A busy Sunday in entertainment and sports today, huh? It kicked off with the NFL Playoffs resuming with one of the best games of the year - Atlanta's two point victory over Seattle, then was followed by New England's advancement into the AFC Championship Game, the Golden Globes, which saw Homeland, Daniel Day Lewis, and Jodie Foster amongst many winners (Foster also delivering an odd, yet touching speech where she came out with the simple words, "I'm single."), and to cap it off - new music from Justin Timberlake.
With the new single featuring Jay-Z and longtime collaborator behind the boards, Timbaland, also comes the news of a new album to be released this year by JT entitled, The 20/20 Experience. You can listen to "Suit & Tie" below. JT fans, what do you think of the news and new single?!
The hotly anticipated new comeback single, off the newly revealed upcoming album, The 20/20 Experience.
What do you guys think?
My first impressions: Not really feelin' the intro, and overall... just mediocre. I can see this growing on me and I can see an upwards trend of the Suit & Tie combo once this single hits mainstream consciousness (and that's a good thing. Let's keep it classy, fellas.) But ehhh... just 3 stars from me. Rate it yourself below!
UPDATE: No new song today, but instead a one-minute teaser to new music entitled "I'm Ready" (which has no new music) and a countdown to 3 days from now (which is likely the real release of new music... but who knows?). And then Billboard is reporting that sources say JT is planning on releasing an album, entirely produced by Timbaland, sooner than later, with 20 tracks having been recorded already. Looks like everyone was teased pretty good today.
The track may come out tomorrow, but for now... Create-A-Caption!
01.09.12 11:58pm CT: Tomorrow morning, rumors are looking more and more clear that Justin Timberlake is making his return to music - accompanied by music's biggest power couple: Jay-Z & Beyonce. Produced by Timbaland.
And given JT's tweet, it looks like we'll find out for sure tomorrow morning. (But hey, he could be counting down to a late breakfast or somethin...?)
Above is the new trailer for The Great Gatsby, that will now receive scoring from a living hip hop legend - Jay-Z.
Jay-Z is confirmed to compose the score to The Great Gatsby, alongside The Bullitts. Jeymes Samuel of The Bullitts took to Twitter [on] December 30th to share the news.
“Jay-Z and myself have been working tirelessly on the score for the upcoming #CLASSIC The Great Gatsby! It is too DOPE for words!” Samuel said.
- Billboard
I have a feeling this film, and now music, is gonna be good. We'll find out for sure May 10th.
Well, for starters let me just say TOTALLY wasn't expecting this! On Sunday night our boy Kanye West was preforming a show at Revel in Atlantic City, and midway through performing "Lost In The World" Mr. West stopped the music to shout out his baby momma (his words, not mine) Kim Kardashian. Later confirming the new was Kim’s sisters Khole and Kourtney Kardashian. Looks like little Blue Ivy Carter is about to have another playmate. Kim is said to be 12 week along in her pregnancy. Congrats to KIMYE!
TIBS UPDATE: Added video of Kanye's announcement below.
3x platinum = 3 million sales. Quite the achievement for the 3 men above. "N****s In Paris" was such an iconic anthem a couple summers ago (and since) and launched the career of Hit-Boy to another level. In other milestones for TheThrone, "No Church In The Wild" hit Gold status with 500K sales for the single. I think this GIF will wrap things up...
In a special year-end issue of RollingStone, the iconic magazine ranks the 50 greatest hip hop songs of all time, while commemorating the list with four appropriately powerful covers featuring Eminem, Biggie, Jay-Z, & 2Pac.
As for the list, well, I first off don't get too caught up in rankings or lists. They're fun, especially when you're searching for that suggestion or opinion, but just don't take it too seriously. RollingStone's top 10 is a clear ode to the first big hip hop songs, which I was happy to see. Each of the 50 songs can be viewed online here and it's a fun read for more than just to see what song is where. There is a cool anecdote per song, like that of "Lose Yourself" below.
Eminem's biggest-ever hit plays like Rocky condensed into a five-minute song. It helped that in telling the story of Rabbit – the trailer-dwelling aspiring rapper he played in 8 Mile – Eminem was more or less telling his own, sidestepping demented clowning and pure rage in favor of tough, realist rhymes about overcoming very long odds. Em cut the song during a brief break from filming. "He came in and laid down all three verses in one take," recalled engineer Steven King. "Jaws dropped – we were like, 'Oh, my God!' This story had been building up in him."
Wow. One take?! That made me like my #1 song even more (which I previously thought impossible).
As you know LeBron James was recently honored withSports Illustrated Sportsman of The Year Award. LeBron who had a great last season received the NBA leagues MVP, NBA Championship, Finals MVP, and an Olympic gold medal all in one year. So it was only right he was honored with Sportsman of The Year right? In attendance to support King James was fiancée Savannah Brinson,Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Mike Krzyzeweski.
LeBron also tweeted the pic below, “My 2 mentors in Life! K & Jay.”
It's Grammy time everybody! Artists in the urban hip hop/R&B spectrum that are leading the nominations include some usual names like Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas — and some newcomers, most notably Frank Ocean & Miguel. Scroll down for many of the categories relevant to Gowhere, and then beyond that for the full list, and my predictions.
Album Of The Year:
“El Camino” — The Black Keys
“Some Nights” — FUN.
“Babel” — Mumford & Sons
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
“Blunderbuss” — Jack White
Record Of The Year:
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Thinkin Bout You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift
Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
Song Of The Year:
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
“Adorn” — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
“Call Me Maybe” — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
“We Are Young” — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring
Janelle Monáe)
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
“Wild Ones” — Flo Rida Featuring Sia
“No Church In The Wild” — Jay–Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The–Dream
“Tonight (Best You Ever Had)” — John Legend Featuring Ludacris
“Cherry Wine” — Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
“Talk That Talk” — Rihanna Feautring Jay–Z
Best Rap Performance:
“HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s In Paris” — Jay–Z & Kanye West
“Daughters” — Nas
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“I Do” — Young Jeezy Featuring Jay–Z & André 3000
Best Rap Album:
“Take Care” — Drake
“Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1″ — Lupe Fiasco
“Life Is Good” — Nas
“Undun” — The Roots
“God Forgives, I Don’t” — Rick Ross
“Based On A T.R.U. Story” — 2 Chainz
Best Rap Song:
“Daughers” — Nas
“Lotus Flower Bomb” — Wale featuring Miguel
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“The Motto” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s in Paris” — Jay-Z & Kanye West
“Young, Wild & Free” — Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars
Best R&B Performance:
“Thank You” — Estelle
“Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)” — Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
“I Want You” — Luke James
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Climax” — Usher
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
“Fortune” — Chris Brown
“Kaleidoscope Dream” — Miguel
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
Best R&B Album:
“Black Radio” — Robert Glasper Experiment
“Back To Love” — Anthony Hamilton
“Write Me Back” — R. Kelly
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Open Invitation” — Tyrese
Best R&B Song:
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Heart Attack” — Trey Songz
“Pray for Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Refill” — Elle Varner
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” — Adele
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Wide Awake” — Katy Perry
“Where Have You Been” — Rihanna
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Shake It Out” — Florence & The Machine
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
- Frank Ocean wins one of the 3 coveted awards of the evening: Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, or Best New Artist. I wouldn't bat an eyebrow if he won all 3 - he's got the music and the compelling story behind him, but I also don't really listen to his competition so I can't sit here and compare it all. Ocean is well-deserving though and he'll take home one of those big awards.
- This lyrical hip hop head scoffs at the sight of Rick Ross & 2 Chainz in the Rap Album of the Year category, but I can't deny the big years they've had. That said, Take Care has gotta take this one right?
- Hard to pick one from the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. I see it going to either "No Church In The Wild" or "Cherry Wine" and NOT "Wild Ones".
- Miguel's "Adorn" probably won't take Song Of The Year (isn't it funny to see that preceding "Call Me Maybe"?), but it will take best R&B Song and/or Best R&B Performance. It's funny to me because I don't vibe with "Adorn" like I do with much of the rest of Kaleidoscope Dream. But needless to say, I'm glad a nice song like that is getting recognized. Overall, my two best (and favorite) R&B albums that dropped this year, in KD and Channel Orange, are getting that premiere Grammy shine!
What do you think of the nominees? And what are your predictions??
