Had it not been for legal issues and personal demons never subsiding – the downfall to many artists over the years – the trajectory of D’Angelo’s career could be one still moving upward. Regardless, something no scandal or untapped potential can ever take away is 1995′s Brown Sugar. Read the rest of this entry »

Graphic by Talia

The recent rally behind Lauryn Hill after her East Coast Rock The Bells stop will soon die down once fans remember the harsh truth — we lost Lauryn long years ago. Miseducation… Lauryn dropped out and even though she may make reappearances on stage & record, she will never be our Lauryn. Read the rest of this entry »

Like a bat out of hell, Lady Gaga added a bit of spice to what was shaping up to be somewhat of a mundane week.  Perhaps at some point down the line either her or Beyoncé will let us in on the inside joke that is her “Telephone” video.  Until then we’ll find some reason to soldier on through her nine minute visual conundrum.  Here’s what else went down: Read the rest of this entry »

We’ll let 23-year-old David D. take the mic first:

This is really tragic. D’Angelo was king of world just a decade ago. He had a video that made women openly talk about masturbation and an album that is still considered a classic. Though it seems like yesterday to us, Voodoo must seem like a lifetime ago for D’Angelo. He went from being the object of every woman’s desire to trying to pay $40 for sex. Unfortunately, that woman was an undercover cop. Read the rest of this entry »

Sade and Badu are releasing material. Lauryn’s been spotted doing dates overseas. It’s only right that D’Angelo make an appearance. And while I haven’t seen an official proclamation regarding a return or an album, “1,000 Deaths” sounds promising. Funky and finespun, the music is intriguing given all of the layers of sound working together at once. Read the rest of this entry »

In his hair, I bet ?uestlove has b-sides and outtakes from every artist imaginable. I know he does. I remember reading a detailed interview with either him or some other artist, telling how they spent days and weeks jamming, studying and vibing long before anything was ever recorded for album purposes. In fact, I think it was a D’Angelo interview and Brother Love’s presence in the interview became so glaring that it marked my mind, forever etching a vision of him as a musician in the original mold. Read the rest of this entry »

“Let me show you what you’re missing everyday.”

Male singers, like most modern musicians, have lost their way, and therefore their appeal. Like a wise lady I know pointed out, there was a time when singers would beg, in the most intimate and humble of fashions, to be given a chance to prove to the lady what he was. These days, we’ve reverted back to our caveman-esque nature of brashly beating the point across and telling the girl exactly what to do, profanity and lack of subtlety included. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a year and I still miss The Wire and all its characters. We said our final goodbyes in 2008 but recent endless viewings of the DVD box set had me feeling sentimental and inspired. It’s the “Who would play me in a movie?” game further realized and repurposed, i.e. which rappers would play characters on The Wire? So, without further adieu…

Charles Hamilton as Duquan “Dukie” Weems — These two have more of an uncanny physical resemblance than Blu and Bubbles. Besides their connection as look-alikes and being coincidentally homeless at different points in life, both are bright, yet can’t seem to get the formula quite right to move on to a higher level of success. Coincidentally, and both lived in the streets.

Nas as Avon Barksdale — Okay, so maybe Nas isn’t really a hustler or a gangster. But he is an older figure who has seen more dominant days, finding his way in an environment that may/may not be suited to his tastes any longer. Oh, and he evolved as the opposite of…

Jay-Z as Stringer Bell — The intelligent hustler. Does/did anyone so knee deep in their respective field have a more savvy business sense than these two?

Andre 3000 as Lester Freamon — These wise vets are intensely cerebral while having a creative outlet that helps them make money while expressing themselves. Both have also expressed discontent or disinterest with the state of their environments. Read the rest of this entry »

Coke To Recreate “Mean Joe Greene” Ad With Troy Polamalu [Awful Annoucing]

The Ten Twitter Commandments [Unkut]

Video: Curren$y x Monsta Beatz – “Up Here” Preview [Nah Right]

Kanye Debuts LV Sneakers During Paris Fashion Week [Concrete Loop]

Hacker Free BlackBerry for Prez [EU Web]

D’Angelo Works with Prince For James River Album [Singersroom]

Hip-Hop Inauguration Ball… [Necole Bitchie]

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