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Pop Rock Nation

Category: News

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  • Ne-Yo Wants Usher To Focus

    The latest from MTV.com is that Usher’s going to drop a new album next year. But what about Here I Stand, which dropped in late May just this year? Personally, I thought the album was above average, but lacked that extra Usher something. Money Mike and I discussed this when we talked about commercial R&B in 2008.

    Usher says that Ne-Yo will be a part of the new project and Ne-Yo had a lot to say about Usher’s latest work.

    Well, I was one of the first people to tell Usher, personally, that I didn’t think he was focused on the album … on Here I Stand. I don’t think his focus was in the right place. And I’m a dude, and that’s my personal opinion and I’m entitled to it, and he respected that I kept it real with him about that. I think that this time around … It’s not so much that I think Here I Stand was a bad record, it just wasn’t the Usher that we remembered. I mean, that joint [Confessions] right there went 10-15 million worldwide, so it was going to be difficult to come back from that anyway. So I just think he’s gotta get back to what he knows, which is to get out there and make ’em dance — entertain them at the end of the day. Like, it seems like he had a lot to say, almost like he had something to prove with the Here I Stand record. Like a different dude now: ‘I got a family now, and this is who I am.’ As opposed to before, when it was about, ‘I’mma get up and entertain y’all. I’m gonna sing songs that got something to say, but at the same time, I’m gonna entertain y’all.’ And I think he just needs to get back there. And I think that’s where he’ll wind up.

    To shorten what he said, it sounds to me that he just didn’t think the album was hot, no matter what the themes were. And I think that’s what I was getting at. Musically, Here I Stand was fine. But it wasn’t hot. There wasn’t anything on that record that made you stand up and listen.

    But what Ne-Yo didn’t say was that he made the album Usher was striving for. If you haven’t heard to Year Of The Gentleman, check it out. It’s a more maturely written record on the relationships vibe than Usher’s was.

    Photo by monstershaq2000 shared via creative commons

  • Not Necessarily The News – JT, Madonna, And Brit

    Simon Gives Up The Loot
    In an update to what I posted last weekend, Mike’s main man Perez Hilton had a story on his site about the $9 million dollar thank you gift Simon Cowell gave his now ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour, who broke up with him because he didn’t want to get married. Everyone wants to be an American Idol. I want to be a Simon Cowell.

    Lionel Wants To Dance On The Ceiling Again
    E! Online says that Lionel Richie is working with Ne-Yo and Akon for a track on his new album that’s due out in February. While Lionel should probably act his age, his 2006 song I Call It Love featuring Taj Jackson was actually a pretty good song. Check out the video with daughter Nicole.

    Madonna Gets Justin And Britney To Share The Stage, Just Not Together
    This is another story from E! Online. Justin and Britney both were guest stars of Madonna’s on her tour which stopped at Dodger Stadium. Brit helped her out with Human Nature while JT was with her for 4 Minutes. But they weren’t on the stage together. Maybe next time.

    No To Jermaine But Yes To London?
    Billboard.com has this last bit about MJ possibly performing in London at the O2 Arena. Like I said last time, I’ll believe it when it comes out of MJ’s mouth.

  • A “Last Dragon” Remake? Sho-Nuff!!!

    Those of you who grew up in the Eighties (at least those of us darker than cardboard) have fond memories of the Motown film The Last Dragon. This latter-day kung-fu flick was cheesier than a Domino’s pizza, but had dialogue and action sequences that made you laugh until you puked up cereal. Starring Taimak (whose biggest film credit since was playing Janet Jackson’s love interest in the “Let’s Wait Awhile” video) and Prince’s ex-protege Vanity, you can still catch the movie on some random movie station at 2 A.M. every once in a while.

    Now, this article states that Samuel L. Jackson is remaking the movie. All I’ve gotta say is that he better not try to legitimize a movie that absolutely can’t be played with any kind of seriousness at all. I’ll be curious to see who he gets to fill in the roles Taimak (Bruce Leroy) and Vanity (I forget her character’s name) played. Hey, something tells me that neither one of them is doing anything especially important right now. Maybe bring them back for cameos?The next question is-who does the theme song? I would suggest DeBarge, who scored the biggest hit from the soundtrack (and of their career) with “Rhythm of the Night”, but seems like El has been hanging out with the Crack Man and will now be rocking prison stripes to go with that Jheri curl, making him the 2307430784th DeBarge family member to be incarcerated. You’ve gotta love the mug shot (I’m repeating the one from his 2007 arrest…geez, the guy has more mug shots than albums), although it’s sad as hell to see what’s become of one of R&B’s best voices.