My only regret is not getting into Kufa Castro sooner. I had obviously heard the name floating around the Caribbean Hip Hop scene before, but with the latest controversies, I really didn’t make any noise about it. Kufa, however, separates himself apart from many Hip Hop and Reggaeton artists alike as he seems to be able to appeal to both fanbases. With the stylistic approaches of Chyno Nyno and Guelo Star and the spitting techniques of Nejo and Voltio, Kufa is destined to cause some movement in this Reggaeton genre should he choose to do so, which I hope he does. The last thing we need is another talented MC who thinks he needs to jump on the “I hate Reggaeton” wagon in order to keep whatever fanbase he currently has. I look forward to more music!

Top Five Tracks Off The Mixtape:
5. Quiero Cualto
4. La Perdi
3. Amor De Lejos
2. El Diablo Habla En Mi Oido
1. Me Canse –DAMN!!!!!

Tu Engano – Classic Opening! Dudes need to get back to that sh*t! Kufa really carries himself on this track. The instrumental driven track isn’t always my cup o tea, but lately I’ve really been feelin that “Electronic Sex” sh*t, and Kufa sounds like he could fit right in with that whole movement. This track sets a really good tone for the mixtape. Even if it’s emotional lubby dubby, the real artists still keep it lyrical.

Sensual – His voice really sounds altered on this, which, in my opinion, really takes away from the track, especially with the rise of Delirious. This has that Baby Rank’s esque to it which I’m a pretty big fan of. I’m also a fan of any of that Reggae sh*t, so apart from the voice, which is supposedly his real voice, the track is definitely listen worthy. Hope to hear more joints like this.

Hace Tanto Feat. Rubi-o – This track reminds me a lot of 2006 when all those singy songy joints were comin out. Kufa doesn’t spit simple which I can respect, but the formula sounds a bit dated. I feel that the beat could be stripped and a better song could have been made out of this. Kufa also sounds a bit soft in terms of vocals on this one. The concept is there, I just feel that it should be a bit more raw.

De Este Lao Feat. Temperamento and Don Dinero – Any track with Don Dinero on it makes me immediately question the vadility of the track. The beat reminds me a lot of a joint I recently heard from New York… As far as lyrics go, Temperamento surprisingly comes out on top. Kufa’s opening verse sounds typical, while Dinero’s ruins the track through once again displaying his talentless inability to make good music. The track is definitely for mixtapes.

Hello Feat. Chavito – I’m not a big fan of slowin things down lyrically, especially in the current state of Hip Hop and with Yomo killin that sh*t in Reggaeton. Neither of the verses impress me on the mediocore beat. I can’t argue with anything on mixtapes, but I don’t see myself re-playing this anytime soon.

Amor De Lejos – Get Ghetto y Gastam on the remix!!! This joint reminds me of the Buddah’s Family era of straight up strings and deep voices, jaja!! I’m glad that Kufa took this one on his own, because this track could have easily been ruined with some sappy artist on it or some wack vocal sample. I actually wouldn’t mind a bit longer verses on this one. Overall, a dopeass track, especially considering the lyrical content.

El Fogon – MC Ceja really killed the whole Spanglish sh*t (he can still pull it off though), so I’m not really feelin it. The lyrical cliches on this are too much and I don’t hear much melody as far as hooks. The singin really takes me out this near the end.

El Diablo Habla En Mi Oido – This sounds a lot like a certain Naldo track I heard a while back, only better. As far as structure, the track sounds pretty old school (Vico?). It definitely sounds like somethin Kufa wrote for himself. A artist has so many tracks that they’re gonna write regardless, this is definitely one of the,

Me Canse – Straight up classic! Really displays the musical ability of Kufa. The genre of Reggaeton, and Hip Hop for that matter, really needs to take a lesson from this joint. This joint represents both the essecense of this whole urban music sh*t as well as where this whole urban music sh*t needs to be. If dude releases an album, this needs to be on it.

Hi Hater – Hi Hater made me laugh my ass off for much of last year, so I can barely hear the beat without breaking a smile. The joint comes off like a jingle and sratches and mixes plague the track. This could have been left out.

Loca Feat. Voiz – Definitely a crossover made track for the New Age Reggaeton crowd. The hook could use a bit more work, but if it’s targeted at the club movement, it probably wont matter in the long run. Voiz completely takes me out of the track though. He reminds me of this one comedian/rapper I used to watch on youtube! Kufa should have left him off this track.

Dirty Feat. Krook Rock y Moreno Rico – As far as Hip Hop in English, Rakim and Masta Ace rule my disc changer, so it takes more than Jim Jones rhymes to impress me in that area. Kufa shines the most on the track, but sitting through 3 minutes of silly lyrics is hardly worth the wait.

El Dia Feat. Chavito y Temperamento – How many times has that joint been sampled?!?! The overused Celia Cruz sample really took me out of it. Lyrically, all three dudes bring it, but I feel like the beat and sample should be brought down a bit. Kufa definitely regins supreme on this one, I would have liked to hear him ride it by his lonely.

La Perdi Feat. Brugal y Rubi-o – Another ridin joint. Its tracks like this that really take me back to that whole era when Mc’s could be hard without getting off on some Slam sh*t. This is another track, however, that I wish Kufa would have done by himself. I feel like when you have one dude on these types of tracks it adds a lot more value. Hot joint though.

Caminando Sola – Jaja! Reggaeton needs this dude now! This sh*t has that Nejo feel to it, so you know its dope. Kufa could have gone a bit more nastier on this, but this could definitely be an MT3 type hit, which would be a good alternative to that Frankie J sh*t they’re playin right now!

No Tiene Dueno Feat. Don Dinero y Temperamento – With a dopeass beat, this sh*t can mos definitely serve as a Spring Break spinner. Temperamento is unable to deliever on these types of tracks which adds to his devalue as an artist. Lyrically its obviously not a masterpiece but it serves its purpose as a party joint. I would have liked to hear someone like Chyno or Voltio on this sh*t with Kufa.

Quiero Cualto Feat. P.C.P. – I’m feelin this shiet! Musically, its something that I haven’t heard in a while. Lyrically, it’s the necessary braggio but Kufa makes it listen worthy. P.C.P. definitely takes away from the joint but it doesn’t completely take you away from the song. Money usually doesn’t phase me, but I can’t even hate on this one.

Te Lo Pongo Clari – Funny follow up to “Quiero Cualto”. I don’t really feel the type of beat so I don’t really feel the track as a whole. It sounds again a bit like an older Nejo track mixed with a mid millennium Voltio chorus. It’s whatever though.

I Got On It Freestyle – I guess its every rapper’s destiny to spit over this beat. But for someone who’s heard it more than the Dembow riddim, I find it hard to critic any freestyle over it.

The Only 1 Feat. Temperamento – The Intro got a bit stupid near the end of it, and Temperamento takes away from any meaning the listener might get out of it as, once again, he’s not fit for these types of joints. The sample seems to bump against the beat. By the time I got to Kufa’s verse, I was already taken out of it. I guess you gotta make a joint about moms though!

Outro – Jajajaja!!! I remember when dudes used to do this all the time to close their mixtapes! Did he really shout out to…C-Murder?!?!?! Jajajaja!!!

Download NOW

Bad Boy Records has announced the upcoming release of “NOTORIOUS: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE.” The musical companion to the hugely anticipated Fox Searchlight motion picture event features timeless Notorious B.I.G. classics like “Juicy” and “Hypnotize” alongside never-before-released demos and new tracks by some of hip-hop’s biggest stars, including Jay-Z and Jadakiss. The album arrives in stores and online on January 13^th, while Notorious hits theatres nationwide on January 16^th.

The “NOTORIOUS” soundtrack is heralded by the Kanye West-produced single, “Brooklyn Go Hard,” performed by Jay-Z and featuring Santogold. The track has just shipped to multi-format radio outlets across the country, including Urban, Rhythmic, and Mixshow.

Furthermore, the soundtrack showcases an additional single, “Letter to B.I.G.” by Jadakiss (Feat. Faith Evans). Other highlights of the album include a new version of the Notorious B.I.G. milestone, “One More Chance/The Legacy (Remix),” featuring CJ Wallace and Faith Evans.

But at the heart of the soundtrack is the everlasting music of the Notorious B.I.G. Among the classics included on the collection are “Warning,” “One More Chance/Stay With Me Remix,” and “Kick In The Door” (see attached tracklisting). The album is highlighted by a number of previously unreleased demos, including “Microphone Murderer” and “Guaranteed Raw,” as well as the Notorious B.I.G.’s first-ever officially released track, “Party and Bullsh**,” (originally found the soundtrack to the 1993 film, Who’s The Man?).

A special edition of “NOTORIOUS: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE” will be available exclusively at Target stores nationwide. The two-disc set includes an all-new documentary DVD,

Remembering Christopher Wallace, featuring exclusive, never-before-seen private interviews with the family members who carry on the Notorious B.I.G.’s memory, including his mother, daughter, and son.

Notorious is the extraordinary larger-than-life story of the late, great Notorious B.I.G. Born Christopher Wallace, the Notorious B.I.G. rose from the streets of Brooklyn to become one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time. Truly a towering figure in the history of modern music, the Notorious B.I.G. was a one-of-a-kind MC, a gifted storyteller whose lyrical narratives about violent life on the streets were marked by a gritty, objective realism that gave a voice to a generation. Hailed by many as the greatest rapper of all time, the Notorious B.I.G.’s life was tragically cut short in March 1997, but more than a decade later, his music and message live on. A prolific poet of the streets, a charismatic performer, and an honest, impassioned storyteller, the Notorious B.I.G. remains a true superstar to this very day.

Directed by George Tillman, Jr. (Soul Food, Men of Honor) from an original screenplay by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker, Notorious stars Angela Bassett (ER, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns) Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher, Friday Night Lights, Miracle at St. Anna), and in his motion picture debut, Jamal Woodward as the Notorious B.I.G. The film is produced by Voletta Wallace, Wayne Barrow, Mark Pitts, Robert Teitel, and Trish Hofmann; the Executive Producer is Sean Combs for Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment.

(TRACKLISTING ATTACHED)

“NOTORIOUS:

MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE”

Release Date: January 13, 2009

1. Notorious Thugs (Featuring Bone Thugs N Harmony)
2. Hypnotize
3. Notorious (Featuring Lil’ Kim and Puff Daddy)
4. Juicy
5. Party & Bullshit
6. Warning
7. One More Chance/ Stay With Me Remix
8. Brooklyn Go Hard (Performed by Jay-Z, Featuring Santogold)
9. Letter to B.I.G. (Performed by Jadakiss, Featuring Faith Evans)
10. Kick In The Door
11. What’s Beef
12. The World Is Filled (Featuring Too Short and Puff Daddy)
13. One More Chance/ The Legacy (Remix) (Featuring CJ Wallace and Faith Evans)
14. The Notorious Theme (Composed by Danny Elfman)
15. Microphone Murderer (Demo)
16. Guaranteed Raw (Demo)
17. Love No Ho (Original Demo Version)

The Song:

In anticipation of their debut full-length album Ridin High, Keelay & Zaire are releasing a free EP this month to give us a taste of what they can bring to the table. Entitled Prelude To Drive, the EP is riddled with impressive guest artists. “Exclusive Sh!t” features Supastition, a North Carolina native, who provides a heavy hitting flow to the track. He wants us to know that he’s head and shoulders above his competition when it comes to his prowess on the mic and his lyrics get right to this point. Put his in-your-face style on top of Keelay & Zaire’s gritty and well produced beat, and you’ve got a classic hip-hop jam in the making.

The Background:

Keelay & Zaire are a bi-coastal team that operates with only one concrete rule; creating music with unlimited range. Complementing each other’s styles with precision, Kee & Zee work as a sole production machine that spawns gritty classic hip-hop, soulful R&B, and any other medium that requires an exclusive sound from the team. With Keelay out west in San Francisco, and Zaire in the east, holding it down in Virginia, the two have almost unlimited resources from which to draw talent and inspiration. In their debut LP Ridin High, the pair’s versatility takes center stage, backed up by a talented cast of emcees and singers including Phonte of Little Brother, Supastition, Blu, Cali Agents, Darien Brockington, Tash of Tha Liks, Saafir, Fortilive, The Park, Emilio Rojas, Surreal ,Slo-Mo, Mario Dones, The A.V.E., J.Fish, Jony Fraze, Whooligan, and Tiffany Paige. Keelay & Zaire’s Ridin High will be released in early 2009 by MYX Music Label.

“Sounds Like Love” is a song that speaks true to its title. The combination of Illa J’s sexy LL Cool J approach to his verses with the smooth jazzy vocalizations of Debi Nova on top of the soulful beat produce the sounds of love in this joint. But this isn’t the type of love you might assume; instead Illa is speaking about his devotion to his relationship with one particular lady. You learn very quickly that he’s wrapped up in this girl when he says, “And if we have a problem, we speak face to face, start solving / This relationship I put my all into.” Debi Nova echoes her affections in the chorus, singing passionately of her feelings in return.

The Background:

When Jay Dee passed away from complications relating to lupus in February 2006, he left behind an extraordinary legacy of production work, including hits for Common, Janet Jackson, and Busta Rhymes. One mother lode of previously untouched beats dates from his time working on the Pharcyde’s sophomore album, Labcabincalifornia (Delicious Vinyl, 1995). As Delicious Vinyl owner and founder Michael “Mike Floss” Ross explains: “From ‘95 through ‘98 Jay Dee was my go-to guy for hot beats and remixes. He was always making beats, always. So there was a select amount of tracks that he composed for me during that time, tracks as good as anything he’d done, only they never got used. When I finally met Illa J last year, I gave him a CD containing those unreleased beats.”

In a case of pure serendipity, 21 year-old Illa J had just relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles and constructed a studio built using Jay Dee’s recording equipment. He dubbed it Yancey Boys Studios in tribute to their fraternal bond. “Dilla was 12 years older than me,” Illa J says. “So back in the day in Detroit I was just a little kid, sitting on the stairs in our house, watching him make those first beats for Slum Village. I always felt my brother’s tracks and had an instinct for what I wanted to do over them.” When Illa J set to work in early ‘08 recording the album, the project flowed quickly as he entered the proverbial can’t miss zone. The name of the studio rightly became the title of the finished album, Yancey Boys, which is available online and in stores everywhere on Delicious Vinyl Records.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=293350507&s=143441

The Song:

To get us amped up for their full-length album Ridin High, the production duo Keelay & Zaire are dropping tracks from their free EP titled Prelude to Drive, which will come out in January. The first track released, “Saturday” featuring Torae and Tiffany Paige, is a modern-day serenade that envelops us in the feeling of being in love. Set behind relaxed chords that gently wash over the beat, Torae and Tiffany Paige tell us the story of their carefree days together. Torae offers up his honest rhymes while Tiffany Paige coos gentle melodies on this lighthearted gem.

Bonus Track: Leak from DJ J-Ronin & DJ Snips’ upcoming mixtape, All Elements v.10 (Hosted by Skyzoo)
Mickey Factz, Naledge of Kidz in the Hall and Fresh Daily – “Stop What You Doing” (produced by Keelay & Zaire)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/527835247efb628e/

The Background:

Keelay & Zaire are a bi-coastal team that operates with only one concrete rule; creating music with unlimited range. Complementing each other’s styles with precision, Kee & Zee work as a sole production machine that spawns gritty classic hip-hop, soulful R&B, and any other medium that requires an exclusive sound from the team. With Keelay out west in San Francisco, and Zaire in the east, holding it down in Virginia, the two have almost unlimited resources from which to draw talent and inspiration. In their debut LP Ridin High, the pair’s versatility takes center stage, backed up by a talented cast of emcees and singers including Phonte of Little Brother, Supastition, Blu, Cali Agents, Darien Brockington, Tash of Tha Liks, Saafir, Fortilive, The Park, Emilio Rojas, Surreal ,Slo-Mo, Mario Dones, The A.V.E., J.Fish, Jony Fraze, Whooligan, and Tiffany Paige. Keelay & Zaire’s Ridin High will be released in early 2009 by MYX Music Label.

Critical Praise for J*DaVeY:
“Freaking futuristic electro jazz, retro-soul bittersweetness, next-level hip-hop schematics, and punk-funk sleaze on a suavely savage double-disc debut, this Los Angeles duo specializes in baby-making music for 22nd century robots.” - Spin Magazine

“Davey and D’Leau have developed an utterly unique sub-genre of one within the stagnating neo-soul scene. This is perfect bedroom music, but certainly not meant to be confined behind a single closed door.” – URB Magazine

“The thirst quencher needed to revitalize the current state of music has finally arrived in the form of J*DaVeY.” – AllHipHop.com

It is more than safe to say that J*DaVeY had a breakthrough year. From signing on to a major record label, gaining accolades from the likes of the New York Times, Spin Magazine and URB Magazine, and luring in culture vultures at dynamic live shows in all the major cities, J*DaVeY made this a year to remember for music.

Here are some updates for all you J*DaVeY babies to amp you for 2009! In the past couple months, the futuristic duo have lightened their tour schedule and returned to the studio to focus on their full-length major label debut which is set to drop in 2009. The album is rumored to be a ground-breaking venture that transcends the current state of pop music as the duo continue to experiment and grow.

The sultry single “Sloow” from their EP has an accompanying video that will be released in early ‘09! Keep your eyes peeled for you next visual treat. To ring in the new year, J*DaVeY will perform at the new Dakota Music Lounge in Santa Monica (previously the Temple Bar) on New Year’s Eve.

The Background:

With production ranging from the spastic, space-age drums of “Mr. Mister” to the celestial keys of “Might As Well,” The Beauty In Distortion plays with the variance and depth of a polished, full album. On The Land of the Lost, producer-extraordinaire ?uestlove and Renaissance emcee Phonte of Little Brother contribute in an equally holistic compilation of futuristic records. Throughout the 23 tracks, two constants bind the project together in a mystical fashion: the steamy vocal musings of Jack Davey and the bleeps, drums, and melodies of Brook D’Leau.

Heralded as a cross between Prince and the B-52s, J*DaVeY is in fact influenced by too many genres to count. A fusion of funk, surf, soul, hip-hop, and electronic secret sauce, the J*DaVeY EPs will satiate starving fans from all ends of the musical spectrum. Already featured everywhere from Fader to Allure to CSI: New York, Jack and Brook are prepared to smoothly swagger into the limelight with their first major release. All ears not finely tuned to the freshly paved street will ring come July. The Beauty In Distortion / The Land of the Lost EP is in stores now.

Joe Budden’s self-titled debut album went gold in 2003, earning him a Grammy nomination for best male rap solo performance (“Pump It Up”). Despite his successful debut, Budden’s sophomore album sat on the shelves at Def Jam for nearly four years; a setback that most artists would not have survived; but most artists are not Joe Budden.

Despite numerous setbacks, Jump Off Joe Budden kept very busy during those years, besides years of legal wrangling and politicking very loudly for his release from Def Jam (which resulted in a very public feud with Def Jam’s then president Jay-Z) Joe was forced to rely on a then new and unproven method (Internet) to release music to his very loyal fan base and he did so by releasing the critically acclaimed and highly buzzed about “Mood Muzik” mixtape series; collaborating with artists such as Fabolous, Clinton Sparks and Joell Ortiz and in the process engaging in highly publicized feuds with The Game, Prodigy and Ransom.

After finally gaining his release from Def Jam in 2007, Budden immediately became an A-List free agent and was courted by a slew of major labels. Always one to go against the grain, Joe circumvented traditional thinking and used his forward thinking mentality to sign with then upstart Amalgam Digital; the booming independent label responsible for launching Hip-Hop’s first genre-specific digital retail store. The move initially raised some eyebrows with the Hip-Hop populous, but Joe’s foresight was the guiding force behind the move; as Joe’s proactive use of the Internet and the response his Mood Muzik mixtapes received online (going from Nahright.com to your neighborhood in a single click), foretold a massive shift in the commercial landscape (coupled with the dramatic decrease of physical CD sales) and Joe was ahead of the curve in realizing that the Internet would not only be the guiding force where the masses would listen and decide upon what music and artists they liked, but also would eventually support and purchase. Fast forward to 2008 and Joe’s move seems even more revolutionary, as there has been a dramatic decrease of physical CD sales and Joe’s recent “digital only” precursor (Halfway House which was only available on Amalgamdigital.com and was the first digital-only Hip-Hop release employing both traditional marketing methods—radio, video, commercial radio, advertising campaigns, etc) to Padded Room debuted on the “Hot 200” sales chart—as only a strictly digital release. Halfway House also featured a track from Joe’s super-group, Slaughterhouse, (which also includes Joell Ortiz, Royce 5’9 and Crooked I) and a track from that group “Slaughterhouse” was recently crowned as one of the “80 Best Songs” of 2008 by Vibe Magazine (Jan 2009 issue). Further, Amalgam Digital is now a rapidly ascending record label with established stars such as Joe Budden, Max B and Peedi Crakk on its rapidly expanding roster and the labels shirts are quickly becoming a fashion statement.

Throughout his trails and tribulations with Def Jam and sparring with Hip-Hop’s heavyweights, Joe Budden has largely reinvented himself without losing what endeared himself to fans; his deep thinking lyrical brilliance (can anyone forget Joe’s brilliant “Who” trilogy?). In fact, with his “Joe Budden TV” videos going viral and becoming a staple on blogs worldwide, Joe has to a large extent become Hip-Hop’s “peoples champion” as Joe’s personality and “every man” personality transcends and fans can undeniably relate to his daily life (could a reality series be far behind?).

Joe’s relentless grind culminates on 2-24-09 with the release of his official sophomore LP Padded Room (which has already received rave reviews from XXL, Spin and Smooth Magazines) and the LP’s lead-single “The Future” featuring former adversary The Game is already burning up the Internet and the duo will also be filming a video for the track shortly.

In addition, AmalgamDigital.com also plans to re-launch the website store with a new design, enhanced functionality and new features in unison with the same date of Padded Room’s release. To celebrate the release of Padded Room and the site’s re-launch, Joe budden his record label, Amalgam Digital are offering fans exclusive hidden bonus tracks when the Padded Room album is purchased in digital format direct from www.AmalgamDigital.com

“The Padded Room album is crazy. Go out and get it” – Joe Budden

Tracklisting and credits for Joe Budden’s Padded Room:

01.  Now I Lay (produced by Blastah Beatz)

02.  The Future f/ The Game (produced by Fyu-chur)

03.  If I Gotta Go (produced by the Klasixs)

04.  Don’t Make Me (produced by Blastah Beatz)

05.  Blood On The Wall (produced by Moss)

06.  In My Sleep (produced by Blastah Beatz)

07.  Exxxes (produced by the Klasixs)

08.  I Couldn’t Help It (produced by the Klasixs)

09.  Adrenaline (produced by Dub B)

10.  Happy Holidays (produced by Quan)

11.  Do Tell (produced by Blastah Beatz)

12.  Angel In My Life (produced by Blastah Beatz)

13.  Pray For Me (produced by Versatile & Dilemma)

Critical Praise for Anthony Hamilton:

“One of the most important R&B artists of his generation” – Newsweek

“One of the music industry’s best-kept secrets.” – People Magazine

(December 16, 2008 – New York, NY) Seven-time Grammy-nominated recording artist Anthony Hamilton is gearing up for his third So So Def/Zomba album release The Point Of It All, set to arrive in stores today, December 16th. The release comes as the talented singer earns a “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance” Grammy nomination for his collaboration with Al Green, on “You’ve Got The Love I Need.”

The Point Of It All contains a wide range of raw soul-infused music with Hamilton at the helm co-writing and co-producing on the album with his longtime collaborators, producer/songwriter Kelvin Wooten and Mark Batson. Wooten produced “Prayin’ For You/Superman,” the sultry ballad “Her Heart,” and the lead single “Cool” featuring David Banner, which is steadily climbing the Urban Adult and Urban Mainstream charts. Batson produced the powerful track “Soul’s on Fire” and “Fallin’ in Love.” Additional producers on the album include The Avila Brothers who produced the title track “The Point of It All” and Jack Splash who produced “Please Stay.”

Like his previous efforts, Hamilton’s new album is already receiving early rave reviews: The Wall Street Journal observes, “Mr. Hamilton’s new album features tight R&B productions, [and] vintage instruments…” and goes on to compare Anthony Hamilton to “the great vocalists who influenced his style, including Marvin Gaye and Al Green…” Entertainment Weekly adds, “The onetime barber and backup singer is a late bloomer steeped in the conversational soul of Bill Withers and Bobby Womack.”

Last year Anthony Hamilton made his big-screen debut performing in the Oscar-nominated movie, American Gangster. Hamilton has established a loyal following from his 2003 platinum-certified debut album Comin’ From Where I’m From, which spawned the hit “Charlene,” climbed to #3 on the R&B Albums chart and garnered three Grammy nominations, to his 2005 release, the gold-certified sophomore effort, Ain’t Nobody Worryin,’ which sparked the #1 hit “Can’t Let Go.” Hamilton, an all-around gifted artist, has collaborated with a wide range of his peers including: Buddy Guy, Al Green, Dr. Dre, Santana, Angie Stone, Young Jeezy, Nappy Roots, Musiq Soulchild and more.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=299162112&s=143441

Hamilton just completed his critically well-received “Playin’ It Cool” tour- check two of his shows:
http://vimeo.com/2403867

http://vimeo.com/2452240

GORILLA ZOE GETS “LOST” WITH LIL’ WAYNE;

ATL-BASED RAPPER TO JOIN THE SUPERSTAR

ON HIS “I AM MUSIC” ARENA TOUR;

NEW SINGLE, “LOST,” BLOWING UP AT URBAN RADIO

IN ADVANCE OF EAGERLY AWAITED SECOND ALBUM;

“DON’T FEED DA ANIMALS” DROPS ON MARCH 17TH

Block Entertainment/Bad Boy South recording artist Gorilla Zoe has announced plans to join Lil’ Wayne on his hugely anticipated “I Am Music” arena tour.  The dates – which feature a multi-artist bill that also includes Gym Class Heroes, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, and Keri Hilson – kicked off this Sunday, December 14th at Miami’s American Airlines Arena and is now travelling all over North America through mid-January (see attached itinerary).  Among the tour’s certain highlights will be a New Year’s Eve extravaganza at the Philips Arena in Zoe’s hometown of Atlanta.

Zoe is currently exploding at radio with his new single, “Lost.”  The track – which will be featured on the ATL-based rapper’s upcoming sophomore album, “DON’T FEED DA ANIMALS” – is now climbing the top 25 at Urban outlets nationwide after impacting as the #1 Most Added track at both Urban and Rhythmic.

In addition, the single’s companion video clip has been confirmed for “Heavy” rotation on BET’s daily hip hop show, The Deal.  The video is slated to premiere on The Deal on Tuesday, December 16th (check local listings).

“DON’T FEED DA ANIMALS” is without question one of 2009’s most hotly awaited new hip-hop releases.  The album – which follows last year’s smash debut, “WELCOME TO THE ZOO” – arrives in stores and online on March 17th.

Zoe firmly established himself as a truly original hip-hop voice via 2007’s top 10 rap smash, “Hood Figga,” not to mention his featured role on Block Entertainment/Bad Boy South labelmate Yung Joc’s hits, “Coffee Shop” and “Bottle Poppin’.”  As if that weren’t enough, he joined forces with superstar rap combo Boyz N Da Hood for their 2007 release, “BACK UP N DA CHEVY.”

Since then, Zoe has lent his distinctive style to a variety of hip-hop hits, including tracks by Cheri Dennis, Shawty Lo, and Rick Ross.

He has also appeared on a variety of mixtapes, including the just-released “FEEDING TIME,” available for free download at www.myspace.com/gorillazoe.

New service offers customers unprecedented freedom and value
EMI Music, independents and music publishers join offering

Nokia announced the debut of its pioneering Comes with Music digital entertainment service, which offers consumers a new way to discover and enjoy music. Customers who buy a Comes With Music device will be able to explore and enjoy a diverse catalog of music of international and local artists with unlimited access to millions of tracks for a year, keeping the music once the year is over and revolutionizing their digital music experience.

“Comes With Music sets a precedent for consumer value and convenience that the rest of the digital entertainment industry is already copying,” said Tero Ojanperä, executive vice president and head of the Nokia entertainment and communities business. “Trying out a music recommendation is spontaneous as customers can download without worrying about the cost of an album or a track – the freedom and simplicity of the service is unparalleled. And Comes With Music gives you unlimited access to the millions of tracks in the Nokia Music Store and the music is all yours to keep – because it’s not a revolution unless you get to keep your music.”

Comes With Music offers one year of unlimited access to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue and customers can keep all the music that they have downloaded at the end of the year to continue enjoying their music collection. Comes With Music will be available across a range of Nokia devices, including the new Nokia 5800 XpressMusic – also announced today and the Nokia N95 8GB and Nokia 5310 XpressMusic. With more than 10 million units sold globally since its introduction last year, the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic is the best selling music phone in the world.

EMI Music has joined as the latest major label to support Comes With Music.

“With the launch of Nokia’s Comes With Music, fans now have a new avenue to find and enjoy music from EMI’s catalogue, and our artists have a powerful new way to reach their fans,” said Douglas Merrill, president, digital business, for EMI Music. “By encouraging music discovery in an innovative and consumer-friendly environment, Comes With Music will continue to push experimentation in the digital music industry.”

Comes With Music will also feature a tremendous selection of independent music, courtesy of deals with The Orchard (NASD: ORCD), Beggars Group, IODA, the Ministry of Sound, PIAS and Pinnacle. These companies join Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group in supporting Comes With Music. Nokia has also secured music publishing rights from CELAS on behalf of EMI Music Publishing, GEMA on behalf of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, SACEM on behalf of Universal Music Publishing, as well as the MCPS-PRS Alliance.

The United Kingdom will be the first market to offer Comes With Music with sales starting now and the United States sales are planned for 2009. The Nokia 5310 XpressMusic Comes With Music edition is expected to cost GBP 129.95 and people can pre-register their orders for Comes With Music devices from Carphone Warehouse at http://www.carphonewarehouse.com.

http://www.nokia.com/comeswithmusic

Notes to editor:
For print quality photos, please visit www.nokia.com/press/photos

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable customers to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

About EMI Music
EMI Music is the recorded music division of EMI Group Limited, one of the world’s leading music companies. EMI Music represents artists spanning all musical tastes and genres. Its record labels include Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, Capitol Nashville, EMI Classics, EMI CMG, EMI Records, EMI Televisa Music, Manhattan, Mute, Parlophone and Virgin.