Drake- I’m Ready For Ya (Song Leak)

By Kia O. Moore (kia@mingleberry.com)

What do you get when you intertwine the vocals of Nigerian-German, hip-hop/soul singer Nneka into a melodic hip-hop beat? Drake’s latest leak: I’m Ready For Ya.

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2009 Queen City Awards Winners

Hip Hop

Hip Hop Artist of the Year (Male): Cutty Boy

Hip Hop Artist of the Year (Female): Shelly B

Hip Hop Group of the Year: Tripple Threat

R&B

R&B Artist of the Year (Male): Joe Barrino

R&B Artist of the Year (Female): Neesha

R&B Band: Intertwyne

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2009 Queen City Awards

by Kia O. Moore (kia@mingleberry.com)

The 3^rd Annual Queen City Awards, held at club Skandolos (E. Independence Blvd.) on Dec. 12, was a semi-organized event that showered accolades on Charlotte’s entertainment community. This year’s award organizers, TalkofNC.com and CarolinaArtist.net, expanded award categories beyond the urban market. The genres of rock and country had a strong presence this year. Few were in attendance to actually accept awards in all 26 categories, which made the event more local talent showcase than award ceremony.

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Mos Def Concert Review

By Kia O. Moore

Mos Def Concert

Mos Def came to Amos Southend, located in Charlotte, on Aug. 12 to bless the Queen City with some real hip-hop. The blessing fell short, and a miracle was the only thing that was going to inject some energy into this show. His latest album titled “Ecstatic” may have made critics overexcited, but Mos Def’s performance could not elicit much excitement form this crowd.

Doors opened at 8 P.M.; Mos Def was on stage by 11:12 P.M. There was a lull between the opening act, Jay Electronica, and the start of Mos Def’s set. For about 45 minutes the only thing that was left to entertain the audience was some background music, two unmanned turntables and a lonely orange drum set.

The crowd became restless while waiting for Mos Def, and sporadic chants of “MOS DEF…MOS DEF…MOS DEF,” ensued.  As the wait wore on, the chants became half-hearted efforts. Those less than enthusiastic chants were a precursor of what was to come.

After the extended wait, two DJs finally made their way to the stage. When they released the vinyl to let the music evade the crowd’s ear drums the volume was uncomfortably high. They quickly adjusted the sound, causing the bass to vibrate through chest as hearts hipped and hopped to the beat.

The stage lights went out as Mos Def came in the back door of the venue. The audience erupted in an exuberant bellow of approval. Mos Def moved swiftly to the drum set. He pounded the vibrantly colored musical cylinders as he rapped into a mic strategically placed in front of the instrument. Like the psychological experiment with Pavlo’s Dogs, hands automatically went up in the air as soon as the sound of Mos Def’s voice move from the speakers to the ears of audience members.

This was the most excitement seen from the crowd throughout the whole performance. After he wrapped up his first song he addressed the crowd and said the familiar Jay-Z spiel, “You could have been anywhere in the world, but you are here with me.” He also thanked the crowd for paying $30 to see his performance.  Mos Def chatted with the crowd and thanked them many times throughout his performance, which became irritating. Performing more of his classic songs would have been the gratitude many would have appreciated.

Mos Def was one of few who seemed to really be into the performance. He, and the white towel draped across his shoulder, swayed from side-to-side with each lyric he spat. He even threw off his black baseball cap as he got deeper into the performance. Mos Def quite often serenaded the audience, which was met with the feedback of silence.

The crowd gave positive feedback when Mos Def spat lyrics to hard hitting, hip-hop induced songs. The crowd seemed to enjoy his ode to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five with his rendition of “Close to the Edge.” The crowd also reacted with enthusiasm to “Auditorium,” which is a song featuring Slick Rick vocals. Mos Def also paid homage to the Sugar Hill Gang by lacing many of his song with “Rapper’s Delight” lyrical references.

Every time Mos Def deviated from the classic hip-hop sound he lost crowd support. There was no booing, just no crowd reaction what-so- ever. Hands were no longer in the air, a few head nods were sprinkled throughout the crowd and the majority of the songs received courtesy claps. By midnight the crowd had no energy, and Mos Def was not providing the fuel needed to recharge them. The crowd simply became on-lookers and many made their way to the exit before the concert ended.

Mos Def is a talented lyricist but he needs to take some notes from the New Generation of Hip Hoppers, and learn how to engage a crowd. Mos Def does not need an instructional dance song, but he needs to pay attention to his crowd and study their reactions.

The Amos Southend crowd favored classic hip-hop beats and witty lyrics. Mos Def needed to hold off on the serenades, drum playing, and crowd conversations and give this crowd a straight up dose of hip-hop medicine. If this show was supposed to bring real hip-hop to the Queen City, then I would have rather went to the club and danced to some fake hip-hop.

Heavy Rotation: Top 5 Songs of August

DJ Flemingo

By DJ Flemingo & Kia O. Moore

Welcome to the music column of DJ Flemingo “The East Coast Bad Boy.” He is Charlotte’s official Def Dj (So So Def Records). He has been featured in XXL Magazine and has deejayed on BET’s Rap City the Basement. He will give the Mingleberry family the inside scoop on the top 5 songs in Heavy Rotation on nightclub turntables and radio line-ups. For the month of August. Flemingo has selected:

Kill Dem- Busta Rhymes ft. Pharrell & Tosh

“This song reminds me of Lil’ Kim’s ‘Lighters Up,’” says Flemingo. “It is that reggae from up top [New York].”

Busta gets gully wit it on this track. He lays on the thick Jamaican accent and breaks out the patoia linguistics.  The track is filled with island phrases like “bomba clot,” “ras clot” and “com tes me boi.”

Pharrell was behind the sound board injecting the infectiously rhythmic Neptune sound to the track. The beat is composed of hard hits from the bass drum coupled with clear snare snaps and a steady tap of a cow bell with a few Pharrell add libs sprinkled throughout. The blare of the brass horn is highlighted on this track. That gives the track a 1940s big swing band feel with some hip-hop swag and Jamaican dancehall flare. Tosh adds that familiar female vocal chatter that club goers expect from a standard dancehall track.

The beat certifies this song as a club banger, but Busta’s lyrics are straight grimy. He paints the picture of a typical street escapade of a gangsta and his “ratchet” [gun]. The remix with Bounty Killer and Movado is an unfiltered deep dark gangsta tale that will be blasted in dancehalls everywhere. Busta will definitely Kill Dem on the dance floor from New York to Toronto, and back down to Charlotte and out to Jamaica.

All dem ras clot won be rappas bet get out Busta’s way if dey don’t won Busta Kill Dem wit dis here track boi.

Whatever you want- Consequence ft. Kayne West & John Legend

Kayne is featured on the track, but he controls the mic just as much as Consequence. Kayne not only lays down the lyrics, he also lays down the beat. Kayne is still addicted to the 808’s. This track has a tribal drum pulse like Love Lockdown.

The track has a soul-house feel that can easily make you fall into a head-nod-trance. You can’t help but move your head from side to side to the highly rhythmic 808’s as the catchy hook, “Whatever you want…want…want…want…,” echoes from one speaker to another.

This song will get folks out on the dance floor and put them in the mood to groove.

The ladies can definitely appreciate a song that has a guy telling her she can do “whatever she wants.”

So Fine- Sean Paul

Whenever you hear the name Sean Paul attached to a track you automatically know you will hear it thumping from nightclub speakers. So Fine will have ladies’ hips wining to the beat as fellas’ eyes follow their sensual body motion. The steady heavy bass drum pattern is great for booty popping. So ladies get your hands on your knees and tease the fellas until they can no longer maintain their cool composure.

The men will have to get off the wall and dance with the ladies if they plan to do this song any justice. Flemingo says, “This is a love song…reggae style.” In the song Sean Paul pledges that he wants to be there for his girl. Thanks to her beautiful looks he doesn’t mind being there for her every single time. She’s so fine.

Million Bucks- Manio ft. Swizz Beats

This song is made for car audio systems. The sound of the horns is just as dominate as the drums. The free flowing sound of the horns make you want to let down all of the windows and allow the breeze to drift over your face. Million Bucks is essentially a feel good song. Flemingo says, “This should be every man’s theme song for every occasion.”

The song is about feeling so good about your life  accomplishments that you want to provide for everyone you care about. Manio talks of having shopping sprees, taking on the bar tab for everyone at the club, and going back to the hood and giving money to those who need it. If you are having a hard time putting food on the table to feed your family, then don’t worry because Manio got you.

This should be every persons themes song, because when you attain success you should share it with those who need it. What would you do if you had a million bucks?

You ain’t gotta leave- T-Lelo

This is a Charlotte artist to look out for. Flemingo says that he is not a big fan of local artist. “The majority of them are lacking when it comes to content.” However, Flemingo feels that T-Lelo’s song stands out from the rest. When it comes to You ain’t gotta leave Flemingo says, “This is just GOOD music.”

Take a listen to the Heavy Rotation Top 5.

Click the logo below to LISTEN!

Look out for the DJ Flemingo Mixtape. We will keep you posted on the release date.

Heavy Rotation Part II: Top 5 of August

Leave a comment and tell us what you think of the Top 5 songs of August.

So Fine- Sean Paul

Kill Dem- Busta Rhymes ft. Pharrell & Tosh

Whatever you want- Consequence ft. Kayne West & John Legend

Million Bucks- Manio ft. Swizz Beats

Look out for DJ Flemingo’s Mixtape with these exclusive tracks and more. Mingleberry will keep you updated on the mixtape release date.

Tell us what you think. Leave a comment.