Music News ROLO: Jay-z is NOT a Fan, Sade nearly does 500K, TheDream readies LoveKing

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday! I was lazy as hail all day But let’s get some news out of the way.

According to US Magazine, Jay-z was not impressed with the latest efforts to re-vamp Michael Jackson’s famed ‘We Are the World‘ benefit song into a 2010 version to help benefit the cause for Haiti. The song/video debuted at the Opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It featured a unique group of artists ranging from Kanye West (wearing his best MJ impersonation jacket),to the Jonas brothers, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Justin Bieber who opened the song. Justin. Bieber.

About the re-make, Jay-Z quipped,

“I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: ‘We Are the World,’ I love it, and I understand the point and think it’s great. But I think ‘We Are the World’ is like [Michael Jackson's] ‘Thriller’ to me. I don’t ever wanna see it touched,”

I agree with Jay-Z. If you haven’t seen the video, watch the 2010 version here. I actually liked the effort and liked some of the vocal arrangements, but between Wyclef screaming like a fool and Lil Wayne, Akon & T-Pain’s auto-tuned mess, I was left shaking my head. Plus we all know the God MC told us Auto-tune was dead back in ’09…

Jay-Z continued,

“I’m a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that’s going on in Haiti. I applaud the efforts: Millions have been raised] through text [donations] to Haiti. So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but ‘We Are The World’ is [musically] untouchable like ‘Thriller’ is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it’s gonna be untouchable.“

And in true Jay-z fashion, he was able to reflect the situation on himself:

“I think it’s time for us to make a new [song]. I tried to do that with ‘Stranded,’ [the tune Jay Z, Rihanna and U2's Bono and The Edge premiered at the 'Hope for Haiti Now' telethon]. I didn’t try to make ‘We Are the World,’ but I tried to make our take on how we felt.“

If you haven’t heard the song Stranded, click here. I actually really like this song.

source

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In other R&B news, Singer Sade has pulled a Maxwell; she has returned from her 10-year hiatus to triumphantly return the number one spot on the charts with her newest effort, Soldier of Love.

Image courtesy of Sade.com

Pour A Lil ChokLit Liquor: Farewell to the King

Tomorrow Michael Jackson’s body will be laid to rest Tuesday morning at the Staples Center in L.A. Millions of fans, well-wishers and those who knew and loved Jackson will be in attendance. Jennifer Hudson is expected to preform, while Celebrities like Smokey Robinson, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Beyonce, Jay-Z and Mariah Carey are expected to attend.

It is difficult to think that we will be burying the King of Pop tomorrow. Wow. The whole situation genuinely saddens me. The other day I was aimlessly watching Fox when they happened to show the Simpsons episode where Homer meets a man in the insane asylum who believes he is Michael Jackson. In the episode, Homer believes the man is Michael, not knowing what he actually looks like, and invites the man to visit his family. Meanwhile Bart unknowingly reveals to everyone that the Real Michael Jackson is visiting his home. It is one of my favorite episodes. I did a little digging on Wikipeidia and found out that although he wasn’t credited in the show’s credits Micheal did indeed guest star on the show as well as wrote the song, Lisa, its your Birthday. (Incidentally, he also wrote the majority of Do the Bartman - for all my 90s kids)

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was a singer who guest starred on The Simpsons in the episode “Stark Raving Dad”. He performed the speaking voice of Leon Kompowsky under the pseudonym John Jay Smith. Jackson was a fan of the show, and called Matt Groening one night and offered to do a guest spot. The idea for the episode was pitched by James L. Brooks and the script was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss. In an early version of script, Homer decided to take Barney Gumble in for rehab, but whilst there Homer began acting crazily so the doctors assumed he was the one to be committed^. Jackson pitched several story ideas for the episode, including Bart telling everyone in town that Michael Jackson was coming to his house. He also requested several script changes, including that he wanted to have a scene in which he and Bart wrote a song and asked that a joke about Prince be changed to one about Elvis Presley.

Read more: http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Jackson#ixzz0KXhlNsJr&C

Farewell MJ.

©The ChokLitFactory 2009

Sweet Tooth: Keri Hilson’s BET Performance

During the BET Awards that aired this past weekend, singer/songwriter Keri Hilson took home the award for Best New Artists, beating out other hopefuls, Kid Cudi, Jazmine Sullivan, Ryan Leslie and M.I.A (a new artist??). Although I ride for Jazmine and Ryan, I think the award was well-deserved for Miss Hilson who has worked hard to bring her sound to the mainstream and to be a relevant artist. I read many comments about Miss Hilson’s Sunday performance which I was excited to see. Most people said it was either “really hype” or “a hot mess”, so I had to judge for myself. I was surprised. I think Keri should receive some credit for a) bring a lot of energy to the show and b) channeling  some MJ-style (and even some Elvis) dance moves and gestures. Her dancers were on point as well. Keri closed the show with an accapella reditition that was very….spririted. My favourite part was how they mixed in Kanye’s verse from Knock You Down to reflect the Michael Jackson reference – nice job!

Did y’all like it?

Pour a Lil’ Choklit Liquor – R.I.P The King of Pop Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

Naturally everyone in the world is shocked and saddened by the death of the Musician the world knows as Michael Jackson. We all know his story, from his many incredible accomplishments to his darker days and many criticisms. As usual, in the ChokLit Factory, we will stick to the music.

I was introduced to Michael Jackson at a young age. I was 3 or 4 years old, one of my earliest memories. I was at daycare and our supervisors came in and told us if we clean up the room and put our toys away, they would let us watch the new Micheal Jackson video. Naturally, we all lost our minds and hurried to clean up the room. As promised, they popped in the videotape of  Thriller. As soon as I watched Michael trembling and shaking as he morphed into a Werewolf, I let out the loudest scream and covered my eyes. I had to be consoled – I had not expected to see my favorite pop star become an all-to-real ghoul!

As I got older, I was able to watch Thriller in its entirety, and his other videos as well. I had his tapes, I had the video compilation, I recorded his videos and tirelessly learned the dance routines to Remember the Time, Black or White, Scream and many others! I tried to do the Moonwalk, many times. The older I got, the more I appreciated his art and the more I wanted to learn more. I even played my Dad’s old Jackson 5 records and jammed hard to them!

For me, Michael was the embodiment of an entertainer. His music and visuals were like no other and his celebrity was surely like nothing we had seen before him. Sadly Michael will also be remembered for his many eccentricities, the pedophilia associations, the plastic surgery and the ‘Wacko Jacko’ moniker. Many people will try to bring his image down to Earth and to taint it. But the rest of us know better.

R.I.P Michael. Enjoy the videos!

Michael Jackson – Thriller

Michael Jackson – The Way You Make Me Feel

Michael Jackson – Black or White

Michael Jackson – Bad

Michael Jackson – In the Closet

Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson – SCREAM

OF course you can visit the YoutTube Channel to watch whatever video you like. He really was the GREATEST.