Artist: Prince Title: G.O.A.T. Volume 2 – The Story of Prince Produced by: DJ Legacy
Tracklist:
1.Prince – Batdance
2.Prince – Adore
3.Prince – Do Me Baby
4.Prince – Erotic City (Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive) (Original 12-Inch Version)
5.Prince – Raspberry Beret
6.Prince – Darling Nikki
7.Prince ft. Patti Labelle – Wade in the Water live
8.Prince ft. Beyonce – Purple Rain live Prince – Purple Rain
9.Prince – Little Red Corvette
10.Prince – The Most Beautiful Girl In the World
11.Prince – Kiss
12.Prince – How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore
13.Prince – Call My Name
14.Prince – Diamonds and Pearls
15.Prince – Sexy M.F.
16.Prince – When Doves Cry
17.Prince – I Would Die 4 U (Single Version)
18.Vanity 6 – Nasty Girl
19.Bonus Track Produced by Prince – Tevin Campbell – Round and Round
No female rap artist paralleled the success of Missy Elliott, neither during her reign nor before, and none was more deserving. Unlike most of urban music’s female superstars, Missy writes her own songs as well as performs them, and her creative wit in on a par with her stylish demeanor. In addition to her talent and showmanship, she established herself as a genuine hitmaker alongside her longtime producer, Timbaland. She initially scored hits for others, namely Aaliyah (“One in a Million,” “If Your Girl Only Knew”) and to a lesser extent 702 (“Steelo”), before moving on to score a dazzling run for herself. Her debut album, Supa Dupa Fly (1997), spawned a number of hits such as “The Rain” that were more trend-setting than they were chart-topping. The chart-toppers, of course, came soon after: “She’s a Bitch” and “Hot Boyz” (1999); “Get Ur Freak On” and “One Minute Man” (2001); and “Work It” and “Gossip Folks” (2002). In each of these, Missy proved that, with both dignity and joviality, women could be sexual as well as forceful. As a result, she defied every stereotype imaginable without forsaking her broad fan base.
Born in Portsmouth, VA, in 1971 as Melissa Elliott, Missy’s professional music career began when Jodeci member/producer Devante Swing signed her and her group, Sista, to his Swing Mob record label. Unfortunately, Swing Mob Records fell through and along with it the plans for Sista’s debut album. Determined to move forward, Missy turned to longtime acquaintance Timbaland, who happened to be producing some tracks for Aaliyah’s One in a Million (1996) album. It proved to be a key move for Missy, as the album racked up enormous sales. Soon record execs were knocking on her door. Missy began working with a number of artists as either a songwriter or a vocalist/rapper before finally signing herself a deal with Elektra in 1996. A year later, Supa Dupa Fly hit the streets and soon after went platinum thanks to “The Rain.” Besides the sales numbers, the album also proved critically successful, impressing nearly everyone who heard it. It had not only radio-ready singles (“Sock It 2 Me,” “Beep Me 911,” “Hit ‘Em Wit da Hee”) but also an astounding array of album tracks that showcases just how multi-talented Missy indeed was, singing on some, rapping on others.
In 1999, she returned with her much-awaited follow-up album, Da Real World, an even more ambitious album that featured two mammoth hits — “She’s a Bitch” and “Hot Boyz” — along with an array of often daring collaborations with such unlikely candidates as Eminem. Around this same time, she began appearing in TV ads for the Gap and Sprite, proving that not only was she a musical talent but also an important icon for the era. The cycle repeated itself in 2001 when she released Miss E…So Addictive, again powered by two huge hits: “Get Ur Freak On” and “One Minute Man.” Her remarkable popularity continued a year later with her next album, Under Construction, and its hit singles, “Work It” and “Gossip Folks.” Missy’s music machine continued pummeling the charts, with Timbaland & Magoo’s follow-up Under Construction, Pt. II appearing in mid-November and the new Elliott LP This Is Not a Test! released a week later. Ciara, Slick Rick, Mary J. Blige, and American Idol winner Fantasia were some of the guests on Missy’s 2005 album The Cookbook.”
We are over the moon excited about this documentary. Atlantic Starr pumped out memorable hit after hit in the early to mid 80s. From uptempo classics to straight up baby making music, this dynamic group had it all. Featuring some of the best written and performed songs in black music history, Atlantic Starr made music for the dancefloor or the bedroom. If you are not up on this, you need to be. Enjoy.
Atlantic Starr was among the top urban contemporary acts of the ’80s and fared well in the adult contemporary market as well, but their roots were ’70s soul and funk. Several members first recorded together as Newban, a funk group that released two 1977 albums, Newban and Newban 2, on the Guinness label. Atlantic Starr took shape that same year, formed in White Plains, New York by three brothers: lead singer/guitarist David Lewis, lead singer/keyboardist Wayne Lewis, and trombonist/percussionist Jonathan Lewis. The lineup was filled out by singer Sharon Bryant, trumpeter William Sudderth, saxophonist Damon Rentie (who was replaced by Koran Daniels in 1981), bassist Clifford Archer, drummer Porter Carroll, Jr., and percussionist/flutist Joseph Phillips. Influenced by the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Commodores, New Birth, and L.T.D., Atlantic Starr started playing around the northeastern U.S. They signed with A&M and started working with Bobby Eli, a well-respected producer/songwriter from Philadelphia. Produced by Eli in 1978, Atlantic Starr’s self-titled debut album wasn’t a mega-platinum blockbuster but did reasonably well and contained the funk hit “Stand Up” (which made it to number 16 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart). Eli went on to produce the band’s second album, Straight to the Point; while that 1979 release did OK, A&M knew that Atlantic Starr could be bigger. So in 1981, the band changed producers and enlisted James Carmichael for their third album, Radiant. It was a wise move; Radiant and its hit single “When Love Calls” established Atlantic Starr as a supergroup in the R&B market. It was on Radiant that the charismatic Bryant (who was featured on “When Love Calls”) really blossomed as a singer and her lead vocals played a major role in the band’s success. Carmichael went on to produce 1982′s Brilliance (which contained the number two R&B single “Circles”) and 1983′s Yours Forever; the latter includes “Touch a Four Leaf Clover,” another major hit featuring Bryant.
Although Bryant was never Atlantic Starr’s only lead singer — Wayne and David Lewis also provided their share of lead vocals — she was a major asset. So it came as quite a disappointment when she left Atlantic Starr in 1984 to pursue a solo career. But all was not lost. The talented Barbara Weathers was hired as a replacement and 1985′s As the Band Turns — Atlantic Starr’s first post-Bryant album and sixth album overall — found the outfit unveiling a smaller lineup that consisted of Weathers, the Lewis Brothers, and Phillips. Sudderth, Daniels, Archer, and Carroll were all gone, but despite those personnel changes, Atlantic Starr was still distinctive and recognizable. As the Band Turns, which contained the major hit “Secret Lovers,” turned out to be Atlantic Starr’s last album for A&M; in 1987, they moved to Warner Bros. and fared well with the album All in the Name of Love and the smash hit “Always.” A syrupy adult contemporary ballad, “Always” reflected the Lewis Brothers’ desire to have the type of crossover success that Whitney Houston and Lionel Ritchie had been enjoying in the ’80s; they got their wish when “Always” soared to number one on both the pop and R&B charts.
After All in the Name of Love, Weathers left the band to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Porscha Martin, who was featured on 1988′s We’re Movin’ Up. Martin was around for a few years before being replaced by Rachel Oliver (Atlantic Starr’s fourth female vocalist) in the early ’90s. Atlantic Starr’s relationship with Warner Bros. ended after 1991′s Love Crazy, and in 1994, the band recorded one album for Arista: Time. That album was a commercial disappointment and the single “I’ll Remember You” only made it to the fifties on Billboard’s R&B and pop singles charts. Time (which was David Lewis’ last album with the band) found a fifth female singer, Aisha Tanner, replacing Oliver. And when 1999′s Legacy was distributed by the small, independent Street Solid label, Atlantic Starr unveiled yet another lineup — one that consisted of two Lewis Brothers (Wayne and Jonathan) as well as Oliver (who had returned and replaced Tanner) and a new male singer named DeWayne Woods. Although Legacy received very little attention, Atlantic Starr hung in there and was still performing for die-hard fans when the 21st century arrived.
Over the weekend, soulhead founder Ron Worthy and I attended a macaroni and cheese competition hosted by mutual friends. The winner of the overall competition took awards in key categories, most notably the one for comfort. As one of the judges declared, the winning entry was “delicious and a little on edge” yet was “still the mac and cheese you’d want to be eating on a cold winter’s night.”
Those were my thoughts when listening to Black and White America, the most recent album from singer-songwriter-musician Lenny Kravitz. It’s Kravitz’s first album in three years, a timespan that’s seen the artist delve into acting with roles in the Academy Award-winning Precious and this summer’s upcoming blockbuster The Hunger Games. Don’t let the hiatus from music and focus on acting fool you, though. Lenny hasn’t lost his touch at all.
Originally to be titled Negrophilia, Black and White America is exactly what you’d expect from Kravitz—an amalgamation of funk, rock, soul, and pop, all wrapped up into a neat little package. Like this past weekend’s winning macaroni and cheese, the album is a delicious serving of aural comfort food. While it still retains a bit of edge, it’s the sort of output we want to hear from Kravitz.
As usual, Kravitz sticks to familiar themes: love, faith, hope. This go round, as the album title implies, there’s a notable focus on race relations in America. While Kravitz doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the topic, there’s an overwhelming sense of optimism throughout the disc.
“Black and White America” : B+
The title track is a funk workout in which Kravitz sings about the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and details the tribulations his parents endured as an interracial married couple. Despite the heaviness of the topics, the song is supremely uplifting.
“Come On Get It” : B-
Kravitz keeps the funk moving but adds a little rock n’ roll flavor to this track, which boasts hard hitting drums and menacing guitar licks.
“In The Black”: B
The playful synths on this guitar-driven pop-rock song give it a very 80s feel.
“Liquid Jesus”: B+
A sultry, soulful meditation on finding salvation through love. Reminds me of Marvin Gaye. An album highlight.
“Rock Star City Life”: C+
As a standalone track, this punk-inspired song may have been tolerable but here it simply feels out of place.
“Boongie Drop” (featuring Jay-Z and DJ Military): B
A dub-influenced song celebrating ladies’ bodies (and the way they move). Jigga is on cruise control but, in a foreshadowing of his declaration to stop using certain epithets to describe women, he delivers a profanity free verse.
“Stand”: C
A rather earnest slice of pop-rock peppered with wah-wah guitars. Doesn’t quite work for me. In fact, I found it to be a bit grating.
“Superlove”: B+
The album makes a welcome return to slow-grooving funk. Another one of my favorites.
“Everything”: B+
Kravitz serves up some great guitar work on this energetic track.
“I Can’t Be Without You”: B-
Your typical arena rock ballad. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s not too memorable, either. It’s just kind of there.
“Looking Back On Love”: B+
A sexy, almost jazzy song that reminisces on past love while searching for new love . Kinda experimental, but it’s a definite groove.
“Life Ain’t Ever Been Better Than It Is Now”: B
This track finds Kravitz thanking the Lord for all his blessings. Gratitude has never sounded so funky.
“Faith of a Child”: B+
A midtempo, gospel-tinged ballad in which Kravitz implores all of us to just have a little faith.
“Sunflower” (featuring Drake): B
With its busy drums, horns, and disco whistles, how this track never became a summer anthem is beyond me. Drake stops by for a serviceable verse, but the song would have fared well without it.
“Dream”: C-
Yet another song full of hope and optimism, but I found it too slow and plodding. Almost narcoleptic.
“Push”: B+
Kravitz ends the album nicely with a moving, inspirational, and uplifting jam.
Overall Grade: B
Our Recommendation: MODERATE BUY
Our Favorite Tracks: “Black and White America,” “Liquid Jesus,” “Superlove,” “Faith of a Child”
Black and White America is an anomaly as far as current mainstream music is concerned. Bereft of both cynicism and narcissism, it carries a true message of hope and has an old school vibe that makes one think of Sly and the Family Stone or 70s-era Stevie Wonder. And while he’s not pushing the envelope sonically, Kravitz is at least meeting our musically expectations and giving us that comfort food we expect.
What are your thoughts on Black and White America?
Download the free MP3 Mixtape “Black and White America” here.
Love this bravado of this new mixtape by the Pied Piper of R&B, Robert Kelly AKA R. Kelly.
Artist: R. Kelly with Mariah Carey, Brittany Spears, Kelly Rowland and others. Title: Shut Up Produced by: The Syndicate
Tracklist:
1. Shut Up
2. U Turn
3. So Magical
4. Betcha Gon Know I Check (Feat. Mariah Carey)
5. Going Through Changes
6. Ghost
7. Make It Rain (Remix)
8. Till The World Ends (Remix) (Feat. Britney Spears)
9. Motivation (Remix) (Feat. Kelly Rowland)
10. Platinum (Remix) (Feat. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes)
11. Lay It Down (Remix) (Feat. Lloyd, Young Jeezy)
12. Language Of Love (Feat. Taj Jackson) R.Kelly
13. Memories
14. In Tongues (Feat. Ludacris, Rock City)
15. Taxi Cab R.Kelly
16. You Are Not Alone
