the chal banz blog

As expected Beyoncé debuted her album film, "Lemonade" on HBO on Saturday and it immediately began trending on Twitter. The "Lemonade" movie which also serves as the title as Beyoncé's new album was inspired by the quote, "I was served lemons, but I made Lemonade" hence the title. The project revolves around Jay-Z's rumored infidelity which is told in equal parts songs and poetry. There is images of Beyoncé's own family including her Mother, Father, and daughter. There were special appearances from Zendaya and Serena Williams among others. Each song in the film is a song that appears on the album which appears in chronological order to the album sequence. I just actually finished watching the film and I thought it was really good. I really feel like it was some next level shit! I liked all the songs as well. Guests on the album include The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar. Production comes in the form of The-Dream, Mike Will Made It, and more. Immed...

Rihanna quietly released her oft-delayed album, "Anti" this past January. The album was quickly certified Platinum thanks in part to the million of streams it received on TIDAL, where it was released first. Billboard however didn't recognize the sales and at presstime, "Anti" has sold close to 280,000 copies. "Anti" is Rihanna's second #1 album and it features the #1 single, "Work". Now as far as the album is concerned, I feel "Anti" is Rihanna's most enjoyable album since "Good Girl Gone Bad". The album opens with "Consideration" featuring SZA followed by the breezy but brief, "James Joint". "Kiss It Better" is an instant favorite to me and deserves the single treatment, while "Needed Me" might be the proper follow up since its already charting on the charts. "Desperado" finds Rihanna playing the bad ass that she is known to be singing in a monotone voice. ...

Kanye West made a much publicized appearance on "SNL" last night complete with a bevy of guests including Future, Young Thug, Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price, The-Dream, and Future who all happen to be on his new album, "The Life of Pablo". "TLOP" is now available exclusively on TIDAL and will be available elsewhere a week from now. And in the midst of Kanye's new album release are the stories about him dissing Taylor Swift which Kanye says was her idea and but Taylor's camp is dismissing the claim. Then there's a dig at Ray J where Kanye proclaims himself as "rich" and even informed Brandy that he mentioned Ray J on the new album. All this talk about the album, Kanye performed two songs, "Ultra High Beams" and "Highlights" if I'm not mistaken. In other music news, Lil' Kim is clapping back after years of claims she's lightened her skin. On social media, the famed rapper addressed that she only lighten...

WHAT'S BEEF: So let me take some time to stop stressing about the little things to bring you some music news. Erykah Badu was recently asked about Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks. When asked about Azealia Banks, Erykah replied, I "tried" to listen to her music. Of course word got back to Azealia who was likely internet trolling and called out Erykah saying she was "jealous" and a barrage of other things. It was quite interesting on Azealia's side as it always is. I just hope that Azealia Banks can fight because one day someone is going to want to fight her. Just saying and still love her though. Her debut album Broke With Expensive Taste will see a physical release on March 3 along with a "frisky" pictorial in Playboy arriving on March 20 that's said to "break the internet"(a term used saying that this will have everyone talking). I can't wait to see it and I guess I will also be buying my first issue of Playboy, believe it or not....

NO BIOPIC: I reported this before but Aaliyah's family is not happy about plans to make the Aaliyah biopic. The family says Lifetime never contacted them in regards to the movie. So in turn they will do everything they can to block the movie. Like the Houston family, Aaliyah's family feels her story should be one for the big screen. THE ACCUSED: Producer The-Dream has spoke against allegations that he's an abuser. The famed producer simply states that because of his money and clout he's a target. That is true but abuse is a serious matter and people don't just say that if its not true. It would be really vicious of the accuser to have made up such a vile thing. 

Chal is serving the TEA! Hey ya'll! You know Chal stay getting the juice! Well if you didn't know now you do. With that being said I came across an article regarding Michelle Williams and Beyonce. It turns out Michelle is not too privy of Beyonce singing about her sex life on her new self-titled album. Michelle says "we don't need to know all that". Maybe not. Still it makes for an interesting listen and makes Beyonce appear more human than she has in years in my opinion. Of course the open sexuality Beyonce has expressed on this album took a minute to get used to but I love it personally. Speaking of Beyonce I loved her performance of Drunk In Love despite what other people thought. I think she kept it sexy without doing too much. Jay Z of course was Jay Z. I mean what can you say about him but I did like that little dance and embrace they did near the end of the performance. Cute!  While I'm on the subject of Beyonce, The-Dream has announced that he...

Chal is serving the TEA! Good evening everyone! I hope you all are enjoying your night. I am. I just read that The-Dream has left Def Jam Records. The singer/producer released five albums with the label most notably his Gold debut Love/Hate released in 2007. We all know The-Dream for creating hits for everyone from Keyshia Cole to Mariah Carey to Rihanna to Beyonce. In other music news...I was reading that Timbaland and Pharrell has contributed songs for the new Jennifer Hudson album due this Spring. Their contribution joins the previously announced R. Kelly contribution It's Your World. 

Hello all! I hope you all are enjoying your day. Of course I have some music news for you. I have a lot of news actually and this blog post is a little lengthy. I warn you now. Read below for info on Lauryn Hill, Fantasia's idea for her new single, and Mariah Carey's latest musical hookup. It's all here and a lot more. Lauryn Hill is back in the news for her tax evasion charges. The singer/rapper recently appeared in court and is now due back on May 6. It has been revealed that Lauryn just signed a million dollar deal with Sony Records. To those who have been waiting for Lauryn Hill to put out new music may finally get their wish. Don't hold your breath though. Fantasia's new album The Side Effects Of You is in stores today. The album features the single Lose To Win which Fantasia recently performed on American Idol . The album's next single Without Me features Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott. Fantasia wants Missy Elliott to direct the video. Will that happen? ...

Lil' Mo is certainly not one to mince words. The R&B diva speaks out on Keyshia Cole's recent comments regarding Beyonce's new song Bow Down. Are we still talking about this? I thought this whole conversation was over. Well maybe by tomorrow this whole debacle will be an afterthought. Beyonce is delivering a big announcement today at 9 a.m. Going back to Lil' Mo... Once upon a time Lil' Mo was notorious on Twitter(much like Keyshia) for voicing her opinion on several artists(Ashanti) and being very opinionated. What Keyshia Cole said is no different from things that Lil' Mo has said. Despite all the criticism I respect Keyshia for standing up for herself. She's definitely a lot tougher than Keri Hilson! Ha! That's not it though! The-Dream has also spoken out against Keyshia Cole's comments and has vowed to never work with her again. Ouch! I don't think its that serious though and The-Dream shouldn't let that stop him from making m...

Hey everyone! I got music news for you of course. Feast below! In the world of new album news... Ms. Keri "Baby" Hilson has a new album in the works and the album's first single is said to debut in two weeks. The first single will be produced by Timbaland(who handled the bulk of the production) along with Polow Da Don. I've never been a big Keri Hilson fan but her first album In A Perfect World ... has some nice cuts on it. The last few years for Keri has been pretty tough. She faced backlash for the last couple of years and I think she is ready to finally move past all the drama. In the world of new single releases... I mentioned a day or so ago about a new album from India.Arie titled Songversations . Now I have a release date for June 25. Alicia Keys has been riding high with the release of her album and single Girl On Fire . Now the singer has revealed her third single as Fire We Make featuring Maxwell. Fire We Make is a very likable song and I'm glad to see...

Some music news for you all...The-Dream releasing new single Slow It Down on Valentine's Day. His new album Fourplay will be available this May. He is diligently working on Beyonce's new album but has been ordered to "zip it" in regards to album details. The-Dream did reveal that he will be working with Kanye West on his next album. Kid Cudi will release his new album Indicud on April 23. The album features collaborations from Pusha T, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. R&B Divas: LA is a go! The show is ready for to go into production. The show will feature Kelly Price, Dawn Robinson(of En Vogue), Michel'le, Claudette Ortiz(of City High), Chante Moore, and Lil' Mo. The show is set to air this Fall on TVOne.

The-Dream has revealed that Beyonce will release new music before her upcoming Super Bowl performance in February. He would know right? He is working on her upcoming album. Beyonce is probably somewhere fuming I bet. Beyonce doesn't like her collaborators to reveal what she has in the works.  That was the case when Miguel revealed on Twitter he was working with Beyonce. Beyonce quickly shut that down!  It has been revealed by Beyonce herself that she will direct and star in a documentary on HBO about you guessed it...herself! The documentary will coincide with her Super Bowl performance and whatever new music she releases.  So with that being said are you all ready for new music from King B? 

The-Dream takes viewers behind the scenes as he films the video to his new single Dope Bitch featuring Pusha T. The new Dream album will be in stores and online August 14 with appearances from Mary J. Blige and Gucci Mane.

Pusha T has been making quite the noise with his diss track towards Lil' Wayne which has resulted in increased awareness on social networks such as Twitter. It has also warranted a response from Lil' Wayne on the track Ghoulish .

Love IV MMXII will arrive on August 14, he announced via Twitter. The follow-up to 2010’s Love King features the single “ROC” as well as collaborations with Mary J. Blige (“Divine”) and Gucci Mane (“Paid”). The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter channels R. Kelly on “Foreplay,” takes thinly-veiled shots at his R&B counterparts on “Talk That Shit,” and owns up to his flaws on “Ya’ll.” “LOVE IV is the BEST Album I’ve made,” he tweeted. “I don’t care what the sales will be. I will do my best to Challenge your Taste And Knowledge. I will Leave no Holes in this Album Period, no room to be Hated only Adored or simply just say ‘you don’t fuck with me’ but what U won’t say is Dream Album is Mediocre or Sucks.” Last year, The-Dream released his free album 1977 under his birth name Terius Nash. It featured appearances from Pharrell, Big Sean, and his Radio Killa Records signee Casha.

Noted producer and recording artist The Dream has never been one to shy away from being bluntly honest but, was his statement that black singers can't sing "soul anymore" accurate? Speaking with The Guardian over the weekend, The Dream questioned the admiration Adele ("21") receives for singing soul versus Beyonce ("4"). "It's called rhythm and blues; they just took the blues out of it for so long. What's crazy is that blacks can't do soul records any more. We love Adele singing it, but Beyoncé singing it? No," says The Dream. So what works for "blacks"? According to The Dream, a club hit. "No, the tempo's too slow, gimme the club hit. Now the blacks in America are responsible for the pop records, and everybody else is singing soulful records," says The Dream. "It's weird to me. We're pigeonholed over there." So is that really where music stands, at least in the U.S.? In relate...

There's no stopping The-Dream as he unleashes a preview of the video for his single; "Roc" from his upcoming album; "The Love IV: Diary Of A Madman". Seems like The-Dream is kinda ripping off Jodeci's album title of the same name or something similar to this. The full video to this song is expected to premiere later today. Look out for that!

The-Dream recently did an interview overseas and dished on some of the ladies he's worked with and R. Kelly's influence on R&B. Read more below: On why he can’t work with Ciara: “I have a contract under Def Jam so it’s only certain people I work with. [The executives] were real smart by putting that in there, I made them pay for it.” On R. Kelly’s influence: “He held it down. I don’t think this generation of R&B would be at this particular stage without that. R. Kelly was doing it in a hip-hop-dominated culture,” he says, adding, “But we all gotta go down.” On his success as a recording artist: “I don’t really care about the million album sales. I don’t really care about the number ones because I do those things writing for everybody else, so I can just stay in this spot and I’m comfortable selling 500k and under. Everybody wants to go pop, I don’t.” On why Rated R is one of Rihanna’s best albums: “That was right after Good Girl Gone Bad. She could of went u...