Wednesday, September 24, 2008

How 50 Cent Uses Online Video to Build Brand Loyalty

This article was published a while back by Michael Miraflor of how 50 Cent Uses Online Video to Build Brand Loyalty.

I thought this article was so GREAT and really broke it down on how 50 cent is capitalizing on this digital world. READ. LEARN. APPLY!

50 Cent might be the most polarizing figure in contemporary pop culture. Love him or hate him, one thing is undeniable: 50 Cent, whose government name is Curtis Jackson, is a great businessman. From his platinum albums to his G-Unit record label and clothing line to his cashing in on Coca-Cola's acquisition of VitaminWater, "Fiddy" and his team never seem to get the raw end of a business deal. So it comes as no surprise that he has a long-term Internet strategy to help maintain and grow his personal brand.

50 Cent's online fortunes lie with This Is 50, a destination that's part hip-hop/pop culture blog, part fan community, and part original content destination. The popular site, which has grown by leaps and bounds since it was publicly released in October 2007, is built primarily on top of two free services. The blog and social network framework are built on top of social network platform Ning, while the primary video content delivery platform is Kyte. While using these two services may be unremarkable, how he uses them -- especially Kyte -- is revolutionary.

Flying High on Kyte

50 Cent and G-Unit have taken advantage of several user-behavior-oriented aspects of Kyte to great effect:

Real-time chat. Real-time chat within the Kyte player adds a new social dimension to the content viewing experience. Users that view 50 Cent and G-Unit content don't feel like they are watching in isolation. As I type this, a real-time audience indicator on the Kyte Player on This Is 50 shows 648 viewers simultaneously watching a new piece of content.

Since new videos are distributed on what can be considered a linear basis, rabid fans anxiously waiting new content consistently populate the chat room. Conversations often continue long after content is introduced, which keeps these engaged users within an insulated 50 Cent/G-Unit branded environment.


  • Production flexibility. Kyte allows video content to be professionally filmed and produced for subsequent uploading. More important, it allows video to be easily recorded or streamed live from mobile devices. This gives 50 Cent's production team the flexibility to film anywhere, giving fans a unique behind-the-scenes perspective of the rapper's day-to-day life.

    For example, backstage concert footage can be filmed on a Nokia N95, edited on the spot via Kyte's dynamic and intuitive mobile editing environment, and instantly uploaded to the Kyte Player on This Is 50 in seconds. Better yet, video can be streamed live through a mobile device for a truly unscripted experience.

  • Built-in distribution. The This Is 50 Kyte Player has been embedded on more than 50,000 Web sites globally, resulting in over 14.6 million aggregate views over the course of 69 shows. Again, since new content is released on a regular basis and the content is exclusive to the player, many of these sites either dedicate a site section to the player, feature it prominently in their design, or, in the case of blogs, embed the player every time a new piece of compelling content is released.

  • Such staggering numbers have made the player the distribution platform of choice for 50 Cent to premiere exclusive content. Chances are, when 50 Cent or a member of his G-Unit crew releases a new video, you won't see it right away on MTV, VH1, or BET. You'll find it first on his Kyte Player.
Click here to read the rest of the article..

Monday, September 22, 2008

New Music Feature: P Gutta

New Music Feature: P Gutta
Genre: Hip Hop / Rap, Urban

P Gutta's album, "Failure's Not An Option" is a diverse mixture of hard-core rap about the life of surviving in the streets, to lessons learned growing up in the 80's to becoming a man and the struggle of single fatherhood. Some of the tracks feature a twist of R&B by local up & coming artist to hooks from the producers of N.B.B. Information on P-Gutta AKA "Pitts"

With the East Cost rap scene being heavily overshadowed by the club targeted, pop chart, and ringtone styled music of the South, P GUTTA is just the artist Hip Hop needs to return the art form back to its rightfull place. P GUTTA (which stands for “Pitts from the Gutta”) who’s born name is Lamar Pitts, started rapping around the age of 14. Since a child, P Gutta has possessed excellent grammar and vocabulary skills, thus making it easy to pen vivid lyrics about inner city life growing up in Maryland’s Capital.

http://www.nbbent.com/pgutta
http://www.myspace.com/pittsgutta410

Check out his HIT single "The Game Needs Me" ft. Lil Mo

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Urban Music New Media Buzz: Podcasting

So with this "NEW" Music Industry moving all Digital I find that a lot of independent and emerging artists are really lost in what exactly that means actually.

So Cyber PR has written a guide to a component artists can begin to help with online awareness of their music: PODCASTS!!

Introduction to Podcasting

What is Podcasting?1
Podcasting is quickly becoming a buzz word among the techie crowd. So what is podcasting, anyway? Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Many people liken podcasting to radio on demand. However, in reality, podcasting gives far more options in terms of content and programming than radio does. In addition, with Podcasting, listeners can determine the time and the place, meaning they decide what programming they want to receive and when they want to listen to it.

Listeners can retain audio archives to listen to at their leisure. While blogs have turned many bloggers into journalists, podcasting has the potential to turn podcasters into radio personalities.

Podcasting can be used for:

1. Self-Guided Walking Tours - Informational content.

2. Music - Band promotional clips and interviews.

3. Talk Shows - Industry or organizational news, investor news, sportscasts, news coverage and commentaries.

4. Training - Instructional informational materials.

5. Story - Story telling for children or the visually-impaired.

Podcasting is the syndication of audio files using RSS. Podcasting works the same as a standard RSS feed reader or news aggregator, the only difference is that the feed you subscribe to contains an audio file in it. Instead of reading content in your RSS feed reader or aggregator, you can listen to the contents of your feed using a reader or aggregator that supports podcasting, or you can listen to them on an iPod or similar device. While podcasting was named for the iPod, you do not have to have an iPod to listen to a podcast. Podcasts can be displayed on websites with clickable links to audio files and many of the standard RSS readers, like FeedDemon's latest beta, have begun supporting audio enclosures.

The audio file that makes the feed a podcast rather than a standard RSS feed is contained in the 'enclosure' tag. The easiest way to think of this is as an e-mail attachment.

Although the "enclosure" tag is not new to RSS feeds and has been included in the RSS v2.0 specification for about four years, podcasting has only really been around since August of 2004.

Webmasters are finding creative ways to provide media-rich content. The syndication aspect and potential increase in audience size are an attractive lure. Listeners benefit from podcasting because, like RSS, podcasting is a means to publish content that ultimately gives the recipient the control over the information they want to see or hear.

It will be interesting to see how this publishing medium develops. Currently, only the technical crowd has endorsed podcasting as a new audio medium, but the potential is real and the process is not overly complex. With a little time I think this field will develop and prosper.

[1] – Housley, Sharon. "What is Podcasting." Podcasting Tools.com. Retrieved 11 September 2008


Why Do People Tune In?2

Podcasting attracts people who want the ability to choose their own content (much like using the Internet), instead of the TV and radio model of broadcast where you tune in and select from one of the programs playing. It shares common ground with other time shifting technologies like TIVO, which allow you to download programs and watch whenever you want. Many people like the convenience of always having fresh material loaded on their iPods or personal music players, and listen to their podcasts throughout the day.

Many consider podcasting an alternative to commercial radio and TV, because the low cost of producing a podcast allows more voices and viewpoints to be heard. Also, unlike TV and radio, which produce programs for mass consumption, podcasts are "narrowcasts," where only those interested in a certain topic seek out programs and sign up to listen. There are thousands of podcasts which target very specific niche interests, producing communities around topics which are too obscure for traditional broadcasting to cover.
Why Should Artists be Promoting their Music to Podcast:

Simple. There is an audience of 12 million people listening to podcasts! Emarketer.com just released a study showing the growth in the podcast listening will shift UP 250% to about 65 million by 2012!

This is amazing for artists!.

To being to make your music available for Podcsters please sign up to the Podsafe Music Network (PMN) - music.podshow.com

Creating a profile here with your music lets podcasters know that your music is available for use on their podcasts via the Creative Commons License (Basically: you can't sue them for using your music). With PMN you will also be able to track when its being played an which shows.

Hopefully this tool will help you become one step closer to creating an online buzz for yourself!




Monday, September 15, 2008

New Music Feature: Rhoda

New Music Feature: Rhoda
Genre: Urban, Pop, Soul, R&B

A native of Uganda, Rhoda was raised in the Washington, D.C. area, where East and West African rhythms, pop, jazz, Broadway, R&B, and hip hop music imbued her childhood, creating a unique hybrid in her musical sensibilities. As a member of various choral groups, from school and church choirs to a female a capella group while attending the University of Virginia, Rhoda's musical instruction includes five-part harmony and piano. Her talent emerges from deeply within, guided by a natural force of love and passion for all things creative.


http://www.rhodankojo.com
http://www.myspace.com/rhodankojo

Thursday, September 11, 2008

CRANK THAT VOTE!

with Terrence J & Fred Whit

featuring Ludacris, Lauren London, Ne-Yo & Gabriel Union

" People died for the right to vote, the least we can do is exercise it"- Lauren London

The 2008 presidential race is truly unprecedented. Never before have millions of Americans been so excited to see change, more importantly, never have the youth been so vital in shaping America's future.

Unfortunately, there are over 8 million African Americans that are unregistered to vote in the USA! The last presidential election was won by less then 350 votes, so Terrence J decides to stop talking about it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!

Tune into BET this September as Terrence goes on a CRAZY road trip across the country with his brother Fred on a BOLD mission to get 100,000 young people registered to vote. CAN HE DO IT??

Register to Vote: http://www.fabnit.com/nvra_update.pdf

Please join the movement & Spread The Word

http://myspace.com/heyterrencej
http://twitter.com/crankthatvote
http://bet.com/decision08


New Video: Phashara- "Young World"



Phashara (emcee & beatmaker) is the balance between aggressive golden age hip-hop and progressive melodious modern hip-hop. His style of vocal delivery is strong while his lyrical content is rather introspective and thought provoking. Phashara’s brand of vivid & soulful hip-hop is a throwback to a time when lyrics, chopped samples and drums that boom and bap were standard Emcee issue.

If you will be in LA coming up Check Phashara on Sept. 12th (Tomorrow!)

  • Date
    September 12, 2008, 9pm
    Venue
    The Airliner
    2419 N.Broadway
    Los Angeles, CA
    9512064862

    Ticket price
    $10
    Minimum age
    21
    Other acts on the bill
    West Coast Release Party for The Storybook Adventure, in conjunction with Urban Underground Weekly at The Airliner in Los Angeles. Phashara performing with Planet Asia.

New Video: Qtip "Gettin Up"

Yes Qtip is BACK in the game! Im quite EXCITED to hear his new stuff is now about to drop.

Check out his new single “Gettin’ Up” off his upcoming album The Renaissance set to drop November 4th.



Qtip also taking the new media world by FORCE, check him out on TWITTER : www.twitter.com/qtipmusic

Friday, August 22, 2008

Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of BLACK PEOPLE : Trouble the Water

I just saw the MOST AMAZING movie today. Wasn't up for the movies today but got invited to IFC to see the movie "Trouble The Water" and didn't know what I was in for! This is the DOPEST movie i've seen ever!




Trouble the Water opens the day before Katrina makes landfall, just blocks away from the French Quarter but far from the New Orleans that tourists know. Kimberly Rivers Roberts is turning her video camera on herself and her 9th Ward neighbors trapped in the city. “It’s going to be a day to remember,” Kim says excitedly into her new camera as the storm is brewing. It’s her first time shooting video and it’s rough, jumpy but dense with reality. Kim’s playful home-grown newscast tone grinds against the audience’s knowledge that hell is just hours away. There is no way for the audience to warn her. And for New Orleans’ poor, there is nowhere to run.

As the hurricane begins to rage and the floodwaters fill their world and the screen, Kim and her husband Scott continue to film, documenting their harrowing voyage to higher ground and dramatic rescues of friends and neighbors.

Intertwining Kim and Scott’s insider’s view of Katrina and powerful video with a mix of verite and in-your-face filmmaking, Deal and Lessin follow their story through the storm and its aftermath, and into a new life. Along the way, they discover Kim’s musical talent as rap artist Black Kold Madina when she finds the only existing copy of her recorded music survived the storm with a relative in Memphis. Kim’s performance in that moment reveals not only devastating skills as a musician, but compacts her life story into explosive poetry that paints a devastating picture of poverty.



If you have not gone to seen this movie you need to RIGHT NOW!

You can find more info on specific theaters it will be playing in here at http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

We're BACK!

I know I know i've been horrible at posting. But consider that NO MORE!

SO....Lets catch up!

1. I will be in Vegas for the New Media Expo and will be live blogging via twitter so follow me @cyberprurban

2. Our Cyber PR Urban website will be launching soon so with that will come an awesome contest giveaway too so stay tuned...

3. Our offices our MOVING from crowded Midtown Manhattan to Lovely Park Slope, Brooklyn so stay tuned for a full report on our new office digs coming soon!

4. Lastly we will be doing tons more emerging artist features, as well as spotlighting artists who are making changes to conform to this new digital music industry.

So since we've caught up with what's going on with Cyber PR Urban , lets catch up with the world of hip hop. This Week's Hip Hop Update is brought to you by JumpOff TV.






Wednesday, July 9, 2008

3rd Digital Press Conference for Social Media Makers, Bloggers, Podcasters, and DJ's

Would love to have any of my Urban Bloggers come through for this event all artists will be available for interview and all music is cleared to be put up on your blog just email me at christina@arielpublicity to RSVP!!!

Ariel Hyatt of Cyber PR, Lou Plaia of Reverb Nation, John Warden of Rive Video, & Jason Spiewak of Rock Ridge Music

Cordially invite you to our 3rd Digital Press Conference for Social Media Makers, Bloggers, Podcasters, and DJ's

Ariel, Lou, John, & Jason cordially invite you to an evening of drinks, snacks and EXCLUSIVE Interview Opportunities with artists from Cyber PR, Reverb Nation, Rive Video, and Rock Ridge Music. Bring your recording devices, cameras and laptops & come capture exclusive interviews, drops & station ID recordings, and impromptu jams with some select artists and musicians to be announced soon.

A few confirmed artists already: Charles Hamilton, Immortal Technique, Michael Lynche, and more to come!

Our Digital Press conferences are famous for being a great place to get hot material for all of your broadcasting pleasure.

Next Tuesday, July 15, 2008

4PM – 8 PM

Ariel’s Parents Fabulous NYC Home:
EMAIL ME FOR THE ADDRESS!
New York, NY 10024

Please RSVP and let me know if you will be attending!
Q: What is a Digital Press Conference?
A: It’s a party with content creation benefits !

The mission is simple: Invite bands and musicians and new media makers -bloggers, podcasters, Internet radio station programmers, vodcasters, video show creators, online freelancers and technology companies, music content companies, and freelancers to attend, eat, drink and meet each other face to face. It’s a great way to acknowledge hard working musicians and harder working new media makers in a social environment, and connect new media makers to artists face to face and if they feel so inclined they can capture exclusive material from artists. New media companies are also invited to show off their online platforms.

Cyber PR hosts Digital Press Conferences these 3-4 times a year and they are collaborations with other music companies who are involved with new media makers or represent artists looking to gain online exposure.

Monday, July 7, 2008

All things new in Hip Hop...

This weekly show documents anything new in Hip Hop from movies and music to fashion and gadgets. Hosted by Wahidah, the New Releases Show comes out every Thursday by Jump Off TV:

Thursday, June 26, 2008

New Media Pioneer: Brandon Greene of VividNUrban Online Magazine

New Media Pioneer: Brandon Greene of VividNUrban Online Magazine

VividNUrban
http://www.thevmagazine.net
http://www.myspace.com/thevmag

VividNUrban Magazine is a magazine built for the Urban individual. Whether that individual is a musician, politician, teacher, athlete, doctor, athlete or any of the other tens of thousands of occupations that exist…VividNUrban has something for them. We hope to education, spark dialogue, and build the bridge between the gaps. We are Las Vegas premiere Urban Arts and Culture Magazine. Through commentary, and interviews we hope to establish relationships that will allow Vegas urbanites to explore collaboration opportunities in and out of the city. We hope to find not only beat makers and MC’s but promoters, organizers, teachers and DJ’s. We hope to serve as the voice of our constituency and speak truth to power in ways that are not only entertaining and thought provoking but showcase the Vivid light that shines through the urban life.

Q: How did VividNUrban Magazine come about?

A: VividNUrban came about as a result of me becoming frustrated with the existing media in my city of Las Vegas. I was an artist before I was a journalist and I have watched for years as artist after artist struggled to get the attention of the media and radio stations. Since I have degrees in computer graphics and film and I am currently pursuing my masters in Journalism and Media Studies, I decided that I would make my own lane and stop asking.

Q: VividNUrban was recently known as The V Magazine what caused the switch to the new name?

A: I typed V Magazine in a Google search engine to see if I showed up and discovered that there was a magazine in New York of the same title. I also decided that my focus would not just be music and Vegas but all the facets of Urban Culture including education, politics, community etc. Plus many times when you hear Urban you think rap. But there is a vitality that exists in Urban Communities and I wanted that light to shine so I made the V, Vivid.

Q: VividNUrban is known as the Las Vegas Premiere Urban Arts and Culture Magazine. How do you branch out to other things outside of Vegas on the site?



A: I am a member of the Hip Hop Congress, The Hip Hop Journalist Association, and The Association of Black Journalists. I am also still a hip-hop artist and graphic artist/videographer so I really just leverage the relationships and networking that I have to do on a constant basis to develop relationships with the members of my organizations and their cities/universities. It is my hope to eventually have writers in all metropolitan areas, which will make VividNUrban a snap shot of Urban America, it’s problems, discussions of solutions, and the art that emerges in the confusion.

Q: What are some of the new features that VividNUrban offers since it switched from the V Magazine?

A: VividNUrban is now a fully faceted site, offering history lessons in the “This Day” segment. Offering a look into the artists creative process in their own words in “In the studio” as well as discussions and articles on politics, education, and community issues. Here in Las Vegas I am a founding member of The Publishers Incubation Network (PIN) which allows me and other publishers to write and share articles with each other, sort of making us brother/sister publications.

Q: As digital media continues to take new norms all over the internet, what merits and downfalls do you see with this?

A: I think if it’s done right the internet publications are definitely beginning to hold their own and gain credibility. Major news organizations are scrambling to find qualified people who can take the old print mentality and convert in to the web. This is opening up incredible opportunities for young adults like myself, enabling us to start our own instead of having to be turned down by employers who love our education but are not willing to give us that entry level position. The downfall is that many print publications will be folding in the next couple of years, and that is very sad.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

New Music Feature: Phashara

Phashara
Chicago, IL
Genre: Hip Hop / Rap, Urban
http://www.arielpublicity.net/clients/2462


Phashara (emcee & beatmaker) is the balance between aggressive golden age hip-hop and progressive melodious modern hip-hop. His style of vocal delivery is strong while his lyrical content is rather introspective and thought provoking. Phashara’s brand of vivid & soulful hip-hop is a throwback to a time when lyrics, chopped samples and drums that boom and bap were standard Emcee issue.

Phashara (pronounced fah-shuh-rah) born to an afroed soul cat & sophisticated lady, Phasha spent the 1st couple of years of his life in Chicago’s Martin Luther King Plaza on the west side of Chicago. His Mom & Dad both sang with reputable choirs and gospal acts, his Uncle is a Jazz Trumpeter. Needless to say, the musical influences in his life were many and varied. “I can remember hearing Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang and The Breaks by Kurtis Blow when I was like 4 or 5 years old. My Mom would play those joints all of the time. But I’d also be like “Ma play this…” holding up the Minnie Ripperten joint where she has the blue jean coveralls on with the ice cream cone. So I really grew up listening to Hip-Hop and Soul music. Soul and Hip-Hop are like the sound track to my life” he says of his early influences.


Check Him Out:
http://phashara.com/
http://www.myspace.com/phashara

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Christina’s Lucky 7

7 Urban Social Networking Websites you SHOULD be on in 2008!

1. XXL Block Talk
http://www.xxlblocktalk.com/
XXL Block Talk gives members the opportunity to post their own blogs and profiles, also gives daily updated videos of artists interviewed in the magazine. This site is great because it gives members the chance to connect with “the global hip-hop community.”

2. Block Savvy
http://www.blocksavvy.com
Block Savvy is a one-stop shop where you can do all your online business - communicate with friends, build social networks, play games, import photos and videos from Flickr.com and YouTube.com, even import your profile data from MySpace. Created by former Roc-A-Fella Exec Damon Dash, you will frequently find exclusives available to members like Jim Jones own Byrdgang Channel.

3. Allhiphop
http://www.allhiphop.com
AllHipHop.com is the most widely read Hip-Hop entity in the world, reaching millions of unique visitors per month. AllHipHop.com has been delivering daily news alerts to music industry tastemakers and hip-hop lovers two-way pagers, cellphones and email addresses since 1998. The Allhiphop community forums offer an excellent place to discuss entertainment, have collective arguments, and musical conversations, and showcase your own talent.

4. Reverb Nation
http://www.reverbnation.com
ReverbNation.com - Designed for artists. Deep, empowering stats and information on your fan base help you make decisions on where to tour and how effectively you are growing your business. Keep your page up to date and export pieces of it to other sites - imagine only having to enter shows one time for all your web locations! And GREAT WIDGETS GALORE!

5. Facebook
http://www.facebook.com
Facebook.com will be rolling out artist pages VERY SOON and you should not miss out on this! Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you. Upload photos • get the latest news from your friends •post videos on your profile • tag your friends • use privacy settings to control who sees your info • join a network to see people who live, study, or work around you (and you can promote show here too!)
Friend Christina: Search For: Ariel Publicity / Christina Duren

6. BlackPlanet
http://www.blackplanet.com
BlackPlanet is the largest online community for African Americans. It is your online source for African American news, community, technology, culture, music, entertainment, and more. BlackPlanet.com is your place to meet and connect with African Americans around the country. Chat or post photos and videos to share your black experience. Look for other African Americans who are sharing theirs—even if you’re searching for news about what’s hot in music, fashion, sports and events or looking for the buzz in music, business, politics and trends.

And Luck Number #7.. RapSpace
http:// www.rapspace.tv/
RapSpace is the world's first and only broadband hangout for the hip hop community. It gives members their own personal online video recording studio and can lay down your rhymes to our beats. With talent scouts surfing the site artists can showcase their skills and be discovered.

HERE’S TO YOUR SUCCESS!!!

This list is a gift from Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR:
Creating Affordable Music Publicity & Internet Music Promotion Campaigns that place artists on Internet Radio Stations, Social Networking Sites, Podcasts, Online Magazines, Blogs, Vlogs, Audioblogs, Zines, Music Directories, Video Sites & Lifestyle Sites. We also handle tour publicity for
musicians on the road.

Sign UP for our free bi-monthly newsletter Sound Advice and get more free
bonus materials at our site.

www.arielpublicity.com
Contact@arielpublicty.com

Monday, June 23, 2008

New Music: Young Chris - "Never Die"

I've become obsessed with this song :)

If Young Chris isn't the new Jay-z I don't know who is.

Eventhough there has been alot of debate on who is taking who style with Young Chris and Jay-Z but all I can say is Jay-Z is the King of it all so thats where I stand.

Here is Young Chris's new video "Never Die" - He is still repping the ROC hard Roc-a-fella needs to really thank him and Kanye for keeping Roc-a-fella relevant

Monday, June 16, 2008

Free Mixtape: Sha Stimuli "While You Were Sleeping"




You might recall us doing a little write up on Sha Stimului a little while back. Now he's back with the fifth instalment of Sha Stimuli and DJ Victorious' mixtape series "12 Mixtapes In 12 Months", this time around he's hitting you all with collaborations with artists like Maino, Torae, Kel Spencer, Sic Osyrus, Royce Da 5'9", Jae Millz, Sam Scarfo, Murda Mook, Ras Kass, Grafh just to name a few. Look out for the next mixtape in the series dropping later this month!

01. Gotta Get Mine (feat. Jaz-O)
02. Its A Massacre (feat. Tools & Pumpkinhead)
03. O.D. (feat. L.G. & Jae Millz)
04. Go In (feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq & Haph of The Ranjahz)
05. That's How We Do (feat. Cash Kittens)
06. Rocking Wit The Best (feat. Flash Da Biskit)
07. I Dont Care (feat. Maino)
08. Who? (feat. Sic Osyrus)
09. Save The Day (feat. Torae & Kel Spencer)
10. We Are Here (feat. Chaundon, G.O.D. & D.V. Alias Khryst)
11. Hershation (feat. Hershe)
12. 125 Grams (feat. Joell Ortiz Ras Kass Grafh & Gab Gotcha)
13. Rock On (feat. Famoso)
14. Style Changer (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
15. Never (Remix) (feat. Scarface)
16. Exercise U (feat. Gucci Mane)
17. Lords of Flatbush (feat. Q Da Kid & Marz Money)
18. This Is Life (feat. Cory Gunz)
19. S On My Chest (feat. Sam Scarfo & Straps)
20. That's Right (feat. Nickelus F)
21. Say I (feat. Sam Scarfo)
22. Dead Ringer (feat. Murda Mook)



WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SHASTIMULI

Friday, June 13, 2008

New Artist Feature: Michael Lynche


Michael Lynche
http://www.michaellynche.com
Genre:Pop, Hip Hop / Rap, R&B, Urban, Soul


Listening to Michael Lynche is like hearing the whole of black music in one artist. Existing in the space between soul, modern r&b, funk and hip-hop, his music somehow ties the tradition together while placing his own unique stamp and personality on it. And in the tradition of the greatest artists, he sings (and raps) his truths straight to your face, with no apologies or hesitation and a commitment to excellence above all, making him an exceptional young artist on the rise.

Michael Lynche is a new hop artist best described as a cross between Gnarls Barkley, Outcast and R. Kelly. Part soul machine, part booty shaker, part baby maker. His high-energy sound is called the "Dirty Blues" where gritty southern soul meets dirty south hip-hop.

Check out some of his songs on http://www.myspace.com/mlynche

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Can anyone please Janet Jackson anymore ?!!?!?!




So her new CD "Discipline" on Def Jam was released on Feb 26th. First single "Feedback" had mediocre results and then WE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE CD AFTER THAT.

Can anyone please Janet Jackson anymore ?!!?!?!

Read her most recent interview with SOHH to see what Janet had to say on why we haven't heard anything from her after her "Feedback" single

Here is an excerpt:
“That’s pretty difficult to say, only because of the record label at this point. We started off with “Feedback” and the label and myself haven’t quite seen eye to eye since the “Feedback” single so they’ve kind of basically stopped all promotion. I’m trying to figure out a way to say this, but just to say it and to be quite honest, they just stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album so I don’t think you’re going to hear another single off this album.”

“I just want to let the fans know because I’ve been reading a lot what the bloggers have been saying about the record and not hearing it on the radio and stuff like that, so I just wanted to let them know where things were as well and where it was all coming from. I’ve heard people talking about me not coming to Europe in support of the record just to let them know that it was definitely in my heart to go to Europe and to support this album but it’s about teamwork, it’s not something I can totally do on my own. Unfortunately things have turned out the way that they have with the differences between the label and myself, which we have been having for the most part from the beginning. So I just want to tell them again thank you very much for all the love and all the support and I they understand the entire situation and I’m really excited to see everybody on tour. I’m really looking forward to that it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

I'm kind of re-thinking things and maybe say its Janet and NOT the label anymore. I guess third label is the charm lol.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

This isn't the Nas that I Know :(

Is everyone geeking out on this new "Kanye West" phase. This isn't the Nas that I know :(. You can check Nas out in the new Complex Magazine.




Tuesday, June 10, 2008

New Media Pioneer: Vonnie “Honey” Woods of the Honey Soul Blog


New Media Pioneer: Vonnie “Honey” Woods of the Honey Soul Blog

Honey Soul Blog
http://honeysoul.com
“Anything great always starts with love,” says soul-music aficionado Vonnie “Honey” Woods, whose means of expressing her sincere, simple passion for the music and its artists, has grown from a small mailing list about new music finds, to an internet show called Soul 2 Soul (projectvibe.net, rawcast.com), a morning radio show called Honey Soul’s Sunrise (90.1 FM, KPFT Houston), and HoneySoul.com, a site that receives visitors from at least 15 countries, including the U.K, Canada, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Japan, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Jamaica, The Philippines, Brazil, Germany and Austria. The site has ranked as highly as #15 of out 198 million “soul music” searches on Google, and it has been referenced and/or acknowledged by Prince’s official site, Vibe.com, Eurweb.com, Capital Records, Okayplayer.com, AOL Black Voices, and Philadelphia Weekly - all in only two years.

Q: What is the story behind you actually starting Honey Soul Music Blog?

A. In 2004 I started an email list to share something that was very close to my heart, music. I'd search online for music that had elements of what I listened to growing up and was not being played often on radio. I call it soul music but it really is any meaningful music that you can feel. One day I stumbled across something I had never heard of, blogs. I loved the personal point of view and at that time I couldn't find many that talked about soul music. In October 2004, I started my blog, Honey Soul Music to share my passion for soul music. It grew into much more than I could have planned or imagined.

In 2005 I started asking artists for interviews. I recorded them and posted them on the blog. It seemed like a natural evolution and because this was about nine months after starting the blog I jokingly say this is when Honey Soul was born. Traffic increased dramatically and others started to take notice of my relaxed and conversational style. Soon after labels and publicists started contacting me to interview their artists. The icing on the cake is that I've been recognized as a tastemaker and an authority on soul music, been referenced on other sites from AOL Black Voices to Vibe.com and landed some opportunities to do local and internet radio. In 2007 HoneySoul.com won a Black Weblog award for "Best Music Blog." Plus I've had the honor of interviewing some of my music idols like Chaka Khan, Maurice White, Ron Isley and Teena Marie as well as talking to some of the most gifted, up and coming new artists. Talk about living your dream. I'm blessed.


Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a blogger?

A. My biggest challenge has been finding balance. Things change so quickly on the internet and everyday there are more who do the same things you do. Remaining fresh, relevant, different, creative, and maintaining motivation can be a challenge. There is also a unique balance between sticking to your roots, the things that made you successful and growing. Yet through it all I want to remain a valuable and useful source for both the music lover and the artist. Ultimately there is a balance between doing what I need to do versus what I want to do. I've learned not to take it all so seriously. I remind myself why I started the blog, for nothing but the love of music. Anything else that stems from that is a blessing and the mistakes and missteps have been learning lessons. It's always a matter of perspective.

Q: How do you go about choosing which CD's you are going to review?

A. We receive quite a few music submissions from artists, publicists and labels. We also get recommendations from our readers, DJ's, promoters, friends, and fellow bloggers. I select albums that I personally like or that I think our audience would enjoy. They are CD's that in their entirety evoke a certain feeling or emotional response because that's what I feel soul music does best. We are also fortunate to have a talented group of contributors who discover new music on their own and write great reviews.

Q: As far as bringing more traffic to your site, what are the two best tips you can give other bloggers?

A. My best tip would be networking and that takes several forms. Network with other bloggers, your audience and those in your field because word of mouth is wonderful for building traffic. Network by joining social media sites, online communities and forums if for nothing else than leading traffic back to your blog.

I'd also suggest building traffic through sources that don't originate online. While they are great ways to build traffic through search engine optimization there is nothing like building your brand the old fashioned way, face to face. If you've got access to social and business events in your area use it. Pass out business cards and make contact with other movers and shakers. Recently I've added blog contributors. Not only is it a great way to give back by allowing them to spotlight their voice to an established audience but it can also bring new eyes to your blog and it gives your audience a fresh, new perspective. Be consistent, be patient and take chances on something new. Nothing worth having is easy to get and it certainly doesn't happen overnight.

Q: What song is continuously playing in your ipod right now?
A. Although I have favorite artists (Prince, Dwele) and favorite songs of the moment (like Jill Scott's My Love), I rarely listen to anything on repeat. Because of HoneySoul.com I'm lucky to always have a steady flow of new, exciting music. Contrary to what you hear on commercial radio these days, for me there never seems to be a shortage of good music.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Jermaine Dupri Makes NO Sense Sometimes....

I've kind of gotten hooked to Jermaine Dupri's You Tube Channel. He's been pretty consistent with posting videos at least once a week

One video that caught my eye was the video he posted on May 28. He is back in NY at Def Jam doing an interview with Forbes Magazine and I think his answer is HORRIBLE.

The video is a bit long because he also does a premiere of the new 9th Ward video "New Orleans" which I think is a bit too much violence in it :(

To view more pf JD's videos you can view his You Tube Channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/JD1472

Sunday, June 8, 2008

New Media Pioneer: Cedric Shine of the Notes of this Native Son Blog


New Media Pioneer: Cedric Shine of the Notes of this Native Son Blog
http://nativenotes.wordpress.com/

Notes of this Native Son blog brings you a daily dose of songs and messages from author Cedric Shine. Written by a motivated young black man who is dedicated to giving our voices a platform to speak from!

Q: A lot of the writing on your blog is very uplifting. What inspired
you to start the Notes of This Native Son Blog?

A: Honestly, I have always had a passion for writing but in the past I was hesitant to share my writing with other people for fear that they would judge my writing style and how I convey messages. I started out on my myspace where I would let my thoughts fly, but there wasn’t too much traffic there. Earlier this year I began writing spiritual messages titled “Pardon me” every morning and sending them out to close friends. The small list grew to over 100 people rather quickly and the responses I would receive were so uplifting and motivational that I felt selfish for not having an avenue to share those responses with the other readers. Thus I created Notes of this Native Son so that there could be an interactive community that would be spiritually connected and serve as a support group for others who wanted to explore their spiritual side without being judged.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of creativity; there was literature, music, politics, spirituality, dance and other types of expression that characterized the intellect and creativity of the people. Notes of This Native Son is inspired by such a time period and I hope that as young artisans we can inspire a resurgence of creativity in our own communities. The site also serves as forms of expression for some of my close friends whose writing has been featured on the blog; Nightday, Maat, Rums, and Jazz are all people who have posted pieces on the site that have added to the overall movement of something different that we are trying to accomplish.

Q: Is there a specific audience you are trying to reach?

A: Honestly, if you go to the blog on any given day the only thing that will be consistent is the Pardon me message, the Quote of the day and the Song of the day. Other than that the Notes of This Native Son can not be pigeon holed into one category because I believe we as people no matter what ethnicity, gender, or spiritual background are truly too dynamic of a people to be placed into closed jars and labeled. We have many different interests and thus there are several different niche groups that are represented here on the World Wide Web. One day I am all about the political scene, the next day I am very focused on music because I love music and feel it leads as a soundtrack to our lives. But then there are social issues, funny youtube videos, you name it and I will post it if I feel it relates to me as a person, or offends me and I want to have an open dialogue with the rest of the internet about it. So I cannot say that there is a specific audience that I am trying to reach because the people who give me the most feedback about the site come from a plethora of backgrounds. Their one commonality is that they are all searching for knowledge of self and like to be well informed about assorted issues. Whether that’s Lil Wayne sipping syrup, a Confucius quote, or institutionalized racism and how it affects people and their surroundings, people really just want to absorb knowledge.


Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a blogger?

A: The biggest challenge I have faced as a blogger is also the best challenge because there is an enormous amount of blogs on the Internet. All of these sites have different content and many of them can be extremely creative but I think the ever-growing amount of blogs can saturate the market so much that you feel like a grain of sand on a 7-mile beach. So I think the biggest challenge is staying relevant and trying to encourage a culture of bloggers and blog viewers to check out something that is not celebrity oriented but more so caters to their unique and individual ideas of expression.

Q: On your blog you feature a song a day. How exactly do you choose which songs fits the day?

A: The song of the day is a reflection of how I am feeling at the moment. Sometimes they are influenced by the spiritual message or the quote of the day. Other times I like to bring an artist who is less mainstream to the forefront and acknowledge their talent. For instance last week I featured Bad Boy recording artist Janelle Monae and tons of people hit me up saying that they really liked her music and appreciated her sound. That brings joy to my ears or eyes when I am reading such an email because often artists are judged on everything but their art.

Q: As far as bringing more traffic to your site, what are the two best tips you can give other bloggers?
A: I think being involved with communities of bloggers is extremely beneficial. I am a member of theurbanblogger.com and I think that as a community my affiliation with this spectacular group of bloggers has doubled my traffic and allowed me to network with other bloggers. Also, I think finding a balance between your own creativity and topics that are hot topics that people will want to read about will encourage more readers to browse through your site. We have to learn to take advantage of all avenues whether it is search engine optimization or networking with a revolutionary idea like your own where we can be featured via an Internet pr site, like Ariel Publicity.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

New Artist Feature...

Tori Lewis
Attitude, her 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”.

When contemplating a name for her album, the word “Attitude” just seemed to fit. Attitude is a way of thinking or responding. If you think you can, you’re right! If you think you can’t, you’re also right. "Since I have a choice, why not choose to think that I can. That’s Attitude, that’s me….Tori!"

"Rock"










New Media Pioneer: Jason "Macedonia" Smith of Radio BSOTS

New Media Pioneer: Jason “Macedonia” Smith
Radio BSOTS : Both Sides of the Surface

BSOTS: A cyberspace archive of life commentaries and music reviews written between 1999-2005, as well as a portal to artist and record label sites and online music stores, also the home base for the Radio BSOTS podcast playing electronic soul, funk, and hip-hop.


Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a podcaster?

A: My biggest challenge is (and continues to be) successfully navigating my way through this world of new media and social networking. I consider myself an old head using new technologies in order to express my love for music and support for its artists. I am flesh, blood, and bone, but to be a part of the podcasting game you must learn the language of ones and zeros to some degree, whether it's RSS feeds, tagging blog posts, search engine optimization, or whatever new social platform will premiere in the next five minutes. All of these things fight for my attention; as a result, time management and prioritizing become rather challenging. Never mind that real life demands that you go to your day job, make sure your child gets to day care, etc. I can only speak for myself: I do not have a mind for marketing or metrics. I do, however, have a mind for music. My passion for music drove me headfirst into podcasting.

Q: I've noticed you tend to feature on your podcast more unknown and indie hip hop artists what's your reasoning behind that?

A: Radio BSOTS was created because I had so many friends that were making great music - MCs, DJs, producers, and beatboxers. I just wanted to be a platform for them, an avenue for them to get some exposure. So right from the beginning, championing the unknown and independent artists was key to the show. In my opinion, their efforts can stand alongside and even outshine so much of what's being released within mainstream circles. Soul, funk, and electronic sounds add to the musical makeup of the show, but hip-hop remains at its core. To be honest, I didn't even realize how much of a hip-hop head I was until I started doing this podcast.

Q: Any words of wisdom ... anything you've learned so far in podcasting that you'd care to share?

A: What's true for an artist goes for a podcaster: this has got to feel good to YOU, first and foremost. Podcasting is too much work for it not to be fun, so what got you excited about it in the first place has to remain present in order for you to continue doing it. All artists go through their creative slumps or feeling of apathy about their craft. However, if those times start to outweigh the good times, you seriously need to reassess your situation. Beyond that, there is no "right" way of doing this. Since August of 2005, I've been podcasting on a dial-up modem and a computer that still had Windows Millennium Edition on it. I just got a new computer in the past month, but the dial-up situation remains. I didn't let that stop me, though. When you have something that you're passionate about, you find ways to make it work.

Q: I see you are very active in the Twitter world. Why do you think Twitter is important for a Podcaster, Internet Radio Station, etc.?
A: Honestly, it was the simplicity of Twitter that got me hooked. It's a microblogging tool that's perfect for a person like me who's constantly on the losing side of time. With Twitter, you're forced to get your point across quickly and in a limited number of characters. Somewhere along the way, I started notifying people whenever a new episode was posted. A number of my followers tend to go check it out within minutes after that. For a musician, blogger, or podcaster, that's valuable real-time feedback from people who have a vested interest in your content. And if you're involved with communicating with your followers, it's only a matter of time before relationships build into something more tangible. What you have is a potential community.

Q: What's next for Radio BSOTS?
A: Right now, I just want to continue putting together the best shows possible. There's so much incredible music out there it's almost overwhelming. As much as I like putting together freeform shows, I see more genre-specific episodes in the future, as well as shows dedicated to one record label's output. With the summer coming up, it's a great excuse to put more continuous mixes together as well. The month of August will mark the third-year anniversary of Radio BSOTS and I've been trying to figure out how to celebrate. Maybe I'll unveil some "behind the scenes" recordings or audio collage craziness from my college days, who knows? What's next is more music, more episodes, and more reasons to spend your cold hard cash in support of talented artists so that they can continue doing what they love.

Rihanna - Take A Bow

Im so in love with this song and video.

Eventhough it's an UPGRADED version of Beyonce's "Irreplacable" it's still hot, and im all for WOMEN EMPOWERMENT :)

Work It Rihanna!!! She looks so HOT in this video!



Funny Fact: Ne-Yo wrote this song and Beyonce's Irreplacable

What's Hot and New...

Jump Off TV brings you their weekly show thats documents anything new in Hip Hop from movies and music to fashion and gadgets.

Hosted by Valerie Lora, the New Releases Show comes out every Thursday.

Check out jumpoff.tv for the full videos and songs :)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Man behind the Monitor: J. Dakar of Concrete Loop / Write State of Mind

2nd Installment of our weekly posts that will be coming your way. (the GOODIES just keep coming)

I've met so many great bloggers/podcasters/new media makers lately and I've decided to turn the tables and blog about them :)

Here is our PREMIERE Interview with Mr J Dakar of one of the most popular entertainment blog Concrete Loop


Man behind the Monitor: J. Dakar
Concrete Loop / Write State of Mind
http://www.writestateofmind.net
http://www.concreteloop.com
http://www.jdakar.com
Political/Commentary Contributor of Concrete Loop
He currently serves as political/commentary contributor for Concrete Loop, one of the most popular black entertainment blogs, offering social and political commentary with special emphasis on the 2008 presidential election.

Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a blogger?

A: Traffic. Anyone can create a blog, but if no one is reading it or commenting on it, what's the point? For a while, I received very few hits and even fewer comments. It then hit me that I had begun writing for myself. I realized that I needed to appeal to my audience, and once I did that, I noticed an increase in both readers and comments.

Q: For aspiring bloggers, do you have any tips for growing their readers?

A: My only tip is that you should never give up. I've been blogging since 2001, had about twelve sites and endured, perhaps, at least three times that number of hiatuses from blogging. Fortunately, I have dedicated readers who commented on nearly everything I wrote (when I wrote), which really motivated me to continue writing. In doing so, I put myself out there more which really opened me up to new readers...and you never know who's reading what you're writing.


Q: How did you become affiliated with Concrete Loop?

A: Angel, Brian, Tianna and I frequented the 730 Forums (http://www.seventhirty.net/forums/) some time ago around 1999 or 2000, so I've known them all for quite some time. Once I began blogging, Angel read my work and continued to do so throughout the years. Last summer, she hit me up and asked if I'd be interested in writing for Concrete Loop. I, of course, said yes, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Q: As a political writer for Concrete Loop, do you feel that music ever transcends into your blogging in any way?

A: I listen to music while I write...well, while I do most things, actually. I love music: I wake up listening to music; I go about my day listening to music; I fall asleep listening to music and then I do it all over again the next day. Suffice it to say, yes, music does transcend into my blogging.

Q: Do you feel that Concrete Loop has increased your readers at Write State of Mind?

A: Absolutely! I have an audience at Concrete Loop that appreciates my work regarding social and political commentary and visit Write State of Mind for a more personal look at J. Dakar. I analyzed my site statistics recently and discovered nearly 42 percent of my incoming traffic comes from Concrete Loop.


Q: What can we expect from your upcoming site, JDakar.com?

A: When it launches in May, JDakar.com will be my personal site where I share my thoughts on the things I love most like books, film and music in addition to my take on news stories and a few pieces on activism so we can all do good and do well (DGADW). Unlike Write State of Mind, which focuses primarily on my writing with rather lengthy posts, JDakar.com will feature much shorter ones published throughout the day.

All Thing's New...

So we've got a NEW weekly installment we will be including to finally help me make sure we got all grounds covered with what's new in the Music World

Hopefully this will keep me in check with posting DAILY ....

This week's NEW RELEASES brought to you by JUMPOFF TV :)

Enjoy

Monday, April 14, 2008

Lupe Fiasco- Paris,Tokyo



This video reminds me so much of Jay-Z back in the those Reasonable Doubt days. Big up to Lupe he is really doing his thing something SERIOUS!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

The Roots ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele - Rising Up

WoW I been BUMPING this song since I heard this over at NahRight

The Roots ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele - Rising Up










THIS CD IS GOING TO BE HOT!!!!

See them LIVE with Ms. Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu
May 09, 2008 at Radio City Music Hall

The New Amerykah Tour With Special Guests The Roots


Friday, April 4, 2008

IT'S OFFICIAL :) ... New Artist Feature: Phil Anastasia

I DID IT!!!

So in my previous post I stated I had no idea how to get songs onto my blog. After several FAILED attempts, after reading several how-to's that made NO sense to me, It is now 1am and I FIGURED IT OUT!!!!

New Artist Feature:

Phil Anastasia
http://www.myspace.com/sisbest
http://www.philanastasia.net/



A rock/rap crossover artist that can actually rap and a white boy that isn’t trying to sound like Eminem. A middle class New York kid brought up with all kinds of culture around him and refuses to try and present himself with the falseness that so many other artists employ. A fresh sound, which still somehow reminds listeners of hip-hop’s golden era; A new twist on the old formula.

PHIL ANASTASIA presents The Outfit Movement Volume 1: Hosted by DJ LAZY K (Murda Mamis / Street Sweepers) coming soon also featuring appearances from RAEKWON, CRUNCH-LO (OTF), JAK DON, LOTANERV with exclusives from UNCLE MURDA, ICE WATER ft. BUSTA RHYMES and more...

Check it out..











Symphonies featuring: INSPECTAH DECK (WU-TANG CLAN) SEAN PRICE, (BOOT CAMP - HELTAH SKELTAH), and THE LAST AMERICAN B-BOY

My New Love... LAST.FM

Sorry I've been so BAD with blogging lately but it's for a REALLY good reason..

Im still new to the whole blogging world (as a blogger) so i've been doing some reasearch and trying out a few new sites to add in and feature mp3's into my blog .. so I can start pumping out some great new features to the blog!

-Any suggestions PLEASE help me out! :)

In the process of doing that I'm learning tons of new things.

Im an AVID Pandora listener and I think its the best thing since sliced bread - music I want to hear and not that force fed mess anymore

I started playing around with a few things over at Last.fm and came across their music player (which problaby has been around forever) but again im in the process of learning everything.

Well from using it for the last few weeks to me its JUST LIKE pandora, where you are able to put into your sounds like and they play all the songs that is in the category that you may like and you can skip the one's you hate.

So i've been listenting to my LAST.FM radio player ALL WEEK!

Wanted to post up my Last.FM playlist so you can take a walk in my shoes :)

ENJOY!






Sunday, March 23, 2008

New Video... Day 26 - Got Me Going



So Diddy has put out the new video of Day 26. The video was eh.iguessso. Let's see where this all goes...

Looks like Diddy is trying to make a new 112 hmmm u think.


Thursday, March 20, 2008

50 Cent - Fat Joe's Funeral

When 50 goes in he GOES IN.... In the words of flava flav WOOOOOOW

Outta Control...

Woke up to these words this morning....

Rick Ross Outsells Snoop by 60K?

hmmmm whats your thoughts on that????

Final numbers for this week:
Rick Ross - Trilla 198,956
Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin’ 136,943
Fat Joe - The Elephant In The Room 46,260



Wednesday, March 19, 2008

HOT 97's Whose Next Live Showcase - ARE THEY REALLY NEXT??

So last night if you were following my twitter :) twitter.com/cyberprurban you would know I went to the Hot 97's Whose Next Live Showcase at SOB's.

My friend's friend was working the door so we got in free YAY!!! (always love those words)

Show started about ehhh 8 30 I got there hmm maybe 10. Kind of happy that I did because as I walked in the opener showcase acts on stage were 3 dudes one with no shirt on ( a little scary lol) screaming Jersey but sounded like straight SOUTHERN rappers. That alone left an impression in my head on where this night was headed.

First stop DRINKS!!! :)

SO as I tuned them out a tad was actually was there to see the main acts which featured Teyana Taylor, Masta Ace and Wordsworth frm EMC, and Consequence (who brought a special surprise guest** which really made my night)

The sad thing about all the openers I paid attention to NONE of them which hmm in audience perspective was NOT GOOD. My friend whispered in my ear "They are all so wack" which brought to my mind how the HELL is HOT 97 choosing WHOSE NEXT because honestly speaking the ones tonite YEA,NOT SO MUCH!!!

Ok there was actually one opener that caught my attention enough for me to find him on myspace which really takes ALOT out of me.

His name is Sha Stimuli a Brooklyn Rapper who actually said actual words that meant something. A bit of his bio reads:

In 2004, critics proclaimed Stimuli to be the "next best thing to come out of Brooklyn since Biggie and Jay-Z.. after he released his second mix-tape, "Follow My Lead". His witty, complex verses made listeners quickly press rewind. In 2005, staying loyal to his fans Stimuli dropped "Switch Sides", a CD/DVD combination where he masters the art of storytelling. With his street credibility and industry recognition growing, Stimuli caught the eye of Lenny S, then A & R of Virgin Records. Under the direction and support of his former management team CUT Entertainment, and in conjunction with his production company Underworld Music, Stimuli soon negotiated a deal with the major record label.


Check out his myspace page for more info myspace.com/shastimuli



SO MOVING ON...

First HEADLINER
-Teyana Taylor

I've seen this girl ALL OVER THE INTERNET but had not heard her song not once. Her hit singe "google me" reminds me of a Missy track updated.

I was talking to one of the guys in the audience who is part of her camp and his words were "yea, she is the next big thing"

The performance was eh.blah.iveseenthisamilliontimes BUT she does have an EXOTIC image that can take her far as well as millionaire Pharrell backing her up which could take her even further.

The entire performance lasted about a good 20 minutes complete with back up dancers and all I could focus on was her 6 pack abs (note to self: get back into the gym)

Masta Ace and Wordsworth 1/2 of the group EMC came and did their thing quite well. There are so many underrated hip hop artists out there getting no love but we've got GOOGLE ME getting spins everywhere

I felt a little bad because half of the performance was PLUGGING their album so PLEASE go out and get that IMMEDIATELY.

Consequence got on stage. Not a big fan but I woke up when ** Q-Tip hopped on stage. Mind you the whole time they had been plugging a surprise guest. Kind of knew it would be him since I was standing next to him 75% of the night thinking when is he gonna get on stage already.

Afta he left the stage I made my way to the exit Consequence was still performing but it was late and I had to be up early the next day.

All together a pretty good show. Met more cool people in the audience then the one's on the stage. Hadn't been to SOB's in a while either.

Might even go to The Cool Kids show at SOBS on April 6th and see what all that hype is about :)
If your going hit me up christina@arielpublicity.com












-Peace & Blessings