Missy, Eve, & Lil Kim getting dropped?

Put a nail in the female rap game because it seems the top 3 divas will all be without a record deal real soon.

Eve, who is signed to Interscope records, should be the least surprised by being let go as her singles "Tamborine" and "Give it to You" failed to take off causing her "Here I Am" disc to be shelved indefinately.

Lil Kim released her last album "The Naked Truth" to great reviews but it was a commericial failure. She was supposed to star in another season of her hit BET reality show but conflicts with the network put a stop to that. Kim has been working on her new studio album for two years but lack of public interest and her hard partying ways have delayed the disc. Atlantic Records has finally had enough and will drop Kim in early 2009.

Atlantic Records will also drop Missy next year. Missy is the most surprising of the trio of releases. While her last album "The Cookbook" sold a respectable amount, she has been unable to connect with a first single from her long-delayed new album "Block Party". With the nation in a recession Atlantic doesn't want to risk money on a project or artist they don't believe the public is interested in and will dissolve Missy's contract next year.

Damn!

Best Male R&B Video of 2008

New Archuleta!

Glad to see they picked this as the 2nd single, the video is good nothing special. Love the song though.

14 minutes 58 seconds...it's almost over!!!!

Soulja Boy is arguably one of the worst rappers to ever step into the game. While you have to commend his promotional skills, he turned a youtube video into an international dance craze and a #1 single, and produced a platinum album(SMDH!). Now it seems America has come to its senses as early sales reports indicate his sophmore album will sell less than 35K next week and with no hit single to help fuel sales, and the holiday season ending, it will continue to fall down the charts. In better news Keyshia Cole continues on her path to be the next R&B icon as her disc "A Different Me" will sell over 250K. Keyshia probably dislikes country music fans because Taylor Swift will deny her a #1 album, just as Rascal Flatts did last year. Jamie Foxx will debut #3, Fall Out Boy #4, while Anthony Hamilton and Plies will debut top 10.

10 Best Albums of 2008

10."Orangular Spectacular", MGMT-Nothing but originality on this album it may take a few listens to really get into it, but once you do you're hooked.

9."Some People Have Real Problems", Sia-Subtle but powerful album, each song has depth that is lacking in her pop contemporaries.

8."Tha Carter III", Lil Wayne-While this album has little lyrical depth outside of "Dr. Carter", you can't deny the hooks and metaphors, which makes it one of the most entertaining Hip Hop LP's in years.

7."Santogold", Santogold-This album has something for everyone, great dance cuts, emotional mid-tempos, and Santogold is unafraid to experiment with sounds.

6."Paper Trail", T.I.-Nowhere near the brillance of "Trap Muzik" but this disc has introspective rap cuts("No Matter What", "Dead and Gone") and hit singles("Live Your Life", "Whatever You Like")

5."New Amerykah part One(4th World War)", Erykah Badu-Her best album to date, she steps out of the R&B comfort zone and delivers the most interesting LP of her career.

4."Funhouse", Pink-She takes her heartbreak and delivers her best lyrics and most vulnerable songs to date which show why she's one this generations best voices.

3."808's & Heartbreak", Kanye West-Can he sing? No! But on this disc Kanye shows why he is the choice of this generation delivering amazing pop songs that take the listener on an interesting ride.

2."Viva la Vida or Death and all his friends", Coldplay-This album is Beatles level greatness. "Viva la Vida" is one of the most interesting concept records to come about in years a must listen!

1."19", Adele-Amy Winehouse delivered the best album last year, and this year it is another British chanteuse who is the best. Why is this album so great? Emotional and vulnerable lyrics, outstanding production, and Adele's amazing voice. Of all the discs released this year, "19" will stand the test of time the best.

The New Queen?

While B fans(Beyonce and Britney) have been crowning their favorite diva as the Queen of the Game it seems the record buying public has crowned someone else. Taylor Swift has been the cinderella story of the music industry this year. 2008 began with Taylor re-releasing her smash country hit "Teardrops on My Guitar" to pop radio, where it found huge success propelling her already platinum debut disc to the top of the chart where it remained all year. Taylor also broke a record with her 6 top 20 debuts on the Hot 100 a feat never done before, and her sophmore album "Fearless" had the best first week sales by a female in 2008, a year that featured new albums from Janet Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, and Britney Spears. This week Taylor ascends back to #1 with her album "Fearless" which has sold almost 1.5 million records.

Backing Down or Thinking Smart?

Rihanna had planned on releasing her currently untitiled fourth studio album this spring, the same day as the re-release of Beyonce's "I Am...Sasha Fierce", now the word is Rihanna is holding back on the disc until the 4th Quarter of 2009. Rihanna just released her 8th single from "Good Girl Gone Bad" an album she's been actively promoting for almost 2 year, and many believed releasing an album this spring would've been career injuring overkill. Many will see Rihanna pushing back her disc as fear of Beyonce while others will take this as Rihanna playing it smart. Thoughts?

Best Female Pop Video of 2008--Cast Your Vote

Alright the year is winding down and we wanna know who you feel had the best video of 2008. We have split up the top videos of the year into 7 categories and will put up a new poll daily. The winner of each poll will move on to the next round. We have disabled comments for this post only your vote is required. Today vote for the Best Female Pop Video of 2008.

Best Female R&B Video of 2008--Cast Your Vote!

Alright the year is winding down and we wanna know who you feel had the best video of 2008. We have split up the top videos of the year into 7 categories and will put up a new poll daily. The winner of each poll will move on to the next round. We have disabled comments for this post only your vote is required. Today vote for the Best Female R&B Video of 2008.

Hand Me My Oscar!

We've been stanning for Taraji since her turn as Ivette in "Baby Boy", we cheered for her in her amazing turn as Shug in "Hustle and Flow" and got upset by the fact she was snubbed for awards for her performance in that film. Well now Taraji has hit the big time starring alongside superstar Brad Pitt and Oscar winner Cate Blanchett. The movie opens Christmas Day, and while Taraji didn't receive a Golden Globe nomination many believe she'll be hearing her named called in January when the Academy Award nominations are read. Here is a scene from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", make sure you guys go support our girl when it opens.

New T-Pain

Now that "Thr33 Ringz" has flopped it seems like the video budget was the first to get cut. While the first three videos from the album features great CGI animation, this video looks like it was shot his cousin's garage. The song is hot though just wish the video was hotter.

25 Greatest American Idol Contestants

We stan for American Idol around here and the new season is less than a month away. Big changes are underway for season 8 all of which we like, except they'll only be cutting the audition phase one week, do we really need three weeks of auditions. We will have extensive Idol coverage on this site so to gear up for the new season we'll be ranking the best and worst from Idol's first 7 seasons. Today we'll start big ranking the greatest idols that have appeared on the show. This is based on album sales, singles, and performance on the show.

1.Kelly Clarkson-She's the biggest seller and has had the most hit singles, add in her amazing performances like "Stuff Like That There" and "A Moment Like This" and she's the top idol ever.

2.Carrie Underwood-She will surpass Kelly Clarkson in sales within the next month, she has 3 Grammys, and 7 #1 Country singles including the Pop smash "Before He Cheats". She also has one of the greatest perfomances in AI history with "Alone".

3.Jordin Sparks-She may not have sold a million copies yet, but she's has had hit after hit, like her worldwide smash "No Air". Her outstanding performances like "I(Who Have Nothing)" and "Broken Wing" helped her place high on our list.

4.Fantasia Barrino-Love her or hate her, you can't deny "Summertime" and "I Believe" were two of the greatest performances in the history of the show. She has also sold over 2 million albums and dominated the R&B singles charts with "When I See U" and "Truth Is".

5.Ruben Studdard-Ruben was one of the most consistent performers in the history of Idol. "A Whole New World" and "Superstar" helped him take the Idol crown. He has sold over 3 million albums since Idol.

6.Tamyra Grey-What we would've given for a Kelly v. Tamyra showdown. She was the picture of perfection on season one excluding "New Attitude", her ellimination is aruguably the biggest shocker ever.

7.Kimberley Locke-So the question you may be asking yourself is how the hell does she outrank Daughtry? The answer is we feel Kimberley was what Idol is all about, she started slow, landing in the bottom 3 numerous times but she fought against Simon and his negative and the lack of votes and became a force to be reckoned with. We feel the fight and growth Kimberley displayed puts her ahead of Daughtry.

8.Chris Daughtry-His debut album has sold nearly 4 million albums, it was the #1 album of 2006. It produced 5 hit singles, and earned him 4 Grammy nominations. While on Idol he had showstoppers like "Hemorrhage" and "I Walk the Line" his cocky attitude was a deterrent to many and may have been the reason for his early exit.

9.Clay Aiken-He wasn't our cup of tea or Simon's but there's no denying Clay is one of the biggest names to come from this show. Add in his 5 million records sold and outstanding renditions of "Bridge over troubled water" and "Solitaire" and you have the 9th greatest contestant ever.

10.Bo Bice-How is this guy not a superstar? He dominated season 4(sorry Carrie), he has too many amazing performances to list, he'd easily be top 5 until you factor in his post Idol career.

11.David Archuleta-"Imagine" and "Angels" helped him overcome horrible renditions of "With You" and "We Can Work it Out". His debut album is currently a best seller, and "Crush" was a smash hit single. It's hard to imagine this guy is only 17!

12.Blake Lewis-Many of you may be outraged to see Blake outrank Elliott, D. Cook, and Melinda, but hear us out. Blake was the most innovative contestant ever on the show. He took risks with his arrangements which set the groundwork for David Cook's road to victory. He may not have had the best voice but he had originality and style that made him intriging, it's a shocker his debut album never took off.

13.Elliott Yamin-We admit he should be higher but we did this on a point system and this is where he ended up. He had just one bad performance("Open Arms") which was more Clive Davis's fault. "Wait for You" was a huge hit and his album did respectable. And who could forget his loveable personality and his adorable mother. Of course who doesn't remember his rendition of "A Song for You"

14.Jennifer Hudson-Many like to rewrite history and make it seem as if Jennifer Hudson breezed through Idol, but us true Idol fans remember J.Hud only had 3 great performances. She left too soon, but I doubt she cares now. She's an Oscar winner, Grammy nominee, she has a gold album and a #1 single.

15.Paris Bennett-Brillant voice that would've probably dominated any other season, she just happened to be on the toughest season in the history of the show.

16.David Cook-He had us from "Hello", Cook became the first rock winner of the show and has a resume of great performances that is only rivaled by Bo Bice, his debut album is a huge seller even though "Light On" hasn't taken off.

17.Taylor Hicks-He was unique and likeable and somehow won. He had some brillant moments("You Send Me"), but his career stalled from the moment his debut album dropped.

18.LaToya London-The forgotten diva, she barely made a mistake through her run and how does America reward her? They let Jasmine Trias rank higher, good job.

19.George Huff-He was loveable, had a huge voice, and brillant performances like "Take Me to the Pilot".

20.Melinda Doolittle-How is Melinda so low? No album basicially, on our point scale Melinda would've been top 10 but without any type of post career this is as high as she goes. "My Funny Valentine" helped her become one of the most popular contestants ever and many consider her the best.

21.Nadia Turner-Missunderstood is the only way to describe the reason Nadia got the boot so early. She was one of the most edgy and interesting contestants to ever take the stage.

22.Carly Smithson-Carly was outstanding but there is a such thing as too much pre-season exposure. Carly had to endure controversy about her previous record deal and Simon, who turned on her mid-season. Her amazing performances of "Crazy on You" and "Here You Come Again" weren't celebrated enough and she left too soon.

23.Michael Johns-He was pretty much all hype but his shocking ellimination is a defining moment in Idol and he was necessary to this list.

24.Brooke White-She was one of the most original contestants and a breath of fresh air. Her "Let it Be" performance alone would put her on this list.
25.Jason Castro-"Hallelujah" enough said!

It's a Crazy World

Now we don't agree with George Bush's politics here but come on this is a little much. At least we know the President has some amazing reflexes, i don't know if I could've hit the ground so quick. When it was all said and done Bush had a good sense of humor about the situation. Say what you will about the guy but he has a good sense of humor.

Beyonce Performs on "The X Factor"

"If I Were a Boy"

"Listen" with winner Alexandra Burke

Above are the two Beyonce performances by Beyonce Britain's version of "American Idol" called "The X Factor".

Watch out Grammy's...

...the Inauguration may just be the biggest music event of 2009. Unconfirmed reports have cited Jay-Z, Shakira, Leona Lewis, and Beyonce(let's hope she leaves Sasha at home) as performers. Jennifer Hudson is back to work and will surely be asked to participate. Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, and even Sugarland have all done concerts in support of Obama and may get invites to take the stage. If the beautiful Obama girls get their say, we may even see Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers hit the stage for Obama. Michelle has stated her love for Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey, both may also get to perform. Who do you think will be the hottest act to perform for President Obama?

Where Is Whitney?

We've seen Britney return to relevance, AC/DC have a huge comeback, Michael Jackson top the charts with a 25 year old album, and Guns n Roses finally released "Chinese Democracy", but we were denied the comeback we really wanna see, the return of Whitney Houston. Anyone remember Clive Davis's promise that we would be treated to a new Whitney album in November 2008? Well November has come and gone and the only thing we've gotten out of Whitney is a lackluster Akon track and news she may be back "The King of R&B". No album, and no details on the horizon about any album being released anytime soon. The last we heard Whitney hasn't been in the studio in months, so Whitney may just join the Dr. Dre club, albums that we hear about but never see the light of day. We're also curious to know, would a Whitney album even sell? With the Leona Lewis's of the world filling the void left by Whitney and the old Mariah(you know the new just ain't the same), does she really have a chance. Celine Dion who could very well we Whitney's white counterpart saw lackluster sales with her comeback disc "Taking Chances" who's to say Whitney can do any better?

Golden Globe News

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning. Since this is a music blog let's talk about the nominees for Best Original Song, which finds Miley Cyrus and Beyonce facing off with legends Bruce Springsteen and Clint Eastwood. Here are the nominees below. Along with a link to the nominees in the television and movie categories.

Best Original Song

"Down to Earth" (performed by Peter Gabriel, written by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman), "Wall-E"

"Gran Torino" (performed by Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens, lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens), "Gran Torino"

"I Thought I Lost You" (performed by Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, written by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele), "Bolt"

"Once in a Lifetime" (performed by Beyoncé, written by Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street), "Cadillac Records"

"The Wrestler" (performed by Bruce Springsteen, written by Bruce Springsteen), "The Wrestler"

http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/globes/env-2009-globes-nom-list-scorecard-html,0,1212252.htmlstory

Beyonce-"Once in a Lifetime"

Miley Cyrus and John Travlota-"I Thought I Lost You"

More #1's

Congrats to Beyonce her status as an icon is becoming undeniable. The end of the year is an important time for artists with the Grammy nominations, AMA's, and of course all of those critics lists. While most artist say they don't care about reviews or critics, that's very untrue they check the blogs and news clippings just like the rest of us. So today MTV and Rolling Stone released their lists for the best songs of 2008 and both lists seem to say one thing: "Single Ladies" is a monster. The song ranked #2 behind Lil Wayne's "A.Milli" on MTV's list. Rolling Stone Magazine one of the most respected music magazines ranked Beyonce at #1 on their best songs list. Congrats to her. Here are some notables from their rankings.

1."Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It)", Beyonce

2."L.E.S. Artistes", Santogold

5."Lollipop", Lil Wayne

7."American Boy", Estelle feat. Kanye West

10."No Matter What", T.I.

11."Disturbia", Rihanna

16."My President", Young Jeezy

22."Swagga like Us", Jay-Z and T.I. feat. Kanye West and Lil Wayne

25."Bleeding Love", Leona Lewis

29."So What", Pink

34."Run", Gnarls Barkley

36."Love in this club pt. 2", Usher and Beyonce feat. Lil Wayne

40."Sex on Fire", Kings of Leon

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24947047/singles_of_the_year/26

Let's see if her good fortune continues tomorrow morning when the Golden Globe Nominations are announced.

Don't Call it a Comeback....

Congrats to Britney Spears, her album "Circus" blew away the competition this week selling over 500,000 copies in the first week, the second biggest first week by a female artist is 2008. While Britney fans came out in stronger than expected numbers this week, she's got a battle on her hands if she wants to retain the lead. HitsDailyDouble reports "Circus" will fall dramatically in its second week down to around 175,000 copies, and may she may not even be number one since she'll have to fight off Beyonce and Taylor Swift's albums which have both been out for a month. Let's put her second week sales in perspective.

"Fearless", Taylor Swift

1st week: 592,304 to 217,209 to 267,371 to 183,000

After 4 weeks Taylor Swift has yet to sale 175,000 which Britney will sale next week. So to Britney have fun while it lasts you know how fickle your fans are it could all be gone by the start of 2009.

Most Slept on Albums of 2008

2008 has been an interesting year for music. This is a year where superstar artists such as Mariah Carey, Usher, Janet Jackson, Madonna, and Mary J. Blige all underperformed on the charts, while artists like Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis, Jonas Brothers, and Kid Rock ascended to superstardom. 2008 was all about giving new artists a chance but some of the best albums by great acts weren't given the shine they deserved. So today we decided to highlight the most slept on projects that we love here. Here's the top 10 most slept on albums of 2009, hopefully in 2009 we'll see these albums at the top.

1."Colby O.", Colby O'Donis *GRAMMY NOMINEE*

Favorite Track: "Thinking Bout Ya"

2."Santogold", Santogold

Favorite Track: "I'm a Lady"

3."19", Adele *GRAMMY NOMINEE*

Favorite Track: "Cold Shoulder"

4."The Odd Couple", Gnarls Barley *GRAMMY NOMINEE*

Favorite Track: "Going On"

5."Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams", Solange

Favorite Track: "Would've Been the One"

6."The Quilt", Gym Class Heroes

Favortie Track: "Don't Tell Me it's Over" feat. Lil Wayne

7."David Archuleta", David Archuleta

Favorite Track: "A Little Too Not Over You"

8."First Love", Karina *GRAMMY NOMINEE*

Favorite Tracks: "Can't Find the Words"

9."After My Time", Noel Gourdin

Favorite Track: "The River"

10."Only By the Night", Kings of Leon *GRAMMY NOMINEE*

Favorite Track: "Use Somebody"

I Am...A Bad Bitch

While "I Am...Sasha Fierce" may have gotten off to a slower start than "B'Day" in the first week, in its third week "Sasha Fierce" is now Beyonce's fastest selling LP. The album is performing much stronger in the marketplace than her previous album. If you remember "B'Day" started big in the first week but fell hard in subsequent weeks due to the underperformance of "Deja Vu" and "Ring the Alarm", and new offerings from Justin Timberlake and Fergie. Now Beyonce is back on track as the album will cross the platinum mark next week, and if sales keep up she will be the second biggest selling female artist of 2008, behind Taylor Swift. Beyonce is also celebrating the success of "If I Were a Boy" which is #1 in the World and on the Eurochart, and stays top 5 in the US. "Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It)" became her 5th #1 single in the US last week giving her more #1's as a lead artist than any other female this decade. So congrats to Beyonce it's good to see a woman of color do it big.

Most Successful Albums of 2008, released in a prior year

Having an album debut at #1 is great, but the true objective for an album is to last and stay relevant. Many artists have had blockbuster sellers that went away quickly, but to have an album that can remain a best seller and stay relevant years after its release date is impressive. Here is the most successful albums of 2008 whose release date was in a prior year. Congrats to these artists and albums for maintaining success. *One sidenote: We didn't include any albums released in the 4th Quarter of 2007 because those records usually dominate the early part of the year and that seemed a little unfair.

1."Taylor Swift", Taylor Swift(2006)

2."Good Girl Gone Bad", Rihanna(2007)

3."Daughtry", Daughtry(2006)

4."Some Hearts", Carrie Underwood(2005)

5."The Dutchess", Fergie(2006)

6."Jonas Brothers", Jonas Brothers(2007)

7."High School Musical 2", Various Artists(2007)

8."All the right reasons", Nickelback(2005)

9."Back to Black", Amy Winehousr(2007)

10."Graduation", Kanye West(2007)

Common "Universal Mind Control" Album Review---Grade C

"Universal Mind Control":Great Song, I don't understand how it hasn't become a hit single especially since its been featured in multiple ads for Zune. This Pharell getting back to his heyday when his production was innovative and hot. Common's flow is sick on this track.
(1 for 1)
"Punch Drunk Love":Real different song for Common, he comes with some hot metaphors that rival Lil Wayne. The beat is smooth and allows Common's flow to glide over it. Great record.
(2 for 2)
"Make My Day":Cee-Lo is featured on this track, not really a Common record it should've been put on the Gnarls Barkley album. Other than the fact it's out of place on this album, it has a catchy hook and should be a real contender for the Urban/Alternative Grammy next year.
(3 for 3)
"Sex 4 Suga":The beat is great, but this song is otherwise forgettable. The lyrics aren't thought-provoking the way they usually are in a Common song. NEXT! (3 for 4)
"Announcement":I'm in love with this song, the production is sick and Common is delivering some of his best lyrics. If you don't buy albums this is definately the track to download.
(4 for 5)
"Gladiator":Love this song, the horns gives the song some edge and makes it more interesting. I love the layers the beat has and once again the metaphors are blazin. (5 for 6)
"Changes": This song provides a nice change of pace for the album, but I'm just not into it. He doesn't have the same swagger on this song that he shows on the uptempo songs on this album. NEXT! (5 for 7)
"Inhale":This song is very phoned in, the hook is simple and Common isn't breaking into any new territory with this one. The album could do without this song. NEXT! (5 for 8)
"What a World":I appreciate Common trying something unique and different here. Chester French are featured on this song, after hearing how great they are on here, I can't wait to hear the music they come out with. (6 for 9)
"Everywhere":Once again Common goes into Gnarls Barkley territory but he should've left it to them. The beat is boring and the hook is not worth listening to. A bad way to end the album. (6 for 10)

This album is unique and a 180 degree turn from the usual Common album. I can appreciate his artistry here and it has some great tracks but the weak songs bring the entire project down. Overall this album has its bright spots but is overall an average offering from an above average MC.

Keyshia Cole "A Different Me" Review---Grade D

"Make Me Over": WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?! Wackness personified, it sounds some old Amerie bullshit, very disappointing, it reminds me of "Pocketbook" off of Jennifer Hudson's record but it's not as good. NEXT! (0 for 1)
"Please Don't Stop": This one is a real different look for Keyshia. She sounds like a broke down Apollonia on this one. I appreciate her trying something new but the song is garbage! NEXT!
(0 for 2)
"Erotic":I like it, it's really unexpected for Keyshia Cole but I would bump this. She must have a new man because so far all the records sound like she has someone putting it on her. (1 for 3)
"You Complete Me":I reviewed this the other day, the blog posted "Phoning it In". This is the second single, I expected more and I'm not feeling it whatsoever! NEXT! (1 for 4)
"No Other":For some reason it reminds me of "Heaven Sent" which is a good thing, that'sa new classic. This is the jam right here, I hope she makes a video for it real soon. (2 for 5)
"Oh-Oh, Yea-Yea":This one features Nas, it's cool a nice little groove to get in the mood to. Keyshia has definately evolved with this record. This track would never have been on the previous projects. But it's good, I must add Nas was unnecessary to the track. (3 for 6)
"Playa Cardz Right":You've all heard it. My beef with this record is that its a 3 year old record she took from Pac's album and released it and nobody gives her any shit about it. If Beyonce released "Hollywood" as the first single for "Sasha Fierce" she'd never hear the end of it. This song is phoned in anyway. NEXT! (3 for 7)
"Brand New":Beautiful record, very 1993 but that's a good thing. It's got a nice quiet storm vibe to it. Very nice record. (4 for 8)
"Trust":This song features Monica, and I must admit after reading that I was expecting the ghetto level to rise to epic levels like J.Hud and Fantasia's hood chick anthem "I'm His Only Woman", but instead they came up with a forgettable song. NEXT! (4 for 9)
"Thought You Should Know":ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Boring! NEXT! (4 for 10)
"This is Us":This is a cool record but the last four songs all sound like they have a similar track but the hook on this saves this record. (5 for 11)
"Where this Love Could End Up": Boring song, has a little more base than the previous four but still sounds the same. NEXT! (5 for 12)
"Beautiful Music": It's official Keyshia Cole just doesn't give a fuck that's the only way I can describe this song and pretty much the album. (5 for 13)

Summary: We're in a recession don't go broke buying this shit, your money will just go to Frankie's wig fund. This album is garbage and this is coming from a fan, don't do it. Holla!

Jennifer Hudson getting back to work next week!!!

After receiving 3 Grammy nominations last week Jennifer Hudson is once again motivated to concur the world of music. Before her family tragedy she was set to film the video for her 2nd single "If This Isn't Love" from her Gold certified album "Jennifer Hudson". The video was scrapped indefinately so that Effie would have time to grieve, well now Jennifer is ready to get back to work. She will head to Florida next week and begin shooting the video which is set to be released early 2009. But getting back to work isn't 100% Jennifer Hudson's decision, while the world(excluding Beyonce) has called and expressed their sympathy for her they haven't been copping her album. The album has plummetted from #47 to #64 on the weekly album chart this week, during a time when most albums experience a holiday bump. Her record label have politely yet sternly coaxed Jennifer into returning to work and she finally agreed.
Well we're glad to see our girl Jennifer back on the scene, while we love us some Beyonce, she has taken over the globe and it seem Jennifer is the only person who can stop her (ex. Dreamgirls).

There goes your Oscar hopes.....

Beyonce stans were full of hope that their girl would snag an Oscar and put Jennifer Hudson and all naysayers to shame. Well it seems that it's a wrap for any chance Beyonce had for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Her film "Cadillac Records" made $3 million at the box office, debuting at #9 in the box office, not the success that the studio hoped for and the failure could put a negative image of the film in the heads of Oscar voters and lose Beyonce votes. Well at least she can be comforted by the fact her album moves up to #3 in its third week in stores and has sold over 900,000 copies so far. BTW "Four Christmases" was #1 making another $18 million bringing its 2 week total to $70 million.

Hot New Artist

Jessica Mauboy is a hot new artist out of Australia. She was the runner-up on last season's Australian Idol, after a tough year which included joining a failed group and fighting to get her album released, she finally struck success with this song. "Running Back" is a smash Down Under and she's aiming to become an international superstar, the song is hot and even Flo Rida sounds great on it. Hopefully this catches on.

Sigh.....

The Game has caught the "E=MC2" syndrone, a great artist with a good album who picks the worst songs on the album for singles. "LAX" had plenty of singles to go with which would've put Game back at the top of the charts like he was back in his heydey when "The Documentary" was released, instead he went with "Camera Phone". A rare song that Ne-Yo doesn't deliver on. The video is aight, I feel like I've seen this video numerous times. LMAO at Game twirling towards the end.

Most Successful Albums Released in 2008

Not the best albums, some of the albums on this list suck, this is a list of the most commerially successful projects released this year. At the start of the year most people would have predicted highly anticipated albums from Usher, Mariah, Coldplay, or Madonna would be the biggest record of 2008, but in the end it was Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III". This list is based on sales how consistant the album was at the top of the charts.

1."Tha Carter III", Lil Wayne

2."Spirit", Leona Lewis

3."Viva la Vida", Coldplay

4."Sleep through the Static", Jack Johnson

5."One of the Boys", Katy Perry

6."Rockferry", Duffy

7."E=MC2", Mariah Carey

8."Camp Rock", Various Artists

9."A Little Bit Longer", Jonas Brothers

10."3 Doors Down", 3 Doors Down

11."Love on the Inside", Sugarland

12."Here I Stand", Usher

13."Death Magnetic", Metallica

14."Mamma Mia!", Various Artists

15."Year of the Gentleman", Ne-Yo

16."Breakout", Miley Cyrus

17."Paper Trail", T.I.

18."Indestructable", Disturbed

19."Hard Candy", Madonna

20."The Recession", Young Jeezy

Songs that defined 2008

Not necessarily the best songs of 2008 just the ones that were on the radio 24/7, the songs that was everyone's ringtone, the songs you just couldn't get out of your head whether you liked it enough. In 20 years what songs will 2008 be remembered for. This is our list of the top 25 songs that defined 2008. Whether you agree with the postions or not you have to admit all os these songs were huge this year.

1."Bleeding Love", Leona Lewis

2."Low", Flo Rida and T-Pain

3."No One", Alicia Keys

4."Forever", Chris Brown

5."Apologize", One Republic

6."Lollipop", Lil Wayne

7."No Air", Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown

8."Love Song", Sara Barielles

9."Love in this Club", Usher and Young Jeezy

10."Disturbia", Rihanna

11."With You", Chris Brown

12."Viva la Vida", Coldplay

13."Don't Stop the Music", Rihanna

14."I Kissed a Girl", Katy Perry

15."Take a Bow", Rihanna

16."Whatever You Like", T.I.

17."Closer", Ne-Yo

18."Touch My Body", Mariah Carey

19."Damaged", Danity Kane

20."See You Again", Miley Cyrus

21."Teardrops on my Guitar", Taylor Swift

22."Pocket Full of Sunshine", Natasha Bedinfield

23."Tattoo", Jordin Sparks

24."Paper Planes", M.I.A.

25."So What", Pink

Top 25 Artists of 2008

We based this list on hit singles, record sales, and how much staying power the artist had throughout the entire calender year. When it was all said and all the numbers were crunched (yes we actually used math to determine this list), Chris Brown stood above the rest. He may not have sold as much as Weezy this year but his album sold consistantly all year long and managed to have a hit single out all all times of the year. So we at CPWorldTakeover crown Chris Brown artist of the year. The enite list went like this:

1.Chris Brown

2.Lil Wayne

3.Rihanna

4.T-Pain

5.Taylor Swift

6.Alicia Keys

7.Leona Lewis

8.Kanye West

9.Jordin Sparks

10.Ne-Yo

11.Mariah Carey

12.Miley Cyrus

13.Katy Perry

14.Jonas Brothers

15.Carrie Underwood

16.Flo Rida

17.Young Jeezy

18.T.I.

19.One Republic

20.Coldplay

21.Timbaland

22.Akon

23.Sara Barielles

24.Usher
25.Beyonce

Can You Pay My Bills??

Ciara may have played it cool for the media, but word is she was livid about Beyonce taking the concept of her "Like a Boy" record which was a #1 R&B single two years before Beyonce released her worldwide smash "If I Were a Boy". Ciara was talking a lot of smack about Beyonce behind closed doors when she believed her record "Fantasy Ride" would be coming out to compete, well now that the record in indefinately postponed Ciara is changing her tune. Word is she's been reaching out to the Knowles camp to try and secure an opening slot on her upcoming world tour. This isn't the first time Ciara has flipped the script when her checks weren't looking right, she talked mad shit on Rihanna and then hopped on her "Good Girl Gone Bad" European tour real quick. We'll see if Beyonce and Matthew are forgiving and let Ciara open up for her, that would be a hot tour. But we all know how Matthew holds a grudge.....

Damn we just started and already we getting our stories stolen

MediaTakeout which is one of our favorite blogs but we must put them on blast we reported YESTERDAY about how Beyonce and Simon would be burying the hatchet next saturday on "The X Factor" here's proof:

http://cpworldtakeover.blogspot.com/2008/12/burying-hatchet.html

We check out their site this morning and what should we happen to find, the story we posted yesterday on their site with the same pics and everything. Come on guys y'all are the bigger site(for now!), you shouldn't be jacking stories from us.

Here's the link to their CPWorldTakeover "inspied" story:

http://www.mediatakeout.com/28816/simon_cowell_beyonce_is_not_sexy_and_shes_not_a_good_singer__but_i_want_her_on_my_show_.html

Dear Britney "Fans"...

Where were all of you when this happened? It seems everybody wants to jump on Britney's jock now that she has a #1 single(Womanizer) and #1 album(Circus) coming next week. All of her so-called "fans" are championing their girl today, but where were you when she needed you. "Blackout" was just as good of an album as "Circus" but I don't recall everybody screaming Britney when it came out. Anybody remember the countless fansites that shut down during her time of need or how Britney "fans" were even bashing her? If I were Britney I'd feel real uneasy with fans like hers, fans that will only be there for her when she's on top. I will give Brandy, Mya(yeah she's still alive), Ciara, and Janet fans some credit they stick by their girl through thick and thin, 365 days a year. But you Britney "fans", let's hope her next record is just as successful so you guys won't ditch her again.

Burying the Hatchet

Well it seems the beef between Beyonce and Simon Cowell has ended, as she has agreed to appear on his show "The X Factor" next Saturday(December 13). "The X Factor" is the British version of American Idol and the show responsible for discovering International superstar Leona Lewis. Cowell started the feud in 2004 when he stated Beyonce wasn't sexy and wasn't a great singer. Cowell also said Beyonce was a boring live performer. Beyonce's father/hitman Matthew Knowles was sent out immediately to take Cowell out stating Simon wouldn't know talent if it hit him in the face, which is Knowles for "U don't lost yo motherf**ckin mind".



Cowell restarted the beef earlier this month when he claim Beyonce had taken the song "Halo" which was originally intended to be recorded by Leona Lewis. "Halo" is Beyonce's second single and she will be performing it on the show which could leave Simon making this face.

New Eminem---"Number One"

This is his big comeback single produced by Dr. Dre. Will this help him regain his title as hottest rapper in the game....Naw! It might be it's not really that hot, he's been working on this album for 3 years and this is the best he could do, that makes us really worried what the rest of the record sounds like......

Brandy "Human" Review---Grade-C

"The Definition"-Gets the album off to a horrible start. Tired ass beat, weak lyrics, overproduced vocals. Not a Good Look. NEXT! (0 for 1)

"Warm it Up(With Love)"-Sounds like a bonus cut off of some flop Mya album. NEXT! (0 for 2)

"Right Here(Departed)"-You've heard it, don't need my opinion on it. (1 for 3)

"Piano Man"-It's alright, I nodded along but I doubt it'll get another listen. NEXT! (1 for 4)

"Long Distance"-Beautiful Record, classic Brandy. This should be a huge hit for her. (2 for 5)

"Camoflague"-Very weak and forgettable. NEXT! (2 for 6)

"Torn Down"-Enjoyable, nothing too special. Written by the same guys who wrote "When I See U", this song is nowhere near that good but it'll do. (3 for 7)

"Human"-Absolutely hot, she put it down on this record. Great Lyrics. Written by Toby Gad("If I Were a Boy" and "Big Girls Don't Cry") (4 for 8)

"Shattered Heart"-This is very Rihanna-ish, she does okay but the song just never gets going. (4 for 9)

"True"-Shows some vocal range which makes up for the bland material she's given, Brandy sells the weak song very well. (5 for 10)

"A Capella(Something's Missing)"-Worst track on the record. *Runs to press skip button* NEXT!!!!!! (5 for 11)

"1st & Love"-Weak and boring. The definition of forgettable. NEXT! (5 for 12)

"Fall"-Written by Natasha Bedinfield, outstanding record, Natasha would've been better served to keep it for herself. (6 for 13)

FLOP!!!!!!!!!

Akon is a worldwide superstar who's collaborated with the likes of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. His last album "Konvicted" sold over 2 million copies and produced it produced 3 #1 singles. "Konvicted" also debut at #2 on the Billboard chart with over 200,000 copies sold. Well how the mighty have fallen, his new album has produced the top 10 smash "Right Now(Na Na Na)" but will only sale 90,000 copies the first week, only good enough for a #7 debut. Let's put that in perspective, aside from Britney Spears whipping his ass, he was outsold by Beyonce's and Nickelback's 3rd week sales, Kanye West's 2nd week sales and even more embarassing Taylor Swift's 4th weeks sales and the "Twilight" soundtrack's FIFTH weeks sales. WOW!!! Let's say it together kids FLOP!!!

It's Britney Bitch

Don't Call it a Comeback....let me stop, this chick goes from the edge of death to the top of the charts. After a whirlwind year that began with her kidnapping her own son, ends with her regaining her pop dominance. "Circus" her latest album is headed for the top of the charts. Retailers predict she'll debut in the range of 480,000 copies in the first week, a similar number to Beyonce's latest album, it'll be interesting to see if she can top Sasha's 1st week sales. But let's take a moment to think about the irony of that. Beyonce has performed EVERYWHERE!! promoting her album, Britney has done only 4 performances to promote her record. Beyonce's performances include her doing difficult choreography(although it's the same everytime) and actually singing live. Britney's performances involve her moving her arms intensely while she walks and lipsyncs. But somehow both ladies manage to sell the same amount of copies the 1st week. Isn't the music interesting???

Phoning it In

Keyshia Cole-"You Complete Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtpMxwVXTJk

This is the 2nd single from Keyshia Cole's new album "A Different Me". Yeah this album is different alright instead of the raw emotion displayed on the last album which help propel all four singles from her previous record to #1 on the R&B charts, we get the new lazy Keyshia Cole. "You Complete Me" would be cool for Brandy, hot for Keri Hilson, and help Ashanti make her car payment this month, but we expect more from Keyshia. It seems Ms. Cole is getting real comfortable and is taking her success for granted by throwing out just anything expecting everyone to eat it up. Come on now, her 1st single was a record she recorded for a 2pac record years ago, talk just not giving a fuck. If "Just Like You" was her "My Life", "A Different Me" is definately her "Mary" the throw away record that was just made to sustain relevance in the industry. Step it up Keyshia, because the Jazmine Sullivan's of the world are coming for your spot.

Focused...

Unlike Mariah Carey who ditched major promotion of her latest to get married and pregnant, Beyonce isn't having any of that. She revealed this week that she's terrified of having kids and isn't planning on having any little Jigga B's anytime soon. She's more focused on her album and upcoming world tour to settle down. I applaud B for her work ethic but if the rumors are true about her age she's getting up there, she better freeze some eggs or something because I will not be denied the entertainment of seeing their baby.

Music Superstars

#1 Album in the World: "Chinese Democracy", Guns n Roses
#1 U.S. Album: "808's & Heartbreak", Kanye West
#1 European Album: "Chinese Democracy", Guns n Roses
#1 UK Album: "Day & Age", The Killers
#1 Australian Album: "Funhouse", Pink
#1 Canadian Album: "Chinese Democracy", Guns n Roses

#1 Single in the World: "If I Were a Boy", Beyonce
#1 U.S. Single: "Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It)", Beyonce
#1 European Single: "If I Were a Boy", Beyonce
#1 UK Single: "Greatest Day", Take That
#1 Australian Single: "Poker Face", Lady Gaga
#1 Canadian Single: "Poker Face", Lady Gaga

Nothing But Class

The one and only Barack Obama covers the new issue of Essence. I like the airbrush effect on the pics they look great.



The beautiful Michelle Obama also graces the cover of next months issue. I'll be coping them both, they're great collectors items.

I USED to be Hot

Well any hopes of a comeback ended today as Brandy phoned in a lackluster performance of her "comeback" single "Right Here(Departed)". There used to be a time when Brandy could have filled up Rockefeller Plaza like her contemporaries Rihanna and Beyonce did recently, but she performed inside. This song is such a zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sleeper, "Long Distance" would have been a better choice. But I give Brandy her props for actually getting her album released, because as Mya, Amerie, Keri Hilson, Monica, and Ciara will tell you sometimes that's the hardest part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSsuNcHWok4

I Am....the Queen

No not Beyonce it seems Rihanna's numerous chart toppers and successful album have Princess Rhi Rhi feeling herself, so much so she wants to prove it to the world. Beyonce and Matthew Knowles have already announced that they would be re-releasing "I Am...Sasha Fierce" this spring. Word is Rihanna is speeding up the production of her not yet titled fourth LP in hopes that she can release her record the same day as Beyonce.

That would be a battle of epic porportions, even bigger than 50 vs. Kanye, we'll stay tuned and see what happens.

Movin on Up

Keyshia Cole has had a meteoric rise to fame going from your favorite hood chick

to one of the top R&B singers in the game.

Well rumor has it Keyshia is tired of being limited to the "urban" audience and desires to be

a superstar in the pop world also similar to Rihanna and Beyonce.

Those close to Keyshia reveal she wants to appeal to a wider white audience and is desperate to do so.

Fans of Paris Hilton's BFF Show witnessed this first hand when Keyshia Cole appeared on the program as one of Paris's "inner circle".

Keyshia has been spotted on TMZ with Nicky Hilton almost every night this week as

a publicity stunt to "white wash" her image and make her album "A Different Me" a blockbuster success.

Well we knew it had to happen the hood can only get you so far, we'll see how the less "urban" Keyshia works out when her album hit stores on December 16th.

New Joints for the Ipod

Akon feat. Colby O'Donis & Kardinal Official

Duffy

"Rain on your Parade"

Madcon

"Beggin"

I's Free Now

Allegedly "International Superstar" Kelly Rowland has finally made a run for it and escaped the Knowles Plantation in hopes of actually becoming relevant again. Rumor has it she's been meeting with Simon Fuller (the man behind the Spice Girls and American Idol) hoping to score him as her manager.
Now I like Kelly, Lord knows I do, but come on we've all enjoyed blaming Matthew for holding her down but its time to be honest. Kelly Rowland isn't successful because....well she's not that talented. Sure she can sing, her harmonizing and background vocals are some of the best in the business but who really wants her to carry an entire song. Her dancing is cute, she's even made a couple of ok records. But is there ever gonna be a day we announce Kelly Rowland has a #1 album or has a sold out tour.....Doubt It!
I say she stay in Europe on the export circuit with Amerie and Mya and collect them checks.

Black Faces in Oscar Mix

This was a weak year for black men in Hollywood. So far none of them, not even Will Smith are even being looked at for Oscars. But the ladies may be well represented, although none are getting acclaim for leading roles. Best Supporting Actress is shaping up to be interesting for Black Hollywood.

Sure Bets

Taraji P. Henson better get her dress ready because her performance in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is getting an insane amout of Oscar Buzz, so much so that she's pretty much guaranteed one of the five slots for Best Supporting Actress. Many believe Taraji may be the film's only acting nomination, pretty huge considering most pundits believe "Benjamin Button" is the front runner for Best Picture.

She only has two scenes in "Doubt" but that's enough for Viola Davis to snag a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She's a vetern stage actress, but come February she'll be the talk of Hollywood as many industry insiders believe only Penelope Cruz stands in her way for the win in Supporting Actress.

Possibilities

Beyonce is a Golden Globe nominated Actress, but this time she has Oscar on her mind. Her turn as Etta James in "Cadillac Records" looks like she's doing a imitation of Effie White rather than Etta James, but she's in serious consideration for a nomination in Best Supporting Actress.

She already has an Oscar but her performance in "The Secret Life of Bees" is getting Jennifer Hudson a small amount of Oscar buzz. She has a better chance at a Golden Globe nomination based on name recognition and sympathy votes from her family tragedy.

Jennifer Hudson feels "Blessed"

Talk about a rollercoaster ride, that would be the way to describe Jennifer Hudson's 2008.

She had a successful film, "The Secret Life of Bees" and her self-titled album is album performed

well on the charts and produced the hit single "Spotlight".

Yesterday she received 3 Grammy nominations for

Best Female R&B Vocal for "Spotlight"

Best Performance by a R&B Group or Duo "I'm His Only Woman"(w/Fantasia)

Best R&B Album

["Spotlight" also nominated for Best R&B Song but she's not nominated because she didn't wirte it]

But the rollercoaster took a huge drop thanks to the horrific actions of this man:

Despite her current tragedy Jennifer Hudson tells People Magazine that she feels "blessed"

for her Grammy nominations.

A possible sign that she may attend and possibly perform at the February 9th crermony.

Congrats to Jennifer the album is hot and she deserved the noms.

And she should expect to have a big 2009 "If This Isn't Love" and "Giving Myself"

should also be huge hits for her and earn her Grammy noms at the 2010 ceremony.

WHAT HAPPENED?!?!

She's one of the top selling artists of the year.
Her album is one of the few albums to sell more than 1 million copies in 2008.
She even surpassed Elvis for most number 1's when "Touch My Body" topped the charts.
But when the Grammy nominations were announced yesterday....her album was M.I.A.

Not even one throw away R&B nomination.
Why did one of the top female artists and a 5 time winner get shut out.

I think it had something to do with the fact she stopped promoting the project to go skip around with Nick Cannon.

Or was it the horrible single they put out.

Instead of releasing "Migrate", "Side Effects" or "For the Record", some GENIUS decided to release "I'll Be Lovin U Long Time" and "I Stay in Love" instead.

The poor performance of the singles labeled the album a flop and made it a commercial disappointment even though its a Platinum LP. Better luck next time MC....

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

"Tha Carter III", Lil Wayne
The best selling album of the year, but I'm kind of surprised to see it nominated here. "Tha Carter III" is a little more hardcore than the usual token rap albums that get nominated in this category("College Dropout", "Nellyville"). But good for him, I would have preferred to see "American Gangster" or "Paper Trail" in the mix but this is fine since none of them would win anyway.
Favorite Track: "Tie My Hands"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQhJ0wBkq4c

"Raising Sand", Alison Krause and Robert Plant
No surprise here. I listened to the album last week, pretty good, something different. It's worth a listen, is it worthy of a nomination? I say no but this will probably win so it doesn't really matter.
Favorite Track: "Fortune Teller"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7RLjMmY5Q8

"Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends", Coldplay
Great Album. Coldplay was snubbed by the Grammys in this category last album, so its nice to see they stepped their game up. I think this album could win, its close between it and "Raising Sand."
Favorite Track: "Lost!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72xVqMl32HA

"Year of the Gentleman", Ne-Yo
I love Ne-Yo. I'm shocked to see this nominated. I think the consensus was that Alicia Keys would represent R&B, but it was Ne-Yo. I thought the album was ok at best definately not Album of the Year material but good job for him.
Favorite Track: "Lie to Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4UfBrsrlmA

"In Rainbows", Radiohead
Great Album. It came out so long ago though, that I doubt it has a chance.
Favorite Track: "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU

Snubs:
"As I Am", Alicia Keys
"Long Road Out of Eden", The Eagles
"American Gangster", Jay-Z
"Rock and Roll Jesus", Kid Rock

If I Weren't A Flop

Remember 2004?

Usher was the shit.
Lil Jon was the hottest producer in the game.
And the hottest new chick on the scene was the one and only Ciara.

She was a force to be reckoned with. "Goodies", "1,2 step" and "Oh" were instant chart toppers.

Fast Forward to 2008

Usher is a joke. "Here I Stand" was a major disappointment and flop.
Lil Jon well we have T-Pain now.
And Ciara well, things aren't too bright for her.

"Fantasy Ride".....well the concept was nice, the "Go Girl" video was cute, but what happened?
Was she overshadowed by Beyonce, was "Go Girl" just not that hot...what happened to her career?

How in just 4 years did these artists fall so fast???

THE WORLD OF SASHA FIERCE

Today Beyonce aka Sasha Fierce celebrates her 5th solo #1 single on the Hot 100 as "Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It)" topples T.I. and Rihanna's "Live Your Life".

Rihanna and Beyonce now tie one another for the most #1 singles by a female artist this decade.

Rihanna Chart Toppers
"S.O.S.(Rescue Me)"[2006]
"Umbrella"[2007]
"Take a Bow"[2008]
"Disturbia"[2008]
Featured on T.I.'s "Live Your Life"[2008]

Beyonce Chart Toppers
"Crazy in Love"[2003]
"Baby Boy"[2003]
"Check on It"[2005]
"Irreplaceable"[2006]
"Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It)"[2008]