Marvin Sparks

Maaaaaaaaaaate. Actually, let me tell you what (initially) inspired this post. JLS break up. "Devastating news I didn't see coming" - said no one. We knew it was curtains when we heard their "Hottest Girl In The World" song. You know the knock-off Justin Timberlake sounding song? Pretty rubbish, but all the urbanites like it because it sounded, like, an erm, Justin Timberlake song from back in the day. Worst thing is Justin Bieber pulled the exact same stunt a few months earlier (" Boyfriend ") so it was a knock-off Justin Bieber, knocking off Justin Timberlake. New thing is "Just because it sounds familiar, doesn't mean it's good". Pretty bad, isn't it? Problem is I can see a bunch of Sony a&r's, marketing dept. and general suits, (well they wear trendy gear now, but you know who I mean) sat bumping their heads slightly off-beat, slight foot tap before saying "This sounds really edgy and current for JLS. Justin B

(* urban = hip hop and r&b, first and foremost, but mainly talking about music made by the blacks. Badman put the small print at the top so you don't miss it.) Honest, emotive, something I believe in, experienced and/or relate to be it a thought or situation A beat that matches the mood Makes me want to nod/dance or sing along and tweet lyrics because I feel it That's all I as a consumer wants (aside from songs that make me buss gun finger and grab a girl in a non-violent/sexual assault kinda way). So, why is it so hard to find from genres I used to have no problem finding it? (Rhetorical question, obviously, or there'd be no point in this post.) Many times I think wonder if the industry is out of touch with reality and artists care more about appeasing industry standards than consumers. Bit like dutty babylon a.k.a. government who care more about Westminster and small sections of society than general voters until election time. Instead it feels like they&

A non-Jamaican has entered the UK national charts by making dancehall for the first time since Glamma Kid "Bills 2 Pay" in 2000. The dubstep-infected dancehall jam "Soundbwoy" entered at 18. A top 20 for this type of song is a great achievement in this current climate where there are a lot of great pop songs. Especially in absence of most things generic in what's coming from the London "urb*n" scene at the moment; 4x4 dance, no feature, no big pop chorus, no talking about money, clever punchlines, rapping about rapping, references to money or girls... It doesn't even a feature a remix with at least 4 London artists with greater buzz (YouTube views)... None of the above. And dubstep's not even in anymore. Also, it isn't a song women will request at a club to sing and dance to, it's one for the head nodding, man dem to rate. He made it after the Red Bull sound clash for sound systems to play because he didn't have a song like

Beyonce debuted new song "Standing on the Sun" in full for the first time last night. The song which soundtracks her H&M advert is a dancehall-influenced song boasting a feature from none other than Mr. Vegas. Mr. Vegas is probably the least celebrated legend in Jamaica. Omnipresent with big hits every summer, constantly touring yet never really gets his dues in his land. Never/rarely at Sumfest or any other notable show in Jamaica. Here's to hoping he gets booked in the future.