Justin Timberlake's newest solo project, FutureSex/LoveSounds debuts at number 1 on the Billboard selling 684,000 copies. The album, which was launched on September 12th, displayed JT's vocal and musical range from 80's new wave beats to Minneapolis funk. The album has a few preludes and interludes which add a more concert-like feel.
I love the album. I think Justin is more talented and has more mass appeal than his R&B counterpart, Usher, and that's saying a lot from me since I was a HUGE Usher fan (and still am for the most part) but I think JT takes the throne. FutureSex has variety, which all albums need, but not so much as to lose focus. I read a Vibe review by Jon Caramanica who pretty much bashed the album claiming Justin was trying to hard. If that was the case I doubt FutureSex would have sold 684,000 copies in the first week. Do these 684,000 people have no clue as to what good music is? I doubt it. Maybe you say Justin only sold that many because of his N'Sync fan base, but you said that same about his first solo album, Justified, and that only sold more than 200,000 less than FutureSex. If FutureSex was a musical mistake why is it that its debut have the biggest sales week of any solo artist this year? Why it set an iTunes record for most pre-ordered album EVER and fastest selling digital album EVER with more than 67,000 copies sold by download? These things don't happen by mistake my friends.
So what does this all mean? Well, quite frankly, Justin Timberlake is the best solo artist around, and with his non-superstar attitude and his openness to try new things, Mr. Timberlake will be around for quite awhile...much like that other guy, Nelly Nandes.
Source: http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/09/justin-timberlake-first-number-1-album/
27 September 2006
My Team's in the Playoffs...and Yours?
For the ninth year in a row the Yankees have won the American League East division and are on their way to the postseason. I won't even mention the Red Sox since nothing can be said about them at this point. Ortiz will be swinging a club while Jeter will be swinging a bat. The competition will be the A's, Twins, and Tigers although all three teams have had little success and postseason experience in the last few years.
The Yankees lineup has the depth most teams wish they had. Mussina is not injured after all and questions still remain about Randy Johnson. However, the Yanks do have other pitching options if they need it, younger and less experienced, but options nonetheless. Sheffield and Matsui are back in action so their options are endless.
I do see them in the World Series and I do see them playing their cross-town rivals, the Mets. Subway Series 2006 with the same result as the last time...Yankees winning their 27th World Series title, and once they win I will no doubt here the same complaints I've heard for the past 10 years...they bought their ring. I think we all know by now that any blabber about Yankees and payroll is null in void at this point. Let's take a look.
Yes, the Yankees can afford the salaries of top players such as Johnson, Damon, Giambi, Rodriguez and Sheffield but ask yourself this: Are these players playing like the top money makers they are? The answer is no. They may be having a pretty good season but not one of these players are dominating in any way. Who is dominating on the Yankees? Jeter, Rivera, Wang, Cabrera, and Cano; players who came from the Yankees farm system, not purchased. So you can't say Yankees are buying championships because the top money makers on the team are producing as they should and quite frankly the Yankees haven't won in ring in six years. That excuse is nothing but an envious cop-out statement by folks who don't care to realize that the Yankees are one of the best managed teams in baseball.
So if the Yankees win the Series this year I don't want to hear any complaining from anyone. This injury-plagued season is much like the injury-plagued season of 1996, you know, the season that started the modern Yankees dynasty. Now it's time for another.
The Yankees lineup has the depth most teams wish they had. Mussina is not injured after all and questions still remain about Randy Johnson. However, the Yanks do have other pitching options if they need it, younger and less experienced, but options nonetheless. Sheffield and Matsui are back in action so their options are endless.
I do see them in the World Series and I do see them playing their cross-town rivals, the Mets. Subway Series 2006 with the same result as the last time...Yankees winning their 27th World Series title, and once they win I will no doubt here the same complaints I've heard for the past 10 years...they bought their ring. I think we all know by now that any blabber about Yankees and payroll is null in void at this point. Let's take a look.
Yes, the Yankees can afford the salaries of top players such as Johnson, Damon, Giambi, Rodriguez and Sheffield but ask yourself this: Are these players playing like the top money makers they are? The answer is no. They may be having a pretty good season but not one of these players are dominating in any way. Who is dominating on the Yankees? Jeter, Rivera, Wang, Cabrera, and Cano; players who came from the Yankees farm system, not purchased. So you can't say Yankees are buying championships because the top money makers on the team are producing as they should and quite frankly the Yankees haven't won in ring in six years. That excuse is nothing but an envious cop-out statement by folks who don't care to realize that the Yankees are one of the best managed teams in baseball.
So if the Yankees win the Series this year I don't want to hear any complaining from anyone. This injury-plagued season is much like the injury-plagued season of 1996, you know, the season that started the modern Yankees dynasty. Now it's time for another.
12 September 2006
The Strength of Weakness
Labels:
philosophy
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comments
Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, spoke of water as the weakest substance in the world, yet there is nothing you can compare to it that can overcome both hard and soft. You can cut water with a knife and it lets the knife go right through yet water is also responsible for cutting the Grand Canyon out of rock!
It’s a common Western idea to associate masculinity with strength and femininity with weakness. The whole concept of the “tough guy,” rugged and muscular, is really a model for weakness. One would assume that this tough exterior would work to protect itself – but so much of what we fear from the outside gets to us because we fear our own weakness on the inside.
What if an engineer were to build a completely rigid bridge? If the Golden Gate Bridge were not able to sway, if it had no give, it would come crashing down. Likewise, when a man pretends to be this super macho tough guy on the outside he is in doubt of his manhood on the inside.
For example, let’s say Mr. Tough Guy approaches another guy rather aggressively, cursing, trying to intimidate him. What Mr. Tough Guy is actually doing is trying to validate his manhood by putting on this elaborate display of aggression when in fact he is insecure with his manhood. He is trying to prove to his onlookers that he is in fact a man as if their opinion of him has some sort of direct effect on his journey through life. For the man on the other end of this spectacle, he can show his strength by backing down and continuing on with life; he has better things to do with his time. In fact he has already won the “battle” and need not prove anything to anyone. He is secure with himself and his manhood and attacking poor Mr. Tough Guy would be like a Lion trying to kill a rabbit. There is just no point.
If he (Tough Guy) can allow himself to be “weak” per se, he can allow himself to experience what is really his greatest strength.
It’s a common Western idea to associate masculinity with strength and femininity with weakness. The whole concept of the “tough guy,” rugged and muscular, is really a model for weakness. One would assume that this tough exterior would work to protect itself – but so much of what we fear from the outside gets to us because we fear our own weakness on the inside.
What if an engineer were to build a completely rigid bridge? If the Golden Gate Bridge were not able to sway, if it had no give, it would come crashing down. Likewise, when a man pretends to be this super macho tough guy on the outside he is in doubt of his manhood on the inside.
For example, let’s say Mr. Tough Guy approaches another guy rather aggressively, cursing, trying to intimidate him. What Mr. Tough Guy is actually doing is trying to validate his manhood by putting on this elaborate display of aggression when in fact he is insecure with his manhood. He is trying to prove to his onlookers that he is in fact a man as if their opinion of him has some sort of direct effect on his journey through life. For the man on the other end of this spectacle, he can show his strength by backing down and continuing on with life; he has better things to do with his time. In fact he has already won the “battle” and need not prove anything to anyone. He is secure with himself and his manhood and attacking poor Mr. Tough Guy would be like a Lion trying to kill a rabbit. There is just no point.
If he (Tough Guy) can allow himself to be “weak” per se, he can allow himself to experience what is really his greatest strength.
11 September 2006
A Little Something About Trust
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philosophy
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comments
For those of you who have difficulty trusting others I say this:
If you cannot trust others, how can you trust your mistrust of others? How do you know that your mistrust of others is not wrong as well?
Think about it.
If you cannot trust others, how can you trust your mistrust of others? How do you know that your mistrust of others is not wrong as well?
Think about it.
07 September 2006
Sell Your Songs on MySpace
Labels:
music,
MySpace
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comments
SNOCAP, the service that lets artists register their songs and sell it directly to fans on the Web, inked a deal with News Corp's MySpace this week. The deal is designed to allow MySpace's 3 million bands to sell their music.
SNOCAP, the company founded by Shawn Fanning after Napster was flushed down the toilet, will need about 4 million songs to be downloaded per month in order to break even? Possible? Who knows, but with MySpace's 107 million members and counting that shouldn't be too hard. The MySpace artist chooses how much he or she wants to sell the song for. Of that amount, the artist gets more than 50%. MySpace and SNOCAP split the rest, with MySpace taking a bigger chunk.
I mentioned before how powerful MySpace is and will continue to be. Think about what this deal will do to the indie record label and artist. You have a free website a la MySpace where you can do all your promotions, create hype, build a fan base; that’s your Marketing department right there. Now you can sell music via download on the free MySpace site; that’s your distribution channel. The evolution of music. What do you need Universal or Columbia for?
Not that this deal alone will scare the bejesus out of the major labels but we are witnessing the evolution of the music industry. The major labels know that there chances of finding great talent is like a gajillion to one. It's like Russian Roulette to them where they will sign a bunch of talent hoping one of them will turn into an Usher or a Beyonce. The labels lose millions because of this so that's why they take a huge portion of the artist's money to recoup their losses. So how does a company like Universal make money? Distribution. Threaten their distribution and well, put two and two together. Remember Napster? The labels weren't enraged because of copyright issues, please! The labels were worried that their distribution model was in jeopardy. If you are an artist and you want millions of records sold you have no choice but to sign a deal with a major label because they controlled music distribution, but now MySpace is allowing the artist to sell their music through the website.
Does this really impact the major labels? Not necessarily. The Big Four record labels (Universal, Sony, EMI, Warner) control 80% of the worldwide music industry so this deal won't be anything more than really small sneeze in their realm. As I mentioned earlier, most artists and bands suck, no question. So if your local Lemon Swirls band wants to sell their music on MySpace, believe me, Diddy is not crying over it. But what if the Lemon Swirls were the next Maroon 5, the next Metallica? That's millions of dollars of lost revenue that could have been pocketed by one of the Big Four! That's what they should be worried about.
Let's face it, MTV is not what it used to be. If you watched the ever-boring VMAs then you know what I'm referring to. MTV and even radio are not breaking acts as they once did; MTV has more TV shows than music videos and radio has more commercials than music. Could MySpace be what these two powerhouses once were? With MySpace you have the freedom to CHOOSE who you want to listen to. And, I keep going back to it but MySpace has over 100 million subscribers, that's almost 2% of the entire WORLD'S population! Ok, maybe it's not so dramatic.
MySpace Music isn't going to cripple the music industry anytime soon, but Tom and Chris are thinking outside the box. Don't expect them to make millions from this new deal, but hey, what is it costing them? Call me crazy if you'd like but MySpace and Google are the future of BUSINESS.
SNOCAP, the company founded by Shawn Fanning after Napster was flushed down the toilet, will need about 4 million songs to be downloaded per month in order to break even? Possible? Who knows, but with MySpace's 107 million members and counting that shouldn't be too hard. The MySpace artist chooses how much he or she wants to sell the song for. Of that amount, the artist gets more than 50%. MySpace and SNOCAP split the rest, with MySpace taking a bigger chunk.
I mentioned before how powerful MySpace is and will continue to be. Think about what this deal will do to the indie record label and artist. You have a free website a la MySpace where you can do all your promotions, create hype, build a fan base; that’s your Marketing department right there. Now you can sell music via download on the free MySpace site; that’s your distribution channel. The evolution of music. What do you need Universal or Columbia for?
Not that this deal alone will scare the bejesus out of the major labels but we are witnessing the evolution of the music industry. The major labels know that there chances of finding great talent is like a gajillion to one. It's like Russian Roulette to them where they will sign a bunch of talent hoping one of them will turn into an Usher or a Beyonce. The labels lose millions because of this so that's why they take a huge portion of the artist's money to recoup their losses. So how does a company like Universal make money? Distribution. Threaten their distribution and well, put two and two together. Remember Napster? The labels weren't enraged because of copyright issues, please! The labels were worried that their distribution model was in jeopardy. If you are an artist and you want millions of records sold you have no choice but to sign a deal with a major label because they controlled music distribution, but now MySpace is allowing the artist to sell their music through the website.
Does this really impact the major labels? Not necessarily. The Big Four record labels (Universal, Sony, EMI, Warner) control 80% of the worldwide music industry so this deal won't be anything more than really small sneeze in their realm. As I mentioned earlier, most artists and bands suck, no question. So if your local Lemon Swirls band wants to sell their music on MySpace, believe me, Diddy is not crying over it. But what if the Lemon Swirls were the next Maroon 5, the next Metallica? That's millions of dollars of lost revenue that could have been pocketed by one of the Big Four! That's what they should be worried about.
Let's face it, MTV is not what it used to be. If you watched the ever-boring VMAs then you know what I'm referring to. MTV and even radio are not breaking acts as they once did; MTV has more TV shows than music videos and radio has more commercials than music. Could MySpace be what these two powerhouses once were? With MySpace you have the freedom to CHOOSE who you want to listen to. And, I keep going back to it but MySpace has over 100 million subscribers, that's almost 2% of the entire WORLD'S population! Ok, maybe it's not so dramatic.
MySpace Music isn't going to cripple the music industry anytime soon, but Tom and Chris are thinking outside the box. Don't expect them to make millions from this new deal, but hey, what is it costing them? Call me crazy if you'd like but MySpace and Google are the future of BUSINESS.
New Blackberry Pearl!
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tech
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comments
Oooooh, I'm like a child on Christmas Eve! Crackberry addicts have a new toy to play. The new Blackberry 8100, better known as the Pearl, is set to be released on September 12, only on T-Mobile, which is what I have (T-Mobile is also the best cellular provider in the US, because I said so).
The Blackberry Pearl was created to compete directly with the Treo, by having additional features such as a camera, MP3 player, and better navigation. The phone is also on T-Mobile's GSM/Edge network which is much faster than the Treo, which runs on Verizon; you know, that cell company that sends you outrageous $500 phone bills for calls and services you never used. It has a various other services too, but I am already sold.
I've had my Blackberry 7100 for over a year now and I think it is time to upgrade, don't you? The best part is that the Pearl is only $199 whereas I paid about $325 for my 7100 after some negotiating. So yes I will be visiting my neighborhood T-Mobile store on September 12 and also FYE to get Justin Timberlake's new album (that's right, I said it).
Blackberry Rocks! Click here to check it out!
The Blackberry Pearl was created to compete directly with the Treo, by having additional features such as a camera, MP3 player, and better navigation. The phone is also on T-Mobile's GSM/Edge network which is much faster than the Treo, which runs on Verizon; you know, that cell company that sends you outrageous $500 phone bills for calls and services you never used. It has a various other services too, but I am already sold.
I've had my Blackberry 7100 for over a year now and I think it is time to upgrade, don't you? The best part is that the Pearl is only $199 whereas I paid about $325 for my 7100 after some negotiating. So yes I will be visiting my neighborhood T-Mobile store on September 12 and also FYE to get Justin Timberlake's new album (that's right, I said it).
Blackberry Rocks! Click here to check it out!
06 September 2006
SUZANNA LUBRANO SIGNS U.S. RECORD DEAL
Labels:
music
0
comments
Contact:
Laura Fernandes
323.228.5415
caboverde77@gmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUZANNA LUBRANO SIGNS U.S. RECORD DEAL WITH MASS APPEAL ENTERTAINMENT AND PREPARES FOR THE RELEASE OF HER LONG AWAITED ALBUM!
Laura Fernandes
323.228.5415
caboverde77@gmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUZANNA LUBRANO SIGNS U.S. RECORD DEAL WITH MASS APPEAL ENTERTAINMENT AND PREPARES FOR THE RELEASE OF HER LONG AWAITED ALBUM!
Suzanna has signed a record deal with Boston based Mass Appeal Entertainment, which has distribution through Universal Music Group's Fontana Distribution. This move will provide easier access of Suzanna's music which will broaden her reach within a diverse market. For the first time, her CD's will be available in major retail stores in the United States. It has been well over three years since Suzanna's smash album Tudo Pa Bo and she is more than ready to present her fourth project! The first single from the album will be released in October of this year, and the album release is scheduled for January 2007.
Backed by a wide array of producers, Suzanna intends to expose her range giving her fans a taste of everything they loved and missed. From sexy Cabo Zouk to delicate R&B ballads in English, the album is poised to be her best yet. "I'm really excited about this new album and connecting with my fans and hopefully reach more. I know it's been way too long since Tudo Pa Bo and the Kora Awards but I hope the fans will love the album and feel it's been well worth waiting for."
Mass Appeal Entertainment owner and producer Marcus Siskind has worked with artists such as platinum selling group, Backstreet Boys and numerous R&B artists in the industry. With a large respect for the music of Cape Verde, Marcus saw the substantial fan base Suzanna already had and wanted to present an opportunity to broaden it. "Suzanna is an extremely talented artist at the forefront of Cape Verdean music. She continues to evolve artistically and I speak for everyone at Mass Appeal when I say that we are extremely excited to be a part of Suzanna's career, and look forward to furthering her music and the bringing the Cape Verdean culture to the masses".
Suzanna plans to perform in the states with later dates in Europe and Africa . Check her website www.suzannaonline.com for show information. Her latest single Paraiso can be heard on www.myspace.com/suzannalubrano. TACV (Cabo Verde Airlines) is a proud sponsor of Suzanna. For U.S. bookings contact: Laura Fernandes, caboverde77@gmail.com. Europe & Africa, Rene Romer rene@transcity.com.
Backed by a wide array of producers, Suzanna intends to expose her range giving her fans a taste of everything they loved and missed. From sexy Cabo Zouk to delicate R&B ballads in English, the album is poised to be her best yet. "I'm really excited about this new album and connecting with my fans and hopefully reach more. I know it's been way too long since Tudo Pa Bo and the Kora Awards but I hope the fans will love the album and feel it's been well worth waiting for."
Mass Appeal Entertainment owner and producer Marcus Siskind has worked with artists such as platinum selling group, Backstreet Boys and numerous R&B artists in the industry. With a large respect for the music of Cape Verde, Marcus saw the substantial fan base Suzanna already had and wanted to present an opportunity to broaden it. "Suzanna is an extremely talented artist at the forefront of Cape Verdean music. She continues to evolve artistically and I speak for everyone at Mass Appeal when I say that we are extremely excited to be a part of Suzanna's career, and look forward to furthering her music and the bringing the Cape Verdean culture to the masses".
Suzanna plans to perform in the states with later dates in Europe and Africa . Check her website www.suzannaonline.com for show information. Her latest single Paraiso can be heard on www.myspace.com/suzannalubrano. TACV (Cabo Verde Airlines) is a proud sponsor of Suzanna. For U.S. bookings contact: Laura Fernandes, caboverde77@gmail.com. Europe & Africa, Rene Romer rene@transcity.com.
05 September 2006
Babbleonia
Labels:
books,
random thoughts,
sports
0
comments
When I started this blog I had so much to say, but 22 posts later I’ve realized that I really don’t have much to say at all. But, nevertheless I promised my readers a post a day and that’s a promise I intend to keep. I’ve received lots of emails praising my posts and keep them coming! Haha. I’m glad someone besides me likes this site. Since I have a bunch of random thoughts today I figured I’d include them all in one post entitled “Babbleonia.”
Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died this past weekend after he was attacked by a stingray, an animal, experts say, that is not aggressive. Who knows what really happened and I don’t think it matters much (unless you’re an animalogist, I made that word up, haha). I say that because he died doing what he loved and Steve Irwin knew he was taking risks every time. He will be missed, especially his vocabulary: Oh Crikey!
Al Pacino – I just finished reading “Al Pacino” a new book on, well, Al Pacino. The book is a transcript of interviews between Lawrence Grobel and Al Pacino spanning over 30 years! It’s an excellent read that everyone should have in their personal library. Pacino is the greatest actor who ever lived in my book and his approach to acting is what makes him so great. It’s a quick and easy read that I’m sure you’ll love. If you don’t like it, well then too bad, you probably have something wrong with you and in that case should have yourself checked out.
Arnold – I saw Pumping Iron over the weekend. Great documentary about the world of bodybuilding. It’s THE movie that put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map and if you get the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD you can see the Making Of section and a whole bunch of other Special Features. Good flick! Definitely a date movie! LOL.
Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died this past weekend after he was attacked by a stingray, an animal, experts say, that is not aggressive. Who knows what really happened and I don’t think it matters much (unless you’re an animalogist, I made that word up, haha). I say that because he died doing what he loved and Steve Irwin knew he was taking risks every time. He will be missed, especially his vocabulary: Oh Crikey!
Al Pacino – I just finished reading “Al Pacino” a new book on, well, Al Pacino. The book is a transcript of interviews between Lawrence Grobel and Al Pacino spanning over 30 years! It’s an excellent read that everyone should have in their personal library. Pacino is the greatest actor who ever lived in my book and his approach to acting is what makes him so great. It’s a quick and easy read that I’m sure you’ll love. If you don’t like it, well then too bad, you probably have something wrong with you and in that case should have yourself checked out.
Arnold – I saw Pumping Iron over the weekend. Great documentary about the world of bodybuilding. It’s THE movie that put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map and if you get the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD you can see the Making Of section and a whole bunch of other Special Features. Good flick! Definitely a date movie! LOL.
02 September 2006
Shopping!
Labels:
random thoughts
0
comments
I haven't posted in a long time. I've been off of work since Friday enjoying my four day weekend! Small case of the itis.
A quick question to ask. Who buys furniture for an apartment they don't have? Strange ain't it?
A quick question to ask. Who buys furniture for an apartment they don't have? Strange ain't it?
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