We’ve moved to a new server and have a new look!  And it’s  just in time for our One Year Anniversary month and upcoming mixer event.  Be sure to update your bookmarks and favorites and refresh your browsers.   Click the logo below to go to the All-New All-Different popolio.com.

Image courtesy of Google Search

Unfortunately, we were not chosen “Best Local Blog” in The Austin Chronicle’s 20th Anniversary Best Of Poll.  That honor went to The Austinist for the second year in a row, I believe.  So, congrats out to them.

Now, I’ve only seen the online results which were released yesterday, September 3, 2009.  See the results here.  I haven’t had a chance to pick up my own physical copy.  Hopefully, I can still pick one up and they won’t go so quickly.

I wanted to say Thank You to all popolio.com supporters and to those who voted for us.  Also, to J.W. Richard, Mandrake Arts & Media, and Mandrake Soceity Radio for providing a foundation and continued support.   All I can say is, there’s always next year.  I did think of us as a bit of a dark horse just because we haven’t even been around a year, yet. 

Our birthday is right around the corner, though, and it’s officially on September 15, 2009, but, remember, we’re celebrating with our One Year Anniversary Mixer on the 19th.  Don’t forget the celebration of Mandrake Society Radio’s 5th Season the next day in Dallas.

Again, thanks to all.  I  hope you continue to enjoy popolio and hope you stick with us through Year 2.

Sincerely,

freddie beat
popolio creator/editor

Image courtesy of usps.com

popolio exists under the umbrella organization of Mandrake Arts & Media.  popolio is the latest addition to Mandrake Arts & Media.  Before popolio, Mandrake Arts & Media consisted of  Mandrake FM (which is currently being re-worked) and Mandrake Society Radio.

In conjunction with popolio’s One Year Anniversary Mixer in Austin on Friday September 18, 2009, (see the flyer here and read the press release here), we are celebrating Mandrake Society’s Radio’s 5th Season with an event in Dallas the very next evening, Saturday, September 19, 2009. 

Part of the idea with the Dallas event is to have it occur in the midst of the Pride festivities in D-Town.  Here are the details for Dallas’ event.

We will have live music at both events.  Austin-based Phil Dutra will be representing in the ATX while NYC artist Tim Dillinger will hold it down in D-Town.  Check Phil’s MySpace Page here and Tim’s here.

All are welcome to both events or to one or the other.  I will be at both.  Hope to see you somewhere.

freddie beat
popolio creator/editor

J. Dub
Mandrake Arts & Media founder
Mandrake Society Radio creator/editor
popolio co-editor

Remember Eduardo Fajardo?  His band was The Executive Life.  popolio was at their debut show back in January which featured guest musician Arthur Yoria.  See the popolio pic-olios for that show here, here, and here.   They also did a pop quiz for us in April here.

Well, alas, The Executive Life is no more.  But, don’t shed too many a tear, Señor Fajardo has teamed up with Señor Yoria and these two Colombianos are now Monoceja.  They have a show next Wednesday right here in downtown ATX’s Beso Cantina.  Click the flyer to go to the so fresh, so clean Monocejo MySpace Page.  

This video just in to popolio.   Check it out!

Help us celebrate at the popolio.com One Year Anniversary Mixer on 09.18.09.  See the flyer here and read the press release here.
***
September 1, 2009

 A popolio selection of today’s New Releases.

So, it’s been a year since I started popolio.com and kicked it of with my first MY TOP 10 Countdown in September 2008.  Since popolio.com was jumping off, I kicked it off with MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Diva Music Video Jump-Offs.  Well, this is the twelfth month, so I thought it would create nice symmetry if I presented the men as a bookend to that very first countdown before Year 2 officially begins.  This time around the Div-Os, or Divos, will get the spotlight.

And without further ado, Number 1.

1. Tupac “Brenda’s Got a Baby”
Tupac was poetic and could be romantic as well as derogatory and offensive.  It was when he tapped into his political and equally rebellious and enlightening spirit that he was most potent.  He was an orator that was at the same time detached observor and emoting experiencer or participant. ”Brenda’s Got a Baby” is a brutal look at too harsh a reality.  It was his debut single from his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now. It would have been interesting to see what he would have grown into if he would have been allowed time and space to shed off the anger and stubbornness.  I think we would have had a  social-political hip hop leader who would have been the first of his kind.  The BONUS is from his sophomore album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.  I always liked the gender twist in this video.

***BONUS*** Tupac “Holler If Ya Hear Me”

So, it’s been a year since I started popolio.com and kicked it of with my first MY TOP 10 Countdown in September 2008.  Since popolio.com was jumping off, I kicked it off with MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Diva Music Video Jump-Offs.  Well, this is the twelfth month, so I thought it would create nice symmetry if I presented the men as a bookend to that very first countdown before Year 2 officially begins.  This time around the Div-Os, or Divos, will get the spotlight.

Two down; one to go.

2. The Notorious B.I.G. “Juicy”
Hip Hop became the dominant force in music from the ’80s and into the ’90s.     Hip hop today is “pop.”  Not that there’s a “poppy” sound there, but it is one of, if not the, dominant genres of mainstream popular music.  At the heart of its story are the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac.  I heard Jamie Foxx refer to himself and KanYe West as the Batman and Robin of music on TV once.  I think the true Batman and Robin of hip hop were Biggie and Puffy.  Biggie could definitely rhyme and Diddy provided, arguably, some of the best beats in all of hip hop history.  Something about that pairing at that time worked and it started with this single “Juicy” from his debut, Ready to Die.   Now, when someone dies, it does seem to make them a deeper and faster legend than maybe they would have become.  Still, this represents a moment in time that can never be duplicated.  The BONUS, the posthumous ”The Notorious B.I.G” from Born Again, is a tribute to Biggie Smalls.  I was impressed when I found out the sample was from Duran Duran BITD.

***BONUS*** Notorious B.I.G. featuring Lil’ Kim and Puff Daddy “Notorious B.I.G.”

So, it’s been a year since I started popolio.com and kicked it of with my first MY TOP 10 Countdown in September 2008.  Since popolio.com was jumping off, I kicked it off with MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Diva Music Video Jump-Offs.  Well, this is the twelfth month, so I thought it would create nice symmetry if I presented the men as a bookend to that very first countdown before Year 2 officially begins.  This time around the Div-Os, or Divos, will get the spotlight.

Some things came up on the weekend, so I wasn’t able to post Number 3 and 2 then.  So, this countdown will end just how it began — with a three-fer.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

3. Eminem “My Name Is”
Whether or not you agree with what he has to say in his songs and how he does things, you can’t deny his talent.  His lyricism and dark comedic cynism connected with the masses straight out the gate (though he did have an independent album prior to his first official commercial release, but I’m not counting it).  And, that’s the difference between him and some of the other Divos on this countdown — It wasn’t after being in a boy band or on a sophomore album.  He’s also held off a few strong contenders from the Number 1 spot both on the album and single charts more than on one occasion.  This is why he’s Number 3.  In this video in particular he hinted at character acting chops.  I still want to see what more he can do hosting an episode of SNL or playing a character totally unlike himself.  The BONUS, “Lose Yourself,” from his acting debut, 8 Mile, showed new maturity and growth, both musically and contextually.

***BONUS*** Eminem “Lose Yourself”

So, it’s been a year since I started popolio.com and kicked it of with my first MY TOP 10 Countdown in September 2008.  Since popolio.com was jumping off, I kicked it off with MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Diva Music Video Jump-Offs.  Well, this is the twelfth month, so I thought it would create nice symmetry if I presented the men as a bookend to that very first countdown before Year 2 officially begins.  This time around the Div-Os, or Divos, will get the spotlight.

4. Usher “You Make Me Wanna…”
Usher or JT?  Who’s is the Prince of R&B/Dance/Pop?  Did they really have a dance-off some years ago?  Well, Usher one ups JT — on this countdown, anyway.  Like many of the Divos on this countdown, this was not Usher’s first recording, but this is the one that broke through.  This is the first single from his sophomore release, My Way.  The BONUS is “U Remind Me,” the first single from his junior album, 8701.  I really liked this song when it came out.  Looks  like they purposely casted Mya, Brandy, and Tamia look-alikes (in that order) throughout the video and the real Chilli (from fave group, TLC) is featured at the end.  We all know how their story ended up, but we’re not going there.  Enjoy the videos.

***BONUS*** Usher “U Remind Me”