"It's official he's a certified loverboy" Drake's new album coming January 2021

The Certified Loverboy drops January 2021

 

He has one of the most distinctive and recognizable voices. Who knew that a young actor who was starring on a teen drama would become of the most successful rappers and artists of the millennial generations? He is a representation of America at this time a human snapshot of what African American/Biracial men are in the country. He grew up with a Jewish mother and an African American father. I am talking about no one other than Aubrey Drake Graham better known to his fans by his middle name as Drake. He was born October 24, 1986 in Toronto, Canada. It was destined for him to work in the creative arts and music field. His father Dennis Graham was a percussionist for Rock & Roll legend and Hall of Famer, Jerry Lee Lewis, his paternal uncle was a bassist for Sly and the Family Stone. Drake’s mother was part of a very musical family. Family fact his grandmother baby sat the future “Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin. So it seems it was written in the stars for Drake to find himself in the entertainment world. Drake got a hand when he was in his high school a classmate of his just happened to have a father who was an entertainment agent. His classmate told his father and next thing Drake landed a role in 2001 for the Canadian teen drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation. He starred as “Jimmy ‘Wheelchair Jimmy’ Brooks” who becomes permanently wheelchair bound when he is shot by a classmate.

Drake loved acting so much his attention was taken away from his academics and he wanted to pursue acting further and focused on acting career. He starred on Degrassi from eight years and left the show in 2009. He decided to focus on his music career. In 2006 he released his first mixtape, “Room for Improvement” and sold a modest 6,000 sales. He followed that with a 2007 follow up, “Comeback Season”. Towards the end of his career with Degrassi he considered a normal nine to five job. His luck gave him another hand again. He received an unexpected phone call from Lil’Wayne who asked him to join him on his Carter III tour during that time he was taken under Lil Wayne’s wing. He became a mentor to him and he was groomed further for the switch from the acting world to the rap world. He released “Best I Ever Had” a song dedicated to his former significant others. “Best I Ever Had” reached number two on the Billboard Charts in 2009 and he followed up with another smash hit, “Successful”, ft. Trey Songz. It was a smash hit and went gold and made it to the Rolling Stone magazine’s 25 best songs on 2009. I remember that the whole Young Money record label, squad and Drake as a solo artist had hits playing consistently on the radio, the internet, and social media platforms. My friends and I were dancing partying to these songs at nightclubs from New York, Jersey, and Las Vegas.  So Thank you Drake you gave us the soundtrack to our lives for many summers and you still are. On June 15, 2010 “Thank Me Later” Goes Number One and Take Care his sophomore LP wins a Grammy. He earns the title as a “The Prince of Hip Hop”.

If you listen to how many hits Drake had during this time on his first album I can say honestly probably every song was a hit actually. He had A list stars on his album featured executive produced his album along with him. He had Swizz Beats, Alicia Keys, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and so many other producers were featured on his debut album. His millions of fans today say “Where did this Drake go?” what happened to this star. He still has that swag, star quality, and confidence in his lyrics. As he’s evolved as an artist but he took a different turn in his career it was more about battling other hip hop artist throughout his career. He has had some controversy as he has evolved as an artist. Feuds with other artist in his inner circle, even artist he collaborated with like Kanye, Jay-Z, and more.  His battles never lasted long though he continued to pursue his career and evolved as an artist. In 2013, he followed up with “Started from the Bottom” from his 2013 hit album, “Nothing was the same”. He followed up and managed to continue slamming the Billboard charts. He released several mixtapes in between and collaborated with other artist like Alicia Keys, Rihanna, The Dream, Future, Tyga, The Game, and many more. In 2015, he went back into the studio and followed up with his fourth studio album, “Views” it debuted in the spring of 2016 at Number 1 again with the famous and well known hit, everyone remembers, “Hotline Bling” even AT&T got in on the song and SNL did a parody as well.

He has done nothing but continue to make smash hit after hit. 2018 he released one of my other favorite albums, ”Scorpion” with “Nice for What” a song dedicated to all of the strong, independent, successful women who really shouldn’t let anyone ever try to disrespect or take advantage of who they are. I love that song there’s something about his lyrics is he always adds a few lyrics that stick to women’s minds. One of my personal favorites is “Fancy” he wrote and recorded with “Swizz Beats”, “T.I.”. He has an appreciation for women if you pay attention he’s observant and he knows how to make you feel confident in his bars he spits over his verses. Pay close attention the next time he is speaking to the women on a level you never even realize. So I appreciate that in his lyrics.  One thing I admire about him as a writer is you can tell everything comes from an authentic place. There’s no one saying ok change this, or we can change his image here. His image is more of a rapper who will make you think critically, he can finesse you in his lyrics, but still make you want to party, dance, and play his music for other people too. I have to give it to him he shocked and impressed me when he teamed up with Chris Brown on “No Guidance” stayed consistently on radio, internet streaming via social media, and music streaming allowed the song to stay on Billboard charts for 24 weeks. This was a surprise but it allowed people to see he had grown and evolved where he can shut down rumors, gossip stories, blog entertainment stories. He can show that I can collaborate with anyone if I want to continue transforming and expanding as a recording artist.

So from “Thank Me Later” to “Certified Lover Boy” he has grown and he’s in a different lane in his career. After 10 years and more he has proven himself as an all around entertainer and hip-hop recording artist. I would love to ask why “Certified Lover Boy”? Because of his ability to sing and rap in his songs, his connection to his female audience, or because his image has evolved and changed since then he knows how to connect to a wide range of people and his fans too. He appreciates a range of music you can hear it in the musical influences he’s had in his songs. He doesn’t sound like anyone else in his songs. He has an original sound in his music. Certified Loverboy is going to give his fans a different side to his music. It’s a celebration of his glory days. You can hear it on “Laugh Now Cry Later”, “Life’s Good” ft. Future.  You see that he’s now in a place of creating and making great music for his projects.

From looking at Drake’s interviews, music videos, and projects this is what sums up his career, his work ethic, and how he approaches his music.

I would say this is the best way to define him as a hip-hop artist in this generation. He can battle women and men in the rap game and still come out on top. He can finesse the ladies and stomp on the chest of his male rap counterparts through rapping his bars.

“No competition against anyone he just want to create challenges to become an evolutionary and a well orchestrated artist”. He’s up to taking himself and his music into different genres and areas. That’s part of becoming a recording artist you’re not afraid to work with different people, genres, tempos, musical beats, live music, and using authentic moments for your songwriting. So get ready to turn up, get lit, get lifted, party, dance, have fun, and appreciate the artist and person who creates the music.

Certified Loverboy comes out January 2021. Stay tuned for more information visit http://www.drakerelated.com and http://www.ovosound.com 

Check out the Certified Loverboy athleisure outfits online. Also follow him on all social media platforms.

 

 

Soul Train Lady of Soul Honors 2020 goes to R&B songstress, Monica

Remember something in life dreams come true. They always do. This was summer 2006 when I met Monica in NYC at her listening party for her album, "Makings of Me"

 

 

 

I was smiling and cheesing like a Cheshire cat when I found out one of my singing heroes was going to be honored for this year’s Soul Train’s “Lady of Soul Honor Awards”. I constantly tell people this story because it is a true testimony to me about dreams coming true and becoming a reality. You just have to believe in timing, the place, faith, and that anything can become a reality.  I always loved to sing growing up and didn’t realize it until I was about 3 I would sing here and there but didn’t really start letting it out until about 6 or 7. I remember seeing this girl she was skinny tall with short hair and she had the huge soulful voice. She was so pretty and she was singing about “Don’t take it personal (Just one of them days)”. I was probably watching BET I believe at the time and then I realized that she was going to become one of my influences in music, songwriting, singing, and even style. I emulated her and admired her voice. She didn’t sound 14 years old that’s how old she was when I discovered her. I didn’t realize oh my god. She’s 14! What but she sang like a woman who has lived two lifetimes.

I am talking about Monica I used to sing Monica songs growing up to my classmates and friends. We would be singing all of the time outside or inside class probably driving our teachers crazy. I remember in 1998 when the Boy is Mine came out, her second album and The Boy is Mine ft. Brandy went global. Brandy’s “Never Say Never” came out and I wore my poor c.d.s out. I would even sing against some of the girls in my class as we pretended to be Monica and Brandy in their feisty duet about a womanizing young man. So now that she is being honored I am so thrilled for her completely. I met her in person in 2006 in New York City she was in town to promote her album, “The Makings of Me” it was her listening party and my stepfather invited me along to be there with my friend. They asked me if I wanted to ask her a question I figured sure of course. I was so damn nervous heart pumping but something told me just go for it this is a big moment for you. It was that moment helped launched my journalism career. I used that experience and moment for one of my articles in college. I wrote about her album “The Makings of Me” and it was featured in our entertainment section for the October 2006 issue one of my first published articles. So that life changing moment will always live in my heart. I have been fortunate to meet or see many celebrities in person. So when you meet someone who really influenced you at young age it was mind blowing. I was 19 when I met her. I was literally just finding and discovering what kind of journalism did I want to study. I was always drawn to the arts, music, and creative fields growing up. I knew I was going to be a writer at some point but I didn’t realize I would be meeting one of my singing heroes face to face was surreal. I still can’t forget it and I probably will not I keep her autographed photo in one of my family photo albums.

That meeting struck something inside me that summer I remember I came back ready to attack and it gave me a jolt to pursue this field of music and journalism. I had to bridge the two of them together. I am glad I did and I continue to follow her career and music. Now fast forward 14 years later Monica is a mother of three children: Romelo,15  Rocco,12 and Laiyah, 7 are her three children, she has 7 albums her belt, has been featured on songs with Keyshia Cole, Usher, Brandy, and many more people. Grammy nominations, BET nominations, and Billboard achievements have never gone unnoticed. She can also add businesswoman and actress to her entertainment resume as well. She was featured on “Felicity”, “ATL”, “Khloe & Lamar”, “Family Hustle”, and many other shows. Monica’s amazing soulful and classically trained voice can light and uplift you instantly. She has elegance, she has always had the stylish quality in her fashion with her 5 feet 8 inch frame. She’s always looked like a model but then she has the tough quality a strength its pretty incredible because everything she has been through in her personal life. She channels that into her lyrics. That’s the best thing about a recording artist they can always pull through the pain, the hurt, the rawness, the love, the real emotions, all of those emotions you feel in your heart, your mind, happen for a reason. You have to pull everything to make it your songs connect your audience. She’s one of those artists who knows how to pull in her female audience where they can go “Yeah girl I can relate” you can identify with her and also feel empowered. Then she can woo her male audience with her lyrics and make them feel her appreciation for the hardworking, supportive, and loving men out there too. So to Monica congratulations on this award I am a big fan and so proud of my girl who inspired me a few moons ago when I was a little girl sitting in my room watching BET singing and dancing with my cousins in my living room to your songs. I hope one day I get to sit down professionally to meet you and discuss your journey through music to now.

 

Now please listen to this amazing Songstress’s melodic and powerful voice here are some of my favorite hit songs and some of yours too.

Follow Monica on all of her social media platforms Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and visit her website at  http://www.monica.com. Also visit her Be Human Foundation to help with benefits for all different communities with the most important essential needs they need for themselves and within their community. 

The Rebirth of Business during the Pandemic

 

The one thing I have noticed within the six months that sent us leaving the corporate world and into our home lives. Is that do you notice businesses they were impacted but that major conglomerates were not impacted as much as people think they were. If you look at the bigger picture do you remember the long lines of people who were waiting to buy food, clothing, and other essential items in the lines going all the way back to parking lots or the end of the grocery stores and other buildings.

Businesses were not really impacted in that way because remember they were still receiving customers who needed items for their households. Some people were walking out of their stores with racks of items. You do remember the toilet paper, Lysol thieves who were trying to rack up with all of the bottles on the shelves that it made the cost of Lysol go up to $7.00 dollars and they increased it online too. Now why am I mentioning this because you have to remember that in the end it’s still business and it still affects the economy. Whether if you were spending money online, going to brick and mortar buildings, or you were going in person to buy items.

It is all relative to the economy it really never stopped the cycle when it came to business. Part of the businesses that were impacted was major corporations with their employees. Employees were let go obviously due to health precautions for everyone to remain safe at home to prevent the virus. The department of health offices suggested we would all have to remain at home with our families. Do you notice even with the generous amount of unemployment checks from the CARES ACT and the FEMA Relief program that business really didn’t stop actually. People became more creative and innovative to find ways to stay afloat. Whether you are an entrepreneur, working in retail, merchandising, fashion, tech business, phone carrier business, or customer service you notice they bounced back in different ways. They were still making profits from customers who were home or who risked their lives to make sure the economy stayed afloat.

So I noticed after looking at the amount of money that was given to me. I am saying given because this was an unexpected gift believe me. I was working making a decent salary that I would have been able to put some money to the side before I was laid off  due to the pandemic and I knew ok this is going to impact my income and what I need to make for the future. The blessing for me was I worked the whole year before and prior so I felt secure because I knew I could apply for unemployment and I would be able to rely on it until we are able to go back to the office in the future and to continue on with my other jobs. So I applied along with the other 20 million people who decided to apply as well. So while I was collecting my unemployment benefits one thing I noticed was business never really ceased at all.  The one thing I noticed with people found more innovative ways to help the economy and small business to continue earning some profits.

People created masks at home, making designs from fabrics that would protect others faces. That would be breathable and manageable when they were out in public. People have been matching masks to their outfits coordinating everything as they go along throughout their day. Now aside from street vendors, online vendors who have been using apps to sell that helped a lot with the tech world, fashion industries, and business. Major conglomerates like Target, Wal-Mart, You Tube, and Staples have all been profiting during this pandemic and able to not lose business. Staples stores were  selling stationery, office supplies, fax machines, laptops, printers, and book bags. They were making money with their rental computer service from customers. Every customer who I saw I noticed and I paid attention they were money while people were not just working from home. They would come inside the Staples stores and benefit from their business too.  They also were selling PPE for Covid-19 protection. Making sure to restock for all of their customers.

Remember I saw how the city shut down in March and I paid attention to how the reopening happened in July with the curbside pickup, the outdoor seating for restaurants, and how it played a part for everyone. Everyone has been impacted by the rebirth of business in the pandemic. Remember every time you walk into a store you’re supporting a business and company. It’s not just about you but that owner and the founder of that business. So it made me reevaluate how I deal with business in every industry. That’s what made me realize how people have not been hurting as much as we think they were. People were just finding other ways to start businesses for themselves and keep other companies afloat. So in a way we did come together whether you are a small mom and pop shop, a major conglomerate, or an online website who is earning profit. You know that people were finding a way to keep  surviving throughout the pandemic. So in a way we have reached a rebirth of business in this chaotic, confusing, and difficult time. There has been a silver lining when it comes to business.

Here are some businesses I notice they are not going anywhere….they are staying afloat and will continue to make creative strides with the times. These are stores are in New York City and throughout the country that I have been supporting and will continue to support as we come out of the rebirth of  the economy, corporate life, employment, and business.

 

1.      Hilton they offered all essential employees discounts and assisted them with their lodging and visits whether they were traveling or some people needed a break.

2.      YouTube.com- they have been helping parents teach their children virtually and have been keeping us entertained.

3.      Target

4.      Amazon.com

5.      Online fashion boutique stores many of these businesses affect the business industries in China. Rosewe.com, Chicme.com, Shein.com

6.      Discount stores for clothing for women/men-Danice, Rainbow Shops, and Joyce Leslie, Burlington, and Marshalls. These companies continue to receive customers daily.

7.      United States Postal Service/Fed Ex/UPS these companies never waivered when it came to lack of customers. They continue to earn support in business.

8.      Grocery stores because of their essential need for our survival for nutrients, healthy eating habits, and to benefit our energy and exercise. They were the primary stores that we needed. Special Thank you to Fairway, Whole Foods, Key Food, Morton Williams, Aldi’s, Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, and Cherry Valley for making sure they practiced social distancing guidelines and they kept all of us healthy during this time. They didn’t get scared or close off they stuck in the fight for all of us.

9.      Ebay.com one of the major websites that really have helped during this time with benefits for consumers.

10.  America’s Best I want to thank them for their business and service. Not only providing people with their eye glass and contact lens exams but also they practiced social distancing guidelines by separating their chairs and keeping everyone separate. Also providing temperature checks. 

11.  Home Depot- we have been quarantined those who have been home they have been redecorating their homes and able to reinvent their houses. They aren’t losing any customers at all and they have received business too.

12.        Barnes and Noble they are still profiting practicing social distance guideline, curbside pickup, and if you enter their stores they require you wear your mask as well. They haven’t been hurting because people have been reading at home of all ages and backgrounds. Preparing their kids for school whether they enter class part-time, or will continue learning virtually at home. The point we can never have too much information and knowledge.

13.   Nike.com- they’re not going anywhere they still continue to strive as well.  People need sneakers, athletic, and leisure wear when they are exercising and working out at home or in public.

14.   New York City Transit System-buses, LIRR, Metro-North, and subway lines/New York Taxis- They can’t go anywhere we need them for everything in order to survive, get around the city. 

15.  Spectrum-Thank you for continuing to provide great service-I just wanted to give you a shout out because you have been providing everyone with internet, business, and cable service. Plus they offered discounts for businesses who were impacted financially, closed their small businesses and stores. They offered discounts for all of their new customers who needed assistance financially to restart their business.

16.   Duane Reade/Walgreens/CVS Pharmacy-they’re keeping us alive during this time so you have to thank all of these stores and their employees who made sure they kept everyone safe and healthy.

17.  Beauty/Hair Supply Stores-they found a way even if they opened the stores partially or worked part-time. They made sure that every woman or man could continue to look decent. You have to thank them cause they keep us feeling great emotionally, mentally, and psychologically.

18.  Dunkin Donuts-keeping people energized, alive, and awake during this busy time.

19.  Travel web sites creating discounts for everyone who needed to get away. Amtrak, Airline websites. You have to thank them for providing great service and making sure they stayed afloat.

20.   The most important essential business obviously are our hospitals so thank you to all of the people who are waking up every day and coming into your office to support the thousands of people every single day who need you during this pandemic whether it is not related to Covid-19 or not.  They can’t go anywhere because we need them every single day and obviously that relationship will always be reciprocal. We need them for ever major life event and when they unexpected happens in our journey. So thank you to everyone around the globe staying up late, waking up early leaving your comfortable bedside, you are the true heroes, and are making the greatest sacrifice for everyone.