The full version of Solange’s ‘Sandcastle Disco’ from her forthcoming album ‘Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams’ has surfaced. Having really liked the snippet that was floating around not too long ago, I’m feeling the cut even more so after hearing in it’s entirety. Solange’s record really is shaping up to be something. ‘Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams’ drops August 26th via Geffen/Music World.

Hit or Miss?

Not the best performance, but pretty good all the same.

What do you think of the performance?

According to Billboard, the title of Nas’s controversial ‘N*gger’ LP has been scrapped in favour of an unconfirmed name. Now slated to drop on July 1st, the rapper confirmed that he was pressurised into changing the album’s title in view of the media hysteria:

“It’s important to me that this album gets to the fans,” the rapper says. “It’s been a long time coming. I want my fans to know that creatively and lyrically, they can expect the same content and the same messages. It’s that important. The streets have been waiting for this for a long time. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it.”

I was always kinda on the fence about the album’s title; no doubt, the record, irrespective of it’s new title, will have garnered much attention already.

Your thoughts?

The Pussycat Dolls performed their brand new single ‘When I Grow Up’ on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show yesterday. While I enjoyed their showing, I was kinda disappointed to see Nicole singing everything again. Having listened to the track, I was under the impression, lead vocals had been shared out a bit more evenly this time, yet I’m assuming that was some ‘studio wizardry’ as Nicole evident sings the whole song (backing vocals included). Is there a point for the others to even have a mic? SMH…

What do you think of the performance?

Tour Announcement

LUV

She nailed both performances, for real! I’m guessing it’s all but confirmed that ‘LUV’ is the next single and rightfully so. Moreover, it’s great to see her much anticipated tour finally announced; it’s known by most that Janet’s tours trump that of most other artists. {Click here to read more on the ‘Rock WitChu Tour}

In other Janet news, it has been confirmed that she will join Mariah, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Nelly etc as a performer at the upcoming BET Awards. {Source}

Janet will be launching a new fan club very soon. Click here for more details

Here’s hoping her resurgence helps resurrect the ‘Discipline’ project.

What do you think of the performances?

Will you be going to see Janet on tour?

The video for Michelle Williams brand new single ‘We Break The Dawn’ finally made its debut today. In what may sound like an oxymoron: expectantly the video served up the unexpected. From Michelle’s edgy, sass, to the choreography, to the costumes…everything. The masses notion of ‘Michelle from Destiny’s Child’ really looks set to change. Good stuff. Michelle’s first secular solo LP ‘Unexpected’ hits stores August 12th.

What do you think of the video?

Survivors indeed; their worldwide success with the record helped catapult them to the status they enjoy today – the biggest selling female group of all-time.

Your thoughts?

During a recent promotional trip to France, Kelly Rowland was interviewed by one of, if not the, top Destiny’s Child fan website DC3 Forever. In the candid interview, Rowland spoke on a number of issues including the omission of popular tracks from the ‘Ms. Kelly’ re-release, the mishaps of the album’s original release and her third solo album. Check out extracts below (the full interview is in the ‘comments’ section):

JC: Some songs (Comeback, Still In Love With My Ex, Ghetto, Flashback) were removed from the re-release. Whose decision was it and why ?

Kelly: It was my choice, I wanted to close a chapter and move to the next step, so people asked me why I wouldn’t do a whole new record but the Freemason remix of Work took it to the next level.

JC: By closing a chapter, do you think of songs such as SILWMX ?

Kelly: Not really, I just wanted to have another view on the record and close the Ms. Kelly chapter.

JC: With Work being a international hit, why wasn’t it released in the US ? At least the original version that could fit better the American market ?

Kelly: I don’t know, seriously, I feel like I didn’t have anything to do with the success of Work in Europe. The Freemason remix took the song to the next level, fans kept requesting it on the radio. Look at Say My Name, the fans in the US made it a single, they made it happen, I didn’t have that little extra with Work over there.

JC: It looked like Work (Put It In) was originally supposed to be the first single ? Who decided that Like This would be a better first single and why ?
[I explained that way before the album got released, Work, under the title Put It In, was up for pre-order on different websites]

Kelly: Wow, really ? It was considered as the first single but I wasn’t sure of myself, I didn’t think it could be a hit. And then I read that blog and it made me feel bad, I got confused. So we picked up Like This, it sounded like a new beginning to me. But I wanted Work to be a single just like I wanted Still In Love With my Ex to be a single.

JC: Then why was Ghetto released as the 2nd single ?

Kelly: It was my decision. *SILENCE* (-I could feel she somehow regretted that choice-) I was in that zone, I wanted to release it.

JC: Do you already have any themes in mind for your third album ?

Kelly: I’m really inspired by the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s because there was more meaningful lyrics like Stevie Wonder. Look at Stevie Wonder, he is an inspiration for everybody, Whitney said she was inspired by him and she’s not the only one.

JC: So you want to do a couple of old-school songs ?

Kelly: Not really, I want a mixture, but I don’t want to give too much away. But we’ll do another interview together when the album will be ready, I’ll preview the tracks to you [ ] and I’ll also do blogs when I’ll be in the studio, with the producers”.

JC: When do you think it will be released?

Kelly: Top of next year, yes, top of next year. I wanna make sure I do the right choices, each single being a hit.

JC: You’ve said you really like Kanye, Alicia Keys, Will.I.Am, Danja, Timbaland… have you been in contact with any of them ? Possibly for the third album.

Kelly: These people are very busy, I gotta get the right timing. Actually one day Will.I.Am was in a studio, next to mine, and he started playing tracks for me, and there was this one track… I fell in love with it. So we’ll see…

JC: You recently saw Nelly at the Radio 1 Event… Would you like to work with him again, for your next album maybe?

Kelly: Yes, we talked about it, the idea of doing a Dilemma Part II or renaming it. We’ll go to the studio together and see if something magical happens.

A real interesting read, if I must say so myself. A new album due early 2009; Kelly sounds real focused about making sure everything is done right the next go round. Here’s hoping she shines like many know she can.

*Reminder* Today is the last day to enter our signed ‘Ms. Kelly: Deluxe’ CD give-away. Click here to enter.

Any thoughts?