Archive » I Was There

Musiq Redeems Himself With 'SoBeautiful'

 

Musiq Soulchild fans can breathe a sigh of relief. After being subjected to that wretched song as the first single from his next album, I am here to tell you the man hasn't sold out! Whereas I don't know about every track that will appear on OnMyRadio, I can say that he returns to his tried and true formula of crafting soulful music with substance on at least one other song from the album. Yes!

I saw Mr. Soulchild in concert a couple weeks ago and as he sang his way through his deep catalog of crowd-pleasing favorites, he introduced us to a new song entitled "SoBeautiful." My side-eye started watering as a rush of questions came to my brain: Was he gonna sing about rims and rotund booties? Was Lil Wayne gonna jump out like a goblin from the backstage shadows to rap? Would there be auto-tune involved? However, by the time the first note played, my fears were allayed. "SoBeautiful" was a lovely song about commitment that fit nicely into the show. Now this was the Musiq that I came to know and love. Hearing this song made me forgive him for pandering to the mainstream, and now I'm actually looking forward to getting my hands on OnMyRadio this November. Albeit with my finger on the FF button when that song comes on.

Check Musiq performing "SoBeautiful" at a recent concert and my guerrilla footage from his DC show after the bounce.

Read more...

Butta  |  09/02/2008 at 3:25 PM  |  Comments (7)  |  Permalink

Presenting the Legendary Funk Puddin

 

A few weeks ago Anthony David and N'dambi rolled through DC for one of the slamminest (won't find that in the dictionary) concerts to hit the DMV in a hot minute. If you weren't there, then you missed one helluva show. With the tightest afro this side of the '70s and legs for days, N'dambi put it down and set the stage for Anthony David who brought his soulful Southern swagger to DC for another display of dopeness. But the real story of the night was the surprise appearance of Funk Puddin, the long forgotten troubadour of funk and soul. He took the stage when Anthony David took a short break and sang Rick James' "Mary Jane," causing the audience to erupt in both sheer delight and awe. He only sang one song then was gone in a haze of braid sheen and satin, but I was fortunate enough to capture the man, the myth, the legend on video. Catch a glimpse of his genius below.

Butta  |  08/21/2008 at 12:00 PM  |  Comments (4)  |  Permalink

Sketches of a Dwele Concert

 

Our visitor and friend IKandiDiva recently attended the Charlotte, NC stop of Dwele's "Sketches of a Man" tour and you know what? He was good, she says! I've heard some conflicting opinions regarding Dwele's mastery of the stage. I've seen him live, and although I love Dwele very much, I'll have to say it's a good thing he was the opening act. Check out a sample of IKandiDiva's report after the bounce along with some footage. And remember to send your concert reviews and artist experiences to iwasthere@soulbounce.com. Don't forget to hit us with some pics and clips if you can!

Read more...

nOvaMatic  |  07/30/2008 at 1:30 PM  |  Comments (1)  |  Permalink

Keith Sweat Brings the Freak Out in Concert

 

Last Saturday night I had the pleasure of seeing Keith Sweat for the first time in concert at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC alongside fellow SoulBouncer Vivrant Thang. Yes, I realize that it's 2008 and not 1988, but you would have never known it by the way that Keith commanded the audience as he ran through his litany of hits and made the ladies gasp, swoon and lose their minds. Which leads me to the above photo that I snapped during the...er...grown and sexy portion of the show.

At one point during his set, Sweat brought a woman from the audience up on stage to get faux freaky with while singing one of his numerous slow jams. For those unaware, this tactic is on page 69 of the Male R&B Singer Concert Playbook. The only thing was, he got a bonafide freak-a-zoid that night. Miss Thang walked on stage innocently enough then once Kieth started whining singing to her, all bets were off. She jumped on him, wrapped her legs around his waist and proceeded to ride 'em cowgirl. Because nothing says "class" like dry boning Keith Sweat in front of a thousand or so people.

Keith was so taken aback that after she finished having her way with him he asked her, "You haven't had sex in a long time, huh?" and was dead serious. He pressed further, saying to her, "No, for real, when was the last time you had sex?" Miss Thang was being coy, and if she answered the audience didn't hear it. But the kicker really came when Keith said, "Well, I'm glad your man ain't here." To which she responded by pointing out her HUSBAND in the audience.

My soul's time of death: 8:25 PM EST.

Read more...

Butta  |  07/29/2008 at 12:30 PM  |  Comments (5)  |  Permalink

musicFIRST Fights For Artists Rights on the Radio

 

Last night I was invited to an exclusive event in Washington, D.C. thrown by musicFirst in conjunction with SoundExchange. The Sugarhill Gang and Whodini's Grandmaster Dee, who are in town for this weekend's Fresh Fest concert, mixed and mingled with Dru Hill's Sisqo, Jazz and Nokio, Crystal Waters (!), music industry execs and other assorted party people. However, the night wasn't all about shaking your groove thang or the top shelf open bar.

The musicFIRST (Fairness in Radio Starting Today) Coalition is a partnership of artists and organizations working together in an attempt to get radio stations to pay artists whenever their sound recordings are broadcast on AM or FM radio. Unlike the "pay to play" history of payola between recording companies and radio stations, artists are now asking for "pay for play." However, big bad corporate radio is refusing to budge and won't even give a fraction of a penny to compensate those whose work they've built their empires on.

Founding artists of musicFIRST include a diverse array of talent from all musical genres, including Will.I.Am, Wyclef, Donna Summer, Boney James, Chaka Khan, Ne-Yo and Common. Formed in 2007, musicFIRST has already mobilized and gone before Congress to fight for artist's rights to get paid for radio airplay in the same way that they receive royalties for digital transmissions of their recordings on the Internet, which SoundExchange collects and distributes. And it's not just the artists who will get compensated if musicFIRST has their way, but also background singers, studio musicians and copyright holders.

So what do you think? Should artists be paid for radio airplay as they are paid for online play or should the system remain as it is? Join in on the discussion in the comments section and peep some flicks and video of Grandmaster Dee on the wheels of steel after the bounce.

musicFIRST [Official]
SoundExchange [Official]

Read more...

Butta  |  06/11/2008 at 4:30 PM  |  Comments (4)  |  Permalink

Badu Does 'Def'

 

The first time I saw Erykah Badu perform live, ironically, wasn't at a concert, but during the taping of the second season of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry at the Supper Club in New York City. What struck me wasn't so much her command of the stage (I could tell that from her videos). It was how all of that brilliant artistry and energy was wrapped in such a small package. In fact, she was so tiny, I almost walked right past her outside after the taping.

She was brilliant that night, performing two poems and wowing the crowd. Below is the routine that made the television cut, "Friends, Fans & Artists."

Harlem  |  02/26/2008 at 2:30 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink

Jill Scott Is 'The Real Thing' On Tour

 

It's no secret that Jill Scott's "The Real Thing" Tour is the hottest ticket around these days. It's also no secret that Jill Scott is a beast on stage and her command of an audience is unrivaled by most of her contemporaries. As she said herself while being interviewed before her performance of "The Way" in Dave Chappelle's Block Party, "Have you ever seen me on perform?" and then gave a wry, knowing smile. Jill's confidence matches her prowess when she grabs the mic. For this concert in particular, the Los Angeles audience was in for a particular treat, especially since for Jill, whose talent for expressing the good, bad and ugly sides of love are unparalleled, was in a loving mood. It was after all Valentine's Day. 

Read more...

ill Mami  |  02/20/2008 at 3:30 PM  |  Comments (14)  |  Permalink

I Was There: Brand New Heavies, Eric Roberson, Vikter Duplaix & Caron Wheeler

 

Read more...

ill Mami  |  02/11/2008 at 11:00 AM  |  Comments (2)  |  Permalink

When An Actor's Fed Up

 

Have you ever thought about what would happen if black actors got fed up with rappers taking all their screen roles? Ever think about what would happen if, feeling helpless and more importantly, out of work, those actors decided to take matters into their own hands?

SoulBounce was in the house last weekend for a special preview of a play that not only poses those questions, but plays them out in real time.  Actor/writer/director J. Kyle Manzay and an ensemble cast that includes local New York radio personalities Ann Tripp (107.5 WBLS) and Deja Vu (Power 105.1), tackles the edict laid out a few years back by Samuel L. Jackson, who proclaimed he'd never do a movie with a rapper again. (Sure, he's since done exactly that, but do you wanna tell Sam that he's a hypocrite? Yeah, didn't think so.) His reasoning? They were taking jobs from trained actors.

Manzay's character, L.J., has been passed over for a lead role in a major motion picture in favor of the hottest rapper in the game, Datz Ridiculous.  (You read that correctly.) L.J. and his boys decide it would be in the best interest of the acting community to kidnap Ridiculous, and well...hilarity and hypocrisy ensues. 

Read more...

Harlem  |  02/07/2008 at 3:00 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink