First things first: Marsha Ambrosius has lost a little weight hasn’t she? And she has sexed up her image and I for one am not complaining. She looks good!

Thankfully, she hasn’t lost her voice, or the kooky writing ability we first heard with Floetry. This mid-tempo R&B number is laced with the sort of bitterness that would make Millie Jackson blush.

Is there anything worse than your girl cheating on you with someone who makes more money than you, is on television every night and is adored by thousands of people, and can dunk on you? No, there probably isn’t.

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If it takes so-called “hipster soul” to produce music like this today, then give me a PBR, pair of tight jeans, and a carefully created sloppy vintage look.

Mr Hawthorne is fast becoming one of my favorite artists, period.

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Why don’t we post more songs like this? Are we scurred?? Scurred to be sensi(tive)????

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Hell no!

Good Day!

Last week’s Mixtape Monday was a mix made by the boys of Unaffili(8)d, DJ Patrick and DJ Ssagala. The mix showcased our ‘Song of the Week’ posts so far this year. Now I have been told I am observant by many women (I’m bragging). Well I noticed one song on the track list had never actually been posted as a song of the week. I assumed it was to be the SOTW for last week but it wasn’t. Well this oversight is our benefit as it gave some clever studio engineer time to mix up the original Aston Martin Music with Drake’s own version called Paris Morton Music and waa laaa here we are…7 minutes of audio goodness and YES one of the best songs of the year by my dude the honorable Officer Ricky ROOOCCCEEEE’.

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Miguel is a half black, half Mexican singer/songwriter who has penned tracks for the likes of Usher and Asher Roth. Unfortunately, on our blog, he was involved in this unfortunate posting by This Guy. I can only hope this posting can redeem him of said previous shame……which was rightly deserved. This song has the type of vibe that can be fit into almost any DJ set. It has a sort of nod to yester-year type r&b/hip hop feel yet it remains, somehow, fresh and new. J Cole is growing on me. I have heard grand stories of his talents and I am starting to come around. Hit play and commence the bobbing of the head.

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This track evokes two distinct reactions. The first is surprise, because it sounds like it is from the 1940s, but it is in fact written, arranged and produced by David Banner, who must be one of rap’s most talented and under-rated artists.

The second reaction is mixed. Most people like the song, as well they should- it is fresh sounding, it has a positive message and a catchy tune. But there some who believe that it contains a racial subtext because it sounds like an old-school negro spiritual and it is featured in an ad campaign that is dominated by images of black athletes.

My reaction to that line of thinking is: huh? Stop overanalyzing and just enjoy the song, idiots.

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Download the track from the Gatorade website. For free!

It looks like Nothin on you, the latest leak from B.o.B’s upcoming album is gaining the sort of underground traction that translates into mainstream success. It is an easy song to listen to: the hook is sing-a-long good, the lyrics inoffensive and the beat light and fluffy. It is perfect for spring. Outkast’s Big Boi, who recently announced signing a solo deal with Def Jam, adds a kosher verse to this remix but in truth, it is Bruno Mars’ hook that makes the song.

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(via HypeTrak)

It sounds like B.o.B (who, by the way, chose the worst possible name for this Google age we are in) is molding himself after Kanye West; which, if he stays away from the Hennessy, is not an altogether bad thing. Whether Def Jam will manage to keep the buzz surrounding him going until his album’s April release date remains to be seen.

Something about Janelle Monáe’s quiff reminds me of Grace Jones. The thought snuck into my subconscious the first time I saw her, and I cannot shake it.   The two are now, to my warped sensibility, inseparable.

I used to try and fight off the association, but now I think it oddly suitable.  They do, after all, share some stark similarities.  They both make music that is basically unclassifiable- almost frustratingly so- which makes them hard to pin down and (happily) impossible to ignore.

Anyway, enough of my weird issues.

The first single off The Arch Android, Janelle Monae’s upcoming album was recently leaked onto the internets (those evil, evil internets) and it caught my ear. ‘Tight Rope’ features Big Boi (of Outkast fame) and is impossibly funky.  Janelle Monae’s voice soars effortlessly.  She bobs along with the track without ever overwhelming it (are you listening Beyonce?) making the song just work.

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Good, no?

(For those of you brave enough to tread where my peculiar mind wanders, there is a picture of Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe side by side after the break.  Be aware: you may be unable to separate the two almighty quiffs after you see it.  Don’t say I did not warn you.)

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