Tag: Chris Brown

Chris Brown

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Reviews Rihanna

Rated R – Rihanna

Time flies when you’re making money, but it has been two years since Good Girl Gone Bad (and its plethora of re-releases) and almost twelve long drama-filled months since the Chris Brown “incident.” Everyone’s been salivating ever since word got out that Rihanna had started work on her fourth album, especially because her image’s staggering transformation from flirty young island girl to seriously bad diva wasn’t even provoked by anything as severe as criminal assault – what crazy change is going to come next?

There really is only one word to describe Rated R, and it’s Raw. There is no genre that you can tag on this album and be comfortable with your decision afterward because just like Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna does not limit herself to a strictly R&B sound. It’s definitely urban, and it definitely incorporates a lot more rock (she does get the Slash on a song called “Rockstar 101” after all), but by the time her fifth album rolls around, she will most likely be unrecognizable once again. Rihanna may have just gone “bad” before, but now she seems to be going all-out thug on us. From songs like “Wait Your Turn,” to “Hard,” to “G4L (Gangster for Life),” it’s clear that she isn’t messing around when she says “I lick a gun when I’m done because I know revenge is sweet.”

Def Jam is probably counting on the fact that people are going to be digging through all of these songs (after having bought the album) for the remains of one Christopher Maurice Brown, and to put it briefly, they’ll find him – strewn everywhere on the entire album, bits and pieces on a hook here, a chorus there. Riri isn’t raging non-stop on though; the lyrically controversial first single “Russian Roulette” is not angry, per se. The guitar is only heard sparsely after the intro, as is the rest of the instrumentation, and the song itself has an almost quietly sinister quality to it. Similarly, “Fire Bomb” is also perhaps one of the closest things you’ll get to a ballad on this album, although its story about cars and lovers and things blowing up is strikingly reminiscent to Rihanna’s altercation with her ex in his car. There is really a little of Chris everywhere in Rated R, on its artwork, the way it was marketed, and obviously in the music. Rihanna may not be singing about the incident in every song, but you have to wonder if her entire mindset hasn’t completely changed after a trial that has tested every last ounce of her resilience. “Stupid in Love” sounds exactly like a typical Stargate ballad, but the truly depressing lyrics set it apart from the rest of the album (although not necessarily in a good way).

Apart from the lead single, other standout tracks include “Te Amo,” which has Rihanna singing to a lady, but also leaked ages ago on the Internet and “Cold Case Love,” which is one of Rated R’s few collaborations, though this one blows Will.i.am’s out of the water. There’s no denying that this album is another step up in intensity from Good Girl Gone Bad (who would’ve thought it was possible?), with the F-word and N-word thrown casually around and the audible grit in every word that Rihanna spits out. It’s just a shame we can’t have a “Kanye vs. 50” throwdown because Chris Brown’s management pushed his album back so much (smart thinking).

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Articles

Top 5: Michael Jackson Wannabes

You know that really bad cliché about truly great artists who will never die? These five artists are doing their best to make sure this cliché stays alive for the King of Pop.

Usher

He sings like him, glides like him, and owes 99.9% of his success to the late Michael Jackson. Usher’s R&B crown rests largely on the gloves and the smooth moves, trademarks of the original King of Pop. Apart from dance, Usher and Michael Jackson share an almost fanatical support from the African-American community at their respective heights of popularity. MJ’s influence on Usher’s performance style is so thorough that anyone who calls himself a fan of Usher (whether he knows it or not) is inevitably a fan of the man who originally popularized the moonwalk. Just sayin’.

Justin Timberlake

You could call Usher the black Michael Jackson… or you could call Justin Timberlake the white Michael Jackson. At the risk of getting a “Too soon,” I’ll just keep my mouth shut. What’s there left to say? Ever since he ditched ‘N Sync, JT has made no secret about his love for Michael Jackson. His first ever solo performance at the VMAs had the fedora, the gloves, Michael-Jackson-inspired choreography, and falsetto after falsetto. Even after his music started transitioning toward a more rock and even electronic sound, JT is not afraid to experiment and take risks. Just like someone who released Thriller back in ’82. If Michael Jackson were 25 years-old today, he’d be Justin Timberlake. Except for the… never mind.

Chris Brown

Chris, Chris, Chris. If it weren’t for his shocking assault on Rihanna, he’d be one of the biggest stars of this generation. Originally touted as the next Usher, this 20 year-old can literally dance his shoes off – as if you can be the next Usher without knowing how to do a decent glide. His singing leaves a bit to be desired, but hey. Like every other artist on this list, Chris Brown’s dancing is the most immediate connection to the legacy that Michael Jackson left behind; his tribute performances of Billie Jean and Thriller make that much clear. Now if only he can do something about that voice – oh and fix his ruined image.

Ne-Yo

Music, check. Fashion, check. Dancing – well, Ne-Yo poses more than dances, but close enough. Check. Shaffer Smith is the closest to what Michael Jackson would’ve been if he’d stuck with R&B instead of experimenting with different genres. He rocks the fedora too, but that might be more of a sneaky way to hide his receding hairline. Ne-Yo even has his own equivalent of MJ’s signature hiccup: the holler. Except of course it doesn’t sound as cool as the hiccup and he really overdoes it. And the choreography… it’s strange because the man tries to move, he really does. He has maybe two or three go-to moves/poses that come up about ten times per performance – check them out, they’re not hard to miss. Compared to the others on this list though, Ne-Yo is nowhere near the prolific dancers they are. Song-writing’s his bread and butter, and it’s probably better that way.

Ciara

The only female on the list, Ciara Princess Harris has no problem taking risks with her choreography – just like… guess who. The woman who comes closest to putting on the moves like Ciara is probably Michael’s sister, Janet Jackson. Like Chris Brown, Ciara’s singing has a long way to go before she can get anywhere close to MJ’s level, and honestly, I can tell you it isn’t happening anytime soon. Her tribute performance of “Heal the World” is perfect evidence. Cici’s “1, 2 Step,” fortunately, is on point and her dancing is the best tribute that she could give the King of Pop.

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Press Releases

MARY J. BLIGE, JAY-Z, SOULJA BOY TELL’EM, T.I., ESTER DEAN, CHRIS BROWN, TANK, TYRESE AND OTHERS ALSO HEARD ON POWERFUL AND UPLIFTING ALBUM FOR FILM DOCUMENTING THE RISE OF NBA STAR LEBRON JAMES

DRAKE, KANYE WEST, LIL WAYNE AND EMINEM PROVIDE COLLABORATION OF A LIFETIME ON “FOREVER” FROM MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE FILM MORE THAN A GAME

MARY J. BLIGE, JAY-Z, SOULJA BOY TELL’EM, T.I., ESTER DEAN, CHRIS BROWN, TANK, TYRESE AND OTHERS ALSO HEARD ON POWERFUL AND UPLIFTING ALBUM FOR FILM DOCUMENTING THE RISE OF NBA STAR LEBRON JAMES

Santa Monica, Ca – Only King James (aka LeBron James) could bring together three kings of hip-hop and one of the hottest new emcees in the game. “Forever,” the new single from the forthcoming album MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE FILM MORE THAN A GAME, headlines rising star Drake and features Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem in a song about endurance and staying power. “Forever,” produced by Boi-1da, will be available at iTunes September 15th. MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE FILM MORE THAN A GAME (Harvey Mason Music/Zone 4/Interscope Records) will be released September 29th.

Earlier issued from the album was the heartfelt, richly textured ballad “Stronger” from Mary J. Blige. Among the other tracks are “History,” produced by Kanye West, from rap giant Jay-Z; “I’m Ballin’” from young sensation Soulja Boy Tell’Em; “King On Set” from T.I. featuring Young Dro; and “Drop It Low,” the debut single from one of today’s most sought after songwriters, Ester Dean (Mary J. Blige, Pussycat Dolls, Keri Hilson), which features Chris Brown. Also heard are “Top Of The World” (Rich Boy), “We Ready” (Ya Boy), “Go Hard” (Hayes), Frozen (Jared Evans) and “If You Dream,” with its impressive lineup of Tank, Tyrese, Toni Braxton, Jordin Sparks, Omarion, Faith Evans, JoJo, Charlie Wilson, Tamar Braxton and Steven Russel, produced by Harvey Mason Jr. (whose credits include Beyonce, Chris Brown, Whitney Houston, and Jennifer Hudson).

MORE THAN A GAME, from Lionsgate and Harvey Mason Media in association with Interscope Records, opens in Los Angeles, New York and Cleveland on October 2nd. Five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio star in this remarkable true-life coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player’s father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the Fab Five’s improbable nine-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. Along the way, the close-knit team is repeatedly tested — both on and off the court — as pressures within, including James’ exploding worldwide celebrity, threaten to destroy everything they’ve set out to achieve together. MORE THAN A GAME, directed by Kristopher Belman, combines a series of unforgettable one-on-one interviews with rare news footage, never-before-seen home videos and personal family photographs to bring this heart-wrenching and wholly American story to life.

‘More Than A Game’ Synopsis:

Five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio star in this remarkable true-life coming of age story about uncommon friendship in the face all too common adversities. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player’s father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the “Fab Five’s” improbable seven-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. Along the way, the close-knit team is repeatedly tested—both on and off the court—as James’ exploding worldwide celebrity threatens to destroy everything they’ve set out to achieve together. MORE THAN A GAME combines a series of unforgettable one-on-one interviews with rare news footage, never-before-seen home videos and personal family photographs to bring this heart-warming and wholly American story to life.

Lionsgate and Harvey Mason Media in association with Interscope Records present a Harvey Mason Media Production in association with Galley Boy and Spring Hill Productions a film by Kristopher Belman. MORE THAN A GAME is written by Kristopher Belman & Brad Hogan and directed by Kristopher Belman. The film features LeBron James, Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee, Romeo Travis and Coach Dru Joyce II.

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Videos

Mary J Bllige speaks on Drake, Chris Brown, Grades Singers video

DJ Whoo Kid had Mary J Blige up to the Sirius/XM studios for a hilarious conversation about anything and everything. Why is Mary still eating White Castle? How does she really feel about Drake? What are her feelings on Chris and Rihanna? Why wasn’t she in the Notorious movie? Will she be doing Dancing with the Stars like Lil Kim? How does she rate some of today’s most popular singers? Will she and Jay-Z do another secret concert at Madison Square Garden?

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Press Releases

BRITNEY SPEARS, MARIAH CAREY, USHER, RIHANNA, CHRIS BROWN, LIL WAYNE, KATY PERRY, T.I., JORDIN SPARKS AND FLO RIDA NAB MOONMAN NODS FOR “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” | BEST FEMALE VIDEO AND BEST MALE VIDEO NOMINEES | British Comedian Russell Brand Set To Host Star-Studded Award Show | Set To Air Live On Sunday, September 7th, 2008

BRITNEY SPEARS, MARIAH CAREY, USHER, RIHANNA, CHRIS BROWN, LIL WAYNE, KATY PERRY, T.I., JORDIN SPARKS AND FLO RIDA NAB MOONMAN NODS FOR “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” | BEST FEMALE VIDEO AND BEST MALE VIDEO NOMINEES | British Comedian Russell Brand Set To Host Star-Studded Award Show | Set To Air Live On Sunday, September 7th, 2008

“And the MoonMan goes to!!!” Well, we don’t know that yet but on Sunday, September 7th a few names you may hear when envelopes are opened and winners revealed are Britney, Mariah, Rihanna, Usher, Chris or Katy. Beginning on Friday, July 18th, MTV viewers began their contribution to the 2008 Video Music Awards by helping to decide this year’s nominees for “Best Female Video” and Best Male Video” guaranteed to create an award show with the music they want to hear and see. As previously announced, MTV’s 25th annual Video Music Awards will be hosted by comedian/actor Russell Brand and will air live and only one time in its original incarnation, on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 9PM (Live ET/Tape Delayed PT). Host, presenters and additional performers will be announced at a later date.

Artists nominated for the coveted MoonMan in the “Best Female Video” category include Britney Spears for her video “Piece of Me.” Other talented ladies nominated in the “Best Female Video” category include the always fabulous diva Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Jordin Sparks and talented “girl kissing” newcomer Katy Perry. And now for the men…nominees for “Best Male Video” are Usher, Chris Brown, Flo Rida, T.I.. and Lil Wayne. Each Friday night at 8pm ET/PT on “FNMTV,” two new categories will be announced and open for viewers to vote for their favorite artists and videos at vma.mtv.com or from their Verizon Wireless mobile phone by texting the name of the artist to 23882. Categories currently open for viewers voting are “Best Hip Hop Video and “Best Pop Video.”

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…

BEST FEMALE VIDEO:

Britney Spears – “Piece of Me”
Britney Spears
“Piece of Me”
Blackout
Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Wayne Isham

Jordin Sparks – “No Air”
Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown
“No Air”
Jordin Sparks
19/Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Chris Robinson

Katy Perry – “I Kissed A Girl”
Katy Perry
“I Kissed A Girl”
One Of The Boys
Capitol
Director: Kinga Burza

Mariah Carey – “Touch My Body”
Mariah Carey
“Touch My Body”
E=MC^2
Island Def Jam Music Group
Director: Brett Ratner

Rihanna – “Take a Bow”
Rihanna
“Take A Bow”
A Good Girl Gone Bad
SRP/Def Jam
Director: Anthony Mandler

BEST MALE VIDEO:

Lil Wayne – “Lollipop”
Lil Wayne featuring Static
“Lollipop”
Tha Carter III
Cash Money Records/Universal Motown
Director: Gil Green/D. Carter

Chris Brown – “With You”
Chris Brown
“With You”
Exclusive
Jive Records/Zomba
Director: Erik White/Chris Brown

Usher – “Love In This Club”
Usher featuring Young Jeezy
“Love In This Club”
Here I Stand
LaFace Records/Zomba Label Group
Director: The Brothers Strause

T.I. – “No Matter What”
T.I.
“No Matter What”
Paper Trail
Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records
Director: Self/James Lopez

Flo Rida – “Low”
Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
“Low”
Step Up 2 The Streets Original Soundtrack/ Mail On Sunday
Poe Boy Ent./Atlantic Records
Director: Bernard Gourley

Russell Brand has emerged as a genuine star of the silver screen. Making his feature film debut in ‘Penelope’ with Christina Ricci and James McAvoy, and then onto the contemporary Ealing caper ‘St Trinian’s’, and this year won rave reviews for his scene-stealing performances in Judd Apatow’s ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’. Apatow has cast him to play opposite Jonah Hill in his next feature ‘Getting Him to the Greek,’ filming in early 2009.

Official sponsors of “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” are GM, Pepsi, TAG Body Spray, Taco Bell, Rhapsody and Verizon Wireless.

This year one lucky viewer will get the chance of a lifetime trip by joining “Do Good. Go to the VMAs.” Think.MTV.com, MTV’s online community for youth activism, is hooking up one young activist and shipping them off to Los Angeles to attend the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards alongside the biggest stars in the industry. From July 24th through August 22nd, all Think.MTV.com members who join the “Do Good. Go to the VMAs” group, at http://think.mtv.com/Groups/DoGoodGoToTheVMAs/, can enter to win two tickets to the VMAs on September 7, 2008 along with travel and hotel accommodations when MTV takes over Los Angeles for this year’s show.

Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer, for the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards.” Dave Sirulnick is Executive Producer. Chris Choun/Ish Entertainment is Co-Executive Producer. Jane Mun is Producer. Amy Doyle, Joanna Bomberg and Robin Katz are Music Talent Executives. Robin Reinhardt-Locke is Celebrity Talent Executive. Garrett English is Executive in Charge of Production.

Telescope is the Official Business Advisor of the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards” Nominee Voting period.

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Press Releases

THE 2008 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA: THE ULTIMATE PARTY WEEKEND WITH HEADLINE PERFORMANCES BY KANYE WEST, MARY J. BLIGE, CHRIS BROWN, CHRIS ROCK, RIHANNA, MAZE FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY, KEYSHIA COLE, JILL SCOTT, J. HOLIDAY, LL COOL J, MUSIQ, MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME AND PATTI LABELLE

THE 2008 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA: THE ULTIMATE PARTY WEEKEND WITH HEADLINE PERFORMANCES BY KANYE WEST, MARY J. BLIGE, CHRIS BROWN, CHRIS ROCK, RIHANNA, MAZE FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY, KEYSHIA COLE, JILL SCOTT, J. HOLIDAY, LL COOL J, MUSIQ, MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME AND PATTI LABELLE

PLUS, A GROUNDBREAKING ESSENCE PARTNERSHIP WITH CNN TO FILM ONE HOUR TELEVISION SPECIAL, “BLACK IN AMERICA”

the essence empowerment seminar series will feature: tyler perry and friends, soledad o’brien, dr. bill cosby and dr. alvin pouissant, REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MAYOR C. RAY NAGIN, HILL HARPER, bishop t.d. jakes, dr. juanita bynum, TOM JOYNER, tye tribbett and greater anointing and more!

(New York, NY) – The 14th annual Essence Music Festival presented by Coca-Cola will celebrate another momentous year in New Orleans this July 4, 5 and 6 with the biggest names in entertainment and the nation’s most influential speakers, artists, authors and leaders. The Essence Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American music and culture; featuring an unprecedented three days of cultural celebrations and empowerment seminars and three nights of performances by some of today’s greatest African-American artists.

Performing on the mainstage at the Louisiana Superdome: Kanye West; Mary J. Blige; Chris Brown; Rihanna; Chris Rock; Keyshia Cole; Jill Scott; Maze featuring Frankie Beverly; Morris Day & The Time; LL Cool J; J. Holiday; Musiq; plus, a star-studded celebration of living legend Patti LaBelle featuring original LaBelle members Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx; Angie Stone; Ledisi; Chrisette Michele; Ruby Amanfu; and more!

It was more than 30 years ago in New Orleans, when Patti Labelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, recorded their famous hit, “Lady Marmalade”, produced by legendary musician Allan Touissant. The trio are set to record a new CD this fall and the Essence Music Festival will be their first performance together before they go on tour in September.

Running concurrently with the mainstage performances in the Superdome’s four Superlounges are shows by some of today’s rising stars, living legends and New Orleans hometown favorites: Bamboula 2000; Big Sam’s Funky Nation and the New Orleans Funk Soul Explosion; Terence Blanchard; Peabo Bryson; Mint Condition; Cupid; Raheem Devaughn; Estelle; Grandmaster Flash; Gil Scott-Heron; Lyfe Jennings; Karina; Kermit Ruffin’s Tribute to Louis Armstrong; Ledisi; Irma Thomas and the Professionals; Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra; Chrisette Michelle; Nicholas Payton Quintet; Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s Gospel Revival; Purple Disrespect; Rebirth Brass Band; Christian Scott; Solange; Angie Stone and Marva Wright.

“The Essence Music Festival is truly the ultimate party weekend this Fourth of July; celebrating Black culture with an unparalleled combination of music, arts, and empowerment,” says Michelle Ebanks, President, Essence Communications Inc.

-more-

“We have an extraordinary line-up of A-List talent in the Louisiana Superdome and the daytime Essence Empowerment Seminars are covering the issues impacting our community with critical examination, motivation and inspiration.”

The 2008 Essence Empowerment Seminars will host three full days of free and open-to-the-public socio-political dialogue, spiritual inspiration and motivation led by dynamic speakers at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The Essence Empowerment Seminars will kick off Friday, July 4th, with a celebration of the multi-talented film director, playwright, actor, and New Orleans native, Tyler Perry. This year, ESSENCE has partnered with CNN, the world’s leading news source, for a special presentation themed “Reclaiming the Dream”, led by CNN correspondents Roland S. Martin and Soledad O’Brien. The Seminars will close out Sunday, July 6th, with an afternoon of praise and worship featuring spiritual leaders Dr. Juanita Bynum, Bishop Paul S. Morton and Co-Pastor Debra Morton, Tye Tribbett, Regina Belle and more!

In addition to the Essence Empowerment Seminars, the Festival’s daytime offerings also include the Essence Marketplace, a showcase of quality fine arts & crafts by African-American vendors from all over the world. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will also feature interactive sponsor presentations, celebrity meet-and-greets, Festival souvenirs and a book fair with author book signings.

Tickets for the evening concerts are on sale immediately at ticketmaster.com or (800) 488-5252. To find performance dates for your favorite artists, hotel accommodations, ticket prices, weekly promotions and volunteer opportunities for the 2008 Essence Music Festival log on to www.essence.com/emf.

Sponsors of the 2008 Essence Music Festival include presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola; major sponsors Chevrolet, CoverGirl Queen Collection, McDonald’s, Pantene, U.S. Army, and Wal-Mart; and official sponsors Budweiser, My Black is Beautiful, Southwest Airlines, TBS, TVOne, Vaseline and VH1 Soul.

The Essence Music Festival started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine. Now the Festival has been heralded as one of the country’s “Top 10 Leading Brand Events” in 2007 by Advertising Age; highlighted prominently among well-known consumer events such as NASCAR and Spring Break. The Essence Music Festival has featured a host of legendary performers over the years, including Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Beyoncè, Chaka Khan, Chris Brown, Destiny’s Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, John Legend, Kanye West, The Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, The O’Jays, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle and Yolanda Adams, to name a few.

The 2008 Essence Music Festival is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC and produced by Rehage Entertainment. Essence Festivals LLC is a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).

About Essence Communications Inc.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the leading media and communications company dedicated to African-American women. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is “Where Black Women Come First”. The company’s flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit, Window on Our Women (WOW I, II & III) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD) via Essence Studios. For 38 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a readership of 8.5 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women’s lives.

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Press Releases

SMART SHORTIES HIP HOP MULTIPLICATION TEACHES MATH THROUGH MUSIC

SMART SHORTIES HIP HOP MULTIPLICATION TEACHES MATH THROUGH MUSIC

SONGS INSPIRED BY CHRIS BROWN, T-PAIN AND SOULJA BOY HELP KIDS LEARN MULTIPLICATION CD AND WORKBOOK SET

LOS ANGELES-Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication, a new CD and workbook from Spark The Mind that melds the world of Hip Hop and R&B into an innovative collection of hook laden tunes geared to teach kids of all ages their multiplication facts will be released April 22, 2008 via www.smartshorties.com. The product is being marketed directly to educators and schools and will be released to major retail outlets later this year. The brainchild of creators Alex Nesmith, a longtime music producer and Christine Smith, a former school teacher, the CD is a compilation of songs covering multiplication facts from 0 to 12 using the back beats of radio hits by some of today’s most popular music artists including Chris Brown, T-Pain, Soulja Boy, Akon, and Cassie, to name a few. The songs are performed by students who were chosen after they met the challenge of successfully learning their multiplication facts and displaying the ability to write their own lyrics.

The CD alone is priced at $17.99 and the Teacher Edition double CD and its companion Student Workbook will each sell separately for $29.99. Bulk discounts and Teacher Answer Key’s are also available to education professionals. The Teacher Edition double CD is an extended version of the Hip Hop Multiplication CD and includes an additional song for each recording that’s only the multiplication facts isolated for teachers to use in their classrooms. The double CD has the instrumental version of each song for the students to practice their multiplication from memory. There is also an enhanced CD with a Lesson Plan Video of How to Use Our Products Effectively for teachers, a presentation about Spark the Mind, a preview of “Smart Shorties Math Facts – The Movie.” And a bonus track, “Riding The 50 States,” which was inspired by Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’ Dirty” single, all included in the Hip Hop Multiplication Teacher Edition double CD. The companion Student Workbook is a great way to follow along with the Teacher Edition double CD and is sold separately. In addition to being purchased online, the products can also be ordered by calling 800-880-9839. The CD’s and workbooks were designed to give teachers a cool, modern educational tool that students would enjoy learning with while also being affordable for parents to utilize as an educational supplement at home. Unlike the typical workbook, Smart Shorties is printed in full color and uses symbols such as blinged out headphones, musical notes, sports cars and other highly identifiable emblems of hip hop culture which have proven to hold kids attention.

Smith and Nesmith met while Smith was teaching inner city children grades 4th – 6th in Toledo, Ohio. She approached Nesmith, known for producing hit records for a diverse group of artists ranging from Akon and Outkast to Keith Sweat and Charlotte Church, about turning her math lessons into songs to help her students memorize their facts. “I couldn’t understand how my kids couldn’t grasp these math equations, but they were able to recite every line from the most difficult hip hop songs,“ say’s Smith. She and Nesmith decided to have the students write their own lyrics using the beats from popular music as a key to the student’s ability to memorize and easily process math problems. This process was an immediate hit with the students so they formalized the first song into a professional workable classroom program and they found the scores on the standardized math tests showed marked improvement.

-Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication, a new CD and workbook from Spark The Mind that melds the world of Hip Hop and R&B into -Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication, a new CD and workbook from Spark The Mind that melds the world of Hip Hop and R&B into
-Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication, a new CD and workbook from Spark The Mind that melds the world of Hip Hop and R&B into

A pilot study utilizing Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication materials was recently performed in Washington D.C. public schools, amongst the nation’s lowest performing districts. The school exposed to the Smart Shorties product out performed the control group by 25% after initially testing 42% lower than the same control group.

Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication is just the first of what will be a multi-product roll out for Spark The Mind. The company plans to develop a series of educational CD’s and workbooks across critical curriculum areas.

The full track listing on Smart Shorties Hip Hop Multiplication includes:
1. 1s Always The Same (inspired by Akon’s “I Wanna Love You”)
2. Me and 2s (inspired by Cassie’s “Me and U”)
3. Crank Them 3s (inspired by Soulja Boy’s “Crank That”)
4. Throw Some 4s On It (inspired by Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s”)
5. 5s This Is Why I’m Smart (inspired by Mims’ “This Is Why I’m Hot”)
6. 6s Math Facts Teacher (inspired by T-Pain’s “Bartender”)
7. 7s Ballin’ (inspired by Jim Jones’ “We Fly High”)
8. 8s I Know You Know It (inspired by Yung Joc’s “I Know You See It”)
9. The 9s Trick (inspired by Jibbs “Chain Hang Low”)
10. 10s Work It Out (inspired by DJ Unk’s “Walk It Out”)
11. 11s Double Double (inspired by Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss”)
12. 12s Tell Me What You Know (inspired by E-40’s “Tell Me When To Go”)
13. 0s Clear It Out (inspired by Webstar’s “Chicken Noodle Soup”)

Spark The Mind is an edutainment company based in Maumee, OH founded by Christine Smith, a former elementary school teacher and Alex Nesmith, a popular music producer who share a lifelong commitment to early childhood education. Founded in 2006, the company’s goal is to harness the international power of hip hop music to inspire kids to learn at every grade level while having fun.

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Chris Brown T-Pain Videos

Lil Mama featuring T-Pain and Chris Brown – Shawty Get Loose video

Lil Mama featuring T-Pain and Chris Brown – Shawty Get Loose video

Categories
Chris Brown Videos

Chris Brown – Wall to Wall video

Chris Brown – Wall to Wall video