Soooo apparently T.I. and his wife Tiny were arrested last night on a drug posession charge. At a traffic stop on Sunset Drive in LA, police smelled marijuana coming from their Maybach and found an undisclosed amount of a controlled substance in the vehicle at the time.(confirmed by CNN and USA Today)

Now stop and read that shit again. How many things can you find wrong with the paragraph above? And I’m not talking grammar, spelling or punctuation. T.I., bro you JUST beat a 30-year sentence with 7 months in prison and 3 months in a damn halfway house. IS YOU SICK?? Why would you even be within 100 yards of some weed??? And on top of that… YOU THE KANG!!! You can pay somebody to buy AND roll your weed and even light it before you take a puff! Matter of fact, you ain’t even gotta touch the blunt or any other drug for that matter! Why homie?
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Just over a week after her ‘suicide attempt’, Fantasia Barrino hit the stage at the Big Chill in Charlotte, NC as a surprise performer to close out the Birthday Celebration/Comedy Show for Charlotte Bobcats player Tyrus Thomas. Performing comedians included Milton “Lil Rel” Howery and Alex Thomas, and comedian host Deante Thomas. “I been in the house for a week so you know I’m bout to act ugly… When they said it was over for me, I’m here to say I’m back!” she proudly proclaimed as she prepped for her set. With VH1 camera crews in attendance, Fantasia performed a set of old school jams, kicking off her shoes and jump-starting the set with her take on Aretha Franklin’s Rock Steady then flowed into Tell Me Something Good (Rufus and Chaka Khan)… Read the rest of this entry »

With his newly formed Harrell Records Imprint, Andre Harrell set out to find the next major R&B/Soul Music Superstar by launching a nationwide search for talent. The contest went to Charlotte, Atlanta, DC, Philadelphia, Houston and Detroit. It began online and, after amassing public votes, the top 50 contestants in each city were selected to perform for Harrell and a panel of judges in their respective cities. From thousands of entrants, the contestants were narrowed down to 12 finalists who converged at Echelon 3000 in Atlanta, GA to compete for ONE recording contract and a prize of $10,000. Watch clips from the finale after the jump, as a winner is selected… Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Slum Village
Album: Villa Manifesto
Release Date: 07.27.10

For emcee T3, Villa Manifesto is Slum Village’s last stand, the last chapter in the book of a group that has experienced a lifetime of tremendous highs and heart wrenching lows.

The Motor City collective has long been touted as a fearless act that captivated listeners with its win-win combination of quirky, attention-hungry lyricism slathered over seamless and soulful production. Who can forget the beam of light that was Fantastic: Vol. 2, an almost flawless project in which T3, J-Dilla, Baatin and several notable guests told the world about the Conant Gardens community, chided so-called “players,” and warned of the perils of falling in love. And you can admit it: you know you couldn’t stop two-stepping when SV — now with the super lyrical Elhzi in the mix — dropped “Tainted” in 2002, which played on like the ultimate pick-up line in musical form.

Still, the group encountered arguably the most distressing setbacks of any collective in music industry. In 2006, Dilla died from complications of a rare blood disease. Last year, in the midst of recording Villa Manifesto, Baatin suddenly passed away, which left T3 as the last man standing from Slum Village’s original trio. Read the rest of this entry »

The homie Bei Maejor is preppin the release of his upcoming EP uʍop ǝpısdn (Upside Down) which features his new song Gamez. Keri Hilson is featured on the hook, and the song is actually pretty cool. Bei Maejor has been in the game for a minute writing and producing for many artists, a feat that has already garnered him Grammy recognition,  now he’s bringin some heat of his own on this new EP. Check out our interview and get to know Bei Maejor! As a writer for Ne-yo’s Compound Entertainment, he discusses what it’s like to work with the R&B genius, as well as artists like Keri Hilson and Trey Songz. He also gives the history behind his recent release, Drunk In The Club and gives fans a little bit of what you can expect on his upcoming project! Following the interview, be suresure you listen to his new single Gamez below, a throwback sound to the video game consoles of yesteryear… Read the rest of this entry »

If there’s one thing you can say with certainty about Andre Harrell: he MAKES STARS. Just look at the careers of Mary J. Blige and Diddy for example: they’re at the top of their careers right now after being molded and forged by Mr. Harrell and now, he’s on a mission to do it again. Signing a major distribution deal with Atlantic Records, Harrell recently launched his own imprint Harrell Records, and his first major project is finding the next soul music superstar. Here’s how it works: Contestants from all around the country submit a clip of themselves singing an original piece and are subjected to the votes of the public. The top 50 contestants in each region are chosen to sing in front of Mr. Harrell and a panel of celebrity judges. The 50 is narrowed down to 10, to 3 and then a final person(s) in each region are chosen to compete in the finals, which will be held July 31 in Atlanta, GA. The ultimate winner will be the recipient of a recording contract and $10,000.
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It’s been a bit of a surreal year for SRC/Universal Motown recording artist Melanie Fiona, and that’s just putting it lightly. At around this time last year, she had 1 US single in rotation (Give It To Me Right), and was preparing to release her second, It Kills Me, which would become her first #1 single, catapulting her into the realm of stardom. Since then, her debut album The Bridge has been released to worldwide acceptance and rave reviews from bloggers, journalists, and even her industry peers including Kanye West and Questlove, including a review here on Sound-Savvy (click here to read). In this EXCLUSIVE interview, Melanie Fiona discusses the success of her debut album ‘The Bridge‘, reaction to her myriad of award nominations and breaks news on her NEW ALBUM: The MF Life!! She also discusses working with Steve Rifkind and the SRC team! After the interview check out her Essence Music Festival performance of her Grammy-nominated single It Kills Me.

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Neo-soul singer Dwele is no newbie to the scene. Since his debut on 2003′s Subject, Dwele’s name has become synonymous with great music – from his funky two-step grooves to his sultry baby making jams. On June 29, he will release his fourth studio album, Wants.World.Women, a 3-part concept album that introduces a newer side of Dwele to his longtime listeners while maintaining his classic style and sound. In this interview, he discusses what it’s like working with hip-hop superstar Kanye West, he talks about his ideal woman, and he gives all the details on the new album. We also discussed his work with the J. Dilla Foundation, and he reflects on Dilla’s impact in music. In support of his new album, Dwele is giving TWO Sound-Savvy readers copies of the album. To qualify, check out the interview and leave your feedback! Winners will be randomly selected from the comments section! Listen or read the full transcript after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

In his plush and ultra-swagged out Atlanta home, Lyfe Jennings unwinds. ATL temperatures are reaching a dry high in the mid-80′s and the soulful crooner is just getting in from a kindergarten graduation ceremony – for his son. The joy on his face is unmistakable: proud father, and that’s part of the reason for his brief hiatus from music. In that brief time away, he concluded one deal with Sony and birthed his own label Jesus Swings which will serve as the platform for his newest release I Still Believe, hitting stores and online outlets July 27, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Sound-Savvy and Suavv Magazine recently did an interview and photoshoot with soulful R&B singer Lyfe Jennings! At the singer’s Atlanta home, we discussed his music, his life and future plans for his career. His new album I Still Believe is slated for a July release and will kick-off a massive summer tour for Jennings, with a roster of other R&B singers in tow. The first single, Statistics has been blazing the airwaves in preparation for the new project which, Lyfe says, is very true to his classic style. Check back Monday for the full interview with Lyfe Jennings!

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