The hip-hop world is abuzz with the promise of a follow-up from one of rap’s most prominent and skilled female emcees, Rah Digga. Following on the heels of her inclusion in BET’s recent documentary My Mic Sounds Nice, Digga delivers a taste of what’s to come with the remix of “This Ain’t No Lil Kid Rap,” the lead single from Classic.

Featuring Redman, the pairing is only natural, as the Digga and Redman are good friends and New Jersey natives. Despite the long-running friendship and shared geographic location, this track marks the first time the two have ever appeared on a song together.

Download “This Ain’t No Lil Kid Rap (Remix)” ft. Redman:

SKOPE IT HERE!

www.myspace.com/rahdigga1

The video shows a group of contemporary dancers whose refined motions and postures are coated in a layer of dust, which provides a visceral visual counterpoint and element of vulnerability to the bristling delicacies of the music.

Oval – Ah! from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Photo by Constantin Falk

On July 21, 2010, my brother and I had the opportunity to attend a kick-ass show in Cincinnati, Ohio at the RiverBend Music Center.  The event was the 2010 Metal Mayhem Festival sponsored by RockStar Energy Drink, so lots of excitement in the summer air!  With a great line-up that included: Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Atreyu, Norma Jean, In This Moment, 3 Inches of Blood, Hatebreed, Chimaira, Shadows Fall and Winds of Plague, we were off to the races!

The trip for Jonathan and I started in Bloomington, Indiana where we both live currently.  The car ride was a couple of hours, but we had plenty of good jams like the best of Korn and Rob Zombie to help keep us entertained.  Those two bands were the main reason why we wanted to go and review the concert in the first place.  Don’t get me wrong; we were extremely pumped to witness all the metal acts that day, but Korn and Rob Zombie were at the top of the list.  One group in particular, Lamb of God, I actually had the opportunity to see already when they were on tour with Metallica.  I happen to review that show as well for Skope, which took place last year at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana and Jonathan Rae was also at that event. 

SKOPE IT HERE!

We were back to experience some large doses of heavy music except this time there would be 12 metal bands live!  It’s safe to say that we were both very excited and thrilled to witness this event they called Metal Mayhem.  Lamb of God along with all of the other hard-hittin’ metal bands all did a hell of a job on Wednesday, July 21 as you will see later on.  

We arrived at RiverBend Music Center around 2 or so and free parking I might add!  There was already a band playing when we were walking into the venue, so we hurried along.  My guest and I actually had a lot of trouble early on because we were directed to several locations just to try and find our media passes.  We finally found the right spot with two tickets in my name but one being a photo pass, which I did not request.  I let it slide because we finally had access into the festival and I didn’t want to miss any more of the action inside.  Upon entering through the gates, neither one of us were patted down or anything; we were simply told to take everything out of our pockets and that was that.  That’s some trust/honor system Riverbend has considering the hordes of people that attend their site; safety first I guess!  (lol)  Well…low and behold, Jonathan and I would in fact miss some more of the show because I was originally told to go to a media tent.  The only problem was not one staff member knew exactly where this so-called “media tent” was and they kept directing us to different spots.  We walked around and around and around so many times looking for this damn tent that noone apparently knew about.  Naturally, my on-site media contact was no where in sight and when I tried to call her she was, of course, unreachable as well.  And mind you, the show was rolling along where we could hear the bands ferociously playing in the background but we were not seeing any of it happen before us.  Becoming extremely frustrated and disappointed by this time, we both decided to just chill out for a sec.  Jonathan got some killer chili cheese dogs and we split a Coke as we just sat down in a state of confusion.  We figured out that the four main acts would be playing later on out on the main stage where we would watch from the Lawn.  The bands playing prior to this were all in the PNC Pavilion, which was a separate stage inside the park.  We both figured that we would have to wait until the main part of the show because the ticket said Lawn.  My guest and I didn’t think we had access to enter the Pavilion based on our tickets and I was surely done asking people.  I happen to start talking to this random guy sitting next to us and he actually informed us that we could freely walk in and out of the Pavilion and that it was all included in the ticket price.  WOW!!!!! And to think, it took a fellow concert-goer to help me out in the end and not the supposed staff members who get paid to help, assist and inform—hmmmm.  THANK YOU!!!!  As soon as we heard the news, we jetted inside to finally see an actual concert!  No more tent searching, no more roaming around aimlessly and no more dealings with certain individuals that had no idea what was going on.  The wait was finally over as we were now in baby and there was no looking back! 

Metal Mayhem in Cincy Part II

What amazed me the most was how each group played & performed with such force & intensity. The energy that each and every band displayed on stage was just crazy & out of control.  This amped up and very loud & BIG sound was definitely feeding into the large audience.  I was really getting into the music as I felt the band members and fans were completely in sync & in a zone.  This whole experience was truly great to hear and watch.  As far as the bands go, I picked up on the insanely long hair that belonged to lead singer Brian Fair of Shadows Fall.  When he swung his head around, it literally looked like long ropes that you could grab onto.  I also noticed they covered a classic song you may have heard of “Bark At the Moon” by Ozzy Osbourne.  Shadows Fall, as an overall band, really got my attention as they played at a feverish pace.  Another band that came up I wasn’t familiar with at all was In This Moment.  What stuck out to me there was how the lead singer Maria Brink let out some mind-blowing shrieks & screams that could shatter glass.  She may have been wearing a girly/cutesy outfit, but she owned the stage that day and proved that she could battle with the big boys.  Maria Brink and In This Moment get my respect without question. Rolling along, Chimaira was another band that stood out to me due to their fierce playing. This group literally killed their set and Chimaira impressed the hell out of me; no question about it!  Atreyu was a band that I have heard of going into this event, but never really listened to any of their material.  I’m here to tell you after witnessing Atreyu that this band is a true force.  Lead singer Alex Varkatzas was bouncin’ all over the place and the other members were shredding away.  Atreyu served up some metal goodness to the Cincinnati audience and we were all eating it up.  I do know that they performed the song “Becoming The Bull” and one surprising cover of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name”.  One last group representing the opening acts really took me by surprise as I found myself heavily involved now.  Hatebreed, in my opinion, stole the show amongst the openers because they just let loose and unleashed their aggressive style of music onto the crowd.  Lead singer Jamey Jasta made sure that everyone inside the Pavilion was up on their feet and he was not going to accept any less.  I kid you not; the entire place just went into a complete frenzy from the first note to the end.  People were yelling out loud to the songs with fists in the air, non-stop clapping & whistling and the horns were up high all to the sounds of Hatebreed.  Crowd participation here was at an all time high and you could literally feel the intensity being built up as their set rolled on.  I have to say that Hatebreed’s insane performance proved to win over the big crowd of metal heads.  They came, they played and they conquered!  I did notice some crowd surfing and light moshing going on toward the front of the stage but nothing like I expected.  Worth mentioning that there was a bizarre yet entertaining intermission between sets of little people doing a Michael Jackson medley.  I was thinking to myself ‘just what the hell’s goin’ on here!’.  These little people were back for more later on during the main set where they actually did a hip-hop mix of the “Oompa-Loompa” number from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory—no joke!!  They really sold it with the singing, dance moves and even some rad outfits—what a trip!  This wacky & entertaining display shocked the hell out of me and it’s an image I’ll never forget probably. This was some sight to see and pretty damn funny I must say; really no words can describe it.  And to think, there was even a small man or woman (up for debate) right in front of us that reminded me of the guy from the “Pretty Fly for A White Guy” video by The Offspring.  Let’s just say that Joe C of Kid Rock (R.I.P.) would not be proud AT ALL at this pathetic sight—nuff said.  This day was just getting better and better by the minute!

Now…the moment we were all waiting for was nearly upon us with Korn and Rob Zombie as the headliners.  Before the second half started, I thought I would grab myself a cold draft—why the hell not (And I was never carded I might add)!  We let the rain settle down as we were all set now to head out to the Lawn for the grand finale.  The rain fizzled out and the clouds pushed away to make room for a nice clear sky.  The stage was now set for a perfect night of in-your-face metal madness! 

Metal Mayhem in Cincy Part III

The first act to hit the stage was Five Finger Death Punch who tore through their set in aggressive fashion. The name fits them because the music definitely hits you and hits hard.  The Five Finger assassins did a great cover of “Bad Company” in which I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  Next was Richmond, Virginia’s own Lamb Of God who play with such a fierce intensity.  This band never let up on the gas once as they soared through their set.  Lead Singer Randy Blythe really wanted to get the entire crowd revved up as the F-bomb was flyin’ out of his mouth left & right.  The whole place was rockin’ along to Lamb of God because the band’s energy was just nuts.  Heading out next was none other than Rob Zombie and what a show he put on!  I could tell right away that it was not just about the music but also about complete showmanship for Rob Zombie & company.  That’s why it’s fitting that he would cover Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” because he definitely takes after the highly influential & charismatic artist.  Alice is and was all about putting on a complete, full-fledged and all-out show to go along with the great music.  Rob Zombie follows suite as he brought to a life a full horror production complete with all the creepy & monster-like props, fire, skeletons and martian robots that engulfed the stage.  It’s almost like Zombie tried to recreate his videos live giving the Ohio audience their money’s worth and then some.  I was literally blown away by Rob Zombie’s stage presence and stage show and I am now an even bigger fan of the Zombie man.  Now…to the songs!  Zombie covered some classic songs from his solo career as well as two songs from his White Zombie days: “More Human Than Human” and “Thunder Kiss ‘65”.  “More Human Than Human” is hands down my favorite song by White Zombie and I was ecstatic when I heard this!  I was feelin’ it for sure by singin’, clappin’, yellin’ out with fists/hands in the air and lovin’ every second of that awesome, awesome song!  “Thunder Kiss ‘65” is a kick-ass song too and sounded really good live.  Then I heard some other classics from his Hellbilly Deluxe album like: “Dragula”, “Living Dead Girl” and “Super Beast”, which were done extremely well.  “Dragula” is one of my favorites also and they really played this one up to a T!  I even heard two brand new songs–“Sick Bubblegum” and “Mars Needs Women”– off the new album titled Hellbilly Deluxe 2.  Pretty good stuff from what I heard, so definitely psyched to hear the rest of the record.  I was blown away by Rob Zombie’s live show and I have so much more respect now for this artist.  It’s no surprise that the Zombie man has been around for years and still going strong!  Up next Korn was set to close the show and that they did!  Jonathan Davis, Munky, Fieldy and Ray Luzier lit up the stage that night with their electrifying performance.  Korn had a cool stage set up themselves complete with pyros that added a really nice effect.  Being a big fan of these guys for years now, I anticipated a concert that I would not soon forget.  I was correct on this notion because Korn exceeded all of my expectations going into it.  I own a live concert DVD by this band and they sounded as good or if not better than their previously recorded performance.  Korn proved to be an excellent live band as they absolutely owned the stage and won over all of the screaming fans.  The overall sound was perfect and Jonathan’s vocals were spot on.  You can tell that they are perfectionists when it comes to their music because they worked it out flawlessly that night.  Many of their hit songs were played that night like: “Blind”, “Freak On A Leash”, “Got The Life”, “Shoots and Ladders”, “Twist”, “Falling Away From Me”, “Right Now”, “Here To Stay” and a short cover of Metallica’s “One”.  One of my favorite songs being “Blind” was awesome to hear live because that song has such an intense & raw feeling to it.  The beginning of the song where you hear that cool guitar line leading up to Davis yelling out “Are you Ready!!” is genius!  That one gets me pumped up every single time I hear it where I just lose myself and go nuts!  Korn did not disappoint whatsoever when it came to matching the intensity of the original recording; they came through guns blazing!  One other classic Korn song that really gets me hoppin’ would be “Freak On A Leash” because it just simply kicks major ass.  They definitely got all my senses goin’ that night when Korn belted out the song.  I also love “Got The Life”, which was done really well and you can’t beat the sound of bag pipes at the beginning of “Shoots and Ladders”.  All four members brought all of their songs to life in furious fashion that night in Cincy.  Korn proved why they are still here and why they’re untouchable when it comes to overall performance.  I feel Korn’s got a lot more to prove still musically, which is scary to think about considering they’ve already accomplished so much in their 17 year career.  Hopefully many more years to come for this top-notch metal band we all know and love as Korn.  I have a feeling these guys aren’t going anywhere anytime soon; you ROCK Korn!!!

So… there it is, 12 bands later and after 11 PM now—what a day!  It started off kind of shaky there but everything worked itself out in the end.  I got a chance to see some hard-core groups that I knew nothing about coming into this event, but they definitely sparked my interests after it was all said and done.  I watched and heard some terrific heavy metal bands that came and represented this genre extremely well.  To all you true metal heads out there or even people who dig some of the music, you owe it to yourself to come check out this Metal Mayhem Festival next time.  I will not be forgetting about this show anytime soon thanks to all of the badass groups who destroyed everything and exploded on site.  It’s an experience like no other and you will not regret it!  Thank you for about 8 hours of solid Metal Mayhem; everyone definitely got their money’s worth.

That’s A Wrap,

By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com)

Stacked against the summer’s dance-inducing releases, “Down By The Water”  is a breath of fresh air.

Paring the production down to a slow bass line, light percussion, and a distant synthesizer, the most pronounced instrument is Jonny Pierce’s voice, which opens softly and elevates to a sharp croon. The minimalist production however, does not negate the intensity of the lyrics. “Down By The Water” is a love song. “Everybody’s gotta love someone, but I just want to love you dear… you’ve got to believe me when I say the words forever,” pleads Pierce.

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Taking its name from a lyric from the aforementioned song–”so when the lights cut out, I was lost, standing in the wilderness downtown”–”The Wilderness Downtown” exemplifies the Google “Chrome Experience” and HTML5 technology, cueing the opening of multiple browser windows, visually incorporating viewers’ childhood addresses (if they are available via Google Street View) , allowing the viewers to write and share messages to their younger selves and more.

www.mikemidwestern.com

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Interestingly, the sessions that produced that record turned out to be extremely productive because Gray has just released another cd entitled Foundling which is full of songs that were mostly recorded during that time.

Initially, Gray thought about just adding some of the songs found here to a re-release of Draw the Line as a bunch of bonus cuts. However, Gray thought better of that idea and decided to give Foundling a proper release. This choice actually proves to be a wise one because both albums are different in their own way.

Draw the Line was a tight, well-produced album that was vintage Gray with piano and acoustic guitar driven songs of varying tempos. Foundling, however, is a quiet, moody piece that is much more understated and low key. (Need an example, Draw the Line featured an interesting song with Gray trading vocals with the big voice of Annie Lennox. Nothing like that is found on this latest release.)

So how does this more private side of Gray stack up? Well, there are definitely some fine moments on Foundling’s two discs. (There is a bonus cd of eight songs in addition to the 11 on the first disc.) “Only the Wine” opens the set in fine form with its nice acoustic guitar and simple but effective drumbeat while “The Old Chair” features Gray’s trademark fine vocals backed mostly by piano but with an extra bonus of an elegant string section near its end which brings the song a surprising emotional depth.

Foundling also finds a few tracks that see Gray using different kinds of horns and brass to good effect. A saxophone is heard on the title track and “We Could Fall in Love Again Tonight” and a trumpet and trombone are subtly used on “A New Day at Midnight.”

Unfortunately, however, Foundling’s overabundance of sparse, low key songs is its biggest downfall. This wouldn’t be such a problem if the lyrics to the tracks where a bit more upbeat. Some recent critics have called this collection Gray’s bleakest and, while that is arguable, one can see why at times. Gray sings on one particular song “The Saviour put a bullet/Right through his brains/When I was in your heart.”

Still, Gray has never been known as the cheeriest of Brits but his honest and heartfelt lyrics have always been part of his charm. That said, the singer is at his best when his music’s arrangements are more varied. The only time Gray livens things up on Foundling, at least tempo wise, is on the final two songs, the playful “Indeed I Will” and the urgent “A Moment Changes Everything.”

And yet, Foundling can’t be described as a disappointment. In fact, for diehard David Gray fans, it is a very good listen as it reveals more about what the artist was trying to accomplish with the Draw the Line sessions. As for the more casual listeners, they probably would enjoy Draw the Line better because of its more commercial appeal.

Author-Todd Sikorski

www.davidgray.com

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The title track off Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album climbs to number one on the Digital Songs chart, selling over 259-thousand downloads.  This marks Perry’s second number one song of the year.  She reigned on the top for five weeks with the album’s first single, “California Gurls.”  Last week’s chart-topper, Lil Wayne’s “Right Above It,” tumbles to number ten, with 101-thousand downloads sold.

KATY PERRY TOPS ITUNES CHARTS

Katy Perry tops the iTunes album chart with Teenage Dream, while the title track is the most-downloaded song on the chart.  Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite,” Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are,” Eminem’s former number one “Love The Way You Lie,” and “I Like It” from Enrique Iglesias round out the top five singles.  Meanwhile, Eminem’s Recovery, Randy Rogers Band’s Burning The Day, Fantasia’s Back to Me and Sigh No More from Mumford & Sons round out the top five albums on the site. 

KATY PERRY TO JUDGE AMERICAN X-FACTOR?

Could Katy Perry be a judge on the American version of Simon Cowell’s The X-Factor?  According to British paper the Daily Mail, Simon is ready to offer Perry a spot on his panel after he was impressed with how she did during her guest stint on the U-K version of the show. A source said that Cowell wants to get all the judges signed on and announced within the next six weeks, and that he’s ready to offer Perry a salary of 340-thousand dollars per show. 

B.o.B UNPLUGGED!

B.o.B’s MTV Unplugged can be viewed online now at MTV.com.  During the show, the Atlanta rapper is joined by special guests including Robin Thicke, Melanie Fiona and Janelle Monae. 

www.mtv.com/videos/misc/556718/dont-let-me-fall-live.jhtml#id=1646778

SHAKIRA TEAMS UP WITH DIZZEE RASCAL FOR NEW SINGLE

Shakira teamed up with U-K rapper Dizzee Rascal for “Loca,” the first single off her upcoming bilingual album, Sale El So/.  The follow-up to She Wolf, Sale El Sol is due in stores October 19th. 

www.thefader.com/2010/09/01/stream-shakira-f-dizzee-rascal-loca/
 
GAGA TO TAKE STAGE WITH YOKO IN L-A

We recently reported that following successful concerts in Brooklyn earlier this year, Yoko Ono will reprise her We Are Plastic Ono Band shows in L-A next month, and now, we know who will help her at the concerts.  Among the special guests expected at one of the two shows are Lady Gaga, Iggy Pop, Perry Farrell, rapper The RZA, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, actress Carrie Fisher and many others.  It all happens October 1st and 2nd at the Orpheum Theater.  Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. 

WHAT DOES LADY GAGA EAT ON TOUR?

After fainting at a concert in New Zealand earlier this year, Lady Gaga has made sure to maintain healthy eating habits while traveling the world on her Monster Ball tour.  Gaga’s choreographer, LaurieAnn Gibson, told People.com that Gaga’s meals mainly consists of “salsa with grain chips, tofu, turkey slices, hummus and coconut water.”  She also mentioned that when they splurge, they’ll have “a toast or two with a little white wine!”  Read more at People.com.

GAGA GETS CHASTISED BY CANADIAN MAYOR

Before a recent show in Edmonton, Canada, Lady Gaga posted a picture on her Twitter page from inside Rexell Place arena, where the Edmonton Oilers play.  In the photo, the singer blanked out a letter in a banner that says “This is Oil Country” to make “country” have a bad word in it.  Gaga may have found it funny, but apparently city officials in Edmonton did not.  According to Edmonton.ctv.ca, local TV stations are refusing to show the picture, and Mayor Stephen Mandel said, “Some things are disgusting and you shouldn’t have to say they’re disgusting. I think it demeans them more than anything else.”  Fortunately, you can see the pic at Twitter.com/LadyGaga.

GAGA TO TAKE TOUR TO MEXICO

Lady Gaga is heading south to Mexico.  According to PerezHilton.com, the singer will be taking her Monster Ball tour to the country for the first time in May of next year.  Tickets go on sale for shows in Zapopan and Mexico City on Monday.

GAGA ON COVER OF V MAGAZINE

Lady Gaga is on the cover on the upcoming “New York” issue of V magazine.  Head to CocoPerez.com now to see the pop star dressed up as an almost-nude version of the Statue of Liberty.

LADY A AND MORE TO PLAY STAND UP 2 CANCER

Lady Antebellum, Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingfield, Queen Latifah and Billie Joe Armstrong will join many musicians and celebrities this month to Stand Up to Cancer.  They are set to perform at the telethon on September 10th.  It’ll air on all major networks beginning at 8 PM Eastern. Other acts set to perform include Neil Diamond, The Edge, Stevie Wonder and more. Stand Up to Cancer aims to raise money for cancer research. Learn more at StandUp2Cancer.org.

LEONA WORKS WITH RYAN TEDDER IN GERMANY

OneRepublic are in Europe touring, but that doesn’t mean that Ryan Tedder can’t keep working at his other job – as one of the most sought after producers in all of music.  Leona Lewis wrote on her Twitter account that she recently went to Frankfurt, Germany to record with Tedder, and that it was “so fun.”  Tedder was behind Lewis’ biggest single to date, “Bleeding Love.”

B.O.B. TO OPEN FOR JAY-Z AND EMINEM

According to Billboard.com, B.o.B has landed a great opening gig. The “Airplanes” rapper is expected to warm up the stage for the first two Jay-Z and Eminem concerts at Comerica Park in Detroit. Bobby Ray’s manager recently tweeted that he will be at the Tiger Stadium tonight getting the crowd ready for the two of hip hop’s biggest rappers. 

KANYE TO DROP MOVIE WITH NEW ALBUM

MTV News reports Kanye West has filmed a movie in Prague to accompany his upcoming album, Dark Twisted Fantasy. ‘Ye recently tweeted: “Been shooting 16 hour days. … I’m so excited. … It’s like a child’s delusions become reality.” It’s still unknown what the flick is about.

RIHANNA SHOOTS NEW FILM

Photos of Rihanna dressed in army fatigues and combat boots have surfaced online. The singer was spotted walking on the set of the film adaptation of the game Battleship. The flick is begin shot in Hawaii and also stars Alexander Skarsgard, Taylor Kitsch and Tom Arnold. You can visit RihannaDaily.com for the images.

LAURYN HILL SPEAKS ABOUT NEXT LP

According to MTV News, Lauryn Hill has opened up about her highly anticipated album. The reclusive singer, who hasn’t released a studio effort in 12 years, says she’s “getting closer” to completing it. In addition, Hill adds that she “respects the different sounds that [she’s] hearing” however “in terms of collaborations, that’s not even something I’ve been thinking about.” Visit MTV.com for the full interview now.

NEW WEBSITE GETS SONGS OUT OF YOUR HEAD

Don’t you hate it when you get a song stuck in your head and just can’t seem to get rid of it?  Well now a new website has the remedy.  It’s called UnhearIt.com and, using what they call “the latest techniques in reverse-auditory-melodic-unstickification technology,” it helps users “unhear” songs by playing equally catch songs for them.  Have your old catchy song replaced by a new one at UnhearIt.com. 

BEYONCE STILL MANAGED BY HER FATHER

There have been conflicting reports suggesting that Beyonce and her father/manager, Mathew Knowles, have ended their working relationship due to personal issues. However, a rep from Music World Entertainment has released the following statement, “Contrary to false rumors online, Beyoncé and her manager Mathew Knowles unequivocally have had and continue to have a close personal and business relationship. Mathew Knowles is the sole and exclusive manager of Beyoncé.” There you have it.

AMY WINEHOUSE HAS ANOTHER GREAT RECORD IN HER

Amy Winehouse won the world over with her Back to Black album in 2006 and since then, everyone has been waiting to hear what she’ll do next. Will her next album live up to the hype? Here’s Back to Black producer Mark Ronson (See Related Cut #5). Ronson has his own album coming out this year. It’s called Record Collection and drops on October 5th.

BLACK CROWES FRONTMAN DISSES TAYLOR SWIFT

Chris Robinson, who fronts the rock group the Black Crowes, has lashed out against Taylor Swift in the recent issue of Nylon Guys magazine. He said, “I find it embarrassing that adults are like, ‘Taylor Swift is very talented.’ She’s not. She might be cute, but she’s horrible.” He also mentioned he doesn’t listen to new music these days because artists lack talent. Chris went on to say, “They have stylists who dress them, they make records with producers who play a chord into the computer and it all comes out the same… When you have computers doing it all for you … there’s no individuality.” Though Chris may not think highly of Taylor, many of her fans are highly anticipating the October 25th release of her next album, Speak Now.

LADY A’S LATEST WEBISODE WEDNESDAY

In Lady Antebellum’s latest Webisode Wednesday, fans get a behind the scenes look at the group’s performance on Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series. This was Lady A’s first appearance on the show, and according to Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott started getting ready at 4 AM. Before taking the stage in front of a massive crowd, the group did a few interviews and even met a few fans. To view this week’s Webisode Wednesday, visit LadyAntebellum.com.

ADAM LEVINE ON MTV

Did you miss the episode of MTV’s When I Was 17 featuring Adam Levine?  Well you’ll have plenty of chances to watch it in September.  Head to Maroon5.com to see when exactly you’ll be able to catch it.

BUBLE NOMINATED FOR GEMINI AWARD

The people of Canada sure love Michael Buble.  It was announced that our northern neighbor’s favorite son has been nominated for a 2010 Gemini Award in the category of Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series for his performance in Michael Buble at the Concert Hall.  The show takes place on November 13th.

OWL CITY WILL CRITIQUE YOUR MUSIC

Owl City and TuneCore are teaming up to offer one young artists an amazing opportunity.  Frontman Adam Young will listen to one song uploaded by each artist, pick his favorite and provide a “constructive critique” of the tune.  Learn more about submitting your song at TuneCore.com/OwlCity.

TIDBIT: TuneCore is a music distributer with “one of the highest revenue-generating music catalogs in the world.”

KINGS OF LEON CANCEL CONCERTS?

According to reports, Kings of Leon have canceled two upcoming concerts in Pennsylvania. The band will reportedly no longer play Pittsburgh on September 7th or Hershey on the 8th due to scheduling conflicts.

KELLY PRICE EXPLAINS SUPER GROUP SPLIT

During an interview with SingersRoom.com, Kelly Price revealed what happened to the Queen Project with Tamia and Deborah Cox.  The soulful singer explained that even though “the entire album was recorded in two weeks,” the group failed because “too many people involved and the end result was we were unable to get it done in a time frame that would have allowed us to work the record and tour properly.” She hopes they’ll get to “release it at a later date with proper touring,” but Kelly is focused on dropping her first album in five years very soon.

CIARA PREPS TWO NEW VIDEOS

According to her official fansite, Ciara is looking to simultaneously unleash two singles, “Gimme Dat” and “Speechless,” from her oft-delayed Basic Instinct album. In addition, fans can anticipate the “Go Girl” to shoot videos for both tracks within two weeks! Visit SincerlyCiara.com to learn more.

www.mtvnews.com

“The Preview” is an eight song album and documents the incredible journey the group has had over the last year, starting from underground dorm parties and graduating to performances at the biggest festivals in the world including Glastonbury, Lollapalooza and headlining their very own tour across the nation.

The Preview is sure to cement Chiddy Bang’s status as hip hop’s brightest musical prospects. Tracklisting as follows:

The Good Life (co-produced by Pharrell)
Truth
Opposite Of Adults
Here We Go (ft Q-Tip)
All Things Go
Nothing On We
Bad Boy (ft Darwin Deez)
Old Ways

www.myspace.com/chiddbybang