Robin Thicke, “Ooo La La”
Robin Thicke continues his tradition of love and falsettos with this mid-tempo diddy about being sprung. “You can have my money… You can have my soul if you want it too,” is just one of the many lines Thicke belts out about being so far gone in love. This Pro-Jay-produced groove is yet another single from Thicke’s forthcoming album, Blurred Lines, set to drop on July 30.
Listen here.
Kelly Rowland, “Dirty Laundry” (Video)
Kelly Rowland, who used to be notoriously private about her personal life, surprised everyone when she dropped “Dirty Laundry” a few weeks ago. In the song, she details a dark period in her life where she was jealous of Beyoncé’s solo success and dealing with an abusive relationship. However, providing just the audio wasn’t enough for Miss Kelly, so now we have a video.
The newly released visuals feature Kelly in various scenarios that depict her vulnerability, i.e. Kelly balled up in water, sitting down in a shadowy silhouette position and more, where she’s either watching or reliving some of the situations she sings about. “Dirty Laundry” can be found on her latest album, Talk a Good Game, in stores now.
Watch here.
Ebony Bones, Behold, a Pale Horse
Ebony Bones’s style (musically and fashion-wise) can best be described as a spilled jar of marbles. Meaning there’s a burst of color everywhere, but that’s not a bad thing. The British singer/songwriter/producer—who was once a classmate of Amy Winehouse and toured with Cee Lo in Europe—is gearing up to release her second album, Behold, a Pale Horse, on August 5 but fans get a full preview a few weeks early.
Sonically, this effort is a feverish mix of rock, punk, funk, soul and electro-pop. Tracks like “Bread and Circus” and the standout, “I See I Say” (featured here a few weeks ago), feature more music than vocals. But then there’s “While the People S.L.E.E.P” and “What Difference Does It Make” (featuring the London Children’s Choir) that are just as much about the vocals as they are the orchestration.
In the midst of the frenetic melodies always seems to lay some sort of societal message or observation. Not everyone will get Ebony Bones as she takes a diverse musical ear and comprehension to appreciate, but those who do get it, love it.
Listen here.
Chris Brown, “Love More” ft. Nicki Minaj
Chris Brown decided to get raunchy with this one. “Love More” is an uptempo ode to sex. Brown raps, “’Til we get it right we gon’ fu¢k some more/I’ma get it, ’til we get it,” on the hook—straight to the point—and then Nicki Minaj’s nasally verse (devoid of characters and multiple personalities this go ’round) brings it on home. This one will certainly be a favorite in the club amongst the WhatsPoppin.net crowd.
Listen here.
Omari Hardwick and Various Actors, “Little Black Boy Wonder”
“Little Black Boy Wonder” isn’t a traditional song; it’s more of a spoken word peace. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t incorporate it into this roundup. Omari Hardwick, who wrote and produced the heartfelt piece, gathered notable Black men like Marlon Wayans, David Oyelowo, Eriq La Salle, Gary Dourdan, Aaron D. Spears, Affion Crockett, Bill Duke, Brian Dobbins, Isaiah Roberts, Jay Ellis, Mo McRae, Omar Benson Miller, Robbie Jones, Pastor Touré Roberts, Sugar Shane Mosely, Wesley Jonathan and Wren Brown to pay tribute to Trayvon Martin.
It’s simply written, and each man expresses his grief over not just the verdict but the fact that this happens in America way too often due to the unfortunate belief shared by many: that all Black men are thugs. The emotion these men express is palpable, and I’m glad they shared.
Watch 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 impending #ZombieApocolypse… In reality she’s a freelance entertainment journalist/blogger who muses about music, TV, movies and love. Follow her on Twitter @GangStarrGirl.
