Single of the WeekKidz In The Hall: Jukebox
In the mid-2000s, alternative hip-hop duo Kidz in the Hall became the new face for the revamped Rawkus Records, the underground rap powerhouse responsible for introducing groundbreaking acts like Mos Def and Talib Kweli before its operations were temporarily closed in 2004. Naledge's intelligence, imagery, and lyricism combined with the progressive and often jazz-inflected sounds of DJ/producer Double O easily recall the early-'90s aesthetic of hip-hop groups such as Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Gang Starr, or Souls of Mischief. A native of Chicago, Naledge (born Jabari Evans) was always the creative and lyrical type of guy, writing poetry and short stories since he was 13, but the New Jersey-bred Double O (born Michael Aguilar) always had been a techie, first DJing in the ninth grade and then composing beats in college. They first met each other at their alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. After witnessing Naledge's rhyme skills at a talent show during his recruiter's visit, impressed audience members pointed him toward the talented DJ. Over the years, the two Ivy Leaguers worked together and became good friends. Once Naledge graduated, he again hooked up with Double O, who had relocated to Los Angeles as an engineer for Sony Studios, and decided to form professionally as Kidz in the Hall. Naledge was already signed as a solo act to the reborn Rawkus and simply brought the Kidz in the Hall duo over to the label. The amount of (mostly Internet) press coverage greatly increased after prolific producer Just Blaze, a fellow techie, friend, and mentor of Double O, co-signed the group's efforts. Naledge and Double O heavily promoted themselves through the Internet and released several mixtapes to build up anticipation for their favorably received Rawkus debut, School Was My Hustle, in October 2006.
Discovery DownloadIration: Falling
Jets Overhead provide their debut self-titled EP and their first album, Bridges, for free download on their website as it is their view that in the current day and age, with pirating and illegal peer to peer (P2P) networks for downloading music free of charge, it is easier to provide the music in a free form themselves (though the option is given to buy the album at the regular price or make a voluntary donation). They appear to be one of the first bands to have addressed the difficulties of modern day music and what they call the "digital revolution", employing the voluntary purchase and download model a year and a half before the British rock group Radiohead more famously did it in October 2007 with their album In Rainbows.
After discovering that their most recent album, No Nations, had leaked onto certain file-sharing websites, lead singer Adam Kittredge responded in a positive way, saying, “We aren’t that concerned about it, because at our level, it’s kind of actually flattering to think that people think it’s worthwhile to so-called ‘steal’ our record before it’s released. It really doesn’t matter to us at this level of the game and maybe it won’t ever – maybe it shouldn’t.”
The band has not repeated its original voluntary purchase model for the 2009 release of No Nations. However elements of the album have been made available through the band's website under a Creative Commons license.
Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian R&B singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. She was born to Guyanese immigrant parents (mixed with black, Indian, and Portuguese ethnicities) and grew up in the inner city of Toronto. Living in a music filled household, Fiona says she always knew music was her passion. Her father was a guitarist in a band and would allow her to sit on the stage when she was younger as he practiced, and remembers her mother playing music at home; everything from The Ronettes to Whitney Houston.
Fiona was featured on Reggae Gold 2008 with the Supa Dups-produced "Somebody Come Get Me". Her debut album The Bridge was released in the summer of 2009. She worked on the album with Future Cut, Vada Nobles,Stereotypes, J. Phoenix, Peter Wade and Salaam Remi. The debut single "Give It to Me Right" was released to radio stations on February 28, 2009, and peaked at #20 on Billboard's Canadian Hot 100 and #41 on the UK Singles Chart. The second single, "It Kills Me", became her breakout song on the Billboard Hot 100 where it cracked the Top 50, along with hitting #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song earned Fiona a Grammy Award nomination forBest Female R&B Vocal Performance. The Bridge also earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist.
Music Video of the Week
Melanie Fiona: It Kills Me
Free TV Shows:
Parenthood: Pilot
Melanie Fiona: It Kills Me
Free TV Shows:
Parenthood: Pilot
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