From The Vault is back and this week journeys to a jam poured out in 1995.

Brandy‘s Billboard blazer ‘Sittin’ Up In My Room’ is our pick.

Lifted from the ‘Waiting To Exhale’ movie soundtrack, the single was written and produced by Babyface and was one of five issued from the project alongside the likes of Mary J. Blige’s ‘Not Gon’ Cry’ and Whitney Houston’s ‘Shoop.’ All of which dominated the charts.

Unlike the aforementioned, who were well established at the time, B-Rocka’s success with her song (which included a #2 peak on the Hot 100) was especially notable given that she was still in her debut cycle.

Aged just 16 at the time, she had garnered gargantuan momentum from top 10 singles such as ‘Baby,’ ‘I Wanna Be Down,’ and ‘Brokenhearted’ – with all having arrived just months before.

A testament to the eventual icon’s almost immediate popularity, she was not only recruited to appear alongside music’s biggest hitters – but more than held her own with a cut that’s gone on to become a bonafide R&B classic.

One of the most resonating components of ‘Sittin” was its vibrant video.

Despite ‘Waiting’s markedly adult themes, the Hype Williams clip didn’t shy away from Brandy’s youth.

Instead, it took a semi-literal approach to the song’s title, depicting the songbird nested in her room longing for her love, while also learning from the antics of the film’s protagonists who she watched on a screen.

And though she’s most renown for her vocals, the visual showcased B’s gravitas as a performer too – with its slickly executed choreography and sass aplenty. Ahh the 90s, a time when artists – almost by default – actually went above and beyond to do it all.

The demands of newcomers today may have sadly pivoted in the direction of “less is more,” but we’ll forever give a nostalgic nod to the likes of Brandy. For, even at a young age, she showed and proved that true and enduring magic comes from meeting the moment (see: the opportunity and the song) and going that extra mile with it (see: confidence, conviction, and performance).

Acts like Brandy are a rare breed; as such almost 24 years on from the release of ‘Sittin”, we remain amped for every new song, album, and era.

Here’s hoping that, after a lengthy spell away from the musical spotlight, her next chapter arrives imminently.

Your thoughts?

It looks like ‘Make Room’ gospel star Jonathan McReynolds will have to make room on his mantle for a slew of awards thanks to a jaw-dropping sweep at the 34th annual Stellar Awards on Friday night (March 29).

More inside:

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Hip-Hop’s “it chick” Cardi B has revealed that she intends to address her drugging scandal in the new music she has been recording and doesn’t care what her detractors have to say about it.

Details below…

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The demand for Khalid has led to the 21-year-old to announce he’s set to embark on his first-ever headlining North American arena tour.

Tapping special guest Clairo to assist, the trek  (dubbed the ‘Free Spirit World Tour’) is designed to support ‘Free Spirit’ – his forthcoming sophomore album (due in stores April 5 via RCA Records).  Kicking off June 20 at Gila River Arena in Phoenix, the R&B beau will take a bow in major cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Detroit, New York, Boston and Atlanta before wrapping up August 17 at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Will the ‘Location’ star be bringing his brigade of hits anywhere near your location? Look inside to see:

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As reported earlier this week, all signs point to Usher piecing together ‘Confessions 2’ –  the sequel to his diamond-selling 2004 opus.

Hotly anticipated, the project is shaping up see to the singer sound off on a number of pressing topics; several of which have kept him a fixture in the headlines.

An official announcement about the LP is still pending, but that hasn’t stopped the tease-fest.

See (and hear) what we mean below…

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Welcome to The Sip episode 36 on That Grape Juice!

In our new podcast series, hosts PatricklySpeakn and StephYoungMC run down the latest entertainment news from TGJ and beyond.

Special guest Capri Curves (Of #BootyCamp) joins us this week as we sip on the hottest stories.

Ciara is back with new single ‘Thinkin Bout You’ and has formally announced her 7th album ‘Beauty Marks,’ while Big Sean opened up about his personal battles. Elsewhere, Porsha Williams has landed a Real Housewives spin-off show. All this and much more.

Drink up!

Be sure to let us know what YOU think! What are you liking? What do you want to hear more of? Let us know below!

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@PatricklySpeakn
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Your thoughts?

4 months shy of her 50th birthday, Jennifer Lopez continues to give us ample reasons to step away from the burgers and fries and head to the gym ASAP!

Taking to Instagram over the weekend, the ‘Dinero’ diva looked like a million bucks as she struck a pose from the set of her upcoming movie, ‘Hustlers.’

More inside:

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‘Power’ star Omari Hardwick is learning the hard way about the power of the music industry’s most dominant fan base – Beyonce‘s #Beyhive.

Details inside:

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The 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards aired tonight and, as always, celebrated the year’s best and brightest offerings from actors, singers, directors, producers, and other Hollywood heavy hitters of color.
Saluting achievements and advancements across multiple entertainment genres and formats (television, music, film, and writing), this year’s milestone ceremony at LA’s Dolby Theater brought with it sizeable wins for Beyonce and Jay-Z – who took home the Entertainer of the Year and President Award honors respectively.
Head below to see who else among your favorites walked away with the coveted trophies…

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P!nk fans in need of a new music fix from the Pop diva will get their fill in less than a month as her highly anticipated new LP, ‘Hurts 2B Human,’ will hit digital shelves April 26.

Kicked off by the anthemic tune, ‘Walk Me Home, which has already collected over 35 million Spotify streams since its late February 2019 debut (click here to listen), the album is now available for pre-order and, as such, has seen its official tracklist revealed in full.  Beyond ‘Home’ and its follow-up, ‘Hustle’ (which can be heard by clicking here), the 39-year-old songstress tapped the likes of Urban music star Khalid, country star Chris Stapleton, and more to assist with filling out gems for her 8th studio album.

Could she be well on her way to her next chart-topper?

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It’s been four years since Ashanti (born Ashanti Douglas) braved the critics and competition with her last LP, ‘Braveheart,’ but now the R&B songstress says she’s putting the final touches on its long-awaited follow-up.

Nearly a year since releasing the set’s reported last single (the Ty Dolla $ign-assisted ‘Say Less’), the Grammy-winner is saying more about the tune’s parent album including its list of features, themes, and more.

Giving fans a clue as to when it will hit shelves, look inside to learn more about what the 38-year-old is cooking up:

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Although Tamera Mowry-Housley has never been shy about her admiration of Pop singer Beyonce, the actress-turned-TV talk show host learned the hard way that any comments deemed negative by the Grammy-winner’s devoted fan base (affectionately called #theBeyhive) are grounds for stings!

After a week of remaining mum on the online assault, the ‘Sister,Sister’ star finally addressed the topic that ruffled the group’s feathers.

Look inside for more:

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