Despite his 8th studio album ‘UR’ getting off to a rocky start with its moderately performing singles, veteran R&B singer Usher maintains – and recently reaffirmed – that he has “nothing to prove.”

Gearing up to kick off his “UR Experience” tour in promotion of the project, the Grammy winner recently sat down with CBS Radio to dish on the new trek, reflect over his 20 year career and more.

“No doubt about it, I don’t have to prove anything. I mean I’ve been doin it for 20 years, this will be my 8th album, and I’m just naturally a hard worker, anything that I do I go after it to be the best.”

Before Montreal fans get a peek at Ush and soon-to-be R&B roadmate August Alsina in action this Saturday, tuck in below to hear Ush dish on the tour:

(more…)

Before you know it awards season will be in full swing.

Probably our favorite time of year here at TGJ HQ, we were ever-excited to learn of the Soul Train Awards committee unveiling the nominations for their 2014 showing.

Featuring heavy competition from the year’s best and brightest in Hip Hop and R&B, TGJ favorites Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, John Legend, and Beyonce are leading the pack of nominees for the ceremony.

Set to be hosted by ‘Queen of All Media’ Wendy Williams, the show will be taped at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena on November 7 then air on Centric and BET on November 30th (8p/7p CST).

Until then, familiarize yourself with the rest of the nominees below as revealed by Williams’ show:

(more…)

Usher‘s eighth album ‘UR’ is set to feature quite an impressive guest list.  Already listing numbers with help from Young Money’s Drake and Nicki Minaj, Skrillex, and more, now fans can expect to see Juicy J‘s name aboard that lineup.

With the ‘Bandz A Make Her Dance’ beau playing assistant to Ush’s latest tune ‘I Don’t Mind,’ the Dr. Luke-produced cut finally sees its official release this after some fans got a sneak listen over the summer.

Before listeners can catch the Grammy winner and August Alsina on tour next month for the ‘U R Experience,’ you can tuck in below and have your first official listen to a song that may be featured on the highly anticipated tour’s setlist.

It awaits below.

(more…)

Keyshia Cole has been making headlines for anything but her music of late. However, the R&B star is hoping to keep the focus on what really matters with the release of her new album ‘Point Of No Return’.

Due on October 7th, the set serves as the singer’s sixth studio effort and is preceded by a slew of singles including ‘She’, ‘Rick James’, and ‘Next Time’. It’s also set to be supported by Cole’s upcoming new BET reality show.

Find out which other tracks (and guests) feature on the LP below..

(more…)

The R&B icon that is Usher most certainly brought the heat to last night’s ‘iHeart Radio Music Festival’, sizzling on stage in ways that have to be seen to be believed.

Indeed, after delivering a number of forgettable performances in the last year, Raymond ensured his would be the name hot on everyone’s lips today with a show we hope teased what fans can expect from his forthcoming ‘The UR Experience’ tour.

How he did it?

Good music, Chris Brown and “hot shoes” below…

(more…)

Ever keen on keeping the masses abreast of fresh and/or often underrated talent, That Grape Juice presents ‘The Spill’ – a renewed look at not-so-new, yet active, acts.

Much like its ‘Freshly Squeezed’ sister segment, this revived assay aims to put the magnifying glass on talents who may not appeal to the buying public on a broad scale yet are still serving material that could easily spin side-by-side with some of today’s top hits.

Covering a kaleidoscope of genres, ‘The Spill’ is set to feature some names you probably know and love as well as some you’ll (soon) be glad to know.  Click below to find out the spill on Estelle, Jennifer Hudson, Teyana Taylor, Luke James, and Traci Braxton…

(more…)

Usher is pumping the breaks.

The R&B crooner had been set to release his new album, his first since 2012’s ‘Looking 4 Myself’, this year. However, in a new interview with Billboard, the Grammy winner has confirmed that the set “isn’t scheduled anymore”. A very creative way, clearly, of saying that the LP has been pushed back.

Details below…

(more…)

After planting a ‘Kiss‘ on the world this summer and heating up dance floors near and far with the sizzling ‘She Came To Give It To You’, Usher has teased the release of his forthcoming Drake duet this week!

Hoping for a ‘Loyal’ type club banger from the pair? Well that’d be unfortunate, for thanks to new details shared by the ‘Burn’ performer, we now know that the song will be anything but, touching on issues of the deeper persuasion.

Usher’s words below…

(more…)

Full story below…

(more…)

Over the last seven years, That Grape Juice has established itself as one of the net’s most renowned sources for Urban Pop music. Indeed, it’s become trademark for us to shine light on artists – both known and on the rise. This week sees us spotlight the latter, as we kick off the first ever Freshly Squeezed Week.

As such, we’ll be introducing a talented new name each day of this week.

Next up is…Jordan Morris!

With the uncertain climate that is today’s music industry, it takes a special type of talent to make waves. As such, it’s for this reason and so much more, that Jordan Morris has has registered on our radar.

Hailing from London, the rising star (who cites Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, and the Backstreet Boys among his influences) has amassed quite the following with his potent brand of Urban-Pop. Indeed, on his own accord, Morris has generated a fan-base of over 60,000 on social media – a figure which continues to grow by the day.

The buzz generated by singles ‘Rehab’ and ‘Taking Your Side’ has seen the 20-year-old on the receiving end of praise from the likes of MTV and ELLE Magazine. What’s more, it’s seen him catch the attention of one of the UK’s top concert promoters, who awarded him the chance to open for August Alsina at the O2 Arena earlier this year.

Now, with new single ‘Do It Like Me’ gaining traction on iTunes, Morris looks set for even greater successes. Take a listen to the track above and more from Jordan below…

Follow Jordan Morris On Twitter!

Follow Jordan Morris On Facebook!

Subscribe To Jordan Morris On YouTube!

Your thoughts?

After overshadowing a number of her Brit-Pop sisters with her debut album’s sales, Rita Ora now seems to have amassed a US fan base hellbent on taking her music straight to the ‘Hot 100’ heavens before the release of her debut LP in the country.

Why talk of Rita “killing it” in markets near and far is anything but PR mashugana?

Find out below..

(more…)

With roots that run deep in Black culture, it’d be safe to say Hip Hop & R&B remain the go-to genres for most African-American males hoping to try their hand in the game that is music.

Leaving the genres’ lovers with enough testosterone to last if a few lifetimes, the US’ frequent delivery of new “Urban” blood has proved to be quite successful for the labels behind said “blood”, with each and every major label housing at least one of categories’ leading acts.

Miguel at ‘Sony.’

August Alsina at ‘Universal.‘

However, while labels seem to have no problem making exclusively Pop acts out of Black females, it would seem that the same can’t be said when it comes to Black men.

Indeed, while backing from ‘Top 40′ and ‘Rhythmic’ radio has seen Rihanna and Beyonce  has seen them dip in and out of genres at will, one would be hard pressed to find a Pop-pushing African-American male being marketed as a Pop act by their supporting label.

This, after the Black British force that was JLS failed to rock any US charts with their inoffensive brand of ‘Backstreet‘-inspired Pop despite soaring in the UK with the very same material.

Interesting, when one remembers Jason Derulo topped the UK’s R&B singles chart with the outrightly Pop ‘Whatcha Say.‘

With the above in mind, we ask…

Is there an absence of Black boys in Pop?

…and…

Does race matter when it comes to genre?

Please share your thoughts below!

(more…)