Sammie Coming of Age

When he came on the music scene with his 1999 hit single "I Like It", off his debut album "From the Bottom to the Top", this twelve year old seem to be the next rising soul and pop singer. Well that was not the case for this singer. Was it the management that was holding him back or the record label? If you fast forward to 2006 his debut single "You Should Be My Girl" off his second album “Sammie” shows that he still has what it takes. Sammie is coming out with his third album in 2013 called “Coming of Age”. Is this album that is going to push him into soul and pop star status? I was listening too “Body Rock” and “Come And Get Down” like both of these songs. Sammie has proven again that he can still hang with the new school R&B singers, Trey Songz, Bobby Valentino, and Chris Brown. He has the whole package talent and looks to be a star. He needs to stop coming out with an album every 7 years. This is not that good for a music career. You can listen to songs from Sammie on Streetwise Radio. Also listen to Streetwise Radio on Pandora, Live365, Athena365, MyGen365 and iTunes.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBnOH_K7f74

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyFwkZduDqY

9TH Wonder “Tutankhamen (Valley of the Kings)”

9^th Wonder says, “Hip-Hop is the voice of at least 2 generations. At one time, it was the POSITIVE voice. Chuck D was the black history teacher I never had, along with countless other black Americans my age. It can be that again, but with the right voices and the right players. As the late Curtis Mayfield said, “We must educate and Well as Entertain.” I agree. Over the years some hip hop artists have become so negative. There aren’t that many positive hip hop artist that are being played on the on-air radio stations. 9th Wonder’s given name is Patrick Denard Douthit, he was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 15, 1975. 9th Wonder’s started listening to hip hop when he was seven years old. He absorbed the music, culture of the art form while in middle and high school, gaining experience in music theory. He decided to pursue a music career while attending North Carolina Central University. 9^th Wonder is a master beat maker and sampler. He has sampled some great music from one of my favorite artists who was politically conscious of his times, the late great Curtis Mayfield. Al Green was also one of his big influences. The heavy bass lines in his songs were due to the production of J Dilla, Pete Rock and DJ Premier. 9^th Wonder has been sought after by some well-known artists like, Mary J. Blige, Jean Grae, Wale, Jay-Z, Murs, Drake, Buckshot, Chris Brown, Destiny's Child, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Erykah Badu, Ludacris, Mac Miller, David Banner, and Lecrae to name a few. 9^th Wonder has a new solo project out “Tutankhamen (Valley of the Kings)”. This album is a chill out album it has a soulful vibe it has my heading bobbing to the beat of the songs. My favorites are “WindyJamSoul”, “WhenLoveIsNew”, “ImABeastSoul!!!!”, “Fredathump” and “JustMyThoughtsSoul”. Don’t miss out on this album.

 You can listen to this album on Streetwise Radio. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on iTunes, Anthena365, Live365 and MyGen365.

Actual Proof “Black Boy Radio”

What can I say about the duo Actual Proof? Outstanding and Talented! This Duo grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Their music is a combination hip hop, classic soul, funk and jazz. Sundown and Enigma, the name of its members are both emcees. Actual proof came about when Enigma had the intelligence to enroll in the North Carolina Central University. Enigma took a class that 9^th Wonder, a Grammy Award Winning Producer, DJ, College Lecturer, and Social Activist, was teaching. The class was hip hop and context. 9^th Wonder invited Enigma and Sundown to his studio and the rest is history. Actual Proof’s album “Black Boy Radio” is about a young black boy growing up on the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina. I think the best song on this album is the cover title “Black Boy Radio” it has that jazzy, funky feel and the lyrics are incredible. It tells a story about a boy growing up in the 1960’s racial North Carolina.  I also like "I Got You", a song about offering support to someone going through personal trials and tribulations. 

I think "Black Boy Radio" is a talented, educated duo from the South that has something decent to rap about. Streetwise Radio is playing “Black Boy Radio”. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on iTunes, Live365, MyGen365 and Athena365.

LM

http://www.last.fm/music/Actual+Proof/+wiki

Public Enemy Most of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp

Public Enemy in past has been known for their controversy’s. Well they’re back! Public Enemy released an album called “Most of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp” in July 2012. The opening track “Run Til It’s Dark”, is characteristic Public Enemy sound. I think the four most important songs on this album are “Get Up Stand Up”, “WTF”, “Catch the Thrown”, and “Run Til It’s Dark”. I have been listening to Public Enemy since the late 80s. I think they are still the best rap group ever. These so called rappers now days need to take note and rap about the real truth.

Public Enemy is from Long Island, New York. Public Enemy came on the scene in 1987, with their debut album “Yo! Bum Rush the Show”. In 1988 the released “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”, with their two hit singles "Don't Believe the Hype" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos". After twenty five years Public Enemy is still rapping about what’s going on in the world. Public Enemy is still doing their thing bringing the world the truth through their music. My favorite songs are, “Run Til Its Dark”, “Get Up Stand Up (featuring Brother Ali)”, “Most of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp (featuring Z-Trip)”, “I Shall Not Be Moved”, “Get It In (featuring Bumpy Knuckles)”, “WTF” and “Truth Decay”. Public Enemy has the second album due out sometime in September, The Evil Empire of Everything. It is supposed to be the album that talks to “Most of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp”. Public Enemy is the real deal of hip hop.

If you have not listened to Public Enemy you need to they are rapping some real truth. A lot of critics think Public Enemy is racist and very militant. I say to all those critics the truth hurts. You can listen to Public Enemy songs on Streetwise Radio. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on, Athena365, MyGen365, ITunes and Live365.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Enemy_(group)

http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/07/album-review-public-enemy-most-of-my-heroes-still-dont-appear-on-no-stamp/

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.19873/title.chuck-d-of-public-enemy-speaks-on-two-albums-in-2012

Tasha’s World

DJ Michael Ealey has discovered another under-rated artist that I have not heard of, Tasha’s World. It is no wonder I have not heard of Tasha’s World, because she gets played over in Europe. Tasha’s World is her stage name, her name is Natascha Slagstand. Someone asked her in an interview, how she came up with the name Tasha’s World. She explained that her music is about the things that keep her busy, in her own world. She was born in 1974 in Rotterdam, Netherlands with a Surinamese background. This hip hop, neo soul and jazz singer always get compared to Erykah Badu and she does not like it. I don’t blame her. I think she has a better her voice with more versatility and she is easier to listen then Erykah’s. Tasha’s World debut album came out in 2003 titled “Tasha’s World”. In 2005 Tasha’s World came out with her second album “World Domination” My favorite songs from both of these albums are, “Nothing really matters”, “All that's on my mind”, "Glowing Growing”, "Jah Bless", “Down & Around”, “Black Panther”, “Breakfast London Style”, “Fed up”, “Home Alone”, “Tasha’s World” and “Corny Love Song”. The lyrics in these songs are so relevant to what’s going on in the lives of women. Tasha’s World is very soulful!! She is another songstress for neo soul music who is incredible. She is going on my playlist. Tune in to Streetwise Radio for songs from Tasha’s World. To listen to Streetwise Radio you can go to ITunes, MyGen365, Athena365 and Live365.

LM

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fnl.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FTasha%27s_World

Hip-Hop Group “theBREAX”

I like hip-hop if it’s positive. All that negative stuff is so discouraging. Well I was looking for positive Hip-Hop artists or groups that have something and encouraging too say. I found this group from San Diego California called “theBREAX”.The group consists of front man Ruslan, who is an Armenian refugee born in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the 1990s when Ruslan was a child, his family fled Baku, Azerbaijan to San Diego California due to religious persecution in his country. While living in San Diego Ruslan met and became friends with Baltimore native Beleaf. Beleaf came to San Diego to get a fresh start. Ruslan and Beleaf both had a love for Hip-Hop and a burning need to get better at it. They formed the group theBreax, so they could have a positive impact on the hip-hop culture in the San Diego community and the world. The group has grown to include Mic B on drums, Jruckers on keyboards and Bam on bass. theBreak has cultivated a large and diverse community of loyal fans through headlining their own shows. They have opened up for world-class acts like Mobb Deep, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Arrested Development, Lecrae, War, and Fred Hammond. Their debut album “Never Arrive” came out in December 2011. It went number three on iTunes hip-hop charts. Christian hip-hop is on the rise and theBREAX is definitely doing their part to bring it to the world. These are some of the songs I like, “More Of / At the Core”, “Yap Yap”, “Brilliant Realness (feat. Sho Baraka)”, “OTIS TheBreax Over Mixtape”, “Never Arrive”, “All Powerful”, “100 hunnit” and “Paper Jam”. These brothers are so positive and inspiring. I’m so glad I found theBREAX they are certainly going on my playlist. You can listen to songs from theBREAX on Streetwise Radio Big Hop 7-8 p.m. Streetwise Radio can be heard on iTunes, MyGen365, Athena365 and live365.

LM

http://www.thebreax.com/bio/

Akua Naru

What can I say about Akua Naru amazing, great, marvelous, awesome, original a pure genius? Akua Naru is a Hip Hop/Rap artist her music has a jazzy sound that you can listen to all day. Akua Naru is from New Haven, Connecticut, but now resides in Cologne, Germany. I like every song I have listened to while writing this. This is real Hip Hop music it is so fresh and smooth. Here are some of my favorites from her debut album “The Journey Aflame”, “The Backflip”, "The Block", “The World Is Listening”, “Tales Of Men feat. African Footprint”, “The Jones Feat. Mic Donet” and “Find Yourself”. Akua Naru takes her experiences in her life travels and brings it to her music for the world to hear. The lyrics in her songs are positive and inspiring. Streetwise Radio DJ Michael Ealey suggested that I listen to Akua Naru because he is playing one of her songs “The Blackflip” on Streetwise Radio Big Hop. I am so glad he suggested it, this young lady is awesome. I am a fan for life. If you have not heard of Akua Naru listen to her and you will be a fan too.

LM

http://www.last.fm/music/Akua+Naru/+wiki