Rated R Worth the Price of Admission

Words by Ken Francis

Pic via http://www.rihannanow.com/index.htm

Following both the media frenzy of her last LP, Good Girl Gone Bad that skyrocketed Rihanna into bona-fide superstardom and a picture of her face released by TMZ that revealed the damage inflicted by then boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna emerges with Rated R. A record consisting of songs that evoke boldness, strength and also vulnerability in its tracks.

The album begins aptly with an intro track called 'Mad House,' meant to introduce the listener into a world of the tough-skinned, edgy and risque Rihanna that performs the 13 track set.

'Wait Your Turn' is a nice start to the full length songs, it is full of boastful and catchy lyrics that has Rihanna stating her place in the game i.e. her consistent position on top of the charts. A claim that she can rightly make, being the only artist in this decade with the most number one hits.

This track is followed directly by 'Hard' featuring the always gritty but funny and entertaining Young Jeezy. This track is a winner because it has hints of old school reggae in the way Rihanna chants the "yea, yea, yea," at it's very beginning and Rihanna asserts her confidence throughout and ability to consistently outshine her peers with her lyrics. Also, it's fun to hear Jeezy say, "I'm in the all white party wearing all black, with my new black watch, called the heart attack."

The track list continues in a similar fashion and the lyrical content holds a similar bravado to a rap album. Rihanna makes it work for her however, she has the ability to carry tracks across several styles of pop, pop/reggae and even can even sing a ballad if she so chooses.

The more vulnerable side of Rated R, are the slower songs that focus (of course) on love and heartbreak. However, because the album teeters around a dark and dangerous theme, the content is sometimes more heavy than your average pop song.

The haunting 'Russian Roulette' penned by the illustrious NeYo is as beautiful as it is mysterious and a bit goose-bump inducing. Rihanna performs the hell out of the song, and though this is an album review, the video is a great accompaniment to it, Alias esque theme and all.

Another NeYo penned track 'Cold Case Love' was actually written a couple days prior to the day of the incident between her and Chris Brown, and as she said in her itunes pre-album release clip, it was almost like a premonition of the events of the night after the Grammy party. In addition to being all that, it is also a great song, with a lot of vivid imagery.

Moreover, Rated R is a great album that deserves multiple listens. It is interesting that in these songs Rihanna exudes both an acceptance of appearing weak in the past but screams proclamations of always being a strong individual inside. Whether or not strength is synonymous with being a little crazy is another question.

Don't forget these other great tracks: 'Stupid in Love,' 'Rockstar 101,' 'Fire Bomb," and 'The Last Song'

'Sunny Side Up' A New Album From Paolo Nutini

Words by Ken Francis
Pic via electronic booklet



Released on June 2nd, Paolo Nutini's Sunny Side Up lives up to its name by delivering lighthearted songs just in time for the summer.

The thing that stands out the most about this record is the theme that follows through throughout its tracks. Nutini's previous LP These Streets was released in the US in 2006. With the exception of a few tracks, that record had a much more somber tone to it. It seemed as though Nutini was going through a lot of changes in his young life and the uncertainty in change was the inspiration for that LP.

Sunny Side Up attempts to be the ying for the yang that was These Streets. The track list touches on all the common themes such as sex with "10/10" and "Candy" and relationship hardships with "Coming Up Easy" and "No Other Way" But Nutini's delivery is the thing that makes his albums worth listening to. His range is varied and strong, but the thing that gives it the extra push is his Scottish accent. The best way to experience his vocal prowess is when his accent is prominent and he sounds like an old man with a lisp, without his teeth in. It may sound crude, but it is true, but it gives his songs a lot of flavor.

This factor may be the thing that makes this album worth more listens than These Streets. While that album showed Nutini to be thoughtful and talented beyond his then 18 years of age. The version released in the US curtailed his accent and he sounded maybe a bit too pop. Not to say that is bad marketing, but among the plethora of pop singers that beseech the hearts of tweens, you really need to stand out to be viable in 10 years. Paolo looks more at home as he appears in the video for the first single off Sunny, in a fedora and a shirt and loafers.

Definitely download 10/10, Coming Up Easy, High Hopes and Candy.

Click here for the Exclusive Asher Roth Listening Session Report! By the creator of KenScribe!

Click here for Ken Francis' Interview with Dawn Richards of Danity Kane!

New This Week! Check out the interview with Brooklyn Rapper Uncle Murda only at imperialhype.com by the creator of Ken Scribe

New This Week! Click here to check out the interview with jazz-soul singer Jesse Boykins III at imperialhype.com by the creator of Ken Scribe!

New This Week! Click here to view the interview with Chester Gregory on Imperialhype.com

Joe Budden celebrates the release of "Padded Room" at the New Era Store in Soho

Words and Pics by Ken Francis

It is February 24^th 2009 and Joe Budden is celebrating the release of his new album entitled “Padded Room” at the New Era store in Soho.

Adorned in a hooded, rhinestone encrusted sweatshirt with an Ed Hardy-esque logo, True Religion jeans, and a big-dialed blinged-out watch; Budden holds product after product (logos facing front) as marketing interns placed them in his hands to endorse for waiting videographers.

Budden appears used to the routine and is cordial to everyone around him, he goes along with the demands of cameramen who incessantly ask him to repeat catch phrases and slogans for their various websites and stations.

Budden with a bottle of Seraphin

It's been a long time since Joe Budden has released an official LP; six years actually, so all the publicity (whether or not he appears on camera holding some obscure bottle of liquor or not) is definitely a good thing. His self titled debut album “Joe Budden” hit the top five of the billboard hip-hop and R&B charts back in summer of 2003 and spawned the ubiquitous “Pump it Up,” an infectious summertime hit that subsequently had everybody saying the phrase “jump off” for a while. He also found moderate success with another single called “Focus.” 

All that shine was a long time ago and also when Budden was on one of the most popular labels in music, Def Jam (remember he appeared in the first two Def Jam Videogames).

For a while now, Budden has been with indie record label Amalgam Digital. Fans of the rapper were provided with more of his music via mix tapes produced and distributed by Amalgam such as “Mood Muzik 1: The Worst Of” and “Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse?” These two gave birth to 2008s “Mood Muzik 3: The Album” which was a “mixtape style” album minus the DJ talking all over the tracks.

Budden doing yet another interview

Back in the New Era store a young reporter asked Budden about the choice of the venue for the party, to which Budden replied, “I didn’t want to make it a ridiculous function with rapper friends, it is real hip hop so this way it is real intimate.” Intimate indeed, literally any one who was allowed in the store could walk right in and interview Budden, congratulate him on the new release or just simply give him a pound.

A reporter holding a portable camera question said to Budden, “What do you want people to know about this album?” He replied, “I could care less what they know, a reviewer couldn’t really sit down with this album once and give a thorough review.”

Since the floor was just that open to talk to him, in between camera people waiting to sling another batch of questions at Budden, I approached him about answering some questions of my own, he agreed; I asked, he answered. It went like this (I’m Ken he is JB):

Ken: “Tell me about the concept for the album, what is the idea behind the title “Padded Room?”

JB: “Well a padded room, you know the booth in the studio is padded and also a padded room is a place where they send the insane, or people thought to be insane. The thing is, people called insane are sometimes misunderstood so that’s how it relates to the music. This padded room is a place where I can think whatever I want to think, say whatever I want to say and not be judged.”

Ken: “Is it safe to say you are cynical about the mechanics of the music industry and is that reflected in your music?”

JB: “No, because there isn’t anything worth doing without a struggle, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Budden and his girlfriend Tahiri

Cowboy in the City: Venny Etienne Tells the Tale of his Spring Collection’s Unique Look

Words and Pics by Ken Francis

Designer Venny Etienne

“I found my inspiration in the Midwest, I pictured a man from there moving to New York. But he did not want to lose his Mid-western roots, so he mixed his style from home with a New York flavor.”

The result of his idea is the very intriguing outfits for men put forth for his Le’ Venity line. Made up of outfits of leather and suede patches on shirts and suspenders with fitted jeans, complete with cowboy boots and rancher hats, his spring collection brought country mixed with “New York cool” to the House of D' Marsh Rhythms of Fashion show.

How did he do research for his line? Etienne chuckled and replied "I watched a lot of old cowboy movies."

Check out more of Le’ Venity below. Then visit his website www.levenity.com

New Things to Check out this Week from the creator of Ken Scribe

Imperialhype.com has the review of Ryan Leslie's New Album! Check it Out Below!

http://imperialhype.com/index.php?Script=featuredetail&ItemID=125&ItemUUID=B7696C45-1FB2-7213-32EA-E65091D0D6A4


Eventlinks.com has the photos from House of D'Marsh's Rythms of Fashion event! Check it Out here!(Click on the first three sets!)

http://eventlinks.com/gallery/index.php

Keisha Brown Brings Cheay Rochelle to Rhythms of Fashion

Words and Pictures by Ken Francis



Twenty-year-old Keisha Brown displayed her Cheay Rochelle line for the spring as part of the House of D’Marsh’s Rhythms of Fashion fashion show on Friday.

The Fashion Industries High School graduate who loves the designer Alexander Mc Queen said she also finds her inspiration for designing, “from many things, like just looking around.”

Seemingly shy as she is being pulled in different directions for interviews after the show, Brown made all her big statements on the runway with her spring line.

The models wearing Cheay Rochelle came out strutting to songs from Corrine Bailey Rae, a fitting soundtrack; the line exhibits the same air of soft, elegant beauty as that singer’s voice.





Such a young designer as Brown creating outfits that are both visually appealing and tasteful is something to behold. Check out more of her collection below.

Sean Paul Rocks Element NYC...Briefly

Words by Ken Francis

Pic by Elvira Francis

Sean Paul performed a few songs at club Element in NYC, on Sunday, January the 18th.

Though most partygoers were probably very intoxicated by the time SP hit the small stage, that didn’t stop the crowd from trying to get as close as possible to the dancehall star.

Adorned in a few diamond chains including a skull pendant that dazzled in the spotlight, SP performed some of his well know hits including “Punkie,” and “Get Busy.”

The crowd especially got pumped when Estelle appeared from behind one of his burly bodyguards and performed her new single “Come Over” from her album Shine (a track on which Sean Paul is now featured, and is to appear on his next album).

Sean Paul also performed “Watch Them Roll” one of his newer tracks, the video to which has already garnered over 6 million hits on YouTube.

Sadly, Sean Paul left the stage only after about 20 minutes. Leaving patrons who paid the $25 admission fee scratching their heads and milling to the door. After all it was 2 o’ clock in the morning.

According to tropicalfete.com Paul’s next album titled “The Next Thing” is scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2009.