DJ Mike Biggz

4 Mins to save the world & Hard Candy

Well, i've been away from blogging for a month but let me return with a few thoughts on the new Madonna single "4 Minutes to Save the World" and the album cover to her new CD "Hard Candy". So "4 mins" the Timberland produced track with his boy Justin is a decent comeback song. But after a few listens, Justin starts to annoy me with the part of the song where he goes "Madonnnnnnaa". Corny. Btw, is Madonna a couger now? The track although good with it's thick horns and bouncy drum tracks that Timberland has been repeating lately(or is Danja behind the drums??? hmmmmm) feels a bit desperate.

Normally Madonna would never go with the who's who of hot producers(Timberland, Neptunes, Kanye) but instead the up and comer or producer who is known but not known in the mainstream(William Orbit, Nellie Hooper, Mirwais). So Madonna working with Timberland say 10 years ago when he was on the come up and making hot shit for Missy and Aaliyah would have made total sense. With all the hype behind this song and the video that's only mildly exciting I hope the next single is bit less desperate and forced. I like the track Candy Shop, produced by the Neptunes. I bet that would have been a bigger hit and made a better video. I just wish she would have worked with Justice, James Murphy and then Timbo and the Neptunes. Just a thought, thats all.

And for the album cover...well, when i saw it my first thoughts were and still are...she's 49, she's gonna be 50 in a matter of months. Who's your granny!??!! Those were my thoughts. Ok yes she looks really great for a 49 year old but come on. It'd be different if A.) you couldn't see the age(which i obviously can) & B.) If she would have done this cover a good 10-15 years ago. Not saying 50 year olds can't be sexy but, come on, this album cover is kinda pushing it. And by pushing it I mean 50.

New Solange and yes it's good, quite good in fact.

Okay i'm being mean, i've been out for the last week on personal biz, and also battling this head cold. But hey it's a new week and the tunes for 2008 continue to pump out. Solange who'll forever be known as Beyonce's lil sister just released her new single "I decided". Produced by The Neptunes, "I Decided" is a great comeback single after her not so successful 2003 effort "Solo Star". Living in the shadow of a megastar sibling is rough, even more so than than the shadow Kelly Rowland lives in. But Kelly is good, she got her boobs done and I love her single "Ghetto". What makes "I decided" so good is that Solange goes for a more classic soul sound. You can tell she loves Amy Winehouse. The track is piano driven with a nice swinging drums and clap arrangement. The vocals are hot. The first 4 bars of the verses remind me of Martha and the Vandella's "Heatwave" but then quickly switches as the bridges and hook come into play. The Neptunes never cease to amaze me.

This is the kind of record that could blow up big in the UK but might be slept on and in some cases ignored in the states. You can't play this in the Hip-Hop/R&B clubs. It's more for radio. I see it getting small to medium spin out here but then vanishing fast. Pop radio in the US should show it some love but with the current state of Hip-Hop/R&B/Urban radio, The UK would be the more fitting place for a single like this. Solange would need a crunk remix with Jeezy or Weezy. The UK's singles charts for some reason is a bit more diverse. But hey in many cases big singles in the UK eventually cross over to the states. You'd think her producers would want her to go for a more bubblegum pop direction or something that resembles her sister. I give her props. I just hope the whole album is as creative, diverse and soulful as this single. Balance is good, diversity is good.

Stick with the direction you're going in Solange. I want more! Holler at Mark Ronson for some production or just let the Neptunes do the bulk of it. Just make it original, make it your own. Check her Myspace for more.

Solange - I Decided

Artists You Should Know About

Artists come and they go. These I hope stay.

Lykke Li - Youth Novels. This is the debut album from the Stockholm born Indie singer. Produced by Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John, Lykke's sound is all her own. You can't compare her to Feist, which some already have. Totally different and much more soothing to the ear(not hating on Feist). Her voice is sweet, sexy and all around cute. The song I have on repeat is "Little Bit" which is one of my favorites with it's electro lounge vibe. All in all Youth Novels is one of my favorites of 2008, so far.

Reel People - Seven Ways to Wonder. This group of East End Londoners started off as a house music outfit. With Seven Ways, they have taken their sound to new heights with more hot flavors than the salsa bar at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Vocally they are strong, clean as hell with perfect pitch. Musically the album is rich with it's soultronic keys and bumptastic drums. You get down-tempo treats like "Perfect Sky", 80's soul inspired joints like "Amazing" and International sounds in cuts like "Outta Love" and "Alibi". Do not sleep!

The Black Ghosts - Album coming Soon??? It better come soon! I fell in love with The Black Ghosts ever since I heard their thick electro bass heavy floor filler "Anyway You Choose to Give It" and the very soulful and sweet "It's Your Touch". This group is the band you will fall in love with in 2008. They for now only have singles out and floating out there in cyber space to download. How to best describe the duo's sound? It's not easy, their sound varies. It's brilliant Electro/Pop. Check their video for "Some Way Through This". The song is great and HEY! LEGOS RULE!!! Their website calls their songs "modern gothic romance" I could agree. Check out their myspace page for an introduction. You'll be hooked.
Just a suggestion...Gnarls Barkley collaboration??? Maybe???

Hip-Hop Legend is about to officially come out!

Not like this is real breaking news but I found out yesterday from a very creditable source that Hip-Hop Legend Queen Latifah is finally coming out of the closet. What does this mean for Hip-Hop and the future of the Queen?
For Queen Latifah hopefully not too much. I mean let's face it, we all suspected for quite a while now, but this still big since Latifah would really be the first major Hip-Hop star to come out of the closet. Does it matter? No. She's still the same Latifah to me, just now, we'll know. The word is she might officially come out on Oprah. Shameless hype(great site, btw) reported not too long ago that it was rumored that Latifah was going to marry her partner of 4 years. This would give another reason for Latifah to come out. I just hope and prey that she doesn't lose any of her endorsements. That would be fucked up. Currently Latifah has a few, Weight Watchers, Maybelline, Pizza Hut(How ya gonna do Pizza Hut and Weight Watchers at once?). Just a reminder, no one pulled Ellen's endorsements from under the rug(no pun).

So why did Latifah wait so long to come out? The word is she wanted to wait until she reached a certain point in her film and multi-media career. Musically, I'm sorry the Queen fell off. I don't know what she was thinking when she did that covers album. I just wish her and Lauryn would just come back and make a dope Hip-Hop record. You became famous early on for being a dope MC, come on! But coming out earlier might have affected Latifah in getting certain movie roles or again, endorsements. The game aint friendly. Queen Latifah is very respected in the film and music industry so I doubt there will be any negative backlash from her hollywood peers.

As for the Hip-Hop world, I'm sure it will be a bit more mixed. I hope it's not too bad. Latifah is one of the greatest MC's of all time and easily one of the top 5 female MC's ever. She's made landmark records, timeless joints that will never be and should never be shunned just because he's a lesbian. All I can say is, Latfiah should be lucky she's a woman. If she was a man, her coming out would be much more difficult. I do know many will question Latifah on her choice of words in the past. Let's not forget her not so positive remarks on playing the role of "Cleo" in the movie Set It Off. 

“I’m not a dyke… that’s what Cleo is” - Queen Latifah

I'm sure she'll break that one down. But for now, all we can do is wait till it happens and see how the media trys to tear her apart. Stand Strong Queen.

R.I.P. Buddy Miles

Legendary drummer and singer Buddy Miles, who played with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, died Tuesday night at his home in Austin, Texas.
The 60-year-old musician died of congestive heart failure. In 1967, he co-founded the Chicago band Electric Flag. The group broke up after its second album, and Miles formed the Buddy Miles Express. He met Hendrix in the early 1960s but didn't begin collaborating with him until 1969, when Hendrix produced an album by the Buddy Miles Express.

Miles was drummer on Hendrix's landmark "Electric Ladyland" album before officially joining Hendrix's Band of Gypsys with bassist Billy Cox a few months later. Miles wrote the Hendrix classic "Them Changes."

Rest in Peace, Rest in Power, Buddy Miles.

Buddy Miles - Them Changes(Zshare)

Sexual Seduction meets Mary Jane Girls?

Canadian Soulstress Melanie Durrant has done something that could either be suicide or utter brilliance...take a guess. Take one instrumental by Snoop "Sexual Seduction/Eruption" and sing on top of it the classic hit by The Mary Jane Girls "In My House". Utter brilliance! I am feeling it!!!! I can't wait to play tonight at my club gig and incorporate it in set.

Melanie Durrant, if ya not knowing, is a dope singer/songwriter out of the T-Dot(Toronto)and pulls off this cover/mash up(I hate to use mash up, but people will call it that) with ease. I first got a taste of Melanie when I got her 12" single "Where I'm Going" from my old record pool back in 2003 and I fell in love. The joint was Fiiiyyya!( or "fire" 4 the don't knows). She doesn't get a lot of attention out here in the USA but, I will keep her music alive as long as I'm DJing or on the radio. People will ask about this joint when I play it. And if you're a good DJ with a knowledge for the old school and are current with the top 40 records you want this. So Check her Myspace page HERE or download it HERE until it get pulled. Play this record!

Funny Song Titles: Lloyd feat. Ludacris - How we do it in the A!!!

No It's not a guide to anal sex but one of the funniest song titles to come out of R&B in a minute!!! The new song by Lloyd feat. Ludacris "How We Do it in The A" is really good. Lloyd brought some heat on his last album(Get it Shawty is my shit) and continues to do so with his new single. The beat is hella tight with it's hard drums that slap and smooth electronic synths. I especially love that it's on a swing, don't get that too much in R&B these days. It's like a R&B Tainted Love without the synth stabs but add in a dope guest verse from Ludacris. With a dope song like this it means we'll hear a more typical club remix if it doesn't blow up. The last great Hip-Hop/R&B record I remember with a swing beat was Outkast's "The Whole World".

But what makes me laugh is the title. Songs with funny titles rule! I always thought Lloyd was a little suspect and I know the title is referring to the ATL, but...come on, seriously. I'm sure this is why the song was changed to "How we do it(Around my Way)". No seriously someone at the label must have caught that lil innuendo(and had their head in the gutter like me) and made him re-record it. i want to be the fly on the wall for that conversation. I wonder if Lloyd is mad about the change, or is it the new joke around the Motown water cooler. Either way it's a cool R&B joint. So while it's available enjoy the original version.

Lloyd feat. Ludacris - How We Do It in the A Zshare

The 1 Jackson that still matters...A Review of Janet Jackson's "Discipline"

No, Michael is still the man but Janet Jackson cannot be stopped. Discipline which is set to be released next week is her best album since 1997's "Velvet Rope"(no disrespect to Damita Jo). Discipline brings back a certain flow that has been missing in pop music and in what made up classic Janet records. It's not just a bunch of songs thrown up in the air and placed carelessly. Some time was taken into placing every track in it's right place. The production, consistent, solid from top to bottom along with the interludes(there are a lot) that provide the perfect bridge between most tracks and at times gives a futuristic feel. Basically Janet has this super high tech sounding computer/music player "Ki-Oko" which requires voice command(which all the ridiculously rich have, right?). Listen to the album intro "I.D." and you'll see what I mean.

Discipline kicks off "Feedback", the album's lead single. The energy of this track is classic Janet. Darkchild is bananas for this one. I'm even willing to forgive the T-Pain vocoder. The harmony of the hook is really what makes it work for me. "Rollercoaster" is one of the best songs Janet has ever cranked out. The sick electronic percussion compliment the 808 clap that drops hard every time it hits. The song is brilliant from the bridges to the beautiful and again very harmonic chorus. If this is not a single, I will protest, I need to see a video for Rollercoaster.

"Rock with U"(Which has nothing to do with her Brother's timeless classic) is a bright, warm and kinda glittery cut. It's pretty much a house cut. DJ's should play this with Rihanna's please don't stop the music. The feeling of "Rock With U" and especially the bassline is infectious. As the second single, unless the video is groundbreaking, this will be mega hit overseas and in good clubs worldwide. The following song "2 Nite" is another up tempo house flavored cut that's a bit more pop electro.
As for Ballads, there are a fair share. But thankfully there is not are not a flood of them which usually for me, kills an R&B record. We do get some very beautifully soulful mid-tempo cuts on Discipline which I miss from Ms. Janet.       "Can't Be Good" is a mid-tempo bouncer that brings back memories of her Michael's "I can't Help It". Must be the Rhodes keyboards in the track. I get the same vibe off of "What's your name" which is another amazing mid-tempo cut. These two will become the DJ's choice to play in those chill out neo-soul sets.

Discipline spices up with "So Much Betta" a track that samples some early Daft Punk(What's going on with all the Daft Punk samples?). My only problem is, I wish it went on for another minute and a half. The beat has some serious head nod factor going on. Then we have "The 1" featuring Missy Elliot who kicks off the track by saying "7 inches, yup, that'll do". Thanks Missy, I really needed to know that. "Curtains" The album's closer is by far the best of the slow jams on Discipline. It's a classic Janet slow jam that closes what I think is another classic Janet album in the books.

In Stores Feb. 26th

Return of the LUV LUV

Yay area legendary DJ, Malachi just dropped the long, LONG awaited sequel to his Luv Luv Movement Mix CD.
" Soulaquarian Luv Luv" is a 2 disc set featuring the hottest and coolest Soul, Electronica & Electronica flavored Soul! Both discs make good for long road trips, or chill out sessions at the house. You need this mix.

This mix includes many artists that you would never know about unless you spend countless hours surfing the blogsites, myspace pages etc for downloads. Mal, a true tastemaker brings flavors from Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Ledisi, Angie Stone, Dilla, John Legend and a very dope unreleased Mariah Carey track. You also get not so known flavors from such amazing artists like Spengler, Natalie Williams, Tama Waipara, Deemi, Joy Denalane and much more. To snag yourself a copy, email DJ Malachi at [email protected] or hit him  on myspace HERE

Tell him Mike Biggz sent ya!!! Big up!!!

Artists you need to know about...Tama Waipara

I love finding new music, new artists, new voices. New Zealand's Tama Waipara is a new comer, a singer/songwriter and considered a "Singer's Singer". Inspiried by George Benson, Jimmy  Scott, Kate Bush and Nina Simone, Tama's voice is soulful, jazzy and very soothing to the ear.

Check his myspace and check the tracks "Morning Sun" and "Special Stuff". My gem of choice is the Mark De Clive Lowe remix of "Where I go". You can hear snippets and purchase it here and here.

Peep, don't sleep!