Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Jumelle Designs Debuts with Summer 2009 Collection
On Saturday, July 11, Long Island-based sisters Tikimia and Eileen unveiled their company Jumelle Designs' very first line: The Summer 2009 collection. In a breathtaking fashion show, they exhibited bright, bold, colorful dresses and skirts, and even a sequined men's vest. Full of color and whimsy, the collection is as fun as the summer. Ins&Outs was on the scene to watch the show and interview the girls about their designs. For more information, visit JumelleDesigns.com.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Will.I.Am, Akon, Pharrell, Beyonce and Mary J. Blige Speak On The Greatest Album Ever Made!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Nyle "Let The Beat Build"
Nyle "Let The Beat Build" from Nyle on Vimeo.
This video was filmed in one take, with audio being recorded simultaneously with the film. The video features Nyle (www.nyleraps.com) and is produced by Last Pictures (www.last-pictures.com) and 194 Recordings (www.myspace.com/194recordings)
Director- Chadd Harbold
Producers- Golda McCormick, Nyle Emerson, Chadd Harbold
Director of Photography- Adam Newport-Berra
Steady-Cam Operator- David George Ellis
Assistant Camera- Andy Kromphardt
Gaffer- Greg Golko
Key Grip / Transportation Captain- Bobby Olsen
Assistant Director- Keith Haskel
Art Director- Heidi Goldstein
Editor- Bryan Gaynor
Post-Production Supervisor-Dan Berk
Music Producers & Engineers- Katie Buchanan & Alan Gordon
Music Pre-Production-Brian Lee
Mixed by Mykael Alexander
Mastered by Nyle Emerson
Assistants- Chase Culpon, Jacob Blumberg, Dana Sedgwick
Colorist- Vladamir Kucherov
TEACHER
Phil Swetz
VOCALISTS
Danni Lee
Elle Varner
BAND
Isaac Teel (drums)
Mitch Friedman (Bass)
Daniel Mensch (Piano)
HORNS
Al Barrentine
Kevin Birk
Julian Taylor
STRINGS
Molly Fletcher (violin)
Cameron Orr (violin)
Alexandra Jones (cello)
Kristine Kruta (cello)
Liz Hanley (violin)
Hana Segerstrom (violin)
Patti Kilroy (violin)
OTHER
Marlene Desiree (Dancer)
Josh Pikulin (Guitar)
Katie Buchanan (Banjo)
HOMEBOY CHOIR
Plateno Man
Syanide
Maverick
Odudu Akpaeti
SPECIAL THANKS
Priska Neely
Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World
Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.
From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe.
Jay-Z Brings Roc Nation To Sony
Superstar rapper/mogul Jay-Z has officially signed a new distribution deal with Sony for his new label Roc Nation.
According to Billboard, the rapper’s new solo album The Blueprint 3 will be distributed by Atlantic, although that deal is only for the third installment of the rapper’s Blueprint series of releases.
Jay-Z offered to have the Roc Nation imprint be distributed through his longtime home Def Jam over four years ago.
Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ) also distributes Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella imprint, which has such superstar artists as Kanye West, Jadakiss, Beanie Sigel and others.
“You have to figure, this is like four years ago, and to them it was just like, 'Are you crazy? No! Make a song,' " said the mogul, who bought his way out of his Def Jam contract for an estimated $5 million.
The rapper also revealed that executives at IDJ were not fully capitalizing on Jay-Z’s entrepreneurial abilities.
"To me it was like, I've sold companies for huge amounts of money. I'm an entrepreneur - that's what I've been all my life,” Jay-Z told Billboard. “I can't just sit here and make records and not do anything else. Why wouldn't you want to do this with me? I felt under-utilized.”
On the management side, Roc Nation handles the careers of Wale, Melanie Fiona, Mickey Factz and others.
50 Cent - "Ok You're Right"
50 Cent Ok, Youre Right- from the forthcoming album BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT in stores Sept 09. Featuring footage from the Philips Cinema 21:9 film Carousel, which was awarded the Cannes- Lion 2...
Drake Talks About His Deal With Lil Wayne
“To go independent is — like I said in a prior interview — it’s a funny term,” Drake told MTV News on Tuesday, addressing the deal that finds his albums being released on Wayne’s independent Young Money label (which is affiliated with Cash Money Records) and being distributed by the major Universal Republic. “Because it’s almost impossible to go fully independent. This was basically like the closest thing I could get to my own independence, to sort of continuing to be that guy to the fans that, you know, is trying to prove something — trying to prove that it can be done. So with that being said, I signed directly to Cortez Bryant and Gee Roberson, my two managers, and their company Inspire. It’s a joint venture with Young Money, so that’s the deal. I know there’s been a lot of stuff on the Internet about different entities, but that’s the people involved in the main record deal. And then it’s distributed through Universal, so it’s great, man. You know, if we can sell some records I think it could be a pretty legendary situation.”
Although Drake decided to stay with his managers (who also manage Lil Wayne), he said he loved the courting process.
“Well, the whole thing with me was, I met some great people along the way. [Warner Music's] Lyor Cohen is such a special man to me, even though I am signed where I am signed at. You know, [Interscope head] Jimmy Iovine, same thing, a great person that taught me a lot in a very short period of time. But my loyalty lays with Wayne. For him to be able to benefit from the situation and for us to be able to brand Young Money, this is the route that I went.
“I plan to work with Wayne for the rest of my career, so I think it’s a smart career move,” he added. “You know, everybody else [on Young Money] will hopefully work out the situations, get the right people on the album. I think it was important for me to show him that I believed in him as much as he believed in me. Because a lot of months he stuck his neck out there for me, you know with [performing with Drake on the BET Awards Sunday], and then ‘Ransom’ and all the songs that we put out. And the things he would say in interviews, he really put himself out there for me. So I think it was only just and fair to show him that I feel the same way.”
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ron Artest to Portland?
Nate McMillan has a defensive reputation and the Blazers allowed 94.1 points per game, but the numbers are deceptive since they played at one of the slowest paces in the league. Portland wasn't nearly as good defensively as it was offensively last season. The Blazers ranked second in the league with an offensive efficiency of 115.2 points scored per 100 possessions, but just 11th defensively (109.0).
Portland needs a point guard (and may get one in Andre Miller), but they could also use an upgrade at the small forward position (Rudy Fernandez is an ideal sixth man). Artest would give them that, as well as the defensive toughness and experience they need to take the next step.
During the Rockets-Blazers first round playoff series, Artest called Brandon Roy "the best player I've played against," while also dismissing Roy's defense as "suspect." If he signed with the Blazers, Artest wouldn't have to guard Roy and he could teach the young All-Star a thing or two about defense.
Trey Songz Speaks On R Kelly Slouchin! + Damion Hall (Aaron Hall's Brother) Says "Trey Songz Is A Kid. He Dont Know My Brother"
Bet Awards 09 Trey Songz take more shots at R.kelly ON RED CARPET
MICHAEL JACKSON BREAKS BILLBOARD CHARTS RECORDS
Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records
June 30, 2009 – Rock and Pop
By Keith Caulfield, L.A.
As predicted, Michael Jackson is once again the King of the Pop charts.
Based on preliminary sales numbers from Nielsen SoundScan, the entire top nine positions on Billboard’s Top Pop Catalog Albums chart will house Jackson-related titles when the tally is released in the early morning on Wednesday, July 1. Nielsen SoundScan’s sales tracking week ended at the close of business on Sunday (June 28) night.
Jackson himself has a record eight out of the top 10, while a Jackson 5 compilation also finds its way into the upper tier.
The King of Pop’s “Number Ones” will fittingly lead the pack at No. 1 with 108,000 copies (an increase of 2,340%) while “The Essential Michael Jackson” and “Thriller” are in the Nos. 2 and 3 slots with 102,000 and 101,000, respectively. Last week, “Number Ones” was the only Jackson title on the chart, at No. 20 with 4,000 copies; both “Essential” and “Thriller” re-enter the tally this week.
Additionally, his classic 1979 studio set “Off the Wall” re-enters at No. 4 with 33,000 while his 1987 album “Bad” returns at No. 6 with 17,000. At No. 5, the Jackson 5’s “The Ultimate Collection” debuts with 18,000. Jackson’s fourth studio album for Epic Records, 1991’s “Dangerous,” re-enters at No. 7 with 14,000 while his 2001 compilation “Greatest Hits: HIStory — Volume 1″ also comes back to the list at No. 8 with 12,000. Finally, Jackson’s 2004 box set “The Ultimate Collection” charts its first week on the Pop Catalog chart, arriving at No. 9 with 11,000.
The lone non-Jackson-related set in the top 10 is a reissue of the “Woodstock” movie soundtrack, which bows at No. 10 with 8,000.
Collectively, Jackson’s solo albums sold 415,000 this past week. That’s extraordinary, since his titles sold a combined 10,000 in the week that ended June 21. Of the 415,000 total, 58% were digital downloads.
Additionally, the 415,000 albums sold just last week is nearly 40% more than what Jackson’s catalog had sold the the entire year up through June 21 (297,000).
Sp eaking of digital albums, on the Top Digital Albums chart, Jackson has a record six out of the top 10 slots, including the entire top four. “The Essential Michael Jackson” leads the Top Digital Albums list with 80,000 downloads sold, while “Thriller” is No. 2 with 57,000.
With the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” moving back to the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 chart with 88,000, this week marks the first time that a catalog album has sold more than the No. 1 current set on the Billboard 200 albums chart. (All three of Jackson’s top sellers on the Pop Catalog chart outsell “The E.N.D.”)
Ironically, the feat almost occurred when Jackson re-issued “Thriller” in February 2008. The set relaunched with 166,000, re-entering at No. 1 on the Top Pop Catalog chart. That week, Jack Johnson’s “Sleep Through the Static” led the Billboard 200 chart with 180,000 while Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” was at No. 2 with 115,000.
Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 albums chart, though they can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list. On the latter chart, Jackson’s “Number Ones,” “Essential” and “Thriller” are at Nos. 1-3, followed by the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” at No. 4.
Jackson places a record 25 songs on the 75-position Hot Digital Songs chart (21 solo hits and four with his siblings), smashing the mark of 14 charting titles established by David Cook i n the June 7, 2008 issue. Jackson’s Halloween radio staple, “Thriller,” moves 167,000, which is good for second place on the chart behind the 203,000 shifted by the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.”
“Thriller” was also Jackson’s best seller in the week before his death with 5,000 downloads, which translates to a 3,551% jump. Jackson’s total volume of downloads this week — including his tracks with the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons — account for 2.6 million downloads, a remarkable number considering last week’s cumulative sum was 48,000. Moreover, Jackson becomes the first act to sell more than 1 million song downloads in a week.
Besides “Thriller,” Jackson places five other songs in the top 10 including “Man In The Mirror” (No. 3, 165,000), “Billie Jean” (No. 4, 158,000), “The Way You Make Me Feel” (No. 6, 136,000), “Beat It” (No. 7, 134,000) and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (No. 8, 125,000).
Not surprisingly, each of the tracks in the top 10 of Hot Digital Songs were among the top 10 most-played Jackson selections at radio following his passing. According to research provided by Nielsen BDS of monitored airplay from over 1,600 terrestrial and satellite radio stations and cable music channels, “Billie Jean” was the Jackson track with the most spins for the week ending June 28 with 4,540 — 97% of which occurred after news of his death became public. The track posted only 318 plays in the prior week.
'Juelz On Jay-Z - That Was A "Sucker Move" Jay-Z Refused To Perform If Chris Brown Also Hit The Stage At The BET Awards'
After the BET Awards on Sunday, rumors started that Jay-Z refused to perform if Chris Brown also hit the stage and now rappers are reacting. Skull Gang leader Juelz Santana weighed in on the situation "i take nothin away from Jay-Z," he wrote on his Twitter. "i dont wanna sound like a Hater but his swagger was on Zero yesterday. & i just heard thru the grape vine that Jay-Z said he would not Perform if Chris Brown was gonna perform.. SMH Sucker Move I woulda rather seen Chris Brown come out & do his tribute to [Michael Jackson]. It woulda been the 1st time he Performed since ? I know he woulda Killed it."Juelz went on to further bath Jigga. "ok Tweople. Yall do the Math. MJ just died the show as a Tribute to MJ. so not only does he say he down want chris to perform & do what would of been probably the best MJ tribute, but he coulda atleast did H-to tha IZOO cuz it has the MJ beat and Put MJ's name in it."
