December 2008 Urban R&B/HipHop/Gospel Releases
Review
The versatile musical dichotomy is always at the heart of each Akon album. It could be a metaphor for the man himself. On one hand there is an extrovert whose tireless devotion is entertaining crowds and fan interaction has caused both adorations and misunderstandings. On the other, a serious businessman who has quickly built an empire that includes a record label, fashion line and charity foundation. In short, an open artist who regrets nothing, but constantly is learning from past experiences.
1. Right Now (Na Na Na)
2. Beautiful
3. Keep You
4. Troublemaker
5. We Don’t Care
6. I’m So Paid
7. Holla Holla
8. Against The Grain
9. Be With You
10. Sunny Day
11. Birthmark
12. Over The Edge
13. Freedom
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Review
Emeritus. The name says it all. This may possibly be the last studio album from the hip hop legend known as Scarface. Scarface is every true hip hop lovers’ favorite artist. The lyricist extraordinaire. It will be a sad moment in music when Scarface puts down his microphone, however, as the meaning of Emeritus says, he will still retain his title. This is the explicit edition.
1. Intro
2. High Powered
3. Forgot About Me
4. Can’t Get Right
5. Still Here
6. It’s Not A Game
7. Who Are They
8. Soldier Story
9. Redemption
10. High Note
11. We Need You
12. Unexpected
13. Emeritus
14. Outro
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Review
Cadillac Records stars Beyonce, Mof Def, Jeffrey Wright and Adrien Brody with the soundtrack featuring Beyonce, Mof Def, Columbus Short, Mary Mary, Raphael Saadiq, Solange, Little Walter and Nas with Olu Dara. The movie is about Leonard Chess who co-founded Chess Records, the pre-eminent blues label of the Fifties and Sixties, with his brother Phil. They formed Aristocrat Records in 1947 and the Chess label two years later with a mind-boggling flood of Blues, R&B plus Rock’N'Roll talent- Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, Etta James and Little Walter. Phil focused on jazz while Leonard Chess honed in on roots music, making Chess the greatest repository of Black music at mid-century.
1. I’m A Man
2. At Last
3. No Particular Place To Go
4. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
5. Once In A Lifetime
6. Let’s Take A Walk
7. 6 O’Clock Blues
8. Nadine
9. The Sound
10. Last Night
11. I’d Rather Go Blind
12. My Babe
13. Bridging The Gap
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Review
Explicit Version. Grammy Award winning artist Common returns with his unique brand of cutting edge Hip Hop on his 8th album Universal Mind Control. The 2008 album on the G.O.O.D. Music /Geffen label is executive produced by multi-platinum producers The Neptunes & Kanye West and features the Neptunes on the bulk of the production. The lead single, ‘Universal Mind Control’ is a club hit and a radio add for Urban & Rhythmic Crossover. Common has been an actor on the big screen for the last two years in critically acclaimned films, Wanted, American Gangster & Smoking Aces, plus a co-starring role in the 2009 blockbuster Terminator 4.
1. Universal Mind Control (UMC)
2. Punch Drunk Love
3. Make My Day
4. Sex 4 Suga
5. Announcement
6. Gladiator
7. Changes
8. Inhale
9. What A World
10. Everywhere
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Review
Brandy releases her 2008 debut album on Epic Records, entitled Human which is her most personal album to date. Per Brandy, ‘I have grown so much since my last album. Being able to express myself and my journey through my music is a feeling I can’t describe.’ Reunited with executive producer Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, who first collaborated with Brandy on her 1998 multi platinum selling album Never Say Never. Human shows a side of Brandy no one has ever seen before. Having sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, Brandy has been one of the top selling female recording artists in Pop music history. Brandy has more than 100 awards worldwide.
1. Intro
2. The Definition
3. Warm It Up
4. Right Here
5. Piano
6. Long Distance Interlude
7. Long Distance
8. Camouflage
9. Torn Down
10. Human
11. Shattered Heart
12. True
13. A Capella (Something’s Missing)
14. 1st & Love
15. Fall
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Review
The game of R&B has seen its fair share of players over the past decade. Many have been drafted, but few have possessed that special talent needed to stay relevant in today’s ever-changing marketplace. Avant entered the arena of R&B in 2000 with his debut album My Thoughts, which featured the hit single “Separated”. Not only would his first single claim the #1 position on the Billboard R&B Chart, but with the success of other classic ballads on the album such as “My First Love” feat. Keke Wyatt, My Thoughts would go onto sell over 1 million copies. Unrelenting in his desire to continue to make hit records, the singer/songwriter would go on to deliver three more unprecedented albums, including his most recent album to date, Director, which featured one of the biggest R&B ballads of 2006, “4 Minutes.”
1. Sensuality
2. Perfect Gentleman
3. Involve Yourself
4. When It Hurts
5. Out of Character
6. Material Things
7. French Pedicure
8. Attention
9. Break Ya Back
10. Y.O.U.
11. Sailing
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Review
They are rap’s first great duo, one that excelled as rappers and producers. They are among the most-sampled rap acts of all time, their tunes having been mined by Jay-Z, DMX, 2Pac and Tha Alkaholiks, among many others. They introduced funk-styled production to rap, paving the way for Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. And even though their own rap skill was immense, they are also the best talent scouts in rap history, introducing the likes of Redman, Das EFX and Keith Murray. Then they broke up and reunited to rave reviews. The group is EPMD, undisputed legends in the rap game.
1. Putten Work In
2. What You Talkin’
3. Roc-Da-Spot
4. Blow
5. Run It
6. Yo
7. Listen Up
8. Bac Stabbers
9. Never Defeat Em
10. Jane
11. Left 4 Dead
12. They Tell Me
13. Actin’ Up
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Review
A Different Me is the third studio album by R&B singer and songwriter Keyshia Cole. The road to riches wasn’t easy for Keyshia yet her hard work and great voice are her successful rewards. Besides the release of a 2008 album, the new season of her BET reality show, touring and personal appearances, Keyshia is gearing up for the production of a movie based on her life. The lead single off the album, “Playa Cardz Right” featuring Tupac, originally appeared on Tupac’s Pac’s Life, and this version was rearranged by the hugely successful Grammy nominated Cole with producers Ron Fair plus Carvin and Ivan.
1. A Different Me
2. Make Me Over
3. Please Don’t Stop
4. Erotic
5. You Complete Me
6. No Other
7. Oh-oh, Yeah-yea
8. Playa Cardz Right
9. Brand New
10. Trust
11. Thought You Should Know
12. This Is Us
13. Where This Love Could End Up
14. Beautiful Music
15. A Different Me “Outro”
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Review
Explicit version. Grammy nominated, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx returns with his 2008 album Intuition. As a follow up to his platinum selling, J Records debut album Unpredictable, this album is sure to please with writing and production by The Dream, Timbaland, Sean Garrett, Tricky, Salaam Remi and Marsha Ambrosia. The first single, ‘Just Like Me’ features rapper T.I.
1. Just Like Me
2. I Don’t Need It
3. Number One
4. Digital Girl
5. Blame It
6. She Got Her Own
7. Intuition Interlude
8. I Don’t Know
9. Weekend Lover
10. Why
11. Freak’in Me
12. Slow
13. Rainman
14. Overdose
15. Love Brings Change
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Review
2008 release. There is a tradition in classic Black music that goes back to the smooth crooning of Sam Cooke, the earthy gritty sound of Otis Redding, the lyrical beauty of Curtis Mayfield and the unfiltered intensity of Donny Hathaway. It’s a combination of church-rooted hallelujah praisin’ and tell-it-like-it-is storytellin’. Few contemporary artists are equipped to carry the torch with any sense of authenticity. Anthony Hamilton may be the sole-indeed, soulful-exception. Simply put, Anthony has proved to be the real deal, as audiences discovered during his countless road treks performing night-after-night before packed crowds of -as he puts it-’young thugs, white and black, mothers with babies on their knees, old school G’s and kids looking for something they could feel and relate to.
1. The News
2. Cool
3. The Day We Met
4. Diamond In The Rough
5. I Did It For Sho
6. Hard To Breathe
7. Soul’s On Fire
8. Please Stay
9. The Point Of It All
10. Fallin’ In Love
11. Prayin’ For You / Superman
12. Her Heart
13. Fine Again
14. She’s Gone
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Review
Plies has earned gold status with his sophomore album, ‘Definition Of Real’. The album, which features the #1 single ‘Bust It Baby Part 2(Feat. Ne-Yo)’ and the current hit ‘Please Excuse My Hands(Feat. Jamie Foxx and The Dream)’ debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its June release, with sales exceeding 200,000. Plies’ next album, ‘Da Realist’, is slated to hit the streets on December 16th, marking the Ft. Meyers, Florida based rap superstar’s third full length release in just under 16 months.
1. Me & My Goons
2. F**k U Gon’ Do Bout It
3. Gotta Be
4. Want It, Need It
5. Plenty Money
6. Family Straight
7. Make A Movie
8. 2nd Chance
9. Spend the Night
10. Heard of Me
11. All Black
12. Street Light
13. I Chase Paper
14. Pants Hang Low
15. Co-Defendant
16. Put It On Ya
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Review
Soulja Boy Tellem’s highly anticipated follow-up to Souljboytellem.com (Collipark Music/Interscope). Soulja Boy Tell’em hit the ground running promoting his debut album which led to record setting performances for ringtones (more than 5.3 million downloads), YouTube views (over 300,000,000 views) and an incredible seven-week run at the top of the “Hot 100″ chart with the Grammy-nominated single “Crank That (Soulja Boy).Such staggering stats easily made Soulja Boy Tell’em the top new artist of 2008.
1. I’m Bout Tha Stax
2. Bird Walk
3. Turn My Swag On
4. Gucci Bandanna
5. Eazy
6. Kiss Me Thru The Phone
7. Booty Got Swag
8. Rubber Bands
9. Hey You There
10. Yamaha Mama
11. Wit My Yums On
12. Go Head
13. Shoppin’ Spree
14. Soulja Boy Tellem
15. Whoop Rico
16. I Pray
http://www.urbanmusic2000.com/newreleases.html
January 12th, 2009 at 10:57 am
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January 13th, 2009 at 12:38 am
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August 6th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
nice content