Robin Thicke and John Legend and White on White Crime

Greetings Peeps,
It’s been a minute but I’m back hopefully it will be more constant with the blogging, I know all 2 of the people who read my blog are patiently waiting on my words and musing about music. I’m going to talk about Robin Thicke’s and Jon Legend albums. Before I start, wasn’t the election historic? I can’t believe in these days and times we have an African American President, congrats President Obama. It’s a shame that people just hate the fact that we have a person of color in the white house, some of our so our called friends are really showing their true feelings which is a shame we hide behind our racism because you don’t like a person because of the color of their skin. Anyway before I get to preachy, I’ll stop and say that we have to coexist so we have to live with each other regardless.

Anyway on to Robin Thicke! I’m hearing from some of my peeps out in cyberspace that he has a beef with Jon B. Hey!!!!! What is this beef about you ask? Well word has it that Jon B. is feeling like Mr. Thicke is copying his style and I quote this from my peeps at http://www.allhiphop.com/

AllHipHop.com: Well I do see some similarities in both of your careers. You worked with Tupac and he’s worked with Lil’ Wayne.

Jon B.: Yeah and he’s worked with 50 Cent too. He did a video with 50 Cent. To me it was redundant for him to say, I just don’t want somebody to jump on my album at the last minute and look good next to me singing. That’s so corny to me, bro.

Then in the same breath wants to work with him on a song……

And I quote from Mika at http://theneptunes.org/jon-b-wants-to-collaborate-with-robin-thicke/

So you want to work with Thicke?

JB: Oh without a doubt I want to collaborate with Robin Thicke.

So you are a fan of the music?

JB: Oh no doubt! That’s MY lane! That’s how I grew up. That’s my area, it’s not about THE music, that’s MY music. That’s the same school that I study. Those Marvin riffs, those are the same riffs I do. That’s ok cause that’s Marvin. We are paying homage. Marvin just continues sometimes, it’s involuntary. I feel like a kindred spirit to people sometimes. I want the world to know this is soul music.

Uh-OK sounds like JB is either confused, or he is really a fan of Robin Thicke. Hey the way I see things if he hasn’t done anything to my family, or me I’m not worried about you! Personally I like both of them I’m a fan, maybe Jon B. is a fan as well. If he is good for him. Let’s stop the white on white hate! LOL I know it was a badass joke but hey I try with the funnies.

Robin Thicke – Something Else (Star Trak/Interscope)
This is Robin Thicke’s 4th studio album, yes-4th studio album! Google it! This album seems like a continuation from his last album Evolution of Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope) the classic R&B Ballads reminds you of what soul music used to be back in the 70’s. Gems like “Magic”, which is strictly a R&B tune geared towards sales in pop world and the song talk about Magic, chemistry between 2 people between the sheets. The second single “The Sweetest Love” is a ballad again the song is talking about how sweet his love is to wife Paula Patton, if you don’t know who she is she was the love interest for Andre 3000 in Idlewild. To some of my peeps that are vocalists might disagree about the vocal skills, maybe he doesn’t have vocal range as some of the other R&B counterparts, but he does have skills. The most compelling song on the album is “Dreamworld” where he talks about his dreamworld,
”I would tell Van Gogh that he was loved, there's no need to cry I would say Marvin Gay your father didn't want you to die (dream) There would be no black and white, the world just treat my wife right We could down in Mississipi and no one would look at us trice
This is my Dreamworld.”

Overall this album is good, he has some disco songs, put on the disco gear and get down! Overall this is a Classic R&B album, which will take you back to the 70 and reminisce about the good old days of soul.


GRADE – B+
SONGS TO CHECK OUT
Magic
Dreamworld
Sweetest Love
Tie My Hands feat. Lil Wayne



John Legend – Evolver (G.O.O.D. Music/ Sony Urban)

John Legend’s 3rd studio Album, Evolver takes a different turn as far as his album history goes, the lead single, “Greenlight” feat. Andre 3000 John tells MTV the theme behind the song,

“The song is simple. It's just me trying to pick up a girl at a club and convince her to come have some fun with me. [The video] definitely has that story line in it, but we just take it kind of different places to do some unexpected visual things. We have this surreal kind of dance sequence, and it features synchronized swimmers and showgirls. We just throw a little extra twist on it. We wanted to mix a current, modern feel with an old-school, classic Hollywood feel because the song has kind of a big-band quality to it as well as a more modern dance-song quality. We wanted to mix the two different parts."

There you have it, if you haven’theard the song already, check it out, because it is a very catchy tune and the best song off of the album. The second single, “If You’re Out There” features the Agape International Choir and was inspired by President Obama presidential campaign. Matter of fact, it was performed live at the Demorcratic National Convention in Denver August 25th 2008, worth listening to.

One song that left my head scratching was, “No Other Love” feat. Estelle. It’s a reggae influenced tune which isn’t something he normally does, some of you might like it some of you won’t, me personally I’ve heard better from John and Estelle. He also has a collaboration with Brandy worth checking out called, “Quickly” maybe she’s on the album because she has a album coming out I dunno, but it’s a good look for her.

Overall Evolver was it’s ups and downs, but worth checking out in the longrun check it out and let me know what you think about it.

GRADE – B
SONGS WORTH CHECKING OUT-
Green Light
If You’re Out There
Good Morning
It’s Over feat. Kanye West
Quickly feat. Brandy

Shout out to Caliente Rodriguez! She harassed me until I told her I would give her a shout out so there you go!

Let me know what you think hit me up at markiethsmith@gmail.com