It’s hard to believe it’s already 2010. But we’re here and there are still new things in store for this blog. When I started blogging, the main goal was to share information and hopefully open up dialogue on issues that affect the black community. I think I did that in some way this year, but it wasn’t to the extent that I’d done in previous years.

The goal for this year is to continue on the track of keeping the site informative. I plan on opening it up to others who are interested in sharing their point of view with the readers of this site. There are some talented, well-written people out there and I want to showcase them and get some real discussions going.

Late in the year, when I got swamped with projects for work, I fell off the blogging scene for a couple of weeks. Blogging can be a daunting task and coming up with things to write about can be time consuming (especially when it isn’t one of my strengths). So this year, I’m going to solicit your help. If you or someone you know are interested in blogging, but don’t want to manage their own site, email me at info @ theotalks.net. I’m always in need of someone to write and it usually turns out to be a win-win situation for both parties.

This year, I also want to focus more on minority small businesses. In these turbulent economic times, a lot of people are turning to owning their own business. I think that’s great, so I decided to start a list of some of my favorite small businesses. I’ll be highlighting small business owners throughout the year, so contact me if you’re interested in participating.

Finally, here are some websites that you need to keep an eye on for 2010. I’ll be blogging a lot about them and hope to be visible on most of them as time permits. Check them out when you get the chance:

• Liberate Magazine
• Tech Relations Firm
• Dallas South News
• Barter My Biz

Have a Happy New Year and God Bless!

by Darrell Holmes

Michael Jackson was BAD!

Since Michael Jackson passed on June 25, 2009 the numerous memories of music and moments relating to Michael have flooded blogs, Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter.  In fact, the Twitter rush was so tremendous that Today on NBC reported that a server went down.  I can personally remember having a Jackson 5 Triumph Tour poster on my wall, the first time I heard Thriller, dressing up as Michael for one of my sister’s birthday party talent shows, and wishing my name was “Michael” as a child because it was such a “cool” name.  One young lady on Thursday’s evening news conveyed that she was going to be a dancer in his upcoming tour and how she moved to LA from her home country because Michael lives there.

Remembering Michael Jackson forces you to remember that his impact can’t truly be measured.  He was more than just a music icon; he caused a paradigm shift in our culture.  Even at a young age, Michael’s beaming demeanor and mature vocal style made non-R&B listeners to pay attention.  As he grew older he used his music to draw peoples together across racial lines with one particular highlight of that being his “Billie Jean” video premiere on MTV.  Prior to that premiere MTV had never played a video by a Black musician.  His aggressive and sometimes suggestive dance styling would be the predecessor of present-day Pop, Hip Hop, and R&B artists from Usher and Chris Brown to Britney Spears and Prince.  It can be seen in the dance sequence of the Eddie Murphy movie Coming To America.  His sound is echoed in the music of artists like Mariah Carey, R Kelly, Justin Timberlake, and his little sister Janet.  His epic mini-movie music videos were ground-breaking in their length, content, and budget.  He also used his medium for humanity as he donated millions of his own money and resources to benefit sick and ailing children, underprivileged people both foreign and domestic, and animals.

None of that includes his actual music.  Among his list of accomplishments are 13 Grammy Awards, 13 #1 singles, being twice inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame(solo and Jackson 5), seven Top 10 singles on one album (Thriller), the only artist with 5 #1 Singles on one album(Bad), and over 750 million albums sold worldwide.  Thriller alone spent 80 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 while Bad spent more 38 consecutive weeks Top 5 of the Billboard 200 which is also a record.  Thriller also remains as the best-selling album of all time.

Certainly Michael was not a saint and he lived a very challenging and sometimes disturbing life.  From an outsider’s view, it seemed as though every attempt to salvage some type of “normalcy” in his life was always mistaken, questionable, or ill-advised.  Over the years, his oddities seemed to become as consistent and inflated as his successes.  Not even his accomplishments, fame, and fortune could make him immune from the roller coaster we all experience in life.  Condolescences to his children, his family, friends, and fans.

by Darrell Holmes
Foreign Exchange is a hip hop/R&B collaborative based out of North Carolina.  Members consist of Phonte Coleman who serves as half of the hip hop duo Little Brother.  The other member is Nicolay who does most of the production along with composition and performances for the group though Phonte is the lead.  The combo met on www.okayplayer.com and began emailing thoughts, beats, vocals, and eventually, full tracks to each other.  They would eventually find a way to produce a full LP without the two meeting face-to-face (Nicolay would eventually leave his native Netherlands for North Carolina).  After critical acclaim from their debut Connected in 2004,  L.I.A.B. was released October 14, 2008.

L.I.A.B. is definitely not your mother’s R&B album (or older aunt depending on your age) as prefaced by how the album begins with it’s opening track “Daykeeper” featuring underground R&B sensation Muhsinah.  The track is purposefully heavy on the digital but still very smooth and melodic.  Phonte serves as lead vocal which may be surprising to casual Little Brother listeners but hardcore fans are very aware of his juke joint affair with harmonies as evidenced by other works like Zo! and Tigallo Love the 80s.  Similar to Andre 3000’s recent vocal departures, Phonte wittingly maintains pitch by utilizing keys and falsetto that compliment his voice throughout the album.  Muhsinah adds great compliment to Phonte with smooth background harmonies all encapsulated by Nicolay’s very simple keys and a basic beat that blends well.  A very solid opening track that stays true to the concept of the album.

The next track is “Take Off the Blues” featuring Darien Brockington.  If you’ve heard almost anything that has come out of Foreign Exchange’s parent collective Justus League you’ve likely heard D-Brock’s work as their in-house male vocalist.  On “Take Off the Blues” he actually becomes hard to distinguish from Phonte without listening carefully. Brockington opens the track with Phonte bringing the rear with the backgrounds.  This track differs from the opener highlighting a higher tempo, a more straight forward jazz beat, and a bridge that features a 3-part trumpet solo.  If R&B made love to neo-jazz on Nicolay’s kitchen table “Take Off the Blues” would be it’s offspring.

“All or Nothing/Coming Home To You” follows third also featuring Darien Brockington.  This offering begins to hit closer to home for traditionalists as it portrays a core sound borne out of something you’d expect to find on a Carl Thomas release.  Nicolay makes it his own by adding his signature synth in the hook and Phonte does his rap thing at the bridge.

“House of Cards” featuring Muhsinah is a ballad that kicks off with an understated bassline and keys as Phonte offers up “Practiced every word.  Rehearsed every lie.  Covered all my steps.  This is why.” just before the high hat drum sequence kicks in with the chorus from Muhsinah proclaiming that Phonte’s house of cards is soon to fall.  The back-and-forth between Mushinah and Phonte as dueling lovers gives a voice to the tension produced by the drum beat Nicolay provides.

“Sweeter Than You” is much more heavily computerized than previous tracks.  The sound heavily bleeds the tech hip sound that began in Europe and England over the past 10 years but still very much falling into the R&B category in tone, tempo, and lyrics.

***  STAR TRACK  #1  ***

If you were to hang your hat on one track that the radio would consider playing from this album it would be “Something to Behold” featuring Darien Brockington AND Muhsinah.  Phonte begins the track with “You gone have to sing on this one Anna Mae” (c) Ike Turner.  The beat, chorus, vocals, and rap bridge are straight hip hop and vintage Little Brother.  Even if the entire album isn’t your forte even the most ardent LB opponent can likely appreciate this track for nothing more than its most basic, straight-forward approach to make you move your feet.

***  STAR TRACK #2  ***

The album’s last track may be it’s best because of what it’s not.  It’s not a love song, ballad, hip hop track nor is it an adventurous journey into some previously unheard of sound from overseas.  At the core, the album’s title track is a father’s sentimental ode to his son and that’s what makes it a truly remarkable song as evidenced by the lyrics:

“Hey baby boy lying sound asleep.  I hope you dream of lullabies and clowns.  The more you open your eyes the harder to believe.  So here’s a song for you when you are down.  ‘Cause only heaven knows what to make of these changing times but for the night let’s just leave it all behind.  I know this world’s so cold but don’t let tear drops change your mind.  So for the night let’s just leave it all behind”

Nicolay provides a beautiful canvas with which Phonte can paint his scene providing a Caribbean vibe that supports well the synergy of the song.

Overall, most people appreciate an album that takes them on a journey and leaves them at a different place than where they began.  That journey can be thought-provoking, awe-inspiring, provide thoughts of love and caring, or possibly even depression and sadness.  Regardless, any album with a goal of being exceptional can’t afford to be conservative in its approach.  Simultaneously, it must have a core that people can hear, recognize, and relate to.  Nicolay and Phonte achieved their goal with Leave It All Behind.  From the sound, to the lyrics, to even the album art this is a classic, well-crafted album that draws on familiar jazz and R&B cues while also sticking to what fans have become familiar with whenever Little Brother is involved.

I give this album an A rating.

You can watch video of Dondria’s quest to stardom on her Youtube page and while you’re there, show her some love by purchasing her single “Can’t Stop” on iTunes and Amazon. She has a great voice in and out the studio. I’ll keep you posted on any news I hear and as always I want to know what you think.

Purchase “Can’t Stop” at iTunes
Purchase “Can’t Stop” at amazon.com
www.youtube.com/phatfffat

With Scarface’s album M.A.D.E. coming out I really didn’t know what to expect. When you consider how many collabos and albums(solo and group) Scarace has appeared on you can’t exactly expect him to be the New England Patriots of hip hop on every verse. He has been close but with him being so late in his long career what can one really expect. Well, on the first track he brings about what you would expect; a very solid track. “Never” has a great sample and a good beat. One interesting line Scarface spits is “I’ll never turn my back on Jesus” which is interesting since he is now Muslim by faith. Not to turn this into a theological debate but assuming he was raised with Protestant roots you would figure his prospective towards Christ would change.

“Big Dog Status” is much more classic Houston. A hook with tons of swagger, strong bassline, and an organ synth ala UGK. As you would imagine, it’s an ode to Scarface’s legacy and his amount of stroke in the game. He chronicles how early he achieved his success and how young he was when he was able to live a lifestyle so many dream of.

On “Girl You Know”, Face and producer Nottz borrow Lenny Williams’ heavily borrowed “Cause I Love You”. Scarface describes the concrete bubble that is monogamy and relationships and how people find themselves trapped in situations with the opposite sex that can go bad quickly. What’s interesting about this track is he tells the story both first and third person with each verse being both hypothetical and non-fiction. Pretty solid track.

“Burn” features Z-Ro who has long been one of the most severely underrated emcees in the game. He’s probably one of the best rappers most have never heard of but unfortunately he’s only on the hook here. The track is a hood tale of how what’s done is what’s necessary in order to make money no matter what the casualties are. It’s a story we’ve heard on virtually every rap album you’ve ever listened to but a valid and true one nonetheless. After all, few talked about what went on in 5th Ward in Houston before Geto Boys.

The next track of note is “Who Do You Believe In”. Out of everything said in this track most notable may be Scarface’s comment on the war. He won’t be the last rapper to express his displeasure for our war in Iraq but in a way only Scarface can portray he said, “That Saddam sh#t is dead let’s see you f*ck with them Koreans”. Real talk by Face because I get the feeling that’s the threat the next generation will be talking in a “cold war” type of way.

Honestly, the rest of the tracks don’t serve any significance for the sake of the review. There are some other good beats(“Get Out My Face” by Enigma) but most of the rest of the album is monotonous. The album has it’s high points as Scarface proves that he undoubtedly still has some gas in the tank. Unfortunately, he reminds me of several NBA stars on new teams right now; not consistent enough to lead his album to another title.

The album is good enough to be a solid B rating.

Like I could stick you up with a mic, Like I could rape you with a verse or use a verse as a knife. Like before Kool Herc everything was alright, Like y’all wasn’t calling Black women hoes before Rapper’s Delight.

As always with Te, you can agree or disagree but either way he makes you think by raising a point over wax that most artists wouldn’t even attempt to address because it doesn’t push discs. Then again, I doubt that 106&Park will be playing LB on their Top 10 regardless.

Next is “Can’t Win For Losing”. First off, super hot beat from Illmind. Lyrically, this is closer to what critics knocked LB for on The Minstrel Show. Phonte and Pooh express some frustration with the industry, fans, fam, and how unstable the whole experience can be for music artists trying to make a name for themselves.

***STAR TRACK***

The star track on this album for most will probably be “Breakin’ My Heart”. Again, the beat is bananas with the foster. Props to 9th Wonder for bringing the fiyah on this track even after he left the group. Plus, Lil’ Wayne’s familiar voice will offer the mainstreamers a bit of comfort in the indie jungle that has been Little Brother.

Skipping down the line to “After the Party”, this track is a good song that addresses the loneliness of chasing the next big party and the endless grind of “chasing” in general..no pun intended. The lead-in is hilarious because Phonte parodies when Jamie Foxx disemboweled comedian Doug Williams at a comedy roast for Emmitt Smith hosted by Shaq. If you haven’t seen it click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_L-gbpKZpo

The other track that may be the best song on the album is “Step It Up”. Crafted by superproducer Hi-Tek the beat is as vintage Teknology as the lyrics hit right at LB’s core audience. Very smooth crooner Dion blends well even though I would’ve personally liked to have heard Darien Brockington.

Overall a really good album that’s easily a strong powerslide into home base away from being an in-the-park homerun. I’m sure hardcore fans will say it’s not The Minstrel Show just like they said Minstel Show wasn’t The Listening. Regardless, this album comes across as a logical step in the evolution of their music. I do feel this album didn’t have the consistency those previous albums had which is why I’d rate this album an A- and not the A+ those other albums were.

I give this album an A- rating.

I’m 31, so this hits close to home because it reminds me that life is not promised. We get mad at people over little things and we hold unnecessary grudges and beefs that could easily be resolved. We fight, disrespect and kill each other without realizing the impact it has on our society and community. On the radio this morning I was listening to an interview with Pimp C and how he was talking about the benefits of working together. There’s power in numbers and there’s no limit to the positive impact we can make if we only work together.

I can’t say that I agree with everything he’s said and done, I hope to have an impact on the lives of others as he did. It’s evident that his loss will be felt in the hip-hop community. So continue to pray for his family and those close to him that they’ll be able to have strength through the grieving process ahead.

OUR CONDOLENCES GO TO KANYE WEST AND HIS FAMILY DURING THEIR TIME OF BEREAVEMENT OVER THE LOSS OF DR. DONDA WEST.

Kanye Omari West is a 30 year old rapper/producer from the city of Chicago. Originally known for his production skills, Kanye has traded his place behind the boards for one on the stage. His credits as a producer include Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Common, and Jermaine Dupri along with introducing John Legend. His awards are numerous with several Grammys credited to his name. After two critically and commercially acclaimed albums, Kanye returns with his 3rd major release titled Graduation.

If you haven’t already heard about this album you REALLY need to get out more. Kanye and release-date mate 50 Cent have a wager on who’ll sell the most albums with 50’s career pushed to the middle of the betting table. In my humble opinion, the only things mainstream hip hop has had going this year has been “Internation Player’s Anthem” by UGK, decent efforts by artists like TI and Common, and a whole lotta bubblegum that all of which wasn’t necessarily bad. Graduation is expected to restore balance by backpackers and music pundits alike.

The album starts off with the track “Graduation” which is very…Kanye-esque? It replaces the comedic skit from Late Registration featuring Bernie Mac and has a rhythmic flow. Somewhat solemn but also upbeat at the same time. A good opening track. Maybe my fave line of the whole album is here; “Good mornean look at the valedictorian scared of the future while I hop in the DeLorean”. You’ll never lose me with 80s Michael J. Fox references.

Next is “Champion”. One of the best two tracks on the album for, again, it’s upbeatedness. The track is a little light on lyrics, but I guess I was expecting more based on the title. Still, Kanye doesn’t completely miss the opportunity to point out times in his life where he felt uplifted and became a champion.

****STAR TRACK****

If you’ve heard the album you likely saw this coming. “Good life” is the best offering on this whole record and offers the most star potential far beyond the other offerings for several reasons. It has all Kanye’s key ingredients of a HOT sample(P.Y.T. of Michael Jackson fame), Kanye comedy, ‘Ye bravado, great beat, and he even made me like T Pain though I usually am drawn away from the majority of Talladega Pain’s features. This song has longterm single potential that will carry it for years on the ringtones of tweens all over the world.

“Can’t Tell Me Nothing” is quite the quandry for me. The track has major flaws just for the fact that is makes no sense and Kanye’s rap has tons of rough protruding lines that are forced. Then he has Jeezy laughing like an old, assistant principal watching Judge Judy in the teacher’s lounge in the background, BUT the song works because the hook is so dang addictive. It’s like crack. I almost want to ask Kanye why did he leave that song so unpolished but he’d probably laugh and tell me I can’t tell him nothing.

One song that will fly well below most radars that I really enjoyed was “Flashing Lights”. Major shoutout to my man Dwele on the feature even though he didn’t get to flex his muscle at all. This was really the only song where you get a nice change of pace that gives a little plot or story. A good, well-rounded song that didn’t skimp in any one department.

One thing you will notice listening to this album is that the production is out of sight. Surprised?? Kanye has never lost the production battle and likely never will. I was thoroughly disappointed by the lyrics honestly. Kanye was growing a lot in this department and I set myself up for disappointment by expecting more, but he really took a step back. His delivery may have gotten slightly better, but only in spurts. Also, his content is even more about lavish lifestyles and lesbians than ever before and this song didn’t have that heavy, thought-provoking ground breaker like “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” or “Jesus Walks”. It also didn’t quite have that emotional tugger like “Heard ‘em Say” even though “Homecoming” and “Champion” are valiant efforts.

Also, this album had a few too many major stumbles like “Drunk and Hot Girls” and how long it takes for you to be able to get into “I Wonder” even though the beat is bananas.

In many ways, Kanye seems to be his own worst enemy on Graduation. 9 out of his 13 tracks have such near-flawless production they make up for some of his other mistakes and even “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” overcomes itself by still being a hot track. Even though Kanye may have taken a step back as a rapper he mixes in enough quips and memorable bars to keep you somewhat interested in what he actually says and not get lost in just the beats. Chances are Mr. West lost whatever remaining “backpacker” fans he had remaining with this album, but we all know that catering to a core base of backpackers won’t pay for Jesus pieces. You also gotta respect the fact that Kanye didn’t try to “recreate” the formula from previous efforts to find success with Graduation. Kanye’s evolution has gone more mainstream, but his sales are at the top of hip hop albums for the year which shows that this album scratched an itch that no other artist has been quite able to reach in ‘07.

I give this album a B+ rating. His really good tracks are really good but there were just too many major mistakes for this to be an A-. I may change my opinion over time but that’s my initial assessment.

Like most people I know I enjoy and appreciate Prince’s music but I’m not a “Prince freak”, excuse the pun. Certainly, his hits rival the catalog of almost any artist you can name. Part of his appeal is also that he appears timeless having turned 49 years old last month. Still, with Planet Earth I honestly didn’t quite know what to expect other than at least two singles that would likely be listenable. Sometimes it’s good to be wrong.

The album starts off with a solemn lead-in to the title track Planet Earth. Here Prince does his socially conscious thing by using his instrument to speak on earth-friendliness, race relations, and war. I would expect nothing less from Prince. Whether you agree with his commentary or not, the track is a good R&B/rock mix that picks up nicely as you get into the song. Even if some may see the track as “preachy” it doesn’t weight itself down. Very nice guitar riffs at the end as well.

“Somewhere Here On Earth” is another track of note that has a well-infused R&B/jazz sound. Great muted trumpet solo at the beginning that has a very “Miles Davis”-like quality. The track itself will remind jazz listeners of a Billie Holiday sound. The track is very smooth, soft, and sexy but not in a pornagraphic way many of us tend to characterize Prince’s music as.

The next track “The One U Wanna C” is hard to pigeon-hole. Maybe a little Counting Crows meets Fishbone? Whatever, it’s still uniquely Prince. Possibly what Prince does the best on this album is rock and this is a song that maybe displays it best. If you liked his Superbowl halftime performance last year you’ll like this track.

***Star Track***

You may disagree after listening to the album, but my favorite track was “Mr. Goodnight”. CLASSIC Prince with a modern feel. Ya’ll they got Prince rapping and he did a good job! The beat and the mood of the song reminds me of “Big Poppa”, but again, it’s uniquely Prince. A strong headbobber that will draw in the younger listener who probably doesn’t remember “Rasberry Berret”.

I realize most people won’t consider this to be among Prince’s classics, but it has to go among his better releases. Prince manages to craft an album that simultaneously bridges the gap between younger listeners and his core base and brings in non-traditional Prince listeners by keeping the album PG. He also caters to the mainstream rock audience with tracks like “Lion of Judah” and “Guitar”. Prince again displays himself as a technician at production and pines out an album without any throwaway tracks.

I give Planet Earth an A rating.

Though I love Donnie’s music, I’ve always felt that I wouldn’t be able to do his art justice in a review format. Therefore, I handed over the reigns to my wife, Shaunta Holmes-Reese for the review below since she was better suited to dissect what Donnie does best on his newest album. His music is as complex as it is enjoyable and I thank my wife for taking her time out to help a brother out. Her review is below.

Once again, people should open their ears and minds to what Donnie has to say on his newest LP The Daily News.. The album starts off strong with two of America’s biggest tragedies; the too soon forgotten 2005 Hurricane Katrina is represented by the song, “Impatient People” and the unforgettable per media events of 9/11 that are deeply embedded in the song titled “911.” Donnie gets his message across to listeners immediately saying, “I’ll trade the World Trade to spend some time with you baby, I’ll trade my racism, my sexism, my homophobia, trade all my funny ways, my financial center, gonna be a cold and lonely winter without you.”

After Donnie releases his emotions about unforeseen events, he let’s loose on the pharmaceutical industry with a full fledged band on “Over the Counter Culture” featuring Phonte of Little Brother. The song blasts the legality of chemicals and drugs used to “fix” the diseases of people, emphasizing that America supplies the drugs and the pharmaceutical companies “don’t never be breaking no laws” as they provide over priced ways to kill people who are already dying financially.

“Classifieds” is a song that encourages people to make a personal contribution to the betterment of the world and society. Some of the openings according to Donnie are a gardener, house cleaner, builder, and keeper. “Suicide” is a flute filled personal testimony in which Donnie acknowledges his thoughts of killing himself, only to hear a voice telling him of his self worth. Ironically, “If I Were You” is an instant flow of the infinite possibilities that can occur if one takes the opportunity to make a change in his or her life. There is no coincidence that the two songs were placed within the other’s reach.

You will find yourself dancing and possibly on the reality show “Singing Bee” as you groove to the beat and struggle to hear the lyrics of “Robot”. This song is strongly influenced by the memories of the glorious synthesized music era, yet it has an immediate feel of your Sunday morning gospel choir.

“Atlanta Child Murders” regenerates the emotions of 29 murders that took place between 1979 and 1981 in
Atlanta, Georgia. Donnie makes a bold statement in saying, “The Atlanta Child Murders conspiracy theory was a modern day lynching like
Tuskegee…. scientific experiment on our kids.” The song inspires one to look deeper into history of hidden facts that have been placed under the carpet by
America’s government.