New Music: Marcus Canty - 'In and Out'

For somebody who came in fourth place on a reality show, Marcus Canty is sure getting a lot of shine these days. First, his song "Won't Make a Fool Out of You" was given a nice slot on the soundtrack to the movie "Think Like a Man" earlier this year, and now he's back with a new single featuring the rapper Wale. Marcus, who competed on the inagural U.S. season of reality show "X Factor" may not have close to winning it all, but he managed to bond with his mentor on the series, music exec L.A. Reid, who promptly signed him to Epic Records after the show's run. And on his new single, "In & Out," it's easy to see why L.A. locked him down with a record deal. On both of Marcus' first two singles -- the first of which was a moderately paced, traditional R&B song, the second of which is more current and uptempo -- Marcus displays the vocal strength and musical versatility needed to attract fans of different ages and backgrounds. "In & Out," which is about moving from one relationship to another without making a full commitment ("They be trying to find a way to my heart, I be trying to find a way to leave," he sings at one point), can be streamed via the link below.

• "In & Out" audio stream (via soundcloud.com)
• "Won't Make a Fool Out of You" stream (via soundcloud)