Everything up for debate in life is subjective and it’s true that there is something for everyone, but when it comes to music there’s so much garbage floating around the innanet (and real life) that the good stuff sometimes gets overlooked. But that’s what I’m here for. I am a music hoarder/crusader and I’ve come to share the wealth via this space. No genre (except for maybe polka and country) will go overlooked. My mission is to bring you good music by quality artists so, enjoy (or hate…your choice) this week’s inaugural batch of tracks.
Dwele – “What Profit”
Dwele is one of the most slept on artists ever. Ever! Anyway, he just released the video for his latest single, “What Profit.” The video is ok but the song makes you want to swoon because most of Dwele’s songs are like audible Arabesque films. It’s a boom-bap, chillin’ at a cookout, riding to the beach in your car, randomly bump into your future husband in the streets type of diddy where the Detroit native pines over a woman. He’s telling her what he’d do for her if her were her man. Imagine that, an artist singing respectfully about commitment. Best of all, there’s no auto-tune just soul, yaaaasss. Anyway, watch the video below. There’s also link on the player where you can purchase the single. Do it!
MIA-“Bad Girls (Remix)” featuring Missy Elliott, Azealia Banks and Rye Rye
MIA recently enlisted the help of her protégé Rye Rye, Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks to do two remixes of her song “Bad Girls.”
The “Switch Remix” features Missy and Rye Rye. In the opening verse, Missy is riding the beat in a flow faster than what people are used to from her but it works because the double tempo beat sort of sounds like a rusty robot creaking nuts and bolts (describing music is like dancing about architecture so bare with me on this, it will make sense once you hear it). Missy describes the beat as “retarded” with base kicking like “karate.” Colloquially speaking from a place where “retarded” means “dope” (no offense), she’s absolutely right. See if you don’t screw up your face and nod your head when it comes on. By the time we reach Rye Rye’s verse, the bass and tempo pick up (think Baltimore club music) and it sounds as if the robot is break dancing. I say no more; you listen here.
The “N.A.R.S Remix” features Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks. It’s over the original “Bad Girls” beat with a few tweaks here and there but Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks on the same track is the stuff that lady hip-hop heads dream of. Missy’s verse here is the same as in the “Switch Remix,” but the feisty Azealia Banks takes the mic like the eager Young Padawon that she is and holds her own against the vets. This song is the prefect example of what women in hip-hop can do with less beef and more productivity. Listen here.
Chantelle DiBrava – “Summertime” (Janis Joplin style)
I didn’t know who this woman was until I got some e-mails about her from the homie, Eb the Celeb. Apparently, Chantelle DiBrava is a sangin’ ass sanger who can hold her own when covering Janis Joplin covers of classic songs, and she plays the guitar too. The New York City based singer, who once performed the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2009 Super Bowl, has launched a YouTube series entitled, “Hotel DiBrava,” where she actually travels to various hotel rooms and remakes classics from the likes of Tina Turner, Elvis, and more. Again, the latest installment is her cover of Janis Joplin’s remake of the Porgy and Bess classic, “Summertime.” Listen here and follow @ChanteleDiBrava on Twitter!
Natalie Imani – “Deeper”
Pardon the cliché but Natalie Imani is also a sanging ass sanger. This woman has been singing back up for the likes of Keri Hilson, K Michelle, Nicki Minaj, Shaggy, John Legend, Jazmine Sullivan and more and was recently featured in BET’s Music Matters showcase. When she’s not singing background for others, she’s busy building up her solo career. If you’re in the New York City area on Friday, June 29, you can catch Miss Natalie Imani performing songs from her latest EP, Passion Mark. Check out her most popular song, “Deeper” and get more details about her show here.
Nefew and Shakes – For Hip-Hop (Prod by Nottz)
I’ve been very skeptical about the hip-hop that floods my inbox lately (but that’s another story so I digress). However, every now and then I stumble upon a gem like Nefew and Shake’s latest EP, For Hip-Hop, which was produced by Nottz. For Hip-Hop is devoid of people who ain’t got no business singing trying to sing, and there’s no space aged, electronic, wannabe Eurotrans cross over beats on it either. It’s just soul samples, beats, rhymes, lyrics and life. The only guest featured is Rapper Big Pooh and I’m not mad. Download here.
Starrene Rhett Rocque is a pop culture junky who often fantasizes about becoming a shotgun toting b-movie heroine, and aspires to save the world from the impeding #ZombieApocolypse… In reality she’s a freelance entertainment journalist/blogger who muses about music, TV, movies and love. Follow her on Twitter @GangStarrGirl.
