Will Ferrell Performs "Druken Love" in Lip Synch Battle with Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon

Janet Jackson's "janet" Turns 20! What's Your Favorite Song? (@JanetJackson)

In honor of  Janet Jackson's "janet." turning 20 years old today, I am dropping two of my favorite songs from that album, ("Anytime, Anyplace", "If")  alon with one track that I  completely forgotten about  but a Faceook friend reminded how great the track was and still is ("Throb").



Read: Billboard: Janet Jackson Talks 'janet.' 20th Anniversary & New Album: Exclusive



Read: Billboard: Janet Jackson, 'janet.': Classic Track-By-Track Review



Read: Rolling Stone's 1993 review of 'janet'

However, the tragedy of this anniversary  is the lack of airplay of not only this album but  Janet's entire catalog from the  mostly produced Jimmy and Jam and  Terry produced era, (including "Control", "Rhythm Nation",  "The Velvet Rope" and "All For You") on pop stations and more importantly classic R&B stations.

Janet Jackson's  albums from the late 80's to the late 90's were not about what was  hot sound on the radio or trying to fit in an image.

It  was about artistry.

It was about changing the game musically.

It was about making albums, not singles.

It was Janet following in the footsteps of her big brother Michael  by  making albums that were not just for today, but ones that made a muscial impact and stand the test of time.


Janet Jackson - You Want This from urbandesign on Vimeo.


Unfortunately, most classic R&B stations are missing the boat in playing the abundance of great music that came from that era, which not only include Janet Jackson, but also Mariah Carey, Jody Watley, Tony Toni Tone and Outkast who all have catalogs worthy for constant airplay (I love Zapp and Al Green, but there are some great music from the late 80s on too old school R&B stations).

Even if you look at Prince. who is arguably one of the best artists of all-time, even his catalog music doesn't get the same kind of love on classic R&B stations like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or U2 do on classic rock stations, (When was last time you heard "Let's Go Crazy", "Alphabet Street" or "Controversy" on a classic R&B station in non-mix form?)



Right now, there is a teenage kid listening to Janet Jackson's 90's contemporaries Nirvana , Pearl Jam and  Marilyn Manson for the first time and they  will begin to download  more rock music from the 90's  music because they heard  "In Bloom"  Dissident" for "The Beautiful People" on a classic rock or a contemporary rock station.

Rock music will always have a piece of their history more so than R&B because they continuously expose the next generation to its past,  no matter if its 50 years like the Rolling Stones or close to 20  years like Green Day.

In contrast, most kids who love urban music are not exposed enough to a full catalog like Janet Jackson', where they can see the road she traveled from being  Michael's little sister who played Penny on "Good Times" to hopefully becoming a future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

Even today, the vast catalog by 21st century artists like The Neptunes and  Kanye West are routinely pushed aside in favor of what's the hottest rap/Hip Hop song of the moment, (sure pop radio does the same thing, but Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters are always being played somewhere).



Thank goodness for digital music platforms like  iTunes, Pandora and Spotify  so you can easily go from janet's "You Want This", hop over to  Rhythm Nation's "Come Back To Me", take a quick detour  down "Dream Street," round the  corner  by the Control's "Pleasure Principle", make a u-turn by  The Velvet Rope's "Got Till It's Gone" and arrive safely back to  janet's  "That's The Way Love Goes".

Now that is a legendat musical journey worth taking.

Happy Anniversary Damita Jo!



What's your favorite song from "janet"?

Subscribe to our Soul88.com mailing list

Jay-Z Creates "Open Letter" to Address Cuba Situation (Produced by Swizz Beatz & Timbaland)

This cat is bit ticked off!

  “Boy from the hood but got White House clearance. Sorry y’all, I don’t agree with y’all parents. Politicians never did shit for me, except lie to me, distort history. Wanna give me jail time and a fine? Fine, let me commit a real crime. Might buy a kilo for Chief Keef, out of spite, I just might flood these streets…”  (See full lyrics at RapGenius)

Kelly Rowland Interview With Charlamagne Tha God & The Breakfast Club

Little Blue Ivy Looks Just like Her Dad Shawn Carter

(Via OMG/Yahoo)

"In Beyoncé's HBO documentary, "Life Is But a Dream," which premieres on Saturday, the singer shares a touching moment of her with her now-13-month-old daughter.

But 24 hours before the baby’s big debut, a still from the 10-second interaction was leaked on Twitter … and instantly became a retweet phenomenon."

Read more

Jay Z Opens The Barkley Center in Brooklyn (Video)

‘Watch The Throne’ Documentary feat. Jay-Z and Kanye West

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne (Documentary) (2011)

SNL Blue Ivy Sketch (Maya Rudolph/ Jay Pharoah)

New York Times: Etta James, Powerful Voice Behind ‘At Last,’ Dies at 73

Etta James - Something's Got A Hold On Me HD by alexandru2006

(Via @nytimes)


"Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, 1938. Her mother, Dorothy Hawkins, was 14 at the time; her father was long gone, and Ms. James never knew for sure who he was, although she recalled her mother telling her that he was the celebrated pool player Rudolf Wanderone, better known as Minnesota Fats. She was reared by foster parents and moved to San Francisco with her mother when she was 12.

She began singing at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles at 5 and turned to secular music as a teenager, forming a vocal group with two friends. She was 15 when she made her first record, “Roll With Me Henry,” which set her own lyrics to the tune of Hank Ballard and the Midnighters’ recent hit “Work With Me Annie.” When some disc jockeys complained that the title was too suggestive, the name was changed to “The Wallflower,” although the record itself was not.

....In 1960 Ms. James was signed by Chess Records, the Chicago label that was home to Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and other leading lights of black music. She quickly had a string of hits, including “All I Could Do Was Cry,” “Trust in Me” and “At Last,” which established her as Chess’s first major female star.

...“A lot of people think the blues is depressing,” she told The Los Angeles Times in 1992, “but that’s not the blues I’m singing. When I’m singing blues, I’m singing life. People that can’t stand to listen to the blues, they’ve got to be phonies.”

Read the full obituary here

Glory - Jay-Z (Baby Blue Ivy Carter)

Glory - Jay-Z feat. Blue Ivy Carter by Warhol2011


Beyonce, Mathew Knowles Reunite at Blue Ivy's Birth

"...The former Destiny's Child singer and her father experienced a less than amicable split when she cut managerial ties with him in March 2011. Though she released a statement that said "he is my father for life and I love my dad dearly," rumors spread that they were no longer speaking due to money he reportedly stole from her during the course of her career. Add in the fact he got a woman pregnant after cheating on Bey's mom, Tina Knowles and all was definitely not butterflies and rainbows in that family circle."

Read more

New! Young Jeezy - I Do (Feat. Jay-Z & Andre 3000) with Lyrics

I Do (Instrumental) - Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 103


Original Sample
Foxy Brown (1974) Soundtrack Overture of Foxy Brown Willie Hutch

Steve Stoute Talks Tanning of America on Nightline

The Warblers-Bill, Bills, Bills (Glee)

The Warblers probably won't be around next season and Kurt probably rejoin "New Directions" sooner or later, but I'm always impressed by the different acapella versions that Darren Criss and his crew perform.

Jay Z on Howard Stern (Interview)

The Marcy Project natives talks about his new book Decoded, his feelings about his father, Kayne West and how Russell Siimmons set the blueprint for being a executive.

Howard Stern Interviews Jay-Z by RU2010

LaTavia Roberson Talks Being Kicked Out Of Destiny’s Child

Glee @ Tony Awards: Lea Michele & Matthew Morrison Perfroms

While Morrison, sings, spins and hoof's his way through "All I Need Is The Girl" from "Gypsy,"  , Lea Michel recreates her Barbara Streisand moment on Glee, sining Bab's  "Don't Rain On My Parade from "Funny Girl."

Liza Minella's Single Ladies Cover From Sex and The City 2

Sad! 9 Year Old Girl Tells Tyra She Wishes She Was Light Skinned So More Boys Would Like Her

Because there so many images of lighter hued women of color consistently on TV, movies and music videos, I always wondered if it had a an affect on little brown skined girls.... I guess I have my answer.

How to Win a Grammy for Album of The Year Like Taylor Swift

Recently, country music star Taylor Swift won the Album of the Year Award from the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga and The Dave Mathews Band. If you are looking for a way to win the same award in 2011, here are some easy tips.

1.) You have to have a look. Lady Gaga has a very creative, unique look. However Taylor Swift has that blonde girl next door look that can easily transfer to movies and TV shows.

2.) Although Taylor Swift writes songs, the trick here is to find a songwriter(s) who can take your sappy teen loves songs and mold them into number one hits. You still wrote the songs, but now they make sense and you get credit for being a genius.

Read the rest of the tips @ http://www.ehow.com/how_5940192_win-grammy-album-year.html

Paul Mooney Says Kanye West is His Hero