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On a Wednesday night in Philly,
Marsha Ambrosius is clunking around her living room with one high heel pump on and the other in her hand. Dressed in a loose-fitting striped blouse, leather shorts and lace leggings, Ambrosius is statuesque, preparing to hop in the blacked-out SUV waiting in front and be whisked away on a two-hour car ride to a club appearance in Washington, DC.
“Yo! I’m gonna miss American Idol,” she says with a laugh in her Scouser/London/Philly hybrid accent, “I wanna see what happens. I love
Steven Tyler.” It’s less than two weeks away from the debut of her first solo album,
Late Nights and Early Mornings, yet Ambrosius still finds time to revel in reality TV.
“I wonder if
Modern Family is a rerun tonight,” she says aloud with inquisitive inflection. The jovial Ambrosius is into sitcoms too. Her demeanor is welcoming, and completely unassuming. Smiling brightly behind widening green eyes, “One second,” she says to me, turning quickly to a mirror over her mantle to primp her curly mane, then sitting on her couch to face her laptop. “Ok Nieci,” she says to the screen, referring to her teenage cousin in Liverpool,
Shenice Williams whom she had apparently been iChatting with the entire time (a talented pianist in her own right, Williams performed with Ambrosius at Dingwalls in London, back in December). “We’re out of here.” The “we” is she and I, the driver and security. There is no entourage, no glam squad (this time) around, no rep.
Marsha Ambrosius embodies soul. Ever since “The Songstress” appeared as the scene as part of neo-soul UK duo Floetry her honest personality (which translates through her singing talent) has positioned her as one of the top talents in soul. At London's Islington Assembly Hall on the 24th of February, the singer showed off just why we can’t get enough of her, as few others on the music scene match her exuberance and vulnerability.
With the year 2012 rapidly coming to an end, releases between now and December 31st will find it tough to break into the ranks of the best releases of the last 365 days. Having said that the artist in question's latest offering will be welcomed by all, most notably down to the lengthy delay of its prequel. New York's 
Whilst the Maybach Music Group ran roughshot over the three months of inconsistent summer weather, the enigmatic powerhouse collective known as G.O.O.D Music was quietly creating a buzz akin to a tropical hurricane. News of the imprint’s joint album Cruel Summer began to surface as the group’s leader, Kanye West, spent this past summer adding lyrical muscle to affiliates Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz’ cuts [in addition to fleeing from the paparazzi with ‘new’ beau Kim Kardashian]. As we enter the Autumn months, can his collective create an ‘Indian Summer’ of substantial heat? 
A region with a distinctive culture, the music, food and language of New Orleans, Louisiana clearly influenced the title of local native Jeff Bradshaw sophomore album, Bone Appétit. The French rooted phrase Bon Appétit was created as a way to say enjoy your meal, and an album title referencing this phrase would suggest that the artist is delivering soulful music with a plentiful assortment of heat - which this is what Bradshaw does beautifully. 
Even whilst spending the majority of their years on renowned underground labels, Chi-city double act Kidz in the Hall have always managed to creep into the vicinity of the mainstream. Whether it's minor hits or appearing on MTV and BET, Naledge and Double O's school hall charisma and streetwise demeanor has proven to be too contagious to be simply boxed into the confined spaces of Hip Hop's basement. With Occasion being their fourth offering, the question remains as to whether it contains the maturity which one would expect from a fourth release or will the boys from the Windy City forever remain adolescent both in their make-up and musical growth?
This year seemingly is the year when all albums classified as “urban myths” finally see the light of day. Dr Dre’s Detox has actually birthed material and Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers is all set for a March release. Whilst we anticipate various other mythical albums (Fugees comeback, Madvillain), one of the most anticipated albums for almost six years is finally released and Saigon’s odyssey to drop The Greatest Story Never Told LP finally ends in 2011.
With label issues, controversy and new arrivals just a handful of reasons for its delay, can the NY disciple of super producer Just Blaze make up for the lengthy delay with a bona fide classic? 
Marsha Ambrosius wrote an interesting 
Three years and five mixtapes into his career, Wale's debut album, Attention Deficit isn't offered as an introduction to Olubowale 'Wale' Folarin – instead, it seems to be announcing that he's always been here and you've only just caught up.
Named one of XXL Magazine's Hip Hop Freshmen of '09, Wale's over-confidence in his position as a leader in contemporary Hip Hop's new movement isn't baseless. “I asked Mr West for a little bit of help...” Wale raps on the energetic opening track, “Triumph”. Of course, Kanye West isn't the only musical powerhouse behind Wale; he is in company with Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams and label-boss Mark Ronson. However, on “Triumph” and closing cut “Prescription,” Wale seeks respect from his audience based off of his own merit.