TRU SOL: REAL R&B IS BACK!

"Open Up Your Hearts To Tru Sol."  That is the motto of this four member R&B group hailing from Jersey City, New Jersey. The group is made up of members: Notez, Vocalz, Teddy B, and Mello. In  today's music, while the true R&B sound is fading away, this group succeeds in preserving that famous "90's R&B sound,"while adding their own imprint into the genre. They look up to groups such as Boyz II Men, Jagged Edge, Jodeci, and Dru Hill. They also like the current day artists such Neyo and Musiq Soulchild.

Tru Sol has opened up for famous acts such as Keith Sweat, Next, and Silk.  They have done numerous local shows in New Jersey and New York.  The group has a five song EP out called "Worth Tha Wait,"  and is currently working on its full-length album entitled, "Love Therapy," due later this year.  I have their first EP and I am anxious to see how much growth they have shown between projects.

Tru Sol opening up for Keith Sweat in Jacksonville, FL

When I listen to them they remind me of a true R&B group.  Most people in the genre today, are individual acts, and many of them are watered down with commercial material.  I respect Tru Sol for sticking to what they believe in and attempting to revive the true essence of R&B.  They have come from singing in malls and NYC subways to opening up for celebrities.  I would like to see the grind payoff for them.


The upcoming album, "Love Therapy," is lead by two singles.  The first single was "Chocolate Sweet," followed by "Gotta be Love."  Their first EP "Worth Tha Wait," can be found on Itunes, Rhapsody, and at Amazon.com.  If you haven't heard them sing you can catch them on youtube.com/trusoltv and youtube.com/teddyb78.  Be sure to follow them on twitter @tru_sol and friend them at facebook.com/trusolmusic.  Their next show is on July 23rd at the Harlem Book Fair in New York.  If you're in the area be sure to check them out! Stay tuned.  This group is on their way!

TRUEBLOOD: SEASON FOUR, EPISODE ONE RECAP!

Many people have been waiting impatiently for Trueblood to return for season four and it didn't disappoint. HBO on demand had the first eight minutes of the episode previous to its premiere and that just made the anticipation even worse.  Season three left us with a lot of questions.  Where did Sookie go?  What are Bill's real intentions?  How long will Russell Edgington be trapped in cement?  As usual Trueblood left us with a cliffhanger.

Sookie

When Sookie leaves the "Faerie Land," she thinks she has only been there for a short time, but soon realizes after her house is sold, she has been gone for a little over a year.  Many thought that Sookie had been killed after not being heard from for so long.  At first it doesn't specify who has bought the house, but we later on found out that it was Eric.  As REAL Trueblood fans we know that a vampire cannot enter a human's home without an invitation.  Eric, claiming that he knew Sookie wasn't dead bought her house knowing that she would return.  Now that he is actually the owner of the house he claims that Sookie is now "his,"and no longer needs an invitation to enter.

Toward the end of last season it was revealed that Lafayette's "male friend" Jesus was a witch.  He wants Lafayette to go see another witch.  Lafayette is terrified once she reveals that he knows a man named Eddie, a vampire that he dealt with in season one.  She even begins to speak in Eddie's voice which further scares him.

Jason is now officially a cop.  He is still taking care of Crystal's family.  Jason as we all know is the most naive person on the show.  For some reason he is hit in the head and locked in an empty freezer.  I believe they will attempt to "turn" Jason into whatever they are.

New Look Tara

Tara has moved to New Orleans.  She is now involved in some type of UFC fighting.  I believe this is the perfect venue for her to let out her constant frustrations.  She said at the end of last season that she needed a change and to get away from all of the Supernaturals in Bon Temps.  The most surprising part of the new Tara is that she is involved with another woman now.  I guess she got tired of all the obstacles she has had with men in the past.  In New Orleans she is known as "Toni" in an attempt to hide her identity.

I'm excited to see what this season will be like.  From what I am hearing, witches have power of the dead, which means they now have power over vampires.  This will be an interesting twist because that would make them vulnerable.  This new witch I believe will control the season much like MaryAnn did in season two. Jessica looks to be up to no good early on.  Hoyt will have his hands full shortly. This is the best show on television bar none!  Add your thoughts in the comment section, and your predictions as well!

BET AWARDS: RECAP AND HIGHLIGHTS

Mary J. Blige

I really enjoyed the BET awards tonight. I must admit I did miss an hour of the show because of the season four premiere of Trueblood.  The show started off with a performance by R&B legend Mary J. Blige.  She performed a few of her old hits.  She also brought out Anita Baker and they sang her classic song "Caught Up in the Rapture."  Finally, she brought out Jadakiss (one of my favorite rappers) and they performed her new song. She started the show with great energy and really got it off on a good foot.

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart was the host of the awards and during the pre-show he stated, "Nobody is safe tonight," so I was looking forward to seeing what he was going to do.  He came out with his "kid fraternity" and they did a few dances.  It was hilarious, because he wasn't much taller than they were.  Once the kids left the stage he told a few jokes about stars in the audience. (Diddy, Neyo, and Busta Rhymes to name a few).  Later on he annouced a skit called "The Real Husbands of Hollywood,"this skit also included Nick Cannon, Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, and Bobby Brown. He was a terrific host.  I would love to see this as an actual show!

The cast of the Five Heartbeats came out in suits as they performed "Nights Like This," with the help of After 7.  Robert Townsend spoke after and said that they were celebrating the 20th anniversary of the classic movie The Five Heartbeats as well.  That was right before the Trueblood season four premiere. (You guys can fill me in with your comments).

Kelly Rowland

I was disappointed that I missed the Chris Brown performance. I know I will see it at some point because BET will play the awards a bunch of times I'm sure.  I like Chris Brown as an artist and I'm glad to see him back on his feet. I'm sure he did his thing and from what I heard Busta performed well on his verse from the song "Look at Me Now."

When I got back from Trueblood (which was the truth) I had just missed Kelly Rowland's performance of "Motivation."  I think that is by far one of the best R&B songs in 2011.

Steve Harvey received the Humanitarian Award.  I want to congratulate him not only because of the award, but because he paved the way for many of the current comedians that we all love today!

Ms. Patti Labelle

The next major award given out was the Lifetime Achievement Award.  It was awarded to Ms. Patti Labelle.  I have a lot of respect for Ms. Labelle.  She reminds me of many women in my family and she is a true legend.  Cee Lo, Marsha Ambrosius, and Pastor Shirley Caesar sang Ms. Labelle's songs to honor her.  Finally, she graced the stage and sang my favorite song of hers: "Love, Want, and Need You." She still can sing with the best of them.

Last performance of the night was performed by Beyonce. She did an okay job, but it was definitely not her best performance.

Overall I thought BET did a solid job with the awards tonight. Again, I did miss an hour, so if I missed any memorable moments good or bad please add them in the comments.  I want to see what you guys thought as well, so comment away!

DOX DIGGLA: A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Dox Diggla is an artist in NJ stirring up a lot of buzz lately.  He has been grinding in this game for some time now and he is finally on the verge of getting his just due.  His latest release, Crills 2 features production from the Heatmakerz, Vertical Jones, and other notable producers.  Also he has features from Avery Storm, Tom Gist, Vertical Jones, Ameer and a few other artists. He is currently working on Crills 3 due later this year and PS3 due this summer, which features another NJ artist by the name of Stress Boogie.

When asked about him signing to label Dox stated, "There are some situations in the works."  I have been an avid listener of Dox Diggla for years, since he went by the name "Paradox."  While his fans patiently wait for a full-length Dox album, he makes it his business to give away free downloads every Monday via his twitter page-@doxdiggla, and on his facebook page at-facebook.com/doxdiggla.  In my opinion Diggla is a "rapper's rapper."  I hope he gets an opportunity to show what he really can do in the game, because he is one of the best lyricists out hands down!

It has been a pleasure getting to know him personally over the last ten years.  He is a humble, hungry, and skilled emcee which I believe is great combination for success.  New York has dominated hip-hop for years, but with Dox Diggla on this side of the river, NJ will be able to claim its spot as well!

ARTISTS I LIKE!

A FEW ARTISTS I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT ARE J COLE, DRAKE, AND ADELE.  J COLE HAS DROPPED SEVERAL MIXTAPES, BUT I AM PATIENTLY WAITING FOR AN ALBUM TO COME OUT!  HE IS A VERY TALENTED ARTIST SIGNED BY JAY-Z'S LABEL ROC NATION.  I HOPE HE KEEPS HIS "EDGE" WHEN HIS ALBUM COMES OUT AND THEY DON'T MAKE HIM TOO "COMMERCIAL" TO FIT IN WITH A LOT OF THE CURRENT ARTISTS THAT ARE POLLUTING THE AIRWAVES.  I THINK HE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE ONE OF THE GREATS, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.

THE NEXT ARTIST IS DRAKE.  HE HAS AN ALBUM OUT ALREADY CALLED "THANK ME LATER." I THOUGHT IT WAS A QUALITY ALBUM.  DRAKE IS A DOPE LYRICIST, WITH A LOT OF WITTY PUNCHLINES.  DRAKE IS ALSO VERY VERSATILE WITH HIS ABILITY TO SING AS WELL.  I PREFER TO HEAR HIM RAP, BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE IS ABLE TO SWITCH IT UP. HIS NEWEST ALBUM CALLED "TAKE CARE" IS DUE LATER THIS YEAR AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW MUCH GROWTH IS SHOWN BETWEEN ALBUMS.  A COUPLE OF NEW SONGS I HEARD FROM HIM RECENTLY AND I LIKE THEM BOTH ARE "MARVIN'S ROOM," AND "DREAMS MONEY CAN BUY."  I SWAY BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHO I LIKE BETTER BETWEEN HIM AND J COLE.

LAST ARTIST I'LL DISCUSS IS ADELE. I AM LATE GETTING INTO ADELE'S MUSIC BUT SHE IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS REGARDLESS OF GENRE.  HER ALBUM ENTITLED "19" IS A CLASSIC ALBUM.  I CAN LISTEN TO IT ALL THE WAY WITHOUT HAVING TO SKIP.  HER ALBUM "21" IS ALSO SOLID, BUT NOT AS GOOD AS THE FIRST ONE.  MY FAVORITE SONGS FROM HER ARE "MELT MY HEART TO STONE," "DAY DREAMER," AND "ROLLING IN THE DEEP."  WITH THIS FAST START TO HER CAREER, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT ELSE SHE DOES!!!