SKYLAR GREY'S BIG BREAK

"Skylar Grey" the very sought after collaborator and hook singer for high profile hip hop acts is morphing into an artist in her own right. The singer formerly known as Holly Brook, Grey has made quite a name for herself popularized by hook for "Eminem" and "Rihanna’s" popular collaboration “Love The Way You Lie” and is currently working on an album. With one official studio album and three EPs under her original name, the 25-year old Grey isn’t exactly a newbie but her fortunes have certainly changed in the last year.

Grey released a solo album in 2006 called "Like Blood Like Honey" but lately has come to prominence thanks to a number of high-caliber songwriting gigs with A-list rap stars. Working with producer "Alex Da Kid", who has produced tracks for the likes of Nicki Minaj's Massive Attack and B.o.B.'s Airplanes, signed Grey to his Wonderland Music last year. Grey's performance at the Grammys turned out perfect. Grey is working on her new album, with Alex Da Kid's production putting her well on her way to attaining similar breakthrough success.

Skylar’s popularity and her opportunity began last year when she was featured on "P. Diddy’s" Diddy-Dirty Money album Last Train To Paris, features "Jay-Z" as a co-producer. From there, she was featured on the much hyped debut single and video for "Dr. Dre’s" Detox album “I Need A Doctor” featuring Eminem. Grey also scored a cameo role in the video as a "futuristic healer".

Her latest collaboration with "Lupe Fiasco" will certainly gain her even more exposure as the buzzing single and video makes its rounds around radio and the Web. With the video making such a strong political statement and Grey’s capable vocals boosting the track to higher level, Skylar Grey will no doubt be a longtime fixture in the world of music.

JOHNNY GILL PREPARES FOR HIS RETURN TO MUSIC

Many artist who take a long break from the game, don't stand a chance with the new talent floating around these days. With over twenty years in the entertainment business, "Johnny Gill" has continued to create music either as a soloist or a group member. Johnny Gill is not attempting to slowdown as his career matures.

Continuing his role as a romantic balladeer while emerging as a New Jack Swing star, he released a second self-titled album in 1990 which included the hits "My, My, My," "Rub You the Right Way," "Fairweather Friend" and "Wrap My Body Tight". On this album, Gill played guitar, bass, bongos, and drums in addition to performing lead and background vocals. In 1991, he was featured in Perri "Pebbles" Reid's hit single "Always" from the album of the same name, along with Pebbles' cousin, R&B singer, Cherrelle. The single made the R&B Top 20 shortly after its release.

As of late, the R&B veteran has been touring in the United States with long time collaborators "Bobby Brown" and "Ralph Trevesant" as the R&B group Head of State to keep up with audiences needs. Gill is also preparing his latest album after signing a with Notifi Records.

The untitled album Gill has received creative assistance from a respective group of producers including "Troy Taylor", "Bryan Michael" and "Wyclef Jean". Gill described working with Wyclef as “Quincy Jones of this era.” While recording the album, Gill has been struggling to identify the creative direction of the project stating, 

“One of the things I have been battling with while recording this record is I like so many types of music but you think I know what people are going to expect and what they want. All this is put into a place and then somebody said to me ‘you have to do you and where you are today that is what it is.’ That is what people are going to gravitate and connect with.” 

No release date has been set for the album but it is scheduled to drop this year. 

Gill's first single upon the breakup of New Edition and his biggest hit to date.

Bruno Mars Debut Certified Platinum

"Bruno Mars" debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" which features hit singles Just the Way You Are, Grenade, and The Lazy Song helped him earn platinum album certifications. The Grammy Award winner has sold over fourteen million singles worldwide. His album has been certified platinum in several countries including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia. Doo-Wops & Hooligans received generally positive reviews from most music critics.

Bruno broke out on his own early last year with his acclaimed debut EP, "IT'S BETTER IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND." Produced and written by Mars, the four-track collection peaked at #1 on the iTunes Pop chart, fueled by such tracks as The Other Side, featuring both "B.o.B" and "Cee Lo Green". Currently earning acclaim for co-writing and producing fellow Elektra recording artist Cee Lo Green's new online sensation, "F**k You.

It wasn't long before Mars also lent his signature vocals to a pair of Smeezingtons-penned and produced hits: B.o.B's #1 sensation, "Nothin' On You," and "Billionaire," the debut solo single from Gym Class Heroes frontman "Travie McCoy".

While Mars has earned a plaque for his record sales, he has recently been recognized for his contribution to pop culture as TIME magazine selected him for the annual list of the world's most influential people. Mars and fellow popstar chart getter "Justin Bieber" are part of a powerhouse lineup which amongst the likes of President Obama and Oprah Winfrey, include 100 artists, politicians, activists, researchers, and reformers.

Mars is currently preparing for his long awaited "Hooligans In Wondaland Tour" with Bad Boy's recording artist "Janelle Monae". The North American tour will start May 4th in New York City and end June 15th in Phoenix, AZ. 

Here Bruno Mars & Janelle Monae “Hooligans in Wondaland” tour dates:

Weds 5-4 @ Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
Sat 5-7 @ Agganis Arena Boston, MA
Sun 5-8 @ Susquehanna Bank Ctr. Camden, NJ
Tue 5-10 @ Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA
Weds 5-11 @ Fillmore Miami Beach Miami Beach, FL
Tues 5-17 @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prarie Grand Prarie, TX
Weds 5-18 @ Reliant Arena Houston, TX
Fri 5-20 @ Jubliee CityFest Montgomery, AL
Sun 5-22 @ Caesars Windsor Windsor, ON
Tues 5-24 @ Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, WI
Weds 5-25 @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium St. Paul, MN
Fri 5-27 @ Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL
Sat 5-28 @ Uptown Theatre Kansas City, MO
Sun 5-29 @ 1st Bank Center Broomfield, CO
Mon 5-30 @ McKay Events Center Oren, UT
Thurs 6-2 @ WAMU Theater @ Qwest Field Seattle, WA
Fri 6-3 @ Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC
Sat 6-4 @ Roseland Theatre Portland, OR
Tues 6-7 @ Grand Sierra Resort & Casino Reno, NV
Weds 6-8 @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA
Fri 6-10 @ Spotlight 29 Casino Coachella, CA
Sat 6-11 @ San Diego County Fair Del Mar, CA
Sun 6-12 @ Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA
Weds 6-15 @ Comerica Theatre Phoenix, AZ

                                                    

"When Everything in life gets so complicated it only takes a day to change it." ... Bruno Mars


Doo-Wops & Hooligans is available to buy on iTunes and all good stores worldwide now.

CHRIS BROWN: "F.A.M.E" (Review) 

When "Chris Brown" opens his new album with “Deuces,” an in your face obvious record about an ex singing phrases like “nothing but a vulture,” and "you regret the day when I find another girl YEAH!", he’s not hiding any bitterness. The poison dart is delivered by Brown with an underlying message as clear as day, it’s one that’s been tormented with for the past few years and supported by Breezy’s defenders.

His fourth studio album “F.A.M.E.”, (Forgiving All My Enemies) his first Number 1 hit album since the troubles a couple of years ago he has endured, Brown is enjoying a hot collection of hit radio singles. Abandoning Jackson circa “Off the Wall” and instead attempting the run on the unapologetic genius of "R. Kelly". F.A.M.E. is nothing short of a great album, and maybe one of his best since "Exclusive" hit stores in 2007.

Contributing to the album to give the young R&B singer some help are some heavy hitters like "Wiz Khalifa", "Justin Bieber", "Timbaland", "Lil Wayne" and more. Mixing true R&B with pop, hip-hop and of course a few club bangers, Chris Brown has put forth a strong effort that he hopes will further propel his comeback. After the crummy third studio album "Graffiti", and the mass exodus of fans due to his woman beating incident, Brown has a lot to prove and with F.A.M.E and from the looks of it, he has certainly taken a step in the right direction.

Chris slips and slides through uptempo dance jams and melodic R&B-tinged grooves as easily as he glides across a dance floor, ending up in what is easily his best album yet. His pop side shines on “Next To You,” a tender duet with fellow pop powerhouse "Justin Bieber", he skips through "Michael Jackson-Off-The-Wall-style" disco on the silky “Say It With Me,” channels pop rival "Justin Timberlake" on bass-heavy banger “Oh My Love,” makes a strong play as "Busta Rhymes" fire rapid-spitting apprentice on “Look At Me Now,” also featuring Lil Wayne, and touches “Forever” type Euro-pop greatness with “Yeah 3x.

Pretty much almost every track on the album has that type of sound that radio Dj's would love to promote, as fans will and have received them very well. Radio singles, videos, and soundtrack type records are all over this record. Not keeping with just a R&B type album, going from that to techno-type records, to highly energized Pop records could prove to work in Brown's favor all over the world as album sales have propelled his album to Number 1.

-Side Note- It would be very interesting to me to see how long he would hold that position on Billboard Charts. I would just have to say in my personal opinion, I love this album. I think that every track on the album is just perfect from Oh My Love, She Ain't You, to Wet The Bed are just examples of some tracks that I can't stop listening to. If you want to hear a great album, and have been starving for one for years like me, this would give you that record fix you have been waiting for. Get the album no matter how you feel about Brown as a person, because its really not about him per-say, its truly about the creative talent you hear on your radio, in your car, on your iPod, or what ever device you have that would keep your ear pleased for some time till that next record comes out.

"Follow your dreams. Just make sure to have fun too. Haters keep on hating, cause somebody's gotta do it" ... Chris Brown

F.A.M.E. is available to buy on iTunes and all good stores worldwide now.

KID CUDI SWEARS OFF MARIJUANA

Rapper "Kid Cudi" has officially announced that he has quit smoking marijuana. It may have been April Fool’s, but this is not one. Cudi is officially sober from weed. The "G.O.O.D. Music" rapper announced on his Tumblr account that he's leaving the marijuana alone, now opting for a cleaner image.

He wrote on his Tumblr:

"I dont smoke weed anymore. Ill leave it to the kids. Im 27 with a business to run and i need to be alert and focused with my mind strong. For those who still get it on, smoke one in my memory as your favorite lonely stoner."

"This is not a joke. I know most of you wanna see me all drugged out and fucked up and i know misery loves company, but im sorry those days are over. I had a good run, Amsterdam and all. Im happy being sober. Im happy being a new me. Giva fuck who thinks of me different, you didnt care about me in the first place if you cant be proud and happy for me for growing and starting a new chapter. Im not your puppet or your tap dancing drug addict here to be your miserable muse, i always made music for me to help myself find understanding. I have finally learned from the words in my songs. I love who loves me and who really cares about me."

"Learn from this, theres always light at the end of the tunnel. Hell does have an exit, and i found it. For those who are looking for a way out, i left the door open, and ill be waiting for whoever wants to grow with me. Peace and Love, Cudi."

Cudi was "arrested" back in July of 2010, for possession of a controlled substance, and says he will put his energy towards his music instead. "I always made music for me to help myself find understanding. I have finally learned from the words in my songs. I love who loves me and who really cares about me," Cudi added.

Despite the arrest, Cudder still managed to make his scheduled performance at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival in Tennessee the following night. In September, he plead guilty to criminal possession of a substance in the seventh degree and received a two-day community service sentence. He is currently working on a rock album titled Wizard, and a new mixtape titled A Man Named Scott, due out this summer, produced by "Dot Da Genius".