So, several of us on the site have been talking about doing an article on the best work of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. I think the reason we haven’t gotten it started yet is because it’s such a daunting task. Since their days in the Time, this Minneapolis twosome has been racking up the writing and producing credits for…well, everybody. A quick sampling of the artists that have benefited from their golden ears: Alexander O’ Neal, Mariah Carey, Karyn […]
Posts tagged "Janet Jackson"
Reconsidering Janet Jackson
One of the bigger surprises this winter has been the success of Janet Jackson’s “Number Ones” tour. After the relative failure of the singer/actress’s “Rock With U” tour a couple of years back, many thought that the youngest Jackson sibling was washed up and done for. However, Janet scaled back from arenas to theaters and has enjoyed a fairly successful run through the country. At a time when many legendary artists are struggling to fill venues (it’s called lowering ticket […]
Blerd Radio Season 2, Episode 1: Lesbians in the Echo Chamber
…and, we’re back!! After taking a bit of a holiday break, Blerd Radio is back and kicking off our second season! For the new season’s first episode, I brought in longtime friends Carletta and GG , and we were joined by our buddy (and Blerd Radio newcomer) Brittany . Over the course of 90 minutes, we cover a ton of pop-culture related topics, including: -The upcoming 10th season of “American Idol” and what it means for the future of the show. -Whether “Black […]
Unraveling the Complicated Legacy of Tupac Shakur
Tupac’s been on my mind for a couple of reasons. First off, yesterday (September 7th), marked the 14th anniversary of the night he was shot in Las Vegas, an event that led to his passing six days later. Two, a lot of blog and news outlets were buzzing about what I originally thought was a seemingly offhand comment made by Mike Tyson in which he regretted never having smoked weed with ‘Pac. It wasn’t until earlier this morning that I […]
Dear Ladies: Time to Make an Adjustment on the Slutometer
When did it become the norm for women in music to be trampy 24/7? Believe me, there is nothing wrong with owning one’s sexuality. But is the concept of being in charge of your sexuality synonymous with acting like a stripper in heat? Over the past decade or so, the role of the woman in pop music has gone from being occasionally titillating to basically playing the role of a ho. Misogynist? Not at all. Work with me here. Name […]
Chart Stalker 6/3/10: Yawns All Around
So some musical stuff happened last week and no one cared. Want proof? Just look at this week’s Billboard charts. Once upon a time, Stone Temple Pilots were one of America’s hottest rock bands. Their first three albums all sold over a million copies. After lead singer Scott Weiland left the band, he joined the all-star supergroup Velvet Revolver, and THEIR debut album went multi-platinum. After leaving VR, he then rejoined STP. Their latest album came out last week, and…sold […]
The NBA and "American Idol": Is the Fix In?
I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I just call things as I see ’em. The way our society is today-with all the financial ties different companies have in big business, do you think those big businesses would leave the outcome of a contest up to the general public? Or let something like talent actually decide a winner? I don’t know. I think a lot of folks have too much to lose to not rig results in some cases. Back in high […]
Blerd Briefs: Arrests, Birfdays and Other Assorted Confusion…
While my interest in anything Lindsay Lohan-related is almost always minimal, I must admit that I have a special desire to see her dragged away in handcuffs and get locked up, and it’s looking more and more like that’s going to happen. A bench warrant has been issued for the actress/singer’s arrest for missing a court appearance to follow up on mandated alcohol education classes. Lindsay took a trip to Cannes to prevent her upcoming movie, and conveniently misplaced her […]
Blerd Radio Episode 1: Livin' La Vida Loca
While MisenPOPic Radio is on hiatus (congrats to my homie and co-host Mikey Hersh on the birth of his daughter), I decided to come up with my own podcast. It’s a little looser and I decided to go with the host-and-two-guests format rather than just the two co-hosts. Thus, Blerd Radio was born. While me and my boy GG did a quickie test episode last week, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” is the first real episode, and it again features GG as well as my girl […]
Michael's Dance Party/Janet's Crappy New Song: This Week in Jacksons
Those of you who are in New York (or nearby) and are also fans of Michael Jackson or Prince. It would be in your best interests to attend Soul Slam XV , celebrating the music of the King of Pop and His Royal Badness. This event, presided over by DJ Spinna, is basically what it’s advertised as: hundreds of people gather at a club and dance their asses off to selections from the Jackson family and the members of Prince’s royal kingdom. This […]
Dear J. Lo: Don't Give Up Your Day Job
I was watching reruns of “In Living Color” this weekend and realized: yes, Jennifer Lopez can shake her ass. I watch “The Cell” or “Selena” or “Anaconda” and I realize: yes, Jennifer Lopez can act. Kinda. I listen to “Waiting for Tonight” or “Get Right” and realize: yes, in the hands of the right producers, Jennifer Lopez is capable of making a song that makes me nod my head. But after listening to even a small portion of her musical […]
"We Are the World 25": What Were They Thinking?
25 years ago, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones created “We Are the World”. This song was written and performed to provide relief to famine-stricken Ethiopians. They assembled a group of 45 artists-most of whom were undeniable legends (Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon, Tina Turner…even Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins and Hall & Oates), and people worldwide opened their hearts and wallets to donate to the cause. “We Are the World” became a #1 smash […]