Music Blog

About three years ago I got into rap and hip-hop when Usher was big on the scene. I think my husband thought this was an early (very early) mid-life crisis. Unfortunately for him, I still like that kind of music. I know most of players and I can’t wait to hear T-Pain’s latest. I’d tell you the title, but you wouldn’t approve.

Usher claims his spot as R&B king with Confessions. An emotional view into Usher’s romantic ups and downs, the album’s raw emotion and tight hooks make this a tremendous release.

They must be 'deaf' at Def Jam if they can't hear me!" Such was the gist of legendary singer and class act Patti LaBelle's defiant stance against her former record label, Island Def Jam Records, and its president, L.A. Reid, this weekend. The occasion, an all-star birthday celebration for LaBelle's 60th, was staged in the main theater at the lavish Atlantis Hotel and Casino in Nassau. UPN taped the show for airing in November. The glorious night of music reunited LaBelle with former groupmates Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash for their immortal hit "Lady Marmalade." It also featured rapper Nelly with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child (they do a version of Patti's hit "Love, Need and Want You"), Ashanti, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams and Michael McDonald. Don't miss this show when it airs next month.

La próxima vez que alguno de tus amigos se queje porque aparece poco favorecido en la última foto que le sacaste, tránquilo, cuenta hasta 10 y trágate eso de “de donde no hay no se puede sacar”. Invítale amablemente a visitar el site de Glen C. Feron, un profesional del retoque fotográfico, y dile que le pida presupuesto. Glen no tiene nada que ver con esos aprendices que veíamos el otro día (que se dedicaban a desfigurar a inocentes niñas). Glen es un maestro del Photoshop, y cuenta en su cartera de clientes con rostros tan famosos como los de Beyonce Knowles (Destiny’s Child), Usher, Alicia Keys, Tyra Banks, Halle Berry (Catwoman), y un corto pero adinerado etcétera. En su web podemos ver el antes y el después de sus trabajos, casi de bisturí, y ciertamente muchas de esas estrellas decepcionan bastante al natural: celulitis por todas partes, carnes flácidas, pechos caidos y de diferente tamaño, estrías y arrugas pronunciadícimas… en definitiva, humanos.

One of the more interesting things about being in Italy has been learning the language better, and seeing just how much American culture/English language influences the way people speak, dress and generally communicate here — even though every few people actually speak English. But people of all ages wear shirts with English slogans (that often don’t make sense), and whenever I’ve gone to the more crowded beach where there are lots of young people, I’ve heard the same music I’d hear if I were at home listening to any top-40 station — Usher, Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, etc. But the difference is, nobody actually knows what they’re saying. Or, some people do, but Cagliari isn’t like Florence or Rome where most people speak at least a little English. Here, you have to ask for what you want in Italian, or you won’t get it.

“As P. Diddy and Usher are making red-carpet arrivals decked out in the luxury of real fur, real diamonds and haute couture, I believe that an entirely new generation of appreciative Liberace fans are in the making,” observes I Love Liberace cofounder, Karan Feder, an award-winning Hollywood Costume Designer.

He's been likened to this generation's Marvin Gaye a Grammy winner and multi platinum recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actor and activist. At the age of only 25, he's entering his second decade as a successful artist, riding the top of the charts with his fifth album, Confessions, and selling out concert venues as soon as the dates are announced. Yes, Usher's doing well.

First stop was the Banana Cafe, where upstairs in the piano bar, Gordon, the blind, piano playing, trumpet toting, saxophone blowing, cover song singing life of the part was doing his thing. On this night we heard selections from Usher, The Beatles, and Don McLean.

Sales are 10% behind this year -- 16 million units. Some of it is Idol's fault. It's gotta be. What American TV show will make up the shortfall? If it's gonna be "The OC" they're gonna need to can the hip indie rock and shoot for middle America's love of Celine Dion. (Let's hope that doesn't happen.)

Or maybe Usher can hurry up and put out another album.

I officially nominate Usher for player of the millennium. As my boy and I have been discussing, his Grammy date, the lovely (Eisha?) Eishia Brightwell, is one bad motha... She's so fine that you almost don't even notice Beyonce in this picture. :-o

Usher is claiming that one of his suitcases, valued at $100,000 dollars, was stolen from the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Friday. According to Usher, he left one of his bags in the lobby for a member of his posse to pick up, but a thief nabbed it instead. He called Donald Trump personally to complain. The Trumpster has promised to reimburse the Grammy Award-winning artist for the loss.

Living on Eastern Long Island, we don’t get much in the way of radio stations. Mainly, it’s Connecticut stations we get from across the Sound, which offer either classic rock or top 40 pop, and local stations which play whatever they seem to want to (mainly either adult contemporary, classic rock, or a varying mix of everything on the planet). Nice to have, but for those of us who want to hear new music not put out by Usher, you have to look for an “Alternative” station.

Later came the singing/rapping performances. I've heard some Chinese rap CDs, and I wasn't overly impressed. I wondered how much worse these kids would be. Not much! True, it seemed all the beats were taken from well-known songs like Coolio's "Gangsters' Paradise" and Usher's "You Remind Me of a Girl," but I was amazed at the talent they demonstrated. The group worth noting is called X-44. I'll try to catch them again.

Other top winners included Adam Sandler for favorite movie actor, teen idol Hilary Duff for movie actress, Usher for male singer and Smith for voice from an animated movie.

Most of the winners offered brief words of thanks, but Usher and Smith delivered advice to their young fans.

"Make sure you brush your teeth, say your prayers, eat your vitamins," Usher told the audience of some 10,000 screaming youngsters at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. "You can be anything you want to be in life. All you have to do is believe in yourself."

R+b superstar Usher is to follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears by releasing his own self-titled perfume.

Actor Jamie Foxx and singer Usher are hoping to add to their trophy cases at tonight's NAACP Image Award ceremony.

R&B star Mario has urged music fans to stop inventing stories of rivalry between him and Usher. The singer is entirely focused on his music career and has no plans to waste time feuding with other artists. But he's flattered to be mentioned in the same breath as the Confessions megastar. He says, "People making out that Usher and me are rivals (annoys me). We're not! I don't mind if girls compare us, though. "I think it's a big compliment." (wenn)

During the team's game Sunday, Usher crossed his arms over his head and curled his hands to form letter C's. Fans made the symbol as the Cavaliers downed the Indiana Pacers 98-86.

Washington, Mar 10 (ANI): R 'n' B singer Usher has announced his plans to make an action film with Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise.