April Artist Spotlight~~~~ Jerel

Alan James also known by his stage name Jerel is an upcoming R&B/Pop artist from the Washington, DC area. So far he has managed to capture the hearts of fans with his song "I Need You Here". Now he has got rave reviews for his new single off his upcoming EP called "Miss Me". Very shy and humble Jerel has no problem giving thanks to his family and inspirations but will get on stage and shut it down. Born in Jersey City he will let you know he doesn't deal with the backstabbing or hits to his character. He wants to one day be a role model to those who feel they can't make it in the industry as someone in the LGBT community. For our more in depth interview with this superstar in the making click here

A New World

This is a topic that was discussed on the TrueFAN radio show in it's first season but I feel it should be had again.

The music industry today is horrible and most can agree. If you grew up in that 1992 to 2003 era you remember some of the great timeless music that came out of there. You would remember when Toni Braxton used to rule the radio stations along with Whitney, Mariah, R Kelly, Mary J Blige, Boyz II Men, EnVogue, Brownstone, Dru Hill, Tony Toni Tone, Jodeci, Blackstreet, Monica, Brandy, Xscape, Jagged Edge and so many others.
This was an era when you had soul music. You had great lyrical content with a melody, not a bass filled song that anybody can sing with only the talent you would have in the shower. You could be clothed and still be sexy. You could get on stage and hold a microphone and belt out your entire catalog and that would sell out shows. Your personal life did not dictate if your music sold, or how high on the charts you would climb.


Now yes there are alot of reasons why this is no longer acceptable. I blame the industry as a whole who gave up on talent and just decided to go with today's gossip. There was a time when record labels had what they called "Artist Development". When you were signed to a contract you did not begin working on an album right off the bat. You learned your craft, you learned the business, you learned how to properly market yourself an find your niche. And if by chance you did put out an album and it didn't sell well...you were not automatically dropped. You got a second chance to regroup and rebuild. If we used today's practices Destiny's Child never would've really happened. Rihanna would've been shipped back to the Islands because her first album sold all of nothing.


Today's music world is based on how many songs can you saturate the market with and how many catchy hooks can you throw out. How naked can you be without really being naked. It's a shame now that today's music world gives more clout to an artist like Rihanna but strays away from fantastic vocal talents such as Jennifer Hudson, Monica, Brandy, Fantasia. It's a shame that in order for a male to be viable in today's music he has to sing over house/club music and explain himself by saying "It's the new R&B"...no it's trash. And when you put all these songs back to back on the radio you don't know when one song ends and the other begins.

Let's start the conversation and see what we as consumers can do to bring soulful music back to the forefront.

Part 2 coming soon.

Not feeling sorry for Ms Hill

I know I'm going to get the hatemail for this but hey sometimes the conversation needs to be had.

On July 8 Lauryn Hill has to report to the authorities to start her 3 month sentence. Lauryn Hill is a lot of things. She is a beautiful woman, a talented singer songwriter, actress and rapstress. Unfortunately she's also a criminal. I've read a lot of posts and a lot of twitter comments about how they should let her go or they should have mercy on her. I believe 3 months is mercy!!!

I do not have much sympathy for her. There is a rising trend of celebrities thinking they are too good to pay there taxes and guess what...YOUR NOT. If I have to fill out my tax forms and have them in by April 15 every year with the little bit of money I make...then dammit you as a celebrity that states how they want laws to be govern properly, how the world should be a better place, how you want the youth to be law abiding citizens...YOU START FIRST. 

It doesn't matter that you have one of the best selling and complete albums ever in life, you made millions and no matter how you squandered or smoked or gambled your money away...UNCLE SAM STILL COMES A KNOCKING...they want there money. I hope she is safe and she comes out of this with a new out look on her future and maybe make some new music. But I bet she won't forget to file them papers and write that check anymore.

90's duo are on the scene again

If you grew up in the early to mid 90's you can remember turning on the radio hearing  "Do you mind if I stroke you up.....I DON'T MIND"

Or a few years later hearing the ghetto girl anythm..G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T

After almost 13 years Changing Faces has released new music. A lot of 90's hit makers are trying there hand in this new world of music but do you think there new song can stand up to what today's music demands. Take a listen below.

Very Unapologetic

So here we are at about 3 cancellations . This girl better be pregnant. Rihanna has one of the biggest fanbases in music entertainment today but for some reason she doesn’t really seem to take them seriously. No matter how many times I come for her or speak negatively about her you can’t take away her number 1’s you can take away her stamp on high fashion and you can’t take away her engaging personality. It’s all those things that you love about her that you can’t stand about her

She is very in your face with her sexuality, who she screwing, what she smoking and how much clothing she not wearing. All that is fine and dandy until it effects the people who stan for you. You can post pictures of you naked and smoking blunts all day long on instagram and tumblr, but when you can’t even make it to a tour date or show up constantly two and three hours late it becomes an issue. Just recently she was booed on stage in Boston for showing up over three hours late. You keep taking your fans for granted and they will surely turn on you. Look at some of the twitter rants that happened right after the Boston Show

"@rihanna 2-3 hrs late for your show in Boston, huh??! #disrespectful #noexcuse basketball was more important huh?? Don't come back."

"@rihanna you were three hours late and held up a Toronto flag. As a long time fan, I hate you as of now. Please get your act together."

I’m hoping there isn’t anything really wrong with her but if she don’t shape up fast. If she don’t have somebody talk to her about professionalism very soon. This empire that she has started to create is going to blow up.

Fantasia bringing the soul

Side Effects of You

Fantasia has delivered the second best album of her career in my opinion. Side Effects of You came in on the charts at #2 and proved that Fantasia is still marketable and very soulful. She hooked up with album alum Missy for some of the production and it’s GOLD. All the issues and problems Fantasia has had in the last couple years could have doomed this album but when you can put on a show like her and attempt to stay positive something is going to give and she gave us an album you can listen to from beginning to end.

The top tracks on the album are “Without Me”, “End of Me”, “In Deep”, “Lose to Win” and the title track “Side Effects of You”

You should go get this album for real.

Mariah's beautiful not so...BEAUTIFUL

Mariah releases Beautiful

…ok we know that TrueFAN doesn’t cut for Mariah but she is a Legend. She is an ICON and she is one of the most powerful females in music but this new single she put out sounds like she’s reaching…for what I don’t know lol.

The song isn’t horrible but it’s not really a Mariah song. It has a very country twang to it which might be what she was going for. Maybe she wants to rise up on the country charts and set records there. The song shouldn’t be a Mariah Carey first single. The video should be hitting very soon and honesty the only thing I want to see and hear is Miguel. Let’s hope she drops another single soon.

With that being said though a lot of haters always come for a certain artist because she hasn’t dropped an official single yet…this is the reason why.

Just Cancel the show

American Idol Shake up

Word on the street is American Idol is cleaning house. I personally think it’s time to just cancel the show. They have had a great ride but with shows like X factor giving us bigger incentive to watch and “The Voice” showing greater talent Idol is the old man in the club…who don’t realize he’s the old man in the club. Sources claim that Idol has been losing viewers for years and this past Thursday was the lowest viewing in the 12 years it’s been on. They also say that there will be no more big diva pay checks. I guess not after giving Mariah 18 million so far for the season and 13 million to Nicki Minaj. They are still paying the 15 million still owed to J-Lo. 

This year I haven’t watched any of it. Mariah is the biggest named judge and the most disappointing. She’s the only one up on that panel that has the experience and resume to give contestants advice to be a better singer and a better artist but she’s not doing that. She’s to busy throwing glitter and trying to be this years Paula Abdul. Randy is giving better advice and I don’t know what the heck he’s famous for. Nicki Minaj is the only person on the panel that has given this show any kind of life. She for one isn’t taking Mariah’s diva foolshiness. She’s also giving great critique and honesty when it’s needed. Yes you don’t want to shatter somebodies hopes and dreams but you don’t want them to continue thinking they are better then what they really are.

So before all these aricles about Mariah demands more money or she’s to big for Idol just know she ain’t make the call…the producers are not renewing her option. Before you read the Randy Jackson article that he’s leaving..it’s time to move on…just know he ain’t leaving because he wants to. Why would he leave he been getting a check to say Yo Yo Yo for all these years. 

Idol…it’s time to go away.

Talk a Good Game

Talk a Good Game

Ms Kelly ain’t playing. Right now she is feature gold. She’s been lending her voice to everyone as of late. Ludacris, Missy, Future, The Dream and most recently Fantasia. The promo that she’s been having since the year started is only second to her Destiny’s Child sister Beyonce.

Kelly Rowland has shared her new album cover with the world and she’s gearing up for a tour starting May 23 with album collaborator The Dream. Her album drops on June 18^th and I for one will be buying. She’s supposed to be dropping another single before the album drops and if it’s as half as good as “Kisses Down Low” then she could see herself debiting in the top 5 when her release week is done.

Let’s give it up to Ms Kelly…she deserves all the success she’s having and more.