Kanye West and Jay Z delve into the classic soul archives to revive legend, Otis Redding, for the second cut off their collaborative “Watch the Throne” album, due out next month.
On “Otis”, West reminds us why he’s renowned for his juxtaposition of classic soul beats with raw hip hop, as the pair go bar for bar over the top of Redding’s, “Try a little tenderness”.
This track has definitely made me more eager to hear the rap duo’s joint effort in full.It will be interesting to see how the album plays out as Jay certainly has the lyrical edge on this track.When Jay and Kanye go bar for bar, you know you can always expect something special.There’s an air of competitiveness between these two that makes greatness almost inevitable.
"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.
Sade is not usually one for collaborations but she has enlisted Brooklyn's finest Jay Z to remix "The Moon and the Sky" for the upcoming "Ultimate Collection", due out on 9th of May.
The track first appeared on Sades 2010 "Soldier of Love" album and has been remixed by Hov for the upcoming greatest hits collection.
Having already turned down collobos with Jay and Drake in the past, this is a welcomed change in direction for the songstress.
The new production on the track updates it with a more intense hip hop edge but Sade's signature smokey vocals complement it beautifully. And a nice reflective verse from Jay Z brings the two genres together effortlessly.
