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An interesting collection of ‘mid-rangers’ this week, as 3 of the 4 included artists are of the sort who regularly release material and frequently collaborate with big name artists, but don’t quite seem to have fully nailed down a spot in their respective lanes. There’s always plenty of talent floating around in that middle ground, and inevitably it’s where we find the next big stars: time will tell if any of these guys are to be that breakout artist.
2 posts to catch up on from the week gone by, with Mike Posner releasing his first project since his debut album, and The Weekend unleashing his first ever music video (I use that term loosely). Click below for this week’s goods.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 128
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Very slick video here from Asher for the probable lead single from his upcoming Is This Too Orange album.
A very eye-catching, visually engaging video, the track is taken into a new direction with this very unique visuals. Asher becomes part of a living comic and the production represents that with a nice blend of sharp colours and filters for an animated-style look on the whole video, whilst Asher plays the role extremely well throughout, with a variety of facial experessions and mannerisms enhancing his character. There are some good moments in the story itself too, a particular favourite being the ‘sharks in suits’ scene, clearly a thinly-veiled jab at the label problems Asher’s had in the years since his debut album.
Potentially a big hit for Asher, and the audio review can be read here, whilst the track is available on iTunes now.
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Better late than never eh? There are genuine reasons, but forget all of that rubbish: it’s here now, and that’s what counts.
No recap this week, so there’ll be none of your time wasted up here, and instead you can get to clicking below and grabbing new music from Akon, Lloyd and more.
To quote the mighty Brick Tamland, ‘OK, let’s go!’.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 103
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Superb artwork. A very solid music from this collaboration, and one that’s expected to be a single from Asher’s upcoming second album.
Asher and Akon have a good chemistry that meets somewhere in the middle of their respective styles: it’s not too poppy, but also doesn’t come on the slightly gritter hip-hop tip Asher’s been on at times recently. The result is an uplifting track that infuses a motivational vibe into every aspect, with a rousing hook from Akon accompanied by a lively production, and surrounded by some enjoyable flows from Asher. Accessible for the mainstream fans, but should also go down well with Asher’s backers.
Asher Roth-Last Man Standing ft. Akon
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When it matters, I’ll come through for you: 1 episode away from breaking all kinds of R&B records, and I’ve finally turned up on time. With this miracle taking place, what could I possibly serve up in next week’s edition to trump this? (great, I’ve just hyped something I haven’t come up with yet).
A few posts from the week gone by that will be of note: Skylar Grey’s superb live performance of Love The Way You Lie, Chris Brown’s latest set of energetic visuals, Diggy Simmons working with Bruno Mars for his mainstream single, an enormous 30-track official mixtape from T-Pain, and finally some fantastic visuals for The Foreign Exchange’s newest single.
Click below to be one step closer to greatness.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 99
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Lots of slow jams and collaborations in this week’s episode, some of which are certainly noteworthy not only for their lineup, but also as they’re potentially quite prominent singles from upcoming albums.
Recap from this week’s postings: a new Jagged Edge mixtape, Ryan Leslie’s latest video/single, visuals for J*Davey’s fantastic Raincheck, and finally a very unexpected UK-US collab between David Banner, Estelle and Daley.
Click below for the 97th instalment of R&B’s most revered institution.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 97
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Yeah, we’re delayed again. You’re all pretty much used to it now though. When we hit that 100th episode, I may just have to rename this to something a little less ‘day specific’…
Catch-up: delayed visuals for Usher’s More, the video for Yasmin’s Finish Line and an official remix, very enjoyable video for Musiq and Swizzy’s single, XV’s remix of Erin Christine’s Naked, and finally Wiz Khalifa jumps on a remix with Cee-Lo.
Lots of features and guest spots in this week’s episode, so get your mice at the ready and get clicking below.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 91
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Swizzy’s #MonsterMondays is a little confusing this week. It’s being labelled with a big Ruff Ryders Indy logo, and I’m not entirely sure what that’s meant to represent. There were rumblings a few months ago of a Ruff Ryders reunion, so I’m not sure where this fits in but there we are.
The track is pretty much everything you mainstream heads could want: catchy Akon hook, very energetic, club friendly production and simple verse work. I’m not really enjoying it as the beat seems stuck in that awkward spot between old school and modern, and hence comes off as a 1999-2001 era reject. It’s just too formulaic for my liking, but I expect the mainstream fans will enjoy it.
Mook, Jadakiss, Shella and Akon-Freaky
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Genuinely tried to get this out yesterday, but once again we suffered from a lack of material. I’ve managed to half fix that problem, though this is still a shorter episode than you’re probably used to.
However, there’s been lots of pop/R&B posted in the last week that may help fill that void: new Bruno Mars visuals, Willow Smith’s latest single, the announcement of an awesome 90s hip-hop and R&B night in Camden, a strong introduction to UK upcomer CleoSol, J.Lo and Pitbull’s latest collab, and finally some new Timbaland and Brandy.
Click below for the 90th instalment of the longest running weekly episodic ever.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 90
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Is it me, or is it taking pretty long to get to episode 100?! I feel like we’ve been in the 80s forever!
Either way, the R&B/pop keeps coming thick and fast with another well-proportioned episode for you this week. Four R&B-related OTU items for you from the week gone by: the latest video from the Dirty Money trio, the first mixtape offering from Dirty Money’s Dawn Richard, visuals for Sean Garrett and J. Cole’s collaboration, and finally the official remix of Chipmunk and Chris Brown’s collab, also featuring J. Cole.
Click on for music and a whole pile of related text.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 87
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All good things come to an end, and my recent run of posting these on time has been broken. The football fans out there will also note that another streak was broken today, but we are NOT getting into that.
A quick round-up from the week gone by: UK upcomer Talay Riley grabs Wretch 32 for a remix of his single, Timbaland’s latest weekly instalment, Trey Songz’s take on Chris Brown’s latest single, and finally a medley of incredible Michael Jackson covers from the fantastic Patrick Stump.
Lots of big names in this week’s episode, and many that will certainly catch your mainstream eyes. Click below for a sweet-smelling blast of R&B to your sweaty, sweaty face.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 86
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To me, the early hours of ‘Saturday’ count as Friday, so welcome to the first on-time R&B Friday in a few weeks!
Not a great deal to recap on this week, with the only notables being another official remix to Lloyd’s Lay It Down, and an all-British collaboration from Alesha Dixon and Jay Sean. However, it’s more than made up for with this week’s episode: with almost 20 tracks from the likes of Trey Songz, Pitbull and many more, there’s lots to enjoy and keep you going until next week.
Want some? Come get some.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 83
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Will R&B Fridays ever be on time? That’s the question.
I’ve more than compensated though, throwing in almost 20 tracks for you to enjoy this week. There’s no skimping on the big names either, as there are some strong contributions from some of the bigger stars in the R&B/pop world. No real recap this week as the music industry has all but shut down, though the Alicia Keys version of Devil In A New Dress is a must-download.
Click on for the first R&B Friday of 2011.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 81
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Yes, I know it’s Sunday but better late than never eh?
I’ll not waste too much time up here, so here’s the catch-up: great video from Jamie Foxx and Drake, a great cover from Ellie Goulding, Tinchy Stryder’s latest single, the newest visuals from Dirty Money’s album, a mixtape of all-new material from Sammie, Chrome’s debut solo single, and a big collaboration from Keri Hilson and J. Cole.
Let’s go. Click below for episode 79.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 79
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They’re back! The Lonely Island return with a hilarious effort, and keep the same formula as another worryingly good production is accompanied by laugh-out-loud lyrics. Akon seems to be having a great time and does exactly what T-Pain did on I’m On A Boat, poking a little fun at himself and the pop industry, and his famed vocals and background adlibs are put to good use (specifically ‘manuuuree!‘).
The video maybe isn’t as ‘immediately’ funny as their previous two ‘big’ tracks, but you’ll find more and more with each watch: parodying Katy Perry’s chest fireworks from the Firework video at the end is up there as a highlight! It’s got a few good cameos too, notably Jessica Alba (who looks awesome as usual), and John McEnroe. Welcome back guys!
Audio can, and should, be grabbed here.
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Interesting line-up here. Dre’s publicly praised Slim Da Mobster, and mentioned that he may get him on Detox, whilst Kobe enjoys co-signs from some of hip-hop’s biggest names, most notably the feature on Eminem’s most recent album. He also popped up almost 2 years ago on a supposed Detox reference track with T.I., and has a slew of other big features to his name.
Having said all that, I’m not entirely sure what part Kobe plays on this remix as the only addition I picked up was Slim’s verse, unless he’s a previously-unlisted feature for background vocals. Slim’s verse is decent though, and it’s probably worth grabbing just to get some exposure to his music, as I’ve not really heard much about him to date. Click here to see the official video for the original if you haven’t already, and here for the Game remix of the track.
Dr. Dre-Kush Remix ft. Slim Da Mobster, Akon, Kobe, Sly and Snoop Dogg
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The comeback is in full effect. It’s been 10 years in the making, but we’ve got some official visuals from Dre from the upcoming Detox album for his recently-released head-nodder Kush.
The video is everything you’d expect from both Dre and this style of song: lavish, extravagant and essentially a pretty huge party, with Dre typically calm amidst the chaos: With extravangance (and of course, kush!) being the theme of the track, the synergy between the two is perfect. Not too much to analyse otherwise, as Dre keeps it simple and effective for his return.
One aspect I like throughout the video is the lighting, as it really alters the feel of track throughout the various scenes. In particular, the futuristic light effects in the last 30 seconds are quite captivating and add an energetic vibe to the closing stages, in contrast to the more relaxed feel that seems to accompany Dre throughout the video. Audio for this can be grabbed here.
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When a rough version of this track leaked back in 2008, I was a pretty big fan of it, and this final version is even better. The 08 version didn’t really have many MJ vocals and was Akon-dominated, but it’s a nice duet here as Akon trades in the Autotune for a much more melodic style.
It’s an MJ track all over, with the feelgood vibes and positive outlook emanating throughout. The video plays on that superbly, with a simple mixture of youth and classic Michael Jackson concert footage furthering that blissful innocence to the point of tugging on your heartstrings. Definitely worth a watch, and certainly worth a listen. Be sure to grab that album next week.
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A little info from a fairly reputable source on Dre’s upcoming album. As of right now, the release date is early February 2011, although that will inevitably be delayed. I’d predict late March.
Features are rumoured to include Jay-Z (although not on Under Pressure, which is said to have been scrapped), La Roux (or just Elly Jackson), Game, Akon (on Kush, assumedly) and of course Snoop Dogg and Eminem. I personally expect there to be a few more features, probably from lesser-known artists, including Kendrick Lamar who he name-checked in an interview recently.
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Edit: Bringing this back to the top as it’s confirmed that Dre is pushing this as a single, click right here for the CDQ (production on this sounds utterly amazing now). Official artwork for the single to the left now too.
No, your eyes are not deceiving you: this is the rumoured first single from Dre’s mythical Detox album. After various leaks and reference tracks, we finally have a finished song intended for us to hear right now. First impressions? The beat on this is top class, much more like that classic Dr. Dre production we’re used to. The song itself is a little over the place though, with Akon fulfilling the Nate Dogg role, who unfortunately is in no condition to sing (or much else for that matter) due to a stroke.
I could play this track in my car for sure, and at the end of the day that is what you want from a Dre track, whether it compares to the hit singles from his 2001 album or not.
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The tracklist for the first (and probably not the last) posthumous album of unreleased MJ material.
1. Breaking News
2. Hold My Hand ft. Akon (A version of this leaked in 2008)
3. Hollywood Tonight
4. Keep Your Head Up
5. (I Like) The Way You Love Me
6. Monster ft. 50 Cent (What?!)
7. Best Of Joy
8. (I Can’t Make It) Another Day
9. Behind The Mask
10. Much Too Soon
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Lots of mainstream stuff this week, alongside a couple of surprise additions from the hip-hop world and the celebrity world.
R&B recap from the last week: Dirty Money’s new single, the first drop from Trey Songz’s new mixtape, Katy B’s latest video, Willow Smith’s television debut, Rihanna and Eminem’s latest collaboration, and Chrisette Michele’s new mixtape from earlier today. Also, soul heads should check out a great cover of Maxwell’s Pretty Wings, and a remix of Mayer Hawthorne’s No Strings.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 73
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Couple of finalised and mastered versions of tracks originally found in the two most recent R&B Fridays. The Akon track does benefit from being of a better quality, although it still does take time to get adjusted to it. Nicole’s track already had a big, atmospheric feel to it, despite the quality, and that is only increased and emphasised with the upscale in quality. It should be a pretty big single for her, so be sure to grab the better version.
Akon-Give It To ‘Em ft. Rick Ross
Nicole Scherzinger-Poison
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Over the last 70 episodes, we’ve delivered music from your favourite acts, introduced you to some new and exiciting ones, and of course given a new lease of life to otherwise forgotten artists. To celebrate that, I’ve ensured this week’s episode covers all of that ground nicely, to keep everyone satisfied.
Not much to recap on this week, besides two big video premieres from Rihanna and Lloyd. Click on to grab a chunky, 20+ track episode that’ll keep you going for a while.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 70
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Hopefully, this reaches you on time this week!
New singles from Keri and Rihanna headline this episode, along with plenty of other tracks from a range of talented artists. Before that, the customary recap: a great track from UK newcomer Talay Riley, Drake’s lead track from his upcoming mixtape, plenty of R&B-related artwork, and finally the official video for Keri Hilson’s Breaking Point.
Click on to get involved in this week’s episode.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 69
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I’m sure you can forgive me for this being a couple of days late: having no laptop sort of makes things a little difficult! Hence, I’ll not keep you too long out here in the cold and away from the R&B.
Whilst I’m told the pre-episode recaps are going down well, in the interests of time you can take care of it yourself for this week by clicking the R&B category at the top of this page, which should fill you in appropriately. Click on for this week’s episode.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 68
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Full of big names this week, with contributions from Trey Songz , the new single from Akon and more. You already know what’s coming next…let’s recap on the last week:
A great new track from Gyptian, visuals from Rydaz-N-Rtist, a snippet of Chris Brown’s upcoming work, Kelly Rowland’s latest video, and finally a raft of performances from the VMAs.
I’m very proud of this episode. I’m pretty happy with almost every track, and as a result it’s reduced down to around 15 tracks. Very digestable, and hence easy for you to give most of it a shot. Click on and agree with me, all of you. Thanks.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 66
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Lots of material in this episode, and plenty has already been released throughout the week.
To recap: Trey Songz’s latest visuals, Khalil’s debut visuals, the official single from the upcoming Foreign Exchange album, Cee-Lo’s anticipated F*** You video, a fantastic cover of Outkast’s Prototype, and finally a new Trey Songz and Drake collaboration.
Oddly, there are some huge hip-hop names making appearances in this episode. Click on to see what they’re doing hanging around these parts, and what everyone else is up to.
→ Continue Reading R&B Fridays: Episode 64
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