Opening for Distant Relatives...

Nigerian born and German made vocalist Nneka will be blazing Tabernacle's stage on Saturday night.

My editor at CL put me on to her and this girl is good! Africa is the future and I hate to bring it up but the 419 scam was obviously way before anyone's time.

Her music is phenomenal and her voice is a treasure. Support good music ya'll and get there early so you don't miss what she had in store for Atlanta.

Doors open at 8pm. Show starts at 9pm. The show is at the Tabernacle. Get your tickets here (beware the $15 additional fee).










Heartbeat

Confession

MSD TV: Warren Jae

warrenJae - Dear Jasmine from TWOFIFTY VIDEO on Vimeo.


Warren Jae shoots a video with this girl named Jasmine that he is in love with or some ish like that. Yeah, I'm hating. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Lyric!!!

Happy birthday Lyric! Miss Jones if you nasty LOL! I hope you have a great birthday and everyone comes to celebrate with you tomorrow night. 

Peep info dolow for her birthday celebration at Apache Cafe.



My Birthday is on June 10th, but I’m celebrating it on the 11th with an EPIC concert featuring some of my favorite and the most influential artists in the ATL.
Aside from this being my birthday celebration, it will be the FIRST show of my very own in ATLANTA!! DOPE RIGHT!?
I’m Hella excited, and would LOVED for YOU to be apart of this special, HISTORIC night with me.
The night will feature two segments to mirror, represent and celebrate my 22nd birthday. (playing with the theme of being a Gemini AND 22 ;-D)
There will be a SOUL segment and HIP HOP segment displaying 4 of ATL hottest artists. 2 of each. The night will be STARRING me – Lyric Jones and featuring:
Boog Brown, Small Eyez, Chantae Cann, and Avery Sunshine
Special guest performances by:
Coco Jones
The Remnant Cru
The 5ive
Abyss
Ness Lee
&
Stanza
Hosted by Alias
DJ Sly Fauxx on the 1&2s
This will be a fun-filled night of live authentic Soul and Hip Hop and to celebrate the diversity in musical talent in the ATL area.
Doors @ 9:00pm
Admission: $10
18+
DOUBLE TAKE
Apache Cafe
64 3rd Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30308

MSD TV

Enjoying the relaunch so far?! If you don't watch any video in this post, PLEASE WATCH LADY GAGA! It's good for your health and you don't even know it! Wait til next week, it's gonna get even better! New videos dolow!

Lady Gaga - Alejandro (This is a damn good video. I love Gaga.)

Trey Songz - Already Taken (I really like this song. I've been on my Trey Songz lately. Weird I know.)

Vikter Duplaix - Electric Love (What ya'll know bout Vikter? He lowkey reminds me of Craig David.)


Wiz Khalifa - Up (I love this song! Taylor gang fool!)

Christian Rich - Hello Virgin

Naija Rep - Ajah Onu



New song from Atlanta Naija artist Ajah Onu "I No Go Break Your Heart". Speak proper English much? Anyway, enjoy.

Before the Show: Everybody Loves the Sunshine

For the past couple years, Atlanta singer-songwriter-pianist Avery Sunshine has working on an R&B masterpiece and now that it’s time for release, the world isn’t ready. Her talent goes all the way back to the church but catching a crowd with her voice and songs about love, family and relationships is a true skill. Being a mother, performer and hard-working individual, she’s here to show every woman that there is still sunshine and a smile in every situation. And everybody loves it.

MSD: How was your birthday?
AS: My b-day was off the chain. Joyce Little from V-103 had an event in her hometown Athens, Ga. I opened for Ken Ford. I finally got my band together and it was wonderful.  I can’t wait to go back to Athens.
                                      
MSD: Who are some of you inspirations and comparisons:
AS: I think my favorite singer who ever lived was Luther Vandross. He was very natural but very particular. I don’t care where he is, he is always on. Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Patti Labelle. Donny Hathaway, Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson. I always get compared to Jill Scott and Chaka Khan. It’s such an honor to even be put in the same list as them because I look up to them so much.

MSD: Who do you feel you represent?
AS: The young, single parent, thick girl. The girl that is trying to go after her dreams. The working mom. I represent those women. The pioneer mommies. It can be done.

MSD: What do you do to gain new supporters and fans?
AS: Gigging.  And as for facebook and twitter at first I didn’t want to do it but I see it really makes sense. It’s so weird to call people fans, but that’s how I can be in touch with the people who like my music. People don’t have to support you but when they do I like to try to thank them. I want to make sure I touch the people who spend their hard earn dollars towards my dream.

MSD: What exactly is Pinin?
AS: I have never heard the word pinin’ until I moved to Georgia. We were gossiping at church and my friend said “You know she still pinin’ over that man.” The idea of the song? Well, the hook says “Can’t get you out of my head/ Can’t get you out of my system/  I’m still wanting you/ I don’t care who know it/ 20 long years have passed and I’m still pinin over over.” That’s one of my favorite songs on the album.

MSD: What else can we expect from the Sunshine album?
AS: The Roy Ayers is on the album. Yes! [sings] Everybody loves the sunshineee. He’s on the album and he allowed me to do a snippet of the album. He’s also on a song called “The Most” that me and my music partner Dana wrote about our children. It’s kind of a lullaby to our children. I got some Philly stuff on it so you can put your hat on backwards and kinda bump with that! I have a contemporary arrangement of “The Lord is Blessing Me” on there cause you know I came out the church. I think it’s a great album and I guess I say that because it’s mine and I feel I can say that because God gave us this material. We can’t take credit for it. I thank God for letting me be a vessel.

MSD: How do you have sunshine?
AS: Clearly I have my days but it’s so interesting that the moments that I am the lowest, I am reminded by fans or someone on twitter about my songs. What you put out is what you get back. I try my best to put it out and at those low points I tend to get it back.

MSD: Upcoming projects:
AS: I’m featured on I-Tunes with my latest single “Pinin”. I am gearing up for this contemporary opera called “I Dream” at the Alliance Theatre. It is MLK’s I Have A Dream speech done from a different perspective and it is of The Color Purple caliber. This is my first time doing something like this and the world is gonna be fascinated by this production. The album comes out June 21st. It will be available on Amazon and Itunes.



MSD Listen: Neyo - Libra Scales

Over the weekend, I went to a private listening party for Neyo's forthcoming album Libra Scales. One could suspect it may be titled that because he is attempting to create a balance of different sounds on the album. The album is diverse in sounds and genres, but it lacks alot of creativity. I begged the question throughout the listening, "Where's the creativity?!" Let me add, I would not be surprised if he says in the future that a lot of the music was MJ-inspired. Dolow you can find a mini rundown of the tracks. They were strict so I can't remember every specific, but I still had a good idea of everything that was presented to us.

Champagne Life: Second single off of the album. Definitely a banger. Upbeat, collar-poppin song. "Let's toast it up!" Produced by dude from 112(he did alot on the album).

Making A Movie: Song is about hollering at a girl and telling her that "we can make a movie". Made me feel good. Really smooth instrumental. Song concept was decent.

Telekinesis: Straight up sexing song. "Let me touch you without touching you." It's not a ballad, it has a moderate melody that will get people into the bedroom. The song concept is very imaginative.

One In A Million: He didn't cover Aaliyah (Thank God cause I heard The Dream did) but this song is very pop and dance driven. It was a very basic and boring song.

Beautiful Monster: This song is very pop and dance driven as well. The lyrics hold alot of weight and the song concept is definitely different, but it's not for the urban fan.

She Is: Heartbreak ballad. Great lyrics, great concept. The beat is pretty simple, but the singing covers all that up.

Miss Right: Song is basically discussing Mr. Right from a guy's perspective. It's like "Miss Independent" part 2 but it is even more sexy. The beat is nice and the lyrics are attractive when he sings "Hello, Good evening".
 
Cause I Said So: Very sharp dance song that is geared towards the urban crowd. Beat and lyrics very straight forward and singing is aggressive.

What Have I Done: This was my favorite. If you loved "Lie To Me" from Year of the Gentleman, then you will love this song. It's the same melody somewhat but totally different concept. The arrangement is well done.

Crazy Love: This was produced by Ryan Leslie. Extremely radio-friendly. Fabolous is on the track and it has an 80's soul feel to it. Like straight Kiss 104.1.

Genuine Only: This is a cute song and a bonus track. Very catchy but really has no substance. Beat is basic, concept is wack, and lyrics and whatever.

Know Your Name: The boring songs just started to get redundant. This was another bonus track, hopefully they just leave it off the album all together.

Songs About You: It's like the opposite of "So Sick". Instead of listening to all the sad songs, now he is writing them about her. It's attractive concept and slick beat and words. Slow melody and easy listen.

The problem with this album is there is no balance, which I guess is the point of the libra scale thing. It's either the beat is carrying the song or the vocals are carrying the song or the lyrics are carrying the song. Also there is no flow to the album. I understand that he has the ability to be diverse because of his past success with pop-driven songs and dance music, but he should have approached it with more of a story or create some type of flow so the album can be consistent in concepts, sounds, etc. The creativity he did have just put him in a box of 'confused musician'.

I know the album will sell, hell I will buy it, but it does not at the least top the last two albums. Check two of the tracks dolow.

Opening for Cobra Starship...

Hello my name is Iz'E Ahanotu and I. Fight. Dragons.

Chiptunes pop/rock band I Fight Dragons will be opening for Cobra Starship tonight.

The whole chiptunes movement is something we're late to, as the south always is, but it's when you create music from beats in video games. You know, mario bros, the gameboy sounds, all of that.

I will be interviewing them tomorrow after their set. I love what I've heard so far, so I can't wait to see what they have to say.

Doors open at 6pm. IFD is up around 7pm. Get there early and support good music. The show is at Tabernacle. Get your tickets here. Enjoy some of their stuff dolow.

I Will Wait For You

With You

Future Soon (Johnathan Coulton cover)

The Marta Chronicles

When riding Marta turns into walking around Marta for an hour...

This may be a pic from Five Points, but on Friday, Avondale Station at 5:30pm looked the same way.

I was headed to Indian Creek, my resident train station, and the rain was hitting so hard on the eastside that Marta's electricity went out on the Eastbound side.

Isn't life great when you have over 500 people on a train in the evening trying to get home after work and school and they have to be transferred to the remaining stations by bus?

Yeah it is great. I ended up waiting around the station for 20 mins because I didn't even know what was going
on at first. When I did find out, I called my sister and had to wait another 30 mins for her to come take me to my car at Indian Creek. That was my Friday and I was out of it by the time I reached Lithonia.

MARTA = Metro Atlanta they Rapidly Transit your ass nowhere but still want Authority #assholes