Do you
find yourself turning off
the radio because you’re
tired of hearing the same
beats? Or perhaps you’ve
been rocking a gold-rope
chain, old-school Adidas and
break dancing every chance
you get, but you’re not sure
why. Sounds like you might
be craving some true,
unadulterated Hip Hop. BDS
(a.k.a. BoonDox Saints), a
new Hip Hop duo, has this to
offer and much more.
The two
artists that make up BDS,
Hashim Bing and Alias
Dundee, are a part of DIOS
Music/BulLion Ent./Sumthing
Distribution, a new record
label that was born in 2002
– the proud parent being
Anre “NJ REY” DaCosta, the
son of a well-accomplished
Columbia Records executive,
Ms. Sandra DaCosta.
The
apple didn’t fall far at all
from this tree. NJ REY
started interning with
record labels at the ripe
age of 14. He considers
himself an “industry brat,”
having watched his mother
work closely with various
artists from LL Cool J to
Miles Davis. “My first love
is music. Who wouldn’t want
to be in this industry?”
says NJ REY, when asked why
he wanted to start a label.
Still keeping the apple
close, NJ REY’s mother is
the General Manager of his
company. He says, “ I try to
soak in as much as I can and
keep real people around me.”
Included in the list of real
people, is BDS. Let’s hear
what they have to say.
RW –
Define your style.
BDS –
We have a pure form of Hip
Hop, no gimmicks. It’s raw.
We aren’t following any
trends. We are two soloists
that came together and made
it happen. We have chemistry
– with an EMPD or a Run DMC
type of energy.
RW – It
seems that there are a lot
of hot songs out there that
encompass mixed genres. Did
you incorporate any on your
new CD,
Saints Row?
BDS –
We didn’t give ourselves a
limit. Sometimes it’s R & B,
sometimes it’s Rock and
Roll. But mainly it is real
Hip Hop.
RW – So
many young people are
influenced by Hip Hop. What
are your feelings on being
role models?
BDS –
We don’t really feel like
role models. These young
people shouldn’t always look
at entertainers as role
models. It’s important to
look up to those who you
know and can see are doing
some good. Maybe people in
your community, family,
teachers.
RW – As
new artists, it must be
exciting to perform live
shows. What has been your
favorite performance thus
far?
BDS –
The Audubon Ballroom where
Malcolm X was assassinated.
That was the most memorable
experience. It was
spiritual.
RW –
What do you want people to
know about BDS?
BDS –
We want to put real Hip Hop
back in order. No cloning.
We don’t want to sound the
same as everyone else. And
most importantly, we want
people to know that we have
integrity.
BDS
will be performing at HOT
97's new artist showcase
with Monse (of the Angie
Martinez Show) at The TBA
Lounge in The Bronx, hosted
by DJ Green Lantern.
Their
new CD,
Saints Row is
in stores now! It is also
available at Fye.com,
BestBuy.com, and
Amazon.com.
So
throw your Adidas on and go
check them out.
Jazzy Blu
Jazzy Blu is a
jazz band based out
of Washington, DC
with a jazzy soulful
sound enriched by
the traditional jazz
tones of years past.
The band was
started in 2005 by
drummer Dominic "Nikk"
Taylor and
keyboardist Mark
"Mustang" Matthews.
Other members
consist of bassist
John Kirksey,
jazz guitarist
Leslie Lee,
saxophonist Chris
"Crazy Sax" Ofstein,
vocalist Jackie
"Ms. Jackie B" Brown
and percussionist
Mike Artist.
Each
of the musicians
bring an extremely
diverse background,
from Jazz, Funk,
Rock, Gospel, and
Blues to R& B and
beyond. It is that
diversity that gives
Jazzy Blu its
slightly different
flavor, one you
can’t quite put your
finger on. Jazzy
Blu released its
debut CD self titled
"Jazzy Blu,"
showcasing the
innovative sounds of
true jazz diversity.
Bassist John Kirksey
and Singer Ms.
Jackie B
In
2007 Jazzy Blu
opened on the Gulf
coast at BayFest
2007 for Grammy
award winners
Boyz To Men and
Brian McKnight!
The band also
recently performed
to a sold out crowd
at the legendary
Blues Alley!
After great
success, Jazzy
Blu was invited
back to Bayfest
2008 where they
shared the stage
with the
Stylistics, The
Whispers and the
legendary O'Jays!
Jazzy Blu
performing "Good
Times" and
"Rock Steady"
with guest artists
saxophonist Kevin
Levi and background
singers Keith Brown
and Danielle
Hatchell. Band
members include Ms.
Jackie B (Lead
vocals), Dominic
Taylor (drums), John
Kirksey (bass
guitar), Leslie Lee
(lead guitar) Mark
"Mustang" Mathews
(keys) and Mike
Artis (percussion).
Mighty Sam will be releasing his
first CD since 2003. "Betcha Didn't
Know" will be released in the US and
Europe in July 2009. It will be
released on the Mighty Music
label and distributed by City Hall
Records. In Europe our distributor will be
Mokambo Music (www.mokambomusic.de) This
is an upbeat CD, perfect for
today's market. This is an
upbeat CD, perfect for today's
market. It is a different MSM sound,
with his signature "Mighty Horns"
but, with a bit more Funk & Soul and
Hip-Hop for a more contemporary
audience.
In
recent years, he has been involved
in community works and benefit
projects as well as songwriting in
the interim. His latest released
project Is "Give US Your Poor" a
serious compilation of major
recording artists (Pete Segar,
Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen,
Sweet Honey and the Rock, Natalie
Merchant and others) He performed on
a track with Natalie Merchant and
wrote and recorded, "Show Me The
Way" with Jon Bon Jovi. The
proceeds from this project will
benefit the national initiative to
raise awareness about homelessness
in the US called Give US Your
Poor. This song won third
place recognition in the
International Songwriting
Competition - 2008 from over 15,500
songs submitted!
His
songwriting has led to the CD "Too
Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey),
which was completed and recorded in
2007-2008. It is unreleased as yet
but songs from it can be heard at
www.mightysam.com. The title has
aroused much controversy. Listen to
the song to see what you think! He
continues to collaborate with his
guitar player, Pat Herlehy and a new
project is almost ready to record.
Last
August, MSM signed a contract with
20th Century Fox for the video
rights to his song "New Man In Town"
which appeared in 12 episodes of the
Ally McBeal Show. It is now
available in video around the world!
Mighty Sam also has signed a
contract for an exciting project to
be recorded in June with Norwegian
producer Erik Hillestad at
CedarHouse Sound and Recording in
Sutton, NH, where Sam has been
recording for years. The collection
of duets will be sung by MSM and
Iranian pop sensation Mahsa Vahdat.
The CD. "Love Duets Across
Civilizations" will be released in
the US, Europe and the Middle East
in the fall.
The
story behind the delayed release of
"Betcha Didn't Know" is good
press, indicative of the state of
the industry. For press interest or
booking contact :
sam@mightysam.com /
www.mightysam.com.
The new single from
Huey’s upcoming album
called “PAYOW!” and
it features Juelz Santana
and Bobby V. The
other song is called “On
the Ocean” from K’Jon,
and up-and-coming R&B
singer, which recently broke
a record for making the
largest jump to #1 in
Nielson BDS-based chart
history, besting Alicia
Keys “Fallen” in 2001.
Attitude, Tori’s debut album is a mixture of
Pop and hip hop-influenced R&B tracks that breathes life
back into the genre with solid lyrical content and fresh
new sounds crafted by the talented producer “Water”.
Born in Atlanta, and now attending Chicago’s Columbia
College of performing arts, Tori’s interests include
singing, dancing, acting and script writing. Charm,
personality, presence, call it what you like, but Tori
has that magical quality reminiscence of many of the
superstars in pop music today.
Attitude’s
journey began when Tori was 15 years old. In fact, Tori
recorded the song “King” just shy of her 16th
birthday. King was a sign of good things to come in
Tori’s development as an artist, as she continued to
mature and engage life experiences.
Along this developmental road, Tori recorded the
Poprock&B track “Any Minute Now,” the saucy “I’m
Sexy”, the confident female empowering “Deleted”, and a
host of other soon to be well known songs. Tori shows
off her dynamic range and vocal versatility, while
taking the listeners on an auditory ride with the pop,
rock and R&B influenced “Any Minute Now.” She shows her
sexy, playful side in the Pop club joint “I’m Sexy”;
and, empowers all women to take charge of their
relationships in the delightful song “Deleted.”
As Tori musical journey continued beyond her debut
album, she recorded the sensuous “Blow Up”, as well as
the clairvoyant con-man buster “Supervision”. In
“Supervision” Tori confidently boasts, “I can see before
you play ‘em count the cards in my head, you’re a joker
tryna play me get this queen in your bed, I’ve got that
Supervision.’”
She’s got that Supervision, bringing attitude, tenacity
and star power to the game. Keep watching, keep
listening. Oh yea, that ticking that you hear is a
count down... 3-2-1 BOOM! Tori’s about to blow up!
At the ripe age of
22, K. Michelle is "The
Ultimate Experience." A lyrical
thoroughbred, she exudes confidence
and has dedicated years to
perfecting her craft. K.
Michelle’s vision for her music
is longevity. “I want to make great
music that will be around forever,”
she expresses. “I feel that a lot of
music and artists out now are one
hit wonders. You can always listen
to my music. I need for my songs to
be big records, emotional records
and motivating records that people
will always be able to remember.”
Singer, songwriter
and dancer K. Michelle
created her buzz after being
inspired by music’s supreme
ambassador, Whitney Houston.
Continuing to excel in her
craft, K elaborates, “She’s my
inspiration. If it wasn’t for her I
wouldn’t want to be a singer. I’ve
studied Whitney’s music and continue
to do so today. It’s the reason my
voice is so big and why I project
extremely well.” The passionate
ballad entitled “Love,” co-written
by K. Michelle and produced
by Elvis (Ciara “Promise,” Kelly Rowland “Bump Like This”
and Fergie “Glamorous Life”) will
remind listeners vocally of a
Whitney or Celine Dion epic.
“Love” represents K’s
aspiration to find true romance and
wondering if it even exists. Close
your eyes and listen to her tone,
pain, soul and realness. With her
voice, this young singer paints a
picture, tells a story and draws you
into her artistically. “I respect
all the female artist out here today
but I’m in a completely different
lane. I’m an entertainer. I’ve been
vocally trained since the age of 7
and along with my passionate lyrics
and my energetic dance moves, I
intend to raise the bar on the
entertainment circa.”
Reared in performing
and entertaining since a tender age,
K. Michelle describes her
upbringing. “My parents were very
active in my life growing up. My
parents are still together. They had
me in ballet, dance and piano. My
mother was a stage mom and my father
reminded me of Joe Jackson. I
didn’t have a bad life like so many
singers.” Performing since 5, K
was classically trained on the
piano for 12 years and her vocal
coach was Bob Westbrook, Justin
Timberlake’s voice trainer. K’s musical journey also landed
her a singing opportunity with George Clinton along with
touring and performing with the Chinese Orchestra.
K. Michelle
is destined for greatness. Music is
how she breathes and for her this is
not a game! K. Michelle’s
musical ambitions will pay off in
the end as she makes her presence
known to the world. For more
information check out K.
Michelle's MySpace page at:
www.myspace.com/kmichellemusic.
People Are Talking About...
Little Richard
with Wilson Pickett, Lloyd Price
and Billy Preston (on Piano)
Singing "Didn't It Rain"
(1985)
Kindred The Family Soul's new album "The Arrival" is
finally here!
Aja & Fatin have once again put together a testament
of their life together full with love, struggles,
triumphs and fails. The new single is building a
“House of Love” on the radio and the good message
Kindred brings us is one we all desperately need
during these troubled economic times.
VIBE.com: "An album that grooves and
enlightens – only a real-life husband and wife
duo can artfully transcend the realm."
4DaSoul.com:
"**** - Kindred is expressing that REAL grown
and sexy relationship"
SoulMusic.com:
Top 5 Album of the Year!
What The Hidden Beach Family Says:
"Love. It. Especially. House of Love "
- Diane H.
"Yo, I like the feel of the new album, it sounds
great."
- Tom C.
"I am really inpressed with the quality of the
music, especially track9 ("Love We Share"). All
you R&B lovers this is more real music for you!
Lets all support this project."
-J Colston
Included on Yes We Can:
Voices of a Grassroots Movement are such
songs as John Mayer’s “Waiting On The World
To Change,” BeBe Winans’ “I Have A Dream,”
Jill Scott’s “One Is The Magic #,” Jackson
Browne’s “Looking East,” Sheryl Crow’s “Out
Of Our Heads,” Los Lonely Boys’ “Make It
Better,” Keb’ Mo’s “America The Beautiful,”
Yolanda Adams’ “Hold On,” Ozomatli’s “Love &
Hope” and Stevie Wonder’s legendary tune and
official Obama-Biden Campaign anthem “Sign,
Sealed, Delivered.” Several of these songs
are now worked into unique “Obama” versions
featuring some inspiring speech excerpts
from the campaign trail.
New music featured on the
music compilation include Lionel Richie’s
“Eternity,” Dave Stewart’s “American
Prayer,” John Legend’s “Pride In The Name Of
Love,” Suai’s “Am I All Alone?” Ken Stacey’s
“America,” Malik Yusef’s “Promised Land,”
featuring Kanye West and Maroon 5’s Adam
Levine, and Shontelle’s “Battle Cry.”
Singer
Lalah
Hathaway
smashed the SoulTracks
monthly download record in June with
her track "That Was Then." The
track comes from her new, critically
acclaimed album, Self Portrait,
which has been called by many the
best solo release of her nearly two
decade career.
With
SELF PORTRAIT, (Stax
Records/Concord Music Group)-- her
fifth studio album, including the
Joe Sample duet, and on which she
co-wrote and co-produced, Hathaway
is poised to express who she is, where she is, today, at
this very moment.
Leading the 12-song collection is
"Let Go," a
dance-oriented, up-tempo number she
produced with Rex Rideout and
wrote alongside Rahsaan Patterson.
And just as the title suggests, the
song is about acknowledging and
releasing whatever's not working to
make room for the next experience.
"I've had to let go of quite a few
things, quite a few situations and a
couple of mindsets," she admits
about the origins of her first
single. "Every so often, I have to
remind myself to just let some stuff
go - from people and relationships
to an old pair of jeans."
Born to
Donny Hathaway, one
of the most influential soul artists
of the eighties, and Eulaulah
Hathaway, an accomplished
musician in her own right, the
Chicago native first put pen to
paper, "with
the music," as a 10th
grader. Later, as a student at Berklee College of Music, she
recorded her self-titled debut in
1990, which spawned the hits "Baby
Don't Cry," "Heaven
Only Knows" and
"I'm
Coming Back."
Although she has created a space for
herself, it's not surprising that
Hathaway remains connected to her
late, great father and his classic
sound. "I am his daughter," she
says, softly, "and that's the truth
of who I am, every day. When I was
15, and then, 20, I didn't get why
people were asking me how I felt about him and his
music. But when I turned 25, I began
to understand. Like my father, I
want to leave a legacy of music that
makes people really feel something,
whether it be happiness, sadness,
grief or heartache. I also want them
to appreciate my humor which I know
can be difficult to interpret in a
song."
You can
learn more about Lalah Hathaway
by visiting her official web
site at:http://lalahhathaway.com.
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additional information media
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