As you all must know by now, I'm a HUGE 90's music fan and although the musical draught I've been feeling since 2004 seems to be coming to an end and I'm finally starting to enjoy 'newbies' music (any artist/song after 2002/3), the 90's will always have my heart.
A while ago I wrote a post about my favourite artists promising to follow up with my favourite bands (all from the 90's and late 80's of course!). Well here is my promise fulfilled (albeit nearly 3 years later!).
A time before internet and social media detectives *side eye*, watching music videos to learn song lyrics and choreographies was one of the most enjoyable childhood activities to partake in. Musician's gained fans by how amazing their videos were and they did not disappoint. I know that in this day and age, where HD videos can be produced on your phone, these videos may appear to be poor quality but understand that in the 90's these were simply AMAZING! Standing on a ceiling? Whoa?! I am a HUGE Spice Girls fan and the high kick in this video embedded 'Say You'll Be There' into my heart.
The kids (people born in the late 90's and later) probably don't know that Justin Timberlake was part of a great band called N*Sync but my bestie and I have reenacted their songs and choreographies many a time over the years during our girls night ins; 'Bye Bye Bye' is definitely our party trick! Lol!
Although the Spice Girls have the number 1 spot in my heart, at 1.01 there is Destiny's Child. I've loved DC through their band member changes (I recently had to give my not so little brother a history lesson on DC since he didn't know there were originally 4 members) but this video will always be my favourite. LaToya's face + Kelly's hair + LaTavia's attitude + Beyoncé's ad-libs = Destity's Child perfection!
You can't discuss 90's choreography without including Dru Hill, they gave swag a whole new meaning! As this is a soundtrack video it's definitely not their best but I absolutely love 'How Deep Is Your Love For Me'.
Backstreet Boys were already mega famous but when they released 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)' it became a children's party anthem.
We can't talk about girl bands without mentioning the most iconic of them all, TLC. They broke records with their talent and unconventional style. Also known for great choreography, this song in particular became a favourite worldwide - 'No Scrubs'. Rest in peace Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes ♥
Boyz II Men are synonymous with 'harmonies' and have some of the most beautiful voices I've heard to date. To say I had one favourite song would be lying but here's their most popular song, 'I'll Make Love To You'.
Before Kandi Burruss went on to become a 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star and to write hit songs (she wrote Destiny's Child 'Bills Bills Bills' and co-wrote 'No Scrubs' with band member Tiny who is now also a reality TV star), Kandi was a member of a group called Xscape and although the song 'You're My Little Secret' is trifling as hell, I love it!
Jagged Edge have a great discography but I think everyone will agree that 'Walked Outta Heaven' is R&B gold.
The band Jodeci produced one of the greatest R&B duo's of all time (K-Ci & Jojo for the children in the room) and their song 'All My Life' is an all time wedding favourite.
'Weak' is probably the song that comes to mind when SWV comes up however, 'Can We (Get Freaky Tonight)' featuring Missy Elliott is by far my SWV favourite.
There are no words to express the impact 'Killing Me Softly' by The Fugees had on the summer of '96, you just had to be there.
So there you have it, some of the best bands and songs to grace the Earth. Can you guys tell that I'm greatly missing the days of R&B? Lol! Also, did you notice that all these songs have some seriously 'grown' lyrics? At the time I sang along blissfully unaware of the real meaning behind these songs.
The 90's seem to be making a comeback in both fashion and music but it will never be the same; it's a good thing, some things are better experienced only once.
Hard work equals results. This is what I felt watching HoneyB's video to her latest single 'Up Down'.
Just over a year ago my cousin Honey (yes that's her government name!) told me she was going to translate her vocal gift into success. A few months later she sent me voice notes of songs she had written. Today I'm viewing her first solo video with a single I had previously heard on a voice note.
Honey has always had an amazing voice (no bias!) but we all know that having talent doesn't necessarily mean success. This is where hard work comes in. Achieving your dream is never easy, it takes time, money, sweat, many disappointments and sleepless nights but, once you put that in you get this, physical proof of your potential and the start of your dream becoming a reality.
HoneyB - Up Down
HoneyB & Wasiu Ayinde - Sempe (Remix)
(HoneyB is the daughter of legendary Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal)
Follow HoneyB on Twitter @iHoneyB and like her FB page 'HoneyB'.
Hey guys! I know it's been a while but life has got me so busy! I've missed blogging so much so I'm going to make sure I don't take such a long break from it again.
Anyone that knows me knows that I absolutely love 90's music (as in, I'm obsessed!) so I thought I'd share some of my fave songs with ya'll. It wasn't easy but I managed to narrow it down.
I'm going to start with my favorite female artist of all time, Whitney Houston. She inspired me in so many different ways and I was distraught by her death. The 'My Love Is Your Love' album is still one of my favourite albums and the song with that title is definitely a banger. Rest in peace Whitney ♥
My favourite male artist of all time is Mr. Kelly and selecting one of his many 90's hits is practically impossible however I selected 'You Remind Me Of Something' because I don't think it gets the credit it deserves.
I love rap and Tupac is probably the reason. I remember my uncle used to play his music all the time but due to the explicit nature of his lyrics, 'Changes' was the one that got played most frequently around me. Rest in peace Tupac Shakur ♥
In my eyes Brandy could do no wrong in the 90's, between her musical career and starring as 'Moesha' she really was 'Sitting On Top Of The World'! ♪ I'm just tryna be me, doing what I gotta do... ♪
I won many dance competitions in my youth because of this song, the beat always got me going. The message always stuck with me, 'Mo Money, Mo Problems'. Rest in peace Notorious B.I.G. ♥
This song inspired me to write one of my earliest blog posts, '♪ I don't get down on the first night! ♫'. Monica gave sound advice while sounding amazing on 'The First Night'.
Hip hop hasn't been the same since Missy Elliott took a break but I'm very pleased to hear that she's on the comeback. 'All N My Grill' will forever be a banger.
We can't discuss the 90's without mentioning the queen of R&B, Ms. Mary J Blige. She has an amazing voice and in 'Real Love' her emotions come through as always.
Arguably one of the best collaborations of all time, Brandy and Monica made history with 'The Boy Is Mine'.
Who would have thought that the hoodlum that rapped 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)' would one day become one of the richest rappers in the world and marry Beyonce?
Donnell Jones has a unique way of delivering R&B 'U Know What's Up?' was no different. Hearing this track always transports me back to simpler days. Rest in peace Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez ♥
Usher was destined to be a star, even with that terrible stocking on his head you could tell from 'You Make Me Wanna' that his name would go down in R&B history. (Side note: he still hasn't redeemed himself for the unsatisfactory albums I complained about)
Mariah Carey may have become an annoying diva but the girl can sing and 'Always Be My Baby' is a vocal masterpiece.
Although he converts his pain into great songs, Joe is forever 2nd best in relationships and promises all sorts to become #1 in 'All The Things (Your Man Won't Do)'.
This is my JAM!!! No explanation need, Keith Sweat 'Twisted'.
I can only imagine what Aaliyah's music would be like if she was still here. 'Back and Forth' has a very authentic 90's sound and is still a party starter. Rest in peace Aaliyah ♥
Despite the evasion of taxes, Lauryn Hill is one of the most iconic female artists of all time and 'Everything Is Everything' is one of her many hits.
Last but not least, the undisputed king of pop, Michael Jackson. MJ has hits in every musical era he ever participated in and every song he has ever released has been a jam. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, 'Do You Remember The Time' is one of my favourite MJ tracks and the video is awesome. Rest in peace Michael Jackson ♥
You may have noticed that there were no bands mentioned in this post. This isn't to say that 90's bands didn't produce great music, it was simply because it would make this post helplessly long so I decided to highlight my favourite songs from 90's bands in another post.
While writing this post I realised just how many music icons we've lost in the last decade, it's so sad! I'm just glad they get to live on through their music and through fans like me. May they all rest in perfect peace and may their families be continually comforted. On behalf of me and the rest of the world, thank you for making great music ♥
Have you ever wanted something soooooo bad but it continually seems out of your reach? I'm having one of those times now, where something I want is so close, yet so far.
I'm not a quitter by nature and I hate giving up on things, be it an activity, a person or just the pursuit of those killer heels I just can't find in my size. Many people may see this as a great quality but recently I've had to stop and think "Is it quitting if the thing you want was never meant for you?".
Beyonce's 'Best Thing I Never Had' re-enforces this notion, at the time you are ready to do whatever it takes to have the object of your obsession - "I wanted you bad" - but on hind sight you realize that it wasn't even worth the hassle - "You turned out to be the best thing I never had". The problem is, society teaches us from a very young age that anything worth having is worth fighting for and that giving up is for the weak.
I believe in hope and I think it shapes the way we live our lives, people who fight for things do so in the hope that eventually it will work out. What I have also learned growing up though, is that 'letting go' and 'giving up' is not the same thing. It takes a very strong person to let go of something they were determined to get,even stronger than the person who insists on fighting to obtain it.
So how do you know when to fight and when to let go? Honestly I don't know, I just wish upon a star and hope I get what I want! LOL!
Anyone that knows me knows that I have been a huge fan of Kelly Rowland since she first graced my screen with Destiny's Child (Beyonce stans please sit down!) so I was uber excited when I heard she was going to be a judge on X-Factor UK (I have to specify now that there's a USA version!).
I have never really watched X-Factor but when I heard Kelly was going to be a judge I knew I would be glued to the screen and she has not disappointed me. Unlike the fashion crisis she was clearly going through in 2009/2010, 2011 (or a new stylist!) has brought the style out of Ms. Rowland and she looks absolutely gorgeous on Saturdays.
Hot mess: On the
Graham Norton Show 2009
X-Factor judge 2011
Although her hair stylist still needs to be replaced (I will never understand celebrities with bad hair *cough* Serena & Venus Williams *cough*), her look as a whole is just stunning and her beauty has me mesmerized. We love you Kelly!!!
So Mrs Carter is back and I for one think her new song is an epic fail partly because I love the original 'Pon de Floor' by Major Lazer feat. Vybz Kartel and partly because I think her remix/remake doesn't do the amazing beat justice.
Having said all that, I love what this choreographer Sean Bankhead has done with the track and the dancers, Bad Girls Club, are amazing! (Found it on my fave blog Smart Shoes!)
Beyonce's video for her version is now out and I think that's rubbish too (Beyonce stans I don't want to hear it! *talk to the hand*). This could be because I'd seen the Bad Girls Club tear it up or just because I can't stand her version of the song, either way here's the video so let me know what you think. I must say that I absolutely love the shoes she's wearing when she's on the horse though!
Here's my beloved 'Pon de Floor' for those who haven't heard it.
As a die hard Lil Kim fan I obviously need to add my two cents on the whole #OGNiki saga. For those of you who haven't heard the hype, a 17 year old girl released a video of herself 'rapping' about her sexual encounters.
Now I love rap, I really do, and it really upsets me when these glory hunters decide that the best way to receive attention is via the rap game. Not only are they assaulting our ears with bad flows and dumb lyrics but they are an insult to the rap industry as a whole. OG Niki is no different.
The girl has a few catchy bars but she is by no means a rapper and all of you fools (yeah I said it!) comparing her to Lil Kim or even Trina are either deaf or stupid. May I also highlight here that although they have both done explicit music they had a cheque to receive at the end of the day and that this girl has no such benefits.
The fact that her sex life is so colourful after just a year of sexual activity (the song says she lost her virginity at 16) is nothing to be paraded, if anything it highlights all the things that are wrong in the world today. Only in 2011 can a girl rap about sleeping with 6 men and state that her mum knows in the same phrase and receive anything but a hot slap! In fact, her mum should receive one too!
If I'm honest I don't even think her lyrics bother me so much, it's been done before, but what annoys me is the hype people have made over her lyrical content knowing full well they take part in such activities themselves, the fact that she proudly boasts that her mum knows showing a disgusting lack of respect and that, to top it all off, the girl can't rap or follow the beat!
Moral of the story - get enough hits on Youtube and any crap can make you a household name, I mean look at Rebecca Black! O_o
I was a die hard Usher fan until he came out with his last two albums which frankly were just disappointing. I guess I began to expect nothing but fantastic albums from him (can somebody say '8701'!) so when 'Here I Stand' came out I was devastated at the atrocity he'd had the cheek to release! I thought "Ok, he was going through a phase, give the guy a chance" and put my hopes up for 'Raymond vs Raymond' but once again I was bitterly disappointed (sad times).
So although I no longer have any great album expectations from him, nobody can deny he is a hell of a performer and I really wanted to go to his concert. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance so I did the next best thing - Youtube'd it! Ok so maybe it wasn't the next best but somewhere on that list of alternative options!
ANYWAY I came across this video, it took me a few seconds to realise she was a fan from the audience and I couldn't help wondering if this girl had been practising for this very moment all her life...
I don't know if you guys have heard Bruno Mars' song called 'Grenade' but as a friend of mine nicely put it "Grenade? I wouldn't even catch a cold for you!" LOL!
Don't get me wrong I'm a romantic at heart but as much as I like the idea and the melody of this song I have to agree with Kingsley on this one!
I saw this video a few months ago and I found it totally hilarious. Today I feel exactly like he does so I’m going to state the 15 things that I absolutely can’t stand. In no particular order here goes:
1.Barbies – I’m not talking about the doll (I still go to Hamley’s to see the collector’s display!), I’m talking about these girls who feel the need to transform in the morning! A friend of mine recently described a girl as Pikachu and it is so true! They have these unnaturally red cheeks, foundations that don’t suit their complexion, lashes of an elephant, nails that compete with Wolverine, eyebrows that look like permanent marker pen and they top it all off with lion mane hair!!! The sick joke is that they think they look pretty!!! Are you kidding me??? When’s Ashton Kutcher going to shout "Punk’d"? These same girls then ridicule Lady Gaga! Do they not realise that Gaga looks like a nun compared to them!? Now I know everyone is free to do whatever they want but aren’t there laws against abuse and battery? I feel emotionally and psychologically abused and my eyes are constantly being battered, I think I need a lawyer...
2.Rude children – Don’t you just hate it when a child is rude and disrespectful? And it’s even worse when they have a ‘My child would never...’ parent! People beware, if your child is rude to me I may just have to teach them manners #NoLongTing
3.Big talkers – Talking does nothing but exhaust the Earth’s oxygen supply, want to make a point? SHOW it to me!
4.Underground celebrities – This is the term I use for those people who think they are a somebody because they have thousands of friends and followers on social networks and their Blackberry pin is on Google. Guess what? You’re still a nobody! Maybe if you spent more time making a real impact on the world and spent less time stunting in the clubs you may actually become a somebody and give your life more meaning, just a thought...
5.Excuses – I can’t stand people that constantly make excuses for their actions/circumstances. People have done/been through worse and they overcame so your pitiful excuses for failure is just that – an excuse.
6."Models" – I love me some Jordin Dunn, Cindy Crawford and Alek Wek but I cannot stand this trend where every girl that thinks they look good in a body con dress and is able to borrow Indian hair weave thinks they are a model! Ya’ll are an insult to the industry! Some of these girls have great figures but a great figure and a model’s figure isn't the same thing. Having boobs and a butt doesn’t make you Gisele and if they jiggle then you may want to hit the gym before even displaying such goods. It’s even worse when the girl in question looks like a hippo or a bodybuilder in a dress! Are you taking the piss? Even if your friends lied to you, did the fact that you’re a size 18 slip your mind? Ladies taking a good picture doesn’t make you a model so please spare us the ‘aspiring model’ speech and go find yourself a new trade.
7.Breast displays – I know I've said this before but I’m going to say it again – if you have big boobs they are already in everyone’s face, you do not need to have them falling out your top/dress to prove they are there! It’s just so tacky! Ergh!
8.Fake people – I don’t think I will ever get why people like to act like schizophrenics and display multiple personalities. It’s simple – be you! Why spend precious days in your life pretending to be someone you’re not. If you don’t like someone don’t associate with them; if you are not a ‘baller’ then don’t try to live the lifestyle in borrowed clothes and stolen cash; if you don’t want to be with someone don’t cheat, just let them go and be with who you do want to be with; if you feel your life isn't what you want it to be don’t lie about, it just work at making the life you want. It’s pretty simple to me, I don’t know why so many people find it so hard.
9.Expensive hoes – There’s this new set of women who are as bad as the common hoe but pretend to have class by hiding behind a LV bag bought for them by the highest bidder of their ****. You don’t fool me, a hoe’s a hoe and class isn't a part of the job description #NotInterested
10.Pointless Liars – I know everybody lies in one way or another, whether its white lies, for-the-best lies, spare-your feelings lies, lying by omission or save-my-butt lies but the type I really can’t stand is the for-no-reason lies! There are some people that just feel the need to spin you a story for absolutely NO REASON! These type of liars are normally really bad at it and are not consistent which means it doesn't take much to find them out. My question is always ‘Why?’. If I asked you something or if I cared then maybe I can see why you may feel the need to lie but otherwise what’s the point? To these type of people whenever you feel the urge to chat s**t to me – DON’T!
11.Jack of all trades and master of none – This old school saying describes the headless chickens that are roaming our society. These chickens are trying to be a part of everything all at once and are becoming successful in none. Just a word of advice – focus on one thing, succeed in that field and then go on to the next. What you’re doing now leaves you in waste man/chick category and the ‘I’m so busy’ line isn’t fooling anyone.
12.Classless people – People with no class or sense of decency just generally annoy me.
13.Pretend artists – So many people today want to get in the music industry for different reasons, some have a passion for music, some want a route to becoming a diva, others believe it’s easy money, some just don’t know what else to do with their time and a whole bunch of people just want in on the hype. Can someone please explain to me how they will ever become successful in music if you spend more time talking about ‘making it’ than in the studio? O_o
14.Narcissistic individuals – Some people take statuses and comments to heart just because it happens to coincide with them in one way or another. All I have to say is – no, the world does not revolve around you and even if it did I still wouldn’t be interested. P.S. If I had anything to say to you I’d say it TO you.
15.Obstructive criticism – In other words ‘enemy of progress’. It’s one thing to have an opinion and it’s another to try to discourage someone from achieving something. There’s a common misconception that only girls are bitchy but I have witnessed guys trying to hinder another guys progress. As a friend you should definitely highlight the negative aspects of your friend’s decision (I know I have!) but at the same time if they wanted someone to stop them from succeeding they would turned to their enemies! It can be something as subtle as making a joke at your friend’s expense (bitchy boys I see you!) or all out making them feel stupid with your reaction (girls keep your pencil enhanced eyebrows down!). Instead try to offer some encouragement and a solution to any unrealistic aspects of their plan and then maybe one day when they make it they will acknowledge you as the person that believed in them when nobody else would.
There are so many other things that frustrate me on a daily basis but I figured this post was long enough without them! I may let you know all about the rest another time but that’s all for now :-)
I have spent most of my day on Youtube which is very unlike me but it seems every FB status update and blog had something from Youtube today. Some were a waste of my time and others I found interesting/entertaining so I thought I'd share some of my finds.
Saw this video on one of my favourite blogs (Smart Shoes) and I just had to re-post! Its so true!!! Me and this guy would get along like a house on fire!
A friend of mine has a new video and I thought I'd share it. I'm not usually a fan of UK music videos (Channel AKA previously known as Channel U - need I say more!?) but I think this one is ait and the song is also catchy, what do you think?
These young men also impressed me. It rare to find teens in London who are not ashamed of speaking eloquently and demonstrating they have a brain (don't ask me why stupid is cool *rolls eyes*) but these two not only are able to string a sentence together with correct English but also have interesting topics to talk to their peers about. If only more teens thought like this then maybe we'd have a better London.
I am also a HUGE fan of Lil Kim's and when I heard her Nicki Minaj diss called 'Black Friday' at the end of last year I remembered just how talented she is. Due to the silence after the release I was worried that it was just an underground track and she was going to allow Nicki to continue defacing our screens with her fake butt, mediocre rapping skills and ridiculous impersonations (I didn't mind her till she did the British accent in her 'Moment for Life' video *talk to the hand*) but I am glad that there is now a video which to me indicates she's back in the studio!!! *dances* No words can express how excited I am so I'm not even going to try, just enjoy!
After that song by Usher and Alicia Keys the term 'Boo' became universal, every Sally, Jane and their best friend proudly boasted about their boo. The term somehow indicated that not only was the guy in question your boyfriend but also 'that one person that will always have your heart' and therefore somehow made the relationship seem to have a more 'serious' nature (bear in mind I was in secondary school when the song came out!).
I like reminiscing about the past, either via conversations with friends, looking through old photo albums or just listening to old skool jams (the 90's always get me grooving). I was doing just that when the song started to play. Naturally I was filled with good memories of those days and how much had changed since then and then, in true woman fashion (read Man, I feel like a woman! for details), I started thinking of the true meaning of that song. It's all fun and games when you're in your teens and you call the guy of the moment your boo but according to Usher and Alicia a boo wasn't just the guy/girl you were with at the time, it was the person that you will basically love forever no matter what! Is it just me or is that just a nice way of saying "This person will scar you for life"!?
It may sound a little melodramatic but lets analyse the lyrics - this person is essentially your first real love and chances are you will not end up together (hats off to the married high school sweethearts) but because you had such a great connection with them you will always love them and 'even though there's another man who's in my life'/'another brother's taken over' this boo will always 'see it in your eyes'! Now depending on whether you break up on good or bad terms you may or may not want to remember the person who 'I knew you were the one I could spend my life with' but by the sounds of this song you just don't have a choice in the matter. Depressing or what!?
I had a guy who I always thought was my boo (we never actually dated - long story!) but it turns out I was wrong. How do I know? Well as the song said 'you never see it coming cause you're blinded from the start' and boy did it hit me over the head! I couldn't deny it even if I tried! The song would only make sense with this Mr. X and as much love as I have for my old boo, this boo was the one 'that one person that would...have your heart' (I won't say 'always' till I see my Tacori lol)
However, the realization that the person I had always considered to be my boo wasn't actually the 'real' boo got me thinking - until I get married will I ever really know who my boo is? I mean we can all pick a person and decide they were/are the boo but until we are in our lifelong relationships are we able to look back and really say who it was that really left that boo scar? And where does the boo leave your lifelong partner? Since the boo 'will always have your heart' what are you giving them? I'd hate to think everyone marries their second best because, as much as you loved the boo, they weren't right for you so you chose a person who you loved less but ticked all the boxes. And are they always going to have to compete with the love/connection/chemistry you had with your boo? Doesn't seem fair to me. I'd hate to bump into my husband's ex and witness the 'it's still in your eyes...I know we haven't seen each other in a while but you will always be my boo' part of the song! Boo doesn't seem like such a nice title any more huh.
As I said in my previous post I guess I'm just becoming a woman and therefore these little things are having an enhanced meaning but the same way B.I.G's 'One more chance' was just a party tune as a child and became something entirely different as an adult, the song 'My boo' now symbolises something different to me, more of a bitter-sweet situation than just a high school related jam.
Whatever the weather though, we cannot deny a good collaboration when we see/hear one so thumbs up to Usher and Alicia Keys for making a track that gets us screaming "Tuuuuuunnnnnnneeeee" every time we hear it!
