GHANA MUST NOT GO!

Heya peeps, just a quick one to end the day. I wanted to share with you a fantastic advert I saw this evening whilst watching the X Factor auditions. Cadbury's have made another 'Glass and a Half Full Productions' campaign. LOVES IT... Really and truly, it represents where I come from GHANA! I think it's about time different cultures were represented on our TV screens plus, the amount of Cocoa Ghana produces is to a great extent that farmers don't often see a penny. Who knows if some do or don't but the underlying messages it's saying to support Fairtrade.



Well I hope Fairtrade do as it says on the tin. I pretty much have a confident idea who the ad agency for this one is. Like the fact they are celebrating Ghana, is and widely known to produce fine African music in our culture. Looks like something I can consult for them if they continue to promote Ghanaian artists eh? I know quite a few!

Have a look! Don't let the tribal head or skank scare ya!

JAY-Z: BP3 Review

The time has finally come Mr Jigga, Hova or whatever he like to call himself to plaster the world his new creation. I must admit, I have been very excited about this release as there was a possiblility that this album may be a... FLOP! The marketing campaign has been crazy, first the Rhapsody ad and then 'The Making of The BP3 album cover' NUTS! You know you are major when people are creating crazy concepts for your next release. LOVES IT!

To cut to the chase my favourite track is 'Empire State of Mind' such a big tune! Makes you want to jump on the plane to NYC. NOT JUMP ON THE STAGE @ the VMA's - Lil' Mama is not my style. Who flipping asked her? Jay had a face like he smelt something bad, ha! PRICELESS COMEDY! Alicia Keys was the perfect feature for this track. Other favourite tracks include - 'Off That' ft. Drake (good club/car banger), 'Already Home' ft.Kid Cudi, 'Venus vs. Mars' (Beat is siiiiiiick - I LOVE TIMBO!), 'Hate' ft. K Weezy and 'Ambitious' ft. Pharrell. Whenever Neptunes and Jay collaborate it always turns out well, there's not one track they've done together thats ever been disappointing. As for K-crazy West, he is still a talented producer and does not disappoint delivering his contributed tracks.



Besides the controversy regarding his association with the Freemasons, I listen to the beats thats what I thrive from. I don't pay attention to lyrics as those close to me know already (when I sing or recite lyrics - I get it so wrooooong).

It's such a shame I'm not at the Roundhouse to see him tonight :( A few individuals are blasting on facebook and twitter that they're there! Maaaayne I wish I was going, unfortunately I couldn't get a ticket due to tickets - SOLD IN 9 MINUTES! Oh well... One day I'll meet him... probably strategise his album when he's 52 or something. To end here's one of my favourite tracks 'Show Me What You Got', pretty surprised Just Blaze didn't get a look in for BP3, one of Hip Hop's favourite producers right?



My verdict - BP3: 8/10

DOES IT TAKE YOU BACK?

U-U-UKKKK! As well as the rising artists that are emerging and becoming stars in their own right, I'm taking you back to 2003. For some reason I thought this song was seriously aaaaages ago but it's not that long. Let me introduce Fallacy and Fusion BIG UP! Where are you these days Fusion, hit me up!



BIG TUNE! I swear I'm breaking my neck to this!

RANDOM ISH!!

My, my... What a mess. Why oh why must a woman in this mental state be made a laughing stock! I must admit I did crack up a little, but after I was disturbed. It's so messed up, but what I'm trying to get at is that there are videos of random 'crack-heads' who need help doing nonsense and it's seen as a 'FUNNY'. If I saw a relative like this it wouldn't be funny so why laugh when it's not our close one? What do you make of this randomness?



Blog ya!

BLUEEEEEY!

Ahh this boy... I tell ya. The UK serious need to watch out. I am definitely a girl's girl all for my sisters 'n all but, it's been a while that the UK have seen a black/mixed raced young male create waves and a buzz in the music circuit. Bluey Robinson is the name the young gentleman goes by... and thats a name I think will stick to mind.

Bluey performed about 5 songs at the Hoxton Bar and Kitcthen last night, funny I went on my own. I hardly do this but to be honest it has it's benefits, I'm quite sociable so I got chatting to a couple of folks there. Actually couldn't be asked to go with anyone, sometimes people are long so I just go and do my own thing. It was such a good turnout, totally packed the place out, saw a few industry folks in there. Even a bunch of lasses came from Hastings to see him. Dedication or what?



Currently looked after Next Selection - Ryan Leslie's company whos expanding his media mogul-self in the UK. His last track for the night was the MJ classic 'Rock With You' which he did justice by with his smooth moves. Seems like a humble guy, with a good head on his shoulders and pretty much enjoys what he does. He has a mad following, various videos on YouTube where he performs around NYC (including the train platforms there) good ploy right?

When I found he wasn't signed I was... 'WTF! A&R's hurry up, whats with the longness?' But you know how the game goes... HOWEVER, I have a feeling I know who'll sign him... I'll wait in time to reveal just whom to confirm I was right. An A&R said to me he has someone up his sleeve but wanted to keep it a surprise. We'll see :)

Please enjoy his debut single 'I Know' on video (good quality right? ) BIG track and very touching live-o. Released on 28th September.

GO GET IT, SUPPORT UK TALENT!

HIPPITY-HIPPITY-HOP

Ello, ello my fellow bloggers! How's all today, on this blessed Monday morning? Monday mornings are always a hit or miss for me. Have a great attitude, however I just don't like being welcomed by PCN's - Penalty Notice Charge. I did expect it because I accidently drove on the Congestion zone but c'mon not on a Monday morning, at least Wednesday! EVIL I say, EVIL! Anyway, thats my little rant for the morning but I'm blessed.

My sentiment for today is my favourite subject music but genre Hip-Hop. My journey with Hip-Hop has been quite here and until say November 2008. When I heard Q-Tip's 'The Renaissance' was to be released, I was absolutely suprised but I was quite confident that he was going to deliver a fantastic record. The man is a legend, so there was no way that this album was a flop. From that point, the research started kicking in, looked into his previous album 'Amplified' and the renowned 'A Tribe Called Quest' catalogue thats when I remembered the old school tunes like 'Stressed Out', 'Can I Kick It', well the hit singles.

Thats all I knew, I didn't buy albums then - I was too young and listening to Capital Radio too often! This has lead me to work my way backwards of particular Hip-Hop artists in all of forms not just conscious, but includes mainstream (good mainstream) or gangsta rap, and of course alternatives.

I went to an event @ Cargo (Shoreditch) held by Doctor's Orders who usually hold DJ nights playing a whole catalogue of one of my favourite producers - J Dilla. It may sound cliche but he really did make me fall in love with Hip-Hop! Honestly, when I was t that event... I was in some subliminal state, despite the rammedness it was absolutely... there's no word to describe it. Despite J Dilla's death, it was about celebrating his life and the musical genius in him. After that event I went on another research rampage, discovering his sick beats as well as the featured artists I really love the instrumentals the most. My ear really takes to J Dilla's instumentals, particularly the bassline, chord structures and classic samples he experiments with are QUALITY. I'm just glad I have a collection of his catalogue, his work inspires me - I call them Hip-Hop's jewels forget flipping Flo Rida. The irony is his album is called 'R.O.O.T.S' what a joke,what the hell is organic about his album!?

Dilla's younger brother Illa J and alternative producer on Warp Records Flying Lotus share similar composition styles as him but his brother is much closer to keep his trilogy. Whereas Flying Lotus has an eccentric and innovative twist to his music, I literally can't put it in any category. Let's just say the main charactersitics with all of them are jazz and syncapated rhythms.

Hip Hop is not always agressive, not always too masculine, not always degrading. Many are true talk, intellectual, articulate and chilled out. Have a listen to my Spotify playlist, you'll love it, for those who are open-minded - http://open.spotify.com/user/aries84/playlist/7qHYKNQ5kkc5rDQ3Dl52SH

So many artists like Jean Grae, UNDERRATED... Talib Kweli, UNDERRATED... HI-TEK, UNDERRATED... Stacey Epps... UNDERRATED I could go on but this is what I call GOOD MUSIC, trust me. Which is why I want to start DJ-ing, most bate places don't play the tunes I want to hear and it gets boring. So watch out folks before you know it, I may have a debut event... FIRST I need to buy me some decks and practise!

In the meantime enjoy this by Illa J -'Timeless'.

My chale bloggers, LATER!