Oldie Butta Goodie Bar: Monica – Angel of Mine

Where were you when you first heard this track?

Angel of Mine was featured on Monica’s second studio album, The Boy is Mine, released in 1998. The album, produced mainly by Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and Rodney Jerkins,  spawned several hits, including: The Boy is Mine (duet with Brandy), First Night, Street Symphony and For you I will. The album was Monica’s biggest success and garnered triple-Platinum sales and a couple Grammy nominations.

When this song came out, ya girl was going through the motions of High School. I LOVED the video with ChokLit fella Tyrese bringin his sexy swagga! All laid up on Monica’s bed in the video like What! And Monica always had this sass to her, you could always hear in it her voice and see it in her videos. Do you remember how she had tattoos on her arms but would use arm bands to cover them so as not to influence her fans to get tatted up! Nice to see that responsibility in an Artist.

Music News Rolo: Who’s makin moves within Urban Music?

This here will be a quick roundup of how Urban music is doing on the charts. All data courtesy of Billboard. Let’s get it!

3peat

Weezy just went 3x Platinum (thats 3 million albums sold for the slow folk) with his album Tha Carter 3, released last Summer. Great year for him!

Beyonce has reached Double Platinum status with her Double album, I am…Sasha Fierce.

Usher’s Confessions from 2004, has reached DIAMOND status (aka 10 million albums sold) as of November 2008. Congrats to Usher, that is a huge feat in today’s market!

Ms Rihanna also reached Double Platinum status with her album Good Girl gone Bad: Reloaded, late last year.

Ne-Yo just reached Platinum status with his latest release, Year of the Gentlemen, that was released last year. Good for him!

Kanye West also reached Platinum status  two months after his release, 808s and Heartbreaks in late November. Art wins!!!!

Usher just reached Platinum status with his release Here I Stand, also from last year.

Read MORE!

09′s First CERTIFIED Banger: Jamie Foxx – Blame It (feat. T-Pain)

Well..not a Banger per se, but this be’s the club joint right here. Jamie & T-Pain manage to make a hit out of my favourite pastime – blaming it on the alcohol (Disclaimer: The ChoklitFactory does not condone the use of alcohol). The video is all sorts of bananas with the likes of Jake Gyllenhaul (white chocolate), Forrest Whitaker, Sammy Jackson, Quincy Jones, Clifton Powell, Bill Bellamy, Morris Chesnut, Tatyanna “Ashley Banks” Ali, and Ron Howard(!!). Directed by the man, Hype. Also featuring the newest hit liquor (please see above disclaimer) NUVO. Still have yet to see this up in Canada…

Peep the video, and Rocsi’s P.S.A at the end of the video. (All the kiddies get out and VOTE! get rid of the Stanky leg!)

 

Black Licorice: Bow Wow & JD…R.E.S.P.E.C.T tha hustle!

Gracin Source Mag

OK so…first things…I know this is NOT a Hip-Hop blog! lol Don’t need the reminding, thanks! And anything posted under the category Black Licorice is suited for things you may not be feeling, but I kinda dig it. Not to say you won’t like this song – you probably will! You just may not like who’s behind it, lilBow Wow and ‘em. But, we do have some Johnta Austin in it so…take the good with the bad.

Ever since Bow hooked up again with the man JD, they are making some MAGIC together. I don’t know, maybe I am reminiscing for the late 90s again, but I am feelin the music they been puttin out recently. And yes, these JD beats are so repetitive, but I DARE you not to bob your head!

The beat is cute, especially since it is giving me the vibe from TLC’s Baby, baby, baby(love that!). And Johnta sounds nice in his likkle bridge. So, yes, the formula is mad tired, but it still sounds good. Plus, Bow Wow been doin the Grown & Sexy Usher look in this video (we see u Bow) lookin fine too.

Sweet Tooth: Ryan Leslie

The maaaaaaaan right now..

Ryan Leslie released his second album about a week ago to some decent numbers (according to his Twitter, he’s been selling out all over NYC). He is pretty much rivalling Diddy right now for the biggest self-promoter.  By now, you must have seen at least one of his unique YouTube vids where he shows how he crafts his great songs. They are CRAZY. They really make you appreciate the song much more, in my opinion. I became a fan when I watched the Making of Addiction – one of my fave songs of 2008 btw (the LIST is comin ya’ll). As soon as I get my ish together, I will write up an official ChokLit review of his new album. But so far, from what I’ve heard, album sounds Bananas!

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ChokLitFactory Exclusive: Is Whitney Houston the G.O.A.T of Contemporary R&B? Part IV

We have now reached the fourth and final report on Ms Houston. This article focuses on the last recent highlights of her illustrious career, before her drugs troubles took over. In 1998, Houston would release her most critically acclaimed solo album, My Love is Your Love. This was her most modern, R&B-influenced album to date and was a huge commercial and critical success. This was G.O.A.T territory, ladies and gents! Whitney was collaborating with the likes of Wyclef Jean, Faith Evans, Kelly Price and Missy Elliot, to the tune of great success. The album sold 10 million copies worldwide and garnered Whitney many awards and accolades. She seamlessly integrated her voice into the modern music era that ushered in the 21^st century. In the years to follow, Whitney would release a greatest hits album that included all of her past massive hits as well as fresh new duets with contemporary artists like Deborah Cox, ‘Same script, different cast’, and Enrique Iglesias, ‘Could I have this Kiss Forever’. Some favourite tracks off the albums below.

Whitney’s Heartbreak Hotel (Diva track!!)

Whitney’s It’s not right, but it’s okay

(SO sassy!)

Whitney & Wyclef’s My Love is your Love

Whitney & Mariah’s When you believe (Mariah and Whitney win an Oscar for this track, off the Prince of Egypt soundtrack; great song)

Whitney & Enrique’s Could I have this kiss forever

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Melt in your Ears: Monica feat.Ludacris – Still Standing

Ok, so I know I’m MAD late on this! I guess Monica had premiered her Reality show, The Single back in July of last year on Peachtree TV (TBS). It was filmed in Monica’s hometown of Atlanta while recording THE Single for her upcoming album, Lessons Learned. (So no, Monica was not dropped from her Label, J records yet) Anyways, while flipping through channels tonight, I came across the show and tuned in. It was actually a very well-put together documentary of sorts!  You saw Monica with makeup; Monica with no makeup; Monica with her adorable sons; Monica curled up in bed with fiancehusband Rocko and her first born lil Rock – you get the point.  Anyways, her and Bryan Michael Cox(the go-to guy for all R&B reality shows it seems) are looking for that one single Monica needs to start out above the Rihanna’s and the Ciara’s. This is Monica, by the way, not no New Jack.

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Melt in your ears: Ciara feat. Justin Timberlake – Love Sex Magic

New week, new music! Sorry for the slow posts ya’ll, I’ll catch up for tomorrow, but I do have a treat! Found this new track by Ciara floating around the ‘Nets. At first listen, I was like, really Cici, this is what Fantasy Ride’s gonna be about? Really?

Truth is, I’ve been worried for ol’ girl this time around…Go Girl flopped horribly, even with the HOT video for it. But she came back a little better with the cute song (still needs momentum tho), Never Ever – which paired up with Young Jeezy, was not a bad look. She looked great in the vid too. But doesn’t that video make you miss the Cici who made Promise?

ANYWAYS, click the link below to hear the track. Listen to it a couple times, it’ll grow on you… Its got that Princy-vibe that Justin’s been biting lately, but I think it works overall and is a good look for Cici vocally. Thoughts??

Ciara feat. Justin Timberlake – LoveSexMagic

**Link is fixed on this song!

ChokLit’s Butta of the Week: Dream feat. Kanye West – Walking on the Moon

TheDream Team

WHOOO! Someone made the genius idea to put these two on one track, finally! If you are like me, you were a fan of Dream’s debut album Love/Hate, and am eagerly awaiting his newest album, Love vs. Money when it drops March 10. This is another of his album cuts, no word on whether or not it’ll be a single or not, but I’m def feeling it. Its got that futuristic vibe Dream is known for, and its got Kanye!

And speaking of these two, according to RapUp.com, TheDream and Kanye are talking about doing a Best of Both Worlds-style album together, once this project is completed. Kanye just requests that TheDream get his status up, since he is mostly unknown to the “Mainstream”….
Anyways, peep the track below. Anxious to hear what ya’ll think about this one…

Sweet Tooth: Keyshia Cole – You Complete Me

So… I know Valentine’s Day was last week – and this video is def for the lovers – but Keyshia really impressed me with her new single, You Complete Me. Vocally, she sounds great; there is a sense of urgency in her voice that I like. This video, directed by Benny Boom, has a nice atmosphere to it and Keyshia looks great in it – naturally. Unfortunately, no Frankie sighting in this video, but still a good look. Check it out!