It looks like Toni Braxton’s new album is set to be dead on arrival. The diva’s ‘Pulse’ LP, which hit stores this week, is projected to amass a total of 45-50k units in 1st weeks sales. The news comes via the chart analysts at Hits Daily Double who estimate the figures based on the record’s slow 1st day.

It never ceases to amaze how immensely many talented artists like Braxton, even with solid material, continue to be shut out in favour of their far lass gifted counterparts. With brilliant records such as ‘Make My Heart’ and ‘Hands Tied’ on the album, ‘Pulse’ definitely stands as one of the strongest R&B records of the year. However, having only just started on the promotional trail for the project last week, Braxton still has the opportunity to turn the situation around. Don’t give up!

Thoughts?

For a minute, it appeared as though things were beginning to improve for troubled R&B star Chris Brown. However, a recent run-in with a radio personality, culminated in the 20 year old lashing out at the station for not playing his music, and abruptly bringing the interview to an end. Check out the report via Contact Music, after the jump…

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It appears R. Kelly‘s criminally underrated ‘Untitled’ LP isn’t dead afterall…well not yet anyway. The R&B crooner has just released two videos – one for ‘Echo’ (above) and the other for ‘Be My #2’ (above).

While the songs are some of Kelly’s best work in years, the clips have to be, hands down, the worst of his entire career. Besides being recession-specials, which looked like they were filmed AND edited on his cell phone, the whole shabang is made worse by the fact that there was simply no need for them. I mean really, does it look like any of these videos could do anything to save the album? SMH…

Peep the other travesty after the jump….

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Following a string of commercial chart disasters, it is being reported today that Jennifer Lopez has been dropped by long-time label Epic Records. Ouch!

The singer/actress’ manager Benny Medina is said to have confirmed the news via email to Deadline.com, asserting that the split was an amicable one; one which occurred after the 40 year old mother of two had fulfilled her contractual obligations to the label upon the release of her last single ‘Louboutins’ – which tanked terribly on the charts upon its release early this year. Lopez’s team are said to have also shot down claims that her album ‘Love?’ was already completed, insisting that it has a been at an infant stage for a while yet (despite press listening sessions, and confirmed producer credits from the likes of Danja and D Mile).

However, such suggestion of Lopez’s departure being amicable is being rubbished by some close to the project. Instead, they reveal, it was Epic who sent Lopez packing after her series of chart flops. The label are said to ‘no longer know who Lopez’s audience are any more’. Worse still, Lopez’s forthcoming LP is said to have indeed been completed and ready for release in April.

Lopez is said to be in talks with LA Reid for a move to Def Jam.

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This hardly comes as a surprise (and we actually exclusively revealed the fact not all was well with the project a while back). Despite several high-profile media appearances, Ms. Jenny From The Block just couldn’t strike it lucky with any of her new material. Which, when coming off the epic flop (pun intended) that was her 2007 effort ‘Brave’ as well as the current economy, never was going to bode well for her this go round.

In any case, it appears Ms. Marc-Anthony is pressing on and keeping it moving. The Def Jam deal doesn’t sound that far fetched either; some may recall the pics of Jennifer and her manager Benny Medina meeting with LA Reid and Rihanna earlier this month. I guess it wasn’t so much of a random gathering after all. (It would be rather wise for ol’ Jenny to look at Def Jam’s track record as of late with the likes of Janet Jackson and Amerie before signing on the dotted line).

Randomness: Should Jennifer sign to Def Jam, she’d be on the same label as old rival Mariah Carey (remember this? LMAO!). Then again, reliable word has it Mariah is on her way out from Def Jam, so maybe not?….

Your thoughts?

As Ludacris readies the release of his new LP ‘Battle of the Sexes’ (due March 9th), a new Ciara-assisted remix for his latest single ‘How Low Can You Go’ has surfaced. Set to feature on Luda’s album, the remix goes hard! Ciara turns in a hotter than hot verse m- profanity and all (Ms. Harris excels on up-tempo cuts in this vein), which makes for the already decent track to be that much better. Good stuff.

Randomness: Am I the only one feeling when Ciara hops on tracks like this as well as the poppier cuts? I ask as I consistently hear folk slamming her for ditching her ‘roots’. Yet the last time I checked Crunk was dead. As the success of many before have shown, there is nothing wrong with keeping elements of what folk know you for (which she has), yet crossing over at the same time. I mean do people really think Beyonce, for example, would be ‘Beyonce – the megastar’ if she carried on singing a certain brand of R&B ala ‘Bills Bills Bills’ and ‘Say My Name’. Artistic growth is all about trying new things and expanding your reach….right?

Hit or Miss?

Mention of the name Shontelle will likely bring about sound bites such as ‘who?’ / ‘what?’ Indeed the Universal Motown artist is known for little more than her moderate hit ‘T-Shirt’ from last summer. After the  inevitable tanking of her debut LP ‘Shontelligence’ (serious side-eye at the label exec who okayed that monstrosity of a title), the 24 year old is back with new single ‘Licky (Under The Covers)’, the video of which premiered a few minutes ago.

Where does one begin?! I mean the Ray Kay directed clip boasts the sheen and polish of the modern era’s better videos, yet pretty much everything else is an unmitigated atrocity. I can honestly say I have not heard a song as terrible as this in, what must be, YEARS! Really, this is borderline criminal. As for the video, I vote ‘no’ on the contrived styling and wannabe bad girl image (a clear swagger-jacking of fellow Bajan, Ms. Fenty). Even more cringe-worthy to watch was Shontelle’s dead-on-arrival sex-appeal; it just looked forced and awkward. No, no, and no.

Upon first watch, I laughed hysterically. Yet, watching again, I felt so embarrassed for her. If she’s to be anything other than a one-hit wonder, she’ll have to come much harder. Awful.

What do you think of the song / video?

Rihanna is set to release a remixed version for her platinum ‘Rated R’ LP. As reported by Rihannadaily.com, the record is set to hit stores in February and is being primarily produced by DJ Brooklyn Zoo. The electro-producer took to Twitter to reveal the following details about the project:

Def Jam asked me to pick 10 Rihanna tracks to remix, for a complete remix album release in February. My deadline is January 18.
I’m planning on releasing a Rated R mega-mix with all the snippets in January.
Just finished my fix for “Rihanna/Gangsta 4 life”, now working on Rihanna: “Wait Your Turn”,”Rude Boy”,”Fire Bomb” and “Te Amo”.
Started o/t last 6 tracks for the Rihanna “Rated R” remix album. Russian Roullette, Hard, Stupid in Love, Photographs are approved by Def Jam.
Working on a mix for the refix album I’m doing for Rihanna/Def Jam… grinded on the fix for “RockStar”. Doing 10 tracks in total.

This news does not come as a shock at all. It seems that Def Jam is using the exact same formula for all of their major acts because Mariah Carey’s ‘Angels Advocate’ remix LP is currently on track for March 9th. Either way, unless they have found a way to remix Rihanna’s voice, I doubt that we have much to look forward to except ten more songs of nails running across a chalkboard.

Thoughts?

Controversial rapper Kanye West has returned to the studio to start work on his next album. The innovator revealed that he will be bringing his best work yet on the LP. Peep his blog post below:

West is one of the few artists in the industry today that has managed to continuously reinvent himself with each release. Hate him or love him, there is no doubt that he is one of the most intriguing and talented acts in the game. Some would go as far as to say that he helped keep Hip-Hop alive in a time when many thought it was dead. I eagerly await to hear what he has in store.

Thoughts?

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards show will take place on January 31st 2010, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. You can check out the full list of nominations which were announced a few moments ago in a special telecast on CBS.

Beyonce and Taylor Swift lead the pack with Ms. Knowles-Carter receiving 10 nominations and Swift 8. Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West, and Maxwell earned 6 nods, while Lady GaGa, David Guetta and Jay-Z scored 5 noms a piece.  Whitney Houston, who was a strong favourite, received NO nominations (WTF!!!)

Update: My girl Kelly Rowland received a nomination! Go Kelly.

Album of the Year
Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Lady Gaga – The Fame
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
Taylor Swift – Fearless

Record of the Year
Beyoncé – “Halo”
Black Eyed Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Song of the Year
Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
Black Eyed Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Bon Jovi – “We Weren’t Born to Follow”
The Fray – “Never Say Never”
Daryl Hall & John Oates – “Sara Smile”
MGMT – “Kids”

Best Rap Solo Performance
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Eminem – “Beautiful”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite”
Mos Def – “Casa Bey”

Best Rock Album
AC/DC – Black Ice
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – Live From Madison Square Garden
Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
U2 – No Line on the Horizon

Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Adele – “Hometown Glory”
Beyoncé – “Halo”
Katy Perry – “Hot N Cold”
Pink – “Sober”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
John Legend – “This Time”
Maxwell – “Love You”
Jason Mraz – “Make It Mine”
Seal – “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”
Stevie Wonder – “All About the Love Again”

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Rosanne Cash & Bruce Springsteen – “Sea of Heartbreak”
Ciara & Justin Timberlake – “Love Sex Magic”
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat – “Lucky”
Willie Nelson & Norah Jones – “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Taylor Swift & Colbie Caillat – “Breathe”

Best Pop Vocal Album
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Colbie Caillat – Breakthrough
Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
The Fray – The Fray
Pink – Funhouse

Best Dance Recording
Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
David Guetta & Kelly Rowland – “When Love Takes Over”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Madonna – “Celebration”
Britney Spears – “Womanizer”

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”
Melanie Fiona – “It Kills Me”
Lalah Hathaway – “That Was Then”
Ledisi – “Goin’ Thru Changes”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Lions, Tigers & Bears”

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Anthony Hamilton – “The Point of It All”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Musiq Soulchild – “Sobeautiful”
Pleasure P – “Under”
Charlie Wilson – “There Goes My Baby”

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – “Blame It”
India.Arie & Musiq Soulchild – “Chocolate High”
Musiq Soulchild & Mary J. Blige – “Ifuleave”
Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters – “Higher Ground”
Calvin Richardson & Ann Nesby – “Love Has Finally Come at Last”

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
Beyoncé – “At Last”
Anthony Hamilton – “Soul Music”
Boney James & Quinn – “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight”
Ann Nesby – “Sow Love”
Calvin Richardson – “Woman Gotta Have It”

Best R&B Song
Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – “Blame It”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Lions, Tigers & Bears”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”
Pleasure P – “Under”

Best R&B Album
Anthony Hamilton – The Point of It All
India.Arie – Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics
Ledisi – Turn Me Loose
Maxwell – BLACKsummers’night
Charlie Wilson – Uncle Charlie

Best Contemporary R&B Album
Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce
Jamie Foxx – Intuition
Pleasure P – The Introduction of Marcus Cooper
Trey Songz – Ready
T-Pain – Thr33 Ringz

Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Beastie Boys & Nas – “Too Many Rappers”
Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent – “Crack a Bottle”
Fabolous & Jay-Z – “Money Goes, Honey Stay”
Kid Cudi, Kanye West & Common – “Make Her Say”
Kanye West & Young Jeezy – “Amazing”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Beyoncé & Kanye West – “Ego”
Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo – “Knock You Down”
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – “Run This Town”
The Lonely Island & T-Pain – “I’m On a Boat”
T.I. & Justin Timberlake – “Dead and Gone”

Best Rap Song
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite”
T.I. & Justin Timberlake – “Dead and Gone”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)”
Jay-Z, Rihanna, & Kanye West – “Run This Town”

Best Rap Album
Common – Universal Mind Control
Eminem – Relapse
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Q-Tip – The Renaissance

Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media
Miley Cyrus – “The Climb” (From Hannah Montana: The Movie)
Paramore – “Decode” (From Twilight)
A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash – “Jai Ho” (From Slumdog Millionaire)
Beyoncé – “Once in a Lifetime” (From Cadillac Records)
Bruce Springsteen – “The Wrestler” (From The Wrestler)

Click here to read the full list

What do you think of the nominees?

The legendary Stevie Wonder broke down while performing ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ (with John Legend), as a tribute to the late, great Michael Jackson at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s 25th Anniversary yesterday. Seemingly shaken quite early on in the song, Wonder completely lost it at about the 1.36 point. Check out the video above.

Michael and Stevie not only shared a deep, mutual respect for each other musically, they were great friends; a fact which makes this all the more harder to watch. Kudos to Stevie for soldiering on and finishing the performance.

In keeping it 100% real with you, I’ve yet to fully come to terms with the fact that Michael is no longer with us. With his music being what birthed my interest in music full-stop (hence the eventual emergence of this very site), my swallowing of the idea that he’s left this earth will take much more than a movie (which was great BTW) or the countless tributes assembled. Put simply, I’m yet to be ‘OK’ with the fact Michael Jackson is dead. Hence, (tell me if it’s the same for you) I periodically find the whole fact he’s gone hitting me and thinking ‘Damn’. I guess we should all find comfort in the fact that what he did achieve and leave (us with) will live forever – hence so will he. Long live the King…

Your thoughts?

Despite a high-profile appearance on the X-Factor last week, Mariah Carey’s 12th studio album ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’ has flopped in the UK, entering the official album chart at a disappointing #23. Meanwhile,  ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’, the record’s lead single in UK after ‘Obsessed’ release was cancelled, barely scrapped the top 20 on the singles chart – debuting at a lowly #19. Ouch.

All pantomime banter aside, I actually feel a little sorry for ol’ Mimi. While nowhere near her best offering, ‘Memoirs’ – at the very least – deserved to perform better than some of her other poorly charting material (see: ‘Glitter’ and ‘Charmbracelet’). Instead, it stands as the lowest selling album of her career.

As reported, it wouldn’t surprise us in the slightest if Mariah’s next LP – whenever it drops – isn’t released under the Def Jam umbrella. I mean, at this point, it’s even doubtful this ‘Memoirs’ remix album will ever see the light of day either. For,  from a business standpoint, pumping money/promotion into an already dead and buried project makes no sense at all. At best, I envision an iTunes-only/for-the-fans type release for any kind of remix LP. I wouldn’t hold my breath though. Oh Mimi…

Your thoughts?

Via Fox News…

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (WPIX) – The father of a boy who accused Michael Jackson of molesting him 15 years ago was found dead of an apparent suicide, Jersey City Police confirmed to PIX News.

According to authorities, the body of Evan Chandler was discovered in his Jersey City residence at about 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 5 after he went missing.

Chandler, who was being treated for an unknown illness, missed an appointment with his doctor which prompted concern, Jersey City spokesperson Stan Eason said.

After several failed attempts to get in touch with his patient, the doctor, who was not immediately identified, called the building’s concierge to check on Chandler.

The concierge later discovered the victim’s lifeless body inside the apartment at the Liberty Towers located on Hudson Street, Eason said.

Police say Chandler suffered a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head. Authorities are treating the case as a suicide.

It was back in 1994, when Chander’s then-12-year-old son Jordy Chandler accused Jackson of molesting him on several occasions between 1991 and 1994. The father and son went after the King of Pop in court and later settled the case for a reported $20 million.

In 2006, Jordan Chandler filed a request for a restraining order against his father after he allegedly struck Jordan over the head from behind with a twelve and a half pound weight.

In the wake of Jackson’s untimely death in June 2009, an internet rumor surfaced that claimed Jordan Chandler confessed to lying to police about being molested by Jackson. Jordan was coached by his father to tell the outlandish story in a scheme to get millions, the report claimed. An investigation later determined no such confession took place.

Your thoughts?