Mary J. Blidge teams up with Kanye West for new collaborative album Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige is gearing up for her new album and is enlisting Kanye West for a collaboration. The Arbiters and Repertoire of A&R podcast and MJB’s A&R Eddie Fourcell, revealed the project is now undergoing the final mixing phase and is expected to release this Fall. Blige will join forces with hit makers Hit-Boy, DJ Camper, B.A.M and Jazmine Sullivan on the album. “I think this is going to be the first time that the world sees a Mary J. Blige and Kanye West collaboration,” Fourcell tells theboombox.com. The singer released her last studio album, The London Sessions in 2014, after moving to London to experiment with a new sound. The album primarily featured musical talents of the U.K. with contributions from British electronic garage-house duo Disclosure, Sam Smith, Emeli Sandé and long-time collaborator Rodney Jerkins. Blige’s new album is slated for release later this summer. “I don’t want to give up the name of the song yet, but the album is mostly complete. But I absolutely got a chance to work with the great Kanye West. And the song is crazy, can’t wait for people to hear it,” Blige reveals to the hollywoodreporter.com. “The flavor of the track starts off with piano keys. It’s very dramatic in the beginning and it goes into a loud horn. That is, like an old sample horn,” she said. “And then this gigantic beat kicks in and I sing. He rhymes after my two verses. It’s incredible. He kills it. I wish I could give you the title, you’d flip but I just can’t do it yet.”
Wale introduces Baltimore’s latest artist Damond Blue in “Give It To You” MMG’s own Wale collaborates with DMV’s latest emcee Damond Blue on his new single “Give It To You (Remix) released July 1.” Written by Blue and produced by in-house producer, Ghost, the singer and rapper phenomenon has created a new wave for Summer ‘16. “It’s a feel good record,” Blue said about his new single. “The response from the original track was amazing and I’m happy my brother Wale could bless the track.” To date, Blue has worked with Fat Trel, King Los, Bun B, Brave Williams, Jada Kiss, Ace Hood, 2 Live Crew, Wyclef Jean. With five projects under his belt, Blue released his latest project “Dream Bigger: Vo1. 1” July 15. The Baltimore hip-hop-singer is active in his community, launching #beatsnotbullets by Damond Blue Music Group’s (DBMG) summer internship program that fosters awareness of how simple grass-roots community efforts can increase technology access for inner-city youth. “Getting in the studio as a teen allowed me to me to see that there were options for me, outside of what I knew from the street or my own family. I wouldn’t have known these options existed otherwise,” said Blue. “Give young people access to technology and they can do amazing things with it.” “Give It To You” is currently in rotation on airwaves across the country and available on iTunes. Go to damondblue.com for more information.
Fantasia debuts “I Made It” on new album The Definition of… Fantasia is back with her fifth studio album The Definition Of…, out this Friday July 29. She performed on “Good Morning America” Monday July 25, to debut one of the LP’s tracks called “I Made It.” It’s an up-tempo, triumphant Gospel number that declares the arrival of her success. Produced by Tye Tribbett, the song is meant to get you out of our seat, and it will! As previously reported, The Definition Of… features Stacy Barthe, Aloe Blacc, and production by R. Kelly, Neff-U, Ron Fair, and Jerome “J-Roc” Harmon,” reports singersroom.com. The American Idol alum incorporated live music and real musical instruments into the album and strayed from a contemporary sound. “I wanted music that would touch people’s hearts; that would bless people and move people because, you know, music makes the world go round.”
T.I. teams with Quavo for “Baller Alert” for Champs Sports “We Know Game” Campaign Atlanta rappers T.I. and Quavo of the rap group Migos have recorded the new song “Baller Alert” as part of clothing retailer Champs Sports’ “We Know Game” campaign. New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall and Under Armour are also involved in the effort, with Marshall’s personal struggle with mental health serving as the song’s inspiration. Debuting nationwide August 1, “Baller Alert” aims to “further inspire others to be their true selves.” “Champs wanted us to bring something positive and give it that electric sound, give it something new and be a part of the wave,” Quavo told Billboard.com. “For the creative visual aspect, Under Armour got the top ballers in the game with everybody on their team right now, and it’s only right to have the top ballers in the rap and hip-hop game to be on the song — myself and T.I. Producer Lex Luger did the beat, so everything was just magic,” reports eurweb.com
