My good friends over at The Round Table are doing Flashback Friday today, and they posted the original version of Just A Friend (click here to check it out), an undeniable classic by the one and only Biz Markie. And let’s face it, NOBODY beats The Biz, but Mario gave him a good run with this cover. Just A Friend 2002 was Mario’s first single, and at 15 years old, he’d scored a top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit and danced his way into pop, hip-hop and R&B stardom. The self-titled debut album also breached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 and, three albums later, Mario is still doin his thing! In fact, Biz Markie liked it so much, he makes a cameo in the video. How dope is that, to have a hip-hop legend cameo in your first video? Share your thoughts of either version and make sure you show some love to my folks at The Round Table!!

Read the rest of this entry »

Crunk music could see a rebirth this year (#NoWeezy) with Lil Jon’s return to the scene. Damn, this is a hit if I ever heard it!! Nice beat, smooth hook and great vocals from Mario and Kellz! This joint COULD appear on the King of Crunk’s new album Crunk Rock which is currently in the works and should be out later this year. Read the rest of this entry »

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the R&B guys are kickin it into high gear. Mario gets very steamy with two vixens in this clip for his latest single Ooh Baby from the really dope D.N.A. album (review here). This was one of my favorite joints off the album and it somehow made its way onto one of my seductive mixtapes. Anyways, check out the video, word to Bossip on the exclusive! Read the rest of this entry »

I’m a fan of the original version of the song, but this remix does nothing to outshine the original. I feel like Kelly should have had a stronger presence on the record and a much better verse. A hot remix would’ve really helped Mario push this joint, but this just ain’t it…

Audio: Thinkin About You (Remix)

I can’t say how much I love this song… it sounds so fresh. As for the video, a couple things I noticed… I’m guessing his fans weren’t feeling the clean shaven look, so Mario ditched the baldie for a more familiar look. Secondly, this video is very fashionable – I need one of those coats in my closet ASAP, the black AND the gray one. Nice mature vibe for the video, goes with the song and I’m diggin it just as much, a good look for the homie from B-More. Thinkin About You is the second official single from D.N.A. and the album is definitely a great one, check out the review here.

Artist: Mario
Album: D.N.A.
Release Date: 10.12.09

The Good: The lead single was a good move: Break Up is the type of club record most R&B singers only dream of while its follow-up Thinkin’ About You re-introduces the more familiar Mario with a very clean, fresh sound and a thumping bass line. The rest of the music on D.N.A. pushes the listener further into the mind of the man Mario has become. There’s a mesh of emotion-ridden lyrics and soulful vocals in the ballads like Stranded, I Choose You and Soundtrack to My Broken Heart. The lyrics bear a great use of imagery and storytelling on I Miss My Friend and Before She Said Hi, both are very poetic. Starlight bears a very versatile sound, a sort of neo-disco feel as Mario plays the impatient yet reserved lover. On the flipside, Mario is at his wit’s end in an unhappy situation on Get Out which has more stressed undertones and an angry verse from Ludacris to help convey the story. Don’t Walk Away is another favorite, a power ballad delivered beautifully over a screaming guitar. The vocals are very raw and open on the closing track The Hardest Moment, and the emotions run deep in the lyrics.

The Ungood: There’s not much to dislike about this album. There were a few spots where I felt Mario sounded a bit restrained, like on Starlight. Though it’s a great track, I felt he held back a bit. There are moments where Mario’s vocals get a bit whiny and nasally which can be annoying, but th

The Bottom Line: D.N.A. is a mature mix of R&B, hip-hop and soft pop records, but most importantly this album is his most honest and vulnerable to date, a true reflection of his inner being. The great thing about this album is that it’s not dominated by the often-overpowering production by today’s biggest producers. Outside of Break Up, the production here is very simple and gives way for Mario’s piercing vocals to take center stage and he delivers 100%. As it should, and as his other albums do, D.N.A. focuses on Mario’s mature vocals, toggling easily and intelligently between his warm lower tones and his rich falsetto. The content is mature and versatile and you can hear his growth as an artist and a man. The delivery on this album is excellent and the title is most appropriate. After listening to this album, Mario’s DNA is pure music and love.

Sound-Savvy rates D.N.A. with 4 out of 5 platinum headphones.

Audio: Mario ft. Yo Gotti – Thinkin Bout You (REMIX)

Clearly meant for the ladies, Mario steps back onto the scene with the steamy video for Break Up, the first single from his forthcoming album And Then There Was Me.

If you don’t know who Sean Garrett is, he’s ‘the pen’ behind many of today’s biggest R&B hits, and his catalog ranges from artists like Mario and Chris Brown (Wall to Wall) to Beyonce (Diva, Upgrade U) , so he’s been doing his thing for a minute. I still hate seeing Mario paired up with wack rappers like Gucci Mane and Rich Boy (from his previous album), but the song is still a banger. Oh, and fellas Nuvo is such a chick drink…

In a UStream appearance earlier this week, Mario confirmed that his new album is set for a September 2009 release.