Summer Jam took place last weekend, and I learned quite a few interesting, fun facts while getting my ears destroyed in the photo pit. First of all, either he’s been eating really well, or Juelz’ metabolism isn’t what it used to be… his little pot belly is growing. Gucci Mane sweats a lot and Nicki Minaj has solid stage presence (especially considering she was the evening’s MVP, appearing in five other artists’ sets). Vado and Camlike to wear matching pink blouses, lol, and Trey’s act was more corny than sexy to me- but hey, I guess the ladies like him humping air?

My personal favorite lesson from Summer Jam 2010, however, was that Drake makes RIDICULOUS facial expressions while performing… so many, in fact, that I had to dedicate A WHOLE PHOTO ALBUM to them. But before the Drake fans egg my house and smash my camera, I have a very sincere concession to make: Just because many of us were able to catch him looking awkward and mentally-challenged, doesn’t mean that Aubrey didn’t also help serve up some of my favorite shots from the show. He’s clearly both ying and yang.

For complete Flickr albums from each performance, click on the photos or links below, or just go HERE.

Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame

Juelz Santana, Freeky Zeeky, Lloyd Banks, Maino

Talib Kweli, J. Cole, Estelle, Hi-Tek

Fabolous

Drake, Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Gyptian

Trey Songz

Ludacris, DJ Khaled, Nicki, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Barrington Levy, Busta, Cam’ron, Vado, and more.

So let’s catch up.

Eminem chose Recovery over Relapse 2. Kele from Bloc Party is releasing a solo album (zomg). Courney Love is on stage again. Drake’s making videos that are all the rage. MGMT delivered their sophomore LP to the masses and I need to spend more time with it. Guru’s spirit left his body and passed on. Christina Aguilera’s back, but somewhat missing the mark with that single.  And I miss Kanye… a lot.

In high doses, the music keeps coming. I don’t know about y’all, but I can barely keep up…

PodZilla

The Gorillaz album is on the very top my list so far this year, and standout track “Rhinestone Eyes” won’t disappoint you. Miguel may have wowed us with “All I Want Is You” featuring J. Cole, but I can’t stop listening to “Ooh Ahh” off his EP- wait for him to go Maxwell on this one. Rolling Stone said Grace Potter & The Nocturnals were a band to watch this year, and since their frontwoman vocalist has pipes that are somewhat reminiscent of Janis Joplin’s and Lzzy Hale from Halestorm , I’m getting on board. Watch the whole video if you can, but if you can’t, start about halfway in at 2:30- something pretty special starts to happen!

If you know me, you know how I feel about Pac Div’s music and -more specifically- (*cough, cough*) Mibbs. Carney is a band that should definitely be on your radar, too: the brothers (singer and guitar) are enchanting in different ways, and the leadoff single is ridiculously catchy. That said, they bite some classic rock favorites of mine so hard that I’m hesitant to fully support them yet, and I fear their carnival-themed shtick might get stale. Speaking of gimmicks, after almost three years of routing for Janelle Monáe and defending her music (and bow-tie), I became exhausted and tapped out. And then the album arrived. Great. Finally. A few people I respect even said that it might be one of the best LPs so far this year. Bold statement? Maybe. Time will tell.

Yes, this Gyptian song has been all over the radio for a while, but I was admittedly loving it off the first listen a few months back (and still lose my mind when it comes on). The video is horrrrrible, but let’s see if it will last long enough to be a “Summer anthem.” Agnes is huuuge in Europe, and it’s just a matter of time until she blows up here and seizes the land of pop. The Black Keys album is solid from top to bottom, so I had no choice but to include them too. Representing for the goons: Vado’s buzz is growing, and with the support of Cam, he’s sure to help Harlem get the traction it’s been missing since the Dipset drama- oy. Cudi being on the hook is an incredible bonus, but I’m told this track was made two years ago. Oh well, it still bangs— Sliiiiiime.

On a side note: A lot of people are uninterested in the Nas/Damian Marley album, but I’ve been patiently waiting for it since the inception of the project. Damian has his father’s magic (something that I was lucky enough to witness first hand and be captivated by the other night at Highline), and Nas is actually spitting again- thank god.

While Kelis is catching a bad wrap for her court-awarded allowance, I’d really like to believe that she was madly in love with Mr. Jones and just got tired of him being a burnout. That shit gets old, and I’m sure she didn’t want Knight to see that his pops was a smoke monster poor role model.

As always, Podzilla is just a smörgåsbord of tracks that I’m nibbling on, so if you press play, I truly hope you enjoy the goods.

Someone recently told me that I’m doing a disservice to my blog by writing these music summary-type posts instead of taking my ideas and penning more focused, long-form pieces. That person is probably right, but I’ve got to admit: inspiration comes and goes. Please bear with me!

For those of you who missed J. Cole at SOBs last night, here’s a clip of him performing his upcoming single, “Who Dat.” Sounds like hybrid fire to me. Not that he was at all lackluster a few months back, but after seeing him perform at NYU and the VH1 Hip Hop Honors pre-party, I think it’s safe to say that young Jermaine has polished his presentation a bit. The crowd knew not most, but ALL of the lyrics, and even with all the industry heads in there, the vibe was still more focused on the music — something you don’t see too often in this town!

Feel free to scroll through my photos from the show…

I’ll have more footage soon… xo

I shouldn’t be allowed to have a blog.

I make lists of things to write about about, but then I don’t  a c t u a l l y write. (Seven or eight unfinished posts are in my queue, and now they’re not even relevant to post anymore!) This foolish delinquency has got to stop. Going through my drafts from the last few months, it looks like I would have blabbed about the music below, so let’s just pretend this never happened…

Chromeo “Night By Night”

He’s like a (successful) male Snookie in the video. In all seriousness though, both the song and video are ill. Don’t skip it.

Young Money “Bedrock”

It’s a radio hit?!? Of course :/ Besides Lloyd (one of the most underrated r&b vocalists out), Nicki Minaj gets the win for being in this camp, does she not? Admittedly, she’s blowing up much more than I expected her to. If you haven’t seen it, James Van Der Beek (aka Dawson) shot footage of Michelle Trachtenberg doing a Nicki verse - a must see.

Vampire Weekend “Giving Up The Gun”

They still sound like Paul Simon to me. And since when did my favorite rapping producer become a tennis judge?! Rza >>>

OK GO “This Too Shall Pass”

No treadmills this time, but their creativity remains. And there’s another one… love!

Skyzoo “Popularity”

Big LOL to these cameos! Esso, Donny Goines, Emilio Rojas, Sha Stimuli and RickCaps… ha!

Since I’ve been MIA so long, here’s a little taste of what’s been in my ears…

Podzilla

Broken Bells– another Danger Mouse collaboration project, this time with James Mercer, lead singer of The Shins. I gotta tell you: everything that mouse does, I love. Regretfully, I’ve never blogged about B.o.B, but that doesn’t mean I don’t follow his work and respect it. The fact that J. Cole is also on this track forces me to share the wealth with those of you who may not have listened to it. Same courtesy applies to this Rihanna ditty… my ladies and I (@LAGraves and @Simply_SB) questioned if it was written for a guy, or if it was an intentional track about a lesbian tryst under a candelabra. We later confirmed the latter, paws… (c) @SowmyaK. Really feeling Mumford and Sons ironic folky sound, I’m bummed I missed their show a couple weeks back- nothing but great feedback on them has come my way. Lloyd Banks and Juelz’ dimple served up “Beamer, Benz or Bentley” -a new guilty pleasure for me- and in rare form, Joell Ortiz has blessed us all with a more humble freestyle version re: Nissans, Hondas and Chevies- AMAZING! Maino remixed it too? SMH. Justin Nozuka’s new project, You I Wind Land and Sea is coming soon. When I saw him perform “Heartless” live last week, I was moved so much, it almost brought me to tears. As for the next song, I’m angry with myself for liking David Guetta and Akon’s polite savagery so much, because in reality, I should hate it. Ugh. Civil Twilight’s “Letters From The Sky” is getting so many TV placements, I can’t keep count anymore. The song is pretty enchanting though, so that kind of response doesn’t surprise me. Lady Sade’s Soldier of Love LP is stupid good and outshines so much of the basura floating around these days- thank god she came back. And you know I had to slip a little Jay Elec-Chanukah into this list (again)… hate him or love him, he’s really rapping, and people are finally responding to the message.

Lastly, in case you’re not familiar with Matt Morris, please do yourself a favor and look into his music. Former Mickey Mouse Club member and (current) Justin Timberlake bff, Matt is signed to Justin’s Tennman Records imprint and sang with JT during the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. He has the voice of an angel, and his energy in person is genuine and indescribably sweet. Almost like he’s *glowing* - for reals.

Listen to “Live Forever” below… his album is out now.

I first became aware of Emmanuel Jal’s story when I saw War Child, the film based on his life, at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008. As a former child-soldier-turned-MC who grew up in civil war-torn Sudan, Jal was eventually rescued and able to start a new life, making it a mission to tell his story and raise awareness through music.

Although he wasn’t present at the screening I initially attended, Jal’s strength and sadness were emitted through the screen, forcing me to become emotionally attached to his story. Naturally, when I discovered that he was booked to speak and perform at NYU’s Kimmel Center two months ago, I made it a priority to attend. As expected, hearing him explain the details of his experiences face-to-face felt like nutrition for my soul, and after photographing him speaking and performing, I even had the privilege of asking him a question during the Q&A (more on that another time!)…

Like Emmanuel Jal, “rapper” Bangs is also Sudanese. He, on the other hand, has chosen to go quite a different route. Ladies: if you haven’t seen his video yet, Bangs wants to take us to the movies. He’ll even buy us popcorn…

If you’re not hip to the viral world, you may not know that Bangs’ “Take U To Da Movies” video has been an online phenomenon- flying through the internets and landing on many music and culture blogs out there. Not to (further) pick on Bangs, but his video hasn’t received so many online “spins” because he’s especially innovated and talented, it’s received them because people are laughing at him. Just think: it’s a cultural-disconnect train wreck… horrifying and captivating all at the same time. What’s most disconcerting is that Bangs doesn’t even realize he’s the butt of the joke; when the guys at Shade 45 had him as a guest on the All Out Show, poor Bangs had no idea he was being patronized by fake callers phoning-in to tear him apart. The linguistic tragedy that he represents is one that deserves exploring- both to juxtapose with the painful triumph of people like Jal, and to also raise the mirror to our own faces (I’M TALKING TO YOU, RAP FANS). Just look at what Bangs is glorifying?!?

Cars.                                                                               Money.

Jewelry.                                                                 Multiplying. (JK!)

His castle, the movie theater.

And while I’m all for people repping their nationality, the map of Sudan feels a little bit out of place in the video, no?:

Just saying.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Jal just finished skipping breakfast and lunch for a year to help raise funds for his charity, Gua Africa.

He told us the story about “waiting for aid drop from the sky” - he’s talking about rain.

To be clear, I don’t want to cast judgement here… Bangs can rap about whatever the eff he wants. Music comes in many packages, and I’m sure a lot of people could argue that Emmanuel Jal’s tracks aren’t particularly spectacular (by top MC standards) either. I’m also certain that their backgrounds are extremely different since Bangs now lives in Australia and didn’t grow up murdering his enemies and eating his dead friends for food. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Jal has a body count that he carries around, trying to come to grips with- his close encounters with extreme violence forcing him to be highly-critical of American hip hop’s portrayal of gang culture (as he directly addressed in his song “50 Cent”):

“The ‘50 Cent’ song is kind of like I wanted to call up 50 Cent and just say ‘Who are you?!’ Because you see, my cousin in the U.K., they’re in a little group, they’re calling themselves G-Unit. So they go on the street and beat people up. But when they went to school they stabbed a white boy. 50 Cent is big, he’s huge, he’s like a God, no? I [told my producer I wanted] us to write a song whereby we appreciate his work but at the same time we have to tell him ‘this is the problem.’ So if I speak to him through the music he’s gonna hear it. But the whole song is not meant for him.” -Emmanuel Jal, Rolling Stone

In a recent interview with Aussie outlet 9 News, Bangs said he thinks his music is uplifting for the Sudanese community in Melbourne, which has apparently garnered some not-so-good press lately due to violent incidents. Hey- maybe he is a positive influence! I guess I’m just trying to wrap my mind around the fact that even though they come from the same battered nation, their messages have landed on opposite ends of the hip hop spectrum. Rap and hip hop, ying and yang. Whether or not these guys are even aware of the other’s existence (Bangs is from Sudan’s Muslim North, while EJ is from the Christian South, now living mainly in London), I find it interesting that Bangs doesn’t grasp the irony he embodies by embracing the most foolish of our Western hip hop imagery. My guess is that he probably doesn’t know any better, and we have ourselves to thank for that (*pats back and puts on goon rap*).

More photos from Emmanuel Jal’s NYU performance can be found here.

Even though his album won’t hit US “shelves” until February of next year, Daniel Merriweather’s Love and War has been out overseas for months. He’s signed to Mark Ronson’s Allido label and managed by Roc Nation - pow, pow - so maybe taking three minutes to watch the clip below isn’t a bad idea? If you have A.D.D., start two minutes in…

We’ve missed her, but thankfully, the queen is finally coming back. Sade’s first album in almost eight years, Solider of Love, will be released on February 8th. And the album cover?!?!?!… sick.

Can we just quickly discuss how incredible it is? The exposed back, the ruins in the background, and the visual juxtaposition of strength and femininity… salute this woman! And while you’re “at attention,” also enjoy this vintage Lady Gaga clip from before she was Lady Gaga. Not bad timing for this nostalgic footage to be released considering The Fame Monster drops next week. Thanks to the homie Dizzle over at theFABlife for the tip.

Besides Australian hunks and myth-like songstresses, something else I’m looking forward to seeing develop is the BlakRoc project:

The Black Keys + Dame Dash + a hodge podge of MCs= Blakroc — album out November 27th. The clip above is called “Ain’t Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo),“ featuring Capo Jim Jones and Mos Def.

Do we think they’ll make another?

We need something realler! Time for a new…

Podzilla

Jay Electronica has recently delivered his “Exhibit C” to the masses, and photos from his show at Santos last week are below. If you’re not hip to Florence and The Machine, you’re losing, and 50 Cent recruited Governor, one of my favorite voices, to sing on “Do You Think About Me.” Joss Stone’s new album is solid, and I really want to sit down and have a beer with her. Like, in a pub — is that creepy? Them Crooked Vultures are an epic collaboration, and even though J. Cole murdered Wale on his own shit, Whale’s verse is still solid. One EskimO is sonically relaxing… just sit back and take it in. Hot Chip has emerged with a new track from upcoming project “One Life Stand,” and this Robin Thicke/Hov song makes me want to grab the surf board; cowabunga. And we can’t forget Shakira… might like this song more than “She Wolf,” and the CuDi edition certainly doesn’t hurt… Annie, are you okay?

Hello, Damon.

Oh, and ladies… Mr. Electronica has quite a handsome fan base — #justsaying.

Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” video needs no introduction, and if you haven’t seen it yet- shame on you.

The video is  b a n a n a s.  After climbing out of a coffin/sleep chamber/cocoon thing, Gaga pursues an extremely unhealthy -perhaps adulterous- relationship, painting a sublime picture for us all to gawk at. The transitions in color schemes (from whites to reds), the overall story-line, and the bombardment of wild imagery are enough to entertain fans and critics alike. In the end, of course, her hyper-sexual character triumphs over the seemingly harmful suitor- leaving only his remains sizzling beside her on the bed. Ha!

Sidebar (and pardon my savagery here, but): I’m pretty certain Gaga’s nodding to the Tyler Durden School of Spliced Porn Footage at 4:39 of the video (below). She definitely looks like she’s having sex (in high school, we called this the O-Face), and it can’t be a coincidence that it’s just one second out of three-hundred and seven, appearing in the climax of the song… while the bed is on fire.

Es Em Eych. Did anyone else notice this? Hidden sex imagery aside, the girl who was originally signed via Akon has again proven that she is not messing around in this industry. With the help of her creative squad, Haus of Gaga, the pop sensation continues to awe us not only with her visuals and vocals, but with the innovative prowess that her *wacky identity* exhibits. I can, however, understand why some people view her as an attention whore, masquerading around in shock value-driven outfits to promote her “crappy pop music” — but to me, Gaga is a creative genius. She has a way of structuring her songs so that they include many influential elements at once; if they don’t grab you sonically or lyrically, you’re still likely to be singing along during one of the many anthemic moments she conjures up. Oh, and BTW, if you’re interested in the fashion used in the video, Nicola Formichetti did the styling, and she breaks down each set-up’s outfits on her blog.

(Image via Hilary.com)

Hyper-sexual in his own right, Serani is still one of my favorite artist finds of the year. I know a lot of people don’t think his voice is too special, but there’s something about his music that draws me in. Shout out to @DJJUANYTO and NJ for hooking me up at his Hot 97 show and album release party a few weeks ago… lady Ylna and I had an amazing time.

I don’t condone ANY of his pelvic thrusts in the live clip of this song, but I promise you that the original version of “Naked” is a freaky must-add to your favorite Slow Jams playlist. Press play below to hear it, and pardon the intro…

Each year that CMJ hits New York, you can feel the energy in the air… music heads take to the streets to soak up their favorite artists’ music, and in most cases, they also get a taste for some new ones along the way. Last week, I had the privilege of seeing three great shows and upwards of fifteen artists and groups perform, and I’m happy to report that both vets and newbies made all the running around worth it.

It wasn’t an official CMJ show, but The Clipse lit up Hiro Ballroom on Tuesday night at Myspace’s “The Release” concert series. Toting a set list stacked with vintage hits and newer soon-to-be-favorites, the Thornton brothers reminded spectators why they’re still a serious force to be reckoned with. Easily one of the most underrated rap duos in the game, Malice and Pusha T will unveil the highly anticipated Til The Casket Drops on December 8th.

I remember seeing them open for 50 in college, *sigh*… I digress: Watch clips for “Cot Damn” and “Grindin’”

Prior to The Clipse, Atlanta native and hip hop newcomer Donnis performed, bringing out fellow MC and ATLien, Pill. Like Wale and Kid Cudi did last year, Donnis released his mixtape Diary of An ATL Brave through streetwear company 10.Deep, so it’s safe to say he’s heading down the right path… I guess we’ll see where it goes.

The following night, I hit East Village subterranean venue DROM to catch the Brooklyn Bodega Showcase featuring a number of up-and-coming MCs. Missing out on a few openers, I arrived in time to catch Diamond District perform. The DMV group, comprised of MC/producer Oddisee and MCs X.O. and yU, released their free LP In The Ruff on their website in April, following it up with the Diamond Exchange mixtape and a formal release of the album - both of which dropped this October. Hailing from DC, these guys boast a gritty sound that has people who’ve heard the record talking, calling it one of the best hip hop albums of the year.

Tanya Morgan took the stage next, nailing a solid set before headliners Pac Div closed out the evening with an energetic performance that completely sold me. (Sidenote: They are sweet potatahs.) Prior to that night, I had never seen them live, but trust me when I tell you that this LA-repping trio has stage presence for days! Although they are often likened to A Tribe Called Quest, the Church League Champions embody a unique style of their own, mixing contemporary rhymes with throwback beats, and they thoroughly engaged the room full of supportive fans.

In case you haven’t seen it, watch their video for “Mayor” here.

But the night didn’t stop there… hopping in a cab, I then headed uptown to B.B. Kings, eager to see what hip hop blog mega-powers OnSmash and NahRight had in store for their Better Recognize showcase. Headliners included Raekwon, Styles P. and Jadakiss, and with a lineup like that, it’s not too surprising that fellow performer OJ Da Juiceman was actually booed off stage by the intolerant NY-centric crowd (much to the dismay of Hot 97’s MissInfo, who co-hosted the event with Peter Rosenberg). Sick and losing his voice, Raekwon almost didn’t make the show- and in case there was any question, Styles and Jada certainly did set B.B. Kings on fire. Other artists on the bill were Kidz in the Hall, Curren$y, Donnis, Pill, Emilio Rojas, and Stalley, and surprise guests Wiz Khalifa and Kid Cudi stopped by to grace the stage as well.

I don’t know about you, but seeing Styles and Jada perform together really tickled me. If you want more, check out my footy from the show: “We Gonna Make It” and “I Get High” OR feel free to go through my albums on Flickr. Pow. Until next year, CMJ!

A few Fridays ago, I was invited to an art opening…

From the pamphlet:

“Altered Luxury brings together artists of various mediums who have recognized both the power and irony of luxury perception in the modern world. Each piece in the exhibit in some way juxtaposes an element of luxury culture, creating a new aesthetic that is both engaging and thought provoking.”

The pieces were definitely interesting, and drinks were flowing while DJ Elle spun some golden oldies. Sylvia Rhone stopped by, and as an extra treat, Curt@!n$ performed too. That, plus open bar = a really fun night, all around!

Check out my bb snapshots of what I’m calling “Gucci Gun” and “Marc Jacobs Bricks” lol

The following week, I went to the Trey Songz f. Fabolous “Say Ahh” video shoot. A good friend, and immensely talented individual, invited me to tag along… she’s also the director. In addition to shooting “Say Ahh,” she shot Trey’s “Invented Sex” video that night as well- sans Drake’s verse. Bee-Tee-Double-You… it was pretty steamy!  It’s funny… even though I’ve been in this industry for almost five years, I’ve never gone to any shoots (by choice!), so this was actually my first time on a set. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience, and I felt privileged to see Ms. Geralds work her magic first hand. Here are some photos from the set:

…and here are some shots I got before my camera died:

Lastly, I just wanted to present a bittersweet piece of reality for you all. This Jason Derulo “Whatcha Say” song is climbing the Top 40 charts, and in case you didn’t know, the hook is actually an Imogen Heap sample from her song “Hide and Seek.” Kind of a oddball fit, but it works really well. While I’m glad she’s getting some mainstream shine, I fear that the Top 40 listeners may not even know who she is. Typical! In any event… both songs are below, and either way- I guess it’s all for the besssssst.