Have you wanted to become an video vixen as long as you can remember? Are you inspired by your favorite hip hop videos and have a passion for dancing? Here are the main steps you take to help you get to your goal.

Step 1…Research

Learn the profession from top to bottom.

Many hip hop models have marketed themselves successfully through fan websites, film, calendars, DVDs, import car shows, personal appearances, party hosting, and various other projects. Research the steps these women took and try to find your niche.

Step 2…Mugshots

Get a headshot and professional photos for your myspace and other social networking profiles.

Professional photographers charge an average $75 to $150 a roll.

Photos give the video casting directors a better image of who they are calling for auditions.

Step 3…Shameless plugging

Post your headshots and portfolio on your own website and other related websites.

Find your niche and create yourself as a personal brand. You find a lot of that on myspce and youtube. Aspiring models create a myspace page and youtube channel and get as many friends as they can. They add video clips and pictures of themselves to display their work to the whole world. great recent example: Tila Tequila

Step 4… Get out there

Get an agent or agency to help you find auditions. Send video directors and promotion agencies your portfolio and request auditions. Search on the internet for local hip hop acts who are shooting music videos, contact them with your information and hope they reply. Don’t give up, keep emailing them until someone replies.

Step 5… BE Easy going

Be outgoing and friendly to everyone you meet that is involved in the hip hop industry.

Find a way to network and go to as many events as you can.

Be careful of any scams and porn directors who promise you stardom.

Be patient, stay positive and keep submitting your work to video directors and agencies.

Be ready for the moment you do get the big break and do your best.



By: Mike Wall

About the Author:

Adigun Alapomeji, a.k.a 9ice, was the cynosure of all eyes at the 2009 edition of the Hip Hop World Awards held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, when he won four awards.

The Gongo Aso exponent won the Album of the Year, Artiste of the Year, Song of the Year and the Best Rap in Pop Album categories.

His producer, ID Cabasa, also won the Producer of the Year with the song Gongo Aso by defeating D’banj’s Don Jazzy, Tee Y Mix, Terry G and Jasse Jagz.

Other winners are Jude Okoye, Best Music Video with the PSquare’s Roll It; Timaya, Best Reggae and Dance Hall Album.

JMartins’ Good or Bad, featuring Timaya and PSquare was adjudged the Best Collabo album.

MI won the Hip Hop World Revelation with the song Talk about it and Best Rap album; Naeto C won the Best Rap Single; Banky, Best Vocal Performance (male) and Omawunmi, Best Vocal Performance (female).

Omawunmi was also adjudged the Best In The Next Rated Category. She did not only win an award, she was given 2008 KIA Optima car for her efforts. She had earlier won the 5th best dressed artiste, at the Nominees party which was held at Ajibogun Village, Ota, on May 9th.

Veteran DJ Grandmaster Lee and Philip Trimnell were recognised in the Hip Hop World Hall of Fame, while DJ Zeez of the 04 Kasibe fame won Best Street Hop. Mode 9 was the Best Lyricist on Roll.

The well attended show included musical performance by MI, Dare Art Alade, Lord of Ajasa and 9ice, Tuface and Sound Sultan, Omawunmi and others.

Well, for all those that were nominated, but didn’t win, not to worry, work harder, you might just be lucky to clinch an award next year.



By: Goodlife

About the Author:

The best deals for music CDs and DVDs in London for gays

There are plenty of music stores in London, so what differentiates normal music stores from gay music shops in London. Gay music shops are shops that have friendly and knowledgeable staff, means no homophobic people to turn and say awkwardly “May I help you?”. Another thing that you might look for is knowledgeable staff that can give you tips and suggestions based on your taste.

Not all music stores in London can promise you this but many of them actually go out of their way to please you and help you in all ways they can.

Gay music shops in London

Browsing through rows and rows of music stores in London can be cheerfully exciting but also painfully exhausting. Some of the music stores in London that offer every possible compilation you want in the best deals ever are listed here:

Rough Trade

Ask anyone in Covent Garden, where Rough Trade is and you are lead to an independent shop tucked away in Neals Yard. It is one of the best independent music stores in London and if there is something you don’t find at HMV, you are going to be lucky here. Rough Trade has offset a cult status with different kind of music lovers from gays to hippies and from punk rockers to soul music lovers frequenting them.

Revival Records

Rare singles album, US indie, labels like Matador, guitar based rock – you will find the rarest of compilations here. This shop in SoHo is something that most gay Londoners cannot resist. Their separate shop for soul and dance is a gay men’s dream come true. If in London, looking for music shops, you just cannot miss this shop!

Sister Ray

Whether you are looking for cheap music CDs and DVDs or second hand stuff, you are going to get everything here. Their racks are neatly piled with alphabetically organized albums. From metal to trance, from new releases to single albums, your investigation though tiring will never let you down. This shop is located at Berwick Street, haven for film and music lovers.

Mister CD

This place is jam packed on weekends and most of their chart albums cost you not more than a tenner. Don’t forget to check their basement, where you can get CDs for as low as a £1. Tourists, who are mostly men, frequent this place. Perhaps, this is the reason that you can catch some footie here, an unusual thing for a music store!

Some other music shops in London are Selectadisc and Music and Video Exchange. The latter has branches in Soho, Camden and Notting Hill. The ambience of this store is friendly. However, you need to beware as they have a wacky pricing policy and you just might spend more than you would a week later.

Some other music shops in London are Soul Brother (soul and reggae), Honest Jon’s (reggae, hip hop soul and r’ n ‘b), Minus Zero (alternative and quirky), Resurrection Records (black metal industrial and goth) and BM Soho (dance music).

Benefits of online CD and DVD store

If you don’t have time on your hand or you can’t muster enough energy to check out overwhelming number of CDs and DVDs in local music stores, you can get everything you want online and save your time and energy as a plus.



By: Mark Bevan

About the Author:

The music from Memphis has made such a profound impact in the music world that it has been the reason that the city of Memphis has earned such nicknames as Home of the Blues The Birthplace of Soul, The Home of Rock and Roll, and Soulsville, USA. The musical influence in Memphis has always been thick, rich, heart felt, and varied. Beginning with jug bands and Bluegrass, music from Memphis would become a permanent presence in the music world.

When WWII had come to an end, music from Memphis began to see the use of electronic instruments. Many musicians from all over the country came to Memphis with these electric instruments, changing the sound of Memphis blues. The musicians would gather on Beale Street, where there were recording studios up and down. These early musicians would record some of the first music from Memphis that was classic blues, rhythm and blues, and rock & roll records. Once of the most famous of these studios was Sun Records, who would record the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, among many others.

It began in the early 1900s when jug bands played on the streets of the city, the center being once again Beale Street. Using homemade, simple instruments like the banjo, guitar, and a jug of course for the bass, music from Memphis erupted on the streets and branched into what we know today as the Blues. The Blues is music that is full of catchy rhythms and lyrics about life, work, and faith.

The music from Memphis known as Soul began in the little neighborhoods around Memphis. These neighborhoods became known as Soulsville, USA. In the late 1950s the genre of music was born that was to become Memphis Soul music. Soul is a style of music that combines R&B music with Gospel music. It has been said that Memphis Soul Music is similar to Gospel in almost every way except one. The only difference between the two is the substitution of the word Lord in Gospel to the word Baby in Soul.

The catchy, new, unique blend of R&B and Gospel quickly spread through the African American communities in Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis, and Detroit. Memphis Soul music was most heavily influenced by gospel, however, more so than in the other cities. The unique sound of Memphis Soul music that resulted from such a thick Gospel influence was described as unpolished and raw. Up North, the sound had been more polished and smooth. Music from Memphis was gritty and raspy, which is what has made music from Memphis the most loved and time honored music in the country.



By: Phoenix Delray

About the Author:

www.vmusicbook.com sells an e-book, which provides solutions for most issues that unsigned musicians experience.

VmusicBook was created for those who wish to set up and successfully run an independent music business, especially for the URBAN markets such as Hip-Hop, R&B, Drum & Bass and all other Dance genres including UK Grime.

VmusicBook is one of the first music resources of its kind. It is said to be the most comprehensive and detailed directories sold online giving you direct access to 100s of important contacts.

VmusicBook is an invaluable business tool for unsigned talent looking to turn their talents or skills into a legal business. No matter what you do if it is creative and entertaining then this is without doubt for you.

The VmusicBook was made for unsigned artists and musicians, label owners, music producers, songwriters, engineers and mangers. Get your music or songs into television, films and commercials.

Hip-hop music is one of the most popular styles of music in the United States. This popular music style is made up of two components namely: record scratching and rapping. These two important components of hip-hop music when blended with break dancing and graffiti form the important elements of the hip-hop music. If you are wondering how to get in to the Hip-Hop music industry then remember that achieving your goals can be difficult but not at all impossible. With a few smart moves and a lot of efforts, you can get into the hip-hop music industry.

How to get in to the Hip-Hop music industry

If you want to know how to get in to the Hip-Hop music industry, follow a few simple tips given below:

Get Permission

• The most important and crucial thing for getting in to the Hip-Hop music industry is to get the permission and complete all the necessary formalities in advance, so that you do not face any problems later on.

• Before sending your rap or hip-hop beats to any music company, you have to get permission from them first. This will prevent your material from being considered as unsolicited and being rejected from the upper independent record labels.

• Getting permission for your material will prevent you from any legal threats. This is a process that works hand in hand by a tam of people that includes the record producers, lawyers, music industry managers, etc. your music will be filtered by these people from the junk music.

Find the guidelines for submission of your materials and abide by them

If you want to know how to get in to the Hip-Hop music industry, remember that this will be a challenging task, but you can accept this challenge and proceed towards your goal by following the appropriate guidelines. If you are asked for only three tracks, then it is recommended to send them only three tracks to that particular record company. If you send more, it may irritate them as they may pursue that you being unable to understand simple instructions. This will create a wrong impression on them. If they give no limit to you, then only you can free 5-7 of your hottest tracks.

Place your hottest tracks first

We all are aware about the fact that “First impression is the last impression”, you can never get a second chance to impress people. Place your hottest and most admirable tracks in the first place and then gradually place the other ones in a sequence.

Know about all the addressees

If you are wondering how to get in to the Hip-Hop music industry, keep in mind that this will depends upon how much you are aware about all the addressees. You should have thorough knowledge regarding the records company you plan to approach or else your submissions will end up in a trash.

Once you are sure as of how to get into the Hip-Hop industry, remember to make as many contacts as you can. Hire a good promotional manager who is experienced enough to help you get excellent record deals. With thorough commitment and hard work you will reign the hip hop industry very soon.

Coutesy of www.vmusicbook.com ©VmusicBook, Inc. 2008



By: vmusicbook Inc

About the Author:

4 Hip Hop Abs – Workout Fitness with Shaun T Advanced Workouts

Conventionally, the way to achieving washboard abs is by painstakingly doing crunches and sit-ups. Those times, the more repetitions there are, then the quicker will be the results. However, despite its known effectivity, it does not sit atop the favorite exercise list of anyone owing to its degree of difficulty and the greater amount of time and dedication entailed in doing such exercises. Advanced results requires almost years of doing crunches and sit-ups, so the more problematic is your abdominal area, the chances of getting those abs gets slimmer. To top it all, an ab worth thousand and thousands of these exercises can easily be erased by cases of beer and unwatched eating. That is so much for the effort and hard work being put to waste!

However, thanks to the evolution of fitness arena, more and more products are accessible in the market to get the desirable abs with even resorting to these crunches and sit-ups. Hip Hop Abs – Workout Fitness with Shaun T is one of the more popular versions that have taken the world by storm. It is a combination of a series of dance steps coupled with engaging music that does not only make you lose weight but also ensure you of getting the flattest and the sexiest of abs. It has four component advanced workouts that will make you dance your way towards the perfect abs you could only dream of before.

1.The “Secret to Flat Abs” segment targets the hardest muscles groups to tone and shape – the abdominal muscles. It is a 13-minute exercise that consists of several routine dance steps that targets every part of the abdomen including the upper abs, the lower abs and the obliques setting you into a grooving rhythm while developing the core muscles.

2.The “Fat Burning Cardio” segment is Shaun T’s unique version of a cardiovascular exercise. It is a 30-minute routine that you will not only enjoy but make you lose weight, shed pounds and drop inches off your waist arms and legs.

3.The “Ab Sculpt” segment is a complementary regimen to the “Secret to Flat Abs”. Here, another 25 minutes of purely ab-based dance routines is to be done to enhance the effects of the first segment. To top it all, you never have to do sit-ups or crunches.

4.The last segment is known as the “Total Body Burn”. It is another set of dance exercises with an engaging background music aimed at total body toning, additional cardiovascular exercises and some more ab-sculpting routines. It is normally lasts for forty-five minutes.

Shaun T’s aim is to make exercise a bit more fun, a lot more enjoyable and less taxing. You see, when one enjoys what he is doing, the time spent or the stress related to workout is out of the question. Hip Hop abs is the only way towards a fun and engaging yet equally effective exercise.



By: Jesse Miller

About the Author:

Believed to have been originated in the late 1990s by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records, the term Neo Soul refers to a musical genre that many observers are calling the revitalization of soul.  This genre is quite unique in the way it fuses old school soul and contemporary R&B with styles that range from blues and electric rock to poetry and spoken word.  Raphael Saadiq and Tony Toni Tone are largely credited for birthing the revolution with artists like D’Angelo and Erykah Badu leading the wave into the new millennium.  While the next generation of soul features a balance of numerous musical elements, one of the most notable is hip hop.  Being that the genres are so closely tied, it is should come as no surprise that some of today’s brightest hip hop stars are making the transition to soul music.

The History of Hip Hop and Soul

Pick an album from almost any hip hop artist who has been prevalent over the last two decades and you are sure to come across a familiar hook you’ve heard somewhere before.  Perhaps it’s snippets of Etta James’ “Hard to Handle” in Nas’ Affirmative Action or a hint of “I Miss You” by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes slipped into Jay Z’s “This Can’t Be Life”.

From the very beginning, hip hop artists have paid homage to classic soul music by using catchy samples in their songs.  The trend remains popular today as it is not uncommon to hear the angelic voice of Nina Simone melded with lyrics of conscious rapper Talib Kweli or the soulful sound of Curtis Mayfield complimenting the music of Grammy award-winning artist Kayne West.  It is the fondness and respect of the old school that has resulted in more and more artists going soul.

In 1984, a group known as Force M.D.’s began recording with Tommy Boy Records, asserting that their style of music would combine musical influences from various eras.  Although this quartet was heavily influenced by early hip hop, 1950s doo wop along with 1960s and 1970s soul left impressions on them as well.  Force M.D.’s were inspired by the Fat Boys, L.L. Cool J, Run D.M.C. and Whodini but most are not aware that they also got into the Penguins and the Five Satins, groups that were doo wopping on the corner before these guys were even born.  Anyone familiar with the sound will agree that Force M.D.’s were far ahead of their time, delivering neo soul-like hip hop years before Mary J. Blige was anointed as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.

Who’s Gone Soul?

Several hip hop artists and producers are showing diversity by releasing tracks laced with soulful elements.  Common has always been considered as a hip hop artist bordering on the soul genre, but you may be shocked to know that DJ Jazzy Jeff has been successfully dabbling with these experimental sounds as well.  Over the years, Jazzy has produced a number of soul-driven albums with tracks featuring names like Jill Scott and Raheem DeVaughn amongst many other aspiring soul artists.  The continuous merger of these dynamic genres is good to see as it is not only being embraced by the fans of soul music, but also helping to bring neo soul to the surface and reach the ears of more listeners.



By: Prince Damons

About the Author:

The bloom of computers is so enormous that, computers not only dominate the field of Information Technology but it has started to stretch its wings in the field of arts and entertainment that too especially in the field of music.

Music is an art, entertainment, a human activity that involves the organization of sounds with some degree of rhythm, melody, and harmony. Are you one among the people, who loves music to the core and wish to compose and edit music of your own. You need not go in search of recording theatres to get your work done. You can avail all your desired works in music by sitting at home. With designed music software you can compose and edit music of your choice just with your PC and creativity.

Now a days, programmed music software’s are in the market which renders all your requirements to compose and edit music. Some of the music editing software are Goldwave, FlexiMusic and Cool Edit Pro.

Goldwave and Cool Edit Pro are meant for professionals. GoldWave is the most advanced audio editor available in its price range. It includes all of the common audio editing commands and effects, it has tools such as a batch processor/converter, a CD reader, and audio restoration filters.

FlexiMusic Wave Editor is an easy-to-use audio editor for professionals and home users (for Windows). It provides a powerful and user-friendly editing environment for novice users. Anyone (with a PC) who needs to edit, convert features necessary to edit music. The features are record, Cut and copy, delete, trim, paste-replace, paste-insert, and paste multiple insert (looping). Additional editing operations are paste, equalize, echo, noise reduction, modulate, and stretch/shrink. Transform operations like Reverse, invert, move-up/down, move-forward/backward, inter-change channels, channel mix etc. is in use to manipulate/modify the sound. FlexiMusic Wave Editor offers the best value in audio editing software. It’s like having thousands of dollars’ worth of professional audio equipment all in one easy-to-use software package.

Cool Edit is a digital sound editor which gives you a wide variety of special effects to “touch up” your sounds: reverberation, noise reduction, echo and many others. Can Edit and master audio with professional digital tools. Analyze audio with Spectral View and Frequency Analysis.



By: Heera

About the Author:

Hmm… (head scratch), don’t you think we should all be deeply concerned about the numerous award ceremonies Nigeria prides itself in? Think about it, a lot of corporations throw good money away just for a clique of people to distribute awards to family and friends while the real earners are consoled with… ‘eh ya.. don’t worry, the next award will be your turn’ speech. CRAP! Are folks a lot more interested in comparing their tailors’ hems and stitchings than they are in appreciating real talent in Naija? I for one think quite a lot of them have lost their credibility and Aaarghhhhhhhh! It really pisses me off.

Okay, Okay… Wooosa! My therapist warned me not to give myself a heart attack. ‘Live to critic another day’ she said. Now, on the 16th of May 2009, the glamorous, most talked about, most anticipated event for the boys and girls of the music Industry, The MTN Hip Hop world awards was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. That’s right people; a lot of folks spent wisely and saved up to get that one killer outfit to impress fans and diss critics. This little bird even heard that some had to book down their outfits and threaten their tailors months in advance for that killer freaking’ dress as Beyonce calls it.

Now the organizers did their best to wow the crowd and I must commend them for their efforts. But if the rumours are true that MTN splashed a cool N400 million for this here party… why couldn’t we just do it as Aso rock? Really! I am sure the president and his boys would have loved a little break from their work. Hmm… N400 million huh? Millions of Nigerians starve everyday just so that Hip Hop World awards could blind everyone in attendance with all that yellow. I ain’t kidding. I still got my sunglasses on till this very day. It’s a wonder that our ladies strutting on wicked pumps like Omawunmi, Waje, Dakore and the likes didn’t trip from all that brightness.

I’m sorry; I just had to get that off my chest. Phew! That said, this little bird has been chatting with quite a lot of people about the awards. Some of them, I must admit, knew their onions and others didn’t know what the hell the award was. Yeah, yeah… I know say I no waka well for that one. WILL YOU STOP CRITICIZING ME, I HAD A TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD (sob).

Now a lot of people believe that the event was highly superficial and superfluous but I beg to differ (did I just say that?). A good number of folks spend endless hours in the studio, acquainting themselves with the rats and mice of the industry and I do mean that literally, just to be able to walk away with what is rumoured to be a 21 carat gold headie… hmmm (Head scratch) 21 carat? For N400 million? Come on Hip Hop! You couldn’t make it 50 carats or something? What? Our talents are not good enough for a 50 carat award? FOCUS!

Anyways, I sat in the over packed auditorium with popcorn in my hand ready for the show. Did I mention that it was over packed? Now I know what sardines feel like. But hey, that is every organizer’s dream you know? To have a hall so full, you could actually see the building expand like rubber from the outside. So there I was, waiting and anticipating. I mean, I was a loyal voter. I voted every day, all day for the folks I thought should win in certain categories (Don’t you think Hip Hop world ought to create a category for people like me?) and no… I don’t know any of them personally.

Okay, let’s get serious here. Banky W and presenter Kemi Adetiba were the hosts for the day. Banky W? a.k.a Mr. Capable? What were these people thinking? Could they make it any more obvious that this match was somewhat fixed… even if it was just a little? The dude had multiple nominations to smile about for the whole night… I bet he probably knew he was gonna win one if not all. It was surprising to a lot of folks that he had been chosen to host the awards. Uh… note to organizers, leave nominees in the audience. That way, when they are called onto the stage to receive their awards, their reactions and acceptance speeches would look real. I mean, look at Omawunmi… what a natural! But hey, if it was about picking pretty boys and girls to host your show…Brian (Mr. Nigeria) ought to have made the list right? And what is up with making him Mr. Nigeria? I mean, sure enough he has the face but what about the body? Dude looks like he is being on a hunger strike… Nigerian men are chunky and strong. I personally would prefer him rich dark… hmm (Smiles dreamily)… Oh Shoot! Sorry, its being a while since my last therapy session… no offence Brian. I still think you are sexy in a missionary kinda way.

Ladies and gentlemen, here is the winners’ list for the 2009 Hip Hop World awards.

Best R&B and Best Pop Album – Street Credibility by 9ice

Best Street Hip Hop – ’04kasibe’ by DJ Zeez

Best Rap Album – ‘Lets Talk About It’ by MI

Best Rap Single – ‘Kini Big Deal’ by Naeto C

Best Lyricist on the roll – Modenine for ‘Nine’

Best Reggae and Dancehall Album – ‘The Gift and the Grace’ by Timaya

Best Female Vocal performance – Omawunmi

Best Male Vocal performance – Banky W for ‘Don’t Break My Heart’

Best Hip Hop World Revelation – MI

Next Rated Act – Omawunmi

Best Collaboration – J Martins, Timaya and P-Square for Good or Bad (O wey)

Best Music Video – P-Square’s ‘ Roll it by Jude Okoye

Producer of the Year – ID Cabasa (Gongo Aso)

Album of the Year – Street Credibility by 9ice

Best Recording of the Year – Ecterera for Mitchelle

Artiste of the Year – 9ice

Song of the Year – Gongo aso

Ace producer, Philip Trimmel and Grand Master Lee inducted into Hip Hop World Awards Hall of Fame.

Now I’m not going to say a word about their list but please permit me to make mine okay? You know, freedom of speech and opinion and all that. Just say so that in case HHWA has a problem with it, they can speak to my attorney.

So welcome folks to GLWA (GoodLife World awards) 2009.

First of all, we the organizers sincerely apologize for those of you that missed it. I guess you weren’t that quick to catch it. It was held on Saturday, the 16th of May 2009 at the ASO ROCK VILLA, Abuja. The hosts were Brian (Mr. Nigeria) and Omowunmi Akinifesi (Former MBGN) and it was branded by Zain Telecommunications with a cool N1 million. You know, with their down sizing and all, that’s all they could afford for now but they left us at ‘He is coming’ for next year, so stay tuned.

The categories were as follows:

Best R&B and Best Pop Album

Best Street Hip Hop

Best Rap Album

Best Rap Single

Best Lyricist on the roll

Best Reggae and Dancehall Album

Best Female Vocal performance

Best Male Vocal performance

Best Hip Hop World Revelation

Next Rated Act

Best Collaboration

Best Music Video

Producer of the Year

Album of the Year

Best Recording of the Year

Artiste of the Year

Song of the Year

It was a long hard battle for our nominees and the President Musa Yar’ Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in the VIP section were taking bets as regards the impending winners. We really would have loved to show you pictures but on uploading it, our servers went down but you can check out pictures of the nominees in our Gallery. It’s just a click away. In the mean time, here is OUR winners’ list.

Artist of the Year- 9ice (the dude came on the scene so naturally as opposed to D’banj who quite a number of people believe to be a product of forced promotions. Don’t get me wrong, he is a great performer and entertainer.)

Song of the Year- Gongo Aso (where there any doubts?)

Recording of the Year- Not the girl by Dare Art Alade (everyone buys his album for that song alone.)

Producer of the Year- ID CABASA for Gongo Aso (finally! bros abeg you don try)

Best Music Video- DJ Tee for Pere (let’s face it, it does have a plot as opposed to the continuous posing and dance steps in different shots by the other nominees)

Best Reggae/Dance Hall album- My Shine by Black Solo. (For the umpteenth time, Timaya is NOT a reggae artiste… God! Isn’t anyone listening?)

Best RnB/ Pop Album- Mr Capable by Banky W (9ice… RnB? Are you kidding? Pop… Maybe)

Best Rap Album- Let’s Talk about it by MI

Best Collaborations- (it was A TIE) Street Credibility by 9ice and Tuface & Good or Bad by J Martins, Timaya and P Square. (They are currently in the free kick stage. Results will be announced in the 2010 awards.)

Best Rap Single- Kini Big Deal by Naeto C

Best Vocal Performance (Male) – Don’t break my heart by Banky W (Banky’s delivery in this song is very sincere and emotional. It takes you there as opposed to Dare whose lyrics and not vocals do.)

Best Vocal Performance (Female) – Somewhere by Waje (Omawunmi is practically screaming her way through the song. Waje tells us a story with her vocals. Her delivery was very colourful and soulful)

Next Rated- (Sorry, No one voted)

Hip Hop World Revelation (best new artiste) – MI

Best Lyricist- Modenine

Best Street Hop (Single) – 04kasibe by DJ Zeez

Album of the Year- Gongo Aso by 9ice

Ladies and gentlemen, these are your winners for the 2009 GOODLIFE WORLD AWARDS. Stay tuned for the 2010 edition and if you have any objections, email me at graye@goodlife.com.ng if not… bite me!



By: Goodlife

About the Author:

The “diarrhea” of “an awful lot of” contemporary “pop, rap & rock” music (but not all!)

Do you know what happens when you live on a diet of processed entrees and fast food? When never a fresh fruit or vegetable passes your lips and your fiber count is measured in “mgs” instead of grams? You guessed it: that horrible “D” word. Also known in medical circles as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) –

So what’s up with the computer spew of 75% of many contemporary popular artists? They, say the song is dead; well who killed it? Was it the independent label music movement? Certainly NOT! Was it rap, punk, or grunge or whatever? I’d say, could be. Was it Madonna who first put the crack in “The Wall” of song composing and instrument playing that earlier generations so carefully began brick by brick? I don’t know — for you, but for me, it’s been a downhill ride since 1984.

I was one, well, that was at “the roots of rock” sort of speak (thanks to an older sister who took me to the Fillmore East in New York City at age 14) – I was naïve enough to ask about that “funny smelling smoke” and those funny looking cigarettes; I later thanked her, for I saw “Santana” live there when their second album (Black Magic Woman) hadn’t even hit the shelves.

I saw PINK FLOYD at that venue a year later when they were still called: The Pink Floyd and they had an opening act play before they came out (i.e. later when fame hit: Pink Floyd ALWAYS played alone because of their massive WALL of speakers and equipment.)

I saw bands in New York City that are now relics: Procol Harum, Jethro Tull’s first incarnation, YES, Bob Dylan WITH “The Band”!! – even Black Sabbath after their 1st LP; and, “Mott the Hoople” touring their FIRST LP. (Remember them? –an LP is an old vinyl record that was played on a turntable. YOU didn’t “use the turntable to scratch! – And they made crackling and popping sounds. LONG LIVE THE CD! And the mp3 too) But, I digress…

So where is this blog heading?

Today you can record and cut a CD in your bedroom. Then, (IF you have enough friends and a gig someplace – or JUST USE U-Tube) you can SELL CDs to YOUR FANS, if you can GET ENOUGH, you’ll even make money; MAYBE! It can all be done on your HOME Computer. And why, because YOU are a musician? “Frankly NOT my dear” as Gable used to say. (Gable who? say the younger readers?) It’s all virtual marketing after that…

In case you’re still naïve as to how IT is done – that so many of today’s artists may not need to know almost anything about music, let alone, spend years playing an instrument or singing – and yet get on the “Virtual Airwaves” and even end up on the Today show spot, along with the “singing babies” that periodically appear on the internet sites and on “You-Tube”. Well it doesn’t even take “RC’s” [read Record Companies] Perhaps just a shrewd “Boomer or GenX” Mom/Dad Manager)… Yep, it’s “Performance Now” and there’s very little music to worry those Artists about. The RC’s can still get their cut and have absolutely NO REASON to complain!!! – About the “Indie and Virtual Music artists” wrecking their profit.

THEY helped “build the beast” they fear everyday (and I hope it does eat their Creator like a type of “Cannibal Baby” gone wild).

And “they” profit everyday by the existence of a youth-culture fueled “Music” industry who’s “Heart & Soul” is made up of the “clinking, clacking, metallic empty banging” of a musical palette of sounds that is “as Soul-LESS” as the heart of the “King Beast” himself (you know that Devil “Sam” who is lurking behind everybody’s dream of a “musical-career “Garden of Eden”) –

As for those “Singing Babies” and “Parading Sex-Toy Imagery of “Twelve-year+ something” girly-woman – parading across the video screens of Virtual and TV America (every so often) THEY, and those nice Boomer+ parents, are just hoping a couple will spell “C.A.S.H.” BIG TIME! – This is of course, once their product “Goes Viral…”

And so many of u“You-tubers,” (particularly) the older viewers will be “fooled-again” – having, (in anemic mental-lapses) forgotten the “Anthem of YOUR Youth: “We Won’t Be Fooled Again” (Who?); and, all those “smashing guitars” instead of “Smashing ‘those damn’ Pumpkins” (now Geriatric!)…

All BECAUSE “U” don’t have the “dog-damn” SOFTWARE that I just have to throw in the garbage! (I made a resolve NOT to swear lately, I don’t want to break my will just yet) – nothing against “dog’s really! – Though I am sort-of “one of those cat-guys”…Please don’t message my email, I LOVE animals with four-legs and some with two. (It’s spiders and insects with multiple legs that have been giving me the creeps lately, but then I live in a “real FOREST”…

It came in MARCH: The last “music equipment purchase I knew I was going to be able to make for quite sometime unless, – MY CD goes “Viral” – (highly unlikely as I don’t own a Video camera or even a digital camera) It will be tough to get on YOU-Tube or even MySpace Music with my “old-fashioned music-making way” (and so MUCH profitless Work – not to mention that! – Unpaid labor, hardly worth it) – but that’s aside the point:

In March (as I said), I bought a $100 desktop “plastic” 2-octave Midi Controller” keyboard with my last savings, (2 octaves means that it only has 25 black & white piano-looking keys) and along with that came (from this decptive “kraut” company) the: “Virtual Music Starter Desktop Composing Package” (a VMSDCP (!)) complete with 50 of the “Latest” Digital Virtual Sounds and Samples (your DVSS’s!) that I thought my music was lacking(?!) – Or perhaps, I had a series of “faithless” self-doubts and collapse of my initial musical resolve formed so long ago in those many long hours and days behind “My Old Black & White”…But again, I digress:

So although the keyboard will be minimally useful at my computer desktop for editing and notation work, those wonderfully and cleverly named (and they really are!) modern sound samples have yet to be able to even be tested out with this “rat-like” maze of a software package! “They” (the Kraut Company) sent me for my $100 apparently a bunch of “demo-software” that ‘They” never even paid for – unfortunately you can’t do much with it! – If only after loading the .dll files I could hear the damn things on a reliable basis. But yes, I do like the names: i.e. Delay Lama, B-Assault, AManalogWar, etc – endlessly creative really!

So when I finally got a few to sound after much frustration the musical use was questionable, (for me I mean); unless you are purposely avoiding any musical references. But most of all, there was this “ambience of artificiality about them all” – This is the “so called musical world” we are abandoning our youth to, (I philosophically reflected, as I endlessly clicked and re-clicked the samples with my mouse trying to get them to sound). “This is a world where a real guitar or piano is mostly a “prop” –

Somehow every sound seemed to me the equivalent of “those frozen-processed entrees” Once in a while, a nice touch to a busy life and schedule; eat them regularly and “disease” is sure to get deeply-rooted with time.

OK so I’m not too fond of today’s musical sound palette, but it’s not just that:

The “composing software and the music software” that is the foundation of so much of the rock and pop that even comes out of the big studios today is not something that “miffs me” (believe me, I AM NOT that “old fashioned” I just like old 40’s movies). I understand it only too well; way back in the 1980’s when many of today’s young artists where still their “daddy’s sperm” beginning that long swim up their “mother’s canal”, I spent untold hours hunched over then “modern synthesizers” creating such effects and sounds; BUT by myself, with only the good old tech manual and use of dials, filters, oscillators… and so forth.

Today’s gig>>> You no longer compose music (especially from “your musical soul”) you download and merge the “pre-found” clips and beats included in the package. A “Soulless” and “Joyless” process in my opinion BUT not necessarily an instant, easy one. The “Result”? Everything you create has this “virtual stamp” on it and sounds like every other “voice in the box.” True, you shape it but hardly worth the learning curve to me.

As (the) PINK FLOYD predicted way back in ’74 with their song: “Welcome to the Machine” ) from the album: “Wish You Were Here” the machine is now as a voice and its soul is in the “box” even if you try to musically think “outside the box”…And believe me: I loved MY PINK FLOYD… and English bands in particular. Their foresight is now come to pass (meaning: it is now true in reality what was fantasy in their lyrics)…“Welcome to the Digital Soul”>>>

So from the “soul-less” world of contemporary modern desktop composing, I now fondly bid you adieu… I and “my lonely soul” like a musical Henry Thoreau at some far-away “Walden Pond” on a frontier far from the “modern world” return to my “Digital Piano” that at least has 88 “real-action” keys and perhaps later tonight to “My Old Black & White” (still resting peacefully in my kitchen foyer). I played the theme to my song: My Old Black & White on it the other day, she sounded pretty good considering “she” hasn’t been tuned since my then 86-year-old piano tuner died (I think in 2002).

My old black and white, Greets me with silence, every night.

And whenever I walk through that door;

She’s been my friend now since ‘74

She’s still my old black & white

And though her keys no longer shine so bright,

She’s kept me company (through) many a lonely night.

She’s still my old black & white

I posed for the above picture the day of a concert I played for over 35 people in a log cabin, called “The Music Shed” in Cummington, Mass., A nice open-air mountain town of New England.

I was 30 then and I remember it as passing as briefly as a “summer day” in New England. The last year my body would be unmarred by “the needles of dialysis” and the ensuing struggle of the next twenty years of poverty and struggle to keep myself faithful to my chosen goal and commitment: to learn to play a REAL PIANO. I thought it was just the beginning of long and fruitful career doing this; but I hadn’t seen my latest blood reports….

It was a glorious June Day in the New England mountains and I played a grand piano, very well indeed…

My bio is where you can read more about my music and find links to listen and purchase my CDs: August Ocean Overture, and In Memory Only



By: Michael A. Guy

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