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Ear Drum (album)
''Eardrum'' is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Talib Kweli. The album was released on August 21, 2007, by Blacksmith Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album features guest appearances from Res, Jean Grae, UGK, Raheem DeVaughn, Roy Ayers, Kanye West, Norah Jones, Coi Mattison, Lyfe Jennings, will.i.am, Sa-Ra, KRS-One, Musiq Soulchild, Strong Arm Steady, Sizzla, Justin Timberlake and Marsha Ambrosius. Reception Critical response ''Eardrum'' scored 73 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". Some than most reviews are average or mixed: ''Uncut'' gave it a score of three stars out of five and said, "Kweli, whose wordy rhymes can often read better than they flow, sounds nimble and at ease most of the time." '' Vibe'' gave it three stars out of five and said it "lacks cohesiveness." ''Spin'' gave it a score of five out of ten and said, "Though Kweli can't change his voice he was born with, he needs to figure out how to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual Phonograph record#78 rpm disc developments, 78 rpm records collected in a bound book resembling a photograph album; this format evolved after 1948 into single vinyl LP record, long-playing (LP) records played at revolutions per minute, rpm. The album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption from the mid-1960s to the early 21st century, a period known as the album era. Vinyl LPs are still issued, though album sales in the 21st-century have mostly focused on CD and MP3 formats. The 8-track tape was the first tape format widely used alongside vinyl from 1965 until being phased out by 1983 and was gradually supplanted by the cassette tape during the 1970s and early 1980s; the populari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Beautiful Struggle
''The Beautiful Struggle'' is the second studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on September 28, 2004, by Rawkus Records and Geffen Records. The album features guest appearances such as Common, Faith Evans, Anthony Hamilton, Mary J. Blige and John Legend. The album featured production from Kanye West, The Neptunes, Supa Dave West, Just Blaze and Hi-Tek. The first single off the album, "I Try" featuring Mary J. Blige, was fairly popular as a music video, followed by the second single "Never Been In Love". Track listing Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. Sample Credits * "Around My Way" contains replayed elements of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police. Personnel Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. * Mark Batson – piano , keyboards * Steve Baughman – mixing * Elizabeth "Yummy" Bingham – additional vocals * Mary J. Blige – featured artist * Tom Brick – mastering * David Brown – engineer * Charle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strong Arm Steady
Strong Arm Steady, often referred to as SAS, is a hip hop group in California's underground hip hop scene. As of December 2009, the act consists of members Phil Da Agony, Krondon, of Los Angeles, and Mitchy Slick of San Diego, California. Originally an amorphous collective of at least eight, formed as an alternative to the gang-focused productions of West Coast rap's then-dominant Death Row Records, SAS pared down to four members for recording in the studio and performing live, with Xzibit as the frontman. Since he left the group in 2006, the three remaining members have been a stable trio. Over the years they have recorded many mixtapes and have distributed them all over the world. "Speaking directly to their fans," they were West Coast pioneers in the use of mixtapes as a group's principal method of distribution and marketing, a model necessitated by their neither being DJs nor closely affiliated with a DJ, and a method already proven on the East Coast by 50 Cent and others i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Musiq Soulchild
Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by the stage name Musiq Soulchild or simply Musiq (pronounced "music") is an American singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, gospel influences fused with Hip hop music, hip hop. Soulchild has released several successful studio albums that went platinum in the United States. He is regarded as one of the best R&B male singers of the 21st century. Early life Musiq was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in a strict Muslim household. During his teenage years he built a reputation for being musically gifted, beat boxing for MCs freestyling on the open mic circuit, scatting at jazz clubs, or just performing an a cappella for strangers on the streets, which is where he got the name "Musiq" and later added "Soulchild." He cites as his inspirations such icons as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway.[ Billboard: Musiq Soulchild] He dropped out of high school to p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
KRS-One
Lawrence "Kris" Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One (; an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha, is an American rapper from New York City. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, which he formed with DJ Scott La Rock in the mid-1980s. KRS-One is known for his songs, "Sound of da Police", "Love's Gonna Get'cha (Material Love)", and "My Philosophy". Boogie Down Productions received numerous awards and critical acclaim in their early years. Following the release of the group's debut album, ''Criminal Minded'', fellow artist Scott La Rock was shot and killed, but KRS-One continued the group, effectively as a solo project. He began releasing records under his own name in 1993. He is politically active, having started the Stop the Violence Movement after Scott's death. He is also a vegan activist, expressed in songs such as "Beef". He is widely considered an influence on many hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sa-Ra
Sa-Ra is an American musical group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. The name translates roughly to "the children of God." The group's name, style and creativity are allusions to the similarly named jazz composer Sun Ra. Their music has been described as progressive soul, neo funk, and alternative hip hop. History Sa-Ra formed in the late 1990s from a trio of industry producers, musicians, and executives. The group’s discography includes songs with artists such as Jurassic 5 and Pharoahe Monch, and have collectively and/or individually produced songs for artists like Heavy D, Bilal (specifically his '' Love for Sale'' album), Dr. Dre, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Frank Ocean, Fonzworth Bentley, Jay-Z, John Legend and Goapele. The group had previously been signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music label, where it planned to release their debut album. The label ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lyfe Jennings
Chester Jermaine "Lyfe" Jennings (born June 3, 1978) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. He plays the guitar, bass, and piano which he integrates into his music. The ''New York Times'' referred to him as a "socially minded R&B singer". Biography Lyfe Jennings was born on June 3, 1978 in Toledo, Ohio to a working-class family and was the middle of five kids. When he was a teenager, Jennings started to perform with his brother and two cousins. In the beginning of the 1990s the group disbanded. During this time, Jennings began to get into legal trouble and his musical career came to a halt when he was sent to prison at the age of 14 for firebombing a house, killing a woman. Career 2002-2005 In 2002, after serving 10 years in prison, Lyfe returned to his musical aspirations. Two days after his December 2002 release from prison, he recorded a four-song demo CD. A month after that LP was released, he performed at The Apollo. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norah Jones
Norah Jones (born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She has won several awards for her music and as of 2012, has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. ''Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of the 2000's decade. She has won nine Grammy Awards and was ranked 60th on ''Billboard'' magazine's artists of the 2000s decade chart. In 2002, Jones launched her solo music career with the release of ''Come Away with Me'', which was a fusion of jazz with country, blues, folk and pop. It was certified diamond, selling over 27 million copies. The record earned Jones five Grammy Awards, including the Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist. Her subsequent studio albums—'' Feels Like Home'' (2004), '' Not Too Late'' (2007), and '' The Fall'' (2009)—all gained platinum status, selling over a million copies each. They were also generally well received by critics. Jones's fifth studio album, ''Little Br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk. He is a key figure in the acid jazz movement, and has been dubbed "The Godfather of Neo Soul". He is best known for his compositions "Everybody Loves the Sunshine", "Searchin", and "Running Away". At one time, he was said to have more sampled hits by rappers than any other artist. Biography Early life Ayers was born on September 10, 1940, in Los Angeles. He grew up in a musical family, where his father played trombone and his mother played piano. At the age of five, he was given his first pair of vibraphone mallets by Lionel Hampton. The area of Los Angeles that Ayers grew up in, South Park (later known as South Central) was at the center of the Southern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean Grae
Tsidi Ibrahim (born November 26, 1976), known professionally as Jean Grae (formerly What? What?), is an American rapper from Manhattan, New York City. Jean rose in the underground hip hop scene in New York City and has built an international fanbase. Grae's unique music and lyrical style have earned the artist recognition as a favorite emcee by many rap artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots. Early life Jean Grae was born Tsidi Ibrahim, in Cape Town, South Africa on November 26, 1976. The child of South African jazz musicians Sathima Bea Benjamin and Abdullah Ibrahim, Jean was raised in New York City, where the family moved after Jean's birth. Grae studied Vocal Performance at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, before studying a Major in Music Business at New York University; dropping out after three weeks of class. Musical career 1996–1998: Career beginnings In 1995, Jean was discovered by George Rithm Martinez when he recruited the artist for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Res (singer)
Shareese Renée Ballard, better known by her stage name Res ( ), is an American singer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her musical style is a blend of indie pop, soul, and rock. Solo career Res released her debut album, ''How I Do'', in 2001 along with its first single "Golden Boys." Despite heavy rotation on VH1, the song did not catch on in radio play. "Ice King" (Remixed by Nas) emerged as the second single later that year but also failed to break through with radio audiences and no video was filmed. In early 2002, Res released the third single from ''How I Do'', " They-Say Vision." The song and accompanying video were breakthrough hits and reached #1 on the Billboard Dance chart and #37 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. With the chart success of the single, the album entered the ''Billboard'' 200 for the first time. A fourth single, "Sittin' Back," was also released, but did not enjoy the same success as "They-Say Vision." Meanwhile, in 2002, Res appeared on a track ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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