The Conscious of The Music World

We Revolve Around One Thing!!!!!!!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Indie Music Artist and Hot New Author Calvin Walker Strives To Go Worldwide

 Excerpt from his profile: 







In a way, this is Calvin formally coming out as a novelist. He has been writing for years. Since he was a child, he has had a love for words and His word.

He attributes his love for writing to greats like William Shakespeare, King Solomon, James Baldwin, Edgar Allen Poe, E. Lynn Harris, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovani, Alex Haley and various others.

In 2007, Calvin Walker was offered a column, Path Words, with online Christian magazine Path Magazine. Since then he's become the editor of the newsletter for an upcoming artist by the name of Titus Glenn.

He has also been blessed with gift of songwriting, and is currently shopping songs to artists and recently got a placement on a major project.

Calvin is excited to announce his debut novel entitled "The Gallery." The feedback from early reads of the manuscript, hint that the world is in for a treat. The book offers a fresh point of view on subjects like: parental neglect, relationship with God, suicide and the ever taboo subject of homosexuality in the context of religion. "The Gallery" is a self-published effort.


You can pick up the book at  http://booklocker.com/books/4374.html


INTERVIEW WITH---------------http://musicforecast.net/





Thursday, January 14, 2010

(AP) R&B singer Pendergrass dead in Pa. at 59

AP, Jan 14, 2010 9:08 am PST




R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who was one of the most electric and successful figures in music until a car crash 28 years ago left him in a wheelchair, has died of colon cancer. He was 59.
Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.
The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery."

Before the crash, Pendergrass established a new era of R&B with an explosive, raw voice that symbolized masculinity, passion and the joys and sorrow of romance in songs such as "Close the Door," "It Don't Hurt Now," "Love T.K.O." and other hits that have since become classics.
He was an international superstar and sex symbol. His career was at its apex — and still climbing.
Friend and longtime collaborator Kenny Gamble, of the renowned production duo Gamble & Huff, teamed with Pendergrass on his biggest hits and recalled how the singer was even working on a movie.
"He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist," Gamble said Thursday. "He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans."

Pendergrass, who was born in Philadelphia in 1950, suffered a spinal cord injury in a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down — still able to sing but without his signature power. The image of the strong, virile lover was replaced with one that drew sympathy.
But instead of becoming bitter or depressed, Pendergrass created a new identity — that as a role model, Gamble said.

"He never showed me that he was angry at all about his accident," Gamble said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "In fact, he was very courageous."

Pendergrass left a remarkable imprint on the music world as he ushered in a new era in R&B with his fiery, sensual and forceful brand of soul and his ladies' man image, burnished by his strikingly handsome looks.

Gamble said Pendergrass was one of a kind as an artist and boasted a powerful voice and "a great magnetism."

"He was a great baritone singer, and he had a real smooth sound, but he had a real rough sound, too, when he wanted to exert power in his voice," Gamble said.

But it wasn't Pendergrass' voice that got him his break in the music business — it was his drum playing abilities. He met Harold Melvin, who was looking for replacement members for his group, the Blue Notes, and signed on to be the drummer. Later, he became the lead singer of the group, which became known as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

The band started working with Gamble and Leon Huff and had signature hits in the early 1970s with "Wake Up Everybody" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now."

But Pendergrass had creative differences with Melvin and soon left for a solo career, according to his Web site. It was then he would become a sex symbol for the R&B genre, working women into a frenzy with hits such as "Only You" and concerts dedicated for ladies only.

"The females," Gamble said, "loved Teddy Pendergrass. The females were very attracted to him and his music."

Unlike the songs of many of today's male R&B crooners, Pendergrass' music bordered on eroticism without explicit lyrics or coarse language — just through the raw emotion in his voice. "Turn Off the Lights" was a tune that perhaps best represented the many moods of Pendergrass — tender and coaxing yet strong as the song reaches its climax.

Fans were devastated when, at age 31, Pendergrass was critically injured after his Rolls-Royce hit a tree. He spent six months in a hospital and returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language."

He continued to sing and recorded several albums, receiving Grammy nominations; perhaps his best-known hit after his crash was the inspirational song "Life is a Song Worth Singing."
"To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."
It was 19 years before Pendergrass resumed performing at his own concerts. He made his return on Memorial Day weekend in 2001, with two sold-out shows in Atlantic City, N.J.

Gamble noted Pendergrass' charitable work for people with spinal cord injuries, his performances despite pain and his focus on the positive in the face of great challenges.

"He used to say something in his act in the wheelchair, 'Don't let the wheelchair fool you,' because he still proclaimed he was a lover," Gamble said.

But his career was never the same. Gamble said it was difficult for Pendergrass to project vocally like he once did: "The breathing aspect of it, he wasn't really able to deal with it."

And while he had albums, he was no longer seen as the sex symbol but more of a sympathetic, tragic figure, even though he still had a strong following among his core female fans.

After the accident, he dedicated much of his life to helping others with spinal cord injuries and founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to do just that. Gamble said he wanted to help others.
"In his quiet moments, he probably did a lot of reflection. But I never saw him pity himself. He stayed busy," Gamble said. "(But) I feel that he's in a better place now. ... He doesn't have to go through that pain or whatever he was going through anymore."
___
Associated Press writers Patrick Walters and Bob Lentz contributed to this report from Philadelphia.

50 Cent “Baby By Me” Spoof



I for one, find this video quite comical!  It’s a well done spoof, but it’s also pretty insightful social commentary.  Not only that, but it is a constructive way of expressing my personal disdain for the sheer ignorance that’s represented by the original version.  I only WISH I had a hand in this remake.
You know, ever since the original piece of shit single emerged from Fiddy’s ass psyche and hit the streets, I’ve despised it GREATLY! Truth be told I’ve been annoyed with 50 Cent for quite some time now.  It was a struggle for me not to go on a rant about how much I couldn’t stand this song, but one thing stopped me. What, you ask?  The fact that I refused to waste my time discussing the shit just to give it more free publicity.  Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m doing now… *sigh* But what the hell’s a music lover to do? I don’t listen to it, but… I digress.  The end all be all of it all is that the niggatry perpetrated by that musical disaster makes my stomach turn, as it should yours.  I was even more shocked and astounded by the fact that Ne-Yo was on the track! I was thinking to myself, “why would he sign up to be a part of 50 Cent’s minstrel show?”  Then I thought, “money talks…” And with that said, Hey 50! You got anymore tracks stored away that can make us as Black people look like the monkeys that White folks consider us?  No!?  Well if you come across anymore, holla at ya boy Seven! *Kanye Shrug* everybody has a price J *wink*

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Movin and Groovin LT style

So you hear the name LaDainian Tomlinson, and what do you see?  A dark visor? A powder blue jersey? His trade mark touchdown celebration? 




Well from now on, you will have a few new visions dancing through your head (pun definitely intended).  Check out LT’s version of the song that’s on everybody’s dance mix, the electric slide.






I have a myriad of questions about this bastardized version of yo mama’s favorite song, but my main question is, WHY?

Here are a couple of my theories:
1. He’s planning for the future
It’s no secret that LT ain’t the back that he used to be. Also, public knowledge is the fact that with every carry he gets a few yards closer to retirement.  Knowing this better than anyone else LT decided to put his future in his own hands.  This was an articulately planned, and hilarious, publicity stunt to land him on the next season of “Dancing with The Stars.”
2.He knows those NFL millions won’t last forever
When the NFL money stops flowing, a man still has to feed his family.  What’s an ex footballer to do? Start a rap career of course!  With the Soulja Boy generation dominating most of Hip Hop the past couple years, LT decided to use his football fame to spring board his Rap career.  That’s why he came up with a dance song and video, that’s what’s hot now!
3. He saw the writing on the wall
With the recent headlines being filled with negative news about his fellow NFL brethren making a lot of negative headlines lately he decided that it was time to leave the chicken heads alone.  Unfortunately, now that he’s no longer spending his free time with rat breezies, he had to spend it with *gasp* his family. And what NFL superstar wants to do that?  The music thing was a win win.  It kept him busy so he wouldn’t have to be a family man, and it also kept him from joining the ranks of Shaq, Tiger, or God forbid Steve McNair (RIP Bruh).

Or maybe he was bored, and has the money and spare time to do bullshit like this. *shrug*  He’s no different from any other YouTuber out there.  None the less, it’s funny, and we’ll all forget about it soon enough.   Hopefully he saved some of his best moves for the field.  If he has a bad game this weekend, the timing of this video is gonna do a number on him in the blogosphere… I wonder if this raises or lowers his fantasy stats?

Seven

Thursday, January 7, 2010

SUPPORT LOCALS BEFORE THEY FLOP

Why is it so damn hard for people to listen to “underground” artists? This is especially true when it comes to Hip Hop.  Why do self proclaimed “Hip Hop fans” stray from unknown names?  But once they have gotten famous, you ready to ride dick? I don’t get it AT ALL. I give everybody a listen, and even if they garbage I show support. You never know, just because it’s trash to you don’t mean it’s truly bad.  Think about all of the ‘made’ rappers in the game right now. They all started somewhere. At some point in their careers they were local talent. At some point in their career they were (and some still are) considered ‘garbage’ by somebody.  That’s just how these things work!  



 
Example: The Notorious B.I.G. considered by most one of if not THE best rapper of all times.  He got noticed by battling and beating other local artists.
 
Here are 3 reasons why you should support local artists:
 
1. For your own selfish ambitions
Think about it! If you meet a local act that has some potential, and you latch on to them now.  When they get big and start making money, they will remember your support when they weren’t making any.  So for all you women out there that have an “aspiring” boyfriend, and you see some important people taking notice of their art, go ahead and poke holes in all the condoms now! Basically I’m saying go ahead and put in a little work now, (carry that speaker, call that promoter, give them a ride, etc) and then ride that gravy train when the funds start flowing.
 
2. Because everybody likes to say “I remember when…”
Do you ever see people that knew “INSERT CELEBRITY HERE” and they say something like “I remember when he was just a scrawny kid in dirty jeans.”  For example wouldn’t you love to be that guy that beat Jordan for that spot on the varsity team in high school?  You don’t think he tells that tale every chance he gets?  Even better what about that first EP that the artist dropped? You don’t think that’ll be worth something to collectors when they blow up?  Whoever had a recorder from the Jackson 5’s first talent show (when they were the Jackson 4) is sitting on a gold mine right now! Another way to ride their coat tails without looking like a band wagon groupie.
 
3. Because when they get famous they’ll suck!
How many times have you heard this on? “Yeah he’s ok, but he was way better before he got signed.”  I can name some of your favorite artists, and they will fall into that category.  Oh you don’t believe me? Ok, Jay-Z’s best album: his first, Reasonable Doubt Ice Cube’s magnum opus: Death Certificate Snoop Dogg’s: Doggy Style.  These are considered classics, and you know why? Because these albums were created by men that weren’t making millions of dollars.  They were created by men who loved music and took pride in their art, and had no one to answer to.  When they were still hungry and making music for the love of the music, and not to appeal to a label exec it was better! It was better because it was still art!  Some people fail to realize that music is an art form.  When you are blessed with creativity and it’s un-stifled that’s when you create masterpieces.  Think about artists (as in painters) most of them never made money from their artwork until they were already dead.  What the hell would Picasso have painted if he had to please somebody other than himself?  Face facts people, business stifles creativity.  So while these local acts are creating music for themselves go out and get it, because when they get a deal they will b forced to create music for their bosses and the masses, and it will lose its soul.  That’s a fact. Not to mention, that album they're selling out of the trunk will be real hard to find once the artist gets shelf space at Wal-Mart.
 
Believe what you want, I know I’m right. Seven owt!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Wrap Up 09'

In case you missed it or you lived under a rock for the whole of 2009, check out this Rap up of the entire year set to rhyme.  I’ve heard these rap ups in the past and they never disappoint.  Skillz does a great job of recapping all of the year’s significant events.  Not only does he discuss the end of the decade in the realm of Hip Hop, but in pop culture as a whole.  This song is a 5 minute breakdown of all of the notable happenings that had us ALL talking in ’09.  In my opinion he did a great job, not only with his information, but the lyrical ‘skillz’ he displays are top notch as well.  Go ahead and give it a listen and decide for yourself. Until next time…

 

















For more about Skillz check out http://www.hiphopconfessions.com/


This has been your boy Seven of The Score!!!!!!!