Soul Music

I know that many tune in for the judges (specifically the bromance between Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) or the vocal competition in general, but, for me, Judith Hill truly makes The Voice worth watching every week. She is that rare kind of talent that comes around once every so often and leads you to wonder why she isn't already a superstar. But if you ask me, she is well on her way as she transforms popular songs into works of art weekly. Last night was a perfect example when she took Michael Jackson's flirty number "The Way You Make Me Feel" and put her own stank on it. Strutting on stage rocking a dramatic up-do and jumpsuit with an '80's flair, she made an entrance that was simultaneously white hot and cucumber cool. She kicked it off with a jazzy slow burning intro to the song before kicking the R&B up a notch for the remainder of the performance. From her vocals to the way she worked the stage, there's no denying that this woman is a pro. It's no wonder the King of Pop chose her as one of his background singers for his This Is It concert series before his untimely death in 2009. Forever indebted to Jackson, Hill was overcome with emotion at the song's end and tried to keep it together amidst applause from the audience and accolades being heaped on by the judges. This was a fitting tribute to MJ and should ensure that we see Judith Hill on our television screens for another week.

That damn inner hoodrat. Every time I'm sitting down to sip my tea (with my pinky up, of course) and commune with high society, here it comes body rolling its way out and cracking my carefully crafted bourgie facade. This time, The-Dream is to blame. I managed to avoid most of The-Dream's promo for his latest album IV Play, what with song titles like "Dope B*tch" and "P*ssy" not making me immediately rush to press play. However, with the release of the album coming in a week, Radio Killa has me ensnared me in his chubby little web with the latest leak from his project. The body rollin' bass bump of "Turnt," which features none other than Beyoncé and hip hop's feature king 2 Chainz, is like a siren song to the ratchet yatch that lurks within. Like most things The-Dream, it's R&B at its most ignant (not a typo), made to appeal to all the freaks in the house. It's also probably the raunchiest we've ever heard Bey on wax (I'm sure Michelle Obama will probably clutch her pearls at Bey wanting someone to "beat it up 'til I black out"). Still, with a hot 16 from 2 Chainz and a beat made for strip club sound systems, my inner hoodrat is satiated (and not a moment too soon, as I was starting to become curious about Love & Hip Hop). Bump "Turnt" after the bounce and, if you're so inclined, preorder IV Play on iTunes now.

Even though we are enjoying somewhat of an R&B revival of late, their is one sub-genre that, for the most part, has been sorely overlooked: The slow jam. Once a staple of every act worth their R&B creds, those occupying the "nu-R&B" lane -- I'm thinking of artists such as inc., Shy Girls, How To Dress Well and Autre Ne Veut -- have mostly steered clear of songs with overtly romantic messages in favor of something a little more introverted, a little more edgy. Step forward vocalist/producer 8th Grader who his hoping that his self-titled debut EP, released today, will go someway to filling that void. Taking cues from the likes of Prince ("Diamonds, Silver & Gold") and Janet Jackson (his cover of "Let's Wait A While"), the San Franciscan delivers a short, but sweet collection of songs that will create the perfect backdrop for an evening with that special someone. Get in the mood after the bounce.

With his performance of his latest single "Fine China," Chris Brown took to the 2013 Billboard Music Awards stage Sunday night intent on fusing classic East-meets-West action flicks with Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" video. He succeeded by creating a great visual with brilliant dancing, and a vocal that instantly brings to mind the 1986 cult hit Big Trouble In Little China. Thanks to Beyoncé's recent lip-sync controversy, frequent offenders are now being forced to sing live due to heightened scrutiny. Brown did this song (and his audience) a disservice by croaking through a cut even the most Brown-averse listener would deem a banger, seemingly unable to deliver even two-word adlibs on key. Joined on stage by Orianthi, best known as the blond guitar shredder featured in Jackson's This Is It, Brown continued in his quest to ape the legend so slavishly that one day, no one will know which is which. Thankfully, based on these vocals, that day is no time soon.

While some flew (Exhibit A: Miguel) and others blew (Exhibit B: Chris Brown), Bruno Mars decided to be the class act of the evening at this year's Billboard Music Awards when it was time to take to the stage. Donning a sharp n' shiny red suit and unearthing Temptations-esque synchronization with his back-up band, Mars gave a premiere of newest single, the disco-funk delight "Treasure." I've actually been waiting for this song to get some exposure ever since I first heard it off of Mars' latest album Unorthodox Jukebox, so I was pleased as Crystal Light fruit punch that he decided to give this little gem a spin as well as take the party to a mirrored ball paradise. We've been chattering about a disco revival that has been slowly creeping into our midst in recent months, but if there is anyone that I'm confident about to be at the forefront of this proposed revival, it's Mr. Mars. Don't believe me? Then I urge you to press play below in order to see what I mean.

While Miguel's leg drop gained more traction on Black Twitter overnight, another big televised event happened over the weekend. Kanye West, he of paparazzi freakouts and the reason for the next Kardashian generation, took the stage of Saturday Night Live to premiere two new songs from his upcoming album, Yeezus. Both racially charged ditties, "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" borrow heavily from the punk aesthetic and signify an even darker turn for Yeezy. To further drive home the point, Kanye performed on a barely lit stage as images of price tags, rabid dogs and the pointy tops of black hoods (a la the KKK) were projected on a screen behind him. The whole thing was obviously meant to make those watching at home a bit uncomfortable as Yeezy rarely moved around the stage and stared intensely at the camera during the performances (maybe that was why host Ben Affleck was a bit teary when introducing him). Both songs were interesting, to say the least, but are they enough to spark anticipation for Yeezus when it drops on June 18th? You be the judge when you take a peek at "Black Skinheads" below and "New Slaves" after the bounce.

Daft Punk collaborator Romanthony dies aged 46 [GRDN] Romanthony [WIKI]

The family of Heavy D is battling over his estate after his brother presented a will claiming he is the sole beneficiary. [TMZ] Kid Rock came down harder than Miguel hit the stage on singers who lip-synced at the Billboard Music Awards. [IFWT] For once, the police are on his side: Los Angeles police investigated death threats Chris Brown received through a series of phone calls to his attorney. [NYDN] After performing on his new singles "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" on Saturday Night Live, Kanye West released the artwork for his new album, Yeezus. [VIBE] Beyoncé blasted rumors about her being pregnant, calling out "low life people who have nothing better to do than talk about me." [HP] IRS officials hit Mary J. Blige with a $3 million tax lien accusing her of owing for 2009, 2010 and 2011. [AHH]

He was so nice with his Mixologists debut last October, that we had to invite dj harvey dent back twice, and he delivers another dope mix to us with Eclectic Vibes. On this mix, he blends soulful house with soulful grooves that will make you either want to cut a rug or vibe out to as the title suggests. Music by SoulBounce faves such as Michael Jackson, Teedra Moses, Sy Smith, Reel People, Zo! and The Foreign Exchange is flawlessly mixed with tunes from Positive Flow, Toro y Moi and so many more. Listen and download now to fall into these Eclectic Vibes. dj harvey dent Eclectic Vibes [Download][Subscribe in iTunes]

May is ending and June is starting with a bang for Eric Roberson fans in the Atlanta area. Erro will be returning to ATL for not one but two shows at Center Stage on Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st. This two-night stand is going to be one to remember and to make sure that at least one Atlanta Bouncer won't forget it, we're giving away a pair of tickets to see Eric in concert for the Friday night show. Enter to win now to be in on the fun and funky music from this SoulBounce fave.