Ken Walker’s Urban Assault - Monday 15th June 2009

Ken Walker’s Urban Assault - Monday 15th June 2009

1. I’m The One (Remix)
MARY J. BLIGE feat DRAKE
(Geffen)

2. Outta Control
BABY BASH feat PITBULL
(J Records)

3. Jump
FLO-RIDA feat NELLY FURTADO
(Poe-Boy Music Group/Atlantic Records)

4. When The Money Goes
FABOLOUS feat JAY-Z
(Desert Storm/Def Jam)

5. Imma Star (Everywhere We Are)
JEREMIH
(Def Jam)

6. Stupid (Remix)
PLAYAZ CIRCLE feat YOUNG JEEZY & LIL WAYNE
(Def Jam)

7. I Need That Girl
OCEAN’s 7
(So So Def)

8. Got A B***H
BIRDMAN feat RICK ROSS
(Cash Money)

9. Work For It
TRINA feat LUDACRIS
(Slip-N-Slide Records)

10. The Grind Flu
YUNG JOC feat MONTANA DA MAC
(Swagg Team Entertainment)

#1 –The One – Mary J. Blige feat Drake
Queen of R&B Mary J. has released a track with club appeal as the first single off her upcoming album. Produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, it has all the hallmarks of the synth-heavy style we’ve come to expect from the big man. Certainly, Mary’s the one woman in the urban scene who needs no justification for this new hit’s swagger! Mary J. has had to defend her use of the much-maligned Auto-Tune in the new record, assuring fans that it’s just an introduction to ‘Crazy Mary’ and not to expect more of it on her new album. The remix also features up-and-coming Canadian MC Drake, who is rumored to be in the midst of a bidding war between Universal Motown, Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group. The much-acclaimed Drake has also hit the headlines for seeking legal action against a rogue company that released an unauthorized compilation of the rappers work called The Girls Love Drake. After the critical success of his mixtape So Far Gone, many fans await the Canadian’s solo debut.

T-Pain’s “Big Ass Chain” & Auto-Tune come under fire
T-Pain has been criticized by fans and foes alike on his Twitter page for proudly parading his US $410,000 bling chain, while the rest of us struggle in the midst of a recession. With T-Pain being one of the ‘worst offenders’ in the current deluge of Auto-Tune tracks targeted by Jay-Z’s new release D.O.A (Death of Autotune) off the Blueprint 3, this comes as more unwanted attention for one of the urban scene’s youngest whizkids. T-Pain stated on his Twitter page that he’d only do something ‘so stupid’ as buying the massive 10-pound chain after properly taking care of his family, boasting ‘my five year old daughter has $4 million in her bank account.’ With Jay-Z declaring war on Auto-Tune, what he declares a ‘short-lived gimmick’ afflicting music, we’ll have to see if T-Pain’s fortunes and ‘Big Ass Chain’ can resist the tide of Jigga’s influential opinion in the music world. T-Pain insists he will continue using Auto-Tune, regardless of what Jay-Z thinks.

DMX avoids legal troubles, announces new album
Rap’s infamous ‘Eternal Offender’ has gotten off free again! Mr. Earl Simmons, who has in the past been charged with such crimes as identity fraud, reckless driving, marijuana possession, claiming to be a federal agent and attempting to carjack a vehicle (whew!) has had aggravated assault charges dropped while serving a 90 day sentence for animal cruelty charges. DMX also notoriously ‘retired’ to become a Christian preacher back in 2003 despite his aggressive ‘hardcore’ style lyrics. The more accomplished pastor Mase persuaded him to return to rapping! Happy to be a free man, Mr. Simmons has talked up a new track with Sean Kingston and says he’s adding producer Kanye West to his collaborators in addition to the legendary Swizz Beats, and Swizzy’s mentor Dame Grease. It’s tough work making an album, so the hiphop community will have to wait and see if DMX can stay out of the slammer long enough to complete his new masterpiece!

R. Kelly to make African Tour
Singer-songwriter R. Kelly has announced that he will go back to his roots in a tour of Africa that will cover South Africa and Nigeria and close off the African Fashion Week on June 20. R.Kelly told Allhiphop.com, “I’m very excited about my first visit to Africa, I’ve dreamed about this for a long time and it’s finally here. It will be one of the highlights of not only my career but my life. I can’t wait to perform in front of my fans in Africa – who have been some of the best in the world.” R.Kelly has endured a variety of controversies throughout his career, including the well-known parody of Ignition on The Dave Chappelle Show, and infamous gaffe in an interview with Black Entertainment Television’s Touré last year where he declared “I have some nineteen year old friends, but I don’t like anybody illegal.” Despite R. Kelly’s various escapades, he deserves to be commended for making the trip out to Africa, and hopefully it goes some way to repairing his image.