In Love With Nikko Gray's "Rollercoaster" (STL 11 Preview)

Nikko Gray is an artist I had no idea existed until today parousing soulbounce.com and man, i'm very happy to be acquainted with the talented UK native as "rollercoaster" has been a ride i've been strapped in for all day. What struck me about the song is the atmospheric sexiness that ensues with the subtleties in Nikko's harmonies and voice and the bold delicacy of her pitch and tone. I also love how sexy she and the song is without really trying very hard to be. in fact, Nikko is so cute in the clip, that it was this (and my desire to share a bit of whats been cooking with the new STL project), that broke me out of my blogging slumber and share some goodies with the masses. She is also a Capricorn so enough said...lol

Fun With Stereotypes: The Olsen Twins Edition

from Dlisted

Long before the Olsens were wearing black veils made of the frozen nightmares of their victims, they were just little tiny trollings committing acts of accidental racism in family friendly direct-to-DVD movies like To Grandmother's House We Go. You know, full on fuckery aside, where did they get those fried chicken drumsticks? Who knew that the pre-KKK playgroups served fried chicken during snack time. But more importantly, what human being with at least half a working brain cell throws a chewed up drumstick into a dude's money case?! I know some people who will get hit upside the head with a spoon if they bring their grandma a plate of dark meat instead of white meat. And the Olsens think this is okay?!

If you're bold enough to throw a chicken bone into a street performer's money bin, you're strong enough to take an ass whoopin' from said street performer. To quote what a wise homeless man said after my friend handed him a bag of her leftovers: How the FUCK am I supposed to get drunk off of leftovers?

"Nothing Comes Easily" - The Best of Grey's Musical Event

Music can be so haunting when executed in the right manner and it can punctuate poignancy in the smallest of places. The Grey's Musical event in a nutshell was bizarre and odd, but I was surprised by the pipes some of the cast members have on them. Especially Sara Ramirez who does the bulk of the singing on the latest episode as the event revolve around her trauma. The above clip, in my opinion, was the best of the lot last night and the most moving and touching scene of the whole endeavor. Take a gander and let the moment wash over you.

Get to Know Kutiman's Fascinating Innovations

from Soulbounce.com

Ophir Kutiel, widely known as Kutiman, has upped the ante once again with his virtual arranging and composing. The Israeli musician/composer/producer/YouTube conductor brings us a new installment of his Thru-You series, where he combines music footage found on YouTube and finds the perfect moment in each video that has the right chord, sound, and/or note to sample and loop to fit with pieces from other videos. In his most recent project, his "My Favorite Color" video, Kutiman blends a founding piano riff, French horns, a saxophone, a triangle, cellos, various drum beats, and other instruments (the complete list can be viewed here). For the vocals, he chooses a video of a young girl singing an original song in her bedroom to lay atop it all. The end result is a melting pot of musical genius. Through the massive following that Kutiman has built for himself, he takes some great musical talent out of virtual obscurity and puts them into the viral forefront. Hopefully his Thru-You project will keep producing more of these fascinating and innovative creations.

Bobb V Brings Beautiful "Words" to Life, If not a Typical Album to Form

I have to admit, im having a hard time getting into Bobby V's latest offering, but the more i try to dismiss it, the more little pieces of the album keep popping up on my landscape. Recently caught the video treatment for "Words" and it made me appreciate the song soo much more. At once sexy, classy, and classic, Bobby V sure knows how to churn out an effective R&B song when he has the right elements. But his typical "if it aint broke don't fix it" approach to music is maddening on "Fly On The Wall", now available from Capital Records.

"Fly on the Wall" is Bobby Vs 4th or 5th album and although he has made a big splash on the musical landscape a couple of times with some significant hits, he has yet to hit the commercial mainstream he so desires. And "Fly on the Wall" will not do much to strengthen that cause. Standouts on the album include "Words" as well as "If I Can't Have You", "Would You Be", and "L.O.V.E." but at 18 tracks deep, the music becomes repetitive and because Bobby V sticks to a specific style, the songs feel redundant at best. Its as if, "once you've heard one Bobby V songs you've heard them all" which is, in essence, a catch 22 for Bobby V specifically because in order to be iconic, Bobby V needs to hone a specific style and drive a lane he can call his own (which he essentially has) but at the same time, this lane limits and boxes in his musical growth.

There are plenty of mediocre R&B artist that have and/or are following the same blueprint that Bobby V has mapped out with "Fly on the Wall". But I wouldn't call Bobby V necessarily mediocre or generic, just stuck. Although im glad he sticks to a general R&B format and purports to be a true R&B artist, Bobby V could really benefits from switching up his style a bit. Im glad he isn't hopping on the pop or techno trend, but he needs a new production team to keep his sound fresh. Cause as its is...the flies on the wall are eyeballing the stale bread on the table. By the way, "Fly on the Wall" is such a terrible title for an album.....and especially an R&B album. It sounds bored with itself already.....need i say more.

"The Game" and Truths about Life

Alright...alright.....yeah, I know i talked a lot of shit about "The Game" and now im eating my words. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out this show's appeal, but catching all the new episodes and then watching the old ones has shed new light on what its creators were going for and man...can I tell ya..I watch "The Game" and see very interesting truths about life, love, and dating.

First of all, im totally in love with this girl Lisa Tucker (who apparently was on some season of American Idol and LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE Aaliyah - no really, im going to track her down) but what's important to note about the clip is the way in which males and females respond in such predicaments. This one is a divorce, but man....why did I have a similar reaction with my situation to the one Jason Pitt has in the clip. Life is so funny!!

STL 11 Preview: "Everybody Needs Love"

"everybody, everybody is somebody who needs love.....if you want it you can get it, just trust and believe love". Its funny how life usually takes you back full circle (primarily why I am obsessed with rings and wearing circles) and in my journey i am happy to report that the destination I have found my way back to is home. Homecoming of mind, body, spirit, and soul.

When these elements are in tune, wonderful things start to matriculate. And music has been the catalyst that has calibrated it together. So what better way to say welcome back and welcome home (to Sanspiracy) than with the promise of good music. Its been a journey folks....a virtual roller coaster of epic proportions........but when you find yourself in the eye of a hurricane and can still come out of the other end doing the crip walk....then I say.....GOD is bigger and more amazing than it all. And the joy we fill our pain with can be our redemption and hope for a more promising destiny.

Its weird and sorta odd to be at this place in my life and be on such a love high. But im reaping the promise, and I can sense its surge coming closer while managing to collect some great music in the process. The above J Hud offering is one of many songs that has been on heavy rotation in my life. Mainly because I have done just that....thrown my hands in the air and proclaimed to the universe that I Need Love. so with that said, i will soon be presenting to you STL 11: I Need Love (i bet you didn't see that title coming...lol...but knowing me the title will probably change when finally dropped lol). This collection (as suggested by the acronym STL) is the soundtrack to the movie Ive been filming in my head lately (correction, that reality has framed me in). A virtual Alfie, meets James Bond (minus the cool car and gadgets), meets GQ magazine. Yeah....its a hard job, but im the only man with the perfect amount of handsome to pull it off...lol

On a real note, im so thankful for music, for friends and family and everyone that has thrown love my way. And it really is a testament to how you can overcome any obstacle in your life. People and things are only in our lives for a season, sometimes a lifetime if the circumstances are right and we are lucky. But the gifts we exchange can sometimes be priceless. So here i sit on cloud 9 alone........but happy and ecstatic for what the future will bring...and most of all joyously content. I seek refuge in the thought of my queen being out there, both the receptor and giver of love.......the yin to my yang.....the notes to the harmony....the melody to my heart. and until that moment of "meet-cute" subsides....then im gonna dance, be free, and throw my hands in the air. You will too when you get a load of the mix (get your minds out the gutter)

Welcome back folks.