the chal banz blog

"GLORY" ROAD: Congratulations to Common and John Legend. The duo won an Oscar last night for Best Original Song for "Glory". I watched some of the Oscar awards but not much of it. I felt funny because I wasn't familiar with any of the movies nominated. I was wondering were the films nominated, films that didn't get a huge theatrical release because I was only familiar with "American Sniper". But anyway I turned back and forth between the Oscars and whatever else looked interesting on TV that night which wasn't much. Did you all bother watching the Oscars or did you pass on it altogether? PINK SKIES: In other music news, Big Sean will release his new album "Dark Sky Paradise" tomorrow. The album features the hit single "I Don't Fuck With You" featuring E-40. The album features appearances from Arianna Grande among others. Will you be copping? Meanwhile Nicki Minaj just announced that her and her boo Meek Mill(whose in th...

MUSIC BITS: Usher, Pharrell, Common, John Legend, and Madonna are just some of the artists that are performing at this years Grammys which will air next month. I can't say I'm excited about the telecast but I'm sure I'll watch since there will likely not be nothing else on then again Atlanta Housewives may be on so I might just stick around my Mother's house to watch that. Bloop! Tyga has pushed back the release of his album The Gold Album since he is still battling Cash Money. I'm really starting to wonder is anyone really anticipating this album anyway? I mean I know I will be downloading though when it comes out! Kid Cudi is back in the studio working on his new album Man On The Moon 3. And if your fan of his I'm sure your excited about the news. I liked Kid Cudi's indicud album so I just may check this one out. So I'm checking out for the night and you should check back again tomorrow for another update. Until next time, thanks for reading!

GLOBAL ICON: Congratulations are in order for Common and John Legend who won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for the movie Selma,which was released this past weekend I believe. I don't get to into the movie award shows anymore. So with that being said I didn't watch and opted to watch #RHOA(Real Housewives of Atlanta) and the free Showtime preview I have which have had some pretty good movies and shows on I should add. SHADY PALM THREE:Speaking of #RHOA tonight's episode was probably one of the best episodes so far this season. Personally I've enjoyed every episode but this episode was being hyped up because Nene Leakes was going head to head with newbie Claudia Jordan. It was reported back a few months ago that Claudia came for Nene's wig as she did but Nene held her own as she always does. I'm not the biggest fan of Nene's but I'm #teamnene on this one. Claudia was bringing up old stuff about Nene that everyone already knows. She did get her tho...

Ashanti plans to release her new album Braveheart on February 26. The oft-delayed album was originally due to be released on January 29 and most of 2012. A new single is said to be released any day now. There is no word on what the new single might be. If Ashanti is smart(which I know she is) she will release the song Mine(She Can't). The song has proven to be pretty popular when Ashanti performs it during concerts. Kendrick Lamar will appear on the January 26 episode of SNL. The rapper had a successful year last year with the release of his album; good kid, m.A.A.d city and single; Swimming Pools(Drank). Common will release an EP later this month to coincide with the release of the movie LUV; which will be in limited release. The EP will be followed by his first ever mixtape in April. A new full length album is said to follow in September.

It's funny because me and my co-worker were talking about this beef between Common and Drake. While I had read things about the beef; I hadn't heard any of the music. Read below for more info and an exclusive link to the song: The war of words is heating up. Common fires back at Drake after his subliminal shot on Rick Ross’ “Stay Schemin’.” “It bothers me when the gods get to acting like the broads/ Guess every team doesn’t come complete with ni**as like ours,” raps Drake over the Rich Forever single. Common tacks on a fiery verse to the song, which features Ross, French Montana, and “That Hoe Ass Ni**a.” Listen and check out the lyrics below. “Everybody know you sweet, what the problem is/ Dom’t play dumb, I’m the one that acknowledged it/ Son of a bitch, I imagine what your father is/ She said, How you make your opponent/ Rapper of the moment, his style he don’t own it/ Acting all hard when he hardly like that/ Mess around and make me catch a body like that/ Don’t d...

Common roars on his street single; "Sweet" and in a way we have never seen or heard before. Especially those who are more familiar with his later work as opposed to his earlier 90s material where he did use profanity. This definitely may catch some off guard as it did me while others will wholeheartedly embrace it. Common's new album; "The Dreamer/The Believer" will be in stores and online next month.

Erykah Badu won a Grammy for this song which was also the lead single to the movie; "Brown Sugar" starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan.

---------------- Now playing: JoJo - Use My Shoulder via FoxyTunes

A new full-length studio album from Christina Aguilera has long been discussed and is nearing completion according to the singer. You can find out more about that below and Kid Cudi talking his debut album and Whitney Houston's exclusive interview. It's all here! Christina Aguilera Plans New Album! Although still subject to change, the German Amazon website has listed Christina Aguilera's fourth album, tentatively titled "Light & Darkness", as being released on the 27th November. Previous reports said that Xtina's new album wouldn't hit stores until 2010, but the diva recently went on her radio show and admitted that the album was in it's final stages and almost finished. I was just thinking about how everytime Christina Aguilera comes out with a new album, she is trying to be like someone else. Sorry Christina fans! It just seems that way to me. I remember the Lady Gaga comparisons with the greatest hits album and before that it was the whole Mari...

Kid Cudi finally unleashes the video to his new single, "Make Her Say" featuring Common & Kanye West. I finally heard the song and the video is cool. I see this song has been off and on the charts so I'm not really sure how this will fare in the end.

Chrisette Michele releases the video to her 2nd single, "What You Do" featuring Ne-Yo but Ne-Yo is not featured in the video. This is actually my favorite song from the new album and I am glad it is a single. Music Videos - Video Playlists - New Music Music Biz: Kid Cudi Previews New Video! It seems to me that the little buzz Kid Cudi had was overtaken by Drake. But now Kid Cudi is brewing with new single, "Make Her Say" featuring Common & Kanye West. Click here for an exclusive preview of the video. Raphael Saadiq's Releases New Video! Raphael Saadiq releases a new video for his single, "Let's Take A Walk". Click here to check it out. Meanwhile Raphael has a hand in producing Kelis' next album. I can't wait to for that. I love the work Raphael has done for Kelis in the past.

Hello all! I have some exclusive music news for you all. Find out what part Kanye West played in Jay-Z's, "D.O.A." single, Janet back to work after Michael's death, and Common sued! It's all here. Read on about it! Kanye West Influences Jay-Z's Single! Who would've guessed that Kanye West, who used Auto-Tune on his most recent album, "808s and Heartbreak," was who inspired Jay-Z's latest single, "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-tune)," off his upcoming album, "The Blueprint 3." "He actually sparked the idea," Jay-Z told Billboard.com about the single. "When he heard the beat he said, 'Man, this is just so hard! This has to be against everything -- no auto-tune, none of that type of stuff!' He didn't know what I was going to do or where I was going to take it, but it was actually his fault." Jay-Z says that the two recorded one track with Auto-Tune previously for "The Blueprint 3," but once ...

I'm not sure who Vado is but I know who Cam'ron is. Cam guests on the featured video today and its a song I'm actually kinda feeling. Cam's upcoming album, "Crime Pays" will be in stores May 5. Check out the video below. Video: Vado feat Cam'ron - Talk To Them Music Biz: Teairra Mari has the internet abuzz with every song she drops. Her upcoming album, "At That Point" will be in stores soon. The sexy songstress attended Keri Hilson's album release party for her debut, "In A Perfect World". Click here to check out the video! Fabolous sat down for an exclusive interview with Jenny Boom. He talks about leaked singles, lying promoters, and more. Click here to hear the audio! Kid Cudi has a new song out with Common, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West! Click here to hear the new audio! Mario's songs keep leaking out and here is the latest. Click here to hear the audio!

Audio: Joe Budden feat Brisco - Step Back Newly leaked track! If your not familiar with Brisco, he was once apart of Lil' Wayne's Young Money and he had a beef with Jacki-O. Allegedly the rapper denied Jacki-O entrance into one of Wayne's video and smacked her in the face with a wade of money. Funny stuff! Audio: Busta Rhymes feat Young Jeezy & Jadakiss - Conglomerate Newly leaked track! I'm not feeling this track! Try again Busta! Audio: Lil' Wayne feat Pharrell - Yes Newly leaked track! I love the Neptunes but they haven't been hitting it for me lately. I did like their work for Solange on "I Decided". I also like Common's "Universal Mind Control". Other than that I need some old vintage stuff circa 1999 when Kelis and Clipse first came out. Music Biz: Usher Taps Pharrell For New Album! R&B crooner Usher Raymond has teamed once again with super producer Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes for his upcoming 6th album on LaFace / Zom...

So did you any of you all go out and shop on Black Friday? I did. I went out and got a lot of movies and some music(well just one cd). Anyway I went later in the day. I didn't get up all at 6 a.m. or anything like I have in the past. I will say I did miss out on a few good deals I guess had I got up earlier for certain movies. Upon closer inspection though I would come to find out the movies that were sold out, were ones I didn't want anyway. Well I will be doing more shopping today! I should be exhausted huh? Well not quite! Audio: Ciara - I'm On Newly leaked track from Ciara's ill-fated, "Fantasy Ride" album which was pushed back til Spring 2009. Audio: Beyonce - Roc Newly leaked track from the recording sessions of "I Am..Sasha Fierce". Produced by Stargate. The title makes me think of "Roc" as in Rocafella. I think it is very interesting that the title is spelled like this too. It makes sense though. Cute! Audio: Common feat Cee-Lo - Ma...

Hello all! I have two updates full of new music. Check it out! I'm heading out of town after I type this up. I will be updating but they may or might not be as constant as they are now. If I don't get to say it later everyone have a blessed and safe holiday weekend. Audio: Lloyd - Loverboy Newly leaked song! It is kind of sad how quickly Lloyd's last album, "Lessons In Love" came and went. The album tanked miserably. It wasn't as solid as an effort as "Street Love" and sad to say I was expecting that. Audio: The-Dream - Rockin That Thing 1st single from his "Love vs Money" album in stores next month. Audio: Common feat Kanye West - Punch Drunk Love Produced by Pharrell Williams! From his new album, "Universal Mind Control" in stores soon.

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Last year Mya's long awaited, "Liberation" album was shelved in the US. The album fortunately had a launch overseas where it eventually leaked to the US. I don't even remember how the album sounded. By that time I was no longer interested. Now with a fresh new start Mya has signed to Manhattan Records. The artist will release her new album, "Sugar & Spice" on December 3. The album will only be released in Japan. Don't cry! The album will more than likely leak in the US. Check out the tracklisting below! 1. “Must Be the Music” 2. “Paradise” 3. “Don’t Be Shy” 4. “Shy Guy” 5. “Candy Factory” 6. “Ego Trippin” 7. “Let’s Go to War” (featuring Lil Mama) 8. “Back to Disco” 9. “Sold on Your Love” 10. “One for You” 11. “Cry No More” 12. “Can’t Buy Me Love” 13. “Paradise” (Remix) (featuring Sean Paul) 14. “Next Fallen” Video: T.I. feat Rihanna - Live Your Life T.I. releases his latest single and video. With his ...

Video: Brandy - Right Here(Departed) Live Brandy finally performs her new single live! Check it out! Audio: Bow Wow feat T-Pain - She's My New single from Bow Wow from his new album, "New Jack City 2" in stores this winter. Check it out! Music Biz: Eminem Returns! Although Interscope says no release date has been scheduled, Amazon.com is listing a Dec. 23 street date for Eminem's new album, "Relapse."The rapper confirmed the project's existence in a recent interview on Shade 45, his branded Sirius satellite radio station. He also played a song from the album, titled "I'm Having a Relapse.""For the last five months I've been working pretty much straight with (Dr.) Dre. There's going to be a lot of material, more so than I've had on an album with him producing before," Eminem told BBC Radio last week. Common Goes Universal! Common has announced Dec. 9 as the new release date for his forthcoming Geffen album, "Univer...

Audio: Missy Elliott feat Timbaland & T-Pain - Talk That Shh The first single from Missy Elliott's "Block Party" album. Album coming soon. This song is just alright. Audio: Keyshia Cole feat 2Pac - Playa Cardz Right First single off Keyshia Cole's upcoming album, "A Different Me" in stores December 16. I'm very surprised at the choice of this being first single. Music Biz: BET Hip-Hop Awards Info! Lil Wayne, the Game, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Common, T-Pain, N*E*R*D and Lady Of Rage will perform at the 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards, to be held Oct. 18 at the Atlanta Civic Center. The event will air five nights later on BET. Brandy's Human! Another one bites the dust. Brandy's new album, "Human" has been pushed back to December 9. The album was originally due on November 11. The first single, "Right Here (Departed)" is still climbing the charts. New single, "Long Distance" is set to debut on October 15. Collabora...

Audio: Pleasure P feat Static Major - Patience One of my favorite songs right now! Music Biz: The Neptunes Not Broken Up! The word comes swiftly! I can tell you that The Neptunes have not broken up. One of the homies went to the N.E.R.D and Common show about a 3 weeks or so ago in Anaheim, CA and Chad was at the show. He did not come out when N.E.R.D. performed, but he came out when Common did his thing. But, even more than that, I got the official world from way up at StarTrak and they let it be known. So you know, The Neptunes produced like half the tracks on Common’s new LP coming out soon. Chad and Pharrell were even popping and doing the robot to one of the new songs that the did with Com Sense. Maxwell Returns! After a nearly six year hiatus R&B/neo-soul veteran Maxwell is happy to be back in the game.While a listing of producers has not been confirmed, Maxwell has been in talks with Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. According to the NY Post he is also hoping to put in some time...