What’s up with majority of today’s videos being without a significant concept or storyline? What’s up with all these videos where you just see the recording artist staring and posing in the camera while they let the backdrop speak for them?? That’s what you get in Nicki Minaj’s new music video, “Fly,” featuring Rihanna. With great scenery, “Fly” is set in a destroyed environment, perhaps post-apocalyptic or war-torn, but that’s as interesting as it gets. Nicki and Rihanna walk and pose through the rubble, and eventually the rap-star fights a couple ninjas briefly. The video closes with the sun coming out and a flower growing. That’s it. Rubble. Posing. Brief Ninja Fight. Flower. The end. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Considering the lyrics of the song, Minaj could’ve been some type of superhero or healer who caused the revitalization of the land and Rihanna, her sidekick or guide. Something a little more interesting than random ninjas and staring at your face. Granted, both Rihanna and Nicki Minaj are easy on the eyes, but I can Google photos for all of that. If you haven’t seen it, you can check out the video below. Also below is a poll: Did you like “Fly?”

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of R&B singer & actress Aaliyah. This might be cliché` to say, but it doesn’t feel like a decade has passed. Part of the reason why the memory is still so fresh is because…it’s still not ok. My heart has yet to accept that Aaliyah HAD to die. It’s still not fair to me and it still doesn’t make sense. It’s clear that Aaliyah was destined to leave, considering all of the ironic inter-connected factors that contributed to her plane crashing (the plane was overweight, she and her crew left earlier than planned, the pilot was inexperienced and suspected of being under the influence, etc.), but we still don’t know WHY a 22-year old on the brink of massive mainstream success in the entertainment industry had to lose her life.  We don’t know WHY a couple had to lose their child and a brother had to lose his baby sister. One of my peers said a month after her death, “This is never going to be ok,” and 10 years later, he’s still right.

I turned sixteen 15 days before Aaliyah died, and on my birthday, I HAD to finish listening to “We Need a Resolution” on the radio before I entered the restaurant for my celebration dinner. I was so eager to hear Aaliyah’s new self-titled album, because before she went on artistic hiatus to finish high school, I was OBSESSED with her. I had multiple posters. I knew all of the words to her hit songs. I tried to mimic her style and her attitude (much to my mother’s dismay: “Why do you want to wear baggy pants and hood shirts all the time?”). She was my Miley Cyrus. And just when I got my buddy back…she died.

Like any other American teen, I religiously watched MTV. Sunday morning on August 26th, 2001, I had MTV on mute. Footage of Aaliyah kept playing, and I wondered why, but I didn’t look into it. I just said to myself “I hope she’s ok. She’s fine. It’s promo for her album.” While I was in the shower, my brother confirmed the worst: “J, Aaliyah died. She was in a plane crash.” Startled, I just stood still. When I didn’t respond, he said “Do you hear me? Are you going to be ok?” All I could say was “Yeah, I hear you.” When he left, I slowly dropped to my knees and prayed with fervor that it was all a rumor. It wasn’t. Church service after that was all a blur. I was...numb. For months, I had multiple dreams about her and almost everything reminded me of her. For example, the night of her death, Destiny’s Child was featured on Saturday Night Live. It was a long time before I was able to see that episode without getting emotional. Although it deeply affected personally, I wasn’t alone in my mourning. 

In the days after her death, kids at school were constantly singing her songs and put posters in their lockers. “Aaliyah Dana Haughton 1979-2001” was carved into anything wooden. The art hall was covered in projects and drawings dedicate to her (a similar thing happened when we lost Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC in April 2002). It has definitely been a process coping with her death. Only recently have I gained some type of resolve (click the photo above to read my article on coping with this loss). I’ve tried to dwell in the glow of her life versus her death (click the photo below to read her birthday tribute). Having this approach has given me some peace, but I often still wonder why she had to die. We’ll see if I ever get the answer. We’ll see if this will ever seem “fair.” See the music polls under the “J.Says Beyond” tab to vote for your favorite Aaliyah album. Tonight, the BET network will air an anniversary special at 8pm EST.

Nick Ashford, one-half of the singer-songwriter duo, “Ashford and Simpson,” has died of throat cancer. He was 69. Ashford and his wife of 37 years, Valerie Simpson, began their chart-topping songwriting career penning tunes for Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. In 1966, the pair joined the staff of the legendary Motown Records, writing what ultimately would be classics for Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”) and Diana Ross (“Reach Out and Touch”), among others. From the 1960’s until 1997, Ashford and Simpson continued to write for a bevy of popular artists (Chaka Khan and Teddy Pendergrass to name a few) and recorded their own albums, both individually and as a couple. Their biggest selling single as a couple was “Solid” (1984), which is featured below. Also below is their tune for Chaka Khan, “I’m Every Woman” (1978), covered by a pregnant Whitney Houston in 1993. Simpson can be seen in the video. To read my tribute to other recording artists that we’ve recently lost, click Ashford’s picture above. On August 25th, I will post a tribute marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of R&B singer/actress Aaliyah, and on August 29th, the commemorative fan section, “Michael Jackson: 1958-Forever” will be re-opened. Stay tuned.

Here's a recent facebook status of mine regarding the music industry: What's the point of having background singers on stage if they are going to lip-synch? That's a waste of payroll money. I find this ESPECIALLY irritating when it's obvious that the background "singers" are lip-synching and they have ear monitors, as if they were singing. RRRRR. Is it just me?

Album Review.
Likes: Carousel
Overall: Nice live instrumentation & reflective lyrics. Kind of gloomy, though. You have to be in the mood for this record.

“Rabbits on the Run,” the peculiar and “open to interpretation” title of Vanessa Carlton’s fourth album is befitting of its imaginative and symbolic lyrical content that addresses the cynical optimism that comes with living and loving. Carlton is in such a reflective space on this album, you’d think she was 80 instead of almost 31- which isn’t a bad thing, considering the shallow nature of most albums these days. The lyrics combined with “Rabbits’” sullen music will cause you to meditate on your own life, if not put you in a gloomier mood. The downside of “Rabbits” is that you have to be in a gloomier or relaxed mood to listen to it all the way though. If not in the right mood, the album could come off as dull. Also, Carlton’s vocals can be hard to listen to for a long period of time, being  child-like and squeaky. Overall, it’s a decent album.

Album Review. 
Likes: Last One to Know
Overall: Boring and forgettable.

For her fifth album LP1”, Joss Stone decided to mesh her soulful vocals with the sound of blues-tinged rock and country. In theory, this concept is a great idea because after all, the three genres are all influenced by one another in some way. However, “LP1” didn't execute the concept well and the theory didn’t become truth. The musical arrangements are lifeless and over-simplistic and Stone sings with emotionless abandon. It’s the equivalent of your sister playing random melodies on her acoustic guitar and singing “ooh’s and ahh’s” on the porch. Most of the tracks don’t catch your attention. I usually enjoy Joss Stone, but not this go round. Sorry Joss.