After passing away earlier this month, the state of California is now getting into the affairs of Aaron Carter.

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Monica has long reigned as one of R&B’s most enduring talents and boasts a catalog to match.

And while she’s released many gems we’re fond of, this week’s From The Vault spotlights one of her rarest – ‘All Eyez On Me.’

Released in 2002, the uptempo jam was penned by the late LaShawn Daniels and produced by Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins. The funkified cut was built around a sample of Michael Jackson‘s classic ‘P.Y.T’ – a huge honor given how rarely use of the King of Pop’s material for new music has been granted.

Noticeably more Pop-kissed than the songbird’s R&B mainstay, the club jam saw the star – who was transitioning from teen idol to young womanhood – let her love interest know that she knows they’re watching. The song more broadly sees Mo throw down a challenge for her would-be boo to waste no time acting on their attraction.

Its Chris Robinson-directed music video brought the lyrics to life in a “popping” party setting that saw Monica break into choreography for its climax.

Despite its certified bop status, the track (which was the lead and also the title track of its companion album) isn’t all that known to the masses. And the reason is unique.

‘All Eyez Me’ – both the song and its like-titled LP – were first released in Japan in September 2002 with a view to follow-up with a US launch in November of the same year. It was to serve as her first release on Clive Davis‘ then-new J Records imprint.

Bootlegging and the lukewarm commercial response in its initial market (#14 charting album in Japan) and the song’s so-so showing elsewhere (#69 peak on the US’ Hot 100 and scraping top 40 in just a handful of other countries) saw plans swiftly changed.

Although technically already released in select parts of the world, the ‘All Eyez On Me’ album and era were essentially shelved. Instead, the record was retooled and re-released as ‘After The Storm’ in 2003. That iteration of the LP, which proved a success, featured select tracks from the original project and new numbers (such as smash hit ‘So Gone’).

Suffice to say, all worked out. Monica nabbed another hit album with her reworked project and loyalists still have this bonafide bop.

Your thoughts?

SZA fans ought to saddle up. Because the revered R&B belle is heading to SNL. 

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The credits are now rolling on the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Broadcast live from Dusseldorf, Germany, the extravaganza was dually hosted by Rita Ora and Taika Waititi and brought with it performances from the likes of OneRepublic, Ava Max, Lewis Capaldi, Thundercat, and more…

Of the evening’s winners, Harry Styles led with seven awards, while Taylor Swift (who was in attendance) followed closely with six.

Head below to find out who else won big…

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Drake and 21 Savage have proven that a combination of star power and controversy makes for compelling results on the charts.

For, their joint album ‘Her Loss’ has turned out to be their gain on the Billboard 200.

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Alongside pouring out the latest in Pop culture, here at That Grape Juice we’ve long championed the unchampioned and celebrate the uncelebrated.

Hence, with this week bringing with it the 10th anniversary of Christina Aguilera‘s ‘Lotus’ album, we feel it pertinent to toast the criminally underrated project.

Released on November 13, 2012, the LP admittedly arrived sans a distinguished, overarching theme. A first (in a long while) for an Xtina LP at the time. It lacked the deeply personal skew of a ‘Stripped,’ the soulful nod to eras past that both ‘Back 2 Basics’ and ‘Burlesque’ brought us, and it largely did away with the experimental buoyance of ‘Bionic.’

Still, from our vantage point, it was a wholly enjoyable jukebox of jams, with its sole sins being questionable marketing and arriving in a climate that was dominated by other Pop divas.

Standalone, it houses some of Aguilera’s strongest tracks in years – a number of which would be well-placed in her ever-and-always setlist of essentials.

Join us after the jump where we revisit some of our favorites…

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As reported here, Pop divas Taylor Swift and Rihanna are leading the latest iteration of the Billboard Hot 100 with their respective hits ‘Anti-Hero’ and ‘Lift Me Up.’

The latter, the lead single from the soundtrack of the highly anticipated film ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (in theaters now), also serves as the first solo single Rih’s served up since the era that supported her last studio album – 2016’s ‘Anti.’

Met with thunderous fanfare, the Tems-penned tune’s top 10 debut on the Hot 100 brought it a number of history-making feats – primarily thanks to an unprecedented response at radio.

And while it was outpaced to the top spot by Swift’s ‘Anti-Hero,’ ‘Lift’ still managed to uniquely tie the Pop titan in another regard.
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In a year of big musical returns, The Weeknd didn’t receive the loudest response with his latest album ‘Dawn FM.’

Arriving this January sans the usual promotional fanfare that precedes the star’s releases, the LP delivered noticeably quieter launch numbers than its 2020 predecessor ‘After Hours.’

Indeed, its 148,000 debut (which saw it settle for #2 behind Gunna) paled in comparison to the 444,000 premiere of its mega-selling predecessor. It didn’t yield hits of the same seismic ilk either.

Still, The Weeknd is standing by his work.

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Cardi B is the latest name to pay her respects to the late Takeoff, who was tragically murdered on November 1.

The femcee, who is married to fellow Migos member Offset, has collaborated with the group multiple times on hits such as ‘Motorsport’ and ‘Type Sh*t.’ She maintained a solid relationship with the popular ensemble.

Head below for her emotional tribute message.

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Quavo has paid impassioned tribute to his nephew and Migos bandmate Takeoff.

As reported, the 28-year-old was shot to death in the early hours of November 1 after a disagreement broke out at a party he attended in Houston.

Now, a day after the rapper’s funeral at the State Farm Arena in his hometown of Atlanta, Quavo (who was with him at the time of his death), has opened up about the shocking loss.

Full story after the jump…

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Wizkid may have a centralized focus on new album ‘More Love, Less Ego,’ but the global star is continuing to accrue success with the breakout hit from his last LP.

For, ‘Essence’  with Tems from 2020’s ‘Made In Lagos’ has reached a major new commercial milestone in the United States.

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Christina Aguilera‘s life and illustrious career are set to serve as the subject of a rivetting new documentary.

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