Flashback Friday: Toni Braxton and Jay-Z

It's Georgia Mae's favorite day of the work week! And, as always, we know how to kick off your weekend right.

Kim Jackson nominates the one Braxton that doesn't annoy Edd.

Toni Braxton (1993)

Kim said: "Toni Braxton’s debut CD was a magnificent wonder of heartbreaking songs such as "Another Sad Love Song" and "Breathe Again." With her her husky alto voice how could any man reject her?"



Also check out:
"Another Sad Love Song"
"Love Shoulda Brought You Home"

Edward drops off one of his all-time faves.

Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt (1996)


Edd said: "It's funny to imagine a time when Jay-Z was just a low-key rapper pretending to a pimp. And as I mentioned earlier this week, don't believe the hype - Reasonable Doubt was not universally embraced when it was first released. Sure, everyone liked "Ain't No ..." but that's about it. But after just one listen,  I knew there was something special about this Jigga guy. It didn't take long for this to become one of my favorties - I know the album front to back, down to the "Ch-ch-ch-chea" ad-libs. Today, Jay is hip-hop's top dog and Reasonable Doubt has reached its well-deserved classic status. I'm just glad I was down before the hype."



Also check out:
"Regrets"
"Ain't No..."

Now, it’s your turn. Email edward@georgiamae.com, hit us up on Twitter @etbowser or @writeousbabe, or stop by the comments section and share your Flashback Friday album.  Leave a couple of sentences describing what makes it so great. We’ll feature your album on the blog.

What Ever Happened to: D'Angelo

Until my dying day, I will proclaim that Virginia is the greatest state ever. Sure it has beauty, Slurpees, and most importantly, it is the birthplace of yours truly, the Head Playa In Charge. But it has also produced some of the best musicians of the modern era.

Innovators like Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Pharrell call Va home. Clipse, one of the best rap groups of the past decade, rep Va, along with underrated lyricists Skillz and Lady of Rage. Cousin Chris Brown and Trey Songz release pretty good music too when they're not smashing windows and yelling at people. And who can forget about Magoo?

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Stop hatin', I love Mag-a-noo.

Anyway, there is one Virginia native who is rarely mentioned in a discussion of the region's best. No not Nicole Wray, I'm talking about D'Angelo. What ever happened to that guy?

Listen Up: Lady Pista, Underground Dancefloor

Hit any club from here to Amsterdam and you're guaranteed to feel electro beats vibrating the dance floor. Canadian R&B/Dubstep artist Lady Pista knows what's hot right now. She combines musical styles ranging from electro, hip hop and dancehall with hard-hitting drum beats to create her sound.

Lady Pista has already released her first EP,  Ritual, which she co-produced with  electro/pop record producer Starwalker. Her debut album is slated to drop this year.

Listen to her latest single "Underground Dancefloor" here and follow LadyPistaMusic on Twitter.

Looking to share your music with the masses? Send a track with a short description about yourself to edward@georgiamae.com or hit me up on Twitter @etbowser. If we like what we hear we'll feature you in an upcoming post.

Edd's MANtra: Etta James dies at 73

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Sad news from cnn.com:

Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower" "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," has died, according to her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon. She was 73 and had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2010.

James, who also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C, died at a hospital in Riverside, California.

The powerhouse singer, known as "Miss Peaches," lived an eventful life. She first hit the charts as a teenager, taking "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)" -- an "answer record" to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie" -- to No. 1 on the R&B charts in 1955. She joined Chess Records in 1960 and had a string of R&B and pop hits, many with lush string arrangements. After a mid-decade fade, she re-emerged in 1967 with a more hard-edged, soulful sound.

Etta leaves behind a enduring legacy of fantastic music. "At Last" has become THE definitive wedding song, and her vocals are unmatched.

Etta had been fighting illness for a very long time. I'm happy to know she's at peace.

Flashback Friday: Brandy and Jadakiss

What a week. But there are two things we can look forward to - the weekend and our weekly trip down memory lane.

Kayla Cille Terry flashes back to childhood.

Brandy, Never Say Never (1998)

Kayla said: "Never Say Never was one of the first albums I ever bought with my own money. After Brandy's single, "The Boy is Mine" hit the radio I knew I wanted to listen to it over and over again. Have you ever listened to "Have You Ever" over and over when your boyfriend breaks up with you? Yeah, me neither..."



Also check out:
"Have You Ever"
"Angel In Disguise"

Edward is all for second chances.

Jadakiss, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye (2001)


Edd said: "Anticipation was sky-high for the solo debut of LOX frontman Jadakiss, but it was received with lukewarm reviews and so-so sales. Yeah, it wasn't the classic it was heralded to be, but it's far from a bad album. Jadakiss is one of hip hop's most underrated talents and there are blinding flashes of brilliance here. For instance, "We Gonna Make It" is one of my favorite songs of the past decade. Yep, I love it that much. Jada's debut is definitely worth a second look, especially if you're bored by today's rap."



Also check out:
"We Gonna Make It," featuring Styles P
"None of Y'all Better," featuring The LOX

Now, it’s your turn. Email edward@georgiamae.com, hit us up on Twitter @etbowser or @writeousbabe, or stop by the comments section and share your Flashback Friday album.  Leave a couple of sentences describing what makes it so great. We’ll feature your album on the blog.

Love Letters: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

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Valentine's Day will be here in less than a month, so I expect to get a flood of questions from starry-eyed lovers, or people cutting dead weight so they won't have to buy gifts.

And speaking of that:


Send your inquiries to edward@georgiamae.com, or find me on twitter @etbowser. Just provide your initials, or a fun nickname. 



Here's today's question:

How do you tell someone that it's a new year and I don't wanna bring that person into my new year without being harsh?

Let Them Down Easy, RS

Playa, let's be real. New year or not, you're asking how you can dump this dude. And there is never an easy way to cut someone off.

Here's how I dumped girls in my pimpin' past:

- Stopped accepting the girl's calls

- Told a mutual friend to relay the message that is was over

And probably worst of all:

- When a someone asked in the middle of class "Are you and so-and-so a couple?" I loudly replied, "Not anymore."

Yeah, don't do ANY of that stuff. Sometimes I'm surprised I was never assaulted by a rabid pack of women. Like piranha, y'all tend to attack as a group.

Anyway, I don't care what Cosmo or Steve Harvey tells you, there is no easy way to break up with someone. The best thing you can do is soften the blow. I've found that the only way to do that is with honesty. Don't beat around the bush, don't make a ton of excuses, don't throw all his faults in his face - just say that you don't think things are working out (while you're at it, give a clear reason WHY) and that you're ready to move on. Be clear, concise and stand your ground. Oh, and leave the attitude at home.

Depending on the maturity of your man, he might yell, call you names, cry like a baby or just walk off without a word. But it's your decision, stand by it. You aren't obligated to be in a relationship with anyone. It's not easy but if things aren't working, don't continue to waste your time - or his.

Edd's MANtra: Jay-Z Gives Up The B Word (UPDATED)

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Well, Blue Ivy Carter, Jay-Z and Beyonce's precious baby girl, has been with us for a couple of weeks now - and people have been talking about her until they're blue in the face.

For example, there have been about 10 dozen blogs dedicated to "decoding" the name Blue Ivy. The consensus seems to be:

Blue = Jay's Blueprint album series (Blueprints 1-3)

Ivy = Roman numeral 4 is IV. Jay was born Dec. 4, Bey was born Sept. 4, they were married on 4/4/2008 and of course, Bey's latest album is titled 4. And check out the "IV" on Jay's ring finger in the picture above.

That means Blue Ivy is really The Blueprint 4. I sure hope they didn't name a human being after a bunch of CDs. But knowing my good buddy Blu Cantrell, she probably thinks the baby is named after her. Playa please.

But recently I stumbled across one really interesting story, in which Jay has vowed to stop using the word b*tch. Check out this poem dedicated to his daughter:

Before I got in the game, made a change, and got rich, I didn't think hard about using the word b*tch.
I rapped, I flipped it, I sold it, I lived it now with my daughter in this world I curse those that give it.
I never realized while on the fast track that I'd give riddance to the word b*tch, to leave her innocence in tact.
No man will degrade her, or call her name. I'm so focused on your future, the degradation has passed.
I wish you wealth, health and insight. Forever young you may pass. Blue Ivy Carter, my angel.

That's a pretty dramatic transformation from the guy who once said, "Me give my heart to a woman?/Not for nothin', never happen/I'll be forever mackin'." I think the newly mature Jay-Z is great for hip hop. Let's be real - the hip hop generation is getting older, we can't be waiting on calls from AARP while slinging rocks and holdin' down the block. Besides, degrading women is so 1993. It's time to move on.

Of course, Jay's new mantra means we may have heard the last of songs like "99 Problems" and "Is That Yo B*tch," but we'll live. Gotta grow up sometime.

UPDATE: BUT WAIT!

Guess it was too good to be true. From xxlmag.com:

“That poem and story are fake,” Jay-Z told the New York Daily News.

Well that's disappointing. However, my point still remains. Hopefully Blue Ivy will help Daddy-Z mature, and, in turn, steer the industry in a much more positive direction. It's high time hip hop grew up.

Edd's MANtra: Martin Luther King's Last Speech

Whether you're enjoying a day off or working away at the office, take time to reflect on the sacrifices that were made to better our country. Never forget where we've been; never rest until we've overcome.

Edd's MANtra: Awkward Black Girl Season Finale

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Never thought I'd be blogging about Awkward Black Girl, but since I'm holding down the GM fort while the wifey is away, I'm obligated to spread word about her favorite Web show.

I hope she returns the favors when the new episodes of Bad Girls Club drop.

Anyway, here it is Awkward Black Girl fans: The season finale. Will J choose White Jay or Fred? I have no idea who those folks are, but I know Georgia Mae's Jai likes White Jay, if that makes sense.

I still haven't watched the series; in fact, I plan to catch up on all of 'em this weekend. From what y'all tell me, it'll be well worth it.

Enjoy the finale.

Flashback Friday: Ludacris and Brandy

Need some help getting through Friday? That's what throwbacks are for. Here's what's on today's playlist.

C.J. Harris wants to throw dem 'bows.

Ludacris, Word of Mouf (2001)


C.J. said: "After this album came out, Luda became one of my favorite rappers. Luda's style and delivery distinguished him from every other rapper out that year. Luda brought the heat with this album and still stuck with the Southern recipe of the first album. The lead single, "Rollout," is one of my favorites, not to mention being produced by my favorite producer, Timbo! Luda and Twista made a great tag team on "Freaky Thangs" when it came to fast spittin'. And Jagged Edge on the hook was a plus."



Also check out:
"Freaky Thangs," featuring Twista and Jagged Edge
"Saturday"


Yes, Edward listened to a Brandy CD, big whoop, wanna fight about it?

Brandy, 1994

Edd said: "I stumbled across this a few days ago while reorganizing my music collection. Listening to it reminded me how much girls HATED Brandy back then. I'm not sure why - I mean, she had a TV show, a pretty good voice, and she was a media darling. It couldn't possibly have been jealousy, could it? Girls jealous of each other? Perish the thought. Anyway, Brandy's debut doesn't hold up as well in my crotchety old ears as it did in '94, but it still boasts a few strong cuts. And ladies, don't front, you know you were doing that ridiculous "I Wanna Be Down" ninja hand dance at your school dances."

Brandy - Music - More Music Videos

Also check out:
"Brokenhearted (album version)"
"Love Is On My Side"

Now, it’s your turn. Email edward@georgiamae.com, hit us up on Twitter @etbowser or @writeousbabe, or stop by the comments section and share your Flashback Friday album.  Leave a couple of sentences describing what makes it so great. We’ll feature your album on the blog.