Archive » Media Watch

JET Announces, 'Prince Turns 50!'...Two Weeks Late

 

I swear, I couldn't make this up if I tried. JET magazine, a publication that prides itself on delivering black news first, has just announced that music and cultural icon Prince is celebrating his 50th birthday!!! The problem with that announcement is, of course, that he celebrated it two weeks ago. Talk about your slow news cycles. There's a joke in there somewhere about how the rising costs of fuel might be causing JET to be even slower to the news than usual.. or maybe one about how if JET is catering your birthday, be prepared for stale cake. But I digress. What matters is that they're giving the man his due. Right? RIGHT?!?!? 

Also in the June 23rd edition of the weekly (on stands today) is news that 50 Cent's house burnt down (almost a month ago), someone named Barack Obama is running for president (Word?!?!), R. Kelly is on trial (umm, the verdict is in) and, for you lovers out there, 10 great tips for men looking to get their sweetie the perfect Valentine's Day gift (nice!). *removing tongue from cheek and shaking my head*  We need to do better.

Harlem  |  06/16/2008 at 2:40 PM  |  Comments (8)  |  Permalink

Conscious Hip Hop: The New Danger?

 

Read more...

ill Mami  |  06/16/2008 at 1:00 PM  |  Comments (7)  |  Permalink

Nas Channels His Inner Cool Kid For Fashion Spread

 

In the event that you are tired of hearing about Nas' music, then this particular post is for you. Always one to surprise and amaze, Nasir Jones has upped and done an unintentionally comical spread in some interesting gear in the June/July issue of Complex. Nas can be seen in day-glo skinny jeans, the latest hot kicks and other trendy hipster swag in the "Colorful Language" fashion feature. The photos themselves are a beautiful mess, but this video ups the ante on the funny. The clip shows not-so-nasty Nas in various poses with his song "Hip Hop Is Dead" serving as the soundtrack. Oh, the irony.

Butta  |  06/10/2008 at 3:15 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink

In Defense of Usher

 

As many of you are aware, Usher went on a rant this week on TRL, addressing all the trash people have talked about his wife. I'll be the first to say that I don't feel heaps of sympathy for people as blessed as he is, but, in a time when you have countless Hip Hop and R&B stars going to court for child support, being brought up on drugs and weapons charges, sexing minors, etcetera, etcetera, is getting married and becoming a dad the worst thing this brother could've done? Really? This, of course, all stems from the fact that the tween set is refusing to let this man turn 30, to which I say, "You'll live."

Full disclosure: I was a big Usher fan back in the day. His first album was sorely underrated and featured the best writing and production team of any Usher album to date--Al B. Sure, Faith Evans, DeVante, Chucky Thompson and even Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs all created the sound of my youth. Since then, he's been fortunate to become a reigning figure in R&B/Pop royalty, laying the smackdown on the charts and working his behind off. Even when other LaFace acts like TLC and Toni Braxton were the victims of bad accounting, he persevered. His personal and professional record is, for the most part, squeaky clean. I'd go off, too.

After the bounce, check out his rant if you haven't seen it already, and take a trip back in time to when Usher was still a Bad Boy. Hopefully we can all get to a point where we'll stop dogging his marriage and talk about how tired his new album is. Because that, folks, is what really matters.

Read more...

nOvaMatic  |  05/29/2008 at 11:00 AM  |  Comments (7)  |  Permalink

Hot or Not? Kanye is MTV's #1

 

Well, that was pretty anti-climactic, wasn't it?

When it comes to things like rankings, we can engage in pointed, light-hearted discussion, we can poke fun, we can take it seriously, or we can take it personally. The passion with which Hip Hop heads discuss these matters points to several things, mostly a determination to preserve what we hold dear. Other times, it becomes a certified whine-fest and we aren't gonna do that here.

That said, aren't you glad Soulja Boy didn't make it? He could've. This is MTV, after all.

Read more...

nOvaMatic  |  05/19/2008 at 1:00 PM  |  Comments (14)  |  Permalink

Mary, Jill And Alicia Grace Essence Magazine's June Covers

 

Essence magazine is paying tribute to Black Music Month by featuring three of our brightest soul stars on separate collector's edition covers this June. Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott and Alicia Keys are looking fierce in boldly-hued designer dresses in photos oozing with class, sass, and sex appeal. Not only do these three beauties grace the outside, but an in-depth interview can be found inside the mag as well where they each dish on the industry and their places in it. Check for the June issue on newsstands now. 

Butta  |  05/14/2008 at 1:17 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink

Inside The FADER's 'Icon' Issue with Aaliyah

 

The FADER's annual "Icon" issue has finally been released and we finally get to see what lies between the pages of this year's issue, dedicated to Aaliyah. Inside, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Method Man, Cassie, Mark Ronson, Tank and more all recount their personal memories and thoughts on America's Babygirl. The entire magazine is available for download as a pdf, but you can check out some of the images after the bounce.

The FADER Issue 54 Free Download [FADER]

Read more...

nOvaMatic  |  05/14/2008 at 11:00 AM  |  Comments (1)  |  Permalink

Are You Ready for MTV's 'Hottest MCs in the Game'?

 

Who better than MTV to tell us who the hottest MCs of 2008 are? Last year they conducted a roundtable with otherwise qualified MTV producers, correspondents and editors branded "The Hip Hop Braintrust," who used the following qualifiers to determine their Top 10. One of them, sadly, is "swagger":

...we decided to break down what's going on today--as in not now, but right now! We looked at the work of the most prominent MCs of the past year or so and factored in the following: straight-up skills, success (both musical and entrepreneurial), impact on the game and swagger: an MC's cool factor and how they carry themselves on and off recordings.

To be sure, any "Hip Hop" that lands on MTV's radar is bound to be some straight-up trash. Check out last year's list with my comments after the bounce.

Read more...

nOvaMatic  |  05/12/2008 at 1:00 PM  |  Comments (11)  |  Permalink

Foxy Brown Coordinates On The Cover Of JET

 

Fresh outta the clink, Foxy Brown is the latest JET cover girl. Hey, it's not Hype Hair, but it's a start for the hotheaded hot girl trying to rebuild her rap career. After we hipped y'all to her surprisingly decent collabo with Dwele yesterday, I have to admit that I'm kinda sorta maybe looking forward to hearing more from Brooklyn's Don Diva. I like how JET coordinated the colors on the cover and cars with Foxy's amazing technicolor dreamcoat and Wet 'N Wild lipstick. Big ups to the art department. In the piece, Fox Boogie is quoted as saying, "I want to do things different now and to show people the maturation. There will be a big change, but no one does a 360 overnight." That's great and all, but somebody shoulda told her that doing a 360 would take her right back to where she started and Lord knows she doesn't need anymore cases.  

[H/T: SONYC]

Butta  |  05/08/2008 at 2:08 PM  |  Comments (2)  |  Permalink

Mary J. Blige Amongst People's Most Beautiful Ones

 

People's annual list of the 100 Most Beautiful will be hitting newsstands soon but the online version of the mag is giving a sneak peak at some of this year's pretty faces. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Mary J. Blige was included in the mix.

Mary's cute game has stepped up tremendously since she stomped onto the scene in black combat boots, athletic jerseys, and the early '90s flygirl hair and makeup styles of the day. She has blossomed into a gorgeous grown woman after overcoming addiction, abusive relationships and all-around drama. The down-to-earth diva is finally at peace, which is the most beautiful thing of all.

And since we're on the subject of MJB being a gorgeous MVP, there's no better time than the present to dig up this gem from her catalog. Mary J.'s "Beautiful" was one of the few stellar moments on the uneven How Stella Got Her Groove Back soundtrack. Clocking in at over six minutes, this track is a mid-tempo love song that's as soothing as a long hug. 

Mary J. Blige: "Beautiful"

Butta  |  05/01/2008 at 4:45 PM  |  Comments (3)  |  Permalink

Jill Scott Nymphs it Up in Allure

 

"It took a lot to stand there naked in front of strangers and try to be comfortable and carefree. But I did it - and I'd do it again." -- Jill Scott

So now we have it. Back in January we heard that Jill Scott was posing in the buff for Allure magazine, and thanks to our friends at Urban-Hoopla, we have the photo. My opinion? Jill was shorted, not only of clothes but basically of a good shot, which is self-defeating. If the intent was to highlight her beauty, they've instead hidden it behind the bushes. We've seen more of her lovely curves in a full dress. Tasteful, perhaps. But cowardly. She's still sexy though. Click to enlarge. [U-H]

nOvaMatic  |  04/21/2008 at 1:26 PM  |  Comments (17)  |  Permalink