Videos of the Week July 14th

For whatever reason, this week was dominated by huge music video releases. It seems more like the exception than the norm for a week's top five to be so heavily skewed toward music videos, but such was the case this week. Led by the action packed visuals from Dillon Francis and G-Eazy's Say Less video, there was plenty of bottle smashing fun littered throughout. Then, Macklemore did a complete 180 on his video for Glorious where he took his grandma around town to celebrate her 100th birthday. In hindsight, the vibe of the track fits perfectly for the celebration of life, so kudos to Macklemore for sharing the moment with all of us.

Then things got a little trippy on Travis Scott's Butterfly Effect video. Don't care what the critics say, that track goes hard and I have a really hard time skipping past it when it plays. In case that first dose of Travis Scott wasn't enough, he made an appearance in the dance heavy video for Know No Better. I'm not exactly sure what story is trying to be told other than kids that are picked on can still get girls too through their dance moves? Last, but most expensive was literally everything about deadmau5's new studio. Such a cool behind the scenes look of all the bells, whistles, nobs, and keys the make up his arsenal of music making equipment. Not sure about y'all, but I was impressed by the amount of analog based sound machines and old keyboards he had. If you had an inkling that he cares about his craft, your perception should remain unchanged...#deadmau5Studio

Dillon Francis feat G-Eazy - Say Less (Video)

Macklemore feat Skylar Grey - Glorious (Video)

Travis Scott - Butterfly Effect (Video)

Major Lazer feat Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, & Quavo - Know No Better (Video)

A Behind the Scenes Look at deadmau5's Studio

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Now I See the Sunrise, Now I Feel Glorious, Glorious"

For the past nine years we've all been lucky to indulge in the creative brilliance of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. This week, Macklemore released the statement below announcing that the duo are taking a break to give each other some collective "space"...

"After the last tour, Ryan and I agreed that some creative space would be good for the both of us. Ryan Lewis is my brother forever. We have been working together damn near every day for 9 years and it felt like the right time. This decision came from a place of love for one another. I'm the best man at his wedding next month. There will be more M&RL music to come when the time is right."

Don't get it twisted, there's no beef, it sounds like they both want to pursue some opportunities independently. In my mind, there's no bigger opportunity than a collaboration with Skylar Grey. Following a familiar, piano led, clap-inducing anthem sound, Glorious is exactly as good as it sounds. When you press play below, you're going to get Macklemore's pitter-patter flow, backed by a soulful, vibrant hook from Holly Brook. It's musical inspiration to a T, which is everything you'd hope for an expect from the star power below...#Glorious

Macklemore feat Skylar Grey - Glorious (prod by Joshua "Budo" Karp)

"That's All We Need, Beneath With Me"

Remember that oft-teased collaboration between Kaskade, deadmau5, Skylar Grey? Dating back a full year, Beneath With Me has been hyped as a massive collaboration and this week it finally dropped in its finality. It's not quite on the Scud Books level of anticipation for me, but there's no doubting how well this trio fits together.

For starters, when you combine Skylar Grey's dark, haunting vocals over a symphonic chord progression weaved together by two of EDM's best, good things are going to happen. Even though it's been trimmed from the original six minute version that was originally leaked, the slow and steady build up and eventual calm, but energetic release has deadmau5's paws all over it. It's dramatic and steady, while finding a way to be exciting. That's not an easy thing to accomplish, which is why it immediately was added to my list of favorites...#BeneathWithMe

Kaskade & deadmau5 feat Skylar Grey - Beneath With Me

"Cause Baby I'd Kill for You"

It literally doesn't get any better than when Eminem and Skylar Grey collaborate. Whether it's I Need a Doctor, C'Mon Let Me Ride, Twisted or Skylar writing Eminem's hit Love the Way You Lie, there's a long history of great work they've done together. Their newest addition to that list, Kill For You, is an accurate portrayal of both their dark sides. There's an undercurrent of devotion, anger, and violence that bleeds through the lyrics, creating a powerful tone for the track. Sure, the gun shots mixed in at the beginning and end provide the dramatic flair, but it's a rare instance where the over-the-top sound effects actually fit the drama of the track. The best news out of all this is that Skylar has a new album coming out tomorrow. If Natural Causes is even half as good as the performance she put on at the Regency Ballroom on Friday, it's going to quickly become one of my favorite albums...#NaturalCauses

Skylar Grey Prefers the Road Less Traveled

I have a short list of artists that I will follow into battle no matter where they decide to go with their music. For reference, I used to think Drake was on that short list, but nowadays I like about half of the stuff he puts out. On the other hand, Skylar Grey can do no wrong in my eyes because she still has yet to put out a track that I can't vibe out to. It doesn't matter if she is slowing it up with a ballad, singing a hook for a high profile collabo or putting out a mid-tempo, inspirational new single because she always finds a way to excel at making emotionally provocative music.

Off Road is the latest example of pushing her sound to places she hasn't quite gone before. Although her music is undeniably provocative, her latest single showcases a much more mellow and adventurous side. There's a clear undercurrent of wanderlust baked into the lyrics that fit well with the carefree, electro-pop vibe of the track. In case you're wondering her new Natural Causes album is due out in about a month on September 23rd, so there's plenty more new music on the way to get excited about. Me, I'm so excited that I'll be seeing her next show in about a month when she visits the Bay Area...#OffRoad

Skylar Grey - Off Road

Videos of the Week December 12th

If I was pressured to pick two adjectives to describe this week's top 5 6 videos, I'd say interesting and unique. Lead by the powerful performance of Bed of Lies Nicki Minaj & Skylar Grey, the week started off on a high point. If there's any possibility of me seeing Skylar Grey in concert, you better believe I will be taking full advantage of that opportunity. On the documentary front, Beyonce released an 11 minute short film to prove to all of us that she's a human just like everyone else. Time will tell whether her attempt at empathy will continue to positively shape her brand.

The two real music videos came from Sam Smith's new single Like I Can and Imagine Dragon's I Bet My Life. Sam is getting close to an entire album of singles now, and the Imagine Dragons are seriously ramping up for their sophomore effort. And in case you need some feel good vibes for the holiday season, feel free to check out the supermarket "This Little Light of Mine" flash mob or the Christmas light choreography to Frozen's Let it Go...#ThisLittleLightofMine
Nicki Minaj feat Skylar Grey - Bed of Lies (Live on SNL)
Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life (Video) Beyonce's Yours and Mine Short Film Sam Smith - Like I Can (Video) This Little Light of Mine Supermarket Flash Mob Bonus Video: Frozen Christmas Lights Photo Credit: YouTube

"Do You Ever Think of Me When You Lie?"

Very rarely will you ever hear a Nicki Minaj song that strikes you as thoughtful and complex. That's less of critique of her talent as an artist and more of a direct shot at what it takes to continually be relevant as a woman in Hip Hop. Sadly, the Anacondas far outweigh much deeper and more meaningful tracks like her new one Bed of Lies featuring Skylar Grey.

Simply put, it's really hard to do wrong when you've got Kane Beatz behind the instrumental and Skylar Grey on the hook. It would be easy to ride the coat tails of that duo alone toward a hit single. To her credit, Nicki took a much more serious route and opened up to her audience, sharing some deeply personal stuff regarding past relationships. As much as I would have loved to see Skylar fly solo on this one, I genuinely appreciate the direction Nicki took with it and applaud her for her transparency. Call this a diamond in the rough or a counter balance to a lot of her other single choices, either way it will be on her upcoming Pinkprint album that's due out in mid-December...#Pinkprint

Nicki Minaj feat Skylar Grey - Bed of Lies

"Home of the Brave and Free, Free Just to Muder Me"

We may never know whether T.I. was planning on releasing his New National Anthem this week or whether the Michael Brown incident expedited the release. Whatever the case, it's a lyrically armed track that is pointed straight at guns and their impact on American society. It's an interesting track in that the Skylar Grey hook is meant for radio, but T.I.'s verses and ad-libs are no-holds barred. The bouncy beat makes for a fun listen, but the beat makes it tough to hear the underlying message he's trying to deliver, which is frustrating at times.

The track is set to surface on T.I.'s upcoming album Paperwork, which he's compared to Outkast's Aquemini and Jay Z's The Blueprint. That's a tall order, but New National Anthem is a definitely a step in the right direction. Again, let's all hope this renewed attention of gun violence in American leads to something productive for us all so that we don't keep seeing the same situation repeat itself...#NewNationalAnthem

T.I. feat Skylar Grey - New National Anthem

Might as Well Face it Skylar Grey is Addicted to Love

It's always a tenuous task trying to take another artist's classic hit and make it your own. There are a million different directions you can go with a song, but the challenge lies in the comparison to the original. When people have heard a song a certain way for decades, there tends to be an acute reaction to hearing a song sung a different way.

Case in point, the 180 that Skylar Grey did on Robert Palmer's classic Addicted to Love. While the original has a cheery, pop vibe to it, Skylar's version is much more quiet and ominous. The sing-songy, matter of fact tone of the original is nowhere to be found in the hauntingly deliberate cover that will surface in the upcoming movie Endless Love. Having seen the trailer in the theater, it seems like the vibe of the movie fits into the tragic love story category. Knowing that, I'd say Skylar did a pretty awesome job foreshadowing the cautious love story with her cover of the song...#AddictedToLove

Photo Credit: YouTube

"That Awful Sound, My Baby Shot Me Down"

Man, I'm at a bit of a loss with the track below. I'm a huge fan of Skylar Grey and almost as fond of David Guetta, but it's taking me a while to wrap my head around their remake of Cher's well-known track Bang Bang (Shot Me Down). For those of you like me who weren't even close to alive in 1966 when it was released, forgive me for the grainy black and white video I posted below...

As far as the remake is concerned, picking Skylar Grey to do the vocals probably wasn't a bad decision. In general, I like the ebb and flow of the dramatic vocals and the progressive house drops that follow. What I don't like is the extra minute of disorganized electronic madness at the beginning of the track. If you fast forward a minute, the track takes you on an entertaining dramatic roller coaster ride. Take that for what it's worth, but I'm still torn on whether or not they did the sample justice...#ShotMeDown

David Guetta feat Skylar Grey - Shot Me Down

Videos of the Week September 20th

Yea, there's a little somethin' for everyone on this week's videos. Although I was tempted to post all Drake videos this week since he's in all out media mode with Nothing Was the Same coming out soon, I opted for a more diverse spread. Most notably, Avicii's new one All My Life, which is more of a character drama than anything. I couldn't help but post Drake and ScarJo's charades act on Jimmy Fallon and J Cole's thoughtful Crooked Smile video. Not sure if you noticed, but I am posting anything and everything Skylar Grey touches, including the behind the scenes to her upcoming video for Back From the Dead. And for the whip cream, who can resist some Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs?...
Avicii - You Make Me (Video)

Drake & Scarlett Johanssen Play Charades on Jimmy Fallon

J Cole feat TLC - Crooked Smile (Video)

Dillon Francis feat TEED - Without You (Video)

Skylar Grey feat Big Sean - Back From the Dead (BTS Video)


Image Credit: YouTube

"I'm Warning You, Don't Turn on Me"

Hmm...it's always conspicuous when a song hits the internet, yet there is no official cover art for it. That's generally an indication that the song wasn't meant to be released. Kinda like Fiddy's new one featuring the KIDinaKorner all-stars Skylar Grey and Alex Da Kid. Check the confirmation tweet below from the man himself..

Damn I may have lost this ALBUM SH!t leaking off my old drive. This is crazy. #smsaudio

— 50cent (@50cent) September 5, 2013

I'm not gung ho about the track like I usually am about just about everything Skylar and Alex touch. The beat is solid, Skylar's hook hits the spot, but I've never been a huge 50 fan lyrically. This song didn't necessarily change how I think, but it might be a different story for you if you're more of a fan than I am...#smsaudio

50 Cent feat Skylar Grey - Warning You (Don't Turn on Me) (prod by Alex Da Kid)

"So Sorry That We Fell in Love, Geronimo"

It's a shame that more people don't know the name Alex Da Kid. You've all heard my rant on how producers are a better indication of track success than artist, but I'll take it a step further and say that if the executive producer on your album is great, then your album will follow suit. Just ask Imagine Dragons whose debut album (Night Visions) went platinum with the help of Alex Da Kid executive producing the album.

Having said all that, Skylar Grey's new album Don't Look Down is also executive produced by Alex, Eminem and JR Rotem and it's going to hit iTunes on Tuesday. I've posted damn near all of her singles up until now and I'm not even sure if her new one featuring Big Sean and Travis Barker will be a single, but it's definitely worth a listen. You can call it the "just getting out of prison" anthem because it centers around getting reacquainted with someone when they've been gone for years. As per usual, Skylar's vocals shine all over the track, but just as much credit is in line for JR, whose beat and song organization put the track in a position to succeed. Honestly, it's hard to tell Travis Barker chipped in, but Big Sean's flow fit well on the track. Just one of many well put together tracks that are going to surface on Tuesday...#DontLookDown

Skylar Grey feat Big Sean & Travis Barker - Back From the Dead (prod by JR Rotem)

Videos of the Week June 14th

Whoever thought up the idea to create a cruise experience based on electronic music deserves an award. There's a slim chance I'll attend, but Holy Ship! is a forward thinking idea that I hope more and more cruise companies adopt especially with all the poop cruises and such of late. In other news, Drake evidently loves FIFA and plays a lot of it. Oh, and Skylar Grey released another relatively dark video that involves some tent snuggling and playing the piano in the woods...cool right? To round out the top 5, Wiz and Alicia chipped in new videos for recent singles. Solid week overall for music related visuals...
Skylar Grey - Wear Me Out (Video)

Wiz Khalifa - Paperbond (Video)

Holy Ship! Promo Video (EDM Cruise)

Drake Introduces FIFA 14 at E3

Alicia Keys - Tears Always Win (Video)

"I Feel Like Old Blue Jeans, 'Cause You Wear Me Out"

It's getting to the point that I'm so confident I'm going to like Skylar Grey's music, I immediately start crafting a post before I listen to her tracks. Sure, it helps that she again has stellar, top notch production from JR Rotem on her new single below, but her talent as a vocalist is undeniable. She continues her edgy storytelling with lyrics like...

"Smartass little girl, always on the run, playin' with fire and daddy's gun"

...but then she reels you back in on the melodic hook that analogizes the act of nagging being like an old pair of jeans. Lost in the shuffle of great singles that she has released recently like C'mon Let Me Ride and Final Warning is that both were preceded two years ago by her debut single off (Invisible) off her upcoming album Don't Look Down. I'm at a loss as far as which one is my favorite, but Wear Me Out ranks up there. Going four solid singles deep before releasing your album is a feat that is going to make it really difficult to resist iTunes on July 9th when her album hits iTunes...#WearMeOut

Skylar Grey - Wear Me Out (prod by JR Rotem)

Videos of the Week May 17th

It's a shocker, this summer another Fast & Furious movie is being released! Surprising right? Sarcasm aside, this will be the finally one and I applaud them for getting back to what helped make the first movie awesome...an above average soundtrack. They have Def Jam to thank for putting together a top notch soundtrack to Fast and Furious 6. I'll always maintain, Pov City Anthem from the original Fast & Furious soundtrack is a classic beat and it motivated me to find a way to create ringtones on my own.

In other news, Skylar Grey continues to make slightly disturbing, emotionally charged videos. Interesting that Kendrick went to church for the BDKMV video. Anytime J Lo and Pitbull or Kanye and Ben Affleck get together, it's going to be fun. Definitely tuning into SNL for the season finale...#SNL
2 Chainz & Wiz Khalifa - We Own It (Fast & Furious Video)

Skylar Grey - Final Warning (Video)

Kendrick Lamar - B***h Don't Kill My Vibe (Video)

Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull - Live it Up (Video)

Kanye West & Ben Affleck SNL Promo

"Someone's Gonna Get Hurt, And It's Not Gonna be Me"

Even though Skylar Grey is blessed to constantly have one of the best producers in the game backing her (Alex Da Kid), I'm resigned to thinking that her angelic voice would still be enough to make her a star. To her credit, she's become much more than just your garden variety hook artist who can propel a great single to a #1 single. There's a lot of rage and emotion in her music, which a great contrast to her soothing vocals. It takes some balls and a little bit of nerve to be able to sing the f word like she does in tracks. I've done a double take more than a few times like..."wait a minute, did she just say that?" You're damn right she did and she meant it despite it being sung so sweetly.

Her newest single Don't Look Down is the second off her upcoming album Don't Look Down, which is slated to drop on July 9th. By my count she's a solid 2 for 2 on singles so far with the one below and C'mon Let Me Ride. Let me quick reiterate, don't get it twisted thinking the song below is all butterflies and rainbows because there is a nice background fight scene toward the end of the track that will raise a few eyebrows...#FinalWarning

Skylar Grey - Final Warning (prod by Alex Da Kid)

Videos of the Week December 14

First and foremost, my thoughts and prayer go out to the families of the kids who lost their life today in Netwon, Connecticut. No music or entertainment could ever take away focus from something as truly despicable as what happened today. It's hard not to lose faith in mankind when acts like this occur, especially when something of this magnitude hasn't ever happened in the US before.

If you get to a point where you can let music and entertainment back into your life today, below are a few videos that I found entertaining this week. It's a little pop, a little Hip Hop, some reggae dance, house and even some new product placement brought to you by one of the kings of product placement, @s_c_. Tell people you care about you love 'em tonight, the world needs more love after days like today...#PrayForNewton

Skylar Grey feat Eminem - C'mon Let Me Ride (Video)

Major Lazer - Jah No Partial (Video)

Jay-Z Launches New D'USSE Cognac Line

The Cool Kids - Champions (Video)

Felix da Housecat feat Will.i.am - Burn the Disco Down (Video)

VIdeos of the Week December 7th

I've always been a huge fan of any sort of high level musical interaction choreography with Hip Hop or electronic music. Maybe it's a soft spot of mine, maybe it's because it's so rarely done well. Either way, the Dubstep Christmas light display video sets the bar extremely high for that specific genre. When you watch, make sure and fast forward a minute or so to the Skrillex part because that's when it gets taken to another level.

In other videos, the one minute BTS video of @SkylarGrey's new video with @Eminem is about as entertaining as it could be in sixty seconds. Yes, the authentic trailer trash in the video does the most winning, but hearing Eminem jokingly get defensive about growing up in a trailer park is pretty entertaining too. Growing up in a trailer park is just about as sad as paying $1 million for an erased hard drive that doesn't have your music on it. I did a post about a year ago on the story and it couldn't have come to a worse end for @ryanleslie. It's a double edged sword when you do your best to not back up your music in multiple places to avoid leaks, but when it's left on one hard drive and that gets stolen, it's even more heartbreaking.

On a lighter note, how bout some Christmas music to get in the holiday spirit? #HellYea

Dubstep Christmas Lights

Skylar Grey ft. Eminem – Cmon Let Me Ride (Behind The Scenes)

R Les Breaks Down on Stage After Being Sued for $1 Million

Karmin & Coach - Sleight Ride (Video)

Cee-Lo feat Christina Aguilera - Baby It's Cold Outside (Video)

Eminem & Skylar Ride Bikes - "My Wheels Spoke to Her"

It doesn't get more winning than combining @AlexDaKid, @SkylarGrey and @Eminem on a track together. Sure, Eminem's Freddie Mercury impression is downright comical, but it sets the tone on C'mon Let Me Ride. For all of you who missed the Queen reference, the "I want to ride my bicycle sample came from their song Bicycle Race. I can promise you one thing, the original track isn't have as suggestive as the new lyric video for Skylar's version of the track...

I'm digging this edgy pop vibe Skylar gives off on the track. The addictive Alex da Kid beat screams bubble gum pop, but you better believe both Skylar and Eminem use some grown up language throughout the track.

Honestly I'm a little bummed for Skylar that the lead single (below) off her upcoming album Don't Look Down leaked two weeks early. For all of you with patience (crickets), C'mon Let Me Ride will hit iTunes on December 11th. Only time will tell if I can get over the corniness of this track...#MightBeTooPopForMe

Skylar Grey feat Eminem - C'mon Let Me Ride (prod by Alex da Kid)
|iTunes