Long before Drake or Lil’ Wayne were heard rapping and singing on a track, Nelly was already using the technique, delivering hits on hits on hits for the most part of the 00’s.

This week’s From The Vault pick is the veteran’s signature smash, ‘Hot In Herre‘

Produced by The Neptunes back in 2002, ‘Hot’ was the second offering from the artist’s sophomore album ‘Nellyville‘.

With its catchy chorus and various hooks, the tune was both Nelly and The Neptunes’s first of many a Billboard Hot 100 chart topper. It also reached the top spot of the Canadian charts and placed #4 in the UK. Alongside the Kelly Rowland-assisted ‘Dilemma’ – from the same album – it is considered Mr. Haynes’ signature track, and thanks to its sleek production never sounds out of date, to this day, when it’s party-o-clock.

It was with flying colors that director Little-X managed to translate the urgency of the lyrics into a fiery video taking place in a red hot kind of club where the ladies are anything but unhappy to oblige at the song’s request to take off their clothes. Although sportsmen Carmelo Anthony, TJ Duckett and Julius Peppers make brief but notable appearances during the clip, it is Cedric The Entertainer who steals the show with his now infamous “Roof Is On Fire” segment.

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With 2014 marking ‘Hot In Herre’’s 12th anniversary and the past few years in music focusing on “living for the moment”, you’d think a plethora of CLASSIC party-tunes would have emerged by now. Well from our vantage point there haven’t been that many jams that established themselves as club classics the way Nelly’s single did. The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Got a Feeling’, Rihanna’s ‘We Found Love’ and Usher’s ‘Yeah’ come to mind as contenders for that category, can you think of others?

What are the club-classics of the past decade?

London’s ‘G-A-Y’ was the place to be for any fans of R&B’s Ameriie recently, playing host to a stellar live show put on by the ‘Come With Me‘ singer.

There, she served fire in abundance, blazing through a set list made up of her more recognisable to promote her new single ‘What I Want.’

Pop open the lid to watch Ms.’Touch‘ in all her sass serving glory below!

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It’s been a trying time for Mariah Carey of late – both personally and professionally.

However, this week saw a glimmer of glee gifted to the diva.

For, the 45-year-old has crossed an impressive digital milestone.

See what we mean below…

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‘Love & Hip Hop’ star Momma Dee wasn’t getting much love from her dentures when a tooth hopped out of her mouth during a live performance recently.

Dee, who has seen music lovers be less than receptive of her debut single ‘I Deserve,’ has been on a promotional spree as of late – stopping by radio shows, nightclubs, and more to show off her new music.

The demands of touring, however, seemed to be more than a certain tooth could bear as it seized the opportunity to escape during a live showing that has since gone viral.

If you are one of five people who have yet to see the video, tuck in below to watch and find out what Momma Dee had to say:

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With Nicki Minaj‘s new single ‘Anaconda’ slithering its way to smash hit status, the Hip-Pop titan has employed a unique means of promoting the dance-floor jam.

While attending an Alexander Wang fashion show yesterday in New York, the rapper created a viral in partnership with Vogue. The concept? Minaj teaching models the Casper Smart curated choreography from the track’s accompanying video.

Check out the fun after the jump….

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Over the course of the last year, Sevyn Streeter has emerged as one of R&B’s most exciting prospects.

A singer and a stage blazer, the 28-year-old is also notable for her resume as a songwriter.

One of the many hits to have been penned by the songbird include Ariana Grande‘s breakout smash ‘The Way’.

As such, it was fitting that during a visit to Grammy HQ to discuss her debut album (which follows last year’s ‘Call Me Crazy, But…’ EP) she also performed the cut – which served as Grande’s debut effort.

Peep the performance and interview below…

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This October brings with it the return of WE tv hit ‘Tamar & Vince’.

On the third season of the ‘Braxton Family Values’ spin-off’, not only is the youngest of the Braxton sisters trying to juggle her music career and motherhood—but she’s also adding a talk show launch to the mix. The Grammy nominee is also expanding her branding portfolio with exciting new products.

Overbooked and overworked, the chaos begins to take its toll in a major way on her relationship with her husband/manager, Vince.

Peep the newly debuted trailer below…

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For three years, ‘Revenge’ has relayed the narrative of Emily Thorne and her quest for retribution.

However, it increasingly seems the producers of the ABC hit are veering into a new direction for the show’s upcoming fourth season.

For, after deviating from the Throne focal norm and premiering a trailer narrated by established villain Victoria Grayson (played by Madeline Stowe), the network have unveiled a new poster – again, featuring Grayson. Its caption? ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’.

Could the show be heading in  new direction? One that sees Victoria actioning revenge on her nemesis? Tune in on September 28th at 10pm when ‘Revenge’ returns!

Your thoughts?

Columbus Short is obviously out to prove that his skills as a gladiator are not just limited to the small screen.  For, as the week has shown, he and former ‘Stomp the Yard’ co-star Darrin Henson have turned Twitter into a sparring ground.

It all started when Henson took to the social media outlet to recount the “not-so-good old days” of the duo’s time on the ‘Stomp the Yard’ set…

Needless to say, what unraveled from there was a half-weeklong social media showdown…

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If you ever needed a reminder that girls still run the world, the annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week’s kick off should suffice.

Friday saw serial Billboard chart-toppers Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Lady Gaga top headlines for their dazzling designer duds.  Despite being no strangers to baring it all on stage and off, all three ladies opted for less revealing looks as they strolled the carpets of multiple venues across the Big Apple.

While ‘Anaconda’ beauty Nicki Minaj, Miguel and Lady Gaga checked in at Harper’s Bazaar’s toast to Icons, elsewhere Riri posed it up with longtime friend/designer Adam Selman.

With looks that range from 60’s-inspired to modern chic, tuck in below to tell us: whose look do you like best?

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Shortly after stripping down in the video for his single ‘Dancing In the Dark,’ Luke James strips emotionally to bare all in the new song ‘Exit Wounds.’

Keeping it real in ways we’ve yet seen of the young crooner, the piano-laced ballad is decorated with ‘F-bombs’ and heartbreak galore.  Produced by Danja, the tune shines as the third release lifted from James’ long-awaited, self-titled debut album (September 23rd).

Easily winning the award for ‘break-up song of the year,’ ‘Exit Wounds’ awaits you below:

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Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre played host to the 4th biennial ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ event Friday.

The one hour telethon, which sees the best of Hollywood from film to television and music join to raise money for cancer research, boasted an A-list guest list of Kerry Washington, Halle Berry, and many more.

Elsewhere on the bill powerhouse vocalists Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson headlined the night’s musical entertainment.  Grande, whose new album ‘My Everything’ currently reigns over Billboard 200, took to the stage in tribute to her grandfather who died of cancer earlier this year.  Her emotional performance of the album’s title track was pegged one of the night’s highlights as well as Hudson’s performance that saw her lend vocals to the tune ‘Remission’ with rappers Lupe Fiasco and Common.

See it all below with a special look at ‘Remission’s official music video:

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