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In 2003 the artist who captured our hearts with tightly cleaned long braids and a boyish yet sexy female style came out with an album that had tracks such as heartburn, you don't know my name, and such much more amazing hits gave us a little bit of all markings of music history in areas of classical, r & b, rock-n-roll, and rap all put together to form amazment in her poetry of words.

This artist was the Miss Alicia Keys and she is still so amazing at how she mixes in so many markings of musical sounds giving rhythm and blues a new different beat to their drums. In 2003 when I heard this album I knew it would be a hit and the hits have kept coming from her in her recent albums since the one in 2003.

Well, Miss Keys is going to do it again with her new, upcoming album in the fall of 2009 or winter of 2010 and when it does hit the shelves of music stores all over it will be a succcess I promise that for she is a genius poet who knows how to bring music to the people making us not only feel it but see it also with our eyes, and I can't wait.

SonikBoom Productions is a company hailing from Solomons, MD, but coming to you live from Baltimore. Helming the music production company is Cali, a woman too gifted to get anything less than your undivided attention, and a moment of your ear’s time. Our interview with Cali (below) should be of special interest to all of the jazz/smooth R&B artists and fans out there, if that’s not your taste, don’t be dissuaded, SonikBoom Productions has a little bit of everything for everyone.

EK: How long have you been in the music industry?
Cali: Depends on what part of the industry you’re talking about. Yes, I have jokes. As an artist producing music 2 years. As a musician, since I was 2.

EK: How would you define your style?
Cali: Jazzy, Urban, Fusion, Atmospheric, R&B, Ambient, with a touch of Neo-Soul (chords)

EK: What or Who inspires you to make music?
Cali: You know what? It’s in me. I’m been playing the keyboard and organ by ear, ever since I was 2. It has always been in me, I don’t know where it comes from, but I know how it got there. It’s a gift. We’re all born with a gift, mind just happens to be creating and playing music.

EK: Who are some of your influences?
Cali: Wow, Chick Corea, Blue Six, Acoustic Alchemy, Patti Austin, Phil Perry, Royksopp, EWF, ELO, The Rippingtons, The YellowJackets, Stevie Wonder, Najee, Norman Brown, Art of Noise, Ella Fitzgerald, George Duke, KEM, Musiq Soulchild, Lalah Hathaway, Queen, Quincy Jones, even Bach (Air to G).

EK: If you could work with any artist right now, who would it be and why.
Cali: Quincy Jones, Royksopp, or Lalah Hathaway. The reason is simple really. It combines Traditional, with the present along with technology. If you still don’t know what I mean, go listen to what they have done, and you will hear what I mean.

EK: Have you worked with other artists? If so, who was your fav and what was the song?
Cali: Unfortunately, no. Now, that’s not saying I’m not available and open to working with others. I’m always looking for serious minded people to collab.

EK: What is your objective in reference to music?
Cali: To create a euphoric mood with my sounds.

EK: Has your music changed since you first begin? If so, how?
Cali: Yes, oh yes. When I first started, my music was very dark. Industrial jungle, if you will. It was almost death like. When you would listen to it, it made you feel like doom and gloom, or hostile in some way shape or form. It just wasn’t me.

EK: Do you have a record label, or are you apart of any music groups?
Cali: No record label. I belong to no one but myself.

EK: Where have you performed?
Cali: I don’t perform, but I have gotten inquires about my tracks for use with groups that do perform. I don’t do shows.

EK: Do you have any upcoming releases?
Cali: Yes I do. The release of my debut CD “JazzticFusoAtmosphericology Vol 1., which is due for release in the Fall of 2009.

EK: What is 1 song you have, that you would like fans to base their opinion of you on?
Cali: Yes actually, my track called Right, Right (Instrumental Version). It’s very laid back, and the bongos will take you away.

EK: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website?
Cali: Many ways, they can go to the website which is www.sonikboomproductions.com and click on the icons on the first page. Or that can go to www.reverbnation.com/sonikboomproductions, or www.myspace.com/sonikboomproductions .

EK: Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge?
Cali: Oh yeah, God, for giving me this gift (remember earlier I said I know where it came from?) My parents for putting me in front of the Keyboard and Organ when I was 2. My husband for his understanding about my late hours. LOL. My Best Friend Alunda for the encouragement to keep going. My Cousin Carroll, who critique every track I made. My extended family and acquaintances. My Twitter peeps, especially Yanadew and DiversEvents.

With life being so hectic, its hard to find the time to just chill, we strongly suggest you let SonikBoom Productions, be your oasis of serenity amidst the chaos...listening to Cali's creations, you dont have to worry about trying to find that time to chill...her music creates it...and it envelopes you. Remember to check out her website! And share your thoughts below.

Okay, technically this song isn't new (its about 10 days old), but I cant get it out of my head, and its so good, that I feel obligated to share it, old or not. If you are not a Ryan Leslie fan, the only excuse you can have is that you haven't heard him yet! Should you be one of those people not-in-the-know, please get familiar with dude, he is insanely talented. I am also posting video below of 2 of his songs I became obsessed with in the past, and the audio to a new joint entitled, "My Gift To The Game". Leave a comment below!

Its Trey Songz, thats all you really need to know. The beat is smooth, and Trey works his magic. If you want to find fault, the weakest link is Drake's part (he just doesnt ooze the amount of sex-y necessary for the track...Luda would have been perfect), but you will be too busy singing the rest of the song to notice. Keep your ears open for Trey's album Ready on August 1st. I'm going to do you a favor and give you the download link...you're going to want to replay it over...and over...and over again.

Release Date: June 9, 2009 (US)
Number of Tracks: 15 (on the Reg Version), 25 (with the 2CD Deluxe Edition)
Number of Tracks worth listening to: 10
Rating: 4 out of 5

The E.N.D. is the Black Eyed Peas' latest studio release since Monkey Business in 2005. According to Will.I.Am, this is a compilation of singles, because "the album is dead" (I completely agree). The album is predictably quirky, funk fused, dance pop. To do pop successfully, you have to have good production (beats) and a catchy phrase. The tracks should not require heavy thinking and should could dance floor ready! Black Eyed Peas have been perfecting this craft since 1998, and if you loved their formula in the past, you will love this album. There are a few misses, such as "Out of My Head" and "One Tribe", but as whole this album is bubblegum pop at its best. It completely understands it was created for the weekend, and it serves its purpose! The best song on the album is of course "Boom Boom Pow", but other standouts are "Ring A Ling", "Party All The Time", and "Electric City". The Deluxe Edition isn't necessary, all the songs you are going to pump are in the regular version. Listen below and comment!

Bottom Line: Soundtrack for the Summer!

Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, is releasing another solo album, entitled cradlesong. The lead single from the album, "Her Diamonds" is already making its way up the charts, check out his performance on The Ellen Degeneres Show in the video below. No word on whether or not "Overrun" will be the second single from his album, but remember where you heard it first! The song is classic-Rob, I am tiring a little of the familar, but it is a good song, not a hit, but a good song.

"The Truth" is another track from Teairra Mari's upcoming album, At This Point. I like this joint, it is a slow, crazy smooth, "I have man troubles" ballad. Ladies, if your man wont/cant/aint handlin' his business, get a glass of wine (a bottle if its that serious), and turn this track up at the house. Hopefully, Teairra will have more songs like this on her album! Im also including my favorite song from her last album, "Phone Booth".

When Busta started making a turn for the worst is debatable, but no one, even his fans debate the fact that the legend has changed. Somehow, whether it is a horrible beat, a lame hook, or just a lazy flow, Busta finds a way to slightly disappoint you on a track. Its enough disappointment to keep you talking about how he changed, but just good enough to make you remember how good he was and still could be. "How You Really Want It" falls along those same lines, the beat is nice (not great..but good), but we get what sounds like would usually be a skit added to the beginning of the song, and then you get a horrible hook. Time to step it up! For all of you new hiphop fans and/or slackers, if you dont know who Jesse West is, educate yourself! Listen to the song below and tell me what you think.

As a bonus, I added Jadakiss "What If" featuring Nas. The Last Kiss is a must have!

Jason Mraz, is back with new music, 1 year after the success of his last album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Each single he releases now is destined to be compared to his third albums, first single, "Im Yours", so unless he manages to match that magic, people will always be a little disappointed. While this latest single , "Try Try Try" is not at that level, it puts Jason's talent for mixing pop, folk, and hip-hop together on display. The tune is catchy and light-hearted enough to have fans singing along in no time. Give it a listen below!

Adrienne Bailon, former member of the girl group 3LW, is trying to make it on her own. If you cant remember 3LW, she was also apart of the now disbanded Cheetah Girls. This is her latest single, and honestly I am on the fence. Is the song hot? Yes. Is the song a banger? I'm not convinced it is, and trust me, she needs a banger to be anywhere near relevant again! The only thing, "This Hot" has going for it, is the cocky female vibe, one line is "...if you get it from me, that means I gave it to you..." (I just realized that you can take that line alot of ways...std anyone?). Listen to the track below and tell me what you think? Is this a comeback?

To prove that we are dedicated to bringing you only the best in music, we are going to do you a tremendous favor and introduce you to Zack Borer, an amazingly talented, unsigned, 25 year old artist out of New York City. It is impossible to listen to his song “That’s The Way” or any song of his for that matter, and not become an instant fan! (Listen to his songs here! Videos are below!) We scored an interview with the man himself, check it out below:

EK: What genre do you consider your work to be?

Zack Borer: The eternal question!!! Ha! I've been answering this question for years, so I think I have a pretty good answer...I am in the pop/rock/funk/soul genre! HA. My aim is to take the traditional singer/songwriter thing, and add elements of funk and groove behind it. I want the song to be the most important thing, but I want people to be able to move to it.

EK: How long have you been in the music industry?

Zack Borer: I have been playing music for many many years. Upon graduation from college though, is when I began looking at the music industry as a career. Over the past year I have been more determined and motivated to put myself in the right position to actually make playing into a sustainable career.

EK: What inspired you to make music?

Zack Borer: There is not one thing that inspires me to make music. The writing process is very spontaneous to me, and inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places. Sometimes it's a life experience I've had, or a tv show I just watch, or even seeing the expression on someone's face sometimes drives me to create music. Once I started writing and performing, I couldn't stop....

EK: Who are some of your influences?

Zack Borer: If it wasn't for my friends and family, and some former band mates from previous projects there is no way I would be where I am today. BUT, musically speaking I have always been influenced by artists who are genuine and real. Ben Harper and Stevie Wonder have always been constants in my development. Recently, I have been influenced by a number of amazing vocalists such as Amos Lee and Martin Sexton.

EK: If you could work with any artist right now, who would it be and why.

Zack Borer: From 2 opposite ends of the spectrum: Ben Harper for his sheer influence on me and his ability to play every genre of music flawlessly, and Justin Timberlake who always seems to be on the cutting edge with sonic arrangements and production.

EK: Do you have a recording label, or are you apart of any music groups?

Zack Borer: I am not. Everything I do comes from me (and a few others on my team). I am a DIY artist through and through right now.

EK: Where have you performed, and do you have any upcoming shows?

Zack Borer: The stage is where I feel most comfortable so I have always been a strong advocate of playing live. I have played up and down the east coast, Canada, LA, but as of now I am playing multiple shows a month in New York City. I always have upcoming shows, the next one being on June 6th at a venue called Ace of Clubs, which is located at 9 Great Jones St.

EK: What are the main themes or topics for your songs?

Zack Borer: I try to write about whatever I'm feeling, but I'd say a major theme of my songs is staying positive through misfortunes. Whether it be heartache or loss, I try to look at situations for what they gave you, not what they have taken out of you.

EK: What is your objective in reference to music? Raise awareness, make good music, enlighten?

Zack Borer: I don't think I have an objective with my music. I'm just a normal guy putting his thoughts on a piece of paper. Hopefully, my experiences can be relatable to someone listening and that something I'm saying can be useful in someone else's life.

EK: Has your music changed since you first begin? If so, how?

Zack Borer: I think my music has definitely changed a ton. I think the longer someone does something, the better at it they become. When I first started writing I wrote in a very impersonal way. I used to think that no one was interested in my experiences, so I would write in deep metaphors, which took most of the emotion out of what i was trying to say. Then, I just got to a point where I said, "I'm laying it all on the line", and I really believe that has sky-rocketed my lyrics, my melody and my delivery. You can't fake it, People definitely see through it. Also, I think I am a student of music, and am constantly discovering new music every day. The more I listen, the more I learn.

EK: How can fans gain access to your music?

Zack Borer: I am all over the internet!
http://www.zackborer.com/
www.myspace.com/zackborer
www.youtube.com/zackborer
www.twitter.com/zackborer
Become my friend on facebook as well!!!!

EK: Lastly, Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge?

Zack Borer: I want to thank everyone who is always there for me. It gets lonely out there as an artist and without my family and friends behind me it would be impossible to stay focused and motivated. Oh yeah, and PB and RB

Here at EK, we believe, its always better when other people help you stroke your ego, so feel free to comment below and tell us how right we are about Zack...(this could work in your favor as well... in the future when you and all your friends, are at a sold out Zack Borer performance, and they try and act like they discovered him first, you can get to smile and say...um no loser (aka non-E.K. blog reader) I been had the scoop!)

Dont forget to check out his latest tracks!

"Dont Stop" will hopefully be on Nina Sky's new upcoming album, The Musical. Overall, it may not be a banger, but its still a good song. The beat seems like it should be a little faster. Part of you wants to all out dance on this track, but you feel a little held back by the slowness of it. Hopefully they will speed it up with the remix. Check out the new song below and tell me what you think! Will the fact that their new songs are half good even make a difference? Are they a distant memory...and this a failing comeback attempt?

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Click here to listen to "On Some Bulls**t" also by Nina Sky.

I believe this was a promo track for their collabo album (I say was because its looking unlikely that we will ever see an album). This track makes you wish there was not so much red tape involved tho. The production on this track rides the thin line between insanely hot and amazingly annoying, which side you fall on really depends on how much of a fan you are of either artist. Wayne does better than his current norm (I feel like I have to grade all his work like that now), but no quotables come to mind. Juelz is...well Juelz... and thats a good thing! Flow-wise Wayne won, lyrics-wise I think Juelz comes out the champion. Listen below and tell me what you think:

This is not an opinion piece; it is indeed a fact that the new and upcoming rappers will be (are) pop-stars. Somewhere, rappers went from featuring R&B singers on the choruses of their tracks to actually singing (or attempting to sing) the R&B choruses on their tracks. My question is who is to blame? Is it the rappers themselves? Are the manufactured personas becoming more generic? Or is it the consumers’ (us the fans) fault? Below are explanations as to why the fault may belong to both groups.

Why the rappers are at fault…
You will find very few rappers (nowadays), who do so for the love of the art form. Most fall into one of following categories: 1. they see it as an escape, a way out of their current situation, 2. They are (former) drug-dealers who need to launder some money, 3. They love the flash of the entertainment business, and this is their way to get a piece of it. I am not going to judge any of the reasons listed, if you fall into any one of those categories, you had a need and you found the solution. What I am saying is that those reasons create a problem, otherwise known as monotony. If every rapper has the same background, the same reasons, you get the same music (they turn to pop because it is a safe bet, pop is immortal!), and as of lately that music has been crap. In the past, before hip-hop became a business, it was an art form (it still is, but that only holds true on an individual basis), a way to express yourself, and the result was a variety of MCs, with different backgrounds, and endless creativity. While your reasons for loving hip-hop may be similar to someone else’s, the odds of them being identical are slim to none. Those who ‘do it for the love of it’ have taken a back seat to those who ‘do it for the needs it fulfills’, and that is partially where the fans are at fault.

Why fans are at fault…
I hear a lot of talk about how influential rappers are, and I have mixed feelings about that idea in general. Rappers only exploit the trends we accept, meaning they can try and bring new styles, but if we don’t accept it, if we don’t follow that style, then guess what happens? To explore the reasoning behind why we have become a society of followers would send me off on a tangent, so I won’t (maybe later). If you want to know why hip-hop/rap is in its current condition, you have to look no further then the mirror (you may want to check out your friends too). Rappers who ‘do it for the need it fulfills’ will bend to whatever the latest trend is, or find another avenue. So, make the new trend, good music! Then, we won’t have to scour the internet for the Rappers who ‘do it for the love of it’. I’m tired of the ‘good for the next 5 minutes’ crap, I want that ‘play it 10 years from now and it still bump’ back!

Well, that was my soap box for the day, leave a comment below and tell me what you think!