We were first introduced to Teairra Marí in 2005 courtesy of Jay-Z and Roc-a-Fella Records/Def Jam. The then 16-year-old Detroit vocalist crooned about having “No Daddy”, and posed the immortal question, “Are there any boys around that know how to make a girl feel?” Eight years later, Mari has developed into a woman both mentally and musically leaving childish pursuits behind.
Los Angeles hailing singer/songwriter Jhene Aiko [pronounced juh-nay ahh-ee-ko], 23, first emerged on the R&B scene at a young age whilst signed to Epic Records alongside the likes of B2K and Omarion, whom she met at elementary school. “LA is a city of entertainment, so everybody ends up meeting each other so you run into everybody. I think the entertainment business is like a high school,” she says.
Whilst many titles in Hip Hop continue to be disputed (King of N.Y., King of the South) the crown of "Boss" remains on the head of one Rick Ross. Since his arrival via the Port of Miami in 2006 Ross has reached the lofty heights akin to one of cinema’s notorious figures, Tony Montana. With ferocity in his musical output and surviving 50 Cent's onslaught, the Teflon Don LP no longer sits merely as another Rick Ross album but as an important release which echoes anticipation similar to classics of yesteryear.
After the controversial split of the heavyweight Roc-A-Fella label, Hip Hop supremo Damon Dash is back - returning to the Hip Hop arena with big ambitions and a hungry young roster on BluRoc Records. The first artist to wave the flag for the new brand is New Orleans spitter Curren$y.
A XXL Freshman for ’09, Curren$y’s buzz is carried into the summer of 2010 and with Pilot Talk ready for take off, how will the first venture from DD’s new order fare?