeway's five most memorable experiences overseas.

Visiting the King of Saudi Arabia

"You probably know I'm Muslim so the most blessed place I've ever been is Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Medina. You know we pray towards the east and that's the place that our prophet was raised and where he lived and where a lot of the revelations were revealed, so you know getting a chance to actually make it over there, I been there twice.

"For me to actually get there for my hard work. It's beautiful. The first time I went there I paid for myself and the second time I was the guest of the King of Saudi Arabia so they flew me out there, they gave me five star treatment, stayed in the best hotels. Gave me VIP tours of the Prophet's mansion and everything. It was a beautiful experience. I'll never forget. I plan on going back as many times as I can."

Performing for Prime Minister of Djibouti

"I got a chance go to Africa and perform. It was called Djibouti. Actually I performed it was so good, they actually wanted me to stay and perform for the prime minister, so I got a chance to stay extra and make more money and actually just vibe out with the people and when I left, it was really like tears in my eyes because I couldn't believe I was in Africa. You hear about Africa all your life, and me being an African-American, actually being able to get there from my hard work, something that I created, it was just a beautiful feeling."

Islam at the Canadian Border

"I know everything seems religious, but that's a huge part of my life. I remember I was in Canada, and I was going to the border, and then they stopped me. They gave me extra screening and then he looked at my passport, and he seen that I had been to Saudi Arabia a couple of times. He said, 'You're Muslim?' and I was like 'Yeah.' He was like 'So if something more beautiful comes along, then you're going to accept that?' and then I stopped and then I thought for a second, and said 'I'm Muslim because it just makes sense to me.' And he was like that's the answer that I was looking for. And he was like I'm Muslim too.

"That made so much sense to me because anything can come along more beautiful than Islam. Like a woman can be beautiful and you can wind up worshiping a woman cause you want to be with her. Or you might want this new car or this Ferrari, or this Phantom, and 'Oh it's so beautiful,' and you want it so bad, and you can wind up worshiping it and it can take it you out of your religion, because it's beautiful. You have to go with what makes sense. So that really touched me when he said that."

20,000 Avid Fans in Switzerland

"It's just a lot of good times over there. Switzerland, it was just the crowd, just being all the way over there, just being accepted. They knew all the words to all my music. Me coming out there and it's 20,000 people and they singing every word, it's just amazing to me."

Crazy After Party in Oslo, Norway

"Oslo, the show was crazy. We went to the after party and it was just nuts. 'Flipside' came on and the whole crowd was just going crazy, and it was just beautiful. Crazy, it was just beautiful, just to be able to know that your music is touching thousands of miles away."

Diamond in the Ruff is in stores now. Check it out via our listening party here.

Check Out Pictures of Freeway's In House Visit With The BoomBox

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Watch Freeway's "Lights Get Low" Video Feat. Rick Ross

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In House with Bridget Kelly: How Jay-Z, Lady Gaga Helped Singer Find Her Voice

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:05:00 EST

Gino DePinto, AOL "We're the cool kids again!" Bridget Kelly proclaims about the current new wave of R&B. This year has brought heightened interest in soul singers, with releases from Frank Ocean, Miguel, Elle Varner, and others. Now the 26-year-old looks forward to adding her own spices to this brewing pot, with her untitled debut LP, in stores in 2013. "It's not like the like old grown up, snoozefest. People want to really come to our shows, they want to hear us rock out, they want to hear us sing, and I think that's powerful. I'm happy to be a part of it," she tells The BoomBox. Bridget's journey has been long, but worth every second. After being signed to Roc Nation in 2008, the New Yorker's new boss, Jay-Z, took her on tour, where she had the opportunity to fill in for Alicia Keys on "Empire State of Mind." This had everyone saying "who's that girl?" a query even Bridget needed to know for herself, as she looked to find her musical voice. Her answer came in the form of pop icon Lady Gaga who visited the show during a Detroit tour stop, offering up her some unforgettable advice. ...

"We were just sitting there cracking jokes about, I don't even remember. We were talking about music and being bold. And she was saying 'You're really going to find yourself when you stop asking questions and you start making statements,'" Kelly continues. "I was like 'Wow, thank you Ms. Gaga for that moment.' And that stuck with me."

Having Jay-Z in her corner has also helped as well, teaching the young singer the art of patience. "That's probably the best advice I've ever received. And I have to say it's hard," the Roc Nation signee explains, adding that she's been through many changes since being signed four years ago.

"I've got my heart broken, I've been in love. I've got my heart broken again and been crazy and been drunk and been through a million different things, and trying to keep all those things in perspective for the sake of my career, making sure it's a slow burn and a gradual blaze is a daily reminder for me."

Her rookie jitters now calmed, Bridget has put her boldness to work.

"My music is kind of bold," she says. "I say a lot of things that I think a lot of woman would like to say, but don't necessarily know how to say, or just won't say period because they're scared or uncomfortable. I'm more than happy being the voice of all the women who are crazy and insane and emotionally wreckless."

Listen to Bridget Kelly's "Special Delivery"

Despite her tough attitude, Kelly admits to shedding a few tears while recording a ballad called "Hear No Evil," written by Shea Taylor. "I forced myself to get into it and it was really open," she says of the song's recording session.

"Special Delivery," her first single, gets into feelings as well, and is what Bridget calls a "classic R&B-feeling record" with a modern twist. "I just felt like it was sort of the perfect debut, so people could really understand that I take myself seriously and I take how I feel really seriously."

As for her producers, Bridget saw some of her happiest moments come during her last recording sessions with the legendary Jerry Wonda, who has produced for the Fugees and Lauryn Hill. During this time everything began to come "full circle" for her. Although the album is still in it's final stages, Bridget expresses a little uncertainty as to whether it is a sealed deal. "I don't know if the album's done. Every time I say that the album is done, I jinx myself, and I'm like 'No, I'm going to take another six months to finish it.'"

Attributing this as the main reason her debut has been pushed back, others have tried to stir the pot by saying her labelmate Rita Ora's August debut, Ora, was given more priority. However, Kelly assures there's no drama, and takes the gossip as a sign of interest from fans who are anxious to finally see what she's going to bring to the table.

"As far as Rita goes, we're labelmates, and of course there are those who will say, 'Why is she coming out first?' At the end of the day I'm lucky to be a part of Roc Nation because we have such a family-oriented business, that those kind of questions don't even arise amongst us.

"We're family and we also do completely different music so it's a little different for every artist. Every artist has their own process and every artist has their own team that's behind them. You gotta just really go at your own pace."

See Exclusive Photos from Bridget Kelly's In House Visit

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Freeway Reveals Unreleased Mary J. Blige Collaboration, 'Let the Music Play' -- Exclusive

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:25:00 EST

Gino DePinto, AOL Today, Philly rapper Freeway stopped by The BoomBox for an In House visit and revealed a surprising piece of information during our discussion. The bearded MC collaborated with the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul on a track that never saw the light of day. "I had a crazy song with Mary J. Blige but it never came out," Freeway tells The BoomBox. "But I listen to it all the time." The effort, titled "Let the Music Play," was recorded around 2006, and produced by Chad "Wes" Hamilton, according to Philly Freezer. The song may sound familiar seeing as it shares the same title as a 1983 freestyle record belonging to singer Shannon. ...

Freeway, who's prepping the release of his fourth studio album, Diamond in the Ruff, later this month, says the hook borrowing from the classic dance record was his idea. "It went, 'Let the music play, it's Free and Mary J,'" he sang. "The beat was grooving and I thought that will be perfect for it."

The whereabouts of the record are currently unknown to Freeway. But if he's able to locate the recording, the 34-year-old lyricist woud like to remake it. "I gotta find the session," he explains. "Maybe they might have it at Def Jam [his former label home] or something. 'Cause if I find the session, I might just get it and put some new lyrics on it."

When asked why the song never came out, he blamed industry "politics." "I had so many records and there was so much going on in between albums so by the time I did Free at Last [his sophomore album released in 2007], it was all new music," Freeway discloses. "All the stuff I had recorded in my free time, I didn't use none of it. I jut recorded all new music from the beginning."

Diamond in the Ruff, featuring the Wale-assisted "True," Marsha Ambrosius-supported ""Right Back" and Musiq Soulchild collaboration "Dream Big", arrives Nov. 13.

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Sean Paul -- A Day in the Life

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST

Gavin Thomas for AOL For an international superstar, Sean Paul is unbelievably humble. There are artists with inflated egos in the music industry, some who are far less accomplished than the Grammy Award-winning dancehall star. So if anyone has the right to act out in don-like fashion, it's this multi-platinum-selling performer. However, Sean doesn't. He carries himself almost as if he's still the newcomer who climbed the charts a decade ago. On Sept. 13, just a week before the release of his fifth studio album, Tomahawk Technique, The BoomBox finds Sean at the Mondrian hotel, tucked behind a row of green arches on Crosby St., in the SoHo area of Manhattan. It's 12:45PM, and Sean has descended to the lobby area of the dimly lit establishment. Wearing black Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses -- which he wore the entire day -- his eyes are hidden. This could make the man mysterious rather than approachable. But his smirk and light laughter early on suggest otherwise. He's open from the very beginning. ...

"I don't really have a routine," he says, walking out the back door of the hotel to hop in a van taking him to his taping of BET's "106 & Park." "I get up this morning. I eat something. Light breakfast. Fruits, some chips, coffee. But no routine."

He remains easy-going about his life, which could explain why many Americans haven't heard from him in a while -- three years to be exact -- since releasing his 2009 LP, Imperial Blaze. However, he isn't pressured by the fast pace of the music industry, where artists seem to drop new tracks or free mixtapes often.

"When you don't hear an album from me right now, I'm still doing tours,: Sean shares. "I have done 100 countries all over the earth. So my thing is not so cookie cutter as people put together music nowadays. I do take time."

Sean arrives for the "106 & Park" taping at CBS headquarters in midtown Manhattan after 1PM. A handful of fans lingering near the entrance ask him to pose so they can capture a shot of him with their camera phones. Upon making it up to his dressing room, he sits down until his segment is ready to be filmed. The taping is running late. As he waits, Sean opens up about how long he's been on the road. "Since April I've been touring in Europe," the 39-year-old entertainer reveals. "So France, Germany, Spain."

Watch "Day in the Life: Sean Paul"

Produced by Pierre Verna

Attention is brought to his necklace, which bears a small wooden ax emblem. Much different than the flashier gold chains worn by his wealthy hip-hop counterparts, this one has some meaning. "It's kind of like you use it to dig the ground and cut down trees," Sean discloses. "So you use it to replenish where you have to, or chop off where you have to. Ax [is the] Tomahawk Technique. It represents that."

For Sean, the idea of "replenishing" his presence in the U.S., has been filling his mind lately. Before its release stateside, his Tomahawk Technique album was already well-received in Europe, where it charted in the top five in Switzerland and France. But it's taking more time to catch on in America. During his 2002 Dutty Rock days, he spawned his most successful songs in the states, including "Get Busy" which hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 2003. With his latest projectm he desires to bring back similar energy.

"I guess that's why these days I'm kind of searching," Sean states. "People still like the music but I need to find some new energy to inject and this is why I did work with new producers to kind of go in that respect."

Walking towards the "106 & Park" set, his fluent aura denies any questions of nervousnous. "Not really, I'm used to it," he shrugs off. Before his segment, the small crowd of teenagers dance near their seats as popular dancehall tunes from Serani to RDX fill the air. One audience member waves a Batian flag and others wear sunglasses decorated with the Tomahawk Technique album art inscribed on each lens.

"I love you Sean Paul," a female fan yells as he enters the stage. Sans hosts Terrence and Rocsi, two fresh-faced newbies ask Sean about working with American producers on the album. This includes songwriter Rico Love, who has five songs on the project including "Hold On," a motivational track inspired by the Jamaican track and field team -- they won 12 medals in the Olympics this year.

See Exclusive Photos of The BoomBox's Day in the Life With Sean Paul

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"He's a very talented dude," Sean says of Rico Love. "What I found on making this album is that some of the times I guess producers were treading their steps carefully. They wanted to make sure that they got it proper."

After the taping, he has to endure another round of interviews, but lunch comes first. At 3:30PM he arrives at Susan Blond, Inc., his publicity home, which is just a few avenues over on 57th St. Susan Blond herself greets Sean as he exits the elevator on the 14th floor. "You always have energy, even when you don't have energy," she says picking up his still vibes. Sean and his crew take a break in her office, eating takeout from Joe's Shanghai restaurant.

Shortly after his meal, he heads to a more secluded room across the office to chat with Billboard.biz's Caribbean correspondent Patricia Meschino. Sean explains his desire to tour in America more.

"I think I haven't toured in the states since 2006, with Mariah Carey," he admits. "I've been touring Europe every summer [and] it's always an anxious feeling like, I would like to take a tour in the states, so it feels good to be here again."

Since his early days in the U.S., performing smashes like "Gimme the Light," "Baby Boy" and "I'm Still in Love With You," something that has changed about Sean is his hair. Like many other stars who once sported cornrows in their hair, he decided it was time for something new. Sean opted to shave one side of his head and then the other, leaving a "tree" -- or mohawk -- on top. His family approved of the edgy 'do so he kept it.

"I sent pictures to my brother and he thought that I shaved it all off, so I said I was going to surprise them," Sean explains. "I went over there with a cap on and they were like, 'Oh, so you shaved off your hair?' I was like, 'Tada! I didn't!'

"And I still had this tree growing out the top of my head and actually they were like, 'Hey, maybe you should actually shape it up. It actually looks good." And it kind of stuck."

While the man born Sean A Paul Ryan Francis Henriques is rather open when talking about his family's acceptance of his new hairstyle, he's guarded in other aspects of his personal life. Yet, he does mention family is the cornerstone of his humble nature even after much success.

"In this type of business, it's easy to not notice how inhuman you can get [by] using your manners, using your personal skills to talk to people -- thinking you're above people," he says. "So my family helps to keep me grounded."

Sean is the picture of calmness while completing a set of Canadian phone interviews, which last about an hour. But signs of stress appear during the last one as he fidgets with his PS3 game console. "It keeps me occupied," he laughs. "These guys laugh at me because they're like, 'You answering that question again?' You start fading out after awhile."

It's now 5PM, and the "Got 2 Luv U" creator leaves the offices of Susan Blond, Inc., in the heat of New York City's rush hour. Sean heads downtown to Miss Lily's on Houston St., one of his favorite Jamaican restaurants in New York City.

Before dinner, he appears next door at Miss Lily's Variety shop, which is home to RadioLily.com. Standing inside is Max Glazer, a prominent dancehall and reggae DJ who hosts a live radio show for RadioLily.com. The shop is decorated with the best of Bob Marley, Beres Hammond in addition to CDs, vinyl and concert bills lining the walls.

Walking towards the back of the space, and a few giant steps up, one can grab what Sean calls "yard food" to-go as well as some fresh juices. Sean has many Jamaican culinary favorites including stew chicken and fish with okra. He reveals he picked up some cooking skills while attending a school for hotel management in Jamaica -- all this before he became famous.

"What I can always do which is pretty easy for me, is chicken cordon bleu," Sean states before laughing. "Some nice soup, nah mean, pumpkin soup. I can debone a chicken in 11 minutes."

He sits on a stool facing a window while sipping on Jamaica green juice next to Steve Urchin, his manager, who is also indulging in one too. Urchin has known Sean since the two were kids growing up in Jamaica; he came on as his manager when "Gimme the Light" became popular in 2002.

"I think he's at a point of gratitude for a long career; for fans that remember him from then and still like him now, and I think that he realizes that it's rare to have a 10-year career span," Urchin shares.

Around 6PM, Sean walks to the front of the shop and chops it with Glazer for his radio show. The DJ plays a series of riddims while Sean freestyles and sings hooks to his most popular songs "Like Glue," "Temperature" and "Get Busy." "Big ups to Max Glazer!" Sean yells. Glazer reflects on how dancehall is received in America and abroad, compared to over a decade ago when he met Sean.

"I think sometimes people say, 'It's not dancehall enough,' or sometimes, 'It's too dancehall,'" Glazer says. "I just came back from Asia, and it's just interesting to see how some of the songs that aren't really played over here, is like running the place over there."

For these past 30 minutes, Sean is running the corner of Sullivan and W. Houston St. People passing by stop and snap photos of the reggae icon and sway along to the sound of his voice. A male cook in Miss Lily's kitchen comes over to dap up Sean. After all, it's not every day that a man of Sean Paul's stature, straight from Jamaica, stops by.

At one point, four little girls -- none of whom were born when Sean was at his peak -- stand by the door turning red, their hands covering their mouths at the sight of him. He invites them inside Miss Lily's, gives them each a mic and asks them to say their names. "I know all your songs," one young girl says bashfully.

In this moment, it's clear Sean Paul hasn't been forgotten by his American fans. If anything, they've been missing him.

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RZA's 10-Step Guide to Becoming a Hip-Hop Hollywood Director

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST

Getty Images RZA never stops training for greatness. Almost 20 years after creating the game-changing, trademark sound on Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the producer-turned-director is on the brink of releasing his first full-length feature film, "The Man With the Iron Fists." "If I was to compare this work I would compare this to me making 36 Chambers," he tells The BoomBox of the Kung Fu-inspired action flick. "That's how confident and pleased I am with the outcome of this film and I think it's the start of something beautiful." Of course, sitting in the director's chair didn't happen overnight. RZA, who also has the leading role in the movie, has been preparing for this moment since he was a young kid, growing up in Staten Island, N.Y. He'd watch Kung Fu movies religiously, which eventually became a lifelong obsession. The influence from those films first poured out into the fantasized identities of the Wu-Tang Clan, the music they created and eventually turned into a more concrete story idea RZA conceived for a film. He then honed his filmmaking skills under director Quentin Tarantino during the making of "Kill Bill: Vol. 1." After years of his mentorship, RZA began crafting the screenplay for "The Man With the Iron Fists," with the assistance of Eli Roth. Bobby Digital, born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, worked with an all-star cast that included Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu and Pam Grier. He also directed a crew of 300 to 400 people daily during the production of the film. RZA had his hands full, but he completed the effort with a girth of new knowledge. And he never hesitates to pass it on. The BoomBox spoke with the 43-year-old director about the ups and downs of the film, due Nov. 2, trusting his actors and even feeling like President Obama at times. Take a look at RZA's directorial guide where he offers 10 tips on transitioning from hip-hop to Hollywood. ...

1. Be Prepared
"You must prepare yourself for anything, of course. Many people go along the path but they stumble because they're not prepared. But for this particular endeavor, preparation is the key element because they call "on the day." It's a film term meaning the time to shoot.

"There's no chance for error because it costs so much money per day to do what you're doing that if you lose a day, you basically losing twice the amount of money. So preparation is key."

2. Have a Vision
"The same way a lyricist should have vision in his lyrics to tell a story, you gotta have vision as a director, as well on how you want to tell a story through these characters or through a scene or through a moment.

"Vision is imperative because if you don't have vision you won't be able to translate yourself to your crew or your cast. Even if you have a script. It's useless if you don't have a vision."

3. Possess Presidential Qualities
"This is not a job for the weak. I felt like I understood what Obama was going through because you're controlling so many people, money. On an average we probably had 300 to 400 people a day. Somebody said they counted 700 one day.

"So it's a lot of people and you gotta feed 'em. And I remember having cold lunch or making lunch cold because I kept pushing the shot. But perseverance of the director is important. His health, his stamina, is very important."

4. Love Your Crew
"You must have compassion because you do have all these people working for you and if you're compassionate about what you're doing, then that compassion will resonate with them and then it could become synergized teamwork. You hear some stories of directors who yell. They get things done.

"And you know that we yell at somebody and chastise them they'll go do it. But they're not going to do it with that same compassion. I said I had took my crew passed lunchtime. Three days in a row they had cold lunch. Nobody didn't tell me though, because they didn't want to disturb my groove because the director is the captain.

"But on the fourth day somebody came over and was like, 'Yo, it's lunch break.' I said, 'We'll have our lunch break after the shot.' They were like, 'We had lunch three days in a row cold.' I said, 'Why ain't nobody tell me?' Then I said, 'Lunch break!' So yeah compassion is important."

5. Rely on Originality
"You have to bring something original to the table. The old cookie cutter formulas that work sometimes in Hollywood, it works more for established directors. But for somebody who's new tryna enter the business, you better have something original."

6. Do Homework
"How are you going to do something unless you know how it's done? How it continues to be done? There are six basic angles of filmmaking that you should know. If you know at least five of the major lenses they use -- meaning from the frame, from 17 up to 100 as they say -- at least know the five major lenses. So knowledge is the key to any craft.

7. Understand Time Is Money
"Execution leads to efficiency. And execution is an efficiency. The one thing that the man told me and he challenged me because he knew me from the past and shit and he was like, 'RZA, do you know how movies are made?' I said, 'Yeah, determination, focus, good crew, imagination.' He said, 'No, on schedule.' Basically, time is money, kid."

8. Gain an Actor's Trust
"I'll never forget, Russell did an interview on Charlie Rose where he said out of his mouth, 'I'm about to do something crazy.' And Rose said, 'What?' [Russell] then said, 'Well, my buddy has a Kung Fu movie. His name is RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. He has a Kung Fu movie he wants me to do.

"'And a lot of my peers say it's something I shouldn't do because it doesn't match to my serious side of acting.' And Charlie Rose asked him, 'Well, why do you want to do it?' And he said, 'Well, I trust him.' And when he came there I knew he put his trust in my hand and so I had to deliver on that trust.

"And at the same time, when it got to a problem... I also had to trust him back. There was one scene where I was like, 'Yo, I want you to put these kids to bed.' And he's like, 'Well, my character wouldn't put the kids to bed.'

"I said, 'Wait a minute! Everybody got love for children, even in this movie, even the most evilest man will have love for a child.' And it was other scenes we did, one of the characters who's like the most vicious guy, he walks in and plays with the kids. I asked him to do the same thing and he says, 'Alright, Bobby, if you say so.' So it's a big trust that must be shared."

9. Listen to the Talent's Opinion
"[Lucy Liu] knows what she wants and she knows the kinds of things she wants to do. But at the same time she trusted me. I'll tell you a little story about her. When she first arrived in China, she came in when we were already about five weeks in. So everybody was already up to speed and here comes the new talent coming in.

"And she got there and she didn't want to see the producers or nobody and I told her, 'You need to have dinner with me.' And so we had dinner just to reconnect our energy and she was just like, 'What are we doing here?'

"So we went upstairs to the room that I had five weeks of footage, and we had edited down to about two minutes to show the crew and I hit play on it and when she saw the two minutes she was like, 'Oh my God, you're fucking making an epic here,' and it kind of let loose some of her phobias because she seen what we shot already.

"She was adamant that her character herself represented a woman of strength and she had a few books and she said, 'You can keep this.' And I had just got into an argument with my ex woman who said that God was a woman and I said, 'Whelp maybe it was [laughs].' But it's important for yin and yang to be balanced and I think she helped me with that."

10. Collect Wisdom
"[Pam Grier] was like a jewel for me. Somebody that was experienced in movies for many years. I watched and admired her and she was so nice and so sharing of her wisdom and experience. Actually, for her, I would just sit there and listen. After lunch I'd just sit there and listen to all the stories.

"She told me one funny story though that really made feel really proud. Warrington Hudlin is Reginald Hudlin's brother. These guys did movies like 'House Party,' 'Boomerang.' Well, Warrington thrives himself on being a martial artist. Me and Warrington met before and when we met, he said his seafood could beat my seafood.

"After a scene was over, we looked at the monitor and Pam Grier saw it, and she said, 'RZA, Warrington is going to be so jealous. I'm going to text him right now.' And that kind of felt cool because we had this little thing and shit, she kind of put me up in that one. I won that battle."

BONUS: Become a Student & Master
"When I first became [Quentin Tarantino's] student, I went to China to Beijing. And I sat up in the corner for a month, writing, studying. I even took some of the things he said and I wrote it into a lyric so I wouldn't forget. And now when I'm doing 'The Man With the Iron Fists,' he flies himself to China.

"He wouldn't take money from the budget. He wouldn't take money from per diems. He just came and he sat there for some days with us. I never forget the day he sat at dinner with me. He said, 'Bobby, remember this, full circle. I remember you sitting in China... watching me studying, and now the student has become a master.'

"And that actually was one of the moments on the set. A lot of weight fell off me. Like wow, he's right. I'm actually living out the dream and... he's right beside me."

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Jhene Aiko's Guide to Wining and Dining

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:05:00 EST

Def Jam This year has been a whirlwind of highs and lows for emerging talent Jhene Aiko, who signed with renowned label Def Jam and also lost her older brother Miyagi to cancer. The 24-year-old singer, who recently performed a sold out show at New York City's S.O.B.s during the week of the CMJ Music Festival, has filled her upcoming album, Souled Out, with the feelings of her most recent experiences. Her March 2011 mixtape, Sailing Souls, played like a diary of roller coaster relationships, but her album goes beyond that. "I just reached a little deeper to talk about more of my feelings on stuff aside from just boys and relationship type of stuff," Jhene tells The BoomBox. "My feelings towards life and what life means to me, and my philosophies, and a lot of the stuff that I tweet about -- I think there's some spiritual element to Souled Out. A lot more than Sailing Souls for sure." ...

The album will feature production from Sailing Souls producer Fisticuffs, her mentor No I.D. and Dot da Genius, whom she was especially excited to work with since his WZRD co-star Kid Cudi is on her wish list of collaborations.

"It was memorable when I met with Dot da Genius because I didn't really know I was going to record, and I ended up having a song that I had in my head that just worked perfectly to his track," she explains. "I was really excited to work with him because I like Kid Cudi, and he works with him, and I was like, 'Oh you know, I'm one step closer.'"

Listen to Jhene Aiko's "For My Brother"

The songbird has made her footing in music this year thanks to her vivid storytelling and relationship advice on Sailing Souls, so The BoomBox decided to hand Jhene the dating coach hat, and ask her how a man can keep a woman interested while out on a date.

Here are Jhene's top five hints for you fellas. Don't screw it up!

1. Don't Stare
"Don't look at another girl's ass when she's walking by no matter how big it is. Even if it's so big that the girl has to look, don't. Your girl should be your main focus, and girls are sensitive like that.

"And you know in your mind it's like something with lights just passed you by, but every girl is not going to understand that, so just keep the attention on the girl."

2. Listen to Her
"Really listen to what she's talking about if you guys are having a conversation."

3. Never Bring up the Ex
"Don't bring up exes. Don't bring up what your last girlfriend did. Try to keep the conversation away from the past."

4. Get Fresh
"I don't personally pay attention to what a person is wearing. I probably wouldn't notice, unless it's the old Fubu that says 'FUBU.' I mean take a shower. Cologne is a good one. If you get a good cologne, so Versace Dreamer is a good one. Dunhill Desire is a good one, and Aqua Di Gio.

"A person can come with Fubu on, for me, you know, you give them a hug and you smell good, then you won't be thinking about that. Oh Sexual [cologne]. I have a cousin, he doesn't really do good with the ladies and I made him get that cologne.

"He was like, 'The same day three woman stopped me just to ask me what I had on just walking by.' And he's a nerd. So smell good. Take a shower."

5. Be Yourself
"And be yourself. Don't lie about where you work, or what kind of car you have. You know if she likes you, then she likes you even if you pull up in a hoopty. And if she doesn't like you because of those things then you shouldn't be on a date with her."

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Asher Roth's Tips to Stay Relevant in Rap, Sex Tapes Included

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:57:00 EST

Def Jam Rapper Asher Roth was Asleep in The Bread Aisle on his 2009 debut album. But as he gears up for his long-awaited untitled sophomore release, he's representing more than just a carefree lifestyle -- without nixing the fun altogether. "This is essentially the sophomore album, and I get to reintroduce myself and also touch on topics like love, temptation and like, embracing responsibility," he tells The BoomBox. "I think that's kind of where we are in my life, is understanding that it's time for me to embrace responsibility rather than just be asleep in the bread aisle." Asher, who signed to Def Jam last year, says songs on the forthcoming album, due Jan. 22, 2013, reflect his mature way of thinking. ...

"It's this one joint called 'Change Me,' which really talks about my journey through it all and really wanting to get back to the things that really matter rather than getting caught up in the celebrity side of things," Asher shares. "I think when you can make music that people feel, it's way better than music that people just hear and 'Change Me' really hones in on that."

He also opens up about "Oops," a track that showcases his "goofball side."

"It's [a] very... Big Lebowksi kind of vibe," the Pennsylvania native explains. "So we're just trying to blend those two worlds together. I never want it not to be fun, but there's also some reality we have to face at some point and if we don't, it's a very slippery slope."

Besides working with Oren Yoel, who produced most of the LP -- formerly titled Is This Too Orange? -- the rapper rhymed over beats by legendary Atlanta-based producers Organized Noize.

"That was such an amazing experience for me because they did everything from all the Outkast stuff to TLC's 'Waterfalls' and they've been there before and they have a blast doing it," Asher admits. "So to hear an Organized Noise record actually come over and turn into an Asher Roth record is pretty tight and we're pretty excited about it."

In addition to gearing up for his next release, Asher, 27, is hitting the stage across the country beginning Nov. 1, for the Fall Clashic tour, which features Kids These Days, Chuck Inglish and Jessie Marco. "It's just getting out on the road and saying hi to everybody so they can see us in person," he states.

Watch Asher Roth's "Last Man Standing" Feat. Akon

As a former XXL magazine freshman, Asher has established his name in the rap game and remained relevant, despite an almost four-year gap between albums. Artists can easily be forgotten, so The BoomBox picks his brain on the science of keeping your name buzzing. Here's his top five ways to do so.

1. Keep Your YouTube Game Up
"Shoot music videos. Because imagery is very important."

2. Stay in the Studio
"You're going to want to make music obviously and continue to put out music. Don't let any forces hold you back."

3. Speak Your Mind
"Think. Continue to be outspoken and speak about what you honestly believe in because the more people actually know who you are -- in the internet world -- things are a lot more transparent. So it's tough because sometimes they want to hide rappers.

"I think rappers are some of the more intelligent people. It's just that nowadays some rappers aren't necessarily well-spoken or don't really have a personality so they try to hide them. I think it's important to speak your mind."

4. Keep Your Health in Check
"Stay healthy because you can't be relevant if you're not healthy. I stay away from fast food, but when you're on the road, options are limited so I may break down and get a [McDonald's] Egg McMuffin every once and awhile. Growing up I used to just eat everything. But as I've grown up, I've really just gotten privy to the food industry and people can't get it twisted.

"The food industry is a business and it's a convenience. I'm not saying don't eat meat and be vegan, just understand where that meat is coming from. And like KFC for instance, every single time I've eaten there in the past, it's just made me sick. I've kind of just learned where KFC comes from and what those animals go through.

"If you kill a cow or even a chicken and eat it, you just want it to kind of die under the right circumstances. Not all freaked out. I'm an energy person and I really firmly believe that stuff matters. So be careful about what you're eating."

5. Date Someone Famous & Put Out a Sex Tape
"Date somebody famous -- as far as the significant other goes. I get it. I understand that people think it's irresponsible for people to fall in love but I'm personally not into the whole celebritism and dating somebody just because their life's convenient or that love relationship is convenient.

"But just be with somebody that cares about you and roots for you and looks out for your best interest and vice versa. But it's a great way to stay relevant, you know putting out sex tapes [laughs]."

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Dinner With DJ Paul: Three 6 Mafia's Resident Chef Invites Five Surprising Guests

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:20:00 EST

TK When Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul began missing the taste of the southern style comfort food from his hometown of Memphis -- due to spending much of his time on the West Coast for his career -- he decided to do something about it. "I just started making it myself all the time," Paul tells The BoomBox. "I would make the food how I would like it, and all my neighbors would always like my cooking and would always ask me what I use." The producer-rapper's neighbors encouraged him to sell an original sauce he created, which has now become part of a profitable company for him. Smoked Out, the name of his flavorful barbecue sauce, can be found on DJPaulBBQ.com. ...

With a new album, A Person of Interest, due Oct. 23, in the works, Paul does a balancing act with his music career and his love for cooking. Find him in action on his YouTube channel -- DJ Paul BBQ TV -- where he shows off his grilling skills on everything from fish and ribs to a favorite called "three times cooked" wings. The recipe includes cooking wings in an oven, placing them on a grill to crisp and lastly, putting the chicken in a wok with butter and seasoning to further "marry the flavors." DJ Paul clearly takes his chef life seriously.

Since he takes such pride in throwing down in the kitchen, The BoomBox was curious to know who Paul would invite to a dinner party in an effort to demonstrate his culinary skills. The guest list may surprise you.

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Beverly Bond Honored at ASCAP 4th Annual Women Behind the Music Series

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:55:00 EST

Johnny Nunez, WireImage Beyond the flashing lights and glitz of the famous artists and parties that are all a part of the music industry, rarely do people see the trailblazers, especially women, who make the power moves behind the scenes. Knowing these ladies are equally as important, ASCAP held their 4th Annual Women Behind the Music series in New York Tuesday evening (Oct. 16). The event, held at Tenjune in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, honored a few special movers and shakers. The honorees included Black Girls Rock! Inc., founder and DJ Beverly Bond; Jessica Rivera, senior vice president of Universal Music Publishing; and Nicole Wyskoarko, Island Def Jam's vice president of business and legal affairs. ...

Bond recently celebrated the seventh year of her annual Black Girls Rock! awards show, which was taped last weekend and will air next month on BET. Alicia Keys, Ciara, Missy Elliott and Keyshia Cole all performed. Bond reminisced on the event's humble beginnings, when it wasn't so star-studded.

"When I started the award show, it was started at the Powerhouse bookstore in Brooklyn, [N.Y.], honoring DJ Jazzy Joyce and MC Lyte," Bond told The BoomBox. "Everyone left that room saying this is historic. I knew it was something that needed to grow, needed to be expanded. I started it because it was necessary."

Bond's goal is to recognize leaders and game-changers, who go above and beyond. "I think it's important that people honor those within their circles, within their industries, within their culture, within their communities to help inspire others to follow in their footsteps," she shared.

The New York City native, who is a former fashion model, also described her biggest lesson learned as a woman in the music industry. Over the years, she's had her fair share of ups and downs, especially in the DJ world, which she calls a "boys club."

"I seen very early how much harder I had to work, which I don't really look at as a negative," Bond explained. "I look at it as a positive. I made sure I would always take it to the next level. I think that's something I would try to instill in the mentees that I mentor."

"Black Girls Rock!," hosted by actresses Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King, air Nov. 4 on BET.

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CMJ 2012: Guide to Performances by Rap's Elite and R&B's Stars

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:15:00 EST

Getty Images All the real music heads in New York City (and from all over the world) know exactly where to be this week to fulfill their tastes for artists who are diamonds in the rough. The CMJ Music Festival, which is back again for its 32nd year with showcases, parties, panels and workshops, will be held throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan from Tuesday October 16 to Saturday October 20. Many emerging acts across genres can be found during the festival right before their blossoming moment. Virtually unknown in the early 2000s, Janelle Monae, a 2008 CMJ alumna, carried her infectious theatrical soul to success the following two years with her debut album, The ArchAndroid Suite II. Harlem's own A$AP Rocky and Compton spitter Kendrick Lamar, who both performed at CMJ showcases in 2011, made respective impact in 2012. This year is no different with "almost famous" acts in hip-hop and R&B appearing on various stages across the city. This includes 19-year-old West Coast rhymer and former Odd Future member Casey Veggies, who has been making his own way around the hip-hop scene for the past five years, and 17-year-old Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$, whose 1999 mixtape caused his name to buzz this summer. Also holding down the raw acoustics is 23-year-old Jennah Bell, a singer who owns organic soul and opened the 2012 BET Awards. More established artists in the game including BIG K.R.I.T. and Robert Glasper Experiment will also be making appearances. Then there are veterans like Mystikal and Q-Tip. Seems like a lot of shows to catch, right? The BoomBox's guide to the 2012 CMJ Music Festival will make navigating the performances way easier. It's guaranteed to help any hip-hop and R&B lover, occasional or faithful, find their way. ...

Oct. 16
Robert Glasper Experiment
8PM
SOBs
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Oct. 17
Eric Roberson: SolVillage
9 PM
SOBs
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Oct. 17
Maffew Ragazino, Tek of Smif-n-Wessun & El Gant
7:30PM
The Paper Box
17 Meadow St.
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Oct. 17
Flatbush Zombies & Bodega Bamz
8PM
Santos Party House
96 Lafayette St.
New York, NY 10013

Oct. 17
Flying Lotus & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
9PM
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St.
New York, NY 10012

Oct. 17
Kilo Kish
10:45 PM
DROM
85 Ave. A
New York, NY 10009

Oct. 17
Nina Sky
10:50 PM
The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th St.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 18
Big K.R.I.T., Joey Bada$$ & Smoke DZA
6PM
SOBs
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Oct. 18
Casey Veggies, Mr MFN Exquire & Travi$ Scott
10PM
SOBs
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Oct. 18
GZA, Killer Mike & Haleek Maul
7PM
Irving Plaza
17 Irving Pl.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 18
Chuck Inglish (of the Cool Kids) & Chase N Cashe
11PM
The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th St.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 19
Mystikal & Silkk the Shocker
6:30PM
Irving Plaza
17 Irving Pl.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 19
Ghostface Killah & Asher Roth
8PM
Gramercy Theater
127 E. 23rd St.
New York, NY 10010

Oct. 19
AraabMUZIK
10:30PM
Webster Hall
125 East 11th St.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 19
Q-Tip
11PM
Irving Plaza
17 Irving Pl.
New York, NY 10003

Oct. 19
City Aviv
8PM
Knitting Factory
361 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Oct. 19
Jennah Bell
6PM
Rockwood Music Hall
Stage 1
196 Allen St.
New York, NY 10002

Oct. 19
Jhene Aiko, Christian Rich & Bridget Kelly
11PM
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Oct. 20
Theophilus London & Chip tha Ripper
6PM
Gramercy Theater
127 E. 23rd St.
New York, NY 10010

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RZA Reveals 'Little Brother' Kanye West's Inspiration to Write 'White Dress'

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:50:00 EST

Getty Images Recently there's been talk of Kanye West fantasizing about a "White Dress," but this time it has more to do with the music than an actual walk down the aisle. The song is featured on the soundtrack for "The Man With the Iron Fists," a martial arts film that serves as Grammy Award-winning producer RZA's directorial feature film debut. The Wu-Tang Clan leader also produced the entire movie soundtrack. In addition to West appearing on the effort, Raekwon, Pusha T and Talib Kweli, among others, show up. However, the musical connection between West and RZA is what caused the latter to tap the G.O.O.D. Music head to create a new track for the project. ...

"We worked together on a few things in the past, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but, you know, we stay in tune with each other," RZA tells The BoomBox.

West, whom RZA calls his "little brother because I'm older," was already in the back of the producer-turned-director's mind when it came time to work on the soundtrack.

"He was in town when I was editing," he explains. "I always wanted to do a song for the movie and now the movie is done. I said, 'Yo, come in and I want to show you something, what I want your song to be."

Subsequently, RZA showed West a scene from "The Man With the Iron Fists," which in turn immediately inspired the Chi-town MC to create the lyrics for "White Dress."

"He saw the scene and was like, 'Yo, I love it,'" RZA reveals. "And I played the music that I wanted to use for the musical backdrop and he was like, 'Yo, it sounds great. I love it and I'm a write something for it.' He wrote something really cool that fits the scene but also it's just a dope ass song."

Look out for the scene featuring West's buzzing track "White Dress" when "The Man With the Iron Fist" hits theaters Nov. 2.

Watch "Kanye West Talks Marriage On New Song"

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Talib Kweli Reveals Top Five Classic Vinyl Purchases -- Exclusive

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:35:00 EST

WireImage Talib Kweli has never been afraid to bend lines when it comes to his artistic aspirations, even if it brings criticism from those who hold tight to those limits. While the rapper was deejaying venues around the country and was being vocal in community causes, he also released two albums last year -- his fifth solo record, Gutter Rainbows, and a clash of pop, funk and soul vibes on his collaboration LP with singer Res, Habits of the Heart. With the arrival of his sixth solo album, Prisoner of Conscious, coming in November, Kweli looks to paint over stubborn labels of those who dismiss his work as just "positive conscious rap." "You know people have expectations of the music that I make," he tells The BoomBox. "Not so much based on my album but based on my perception and I wanted to try to make an album that would sort of defy those expectations." ...

Besides guest appearances from singer Melanie Fiona, Black Hippy's Kendrick Lamar and Young Money's Busta Rhymes, he also has a special international guest on the album. Brazil's Seu Jorge worked with Kweli on a song called "Favela Love."

"That was really a dream come true," the MC explains. "I actually went down to São Paulo for the purpose of being inspired for this album and I tweeted that I would like to work with him and then his manager hit me and a couple of hours later we were working."

Kweli further described "Favela Love" saying, "It's about a love for neighborhoods in Brazil, favelas. But it's talking about these neighborhoods as if they were a woman."

Aside from promoting this new album, the Brooklyn native's musical interests have led to his interest in deejaying regularly throughout New York City. Even though many DJs today never touch vinyl due to changing technology, he recalls collecting vinyl as a teenager, discovering hip-hop in its golden era.

"My vinyl collection, most of it comes from my father and then when I was teenager, I was always buying vinyl, just because that's how we listened to hip-hop," Kweli reveals.

The rhymer brings The BoomBox down memory lane as he opens up about five of his favorite vinyl purchases.

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Rick Ross, Young Jeezy Fight at 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards, BET Issues Statement

Natelege Whaley — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 15:45:00 EST

Getty Images Def Jam rappers Rick Ross and Young Jeezy reportedly had an altercation Saturday night (Sept. 29) during a taping of the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards held in Atlanta. According to TMZ, the fight occurred backstage after the two had a verbal spat. The site also reports that their respective bodyguards broke up the brawl. ...

Witnesses heard the Maybach Music Group head and the Corporate Thugz Entertainment creator throw heated words at one another, which lead to a pushing and shoving match between them. In the past, Ross and Jeezy have released tracks taking verbal aim at the other.

There were several reports of gunfire that took place in the parking lot of the Atlanta Civic Center, where the awards were being taped. However, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department said those reports of shots being fired "appear to be untrue."

BET released a statement regarding the incident.

"BET Networks works very hard to bring the best in entertainment to the city of Atlanta. For the past 7 years BET has celebrated the true art form of Hip Hop. Due to some misjudgment of select attendees, it is unfortunate that certain incidents took place. BET Networks does not condone any type of violence. Local authorities are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."

The 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards air Tues., Oct. 9, at 8PM.

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Talib Kweli Pays Tribute to Beastie Boys, Performs Black Star Hits at MLB Fan Cave -- Video

Natelege Whaley — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:50:00 EST

Mike Lawrie, Getty Images On the cusp of releasing his fifth solo album, Prisoner of Conscious, Brooklyn native Talib Kweli took the stage of the MLB Fan Cave Thursday (Sept. 27) in New York City's NoHo district, giving listeners in attendance a short musical journey of his greatest hits. He also paid homage to a few of his own favorite hip-hop artists. Dressed in black jeans, a black T-shirt and a custom black New Era cap with his name inscribed in Arabic across the front, Kweli was backed by his live band and DJ Spintelect, whom mixed rock and jazz vibes as the rapper performed. ...

Kweli appeared on stage rapping to "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," a 1987 release from the legendary hip-hop group the Beastie Boys. "How many of you love the Beastie Boys?" Kweli asked the crowd. "I love the Beastie Boys."

He then performed "I'm on One" and "Palookas" from his last solo album, Gutter Rainbows, released in January 2011.

The MC decided to rewind more than a decade back to his Reflection Eternal days with DJ and producer Hi-Tek, rapping their popular chilled out track "The Blast," released in 2001, from their Train of Thought LP.

Turning to DJ Spintelect, Kweli requested a throwback for the people, which followed by the playing of the soul classic "'Cause I Love You" by Lenny Williams. Keeping in line with the softer side, he rapped his will.i.am-produced "Hot Thing" from his album Eardrum.

"That was for the lovers," Kweli said. "This record is for the single people," he said as he segued into his Beatles-sampled "Lonely People." This followed with throwbacks from his 1998 Black Star album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, he released with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def). The rhymer moved through "Definition" and "K.O.S. (Determination)."

His DJ then dropped "Check the Rhime" from A Tribe Called Quest, one of his biggest hip-hop influences, while the crowd showed their appreciation by nodding their heads to the old school track.

Before the show was over, he allowed his drummer, keyboardist and guitarists to each have a moment of shine to show of their musicianship. Kweli then went into his "Get Em High" verse from Kanye West's College Dropout. "This is a smoke free facility, right?" he joked in reference to the track.

Before leaving the stage, Kweli wrapped up his set with "Get By," a motivational track from his debut solo album, Quality.

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PJ Morton Channels Stevie Wonder on Album, Reveals Busta Rhymes Collaboration

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:35:00 EST

Allen Cooley Young Money's multi-talented singer-songwriter-producer PJ Morton, who is also the keyboardist for the Grammy Award-winning group Maroon 5, says his upcoming debut album will be reminiscent of a legendary musical "wonder," due to its live instrumentation. "It's very Stevie Wonder-esqe," Morton tells The BoomBox. "Just the current version of what Stevie would sound like if he came out today." The New Orleans native joined the Young Money roster in December 2011. Now, with his album "80 percent complete," he's focused on showcasing an authentic sound. ...

"I think in general there's not a lot of real instruments being used in music right now; it's a lot of digital drums," he shares. "And while I had some of that going on in the last record, there's definitely some live horns, some live strings. I'm playing a lot of piano and a lot of keyboards on [this] album."

Morton also says he'll continue singing about love, relationships and life on the new project. The video for his song "Lover" featuring Lil Wayne, released last month, is a track about a war between two hearts and waving a white flag to surrender.

"I'm a lover, I'm a lover, I'm a lover/ Not a fighter, not a fighter, not a fighter," Morton sings. The song was featured on his seven-track EP, Following My First Mind, which debuted in March.

While he's building momentum with "Lover," Morton is excited about another track he worked on with labelmate Busta Rhymes, whom he calls a "genius."

"The name of the song is 'Never Get Over You,'" the crooner says. "It's kind of like old school Busta, you know Leaders of The New School days. It's very breakbeat style, old school New York style, which is why I thought of him in the beginning when I started working on the song."

As far as working under his Young Money bosses Mack Maine and Wayne, Morton has no complaints as he is given creative freedom to do as he pleases.

"Mack Maine, who is the President and who introduced me to Wayne and got me into the label, those guys, they come to me as a fan and somebody that already believes in me so it hasn't been a rule of them telling me what I should or shouldn't do," he explains.

"It's really been just full support, which is really refreshing and what I love most about being in that family."

PJ Morton's LP is expected to arrive in 2013.

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Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul Reveals Surprising Sounds on 'A Person of Interest' Album

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 11:15:00 EST

TK DJ Paul, one-half of the rap collective Three 6 Mafia, has some sonic surprises in store for his forthcoming third solo album, A Person of Interest. The Memphis, Tenn., native gave insight on the effort, which won't stray too far from the Oscar Award-winning entertainer's usual material. "A Person of Interest, you know, it's dope man," he tells The BoomBox. "It's catered to the Three 6 Mafia core fan base, so you know it's the hard... gangsta music. I just made it for the core fans." ...

However, he did add a few special effects to his production style, after being influenced by genres that are currently catching his ear.

"I added a little dubstep here and there because I'm a big fan and I put a lot more DJ effects on it versus just a regular song that just plays out," Paul reveals. "I mixed it kind of like some E.D.M., electronic dance music. So it got a lot of the DJ stutters and cuts and stuff like that, cause I'm a DJ before anything."

Fans can expect to hear "family" on A Person of Interest, with expected collaborators Juicy J, Project Pat, Gucci Mane and Lil Wyte on a track called "I'm Sprung." There's also a new song with a fellow southern rhymer.

"I got a song called 'W.I.L.L. (What I Look Like?),' Gucci Mane's on the remix," he shares. "I'm dropping [that] this week. I got one I'm finna put out called 'I Can't Take It.' It's just talking 'bout that I'm not a fan of some of the new stuff that's going on in hip-hop. Just my opinion."

He goes further into his personal theories on today's hip-hop. "I liked when hip-hop was more hardcore," the 34-year-old admits. "I don't like it just so watered down. But you know that's just me."

While A Person of Interest is Paul's solo effort, he's working with Three 6 Mafia member Juicy J on a joint track. "We got a couple lined up so I really haven't decided which one I'm going to put out," he says of the new song. "So we gone do it this weekend and figure out which one is best."

Laws of Power, the group's 10th album, which was initially set to debut last year, still has no set release date. Yet, Paul says a group LP is on its way. Though Three 6 Mafia mixtapes won't play a part in holding fans over until that opus arrives. "We wanted to make 'em, you know, wait for the real album but we just keeping our names out there with the solo stuff," Paul explains. "We'll probably bring something out next year."

A Person of Interest is due Oct. 23.

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Rock the Bells Fashion: Fans Show Rappers Respect With T-Shirts at 2012 Festival -- Photos

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:20:00 EST

Natelege Whaley for AOL The third and final leg of the Rock the Bells festival, held at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J., on Sept. 1 and 2, brought out hardcore hip-hop fans from New York, Pennsylvania and many other locales. While covering many of the memorable performances from Nas, Eve, DMX and 2 Chainz, among others, last weekend, The BoomBox noticed that many attendees sported t-shirts representing their favorite rap artists from past and present. Using the HTC EVO 4G LTE from Sprint, we captured some of the best hip-hop-centric attire in between performer's sets. Take a look at who paid homage best. ...

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Lecrae 'Gravity' Album Track-by-Track Breakdown

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:25:00 EST

Reach Records After a successful release of his Church Clothes mixtape in March, Lecrae's Gravity album has arrived. The project is cohesive and boasts focused production combined with a message centered on celebrating God's word. Sonically, Gravity hugs close to the mainstream with production ranging from southern hip-hop influences to more dramatic orchestral samplings, allowing Lecrae to show his comfort with versatile flows and moods on each track. This is not a gospel album as some would naturally associate with any music based on Christianity. It's rap being used as a channel to spread the gospel of Lecrae's faith. There's not an issue he doesn't touch here; violence, drugs, poverty and phony rappers are all included. A feature from BIG K.R.I.T. on "Mayday" shows he also isn't afraid to tip-toe in other areas of the rap world. The BoomBox has an exclusive track-by-track breakdown of Gravity. Based on the warm reception to Church Clothes, this LP is set to stir the pot further in the realm of both of hip-hop and Christianity. ...

1. "The Drop" (Intro)
Lecrae arrives with confidence making a memorable entrance that no one can stop. The Heat Academy and Joseph Prielozny-produced record is led by violins and guitar rips. The rapper lets the listener know he is serious about letting his message be heard. "I won't be a slave for the chain/ And why stay the same for the change/ Let's talk bout change for a change," he raps. This prefaces the entire album, which touches on our greatest downfalls as a culture and encourages a life surpassing the surface thinking and living through Christ. Lecrae is the messenger and he plans to do this well.

2. "Gravity" Feat. J.R.
"Gravity keeps pulling me back down. But I can't stay here forever," sings J.R. The percussion-filled J.R.-produced "Gravity" is a serious walk through the topics of police brutality, murder, the government and all the weapons formed towards people on a daily basis. "Reality is really just cheap/ Your eyes open, but apparently your sleep," Lecrae states. He isn't blind to what's happening around him, yet he's still optimistic in knowing there's freedom beyond this world where we walk.

3. "Walk With Me" Feat. Novel
On this track produced by The Watchmen, Lecrae isn't coy about shedding light on his own personal afflictions throughout his life and what's troublesome to him. He speaks on working at jobs he hates, to raising a daughter, losing his grandfathers and asking God to stop him from turning to drinking as a way to solve his problems. "Tempted to empty and throw em off in the wind/ Devil's lurking round the corner waiting for me to sin," he rhymes. But Novel gives a ringing reminder of who he will call when he needs protection from the pitfalls of the world. "Jesus come walk with me," he says with his wide-ranging and grabbing vocals.

4. "Free From It All" Feat. Mathai
The price of fame and living for other people's thoughts can literally kill someone inside. "Life is a cage and a prison of everyone's approval/ Fight for acceptance and struggle so you don't ever lose it/ But living for their acceptance is kind of stressing," Lecrae raps. Because he's living for God and not people, what people think about him and his progress isn't a factor. "Should I fall, I'm still free from it all," Mathai sings. Dru Castro and Uforo Ebong create a head-nodding track with powerful guitars.

5. "Fallin' Down" Feat. Swoope & Trip Lee
This is a warning. The world's systems are falling and the The Watchmen create a war-inspired track. "It's going down" is repeated throughout the effort, which heightens the alert. "I ain't gon lie, you may go down in history/ But everything will go down eventually," raps Trip Lee. On Swoope's verse, he says people are too distracted to pay attention. "What's so psychotic, we're still partying like we're not sick," he says. Lecrae then raps further about the party lifestyle and how it leaves you unfulfilled: "All these drunken nights are empty like the bottles like we break, and we can't get high enough to escape." You either listen up or you're going down when it's too late.

6. "Fakin'" Feat. Thi'sl
Produced by Heat Academy, "Fakin'" has a southern beat borrowing a trap-like feel. However, Lecrae is nowhere near the trap, but rather calls out rappers, mocking the lifestyles of drug dealers and gangstas when it's not their truth. "I'm ridin' around and I'm gettin it, they ridin' around pretendin'/ I been had it/ I been done it/ I promise that it's all empty," raps Lecrae. Thi'sl goes even farther and states the consequences for these storybook lifestyles. "He think he Scarface, guess he ain't see the movie/ Keep on fakin till you're face down in the jacuzzi/ With some killas in your room with some real guns/ That don't make noise and they blast ya but they real guns," warns Thi'sl. All in all, if you're not about that life then come out of that character now.

7. "Violence"
"Violence" takes on East Coast rap influences with a resounding bass and reggae sample produced by Tyshane and ThaInnaCircle. Lecrae also puts to use his patois accent here and there. "War, crime, violence should stop," the sample repeats. With the uproar of violence in this country, Lecrae says we're heading down a path of destruction for all those who are participating: "Highway to hell and we're fighting for the best seat." Violence is a dead end and Lecrae believes God's message of forgiveness is a better path than revenge.

8. "Mayday" Deat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashthon Jones
Here, Big K.R.I.T. opens the track by reminiscing about his grandmother, a trending topic in much of his music. He also places his lack of strength on God, instead carrying burdens. "I was warned that heaven ain't the only place to go/ I'm doing what I can cause there really ain't much time/ I leave this in the Lord's hands/ I'm tired of crying," K.R.I.T. says. Lecrae co-signs him: "When I hear K.R.I.T. confessing, I respect him/ Because most of us be lying like our lives don't need perfectin'." Ashthon adds the wrapping to this package on the DJ Khalil-produced record, with her angelical voice singing, "Help is just one call away/ Don't be afraid just say mayday."

9. "Confe$$ions"
The old saying "money can't buy you happiness" isn't further from the truth for Lecrae, who raps about companions who have the game twisted about what's really important: "They don't believe in karma/ But they believe in commas." The dramatic, slow-tempo beat, created by Zach Crowell, Joseph Prielozny and Dirty Rice, keeps pace as Lecrae rhymes, "You gain the whole world but lost the only thing own/ 'Cause everything else is just a temporary loan." In the light of much of what's happening in the entertainment industry, his statements in the song ring true.

10. "Buttons"
On this Heatwave Academy-produced track, Lecrae never looks to sound like a perfect man or husband but he know where his heart lays. "I know sometimes that I'm selfish/ But I jump in front of your bullet/ Because you're everything that I pray for plus a little bit extra." The hook is sung by a female singer who responds to Lecrae with, "Though you push my buttons, I ain't going nowhere." No relationship is always sweet but the love never runs dry for his woman.

11. "Power Trip" Feat. PRo, Sho Baraka & Andy Mineo
Similar to "It's Going Down," Lecrae is assisted by fellow rappers who spit about the blown-up egos of the world. "It's hard to see the light when you never listen/ Our whole life's blacked out/ Power trippin'," raps PRo. "Pride comes before the fall/ I seen it in the script," Lecrae warns on the eerie, DJ Official beat marked with gongs and opera-like voices. In the end, Sho Baraka knows his relationship with God is going to keep him in check: "I know the Lord's going to save me when I'm power trippin'."

12. "Lord Have Mercy" Feat. Tedashii
On this bass-heavy, ferocious, chopped-and-screwed beat, produced by Heat Academy, Lecrae continues his recurring message of the ineffectiveness of drugs bringing out the funks of life. "Can't lean on the lean, Already way too screwed up," he raps. This type of mercy he speaks of has nothing to do with Lamborghinis like Kanye West's popular song this summer. Tedashii calls to the one above to help with his battered soul and save him from his own darker ways. "Now ya boy turned up, free from all those chains/ Volume on 10, you can call it unashamed," he rhymes.

13. "I Know"
Lecrae turns up on "I Know" but of course for the Lord. The Watchmen built the track with claps and a bouncing beat. The rhymer celebrates being saved from all his sins and being free from what others think about the content of his music. "Hey what you think you doing putting hope in your line?" he mocks of those who question his work. "Even when I do the right thing, they still want to stop me." He has no time for skeptics and critics and he is in tunnel vision mode.

14. "Tell the World" Feat. Mali Music
Like much of the album, Lecrae doesn't hold back on expressing his love for God and "Tell The World" embodies that message further. Mali sings, "Like a hero in a dream/ Christ came and He rescued me." Lecrae wants to tell the world that he is brand new because of God's grace. And he doesn't take it for granted. "What is a man that you're mindful of him?/ And what do I have to deserve this loving?" The slow-tempo track produced by Heat Academy is led by a playful piano.

15. "Lucky Ones" Feat. Rudy Currence
Rudy leaps off the track floating with his voice, singing, "We are the lucky ones/ We are here." The Watchmen-produced effort has a heartbeat-pumped feel with violins and pianos stirring up the background. Lecrae is forever grateful for the gift he's received from his faith and he's absolutely sure nothing else can match up to it. "Through faith I'm changed/ And I don't have a reason why he loosen up my chains." To him, the kind of grace he has experienced is immeasurable.

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Common, Rock the Bells 2012: MC Pays Tribute to Chris Lighty, Delivers Solid Show

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST

Getty Images for BET Common served some rap classics, flirted with women and gave a reminder of a loss in the hip-hop community during his performance at Rock the Bells Sunday (Sept. 2) at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey. "When you come to Rock the Bells you gotta be ready to party," he said to the lively crowd. The MC, donning a white T-shirt and green shorts, came onto the stage to fellow Chicago native Kanye West's "Get em High." He then performed "The People" from his Finding Forever album. ...

His DJ spun a few notable classics including "Woah!" by Black Rob, "Luchini" by Camp Lo, "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature and "Jump Around" by House of Pain.

"I love hip hop," Common shouted. "It's always gonna be hip-hop in my soul." Following this, he performed "I Used to Love H.E.R."

During the set, the 40-year-old rhymer acted out a scene, answering a ringing cell phone. On the call was a Chicago friend, who was filling him in on some drama -- pretend of course. "My homie just told me some shit, you ain't gon' believe this." Common then dropped "Testify."

At one point, the beat to Beyonce's "Party" played and the G.O.O.D. Music affiliate invited a young woman from the front row onstage. He told her to have a seat as he handed her a towel, which she used to wipe the sweat off his baldy.

"Come Close" came next, all to the sounds of Bey's song. His lady for the moment danced on him before she left the stage.

Later on, he broke out into a freestyle with a line acknowledging a late, great producer. "Respect to Dilla, whose realer?" Common rapped.

Other tracks he got into included "Go," "Poker Face," "Universal Mind Control," "Punch Drunk Love" and "The Light."

As he closed out his show, he sent a special blessing and gave hip-hop fans a reminder of a great loss to the community. "God bless the soul of Chris Lighty," Common said, marking the passing of the music industry executive, who died Aug. 30 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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DJ Quik, Rock the Bells 2012: West Coast Rap Vet Rocks in the Rain

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST

Getty Images Even in the drenching downpour Sunday (Sept. 2), the legendary DJ Quik still performed at Rock the Bells at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey, his dedicated fans packing around the Paid Dues stage to witness the Compton native in action, some with umbrellas and others letting the rain soak them. The rapper and DJ got on the mic for many of his notable hits including "The Bombudd," "Just Like Compton," "We Still Party," "Can You Work With That?" and Tony! Toni! Tone!'s 1996 track "Let's Get Down," which he co-produced and is featured on. During his set, he showed appreciation for his supporters by throwing out T-shirts so they could cover their heads from the rain. ...

Quik also paid homage to the late Nate Dogg by playing his verse from Kurupt's "It Ain't No Fun." He also performed "Heavy Mr. Big Stuff," tributing the late Heavy D.

Before ending the show, he jumped offstage and rapped in front of the audience members who stuck through the downpour, snapping pictures and rocking out with him.

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J. Cole, Rock the Bells 2012: Rhymer Names 'Greatest Rapper Alive' During Set

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:40:00 EST

Redferns via Getty Images J. Cole graced the Rock The Bells stage Sunday (Sept. 2) at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey with a red jacket reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video, all while moving through his collection of tracks. The Roc Nation rapper performed songs off his mixtapes and debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story including "Who Dat," "Nobody's Perfect," "Lights Please," "In the Morning" and "Daddy's Little Girl." His band and DJ were just as entertaining. His keyboardist did his own rendition of Scarface's "My Block" while the crowd clapped their hands in unison. DJ Dummy then showcased his scratching abilities on the turntables with his hands behind his back. ...

"These DJs can't do that anymore," J. Cole bragged.

After that, Cole rapped "Blow Up" and his hit "Work Out."

"We gotta make room for the greatest rapper alive," he said in reference to Nas, whose set was right after his.

Before leaving the stage he performed "I Need That," in which his DJ mixed in Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'," a clever move that received a couple "aye's" from the audience as they were already bouncing to the track.

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Nas, Rock the Bells 2012: MC Welcomes Lauryn Hill, Scarface to the Stage

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST

Getty Images for Heineken As headliner for the final day (Sept. 2) of Rock the Bells at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey, Nas packed his set with star power only he could provide. The veteran rapper brought out Lauryn Hill, Scarface and Large Professor during his hour-long show. Accompanied by his band Z, Nas, dressed in all black, ran up to the front of the stage to a packed crowd, rapping "The Don" from his Life Is Good album. As expected, he moved through tracks from his debut LP, Illmatic; "New York State of Mind," "It Ain't Hard To Tell" and "Represent" among them. "I wanna take it back even further than that," Nas announced. "This is that early 1991 shit. I was 16." He then went into his verse from "Live at the Barbecue," his first on-record appearance ever. ...

"This is the bro that put me on this joint when I was a little n----," he said before bringing out Large Professor, who performed with him to "Loco-motive" from his latest album.

Nas' next guest, Scarface, received praise from the audience as he entered the stage, delivering his verse from their current collaborative release "Hip Hop" off DJ Khaled's Kiss the Ring.

The rhymer then took the stage back for "Bye Baby" and had Eddie Cole sing the hook, the lead singer of his touring band Z, delivering a stellar performance. After "Daughters," Nas covered "I Know I Can" and "Can't Forget About You" with Chrisette Michele's lyrics taken over and given its justice by Cole.

After proclaiming his love for the "old school," DJ Green Lantern played Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" and the "original gangsta," James Brown before Nas rapped his 1990's hits including "Nas Is Like," "Hate Me Now" and "Street Dreams."

To continue satisfying his "trapped in the 90s" fans during "If I Ruled The World," Lauryn Hill graced the stage, performing the hook as the crowd sung along in shock to see the the greatly missed femcee.

Ms. Hill did tracks in front of her home state including "You Just Lost One," The Refugee's "Fu-Gee-La" and ended with "That Thing."

"I've been gone for a long time, but I'm back again," said Lauryn, who wore a black leather jacket with flamingo-pink pants.

The crowd did not want to let go of Nas when he once again returned to the stage. But with his band's help, he gave a heartfelt, satisfying performance for his final songs of the night, including "Got Urself A...," "Made You Look" and "One Mic."

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Salt-n-Pepa, Rock the Bells 2012: Duo Talk Baby Daddies, Get Personal With Fans

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST

Getty Images Salt-n-Pepa's performance was nothing short of a big dance party Saturday (Sept. 1) at the Rock the Bells festival at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey. The two ladies, while delivering their catalog of hits, stepped out in high fashion. Salt wearing a lemon yellow top, white pants and her hair a ponytail and Pepa wearing a gold-and-black corset with a black top and black jeans. The veteran rap stars still proved to have the chemistry that brought them together in the '80s as they performed "Do You Really Want Me?" "Shake Your Thing," "I Take Your Man" and "My Mic Sounds Nice." ...

Two male backup dancers in white T-shirts, New York Yankee baseball caps and blue jeans danced along with the duo, adding to the energy of their set.

During their show, Salt-n-Pepa did a call and response, "complete the lyrics" quiz with the crowd. "Hotel, motel..." Salt said to the audience as they rapped along effortlessly from Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight."

Pepa added a little shock value when it was her turn to give a song, rapping "Hip Hop Hooray." She was then interrupted by Salt, who stated, "You know your baby daddy was just on stage. He already did that one."

"Oh that's right," said Pep.

The fun continued with "Let's Talk About Sex" and "What a Man," which Salt brought her husband of 21 years out to serenade and rap to during the song.

Now it was Pepa's time to let Salt offer some interesting banter. "That's very nice, but see I ain't married," Salt said. "I got a baby daddy. I'ma keep it 100, I gotta a couple of baby daddies. So I'm looking for a good man to come up on the stage right now."

Two willing men answered the call and got on stage and sandwiched Pep as she and Salt finished the rest of the song.

The iconic duo closed out their show with "Push It" while ladies and men alike in the crowd danced and sung along to the 1987 classic.

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2 Chainz, Rock the Bells 2012: Rhymer Teases Women, Pushes 'B.O.A.T.S.'

Natelege Whaley — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 17:10:00 EST

AP 2 Chainz proved to be the king of shameless self-promotion Saturday (Sept. 1) as he landed onstage at the Rock the Bells festival held at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey with his debut LP, Based on a T.R.U. Story, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. First up, as his DJ played out the summer banger "Mercy," Deuce entered the stage rhyming to his verse. He wore a military camouflage vest with an American flag sewn on its back, a white T-shirt, white jeans and red kicks while performing a range of songs from his album and mixtapes. Five members of his crew stood behind him flaunting T-shirts emblazoned with the word "B.O.A.T.S." an acronym for his current opus. ...

During the show, 2 Chainz instructed his fans to put their fists in the air. "Do your arm like this," he shouted while bending his arms. "Now hold it. Now let's turn up!" "Turn Up" from his T.R.U. REALigion mixtape followed. He also rapped other tracks from the project including "Undastatement."

The Atlanta native continued with other songs he's featured on including Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap," and had the ladies in the audience help with her verses. He also rhymed his part on Juicy J's "Bands a Make Her Dance," in which he is featured on the remix.

"You got anybody out here tryna be a millionaire before they leave this fuckin' earth?" the rappers asked the crowd. "I'm looking for more female millionaires."

The ladies gave a warm response but not without him playing them in the end. "Good," he stated. "'Cause I'm tired of buying your asses cars."

The comical conversations and his personalized two-step and cooking dance were ever-present. He also repeatedly dropped his infamous catchphrase "Truuu!" and "Turn up!" in between every song. 2 Chainz covered much ground as he performed songs from his Based on a T.R.U. Story, including "Crack," "Birthday Song" and "I'm Different."

Before leaving, he continued taking advantage of his current shining moment by promoting his album.

"I want everyone to look at the person next to you," he said. "Look at the person next to you and say, 'Go pick up a B.O.A.T.'"

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Eve, Rock the Bells 2012: Rapper Sends Expletive-Filled Reminder to Naysayers

Natelege Whaley — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:50:00 EST

Getty Images Eve took the stage Saturday night (Sept. 1) for the Rock the Bells festival at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey to send naysayers a harsh reminder. "I told y'all muthafuckas, don't count me out," she said as she rapped over the "N----s in Paris" instrumental. Originally slated on the bill to make an appearance with rap veteran DMX, Eve was given her own solo spot. The femcee rocked an all-black fitted jumpsuit and hat and moved effortlessly during her set, delivering her hits from years past, all while her DJ spun records in the background. ...

The tattooed MC made her entrance to the stage with the uptempo track "Who's That Girl?" and then transitioned smoothly into "What Y'all Want?" Fans in the audience sang every word, proving her catalog was still fresh in their mind.

She also performed her 2003 track "Satisfaction" and 2007's "Give It to You," sans Sean Paul. The Philadelphia native then continued to show her further appreciation for reggae by covering her lines on Gen Stefani's 2004 smash "Rich Girl." Appropriately, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" featuring the No Doubt lead singer on the song followed.

Before Eve made her adieus, she invited four ladies to the stage to rock out with her to "Tambourine," but a double number of eager fans -- both men and women and even two cute young boys -- graced the stage alongside her to dance to close the show.

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DMX, Rock the Bells 2012: Rapper Brings Out Drag-On, Gives Memorable Quote About Women's Genitals

Natelege Whaley — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 15:50:00 EST

FilmMagic DMX, who served as the headliner for day one of the Rock the Bells festival held at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey Saturday (Sept. 1), was the highlight of the event. Besides delivering a high energy set, he, of course, dropped more than one memorable quote during his talk with the crowd. He ran onstage to his 2006 hit "We in Here," donning a blue shirt, black shades and black shorts. The crowd's response was roaring and welcoming. After a long day of performances, X brought the punch to the stage that the audience had waited for all day. Fans stood behind him as he also moved through "Who We Be," from his fourth album, The Great Depression. He brought out Drag-On to assist him with the classic "Ruff Ryders Anthem" produced by Swizz Beatz. ...

X doesn't believe in the norm and during his set climbed onto a large speaker to the right of him. "Hey! Watch your head," a concerned fan yelled out to the rapper, in reference to a smaller speaker that hung right above it. Not paying attention, X hit his head on it but kept the show going.

After shouting out the ladies in the audience, he delivered "How's It Going Down?" and started removing some of his attire. He handed his T-shirt to a woman in the front, who didn't look excited about the gift at all.

The mood turned from sweet to sour when performing his "What You Want" originally featuring Dru Hill lead singer Sisqo.

Towards the end of his set, DMX got chatty and started serving words of wisdom to his longtime fans. "On some real shit, there's nothing, no feeling that I've experienced or witnessed that's more precious, exciting or fulfilling than being onstage," he shared. "Being onstage in front of this many people is better than pussy."

The crowd went bonkers during one of his biggest songs, "Party Up in Here," and the rapper showed his appreciation by grabbing fans who reached out to him on each side of the stage.

Before closing out the show, the lights dimmed as lighters went in the air to "Slippin'," from his second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.

He then gave a prayer and acknowledgement to Jesus once he was done.

"No matter where you at, he will find you, and help you leave the negative behind you," he rhymed in poetic fashion.

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Summer Songs 2012: Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Miguel & More Make Heat

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST

Getty Images Just as much as we love the summer for its big cookouts, parties on the rooftop and at the pool and other outdoor shenanigans, the season is always marked by the bangers played at all the functions attended, forming a unique unforgettable soundtrack. However, the warmer months are about to end, forgetting to quench our thirst with a necessary summer smash hit. Unlike in the past when one song was given the coveted crown as the ultimate jam that set the charts ablaze, this year there was no clear winner. A plethora of popular joints tied each other on that front. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact there was more crew love than solo starpower happening this summer. The G.O.O.D. Music, Maybach Music Group and Young Money camps stepped up to rule with an array of sounds with the same formula: easy sing-along hooks and addictive beats that range from europop to trap music. There was room for all to win. A few surprise new faces received some spins as well including newcomers Ca$h Out and Chief Keef, and Frank Ocean even dropped an extended play song that easily broke every rule in the book when it comes to song length these days. Summer 2012 will be bidding farewell soon but it never hurts to reminisce on the songs that outfitted our earbuds and speakers. Here are 15 songs that were more than likely given the most burn on the radio, clubs and at all those BBQs you crashed this summer. ...

1. "Mercy," Kanye West Feat. 2 Chainz, Big Sean & Pusha T

"Mercy," the biggest hip-hop anthem of the summer, put the G.O.O.D. Music camp ahead of other rap crews as the temperature began to rise outside. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz performed their hit at the 2012 BET Music Awards. The song mixed southern hip-hop with voice samples from dancehall artist Fuzzy Jones, and made a Lamborghini the object of the hook's affection. It eventually peaked as the No 1. song on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts. Swerve.

2. "Starships," Nicki Minaj

Everything about Nicki Minaj's "Starships" creeps right into your mind without you even realizing it did. Her explicit verses like "Bad bitches like me is hard to come by" are softened by the song's catchy, breezy hook: "Starships were meant to fly/ Hands up and touch the sky." The track broke records remaining in the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 for 21 weeks, beating the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling." The song also reached the triple platinum-selling mark.

3. "Where Have You Been," Rihanna

Another hit for the Bajan beauty, "Where Have You Been" added another top 10 hit to Rihanna's resume. Co-written by Ester Dean and produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut and Calvin Harris, the record channels elements of techno, dance-pop as well as R&B. The song about the search for that "one" was performed by the sognstress on "Saturday Night Live" and also the season finale of "American Idol" this year.

4. "Bands a Make Her Dance," Juicy J

Some of the best hooks in southern hip-hop have come from the genius that is Juicy J, though the lyrics don't always match up. With "Bands a Make Her Dance," the Three 6 Mafia member created a banger this summer in the form of a rewarding anthem for exotic dancers everywhere. Assisted with "claps," the most hype part of the spacey track is the melodious hook. Then there's remix featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz.

5. "No Lie," 2 Chainz Feat. Drake

Holding down the No. 1 spot on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Charts, "No Lie" featuring Drake has been 2 Chainz's most successful single thus far from his Def Jam debut Based on a T.R.U. Story, released this month. Produced by Mike WiLL Made It, the banger is his second No. 1 single this summer, following "Mercy." The track features Drizzy's monotone vocals, which gifts "No Lie" with the winning hook. This is a cocky track for Deuce, who's enjoying his moment at the top rapping, "All I get is cheese, like I'm taking pictures." Only the genius of 2 Chainz can come up with this wordplay.

6. "Put It Down," Brandy Feat. Chris Brown

"Put It Down" is Brandy's first single from her upcoming October release Twenty Eleven. On the Bangladesh-produced record, the veteran singer embraces her hip-hop side, leaning on her R&B roots while rap-sings her assertive "over 30 I'm grown" expectations on how a man can get it from her. Chris Brown assists the track and has his hands full with this more seasoned lady. With the bass and the slick lyrics, the song should have burned more steam this summer.

7. "Lemme See," Usher Feat. Rick Ross

A more hip-hop feel than the rest of the songs on his recent album, Looking 4 Myself, Usher's "Lemme See" is a suave-talking, get-you-from-the-club-to-my-bedroom track. The R&B crooner knows he's commanding the win for the evening. The track performed well this summer, making it one of the more successful cuts from his LP, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.

8. "Amen," Meek Mill Feat. Drake

Amidst controversy from a pastor in Philadelphia who wanted to stop radio airplay of his song, Meek Mill's "Amen" has still risen to be a hot single of this summer. It currently sits at a steady no. 5 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts. This is just another reason for the MMG rapper to bow his head and give thanks.

9. "Cashin' Out," Ca$h Out

The breakthrough record for the new kid on the block, this Ca$h Out song is about what else but cash money and is full of boast-heavy lyrics. He flosses with lines like, "Got a condo on my wrist, girl/ I'm cashing out," proving he's a newbie but can still hold his own. The track, produced by fellow Atlanta native DJ Spinz, has been a hit all summer, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop charts and No. 1 on the Rap charts. It was also certified gold.

10. "Adorn," Miguel

The lead single from Miguel's upcoming sophomore album, Kaleidoscope Dream, has been heating up since it's official release July's end. Popular love songs are hard to come by these days and on "Adorn," the L.A. native gives a freestyle feel, assisted with rips and runs while exercising his unrestricted, breathy, falsetto vocals over the harmonious mid-tempo song. It recently reached No. 7 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.

11. "Pyramids," Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean's second single, "Pyramids," from his debut LP, channel ORANGE, was received well, but the singer made a bold move by releasing an almost 10-minute track, which could easily be split into two -- one has an electric soul-feel and the other more hip-hop. The track is nothing less than magical with imagery of cheetahs, Cleopatra and lots of movement. It's a theatrical experience nonetheless.

12. "Pop That," French Montana Feat. Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne

French Montana's "Pop That" is ratchet overload. The track, produced by Lee Beats, features a sample of the infamous party classic "I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown)" by Uncle Luke. Taking the lyrics "pop that" as the ringing hook over a rump-shaking beat, the four rappers come together to serve their expectations of high twerkage rates from their dancing partners. Let's hope they have the ability to keep up themselves.

13. "Bag of Money," Maybach Music Group (Rick Ross, Wale & Meek Mill) Feat. T-Pain

One of many Maybach Music Group hits this summer, "Bag of Money" gives the all-star lineup of Ross, Wale and Meek Mill time to shine as a group. This serves as an ode to the bad ones who willingly "count money" and perform other tasks to complement their rap lifestyle. The hit thus far has peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.

14. "Faded," Tyga Feat. Lil Wayne

Young Money talent Tyga has taken over the hip-hop charts this year and "Faded" featuring his boss Lil Wayne. The song reached No. 7 on Billboard's Rap songs chart. With the high bell ringing mixed with bellowing bass, Tyga stays true to his Cali-roots as he repetitively tells his apathetic tale of being drunk and delirious. The track was produced by Dnyc3.

15. "I Don't Like," Chief Keef

Already a local Chicago hit for the underground teen talent Chief Keef, "I Don't Like" propelled to high notoriety when Kanye West got on the remix with Pusha T, Jadakiss and Big Sean. It eventually made it onto the top 40 of Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop charts and Top 20 for Rap. Even though the song had mediocre chart success, the youngin's crime-blown ode has received heavy rotation online and in party circles, propelling his name into the spotlight.

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T.I. Shares Touching Inspiration for 'Trouble & Triumph' Book -- Exclusive

Natelege Whaley — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:15:00 EST

Atlantic Records T.I. may be receiving a profit from his book sales but there's a more important reward on his mind with the release of his upcoming novel, Trouble & Triumph: literacy. "I just really wanted to motivate people to read," the rapper-turned-author tells The BoomBox of the book. "Motivate people of our generation, and our genre and our culture to read. I think that's a lost art, or a lost pastime I should say." ...

Trouble & Triumph is a follow-up to T.I.'s first book, Power & Beauty, co-authored by David Ritz. The read was centered on a love story with the streets as its backdrop. The new effort will begin where the last one left off.

"It's just a continuation of the first story from Power & Beauty," T.I. states. "Power & Beauty ended on a cliffhanger and you know people were very interested in and excited to see how this story carries on."

The entertainer, who will release his forthcoming eighth studio album, Trouble Man, later this year, also spoke on the inspiration to publish a book series targeting those from his generation and younger.
Growing up, T.I. says there were popular titles that he remembers motivating his peers to pick up a book and he hopes his series will add to this legacy.

"You think [back], books like The Coldest Winter Ever, they motivated people in the hood in my time," he reveals. "That motivated us to read and I want to help contribute to that and at least do my part."

Trouble & Triumph is due Sept. 18.

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T.I. Talks 'Challenge' of 'Boss' Role, Gives Scoop on 'Identity Theft' Film

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST

Atlantic Records T.I. is everywhere these days. Besides working in the studio on the release of his new album, Trouble Man, he's also been flexing his acting muscles on both TV and the silver screen. On the Starz series "Boss," the rapper has a recurring role as Trey Rogers, a reformed gang member who has his eyes set on a career in City Hall. His bad guy-turned-politician character is not far off from his own life, but still has been a learning experience for him. ...

"It's a challenge," T.I. tells The BoomBox. "It's interesting and compelling. I like the show and it was just a phenomenal opportunity to work with some outstanding actors. The dynamics of the character and the art, the story, the way you deal with the courts, the way you get your credentials, it was all intriguing to me."

He also spoke on his upcoming film "Identity Theft," in which he plays a bounty hunter. The film will be coming to theaters next March.

"It's a mainstream comedy with Melissa McCarthy from 'Bridesmaids,' and Jason Bateman from 'Arrested Development,'" he reveals. "It's my first comedy. I had a phenomenal time doing it. I think it's going to be a big hit."

Besides acting, the camera follows T.I. as he lives his everyday life. The second season of his reality series, "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle," airs Sept. 3. Unlike shooting for his other projects, he says the show doesn't really require work because he's just being himself.

"It's real easy," the Atlanta native explains. "It's really nothing to do there. There ain't no lines. There ain't no script to read. It's really just me living life. Cameras just capture what you do everyday. It's not a lot of work."

"Boss" airs Fridays at 9PM on Starz. "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle" debuts its second season on VH1 Sept. 3.

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Best Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of 2012 (So Far): Nas, Elle Varner, R. Kelly, Odd Future & More

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:50:00 EST

Amazon To say that 2012 has been an eventful year in music is an understatement. Some of hip-hop and R&B's biggest albums this year have been released in the eye of controversy. From divorce stories from Nas to Frank Ocean's Tumblr note released amidst rumors of his homosexuality, the two have gone through a heap of media attention this summer. But when both artists released their albums, the respective projects proved to be high-quality, leading most listeners to forget the drama and focus on the music. Over the last eight months, there's been a shift in R&B, creating a more diverse pool of sounds within the genre. A new class of singers, namely Ocean, Elle Varner, Emeli Sande and BJ the Chicago Kid, take classic R&B stylings and pair that with modern production. Their albums have moved the genre forward rather than away from its soulful origins. However, veterans such as Usher and R. Kelly seem to be exploring freely on their LPs. Usher's latest brings a euro-pop sound and the Pied Piper of R&B calls more on '70s grooves and flowery lyrics. On the hip-hop side, the diversity has continued as well, but with most rappers keeping in tune with the sounds of their crew. Odd Future released a well-received effort, as well as two out of four of Black Hippy's own: ScHoolBoy Q and Ab-Soul. There's also Maybach Music Group king Rick Ross, who dropped his fifth studio album, but allowed members from his camp to shine on many of the tracks. More than halfway through the year, The BoomBox gives a nod to 15 of the best R&B and hip-hop albums thus far. Find out which crooners and lyrical entertainers moved past the competition. ...

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T.I. Reveals Location for 'Ball' Video Shoot, Recalls Andre 3000 Studio Session

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:40:00 EST

Atlantic Records As rapper T.I. gears up for the release of his eighth studio album, Trouble Man, the Atlanta native announces that he's currently planning the music video for the Rico Love-produced "Ball" featuring Lil Wayne. "That's coming up soon in New Orleans," T.I. tells The BoomBox. "I'm looking forward to that. The song itself feels like a classic southern, club, party record. It's a signature sound for New Orleans, for Atlanta, for Miami." ...

The 31-year-old rhymer previously revealed that he has recorded tracks with Cee Lo Green, R. Kelly and Juicy J for the album. He reflected on one particular studio session that stood out in his mind.

"Andre 3000 is probably one of the most memorable ones," he shares.

"The conversations. I don't think it's nothing for public record. It's really just us chopping it up. Just two significant figures in the game from the same city and hip-hop and just exchanging in dialogue."

Besides Rico Love, T.I. says Trouble Man features production from a plethora of hip-hop's best, including T-Minus and Jazze Pha. He is still cutting down songs for the final version of the LP, but states the project's title comes from him embracing his past and feeling it necessary to open up about it.

"I've gone through things. I've faced adversity and I'm embracing the adversity instead of shying away from it and trying to be ashamed of it," T.I. explains.

Trouble Man debuts later this year.

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The Hip-Hop Effect: 20 R&B Songs Sampling Rap Beats and Lyrics

Natelege Whaley — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:45:00 EST

Getty Images | WireImage During the late '80s and early parts of the '90s, R&B was dominated by the new jack swing era, with artists such as Janet Jackson, New Edition and Boyz II Men being some of the subgenre's most successful acts. Those were good times up until a young chick from Yonkers rose up to the ranks to change the game. With combat boots, baggy jeans and a baseball cap, Mary J. Blige brought a rougher, grittier look than any other R&B artist at the time, causing her to stand out. Diddy -- who was only 19 back at the time -- executive produced her first album, What's the 411? and made sure her sound reflected soulful vocals with a hip-hop edge. "You Remind Me" her first single, eventually reached the top spot on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts, solidifying a shift in R&B for good. When her debut LP was finally released July 28, 1992, it topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts and also landed at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. That magic Mary J. created 20 years ago ushered in something new for R&B -- edgier, hip-hop-influenced beats replaced the funky, poppy sounds of the early new jack swing days. R&B acts that followed such as Destiny's Child, Aaliyah and Usher borrowed the sound in their music as well. Two decades later, this style still remains. The BoomBox compiled a list of 20 R&B songs post-What's The 411? that sample beats and lyrics from hip-hop, similar to the way the Queen of Hip-Hop soul did back in '92. ...

1. Montell Jordan, "This Is How We Do It" (February 1995)

This classic party song by Los Angeles native Montell Jordan was the first single off his debut album by the same name. The upbeat jam became an international hit and peaked at No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard R&B Charts, spending several weeks at the top spot. "This Is How We Do It" samples two classic hip-hop anthems: "Children's Story" by Slick Rick and "C.R.E.A.M." by the Wu-Tang Clan. Jordan co-wrote and co-produced the song with Oji Pierce.

2. Monica, "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (April 1995)

As a new kid on the block, Monica was able to hit the concrete hard with "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)," the first single from her debut album, Miss Thang. The song rose to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and nestled her spot in R&B for good. Funnily enough, this ladies anthem was written by men, including songwriter and producer Dallas Austin, who created the beat using LL Cool J's "Back Seat (of My Jeep)."

3. Case, "Touch Me Tease Me" (1996)

"Touch Me, Tease Me" was Case's first hit single featuring raptress Foxy Brown and Mary J. Blige. Featured on his self-titled debut album and also the "Nutty Professor" soundtrack, the song was top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 4 on the R&B charts. The ringing percussion featured on the track comes courtesy of Schoolly D's "P.S.K. (What Does It Mean?)," released in 1985. The record was produced by Kenny "Smoove" Kornegay.

4. Mariah Carey, "Honey" (August 1997)

By the time Mariah Carey released "Honey," she was already a pop star with Grammys and No. 1 singles under her belt. But "Honey" took Mariah's more softer image and propelled her further into the hip-hop and R&B world. Written and produced by an-all star cast of songwriters and producers, including Diddy and Q-Tip, the song features two samples from "Hey DJ" by the World's Famous Supreme Team and "The Body Rock" by The Treacherous Three.

5. D'Angelo, "Devil's Pie" (1998)

Originally, this beat was meant for rapper Canibus to lay his rhymes over. However, DJ Premier handed the "Devil's Pie" track over to D'Angelo, when 'Bus rejected it. The song, which is also featured on the "Belly" soundtrack, was a promotional single for D'Angelo's sophomore album, Voodoo. The instrumental has a combination of several hip-hop samples including "Success" by Fat Joe, "Interlude" by Raekwon, "Fakin Jax" by INI and "Big Daddy Anthem" by Natruel.

6. Lauryn Hill, "Ex-Factor" (1998)

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album was groundbreaking as it won the talented Lauryn Hill five Grammy Awards. "Ex Factor," the third single from the project, reached No. 7 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Lauryn wrote and produced the pain-centered song about unrequited love using elements from "Can It Be So Simple?" by the Wu-Tang Clan as its backdrop.

7. Aaliyah, "Try Again" (May 2000)

This Grammy-nominated song by Aaliyah, off the "Romeo Must Die" soundtrack was produced by Timbaland. On the effort, the producer rhymes Erik B. and Rakim's opening verse from "I Know You Got Soul." The song by the late singer eventually topped the Billboard Hot 100.

8. Mya, "The Best of Me Part 2" (August 2000)

Mya's original song, "The Best of Me," featuring rapper Jadakiss, off her sophomore album, Fear of Flying, reached the top 40 on the Billboard charts. "Part 2" was not as popular as far as airplay but it did receive an upgrade with a verse from Jay-Z and a beat by the Trackmasters. "The Best of Me Part 2" features a sample from "Make the Music With Your Mouth" by Biz Markie.

9. Musiq Soulchild, "L' Is Gone" (November 2000)

Philadelphia native Musiq Soulchild debuted his first album, Aijuswanaseing, in 2000. For one of the project's songs, he borrowed from fellow Philly-bred hip-hop band the Roots. Musiq produced "L' Is Gone" by sampling the bass line from the Roots' "The Next Movement," off their Things Fall Apart album.

10. Alicia Keys, "Girlfriend" (2001)

Produced by Jermaine Dupri, "Girlfriend," by Alicia Keys, features an interpolation of a sample from Ol' Dirty Bastard's popular rap hit "Brooklyn Zoo." The single off of Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, charted low on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts due to moderate airplay.

Faith Evans, "Can't Believe" Feat. Carl Thomas (2001)

These two former Bad Boy recording stars appeared on this duet produced by Mario Winans and Diddy. "Can't Believe" was featured on Faith Evan's third album, Faithfully, and has a sample throughout the song from "Phone Tap," a song by The Firm -- Nas, AZ and Nature -- which also featured Dr. Dre.

11. Ashanti, "Foolish" (January 2002)

Ashanti's first single from her self-titled debut album was one of the most popular songs in 2002, reaching No. 1 on several charts internationally including the Billboard Hot 100. Perhaps its global appeal came because not only was a Notorious B.I.G. sample used with the "One More Chance (Remix)" but also the original jam that started it all, "Stay With Me" by DeBarge. The song was masterminded by Irv Gotti.

12. Mario, "Just a Friend" (May 2002)

Crooner Mario came on the scene as a teenage sweetheart singing about a love he couldn't have. For this track, producers Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell looked to the hip-hop classic "Just a Friend" by rapper Biz Markie. The Baltimore native did the updated version justice and it became a top 10 single in the summer of 2002. The song still remains one of Mario's biggest hits to date.

13. Erykah Badu, "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" (August 2002)

On "Love of My Life," Erykah Badu personifies her love for hip-hop with rapper Common. The track, featured on the "Brown Sugar" soundtrack, won a Grammy for Best R&B song in 2003, and was nominated for several other accolades. Singer Raphael Saddiq produced the record, directly sampling Afrika Bambataa and Soul Sonic Force's "Planet Rock," released in 1982.

14. Usher, "Yeah!" (February 2004)

"Yeah!" was Usher's first single from his best-selling album to date, Confessions. The song itself was a game-changer for the singer, who popularized crooning over crunk hip-hop style beats native to his hometown of Atlanta. The track featured Ludacris and its producer Lil Jon, who uses one of his own songs, "Get Low," featuring the Eastside Boyz and the Ying Yang Twins, as a sample for the record.

15. Lloyd, "Hey Young Girl" (August 2004)

In 2004, legendary R&B producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins used Slick Rick's "Hey Young World" to create Lloyd's "Hey Young Girl." The second single from Lloyd's debut album, Southside, snags the melody and essence of the classic hip-hop record.

16. Keyshia Cole, "I've Changed My Mind" (2005)

With help from G.O.O.D Music artists Kanye West and John Legend, "I've Changed My Mind" was conceived as a post-breakup empowerment song reflective of a personal experience Keyshia Cole had with a cheating ex-boyfriend. West produced Cole's debut single, taking a sample from Dr. Dre's "The Chronic (Intro)."

17. Jamie Foxx , "Digital Girl" (July 2009)

"Digital Girl" featuring Kanye West and The-Dream, who produced the record, has some sample elements from two hip-hop tracks: "Electric Relaxation" by A Tribe Called Quest and "I Can't Believe It" by T-Pain and Lil Wayne. Despite the all-star collaboration, the song, featured on Jamie's third studio album, Intuition, didn't receive chart-topping success.

18. Beyonce, "Party" (June 2011)

Beyonce's "Party," originally featuring Andre 3000 and later, J. Cole, features a direct voice sample from Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's classic hip-hop track "La Di Da Di." Bey's ode, which appears on her 4 LP, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Charts last year.

20. Elle Varner, "Only Wanna Give It To You" (August 2011)

The debut single by newcomer Elle Varner has an assist from J. Cole and more hip-hop than R&B essence, which she covers smoothly using her jazzy vocals. Produced by Pop & Oak, "Only Wanna Give It To You" features a sample from Biz Markie's "Make the Music With Your Mouth." "UFO" by ESG, a post-punk song that has shown up on many other hip-hop records, was also sampled. Varner's record peaked at No. 20 on the Hip Hop/R&B Charts.

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K'La Speaks on Homeless Past, Old Soul Sensibilities & Nas-Assisted Song 'Blame'

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:40:00 EST

Def Jam K'La has never been coy about defying reality to reach her dreams. The rapper and singer has come a long way from being a starving artist in Atlanta to now being one of Def Jam's newcomers. She's currently riding with her single "Blame," assisted by rap legend Nas, and moving forward with her career by juggling single parenthood -- she has two young daughters. Hailing from Gary, Ind., the hometown of the famous Jackson family, K'La packed up her things and made her move to Hotlanta in 2009, to pursue her music career. She eventually found herself in the studio one evening with rapper Roscoe Dash and her future manager. After claiming she could spit a few bars, Dash told K'La to show and prove. She rapped on the spot, and subsequently got a management deal. Her first mixtape, named after the popular novel The Coldest Winter Ever, followed in November 2010, The effort, a balance of her lyrical skill and singing soulfully about love, relationships and heartbreak, made it into the right hands -- L.A. Reid signed K'La to Def Jam in January 2011. Now gearing up for her debut LP, she's currently in the studio with lauded Fugees producer Jerry Wonda. This musical union is ideal as one of three of the former Fugees, Lauryn Hill, is one of K'La's biggest inspirations. The forthcoming album is untitled, but K'La plans to showcase her old soul flavor. As a new face on the scene, K'La sat down with The BoomBox to give us the inside scoop on "Blame," her zealous come-up story, being homeless, why Lauryn Hill is her inspiration and her old soul sensibilities. ...

So tell me how did you get involved with Def Jam?

I signed with Def Jam last January. L.A. Reid actually signed me. The first single came out last May which was "All Your Love." So now I'm geared back and ready again with the single with Nas.

Did you get to work with Nas on the single "Blame"?

No, I haven't met Nas personally yet. But I personally think he's incredible to be on the record. So yes, I'm still blown away by that. But no, I haven't met him.

Explain the story behind "Blame."

Well, basically, I seen a lot of females who've been in a bad relationship can kind of relate. You know, there's a reason for everything, and that song is just about... guys talk all this mess about females have this independent woman attitude and when you meet them, they're already damaged from the previous guy. But you know, somebody's responsible. So yeah, that's how it came out. Pretty much me expressing those feelings of how that came to be. But a lot of women tell me that they can relate. So I'm hoping it's very relatable. I just told my own personal experience and I think a lot of people have gone through it.

So tell me more about your journey to this point in your career.

I had moved to Atlanta in 2009, to pursue music. Things didn't go the way I intended. Well, it did, I can't say it didn't. But it took a turn for the worst before it got better. I was actually homeless in Atlanta for maybe two or three months and at the end of the third month, I met my manager through a mutual friend at the studio. And I was drinking and I got to telling Roscoe Dash, 'cause he was in the studio too, I can rap too. And he was like, "Well, OK, then prove it," and I rapped. Because I didn't even sing at first, I was just a rapper. So I rapped then, and my manager heard me and said alright I'll sign you. And the very next day I was with him non-stop.

We started on the journey together and a few months later in November, I put out the first mixtape I had done in my life. Through working with him, he encouraged me to sing. And on the mixtape, you got both the rapping and the singing. And singing is really new for me, I'm just now getting my feet wet in it. But it was amazing because the single came from that mixtape. He took me and introduced me to L.A. Reid in January. The mixtape came out in November. He heard the mixtape. He thought it was incredible. "All Your Love," a Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley cover of "Turn Your Lights Down Low," was my first single and things just kind of took off from there.

Watch K'La's "All Your Love" Video

Who are you working with on the album?

We've been in the studio with Jerry Wonda who did The Score with The Fugees. Very classic producer. We knew what kind of sound we wanted to bring forth, and Jerry is like family. So I went in with him and we really like tackled the project and Rodney Jackson has also been working on it with us like non-stop. We got some really classic dope features. Of course Nas is on the first single. And we have a track with R. Kelly. We're working on another single that I'm hoping Miguel will be on. I think that will be dope and I think that will be a nice collab to have. But I think it's going to be really surprising when people hear the features.

Why will it be surprising?

Well, surprising because I'm young. I'm only 24. And I think people expect like this new-age type of R&B [sound from me], but my parents are older. My parents are 57. And my older brother is 13 years older than me. So I'm the baby in my family and I'm more interested in capturing that old, classic type of R&B and I think we've kind of pursued that on this album. And I think we did a good job of capturing that. People will be surprised to hear it from a new artist and a young one on top of that, so I'm excited to see how people are going to respond to it.

And as far as sound, how to you plan to be different?

I like to say I'm a baby of the progress of R&B 'cause I'm only 24 and I was born in '88, so I remember very fondly an early Mary J. and I remember Aaliyah and that old school R&B. At the same time, my parents were older so I grew up listening to really old classics like Al Green and Minnie Riperton and so much old music so I have a good kind of mixing pot of music to pull from. In my music, I think you hear traces of all of that. I have a children. I'm a mother at the same time. I have all these different aspects so I want to make sure that all these different traces of those things are in the music because there are a wide range of people that need something to relate to. So it's not just 24-year-old party girl. I'm a 24-year-old party girl, I'm a single mom, I'm all of those things.

How is it being a mom and pursuing this big dream?

I would be lying if I said it was easy. But it is a sacrifice that is very rewarding. And a lot of people say that it pays off in the end, but I have to say that it pays off immediately for me because there's those different times I'm away from them a long time and I feel like I'm doing what I should be doing as a mother and when I get those moments and I come home and I see how proud they are and the way that they see things so much more differently then I did. At their age, in my mind, it was impossible for me to be on TV to be doing those things. That was just a whole different world. But for them it just brings it so much more closer and they say, "That's my mom!" and to see that these things are possible.

When can we expect the album and title?

We're aiming for either late October or February and I haven't gotten a title yet. I've been thinking about it, I've been running through some names but we haven't settled on one yet. It'll be something really deep and profound.

On your mixtape, The Coldest Winter Ever, you mentioned that a lot of music that's being pushed out now isn't relatable. What topics are you trying to cover on your album that you don't see out there now?

Well, it's just very raw and real. It's just hard for me to describe. Like the subject matter, I wanna say every song kind of has the same subject matter about love and kind of accepting ourselves for who we are and how they happen. But I really tried to be as genuine and open as possible on the album with my own story. Because The Coldest Winter Ever was basically my story of moving to Atlanta and what happened, those events, so I really wanted the album to pick up back on where I am emotionally now and mentally throughout the progress of everything and sharing it in my music and I think it's going to come off real.

And as far as influences, who do you look to for inspiration?

I definitely keep Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo on on my iPod. I listen to that all day. Bilal. Van Hunt. A lot of people aren't familiar with him. I love him. I'm a music lover. So all types of music, I really listen to and pull from but when I really need to be inspired to pull and do what I want, Lauryn Hill is usually my first to go to. You know The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It's what I want to embody, it's what I want people to feel. So it kind of helps me get on my A-game. But there are some really inspiring people out now. I'm a big fan of Miguel and his whole artistry. It's so different, but it's so classic. It really gives you that Prince feel . You feel like you know it but you don't. You know there's a lot of inspiring people out now and I just hope to become one of them.

And can you play any instruments or dance?

I started to play the bass guitar when I was really young because my dad is a bass player and he had started teaching me when I was like 9. But I didn't stick to it. I really wish that I had now. And I definitely need to go back to learn. But I don't play anything, I'm wack [laughs]. I'm going to learn one day. But I don't think I'm a good dancer [laughs]. I'm just good at being real and honest. So I try to make that entertaining.

And you're from Gary, Ind., and the first thing I think of that city is of course The Jacksons. Are there any favorites by them that you can mention?

See that's hard. Jacksons. Those are classics that go on and on forever from the Jackson 5 to Thriller to "Butterflies." But yeah, it's going to be hard to pick a favorite from there. "Rock My World," definitely one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs. And I'm a huge Janet fan. Janet had some hits. All of them. I can't even pick them. Hometown love. All of them, classics.

If I was to ask someone who knew you back in high school, what would they say about you?

I'd be scared to find out. Oh, high school. A teacher. Anyone. I was a problem child in high school. They would tell you I was very smart. I was a straight A student. I was a very smart, insubordinate delinquent. I was a straight A student but I skipped a lot. I didn't come to class. I think I just had a short attention span. Because I would come to class and work so quick, and I would be ready to go. I was a character in high school. I did win "Most Likely to Be Famous" though and "Most Talented" at my senior luncheon, so they were right. Whoever you ask, they may have a pretty valid story.

Are there any endeavors you want to do in the future beyond music?

A friend of mine back at home named Shaina, who took this whole ride with me, she moved to Atlanta with me, and like really experienced this whole journey with me, and she just recently moved back to our hometown in Gary. And we started a non-profit called ECHO, which is Enhancing Children's Hope Overall. And we've been doing some really important things for the city out there. Because Gary is small and since the Jacksons, no one has really heard from anyone there.

We're tryna just use people like myself, Freddie Gibbs, E'Twaun Moore, who plays for the Boston Celtics -- he's from a neighboring city -- but [ECHO is] pretty much where my heart is. You know, trying to give a glimmer of hope for kids from my city. Because where I'm from, I had no idea any of this was possible. And I had to leave and come to Atlanta to even feel like I could try. I didn't want to wait till my career was blooming and say I want to go home and help now. I said if I got the opportunity we can start early. We can make it happen and build it up together.

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Shanell Says 'Nobody's Bitch' Mixtape Is a 'Party,' New Album Shows Vulnerability

Natelege Whaley — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:40:00 EST

Getty Images At a moment when Kanye West announced he recorded a song called "Perfect Bitch," an ode to his girlfriend Kim Kardashian, Young Money songstress Shanell's upcoming mixtape, titled Nobody's Bitch, could not be more timely -- though it was purely coincidental. "I've been working behind the scenes with other people or just on my own project coming up through the whole game and just the industry," Shanell tells The BoomBox of the inspiration behind the title. "That's just something I wanted to yell at people and I'm saying it now." ...

Starting out as a choreographer and background dancer for Ne-Yo and Ciara, Shanell used her music industry connections to land songwriting credits and eventually signed with Lil Wayne's label. Before she releases her official debut album next year, Nobody's Bitch arrives as mostly a fusion of hip-hop, pop and electro dance tracks, centered around after-hours living -- from the club to the bedroom.

"I think the mixture is just the music," she explains. "But me I'm pretty much consistent throughout every song. From 'None Tonight' to 'F Me Daddy,' to 'Last Time' [featuring labelmate Busta Rhymes], it's just being in control and saying what's real and not apologizing for it."

Although Nobody's Bitch is full of stand-your-ground tracks rather than pity party songs, Shanell reveals that her untitled new album, due next summer, will uncover her vulnerable side. "This is the party, this is the strong girl," the California native admits. "The album is more [for] when you get home and you kick your shoes off and you spend the night by yourself."

When asked if she had any emotional moments while recording recently, Shanell made a deep sigh.

"Oh yeah," she shares. "Like every strong woman and every strong man has that side of them that they've broken down. So I'm going to save that for the album."

Nobody's Bitch debuts Aug. 13.

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Fountain of Youth Faces: 20 Rappers and Singers With Adolescent Looks

Natelege Whaley — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:45:00 EST

Getty Images No one would have guessed Nas would steal the summer, but the veteran rapper has it "on smash," as he recently released his 10th studio album, Life Is Good, last month. On the effort, he unveils his personal stories about divorce and also the hardships of being a single father raising a daughter. Though age has allowed him to rhyme with maturity looking back at those experiences, the MC hasn't failed to brag how even on the verge of being 40 -- he's 38 -- he still looks as young as his Illmatic days. On the song "Stay," Nas proclaims, "Spotlight on me, I still look 20/ Still get money..." Truer words have never been spoken. Although he still has the juice, the Queens, N.Y., native isn't the only artist cheating time by somehow making frequent visits to the fountain of youth. Many rappers and R&B singers who have been on the scene for two decades or more proudly lay claim to looking young forever. The BoomBox even found two legendary singers, 53 and 72 respectively, who will have Nas taking notes on how to keep up a youthful presence and exuberance well into his retirement years. Here are 20 hip-hop and R&B artists that would probably still get carded now if they weren't famous faces. ...

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2 Chainz Brings Strippers, New Edition, Lil Wayne to 'Based on a T.R.U. Story' Listening Session

Natelege Whaley — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 11:30:00 EST

FilmMagic Rapper 2 Chainz made a grand entrance for his Based on a T.R.U. Story album release party at the 40/40 club Monday night (July 30). He was also in good company with radio veteran Angie Martinez and DJ Khaled joining the event, which was filled with the who's who of the music industry. DJ SNS spun tracks from the rapper's 2011 mixtape T.R.U. REALigion until he finally entered the building. The Atlanta native has had a steady rise to this current moment of glory. His debut album comes in two weeks but he's not new to the block, being formerly of the rap duo Playaz Circle, signed under Ludacris' label Disturbing The Peace. ...

However, his new associations have brought him better luck. His feature on the G.O.O.D Music track "Mercy" currently sits at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts. His track "No Lie" featuring Drake, follows right behind, sitting at No. 3. Also, his catchy, easy flow has been widely mocked, evident by Twitter users who created the popular trending topic #WhatWould2ChainzSay. There's no denying that this is 2 Chainz' time to shine.

And if the music 2 Chainz has already released made him hot, his new album will only add to the momentum. On the effort, he follows his current format of braggadocio lyrics over bass-heavy, aggressive beats, made all his own with his signature rap delivery.

His song topics remain mostly in the realm of drugs, money, strippers and the flashy jewelry like his moniker and as seen on the album's cover. The LP is also feature-heavy with appearances from a collective of hip-hop's heavy hitters.

The intro track titled "Yuck!" features Lil Wayne and they're searching for two things, "Where the drugs?" and "Where the love at?" 2 Chainz follows up with the trap record "Crack," where he spits, "Started from the trap now I rap/ No matter where I'm at I got crack."

When it comes to the opposite sex, 2 Chainz keeps it vain and unattached. On his new single "Birthday Song" featuring Kanye West, he raps, "All I want for my birthday is a big booty hoe!" -- a line that is already catching fire. On The-Dream-assisted "Extremely Blessed," he gets a tad bit romantic with the slowed down beat -- but not really as he rhymes, "Our first date was the waffle house."

The rapper continues with the hook-driven tracks like "I Luv Dem Strippers" featuring Nicki Minaj, which centers around the aforementioned song title. During the song, he randomly channels R&B group New Edition's "Mr. Telephone Man," singing in his best voice, "When I call my baby's number I get a click every time." He also makes it known that the current economic state is not effecting his pockets on the Don Cannon-produced track "I Feel Good," rapping that he's, "at the strip club during the recession."

Throughout the duration of the listening party, 2 Chainz stood by the DJ booth doing his "cookin'" dance to his music in between his prideful promoting.

"This album is worth buying," he proclaimed.

Four songs that will be featured on the deluxe edition of the 13-track album were not played during the listening party.

Based on a T.R.U. Story arrives Aug. 14.

Check out the Based on a T.R.U. Story tracklisting below.

1. "Yuck!" feat. Lil Wayne
2. "Crack"
3. "Dope Peddler"
4. "No Lie" feat. Drake
5. "Birthday Song" feat. Kanye West
6. "I'm Different"
7. "Extremely Blessed" feat. The-Dream
8. "I Luv Dem Strippers" feat. Nicki Minaj
9. "Stop Me Now" feat. Dolla Boy
10. "Money Machine"
11. "In Town" feat. Mike Posner
12. "Ghetto Dreams" feat. Scarface & John Legend
13. "Wut We Doin?" feat. Cap1
14. "Countdown" feat. Chris Brown
15. "Like Me"
16. "I Feel Good"
17. "Riot"

Watch 2 Chainz in G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy"

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Dwele Debuts 'Greater Than One' Album, Raheem DeVaughn, Lalah Hathaway Join

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:15:00 EST

E1 Music Singer Dwele held a listening session for his fifth studio album, Greater Than One, at Jungle City Studios in New York City Tuesday evening (July 24). With the lights dimmed, guests sipped champagne and mingled as songs off the project played in the background. With Greater Than One, Dwele remains true to his signature soulful flair. He's got more acoustic stylings of R&B and features mellow, mood-setting harmonies about love and love-making that have allowed to him to achieve moderate mainstream success. Yet he still holds onto his core indie soul fanbase. ...

Many may know him as the voice adding soul to Kanye West's Graduation track "Flashing Lights." But the Detroit native's fans fell victim to his smooth and easy vocals throughout the early 2000s, when he released some of his most popular songs to date such as "Find a Way," "Hold On" and "I Think I Love You." Greater Than One will satisfy listeners who still want music that brings back the vibes of the Soulquarian era that made Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, and also his late mentor, producer J. Dilla's works popular during the mid-to-late 1990s.

Although Dwele let the majority of the tracks play out without much explanation during the listening sessions, he did give background for cuts such as "Going Leaving." In this song, he sings of a woman who wants a deeper relationship with him, but after being faced with unrequited love, goes searching for it elsewhere -- only to still be unsatisfied with the life she chooses. "Going Leaving" has a solo guitar verse adding to the '80s jazz groove the singer said he wanted to invoke with the song.

The second track he explained, "Takes Two 2 Tango," is what Dwele describes as "dancing horizontally." The track about the art of copulation using the obvious metaphor has a slow, mellow bounce, which he coasts over with an unfailing falsetto.

The album also features fellow soul artist Raheem DeVaughn, who previously lent his charming, swoon-inducing vocals to Dwele's "Dim the Lights," a song featured on his last album, 2010's W.ants W.orld W.omen. Their new collaboration, "What You Gotta Do," which has a bass line reminiscent of The Stylistics' "People Make the World Go Round," finds the two listing ways to keep a woman happy in a relationship so she doesn't go astray.

And if "50 Shades of Grey" has been on the summer reading list, Dwele's sexy, slow jam "Obey" is sure to give flashbacks for those who've completed the risque read. The crooner explained he was told after a recent interview that the song's story sounded similar to the popular book, although he admits he never read or heard of it prior to releasing his song.

Other expected features on the album include Lalah Hathaway.

Greater Than One is set for release Aug. 28.

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Hip-Hop's Most Expensive Album Covers: Jeweler Estimates Bling on Classic Rap LPs

Natelege Whaley — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:10:00 EST

Amazon.com Earlier this month, 2 Chainz revealed the artwork for his Def Jam debut, Based On a T.R.U. Story, due Aug. 14. Featuring two gold chains dangling over a black background, the cover follows in the grand tradition of rappers sporting heavy, flashy jewelry on their album covers. Some of hip-hop's biggest names have flossed their most prized possessions on their album art. Eric B. and Rakim's huge gold rope chains and medallions on Paid in Full, LL Cool J's classic diamond name ring on Mama Said Knock You Out and Camron's multiple shiny neck pieces on Killa Season are just a few of the standouts. These define an artist's arrival and represent their rising status in society. In light of 2 Chainz' upcoming release, The BoomBox calls on expert Richard Wubnig, manager of Michael C. Fina jewelers, to estimate the value of each top-dollar accessory featured on 10 classic, blinged-out hip-hop album covers. The only family-owned and operated jeweler on 5th Ave., in New York City, Michael C. Fina has been around for 77 years. Wubnig, a Brooklyn native, grew up in the midst of hip-hop's rise, and given his love for the music and his more than 11 years of experience in the jewelry business, he's the perfect person to appraise the jewelry on these covers and tell us just how large our favorite rappers were living. You may be surprised to learn that some of these MCs were rocking your house, tuition or car payments around their necks and fingers. ...

See 10 of Hip-Hop's Most Expensive Album Covers

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