Cee Lo is one of those rare artists whose career in the music industry defies all reason. He’s approaching 40, black, round, and his most popular song to date is called “Fuck You.” While it’s true that he’s sold out ventured into more commercially palatable territory, my decade-plus fascination with him has not waned. He never ceases to entertain. So I thought it only fitting to compile, in no particular order, the top 5 reasons that I love Cee Lo.
1. This interview with Keri Hilson. Tell me he’s not the creepy uncle that hits on his nephews’ girlfriends at family outings!
2. He played Rollo Goodlove on the Boondocks. No further explanation needed.
3. He adds ridiculous amounts of comedic value to The Voice, including petting a fluffy white cat while critiquing contestants (the cat has its own Twitter account, by the way), crying regularly and wearing the Rollo Goodlove wig.
4. He had something to do with the creation of these songs:
Follow the Light
Trans DF Express
Transformer
Dro in Da Wind
Fool for You
5. He once looked like this:
And this (#FightOn):
This:
And This:
Seriously though, as much as Cee Lo’s antics (and outfits) are over the top, to me he’s always managed to ride that fine line of crazy without letting it overshadow his talent and amazing musical contributions. If Cee Lo is involved, you know you’re in for pure entertainment. How can you not love that!?
The awesome/creepy resurrection performance of the Tupac hologram left those at Coachella in awe and those on the internet buzzing about who they should hologram next. We, of course, had to add our two cents so we created a list of our own. Check it out:
Michael Jackson
Obviously a great pick. Nope, this is never going to be as awesome as the real man moonwalking his feet off back in his heyday, but it would still be pretty freakin awesome. You know you wanted to see the full This Is It Tour!!
Aaliyah
She was like some kind of angel on earth already when she was alive, so seeing her as a hologram would probably be more of a heart-string yank than anything else... but having her on a stage with Timbaland, Missy & Ginuwine would be the stuff dreams are made of.
Eazy-E
A rap legend who was huge before auto tuned rap and hashtag lyrics. NWA reunion?? Come on son! Matter of fact, can we just resurrect all of hip hop with a hologram?
Selena
A shining star who's life was cut too short. If her hologram could go on tour it would sell out shows everywhere. But I'm guessing J.Lo would vote no on this one.
Whitney Houston
#TooSoon? It doesn't matter--her talent was unparalleled and to see her on stage again performing Bodyguard-era jams in all their glory would be amazing.
Beyonce
Who says we can only hologram celebs that are no longer with us? I say they hologram Beyonce next. That way, the hologram can go on tour while Bey pops out a brother for baby Blu to make the nuclear family complete. I wonder what they'll call him….Black [Album] Hemlock? Okay, maybe it’s a stretch, but tell me you wouldn’t pay to witness that. If only holograms could learn to whip their hair….
In case you missed the Tupac hologram performance at Coachella here it is:
One of the best things to do as a kid was plunking your worry-free behind down in front of the TV and taking in entire buttloads of cartoons. What the hell else did you have to do, anyway? “Responsibilities” and “jobs” and “concerns” and “having enough money for food” were for stupid grownups to think about! Let’s go back to these days and get the “aw! I so remember that!” machine going with a look back at some of the best cartoons from our childhoods.
Listening to the theme song to Bobby’s World damn near brings a tear to the eye. Who could forget that cute kid with the ridiculous voice? Bobby was a tiny bodied huge headed child always jumping on his tricycle and going on adventures in his mind, (which at this age you would have to pay someone to give you a hallucinogen for). His mother was comedy gold, always punctuating every sentence with “dontcha know” or “fer cryin in the mud!” or “gee golly gosh!” in a heavy Midwestern accent. We love Bobby!
Say it with me – CH CH CH CHIP AND DALE! Rescue Rangers! Need we say more? The most adorably wonderful chipmunks ever imagined. And that lady mouse Gadget was smarter than all of them combined – although the gadgets she invented sometimes failed, you never saw Chip or Dale steppin' up. If you’re anything like me you want to sit back watch an entire episode of this and channel your inner 10 year old. Or if nothing else, you now will have CH- ch-chi-chip n dale! Stuck in your head for the rest of the day. So…you’re welcome.
They were Animaniacs. And they were zany to the max. Did you have any idea that freakin Steven Spielberg was behind this thing? And if you’ll dig way back into your childhood memory bank, Pinky & The Brain first originated on this show! What! Those two crazy bastards were plotting world domination eons before Stewie Griffin. Wakko Yakko and Dot, your shenanigans may be a bit blurry in our memories at our advanced age, but there’s no denying the warm and fuzzies associated with hearing your frenzied theme song.
OK, OK. So technically Jem ended in the late 80’s but I simply couldn’t ignore the rockstar with the pink hair. She’s truly, truly, TRULY outrageous! She had a singing girl group! She morphed from daytime blonde short hair Jem to nighttime crazy huge hair singing Jem with a touch of her earring! She had a sexy boyfriend! There was a rival girl group with equally crazy hair that constantly tried to steal her swag! Cat fights! Pink hair! OUTRAGEOUSNESS! Sigh. I wanted to be Jem at one point. I kinda still want to be Jem now.
Rugrats. The freakin Rugrats. No list of 90’s cartoons could be considered legit without them. Just saying the name makes your heart do a happy little somersault. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and even that little hellspawn Angelica were just the greatest bunch of “poopetrators” you’ve ever seen. Check out how fearless little Tommy was, hiking up that diaper and venturing into the… dun dun dun….NEXT YARD, to chase after his ball! If that’s not determination, I clearly don’t understand the definition of the word.
Dooo do doo do do do dooo do do do do. You know what I’m talkin about; I’m talk about DOUG, people! Doug Funnie was a shy, sensitive guy with a crazy imagination, a superhero alter ego named Quailman (seriously…a Quail?) a kickass little dog, Porkchop, friends like Skeeter whose skin colors ranged from green to pink, and a crush on a girl named Patti with an unfortunate last name.
Ren & Stimpy was completely f$*%d up. There’s no way around it. We watched it thinking it was a kid’s show and it really, really wasn’t. In fact, I kinda think I blame my distaste for Chihuahuas on Ren. Everything on this show was pretty vile, from the violence, to the gross outs, to the just, insane concepts. But it was somehow normal then, and by gosh we liked it. And they DID give us Happy Happy Joy Joy… Seriously watch this thing now as an adult…WTF IS THAT ANNOUNCER TALKING ABOUT and WHY is Ren slamming a hammer into his own head??!!...is Stimpy’s butt..exploding? If you watched this as a child and are a normal, functioning adult right now, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.
After a 15+ year career, Beyonce has left only one question about her abilities as an entertainer and artist: Is there anything she can’t do? She puts everything she has into all that she does, from her music to her performances to her clothing line to her fragrances to her picture perfect family. With the recent birth of her baby, Beyonce can add another accomplishment to her resume: being a mom. Seriously, Webster's should just stick a picture of Beyonce's face next to the word BOSS in the dictionary.
Despite constantly being in the public eye, Beyonce is just as notorious for her privacy as she is for her career. She kept her relationship with Jay-Z totally under wraps for years, and even managed to pull off a wedding without so much as a leaked picture of a tablecloth from the ceremony. But since Beyonce got pregnant, we're seeing a little more of her private life. She made a very public announcement of her impending bundle of joy by revealing her bump on stage at the MTV Awards, and while she never revealed a due date or confirmed her baby’s sex, she did reveal her name soon after birth and even shared some pics of the little Blue shortly after returning home. And now Beyonce is giving us even more of a glimpse into her world with the launch of her Tumblr account. She chose to reveal pictures from her personal collection, including some with her equally Boss husband, her sister, and her nephew. She even included a couple videos, with a highlight being the one where she stood barefoot and pregnant in front of a tree and said it was a blue ivy.
Clearly, everything that Beyonce does is carefully strategized and has a specific purpose for her brand; and with this Tumblr, it's clear she is trying to give her ravenous fans a little more of a taste of Beyonce, the human being – not Bey the part-human-part-R&B-demigod we see on the stage all the time. And obviously, we can’t get enough. Her MTV Awards reveal garnered her Twitter’s top tweets-per-second record and we can only imagine what kind of crazy traffic her new Tumblr is getting. The site says she will continue to share pictures via the blog. And really, since she is so famously private, it feels a lot like getting a look behind the Great and Powerful Oz's curtain or something. I gotta hand it to Bey (...again...), she made this choice to share some things with the public, and she's doing it on her damn terms and as she damn well pleases. Shocker – Beyonce wins again.
It’s being said that her four year anniversary with Jay (which was April 4) spurred her to do this. Whatever the reason, I think it's a great move. She's so larger than life – it's easy to forget she is an actual person, not some perfect singing, dancing cyborg. Getting a little peek into the world she lives in off the stage is pretty cool. It will be interesting to see if this means another evolution of the brand of Beyonce. Motherhood softening you up, Bey? Keep it coming – we love it!
When you think about women in Hollywood you probably get an image in your head of a woman in a long flowing evening gown, draped in jewelry and posed on a red carpet. This is because the majority of women in the entertainment industry have a place on the red carpet, but not many seek a place among the shot-callers of Hollywood. According to an annual report by the Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television at San Diego State University, women comprised 18% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films in 2011. 18%. That’s it. In an industry that is all about creativity and conveying emotion, you would think there would be more women running the show. So, what is it about Hollywood that compels so many women to transform, inspire and shine on screen, but so few to do the same from behind the camera?
To get a little insight into this I spoke with Hollywood veteran Troy Byer Bailey. As an African-American woman, the success that Troy has enjoyed as a director, writer, and producer is extremely rare. Throughout her career she has worked with everyone from Francis Ford Coppola, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry to Prince. Troy got her start at 4-years-old as a child actress on Sesame Street. That’s right; she was part of the original cast that chilled with Big Bird. She then went on to secure roles on other huge productions like Dynasty and The Cosby Show. Her success as an actress was growing, but she made the switch to being a content creator and wrote her first screenplay, B*A*P*S*, which ended up being the first starring role for Halle Berry. While Byer didn’t give up acting completely, she did begin to focus on other talents, like writing and directing. She wrote and directed Love Don’t Cost A Thing, Let’s Talk About Sex and wrote for the TV series Soul Food. Some may wonder why Troy would choose to leave the limelight and move behind the scenes, but Troy says “Acting wasn’t going the way I wanted. I had other interests. I wanted to transform.”
This from a woman who managed to transform time and again for millions to see, on the set of classic films like The Five Heartbeats (a personal favorite) as Baby Doll, Eddie Cane Jr.’s faithful wife, and in huge blockbusters like John Q. But Troy had caught the writing and directing bug. She says her love for directing started as early as on the set of Sesame Street, “I especially loved sitting on the cameraman's chair and learning how to shoot the various scenes.” But why don’t more little girls dream of growing up and directing movies? According to the same study by San Diego State, the number of women working behind the scenes on the top 250 domestic grossing films increased by only 2 percentage points from 2010 to 2011. Although the numbers seem to reflect a boy’s club atmosphere that may shut out an African-American woman, Troy says that she never encountered any discrimination. “I haven’t had any trouble getting stuff out there. Do your own thing. If people like it they will accept it. Those lines are getting blurred and dissolving in the sand.”
While choosing to take a more authoritative role in the creative process made Troy an anomaly, it didn’t make things easy. She says that the version of B*A*P*S* she wrote didn’t end up on screen. Influences from director Robert Townsend altered Troy’s original vision, making it more of a “buffoonish” comedy rather than the empowering message that Troy had intended. “The Black American Princess is me… It’s you,” she explains, “There is a lot of value in comedic relief, but what is more important: success or authentic representations?” Troy’s struggle to have her genuine portrayals of women translate on screen has become her mission. She is now interested in telling only remarkable and diverse stories, like Girls of Summer, a film she has in the works about the first African American female basketball league and Ex Free, a film based on a book she wrote about recovering from heartbreak. Hopefully, with the recent success of other female writers and directors like Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker) and Melissa Rosenberg (Twilight), female writers and directors like Troy will enjoy more creative freedom. More female directors means that more of our stories will be told.
After literally growing up in the Hollywood limelight (Whoopi Goldberg was her babysitter and Alvin Ailey her next door neighbor) and moving on to writing and directing, Troy has seen it all. So what does she have to say to other women thinking about making moves behind the scenes in entertainment? “Have a plan. My downfall was I was constantly waiting for someone else to validate my existence as an actress. It took me a long time to realize that I am the only one who can validate my existence, and if I wanted to exist then I would have to create.”
Troy’s plan is definitely one to model a career after. She now writes books and screenplays in addition to being a public speaker and radio personality. She says that directing is still her favorite part of the business, “I love working with actors, creating a color palette for the film, working with set and costume designers, the director of photography and overall the collaborative process of directing. It's fun being a part of a team committed to creating a specific vision.”
It’s wonderful to hear of anyone in Hollywood--male or female--striving to create diverse and unique material. Because of her mission alone I consider Troy a success. She, on the other hand, has other ideas, “I never want to feel like I've made it, I've arrived, [and] this is it. I love Steve Jobs' quote; ‘Stay Hungry! Stay Foolish!’ That being said, I am proud to live as a Starving Fool!”
These days it’s hard to hear the artist behind the synthesizer. As a gal who can appreciate a good beat, I love it when I can wade through all of the instrumentals and tune into a nuanced and talented voice. This is absolutely the case with Maia Vidal. Unfortunately, you might not know this name. Vidal’s Indie Folk sound has become extremely popular overseas, particularly in Europe. Vidal has an amalgam of international influences. She’s of French and Japanese heritage, spent most of her childhood in New York and now resides in Barcelona, Spain. As such, her sound has French and Latin undertones. It’s difficult to pinpoint a similar artist, but her sound most nearly resembles Florence and the Machine or Frou Frou.
Vidal’s new album, God is My Bike was released in January of 2012. Her sound is a bit like jumping down a rabbit’s hole. She uses an array of instruments including but not limited to, violins, accordions, percussion and toy instruments. At only 23 years of age it appears as though Vidal has had a rich experience. The melody of each song reflects the playfulness of a young girl, but their content is clearly the testament of woman who’s learned much from the world. “Alphabet of My Phobias,” addresses Vidal’s attempt to let go of every one of her fears, which are generally issues that plague the world, in order to truly live. My favorite of her 12 tracks is “Follow Me.” The song details the life of a woman who’s grown comfortable dating after being on the losing end of love affair. I’m drawn to it for its feministic implications. One verse, “you probably think she’s being bad or that she’s going straight to hell. But this is just a girl who wants, who’s not afraid to help herself,” seems to encourage women to take what they want without fear of judgment. And despite the context of the song, this thought can apply to almost any situation.
Some tracks like, “Le Tango de la Femme Abandonee,” are sung completely in French. They are a welcome departure from her English language tracks. The cadence and dictation of each word are just as beautiful as her voice. Vidal’s performance is such that she communicates the intention and feeling of the song, even if you don’t understand the language.
If you’re interested in taking a melodic adventure, then Vidal’s music is a great place to start. She has yet to release her album in the U.S., so consider this an inside tip. Until then, you can enjoy her unique sound below and here: www.maiavidal.com.
When you think about women in Hollywood you probably get an image in your head of a woman in a long flowing evening gown, draped in jewelry and posed on a red carpet. This is because the majority of women in the entertainment industry have a place on the red carpet, but not many seek a place among the shot-callers of Hollywood. According to an annual report by the Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television at San Diego State University, women comprised 18% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films in 2011. 18%. That’s it. In an industry that is all about creativity and conveying emotion, you would think there would be more women running the show. So, what is it about Hollywood that compels so many women to transform, inspire and shine on screen, but so few to do the same from behind the camera?
To get a little insight into this I spoke with Hollywood veteran Troy Byer Bailey. As an African-American woman, the success that Troy has enjoyed as a director, writer, and producer is extremely rare. Throughout her career she has worked with everyone from Francis Ford Coppola, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry to Prince. Troy got her start at 4-years-old as a child actress on Sesame Street. That’s right; she was part of the original cast that chilled with Big Bird. She then went on to secure roles on other huge productions like Dynasty and The Cosby Show. Her success as an actress was growing, but she made the switch to being a content creator and wrote her first screenplay, B*A*P*S*, which ended up being the first starring role for Halle Berry. While Byer didn’t give up acting completely, she did begin to focus on other talents, like writing and directing. She wrote and directed Love Don’t Cost A Thing, Let’s Talk About Sex and wrote for the TV series Soul Food. Some may wonder why Troy would choose to leave the limelight and move behind the scenes, but Troy says “Acting wasn’t going the way I wanted. I had other interests. I wanted to transform.”
This from a woman who managed to transform time and again for millions to see, on the set of classic films like The Five Heartbeats (a personal favorite) as Baby Doll, Eddie Cane Jr.’s faithful wife, and in huge blockbusters like John Q. But Troy had caught the writing and directing bug. She says her love for directing started as early as on the set of Sesame Street, “I especially loved sitting on the cameraman's chair and learning how to shoot the various scenes.” But why don’t more little girls dream of growing up and directing movies? According to the same study by San Diego State, the number of women working behind the scenes on the top 250 domestic grossing films increased by only 2 percentage points from 2010 to 2011. Although the numbers seem to reflect a boy’s club atmosphere that may shut out an African-American woman, Troy says that she never encountered any discrimination. “I haven’t had any trouble getting stuff out there. Do your own thing. If people like it they will accept it. Those lines are getting blurred and dissolving in the sand.”
While choosing to take a more authoritative role in the creative process made Troy an anomaly, it didn’t make things easy. She says that the version of B*A*P*S* she wrote didn’t end up on screen. Influences from director Robert Townsend altered Troy’s original vision, making it more of a “buffoonish” comedy rather than the empowering message that Troy had intended. “The Black American Princess is me… It’s you,” she explains, “There is a lot of value in comedic relief, but what is more important: success or authentic representations?” Troy’s struggle to have her genuine portrayals of women translate on screen has become her mission. She is now interested in telling only remarkable and diverse stories, like Girls of Summer, a film she has in the works about the first African American female basketball league and Ex Free, a film based on a book she wrote about recovering from heartbreak. Hopefully, with the recent success of other female writers and directors like Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker) and Melissa Rosenberg (Twilight), female writers and directors like Troy will enjoy more creative freedom. More female directors means that more of our stories will be told.
After literally growing up in the Hollywood limelight (Whoopi Goldberg was her babysitter and Alvin Ailey her next door neighbor) and moving on to writing and directing, Troy has seen it all. So what does she have to say to other women thinking about making moves behind the scenes in entertainment? “Have a plan. My downfall was I was constantly waiting for someone else to validate my existence as an actress. It took me a long time to realize that I am the only one who can validate my existence, and if I wanted to exist then I would have to create.”
Troy’s plan is definitely one to model a career after. She now writes books and screenplays in addition to being a public speaker and radio personality. She says that directing is still her favorite part of the business, “I love working with actors, creating a color palette for the film, working with set and costume designers, the director of photography and overall the collaborative process of directing. It's fun being a part of a team committed to creating a specific vision.”
It’s wonderful to hear of anyone in Hollywood--male or female--striving to create diverse and unique material. Because of her mission alone I consider Troy a success. She, on the other hand, has other ideas, “I never want to feel like I've made it, I've arrived, [and] this is it. I love Steve Jobs' quote; ‘Stay Hungry! Stay Foolish!’ That being said, I am proud to live as a Starving Fool!”
Dearest Rihanna,
OK, your name is on everyone’s lips these days – which was obviously the goal here. You’re so popular right now that you have everyone from Billboard.com to...well, me, writing you letters. And really, can you blame us all for clamoring to talk some sense into you? After watching you subliminally tweet love/relationship mumbo-jumbo to your ex, Chris Brown, the past few months and then “randomly” show up at the same spots as him, even though he “has a girlfriend” we knew something was up. And then boom. Your birthday hits and you and Chris drop a sex-charged remix to Birthday Cake and Turn Up The Music. Girl. Oh girl. I know you love to flaunt that #IDGAF attitude and make your own rules, but let’s just stop and talk it out for a second.
It’s one thing for you to be cool with Chris. Hell, it’s really not ANY of our business if you guys are behind the scenes messing around again… that’s your life. *Side eye* Hell, we might have even just given a Kanye shrug if you chose to collaborate with him again… on a “Can’t we all get along/ Heal the world/ Kumbaya” type of song. But the subject matter and lyrics you two specifically chose on these two little musical gems have left us a bit flabbergasted. Featuring lyrics from him like, “It's been a long time, I been missing your body...” and from you like, “remember how you did it? If you still wanna kiss it, come and get it” on Birthday Cake and then seemingly outta freakin nowhere singing “I love you baby” in the middle of the frenzied dance remix of Turn Up The Music… I just can’t. While I happen to think that both songs are actually pretty good, they probably should have stayed in the private stash. In my opinion, you’re just being irresponsible right now.
I know I know. You never asked to be a role model. You literally just turned 24. You’re young, you’re beautiful, you’re talented, you’re in the spotlight. And you happen to have been a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of someone you loved a whole hell of a lot. As blessed as you are, that’s really a lot to handle in front of an insatiable audience. And we know the statistics; women who have been abused often stay in these toxic relationships way too long. But you’re doing it on a worldwide stage. Remember that 20/20 interview you did post-incident where you said you couldn’t live with the thought of young girls looking up to you and thinking it’s okay to go back to someone who abused them because you did? What happened to that? I can’t judge you for your struggle with still loving this dude, but to rub your lack of tenacity and strength in our faces with this over the top Birthday Cake Remix? Kind of a slap in the face. Those young girls are still there, obsessing over your every move, and here you are talking about banging your ex who beat the crap out of you a few years ago. It’s one thing to forgive and move on…. It’s quite another to be so reckless with the message you’re sending to the masses. You didn’t NEED to throw this remix out there to show us you do whoever whatever the hell you want. What are you trying to prove, exactly?
Whether this is some marketing ploy cooked up by the powers that be who run your careers to generate drama/headlines or two young lovebirds trying to have fun and throw their middle fingers up to the world, it’s left a lot of people mighty disappointed. Abuse is a serious matter. That man could have killed you. Like it or not, people do not forget this stuff and a part of being famous is having your every move scrutinized. #TeamBreezy and #RihannaNavy are groups of notoriously young, impressionable, obsessive fans, and a part of the package you signed up for was to be a sort of role model to them. The subject matter of your music makes it pretty clear you’re not interested in showing young girls a prim and proper way to live – BUT collaborating on a sex song with your abusive ex is a whole other level of WTF. All this being said, I think the vast majority of people are going to let it slide this time. Some are even cheering for you to rekindle the old flame for real. But with your talent, beauty, and style you don’t need to do crap like this to sell records and get attention. More than a “Rude Girl,” audiences are looking for a woman who can learn from her past and become a stronger person. (See Adele.) We know celebs are humans with their own faults and everyone makes mistakes. You don’t have to answer to us on that. But when it comes to what you’re filling the airwaves with? Try a little less “F#*$ YOU!” and a little more “I have a good head on my shoulders” and you will not only get more record sales, you’ll get more respect.
Sincerely,
A conflicted member of the #RihannaNavy
It's no secret that I'm a lover of soul music. Growing up in my household it was everywhere--singing along to Stevie Wonder, the Temptations or even Janis Joplin with my mom... Rocking out to the Stones or Hendrix with my dad. Almost everything was rooted in gospel and blues, with just the right amount of "fonk" tossed in. So it's no surprise that when I thought about my favorite albums of 2011--no matter what genre they fall under--I realized that they are all by artists with a heavy soul influence. These artists' music embodies this mix of rhythm and blues and evokes a sense of realness that can't be denied. So without further adieu, here are my top 5 albums of 2011:
Adele - 21
All I have to say here is: 21. The fact that the (now 23-year-old) songstress put together an album with so much depth and lyrical maturity at 21 years old still blows my mind. Couple that with it being a (beyond) commercial success: top album on the Billboard charts for weeks, singles for days, amazing sales in a down market, multiple Grammy nods--this no doubt finds its way to the top of many lists this year.
From the album opener, Rolling in the Deep--what Adele describes as a, "dark, bluesy, gospel, disco tune"--to Someone Like You, she pours her raw emotions into the album. You're taken on a ride with a young woman going through a devastating breakup, from the initial shock, to bitterness, to finally coming to terms with the relationship's ending. It's a theme that I can relate to, and, apparently, so can the rest of the world.
Kendrick Lamar - Section 80
I officially fell in love with Kendrick when I heard him spit on Overly Dedicated. I couldn't imagine how he could release an album that could top, or even serve as a decent follow-up to that EP. And while I still personally prefer OD to Section 80, it still makes one of my top albums of 2011. I've spoken on him before, and for good reason. One of the up-and-coming artists that's really caught my eye, his work portrays his masterful blend of rapper/artist/Gen Y representative/activist/LA kid/"human mothaf***in being."
While this effort is definitely more commercially palatable than his EPs, his hunger hasn't waned. His signature writing style, delivery and soulful influences shine through, and leave me excited for what's to come from this young Compton native.
Beyonce - 4
Oh, Bey. I'm teased constantly for being such a Beyonce fan, but how can you really blame me? Always flawless, vocally sound and the definition of a true entertainer, she manages to keep us on our toes--a difficult feat when you fall into more of a mainstream "pop" lane. This album, however, hearkens back to the R&B lean that made us fall in love with Miss Beyonce Knowles in the first place. This album covers the gamut of emotions felt in relationships, from break ups to working through complications, to finally having your Love on Top. And having Andre 3000 as the sole feature on the album officially elevated it to boss status.
Jill Scott - The Light of the Sun
Jill Scott to me is the personification of feminine strength. She has a way of laying herself open on each and every album, yet still maintaining a strength and a boldness that is unmatched. I was lucky enough to be invited to her album release showcase back in May, where she further brought the album to life. Rife with female anthems and ish-talking (with love), she put together a piece that makes it easy for women, young and old, to relate. The Light of the Sun portrays a woman that has been hurt, that has been burned by love, but has managed to grow in wisdom, still recognizing her blessings and appreciating her "Rolling Hills." What more can you ask for?
Feist - Metals
I loved Feist's album so much that I've already written a full album review. As with the other women on this list, Leslie Feist explores love and relationships, but she does so with a dark, lurching tone. Her style is folksy and impassioned, and displays her unique, personal brand of soulfulness. It came as no surprise to me that "Metals" was recorded in an ad hoc studio she set up in a house in Big Sur. Far from your average studio album, the fully developed, multi-faceted project is a departure from her earlier, more pop-influenced albums--and a refreshing one at that.
So that rounds out my top 5 albums of 2011. What made your list? Let me know in the comments below!
December 19, 2011
If you were anywhere near The Staples Center last week you may have felt the electric vibes in the air. Kanye West and Jay-Z were in town for the Watch the Throne concert, and of course the expectations were at an all-time high for these two rap kings since they were sharing the stage here in LA. But with no opening act, no guest appearances, and only a hidden three piece band, Kanye West and Jay-Z toned it down in some respects for their show on December 12th. And while they cut back on a few bells and whistles they somehow still managed blow our collective minds.
The show started off as two massive square pillars rose up with the dueling rappers on opposite sides of the arena. They went H.A.M to start the show and everyone in the stands went crazy. Videos of sharks and other beasts began to play at the bottom of the video pillars. Flames shot out from the stage along with an incredible laser light show, as the duo kicked off with arguably one of the most high intensity moments of the concert.
Transitioning back to the main stage, they performed tracks from the Watch the Throne album along with their other classic hits. From Jay’s now nostalgic Big Pimpin and Kanye’s All Falls Down to the newly iconic Otis, Kanye and Jay took us on a journey through their amazing catalogues. They alternated between performing together and solo. Between Kanye’s brash, emotional performances and Jay’s consistent and deliberate delivery, they created this dichotomy that was mesmerizing to watch. You watched Kanye West not knowing what was going to happen next, and you watched Jay-Z knowing that whatever he did it was going to be amazing.
It was obvious that they put a lot of thought into selecting the barrage of hits for this show. The music had an empowering undertone and kept everyone amped. You knew you were going to walk out of there feeling like you were the Sh**. Message driven songs like Jesus Walks and Made in America were backdropped with elaborate slide shows of images from the civil rights movement and Ku Klux Klan. And crowd pleasers like Jigga What, Jigga Who, Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Stronger and All of the Lights made the crowd go wild. At one point Kanye told everyone to take off their shirts and wave them in the air and many happily complied.
Jay-Z and Kanye West maintained the theme of “We can do whatever the hell we want” throughout the show. One of my favorite moments was when they both sat down on the stage stairs to perform Hard Knock Life and still managed to rock the stadium. Then there was the moment at the start of All of the Lights where Kanye demanded that the song restart four times until the lights were just the way he wanted and the crowd was singing along correctly. Oh, and then there was the kilt. Leave it to Mr. Can’t-Tell-Me-Nothing to take to the stage wearing a pleated, leather kilt. Oh, Kanye. He also stood atop a video pillar for a good ten minutes self-indulgently singing, “If you’re with the one you love hold on to them” over and over. And of course by now, you’ve heard about how the duo performed N***as in Paris repeatedly to close the show. And when I say “repeatedly” I mean nine times. The energy built every single time the opening music began. The audience sang along to every word every damn time. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I don’t think there is another act out there, in ANY genre that could pull this stuff off and keep the audience begging for more.
These two rappers are enjoying the heights of success and the satisfaction of working with a friend and fellow superstar. But what’s next for this duo? Will they make more albums together or go back to solo projects? Even though we all enjoyed what The Hollywood Reporter calls the “crazy-charming bromance” of these two on stage, we know there is only seating for one on the throne.... Right?
made woman everywhere
Home | Style | Relationships | Business | Current | Entertainment | Disclaimer