Your love made me iridescent...

Artist: Monica
Song: Love All Over Me
Album: Still Standing (In Stores Now)

The 2nd single from one of the year's best selling female R&B artist, Monica, is poised to become her 2nd number one R&B hit from the number one album, Still Standing. "Love All Over Me" is a soulful ballad, the follow-up to the first single, "Everything To Me", a number one hit for 8 weeks on the charts. LAOM, which once again the fans decided for the single thanks to Monica and J Records, jumped ten spots to reach #14 in its 8th week. The video, which finally premiered on 106 & Park yesterday, is beautiful and cinematic, although not completed as there are alternate endings. It stars Lakers champion player Shannon Brown, who portray's Monica's new love, and rapper Maino, the old love who had to go away for a few years. Monica and Shannon are engaged to be married but when Maino returns back into her life, Monica is left to choose who she wants to be with. The twist: the fans get to decide her fate. Voting is currently underway, and this version of the video will run until the final results revealed on Friday, July 23rd. The final video will be revealed, showing who the fans decided Monica will meet at the alter. Who will it be? Stay tuned.

I'm for #TeamShannon.

New Releases: Toni and Trina

The first comes from a diva that's been in the game since '93 when she couldn't "Breathe Again" after singing "Another Sad Love Song" for "Seven Whole Days" on her classic self-titled debut album. Soon after, she spilled all of her Secrets, her sophomore album, also a classic masterpiece. She had us begging to "Un-break My Heart", got sexy on "You're Makin' Me High", and told us about how he was "Talkin' in His Sleep". The she dropped The Heat on us, letting us know that "He Wasn't Man Enough" and she told him to "Just Be A Man About It". After that, she lost steam but she was still More Than A Woman and told him to "Hit the Freeway". The Libra side coming out of her, she told those bitches "Please" back up off out her face and leave her man alone. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Toni Braxton as come back to give us another chapter after finding her PULSE, her new album which is now in stores today. The album features the singles "So Yesterday" (including a remix with Trey Songz), "Make My Heart", and "Hands Tied". So far, unfortunately, all singles have failed to take off. There's barely any promotion and no buzz surrounding this album. I've been expressing my disappointment for this project but it's sad that this talented soulful woman cannot catch a break. However, this time it is her and the label's fault. Tracks leaked practically every 2 seconds, currently just over 25 total. Of all those tracks, eleven of them were selected for the album, with a select couple remastered. This doesn't take away from it being a good album because it is indeed a good one (still a few non-selected songs were much better than half of those on the disc). Noteworthy tracks include "Why Won't You Love Me?", "Hero",  and "Pulse". Get the deluxe edition on iTunes and you'll get the sassy bonus track, "The Wave". I wish Miss Toni the Tigress the best. Grade: B-

Trina finally drops her long-awaited (seriously, who was actually waiting besides a few of the Kidsz?) album, Amazin'. You know I only care for this one for 2 reasons: the current R&B hit "Always" and "I Want It All", the 2 tracks featuring my girl Monica, who steals the spotlight on both tracks. The album also features the hit flop single, "Million Dollar Girl" featuring Keri Flopson and (annoyin' ass) Diddy, and the Lady Gaga-assisted "Let Them Hoes Fight". You got 2 choices: buy it or bootleg it. You know which one I did...

New Releases: Usher & Erykah

As if Monica wasn't enough last week, R&B is taking over again with the new releases from two of the genre's biggest stars: Usher and Erykah Badu.

Lady Badu, who is pretty much like royalty of neo-soul, comes back to us with the second part of her four album series, New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh. The album features the lead hit single, "Window Seat", along with tracks such as "Jump In The Air (and Stay There)" featuring Lil Wayne and Bilal, "Incense" featuring Kirsten Agnesta, "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)". This album is as brilliant as, if not better than, Part One. If this is your kind of stuff, get the album. If this is not your cup of tea, GET INTO IT! Grade: A

Usher drops his new album, Raymond v. Raymond, as the follow-up the lackluster, critically acclaimed, Here I Stand, which was met with lukewarm reception. Led by the lead smash hit single, Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home), the album comes jam-packed with tunes about partying, love, sex & relationships. Including tracks like "Lil Freak" featuring Nicki Minaj and "There Goes My Baby", which are also gaining at radio, the album features also features Ludacris, will.I.am, and T.I. Of course, this is no Confessions, however it is a step in the right direction and miles above Here I Stand. The only song worth skipping, in my opinion, is "Papers". Standout tracks include "O.M.G", "Mars vs. Venus", "Foolin' Around" and "Making Love (Into The Night)". Grade: A-

Here's the newly released video for the international single, "O.M.G" featuring will.i.am:


Hopefully, this song will be a single in the U.S.

Go cop these albums now! And if you haven't gotten Monica's Still Standing, the stores are now stocked!

New Release: Monica - Still Standing

R&B veteran songstress Monica releases her highly-anticipated 5th studio album, STILL STANDING after 15 long years in the game. Fueled by the smash hit single, "Everything To Me", Monica takes her fans back to where it all began in 1995, when she first hit the scene with "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Them Days)" by bringing back what older generations prior to the millennium years recognize as rhythm and blues: songs of quality, substance and are relatable. Albeit only having 10 tracks, it's a great album even though 1 or 2 tracks should have been replaced by the bonus tracks, which were unfortunately only available through pre-orders. The new album is loaded with songs about love, life, relationships and faith. Including the motivational title track featuring Ludacris, standout tracks include "Mirror", "Here I Am", "Superman", "Love All Over Me" and "Believing In Me". No gimmicks. No flash or flair. All this "rowdy chick" has to do is SANG! A-

1. Still Standing featuring Ludacris

2. One In A Lifetime

3. Stay Or Go

4. Everything To Me

5. If You Were My Man

6. Mirror

7. Here I Am

8. Superman

9. Love All Over Me

10. Believing In Me

 IN STORES NOW!!