American Music Award Nominations Revealed!

Not only is the holiday season approaching but also the music award season. One of the first award shows to air will be the annual American Music Awards. The telecast will air on ABC Sunday, November 21. I took the liberty of showing you the R&B/Hip-Hop nominees.

If your not aware of how the winners are determined for the AMAS; its based primarily on record sales. So if you look at the list of nominees and think who had the best selling album or sales out the bunch; more than likely that's the winner.

Also after the nominee list you can read stories about Donell Jones' latest album and Nicki Minaj making Billboard chart history!

Rap/Hip-Hop Music

Favorite Male Artist

B.o.B
Drake
Eminem

Favorite Album

B.o.B, "B.o.B Presents"
Drake, "Thank Me Later"
Eminem, "Recovery"

Soul/Rhythm & Blues Music

Favorite Male Artist

Chris Brown
Trey Songz
Usher

Favorite Female Artist

Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Sade

Favorite Album

Alicia Keys, "The Element of Freedom"
Sade, "Soldier of Love"
Usher, "Raymond v. Raymond"

Donell Jones Speaks On New Album!

Donell Jones boasts six albums and two top five hits that are radio perennials: "U Know What's Up" (No. 1 in 1999) and "Where I Wanna Be." Despite those enviable accomplishments during a 15-year career-and counting-the R&B crooner has remained fairly unknown. But Jones isn't lamenting his status.

"It doesn't bother me that some people may not know who I am," says the 30-something father of five, whose last album, "Journey of a Gemini," came out in 2006. "I love what I do, and I'll continue to do it. People will still be able to go back and discover material they've never heard before. Then they'll get it."

With the Sept. 28 release of his sixth studio set-the-matters-of-the-heart-driven "Lyrics"-it looks like people are getting it. Issued on the singer's own Candyman Music through eOne Music, the album bows at No. 9 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 this week. Lead single "Love Like This" has so far reached No. 8 on the Adult R&B airplay chart.

Changes in his career plan kept Jones away for four years. Besides launching his own label, Jones also signed with a new manager, Ruben Rodriguez of RAM Talent Group. "I wanted to make sure that when I came back with another album, my situation was correct and my music was on point," Jones says.

While he was out of the limelight, Jones continued creating heartfelt love songs that would make up the 13 tracks on "Lyrics." These include "You Can Burn," featuring the singer's own artist, Breeze; "The Finer Things in Life"; and "All About the Sex."

Presently on a stateside promotional tour, Jones hopes fans old and new will continue to embrace his music. One admirer of Jones' brand of smooth R&B is Trey Songz. The singer recently told Billboard that he likens his latest chart-topping set, "Passion, Pain & Pleasure," to Jones' previous work. Told of the compliment, Jones replies, "Wow, I appreciate that."

Nicki Minaj Makes Billboard Chart History!

Miss Nicki Minaj, boasting “50k for a verse, no album out,” has made Billboard history for a second time.

The female MC has set a new record on Billboard's Hot 100 chart by having the most singles on the chart at one time, with seven entries including Ludacris’ “My Chick Bad”, Lil Wayne’s “Knockout”, Trey Songz’ “Bottoms Up”, Usher’s “Lil Freak”, Sean Kingston’s “Letting Go (Dutty Love)”, and Jay Sean’s “2012 (It Ain’t The End)."

Per Soundscan, the songs have reached close to $4.3 million in sales. While all but one entry are cameos where Nicki appears on other artists’ songs, the femcee's official debut single “Your Love” has reached a staggering $755k in sales without a video.

Earlier this summer, the Nickster’s “Your Love” became the first single by a female rapper to reach no. 1 on the Billboard Rap Chart in seven years. Minaj dethroned Lil’ Kim, who was the last to hit the top back in June 2003 with her cameo on 50 Cent’s “Magic Stick."

Oh, the irony.

While Kim scored with a cameo, the last female solo artist to achieve that honor by herself was Missy Elliott in November 2002 with her hit energetic single “Work It."

In the second week of August 2010, Nicki Minaj also drew attention for her presence on two of the only four singles that debuted that week: Sean Kingston’s “Letting Go (Dutty Love)” and Jay Sean’s “2012 (It Ain’t the End”).

While Nicki continues to break records and set trends for female MCs, the world still awaits what could be the biggest record of all: her upcoming solo debut Pink Friday, which hits stores November 23.

http://rapfix.mtv.com/2010/10/08/nic...hot-100-songs/

----------------
Now playing: Jennifer Lopez - Should've Never
via FoxyTunes