Marvin Sparks

Rapper-turned-singer (just kiddin)... Artist Estelle returns to our ears with her new single Freak, features Candian rapper (with dancehall flavour) Kardinal Offishall, produced by hit-maker David Guetta (I Got A Feelin by Black Eyed Peas gets wheels on decks). Well, whether or not I find her attractive, she isn't a universally recognised sex symbol. I feel this will make it slightly harder for her to sell this song. Beat/bass dominates the track too much for me, so to me, it doesn't sound like her song; more a dance/producer compilation CD. Will knock in clubs. I said whether or not I find her attractive, but I can catergorically state I most definitely wood! I don't segregate or discriminate/ get into that whole light-skin, dark-skin debate; it's all made of the same stuff... skin stuff innit! So if you think she's too dark gelloutahere! She wasn't much a looker in Trixta with Blak Twang, nor 1980, but that could have been down to the whole rapping thing. Let&

Alan Carr, a well-known... "chatty man", had my ex in waiting Rihanna as a guest on popular Channel 4 chat show Chatty Man. Didn't watch it ('cos I have a life you see), but judging by this clip I'm guessing the creative people behind the scenes saw her reggae/dancehall inspired video 'RudeBoy' (big tune!), so asked her to show him some moves. 'Ardest video on net 'Rude Boy', never knew Ri-Ri had them moves Maggie bwoy (Tony Matterhorn) buss now! Sen' een di royalty cheques! Still disappointed with the commercial mess around with Dutty Wine. Sure-fire hit! Absolutely waste of film for the video though

Love this video, and they words are so powerful Dancehall music provides some real music for the soul yet again, proving to the critics that it isn't all violence and explicit sex. Funny that those are the ones which cross over to the public in England. Think that says more about the listeners than the creators. An artist will do a conscious tune, no forward, slack tune? Get's the most amount of love. Look into yourselves I say. Big shout out to Dan Bean from Heatwave showing me about this tune time ago. Failed to see the hype but I do know. Late, but still ahead of most so nurrrrrrrrr *sticks out tongue*

SMH British rapper Giggs has had his UK tour pulled after police warned promoters over safety fears. Giggs, from Peckham, London, and recently signed to XL Recordings, was due to play 10 dates starting tomorrow in Birmingham. However, police confirmed that they warned organisers about security concerns after being contacted by the promoters for Giggs' London date on 4 March at the O2 Islington Academy. Read the rest ya so *speaks in generic Rasta man's voice* "Why Babylon system a try stop di yout' from werk?" Surely they shouldn't be blocking a man from making a legitimate living? Have there been any acts violence at previous shows? They blocked him from the Lil Wayne show way back, so in protest we (term used loosely - I wanted to see Weezy F perform) threw bottles water at the dreadlocked headline act. Police presence will work, nah? Say what you want about his content, its a reflection of the society he knows. 50 Cent is coming to perform next month. Have

OMG you mean the Caribbean are actually helping?! Say it ain't so *sarcasm* LISTEN 2 THE CALL is a project produced by Handel Tuckerwhich involves over 30 of Jamaica's top artistes and musicians in an unprecedented collaboration as a show of solidarity with the people of Haiti and around the world who are in need. Link to the YouTube promo here Among the artistes who have given their bond to work on this Hear The Calling project are Toots Hibbert, Jimmy Cliff, Marcia Griffiths, Beres Hammond, Sly & Robbie, Dean Fraser, Harry T, Damian Marley, Maxi Priest, Cherine Anderson, Terry Lyn, Beenie Man, Barrington Levy, Bounty Killer and Mavado. Media around the world and across the Internet, are invited to participate in the simultaneous global premiere of the song planned for Tuesday February 23, 2010 at 4:53pm Haiti Timeto remember the victims and encourage the survivors five weeks after the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. Broadcasters interested in participating in the simulcast p

Woy yoy! Ok, she sets up for the dutty whine like a sumo wrestler (rotates neck, slaps thighs, stamps left foot), whinin prior to that looks a bit mechanical, at one point looks like she's stirring a cauldron (new dance for 010?), but it's Alicia Keys!!! Look pon di hair *bites fist* Dammmmnnnn! That will be all p.s. the song (featuring Beyonce) is rubbish

Haven't blogged in a while, and for that I apologise. Thought I'd share this tune with you whilst I'm here. Been bubbling for a good month now, hasn't quite buss in England yet, but it's only a matter of time - even if that time is about 3 months from now, you know how these top 40 commercial urban DJ's take forever. Got that slow whine/scrubs against the nearest wall/ pilar/ mampi (2010 is the year of using mampi's as leaning posts. Obese girls need love too even if it's only 2nd hand). It annoys me that he says Votswana instead of Botswana, unless there is a new country in Africa I'm unaware of. Send answers on a stamped & addressed postcare to marvin.sparks220@gmail.com At this point I would like point out they used a Kylie chorus Now you may or may not remember this blog post from my " Real Badman Never Afraid " series where I showed examples of the urban world under the influence of Kylie, and you probably LOLd. But as the young wi

Hold tight my reggae/dancehall brothers from next mumma's Heatwave! They run a sick night called Hot Wuk every Thursday in Angel. Nice atmosphere, different to run-of-the-mill clientele to the stereotype "bashment" crowd (may I add not every stereotype is correct) and selection is both up-to-the-time and draw for them recent riddims you rarely hear. On the 25th February, Mighty Moe, MC from garage (& anything else that sounds good) collective/legends innadis Heartless Crew will be spinning! One of HLC's trademark lyrics is: "It's absolutely good ya know!" And as you can see, admission to this event is "Absolutely free ya know!" How corny was that? Scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 9 = not very corny at all!!! So even if you don't like bashment, it'll cost you nothing but petrol or oyster card money, which granted cost an arm and a leg right now, but no admission!

Who woulda thought Talib "Shakwe" (The Blast = classic) Kweli would be on F64? Pleased it was over a classic UK Hip Hop beat rather than an upcomer if I'm honest. Saw Klashnekoff perform Murda for the first time at the Haiti gig Ctrl-Alt-Del x True Tiger x SOMEnight held. Hopefully we get to see more international ones. Doubt it will happen with the top names as they hold themselves too highly/take themselves too seriously to risk receiving a bunch of negative comments. 64 bars are a lot, possibly too much for a rapper to stumble through. Shame Kweli says s'P'TV, but the SBTV thingy is on the screen so minor Whilst you're at it check out my boy Ikes, he goes IN! "My dudes move nation's of rock without Jigga"

I heard about this song about 2/3 months ago. Been waiting impatiently ever since "And wullaloadash*t (what a load of sh*t)" as Nan in Catherine Tate would say. How you gonna re-lick the Bug riddim, but make it sound 100000000000000000 times worse? Mavado, you a mi doops, but wha gwaan? A doh know rasta, someone must be telling him to change his style on Yankee records - it's never the same Mavado. People are united in their dislike for Akon; I don't mind him personally and I think he does well* on this track (*well or better?). When I interviewed him (notice the way I threw that in?) he was a cool guy. On to the main attraction Shyne... *exhales* I'm hoping its too early to say it but... actually I won't. He needs to back some Lemsip, 'cos that voice isn't doing it at all. How can you lose weight whilst sounding even more overweight than previously (remember comparisons to BIG?)? Hopefully it was mixed in a way that was less than flattering for his t