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Darkness Falls
One of the scariest movie out there. In order to see to actually see this movie, you have to watch during the day with
all the lights on and around a whole bunch of people. This movie starts out telling how the toothfairy became evil in a little
town call Darkness Falls. The end is the most scariest part. But I won't tell it. You have to see it yourself.
Soul Plane
This is so funny! Tha story is off tha heezy. My favorite part was when Snoop died from eatin that mushroom. I mean,
tha way he died was hilorious.
Kanye West, Lil Jon top Source Awards
MIAMI (AP) -- Rapper-producers Kanye West and Lil Jon each took home three prizes at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards on
Sunday.
West won awards for breakthrough artist of the year, album of the year for "The College Dropout" and video of the year
for "Through The Wire," which he starred in and co-directed. He led all nominees with seven.
Lil Jon won along with Usher and Ludacris in the R&B/rap collaboration category for the club anthem "Yeah," which Lil
Jon produced. He also took home awards for collaborating with the group Youngbloodz on the single "Damn," and for producer
of the year.
Ludacris won the male solo rap artist of the year, while the Ying Yang Twins won the rap group award.
Chingy's catchy "Right Thurr" won two awards - single of the year by a solo artist and remix of the year. Terror Squad
also won twice, for group single of the year and best female rap collaboration with Remy Ma for the dance hit "Lean Back."
In R&B categories, Usher was named male artist of the year, and Alicia Keys won female artist of the year.
The Source Awards have been held in Miami since 2001. They will air Nov. 30 on BET.
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Flame
This artist may be all about gospel but he can defintely hold his grounds with some of rap's hard hitters. He is currently
from the St. Louis area but you may never know where he may be at next.
Straight Outta Ca$hville
Young Buck
This is tha rawest thing out tha street! Every song on this cd is tight. My favorite one is "Stomp" feat. T.I. and Ludacris.
This song is like ' whoa!
Mase
"Welcome Back"
Bad Boy Records
On "Welcome Back," Mase raps clean - he was always basically clean anyway - without ever sounding preachy, and that's
to his credit. And he still provides a few beats you can move to on "Money Comes and Goes" and "Breathe, Stretch, Shake."
Mase gave up the shiny suits, nonstop partying and hits such as "Feel So Good" and "Lookin' at Me" when he abandoned P. Diddy
and Bad Boy Records several years ago for a quieter life as a minister. Now, he's on the scene again with "Welcome Back."
Though he was proudly "saved" when he left the rap industry, Mase resists any temptation to release a gospel hip-hop CD. Instead,
the CD simply spotlights a "bad boy gone clean," as he says in the kickoff single, also titled "Welcome Back."
In
the "Welcome Back Kotter"-sampling hit - yes, "Welcome Back Kotter" - he claims all the games are over now that he's "living
the vida without the loca."
On the second single "Breathe, Stretch, Shake," he says he went from being "born again
to being on again" and describes himself as the man who used to stand next to Diddy, "crucified for bringing sex to the city."
But those days are gone. Now he's bringing flowers to his woman on "The Love You Need" and telling women they don't
have to take their clothes off to have a good time on "Keep It On."
That's more than one might expect from Mase at this point in his career, so "Welcome Back" indeed.
- Kevin
C. Johnson
Jadakiss
"Kiss of Death"
Interscope Records
P. Diddy could sure probably use Jadakiss
over at Bad Boy right about now. The label, struggling to hold its crown, long ago let go Lox, the trio that featured star
rapper Jadakiss, who just released his second solo disc, "Kiss of Death."
Jadakiss insists on the intro that he's
back by popular demand of the 'hood, and he may be right. The CD soared straight to No. 1 its first week out. Still, "Kiss
of Death" is too often standard-issue hip-hop, from the beats produced by Swizz Beatz, the Neptunes and Kanye West, to the
obligatory Snoop Dogg guest appearance, to Jadakiss' themes, which can be as basic as repeated boasts about how great or how
hardcore he is.
But the straightforward lyricist rises above in spots. On "U Make Me Wanna" featuring Mariah Carey,
he thanks the woman who was down with him from day one, and on "By Your Side," he honors the buddy who was similarly always
there. He admits he's a man of the world who can't shake the devil on "Time's Up" and has a message of keeping your head up
on "Bring You Down."
But nothing comes close to matching the intensity of the Anthony Hamilton-guested "Why." Jadakiss
poses a flurry of rhetorical questions: Why is he as hard as it gets? Why is the record industry designed to keep artists
in debt? Why did Aaliyah have to take that flight? Why did the Terminator win the election? And, most provocatively, why did
Bush knock down the Twin Towers?
- Kevin C. Johnson
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The Summer's Best R&B CDs of 2004
Ashanti
In between touring with Ja Rule, guest-starring on Buffy and winning a Grammy, Ashanti's
been pulling all-nighters to work on her second album, aptly titled Chapter 2 (out July 1). Our sources say she has
a hot new look and that she sounds even more soulful on this followup disc. Is that possible?!
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Macy Gray
She may be considered a bad girl in the music industry, but Macy Gray is the perfect role
model. Her last album didn't do too well, but she just brushed herself off and rallied. On her third CD, The Trouble With
Being Myself (out May 13), she really brings home the funk; the entire disc has a totally retro groove, whether its songs
are influenced by Motown ("Come Together"), ska ("My Fondest Childhood Memory") or a latin jazz beat ("Every Now and Then").
Just like her first album, On How Life Is, Macy's new one is a must-have for all your parties -- each song is totally
dance-able and perfect for a top-of-the-lungs sing-along with five of your closest friends.
Mya
Mya's Mood Ring releases July 29, and we know it's going to be good! We're
psyched that Mya put her show-tune career on hold (she was one of the cell-block murderesses in Chicago) to crank out
a new album, featuring beats by Missy Elliott and Timaland (the legendary producer for 'N-Sync and Aaliyah). Be warned, though:
Mya says she's grown up a little--and so have her songs. Word is we'll be hearing about the singer's booty calls and drag-queen
buddies!
Mary J. Blige It's been years since they worked together, but yay! Mary J. is again making
studio magic with P. Diddy, who's producing her new CD, Love and Life (out this June). Think of this disc as a return
to her "What's the 411?" days (that was her big hit when Mr. Diddy was still known as Puffy).
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R. Kelly
"Happy People/U Saved Me"
Jive Records
Throughout the '90s and beyond, singer R. Kelly
has served as R&B's leading hyphenate, a singer-producer challenged only momentarily when his child-pornography charges
made headlines. His CDs have always been solid and strong R&B at its most commercial. Given how consistently catchy his
output has been for more than a decade, perhaps Kelly can eventually be forgiven for a slip-up like his new double disc, "Happy
People/U Saved Me."
On the CDs, Kelly attempts to change our perceptions of him. Because he has a major trial still
pending, the approach makes a certain sense: Why wouldn't he want to portray himself as a good boy? So, he trades in the usual
bump-n-grind, sex-u-up, feeling-on-yo-booty music, mixed with the bling-blinging party man, for a pair of equally monotonous
CDs.
The first disc, "Happy People," is led by the single of the same name, which picks up where "Step in the Name
of Love," one of last year's biggest R&B hits, left off. Kelly tapped into something that worked on that dance-floor-friendly
single, which helped popularize the Chicago style of step dancing (a form of hand dancing). For the "Happy People" CD, he
has created an entire step-friendly CD, remaking the same song over and over.
It's meant to be a feel-good record,
with Kelly promising sunshine and blue skies, the perfect weather for stepping, on "Weatherman," and wooing his lady on the
dance floor on "Ladies Night (Treat Her Like Heaven)." But after listening to Kelly take one idea and run it into the ground,
the main feeling the CD elicits is the desire to take it and sling it against a wall.
"U Saved Me" isn't better, as
Kelly releases a full CD of "I Believe I Can Fly"-inspired inspirational tunes. Each ballad drags along at the same pace,
with any number of sappy lyrics about the power of prayer ("Prayer Changes") and giving yourself over to God with both hands
up ("I Surrender"). It might be well and good if it didn't come off as so calculated. It's especially strange given that Kelly
is on the charts with not only the "U Saved Me" single but also the nasty "So Sexy" with Twista.
Kelly has never compromised
his music before, and it's too bad he had to do so now. But it looks as if he figured his future well-being depends on it.
- Kevin C. Johnson
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