*Video Review* Wale -- Lotus Flower Bomb ft. Miguel

Of course, being on Twitter, you get to view everyone else's opinion about e v e r y t h i n g before you even get a chance to form your own.  This was the case for the 'Lotus Flower Bomb' video for me.  I didn't see too many people say good things about it, but decided to check it out anyway to form my own opinion.

The Girl -- Many people addressed the young lady in the video (Bre, a former America's Next Top Model contestant) as basic, amongst other negative terms.  Yes, I did notice a few pimples, but she also sported her natural hair, light makeup and a subdued wardrobe, however, that is not basic, that is normal.  We're so used to seeing music videos with only racially ambiguous, light-eyed, ultra curvy, scantily clad ladies with tons of weave and mountains of makeup.  Don't get me wrong, they are generally quite beautiful, but the way Taj (the video's director) & Wale collaborated to emphasize natural, everyday, realistic beauty was like a breath of fresh air.

The Concept -- For Wale to be a new, but not really new, artist, this was a nice video.  The storyline was cute and simple.  The fact that Wale a)daydreamed & b)didn't get the girl at the end of the video, simply add to the overall realness factor that was so heavily prominent throughout.  

Oh, and Miguel's hair was disturbing.  Other than that, I liked it.  Check it out below if you haven't seen it.

  

*New Song* Wale ft. Kevin Cossom & Rick Ross -- "Best Night Ever"

Word is this is one of the singles off the "Ambition" album.  From Wale's poetic flow and artistic content to Kevin Cossom's refreshing hook, this song is everything I need.  I personally love when sampled music is put together properly and here, the use of Maze & Frankie Beverly's "Can't Get Over You" really takes this song to a totally different level. Enjoy.

Frank Ocean -- two new [artistic expressions]

This week, Frank Ocean has released two visuals; one for 'Swim Good' off of his Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape and another for 'Thinking About You'.



Swim Good


To be honest, this video is simple, yet it totally epitomizes the thoughts I personally have when I hear this song.  Although a rather complex storyline, in the song, the video conveys a message to those who may need a clearer understanding of the song.


frank ocean [swim good] from christopher francis ocean on Vimeo.


Thinking About You

I absolutely love this visual representation.  As opposed to 'Swim Good' and it's video, the song 'Thinking About You' relays a simpler message, but the video is much more complex.  I tend to be quite analytical so I admire all of the thought that went into the creation of this metaphoric and parallel storyline. 


Frank Ocean - Thinking About You (music video) from High5Collective on Vimeo.

One thing I've noticed about all of the Frank Ocean videos I've seen is that they are open-ended, in that they leave room for further reflection and let the viewer finish the storyline in their own way.  While already quite imaginative, they still allow the viewer to use their imagination for interpretation. 

Belle Amie (Beautiful Friends)

Late last year on the UK version of 'The X Factor' (a talent-seeking show produced by former American Idol judge Simon Cowell) a group named "Belle Amie" won the competition.  They possess such a unique image & style, as well as a spunky sound so it only seemed appropriate to spread the word about them over here in the States.

Aren't they totally adorable? When I first saw the video for their single "Girls Up," the artists Gaga, Kreayshawn, and Katy Perry all came to mind.  Have a look:

The "Girls Up" single is scheduled to officially be released this month and I honestly can't wait to hear music more from these amazing young ladies.

*New Song* Lenny Kravitz ft. Drake -- Sunflower

This is a perfect end-of-the-summer song.  The upbeat tempo and and funky feel of Kravitz production accompanied by Swizz Beatz assistance in writing and Drake's fresh lyricism took this song to another level.  It's one of my favorites right now.

*Album Review* Jay-Z & Kanye West -- Watch The Throne

Upon my first listen, the word that kept coming to mind was "originality."  I tend to listen to an album or  mixtape as I write the review for it so I can be totally enveloped in it and nothing else but the crazy thing is that this album draws you in subconsciously.  When I first looked at the tracks I thought, ooh wee these are some long songs, how will I make it?  But each and every track provides enough variety in the subject matter, production, and featured artistry to keep those with even the shortest attention spans and most critical attitudes enthralled.


Before listening to 'Watch The Throne,' I had absolutely no expectations whatsoever, not good nor bad.  I felt it wasn't fair to limit the creativity of artists such as Jay and Ye by placing expectations on them because there is no way to foretell what they may have up their sleeves.  One reason I respect these two artists is the fact that they can be defined as "mainstream" by their album sales and fan base, however, the sense of timelessness in their music says otherwise and they remain true to that, which is what has brought them so far. 


The duo features contributions from Swizz Beatz, Kid Cudi, Beyonce', Q-Tip, Curtis Mayfield, No I.D., Frank Ocean, LMFAO, Charlie Wilson, Lex Luger, Otis Redding, Mr. Hudson, The Neptunes and more.  Some featured vets include Elly Jackson of the English pop duo La Roux and Justin Vernon of American indie folk group Bon Iver who both provided vocals on 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.'


Fun Fact: The creative mind behind the album cover art, as well as the H•A•M single cover, is Ricardo Tisci; Italian fashion designer and  creative director of the Haute Couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories lines of Givenchy.


My favorite tracks are "N***** in Paris," "Gotta Have It," and "Illest MF Alive" for various reasons which I won't get into since I decided to spare you all and keep this review as concise as possible.

*New Song* Frank Ocean -- "Back"

Such a sweet ballad this is indeed.  This song displays the typical pleasant and laid-back delivery that Frank Ocean so often provides.

*New Song* Big K.R.I.T. ft. Yelawolf -- "Happy Birthday Hip Hop"

Man oh man, this is an amazing collab.  Due to the soulful beat I had a hunch that K.R.I.T. had something to do with the production and lo and behold he did. I'm a fan of his rhymes as well as production and the two together are like peanut butter & jelly.  Then Yelawolf's additional Southern spice is the icing on the cake. All these food references, I must be hungry...

*New Song* Wiz Khalifa ft. Curren$y & Big Sean -- "O.T.T.R."

What an outstanding combination of artists. Their familiar flows over Big Jerm's slow, entrancing beat come together to create a classic. Check it out: 

*Mixtape Review* Tyga -- Well Done 2

I'm usually not a fan of "official" mixtapes that don't have original production, however, Tyga always seems to take the songs and make them his own rather than just flowing over familiar beats. This consistency of originality is easily displayed throughout Well Done 2. From his Cam Newton reference [War Eagle!] to his creative adlibs, his flow had me hooked. It was released today and you can download it here.