R&B star Keri Hilson recently performed a set for Walmart Soundcheck online concert series. Check out her performances of new US single ‘Slow Dance’ (which I’m hearing was minimalist due to the more explicit nature of her usual live performances of the song), new UK single ‘Energy’ as well as album cut ‘Alienated’.

Pretty good….
What do you think of Keri’s performances?
This week’s classic From The Vault video is Mary J. Blige’s 2005 international smash ‘Be Without’. A return to form for the future Hall-of-Famer, the song serves as one of those that sound as fresh today as it did when it was first released – IMO one her all-time best. It’s not often singers who have been in the industry for so long manage to add to their list of career-defining hits so late into their career, something I feel really is a testament to just how great both this song and Mary J are. Enjoy:



Your thoughts?

Peep this preview of D. Woods’ video for debut single ‘Legalize Me’. Still on her Independent circuit grind, I’m must say I’m quite impressed with D for this one.
Your thoughts?

Interview coming faster than you can say ‘Sam, the man, the Kelly Rowland stan!’

Your thoughts?
JoJo - 'Forever In My Life'
As JoJo’s battle with her label Blackground rages on over the release of her ‘All I Want Is Everything’ album, a new cut presumed to be for the recording sessions for the LP has surfaced. ‘Forever In My Life’ is mid-tempo R&B/Pop fusion, with a great vocal performance turned in by the 18 year old. That said, there’s not much to scream about with this one. Album track, at best.
Hit or Miss?

Listen: Whitney's 'I Look To You' LP (Preview)
Amazon UK have put a preview of the full version of Whitney Houston’s hotly anticipated new album ‘I Look To You’ up moments ago. Click the link below to listen and let That Grape Juice know what you think…
Update: That Grape Juice are particularly liking the sound of ‘Worth It’ (fiyah!!!), ‘For The Lovers’ and ‘I Got You’ – of the tracks we’d yet to have heard before today.
Hit(s) or Miss(es)?
Jade Ewen - 'Punching Out'
While UK siren Jade Ewen currently preps the promotional push for her official first single ‘My Man’, the follow-up single ‘Punching Out’ surfaced today. Said to also serve as the name of her debut album, ‘Punching Out’ is an anthemic R&B/Pop cut, much in the vein of Beyonce’s ‘Irreplaceable’. I like.
Hit or Miss?

After the lukewarm performance of ‘Obsessed’ and the numerous pushbacks of new album ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’, things don’t look to be getting any better for Mariah Carey. The 39 year old singer has cancelled ALL of her upcoming promotional appearances amid speculation that the album has been delayed – again. Peep the report via Mariah Daily:
Mariah has cancelled her appearance on the TODAY show which was previously scheduled for August 28, 2009 and will be replaced by Miley Cyrus, NBC has announced today.
This is one of many recent postponements and cancellations of recently scheduled events: VH1 Storytellers, Clear Channel Tribeca show, Receiving Walk of Fame Hollywood Star, The Today Show and the MTV Video Music Awards.
Mariah’s management and record label are unwilling to divulge any information regarding the cancelled events but we suspect the reason is another postponement of Mariah’s new album release date. It appears to be that Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel will not be released on September 15, 2009, but at a later, currently unknown date.
Call me a ‘hater’ and sure some of you will (it’s all love lol), but it’s vividly clear to see that things are going belly-up with Mariah’s project. Whether she and her team will be able to salvage the situation and deliver a smash hit album will be interesting to see. Yet it’s worth saying that numerous sources close to That Grape Juice were not at all impressed with what they heard at the London listening session for ‘Memoirs’. Oh, Mariah…
Your thoughts?

Rapper Yung Joc continues to speak out about his situation with Diddy and Bad Boy, most recently to venting his frustrations to Rolling Out (how apt).
I’m hoping this sounds a warning to those desperately looking for a record deal; fresh to the industry or otherwise, make sure you’re contracts aren’t bogus Bad Boy-style. SMH…
Any thoughts?
Amerie's Album Pushed Back To November
Fans hoping to snap up Amerie’s Def Jam debut ‘In Love & War’ will have to wait longer, as the record has now been pushed back from it’s September 29th release date to November 3rd -the date the singer wanted herself as confirmed on her Twitter page.
Word has it Def Jam are set to execute a major promotional push for the official first single ‘Heard Em’ All’, once the video, which is being shot this week, is released (late August/early September). For Amerie’s sake I hope so…
Your thoughts?
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