ash magazine: beauty, music and pop culture

On Sunday, I was listening to Hot 97 and I was listening to a song that I really liked. It talked about the hard times of three young girls go through, and Mary J. Blige was singing the chorus, definetley bringing the emotion to the song. While listening, I though the person who was rapping sounded like Ludacris, but then I thought, No, its not him, it must be Common or a new rapper, from what I’ve heard those lyrics are too deep for him. But In fact it was Ludacris, and I was shocked. This song has such a good message for hip-hop when about 90% is everything is about beefs with other rappers and how many women they’ve slept with. This song has depth too it, and I admire Ludacris for putting this song as his second single to hit airplay and not a hidden track or a song that gets lost with the others that didn’t make the cut. I also like Ciara’s new single ” Promise”, i like the beat, and she’s singing it higher vocal ranges than her regular tone. I’ve also seen the video, which is very sexy,  Lil Bow Wow should be slappin’ himself right now for dumping her.

I was listening to Hot 97 with DJ envy last week when I heard Amerie’s new single “Take Control“. I have her first two albums “All I have” ( My fave songs from that album are : Why Don’t We Fall in Love, Got to be there, Float, I just died) and “Touch” ( My fave songs are : All I need, Not the Only One and Talkin‘ About). I kinda like her new single, but it has more a club beat and I like her songs that are more easy-listening, more R&B. I also like the message of John Mayer’s new song ” Waitin’ on the World to Change” I definetley relate to that song, and I’m glad its on Z100. I know I talk alot about this station but its a mainstream station and certain artists I like aren’t heard on Z100 and if they are, their song has been edited or they only have one hit song from the mainstream artists but in their own genre of music their producing new singles and CD’s every year. I also heard that Scarlett Johanson is going to be realeasing an album next year, I love her as an actress (i.e. Ghost World, The Perfect Score, In Good Company) but I don’t know…I’ll have to see it to believe it.

The new Pussycat Dolls single is ” Wait A Minute” featuring Timbaland. I have their CD titled “PCD” it is a great combination of Dance/good vocals/ and great beats. I even have the cd from that other group Nicole Shirczenger was in…Eden’s Crush ( I loved that TV show!). I know I don’t need an Ipod for their new song but there are some artists out there are growing on me. I remember seeing them for the first time on Christina Aguilera’s Diary on MTV, when she performed with them and with Carmen Electra. Fort Miner’s ” Where’d you go” was a breakout hit, winning the first ever MTV Ringtone award at the 2006 VMA’s. I like Snow Patrol’s ” Chasing Cars” is really good, they kinda remind me of ColdPlay, which is always a good thing. I also like RBD’s “Tu Amor” until listening to 1840 with Ryan Secrest, I didn’t know there was a girl in the Band as well as the guy who sings the lead vocals (and they used to date!).

I first heard Beyonce’s new song, “Irrecplacable” on Power After Hours w/ Cherry Martinez and her “Sexy In the City” show. She plays mostly love songs (i.e. break-ups, make-ups, let’s get married kind of songs). I didn’t even know it was Beyonce until she said it was from her album B-Day. Its been getting great reviews from every radio station, Z100 has only been playing Deja Vu and not her more hip-hop songs like Upgrade U- featuring Jay-Z and Ring the Alarm (i.e. I loved her performance at the VMA’s of this song, especially the choreography). Since Irreplacable sounds more like Pop music, I knew that people at Z100 would love it. On to more rock music… I’ve always been sort of a fan of Nickelback, meaning i’ll listen to their music on the radio but I won’t actually buy their album however, their new single “Far Away” just might make me do it. I like their other single ” Photograph” and I have ” How you remind me” as from one of the “Now…” CD’s. They’re another band from Canada that I like (i.e. Sum 41 and the girl band Lillix). I also like Blue October’s “Hate Me”, i like the message of the song( a person who is dealing with his addiction to alcohol and the woman who helped him get clean) but what i don’t get is the ending, is it people singing happy birthday, is it a party, it sounds really weird