R&B
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27 Nov

Posted at 12:41h in Music, Reviews
Q Parker, for those unfamiliar with the name, is one part of the hugely successful R&B foursome 112. Originating from Atlanta, Georgia and signed to Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, the group had five albums between the years of 1996 and 2005. Also Grammy winners for their contribution to the Notorious B.I.G. tribute record "I’ll Be Missing You," Q, Daron, Slim, and Michael are often referred to as one of the better R&B groups of the golden era by fans and critics alike. With that said, and a reunion apparently on the cards, the time has come for Q to go it alone and reignite the type of R&B that not only plays the soundtrack to a couple’s romantic evening but also provides the backdrop to many a passionate person’s everyday life.

21 Nov

Posted at 22:00h in Features, Interviews, Music
Childhood stardom is not the easiest thing to deal with. The combination of unorthodox working hours, constant travel itineraries, and also the lack of connection with others of the same age, can all prove too much for those not built for an industry absorbed in high demand. While the likes of Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber have done well to not fall victim to the pressures of the modern day celebrity lifestyle, there are those who have not been as fortunate. However Tinashe Kachingwe is cut from a different type of cloth.

24 Sep

Posted at 08:55h in Features, Interviews, Music
For those living in a bubble, or those who just enjoy staying ignorant, the record industry can be a cold and unkind place to reside at the best of times. The dog eat dog mentality has seen some of the most promising careers fall by the wayside. However, there are those who continue to fight the power, ride it out, and make the best of a bad situation. Sitting down with SoulCulture, Joanna Noelle Blagden Lavesque, better known as pop starlet JoJo, is one of said people.  Starting her musical journey at the age of 12, signing with Blackground Records - made famous by the likes of Aaliyah and Timbaland, her self-titled debut album was released back in 2004. Selling millions of records worldwide, JoJo went on to become a pretty big deal. The thing is, her last official release was 2006’s The High Road.

14 Sep

Posted at 08:16h in Music, Reviews
A soulful musician and songwriter with a distinctive voice, built with obvious reggae influences in articulation and phrasing, Selah Sue offers her soulful, jazz-infused debut album. The self-titled LP went multi-platinum in her native country Belgium and peaked in the top ten of the Dutch and French albums chart, where she has been elevated as huge star, before embarking on worldwide release.

17 Aug

Posted at 11:36h in Music, Reviews
Music runs through Elle Varner’s veins. The daughter of parents who both were songwriters and publishers, the singer-to-be attended music programs and academies for the majority of her academic life and eventually graduated from NYU’s renowned Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music -- she was even voted "most likely to get signed" and "most likely to win a Grammy" at the ceremony. In October 2009, she signed with MBK/J-RCA Records and inked a co-publishing agreement with Sony Music. Now, with the release of her debut album Perfectly Imperfect, I strongly believe Varner is on the path of actually winning a Grammy.

18 Jul

Posted at 12:55h in Music, Reviews
The most immediately striking aspect of channel ORANGE upon first listen is how palpably mature an album it is. I know there is a necessity to categorise musicians by genre, but it’s simply impossible to box Frank Ocean in the R&B category with artists like Chris Brown and Trey Songz. While his so-called peers embrace the current electro-centric wave, Frank is fighting a lonely battle to restore credibility to an ailing genre.

13 Jun

Posted at 01:08h in Music, Reviews
Last night (June 12) a modern-day musical icon, with over a decade of selling out arenas under his belt, graced the stage of a 5,000 capacity theatre in West London's Hammersmith for an "intimate" show that was, almost inevitably, being beamed out to millions around the world online. On the day that his latest album Looking 4 Myself (check out our review here) dropped in the UK, Usher returned to the Hammersmith Apollo for a one-off gig that he repeatedly described as "history in the making."

11 Jun

Posted at 05:30h in Music, Return To The Classics
At the end of the 1980s, Jive Records asserted itself as the new home for popular hip-hop recording acts. As a result, they turned their attention to signing fresh R&B talent to their ever growing roster. During this juncture, there was a transition happening with younger R&B groups where various group members were exploring a solo terrain. This left a void in the contemporary R&B marketplace for a youthful singing group. The opportunity to capitalize on this void was made available and Jive Records seized the opportunity by signing Hi-Five - who released their self-titled debut album, Hi-Five, in 1990.