Janelle Monae: Tight Rope Video

I adore this chick!!! I love her style, her voice... she is EVERYTHING!!! This video made me smile endlessly. SN: she really does tightrope walk. Can't wait for the album... MAY 18TH!!! (gotta find some saddle shoes to rock in her honor... and maybe I'll do my hair like hers too.... ya'll know I will!!!)

Monica: Still Standing

I’m having another Corinne Bailey Rae moment…. Don’t know what to say other than I love it. REAL R&B IS BACK PEOPLE!!!

“Still Standing” is such an anthem!! I just get in such a zone when its on

“One In A Lifetime” is perfection….

I like “Stay or Go” with it’s hip hop undertones… that’s as much hip hop on a Monica album (no more rapping Mo.)

“Everything To Me” reminds me of her cover of “Misty Blue” on The Boy Is Me… her voice is so classic that she slips so easily into old school R&B

I liked “If You Were My Man” but it seemed a bit misplaced, like it should have been on a different album. The album did change pace a bit at the point... more electronic sounds. So it served its purpose

“Mirror”, “Here I Am” and “Believing in Me” were solid

“Superman” & “Love Over Me” were so beautifully sexy.

One thing about Monica is she will make a short album, get her point across and sit down somewhere. I LOVE THAT!!! It was 10 songs, short and to the point. Great Album.

Sponsor at Tiffany's

I heard Teairra Mari's sponsor a little while ago (and the video released a couple weeks ago). Immediately, I was struck by the song's candor. All the normals, even the most self sufficient among us, have dreamed about being taken care of, be it by a sponsor, a spouse or a trust fund. Let's face it, it would be nice to be able to lollygag and galavant without a care in the world.

One of my favorite movies is Breakfast at Tiffany's where a "kept" man and woman fall in love with each other, seemingly a bad life choice since they are both broke on their own. But it was glamorous... Holly (Audrey Hepburn) in her fab black dresses, extravagent accessories having parties in her quaint apartment for no other purpose than to find a new sponsor. Not to mention her stealing money from men, under the guise of "needing money for the powder room" and at $50 a pop. Paul, a well dressed struggling writer being sponsored by his married "interior designer" who left his money on the table.





For me the biggest draw to old movies is innuendo. I know that at the end of the day they were both tramps, much like what is condoned in modern music, but they did it with such elegance. There were no moments where you see naked people rolling around, or cheap talk of what they could get from their sponsor. It was all done very subtly. Maybe I'm just a shrew, but I think there are some things that should be left to the imagination. I also think there are some things a lady should not say, even if the lady does the things she doesn't say ;-)

Raheem DeVaughn: The Love & War Masterpiece

Album cover is quite cool and delish. I like :D

Opens with Cornel West, this can’t be bad. I hope.

I loved the consciousness that is Bulletproof. I’m feeling very male Badu with this one.

Not crazy about Greatness. It’s a good song in theory. Beneath all the superficial there’s greatness, but it comes across kind of simple. But I do love Wale. Hi Virgo!

I Don’t Care is a feel good track. I have other issues with people saying “hate,” “haters,” etc. every other line. However, I like the vibe so I’ll let it ride.

Black & Blue deals with domestic violence a bit. Can’t be mad with addressing the issue.

Mr. Right is young and makes me smile. This seems like this is his comfort zone. I like this love song space for him.

Of course we know he can do a slow song. I want to like Fragile but it’s really just ok.

Hit his stride around track 10. B.O.B. is comically true. Now this is different. Bob is a vibrator. Bob stands for Battery Operated Boyfriend. Little reminder that a man is different from a vibrator. LOL. I could have done without the random shout outs to all the songs Bob can’t play, but I like the song. Bedroom, Microphone, and Garden of Love are very sexy without being vulgar.

Love the Nobody Wins a War with its neo-soul all-star cast. It could have been the new we are the world. LOL

Revelations 2010 w/ Damian Marley was cool. One of my fav Jay-Z songs in the background… Can I Live (yes I know that too was a sample but he says Can I Live over and over again so…)

When I looked at the track list and saw 16 tracks I thought this can’t be good. I personally think 12 tracks is plenty… but he had 2 interludes and an Intro so it was only 13 tracks. I’m not a big fan of interludes. I think Cornel West was enough just once at the beginning, even though some of the things he was saying were hella deep. It didn’t feel long or boring so that’s definitely a good thing.

The album left me wanting more lyrically, especially My Wife. Some of the album just seemed a bit elementary even though he was talking about adult topics such as marriage and domestic violence.

His lyrics and music don’t always match so well. That’s the only thing that bothers me about Raheem DeVaughn. When you listen to it you will understand, particularly on Black & Blue. Another slight annoyance is his songs don’t always sound like songs. Sometimes they sound like poetry, which doesn’t always translate. Sometimes it just felt like he was just talking.

Again, I have to give credit for carrying out a concept- lots of love songs, some consciousness to deal with the war side. I get it. Still, the album lacked a bit of the cohesiveness I like. I could definitely see it growing on me, the second time I listened to it I liked it way more than the first. It’s worth a listen. Support REAL music!!!

V.V. Brown: Travelling Like Light

So I’ve decided Kelis + Janelle Monae + Amy Winehouse = VV Brown… there really isn’t much more to say. Here are a few specifics…

Quick Fix gave me a Pink vibe

Game Over was a rebellious song with an alternative/hip-hop sound and free spirit

Shark In the Water sounded Amy Winehouse-ish, both lyrically and vocally (which is not a bad thing- I like Amy when she’s not on crack. LOL)

Her vibe put Janelle Monae to mind, especially Leave!, Bottles, Crying Blood, however, I think vocally Janelle Monae is so much stronger. Even the album cover is Monae-esque

I did really like I Love You and Traveling Like Light

It wasn’t particularly innovative. I feel like I’d heard all the songs before or they could have been on other albums I own. It’s ok.