New Music Video: Naked

So I have been about this song for about two months now. It's by Dev (she's the girl who got our attention on "Like A G6") and features Enrique. The song has a nice beat and vibe to it. It's nothing groundbreaking from what either or them have been putting out recently, but they do mesh quite nicely together. I must admit that I have this love/hate relationship with her when she says "It's the Cataracs!" Bitch, we know.

As for the video, I'm a fan. I was concerned when the first 30 seconds focused on her putting on Calvin Klein makeup. I really hate such blatant plugs. I would be lying if I said I liked her styling. She looks like an 80s porno Katy Perry. (not in a good way) She is one of those people who isn't necessarily striking to look at, but with the right styling could be decent. Dev, let me style you. Enrique looks great! His hair is laid. Dev made a smart decision to show him often (even when she's singing) I must say I'm a little upset at the lack of nudity in the video, but that's just me. Overall, it's well shot and i like how it has a Terry Richardson grit to it. The whole thing just makes me want to go to Vegas and stalk Enrique. Wait, what?

New Music: Every Time

So Amerie is back to making music. She hasn't really been able to find too much success and is often viewed as kind of a one hit wonder. Well, I guess she is ready to try to change that with her return to music. She has added an I to her name, but Ameriie just looks re damned diculous so I refuse to use it. This song sounds like classic Amerie, which is good and bad. It's good because she isn't trying to do what the next chick is doing and will probably please her true fans. It's bad because the song isn't very remarkable, much like classic Amerie tracks. I still am on the fence with her voice. I don't think I could sit through a whole album of it. It kind of annoys me after 10 minutes. Hopefully she sticks to short songs and squeezes out some more music before Beyonce gets off maternity leave.

New Music: Fuck Up the Fun

Ok so this is a new track by Azealia Banks. She has really been doing major things this year and I like her style. It's actually shaping up to be a good year for female rappers. For this track, she teamed up with my White Chocolate Boo, Diplo and the track bangs HARDER than a mofo. She spits her verses at a rapid fire pace and basically is talking a lot of shit. I'm not mad. Get into it

Open Letter: Kimberly "Lil Kim" Jones

I worked an overnight last night and I took a shower before going into work. This song was in my head and it stuck with me all night. I thought about how much I loved your verse in it and how to this day people remember it line for line. Then I thought that I haven't really heard memorable verses from you in a minute. You got so involved in changing your face (I'm going to leave that for another letter at another time) and shooting back at Nicki, that you lost sight of the music. The same way fans asked for "Old Nicki" I am wanting "Old Kim" I get that flows change and people do as well, but I still want a girl that spits with hunger and fire behind it. Don't rest of your classic lines, create new, even better classics.

I really do want you to win. Get to the studio and give the people what they want! I'm not asking for the pause, stop flow that everyone from Nicki to Big Sean are doing. I'm not asking you to grab your glowsticks and jump on the Guetta train. I'm asking you to do you. I have been listening to your CDs this past week and I'm finding songs that weren't singles that were doing some pretty different and innovative things. In "Can you Hear Me Now" you said:

My last album, some of y'all wasn't ready for it
Alright, I slow it up, put the brakes on for ya
I know what I'm doin, I ain't losin my mind
I'm just so advanced I'm ahead of my time
You all stuck at the back, I'm ahead of the line
Even in the dark, I'm still gon' shine
You'll see what I mean in 2009
I kick outer space raps - ILL RHYMES

You could not have called it any better. Sorry for that slap of reality. Maybe this awesome photo I peeped at Missjia.com will make you feel better! See, the whole time you were going after Nicki, when it looks like Drake is droppin down low and sweeping even more flo' than both of you heiffas!

Why I'm Single: I Work Retail Part 1

Everyone loves to ask me why I'm single, so I decided to look deep within and figure it the hell out! By this time next year I expect to be boo'ed up with someone and trying my hardest to make single people feel badly about themselves. Today's reason #3453453 is: I work retail. Sounds simple enough, but I'm sure a bunch of people out there either 1.) haven't worked retail or 2.) Don't see the connection. For these people, I will dig a little deeper...

So yeah, I work retail and have for most of my life. I have had a few stints at being a waiter, but it's pretty much been retail all the way. I do visual merchandising, which means I am expected to get most of my work done when the store is closed. Think magical elves dress mannequins, move product, paint walls, and execute windows? Then you are right!! Well if magical elves are 6'1" black men named Ian. In fact, I take that back, you aren't right. You are just dumb. Dumb as hell. Ok, so with my job description comes an ever changing schedule. I am a slave to workload. When visual type things need to get done, I am either working at 5am or overnight from 9p-6a. Beyond that, I am also working on the floor, which means I can have shifts during the hours when we are open. Pretty much I work whatever they tell me to work. So here are a few interactions that are possible

What's the point? It's hard to make plans. I don't have weekends off and I can never have set nights to do certain things (ie Taco Tuesdays or Thursday Bowling)

Potential Suitor: Hey wanna go out next week Wed?
Ian: Not sure..I don't know my schedule yet
PS: Oh ok, well I will go after this unfortunate fuck next to you because he knows he works 8-5 m-f

or

PS: Let's go away this weekend to Miami!
Ian: I work weekends, how about Tuesday and Wednesday?

or

PS: Hey, I know you are off at 8 tonight, want to do dinner and drinks?
Ian: true, but I have to be back at 5am tomorrow, so howabout you come over and just tuck me in?
PS: wanna hookup?
Ian: Probably not, I need to be up in a few hours and need my energy. We have windows that are going to be a bitch!!

PS: I would love for you to come home and meet my parents during Christmas
Ian: I think I have like 4 hours I can squeeze in. Can we do like a 5a-9a on Christmas morning? I have to be home and i bed so I can work at the crack of dawn the next day


So you can see how frustrating it has to be to try to date me. And keep in mind that's before you even have to deal with my antics and my diva ways. I don't blame people. I guess the logical thing to do would be to date someone else in retail, but that is like getting the stars to align or getting Rihanna to wear pants: it might happen, but it's not going to happen often. Another option would be to date someone without a job. TLC taught me well. I don't want no muthafuckin scrubs! I'm trying to retire early and be a man of leisure. How am I supposed to do that when homie doesn't have a job? HUH?! Plus I have dated someone without a job and it was annoying. He had too much free time and would text me every 12 minutes. On top of that, it made me angry being at work, when he was out and about doing nothing. I guess I was seeking some company in my misery.

Anyway, so now when you see a smart, funny, good looking guy who is single, stop before asking " why are you single!?" and instead think "Hmm, I wonder if he works retail?"

New Music: The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor has a special place in my heart. I first grew to like her when I saw her on "My Super Sweet 16" on MTV. She was a cool chick and was more of a skateboard chick than a bratty princess. In the show we found out that she was signed to Pharell. It all seemed like she was poised to be the next Kelis. I mean, she had the raspy voice, the big curly hair and the attitude/style. On top of that, she rapped AND danced. This girl was clearly a threat.

But then she wasn't. She released a single "Google Me" and that was the last I really heard from her. I would randomly come across her Youtube videos with her dancing or covering other people's songs. Then I started hearing about her getting into fights over her friend, Chris Brown. The hell? THEN she started getting involved in Twitter wars. SHe was pulling a Ciara and getting attention for all the wrong reasons.

It all seemed to be turning around when she got featured on Kanye's "Christmas in Harlem" and "Dark Fantasy" People even started to say that she was about to be signed to G.O.O.D music. She started to get her shit together and got back to putting out music. She dropped a mixtape last week and I am freaking in love with it. It has so many references to Janet, Michael Jackson, and Lauryn HIll, but it's not like she is biting. Clearly she is a girl who grew up with good music. On this mixtape we are hearing her sing more than rap. She is even ballsy enough to sing the hook to Lauryn's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and she does it well. This mixtape is perfect for spring, as it's fresh, breezy and keeps all things ratchet to a minimum. I like "Make Your Move" "DUI" and "Valentine"

Get it below:

http://www.rap-up.com/2012/03/11/new-music-teyana-taylor-the-misunderstanding-of-teyana-taylor-mixtape/


P.S. So Teyana got in trouble for fighting again. This time with a stripper named skrawberry. I. Just. Can't.

New Music: Wild Heart

This is the full video from Sabi. Basically she has been around on other people's songs (Brit's Drop Dead and the massive hit with Cobra Starship) but not ol' girl is ready to step out on her own. She is stunningly beautiful and seems to have a decent voice although she seems to be a huge fan of autotune. I love the dramatic nature of the song and the dubstep influenced track just kind of grinds all of her raw emotion all up in your face. This has found its way on my Breakups to Breakdown mix.

New Music Video: It All Belongs to Me

I remember when The Boy is Mine came out. It was a long time ago and I remember working in Kmart for a sidewalk sale and being amped because they let me play the radio while I worked outside. HOLLER! Anyway, that song came on like 234283423 times during my shift and I loved every moment. There was the nice play between saccharine sweet Brandy and Monica who always seemed to have a little more edge and sass to her. The video was cute and people ate it up. Believe it or not, that was 14 years ago. That shit cray!

Today the pair released their follow up collaboration. Despite people rumbling about them hating one another and diva attitudes, the two both seem to be cool with one another. I guess it's a cold cold world, when Beyonce comes along and snatches your wig... NO but seriously, think about it: they both were doing major things in the industry and then they both stumbled and never really recovered. Monica had sort of a comeback with her last album, but even that was kind of scary and felt like it was her last chance. Brandy is in that same boat now, where it's do or die. I guess they figured "let our powers combine!!!"

The result is nice. It's not "The Boy is Mine" but I am alright with that because I'd be pissed if they tried to mess with the same formula. They'd get a HARD "now you know you are too old for that bullshit!" side eye. This song was written by Rico Love (he wrote Kelly's "Motivation" Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams" and Keri Hilson's "Energy") and is basically about a girl who is taking all of her stuff back from her triflin man. It's kind of along the same line as "Irreplaceable" but kicked up a notch. The thing about this song is that is pissing people off is the fact that it doesn't HAVE to be a duet. The girls are just trading verses with minimal singing together. But that's kind of how "The Boy is Mine" is. I think it felt more duet like because of the whole story of two girls fighting over a boy that is set up in the intro.

Anyway, I like the song and they both KILLED the vocals. I seriously feel like people sleep on Brandy's voice. She's really gotten good at mastering it's low, rich quality. Monica has vocal runs for days and I'm ok with that. The video is actually pretty boring to me, but they both look awesome. Will this be the mega smash comeback single they both need? Probably not, but hey, they tried and it's not a train wreck. I give them an A for effort.

Get More: Monica, It All Belongs To Me, It All Belongs To Me, Free Music Videos