BABYBOI SEZ (Volume 2.2)

AKON (Spring 2010) 2009 was a busy year for Akon. Aside from being asked to record the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which is set to be held in South Africa this June, he also began work on his next album. The album slated for release this spring and titled ‘Stadium Music’, is Akon’s fourth CD. While the majority of the tracks that appear on this new album will be self-produced (like many of Akon’s past hits), popular French DJ/producer David Guetta will also be contributing as well. Their recent collaboration from Guetta’s ‘One Love’ album (the dance track ‘Sexy Bitch’), lead to massive radio play and became a huge international success; an accomplishment which Akon is looking to repeat with his album. One track which Akon and Guetta have worked on together is called ‘Nosy Neighbor’ and appears to be the likely first official single. Expect the album to be filled with a bunch of crowd pleasing, stadium-type anthems, as the name implies. No confirmation yet on guest collaborators, but don’t be surprised to see the most famous names associated with Akon’s two record labels, T-Pain (from Konvict Muzik ) and Lady Gaga (from Kon Live). Last year saw Akon collaborate with numerous artists on several hit songs including Whitney Houston, Pitbull, Madonna, and Flo Rida. Music’s busiest man seems intent on keeping up the good work. Expect ‘Stadium Music’ to be one of summer’s biggest albums when it drops later this year.



KERI HILSON (May 2010) It took three years for Keri Hilson’s debut album ‘In A Perfect World…’ to appear on store shelves. The wait for its follow up (thankfully) will be far less long. According to reps at Interscope Records, Hilson is positioning to have her new album ready for the start of summer. A single could be available as early as next month. Those wondering who will be creating beats for Keri’s new release will be pleased to know that both Timbaland and Polow Da Don are on board. As is Timbaland protégé Danja, who produced previous Keri hits, “Knock You Down, “Tell Him the Truth”, and “Quicksand” amongst others. In a recent interview when asked whom she’d like to collaborate with on her sophomore album, Keri insisted that Kanye West was a must. With his guest verse on “Knock You Down” becoming a fan favorite, Keri is now interested in having Kanye produce some songs for her. The other artists whom Keri mentioned for a potential collabo are fellow label-mate Jared Evan (more on him later) and singer/songwriter Ryan Leslie. New talent involved behind the scenes on the album, include will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, as well as Drake, and emerging songwriter/producer/go-to-guy Jeff Bhasker (Jay-Z, Kid Cudi). Keri already has a plan for how she’d like the album to sound, with the new music building off past hits and creating an artistic evolution. Without a doubt Miss Keri’s second album will become a must-have for 2010 as she continues to ‘Turn Us On’.



JARED EVAN (Summer 2010) The list of successful white rappers is quite short, yet the list for failed white rappers is seemingly endless. Looking to even things out a bit is up-and-coming artist Jared Evan. Born and raised in New York, Jared is a multi-hyphen talent. He’s a rapper/singer as well as a songwriter and producer. Influenced by old school hip-hop sounds (Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan) and classic rock (The Beatles, Led Zeppelin), Jared has found a way to successfully merge the two to create his unique musical style. After opening for Lupe Fiasco in 2008, Jared began work on his mixtape which lead to a bidding war between numerous labels looking to sign him. Jared Evan’s incomparable sound found a home at Zone 4/Interscope (Polow Da Don’s label). Recently, Jared completed work on the song “Frozen” for the Lebron James documentary soundtrack "Music Inspired by More Than a Game". That song, which he wrote and produced, caught the attention of many in the industry, including Timbaland, who is currently working with Jared on his debut album. With the guidance of Polow and Jimmy Iovine, Jared is preparing a stellar debut set for release this summer. While the mainstream media seems to be focusing all their attention on Drake (another up-and-coming rapper/singer), it is Jared who is silently preparing a musical strike unlike anything pop radio has ever heard.



J. COLE (Summer 2010) Being the first artist signed to Jay-Z's new label Roc Nation comes with a ton of pressure. Yet newcomer J. Cole seems ready for the spotlight and more than up to the task. After releasing a debut mixtape (The Come Up) back in 2007, Cole caught the attention of industry heavyweight Jay-Z. Jay-Z then went and featured the raw talent on the eagerly awaited Blueprint 3 album on a track titled ‘A Star Is Born’. Currently, J. Cole is prepping to tour with Hova, Young Jeezy, and Trey Songz in an effort to build buzz for his release. Work has begun on his major label debut and while Jay-Z, J. Cole, and Roc Nation are mum on details, it is confirmed that super producer No I.D. has created several beats for this album. With Jay-Z’s knack for establishing new artists (Rihanna and Ne-Yo to name just two), J. Cole is in good hands and can look forward to a thriving career. Looking to usher in the new decade with hits and success, both Cole and Hov can expect to repeat past glory while establishing the new Roc Nation as a viable label with excellent credentials and considerable prospects. When J. Cole’s debut becomes Roc Nation’s first official album this summer, the music industry will be paying close attention and expectations will be quite high, yet J. Cole’s immense talent is more than up to the task. Rumored to be titled ‘The Blow Up’, hip-hop fans have something special to look forward to when this highly anticipated album is finally released.



COLBY O'DONIS (Spring 2010) After having taken the pop music scene by storm with his debut single ‘What You Got’ in 2008, Colby O is ready to release his sophomore album this spring. The promotional single ‘I Wanna Touch You’ was leaked to radio in late summer ’09 with a video that appeared in the fall. The song was popular in many major markets and was subsequently picked up and added to rotation at some of the country’s biggest radio stations, even though the album itself was far from complete. A large portion of this new album will be written by Colby himself, with various assists. Frequent Lady Gaga collaborator RedOne will also be producing tracks on Colby’s album (he already produced the aforementioned promo single). Other producers confirmed to appear on this project include Akon and hit-maker Darkchild. Colby will also be once again aiming for crossover appeal, as several tracks will be recorded in Spanish as well. The bar is set high for Colby with this new album. While his last effort yielded several successful singles, the album itself failed to go GOLD despite a heavy marketing push. Colby is looking to define his style while pushing the musical envelope even further with his new music. The first official single has yet to be chosen, but ‘Talkin 'Bout Us’, ‘Never Fall In Love Again’, and ‘Ooh Ahh’ are all currently under consideration by Colby’s label. The choice for the new song is extremely important as it needs to become an instant hit in order to overcome the crowded male pop category, which will also see new releases from Jason Derulo and Donnie Klang during this time. Colby’s new single is expected sometime next month.



FANTASIA (March 2010) After having tackled Broadway with ‘The Color Purple’ and film with ‘Life Is Not A Fairytale’, Fantasia Barrino is ready to return to her musical roots. ‘Tasia’s yet untitled third album is due this spring, and plans are for it to showcase the raw, passionate vocals of this former American Idol winner, while still keeping the great storytelling lyrics she’s become known for. Producers and songwriters involved in the project include: Rico Love, Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney, Tricky Stewart, Novel, Jim Jonsin, Claude Kelly, and Midi Mafia--who produced one of her biggest hits--"When I See U". Close friend and longtime collaborator Missy Elliott will be present as well. John Legend also appears on this album, as does Raphael Saadiq, who encouraged Fantasia to record the ‘old fashioned way’ with a live orchestra in the studio. According to her label, the tracks featured range from throwback R&B to a contemporary sound. A reimagining of Dorothy Moore's 1976 R&B/pop hit "Misty Blue", looks like a sure bet to make the final track list. As are, "Can't Be Without You," and the Lauryn Hill-influenced "Trust Him". Also expect a collaboration with Cee-Lo, rumored to be called "The Thrill Is Gone". Much like others have done recently, Fantasia is currently filming a reality show which is chronicling the creation of this new album. That show, “Fantasia for Real” just began airing on VH1 last month, and depicts Fantasia’s struggle to regain control of both her career and personal life. Looking to make a successful comeback on the music scene, Fantasia seems to have all the proper ingredients in place, let’s just hope the public embraces her again as they did several years back. ‘Tasia’s hot new single, ‘Move On Me’ produced by KP and Malay (John Legend, Beyoncé) is being sent to U.S. radio this month.

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by CJA "Babyboi"