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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Erykah Badu

  • BET Awards Action…It’s Fantas…Wait A Second…


    Hey, anyone notice that the Soul Train Music Awards didn’t happen this year? Well, after last year’s debacle, during which damn near NO ONE who won an award showed up, the organizers decided to pull the plug on the show after two decades.

    Well, one definite reason the Soul Train Awards’ power faded was because of the advent of the BET Awards. Since it’s inception in 2001, it has become the place where R&B, rap and gospel’s elite united to be honored. Add in the fact that they honor the film, television and sports world as well, and…well, I think the rest of this paragraph kinda writes itself.

    Anyway, this year’s nominees were announced today, and the leading nominee is…

    …(squints)…

    …T-PAIN?!!!!!???!!??

    Yup, Tallahassee’s finest (forgive me, Tallahasseans, I know no better) received five nominations, and not a one for his own work. Thank Kanye West, Chris Brown and Flo-Rida for the plethora of T-Pain love. Man, he has got the easiest job of anyone in the music industry. Dude doesn’t even have to sing.

    Anyway, the other multiple nominees were pretty standard: the aforementioned West and Brown, plus Li’l Wayne, Mary J. Blige and Alicia Keys, among others. Pleasant surprises included the love shown Erykah Badu, who got a pair of noms, plus the presence of British export Estelle in the Best New Artist category. Also nice to see Raheem DeVaughn get a pair of noms, and they recognized Chaka Khan, who’s made arguably the best R&B album in the past 12 months (Although they tossed her in the “BETJ” AKA “Old Fogey” category).

    A head scratcher included the entire Best Female Hip-Hop category. Any category in which Kid Sister and Li’l Mama are among your finalists should probably be scrapped sooner than later.

    Still,this promises to be an interesting show, with performances from Usher, among others,and the lifetime achievement award set to go to Rev. Al Green. The show airs live on June 24th, and you can find a complete list of nominees here: http://www.bet.com/specials/betawards08/

  • A Good Day To Be An R&B Diva: New Releases 2/26/08: Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu & More

    For everyone who thinks R&B is a one-note “sex you up/sex you down” genre, this week’s three most notable releases almost serve as a reminder of how diverse “urban” music is, and all three could potentially be worth your time.

    First of the three comes from Janet Jackson, whose new Discipline arrives in stores today. It’s her 10th studio album, and it’s interesting to note that as her sales have tanked, the albums have come with significantly more frequency. She released 4 albums in the Eighties, only 2 in the Nineties, and she’s released 4 so far in the Oughts. At any rate, this attempt at a comeback is her first for L.A. Reid’s Island/Def Jam Records and has been preceded by first single “Feedback”. Early reviews point to this being a more danceable, poppier effort than her previous couple of albums, and this album also marks her first clean break from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, her production partners of 20 years. It could be a solid album, could be a complete disaster-who knows? Hopefully, it’s better than her last album, 20 Y.O., which stood somewhere between mediocre and terrible.

    Next up is the wildly eclectic Miss Erykah Badu. Over the past decade, she’s gone from the new Billie Holiday to the new Chaka Khan, with her mystical image and tunes that straddle jazz, hard funk, hip-hop and even rock. New Amerykah Pat. 1, 4th World War is, well, at the very least an intriguing album title. This album allegedly has much more of a hip-hop vibe than her last couple of albums, which were more on the live-band tip. Production is provided by underground rap giants like 9th Wonder (formerly of the group Little Brother) and the late J. Dilla. This is actually the album of the three I’m most excited about.

    Finally, if you need an album to just chill out to, you might want to check out The Orchard, the third studio album by Atlanta-based singer Lizz Wright. Her first two albums got her some critical notice and were solid pieces of work. Her folky, jazzy style will immediately draw comparisons to acts like Cassandra Wilson and Norah Jones. So if you’re part of the Starbucks set, or just appreciate the power of a pretty voice, give this a shot.

    In the rest of the music world, there are new albums out today from Southern rapper Webbie (definitely not my cup of tea, but his latest single is in the Top Ten, so someone’s checking for the guy), Dolly Parton (after a stint as a bluegrass album, Miss Parton is back singing traditional country, and the title Backwoods Barbie is cheeky in the vein of classic Dolly), Puff Daddy protege Cheri Dennis (with an album that’s been promised release for at least two years and has already been on iTunes for 3 or 4 months), Christian rock act Pillar, jazz legend Dianne Schurr, and so many more.

    Check out a full list of today’s new releases here: http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm

  • New Releases: 2/19/08

    There are slow signs that the release schedule is picking up after sleepwalking through January, but this particular week is a week where a couple of artists and bands that are still under the radar are releasing albums. Next week promises a soul diva showoff between Janet Jackson & Erykah Badu, but in the meantime, check out new albums by:

    The Raveonettes: This Danish duo has gotten tons of press notice over the past couple of years, along with their counterpart in female singers, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They don’t do a hell of a lot for me, but I don’t know that I’m hip enough to enjoy them! At any rate, “Lust, Lust, Lust” was released internationally last fall, and finally gets it’s U.S. release for those of you who haven’t yet shelled out cash for the import.

    http://www.theraveonettes.com/

    Mike Doughty: Former lead singer of alt-rock with a twist band Soul Coughing back in the Nineties, formerly named M. Doughty, former columnist for the New York Press, Mr. Doughty’s latest solo effort, “Golden Delicious” arrives today. You know I love me some literate rock stars.

    http://www.mikedoughty.com/

    Allison Moorer: I’m not as familiar with Allison Moorer as I am with her sister, Shelby Lynne. Moorer aparently traffics in more “country” circles, but by all accounts, she’s just as talented. Her new album “Mockingbird”, like Shelby’s recent effort, is a covers album. Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell (two of my favorites) are represented here. I wonder if her husband, Steve Earle, makes an appearance on this album.

    http://www.allisonmoorer.com/

    Also coming out today: a brand new “Kidz Bop” CD for those of you who have kids that haven’t yet graduated to the “High School Musical” phase, new albums from long dormant Brit acts Kula Shaker and Morcheeba and the comeback album you’ve all been waiting for from Seven Mary Three. Woo hoo! Long live bad grunge!!