You can now preview the self-titled debut from Day26, stars of Making The Band 4. This 6-track sampler serves to give give a taste of what the group’s LP (due March 25th) will be offering. Featured on the preview:

01. Diddy’s Intro
02. I’m The Reason
03. Got Me Going
04. In My Bed
05. Come In
06. Are We In This Together

Listening through this has kinda reignited my belief in the guys’ chances of success. The previously unheard ‘I’m The Reason’ as well as ‘In My Bed’ and ‘Are We In This Together’ are very solid cuts. The void left by the likes of 112 and Jagged Edge may just be filled by Day26.

Hit or Miss?

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There is mounting speculation that Def Jam have dropped several artists over at Ludacris’ Disturbing The Peace (DTP) imprint – a subsidiary of Island Def Jam. Check out the report via our friends over at SOHH Ya Heard:

The industry is all a buzz about Disturbing the Peace records. Apparently there is a major shakeup happening as we read.

According to SEVERAL of my close Def Jam sources all hell is breaking loose on Ludacris DTP imprint. Apparently when the label brought all their R&B artists to perform at Spotlight for LA Reid, along with a bunch of industry heads in NYC earlier this week, the feedback was less then thrilling. The performances were SOHH lackluster that a source told me that LA told Luda that he can take his acts and “hit the road”.

As of right now Bobby Valentino, Shareefa, and the extremely talented Stephan Jones, AKA Mr. Ordinaray has all been dropped. Sources close to Bobby claim that the artist plans on dropping his next untitled CD on iTunes. No word yet on where Shareefa, and Steph Jones will end up.

Word on the streetz is that DTP heads are planning on severing ties with Def Jam over all the drama.

According to other sources, the artist releases are set to be made official next week. I can’t say much of this surprises me; none of the dropped artists’ recent offerings have made any impact. Saying that, one has to question whether the fault lies with the artists or the label themselves. The moral of the story? Don’t ever sign with a rapper’s own label! LOL. For real, name me one artist signed to a rapper’s label that has actually blown up. Exactly. Chingy, be afraid, be very afraid….

Your thoughts?

As the release of Danity Kane’s sophomore effort, ‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’, draws nearer (due March 18th), the official album sampler for the set has surfaced. The seven-track preview includes:

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Pop superstar Janet Jackson continues her promo blitz for ‘Discipline’ – her 10th studio album, this time making an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show this morning. Check out the interview and performance of ‘Feedback’ after it:

Mariah Carey kicked off her promo campaign this week in support of her new video ‘Touch My Body’ by appearing on MTV’s TRL. The 37 year old also discussed her eagerly anticipated new LP ‘E=MC²’ and her fragrance ‘M By Mariah Carey’.

Your thoughts?

R&B star Ashanti stopped by BET’s 106 & Park to premiere her new video ‘The Way That I Love You’ earlier this week. In her interview with hosts Terrance J and Rosci, the singer spoke about her rumored beef with INC label mate Ja Rule. You can also see the finalized version of the song’s video in Part 2 of the interview below:

Any thoughts?

It has been announced that viva Whitney Houston will hit London to play a special concert on May 8th. Check out the report via Contact Music:

WHITNEY HOUSTON is set to make her live comeback in London on 8 May (08). Organisers of the Caudwell Children’s Legend Ball in Battersea have revealed they’ve booked the diva for a charity show. Charity founder John Caudwell tells Britain’s Marie Claire magazine, “We are thrilled to have an artist of Whitney’s calibre to headline the event.” The comeback concert isn’t a big surprise – Tina Turner came out of retirement to perform at the charity’s 2007 gala, which helped Caudwell raise over $2 million (GBP1 million) for disabled children. Houston is currently recording a new album with her mentor, music mogul Clive Davis, who claims the comeback project will be released in November (08).

Great news about the concert; it’s been a long while since Whitney hit the UK. An album release in November, though? How long has she been working on it for? Anyway, here’s hoping she brings her ‘A Game’, as I’ve always felt Whitney’s ‘comeback’ would be the most likely. As, unlike others, her appeal is solely with her voice and not reliant on any kind of sexy image. Any of the singles from her last successful release ‘My Love Is Your Love’ could be a hit today IMO. I guess time will tell.

2008 is really is shaping up the year of the divas – Janet, Mariah, Madonna, Whitney; a certain Ms. Knowles is set to release her third album in November too.

Your thoughts?

Check out this new track from Keri Hilson called ‘Get It Girl’. Not to be confused as a song from Keri’ forthcoming album ‘In A Perfect World’, the cut is lifted from Timbaland’s first mobile album for Verizon Wireless subscribers. Despite pretty solid production on the part of Timbo and Keri’s great flow over it, I was left kinda underwhelmed by this. Let’s just say it’s more befitting to what it’s being used for (mobile album aka ‘not worthy of being a legit LP track’).

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