Tuesday, June 30, 2009

10 Favorite Michael Jackson Videos

Thought I would take this time to reflect upon 10 of my favorite MJ videos. We have lost the last of our icons in the passing of the King of Pop. In Tribute here are my 10 favorite vids

1. Smooth Criminal- It was hard to choose between this and Remember the Time but I think I give the edge to Smooth Criminal. This dude was poppin and gliding long before Ciara, Ginuwine, Usher Chris Brown...and BETTER than all the aforementioned. The "lean" was the highlight. I was mesmerized when I first saw it. Who was Annie?..lol


2. Remember the Time- The dance breakdown in this is AWESOME. I remember the world premier for this video in 92. Visually a stunning video and having Iman and Eddie Murphy didnt hurt. Also one of the best New Jack Swing era songs.


3. Beat It- This one the first time MJ resolved conflict by jazz dancing...lol.. this is such and iconic video this is what inspired black boys to want to be like Mike.. the jacket, the moves, the coolness.


4. Thriller- probably one of the greatest videos ever, certainly one of the most expensive. This video really changed the game for music videos FOREVER. How fine was Ola Ray in this video..lol


5. The Way You Make Me Feel- One of my favorite MJ songs period. This video was simple in concept but some how it transcends simple and become a work of art(i guess that describes MJ). Why was that fine girl doing in the alley by herself...lol


6. Billie Jean- i mean its Billie Jean.. and who didnt want to walk and have the street light up...lol. MJ was having baby mama drama long before Maury..lol


7. Scream- we wondered when it would happen and in 1995 it finally did. MJ and baby sis Janet not only did a song together but a video too and it became a smash hit. Janet was hot in a futuristic way.


8. Earth Song- many people dont care for this song nor this video but if you watch it closely and get the concept it is a pretty deep video. I just love the way the Earth gets destroyed and then come back to life. Conceptually its one of MJ finest works. MJ was "go green" before it was popular.. this man is a trendsetter people..lol


9. Bad- The second time MJ solved a conflict by jazz dancing. This was originally suppose to be a duet between he and Prince but Prince backed out so MJ took it and turned it into a hit. Now the video is pure COMEDY, I must give props to Wesley Snipes b/c he acted his ass off because there is no way I could have played that part without laughing at Michael and his attempts at being "bad", especially at the end when Michael is getting all call and response..lol


10. Rock With You- just a brother in what appears to be a glitter one piece and glitter boots.... this was before MJ was a SUPERSTAR and videos were kinda just like this.. especially R&B videos.
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

10 Underrated Male R&B Singers

Some of the fellas listed below may or may not be actively recording, some have had massive success others haven't. For those that know me knows I love a good voice (no voice is greater than Donny Hathaway) but God didnt bless everyone (lol). But the brothers listed below are voices that i find interesting and should be applauded for their vocal gifts. I dont consider this ranking a best to worse but just 10 singers I think deserve some recognition and why I think they are underrated

1. Stokley (from Mint Condition)- If you have ever seen this band live then you know the ridiculous range this brother has.. he can go from top to bottom and back again. Stokely's tenor is amazing and restrained.. you just wait for him to break it down on Pretty Brown Eyes. He even tackles the impossible Phillip Bailey on a remake of Earth Wind and Fire's After the Love Is Gone.

2. Eric Roberson- This DC native's voice is simply an instrument to behold. I dont find him as "range-y" as some of the other singers on this list but his voice is pretty and he emotes well on his songs.. he can truly tell a story with his awesome gift.

3. Frank McComb- He is ALMOST the second coming of Donny Hathaway. The phrasing and instrumentation is very close to Donny.. I just think he misses the passion of Mr. Hathaway. Frank, like Eric Roberson, had one of the purest vocal tones I've heard in a LONG time. I recommend When You Call My Name to introduce yourself to Frank McComb. His voice simply floats over the music. You will not be disappointed by his voice.

4. Lil G (from Silk)- I never gave him much credit or attention but one Saturday afternoon i was sitting around watching Showtime at the Apollo and I was absolutely spell bound by the sound that was coming out of my TV. The song was Lose Control and Lil G TORE THAT STAGE UP... up until that time it had been a minute since I have seen a guy just rip up the stage. He was treading into Prince territory with those screams. Vocally he was amazing he pretty much regulated the rest of the group to the background. For me it was a legendary performance and I have it on tape... Still one of the best Apollo performances of the 90s.

5. Alexander O'Neal- I dont think Alex has a particularly pretty voice, but he makes it work. I dont fully believe that he knows what to do with his voice but producers certainly do. One listen to Sunshine or the INCREDIBLE If You Were Here Tonight and you just know that dude is destined to be a great one. He was never fully appreciated , even though I believed he had commercial success. I think he like frequent duet partner Cherrelle are pretty much known for their duets together but Alex proved he could stand on his own. For some reason i picked him as the anti-Luther...lol

6. Joe- Again another singer that I dont think is a natural talent but when combined with the right song and production his vocal gifts get put on display in a major way. His debut was a bit underwhelming but his next two releases, All That I Am and My Name is Joe, were certified bangers. All That Am was a great album where Joe really got to flex his vocal muscle and proved he deserved a spot in the R&B landscape at that time. My Name is Joe really pushed him to his greatest commercial success thanks to I Wanna Know and collabos with N'Sync and Mariah Carey. He has released several more albums since then but I still think he is very underrated.

7. Rahsaan Patterson- I actually wish Rahsaan would attempt to do jazz standards.. I think he has an opportunity to shine there. As much as it pains me to say but I do think his sexual orientation is keeping him from the success and recognition he deserves. Vocally there is not much wrong with him IMO.. His last album Wines and Spirits boasted one of his best vocals to date on the song Stars.. simply stunning.

8. Anthony David- truly an underrated soul singer. His album Acey Duecy and many of his previous independent albums are just dripping with raw soul. He has a sincerity in his voice that just shines through.. dont believe me... peep his song Cheatin Man..passion and yearning.

9. Glenn Lewis- He was a fresh artist that sounded like a young Stevie Wonder. I dont know why he didnt catch on, vocally I thought he was outstanding. Take a listen to It's Not Fair..amazing

10. Maxwell- I'll admit i wasnt a big fan of Maxwell initially but overtime he grew into one of my favorite artists. I think the turning point was his MV Unplugged album, where he just stood on stage and gave an absolutely STUNNING version of Whenever, Wherever, Whatever. i was hooked at that moment. Probably the most sensual voice out of my list..

Again this is a list not so much a rank. I implore everyone to give these 10 singers a try...become introduced or rediscover these 10 talented brothers.
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Chocolate Legs

In general I'm not a fan of Eric Benet.. all his songs sound the same to me and I find him hit and miss..but I think he scores here...This is a hot video... I am convinced this is Taral Hicks in the video.. my homeboy says its not... but I think I remember that dark sexy body from Belly (minus the grease).. either way this sista is banging and I'm quite surprised Eric Benet used a dark skinned sista considering his track record...but i guess it goes with the song...


This was a great post my Brutha. I have been following EB throughout this whole album and when I heard this was going to be a single I was real excited about it. The video is really mature, and I'm glad his label let him make it so sexual. I'm also shocked that he used this girl in the video but this is the purpose of the song, so I ain't that surprised.

And this isn't Taral Hicks (although she's equally as sexy) I'm not sure what her name is, but she was in a lot of music videos in the 2000 - 2002 era. She was one of my favorite video girls when I used to literally sit in front of BET and watch video's all day. If my memory serves me correctly one video I remember seeing her in was 112 - Dance With Me, I could be wrong but check it out. I cant wait for his next single, and for the purposes of R&B making a comeback I hope it's not "Hunger" lol...

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Monday, May 11, 2009

You Gotsta Have It

Here is a new segment on 3BPJ where we introduce you to essential albums that you SHOULD have in your music collection.

My first (of many) submissions is the STELLAR and groundbreaking album from the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. AMAZING GRACE



One listen to this album and you will know why she is the Queen of Soul. She went back to her gospel roots and recorded this album. This was straight up old school church.. a choir, a piano, and a wailing voice. The entire album is a standout. One listen to Precious Lord, Take My Hand and you will get slain in the spirit. How I Got Over and You'll Never Walk Alone gives you everything you need. BUT the triumph of the album is Mary Don't You Weep, Aretha showcases her powerful voice and AMAZING interpretation of the gospel standard. So if you don't have this album you need to get it ASAP. This album is one that SHOULD be in you collection.. GO GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Blame It......

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Friday, May 8, 2009

Let My People Go!!

So much I want to say right now...but I have to come back later when I recharge to full strength.



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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Whose Autotune Baby Is This Anyway?

All fingers point to T-Pain but let's not forget Kanye became autotuned in 2008. Do I see a "Billie Jean" collaboration between the two to squash any ties to this autotune baby? The mystery needs to be solved people...LMAO!!

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