Twenty year old Ed Sheeran stunned online fans with a stunning acoustic performance of his single, "The A Team".
While the track has been doing the rounds on the internet for more than a year, it is finally receiving the promotional push that will hopefully propel the uber talented singer/songwriter to new heights.
"The A Team" sees Sheeran beautifully narrate the story of prostitute who is addicted to heroin. A poignant topic that is explored brilliantly by his slick songwriting and smooth tones.
The single can be downloaded on itunes now and will be officially released on June 12th. His debut album '+' is due for release in September.
Chamillionaire has added his two cents to Lupe Fiasco's, "All Black Everything". Following Lupe's lead, the Texas native ponders his own alternate reality where 'a Muslim sits at a table with the Methodist' and everyone is an optimist - even Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj are friends in this reality. Far fetched maybe, but a great listen nonetheless.
"Beyoncé is more than a pop star or an icon.....she represents the dream!"- Lady GaGa
"She makes songs that will live forever" - Bono
"Beyoncé has made history and she's not even 30 yet" - Stevie Wonder
"She's an entreprenuer, she inspired me to be more of an artist" - Babyface
Queen Beyoncé was tonight crowned "Artist of the Millennium" at the Billboard Awards in Las Vegas and was there to prove just how much she deserved that accolade.
Before giving a truly EPIC performance, the singer was praised by First Lady, Michelle Obama, Lady GaGa, Stevie Wonder, Babyface, her sister Solange and her mother Tina, for her musical achievements and humility in a touching video tribute. She then took to the stage for a ferocious performance of her new single, "Who Run The World" and did not take any prisoners! Attacking the stage with serious conviction, she mastered the complicated choreography which was made more difficult by the interactive nature of the performance and effortlessly nailed the vocals to perfection. It was feisty, energetic and had all those Beyonce-isms that makes her live performances such a spectacle. The finale saw her joined on stage by hundreds of female dancers and epitomised what Beyoncé has come to represent - female empowerment. Whether you love or hate the song, i guarantee you will be sold on the performance.
She was then presented with the award by her teary mother, Tina Knowles and nephew, Juelz. A heartfelt acceptance speech followed where she thanked her family, Destiny's Child (including the original members) and her husband, Jay Z. In a rare public acknowledgement of their relationship, she said "I'd like to thank my best friend.....I love me some Jay Z."
Watch the video montage, as well as the performance and her acceptance speech below:
Here's a pic of a reunited Destiny's Child at the ceremony:
No shade but I hope the Rihannas and Lady GaGas of the industry were taking notes because this is how it's done ladies! No hype, no gimmicks just pure, raw talent.
"Easy Please Me" was produced by electro/dub-step Gods, Magnetic Man, and serves as the fourth single from the Brit School graduate's debut album, "On a Mission".
Her beautiful tone flows effortlessly over a subtle dub step beat as she vents her frustrations about the lack of decent men out there (I hear you Katy, HA). This is definately my favourite track from Katy's album so I'm delighted that it has been given the single treatment but was hoping for a little more from the video.
The low buget video takes place around a pool table and is mildly amusing but the song is fantastic, so check it out anyway:
As Young Money alum, Drake, continues work on his sophmore album "Take Care", he is wetting our appetites with this new teaser, "Dreams Money Can Buy" on which the Canadian native discusses the joys that come with his newly found fame and wealth.
Drakes flow is always ridiculous and this one is no exception, it has certainly made me more eager to hear his new album.
New York rapper, Mickey Factz has gone in over Dirty Money's "Ass On the Floor" instrumental for the thought provoking "Genocide". I'm always a sucker for a rapper with a social conscience but the fact that he is using this Dirty Money club banger beat seems to almost trivialise the songs content. That said, he goes in hard on the war in Afghanistan, the deadliest war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and America's exploitation of Africa's natural resources.
He's no Lupe Fiasco but this track is definately worth a listen:
"I think I need a barber coz none of these bitches can fade me"
Beyoncé finally dropped the hotly anticipated visual for her brand new single, "Who Run The World (Girls)" on tonight's American Idol.
The debut single from her upcoming album,'4'which is due for release on June 28th, has got off to a shaky start thus far but the superstar diva will be hoping that this no expense spared video will rescue it from the depths of chart irrelevance. Having already plummeted down itunes and out of its top 100, the track is in desperate need of revival. But as soon as Bey's promo campaign gets into full swing I am sure the charts will reclaim their queen. After its premiere on American Idol and ahead of her performance on the FINAL Oprah Show next week, I am confident 'Girls' will soon become another tally on Knowles' hit list.
The Francis Lawrence directed clip shows a militant Beyoncé and her kick ass female army ruling the world and battling the opposite sex with their ferociously slick and sexy dance moves.
It is fair to say that 2010 was all about Tinie Tempah.
The anthemic "Pass Out" earned him his first Number 1 single in the UK and it was all uphill from then on with hits such as ,Frisky, Written In The Stars and Invincible. He took UK rap music to new levels and now he is embarking on US domination. His "DiscOvery" album saw its stateside release today and Tinie is hoping to replicate the success he has already experienced throughout Europe.
But let us not forget that Tinie was on the scene for a while before he garnered mainstream success with "Pass Out". I would like to take a moment to look back at one my favourite Tinie tracks.
In what seems like the 500th single from her "Loud" album, the red headed siren gets sexy for the "California King Bed" visual. Not your typical booty shaking, dutty wining Rihanna video but it works all the same. Simple yet effective.
