Archive » Video SoulBounce

This page contains 687 entries posted under the "Video SoulBounce" category.

Friday November 06

Why We'll Never Get 'Over' The Roots

 

Clearly, we love The Roots here at SBHQ. And really, what's not to love? The band is legendary, they've worked with everyone (did you know that ?uestlove is producing John Legend's next album? You would if you were on Twitter),...

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Friday November 06

Reminder: Janelle Monáe Can Sing. Well.

 

Though getting new material from Janelle Monáe is wholly satisfying when it happens, it isn't happening very often. Fortunately, Cindy Mayweather stays on her performance hustle. In this great video, Monáe sings her beautiful rendition of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." There...

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Thursday November 05

Black Dynamite Gets Orchestral In 'The Midnight Hour'

 

Whether I'm getting older and just unable to stay up past midnight is not the point. The point ultimately is that I missed a performance by the Black Dynamite Orchestra the last time they performed here in LA. Luckily, I...

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Wednesday November 04

We're Still 'Lovin'' Shanice

 

Remember back in 1991, when Shanice released her second album, Inner Child? Although it seems so long ago, I guarantee you remember your favorite cuts. Mine were "I Love Your Smile" ("Blow, Branford. Blow!") and of course, her remake of...

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Tuesday November 03

Chrisette Michele's New Video Is 'Fragile' At Best

 

The camera loves Chrisette Michele. Every time you see her on screen, she looks incredible, regardless of the hairdo of the moment. Her eyes radiate, her smile glistens and her facial expressions tell a story. Love it. There, I said...

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Saturday October 31

World Premiere: Ayah's 'In My Lifetime'

 

It's been a minute since we've heard from our girl Ayah, but our cousin from Canada has been steady on her grind and now we get a glimpse of what she's been up to with the world premiere of the...

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Friday October 30

Jay-Z & Alicia Keys 'State' The Obvious In New 'Empire' Video

 

After almost exactly two months of continuous hype, and after seeing them perform the song everywhere, the official video for the Jay-Z/Alicia Keys anthem to the greatest city in the world (so biased, it hurts), "Empire State of Mind," is...

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Thursday October 29

Ne-Yo's 'Never Knew' Is A Theme Fit For A 'Princess'

 

Not only will the upcoming Disney film The Princess and the Frog feature their first lead character of color, but the soundtrack theme--entitled "Never Knew I Needed"--will be sung by an African-American, none other than Ne-Yo. The video for the...

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Thursday October 29

Snoop Dogg Spreads 'Gangsta Luv' With His New Video

 

The West-Coast Hip Hop veteran, Snoop Dogg, is back on the scene with a new single and an outrageous video. "Gangsta Luv" features Snoop in the back of his Cadillac, being chauffeured by The-Dream as they sing the hook. While...

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Thursday October 29

Taking The Leap From Stage To Screen On A Wing And A 'Mother's Prayer'

 

African-American playwright, Alvin Moore Jr., is taking his hit production off the stage and into your DVD player. A Mother's Prayer takes you on an emotional, spirit-filled journey of estranged family members brought together by a mother's dying wish. The...

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Wednesday October 28

BET, Nike Present A Cypher For The Ages

 

The next time MTV, or VIBE, or any other institution with capital letters or acronyms for names decides to make a list of the best MCs in the rap game, they should be forced to watch the cyphers that BET...

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Tuesday October 27

Sy Smith Glows In 'The Art Of You'

 

There's something so romantic lovely about Sy Smith's new video for "The Art of You." Shot with an 8mm camera, the video has a wonderful, warm patina and is utterly nostalgic. Smith sings straight into the camera in various sun-drenched...

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Tuesday October 27

Melanie Fiona Takes 'The Bridge' Home

 

A few weeks ago, we were all intrigued when Melanie Fiona's camp released video footage of her performing songs from her debut album The Bridge alongside NYC street artists. It was a welcome bit of promotion and a stirring showcase...

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Monday October 26

Get Your 'Heels' Knocked Off, Now With Visual Aids

 

If there is ever a term that I have come to loathe, besides "swagger," it's "grown and sexy." It's not that I'm trying to be a hypocrite because I've used it when appropriate, though sparingly, when necessary. It's just that...

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Thursday October 22

Raheem DeVaughn And Ludacris Fire Shots At Social Issues With 'Bulletproof'

 

High-tech graphics meet revolutionary soul in this new video from Raheem DeVaughn featuring Ludacris. "Bulletproof" speaks to our social woes in a haunting, Marvin Gaye-esque delivery from the DC-based soul singer. Raheem heightens our awareness with politically-charged lyrics while maneuvering through...

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Wednesday October 21

Raphael Saadiq Let's 'The Sunshine In' Brussels

 

Those who know me know that it's the rare week that you don't find me at someone's concert getting the fuel that I need to keep me going through this thing called life. Yes, it's that serious. There is just...

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Tuesday October 20

Quiet Bounce: Is 'Something In Your Eyes' Or Are You Just Happy To See Us?

 

Some of you may remember last week when we posted H-Town and all four members of Jodeci's newest song whereby they attempt to convince anyone within earshot of how well they plan to "knock your heels off." It was awfully...

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Tuesday October 20

John Mayer's 'Stoned' & I'm Confused

 

I know that alot of our commentary on SoulBounce is filled with snark, the place where hateration and witticism meet. I am writing this post, however, out of a sincere need to understand something I have grappled with for some...

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Monday October 19

When Making A Video Goes Wrong: Alicia Keys' 'Doesn't Mean Anything'

 

Alicia Keys' new video for "Doesn't Mean Anything" premiered this morning on Perez Hilton's gag-worthy website, and it should have been renamed "Doesn't Make Any Sense." It started off with promise, as Alicia looked out over the cold, hard city...

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Monday October 19

Bonobo And Andreya Triana Are 'Keepers'

 

After making its appearance online a while ago, the video for Bonobo's "The Keeper" is the perfect compliment to the recently released single from his forthcoming album. It's a wonderful downtempo track with a seductive richness that's amplified by its...

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Friday October 16

Slakah's Sneak Peek

 

Toronto-based producer, Slakah the Beatchild, made a huge splash in the music world with his critically acclaimed Soul Movement vol. 1. His collaborations with artists like Drake, Ayah and Ebrahim gave us a glimpse of his musical prowess and he's...

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Friday October 16

Johnny Popcorn Is Onto The 'Next' One

 

I'm not going to sit here and say that I love everything that Johnny Popcorn, the Rock-inspired soulful duo consisting of the usually rhyming Hezekiah and Tone Whitfield. But I will say that I love puppets. And I can most...

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Friday October 16

Jesse Boykins III Wants You To 'Shine'

 

This is a cute video for a great song. Inspired by Spike Lee movies and Brooklyn, the video for Jesse Boykins III's "Shine" does have a decidedly New York feel to it. Stoops, hoops and storefronts abound as he sings...

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Thursday October 15

Melanie Fiona's 'Subway Series' Is A Breath Of Fresh (NYC) Air

 

Impossible as this may be to believe, my love for Melanie Fiona grows by the day. Never have I seen an artist do as much creative promotion for a project as she has for The Bridge, which will be officially...

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Wednesday October 14

We're Still 'Loving' Alice Russell

 

Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me smile more than live music. Not sure if it's the drums, the horns, the vocals or a combination of them all, but from the minute I enter a venue and the music is...

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Monday October 12

Break Out Your Butterfly Collars, The '70s Are Back

 

My most sincere apologies, but please allow me to be frank for one moment. Black people, I love y'all, but sometimes y'all get on my nerves. That's because we're family, even though I don't want to claim Soulja Boy, Tyler...

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Friday October 09

Jody Watley's Much Needed 'Makeover' Coming Soon

 

I don't know about you, but ever since watching the Unsung episode featuring Shalimar, I have been jonesing for some Jody Watley. All you young'uns reading this may be just as surprised to learn just how large Jody's star shone...

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Friday October 09

Alicia Keys Has Been Busy With New Album, Jewelry Line And Website

 

In this video Alicia Keys pretty much dares any one who posts it on a blog to say something bad about her. And no one could possibly knock her hustle. She's launching a website in the coming months that will...

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Thursday October 08

People Under The Stairs 'Hit' The Mark Once Again

 

I love, love, love, love Los Angeles' People Under The Stairs. Outside of De La Soul, the duo of Thes One and  Double K are one of the most consistent Hip Hop acts I have ever heard. And when I say...

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Wednesday October 07

LAH! & RAH! Are Back...To Back!

 

Previously, on The LAH! & RAH! Show...If you've ever said to yourself that you like a certain artist so much, they could damn near read the phone book and you'd be thoroughly entertained, this might be the show for you....

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Tuesday October 06

'Wanna Know' How Great The New Foreign Exchange Video Is?

 

It can be tough dating a musician. Add success into the equation and dating an artist can be a downright harrowing experience. I sometimes wonder, while watching my favorite artist perform, how their better half deals with the time apart,...

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Tuesday October 06

Mae Day Wants To 'Give It All' To You

 

When we selected Detroit rapstress Mae Day as a Bounce-Worthy artist last October, we hope that you all took note. In the year since that point, she has gone on to release the phenomenal Sade-inspired mixtape Cherish the Day, which...

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Tuesday October 06

Kel Spencer Wants To Keep You Warm With His 'Uggs'

 

There's all kinds of win going on for this video by Kel Spencer featuring Jesse Boykins III because, well, Jesse Boykins III is in it. The song "Uggs To Hugs"  features a sweet yet humorous take on those atrocious Ugg...

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Tuesday October 06

With Joy Jones, 'Over' Is Just The Beginning

 

Look into the eyes of Joy Jones and you will discover an undeniable allure hedged in statuesque confidence. Her new album, Godchild, emits a transparent innocence full of soul and funk undertones. Her latest single, "Over," is lyrical substance wrapped...

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Tuesday October 06

'Life Is Better' With Q-Tip And Norah Jones

 

The aesthetic in the new video for Q-Tip's "Life Is Better" is undeniably sweet. It's all halftone and DIY with splashes of color and quirky elements like a running horse and flocks of birds. And Norah Jones. Who, by the...

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Monday October 05

I'm Not Supposed To Like Lady Gaga, Right?

 

I will freely admit that I have tried to get into this Lady Gaga person for some time. Whenever there's a new Pop phenomenon, I will always give it a chance. Up until now, I never saw anything from her...

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Monday October 05

BeBe & CeCe Are Back, 'Still' Looking Great

 

Back in the late 80s/early 90s, the brother and sister combo of BeBe and CeCe Winans remained in heavy rotation on my CD player. Their albums, Heaven and Different Lifestyles, gave me everything I needed with their powerful messages and...

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Friday October 02

Chali 2na & Beenie Man Take Us On An 'International' Trip

 

I have been succumbing to a rash of irritation lately, and it's been manifesting itself in my desire to go somewhere, anywhere, as quickly as possible. Given that my beloved Jamaican isle is no longer able to be flown to...

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Thursday October 01

Saadiq Pulls Some Strings For 'All Songs Considered'

 

I'm absolutely in awe of Raphael Saadiq. More than a year after releasing The Way I See It, the brother remains on his promotional grind. Back in the States after a rigorous road trip, Saadiq stopped by the NPR show...

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Thursday October 01

Where Is Everyone From Biggie's 'One More Chance' Video Now?

 

The temperature is cooling, leaves are falling and the morning air has become extra crispy. Without warning, autumn has slipped in right under our noses and makes us wonder: Where did the summer go? The heat can be uncomfortable,...

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Thursday October 01

Shuanise Has 'Baggage For Sale'

 

OK, technically this qualifies as a music video. "Baggage for Sale" does present music in a video format. Hyper-literariness aside, this offering from London-based singer Shuanise's Voice of Reason (due to release this month) has a decent blend of break-beats, jazzy...

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Wednesday September 30

The Roots' Video For 'How I Got Over' Takes It To The Streets

 

It seems The Roots chose for the minimalist approach with their video for "How I Got Over," the first single from their project that, at latest count, is due in stores next February. The clip shows a wheelchair-bound young man,...

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Wednesday September 30

Is Jennifer Hudson's Classic Cover 'Over' And Above?

 

In addition to Bilal doing justice to "Home" during last night's The Wizard of Oz celebration in Central Park, Academy and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson showed up and showed out with her rendition of "Over The Rainbow," and thankfully,...

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Wednesday September 30

'Changes' We Can Believe In From Ledisi

 

When Grammy-nominated songstress, Ledisi, dropped her Turn Me Loose album last month, the Soul music community rejoiced. The first single, "Goin Thru Changes," tackles the difficulty of being torn between two lovers from a woman's perspective. The video captures the...

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Tuesday September 29

A Little Angela Johnson Makes Everything 'Better'

 

There's nothing I hate worse than being tardy for the party, so I'll take this late pass and keep it moving because there's no way that I could not post this newish track from Angela Johnson from her upcoming...

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Tuesday September 29

The Pros And Consequence

 

Dexter Mills, Jr. aka Consequence has been a blip on the Hip Hop radar since 1993. His latest single, "Whatever You Want," reaffirms that it ain't trickin' if you got it, and he's ready to splurge if you give him...

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Tuesday September 29

Do We 'Love' Amerie's New Album Cover?

 

So we finally get to feast our eyes on Amerie's new album cover for In Love & War. Amerie looks fabutastic as per usual, but should we be concerned that the art direction looks like a gaudy t-shirt design?...

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Monday September 28

Zo! Loves The Kids

 

When Zo! isn't touring the country as part of The Foreign Exchange or recording new songs for his upcoming album, Sunstorm, he teaches music to inner-city teens in the DC-area. And while most adolescents hone their skills resurrecting the work...

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Friday September 25

Melanie Fiona 'Kills' In Her Latest Video

 

I love music videos that aren't what they seem. Ones where you might think the director is telling the story based strictly on the song lyrics, but then, they don't. That, along with the singer herself (lawdie!), is what I...

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Friday September 25

The 'Feeling's Gone,' Basment Jaxx and Sam Sparro

 

In light of the recent release of Basment Jaxx's new album, Scars, this surreal video that slipped through the cracks deserves a little shine. In "Feeling's Gone," a bleached Sam Sparro cruises the universe in a space ship. He lands...

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Thursday September 24

Childhood Is Never Far Away In Your 'Mind'

 

For some inexplicable reason, I have been particularly wistful lately. Wistful for the aspects of my childhood that are hard to put into words. The aspects that conjure the olfactory, visual, and auditory memories that I can't escape. Looking at...

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Thursday September 24

West + Gaga's 'Fame Kills' Tour Trailer Takes Itself Very Seriously

 

At the MTV VMAs Lady Gaga had a bird's nest on her face and her performance involved blood-play, and we all know (and are tired of hearing about) what happened with Kanye. But there were a lot of mitigating egos...

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Wednesday September 23

Why Watching Next Month's VH1 Hip Hop Special Might Be An 'Honor'

 

So, say you were like me and really not excited to watch this year's VH1 Hip Hop Honors telecast next month. Say that the idea of Tracy Morgan hosting once again made you want to run for the hills, wishing...

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Wednesday September 23

Darien's Visit Home Was A 'Summer Breeze'

 

Sometimes, when an artist returns to his hometown to perform, nerves can get to him. The pressure of having to live up to expectations, or to "represent" for the neighborhood can bring even the greatest performer to his knees. This...

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Wednesday September 23

'Runaway' With Georgia Anne Muldrow

 

In keeping with the theme of her upcoming album Early, which consists of material she wrote as a teenager, the entire video for Georgia Anne Muldrow's "Runaway" is illustrated. Though I'm no expert on cartoons (possibly) from the '70s and...

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Tuesday September 22

Ledisi Shows Up, Turns It 'Loose' On 'The Wendy Williams Show'

 

Speechless. That's how Ledisi left me after watching the clip below of her performance on The Wendy Williams Show. What's ironic is that it's Wendy that usually leaves me speechless, since I'm intensely scared of her. However, for Ledisi, and...

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Monday September 21

Michael Jackson Shows Us 'Human Nature' One Last Time

 

In this clip from This Is It, Michael gives us one final dose of "Human Nature." It's exceptionally poignant given what happened next. As a testament to the brilliance of his catalog and to his unflappable passion for performance and...

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Monday September 21

Chrisette Michele Looks Anything But 'Fragile' Behind The Scenes

 

I love the fact that Island Def Jam is putting ample resources behind Chrisette Michele's Epiphany CD. Recently, the Long Island native recruited DC rapper Wale to contribute to a remix to her video for "Fragile," which will premiere the...

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Thursday September 17

Jaspects 'Beat It' Up At Joe's Pub

 

We know you've seen us write about them before, and even featured some of their music on the site, but seriously, if you haven't seen Jaspects in person, you are just plain missing out. On life. The sextet from the...

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Thursday September 17

Q-Tip Shows 'Late Night' Some 'Love'

 

Seems Jimmy Fallon is on a roll this week, and proving what I said yesterday about giving the Hip Hop nation great exposure. One night after welcoming Ghostface to perform on Late Night, Kamaal the Abstract, aka Q-Tip, was not...

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Wednesday September 16

Whitney's 'Million Dollar' Smile Is Back

 

And speaking of Alicia Keys, the song she penned for Whitney Houston, "Million Dollar Bill," finally has a video to accompany the uptempo track. And this is a perfect follow-up to Whitney's two-part soul session with Oprah this week,...

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Wednesday September 16

To Us, Patrick Swayze Was 'Like The Wind'

 

A friend said the other day--with a straight face--that Patrick Swayze's death hit them almost as hard as Michael Jackson's did. At first, I gave them the Side-Eye Supreme, but after letting it marinate for a minute, I understood. Truth:...

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Wednesday September 16

Ghostface & Raheem On 'Late Night'? Oh, 'Baby'!

 

Not since the heyday of Arsenio Hall have hip-hop artists gotten this much exposure, with both Jimmys (Fallon and Kimmel) leading the way in providing access to late night, mainstream audiences. Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.has been especially generous, and...

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Wednesday September 16

Full Crate, FS Green & Mar Get Their Roll Bounce On, 'Sugar'

 

When I first saw this video for "80s Sugar" yesterday, I was ecstatic with glee. It's been quite some time since I've seen anything reminiscent of the roller disco moves that were so prevalent in my youth, Roll Bounce notwithstanding....

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Monday September 14

The Revelations & Tré Williams Have A Story To 'Tell'

 

Here's what I love about The Revelations, which features Tré Williams: all of their songs tell a story. I mean, with Tré's velvety voice as the vessel, the story is always prominent. That's what made them Bounce-Worthy a little less...

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Monday September 14

Leroy Smith Gives Us A 'Gift' With Some Help From Ryan Leslie

 

It's always too early for foolishness, but it's never too early for these types of shenanigans. Charlie Murphy's Leroy Smith persona came out of nowhere with its brand of irreverent sports-themed antics. Leroy's love of spandex always hinted at a...

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Friday September 11

Whitney's New Video Definitely A Good 'Look'

 

Well, after last week's less than inspiring appearance on Good Morning America, I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that we needed something, anything from Whitney Houston that we could cheer about. We wanted to be able to raise our...

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Friday September 11

TV One Catches Up With 'Kid' On 'Life After'

 

This weekend, TV One premieres Life After a new in-depth series in the tradition of UnSung, this time catching up with Christopher "Kid" Reid to find out what the former member of Kid N Play has been up to since...

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Thursday September 10

Maiysha Lays Down The 'Hammer'...Gently

 

To say that Harlem SoulBounce loves Maiysha would be an understatement. Ever since we came across her music last year, and had the chance to sit down and chat with her on the heels of her Grammy nomination, she's been...

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Thursday September 10

N'dambi Is A Vision Of Loveliness In 'Can't Hardly Wait'

 

The video for N'dambi's "Can't Hardly Wait" has finally surfaced and it's as smoking hot as the track for which it is for.  In the clip, she is a photographer's muse while her man sits off to the side like...

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Monday September 07

J*DaVeY's 'Back'

 

J*DaVeY are the indisputable darlings of the difficult-to-categorize-their-sound music world. Nevertheless, they're super cute and bouncy individuals, and their work, particularly Miss Jack Davey's, on others' projects is nice as well. Even though I was more prone to this animated...

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Monday September 07

'Bad Habits' Is Badder Live

 

Despite my underwhelmed response to BLACKsummers'night, I can't even front when I hear "Bad Habits." It is absolutely one of my favorite songs that I've heard this year. And despite the fact that Maxwell's latest project has not been getting...

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Saturday September 05

You May Not Be Ryan Leslie's 'Girl' But The Video Is Hot

 

I long ago decided that Ryan Leslie was my newfound guilty pleasure. I also long ago decided that "You're Not My Girl," a song that is essentially a dis to a girl set to a hot beat, is one of...

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Friday September 04

Julian & Damian Marley Avoid 'Violence In The Streets'

 

First of all, forgive us for the poor video quality and the tags on this video, but the song for Julian Marley's "Violence In The Streets" video is dope. As is to be expected, the track focuses on bringing to...

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Thursday September 03

Smokey 'Tears' It Up With The Roots On Late Night

 

Here's what I love about Motown: the instrumentation. Over the years, it didn't matter who was singing what when, the real stars of the Motown movement were the Funk Brothers, the band of brothers that supplied the soundtrack to just...

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Tuesday September 01

That New Calvin Richardson? You 'Gotta Have It'

 

Do you, like many of us, wonder where Calvin Richardson has been? Well, wonder no more. Turns out "The New Prince of Soul" has been working hard on a project that will be ready for your ears' consumption on September...

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Tuesday September 01

Mary J. Blige Turns Her Swag On In 'The One'

 

Proving that she's the Neo of this here R&B game, Mary J. Blige has released the video for her song "The One." Too bad her voice sounds like it's caught in the Matrix. But we've already gone on record about...

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Monday August 31

Jay-Z's Latest Appearances Are Sure To 'Ad' Up

 

Jay-Z has been on quite a roll this past week. Fresh from his appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday, this weekend a new ad for the highly anticipated (and recently leaked) Blueprint 3 album dropped online, sponsored...

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Monday August 31

Phonte & Eric Roberson Honor, Channel Michael Jackson In London

 

This past weekend at the Jazz Cafe in UK, music lovers were treated to a two-night concert in celebration of Michael Jackson's birthday. It's no secret that the Jazz Cafe stays doing it right, but they upped the ante...

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Friday August 28

Shanice Goes All 'Out' With Her MJ Tribute

 

It's been over two months since Michael Jackson passed away. Since then, we've been filling the void he left through his music, using it to mourn, to uplift, to laugh, to reminisce, and most importantly, to dance. With his body...

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Friday August 28

Oprah's New Theme Song Has A Black Eyed 'Feelin'' To It

 

So, as most of us already know, The Oprah Winfrey Show will be back in business this fall, premiering on September 14th, with first guest, Whitney Houston. All good, right? That alone creates enough buzz to carry the syndicated talker...

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Friday August 28

Kaye-Ree's 'Reality' Seems Much Smoother Than Ours

 

There have been a rash of songs being released by under-the-radar songstresses lately with beats fueled by past Hip Hop classics. Add to this list the newly released single "Reality" by Persian-German chanteuse Kaye-Ree from her album Endless Melody. The...

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Thursday August 27

Ledisi Explains Her Free Sound On 'Turn Me Loose'

 

First of all, you should already own your copy of Ledisi's new album Turn Me Loose that came out last week. Since you already do (ahem) this video will give you great insight into its production and Ledisi's collaborations and...

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Thursday August 27

'Say Yes' To Chanj We Can Believe In

 

Much like its television counterpart Soul Train, It's Showtime at the Apollo is a venerable part of Black Americana. There wasn't a Saturday growing up that I didn't watch those two shows to get my music fix. Although I...

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Wednesday August 26

The Foreign Exchange Will Never Tumble Like A 'House Of Cards'

 

There always exist songs on all of my favorite albums which are the cuts selected as good by the record label to be released as singles, and those songs that I determine are choice cuts based upon my gut reaction...

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Wednesday August 26

Brandon Hines Soars With 'Pretty Wings'

 

It's been a minute since indie artist Brandon Hines graced us with one of his soulful covers. After tackling tracks by Estelle and Jazmine Sullivan, among others, this time Brandon regrouped after a self-imposed hiatus to take on Maxwell's "Pretty...

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Tuesday August 25

Ledisi Keeps Us 'Goin'' Early In The Morning

 

Earlier this morning, as most of us were getting ready for work, New Orleans native Ledisi was putting in work, showing off her incredible voice during a visit to the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Now, if you've ever been to...

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Tuesday August 25

Raekwon & Wu-Tang Clan Are In The 'House Of Flying Daggers'

 

Oh! Well, hello, Ghostface Killah. I didn't even see you there looking at me like that with those bedroom eyes, in your cartoonish glory, right before you slaughter a suspect individual while executing your very best "snake style." Truth be...

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Tuesday August 25

Whatever Happened To The Asian Lady With The Long Hair From 'Soul Train'?

 

Chances are, you know exactly who I am referring to in the title without having to refer to the woman pictured on the left in the photo. If you are of a certain age, you likely remember Soul Train's Cheryl...

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Monday August 24

Mya Is Doing 'Something' For The Streets

 

Fresh off the announcement that she will be rocking the stage of this season's Dancing With The Stars, Mya is also promoting her upcoming mixtape, Beauty & The Streets, with a new video for the track "Show Me Something." The...

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Monday August 24

Is Mary J. Blige 'Stronger'?

 

Off the top, I'm very conflicted about "Stronger" by Mary J. Blige, and it's all Chris Brown's fault. Because were it not for his wack ass presence on background vocals, I would have a greater appreciation for this song, which...

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Friday August 21

Oh 'Boy'! Come Visit TL Cross' 'New York City'

 

Last year, we were proud to introduce our readers to the very Bounce-Worthy TL Cross, straight out of south side Jamaica, Queens and a member of the Gutta Fam. The sometimes-Fiddy Cent collaborator, who boasts old school musicianship with new...

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Thursday August 20

Do Hov, Kanye and Rihanna 'Run This Town'?

 

Really, could a single and video featuring Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West be anything but a spectacle? Probably not. From the upcoming Blueprint 3, the video for "Run This Town" is drenched in bombastic urgency. Everything is dark and decadent,...

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Thursday August 20

Smokey Shows Us 'Why' He's A Legend

 

Earlier this month, we let you know that Smokey Robinson's new CD, Time Flies When You're Having Fun, would be released this coming Tuesday, August 25th. Well, this week the video for the first single, "Don't Know Why," surfaced, and...

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Wednesday August 19

Sy Smith's New Video Is An Animated 'Affair'

 

This is why I love Twitter: because sometimes, with little to no prompting, an artist will unveil a new song, or an exclusive announcement. Or, as was the case today from indie artist/SB fave Sy Smith, hip us to their...

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Tuesday August 18

Should R. Kelly Be Using 'Number One' As A Second Chance?

 

For all those who have been involved in heated debates over the past week as to whether Michael Vick deserves a second chance at his career, have we got a new case study for you! Seems old Robert Kelly, or...

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Tuesday August 18

'Travelin' With Dwele & His Band

 

Anyone who knows me knows that one of my biggest passions is live music. It's the rare week that you don't find me at a concert or two getting my groove on at somebody's show--whether it be a local act...

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Monday August 17

Mary J.'s New Video Clip Isn't 'Bad' At All

 

So, we've already seen the trailer for Tyler Perry's latest spun tale of urban redemption film, I Can Do Bad All By Myself. We also already know that both Gladys Knight and Mary J. Blige will be acting in the...

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Friday August 14

Melanie Fiona Keeps It Real, Got Jokes

 

So yesterday I had a chance to meet newly minted SoulBounce fave Melanie Fiona while she made her rounds at 93.9 WKYS in Washington, DC. Prior to being interviewed, Melanie and radio personality EZ Street got into a heated discussion...

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Friday August 14

The Night Marsha Ambrosius Gave Us 'Butterflies'

 

It's been a full month of activity thus far for SoulBounce, with our partners allowing us to give away tickets to some of the hottest shows across the country. Just this week, Marsha Ambrosius, aka The Songstress of Floetry fame,...

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Thursday August 13

MSTRKRFT Make John Legend A 'Heartbreaker'

 

This collaboration between Toronto-based electro group MSTRKRFT and John Legend is extremely catchy and a well thought-out showcase of both their strengths. Legend in particular comes off more cooly and effortless here than on some of his other forays into...

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Thursday August 13

The 'Trouble' With Ginuwine...

 

I have a theory (that I just made up): Any song that starts with the words "Baby girl" is probably in trouble, and isn't a song I'd want to listen to. Therein lies the problem with Ginuwine's "Trouble"--from his album...

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Thursday August 13

The Bots Rock Out & Have Lots Of 'Style' To Boot

 

It is clear from the spread of culture and sounds from the African Diaspora that it is possible for a band to sound like everything and yet nothing like anything ever made before at the same time. When you consider...

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Wednesday August 12

YahZarah's 'Tickler' Is Seductively Sweet

 

Last month, I had the pleasure of sharing a cab with SoulBounce fave YahZarah, aka Ms. Purple St. James, as we headed to different events, and I got to asking her about her upcoming project, which follows her recent collaboration...

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Wednesday August 12

Nikki 16: Such A Pretty Mess

 

There are many things I love in this world. My family, Polaroid pictures, Givenchy boots, cheeseburgers, orchids, and '80s music: Prince and the Revolution, The Time, and Vanity 6 in particular. Therefore I inherently dislike any facsimile of aforementioned beloved...

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Wednesday August 12

Nike 'Hyperizes' Us To The Magic of 1988 West Coast Hip Hop

 

I am a woman rife with idiosyncrasies. In hindsight, many of the things I find most irksome have to do with my childhood: Jheri curls, herringbone chains, and old school West Coast music that I just do not understand. Before...

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Wednesday August 12

Get 'Dusty Fingers' Flipping Through Records With Melanie Fiona

 

With the intention of showing how artists are fans, too, the series Dusty Fingers presented by Yours Truly offers mad proof of that thesis. And although this video of Melanie Fiona perusing records at a specialty record shop went up...

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Wednesday August 12

Mayer Hawthorne Explores The Sunnier Side of Life In 'Maybe So, Maybe No'

 

Much has been made of Stones' Throw recording artist Mayer Hawthorne. This Michigan native and multi-instrumentalist has one of the most heavily-anticipated debut albums of the year (barring Whitney's), and his breezy, nostalgic vibe permeates his music in a very...

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Tuesday August 11

Common & The Roots Bring Their 'Artistry' On Tour This Fall

 

Just in time for fall, the fourth annual Hennessey Artistry Tour will be hitting four cities near you, featuring Chicago's own Common as the curator and headliner. As if you needed more incentive, The Legendary Roots Crew will be on...

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Tuesday August 11

Georgia Anne Muldrow Has 'E.S.P.'

 

SoulBounce loves the kids and so does Georgia Anne Muldrow whose song "E.S.P.," the first single from her newly released album, Umsindo, is dedicated to her partner Dudley Perkins' daughter. Dudley's girl child is the focal point of the...

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Monday August 10

There Still Ain't No Half Steppin' With Big Daddy Kane

 

What really makes me scratch my head about the late 80s and early 90s is why hip-hop artists didn't market themselves better. Granted, back then, their music could usually stand on its own merit, but still, hearing more about how...

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Monday August 10

LeToya Luckett Is The Latest 'Preacher's Kid'

 

OK, I know most of you probably expected me to come on here and slam this latest attempt by "us" to make a believable cinematic gospel drama. But really, I haven't come to bury Gener8Xion Entertainment's Preacher's Kid, which stars...

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Monday August 10

Kooley High's New Video Is Old School Cool

 

What do you get when you put six former North Carolina State University students together who share a love of hip hop and R&B and are heavily influenced by A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige?...

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Monday August 10

Janelle Monáe Joins The Roots For 'Sincerely, Jane'

 

Still going strong and performing on tour with the likes of Erykah Badu and No Doubt, Janelle Monáe continues to impress. This video is of a performance she gave at The Roots Jam Session in NYC. Beautifully shot by Melo-X,...

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Friday August 07

Spike Lee's 'Passing Strange' To Rock Your World Soon In A Theater Near You

 

While I'm totally not into musicals (too much emoting), I am into musicals that portray a side of life that intrigues me. Quiet as kept, the Spike Lee directed movie of the musical Passing Strange will be coming soon to...

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Thursday August 06

Mos Def Sings A Subdued Version Of 'Billie Jean'

 

Since Michael Jackson's passing, I have been witness to quite a few MJ tributes, some of which I performed myself while driving alone in my car or in the shower. For those in attendance at the Lalah Hathaway's recent concerts,...

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Thursday August 06

Who's Really The Coon In Nas & Nick Cannon's Hip Hop PSA?

 

Celebrities overall are a strange lot. And when they conspire to work together towards a common goal, the results can often be unintentionally hilarious at best. This is exactly why the video for "Eat Dat Watermelon" is so incredibly ironic....

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Wednesday August 05

Raphael Saadiq Visits Tom Joyner, Rocks The Oldies

 

I remember when I was younger, I'd be late to wherever I was going when my favorite artists would visit the morning radio shows. To hear them speak about their projects alongside the deejays was a treat, like they were...

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Wednesday August 05

Maxwell Tantalizes, Titillates In 'Bad Habits' Video

 

This morning Maxwell's new video for "Bad Habits" premiered on the website for the Steve Harvey Morning Show, and they really should have warned people that this joint was not safe for work. It's not that it's rated R...

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Wednesday August 05

Eric Roberson Gives Us A Sneak Peek At 'Music Fan First'

 

To say that I have been patiently waiting for Eric Roberson's new album is an understatement of epic proportions (just check our archives for proof). Music Fan First will finally see the light on August 25th and make a perfect...

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Tuesday August 04

India.Arie Provides Some Lush 'Therapy' In New Video

 

It's summertime, and who wouldn't kill to be on the Hawaiian islands frolicking in the sunshine. It'd be incredible. Therapeutic, even. Well, our girl India.Arie is back on the video scene, giving us those same islands as a lush backdrop...

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Tuesday August 04

Some New Visuals From Raheem DeVaughn

 

With his recently released The Art Of Noise mixtape still making the rounds, Raheem DeVaughn has filmed a couple of videos to accompany the project. He's linked up with his crafty partner in crime W. Ellington Felton once again in...

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Tuesday August 04

M. Knight Resurrects Video Mixtapes With A Smoother Twist

 

Those of you familiar with inner city entrepreneurs who used to sling their "video mixtapes" on DVDs would not think its resurrection by Dallas DJ M. Knight is anything novel. What differentiates his video mixtapes from those original ones is...

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Tuesday August 04

Drake Parody Is The 'Best' We Never Got

 

Now this is more like it. A Drake video for "Best I Ever Had" that I can get down with. I mean, sure it's not really Drake in this parody of the clip for his single, but really, I wish it...

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Monday August 03

Goapele's 'Milk And Honey' Is Sticky And Sweet

 

As predicted, Goapele's video for "Milk And Honey" has dropped, and it's a sticky, sweet romp through her walls of sugar. As expected, she looks beautiful, and her voice is as sultry as always. Kudos to her stylist for the...

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Friday July 31

Van Hunt Emerges 'At The End Of A Slow Dance'

 

Only months after he released some new material via MySpace, Van Hunt now appears in a music video for the song "At the End of a Slow Dance" from his album On The Jungle Floor. Even though it's unclear whether...

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Friday July 31

DJ Day & Miles Bonny Create Some 'Instant Saadiq'

 

Is it just me or was Raphael Saadiq's album title Instant Vintage the most honest observation about the classic appeal of that album, in the most unpretentious way? Personally, an instant classic usually involves me being completely unable to move...

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Friday July 31

Jody Watley Brings Her 'Light' To DC

 

I don't watch the news, and that's a bad thing. If I did, I probably would've known Jody Watley was in town. She made a pit stop by Fox 5 here in DC in advance of her concert at the...

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Thursday July 30

Come 'Over Here' To See How To Remake Some Classic 'Flava'

 

My beloved Hip Hop just isn't the same these days. So when I yearn for some beats that I once craved during my formative years, I often reach for something of the late '80s to early '90s variety. That being...

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Wednesday July 29

Ready To 'Bust Your Windows' With Glee?

 

After debuting its bright new show about a rag-tag high school glee club with penchant for musical theatrics earlier this year, Fox has released a clip from the premiere season of Glee that continues this September. In keeping with the...

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Friday July 24

Michael & Janet, Together Again

 

We normally wouldn't consider posting user-generated video mash-ups, but when this came across our virtual desks we simply could not resist. The friendly competition between Janet Jackson and her brother Michael has always been legendary, but it remains that, in...

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Thursday July 23

N.A.S.A., 'Whachadoin?'

 

Back with another wild journey into the surreal, N.A.S.A. brings us the video for "Whachadoin?" This new single from their album The Spirit of Apollo is wild and features M.I.A., Santigold, Nick Zinner and Spank Rock. Of course none of...

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Wednesday July 22

When Getting 'Twisted' Was All About The Music

 

Wow, Keith Sweat. 1996. It's hard to believe that it's been that long since you've had a number one hit ('Nobody") on the Billboard (R&B) charts. It's also hard to believe that you're turning 48 today. I mean, sure you...

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Wednesday July 22

Idris Elba Talks Music & More

 

My reasons for posting this video of Idris Elba are totally selfish. I know it should always be about the music, but I mean, just look at this brotha. He could be talking about absolutely nothing, and I'd find it...

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Tuesday July 21

Are Tona & Lyve Moving At Too 'Fast' A 'Pace'?

 

In case you may not have known, unsuspecting reader, we editors at SoulBounce have jobs, and we often miss things that if we had wealthy arts and music minded benefactors, we could lounge and luxuriate and cruise the 'Nets, scouring...

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Monday July 20

KiD CuDi, Kanye, & Common 'Make' Me Want More

 

When it comes to the G.O.O.D. camp (are they still called that?), there's two things I can count on: them annoying the ever living sh*t out of me with their diva-esque antics or delighting me so with their witty rhyme...

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Monday July 20

Is It Ever A Good 'Time' For Lil Kim To Sing?

 

There was so much that made sense during this past weekend's 91st birthday tribute to Nelson Mandela at New York's Radio City Music Hall. So many artists came out to show their support for Mandela's 46664 effort. It was inspiring...

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Friday July 17

Mary J. Blige's Protege LaNeah Leaves Us With More Questions Than Answers

 

I will admit that I'm on Twitter more than a little bit. It's my CNN of sorts. Now that we have that confession out of the way, I was more than intrigued when I saw Mary J. Blige's tweet about...

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Friday July 17

Chrisette Michele Is Conflicted About 'What You Do'

 

No matter how influential the "Epiphany" may have been, Chrisette Michele's new video showcases how difficult it can be to make a clean break from someone you love. No matter what they may do to hurt you, it's hard hard...

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Thursday July 16

'Take A Walk' Back In Time With Raphael Saadiq

 

The fact that Raphael Saadiq is still selling last year's The Way I See It is remarkable. The fact that the videos for the project continue to stay more than true to the '60s era for which the music was...

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Wednesday July 15

Who's 'Running Up That Hill' The Best? MPHO or John Forté?

 

This Battle of The Beats is centered on a certain Kate Bush song, whom contemporary Soul singers have claimed as a great source for reinterpretation. We all know what Maxwell was able to do with "This Woman's Work," and earlier...

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Tuesday July 14

'Floatin' With Stacy Epps Is Uplifting

 

Although this single was released quite a while ago, the video seems to come at a really great time. To float on, to join together to positively influence our collective future, is a great message. Stacy Epps encourages us to...

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Tuesday July 14

Jay Smooth On Mass Consumerization & MJ's Downfall

 

Jay Smooth has such a great ability to explain difficult, uncomfortable subjects into easily digestible, poignant pieces. Take his most recent video blog found below. In it, he explains effortlessly how Michael Jackson's knowledge of love was not necessarily from...

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Monday July 13

Marsha Ambrosius: In Her Own Words

 

If you follow her on Twitter, you know how distraught and heartbroken former Floetry member Marsha Ambrosius was when Michael Jackson passed away. However, outside of her thoughts released via the micro blogging site, she never really spoke out about...

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Friday July 10

Dwele Gets 'Spiritual'

 

Dwele, the digital d.i.y. don, has released another video from his album Sketches of a Man. Though according to the video info he's not behind the camera, it still has a distinctly amateur vibe. And this is a good thing....

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Thursday July 09

K'Jon Takes Us 'On The Ocean'

 

As we all know, the pathway to success can often be difficult, easily derailed and sometimes with little more than hope propelling us forward. In K'Jon's video for "On the Ocean" we see the singer getting unceremoniously fired from his...

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Thursday July 09

Chali 2na & Talib Kweli Creatively 'Lock Sh*t Down'

 

I absolutely adore cartoons. On any given day I may watch some old school Top Cat or keep it weird and sink into the foolishness of Aqua Teen Hungerforce. Something about all those vibrant colors really reminds me of childhood...

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Wednesday July 08

LAH! and RAH! Messin' Around In Session

 

What happens when you put two of the funniest, most creative, most ridiculously talented people in the same studio, lock the door and press "Record" on the video camera? You get the LAH! & RAH! Show, starring soulful songbirds Lalah...

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Tuesday July 07

Maxwell Stops The World Behind-The-Scenes

 

The day has finally come, ladies and gentlemen. After several long years of waiting, we have now arrived at the day of reckoning for all of us Maxwell fans. BLACKsummers'night drops today! Some of you like myself have gotten a...

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Tuesday July 07

Remembering, Honoring Michael Jackson

 

I know that it's real--has been for almost two weeks now--but I'm still having a hard time believing that Michael Jackson is really gone. Sadly today reality will set in as the King of Pop is memorialized and laid to...

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Monday July 06

Siedah Garrett's Tribute To The 'Man'

 

Of the many tributes to Michael Jackson that have rolled in (and there have been quite a few), this one, by singer/songwriter Siedah Garrett, touched me the most. Not because her and MJ were BFF's (she admits she wasn't especially...

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Friday July 03

Erykah Badu & India.Arie Exchange Some Unpleasantries

 

Although this didn't happen in real life, Erykah Badu and India.Arie had a rather heated exchange as seen in the following cartoon, which had folks rolling on Twitter last night--even Ms. Badu herself who shared the link. Utilizing the Xtranormal...

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Thursday July 02

Spike Lee Remembers 'The Love, The Joy' That Michael Gave Us

 

How fitting is it to have Spike Lee, one of the foremost directors to tackle racial relations in this country, comment on Michael Jackson who was beloved by all people, yet had an interesting relationship with Blacks in this country...

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Thursday July 02

Is This Video The 'Best' Drake Could Do?

 

The video for Drake's "Best I Ever Had" dropped yesterday. As did my jaw when I first saw it. Directed by Kanye West, the clip feels like an adolescent fantasy, filled with big breasted girls and um, not much else....

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Wednesday July 01

Melanie Fiona's 'Heartless' Is The Hotness

 

It's no secret that we are diggin' hard on Melanie Fiona around these parts. I have yet to hear one bad song or performance from this woman (how many mainstream artists can you say that about?) and can't wait for...

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Wednesday July 01

Joe's 'Majic' Needs Some

 

So this is the video for "Majic" from Joe's upcoming album Signature. Make that, this is the video for "Majic" from Joe's upcoming album Signature? I wish I had a magic wand to cast a spell over this song and...

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Tuesday June 30

Sy Smith Shows Us The Way To Honor A Legend

 

Count the soulful Sy Smith among the many artists directly affected by Michael Jackson's sudden departure. Everyone has their own way to deal. Some get creative with it. Others just need to talk it out. During a performance over the...

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Tuesday June 30

Raphael Saadiq's Tribute Takes Us 'Back' In Time

 

Yet another video tribute to the King of Pop hit our inboxes today, this one from Raphael Saadiq, who is currently touring overseas in support of his recent album The Way I See It. While at the Blue Note in...

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Tuesday June 30

Stevie Wonder's Heartfelt 'Goodbye'

 

Saying goodbye hurts. Sometimes it's unbearable. Imagine that you're Stevie Wonder, and you find out that Michael Jackson, one of your contemporaries, fellow child prodigy and lifelong friend, was taken suddenly. You have no time to grieve since you're out...

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Tuesday June 30

He Didn't Have To Change At All

 

Back in 1974, a special aired on ABC entitled Free To Be... You And Me, based on a children's songbook that encouraged individuality and achievement, regardless of background or gender. Diana Ross sang "When We Grow Up" for the recording,...

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Monday June 29

Dancing Inmates Think The 'World' Of Michael Jackson

 

We're all no doubt still reeling from last night's BET Awards. Notsomuch because of the usual madness that took place, but because the network sold us a false bill of goods, promising a massive Michael Jackson tribute. They went on...

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Thursday June 25

How The Roots 'Got Over' On Jimmy Fallon

 

Last night The Roots debuted "How I Got Over," the title track from their next album, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and words cannot express how infreakingcredible their performance was. Just when you think that Hip Hop and music...

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Thursday June 25

Raphael Saadiq Takes Us to the 'Big Easy'

 

This is a live performance given by Raphael Saadiq that's featured on Live From The Artist's Den, a DVD that will be released on July 21st. It's of him singing "Big Easy" off of last year's fantastic The Way I...

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Wednesday June 24

Reflection Eternal Is Finally 'Back Again'

 

Talib Kweli has been quietly dropping tracks like Hansel and Gretel dropped breadcrumbs for quite some time now whether with Res in Idle Warship or with DJ Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal. "Back Again," an official single from their fall release Revolutions...

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Tuesday June 23

New Whitney Promo Video Promises What We Thought Was Unpromiseable

 

Yeah, we know "unpromiseable" isn't a word, but that's beside the point. When we first saw the press rumblings heralding the return of Whitney Houston we thought back to all the times we were told she's definitely, surely coming out...

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Friday June 19

'Unsung' Gives Shalamar A 'Second Time Around'

 

In a sea of faux celebrities on mindless reality shows (take your pick) and other assorted ridiculousness (i.e., most anything that comes of judge Lil C's mouth on So You Think You Can Dance), TV One's Unsung is the hottest...

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Friday June 19

'Turn My Swag On' Never Sounded So Soulful!

 

Leave it to Phonte. At a recent Foreign Exchange show in Toronto, he took his already entertaining member introductions to the next level. With the band in full, although relaxed, swing, he offers "With this kinda Neo-Soul shit, you can take...

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Thursday June 18

The Remake Monster Claims 'Fame' As Next Victim

 

Fame is the phenomenon that unleashed the powerhouse voice of Irene Cara into the world and had many '80s babies wanting to live forever and learn how to fly and stood as one of the best coming-of-age stories with a...

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Thursday June 18

Want Some Audible 'Selections Of Love'?

 

Remember that feeling you experienced when you heard The Foreign Exchange's Leave It All Behind? A bit of wonderment, excitement, and heightened suspense all at the same time? Sounds a lot like the feeling one gets when love strikes, no?...

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Thursday June 18

The Director's Chair: Taking Off The Blues With The Foreign Exchange

 

Back in the mix it's your boy Cherry coming at you with another video breakdown. This time we take a trip to North Carolina and link up with The Foreign Exchange. Their video for "Take Off The Blues" dropped during...

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Wednesday June 17

The 'Sun's Out' For Choklate & Her 'Folks'

 

With a voice as sweet and rich as the food from which she gets her name, Choklate is one of the premiere indie soul songstresses of today. Her latest album, To Whom It May Concern, is another collection of songs...

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Wednesday June 17

Michelle Obama Keeps It Jazzy At The White House

 

Forgive me for not sounding as impartial and professional as I usually do, but Michelle Obama rocks so friggin' hard right now. Not to be outdone by bringing Stevie Wonder to The White House to "jam it on the one"...

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Monday June 15

Lalah Hathaway Gets 'Fab' With Eric Roberson

 

Eric Roberson, aka Erro, rocks. But you already knew that. What cements this is his ability to not only produce great soul music, but to put souls at ease. Never is that more apparent than when he gets fellow artists...

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Monday June 15

Melanie Fiona & Questlove 'Mixtape' Coming Soon

 

If you're anything like us, then you're probably wondering where in the world Melanie Fiona's debut album The Bridge is. Her first single "Give It To Me Right" (video after the bounce) has been caressing our eardrums for a while...

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Friday June 12

Mary J. Blige Sits Down For A 'One on One'

 

Not to be confused with "The One." No, this Sunday at 9pm EST, SB fave Mary J. Blige sits down with TV One owner Cathy Hughes for an extended interview as part of the network's "TV One on One" series....

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Friday June 12

Melba Moore: Unbowed & 'Unsung'

 

Raise your hand if you knew anything about Melba Moore outside of her stints on Broadway and her late '70s hit, "You Stepped Into My Life"? Yeah, me neither. Well, I guess we're all in for an education this Sunday...

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Friday June 12

Skip The Blockbusters This Summer, See 'Still Bill' Instead

 

Rarely, if ever, have I watched the trailer for a film and been so thoroughly intrigued, impressed and inspired. If you manage to get through the two minutes and eleven seconds of spliced footage from the forthcoming Bill Withers movie Still Bill...

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Thursday June 11

Dont Miss Boyz II Men On A&E's 'Private Sessions'

 

Synchronize your DVR's, everyone! This Sunday morning Boyz II Men will be the next guests to appear on A&E's Private Sessions. After almost 20 years, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris are still in the game, recording, touring, and...

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Thursday June 11

MC Lyte Takes Us To 'Brooklyn'

 

Brooklyn, where ya at? It doesn't matter where in the world you go, there's usually somebody from New York there and more often than not they're from Brooklyn. (I'm partial to my birthplace the Boogie Down Bronx, but I digress.)...

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Wednesday June 10

Will Downing's New Effort Is 'Something Special' For Summer

 

His voice has always been like a cool summer breeze, so it's more than appropriate that crooner Will Downing, labeled the "Prince of Sophisticated Soul," is back on the scene just in time for the soulstice with a new album...

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Wednesday June 10

Did He Rock It On 'Late Night'? Mos Def!

 

We told you earlier this week that the new Mos Def album, The Ecstatic, was the business. Hopefully you've already gone out and copped it. If not, and you should somehow need a bit more convincing as to its hotness...

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Tuesday June 09

En Vogue Gets 'Private' With A&E

 

Raise your hand if, like us, you missed En Vogue on A&E's Private Sessions Sunday morning? Now slap yourself with said hand because it looks like we all missed quite an exciting and intriguing hour of television. The Funky Divas...

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Tuesday June 09

Nike's New Commercial Makes Us Say 'What the Yeezy?'

 

I love sneakers. It's just that, upon first glance at the just-in-time-for-summer, new full length spec for the new Nike/Kanye West collaboration, the Air Yeezy, I realize that I don't love these sneakers. The collection, which features five different color...

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Tuesday June 09

The Director's Chair: Amerie Returns With 'Why R U'

 

The video for Amerie's "Why R U" premiered yesterday on BET's 106th and Park. Ray Kay, a former fashion photographer, directs. If you are a fan of the way Amerie looks, then you will love this music video as it...

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Monday June 08

The Director's Chair: The Rawness, Realness Of Wale's 'Family Affair'

 

Cherry back on the scene this Monday with a new write up coming to you from The Director's Chair. Today I want to talk about Wale's new music video for "Family Affair." As everyone knows Wale is one of the...

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Monday June 08

Blame It On The Death Of Auto-Tune

 

As if we needed anymore reasons to love Jay Smooth from IllDoctine.com, he provided us with yet another with his latest creation, a mashup of Jay-Z's "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" with Jamie Foxx's "Blame It On the Alcohol." His "Blame...

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Friday June 05

All The Way Live: Raphael Saadiq Does Tony! Toni! Toné!

 

In case you hadn't noticed, it was Raphael Saadiq Week in Morning Soul, so it's only fitting that I end this week's All The Way Live showcase with some footage of Raphael that I captured last fall when I saw...

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Friday June 05

The Director's Chair: A Closer Look At Maxwell's 'Pretty Wings'

 

Cherry in the building coming at you with another music video breakdown. This time I'm featuring Maxwell and his latest music video "Pretty Wings." This video premiered when SoulBounce was down a few weeks back, but you know we...

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Friday June 05

DJ Stylus Creates Broken Beats In The London Lab

 

One of my most fondest memories is watching a certain DJ (okay, Rich Medina) create a song virtually out of thin air in his home studio, surrounded by crates of records reaching 20 feet high. This magical experience can now...

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Friday June 05

Mos Def Goes A Capella In Japan, Likes Overalls

 

While bringing back super cargo-style overalls may be premature and/or unnecessary, if Mos Def likes them then good for him. Go ahead and rock that, friend. In this video of him performing "Casa Bey" a capella while walking through the streets of...

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Friday June 05

Dwele Rocks Some Of The Best, Spins Tunes In Real Time

 

Dwele may be better known as a soulful singer who prefers harmonizing over mellow grooves, but until a recent party that he DJ'd left tongues wagging, I knew his skills were something that I might want to check out more...

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Thursday June 04

All The Way Live: Alice Russell Does Gnarls Barkley

 

I've already gone on record about how dope UK songstress Alice Russell is live in concert. After having missed her numerous times when she's come to town, I finally made it a point to see her a few months...

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Thursday June 04

Let's Do It 'Anatomically Correct' Tonight, Baby

 

This video for the song "Anatomically Correct Slow Jam" is perhaps the most ridiculous and informative love song I have ever heard. While the visuals may provide some innuendo, the song does not. Kudos to Vincent Keating who did a...

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Thursday June 04

The Director's Chair: Breaking Down Ne-Yo's 'Part Of The List'

 

Once again it's on. It's your boy Mac coming to you from The Director's Chair. Today I am going to be breaking down Ne-Yo's latest music video "Part Of The List." This video is a perfect example of how flashing...

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Thursday June 04

Ayah's Acoustic Soul

 

Our very own Ayah's debut album, 4:15, is now available on iTunes. After selling the disc through her website since its April 15th release, E1 Entertainment (formerly known as Koch Records) has decided to release the project digitally. Please...

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Wednesday June 03

All The Way Live: Anthony David Does India.Arie & Guy

 

In this age of Auto-Tune and studio-made stars, nothing beats a singer who can sing live (and they get bonus points if they can play an instrument, too). Anthony David is that dude. I already knew that the man could...

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Tuesday June 02

All The Way Live: Deborah Bond Does The Isley Brothers

 

For those outside of the Washington, DC area who don't get a chance to experience the artistry of Deborah Bond on a regular basis such as those of us at SBHQ, you have my sympathies. Bond is one of my...

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Tuesday June 02

SoulBounce Exclusives: Introducing 'The Director's Chair'

 

What's going on, world? My name is Matthew "Mac" Cherry and I am what some may call a music video expert. Not only have I been watching music videos since "The Box: Music Television You Control" days, but I...

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Tuesday June 02

Hot Like Ayah: Back Again

 

Hey all! I'm so happy to be back! Press play below to see what's been up on my end during the break. Also, while we were away I wasn't able to let you know about this awesome video I filmed...

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Tuesday June 02

A 'Spaceship' To The Past

 

Early Kanye West tracks are known for being some of the most relatable "everyman" compositions to hit Hip Hop during their time. Perhaps the one that damn-near everyone can identify with is the melodic, Consequence-resurrecting "Spaceship," a testament to thankless...

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Monday June 01

All The Way Live: Omar Does Roy Ayers

 

In celebration of Black Music Month, all month long SoulBounce will be featuring some of the best live performances that I've had a chance to witness and catch on video in my musical travels. Today's featured performance is from UK...

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Thursday May 28

Is RichGirl The Next Girl Group Of Note?

 

Ever since Destiny's Child took an L, people have been bemoaning the death of the girl group. And with good reason, because no one has yet to fill their stilettos and there's a noticeable void in R&B despite new groups...

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Wednesday May 27

CurT@!n$ Provides A Critical Mirror With 'Black Folks'

 

My issues with Black History Month aside (relegating this history to one month leads to complacency of knowledge of this history for the rest of the year, but I digress), I am always a sucker for well-executed militant words and...

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Wednesday May 27

Common + Blaxploitation + Economics = Dow Jones

 

Just as I was all ready to make my way down to the cineplex with my Common figurine from his new movie, I kept reading reviews about how superiorly Terminator Salvation sucked and decided to save my sarcasm and irritation...

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Tuesday May 26

Vanessa Williams Returns With A Vengeance

 

Vanessa Williams is gearing up for the release of The Real Thing, her 13th album and Concord Records debut, on June 2nd with not one but three new videos from the project. She somehow found time while portraying the decadently...

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Tuesday May 26

Jazmine Sullivan Give Us a 'Kiss From A Rose'

 

Apparently Jazmine Sullivan can do no wrong. I mean, sure, she's a little clumsy. But that only matters if you completely ignore her phenomenal voice. During a recent performance on French TV show Taratata, Jazzy covered Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" in spectacular fashion. Her husky,...

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Tuesday May 26

See These Ladies Live: YahZarah, Deborah Bond, & Alison Carney

 

I have seen all three of these ladies live multiple times and they never disappoint. Here we have SoulBounce faves (and our good girlfriends) YahZarah, Deborah Bond and Alison Carney, having some impromptu fun at DC's Blues Alley. Dre...

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Friday May 22

We're Back Like Maxwell!

 

See, what had happened was...So our little Spring Break turned into a short sabbatical. Hey, stuff happens. And in our case that stuff involved ridiculous technical issues that involved four different hosts in as many weeks and tech support...

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Friday April 10

SoulBounce Is On Spring Break!

 

2009 has been an excellent year so far for all of us at SoulBounce. And rest assured that there will be much more in store for the rest of this year. In the meantime, we need a bit of time...

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Friday April 10

Q-Tip Goes 'West', Takes Us On An Award Tour

 

First, Happy Birthday, Q-Tip!  Secondly, Is anybody working today? Well, in case you've decided to kick off the holiday weekend a little early, you might want something good to occupy your time. Here it is--a video of the former A...

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Thursday April 09

James Ingram Reflects On Working With Michael Jackson

 

Biggups to ?uestlove for the heads up via Twitter that James Ingram will be a guest on tonight's episode of Tavis Smiley on PBS. Until the show airs later (check your local listings), this snippet of James chopping it up...

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Thursday April 09

Theophilus London & Dante Offer You A Slice & Some Beats

 

Theophilus London has been on my one-to-watch list of late. His collaboration with Jesse Boykins III peaked my interest and his lack of twice weekly mixtapes puts him low on my "Annoying Artists" meter. And now, thanks to Dante's Fried Chicken, a...

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Thursday April 09

John Forte Is 'Style Free'

 

Ever since his release from the clink, John Forte has been getting it in. Here is his latest video for the new song "Style Free." I have to say that even though this is his most polished video, it's my...

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Wednesday April 08

All 'Eyes' On Chester Gregory

 

Back in February when I posted "I Only Have Eyes 4 U" by Chester Gregory, I was digging his take on the remake. Now that the music video for the track is here, I'm digging that as well. Although my...

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Wednesday April 08

'P. Twitty' & The LOX In The Same Video With No Bloodshed!

 

Well this is fun. Check out this clip of Diddy hanging out with Jadakiss and the rest of The LOX in this clip from "PTWITTYTV" in advance of Jada's new album release. Yes, we're two days late, but the sight...

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Thursday April 02

Asher Roth Channels Plucked Chicken With D'Angelo Spoof

 

If there's one thing that these newfangled weekly mixtape rappers are good at, it's creating a buzz around themselves. In anticipation of his Asleep In The Bread Aisle album, Asher Roth decides to reimagine himself as D'Angelo in the "Untitled"...

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Wednesday April 01

Natalie Cole Pleas For New Kidney On CNN, Offers Roll In

 

Last night Natalie Cole appeared on CNN's Larry King Live to discuss her diagnosis with Hepatitis C, struggle with renal failure and urgent need for a kidney transplant. Cole shared with Larry King that her disease was caused by years...

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Wednesday April 01

Melanie Fiona Covers Kanye's 'Heartless'

 

Want to know what happens when a song sung by someone who can't sing gets covered by someone who can? Well, an audience in London got to experience this for themselves when the newest Soul sensation Melanie Fiona did...

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Tuesday March 31

Go Inside Prince & Q-Tip's Futuristic 'Chocolate Box'

 

I don't know about anyone else, but the thought of Prince, Q-Tip and chocolate together makes me wanna. And the fact that all three are together on a song makes me really wanna. That's right, his Purple Badness has employed...

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Tuesday March 31

Southwest Airlines Takes It Back To The Old School

 

I don't know what's funnier about this clip: the unsuspecting passengers looking horrified when told they have to provide a beat or moments later when they actually are clapping along and smiling at Southwest Airlines' flight attendant's David Holmes' rhyme...

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Monday March 30

J*DaVeY Take It 'Slooow' With Their New Video

 

I love J*DaVeY. I really do. And while I know this may bring out some irritance in their biggest stans, I'll say it anyway: their new video for "Slooow" is pretty boring. Sure Miss Jack Davey looks fierce as always...

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Monday March 30

Shanice Makes A 'Run' At Whitney...And Scores!

 

We here at SBHQ are on Team Shanice, in a big way. Ever since she announced last year that a new album was on the way, we've been hanging on to her high notes waiting for the disc to drop....

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Monday March 30

Watch Lisa Shaw's 'Tomorrow' Today

 

Lisa Shaw's new CD Free is an experience in sound, and her new video for the song "Tomorrow" is an experience in sight as well. One of the downtempo cuts from Free, the video for "Tomorrow" falls right in line...

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Monday March 30

Peter Hadar & Selita Ebanks Get Trippy On Their Own 'Planets'

 

Imaginative videos are primarily thought of as a bastion of the '80s. Videos then were so new that, since no one really knew what they could be used for, most artists decided to go all out with their content. Times...

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Monday March 30

Is This Ginuwine's 'Last Chance'?

 

It looks like Ginuwine is seriously creeping up on a comeback. After a few extra decent leaks over the past few months, now comes a video for the enjoyable first single from his as-yet-untitled next studio album. The video for...

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Monday March 30

Phonte Freestyles At WMC

 

What happened in Miami during last week's Winter Music Conference thankfully isn't staying in Miami with the wonder of YouTube and our good friend DJ Stylus who caught this moment in time on camera. At Thursday's all-star Godfather III James...

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Monday March 30

Rapper Big Pooh Cooks Up A 'Comeback'

 

Rapper Big Pooh's new solo album The Delightful Bars is on its way soon, and here's the first video from the disc to tide us over til its release. In the clip for "The Comeback," Pooh can be seen rapping...

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Friday March 27

Kanye West, Santigold, & Lykke Li 'Gifted' In N.A.S.A Video

 

In the no-rules, unique collaboration centered world of N.A.S.A. (Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon) the paring of Kanye West, Lykke Li, and Santigold is precisely the point. Even though joining these three disparate voices together is unexpected (and not...

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Friday March 27

Prince Rocks Leno With 'Dreamer'

 

While I am definitely a Prince fan, I sort of checked out after Diamonds And Pearls, and the first and last time I saw him in concert, Sheila E. was warning us all about the "Glamorous Life." Plus, his litigious...

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Friday March 27

The Roots Collaborate With Obama on 'Look!'

 

Well, sort of. Since politics is generally the fodder for late night talk show hosts, and President Obama is about as affable as world leaders can get, it means comedy show writers are in overdrive trying to crank out any...

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Thursday March 26

Mos Def Is Full Of 'Words'

 

In this extremely short teaser video for his forthcoming album The Ecstatic, Mos Def uses his deft ability with words. Only instead of just speaking them, his words become him. The video opens with just a textured background that fills...

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Thursday March 26

The Foreign Exchange Opens, Cuts Up

 

If you're a regular visitor to SoulBounce, then you know that we love everything about The Foreign Exchange. They are the rare group of artists who continuously put out dope music and are as talented as they are down to...

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Wednesday March 25

Keri Hilson May 'Knock You Down' With New Video

 

It seems like it's been an exceptionally long time coming for Keri Hilson. After all, she's been getting super-hyped since her appearance on Timberland's "The Way I Are." With vocals touched by the Auto-Tune fairy, and accompanied by Kanye West...

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Wednesday March 25

Who Is President Obama Bumping On Air Force One?

 

By now it's common knowledge that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle are huge music fans with exceptional taste. They've already had music icons like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire perform at the White House, and they've...

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Wednesday March 25

Pharrell Dances For His Dinner, French Are Unamused

 

The great thing about travelling internationally is the opportunity to explore other cultures while simultaneously exploring oneself. One of the things that supremely sucks about travelling internationally is seeing the reminders of our conspicuous consuming culture reflected in other countries,...

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Tuesday March 24

India.Arie, Adele Get In Tune With Walmart's 'Soundcheck'

 

When you hear the name Walmart you probably think of it as the go-to place for everything from detergent to dental floss to $5 DVDs, but as it turns out, up until last year Walmart was also the number one music...

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Tuesday March 24

Erykah Badu & The Cannabinoids Want To Infiltrate Your Cranium

 

Not too long ago, Erykah Badu asked if anyone in the Twitterverse knew what a cannabinoid was. Although known in science as being the active substance that gives the pleasant sensation when marijuana is metabolized by the body, in Erykah's...

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Tuesday March 24

'Go Outside' With Wes Felton

 

Wes Felton's videos are always a visual treat. His latest for the song "Go Outside" from his Black History Month Has Come and Gone Again mixtape is no exception. Although a little more out there than his normal fare, it still reflects...

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Monday March 23

World Premiere: 'Believe' By Ayah

 

SoulBounce is very proud to present the world premiere of Ayah's new video for the song "Believe." Our friend from up North and guest blogger at SB is busy at work on her first full-length album, 4:15, and "Believe" is...

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Monday March 23

Ciara & Justin Timberlake 'Sex' It Up In New Video

 

After releasing a single last year that received a lukewarm reception and a few leaks that sparked little to no interest, it looks Ciara may have finally hit the jackpot with "Love Sex Magic." The former Princess of Crunk 'n'...

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Friday March 20

Donwill Presents 'Laura's Song' in High Fidelity

 

Even though he's putting in work on the forthcoming Tanya Morgan album, Donwill has a pretty creative project of his own. Don Cusack In High Fidelity is his own album, modeled after his favorite film High Fidelity. It's a remake...

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Thursday March 19

Blame It On Mike Phillips

 

Mike Phillips, aka "A Jazzer with Swagger" (his words, not mine), is not only one of the premiere saxophonists of his generation, but he is famous for mashing up Jazz with Hip Hop and making it accessible to a new...

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Thursday March 19

Murs' 'Me and This Jawn' Video Takes Us On A Stroll Down Lovers' Lane

 

The man with That Hair, Murs, has released his video for "Me and This Jawn" off of last year's Murs For President. It's sweet and sentimental as he and his jawn, Roxy Reynolds, spend time together. They stroll along the...

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Thursday March 19

Consequence & Cudi Get Crazy in Clip Revisiting Quest

 

Clocking in at 1:55 "Buggin' Out '09" finds Consequence and Kid Cudi adorning the same pair of "crack eyes" Phife rocked in Tribe's "Jazz (We've Got)" video. The singular deviation here are the multi-colored filters Cordero used to enhance each...

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Wednesday March 18

Eric Benét Shows Some Skin In 'Chocolate Legs' Video

 

Now that I've picked myself up off of the floor after viewing Eric Benét's new video for the single "Chocolate Legs," I will try my best write it up. If I could only stop watching it long enough to do so,...

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Wednesday March 18

Raphael Saadiq & Keane Do Sly Justice

 

Recently Raphael Saadiq and Tom Chaplin, lead singer from the British rock band Keane, appeared on French television to perform the Sly and the Family Stone hit "Everyday People." Before your side eye takes a long walk off of a short...

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Wednesday March 18

Public Enemy & The Roots Bring It On Jimmy Fallon

 

Before entering into any discussion about the video below, please understand that Flavor Fav is 50 years old. That makes Public Enemy and Fav cohort Chuck D older than you may wish to admit to yourself. Now that you are...

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Tuesday March 17

'It's A Man's Man's Man's World' And Leela James Shows Us Around

 

This remake of James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" is straight up with no chaser, which is the right course of action for covering anything created by The Godfather of Soul. Leela James took her straightforward approach to...

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Tuesday March 17

J*DaVeY Previews New Material In Concert

 

Over the past couple of weeks, J*DaVeY has brought their live show to Washington, DC, New York City, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta, and concertgoers were treated to the unexpected yet delightful debut of new music from their upcoming release. I...

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Tuesday March 17

Blame It On The Alcohol Or The Purple Stuff?

 

It was only a matter of time before the parodies of Jamie Foxx's video for "Blame It On the Alcohol" started to pop up. Here we have a twist on the original, which was ripe for parody with its random...

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Monday March 16

When Jazmine Sullivan Made A 'Home' Video

 

You ever wonder what it would be like to hear Jazmine Sullivan cover a classic? Well, wonder no more. Through the magic of technology and the endurance of home video (in this case, East Hill Video), we have evidence that...

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Monday March 16

Get It 'Up' With 88-Keys & Kanye West

 

With a title like "Stay Up (Viagra)," the video for the song by 88-Keys and Kanye West could have gone in so many trifling directions, but instead we get an amusing and watchable clip from the two rappers. Keys and...

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Monday March 16

John Forte Is 'Runnin' Up That Hill'

 

Proving that he's back in the Hip Hop game for real, John Forte has a new track and accompanying video now available for our consumption. "Runnin' Up That Hill" samples the Kate Bush song of the same name and my...

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Thursday March 12

When Alice Russell Shows Up, She Shows Out

 

A few weeks ago we hipped you to the fact that Alice Russell would be touring the US during the month of March. Alice's tour is well underway after kicking off in Washington, DC at Liv last Thursday night and...

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Thursday March 12

Soulful Solicitation: Dwele Hopes You'll Subscribe

 

This is probably one of the most interesting and involved YouTube promotional devices employed by an artist. What Dwele is going to do is make a video for every one of the interludes from his album Sketches Of A Man...

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Thursday March 12

Why Chrisette Michele's 'Epiphany' Video Is Worth A Few Thoughts

 

Back in January, we let you know how we felt about the new Chrisette Michele track, "Epiphany." All of you were pretty much split on it, with some even wondering if what we heard was the finished product. Well, now...

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Tuesday March 10

Sheila E. Rides 'Glorious Train' To Country Victory

 

Sheila E. has gone from "Glamorous Life" to "Glorious Train" right before our eyes. Well, maybe not literally in front of our eyes, since most of us probably didn't see the artist who formerly worked with Prince won the Season...

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Tuesday March 10

Is Thru-You The New Wave Of Sampling?

 

As postulated yesterday, Hip Hop's need to create new music without relying on sometimes expensive samples has hopefully fostered a creativity that we haven't seen since the days of "yes, yes, y'all." But let's be real, Hip Hop has influenced...

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Tuesday March 10

This Nat King Cole Video Is 'Lush' Indeed

 

And way too short, I might add. Since we hipped you all to Re:Generations, the Nat King Cole concept album that is a wonderful compilation of modern-day artists reinterpreting his work, I have been in eager anticipation of this day....

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Monday March 09

Jazmine Sullivan's Short Film Is 'Another' Step In The Right Direction

 

OK, I think now we can all breathe a bit easier. After last week's debacle that was passed off as a high concept music video (the second in a series, actually), Jazmine Sullivan's team is finally back on track with...

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Monday March 09

Big Daddy Kane Documentary Coming Soon

 

If you really want to know my opinion on the prospect of a Big Daddy Kane documentary, I will unequivocally say that it is long overdue. The "Smooth Operator" still has not found himself without the adoration of fans, and...

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Monday March 09

Aceyalone Reminds Us Of 'The Way It Was'

 

Even though the song itself is riding last year's retro wave, Aceyalone's "The Way It Was" featuring Bionik is a reminder of why the trend still stands. One of the strongest aspects of the video is that it's saturated in...

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Thursday March 05

Get Ready For J*DaVeY's Bright Bouncy Fun At AMP Fest

 

Atlanta, you sure are in for a treat. Not only is the Arts Music People Festival a/k/a AMP Fest set to jump off March 14th showcasing the amazing talents of J*DaVeY, Brittany Bosco, and Doll Daze but this animated promotional...

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Thursday March 05

Get Into 'Science Fiction' With The Mighty Underdogs

 

This music video is so referential that any one of the following would have fit into The Mighty Underdogs' interplanetary mindscape just fine: George Clinton (including the whole of Parliament Funk), Afrika Bambaataa, and Missy Elliot. There is so much,...

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Wednesday March 04

Jazmine Sullivan Dreams A Little Too 'Big' In This Clip

 

Like "Lions, Tigers & Bears," Jazmine Sullivan's clip for "Dream Big" is green-screened within an inch of its life. For a girl with this much beauty and natural talent, these over-the-top videos are unnecessary. We certainly don't bemoan the concept...

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Tuesday March 03

Musiq Soulchild's New Video Is 'SoBeautiful'

 

Musiq Soulchild returns with a lot of people's favorite track from OnMyRadio, the ballad "SoBeautiful." In his songs and videos, Musiq always finds inventive and romantic ways in which to woo the opposite sex. "SoBeautiful" is no exception, as we...

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Tuesday March 03

Black Milk & Nicolay Discuss Their Craft

 

As any faithful reader of this site knows, I'm always on deck when it comes to Black Milk and Nicolay, two producers that made the biggest impression on me the past couple of years. It's always cool to revisit the...

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Monday March 02

'Living the Life' With Jermaine Dupri & Co.

 

As you may know, super-producer Jermaine Dupri has stepped up his new media game over the couple of years. He has his own YouTube channel, as well as his own website, Global 14. YouTube is where JD regularly gets it...

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Monday March 02

Esperanza Spalding Covers Stevie Wonder, Leaves Listeners 'Overjoyed'

 

As ubiquitous as Stevie Wonder's music seems to be, it's often very hard to cover a song of his and do it justice. Especially without copying his performance verbatim. So what a pleasant surprise it was when Esperanza Spalding began...

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Monday March 02

Dwele Is 'Workin' On It'

 

"Workin' On It" is an interlude and J Dilla tribute from Dwele's Sketches Of A Man. It is also, incidentally, one of my favorite tracks from the album, and provides a smart segue into "Brandi," which is inspired by Slum Village's "Go...

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Monday March 02

ICYMI: Oprah Puts the Spotlight on Jennifer Hudson

 

Jennifer Hudson's performance of the National Anthem was the only reason Oprah Winfrey even bothered with this year's Super Bowl, and who can blame her? Hudson's reemergence has been on full steam ever since, punctuated by her recent Grammy win....

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Friday February 27

It's Solange's 'Destiny' To Sing

 

Earlier this week AOL Black Voices put their latest installment of The Bridge music series online with Solange as the featured artist. Solo and her band performed tracks from Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, including "T.O.N.Y.," "Cosmic Journey,"...

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Friday February 27

New Videos From Lemar, Brick & Lace, Jadakiss & Scorcher

 

Get your passports ready because this week's new video roundup is an international affair. First stop is the UK with a new video from Lemar who is feeling the "Weight of the World" after losing his lady love--literally. This is...

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Friday February 27

Can We Blame The Video On Alcohol Too, Jamie?

 

Is there anyone more jaw-droppingly fly that could make an appearance in a music video than Little Opie Cunningham himself, Ron Howard? Who but him could bring a level of status so high that Forrest Whitaker, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake...

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Friday February 27

Stevie Wonder Celebrated At The White House In Grand Fashion

 

Last night PBS broadcast the In Performance at the White House celebration of Stevie Wonder in what was a star-studded, historic event. It was star-studded because amongst the Washington dignitaries in attendance were the likes of SoulBounce faves India.Arie, Mary...

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Thursday February 26

Eric Roberson Spits That Hot Fire

 

If you've ever had the privilege of seeing Eric Roberson live in concert, then you know that this dude is pretty nice with the freestyles where he typically takes words given to him by the audience and makes a song...

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Thursday February 26

Keelay & Zaire Bring Us 'The Times'

 

Although this video has been out for more than a minute, it's worth posting because it's been picking up rotation on a few music video networks and because the album it's from, Ridin' High, is set to come out in...

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Thursday February 26

Behind The Scenes With Melanie Fiona

 

A few weeks ago Motown Records held a showcase for Melanie Fiona in NYC that our man about town Harlem had a chance to attend, and he came back with rave reviews about the Canadian sensation. And now the rest...

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Friday February 20

Laura Izibor Dazzles DC

 

Tuesday night I had the opportunity to attend a showcase for our latest Bounce-Worthy artist, Laura Izibor. The event was put on by Atlantic Records and held at the legendary Bohemian Caverns in Washington, DC. Prior to that evening I...

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Friday February 20

New Videos From KiD CuDi, K'Naan, Joell Ortiz & Kanye West

 

Welcome to another roundup of some of the most interesting videos to hit the net this week. Up first is KiD CuDi with the video for "Day 'N' Nite," which features some cool animation around the live action. Next in...

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Thursday February 19

Let's Be 'Spies' With Sy Smith

 

With American Idol back on our television screens for another season, we're in the thick of getting our weekly dose of amateur singers, snarky and/or loopy judges and an uber-annoying host. But if you're a soul music aficionado like...

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Wednesday February 18

Syleena Johnson Sings 'Maury Povich' For Maury Povich

 

If you watch daytime television, then you know all about Maury Povich and his talk show. Maury isn't quite the three-ring circus that The Jerry Springer Show is, but it has its fair share of ignorance on the regular. Whether...

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Wednesday February 18

k-os Releases New Video '4,3,2,1'

 

Sometimes it takes a video to remind you of how long it's been since you've heard from somebody. It isn't like k-os has been gone per se, but this new video "4,3,2,1" from his forthcoming album Yes!, is exciting like...

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Tuesday February 17

Full Crate Delivers A 'Fly' Track

 

I've been becoming more acquainted with Full Crate who, along with FS Green, has a series of mixtapes, Mixing Monthly, that were recently mentioned as one my current faves. It's also been nice to hear that he's recently released a very delightful track onto...

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Tuesday February 17

Quddus Is 'Humbled' And 'Wide Open'

 

You may know Quddus as a former MTV VJ and a current correspondent for TVOne Access, but you may not know that prior to that career move that he was a spoken word artist. Like many of us who put...

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Monday February 16

Royce Da 5'9" Illustrates A Man's Biggest Fantasy And Worst Nightmare

 

Lest you thought that Royce Da 5'9" had fallen off, he is coming back with a vengeance in '09. His new album, Street Hop, hits streets and shelves on April 21st, and the video for the first single, "Part...

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Friday February 13

New Videos From Black Milk, Evidence, Grandmaster Flash, Asher Roth & Mz Streamz

 

This week's crop of new videos is for the Hip Hop Junkies. Up first is a video from one of the nicest rappers in the game right now, Black Milk. He's joined by fellow Detroiter Royce Da 5'9" on "Losing...

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Thursday February 12

What's In A Name? Soil & 'Pimp' Sessions Force Our Hand

 

I know what you're thinking. A band named Soil & 'Pimp' Sessions? Except that when we really thought about it, is this really that much different than Dirt McGirt a/k/a Ol Dirty Bastard? Or the late and beloved Pimp C?...

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Thursday February 12

Black Star Reunites, Backpackers Rejoice

 

Now that the disappointment that was the Grammy Awards are over, we can reflect more upon the events that made this year's Grammy weekend in LA great. In addition to many fantastic parties, we also caught wind of some performances,...

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Thursday February 12

Jennifer Hudson's 'If This Isn't Love'

 

It's exceptionally hard not to project all of the tragedy in Jennifer Hudson's life onto everything she's done lately, including this new video for her next single "If This Isn't Love." In it she sings, poses, and looks as gorgeous...

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Wednesday February 11

Is Robin Thicke's 'Dreamworld' Yours Too?

 

I've always felt that this incarnation of Robin Thicke used too much falsetto. He does it extremely well, don't get me wrong, but "Dreamworld" is so refreshing sans the vocal technique. Though this video is shot as slowly and as...

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Wednesday February 11

Calling All Music Fans: Be a Part of Eric Roberson's New Album

 

We are counting the days until we get our hands on Eric Roberson's new album here at SoulBounce. Since we last checked in with Erro, he has decided to release his next collection in June, and we're 99% sure that...

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Tuesday February 10

If Only Janelle Monáe Had Performed At The Grammys...

 

Upon learning that she concluded her set at this Grammy party in Los Angeles by jumping into a pool and then climbing a tree, it's clear that a Janelle Monáe performance could have made the Grammy Awards more bearable to...

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Monday February 09

De La Soul Plans to Work It Out With Nike

 

In the event that Kanye's "New Workout Plan" has gotten old, then De La Soul may have the solution for you. The trio who once brought us an ode to big girls with "Baby Phat" has linked up with athletic...

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Friday February 06

New Videos from Chester French, Jimmie Reign & Damani

 

Once again this week's roundup of new videos has a little something for everybody. Up first is Chester French for the hipster set with the video for their song "She Loves Everybody." The subject of the song shows the duo...

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Thursday February 05

Jazmine Sullivan's All Smiles, Cool With Her Grammy Nominations

 

First of all, how cute is Jazmine Sullivan with her husky voice and excited grin in this interview with the Associated Press? In it she discusses her five (deserved) Grammy nominations, and the diverse musical influences that helped make the...

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Thursday February 05

Amanda Diva Elucidates On Sad Moments In Black History

 

Black History Month has come under scrutiny lately and not by those whom you may expect. Recently, Morgan Freeman questioned its significance, while Ta-Nehisi Coates argues for its continuance in the face of the repeated showcase of the oppression that...

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Tuesday February 03

India.Arie and Musiq Soulchild Show Us Their 'Chocolate High'

 

The chemistry between India.Arie and Musiq Soulchild is intoxicating. This video for "Chocolate High" is bursting with a simpleness and flirtatiousness that compliment the song so well. Although clearly Musiq sleeps in those sunglasses and wakes up surprisingly well...

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Monday February 02

Darius Rucker's New Video Is a Family Affair

 

When Darius "He'll Always Be 'Hootie' To Me" Rucker changed lanes from rock to neo-soul a few years ago, save for one or two songs, it wasn't exactly a good move. But now that he's switched styles once again...

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Monday February 02

Jennifer Hudson Sings The National Anthem, Takes Our Collective Breath Away

 

It's too easy to compare the stellar Star Spangled Banner performance Jennifer Hudson gave at the Super Bowl to the iconic one given by Whitney Houston all those years ago. Maybe it's even a little dismissive of the impact of...

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Friday January 30

K'Naan's A 'Dreamer,' Likes Line Drawings

 

"It's okay to have fun," K'Naan reminds us in the new video for the single "Dreamer" on his forthcoming album. Not only is the message of the song a positive one--that even in the most dire struggles it's alright to...

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Friday January 30

New Videos From Mavado, Lykee Li, Nina B. & Bangladesh

 

This week's new video roundup features an eclectic bunch. First up is the latest Jamaican dancehall king, Mavado, with a pretty formulaic video filled with lots of skin and brown liquor for his song "I'm So Special." Too bad there's...

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Thursday January 29

Jazmine Sullivan's Not Afraid of Tigers, At Least

 

Jazmine Sullivan's "Lions, Tigers & Bears" made the Top 10 Lists of three SoulBounce editors, because it really is a dope, cinematic song. We had no idea she'd go so literal with the execution of the video, however. Yellow Brick...

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Wednesday January 28

Jadakiss Has a Few Words for Biggie

 

Have you ever heard a song but not started liking it until you saw the video? If so, then you'll understand how I felt about Jadakiss' "Letter to B.I.G." Upon first hearing the track, it was just OK to...

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Wednesday January 28

John Forte Celebrates His 'Homecoming' with Talib Kweli

 

After reading John Forte's very personal account of his first day out of prison on The Daily Beast, I was filled with a melancholy mix of sadness and hope. I felt sadness for the fact that this otherwise intelligent young...

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Wednesday January 28

'Viva La Vida,' Solange!

 

Say what you will about the woman, Solange has been doing her thing since the release of her sophomore album last summer. Among the more surprisingly interesting and entertaining of her appearances is this new cover she did of Coldplay's...

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Tuesday January 27

Raphael Saadiq Runs a '100 Yard Dash'

 

The video for Raphael Saadiq's "100 Yard Dash" has premiered, and it falls right in line with the vintage vibe of The Way I See It. In the black and white clip punctuated with splases of color, Saadiq chases after...

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Monday January 26

Mary Mary Get Animated For 'Worship'

 

We finally get to see the video for "I Worship," the second single from Mary Mary's 2008 release The Sound. In the clip, Erica and Tina get digitally animated while praising the Lord through song. After the scorcher that...

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Friday January 23

New Videos From Mint Condition, Dwele, J. Holiday & Ryan Leslie

 

It's been a minute since I've done a new video roundup, so I'm bringing the beat back in grand fashion with four new videos from for distinct male voices on today's soul music scene. First up we have Stokely Williams...

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Friday January 23

'Get It Together' With Maya Azucena

 

After this week's events (we got a Black president, yo!!), we're still riding on a love high here at SBHQ, and we have artists such as Maya Azucena providing the soundtrack. We first featured her inspirational song "Get It Together"...

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Thursday January 22

It's Official: Keyshia's Change is 'Complete'

 

So, if you weren't convinced before that change has come to America, taking a glimpse at the new video from the usually sorrowful songstress Keyshia Cole should truly sway you for good. It's true. When she talked about her new...

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Thursday January 22

Jesse Boykins III Wants to See You In Your 'Pantyhose'

 

A few months ago when I featured Jesse Boykins III as a Bounce-Worthy artist, his song "Pantyhose" got great feedback around these parts. So its only fitting to post the brand new video for the track, which is equally as...

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Thursday January 22

'Everybody Knows,' John Legend

 

With high production value, scenes of unknown pretty people doing a variety of things, and John Legend's exposed décolletage, the video for "Everybody Knows" is nice to watch. As Legend walks about city streets, dark interiors, and other locales he...

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Wednesday January 21

You Wish You Had A Love Like Our President and First Lady

 

Even with the daunting task of nine more official balls to attend, and after the historic events of earlier in the day President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's love is strong. It's real. It's beautiful. Their first dance...

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Friday January 16

The Evening Commute With Q-Tip and Amanda Diva

 

"Manwomanboogie," the fourth video from Q-Tip's The Renaissance, opens with our hero Kamaal aboard a progressively trippier train ride testifying to his unenthusiastic fellow commuters about the dynamics between man and woman. A sassy, kittenish Amanda Diva adds her jazzy...

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Thursday January 15

'Jerk It' Quoth Thunderheist

 

Late last year, I briefly mentioned a group known as Thunderheist, a duo hailing from The Great White North who managed to infuse some class into a booty shake song, if such a thing were possible. Interestingly enough, this duo's...

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Thursday January 15

Q-Tip is Such a Tease

 

I'm not a big fan of video teasers that hit the net five minutes before the video comes out, but in Q-Tip's case I'll make an exception. His new video will be for the track "Manwomanboogie" is coming tomorrow, but...

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Wednesday January 14

A 'Four Letter Word' From Raheem DeVaughn

 

I have a few four letter words for Raheem DeVaughn about his new video for the track "Four Letter Word" from last year's Love Behind the Melody: Love. This. Jont. If you've been following SoulBounce of late, then you know...

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Tuesday January 13

Christina Milian Flaunts Bikini Wax in the Desert in New Video

 

Christina Milian is back with a new video. I know, I know, don't all yawn at once. Sike! I actually sorta kinda like Ms. Milian and this clip is for her "comeback" record, "Us Against the World," which marks the...

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Friday January 09

The Thievery Corporation Takes Chuck Brown For a Ride In New Video

 

Last year DC's own Thievery Corporation linked up with go-go legend Chuck Brown for the song "Numbers Game" from their CD Radio Retaliation. The track was awash in '70s nostalgia and that carries over somewhat into the video with the...

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Friday January 09

Another Will.I.Am Video From 2007's 'Songs About Girls'? Seriously?

 

I swear Will.I.Am must have pictures and/or videos of the head honchos over there at Interscope with donkeys and/or transvestite midgets because he has somehow managed to get another video made from is 2007 release Songs About Girls. I have...

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Thursday January 08

Sim City Cautions About A 'Femme Fatale'

 

Please don't be fooled into thinking that Wale is the only rapper of note coming outta the DMV. There are a number of hungry MC's waiting for their turn to shine in the shadow of the Nation's Capitol. One such...

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Wednesday January 07

Welcome to Kindred the Family Soul's 'House Of Love'

 

Although their song "House of Love" debuted last September, Kindred the Family Soul just recently released a video for the debut single from their current release The Arrival. Shot last month in Los Angeles and directed by up-and-coming director...

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Wednesday January 07

Eric Roberson Does The National Anthem Justice

 

This past November Eric Roberson had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the Knicks vs. Cavaliers game at Madison Square Garden. Before LeBron and company spanked the home team, Erro took his spot on center court for this...

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Tuesday January 06

Video For Wayna's 'My Love' is Bruising, Poignant

 

What makes "My Love" so moving is the deceptively sweet cadence with which the song moves along juxtaposed against the agonizing and conflicted situation Wayna sings about. How better to convey the ambivalence and pain and posturing tangled up in...

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Tuesday January 06

Get Into The Noisettes & Their 'Wild Young Hearts'

 

I will admit that Afro-Punk is a genre of music I have overwhelmingly slept on. It has all the elements of music that a grrrl like myself would enjoy (Rock, Black folks who can sing, interesting outfits, and wanting to...

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Friday December 19

Anthony Hamilton 'Plays It Cool' With Cooke Classic

 

Anthony Hamilton is one of those artists that other artists love. It's his voice, and his range, and the way he tackles everything he sings. Thankfully for those of us who weren't able to catch him on the latest leg...

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Thursday December 18

Still Hungry For Eric Benét?

 

If you're anything like me then the title of this post is a total trick question, because there is no such thing as too much Eric Benét when you have an insatiable appetite for good music. If you were lucky...

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Thursday December 18

NASA & Collaborators Are 'Money' With This Track

 

N.A.S.A., a production duo du jour, have been courted pretty heavily by tastemaker blogs and publications alike lately. Their recent single featuring Kanye West, Santogold, and Swedish singer Lykke Li wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but their latest, "Money," whose...

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Wednesday December 17