Some of you may recall an uber-low quality behind the scenes clip of Beyonce’s latest video for new single ‘Sweet Dreams’ surfacing on the net last week. Well, now the clear, high-quality version has surfaced and it’s looking like a winner. Check it out above.

Your thoughts?

Mariah Carey’s hotly anticipated new single ‘Obsessed’ has literally (literally) just premiered on Chicago’s B96 radio station…and it’s not good news (IMO).

The Tricky Stewart produced and (The) Dream penned cut sees Mariah sing – vocoder effect en toe- over a much more Urban sounding beat – in comparison to the single offerings from her last effort ‘E=MC2’. Getting the ‘good’ out of the way first; the record is a laced with catchy hooks that should ensure it be a fixture on the radio.

The bad? Basically everything else! For an artist who is oft labelled ‘The Voice’, this isn’t a good look – at all. For IMO any mediocre R&B chick could have churned out the very same track – to much less fanfare. The overly-processed and cooked-up sound of Mariah’s voice via the vocoder also doesn’t do the 39 year old any favours in the forever-raging debate about the state of her voice. Summed up, Mariah dropped the ball with this one. I’ll probably become “Lamb Stew” for this, but oh well…LOL.

Click here to listen to ‘Obsessed’ on Mariah’s official site!

Hit or Miss?

R&B star Kelly Rowland is once again over our side of the pond here in her home-away-from-home London, promoting her collaboration with David Guetta – ‘When Love Takes Over’. The pair today stopped by ITV1’s This Morning to perform the song, as well as sit down for a chat. You can check out the performance above and the interview below:

I must admit, I’m stanning quite a bit now, as Ms. Kelly nailed that performance vocally. Definitely the best I’ve heard her sound vocally (solo) for a long while. The song, while the genre not typically being my cup of tea, really hits the mark due to Kelly’s vocal delivery. As a longtime fan, I’ve always longed for material that showcases Kelly’s ability to belt, as well as Kelly doing such a song justice live. She scored on both points. Great performance.

With Kelly currently being one of the most sought after free agents on the market, according to sources, with a new label being somewhat inevitable, along with the success of this song, the future is looking real bright for her. While it may have taken some to time to materialise…she told you she was gonna bump like this! LOL. More power to her.

What do you think of the performance?

More new Bey vids coming later today.

Your thoughts?

While the release date of LeToya Luckett’s sophomore effort ‘Lady Love’ still up in the air, new material from the set has surfaced in the form of ‘Don’t Need You’. Produced by Madd Scientist (Beyonce & Jay-Z’s ‘Hollywood’), the mid-tempo ballad is a cleverly written take on oft-tackled issue of relationships. The cut also really illuminates the fact that LeToya’s voice has really matured with this new record.

Having been somewhat on the fence with much of Ms. Luckett’s new material (sorry, but ‘Not Anymore’ was not cutting it), I’m feeling a lot more optimistic about ‘Lady Love’ after hearing this.

Hit or Miss?

If you thought the Nas and Kelis divorce was going to be a mess-free affair, think again! According to TMZ, Kelis has lifted the lid on the nitty gritty of the couple’s separation…and it’s not a good look for Nas:

Kelis claims estranged hubby Nas has left her high and dry … not offering her a penny in the wake of her impending birth … and she says she’s broke — “I have run out of money.”

Kelis filed legal papers claiming Nas isn’t paying her support, pre-natal expenses — nothing, even though she claims he is filthy rich.

Kelis is asking the judge to order Nas to pay for spousal support, child support, all pregnancy-related expenses, and one-half of all medical expenses after the child is born. She also wants $3,500 for the baby nurse after the child’s birth, and $20,000 for strollers, cribs and other baby supplies.

Kelis says, “My survival is based on [Nas’] will at this time. If he does not want to pay for an expense, it does not get paid.” The couple was married in 2003. The baby is due this month.

Kelis says she’s entitled to maintain the lifestyle to which she became accustomed during their marriage — they have 5 homes, fly first class, go to fancy restaurants, and on and on. Most interesting — “There were many expensive pieces [of jewelry] such as a princess-cut diamond tennis bracelet that was recently appraised for $190,000. My engagement ring is an approximately nine-carat cushion-cut diamond solitaire. I have numerous watches…such as Cartier, Rolex, Frank Muller and Chopard.”

Her lawyer, disso-queen Laura Wasser, says in a separate declaration she’s asked Nas to ante up some $$$ for Kelis and the unborn baby but he hasn’t responded.

Wow. Can you say ‘drama’ or what! While there are three sides to every story (hers, his, and the truth), this really doesn’t bode well for Nas in the court of public opinion. Nonetheless, the whole situation is real, real unfortunate.

Your thoughts?

To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question correctly:

All the makings of an epic performance…and what an epic performance it was! Yes, Ms. Kelly has had better days vocally, but that couldn’t take away from the overall swagger all the ladies possessed on this one. Summed up as simply ‘the business’, this performance was everything and sure had me itching for a DC3 reunion record / tour /or something in the near future. Good stuff.

Your thoughts?