RnB and HipHop Music blog

And again Sean Paul, but this time not alone, but together with Blu Cantrell!!! I’ve just watched their video on youtube - video is not the best one, but music - is phenomenal!!! It’s lyrics is also great, Sean Paul’s performance is superb (as always, of course ). But Cantrell is brilliant without any doubt! Blu Cantrell (or Tiffany Cobb) is a popular American song-writer and R&B singer (maybe, she made such decision because of her parents’ influence - father was an American NBA player and her mother - soul singer). Blu Cantrell is also neo-soul singer, by the way. Whatever you can think of that video, but you’ll understand at once, that Blu Cantrell is irreplaceable there, even Sean Paul in not that great singer without her - the duo made a really cool song. However, the car in that video is unnecessary - they could make something more interesting. But Blu Cantrell Feat Sean Paul’s “Breath” mp3 ringtone sounds cool!

Cassidy is a stage name of Barry Adrian Reese, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and became one of well-known American rappers. He performs reggae, hip-hop, pop, R&B. One of his greatest successes was his first studio album - “Split Personality” recorded in 2003 and released the next year. Actually, he received some popularity after he won the freestyle battle with Freeway (a Roc-A-Fella artist). “Hotel” was included into his first album as a second single and became extremely popular - it charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Billboard Pop 100 at number 4, and peaked number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 2005. Cassidy’s lead single (”Hotel”) was recorded in R. Kelly’s Chicago studios (R. Kelly even sang in that song - you can hear his chorus). “Hotel” by Cassidy feat R. Kelly was also nominated for a Vibe Award in the category “Coolest Collabo”, it even reached Top Ten on the Australian reggae chart! I’ve downloaded Cassidy Feat R. Kelly “Hotel” mp3 ringtone and find it for some reason better than the real song

Black Eyed Peas is a band of hip-hoppers from Los Angeles. This group was founded in 1995 and is still active and now consists of four members, among them you can see Taboo, Fergie, will.i.am and apl.de.ap. Two last people are also known as William James Adams Jr. and Allan Pineda. Since the foundation of the band they have already released 5 albums and are going to release the 6th one next year - “The E.N.D (The Energy Never Dies)”. Their single “Where Is the Love?” (feat. Justin Timberlake), which was included into the album Elephunk (very curious name, maybe, because one of the genres in which this group performs is also funk). But the very song is in rap pop genre and became very popular in the line of European countries, as well as in the USA, where it peaked Number 8 and become first Top 10 single of Black Eyed Peas. In UK, Germany, Australia, Ireland and many other countries it became Number 1 for a few weeks on the charts. The next year (in 2004) thanks to this single the band was Grammy Award Nominated in two categories: Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Ashanti (or Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas) is a famous American singer, songwriter, also a superb dancer (she learned hip-hop, ballet, African, modern and many other different dance styles). Besides, her parents were, actually, singers (both - father and mother). Ashanti became very popular in 2002 because of her hit song “Foolish”. She even managed to hold top two places on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart!!! The next year she was considered to be the “Princess Of Hip-Hop & R&B”. She has a wonderful soprano voice, sings mostly R&B, pop, hip hop. I’ve just listened to her song “Rock With U (Awww Baby)”, which was included into “Essential R&B [CD 1]” released in Spring 2005. I can’t say, that it’s a typical hip-hop song - it has something unique without any doubt. Anyway, Ashanti’s “Rock With You” mp3 ringtone sounds great!

I’ve just read an articte about Aaliyah. I listened to a few her songs - I like her style. I’m going to download a few more songs, because I want to understand, why she bacame so popular in 2000. I watched one movie in which she starred - Romeo Must Die (2000). I have to say that film was great and Aaliyah was extremely beautiful actress (she also modelled for Tommy Hilfiger - a famous American fashion designer). I’m sure that she had enough talent and gift to became number one for a long time. With her singles “Back and Forth”, “If Your Girl Only Knew”, “Are You That Somebody?”, and “Miss You” she reached number one in the United States, United States R&B, UK, and New Zealand. She could have done more, but Aaliyah was killed in the plane crash in the Bahamas on August 25, 2001. “Back And Forth” is one of her best singles which was included into a compilation album I Care 4 U (2002).

Finally, I started this blog (after a few weeks of miking ). Today I’m going to write my first post about Ying Yang Twins - one of the best R&B bands (and one of my favourite). This hip-hop duo made very good impression on me and surprized me by the song “Get Low” by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins. Frankly speaking, I estimated this single very high, mostly because of the video to this song - one of the best R&B videos I’ve ever watched on TV. But it was not only me who bacame a fan of Ying Yang Twins, but almost all the US pupulation. In 2004 Ying Yang Twins were number 2 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the same year moved on to the first place in U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Chart. So it’s evident that this band is considered to be one of the best according to their own deserts.

I like R&B, hip-hop, rap, but it’s sometimes difficult to find really good rapper among thousands who pretend to be such. Today was the first time when I heard Akon’s singing. His real name is Aliaune Thiam (Akon is his nickname). He is American hip hop and R&B singer. Akon is the only artist who accomplished to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. He was 5 times nominated in different categories in Grammy Awards, 4 times nominated in MTV Video Music Awards. In 2007 he earned American Music Award in the category Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist. I watched his videos on YouTube and I must admit, that I’ve never seen such number of views - more than 50.000.000 (Akon - Don’t Matter (Explicit)). This song - Don’t Matter (Explicit) - was recorded in 2006 and included into the album “Konvicted”. Some part of the song is a remake of Bob Marley’s “Zimbabwe” (very similar style). The Akon’s Don’t Matter mp3 ringtones is even better

I’ve just listened to “So Good Today” by Ben Westbeech, who is a well-known Bristol DJ and lives now in London. He is also a cool jazz singer, pianist and is influenced by hip-hop, house, techno, punk and a few more genres of music. A lot of people in London, who at least once have heard his singing and playing gigs in clubs, consider him to be a brilliant and amazing person. I don’t want to be immoderate, so I will only say, that his music is really great. Besides, ”So good today” was his first single, which Ben Westbeech gave to his friend and she gave that song to Gilles Peterson (he is a DJ and record collector), who signed Ben to his new label Brownswood Recordings. Ben Westbeech has a few popular singles - “Get Closer”, “So Good Today”, “Dance With Me” and others and in 2007 also released his own album “Welcome To The Best Years Of Your Life”. And now almost of of his singles are available for dowloading as mp3 ringtones