According to Billboard… R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn arrives at No. 1 on Top R&B Albums with his latest set, Love Sex Passion. It’s his first effort to top the two-year-old chart, and second charting album on the list, following A Place Called Love Land, which entered at No. 7 in 2013.
Meanwhile, Love Sex Passion enters Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 5 (while also arriving at No. 31 on the Billboard 200).
So, I’m reading the newspaper as I normally do and on page 3 of the NY Daily News is an article of Beyoncé having a near miss of a wardrobe malfunction with a pic as well. Now, I understand the salacious mindset of papers, blogs and magazines in gaining an audience based on what they think we want, but it’s kinda ridiculous that this is not only being reported as news, but at the very beginning of a ‘family’ newspaper!!
They do have an entertainment and gossip section, which this type of ‘news’ is usually displayed, but I can’t believe that this is news nowadays. It’s bad enough that almost daily there is a Kardashian or a Jenner news ‘story’ popping up and it’s more important than, let’s say, education, politics or world news.
Some of the publications I’ve worked at say that you give the people what they want and that’s almost true. But, give your audience an alternative and you create the type of audience that will pick up or view your publication because you are deviating from what’s considered normal these days.
Well, what can you do? You call yourself a business magazine or a news organization and you’re trying to keep up with TMZ and countless other publications that were created for the type of content they report. And then get mad when you can’t even report it correctly or in the time the sites you’re trying to copy, so, you’re still behind…..
Just thinking out loud…… Carry on….
MULTI-PLATINUM SUPERSTAR LUDACRIS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM LUDAVERSAL;
ARRIVING MARCH 31st ON DTP/DEF JAM RECORDINGS WITH NEW SINGLE, “GOOD LOVIN” FEATURING MIGUEL!
LUDA RETURNS TO MOVIE SCREENS ON APRIL 3RD IN FURIOUS 7!
LUDACRIS’ EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH GOOGLE PLAY A HUGE SUCCESS WITH BURNING BRIDGES EP
Three-time Grammy Award®-winner and multi-platinum selling artist Ludacris made year-end headlines when he wed his long-time love Eudoxie. Now, he’s kicking off 2015 in grand style, storming the charts with his newest single,“Good Lovin’” featuring Miguel. “Good Lovin,” as part of his December 6-song EP release BURNING BRIDGES, generated massive buzz when it was offered as a Google Play Music Store exclusive. The video for “Good Lovin” was shot last week week; expect news of its premiere in the days ahead.
Anticipation now centers on the release of Luda’s 8th studio album, LUDAVERSAL, arriving March 31st on Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam Recordings. LUDAVERSAL is the much anticipated follow-up to Luda’s RIAA gold release Battle Of The Sexes, which debuted at #1 on Soundscan—Luda’s fourth #1 album. Battle Of The Sexes crested on the RIAA double-platinum hit single “How Low” and the RIAA platinum “My Chick Bad” featuring Nicki Minaj, both of which rose to #2 R&B, #2 Rap, and Top 10 pop.
On April 3rd, three days after the release of LUDAVERSAL, Ludacris –real name Chris Bridges– returns to the big screen in Furious 7. This marks Luda’s fourth turn as Tej Parker in the wildly popular The Fast and the Furious action film series, which has grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide to date, making it the most successful franchise in Universal Pictures history.
Speaking of unprecedented success, Ludacris became the first Def Jam artist ever to partner exclusively with Google Play on a domestic release. The BURNING BRIDGES EP went live on Spotify on January 6th, and is currently making big moves on the U.S. Viral Chart. In addition to “Good Lovin’,” which is gathering momentum at Urban radio and Rhythm radio formats, Burning Bridges also includes: “New Beginning Intro,” “Money” feat. Rick Ross, “Problems” feat. Cee-Lo, “In My Life” feat. John Legend, and “Burning Bridges” feat. Jason Aldean.
PRNewswire/ — The annual ESSENCE Festival, now among the largest consumer live events in the country with more than 550,000 attendees, today revealed the first round of its all-star line-up of performers for the nighttime concerts at the 21st annual celebration, taking place in New Orleans, LA, from July 2-5.
“On the heels of the ESSENCE Festival’s epic 20th anniversary celebration in 2014, we’re delighted to announce a selection of the best artists and biggest names in entertainment who will take the stage at the Superdome this summer,’ said Essence President Michelle Ebanks. “From first-time Festival performer Kendrick Lamar to return appearances from fan favorites like Kevin Hart, Common and Mary J. Blige, the ESSENCE Festival offers the definitive entertainment and cultural experience for our passionate ESSENCE community every Fourth of July weekend.”
Artists confirmed to perform at the 2015 ESSENCE Festival nighttime concerts at the Superdome include:
Kendrick Lamar, Mary J Blige, India.Arie, Trombone Shorty, Floetry, Common, Erykah Badu, Kool Moe Dee, Doug E. Fresh, Mystikal, Slick Rick, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Nico & Vinz, Lianne La Havas, Elle Varner, Esperanza Spalding, SZA, Dee-1, Tonya Bond Cannon, Leon Bridges, Andra Day, Kelly Price, Raheem DeVaughn, Mali Music, Eric Roberson, Teedra Moses, Avery*Sunshine, Kindred The Family Soul, Goapele, Robert Glasper, Tweet, Jeff Bradshaw, Bilal, Tank & The Bangas and more to be announced soon.
Plus Kevin Hart to headline Essence ‘Now Playing’ Concert, Thursday, July 2. Tickets go on-sale Wednesday, February 25.
Comedians Nephew Tommy from The Steve Harvey Morning Show and Luenell to host Festival weekend.
For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE FESTIVAL, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com, join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2015 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook.
The 2015 ESSENCE FESTIVAL™ is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc. (ECI), and produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2015 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience and Empower U.
Sponsors of the 2015 ESSENCE Festival include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors Ford, My Black Is Beautiful, and Verizon.
Often… we hear of the DJ that raps… or the producer that can rock the mic… But how about a world renown illustrator… Recently I caught up with SKAM2? to discuss his upcoming Hip Hop album…
Many know you for your incredible artwork… What would you like fans to know about you as a hip hop artist?
SKAM2? – Hard to say off rip, but I do put a premium on showing my range and versatility.
I have to ask… what is your most popular or recognizable art work?
SKAM2? – More than likely, the screaming vicodin pill from Eminem’s “Slim Shady LP” disc. That album sold well over 12.5 million copies worldwide. Not to mention, I’ve seen a lot of tattoos and other people’s drawings of it online.
Who inspired you mostly in Hip Hop?
SKAM2? – No one person. I draw vibes and ideas from a lot of things. Movies, books, video games, you name it. My music library has a whole lot of everything in it. Seriously.
What can the world expect from the SKAM2? Album?
SKAM2? – Every project will serve a different purpose, so don’t expect anything. Roll the dice and hate me for that 45 minutes of your life that you will never get back.
What did it mean for you representing at J-Dilla weekend in Miami?
SKAM2? – It was definitely good vibes out there. People coming out to just to have a good time and enjoy some music. Ain’t too many things better than getting to rock out with your homies.
How did the title for the album come about?
SKAM2? – Flying Monkey Murder Cirkus came from some lines in a freestyle I had called Super Random. I think I said something like “Them flying monkeys gon’ murk me” and I was trying to design cover art for it and it came to me while going through reference for the cover art.
Why “Definition” for the first single?
SKAM2? – I got a lot of strong reactions on it. I like all the records that I choose to release, so there isn’t much of a struggle for me when it comes to going where the vibe takes me. If that’s what they want, f*ck it, that’s what they get!
Who did you work with from a production standpoint on the album?
SKAM2? – Myself, Produced By Infamous (Lil Wayne, Drake), Kevin Rudolf (Selena Gomez, Timbaland), The Guild, MiamiBeatWave
This is more of a two part question… What is your opinion of the current state of hip hop? and where would you like to see it go from here?
SKAM2? – Current state… meh. I hear good. I hear bad. But in general, on this side of the pond, a lot of things outside of the actual “music” are pretty screwy. I’m so bombarded with what I’m doing that I really have no thoughts on where it should go. But I would like to see more acknowledgement & accolades given to those who show actual aptitude and innovation towards the craft.. but I feel like that about every form of art.
Much respect to SKAM2?
Check out the video for the lead single “Definition” off the upcoming ” Flying Monkey Murder Cirkus”
International entertainment superstar Trey Songz has partnered with founder and CEO of SX Liquors David Knight to launch the brand nationwide. Currently one of the top R&B artists in the world with his latest album Tirgga debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 3M albums, 12M singles and 100M streams, Trey Songz continues to grow his global footprint around the world. His social media reach continues to grow each year, being in the 99th percentile for all artists. He currently has a collective social media outreach of more than 30M followers, creating over 700 million combined impressions. Songz is also managed by well-known Kevin Liles who has successfully aligned artists with products to help build a solid career footprint in his career.
Trey is excited about partnering with SX and will bringing the company’s wide range of liquor products to the media and consumers during his 2015 planned with a co-headlining 25 city US concert tour alongside Chris Brown, the “Between the Sheets Tour” and will be followed by a European tour with Nicki Minaj hitting the O2 Arena in London and the Zenith in Paris. On top of these two major tours, Trey plans to hit the road as a headliner late summer to promote the coming of his new album Tremaine at the end of the year.
Songz characterized this initiative as follows, “This is a seamless partnership focused on three key things; organic brand partnerships with overlapping demographic targets, strong and proven executive leadership and a product that tastes and looks amazing.”
Knight is similarly excited, “The combination of a great product and the right celebrity is a proven winner in the spirits category. The powerful duo of SX Liquors and Trey Songz with our unique focus on the sophisticated female consumer will be a big hit in 2015 and beyond”. Knight is a proven business leader who today is drawing upon his years of successful leadership and marketing experience to introduce SX’s sexy and exotic spirits to the world. For the past 25 years, Knight has grown and managed some of the globe’s most recognizable household brands. Known for his dogged determination, unflagging energy and contagious optimism, Knight has fully embraced the SX mission to produce premium spirits that deliver the ultimate taste experience.
SX Liquors offers a unique range of hand crafted small batch Tequilas, Rums and Vodkas. Gluten free, barrel aged and hand filled in hand blown and painted bottles, the SX line of products captures the essence of Jalisco, Mexico where it is produced. One of its 6 flavors called Cha Cha Cha is a honey tequila that is featured in the Trey “Slow Motion” video.
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For more information, please visit:
http://www.sxliquors.com/
Sony Electronics announced four new wireless Bluetooth headphones – the MDR-ZX770BN, MDR-ZX770BT, MDR-ZX330BT and MDR-AS600BT – all designed to provide consumers with superb sound, the freedom to listen wirelessly and a comfortable design. Whether traveling, commuting or at the gym working out, Sony’s new line of headphones will deliver the best portable music experience.
MDR-ZX770BN Bluetooth and Noise Canceling Headphones
Available March 2015 for $229.99
The MDR-ZX770BN offers a convenient, multi-function design for flexible listening with Bluetooth and, ideal for the avid traveler, the MDR-ZX770BN has noise canceling features that can reduce unwanted ambient noise. Additionally, with hands-free calling users can take and place calls at the touch of a button, as well as to be used as wired headphones.
Enjoy simplified Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming with One-touch Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, and aptX® support1 to ensure high sound quality when streaming music wirelessly, as well as an internal, rechargeable battery that delivers up to 13 hours of continuous, wireless music playback. Additionally, with wired capabilities these can be used if the battery runs out. These headphones were designed with an emphasis on music, providing beat response control that delivers accurate bass response, with 40MM driver units in a comfortable around-the-ear style, providing a long lasting music listening experience. The MDR-ZX770BN will be available in black and blue.
MDR-ZX770BT Bluetooth Headphones
Available March 2015 for $149.99
Popular music enthusiasts can envelop themselves in rich, balanced sound and tight bass with the new MDR-ZX770BT. Featuring simplified Bluetooth connectivity, convenient one-touch listening technology built-in and aptX® Codec support, the MDR-ZX770BT provides high sound quality for wireless music streaming. The built-in microphone offers hands-free calling functionality, and the rechargeable battery provides up to 17 hours of music playback2. These lightweight headphones combine a comfortable, swiveling, around-the-ear style for long-term listening comfort and a comprehensive, acoustic seal. When the listening experience is over, the ear cups swivel and fold flat so users can easily put them in a backpack, gym bag, etc. The MDR-ZX770BT will be available in black and blue.
MDR-ZX330BT Bluetooth Headphones
Available March 2015 for $99.99
Compact and lightweight, the MDR-ZX330BT headphones deliver a wireless music streaming experience at an affordable price. With NFC, users can easily connect their headphones to another device by simply tapping them together. The ZX330BT also offer convenient hands-free calling with the built-in microphone, and allow users to return to music playback once a call is completed. The built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 30 hours of continuous, wireless music playback4, and the lightweight swivel on-ear design for easy portability, provides long-lasting comfort for listening to your favorite tracks for hours on end.
MDR-AS600BT Active Sports Wireless Earphones
Available March 2015 for $99.99
Ideal for an active sports lifestyle, the MDR-AS600BT earphones combine Bluetooth wireless audio streaming and NFC technology in a comfortable, water resistant design3, allowing users to sweat to the max without damaging the headphones. For a comfortable, precise and secure fit, the MDR-AS600BT comes with a variety of hybrid silicone earbuds and arc supporters.
A simple one-button control allows users to operate all basic controls including play, pause, select a track, adjust volume or even make/receive phone calls, all via the same multi-function button. The internal lithium-ion battery delivers up to 8.5 hours of continuous music playback4 and is easy to charge thanks to the supplied USB cable. The AS600BT wireless earphones will be available in both black and orange.
For more information, please visit www.sony.com/news.
1 Interoperability and compatibility among Bluetooth devices may vary.
2 Actual performance varies based on settings, environmental conditions and usage.
3 The water resistance specifications of this unit are equivalent to IPX4 and the unit cannot be used in water.
4 Actual performance varies based on settings, environmental conditions and usage.
According to the Billboard interview… Cube says… “The actors that we chose… They were just perfect matches for the group,” he says. “And this was a big concern of mine, I was just concerned that we would have a lot of Hollywood actors that you’ve seen trying to mold themselves into something.” In fact, playing Cube (born O’Shea Jackson) is son O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Cube continues… “You can go see Marvel superheroes and those kind of movies,” he says dismissively. “Or you can see the real superheroes, which is N.W.A. The N.W.A. story is just controversial no matter how you slice it… there’s always danger lurking in the midst of all this creativity and talent.”
According to TMZ… Geraldo attacked Simmons for spreading hip-hop culture which he believes cuts them off from mainstream jobs.
Simmons isn’t losing any sleep, telling TMZ Wednesday in Hollywood … “After losing, he needs to just talk to get himself relevant.”