Hardcore U.S. Rapper samples gay europop.

Exactly what it says on the tin.

Having a slight R'n'B/Hip Hop leaning, i do enjoy the more commercial sides of the genre, i have to say. With 'Live Your Life' rapper T.I. has teamed up with the women of the year (Rihanna) and created a brilliant Hip Hop record based on a cheesy camp pop hook from O-Zone. For those of you who forgot this annoying song from the Moldavians that irritated many and sent joy through others during 2004 I have linked it below.....for comparative purposes, obviously.

Now i was never a fan of that song, but T.I. has taken the record and made it his declaration that we should just live our life. End of. I mean, the lyrics hardly break new ground, but still the message will resound. He hands Rihanna an addictive chorus, that makes excellent use of her out of space vocals, which takes place over a military beat - again nothing new in Hip Hop. It is, bizzarely, the sample that ends up making the song a revelation.

2008 has been an even better year than 2007 for the Barbadian, with 3 US number 1's (including this effort) and an album that is turning into something of a 'Thriller' for the Facebook generation (if for the mere blatant multiple single releases and epic videos alone). For she is the true star of this record, whilst most of her contemporaries shout and scream about how amazing they are (hello Beyonce, Justin), or ensure that their private lives are splashed across every imitation of Heat your money can buy (please stand up Britney), Rihanna, as a person, seems to fly under the radar of public: general, but the music she is involved in is slowly seeping into popular culture and could well be the sort that in fifteen years time is lauded......Who knows?!

Anyway here is the song, and here is the sample.....enjoy at your peril?!



T.I. ft Rihanna Live Your Life
Uploaded by thunder12051988

O Zone - Dragostea din tei
Uploaded by djoik

The Promise I made?? hmmmmm

Initially i was going to write a glorified piece about how brilliant this week was turning out to be for Girls Aloud. It occurred to me that 'The Promise' (which is more than likely going to be Number 1 on Sunday) would be their forth Number 1, yes, but there first without 'a gimmick'. No culmination of a reality TV show, no Children in Need, no Comic Relief, no Sugababes. This would, for me, be the first PROPER Number 1 for the band. A Number 1 based on the quality of the song rather than some other highly influential extrinsic medium.

Then it dawned on me, this could quite possibly be the band's MOST gimmicky release to date. What with Cheryl riding high from the X Factor, the girls performing on the show and the obvious stylised nods to the sixties effect that has been sweeping Britain post-Winehouse, post-Duffy. Is 'The Promise' the biggest sell out of their career? Whilst one cannot deny the catchings of the hook, or the continued high standard quirky lyrics, i still find myself pinning for the mixed reception of the epic Sexy! No No No or the lacklustre chart performance of Long Hot Summer. Is this the way AC/DC fans felt when everyone started to wear the band's T-Shirts?

Don't get me wrong i LOVE Girls Aloud, but i think i loved them more when everyone else didn't. Saying that, i am pleased they can still get Number 1s. I just hope that if Cheryl does decide to go her own way that the band will carry on. Like i said before, for me the band is really all about Nadine. I watched a bit of the Chemistry Tour DVD yesterday and she really is phenomenal.

Here come the Girls indeed!

The Autumn to Winter music season 2008 looks set to be dominated by female acts. Fact. Currently sitting pretty at the top of this week's chart is Pink with her single 'So What', the mid weeks are pointing to Girls Aloud's fourth number one single and the X Factor is being dominated by Cheryl Cole's 14-24yr old Girl category.

That's not the half of it. Some of my favourite songs of the year are being released soon.

Alesha Dixon has comeback with an absolute corker in the shape of 'The Boy Does Nothing', whilst Beyonce replicates 'Irreplaceable' with one side of her new double a-side 'If I Were a Boy', and finally Britney and Christina has upped their games and released potenital chart toppers.

I also got the new Sugababes album this week, and i have to say i think it's their best album since 'Three'. Whilst there aren't the immediate tracks in the vain of 'Hole in the Head', 'Red Dress' and 'Freak Like Me', the album as a whole fits together better than any of the previous releases. There is definate sound that is consistant throughout the whole collection. Something i don't think they've had since the early days of 'One Touch'.

Strictly Come X Factor....Tonight

So it's the start of the X Factor live shows tonight.

This is by far my favourite part of this show, because it's the part when they get good.
I, unlike the rest of the nation, hate the auditions shows with all the contrived and pre-meditated shockingly bad performers.

It's the good ones i like.

My favourite, for this year, at the moment has to be Alexandra Burke.
But i like all the girls in Cheryl's category this year.

As for the others, i think i'm going to say Ruth, from the Overs. I always like the ones that don't have too much exposure, and i hope that she really pulls out some knock out performances to secure herself in the competition

I think Louis will be the first to loose an artist, as the groups just seem useless to honest, however i am more than willing to be suprised by them!

Oh god and whats the bet Austin cries again.....

As for BBC1 it's the girls turn on Strictly come dancing and i really like most of them to be hinest. Jodie Kidd and Christine from the One show are my top two though. Not keen on Lisa Snowdon, she seems a bit cocky. She can go please!

I Love You?!

I found out about this song on popjustice.com (only the best source of pop music on the net) and literally have listened to it 15 times in one day.......it is such a groooooooooower

Frankmusik - 3 Little Words.

Listening to the song one expects him to be some kind of Sam Sparro - Mika - Jake Shears hybrid, what you get however is more like The Streets or the Goldie Lookin Chain.

The video however is rather wonderful....now who wants to play with those massive piano fingers?!?

If i were.....well i am a boy!?!

Beyonce's new song has already been B listed on the Radio 1 playlist, if you were expecting another botty shaking beauty, then unfortunately you will be only slightly disappointed.

'If I Were a Boy' is guitar lead half mellow, half melodrama...it takes a few listens, but i'm getting slightly hooked.


can't embedd....but follow the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOuFQ1JJV4I&ytsession=yRm6QTSauakhOcoA1-Pkp7cqKfbK8i6OSUavzVInJYi10NYuh9OUepGE30MGGNy76H6AJYSsjAbLYfLdmGfoqZi2MwA_np7OGgx-qGAKJHoXt_aTaa1voHEj9wNm9WLH1qt1DNm0VUuBDmEGh_PM_1oAxkTd9Hrs8vSpx2fSkjyi1Uu8E_Vg62poDVBJ5-1NuC23Fk_HXEsAM_ycRgqSsidFkKBRV8QPVT-fruxRNApNrxdb5NFVog==

Sixties Sex Bomb

ermmmm....how amazing does Nadine look in the new Girls Aloud video?

I know everyone is going Cheryl mad at the moment with The X Factor and all, but seriously Nadine is the glue that holds the band together.

If Girls Aloud spilt up Cheryl may have a successful career in TV, but Nadine will surely have the solo career.

If you need further evidence, her performance on 'Fields Of Gold' from Popstars the Rivals is mind blowing. Best reality performance ever.....it's deffo up there.