Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Michael Jackson Tribute Concert To Feature Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Akon

Angela Bassett, Natalie Cole and Sister Sledge also slated to perform at September 26 event.
Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and Akon are among the first group of artists announced for the September 26 Michael Jackson tribute concert in Vienna being put together by the late pop singer's brother Jermaine Jackson.
Organizers also announced that veteran acts Natalie Cole andSister Sledge will perform outside the 17th-century palace ofSchönbrunn in the Austrian capital, with more names slated to beannounced later this week at press conferences in London on Wednesdayand Berlin on Thursday.
The first group of performers also includes boy band US 5,protégés of imprisoned boy-band impresario Lou Pearlman, and actressAngela Bassett, who portrayed family matriarch Katherine Jackson in theTV-movie "The Jacksons: An American Dream." According to organizers,Bassett will "impersonate one part of Michael Jackson's life." A totalof 20-25 acts are expected to take part in the concert, which will betelevised around the globe.
The show will be the first live performance by Brown since his sentencinglast month for the beating of ex-girlfriend Rihanna in February. Brown,20, an avowed Jackson devotee, was sentenced to 180 days of communitylabor work, a year of domestic-violence counseling and five years ofprobation in the case, but he can travel outside the country with ajudge's permission, lawyer Mark Geragos told CNN's Larry King lastweek. Akon worked with Jackson on songs for what was to be the King of Pop's long-in-the-works comeback album.
The performers will be backed by Jackson's touring band, withwhom he'd rehearsed for weeks before his untimely death on June 25 atthe age of 50. The dancers for his planned This Is It concerts inLondon will also be on the bill.
Jermaine will sing a virtual duet with his late brother that hepromises will be a "magic moment for all who loved his music." Amongthe songs that will performed by various artists at the event are "Manin the Mirror," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Black or White,""Earth Song," "Smooth Criminal," "Bad," "Dirty Diana," "Will You BeThere," "You Are Not Alone," "Remember the Time," "Heal the World,""The Girl Is Mine" and "Scream."
The palace's grounds can accommodate more than 65,000 fans, whowill watch the proceedings along with Jackson's family and children.The 165-foot-wide stage will feature massive LED walls that can slidetogether and apart and a runway that allows performers to walk throughthe audience.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Today Pick | New Star | Jessie James


Splitting the difference between Shania Twain's twangy pop and Christina Aguilera'sR&B acrobatics, vocalist Jessie James made her debut with "BluesJeans," a song that featured prominently in the film Confessions of aShopaholic. Born on a military base in Vicenza, Italy, the burgeoningsinger relocated to central Georgia during the 1990s. She used the newlocation to her advantage, making weekly trips to Nashville to hone hersongwriting amidst likeminded musicians. Her demo recordings soon madetheir way to David Massey, president of the rejuvenated MercuryRecords, who subsequently brought her to the attention of Def Jamchairman L.A. Reid. James soon inked a contract with Island/Def Jam,and the label partnered her with songwriting guru Kara DioGuardi tohelp craft material for a debut album. "Blue Jeans" introduced herconfident interpretation of country-pop in early 2009, and the singer'sfull-length debut -- the self-titled Jessie James -- appeared laterthat summer. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Today Pick | To Know | T.I.

Once dubbed "the Jay-Z of the South" by Pharrell Williams, T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap's most successful MCs during the early 2000s. Like Jay-Z,T.I. -- born Clifford Harris in Atlanta, GA -- carried a balance ofsmoothness and toughness, and although 2001's I'm Serious didn't shoothim out of the gate à la Reasonable Doubt, he consistently grew andlaunched a string of major hits with 2003's "24's." Throughout the sixfollowing years, T.I. maintained a consistent presence on urban radiostations in America: 2003's Trap Muzik, 2004's Urban Legend, 2006'sKing (released in tandem with T.I.'s debut screen appearance in ATL),2007's T.I. vs T.I.P., and 2008's Paper Trail -- all released throughthe MC's deal with Atlantic -- were Top Ten albums, with the latterthree even spending time at the very top of the chart.
For better or for worse, T.I. also courted a good deal ofcontroversy during his rise to superstar status. Far more ink was spenton his legal issues and conflicts with other rappers, including fellowSoutherner Lil' Flip,than his Katrina relief efforts and other humanitarian involvements.One notable event occurred on May 3, 2006, when T.I.'s crew was caughtup in a shooting after a show in Cincinnati. The crossfire left threepeople injured, while longtime friend and personal assistant PhilantJohnson was fatally wounded. Despite such incidents, T.I. continued toflourish as the decade drew to a close, charting three chart-toppingrap singles and four Top Five pop hits between 2008 and 2009. Hiscareer took a breather in 2009, however, when the rapper entered anArkansas prison to serve a yearlong sentence related to federal guncharges. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Watch T.I. | Video| 24's 

Download T.I. in Rhapsody


Photo | Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour)

Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour): "Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour)"

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Today Pick | New Star | Just Kait

17-years-old, teen rocker, Just Kait has already mastered playing multiple instruments to a degree most artists can only dream of. But it doesn't end with her shredding rock guitar, her thumping bass lines or her hard-hitting drumming. This extraordinary artist is also an accomplished songwriter who crafts edgy, youthful pop songs that dig deep into all the ups and downs of being a teenager, yet always infused with that little extra bit of insight. She delivers pop melodies with unforgettable synthy hooks and has a voice that's been compared to a young Joan Jett.
Her life is simple and still very much of the teenage experience. "When I can't find the words, I write a song. When I feel like screaming or punching a wall, I turn up the volume" she says.
Growing up in a musical family, Kait watched her father play drums from an early age and by five-years-old she was already thumping and banging out her own grooves. A few years after that, she picked up a guitar, and started to carve out her singing and songwriting chops. After adding bass to her growing musical repertoire, she started performing local gigs with friends, fronting bands and working on her live performance skills.
It was only a matter of time before she garnered attention and her trajectory is definitely on the rise. Her version of the theme for MTV's "Parental Control" was selected for the new season of the show, and she was also filmed for the opening credits, shown playing both guitar and drums.
Her new single, "Sick" has caught on so hard, it's already been chosen by the E! network to be the theme song for the summer of 2009 and her debut album is scheduled for release in the fall.

Watch Just Kait | Sick | Video

Download Just Kait in Rhapsody

Today Pick | New Star | Justin Bieber


A star that precocious, talented and great musicians (drums, guitar, piano and trumpet) 15 years old Justin Bieber has become a phenomenon on YouTube - again without blemish on the play songs from artists such as Usher, Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder - before the world observe. Since 2007, Justin rack above 10,000,000 on its own talent.

But then he started getting attention and highlights. Seven months after Justin started posting his videos online; youth canada flight to Atlanta, GA to meet with R & B sensation Usher, who quickly took him under wing, making students' latest. Not long after, Justin Bieber also impressed Island Def Jam head Antonio "LA" Reid and never look back.

First single, "One Time," produced by Chris "Tricky" Stewart has put him on the map and the debut album My World is due later this summer. Only in the wee 15-year-of-age, Bieber is almost untapped artistic talent with a good nature, and may become a solid force in music for years to come.

View  Justin Bieber | Video One Time | Lyric One Time 

Download One Time Free in Rhapsody

Lil Wayne | Beyoncé | Lady Gaga | Eminem | Michael Jackson | Britney Spears | Miley Cyrus | Shakira | Led Zeppelin | Rihanna | Paramore | Taylor Swift | Black Eyed Peas | Jay-Z | Mariah Carey | 50 Cent | Notorious B.I.G. | Jonas Brothers | Akon | Pussycat Dolls

New Rank Top 20s

1. Lil Wayne


2. Beyoncé

3. Lady Gaga


4. Eminem


5. Michael Jackson


6. Britney Spears


7. Miley Cyrus


8. Shakira

 
9. Led Zeppelin


10. Rihanna


11. Paramore


12. Taylor Swift


13. Black Eyed Peas



14. Jay-Z


15. Mariah Carey


16. 50 Cent


17. Notorious B.I.G.


18. Jonas Brothers

19. Akon


20. Pussycat Dolls
 


No 20 Chris Brown


Although he started out as an aspiring rapper, Chris Brown's early discovery of his singing talent inspired him to follow in the footsteps of influences like Michael Jackson, Tevin Campbell, and Usher. The 16-year-old Virginia native made his debut in summer 2005 with the Scott Storch-produced, Juelz Santana collaboration "Run It." Brown's first album, Young Love, will be released in October.
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