MackN2U: so as far as my top choices… I think Syesha could move up and bump one of the Davids
Mello: it would have to be Archuleta because everyone is riding Cook right now
MackN2U: yeah… but Archuleta had a good night last night
Mello: he definitely did
MackN2U: For once he stepped away from the ballads and did something upbeat and it’s about damn time… I was beginning to think he could only do one type of song
Mello: I was really rooting for my male version of Hannah Montana
MackN2U: lol… Jason Castro… can he go home PLEASE!!
Mello: he’s definately in the bottom two. If I could reverse the hands of time, I’d bring horse girl back
MackN2U: and bite-your-bottom-lip-Brooke right along with him with that ‘nightmare’ performance. She always sounds like she’s a cheap imitation. Syesha was at the top of her game last night… she always sounds great to me
Mello: she’s showing improvement. Cook has phenominal performances every week… the top 3 will be interesting
MackN2U: very interesting… David Cook is already a superstar; his performances are so effortless
Mello: I think Brooke goes home tonite
MackN2U: Jason actually sounded alright last night, but not good enough to stay.
Mello: if she doesn’t, I’m throwing my tv in the garbage!
MackN2U: If she doesn’t I’m gonna get my hair cut like Ryan Seacrest
Mello: I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that because I truly believe she’s going home
MackN2U: Syesha’s probably been in the bottom three more than any contestant in the history of Idol
Mello: I agree… Tarantula Hair plays it too safe… he has yet to make me say ‘wow’… his performances are always dry
MackN2U: I can’t stand to hear him start to sing. He should have been gone a long time ago… these damn teenyboppers keep voting
Mello: only thing that captures my attention are his pretty blue eyes, and his smile
MackN2U: I’d love to hear a David Cook album… that dude is by far the most talented on the show
Mello: some folks are naturals @ being a star especially in their element
MackN2U: and he’s definitely a natural
Mello: I’m just anxious for the top 3
MackN2U: If there was an upset, who would you rather see in the top 3 – Jason or Brooke?
Mello: Jason… can’t stand to see Brooke. her performances are over the top boring
MackN2U: lol… yeah I agree… at least he sounds better

The wonderful thing about having a massive CD collection is that I can resurrect artists at any time, and transport myself back to some of the best times in life. Today for some reason I woke up with Blackstreet on the brain. Let me clarify: this would be the 2^nd incarnation of Blackstreet, post-Dave Hollister. See, most of us know Blacksreet as a quartet, but they’ve endured enough roster changes to make 2 quartets and still have an odd man out – a total of 9 members. But enough with the history lesson; let’s jump back about 12 years or so… it’s Friday night and I’m vacuuming the living room listening to my Sony Walkman – yes, remember those little boxes that were clever enough to play cassette tapes? Anyway, the Live Squad (WKYS… DMV folks) introduces this song that’s so hot I had to turn off the vacuum and get lost for a second. When it starts, I’m thinking “Damn, someone is jockin’ Tupac’s beat (I Ain’t Mad Atcha).” But the hook was so crazy, I couldn’t stop listening.

The song was Don’t Leave, from Blackstreet’s multiplatinum sophomore joint, Another Level. This album was the breakthrough for the new-jack swing brothers and included the #1 single No Diggity (featuring Queen Pen and Dr. Dre), as well as Fix, and the soulful Beatles cover (Money Can’t) Buy Me Love. Another Level was released in 1996, at the close of the New Jack Swing era and infused elements of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B to create a classic sound. Other notable songs on the album are Good Lovin’, I Can’t (Get You Out of My Mind), and the Debarge-sampled The Lord Is Real (Time Will Reveal). Rumor has it there’s a new BlackStreet album on the way for this summer. Considering their last effort (Level II, 2004) was less than stellar, I hope Teddy Riley and whichever incarnation is featured on this project can bring the magic of the R&B quartet back to the scene.

Edit: By request, here’s the video:

-MackN2U-

Ever wonder how some celebs recover so quickly from media backlash? Do something impressive to shift everyone’s attention. Let’s take Alicia Keys for example: for the last few weeks, the internet has been abuzz about Ms. Keys’ misconstrued comments regarding gangster rap in a recent interview for Blender magazine. In the interview, she’s quoted as saying, “Gangsta rap was a ploy for black people to kill each other. Gangsta’ rap didn’t exist”. So just when Mr. Beef himself, 50 Cent decides he wants to bash Ms. Keys, what does she do? Release an amazingly great video… All that said, let’s get to the point…

Teenage Love Affair, the latest single from Alicia Keys’ multiplatinum third album As I Am, has been tearing up the airwaves with its old soul feel and lyrics that make you go back to the days of being home before the street lights come on. To top it all, she’s just released an amazing video clip to accompany it. An homage to Spike Lee’s groundbreaking film School Daze, Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher) and Ms. Keys transport you back to the 80’s, to the simpler times when love was endless doodling on a composition book and notes with checkboxes to that special someone. Back in the days when talking on the phone for hours was the most intimate thing you did with someone. Back when your friends liked someone because you liked them; and the instant you hated them, they hated them too. Simple times. Good times. Talent shows and pajama parties. Don’t you wish life were that simple again? Enjoy the video…

-MackN2U-

MackN2U: I like Nas’ new song, ‘Be A Nigger Too’; It’s different… he presents a different perspective of a controversial term
Mello: yea that’s why Nas is a great rapper – he gets very deep. But when he thinks outside the box and goes way extreme it hurts him
MackN2U: yeah but only because people don’t pay attention…
Mello: yea, which is sad… I’d support his ‘Nigger’ album 300% because based on the title of the album I’m intrigued to wanna know more
MackN2U: Nigger is used as a term to describe blacks, but whichever way you flip it, SOMEBODY feels it’s cool to be a “nigger” – thats what the song is sayin… so it’s like why even fight over the word?
Mello: every ethnic group has pretty much adopted the word
MackN2U: exactly… that’s because there are “niggers” in every race. And regardless of what connotation you give it, people will still use it
Mello: pretty much, and blacks take offense to it but he’s sayin, “what’s the difference between us calling folks spics, kikes and crackers?”
MackN2U: but beyond that, he’s also sayin that a simple word like nigger cannot dictate the actions of a group of people
Mello: UNLESS of course you give just cause and display those type of actions
MackN2U: And I applaud Nas, for opposing the majority. He’s gotten to a point in his career where people’s opinions won’t make or break him… he’s already a made man
Mello: yea, ur right. Honestly…I believe any artist…who thinks outside the box, and goes way left field with their content, people shun. We live in a shitty society where people are afraid to truly express themselves, and so they conform to what everyone else is doing
MackN2U: and musicians feel they HAVE to do that, to develop a following first… even Nas did it. That ‘Nastradamus’ album was total conformity… but now that he’s built a platform he can say what he wants
Mello: yea. Like some people still don’t like the Erykah Badu album, but…you gotta appreciate what these artists do
MackN2U: right… cause even if the mainstream doesn’t appreciate it, it’s ART so there’s someone who does. That’s what separates true artists from everyone else. A true artist doesn’t care about appealing to the mainstream as long as they appeal to someone.

THIS TOPIC WILL BE DISCUSSED BY SOUND-SAVVY AND MINDSTREAM RADIO ON WEDNESDAY 4/23 FROM 8-10 PM. GO TO WWW.IM4RADIODC.COM TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW AND CALL IN.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS NEW JOINT BY NAS, ‘BE A NIGGER TOO’. LEAVE A COMMENT AND EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS! We

“This is not the show to sit and stare at me; get up and have a good time…” –Estelle Live at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC

Event: Bailey’s Presents Estelle hosted by John Legend
Date: 4.16.08
Location: Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC

I was curious as to what this London girl could give this American boy in a live show. After all, I’d only been turned on to her about 3 weeks prior to the night’s event, but was deeply intrigued with what I’d heard from this hip sister from across the waters. Glancing around, I noticed an eclectic crowd – which only attests to the magic in her music: there’s something for everyone. The venue slowly filled – though not to capacity – and the mingling began as the DJ blessed us with the sounds of Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole, Lupe Fiasco, Amerie, and other leaders of the new school.

Places everyone. After about 90 minutes, the band files in on stage; each takes their rightful place to back this brown sista with soul and swagger. In she comes, petite, but strong, and she takes her place at center stage. Her intro, a jazzy mix of guitars, drums and horns, and when she grabs the mic she brings it all home, opening the show with her Will.I.Am produced smash Wait A Minute (Just A Touch). The crowd livens, and for the next hour, we’re one nation under a London groove.

Estelle’s performance is full of energy, sassiness, and eloquence, all rolled up into one little lady. Her sharp tongue and quick wit kept the crowd with their hands in the air and smiles all night. Although most of her songs were unfamiliar to the majority, one thing was certain, everyone was feeling her! Having been one of the few people there to actually hear the whole project before the show, I must say, I have an even deeper appreciation. The first half was for the ladies, and she performed the reggae infused tracks Magnificent (which features Kardinal Offishall) and Come Over, as well as More Than Friends. The latter sheds light on the often blurred line between friends and lovers.

Highlight of the night for most was when John Legend joined Estelle onstage for a duo rendition of Michael Jackson’s I Can’t Help It, which led into another duet between Legend and his protégé – the rhythmic, island flavored Come Over. Towards the end of the performance, Estelle rocked the house with her Swizz-Beatz produced Shine, an empowerment anthem that had the crowd swingin from left to right, chanting along to an interpolation of Shawty Lo’s Dey Know. Of course there was the crowd-pleasing performance of American Boy her widely popular lead single which features Kanye West.

The first artist on Legend’s Homeschool Records, Estelle proves she’s no amateur to the mic nor the stage. Each number was preceded by a synopsis of its creation, establishing a level of relation with the audience. Armed with a fresh sound, confidence, and a round-the-way girl flow that’ll make her fit right at home in your stereo. On her sophomore effort Shine due in stores April 29^th, you’ll find a clever mix of reggae inspired songs, hip-hop artistry, and expressive vocals. If you’ve attended the live shows, you got just a touch – this album is sure to shine!

-MackN2U-

MackN2U: Last night, Mariah night… I must say a lot of them surprised me.
Mello: Yea, I agree… Mariah is known to hit a few high notes in some of her songs
MackN2U: exactly, and I didn’t think the guys would be up for that particular challenge. She’s got a 5-octave range!
Mello: Last night…each performer showed tremendous growth
MackN2U: Brooke was the worst of the night though. It’s her time… HOLLA BACK BROOKE!!!
Mello: Brooke is so last year
MackN2U: Whenever she plays the piano she always reminds me of a little schoolgirl at a piano recital…the way she looks down at the keys and concentrates so hard. She was nervous last night and it showed
Mello: yea, I’m bout tired of the piano gig. Her rendition of Hero was far left
MackN2U: it was sooo fast. Originally, Hero was a slow inspirational song, it’s slow so you can feel the emotion. She wasn’t feeling it at all; maybe that’s why WE weren’t feeling HER
MackN2U: and then that little cowardly lion face she put on after Simon’s comments… sorry babe, no HERO to save you this week; Kristy Lee ain’t too far behind.
Mello: country chick?
MackN2U: right, horse girl
Mello: we already got Carrie Underwood…on to the next! LOL
MackN2U: she was aight last night…
Mello: in my best Randy voice, “yooo dawg, that was just aight for me”
MackN2U: Syesha, to me is always great…she just picks the wrong songs… last night though she was on
Mello: yea, Syesha did a remarkable job last night
MackN2U: but I agreed that it was good that she picked a lesser known song. Vanishing is beautiful and it helped the audience focus more on her and not her comparison to Mariah
Mello: yea, I had no choice but to pay attention to her voice, cuz I’d never heard that song before
MackN2U: How about Carly Smithson?
Mello: Carly, has a great voice, but for some reason she always gets mediocre reviews
MackN2U: I’m convinced the judges have their picks for the season, and Carly ain’t one of them
Mello: some of her song was rather pitchy
MackN2U: are you channeling Randy? LOL I agree she was a little pitchy at first because I don’t think she thought she could hit the high notes, but then she just kinda went “all or nothing” and it got good! Did u see Jason do “I Don’t Wanna Cry”?
Mello: I’m so sick of those tarantula arms that he calls hair
MackN2U: I hated his arrangement…. he changed the melody up on a classic
Mello: only thing going 4 him are his straight white teeth and those pretty blue eyes
MackN2U: and since neither of those can sing for him… i’m hoping he goes home soon. I’d pay to see him in the bottom three tonight
MackN2U: the biggest shocker for me though was David Cook. Always Be My Baby is so R&B/Pop… and he completely rocked it out!!!
Mello: yea, his arrangement was great
MackN2U: You got your David, and I got mine!!
Mello: I never imagined that song to be a slow tune
MackN2U: nor a rock tune
Mello: he made it his own
MackN2U: and did a damn good job!!
Mello: He killed it
MackN2U: that’s my choice to win it!!
Mello: my top 3: Archuleta, Syesha & Cook
MackN2U: Those are my top 3 too, but I’m certain that my David is gonna beat your David… lol
MackN2U: To give you props though Archuleta actually did very well. That boy must have perfect pitch because he barely hits a bad note
Mello: I know! I had a talk with him just before he went out. I told him if he did a good job, I’d see to it that Hannah Montana would go on a date with him
MackN2U: HAH!! Did he start gasping for air?
Mello: guess now, I gotta get in contact with her people to set that up, huh?
MackN2U: He conquered a duo-diva song… Mariah AND Whitney? AND he went for the falsetto note… He gets props, brave little boy.
Mello: he’s such a cutie-pie…and talented
MackN2U: if you’re into that sorta thing
Mello: my pick for the bottom three: it’ll be tarantula, fake Carrie, and hippy Brooke
MackN2U: nah, Jason’s got too many teenybopper fans to end up in the bottom 3… It’ll be Kristy Lee, Brooke White, and either Carly or Syesha
Mello: yea, I was thinkin Carly since her performance was mediocre
MackN2U: she looked the best she’s ever looked last night though
Mello: I think anytime she covers that tat on her arm, she looks good
MackN2U: its like a totally different person…she looked classy last night. Have you seen her husband in the crowd though? The guy with the tats on his face?
Mello: yea, a match made in ink heaven
MackN2U: lol… if they stop showing him, she might get more votes. Speakin of votes, did you see when Ryan tore down that sign that said “Simon for President”? CLASSIC!
Mello: lol yea
MackN2U: those two are in love
Mello: yea, they think they’re so undercover, but not really…its actually pretty funny!

We live in an era where artists aren’t so limited to genres anymore. Everyone’s crossing over, branching into different areas to widen their fan base. And why not? I mean, if Big Boi can do ballet, then anything’s possible, right? (I’m not kidding…)

Sound-Savvy wants to put you on to some music that you might not listen to on a regular basis, or if you did, you might not admit it…LOL. It’s okay, we’ve all got our guilty pleasures, and we just like to share ours with you. So here’s the first in our set of TIYMLI articles. After all, they’re your ears – satisfy them. Happy listening…

Artist: Drake
Song: Replacement Girl ft. Trey Songz
Album: Comeback Season
Video Link

10 points for ‘keepin’ it real’. Rebound chicks stand up! Degrassi alum Drake has no qualms about it: He ain’t lookin’ at you, he’s lookin past you, whoever you are. Any takers?

Artist: Janelle Monae
Song: Violet Stars Happy Hunting
Album: Metropolis Suite I of IV -”The Chase”
Video Link

She’s as pretty as a flower plucked straight outta funk wonderland. Imagine Andre 3000 jacked up to the 10^th power and reincarnated as a female and you’d just be getting warm. In fact, you’ll probably recognize her from Big Boi’s ‘Morris Brown’ video, or from her song ‘Lettin’ Go’ which appeared on the Purple Ribbon Allstars’ Got Purp? Volume 2 compilation disc. Let her put it to you simply: she’s “an alien from outer space…”

Artist: The Jonas Brothers
Song: When You Look Me in The Eyes
Album: The Jonas Brothers
Video Link

10 years ago it was ‘Hanson’ (I dare you to front like you don’t remember “MMMBop!”). Now it’s the Jonas Brothers. They’ve been on tour with kid sensation Hanna Montana, but these youngins got a bit of pop-soul on this sentimental little love song. Cheesy…yes!

Artist: Duffy
Song: Mercy
Album: Rockferry
Video Link

She’s being hailed as the next Amy Winehouse. Yes, her sound is comparable, and if she hopes to avoid that inevitable comparison, she might wanna write a different hook instead of ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’, which mirrors Winehouse’s ‘No, no, no’ on Rehab. Still, she’s got an old school sound delivered by a great set of pipes. Addiction sold separately…

All the songs listed here can be found on the Sound-Savvy Myspace Page playlist. If you’ve got a song that you think should be a TIYMLI feature, feel free to hit us up.

This was a blog I’d done a couple months back, but it’s still relevant and I thought I’d share it with you guys. This isn’t meant to sway your political views one way or the other, but I think it’s important that we each have a view and a voice in the political process. Get informed, and then get out and vote.

‘No matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change‘ -Barack Obama-

Politics never really interested me before, and I’ve never been much of a political person, but it’s undeniable that there is a need for change. Some people don’t like the idea of government, but we have one, a democracy and it’s not all bad, it gives power to the people, but it’s time for a change in the way the people have the power. Over the last few months I have closely followed many of the debates in the Democratic Party because I feel it’s definitely time for a change. The economy is at a depressing low, the housing market is faltering, and we have troops fighting a war beyond our borders, and frankly beyond our need. When it costs me $50 or more to fill up my tank at the pump, it’s time for a change. When I have military friends being called away for duty every few months not knowing when or if they’ll return, it’s time for change. When foreclosures are at an all time high and our people are struggling to keep roofs over their heads, it’s time for change. When the rising cost of healthcare makes you think you’d be better off suffering your illness or taking your chances, it’s time for change. When the interest in higher education is at an all-time low because costs for college are at an all time high, it is indeed time for a change. When I can’t even get back a third of the taxes that I paid to the government, oh please believe it’s time for a change…

This morning I watched the video above. It’s done by Will.I.Am and features a host of celebrities in support of Barack Obama. Whether you like him or not, you can’t deny the way this man has unified so much of this country. Beyond racial lines, beyond gender, beyond sexual orientation, he has united so many people with his message of change. I’m sure you can tell he has my vote, and I don’t expect him to be a perfect president, but I have aligned myself with his campaign because the changes he plans to implement are in line with the changes I want to see in this country and I am most confident that this is the man that can lead us to that change. I encourage everyone, ALL OF YOU to get knowledgeable as it pertains to this election and the state of the world. We are growing into the time in our lives where we are the beneficiaries of the policies put into effect, and it is up to us to make those policies work for us or against us. Learn your candidates, find a position and stand by it. Get involved and vote. Take a look at the video, and note the unity.

-MackN2U-