Best R&B Love Duets
Sunday July 6, 2008
Whether you're making a mixtape for your significant other, looking for songs to sing with your baby on Karaoke night, or just love hearing male and female voices lifted in harmony, this list of some of the best R&B duets from throughout history is for you. Let it be known though, that input is always welcome. At some point in the future, yours truly will revise and update the list, so if you've got a favorite romantic duet and are mad (or sad, or puzzled) that it wasn't included on the this time, then please feel free to express your feelings and opinions by leaving a note with your suggestions in the Comments section at the bottom of this blog post.R&B News N Rumors: 07/05/08 Edition
Saturday July 5, 2008
Some of the more interesting news and rumors from the past week:
- Robin Thicke's third album, Something Else, comes out Sept. 9 via Star Trak/Interscope. Thicke says the album's a cross between "classic Philly, Motown and '70s black disco meets the creativity of the Beatles and Bob Dylan."
- The R&B trio Labelle - Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash - is hitting the studio for a reunion album. The currently-untitled set is the group's first since 1976. It's due Sept. 23 via Verve.
- Young Jeezy says Keyshia Cole once proposed to him, but that he turned her down because he wasn't ready for marriage.
- New Edition have teamed up with New Kids On The Block for a new single that will be on NKOTB's upcoming reunion album.
- Slim of R&B quartet 112 is set to release his solo debut album, Love's Crazy, soon. The first single's called "So Fly."
- Lloyd's new album, Lessons In Love, has been pushed back from July 15 to Aug. 5.
- U.S. presidental candidate John McCain is a fan of Usher?!
Best R&B Party Songs
Thursday July 3, 2008
Everybody likes to party and have fun, right? Right. But picking out music for having a good time can be serious business. That's where this list comes in: it contains 11 song suggestions - some obvious (like Kool & The Gang's "Celebration") others not so obvious (such as Kelly Rowland's "Like This") - for partying to. Whether you're at a BBQ, house party, work shindig or even a school function, the songs on this list can not only help you keep the party movin', but might also help you collect compliments on your taste in music.Best Albums of 2008 (So Far)
Wednesday July 2, 2008
As of this week, the year is just about halfway over, so its time to take a look back at the first six months of the year and revisit a dozen of the best albums that 2008 has given us so far. The list not only includes industry veterans like Erykah Badu, Usher and Al Green, but also representing for true R&B and Soul are newcomers like Duffy and Estelle, as well as talented but under-the-radar artists like Raheem DeVaughn, Lizz Wright and Anthony David. Check the full list for complete details.Album Review: Dwele - Sketches of a Man
Tuesday July 1, 2008
Over the course of his career, Detroit R&B artist Andwele "Dwele" Gardner has shown that although he's a young singer, he's got a mature soul. On his third full-length album, he continues making music for young, educated urbanites who enjoy the arts, poetry readings and maybe even a nice glass of brandy every now and then. Of all his albums to date, Sketches of a Man (released June 24, 2008 in the U.S.) is perhaps his most well-rounded. Although his vocal style can still be too sedate at times, his own songwriting and the music he's chosen are both improvements over past efforts. For more, check out the full review of the album.
Image © Koch Entertainment.
Best R&B Songs of 2008 (So Far)
Monday June 30, 2008
The year 2008 is just about halfway over, so its time to take a look back at the first six months of the year and revisit some of the best music that 2008 has given us so far. Songs by established artists like Erykah Badu, Keyshia Cole and Lyfe Jennings all represented in the first half of the year, but so did hot tracks by unknowns and newcomers like Duffy, Noel Gourdin and Algebra. This list will change periodically throughout the year, but for now, have a look at your Guide to R&B's picks for the best dozen songs of the first half of 2008.Best Album Covers of 2008 (So Far)
Monday June 30, 2008
Although other music genres have been known to rely on abstract images and photographs as cover art, R&B and Soul music have always been known for their warm, intimate portraits of artists. And so far during the first half of 2008, there have been eight covers that stand out as being above the rest. So this gallery - which features Ashanti's The Declaration, Day26's self-titled release, Erykah Badu's New AmErykah and other works of art - is dedicated to those great eight covers.R&B News N Rumors: 06/28/08 Edition
Saturday June 28, 2008
Some of the more interesting news and rumors from the past week:
- Amy Winehouse bounced back from her recent health problems to sing at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London on June 27 ...
- ... but then on June 28, she punched a fan, spit gum into the crowd and called Kanye West a c*nt during another concert.
- Teddy Riley's recording studio, which was due to be auctioned last week, was (accidentally?) destroyed by a fire.
- Stevie Wonder says he's in the midst of two and possibly three recording projects.
- Raphael Saadiq is going early '60s retro with his new music.
- Congrats to Ruben Studdard, who got married today.
- Jill Scott is engaged to her drummer.
New Music: Mishon - "Excuse Me Momma"
Thursday June 26, 2008
If his name and face seem familiar, it might be because Mishon (pronounced MY-shawn), is already known in acting world: he played the role of Tay on the former ABC Family channel drama Lincoln Heights. Now the singer-actor, who's still only 15, is taking on the music world with his new single, "Excuse Me Momma," which is the tale of a young dude who sees a beautiful girl at the mall, and does the gentlemanly thing and asks the girl's mother for permission to talk to her daughter. His voice sounds very similar to Chris Brown's, but Mishon insists that it's not intentional. To stream the song and judge for yourself whether or not Mishon is a Chris Brown clone, click on a link below.
Image © Interscope/Streamline/Dynasty Records.
2008 BET Award Winners
Wednesday June 25, 2008
The nominees for the eighth annual BET Awards were announced on May 15 in New York and the ceremonies to announce the winners were held June 24 in Los Angeles. Among the R&B winners at this year's show were Alicia Keys, Raheem DeVaughn, Erykah Badu and Chris Brown. In addition to the regular awards, the legendary Al Green received BET's Lifetime Achievement Award and Quincy Jones received the Humanitarian Award. Check out the full list of nominees & winners for more info.