Mixtape Review: Rotimi – The Resume

There has been a lot of buzz about this guy from Mapelwood, New Jersey - Rotimi. The Resume is his mixtape and it just dropped today 29/03/2011. It had been preceded by promo tracks such “Bottles ft. Gucci Mane” “Already Know ft Dawn Richard”. By the way the mixtape was hosted by Boi Jeanius and DJ L.

Boi jeanius introduces  Rotimi to the us after which Rotimi takes over and gives a little something something about himself and the mixtape.

Its ma turn. Its been a long wait and I don’t want to give to you’ll like this but they call me the future of R&B. What am doing right now am just living ma dream – The Resume. This is ma body of work I put blood and sweat and tear into this music mehn, the highs and the lows, the ups and downs and i want you to be my employer, enjoy the music.

After which the first song Body Ft. Lou Will begins. Needless to say this track will keep you bumping head and the lyrical delivery is good. It also has that “tad-ah tad-ah” along with the chorus to give it a hooky feel. It a bascially Contemporary R&B with subtle hints of crunk (for that head bumping feeling) Just as an FYI the signature line of Boi jeanius goes thus, a female voice saying “Oh my God its Boi Jeanius”


The first song then finely transits into the second track Mr. Maserati without a break in the beat but with a dynamism to it. On this track Rotimi talks about his flyness telling us to call him Mr Maserati. It pretty tongue in cheek (but in a good way)


The third track Already Know ft Dawn Richards exhudes feeling of Omarion’s I get It In (which in this case is a good thing). The first three track are kinda mid-high tempo club-banging-head bumping tracks.


On Try Me ft JB he takes its down a notch to pure classic R&B delivery. It basically a sensual track exhuding early 90’s R&B feelings. He’s asking a girl to give him a chance at going out with him. Track 5 Nothing Compares to You  has the cool feeling of the previous track but in a contemporary R&B production laced with drum machines and a heavy bass line.


On Bottles ft Gucci Mane we are back to the club. As the name suggests its an ode to alcohol and girls in the club. Its pretty a let yourself-go-and-have-fun song. On the following song Rotimi is an apologetic mood saying I’m the One.


On track 8 Rotimi needs a Hero. Rotimi shows his passionate side and his emotion comes through on the slighly rock guitar tinged R&B song.


Well get ready for sexual innuedos on this piano lace R&B song as he likens making love to making Beautiful music. Saying they can make a “hit record” “tempo fast or slow” “the perfect duet” “we can do it accapella, jazz it up…we can do it autotune”. I could go on with the sexual innuendos but am sure you get the picture already but its (the song) pretty amazing and I like it.


If you thought the innuendos were over then you are so wrong cuz on Red Light Green Light Rotimi shows he still has quite a few more stuff from his bags of tricks (in this case bag of innuendos)


Forever is a you’ve-been-gone-a-long-time song (please  excuse me but I couldn’t find the one word that will summarises it all up). On Prescription he’s telling a girl that probably just came out of a bad relationship that he can be her remedy, her love doctor and her prescription for love.


Bare with me is a cool track with minimalistic instrumentation in its production. It is then followed by a personal favourite of mine, a cover of Michael Jackson’s Hollywood Tonight (from his posthumous work - Michael). What makes me like this song is that it is very striped bringing out the soul in the voice of the song. On Rotimi’s cover he gives a more R&B feel than the original pop feeling ditching the drum machine but still retaining the guitars.


The closing track If It wasn’t for Mama is an ode to Rotimi’s Mama. Its a cover/remix of the song originally performed by Trey Songz.


This mixtape  could easily be an LP (after a little touches here and there) because I really loved every track, each one had its own persona and must really say he is really the Future of R&B. If I were to grade this I would give him a B+. With that said guys go an get this awesome mixtape from Rotimi’s website http://rotimimusic.com. You also follow him on twitter @Rotimi1

Is There Talent in Popular Music Today?

Many a people today might argue that a high number pop stars(the use of pop here doesn’t only refer to people that in the pop genre only) out today making it big time are talentless. We’ve heard claims that it is their management team that do all the work and the artiste themselves do not inject their creativity (i.e if they possess any) into the finished product. In other words they are just a face. While i won’t support and at the same time dispute the claim, I’ll like to take a look into what talent is in context with popular music today. Please know that the points I raise in this exposition might be supported or disputed but any way you see it just know that this is just an opinionated article and nothing more.

First of all I’ll like to defines some of the terms i might be using in this article

Talent

Talent means the skill that someone has quite naturally to do something that is hard. Someone who has talent is able to do something without trying hard – Wikipedia
An usual natural ability to do something well, especially in artistic areas that can be developed by training – Encarta Dictionary

Popular Music

Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres having wide appeal and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. Popular music is a generic term for music of all ages - Wikipedia
Popular music is music produced for and sold to a broad audience – Microsoft Encarta Encyclopaedia

Urban Contemporary Music
       This is a music radio format that includes of a mix of dance, and upbeat rhythmic  pop,hip-hop and R&B hits – Wikipedia 


Now that we got the definitions out of the way lets delve into the article proper. What we look for as talent in an artiste (whether upcoming or established) am sure will consist of questions like: Does he(he hear refers to both male and female..before i get attacked for being chauvinistic or sexist) have a good voice? Can she sing? Is he a good dancer? Does the person write her own songs? Stage Persona and showmanship? Can he create music outside the box? etc.


Most of us will want the artiste to have some of these qualities if not all…well only few have succeeded in having all. So if an artiste doesn’t have the obvious talents and is making serious waves (chart topping,record breaking sales) we as the music consuming community tend to brand the person as talentless.


To put this more into perspective lets use examples. For instance am sure many of us have heard the barrage of you-don’t-have-talent-why-are-you-topping-charts insult that have been heaped on Rihanna real name Robyn Fenty since her debut five years ago. Rihanna have been castigated for having a horrible voice live (I agree that voice is not that when she sings live), little or no stage charisma, not having song writing credits, she has even been branded an Illuminati puppet as a reason behind her “undeserved” fame. I beg to differ at some point and I say she has talent. Why? Someone might ask. My reason goes thus she does have a talent of releasing an album every year, she also puts together a perfect team of producers and songwriters that make-up for what she lacks for in natural ability. For her fifth album, Loud, she organised a writing camp where different songwriters wrote songs which she am sure she scrutinized and picked songs that she felt would channel what she wanted for the album and it worked.


Some of you might term me crazy or just plain stupid maybe I am, maybe am not but you cannot deny the fact that she has that x-factor and that should also count as talent. You don’t have to be a power house singer before you are considered talent and it doesn’t guarantee success (go and ask Christina Aguilera how her fourth LP was like) Don’t get me mistaken for a Rihanna Stan I am not…as a matter fact i have issues with her but a guy just have to state the obvious.*grins*


Next stop is Ke$ha (with a dollar sign) She stormed the music industry with her hit single Tik-tok in 2009, many believed because of her auto-tuned and trashy image she was going to be a one hit wonder, well her 15 minutes of fame has refused to end and she has been one of billboard’s favourite since late 2009 as every one of her single has peaked in the top ten category on the Hot 100. So one might wonder how is it that a person with this trash image will have such success when many consider her annoying and talentless. I’ll go on and highlight where her talents lie. She is a song writer (she even wrote a single for Britney Spears which is the second single on Brit’s up coming album Femme Fatale) she co-wrote most of her songs, she knows how to cook up some catchy hooks and she sure knows how to get people off their seats with her song. Well that is talent cuz if you refer to the definition of the term  above you would notice that talent is something a particular person has the ability to do very well.


What I hope to achieve with this exposition is that we should look outside the box when we want to identify talent in an artiste. It doesn’t always have to be the power-house singers, the perfect dancers and excellent performers that have to be classified as having talent. God knows I have criticized some of these people I have used as case studies but I just came to a realisation that popular music is commercial music so it must have a little something for everyone, it must be catchy and addictive. So people let us learn to enjoy the unusual talents in popular music culture of today. *winks*


Thoughts? Contributions?

You can also drop a tweet comment @Tallstretch

Hilarious:Breast Milk Ice Cream named “Baby Gaga”, Lady Gaga threatens to Sue

I just couldn’t stop laughing and wondering WTF when I saw this, there were actually three things that tickled my fancy….the name of the ice cream, what it was made up of and Lady Gaga’s threat to sue.

Apparently Lady Gaga has threatened to sue the makers of the British makers of “Baby Gaga” ice cream if they don’t change the name. (*whispering* in her cracked-up mind of hers she think she owns the word Gaga)

The Breast milk Ice cream is the invention of Icreamists parlour located in Convent Garden and the product was made by combining donated breast milk with vanilla pods and lemon zest (WTF breast milk ewwww)

The lawyers of the Born to-crave attention Born this way singer drafted a letter to the ice cream makers claiming that they had “ridden the coattails of her reputation” by calling their product Baby Gaga (*clears throat* excuse me lawyers the word Gaga has existed way before your oga decided to adopt it)

The store owner Matt O’Connor which obviously would not take things lying down replied in an interview with The Guardian (Uk version that is)

"A global superstar has taken umbrage at what she describes as a 'nausea-inducing' product. This from a woman with a penchant for wearing rotting cows' flesh,” (better put her meat dress) “At least our customers are still alive when they contribute to our 'art'.
“How can she possibly claim ownership of the word 'gaga', which since the dawn of time has been one of the first discernable phrases to come from a baby's mouth?”

Oucch that’s gotta hurt. Please tell her ooooo no be only she dey make the word gaga for.

Unfortunately Westminster council has confiscated all stocks of the ice cream over fears that it did not meet with hygiene requirements and standards.

[Source]

Thoughts?

New Music: Retta – Would You Be Mine

First time I heard this song I was like Nigerians are really stepping up their game (yeah! that’s how good the song is). This track is soulful R&B complete with piano chords, drums,guitars and the icing on the cake – Retta’s Voice. This song gives you Alicia Keys and Asa vibes (in a good way)

Enough of the song already, (some might say) who is this Retta girl?Well here is the little i could find about her; she should be 21 years old this year and she is Port-Harcourt based. According to notjustok.com she was discovered by Joy Tongo in 2008, President Jton productions while vacationing in Nigeria.

She debuted with an equally stunning single late last year – Kolo For You. Both tracks (i.e Would You Be Mine, kolo for You) were produced by Oscar Heman-Ackah (Chidinma – Jankoliko)

Take A Listen to Would You Be Mine & Kolo For You

Thoughts?

New Music: 2Shotz ft Brymo - Attention

Ibo rapper 2shotz has churned out a song (whether its an official single or a leak i don’t know) with assistance from the latest addition to the Choc boy family and soon-to-be-Naija chorus king Brymo.

The Song basically explores the theme of being “blessed and not lucky”.
2Shotz raps in his Music Business era style while Brymo dishes the chorus and a verse in his fuji-toutish-esque approach (which is a good thing) that we fell in love with on Ice Prince’s Oleku.

Am Predicting this song to be a toast on the air waves very soon.

So as usual head on to mp3skull.com to take a listen.

New Music: Glee Original Songs Out

Yes! gleeks and non-gleeks alike, the wait for original songs from Glee is over. If you are a reader of my blog then you would have read a post where I said Glee was to release original songs…well the songs are out.

The first one ‘Loser Like Me’ is an upbeat pop song co-written and produced by Max Martin. The other ‘Get It Right’ is a ballad featuring Lea Michele (She gets a solo as Rachel berry in Glee, now she gets a solo as herself in real life!)

The track will feature in an an upcoming episode of Glee which will air March 15th. It will also be include in the Glee upcoming compilation album “Glee, the music Volume 5” due – March 8th.

So head on to iLeaks to take a listen.

New Music: Chidinma – Jankoliko + Carry You Go

Chidinma Ekile winner  of Project Fame West Africa III is set on to take on the Nigeria music scene as she is out with two new promotional singles.

The tracks are Jankoliko ft Sound Sultan (Naija Ninja whooyah) and Carry You Go.

The tracks are pretty good, taking cues from the pop international music scene and mixing it our very own Naija flavour. 

The songs were written and produced by Oscar Heman Ackah

You can head over to BellaNaija or Mp3skull to take a listen

New Music: TY Bello – The Future

For those you who thought you might never here new music from the Former Kush member TY Bello, well lets just say you thought wrong.The Greenland crooner is out with another single titled The Future.

The words of the song are nothing short of inspiring as Bello shows allegiance to her nation and tells us we are the future and we can make our country better. It’s no Greenland but it’s definitely uplifting and inspiring (hence the tile)

According to BellaNaija the video for the song are already in the works as filming will begin on Sunday 27th February 2011 and will be directed by Kemi Adetiba

Head on to Mp3Skull and take a listen.

Glee to Release Original Songs

Hey there Gleeks (glee fans) and non-gleeks alike you must probably must have heard that glee was going to start featuring original songs; well the wheels have been set in motion as glee has teamed up wit pop hit maker Max Martin.

Max Martin is know for crafting hits for some of the biggest names in Pop music. His repertoire include Pink (So What, Raise Your Glass), Katy Perry (Teenage Dream, California Gurls), Avril Lavigne (What the Hell), Britney Spears (Hold It Against Me).

Glee has teamed up with Max Martin real name Martin Karl Sandberg for a track titled “Loser Like Me” which has been described as an “energetic ensemble track”
Lea Michele (playing the obnoxious character Rachel Berry) also performs an original ballad  ‘Get it Right’ which will be in the tracklisting of “Glee: The Music, Volume 5” which will be available electronically and in hard copy on March 8th.

The two new original songs songs “Loser Like Me” and “Get It Right” will feature on episode of “Glee” which will air Tuesday, March 15th on Fox.

[Source]

Fergie’s Perfume is Top Seller…

GaGa’s Perfume to Contain Her Blood

“Outspoken by Fergie” has been validated as the most successful perfume line in Avon’s long history.

According to the NY Post, the Black Eyed Peas’ First Lady is now a ‘fragrance mogul’. She celebrated her well deserved success with a dinner in New York alongside her husband Josh Duhamel and her agent Sean Patterson.

“Outspoken by Fergie” launched last spring.

In other not-so-good-smelling-perfume news Lady Gaga has revealed that in her soon-to-be-out fragrance she utilized her own blood to help develop the idea.
Speaking to an Australian Radio Station she said

“I wanted to extract the feeling and sense of blood and semen from molecular structures”. “It is in the perfume, but doesn’t smell like it”.

Am sure you are wondering what this ‘hot mess’ will smell like, well Gaga said that it will smell like an “expensive hooker”
Now which decent person in their right frame of mind will want to smell like an ‘expensive hooker’ probably her little monsters.
[Source]

Random News + Mash Up: Lil Kim/Minaj Beef, Lady GaGa, Kesha…

Lil Kim Says She’ll do a Record with Nicki Minaj if There is a “Check”

Desperate times they say calls for different measures as the Queen B Lil’ Kim has revealed that she’ll work oo a track with her arch-rival Nicki Minaj if there is money in it for her. In an interview with Rap-up when asked the question Kim replied

The only way that’s gonna happen is it’s definitely gonna take a check. At the end of the day, I’m a boss. I was a hustler before I was an entertainer

Nothing was off limits in the interview as she was asked whether she had listened to Minaj’s debut album Pink Friday. To this she replied that she had listened to it but “couldn’t listen to the whole thing”; admitting that she doesn’t think Nicki is a “horrible artist” but she believes people are giving her more credit than she deserves.
Adding that Nicki didn’t make her own career rather her record label Universal/Cash Money did.

Duhh Nicki already admitted that in her song “Moment for Life” with a line that goes 

but i couldn’t do it all alone/we

/Young Money raised me

You can check-out excerpts from the interview via Rap-Up


Weird: Lady GaGa Believes She has Two Souls
Now it’s another trip through crazy town as your attention seeking pop star Lady GaGa reveals that she believes she possesses two souls inside of her (Weird? Yeah i Know)
One (obviously) belongs to her and the other is that of her dead paternal aunt Joanne Germanotta who died of lupus at age 19 just before she(Gaga) was born.
GaGa real name Stefani Germanotta told WWD that she believes she has two hearts

I think I actually carry two souls in my body, and that I'm living out the rest of her life and her goodness - she died a virgin, she died never having experienced all these things that we all get to love and experience in our lives. I think that I work in her image. I work in this life as part pop singer and part humanitarian, and to do great things for people because she was a good person and I don't think she had enough time to do enough good.

 Taio Cruz Admits Kesha is the ‘Most Fun’ Person He has Worked With
Taio Cruz who has worked with many people ranging from Kylie Minogue to Travie McCoy has admitted that out of all the people he has had collaborations with, Kesha is the ‘most fun’ to work with.


He revealed this during an interview with Uk’s Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton

I think Kesha has been the most fun, I love her, she's crazy.
'There's no fakeness, the way she comes across as crazy and that is really who she is, but she's a sweet girl at the core as well, so it's just fun really.'

What do you expect from the Queen of sing-rap who brushes her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniels - fun

This is the second good comment Miss Serbert has gotten as rapper Outkast had already commented on her rapping skills on the track – Sleazy. He said he loved the track (which he featured on in the remix) and added that she could totally have a career in rap.



Record Label Drops David Archuleta, Suffers Sophomore Slump

American Idol Alum David Archuleta has been dropped by his label Jive Records. A label rep confirmed this to The Hollywood Reporter saying “David was released from our roster”

Am guessing this is because of the poor sales of his latest effort The Other Side of Down which according to Nielsen Soundscan, as of February 18, has shifted 67,000 copies. It has also failed to gain traction on the charts and on the radio. This is a far cry in comparison to his 2008 self-titled debut which was certified platinum.

A certain artist also at Jive will also want to be released from the label *cough* Ciara.

Glee Songs Leaks

Songs from Glee (IMO the best musical TV series ever to hit the TV screen) has leaked online just some few hours ago.The songs are reportedly said to feature in the upcoming “Blame It on the Alcohol” episode.



It features tunes from Jamie Foxx, Kesha,The human league, George Thorogood. 



You can head on to iLeaks.com to check them out.

Jessie J Addresses Illuminati Rumours

If you are a pop artist be careful not to do an ok sign over your eye as the witch-hunting public will brand you an Illuminati member and probably burn you to a media stake (Sarcasm intended)


The latest victim in the Illuminati saga is Brit award winner Jessie J. The singer who in her new video for ‘Price Tag’ makes a hand gesture which is a recognised symbol of allegiance to the group tweeted:

“lmao at the illuminati comments on ‘Price tag.’ Jheeze people im doing the ‘ok’ sign over my eye. No 666 round here round here… No thank you (sic)”. She went on to tweet:

“No i do not believe in the illuminati nor am i involved in it.Fact.Lol”

For the record girl i believe you, can’t one just do a sign without being tagged an illuminati… purhlease give her a break.

Random News + Mash-up: Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj-Lil’ Kim Beef, The Beckhams

Ke$ha could have a career as a rapper – Andre 3000

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the “sick and sexified” Ke$ha has revealed that Andree 3000 said she could have a career as a rapper.


Outkast member Andre 3000 is featured on Ke$ha’s “Sleazy” which is a cut from her Cannibal EP. Ke$ha revealed how the collaboration came about saying

“I sent him the track and was fully aware that he’s only been on a few songs in the past five years. But he ended up liking it.” She continued saying

“We got on the phone and he said, ‘With a flow that, you could definitely have a career as a rapper'.’ It was the biggest compliment I've ever had. It was coming from a god!”

DJ Scratch  & 50 cent speak on the Nicki-Kim Feud

Veteran hip-hop producer DJ Scratch shared his thought on the Minaj-Kim feud, saying he feels they should both call off the beef and unite in order to champion the female hip-hop force making it one to reckon with.


Basically the summary of what he told SOHH.com is that it’s a shame that they’re beefing and he wish he could get into contact with Lil’ Kim. He also feels Kim should be the big sister and take Nicki under her wing.


50 cent on the hand feels the beef is “harmless”. According to MTV Fiddy states that Nicki Minaj and Lil’ Kim are ‘too different to be a threat to each other.

Next Beckham Baby to be a Girl

It has been reported that David and Victoria Beckham’s fourth child will be a girl


According to The Sun, this was revealed to the power couple during a 16-week ultrasound scan at the private Rivers Hospital near their Hertfordshire home


The couple already have three boys – Brooklyn 11, Romeo 8 and Cruz 5.

All Pop Artists are Crap – Elton John

Sir Elton John has held no restraint in slamming the present state of British pop music.

The Sacrifice singer told The Word  magazine that he thought all pop artists sound the same adding that they were all crap. Sir John who is a close friend of Eminem took a cue from his rapper friend by mentioning the name of the artists that “sound the same” and are “crap”.

Among those who got the honour (sarcasm intended) of being bestowed the “crap” phrase are Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and Cheryl Cole. John said

“Frankly they all sound the same. It’s hard to tell Girls Aloud from The Saturdays . And then there’s Cheryl Cole… It’s all crap”

When asked about reality-star-only-person-Kanye West-follows-on-twitter-latest-wannabe-pop-star Kim Kardashian he blew a gasket by replying

“Who the fuck is Kim Kardashian? Some stupid old tart from somewhere or other?

Since he said all pop artist are crap he still had some praises left for Take that and Westlife (typical – praise the karaoke-cover-everyone’s-song-boys)

“I think they they genuinely do sing their stuff, but 99% of the other fucking Herberts out there can’t sing.

Oh how I love when gay people especially veterans get angry….hmm. I actually love the Kim K. part the most, seriously she should stick to what she knows how to do best (whatever that is because seriously i can’t figure out what it is she does) 

The Many Woes of Riri’s S&M

First the S&M music video has been banned in several countries then You Tube places a restriction on the video for people under 18. These are just some of the woes that have followed the release of Riri’s S&M (3rd single from “Loud”) video

The most recent is that Rihanna real name Robyn Fenty ripped off David LaChappele’s work in the S&M Music video. The video is reportedly is similar to images taken by the photographer in (LaChappele) his previous works.

Peep the picture at M is for Music and be the judge, if you think the visuals are a rip off or not.

But seriously people can be so hypocritical and sentimental at times. When Lady Gaga (i have nothing against her #justSaying) shows skin or goes nude in her Music Videos (see Love Game) and pictures it is called art bur Riri does not go to that extent and people are making a fuss….purhlease.

Also we don’t hear Madonna complaining about Lady Gaga rip-offs of her but when it is Rihanna everyone goes kaboom.

On the bright side UK rising star Jessie J took to twitter yesterday to express her love for the buzz generating video

“Just watched @rihanna new video L.O.V.E.I love the humor in it and she look incredible. Still one of my icons”

No Voters Card No Concert – D’banj

D’banj will be spearheading a series of free concerts in collaboration with other Naija artistes to create awareness that will mobilize and motivate youths to be involved in the 2011 election process – Registration and all.

D’banj says that there will be no ticket fee needed as admission is strictly by identifying yourself as a registered voter, IOW providing your voters card as evidence before being allowed in.

Musicians expected to perform alongside the Mo’hits crew include Sasha, Duncan Mighty, P-Square, Timi Dakolo, Sound Sultan amongst others

The initiative is tagged “Our Time”

[Source NET]

2face to Appear on Mo’nique Show

One of Nigeria’s biggest musical exports 2face real name Innocent Idibia will be hosted on the Mo’nique show.
According to NET, "2face’s manager Efe Omorogbe got a call from the comedienne/talk show host Monique requesting that she wanted 2face on her show.
It keeps getting better for the Idoma born artiste as he is slated to appear on the one-hour talk show (which airs on BET) on Tuesday, February 8th 2011
Just as reminder 2face’s smash hit “African Queen” was featured as a soundtrack in Phat girlz in which Monique starred as the lead.

Fuss + Spotlight: Skylar Grey

Hey people it been a while I've updated so am gonna try something new for this post. “Fuss + Spotlight” is basically a post where i pick an artist, producer, song writer , vocalist etc. (anyone that catch my fancy) and dig up all i can find about the person. In summary I just focus on the work of a particular person and add my two kobo where needed. so enjoy my very first “Fuss + Spotlight” artist – Skylar Grey

If you’ve been around (musically) from the period between last year and this year you must have heard the name Skylar Grey. Better still, does the name Holly Brook ring a bell? Yes, No. Whatever the answer Skylar Grey and Holly Brook are one and the same person. Holly Brook was her former professional name but she is now known as Skylar Grey.

Skylar Grey (birth name Holly Brook Hafermann) born 1986 is  a multi-instrumental American singer, songwriter,musician and record producer.

She has quite a few (major) song writing credits to her name. She co-wrote sections of the billboard smash hit “Love the way you lie” performed by Eminem ft. Rihanna. You'all know Rihanna took the Alicia Keys way  by recording “Love the way you lie II” which featured on her album Loud; well Skylar Grey performed background vocals, piano and served as co-producer on the piano version. She (Grey) also recorded her own vocals for “Love the way you lie II”

She also lent her vocals to Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming home” which is a single from the LP Last Train to Paris which she also co-wrote alongside Jay-Z. She wrote the single “Castle walls” performed by T.I. ft. Christina Aguilera (female Kanye West in terms of ego #OkBye) from his “No Mercy” LP.

Her voice was also featured on the chorus of Fort Minor’s “Where’d you go” (credited as Holly Brook) which won MTV VMA ringtone of the year award in 2006. She is also a featured guest on “I Need a Doctor” which she sang the chorus for Dr. Dre and Eminem.

She has also written songs for Rob Thomas and Avril Lavigne. for her writing contributions to “Love the Way You Lie” Grey has earned a Grammy nomination for song of the year.

For someone who have lent her talent to other artiste you might wonder if she has albums of her own, the answer is yes she does – one LP and an EP. Her debut album, “Like Blood Like Honey” was released in the year 2006 while the other “O’Dark: Thirty EP was released 2010.

She is currently signed to a production deal on Alex Da Kid’s (real name Alexander Grant) Wonderland music imprint. The future looks bright for Grey, from her repertoire of songwriting and vocal credits one can’t help but predict a high clientele for Skylar in the near future (that’s if they are not already breathing down her neck). She is a brilliant  songwriter and a good and unique vocalist.
Sometimes its good to expose the star behind the star – don’t you think so?
Feel free to drop a comment here or on twitter @Tallstretch or on facebook – Akinwale Olaoluwa Phillips

[Source MisForMusic]

Technorati Tags: Fuss + Spotlight,Skylar Grey,Holly Brook

Writing Songs For Other Artiste Feels Weird – Jessie J

Technorati Tags: Jessie J

Brit Award winner Jessie J (birth name Jessica Ellen Cornish) has admitted that writing songs for other artistes feel “weird” (#CoSign #Gbam)

The “Do It Like a Dude” crooner who has been writing songs since she was 17 says it feels strange when she hears a song on the radio that she wrote, adding that it feels more weird because she’s not there when it’s being recorded.

The BBC sound 0f 2011 winner who wrote and first recorded “Party In the USA” says her label rejected the song when it was played to their hearing citing that the song wasn’t right for her. The song was placed on the market, finally performed by Miley Cyrus and two weeks later it was number one in six countries.


Jessie J has written tracks for Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus. Her debut album “Who You Are” which was previously slated for release on March 28 has been pushed up to February 28th due to popular demand. Go get it cuz the babe is hot
[Source MisForMusic]