"All Good In The Hood!" -Raphael Saadiq's A "Good Man"

Ah! Here's some new music in the form of a video from Saadiq that I don't mind sharing with you guys. Obviously this is off that new release "Radio" that's soon to come. I'm glad I saw this cause it renewed my faith in his musical direction cause the first video and song (I'm guessing is the albums title track) I was NOT feeling. ESPECIALLY the video! What was that? Lol! Anyways this on is set in the late 60's early 70's and stars former America's Next Top Model runner-up (cycle 3) Yaya DaCosta and another actor I'm not too familiar with, but regardless of that the s**t is dope!

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"Knock 'Em Out The Box Rick" -Teflon Don Review

So the Summer of 2010 is here and we're in one of the WORST droughts we've seen in a minute! And no, I'm NOT talking about the water reserve folks it's the music scene that's been dry lately. How is that it's the last few weeks in July and we have not ONE Summer Jam (not the Hot 97 concert dummy). You know that dance floor banger that even the bathroom attendant in the club start singing along with! Well that may all change today, cause Rick Ross's "magnum opus" Teflon Don is finally hitting the streets (not meaning bootleg). Right at the moment of writing this post, "B.M.F. (Blowing Money Fast)" seems to be our ONLY savior from musical boredom. and it's not even a quote unquote DANCE record! Crazy right? But it tis what it tis...which is DOPE! But let me slow down a bit and get back on course. Ro$$ is "Rick the Ruler" right now. Why? He gets what it means to be an ARTIST these days not just a RAPPER! Hip-Hop...sorry, Hip-POP is the TOP selling form of music right at this moment. In a time when album DON'T sell so with that being said, you as an artist NEEDS to be BIGGER than the genre. And this may be his "come up pence" with his latest release. Allow me explain further track for track...

"I'm Not A Star" -Hype track however, the hook is pretty lazy. But I'll give him a pass on this one.

"Free Mason" feat. Jay-Z -the return of "gangster message rap" ala 2Pac style! I actually like Ricky's verse on here BETTER than Jay's! But the killer line of the whole song is "I said I was AMAZING, not A MASON..." Simple and and to the point.

"Tears Of Joy" feat. Cee-Lo Green -YO! This is my favorite track on the whole album (do we even say album any more?)! A great blend of message and music. Cee-lo was the perfect match-up from this soulful No ID track. The intro's kinda long winded, but most good movies are 2hrs plus right? Think B.I.G. on a Blueprint (the first one) track and THIS is it!

"Maybach Music III" feat. T.I., Erykah Badu, and Jadakiss -Now I don't smoke but the vibe on this one makes you wanna roll SOMETHING up! Each featured artist (key word) does the track justice. Ross plays the background like a true fan, then raps like he BELONGS among them. NICE!

"Live Fast Die Young" feat. Kanye West -Eh?! This is basically a 'Ye track with more Ross verses than his to me. The track grew on me but so does warts. LOL! I was a bit disappointed in Mr. West's verse as well! Here you have one of the few lyrical rapper still around (meaning not dead or in jail) and you come w/this "Mickey Mouse" style of rap AFTER Rick spits fire? "Wake up Mr. West" indeed!

"Super High" feat. Ne-Yo -When I first heard this single the beat reminded me of a Jay-Z first album track. And no wonder, none other than DJ Clark Kent produced the song, but that's not to say it's a BAD thing. I not a "single" man but I'm not mad at this one...at all!

"No. 1" feat. Diddy & Trey Songz -This is another (annoying) hook I'll pass on! The song is listenable till freakin' Diddy decides to get on the track for NO good apparent reason! This must have been in Rick Ross's contract to have him on at LEAST one track! Diddy...Oh no he didn't!

"M.C. Hammer" feat. Gucci Mane -Ear wax melter! Piping hot fresh out the brick oven heat! Another club riot starter right here! My ONLY beef with this song? What in the is Moms MableyGucci Mane (!) rapping on this? Or why is he even rapping PERIOD! He ruins a perfect good song, a good day, a good night...whatever's GOOD! Except a good BYE! Gucci's the new Master P w/ worse flow, if that's even possible! "Hammer" that nail in the coffin dawg!

"B.M.F." feat. Styles P - GREATNESS! Straight up. But Styles P? Really? Jada put you up to this? PLEASE send me the link w/ the same track w/out him on it! I'm DEAD SERIOUS too.

"Aston Martin Music" feat. Drake and Chrisette Michelle -Another classy laid back joint which sounds like a recycled Drake track but I still dig it none the lesser. Watch some one release a song called "Honda Civic Music" with some bump bass s#@t on it! LOL! Which by the way doesn't sound too too bad (hmmm, as I rub chin).

"All The Money In The World" feat. Raphael Saadiq -Now WHO would of thought this one? I guess they did huh? Unexpectedly great finishing touch to a mostly well rounded (ummm) album. Kudos to Ro$$, he lets Saadiq do the shining on this one, and shine he does!

Overall Rick Ro$$ has a CLASSIC on his hands! It may not be a all-time classic, but I think classic Hip-Hop is fine enough for him. Who know it would be "Fat Man" not Batman to be a Summer block buster hit? Knock 'em out Rick!

ALBUM IN STORES NOW!

"Food for the Soul" -Sunday Brunch Anyone?

Question, you ever had brunch w/ Common, Kanye, the Roots, D'angelo, Anthony Hamilton, and the likes? Well word around the campfire is that the Stylistics Agency and some other choice NYC taste-makers are working on just that! Picture eating a well cooked brunch by a top star chef, while being entertained by a DJ spinning the latest Saadiq, Badu, Legend, etc. CD, or even an ol' fav like Lauren's first. Maybe even a live trio serenading you w/ cover tunes by Chaka or Stevie. Even watch a live painter complete a single work of art, before you even finish your 3rd Mimosa!?! How about seeing 20 mins of a highly buzzed about movie soon to be in theaters. If this sounds like a solid idea to you PLEASE let us know:
Via comment or e-mail; theMreport@gmail.com
So we can fast-track it to reality. Winter's coming, don't be left in the "cold" looking for somewhere to "chill." Sun. Sept 28th we're looking to debut. You down?

"Flashing Lights" -Paparazzi Pics (Pt.83)

Now this event right here was THEE BEST time I had in a minute...well since Rock the Block BK at least. Why? I'll explain. First off, L.A. was not only ON time, but he was calling ME to see If I was ready (rare)! Once we (Tiara, L.A. & I ) arrive we find a parking spot within two mins. AND get in with the quickness. Boom! On point. We not only get ushered in by Keita (KeiStar Productions) herself, but she gave us drink tickets that wind up being bottle tickets. We're like F' it and "ball out." Lol! Soon after, Frei (DJ Blackocaine/
Ahficionados) shows up and gets sexually harassed by some "E'ed" up white chick, that had way too much past her limit. I'm in steadily in her ear, pumping her up to f%#k with him some more. Hill-Larry-Us! You see he's not amused by this one bit, in one of these pics below. It back fires on me, and she starts corning me with the kissy face. "Ummm, I'll pass but my man here is with it" I said pointing to a unsuspecting L.A. pouring his 5th glass. She goes in to plant a sloppy one on his mouth, MUWAH! That's when he gets all "Black Rob" on her and backs up like "WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! YO!" Straight Sit-Com folks! First time a black man had to call security on a white chick! I wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes and we finally get to enjoy just the music for once. You could tell Spinna was in the "zone!" Each joint was better than the next, steady building up. Dance circles were breaking out all over the place...in all THREE rooms! Maxwell (no pictures please), Raphael Saadiq (red blazer!), and Q-Tip w/Ali (brothers, you late) all came out to see what all the noise was about. Can't wait till the next one!

"Flashing Lights" -Paparazzi Pics (Pt.81)

This is EXACTLY what I needed to unwind after a loooog weekend/week! Some good music from an ol' soul. Janelle (Monae) got on first and proved why she belongs on the bill w/today's hit makers. Every time I see her performance (which is now up to four times this year alone) she gets even better! However Raphael Saadiq, who still is pushing the envelope through music and his sound and is a proven vet seemed nervous when he first hit the stage. But when he started getting the reverse of usual NYC crowd response (which usually means texting or staring and not cheering) he started warming up getting into swagger mode. There's a reason he's outlasted alot of bigger selling artist not around today...He's just f#@kin' GOOD! Period dot. Lucy Pearl, Toni Tone' Tony, HIS hits..he ran through 'em all. Of course being that he has a new album coming out soon he intermixed the new stuff into his set...And judging from the sound of it, it "Feels Good." Keita (KeiStar) and Veronica W., B'day Girl Renae & Co. joined Ash and I up front to catch the show in HD. Which was all good till Monae splashed folks with warm bottled water and crowd surfed through shallow crowd "waters." Back stage before he got on I requested he perform a song the I could dedicate to the readers of the Minority Report that couldn't make it, so peep the video for what we came up with! Lol!

"I Wanna Dance Tonight..." -Saadiq meets Monae This Wed.

I wasn't ready to post this till I had MY tickets secured, so now that I do I can put this on blast. Okay Raphael Saadiq has now only a new album ("the Way I See It" -60's retro Soul) on the way, but he'll be in concert THIS Wednesday...yep two days from now, at the Highland Ballroom! I was both glad and shocked that there were tickets STILL available for this show. Cause it's been a minute since he's done something in the NYC. Plus Janelle "Stay busy doing shows" Monae will be is opening act for his one. I HIGHLY suggest you do what you can to cop tickets man, his shows are a rare treat.

Raphael Saadiq /Janelle Monae
Wed. Aug 27th
Highland Ballroom -W16th St. near 10th ave.
6pm-10pm
$30 tix