Tha Dot Spot

Never Say Never.

2014-02-26T19:10:00.001-08:00

If you need a reminder just how influential Brandy has been to the R&B music game please refer to one of my older blog posts here: Behind the Music: Brandy. After reading that post you can only image how it was a HUGE honor for me to cover her 35th birthday at the SLS in Beverly Hills. With only a few outlets there to cover the exclusive event...I got to interview Tyrese, Ray-J, Tami Roman and many more. Many of the celebrities shared special moments that they had with the birthday girl. You could definitely feel the love in the air that night. Brandy was escorted into the double doors of the ballroom then all you could hear was "Surprise!!!!!" Brandy's face was welled up with tears. The night started with an explosive live band that played Brandy's hits like "I Wanna Be Down" and "Best Friend". One of the most touching moments of the night was when Kim Burrell blessed the crowd with a beautiful rendition of happy birthday that made Brandy and the crowd get emotional (My ass had tears also). The night wasn't only filled with tears, once the DJ got on the ones and two's broke out with the Cupid Shuffle. Overall the night was one to remember and I can't believe Brandy is now 35, I remember when she was 16 on the scene. #TimeFlies

Check out my exclusive interview here:

Throwback Thursday: Flawless.

2014-01-09T18:02:00.001-08:00

xFlawlessx
I woke up like this......
#BOWDOWNBITCHES

I'm Just Trying to Connect With Something Babe.

2014-01-08T20:34:00.001-08:00

I've been told by a few people the past few weeks that I am so closed and unavailable as a person. Guess I am hard to connect to. I don't let everyone into my personal space and shut people (some) out. Yeah, I can see why some say this maybe true. Part of me feels I already have my close knit circle of friends and family, why do I need more? We have all heard quality over quantity right? Lately though I have been feeling that being so closed off isn't so fulfilling. Life is about exploring more of what the world has to offer, learning new ideas, taking on new tasks and meeting new people/ staying connected with the old. I guess you can say I am always afraid to be out of my comfort zone. I tend to over think... my mind says what if they are judging you, they must want something from you..etc the list goes on. Which holds to the reasons why it maybe hard for me to connect to others.

Comfortableness is key some would say. You don't have to worry about the what ifs or what can happen, because there will be no change... everything will stay the same. I want more and to explore newer opportunities and walks of life. I was browsing the net and while listening to my smooth r&b jams (of course), sipping on some limeade (this is the life) and found this great article.

Guess point of this blog post is to stop being afraid and to start living and know what you want, knowing your self worth and go for what you deserve! You're amazing... we all are, sometimes we just need to believe and trust in ourselves. #ThaDotFoodForThought #MuchLove

Via: Positively Present

Learn new things.

For me this one is key. The more I learn, the more I read about, the more I know. The more I know, the more likely it is that I will be able to relate to someone on some level. Because I am always interested in learning new things and I love to read, this one is pretty easy for me to want to do. However, if you're not into learning like I am, you can try watching the news and keeping up on current events. If you know about things, you can make more connections.

Monitor non-verbal cues.

This one is also really important. Generally I have very closed body language. Folded arms. Crossed legs. Body angled away from the person I am speaking to. I tend to look around a lot when I am talking to others, mostly because I am uncomfortable or distracted by my own thoughts. I don't smile nearly as often as I should. Smiling and using open body language makes you appear much more open so I plan to work on this a lot.

Listen carefully to others.

As I mentioned above, I tend to be distracted when it comes to interacting with others. I'm either thinking about what I want to say next or I'm thinking about something else entirely. Either way, this does not help me to be open to others. This keeps me focused on me, inside myself, and stops me from connecting with other people. If I work on listening better, I will be able to connect with others on a deeper level. I may also be surprised by what I hear when I open myself up to the words of others instead of staying trapped in my own little head.

Ask real questions.

When you're interacting with someone, it's easy to ask questions like "How was your day?" but it's a lot harder to ask the big questions like "What are your thoughts on religion?" Being open and connecting with others means understanding them on a deeper level. Not only does asking the "real" questions help you to connect with others, but thinking about and sharing your answers helps you to connect with yourself as well. When asked a question in return, be open. Be honest.

Ignore your fear.

The truth is, I'm pretty terrified of connecting with other people. I'm scared that if I share the real me, they will judge it or dislike it. I'm sure on some level we all feel this way and this fear can really hold us back from being open. If you don't share some of yourself with the world, you won't be truly open. So push that fear aside and don't worry about what others might think or say or do. Be you and you'll be surprised how much people will accept you.

Find ways to connect.

Finding ways to connect with others ties in with #1. If you take the time to learn about the world, and about others' views of the world, you'll have more opportunities to connect with others. Don't be afraid to share what you know or bring up unusual topics. You'd be surprised how much you might have in common with someone else.

Stay in the moment.

Tying in with listening, staying in the moment means really making an effort, right in that moment, to connect with someone else. Don't think about the things you have to do later. Don't worry about what you didn't get done that day. Be present. It's very difficult to be open when you are thinking about something else. Your mind is closed to a new connection when you are thinking about the past or the future. Be there, in the moment, and you will be much more successful in establishing an open, interesting connection with others.

Refrain from judging.

Just as I am frightened by the possibility that others will judge me, so is pretty much everyone else. We are all, on some level, worried about others' opinions. I'm a big believer in the idea of "you get what you give." If you judge others, you will be judged. If you judge others, you are labeling them, putting them in boxes, and, while this is convenient, it often takes away a lot of opportunities. Judging others is not a way to embrace openness so don't do it. Period.

Be as specific as you can.

When you're communicating with others, be specific. When someone says to you, "How was your day?" don't respond with, "Fine. Yours?" Be more open than that. Give details. Provide examples. Share stories. People will feel more connected to you (and will probably share some of their own stories) if you open up to them. Don't be afraid of details. They will not be used against you. (Okay, there goes my mind telling my paranoia to back off!)

Take your time.

Being open with others takes time. When you first begin opening up to people, there will probably be a lot of fumbling and bumbling and trying to figure out what you want to say and how you want to say it. It's not easy for everyone to be open and it may take an entire conversation (or many conversations) to really begin connecting with someone on an open level. Be patient with yourself. Every time you're open with someone, the door opens a little bit more. Every little creak of the hinge is progress.

Dantana.

2013-10-04T18:02:00.002-07:00

#Dantana.

Brady Brunch.

2013-09-20T10:41:00.005-07:00

Shout out to Drake for sharing this on his twitter.
This is why Jamie Foxx is one of the most talented brothers in the game.
#DEAD at the Luther Vandross impression at the end.

Miss America.

2013-09-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

Progress.

I'm not Indian American but this girl deserves her shine she represents any minority or little girl who thought winning this title wouldn't be possible because of her race!

No ~~racist twitter trolls or bigots~~ hiding behind social media can take that away!

Viva Miss America: Nina Davuluri!

Naya.

2013-09-18T12:00:00.001-07:00

That body THOUGH and I'm not talking about Big Sean's bird chest.

Can't wait for this new season of Glee! Only a 30 second clip of Demi Lavato and Naya Rivera singing "Here Comes The Sun", but their vocals and harmonization sound AMAZING

Check it out... NOW!

Famous.

2013-09-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Check out me interviewing Marques Houston at his 'Famous' album release party last month. It was definitely a Jam session. He hit us with songs from his new album and took it back with one of my favortie joints "Naked." We had a great time! Support real R&B coming back folks! 'Famous' is in stores NOW!

5'5'' Brown Eyes.

2013-07-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

I know all of you remember that 5'5" and brown eyes, smile like the sunrise. This was my theme song in the Myspace days (YIKES). I believe it was my headline. Singing this song as a young, teenage female felt so empowering for me. LOL. Like you were telling the world this is me and I feel beautiful! Not to get too deep... We got to chop it up with the beautiful Claudette Ortiz from the group ~~City High~~. Claudette is now one of the stars of TV One's R&B Divas LA. She is back and more beautiful than ever! Her story will get to you. Almost had us crying in the studio when we shot her. Glad she is back and ready for a takeover. Check out her interview and pictorial here on Bossip.

#ThrowBackThursday

City High- " Caramel"

I Love It.

2013-07-25T07:07:00.002-07:00

Gosh I have been so horrible with updating this thing. I have been extremely busy! There are so many cool interviews and events that are coming up, that I will forsure fill you in. PROMISE!

July 30th isn't only next Tuesday, but one of my favorite artists Robin Thicke's album "Blurred Lines" finally comes out! Words cannot explain how long I have been waiting. It is also nice to know that he is finally getting some mainstream appeal. Most of the time whenever I told a friend who he was they had no idea. Now his song has been #1 on the Billboard for the past five weeks.

Check out this rendition of the annoying Icona Pop song, "I Love It". See how he flipped it and makes your panties want to come off! #RnB

Also check out "OoLaLa" from his upcoming album! Very disco funk inspired with a MJ flare. #OoLaLa

BGC 10 Rocky.

2013-06-12T17:40:00.002-07:00

Recently I got to sit down with my favorite bad girl, Rocky from Oxygen's The Bad Girls Club! She definitely is the girl you want to turn up with. Not holding anything back she talked about catching fade with Valentina, her celebrity crush, much more. Check out Part I here!

#Beautiful.

2013-05-10T14:21:00.003-07:00

You're beautiful
And your mind is ****ing beautiful
And I can't pretend that
That doesn't mean a thing to me, to me
You're beautiful
Good lord, you're ****ing beautiful
And I can't pretend that
That doesn't mean a thing to me, to me

Black Don't Crack.

2013-04-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

#BlackDontCrack

Andre.

2013-03-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Mega-talented soul sister JoJo, always brings that fire. While holding us fans on with singles and mixtapes ~~(since her label won't let her out her contract)~~ , with the infectious "Andre" music video. "Andre" is on the Agape mixtape that dropped back in December. I really hope urban radio will pick up on her because even though JoJo isn't all the way in the spotlight she really loves the craft and is very passionate for her fans and music. Nothing beats that! This is a fun, artsy visual and JoJo sounds and looks amazing. Get it girl!

Mirrors.

2013-03-20T08:21:00.002-07:00

Mirrors. Very beautiful song and video. Dedicated to Justin's grandparents William (R.I.P.) and Sadie, the video exposes them in several generations. It's a different visual than what we normally would expect from JT. The overall story of love and love lost is an emotional, yet beautiful ride. I would have liked to seen more of Justin in the flick. He doesn't come out until the music breakdown at the end (Which is the best part of the song.) We get to see Justin's fancy footwork (and sick-ass shoes) in a hallway of mirrors. Overall, It's a video you would watch once or multiple times to see Mr. Suit and Tie at the end. (Hehe) Sexy.

Alicia Keys at Staples.

2013-03-14T14:00:00.001-07:00

Alicia Keys showed her versatility and undeniable musicianship at her concert at Staples Center on 3/12/13. Can we also talk about how banging her body looked in her tight black jumpsuit-ish outfit?! . Alicia surprisingly sounded amazing. Lately I was worried that she has lost her ~~MOJO~~ with her yelling/stretching effect she's been doing with her voice (Yikkkes!!). I was pleasantly surprise and she put on an outstanding show. Ms. AKeys also knew that she needed to perform the hits, so those of you who don't really know her new stuff like me.. had nothing to worry about. She banged out the hits and did only some of her new stuff. I was singing along the whole way through. Some notable moments is when AK had a duet with the ever so sultry Maxwell (On the jumbo screen) called, "Fire We Make". The moment that got the crowd out their seats was when special guest Kendrick Lamar came out after Alicia serenaded us with a sexy rendition of Janet's slow love jam "Anytime Any Place" (FAWK YEAH). Kendrick of course came in with that "Poetic Justice" and ended his set with "Swimming Pools (Drank)". Over all people forget that being able to play a beautiful instrument, write your own music and sing is no easy task. Alicia makes it look and sound SO elegant. It would be a great date night ;) Go Alicia whooo!

Lets take it back.. One of my faves:

"You Don't Know My Name"

Miguel Doin It LIVE.

2013-03-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

So I was super bummed that we missed Miguel open for Alicia Keys last night. We literally walked in on his last note. Luckily I was able to see him the day before in a small intimate show put on by Amp Radio. The venue literally had 100-130 people in it. I was all the way in the front and every minute of it was bliss. It's crazy to see Miguel starting to evolve into the artist I have always seen him; a talented dynamic performer. I also want to say his band was off the hinges. There is nothing like LIVE music that takes you away from reality at that very moment. He started with his lesser known track "Strawberry Amazing" which sounded 100% better LIVE and of course did cuts of Kaleidoscope Dream like "The Thrill" and of course "Adorn". I was disappointed he didn't do my favorite tracks "Do You" and "How Many Drinks". He made it up by doing the song that I fell in love with him in the first place "Sure Thing". Next time I see him he needs to have his own headlining tour.I am sure it will be happening very soon.

Check out video of his finale "Adorn" and photos. What do you think?

JT 20/20 Experience Review.

2013-03-12T14:45:00.001-07:00

As a fan of R&B, Funk, and Futuristic Pop... JT doesn't disappoint with the 20/20 Experience. Compared to Justified and FutureSexLove sounds it is lacking the instant pop sound that you will hear on top 40. Although there are songs on the album that can definitely sit on that list ("Mirrors and "Don't Hold the Wall"). This album is more of a throwback ride with an experimental sound of the 60s rat pack era, fused with Timbaland's hip-hop beats and rhythms. With that being said I will not compare his albums because Justified is completely different from FutureSexLoveSounds and FuturesexLoveSounds is completely different from 20/20. So what does that mean? You have another JT CLASSIC MASTERPIECE!

DOWNLOAD THIS: Shit the whole album but if I have to choose a couple of my favorites it will be "Spaceship Coupe" which the beginning sounds like "You Are Everything" by the stylistics and JT's vocals taking you to the moon.

"That Girl" Another throwback vibe that starts with JT introducing his crew the Tennessee Kids with the horns backing and JT's soulful voice taking the track over limbos rhythmic beats.

"Tunnel Vision" Lets just say you won't be able to sit still for the whole entire song. This song also reminds me of a track off of Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" classic album.

"Let the Groove Get In" Yes shake your booty to this one. I also want to salsa to this one. HOTT and FUNKY

Stream the whole album here: 20/20 Experience What do you think?

Justin Timerlake performs "That Girl" on Jimmy Fallon

I Beez In the Trap.

2013-03-05T16:47:00.003-08:00

I Beez In the Trap.

Fashionably Late Vol II.

2013-03-05T16:40:00.002-08:00

It has been a while and I apologize! Ready to get this baby back and running. If you ever been to my page you know I ride hard for this guy.....

Travis Garland

I was right about Miguel and now I will tell you this statement: Don't sleep on Travis Garland. FLVII is such a solid continuation of his prior mixtape, Fashionably Late. FLVII took off where the last one left and ran circles around it! His sounds are infectious and melodic (Thanks to the production of the Stereotypes). I couldn't be more excited that he took the time to find the niche for his own futuristic sound, to keep up with the likes of Miguel and Frank Ocean. If you are a R&B fan this mixtape is a MUST download. I know you will be hearing so much more from this artist. Wake up !!

Download This: Neighbor (Beat is crazy and his vocals are smooth, solid, and sexy)

Neighbor

Bad 25.

2012-10-18T12:22:00.001-07:00

So close but yet so far away. The most anticipated documentary of the year "Michael Jackson:Bad 25" will be dropping on ABC Thanksgiving Day. With commentary and interviews from those who worked closely with the King during his most innovative Eras. The trailer was just released today.. lets just say my white ~~sparkly glove~~ is already out for this!

Michael Jackson's BAD: 25 Trailer

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

2012-10-17T08:00:00.001-07:00

I can't lie I am not the biggest fan of Taylor Swift. I can't really pin point it.. her voice gets on my nerves and I hate how she acts so damn surprised when she wins an award. LOL Enough of my ranting! I'm sure all of you have heard her new song ~~"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"~~. Travis Garland's cover however gives this song new life. Making it sound oh so sexy with a baby making feel to it! It baffles me as to why Travis Garland isn't as big as a name as he is. He started out in the early 2000's band NLT (with Glee's Kevin McHale). Travis also frequently works with another girl with soul JoJo. Not only is he a sweet vocalist but he is also easy on the eyes. *SWOON* His original EP FASHIONABLY LATE drops Oct 22 on TravisGarland.com

What version do you like better? Taylor's or Travis'? You know who has my vote!

Breaking up never sounded so sexy..! =)

The Real Life of Dana and Sara (Episode 3)

2012-10-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Your fave duo is back to give you the top entertainment news of the week of 9/30. Rihanna's diamonds, Kanye's sex tape, and much much more!!!

SHARE IT..... LOVE IT.. AND COMMENT IT!!!! Much love!

Like our Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRealLifeofDanaandSara

BMI Awards: Mariah Carey.

2012-09-10T15:50:00.002-07:00

Last Friday I had the absolute pleasure and honor of attending the BMI Urban Music Awards which honored Mariah Carey with a songwriter award. Many people don't know but not only can Mariah blow but she is an amazing songwriter and arranger. The show also included a tribute to Mariah that featured the likes of Eric Bennet, Joe, Jermaine Dupri, and Fantasia (She killed it with her "Hero" rendition!). I was on cloud 9 because I have been a ride or die Mariah fan since the beginning of time and to be so close to her and watch her speak was so unreal!

DanaDot Dressed to Impress ;)

The red carpet was also full with some stars! Check out below! All in all I had an amazing time and hope I can do it again soon!

Mariah and Randy Jackson

Mariah Carey posing her fierceness dahling

Eric Bennet.. I told him I loved Glitter!

Sophia Grace posed for my camera!

Hitboy

Ronnie and Sam (Jeresy Shore) yes they are STILL together

Kevin McCall sexy ass

Ray-J

Big Sean and Mac Miller

Stevie Jays rat ass (LHHA)

Marsha Ambrosius

Whitney and Elvis.

2012-08-22T21:28:00.003-07:00

Tha Dot Spot

Never Say Never.

Throwback Thursday: Flawless.

I'm Just Trying to Connect With Something Babe.

Dantana.

Brady Brunch.

Miss America.

Progress.

Naya.

Famous.

5'5'' Brown Eyes.

I Love It.

BGC 10 Rocky.

#Beautiful.

Black Don't Crack.

Andre.

Mirrors.

Alicia Keys at Staples.

Miguel Doin It LIVE.

JT 20/20 Experience Review.

I Beez In the Trap.

Fashionably Late Vol II.

Bad 25.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

The Real Life of Dana and Sara (Episode 3)

BMI Awards: Mariah Carey.

Whitney and Elvis.

xWhitney and Elvisx (1969)

xWhitney and Elvisx

(1969)