“Can I get your name and number, cause I like your Steelo”

It is with this statement that R&B group 702 burst onto the scene. From The Vault journeys back to 1996, when the ladies released their debut single ‘Steelo.’

Introduced as the proteges of New Edition star Michael Bivins, the trio kinda sorta had to hit it out of the park with their first offering. And that’s exactly what they did with the Missy Elliott-assisted ‘Steelo’ – a Hip-Hop/Soul number produced by Dr Ceuss which saw them celebrate men whose swagger (or “steelo”) was on 100.

Commercially, the single fared well, especially given that it served as their debut, peaking at #32 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It even reached showed a little promise in the UK where it narrowly missed the Top 40 (#41).

However, for many a millennial, the track is perhaps most memorable for being used as the opening theme to Nickelodeon’s ‘Cousin Skeeter.’ Gifting it a second wind of sorts.

************

Brian Luvar directed the band in the song’s basketball-themed video. The Vegas natives are seen getting their 90s on with synchronized choreography, matching outfits, and sass in abundance.

************

We’ve long felt that 702 didn’t get garner the shine they deserved during their stint in the industry. If it wasn’t TLC‘s endless string of smashes then it was Destiny’s Child‘s dominance thereafter; all of which stopped the ladies from hitting the highs they were capable of – which is such a shame.

Anyhow, with a recent sighting together at the Soul Train Awards, it seems they are brewing something. Needless to say, we can’t wait to hear and see what they have in store.

Bring it on, ladies!

Your thoughts?

With the world waiting with bated breath to see if Janet Jackson takes to the stage with Justin Timberlake at next year’s Super Bowl, the diva’s father is heavily hinting that it may indeed occur.

Dive below for details…

(more…)

Ever wondered why Pink and Mary J. Blige are yet to collaborate?

Well, today brings with it the answer to your question.

Details below…

(more…)

With Grammy, Stellar, Dove, NAACP Image, Soul Train, and a host of other awards lining their joint and individual shelves, Mary Mary continue to drive the bar higher for what it means to be a gospel superstar in 2017.

Never wavering from their delectable recipe of Urban/hip-hop infused brand of inspirational music, the sister duo have seen their likenesses plastered across record shelves, radio stations, product endorsements, and, of course, television shows (namely their eponymous WEtv reality series).

Now, as they bring their stint in reality TV to a close to continue focus on their respective solo careers, the ladies sat down with That Grape Juice (before the Donald Trump hoopla) to discuss what those moves entail.

Read it all inside:

(more…)

R. Kelly‘s alleged efforts to groom, molest and control underage girls have done little to scar his brand…until now.

For, after his brother Carey Kelly urged him to seek help for his “problems”, Kelly now finds himself drowning in the depths of despair after the world learned of his “sex cult.”

R&B legend R. Kelly is holding women against their will in an abusive “cult,” parents have told police https://t.co/WY3X5tDpfa pic.twitter.com/XIaygwiJXR

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 17, 2017

Now, his label is under pressure to slice him out of its roster.

Your thoughts?

Despite ongoing opposition from the megastar’s estate, the overwhelmingly positive critical response to the controversial documentary about the life of pop icon Whitney Houston, titled ‘WHITNEY:  Can I Be Me,’ will move forward with viewings in select theaters starting this summer.

Directed by Nick Broomfield, the documentary is chockfull of never-before-seen footage, exclusive live recordings, and interviews from some of the singer’s inner camp including hairdressers, bodyguards, backup singers, assistants, and many more.

“Her meteoric rise and tragic fall raises a lot of questions about what kind of sacrifices she made to to be a crossover singer who was at some points rejected by her own people,” said Broomfield. “She was booed at the Soul Train awards. This all took place at a time when America was even more polarized than it is today.”

Keen to get your first look? It awaits inside:
(more…)

After thrilling fans with her appearance on blue-eyed-soulster Daley‘s latest release, ‘Until the Pain is Gone,’ fans craving more of soulstress Jill Scott can find their fix in news the Grammy winner is hitting the road this summer.

Furthering rumors that she’s soon to drop the long-awaited follow-up to 2015’s chart-topping, ‘Woman,’ the 25-city tour will kick off on June 23rd in Hampton, VA and see Scott sing her hits across the country before wrapping up in mid-August in California.

Curious to know where you can find Jilly from Philly outside of the ‘City of Brotherly Love’?  The answers await inside:

(more…)

2016 has been a year filled with tests, triumphs, and more tests for R&B star Brandy.

Indeed, on the one hand she managed to star in a BET sitcom, release new song ‘Beggin’ & Pleadin’, hit the live circuit on ‘The Slaynna Tour,’ and honored at the Soul Train Awards. 

However, a lot of the last 12 months have been defined by a legal tussle that has seen her unable to release an album.

No word yet on the outcome of that wrangle, but The Vocal Bible took to Instagram over the festive period to unwrap a snippet of a new song she’s working on with LaShawn Daniels.

Listen below….

(more…)

Monica may have been cordial with her response to the recently reignited beef between she and ‘Boy Is Mine’ co-star Brandy, but her fans, on the other hand, haven’t exactly been following suit.

As the praise continues to ring in for the ‘Full Moon’ maestra after her show-stopping performance at this year’s ‘Soul Train Awards,’ some fans felt some comments made by the singer on her official Instagram page were indirectly aimed at Mo.  The result has been a reignition of a nearly 2 decade duel between the R&B songstresses and their fans.

But, if that wasn’t enough to stir the pot, Brandy’s mom & manager – Sonja Norwood – inserted her opinion on the matter.  See what happened when a fan came for Miss Sonja:

(more…)

Over 18 years after the release of their history-making hit, ‘The Boy Is Mine,’ fans of R&B divas Brandy and Monica are still pitting the two against each other in online forums and more.

After B-rocka absolutely rocked the Soul Train Awards stage with a medley of her biggest hits(see that here if you missed it), some viewers found Mo’s absence alarming when the melody to the 1998 hit was played.  Afterward, as support rang through social media for the 37-year-old songstress, some thought to direct their attention to Mo for alleged “shade” detected during the Soul Train showing (from Bran).

Find out how Mo responded to the hoopla below:

(more…)

As many-a-Brandy-fan knows, the singer/songwriter has been in a longstanding beef with label home Chameleon Records.

Likening her ongoing battle with the imprint to ‘slavery’ and continued plight and fight of ‘Warrior’ singer Ke$ha, B-Rocka has rocked headlines all year for her back and forth legal battles with Chameleon and its president Breyon Prescott (who claimed the legal drama was a “desperate ploy for publicity”).

Now, after months of silence on the matter, the Grammy-winner – via a show-stopping 9-minute performance at this year’s ‘Soul Train Awards’ – sent the audience into a roar when she emphatically announced ‘Brandy Freed!’

The proclamation sent fans buzzing that new music is on the way…

(more…)

Bruno Mars served fireworks aplenty France last night.

The singer, along with his trusty troop (The Hooligans) rocked the NRJ Awards with his current single (and album title track) ’24k Magic.’

A high-profile gig, the spot is the latest in a long, long line of promotional slots in place for the 30-year-old’s return to the charts. And his album more specifically.

How did he do? Watch below and let us know…

(more…)