MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Divo Music Video Jump-Offs – 4. Usher “You Make Me Wanna…”

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”

 

MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Divo Music Video Jump-Offs – 5. Justin Timberlake “Cry Me a River”

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.

5. Justin Timberlake “Cry Me a River”
So, though this was JT’s second single (the first was BONUS video “Like I Love You”) from his solo debut, Justified, I take it as his official jump-off  because it made quite the splash. It tackily interpolated his relationship with Brit-Brit, though.  Hey, this is just one editor’s opinion, but, I can’t deny the success of this video.  He was smart to enlist Timbaland to give his N’ Sync clean-cut boy sound a grittier urban upgrade. 

***BONUS*** Justin Timberlake featuring Clipse “Like I Love You”

 

Single and Listening

Single and Listening

So, I normally do two of these a month.  I’m pushing it close to the wire this month.  I will post one today and one tomorrow.  Enjoy.

Single Reviews by Release Date

♪	♫	♫♪	♫♫	♫♫♪
all over the place	carries a tune	part of the chorus	featured soloist	conducting the choir

In this edition, I review Demi Lovato’s, Ciara’s, and Keri Hilson’s latest.  Demi sings alone, though the Jonas Brothers brought some writing and producing assist.  And Ciara hosts JT while Keri hosts KanYe West and Ne-Yo.  I will say one thing about Keri Hilson and that is that I’m diggin’ her 2009 update on Sheila E.’s ’80s look.  Not sure if Ms. E. is a true inspiration, but Keri’s rockin’ a hot look, regardless.

Demi Lovato “Don’t Forget” Released:  March 16, 2009
From Latest Release:   Don’t Forget ♫♪

Sounds like this girl has a lot of potential to be the next angst-filled rock chick ala’ Alanis Morissette or someone like that.  There’s grit in her voice that I like.  Good for the Disney set, but has cross-over potential all over it.  I predict great things to come from this one. (Hey, she’s a Disney kid.  How wrong can I be?  Britney and Christina, anyone?)

Ciara “Love Sex Magic” featuring Justin Timberlake Released: March 17, 2009 From Forthcoming Release:  Fantasy Ride ♫♪
I want to not like this because I think JT tries way too hard to be cool and to be Michael Jack, but it is catchy.  Not something I haven’t heard before, but a good imitation.  My dancing bones wouldn’t be able to resist the groove.  I’d have to give in to the “Love Sex Magic.”

Keri Hilson “Knock You Down” featuring KanYe West and Ne-Yo
Released:  March 20, 2009
From Latest Release:  In a Perfect World… ♫♪
It’s good, but it sounds like a mixture of previous work from Beyonce’, Rhianna, and KanYe West and Ne-Yo, who do guest on the track.  Seems like producers and writers rule over artists, though Hilson did write on the track with a slew of other writers.  Can tell it is one of those songs that the more you hear it the more you’ll get into it.

 

MY TOP 10: Videos/Songs You Wouldn’t Think I Would Like — 1. Young Love “Find A New Way”

1. Young Love “Find A New Way”

I was introduced to Number 1 through J. Lo’s MTV reality show about dancers trying to make it, DanceLife.  I love to dance.  Not a trained dancer, but not a bad freestyle/club dancer, if I do say so myself.  And I love J. Lo.  So, I checked out the show and loved it.  Wish MTV had picked it up for a second season.

Anyway, Young Love’s “Find a New Way” was the opening song.  And the routine the dancers on the show do to it just bananas.  I also think it was genius to use this song for a J.Lo vehicle.  You would think it’d be a J.Lo song or pop/R&B song, but they used this instead. 

It embodies what the show was about and what a passion for dancing entails.  I liked it so much I checked out Young Love.  I didn’t know if it was just a guy or a band or what.  I still don’t really know.  Dan Keyes seems to be the main guy.  I picked up the debut album, Too Young to Fight It.  Loved it!  He really felt like a rich man’s Justin Timberlake; really hipper than JT, to me.  Not as poppy and R&B, more electro.  I just dug the sounds and songs.

His record company won’t allow the videos to be embedded on YouTube, so I could  only link them here.  The first video is the DanceLife intro so you can see my inspiration.  The links that follow are 2 versions of Number 1 – the original version and a black-and-white version directed by fashion photographer Terry Richardson and featuring model Kemp Muhl.  I really do love to dance!  Just felt like confessing that to the universe.

ORIGINAL VERSION

TERRY RICHARDSON DIRECTED VERSION FEATURING MODEL KEMP MUHL

 

Single and Listening

Single and Listening

Single Reviews by Release Date

♪	♫	♫♪	♫♫	♫♫♪
all over the place	carries a tune	part of the chorus	featured soloist	conducting the choir

So, it’s been a little while since I posted one of these.  I apologize for that.  I usually hear about new songs that have been released, but haven’t heard about that many new ones of late.  I know Rihanna has a new one with JT.   Because my partner in crime, J. Dub, made such a big deal about David Cook, I’m going to review his first single even though it’s been out for a minute.  Because I’m a Rent-Head, I’m going to review Idina Menzel’s latest.  Lastly, I’ll throw in Tracy Chapman’s latest, to give you four solid reviews.

David Cook “Light On” Released:  September 30, 2008
From Latest Release:  David Cook ♫♪

The song doesn’t stand out, though he has a strong singing voice (I didn’t keep up with Idol).  Seems to me, he needs a track that allows him to make more of statement and let his presence be known.  Not bad, just not great.  I’d expect more from the reigning American Idol.

Rihanna “Rehab” featuring Justin Timberlake Released:  October 7, 2008
From Latest Release: Good Girl Gone Bad ♫♪

Not to be mistaken with Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.”  Not bad on first listen.  I actually like it.  On an aside, who agrees that JT needs to stop doing songs with everybody and their grandmother?  Nice groove, though.  Good sing-along quality. I’d want to hear it again, so that’s good enough for me.

Tracy Chapman “Sing For You” Released:  October 31, 2008  
From Latest Release:  Our Bright Future ♫♫

This I do like.  I do have one of Tracy Chapman’s albums, Telling Stories, I’ll admit.  When it works, it just works.  There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.  Or there is accounting for mine.  I don’t know.  All I know is that I like this ditty.  I feel the grit of her voice and the vibrations of the guitar strings in my gut.  And my gut tells me, “It is good.”

Idina Menzel “Hope” Released:  November 10, 2008
For:  Major League Baseball (MLB) Stand Up To Cancer Campaign ♫♪

This is for charity, but I don’t want to give it a good review just because of that.  I’ll try to be objective.  The piano is pretty and so is her voice, but this doesn’t move me the way I think a charity single should.  Again, not bad, just not great.  Technically, the piano and her voice are well-wielded instruments, just needs a little of that human vulnerability to shine through.  I let it play through on her MySpace Page to the next song, “I Stand,” and I like that one much better.

Wow!  Just finished writing these reviews.  Am I too harsh?  I just don’t want to give everything 4 musical notes as not everything is above average.  And I wasn’t really feeling today’s songs.

Maybe I’m depressed because Thanksgiving is coming up.  Don’t stats show more people get depressed during the holidays?  And I think suicide rates go up, too.  No, I’m not suicidal.  I am lonely, though.  But, I digress, TMI!  Trust me, I know, and I’ll try to be better about it in the future.

 

MY TOP 10: 90s/00s Pop/R&B Diva Music Video Jump-Offs – 8. Jennifer Lopez “If You Had My Love”

8. Jennifer Lopez “If You Had My Love”

The beginning of the J. Lo pop revolution started with number 8, “If You Had My Love,” released in 1999.   She was On the 6 and we were all on the subway ride with her.  Though she didn’t get her urban make-over until Ja Rule lent his magic with the “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” in 2001, this video got the steam going through the first singles until the excitement of “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” and the J. Lo album, which put things into overdrive.

A portent of things to come for Jennifer and other pop-lets, it shows the world’s fascination with her through a mix of fans watching her every move on live room cams on her official website.  It was a clever use of modern media and examination of its implication on a pop star’s image, performance, and existence.

Maybe not the first video to incorporate the dance break, though it sure feels like it in the modern era.  Its influence is still felt today as Madonna and both Timbs are still doing it on “4 Minutes” in 2008.  Though her musical significance is in question today, at the time, we hadn’t had a grown dance diva with such flair since Janet, Madonna, and Paula before her.