Get over the old Kanye with the gift of ‘Good Fridays’

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Well and truly out of hiding now, infamous rapper Kanye West is in full promo swing in the lead up to his album release.

He recently aired a funky kind of non-video video for Power, is reportedly performing at this year’s MTV VMAs, possibly with Taylor Swift (the innocent country pop singer whose acceptance speech he royally ruined at last year’s ceremony), is making a film in relation to his new album, continues with his Twitter overdrive, and now plans to treat/annoy the world further by releasing a new track every Friday until Christmas.

Mr West took to Twitter this weekend to inform us of this weekly wonderment: ‘I know y’all need the music so I’m dropping 1 new song every weekend until Xmas. It may be my song it may be a new Jay song etc… I’m calling it good Fridays. Y’all know every Friday y’all gone have a new joint from our family.’

Smart move methinks as Kanye has been trying hard to win people over again since his show of bad manners during the TS incident (pictured) in 2009. I’m not denying it was a stupid stunt to pull but people are still giving him crap over it. To them I say: It’s old news, no one’s perfect, get over it!

Just been in Chase and Status’ new video… you can be in it too

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

I do like it when people try something a bit different with music videos and have come across a clever little online thingamajig which resulted in me appearing in the one for the new Chase and Status single Let You Go featuring Mali (which they rocked the LoveBox festival mainstage with last month).

Earlier this year I appeared in B.o.B’s Nothin On You and a couple years back in The Script’s The Man Who Can’t Be Moved via an online tool that integrates your uploaded photo image into parts of the music video. Jolly good fun they were too.

The clever little online thingamajig for the Let You Go video, however, takes advantage of connecting with a well-known social networking website that means you and some of your ‘friends’ will appear in the vid with very little effort on your part. Result.

Your star appearances may not be as obvious as you think, so be sure to pay attention to detail. Search for ‘The Patrick Chase Show’ and give it a go…

Please note the video is not suitable for under 18s

X Factor, ready?! Yes. American Idol, ready?! No..

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

It’s that time of year again, the Summer is fading and we’re about to become a nation of Innies (I mean going out less, not belly button shape) as reality television ‘singing competitions’ return to our screens.

X Factor will be back this weekend complete with our two favourite grumps, Louis and Simon, and a host of guest judge hotties including: Katy Perry, Natalie Imbruglia, Geri Halliwell, Pixie Lott and Nicole Scherzinger. Rumours are that Geri and Natalie got a pretty hostile reception from crowds, ‘Scherzy’ was so impressive at bootcamp stage that she may be partaking in the judges’ houses round, and Chezza’s roping in her new bloke. Lovely jublee.

Not resting on any laurels, the show is being remixed a little this year. Thank goodness, Simon has said that they’re toning down the sob stories (they were getting tiresome many a series ago), banning songs that he’s sick of being murdered during auditions, and contestants are being put through their paces via dance guru Brian Friedman. I guess when you have former contestants like Alexandra Burke and JLS cooking up a multi-talented storm globally, a sweet lil singing voice just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. Good! I’m certainly fed up of the static ballad-fests.

On the other side of the Atlantic, our US counterparts aren’t dealing so smoothly with changes at American Idol. They need to get their stuff together as the judges selection is turning into a bit of a circus. There’s a bit more time to deal with the mess as the programme is back on screens in January but the whole thing is farcical at the moment.

It has been said that this season’s Idol, it’s tenth, will ‘refocus on its talent’. Erm… so what on earth was it supposed to be focussing on before?

Simon Cowell has jumped ship, Ellen DeGeneres packed it in after a year, no one’s told Kara DioGuardi anything (as her Dad kindly informed everyone on US TV), and I’ve heard nothing about Randy Jackson who said that ‘the only sure thing for season 10 right now is Ryan Seacrest’. What’s up with that, dawg?!

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith fame and Jennifer Lopez were rumoured to have bagged the coveted panel slots but reports say that Diva La Lopez has apparently shot herself in the foot with a too-demanding attitude that’s gotten her the boot. Dear, oh dear. This may have cleared the way for Shania Twain, who was a good laugh during her guest judge stint on the show last season.

With falling ratings they’ve called in So You Think You Can Dance and Pop Idol god, Nigel Lythgoe, to help out behind the scenes and the judging panel debacle is hopefully going to be solved by mid-September. In the meantime, we’ll all ‘focus’ on last year’s winner… can you even remember who it was?

Anyhoo, thankfully the UK has got it sorted. May we bask in our weekend night-in glory, knowing that X Factor is ready to go. Make sure the takeaway is on speed dial and the drinks are chilled as you put your feet up and become the fourth or fifth (depending on what week it is) most knowledgeable music talent judge in the land and the weekly battle commences…

I forgot to mention, if you get bored of X Factor there’s Must Be the Music on Sky featuring Dizzee Rascal, Jamie Cullum and Sharleen Spiteri which is priding itself on being about ‘real music’ but I only have Freeview so that’s the end of that one for me :(

Going on about Glee

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Hello, my name’s Tina and I’m addicted to Glee on TV.

Oh, how I’ve missed it. On screen, with music, drama and dance routines it’s so cheesy, but that’s what makes it sooo good. I am however, not such a fan of Glee in ‘real life’ (therefore I will only refer to the cast by their character names).

Recent news that has upset me, is that the guy who plays hottie Puck is soon releasing a solo album. I adore his Glee character but after listening to Higher Power from the aforementioned album, which slightly rips off Robbie Williams’ Supreme, my ears felt violated.

Also surging forward with their solo effort is the real life Mr Schu, who is due to release an album of his own later this year. He caught a bit of Brit fever earlier this Summer joining Leona Lewis on stage during her tour and snogging Kelly Brook whilst he was in London working on his record, which he described as ‘a cross between Michael Bublé and Justin Timberlake’. Sounds strange but intriguing…

Although Glee on TV has spawned many a chart hit following each episode, I wouldn’t choose to listen to the club-sung tunes outside of the television programme, I just can’t do the theatrical sound without the visual accompaniment. Millions of fellow Gleeks have proven otherwise, making Glee the act that has had the ‘Most Top 75 singles in a year’ racking up an impressive 45 successful tracks, and that’s without counting five top five albums.

It’s been an entertainment industry phenomenon to say the least and will be returning to our screens around late September. Hooray! So let’s look forward to Season two gracing our eyes and ears with more marvellous mash ups, Finnchel and Wemma dilemmas, and previous fringe characters getting more airtime in addition to a host of new faces.

There’s going to be Britney and George Michael-themed shows, an appearance from hunky actor Javier Bardem and rumours surrounding the highly-anticipated Superbowl episode throwing up names such as Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Prince and The Beatles. I cant wait!

Until then, throw your L signs up Gleeks! L

No Longer Featuring Nicki Minaj

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

There was a time where a big chunk of chart tunes either featured Jay-Z or Ja Rule, well, the latest rapper to clock up a considerable amount of collaborations in a little time is the first lady of Young Money, Nicki Minaj.

According to an online encyclopaedia, Nicki has astonishingly made almost 40 guest appearances on tracks in 2010 alone but is temporarily retiring from lending her vocals to her mates, as she tweeted yesterday ‘And on that note… No More Features 😉 #pinkfriday’

For those who don’t know, Nicki is the hottest rap vixen of the moment coming out of the US. Her style is less risqué than Lil Kim and Foxy Brown before her, but she packs a healthy dose of strong female swagger, humour, funny voices, costumes and alter-egos including Harajuku Barbie, Roman Zolanski and Onika (her real name) who we will reportedly come across on her upcoming album.

Ms Minaj has generated a buzz around herself in the past 12 months after signing to Lil Wayne-endorsed Young Money Entertainment (which also boasts Drake and Jay Sean on its roster) and also has attracted over a million Twitter followers to boot. She’s proven her rapping ability and nutty nature over the last few years on a number of mixtapes and a Young Money group album, and now wants to show off her wider musical ability through her own debut LP, Pink Friday.

I did a double take at my radio recently whilst listening to a prestigious London Hip Hop and RnB station, as randomly, I heard a sample from an old Annie Lennox tune resonating from the speakers… Then the autotune-lilted lyrics kicked in, moving into the catchy chorus and then a familiar-sounding rap voice on the verse – Nicki is certainly mixing her style up on current US single Your Love. It’s a far cry from edgier predecessor Massive Attack in terms of sound and image but I think this might be the gentler track that could introduce her nicely to the UK mainstream market too, before she cranks the hip hop hardness back up again.

My favourite three collaborations of hers that I’ve come across include: Sean Kingston’s Letting Go (Dutty Love), Usher’s naughty Lil Freak and what is bound to be a smash at this year’s Notting Hill carnival, the remix of Gyptian’s Hold Yuh. Nicki admits ‘I take pride in making my 16 bars spectacular’ and just ‘let’s the magic happen’. Amen.

Little Nicki is doing big things in 2010. To add to her success she’s looking forward with an MTV VMA best new artist nomination after bagging two BET awards already, a Billboard Rap Chart number one with Your Love (the first by an unaccompanied female rapper since Missy Elliott over eight years ago) and the anticipation of millions for Pink Friday which is due for release in the US in November. Luckily she has her Young Money crew and Lil Weezy to keep her grounded as she launches into bonafide solo stardom.

Kanye packs a punch with Power video

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Wow.

So Kanye went for a ‘moving painting’ as the ‘visual accompaniment’ to his upcoming single Power.

On a simple level, it’s cocky, beautiful, crazy, and as the Director perfectly put it, provocative. The Portrait of Power is an extraordinary 90-second piece of footage.

There’s a load of folks online getting wound up by Illuminati symbolism in it… Whatever way you interpret it, there’s no doubt Kanye is going to get a lot of attention with this one.

The vid is creeping me out slightly as I’m very sleep deprived so I’m going to have to try hard to nod off now without dreaming about it. Goodnight

Not so much loving the Love the Way You Lie video

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Finally the video for Love the Way You Lie has aired featuring Eminem and Rihanna. Em’s field scenes are stunning, Rihanna provides the perfect chorus, her hair rocks and so does the burning house and people but my verdict is in, and honestly, I preferred the song without the video, sorry.

They harped on about the serious nature of the track with the theme of abusive relationships prior to this highly-anticipated vid, then threw in pin-up Megan Fox and Rihanna adorned in a very very low cut top and hot pants… hmmm. Doesn’t really work for me in keeping with the ‘serious’ tone and not getting the boys, and girls, distracted by scantily clad women, telling by many of the comments on a certain online video channel anyway.

Dominic Monaghan (aka Charlie from Lost) and Megan Fox (aka Mikaela from Transformers) ‘kind of’ play out the Eminem and Kim characters, according to Mr Monaghan in a recent interview, and we see them go through the spectrum of fighting, loving, hating and contemplating in the four and a half minutes.

The song is awesome and intense and I don’t deny Em and RiRi put their hearts and souls into it, it just didn’t translate as well onto screen for me.

Roll on the ‘arty’ Kanye vid…

Diddy gladly gets Grimey

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

‘Team UK stand up. This is the Grime mix.’ – Diddy

Five rewinds later, I’ve finally heard the long-awaited Skepta Grime remix of Diddy Dirty Money’s Hello Good Morning and it’s bizarre but amazing to hear the US rap mogul utter these words. 

This latest reincarnation of the track has been a long time coming, the Boy Better Know family are in the studio at a famous London radio station and Skepta is almost beside himself. He’s been Tweeting all day about this momentous occasion: ‘Today’s date will go down in Grime history.’ ‘Endless Love to everyone for nominating me to do the HelloGoodMorning remix. All my Grime crew stand up tall.’

My favourite lyric from the track: ‘I’m a UK bad boy, and just for the record, I like tea but I don’t like crumpets’. Representing.

Diddy came on the phone live on air: ‘What up Team UK?! I toooold you, I toooold you… Thank you to everybody on Twitter… I love the whole UK movement now, got their own style and sound. I’m blessed to be a part of it and have a chance to feel the feeling of being on a Grime track. I’m ready to hear it again. Team UK stand up.’

He said he has Skeppy’s back to approach the US market and he hopes Skepta has his for the UK. This could be a pivotal moment in time for those who love Grime and hopefully now the massive loyal following listening to tonight’s premiere will be there to support the movement every step of the way around the globe. In the meantime, bring on the video!

Doors opening for Dubstep

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Blimey. Magnetic Man’s single has gone in at number ten in the mainstream chart and a Dubstep album has claimed the equivalent spot in the compilations chart. Didn’t see that coming.

OK, so I Need Air isn’t strictly 100% Dubstep but you can still hear the influence of the genre, as the trio behind the beats Magnetic Man consists of Dubstep pioneers and super-producers: Skream, Benga and Artwork. Hopefully this will open doors for their peers…

Dubstep has been around for yonks, morphing elements from other underground electronic dance sounds but never really getting itself much mainstream attention until recently. If you want to get technical, the Wiktionary definition of Dubstep is: ‘(music) A genre of electronic music descended from garage music, characterised by its dark mood, sparse, syncopated rhythms, and emphasis on bass.’

The moment it came to my attention was early last year when a friend played me Skream’s remix of La Roux’s In for the Kill which left me speechless (a rare occurrence). Dark and dirty, a far removal from the watered-down dance-y pop we were moving to in the club at the time, it was pure brilliance pouring into my ears. Then earlier this year I went to a Chase and Status-headlined gig and got the live experience which was, in a word, mental. Dubstep fans are the nu-skool heavy ravers and the sound has been spectacularly well-received at even some of the Pop-ier festivals and gigs I’ve been to this year.

During the early Noughties, when I was downloading tunes by Dizzee Rascal and Pay As You Go (a few members now who are in Roll Deep) I never thought Grime could or would make an impression on the mainstream market. I thought the wider public wouldn’t ‘get’ or even like the sound, I thought, no matter how chart-friendly the lyrics become, or how the sound evolves, the masses just won’t buy into it. I’m delighted to see I was proved wrong and I think Dubstep is about to follow a similar path to success now, with high-profile fans around the world including Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Eve and Rihanna to boot.

Yes it’s dark, gritty and bass-heavy but this weekend’s chart positions show the time is right for Dubstep to shine in the mainstream spotlight…

This post is dedicated to my dear friend who played me the La Roux/Skream remix. Her unborn baby dances to Dubstep and is due to come into the world sometime very soon.

Girls Aloud without Nadine, nooo

Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Allegedly they’ve ‘grown apart’ and ‘It’s been a painful decision… the future of Girls Aloud lies without Nadine.’

Someone has got to be having a laugh… I’m an avid fan of the girls as a five piece and when I saw them live at Wembley Arena on their Out of Control tour in 2009, it’s clear that Nadine is the most talented vocalist, hence taking most of the singing on. Without her I fear the imbalance will topple the band into crappy ‘talky’ singing or *gasp* lip-synching, they just aren’t as strong without her as is she without them.

If it really has to happen (hope not), I vote Nicola for head girl as she was the strongest live performer, dancing and singing-wise for me and has come a long way since just being ‘the quiet, pale redhead’ one.

The girls are all currently embarking on their own projects so hopefully there’s still a little time to patch things up. Are the gang of four being mean or is Nadine being stubborn? Miaow.

Sort it out please, ladies.