Anthony Hamilton does not disappoint. He steadily provides that throwback, soul flavor for the ”grown folks”. Check out the video for the new single, “Woo”.

“Don’t Kiss Me” is the new single from Carl Thomas. His upcoming new album, Conquer is scheduled for release in early December.

From the video description: Inspired by and written for The No Wedding No Womb Movement. Started by Christelyn Karazin, NWNM is primarily a call directed to the black community to take action against the rampant births of children who are born without physical, financial and emotional protection. It is a call for accountability for both MEN and WOMEN to be mindful of the huge responsibility and privilege they have when bringing a child into the world. With 73% black children being born out of wedlock, the issue of out of wedlock children has become big again from an unlikely source.

Preach.

Download the single here

Check out the new video from Tyrese for the video “Stay”, which reunites him with his Baby Boy co-star Taraji P. Henson. Tyrese’s new album, Open Invitation drops 11.1.11.

Download the singles “Stay” on iTunes and “Too Easy” featuring Ludacris on iTunes

Check out the artistic and visually appealing new video for Goapele’s sensual new single “Play”, directed by John Mazyck and Dahveed.

*Reviewer’s Note: It appears that the reviewer was listening to the watermarked version of this CD, and the overdub at the beginning of each track does not appear in the actual released version. Whew! That was the only blemish on this otherwise appealing compilation of songs from Ms. Scott. We may never know if she considered this her best or her favorite work, but the fact that music this solid came from the vault, speaks to the quality of the artist that Jill Scott is.

Sometimes when vaulted tracks are released after an artist has separated from a label, it can be bittersweet experience for the fans. It’s a bitter experience because we don’t know the circumstances surrounding the music. We are left wondering. Were these songs considered finished by the artist? Is that the arrangement, music or production that the artist would have chosen for the lyrics? Were these songs intended for past or future albums? Or frankly, were they considered not “up to snuff’ by the artist and deliberately vaulted?

It also can be sweet. If you are a fan of a certain artist, then you welcome any and all of his or her work that you can get your hands on. The more the better.

Because Jill Scott has never come “wack” she has no reason to be ashamed of The Original Jill Scott From The Vault, Vol 1. Lyrically, it has the “open mic on poetry night vibe” that we’ve come to love from Ms. Scott. Especially on tracks like “I’m Prettier”. “I am so beautiful, when I let it go. Let it go. I’m so much prettier when I let it go.” “I Don’t Know (Gotta Have You)” gets your head bobbing. Her delivery on the jazzy track “Holding On” is flawless. The influence of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, songstresses who Jill Scott admires, is apparent.

But when listening to the CD there is one blaring hint that suggests Jill Scott may not have ever intended to release this music. And it’s not the music itself. It’s the fact that within the first 30 seconds of EACH track comes a loud overdub that proclaims, “THIS IS THE ORIGINAL JILL SCOTT”. It’s as if her former label, like an ex-boyfriend, is trying to remind anyone who will listen, of the fact that “she used to be my girl”. By about the fourth track, hearing that declaration is distracting (read: annoying). The listener can’t help but to think there is some underlying suggestion that work on The Original Jill Scott From The Vault, Vol 1 is supposed to be considered more authentic than the work that Ms. Scott has produced for her new project and label. It’s also worth mentioning that the original title for this CD, before it was changed, was Just Before Dawn: Jill Scott From The Vault, Vol. 1, which is very similar to the title of her The Light Of The Sun CD. Add to that the irony of the inclusion of the song “Dear Mr. & Mrs. Record Industry” on this CD, given the painful separation between Ms. Scott and her former label.

Even with all that if you are a Jill Scott fan, you should add this CD to your collection as it is solid. And, as this work seems to be older work you will dig it if you’ve been “riding” with her from the beginning.

Favorite tracks: “I Don’t Know (Gotta Have You)”, “I’m Prettier”, “Holding On”, “Wake Up Baby”

KKC

Check out the new video for Joe’s new single, “Losing”. Joe always comes so smooth and sexy with his (especially in concert–if you can see him live, then do so), that it’s hard to take up any issues with him. But, “Losing” is different than what most of us have come to love and expect from Joe–a ballad showcasing the butter vocals. Not that he should stay in a slow-tempo box. Never that–in fact, he’s brought “something for the streets” before with favorites like “Stutter”. However “Losing” is so production heavy that at times Joe’s voice gets lost in the track, and vocals like his should never play second fiddle to the music. In any case, shout out to Joe for staying strong in the game for all these years and his new album The Good, The Bad, The Sexy hits stores on 9/27.

Joe | “Losing” (Visualized by Aristotle) from By Any Means T.V. on Vimeo.

Singer, songwriter, pianist and producer Jaiden has been making a name for himself in the industry as a background vocalist on tour for Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, John Legend, Chris Brown and other artists. But, when the legendary Quincy Jones dubbed Jaiden “The Cure”, after he performed for Mr. Jones at his home, well that’s a moniker that is priceless and invaluable.

Jaiden “The Cure” is currently featured on BET Music Matters, where he talks about his music and cites D’Angelo, Prince, R. Kelly and Sarah Vaughan as influences. Jaiden debuted the video for his new single, “Ain’t Enough” on 106 & Park, and just released a new 15-track mixtape: Shades Of Grey: The Cure Suite II The first track, “Illusion”, is lyrically and melodically refreshing.

Look for Jaiden “The Cure” as he is working on his album as well as projects with Diggy Simmons and Jill Scott. Perhaps Quincy Jones, like so many music lovers, is so unimpressed with the artists of today and so impressed with Jaiden that he feels he is “The Cure” for what is sorely missing in music: talent. Jaiden has the songwriting ability and certainly the vocal chops. Hopefully he will live up to his name and not only remedy the ills of today’s music scene; but change the landscape entirely.

KKC

Download the Shades of Grey: The Cure Suite II mixtape and the single, “Ain’t Enough”

Discover Jaiden “The Cure”
on Myspace: www.myspace.com/jaideniii
on Twitter: @Jaidenthecure
on You Tube: www.youtube.com/curemetv