We met Brittany Bosco a few months ago. She was fresh off her European tour and deep in the process of recording her debut album Black. She promised Black would go “back to the true essence of rock ‘n’ roll. Singing like it hurts—like Tina [Turner].“ Bosco dropped the link to “Ragdoll,“ the first leak from her new album, a sneak peek at the end product of so many late ATL nights. Brittany Bosco doesn’t disappoint. “Ragdoll” hurts .... and it’s never sounded so good.

To download Brittany Bosco’s “Ragdoll” and Spectrum 2.0, go here. And keep checking back for more exclusives.

While on my way to Philly for an art festival, my mother turned on The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), the Black Eyed Peas’ latest CD. As I was reading, my ears were battered by the sounds of synthesizers, bad rapping and talking -not singing - to the melody of the keyboard and other instruments that were utterly unrecognizable. I couldn’t tell if the whole CD was that bad or if, like Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, it was a satire perhaps about the status of today’s music. As I yearned with every fiber of my being to rip my ears out, I couldn’t help but wonder: is this what music has turned to? Have the administrative emperors and empresses of the music world become completely tone deaf? Has music been reduced to nothing but two-step beats and abstract voices? Are real singers destined to be confined to idol shows and church choirs for the rest of their lives?

We’ve come so far from the days of the days of doo wop, scat and even boy bands. Some say for the better, others for the worst. I believe it’s time for a musical revolution. But where do we go from here? Do we take a step backward and look towards old-school hip hop, doo wop and classical music? Or do we invent a new, original sound that will become its own classic and inspire future generations? Could we possibly find something deep within the hybrid bands hailing from many-a-genre? Or it is it a short lived kick, destined to fail after several weeks in the number one spot? We’ve seen those like Prince and Michael Jackson who successfully stepped over the rock/ r&b boundaries but, was it a case of good timing or something else?

According to WILL.I.AM’s acknowledgements on the Black Eyed Peas CD, “It is the END of that wonderful era … It gave birth to wonderful artists, fantastic and beautiful memories … it is the END of that Paradigm … But the energy.never.dies.” Looking at The E.N.D., perhaps if I listen closely, it is making a deep a statement. Perhaps The E.N.D. symbolizes the end of cacophony and the beginning of actual creativity. Or considering it came out on a wave of musical insanity, maybe it’s the end of good music and the end of creativity and the beginning of the Cacophony Era. 

The day that I met up with Kalae All Day in Union Square Park, we were interviewed by some inquisitive visitors about our New York stories. Check out the interview….

We introduced you to SoundCheck a few weeks ago in What Do You Sound Like?. The monthly showcase is back and in full effect with a ROCKtober edition featuring Brooklyn rockers Shinobi Ninja, RockStar Society (RSNY), Anton Glamb and Overfab with Jasmine Solano on the 1s and 2s. The show kicks off at 7pm sharp at Santos Party House. Be there. Details below.

For the second year, Crosby and Miz Metro have brought the talent of NYC together for a free all-star mixtape, “A-NY Minute” Part II. This year, as a part of the Lower East Side’s annual Howl! Festival - named after “Howl!,“ the late poet Allen Ginsberg’s groundbreaking work - Saturday’s two-hour showcase gave passersby a glimpse into the world of underground hip hop. Simply put, this mixtape is the future, featuring the sounds of Nyle, Oveous Maximus, Jasmine Solano, Joya Bravo, Sciryl and many more. To download the free mixtape, click the link below the photo ...

Crosby and Miz Metro Present: A-NY Minute Pt.2

I remember where I was. I was sitting right here on my laptop, at the kitchen table, on Facebook. The statuses started coming and I yelled over to my mom the news. We quickly turned on the TV and started watching live coverage, which at that point confirmed the notes I’d been seeing all over Facebook and Twitter: Michael Jackson was dead at 50, presumably from the cardiac arrest he’d suffered just earlier that afternoon. I know I’m a little late in my reflection. I apologize. As a music writer, it’s just taken me some time to find the right words to memorialize him on this website. As a music fan, Icried, knowing one part of the foundation of pop R&B had gone on.

Earlier this week, I was chilling with some people at a happy hour event and a guy close to my age told me that he really didn’t feel anything when Michael died. I understood some of where he was coming from. After all, we had only just been conceived and landed on the planet during the Thriller/Bad years. We could have been those kids in the JAM and Black and White videos. Heck, we could have even been the kids he was suspected of abusing. We’ve moved onto NeYo and Chris Brown right? (And the irony that he is right now). He wasn’t the cute kid my parents grooved to or even the not quite so bad looking young adult who let the world know how Bad he was. Sure, I could Remember the Time, but I couldn’t remember the time if you know what I mean.

But that hasn’t stopped me from grapevining to I Want You Back, over and over and over again. I also never knew how good The Love You Save was. I can definitely feel the sentiment on Off the Wall, so many times I want to take off the nine to five myself and get down. I used to stay up all night on Saturday, waiting for the 70’s night DJ to play Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough. And while You Rock My World could have been a better comeback, but still good, Butterflieshelped him go out on top. (And the remix with Eve was dope).

So who’s next. I’ve heard a variety of names floating around, but truthfully, I don’t think there will be another entertainer of that sort. People don’t buy anyone’s albums anymore. All the dancers I see are imitators. Everyone’s too busy either concentrating on making quality music, or they have their name and likeness on so many objects, it’s impossible to remember their music. Not to mention it sucks anyway. I dare you to put your child up on stage and claim that he or she is better than he was in the Jackson 5 days. In the meantime, we will celebrate the legacy and honor the legends that are still within our presence on this earth.

Sometimes good things come in three’s. In this case it’s Anna Sui, Gossip Girl and Target. That’s right, famed bohemian-chic designer has created a new line for Target. This line, inspired by every fashionistas favorite guilty pleasure, Gossip Girl is set to hit Target stores nationwide in September.

Today I was watching the America’s Next Top Model marathon on Oxygen and repeatedly kept thinking to myself, “doesn’t Allison look exactly like a Blythe doll?” Her eyes are very wide and doe-like which you can either hate or love. I’m interested to see who wins during the season finale this Wednesday.

In most professions females make only 77% of what males make. However, in the fashion industry, female models make much more than their male counterparts. While there are numerous recognized female supermodels there are only about five recognized male supermodel icons. This season’s Make Me a Supermodel has a lot of potential to create some new familiar faces. My money is for Jonathon from England and Sandhurst from Trinidad and Tobago to make it to the final three.

As much as I adore the plaid shirt trend going on, it’s getting too much for me. I once went to a party where I saw four girls where the same red checkered shirt I planned to wear that night. I’ll still wear them because I really like them, but can this trend stop so I won’t look like a clone?

Lil Wayne’s rock album Rebirth has been pushed back again. This is definitely not a good sign of what’s to come. The first track Prom Queen left me with questions at first but now I’m almost getting used to it, although the video is hideously cliché. Now, I just have to decipher what he’s saying.

Justin Timberlake is really making his mark in the fashion world. I would have never guessed he would be chosen as co-chair for recently held Costume Institute Gala in New York. He is a jack of all trades; music, fashion, and acting. His time as host of Saturday Night Live last week was hilarious. Though most of his skits were revamped versions of skits he did on previous shows, they were still funny. Especially his team-up with Adam Samberg for, “Motherlover” which is soon to be a YouTube favorite.

As an African-American, I’ve been a fan of a fan of rock –particularly punk- for a very long time. Despite that, I’ve never really gone to a concert or seen anyone live. Mostly because my favorite artists were those whose seats were sold out by the first day, making it evident that unless I got lucky on a K-Rock contest (which is impossible now that it’s cloned KTU), I was not meant to see a concert.  Eventually, through a friend I discovered afro-punk, a culture where good rock isn’t in scarcity and I could meet people like me who just loved some good music and didn’t judge you for it. It is unbelievable how many people will call you “White girl” or an “oreo” just because you listen to a certain type of music. Like what you listen to and how you dress or speak counteracts millennia of African ancestry!
After searching for a few weeks on the next upcoming concert in the area, I heard about EPIC/ SMASH, a double feature show held in Webster Hall’s basement every last Tuesday of the month. I was excited about going but I didn’t know what to expect. I was accustomed to listening to music on my radio from the comfort of my own home. Questions flooded my head. Could I dance? Would I stick out like a sore thumb? Would there be guitar pieces and microphones flying through the air as a crazy drunken, drugged up, mosh pit and riot ensued?
Surprisingly, the crowd was pretty mature. The first show, “Epic” was put together by Bronx Underground for all ages; while the second show, “Smash” -put together by Afro-Punk- was for the 19 and up crowd. For me, Epic not only had awesome music but the mosh pit proved to be a wonderful display of flexibility and grace as each mosher spun and twirled next to each other. As I watched each body swing and pulsate to the flow of the drowning music I often felt my feet want to move and dance along with them. Of course me being the shy one, I just watched in awe as they jerked to every sound the bands produced.
Smash tended to have lighter punk with the occasional cross-genre progressive group for example, The Smyrk was an interesting might-as-well-be-famous group. When they stepped on stage, my eyes were greeted by a handsome man in a button down, a tie and jeans. I couldn’t really wrap my head around why all the women were screaming before he even opened his mouth. By the end the set I found myself not only taken aback by the lead singer Doron Flake’s John Legendish voice alongside the instrumentals but the fact that his shirt was completely off exposing a body that would explain why all the women were crazy. There were so many more awesome underground groups that words could not explain but it’s pretty safe to say that my radio is officially in the garbage.