Music Lover's Lounge

Hip-Hop: Where Do We Go from Here?

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:18:00 +0000

With this ever-changing music industry, it is relatively hard to predict what the next big thing will be or what genre will dominate the airwaves next. I am an avid listener of both R&B and Hip-Hop and I have noticed a few changes over the past few years. My main concern is about the state of hip-hop and if it can be revived.

In the world of Hip-Hop, there has to be a healthy balance of “conscious rap” and “club rap” (however you would like to categorize them is up to you). A lot of the music dominating the airwaves are the sounds of the YMCMB clique (Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake) and other rappers, Future, Rocko, 2 Chainz, and Trinidad James just to name a few. I like to listen to all of these artists, but I am also concerned about the content the songs speak about—or the lack of.

Rap originated in the early 1970s in South Bronx and this was during a time where artists like Grandmaster Flash, Kurtis Blow, Afrikka Bambaataa, The Sugarhill Gang, and Run DMC spoke about simpler subjects and the lyrics actually told a story. Throughout the remainder of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, lyricists and rap groups such as Salt-n-Pepa, NWA, LL Cool J, UGK, Outkast, Jay-Z, and Snoop emerged and changed the more simple subjects of rap to more complex and controversial issues including drugs, crime, and sex. During the golden age of rap, artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, Brand Nubians, and De La Soul, used jazz influences as the backdrop for their Afrocentric and innovative rhyming styles.

Not to discredit their talents, I just believe there are things that rappers can rap about besides having money, women, cars, jewelry, and drugs. Newer artists like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Wale, Drake, B.o.B., and Lupe Fiasco give you accounts of their life through the lost art of storytelling.

How could hip-hop evolve from a time where we were respected as kings and queens and now every other word is B**** this and B**** that? Overall, I would really like to hear music that tells stories, not just random words put together over a nice beat. I am hopeful that the new wave of rappers will influence the others and serve as mentors to upcoming MCs to give a breath of fresh air to a stagnant and monotonous genre called hip-hop.

Justin Timerlake's 'The 20/20 Experience'

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:13:00 +0000

If you thought Justin Timberlake's career in music was a little blurry, he reassures you that his vision in the music industry is clear with his new album, The 20/20 Experience. A few days ago, Timberlake allowed listeners to preview the 10-tracked album on iTunes before it's to be released on March 19. Timberlake exercised the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and decided to work with a surefire team. The 20/20 Experience is an album produced by Timberlake himself, Timbaland, and J-Roc.

While appearing on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest," Timberlake explained how he came up with the name of the album. When asking friends what they thought about the album, his best friend answered, "This is music you can see." This in turn is what Justin interpreted as perfect vision. After listening to the album I am proud to say that..HE'S BAAACCCKK!!! All 10 tracks are excellent and I am going to provide you with my experience with each track:

Pusher Love Girl- This track has an excellent theatrical introduction and sets the tone for the rest of the album. With the soothing sounds of strings and blaring notes from the horns, JT's falsetto is the cherry on top of a wonderful opening act. The song speaks about the the "high" he gets when loving this particular woman (we can assume he's speaking about his new wife, Jessica Biel). The high he gets has him infatuated and wanting more, which is the same feeling I got when I heard this song!
Suit and Tie (f. Jay-Z)- The best comeback single! JT chose this track as the first single and it doesn't disappoint. This is an excellent track and makes me want to dress up and go dancing! I love this track so much that if Jay-Z wasn't on the song, I wouldn't care. Don't get me wrong, Jay-Z sounds nice on the song, but JT could have held this one on his own.
Don't Hold the Wall- One of my favorite tracks! In a weird way, the music reminds me of an updated and meshed version of Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" and Midnight Starr's "No Parking on the Dance floor." This song is a mid-tempo, sensual track and JT is basically telling this woman he sees from across the club that he is interested in having a good time and they would be good for each other. Instead of being strangers, they should dance.
Strawberry Bubblegum- Pure R&B and pop! JT talks about being intoxicated by a girl who caught his eye. Her original style and flavor was intriguing along with how she said, "hey, while smacking strawberry bubblegum.". This track is a nice track to ride to and it could definitely be released as another single.
Tunnel Vision- The first song whose title goes with the title of the album. The title of the song is self explanatory--"a crowded room anywhere a million people around all I see is you there, everything just disappears..." Despite being around other people, JT only has eyes for one. Another up-tempo track with Timbaland's beat boxing serves up another great hit!
Spaceship Coupe- Outer space love! Imagine Justin mixed with Bilal and D'Angelo...and this is what this song sounds like. This song makes me realize how much I miss old R&B. JT delivers sultry and soulful bars of music over more horns and strings. Justin leaves enough room for you to travel with him to outer space on his ride of love in his Spaceship Coupe. If you listen closely, in the background you can hear a trembling voice, heavy breathing, and what sounds like a woman screaming. This song is guaranteed to take you on an out of this world journey!
That Girl (f. The Tennessee Kids)- JT partners with The Tennessee Kids orchestra and tells the story of falling in love with a girl that is from another walk of life. People think they are crazy and weird for being together because they are not a perfect match, but JT and his lover are perfect for each other. Perfect song, with an excellent message!
Let the Groove Get In- An up-tempo Latin inspired track. Justin asks, "are you comfortable, let the groove get in,"--at this point of the album, he has given us everything we could have asked for and more for a comeback album. I am definitely comfortable and grooving.
Mirrors- JT's second single. This song speaks about Justin being in love and being with someone who completes him and is a spitting image--his mirror. JT's raspy voice and falsetto caresses the beat of the song and takes you back seven years ago to FutureSex/LoveSounds.
Blue Ocean Floor- A beautifully written and sang ballad! I haven't heard a track this beautifully constructed in a very long time. This song reminds me of the Titanic where Jack and Rose were in the ocean after the ship sank. The execution of this song is flawless and has an alluring message as well. The love that JT has found goes deeper than the ocean floor. With lyrics like, "Under the water you scream so loud/ but the silence surrounds you/ but I hear it loud/ and you fall in the deep and I'll always find you...just send your heartbeat I'll go/ to the blue ocean floor," reminds us that there is a love that extends beyond the depth of the ocean where you can't hear anything--the heartbeat from a heart full of love will always resound even in the quietest and tumultuous places.

The live stream of The 20/20 Experience is available on iTunes now.

Bonus Tracks (Target Edition)

Dress On- Seductively pleasing song! JT sings about wanting to have an impromptu wedding in a restaurant while his lover has on a dress that showcases her body. This song could be looked at as a mental proposal of what he would like to do to her with a certain "dress"--it could be a sundress, wedding dress...or both! Hmmm, nevertheless, it's a great song!
Body Count- This track has the same vibe and sound of "Like I Love You" from Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified. In this song, JT boasts about his body count, or the amount of women he has. I am not a huge fan of this song and I'm glad it's just a bonus track.

Out of the bonus tracks, Dress On is my favorite and this song alone is reason enough to get the deluxe edition. Listen to the album and tell me what you think!

Beyoncé at the Super Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 01:11:00 +0000

February 3^rd is quickly approaching and I cannot wait. Although my team did not make it to the Super Bowl (Falcons #Rise Up), my favorite entertainer in the entire world will be present at the New OrleansMercedes-Benz Superdome—Beyoncé! Pairing Beyoncé at the Super Bowl is the best thing since sliced bread. Beyoncé’ is no stranger to performing at a Super Bowl game, but this is her first halftime performance. Beyoncé’ sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XXVIII in her hometown of Houston, Texas.

National Anthem Scandal

There is so much I can say about the scandal surrounding Beyoncé and her alleged choice to lip-sync at the Presidential Inauguration. I do not understand what the big deal is, especially since we know the woman can actually blow. For those who are unaware of the recent news surrounding King Bey, it was stated that during the Inauguration, what looked like a flawless performance of the National Anthem was in fact, a pre-recorded track. It has been noted that several singers use backup tracks when performing live outdoors and especially during cold weather. Since the scandal has been reported and confirmed, Michelle Williams, Beyoncé’s Destiny’s Child band mate, came to her rescue.

Will Beyoncé Lip-Sync at the Super Bowl?

Will Beyoncé lip-sync at the Super Bowl? This is both an excellent and irrelevant question to ask. No one really knows the answer to this question, other than Beyoncé and her camp, but I have seen Beyoncé live and she is awesome, pre-recorded tracks and all. Given the success rate of other performers who have decided to perform live at the Super Bowl half-time show, I think it would be fitting for her to have a pre-recorded track.

I am so excited and I will admit, I am only watching the Super Bowl for Beyoncé and the reported reunion of Destiny’s Child. Below are a few pictures of rehearsal for the show.

Out of Sync: Where Is Justin Timberlake?

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:13:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year! I know it has been a while since I have written a post, but I promise it won’t be as long next time. So, I was listening to my iPod, on the way to work, when Justin Timberlake’s ‘Take it from Here’ started to play. That’s when I got inspiration for my blog post. I noticed I have been M.I.A. from you guys and Justin has been absent from us.

It has been seven years since the lead singer of N’Sync has released an album (Futuresex/Lovesounds was released in 2006). I am almost absolutely sure his fans are anticipating an album soon…I know I am! In between time, Justin has used his time wisely to venture into the ever-changing world of entertainment; He has found the time to create the William Rast clothing line, he has starred in several films, and he married his longtime girlfriend, Jessica Biel (unlucky me!).

Future Sex/ Love Sounds (which is one of my favorite albums, by the way) was one of the best albums that catered to anyone who has a great appreciation for music.

While anticipating a new release from Mr. Timberlake, he decided to wet our palettes with a teaser video, which leads me to believe that he has an album up his sleeves.

The video shows Timberlake walking through what looks like a nicely furnished bachelor pad while doing a voiceover. At the conclusion of the video, Justin is actually in a recording studio and as he is standing in the recording booth and he says two very exciting yet cryptic words—“I’m Ready.” Ready for what? I’m hoping the foreplay of words he graced us with is just a taste of what’s to come in the near future.

Go to www.justintimberlake.com on January 13 to hear his big announcement.

Thinking About Writing a Book?

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:08:00 +0000

While most of you know that my passion is music and entertainment, a lot of you do not know that I like to write as well. I have been told by several people that I should take my vivid dreams, eventful life, and inspiring thoughts of wisdom and put them on paper for others to enjoy.

I know you are probably wondering why I am talking about my love of writing on a blog about music and entertainment. The reason I wanted to address this is that there is a lot of money to be made in the world of literature—especially for musicians. They already have a musical following and writing a book could potentially open the door for musicians to reach reluctant readers and readers who would not normally read books from R&B and Hip-Hop artists.

If you are interested in publishing a fiction book, a children’s book, or interested in publishing any other genre, there are certain steps that you must conduct before shopping your book to different literary agents and publishers.

The first step is to make sure to complete your manuscript. There is no way to be able to secure a literary agent without providing them a point of reference. Trying to shop an unfinished manuscript is unprofessional and makes you, the author look unreliable. A key step in the publishing process is to refrain from sending unsolicited works. An unsolicited work is work sent without being referred from an agent or attorney. Most unsolicited works are not taken seriously and receive an “unaccepted” response.

Another step to take when trying to shop around for literary agents is to submit a query letter. A query letter is a letter sent to a literary agent (who specializes in the genre you write) asking for a chance for them to review your manuscript. The query letter could be compared to a resume’s cover letter—it gives the literary agent background information about the work you are trying to shop, information about yourself, and it requests a chance for you to submit a few chapters of your manuscript if they like what they read. If they are interested, you can look forward to meeting with them to have an interview and have them read a few pages, sections, or chapters of your book.

I hope that this blog post has been interesting and informative and good luck in finding the perfect literary agent!

The Weeknd is Finally Here!

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:16:00 +0000

People, who know me, know that I am a huge Weeknd fan. I have all of his mixtapes, that were on his website available for free download and I attended his concert in Atlanta, which was EXCELLENT! The Canadian singer of Ethiopian descent has recently inked a deal with Universal Republic Records to release a three- disk, 31- tracked album entitled, Trilogy. Trilogy is a re-release of Abel’s three mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, with three unreleased tracks.

‘Twenty Eight’ is the first unreleased track featured on disc one, which happens to be House of Balloons. This track flows perfectly with the rest of the melancholy and drug-laced tracks of the first mixtape. This track is about a woman The Weeknd found in the club and regretfully invited to his place. He falls for her and he wishes he had left her where he found her because she belongs to someone else. Although there aren’t any vocal surprises on this song, I give this song 4 out of 5 stars.

The second unreleased track, ‘Valerie’, is about the relationship he has with a woman who doesn’t trust him because of his infidelity. Instead of her leaving and being alone, she would rather pretend she trusts him and continue the relationship. Lyrics,

“There comes a time in a man’s life

He must take responsibility

For the choices he has made,
There are certain things that he must do

Things he must say

Like I love you…and nobody is going to know if it’s true,”

alerts the listener that Abel realizes he’s being mature about the situation, but he’s telling the woman he loves her—not something he necessarily means or believes, but something she wants to hear. I really like this song and I give this track 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The last new song on Trilogy, is the track entitled ‘Til Dawn (Here Comes the Sun).’ Unlike the song, ‘Valerie,’ where Abel talks about him cheating, ‘Til Dawn’ recounts moments of The Weeknd being the “other guy” and him being okay with it. This song gets 4.5 stars as well.

Even though I already own the three mixtapes, I had to buy this album because of the three added tracks and because it’s The Weeknd…everyone enjoys a three-disc/day weekend!

The Weeknd’s Trilogy was released on November 13, 2012.

Entertainment Law and How it Pertains to your Business

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:15:00 +0000

This week I had the pleasure of listening to three Entertainment Law podcasts by Entertainment Lawyers, Gordon Firemark and Tamera Bennett. As I listened to these podcasts, I noticed that most of the topics did not directly pertain to the type of business that I would like to start, but the laws are universal when dealing with matters of any entertainment business.

The first podcast I listened to was on 360 deals, rights of publicity, and more (Episode 29). The podcast featured stories about the different types of 360 record deals, digital sales of music versus physical music sales, and several other topics. The topic that really stood out to me was the case involving copyright termination.

Roger Miller was a singer/songwriter in the 60’s. He passed away in 1992 and his family sued Sony over ownership and royalties for his songs. The songs he wrote were released in 1964 because of the first 28 years of copyright. After 28 years, the copyright needed to be renewed and Roger Miller made sure he completed his trademark renewal before it lapsed. The twist in this story is that Miller passed away the last year of the copyright. In order for heirs to get ownership, the author of the copyright must live past the 28^th year of copyright. Higher courts ruled that Sony would possess his music, but the lower courts ruled that the family owned the rights of his music.

Although this pertains to copyrights with music royalties, my company also has copyrights to protect. I will have a company blog and songs available for song selection and if I allow the copyright to lapse, I run the risk of someone claiming the ownership of my music and domain name of my blog.

The second podcast I listened to focused on trademarks. Episode 33 entitled Cease and Desist, but nicely mentions a lawsuit between Eastland Music Group and Mandate Pictures. Eastland Music Group accused Mandate Pictures of trademark infringement. Eastland Music Group has been using the name Phifty50 since 2000 and believed that the movie “50/50” infringed on the trademark of their music company.

They were afraid that Mandate Pictures and Lionsgate Films would tarnish their reputation, goodwill, and would cause consumer confusion. The judge watched the movie about a 27-year-old diagnosed with cancer, and ruled that there was no way the movie would cause consumer confusion for Eastland Music Group’s usage of Phifty50 for business purposes.

The topic of trademarks and trademark infringement pertains to my business because it is a form of intellectual property (IP) I would like to protect. Registering my trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will help protect me from the possibility of trademark infringement and dilution.

The last podcast I listened to was entitled Publicity, Politicians, Godfathers, and more (Episode 34). In this podcast, there was an issue of defamation and a lawsuit filed by Steve Wynn against Joe Francis. Joe Francis had incurred a debt at one of Wynn’s Las Vegas Casinos. When Wynn sued Francis to collect the debt, he began receiving threats in and out of court along the lines of “being found in a hole in the desert.” Wynn sued for defamation and was awarded $40 million, which included punitive damages as well.

Defamation does not directly affect my business, but there is a possibility it could happen. Defamation could come from competition or jilted employees. To protect myself and my company from defamation, I could write a clause in my contract that outlines the possible punishment and repercussions if defamation was ever an issue.

I found the podcasts very beneficial to the creation of my company and I hope you found it informative as well. If you did not learn anything from the podcasts I mentioned above, I want you to remember to protect your intellectual property. Once your IP is gone, you may not get the chance to get it back.

Legal Matters in Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 23:59:00 +0000

This month I decided to write a post about law and how it affects the entertainment industry. Below I have reviewed recent legal cases and I have given my opinion on them as well. The first case I reviewed is a case involving the late King of Pop and issues surrounding the ‘Thriller’ video. The second case involves the release of song lyrics through unauthorized websites and the last case involves the band No Doubt and Activision, the makers of the game Band Hero.

Case 1: Michael Jackson Estate Settles Dispute with ‘Thriller’ Director John Landis

Just in time for Halloween, I decided to dissect the case involving Michael Jackson’s estate and director John Landis. Michael Jackson’s estate has finally reached a deal regarding the 1983 music video for “Thriller.” In 2009, Michael Jackson and his company were sued by John Landis and producer George Folsey Jr. for a $2.3 million debt for creating the music video for “Thriller.” There was also an adaptation of “Thriller” for musical theater that the three parties agreed on, but before the production was made, Michael Jackson passed away in June of the same year. The Nederlander Organization sued the estate because there was a breach of contract. Instead of following through with a musical production, Jackson’s estate gave Cirque de Soleil permission to create a production called Immortal, using Michael Jackson’s repertoire. Eventually both parties reached an agreement, which is listed as confidential.

I was a HUGE Michael Jackson fan, so I was very excited to read and dissect this case. I commend estate executors, John Branca and John McClain for making sure that debts were paid off. Since Michael Jackson’s death, the estate has paid off $500 million in debts. I was actually shocked that the parties came to an agreement, especially since the estate gave Cirque du Soleil the okay to create a production based on his music. This case has been a standout case to me especially when dealing with estates that are unwilling to pay their debts. This case ended with an amicable agreement between all three parties. Kudos!

Case 2: Music Publishers Win $6.6 Million in Song Lyrics Copyright Case

In this case involving song lyrics, music publishers won a $6.6 million lawsuit in a copyright infringement case against LiveUniverse, who also owns completalbumlyrics.com, lyricsandsongs.com, and lyricsdownload.com. LiveUniverse’s websites were found guilty of releasing lyrics to 528 songs from artists such as Ray Charles and Van Morrison. LiveUniverse’s founder, Brad Greenspan went to court and was given a preliminary injunction on the websites. On the other hand, the music publishers asked the judge for ownership of the lyrics websites and they won.

This case is a very important case because it relays the message that illegal lyrics websites will have a hard time winning a case involving the unlawful use of posting music lyrics. I believe the music publishers were right to sue Brad Greenspan, but I also think they should have been awarded more than $12,500 per song, but less than what they initially wanted--$100,000 per song.

Case 3: No Doubt, Activision Settle Lawsuit Over Avatars in ‘Band Hero’

In this case, Gwen Stefani and No Doubt finally settle a three-year old lawsuit against Activision—makers of the game, Band Hero. No Doubt entered an agreement with Activision agreeing that Band Hero could use their likeness in the video game. Activision not only used their likeness but they also went against what was agreed. Activision featured the band playing songs they had never played before and even went as far as having Gwen Stefani singing in a man’s voice, the Rolling Stone’s “Honky Tonk Woman.” After the lawsuit was filed, Activision claimed that they did not breach the contract because they exercised their First Amendment rights. The California court sided with the band because the video game company was wrong to depict the band as doing things the band wouldn’t normally do. On October 3, 2012, they settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

This case doesn’t necessarily affect the music industry per se, but it does involve musicians. I did not agree with Band Hero having Gwen Stefani singing a Rolling Stone’s song about “having sex with prostitutes,” but I do agree that video games should be able to use the likelihood of musicians in a tasteful manner that would typically depict what the artist would do on stage.

What Child is This: Childish Gambino

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 01:06:00 +0000

So, I was doing my homework watching the 2012 BET Awards and a rap cypher came on. For those who aren’t familiar with that term, a rap cypher is basically a group of rappers taking turns supposedly “freestyling” over a continuous beat. In the cypher featuring Angel Haze, Joey Bada$$, Driicky Graham, Childish Gambino, and A$AP Rocky, there was one artist that stood out to me the most. His name is Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover. If the name Donald Glover sounds familiar, it is probably because you have seen him or know of some of his work.

Hailing from Stone Mountain, Georgia, Glover did not get his claim to fame as a rapper. Glover attended DeKalb School of the Arts and graduated from New York University with a degree in Dramatic Writing. In 2005, Glover was a writer for The Daily Show and from 2008 to 2009, wrote for the NBC hit series, 30 Rock, where he was awarded the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Series. Glover can currently be seen on the NBC show, Community as Troy, the ex-football star. When asked about his music career, Glover stated, “I knew that…people would find out I’m a comedian before they know I do music, but I’ve been doing music long before any of that.”

Then we meet Childish Gambino…

I find Childish Gambino an interesting person with a very interesting name. You’ll never guess how he received the name—through an online Wu-Tang Clan name generator. Pretty neat, huh? I checked my name in two Wu-Tang name generators and was given the names Grand Moff Puppeteer and Zexy Swami. I think I like the second one better, but I digress. Since stepping on the music scene, Gambino has had seven releases—four albums, two mixtapes, and an EP. So, what’s the difference between Childish Gambino and Donald Glover? Absolutely nothing. Gambino, or should I say Glover, uses his comedic writing skills and uses them in his lyrics as well. Lines like, “he on BET and he got white people problems like…whole foods doesn’t have the juice I like so I have to go to, you know…Trader Joes and have it shipped to me” are plays on his “black boy raised white boy” persona.

CAMP, Gambino’s first studio album was released November 2011 and premiered at #2 on iTunes. Gambino purposely delivered an album that was not your typical, in the streets, flaunting money, jewelry, and women, type album. He describes this album as a “partial race thing- like, ‘black people don’t camp.’ Going to camp is also when you experience real life away from your parents…plus I wanted to deal with the ‘if you’re not black enough, you’re gay’ thing.” CAMP is an excellent album that leaves listeners wanting more. I am officially a fan of Childish Gambino or Donald Glover—whatever you choose to call him.

Childish Gambino’s latest mixtape, Royalty, was released July 4.

To Be or Not to Be: The Importance of A Musician's Image

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 01:31:00 +0000

I was compelled to write this post after reading based on a certain R&B musician featured on MTV’s latest installment of ‘Love and Hip Hop’. There is a musician named K. Michelle who was on the show and wanted to be taken seriously in the music industry. She is beautiful, she writes music, and she has a beautiful voice, but she is missing two important things that could possibly give her mainstream success—a new attitude and the one thing I’ll address in my blog—her image.

Artists must understand that an image that does not relate to your music is one of the top 10 mistakes that can make or break anyone in the music industry, especially if you do not create an image that you can truly live by. The beauty of being an artist is that you can create a unique and engaging image that solely defines you. For example, Beyoncé is very poised and shy and her music and interviews reflect that. On the other hand, her former alter ego, Sasha Fierce is more on the wild side and was the person you would see when she performed on stage.

In Frascogna, Jr. and Hetherington’s book, ‘This Business of Artist Management’ (TBAM), they discuss the importance of a musicians image from a managers point of view, but I am going to explain how a few of them applies to musicians.

Number One: What is your intent? You must decide what you want your image to portray. Your image must tell us who you are as a person, but also be reflective of your music style.

Number Two: Are you creating an image or following a trend? You want to create an image that could be considered traditional or classic. In other words, as trends come and go, you want to make sure that the image you create will withstand industry trends—remain original while still incorporating your own style.

Number Three: What is your existing image? Do you already have an image? What is your existing imaging saying to the public? Are you trying to change your image to depict a new you? Make sure you incorporate flexibility while trying to create an image; it will make for an easier transition and will not turn off fans.

Going back to the original story, if K. Michelle incorporated these three points listed in ‘TBAM’ I think she would be an artist that a manager would not mind representing. Incorporating these three things along with other factors listed in TBAM would be a great investment in your musical career!

Artist Development: Investing In Your Craft

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:27:00 +0000

I really felt the need to speak about investments. Investments are things we believe will give us a large return in the end; things we believe we can more than double our money with if we make the right choices. Don’t worry, this post is not to clutter your minds with numbers and concepts, but to give my opinion on very important investment musicians should consider.

When advancing in life, there are always investments involved—if you would like to have a good paying job, it is wise to invest in college. If you want to increase your stream of revenue, you could invest in stocks; if you would like to become a great musician, you also have to make an investment—you must invest in YOURSELF!

The investment that I am talking about is artist development. Artist development is the stepping-stone for creating a successful musician/ group. Artist development includes image consulting, song writing, interviewing skills, song selection, and vocal coaching, just to name a few. In order to be a marketable and attractive artist to a major record label, they would like to see what you have invested in yourself before they decide to dish out any money or time. Record labels want to see that you have a fan base; you should create YouTube videos and compete in talent shows and open mic competitions.

Most people would like to skip the artist development stage, but artist development is the foundation to a house of potential wealth and fame. Without a strong foundation, the house would crumble. Aside from having a vision for what you would like to accomplish with your music career, record companies would like to know if you would actually be an asset or a liability to them—in other words, would you bring value to the label or just be dead weight.

I told you I wouldn’t muddle your brains with financial concepts or numbers, but I do want you to remember: In order to be a successful musician, you must invest in artist development so you can be an asset instead of a liability.

What do you think?

Atlanta Frank Ocean Concert Review: Tuning In to Channel Orange

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Sorry for the delay, but as I promised, I am writing to give you the review for the July 22, Frank Ocean concert in Atlanta, GA.

8:21 pm Center Stage Atlanta, GA

The line is wrapped around the building with people from all walks of life waiting to see Frank Ocean—there were “hipsters”, the funky and flashy, the live and laid back, and those hoping to hear more about the latest "coming out" news surrounding the Channel Orange crooner. Upon entering Atlanta’s, Center Stage, there was a DJ playing the hottest tracks on the radio and people dancing (you know there’s always one person dancing like their life depends on it J). As me and my college roommate sat waiting for the concert to begin, we started going through our predetermined playlist we hoped he would perform. Before we knew it, the lights dimmed.

9:30 pm

Every emotion that evokes excitement could be felt in the small, intimate venue. Frank came on stage and opened with Prince’s, “When You Were Mine” followed by his most famous song, “Novacane,” “Thinking About You,” and others. The overly excited and engaging crowd was great, Frank Ocean was genius, and the live band was the cherry on top. I believe Frank Ocean is one of the most talented songwriters of today’s time and apparently the hundreds of people that were at the concert thought so too.

My favorite songs performed were “Novacane,” “Super RichKids,” “Sweet Life,” and undoubtedly, “Pyramids.” I think it is safe to say that everyone was hoping he would do “Pink Matter” (hey…he was in Atlanta, home of 3 Stacks. It would’ve been perfect! But I digress). The show was nothing short of brilliant and spectacular. He closed the show with an awkwardly placed cover of a song he wrote for Beyonce, “I Miss U.”

11:40 pm

My throat is sore from screaming, but I don't care. The crowd piles into the lobby and I walk away happily unsatisfied, but all in all I really enjoyed the show and the atmosphere. Even though he didn’t do my favorite songs, “Sierra Leone” and “Pink Matter”, this is a concert I will never forget!

Emmanuel Jal: Songs of Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 01:39:00 +0000

My first few blog posts were about concerts and musicians I enjoy. This post, like my last, is about the contributions and inspiration music adds to the world outside of typical beats and vocals.

Emmatnuel Jal is a musician, activist, and a child of war. Emmanuel Jal had the opportunity to speak at a TED event and inspired the audience by telling his painful story of being a child of war to a man of purpose and how music helped him through painful times in his life.

Jal grew up in Africa, in the region of Darfur, Sudan—during a time of violence and war. At a very young age he witnessed rape, killings, separation from family, and even contemplated eating a friend. Jal became a child soldier and was trained to “kill as many Muslims…and Arabs, as possible.” After realizing that it wasn’t the religion he hated but the organized regime that was using religion against his people, he decided to forgive the people he once considered enemies. In his poem “Forced to Sin,” he recounts going through a journey with 400 people and being one of 16 to survive.

His heartfelt story helped me develop a deeper understanding for him and the others that withstood the horrid conditions of a war-torn Africa. Despite all Emmanuel went through, he still finds time to help others in need. He believes that education is what will help others in Africa escape mental slavery and restore the land he calls home. His campaign Lose to Win, is an effort to help build a school in Sudan. Like the people in his village in Africa that eats once a day, he chose to eat one meal as well. He only eats dinner and donates his breakfast and lunch to a charity he founded. The day he eats breakfast is the day he has raised enough money to build the school.

I agree that music can be therapeutic and the only therapy that helps Jal deal with his past is music. In the words of Emmanuel Jal, “Music is the only thing that has the power to ever your cell system, your mind, your heart, influence your soul and your spirit, and can even influence the way you live without even you knowing.”

I agree one hundred percent. What are your thoughts?

The National Music Publishers' Association's Importance to the Music Industry...and School?

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 05:29:00 +0000

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) is a trade organization catered to music publishers in the United States. The goal of the NMPA is to serve as a supporter for the legal rights of publishers and songwriters. With over 2500 members, the NMPA is the largest music publishing trade association in the United States. The NMPA’s mission is to continue to create a creative platform for music publishers and songwriters by protecting the copyrights of musician’s creative works.

The NMPA is one of many associations involved in advocacy programs that fight to educate and protect the creative property of musicians along with fostering the importance of music in everyday life. One of the groups that the NMPA uses to influence the music industry is the Give the Gift of Music program. The Give the Gift of Music program is comprised of musicians, trade organizations, record labels, and retailers who believe that when all else fails, music makes great gifts.

Under the Give the Gift of Music program initiative, there are several programs geared toward educating and uplifting individuals who are in need. The most popular initiative under the Give the Gift of Music program is vh1’s Save the Music Foundation. The Save the Music Foundation is a foundation aimed at recognizing and restoring the importance of music education in public elementary and middle schools.

Implementing the importance of music in school curriculum is beneficial to the academics and development of elementary and middle school children. It gives children an outlet to express themselves and it has a positive effect on their learning skills. The introduction of music at an early age could very well produce the next music icon, music publisher, producer, or songwriter.

I was fortunate to have a music program in my school and I would like to credit my love and passion for music and academic success to the early introduction of playing in the elementary school band. I think it is very important to give back to the community and trade associations, such as NMPA's, affiliation with the Gift of Music program is something that should continuously be implemented throughout the music industry. I am already a Facebook fan of Save the Music and I plan to do more to support this program and network with like-minded people. I encourage you to like the page if you are an advocate of having instrumental music programs in public schools.

Frank Ocean Introduces "Pyramids" and North American tour

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 02:39:00 +0000

Frank Ocean, born Christopher Francis Breaux, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a very talented 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and rapper. If his name does not sound familiar, maybe some of the people he has worked with ring a bell. He has written music for John Legend, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé (“I Miss You”, on her 4 album), and he is featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s, “No Church in the Wild.”

In 2011, Frank Ocean, released his stellar debut mix tape, Nostalgia, Ultra. From the mix tape, Ocean released “Novacane”—the hit single laced with sex and drugs, and “Swim Good”—a song about heartbreak and finally getting over a love lost.

Aside from the mix tapes, the mastermind behind Nostalgia, Ultra, has announced the title of his new debut album and American tour, slated to start July. Channel Orange is scheduled for release on July 17, and has already gained attention from its single, “Pyramids.”

“Pyramids,” has the sound and feeling of an ‘80s R&B song and slowly advances to a bass-laden modern day track. Frank is able to lyrically capture audiences with his artistic wordplay and metaphorical stories. The 10-minute song tells the historical story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, and tells the story of a prostitute/ stripper named Cleopatra, who works at the strip club, the Pyramid. The first half of the song tells the story of Queen Cleopatra and her lover running to escape their fate, while the second half of the song tells of Cleopatra and her suitor going through an exodus to the future, where she is portrayed as a prostitute/ stripper and her lover as being a pimp. Musical transitions in the song mark the transitions of stories from the past to the present and showcases the musical tastes of the past into the present.

I really like this song and consider Frank Ocean a lyrical genius. I have already bought my ticket to the Channel Orange tour in Atlanta and can’t wait to go. Stay tuned next month for my review of the concert.

After listening to “Pyramids”, do you think you will tune into Channel Orange this summer?

The Atlanta Jazz Festival and Featured Artist: Robert Glasper Experiment

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Thu, 31 May 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Aside from taking time to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, my Memorial Day weekend was rather eventful. I attended the 35th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park and had the pleasure of hearing featured artist, the Robert Glasper Experiment.

Noted as one of the country’s largest free music festivals, the Atlanta Jazz Festival is a three-day event spanned over the Memorial Day weekend that features established and up-and-coming jazz musicians. Musical acts that graced the stage included flutist, Dwight Andrews, Tito Puente Jr. and Orchestra, and Kathleen Bertrand.

The standout performance of the night was the Robert Glasper Experiment. With a musical sound infused with jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and rock, the Robert Glasper Experiment did not disappoint. During the four man group’s performance, they covered popular songs “Cherish the Day” by Sade’, Musiq Soulchild’s “Don’t Change”, and Floetry’s “Say Yes” before performing singles from their latest project, Black
Radio.

Jazz pianist, Robert Glasper has worked with some of the best in the world of R&B and hip-hop. He has worked with Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, and Bilal and yasiin bey (Mos Def), as musical director. He was also featured on Kanye West’s Late Registration, Q-Tip’s The Renaissance, and in 2009, toured exclusively on Maxwell’s BLACKsummers’night tour.

With four albums under his belt, Robert Glasper released the first full-length album with his Experiment band in February. The album, entitled, Black Radio, was named and inspired by an aircraft’s black box—it holds the truth and is indestructible. The cover of Sade’s “Cherish the Day” featuring Lalah Hathaway leave listeners wanting more from the sultry-voiced songstress and tracks featuring Me’Shell Ndegeocello and Ledisi exhibits how well the Experiment meshes R&B and jazz together. If you are looking for an album to satisfy both R&B and jazz needs, Black Radio is a mélange of jazz and R&B sure to satisfy the music lover’s palate.

Coachella and the Use of Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (eRiKa) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:06:00 +0000

While everyone is still buzzing about the Tupac hologram feature at this year's Coachella music festival, I am intrigued with the way they have included social media as a large part of the festival. Unfortunately, I could not attend the festival but I noticed a lot of buzz about it via social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter.

Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Instagram made it easy for concert promoters to promote the festival and made it easy and fun for concert attendees to chronicle their adventures.

One of the ways social media networks were used to connect fans to the festival was through Facebook. With over 30,000 attendees, Coachella used technology that allowed concertgoers the chance to automatically update their Facebook status at several checkpoints with where they were and what they were doing. Coachella attendees were given wristbands that were implanted with radio-frequency identification or RFID. RFID uses electromagnetic fields to transmit data from one object to another—mainly used for tracking and automatic identification. The Coachella music festival already has a large following, but due to the launch of the wristbands, its online audience was increased tremendously.

The annual music and arts festival allowed concertgoers to create a phone app that customized their concert schedule as well as create memorabilia they could tag to sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Festival attendees also used social media sites Foursquare, GroupMe, Tumblr, You Tube and Pinterest to access information and share their experiences to friends near and far.

Social media has allowed people a chance to go places they have never been before, see things they could never imagine, and hear things from around the world. I can only imagine how much the live performance industry will change in the future.

What are your thoughts?