A Diva State of Mind

Considering these two went on tour this summer (which was a great concert!) I would’ve expected to see this video sooner.

Today, Jay-Z released the video for his single “Holy Grail” on Facebook. #NewRules. The video is dark and features a few chopped and screwed moments; a nice twist to the song. Check it out!

I love JT’s on this song. If you haven’t seen him in concert, he goes on the 20/20 Experience Wrold Tour this fall!

Ebony Oshunrinde aka WondaGurl is not your average 16-year-old.  She is the producer of “Crown” which is featured on Jay-Z’s latest album Magna Carta Holy Grail.  She didn’t become a producer overnight. The talented teenager learned how to produce beats after watching a video of Jay-Z and Timbaland in the studio when she was nine years old.

When she was 14, Ebony entered Toronto’s Battle of the Beatmakers competition. She made it to the quarterfinals and was eliminated, however she entered the following year and won.  After creating “Crown,” she sent the track to rapper DJ Travis Scott:

“A few days after, he messaged me and said I’m about to change your life. He called me actually and said you’re on Jay-Z’s album and like congratulations. I felt like crying.”

When asked what’s next, Ebony said: “I want to win a Grammy.”  

 

I know that’s right! Congratulations to Ebony on being featured on Jay-Z’s new album. Let this be a reminder to all of us that anything is possible!

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

Photo: Clutch Magazine

Last night during Jay-Z’s Samsung commercial, Vivi stated on twitter “I need Jay’s ‘Go Home!’ shirt. ASAPtually.” I thought I would search online to see if I could find it because I was wondering where he got it too!

Jay-Z’s “Go Home!” sweatshirt is by Surface to Air x Aaron Young. The 100% cotton sweatshirt features a ribbed crew neck, ‘Go Home!’ front dripping graphic, long sleeves, and a ribbed hem.

The sweatshirt is $170 and available at Farfetch. Either this is a hot item or very exclusive because there are only two left in each size!

What do you think? Would you wear it?

I got on twitter during the NBA Game 5 Finals and saw someone tweet about Jay-Z making an announcement at 9:15 pm.  I am here for anything Jay-Z has to announce. Not only is he a great artist, but he has gotten it right when it comes to corporate partnerships so I knew it was going to be big!

Through a 3 minute commercial that included Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Rick Rubin and Pharrell (can we say musical geniuses!), Jay-Z announced he’d be dropping a  new album next month, Magna Carta Holy Grail. Since he has a partnership with Samsung, 1 million copies will be available for FREE to Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 users on July 4th via the Magna Carta mobile app. This means, Samsung users will be able to download his album 72 hours before it is released.

Through this deal, Jay-Z’s album has already gone platinum. Samsung is paying $5 for each album that will be available for free. That’s right ladies and gentleman, Jay-Z made $5 million before anyone has heard one lyric off the new album!

Jay-Z has been one to watch if you want to learn a thing or two about expanding your brand. Not only is he a hip hop artist, but he is linked to a record label (Roc Nation), sports agency (Roc Nation Sports Agency), a clothing line (Rocawear) and some of the most visible corporations including Budweiser and Samsung.

I’ll take a class on marketing and corporate sponsorships from Jay-Z please!!

Check out http://www.magnacartaholygrail.com/ for more information about the album and the Samsung mobile app.

Jay-Z & Kanye West have released the visuals for one of the best song (and my favorite) off their Watch The Throne album.  The video is a dramatic one, showing a tense situation between rioters and police officers; a strong presentation of the chaos we’ve seen all over the world in the past year.

Check it out!

Source: Island Def Jam

Jay-Z  and Kanye have taken over the charts with their new album Watch The Throne.   They recently released a video for the first single off the album “Otis.” The video isn’t anything too over the top, just Ye and Jay looking like they are having a good time chillin and riding around in a Maybach!

Get More: JAY Z and Kanye West, Music, More Music Videos

 

Now I actually like the song, but can someone please explain to me why Kanye is screaming like that at the end of the track?!? To me it sounds like a bunch of noise, but I was told it is artistic. If that’s the case, then I guess I just don’t get it!

Video bonus: The Maybach in the video will be offered up for auction and proceeds will be donated towards the East Africa Drought Disaster!!! Love it!

I went to Alero on U street the other night and while I was sitting at the bar waiting for my homegirl, an older man walked up to me and starting talking.   Now I was in a good mood that night so I wasn’t going to be rude; I have no problem having a conversation with someone.  The older guy asked if I had a boyfriend, and I lied and said yes.  Most men would’ve walked away after that, but not this one.  He even told me if we ever went out for drinks and I got tipsy, I could stay at his place around the corner!! WHAT??!!

And this isn’t the first time I’ve been approached by an older guy.  The metro is a great place for bus drivers and business men to approach you and give you their number.   To be clear, older doesn’t mean 30 years old.  We’re talking about 40+. I like to call them “old enough to be my dad or an uncle.” GROSS!

Now according to the Clutch Magazine article The Politics of Dating Older Men, today’s Black 20-something female digs older men. Well I DON’T!!!   What am I going to have in common with someone who was born when Motown was running the music industry?  While he wants to two step I’m still trying to drop it low.

I don’t know what it is about older men chasing us 20-something year old women; well yea I do, they want some arm candy and think 20-something women are seeking older, more mature men.  While mature and level headed is nice, do I really look like I want to date a 45 year old man? Seriously…I’m not the one!  

Where are the male 20 something year olds? I know there are some good looking, mature, intelligent men closer to my age!  Why can’t I seek their attention? Well the better question to ask is, why can’t I seem to find 20 something year olds I’m attracted to? I get attention from men of my generation, but I’m still seeking that mutual attraction.

 They say “age is just a number.” I’ll agree with that statement in terms of mentality.  If you’re an older man but feel young, that’s great, but that doesn’t mean all of us 20 something year olds want to talk to you because you think you can keep up!  Jay-Z said 30’s is the new 20, not 40, 50, and 60.

What about you? Would you date a guy 15+years your senior?

ABSOLUT teamed up with Jay-Z to create this 15 minute documentary following Jay-Z as he releases his new album Blueprint 3 and prepares for his September 11th benefit concert in NYC at Madison Square Garden. Check it out!!!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6zVR0SgSOM

So I went to the Jay-Z concert on Tuesday. HOV was in the building!! I was sooo excited to actually see him live. It was definitely a great concert. But my experience was almost overshadowed by the fact that the concert was in Baltimore!!

Talk about a different scenery from DC. For a second, I thought I was in Pittsburgh (bad outfits, bad weave!). Girls showed up in short dresses and 4 inch heels; struggling to walk to the stadium in the rain. Isn’t this a rap concert??? Believe me; Jay-Z is not going to see you in your club outfit while you’re dancing in the 306 section. Plus, he has Beyonce so he definitely isn’t looking at you!

And then there was the weed. Who knew it was ok to smoke weed in the arena!!! Ol boy behind me said he was waiting for the right Jay-Z song to come on so he could blaze. This was after he said “I’m not trying to get the swine flu. That’s why I don’t share my blunts with no one” WHAT??? (I digress). But anyway, I almost got high from second hand smoke while I was trying to jam to “Empire State of Mind.” On top of that, the Mariner Arena was old, dingy and felt unsanitary. Can we go back to the Verizon Center please?? Maybe I’m just bourgie, but I was reminded on Tuesday why Baltimore is not part of the DMV!