By: LeVelle

R&B/Neo Soul singer LeVelle aka LB, has officially released his new single titled “Why“. Hailing from the historic city of Kansas City, this musician is ready to show the world how gifted and musically talented he is. On this new release LeVelle does an excellent job of taping in with his audience as he remains authentic and real in his lyrical digest. He quickly reminds listeners of “Why” the R&b genre is more relevant than ever, as soul music is food for the soul.

 On this release, you will hear the songster melodically singing his heart out pleading and asking
“Why” the woman who adores won’t leave her toxic relationship for him. In a serene and serenading voice the Kansas City native says things like “Why you keep putting up with these lames, why you keep letting him play these games, I see a predicament and I ask myself why?” These raw and honest bars, appear in the catchy chorus that sets the tone for the whole song. Every rift and word sung, is full of passion, intention and love. That is probably due to the fact that he is heavily influenced by Sam Cooke, Al Green, Gerald Levert, Avant, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton and David Hollister. These R&B/Soul legends sound’s are weaved into LeVelle’s melodies, runs, and beat choices.

Pushing passed hardship, naysayers and the ways of the industry, LB has created a record that both men and women can grow to appreciate. The most impressive part of “Why” is the harmonious bliss that travels throughout your body from beginning to end. This by far his strongest material to date as he is only getting better and better over time. When you work hard you will reap the benefits of that hard work. That is the case for this rising superstar.

Having had the opportunity to grace the same stage as R&B crooner Charlie Wilson, Anthony Hamilton, Dave Hollister, Avant, El Debarge, TheBarkay’s, The Dazz Band, Al Green, The Temptations, Robin Thicke, After 7, TonyTerry, Trey Songz, En Vogue, SWV, Shanice, Tank, Silk, Dru Hill, K-Ci & Jojo, Frankie Beverly, Fantasia, Big Bub, Howard Hewett, Calvin Richardson, Eric Benet, Ginuwine, Marcus Houston, Cedric The Entertainer, he is more than ready to break into the mainstream music circuit.

LB has just completed his debut album called Le Velle My Journey. This album portrays his strong appreciation for women in general and the women who have greatly influenced his life. As he continues to be a prime contender in the R&B game, press play below to stream his “Why” single.

The post Soul Singer LeVelle Releases New “Why” Single appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After making a guest appearance on Fox’s latest TV hit, “Empire” last night, Snoop Dogg drops the extra funky and intergalactic video for “Peaches N Cream.” The colorful visual gives off an Earth, Wind & Fire album cover feel and features cameos from both Charlie Wilson and Pharrell Williams. Stay tuned for Snoop’s next studio album,” BUSH,” which drops May 12th.

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“Bound 2” is from Kanye‘s latest album Yeezus, which we reviewed earlier this summer. “Bound 2” is the most “traditionally Kanye” song on the album. Perhaps that’s why it works so well. Watch the video below.

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Most rappers are not known for their public display of joy. On one end of the spectrum, we have Kanye West who said himself that “Maybe 90 percent of the time it looks like I’m not having a good time.” On the other end is Tyler, The Creator who displays his smiling face and over-the-top sense of humor on a regular basis on his twitter and instagram accounts. Here are some of the best pics they’ve yielded.

11. Tyler and Tuts, The Cat “I’VE NEVER HAD A PET AND I FUCKING HAD A CONNECTION WITH THIS CAT IT WAS SO GAY HAHAHA” he wrote. Those are undeniably loving eyes.

10. Tyler playing on a kids’ game seeming happy as he holds a bottle of soap.

9. Tyler, seemingly happy in this picture that could be an advertisement for toothpaste. The 21-year-old wrote “IF YOU HATE ME AND EVERYTHING ABOUT ME, LOOK AT THIS PHOTO SO YOU CAN SEE HOW HAPPY I AM AND YOU CAN GET EVEN MORE MAD. NOW PUNCH THE SCREEN.”

8.Tyler with Slim Thug on the streets. Thug might not be all smiles but at least he’s showing some teeth.

7. “CHARLIE WILSON AND I BACK IN MARCH I WAS SO FUCKING STOKED,” as his tongue exposure proves it. Side note: Tyler‘s T-Shirt with the skull on the pocket looks sick.

6. The 22 year old shared this enthusiastic pic, where he’s holding six glorious of pornos. Captioned, “SWAG.”

5. Tyler rubbing his ass on his Taco‘s face while he slept. He seems so sincerely excited and happy. “@youngtaco YOU FAGGOT BITCH MY ASS IN YOUR FACE SLEEPY BITCH”he wrote.

4.  Tyler, all smiles on a scooter, simply claiming, “I stole this.”

3.  Check out this photo of two of our cover boys. Tyler posted this picture with the caption: “WHETHER YOU LIKE @Macklemore OR NOT HE IS FUCKING WINNING! @sethxlewis.” Sometimes happiness and excitement can not be conveyed by a smile.

2. We all know Tyler has a love for Justin Timberlake–who doesn’t really? Prior to meeting the artist he posted pictures such as this one or that one expressively stating that he “WANTED TO MEET HIM SOOOO BAD.”

1. Dark humor is always so compelling. Tyler posted this photo with the caption “#CUTFORBIEBER” as he sadistically smiles while holding a saw. It’s his own way of commenting of the movement Justin Bieber fans started when Biebers behavioral incidents were highlighted in the press. We’re thankful not everyone takes life so damn serious.

The post Tyler, The Creator’s Happiest Photos This Year (So Far) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Kanye West’s sixth studio album, Yeezus, leaked four days before its official release on June 18^th, 2013. Guess who didn’t give a fuck? Kanye West. After months of anticipation, a star-studded listening party at NYC’s Milk Studios, and a brash and refreshing marketing strategy of public video projections, Yeezus reached the masses early and illegally, yet the world got almost no response from the Chicago MC.

This nonchalant reaction not only solidifies Mr. West’s opinion about the leak – as well as the album cover itself – but it also represents his approach to the new LP as a whole. “How much do I not give a fuck? Let me show you right now, ‘fore you give it up,” West raps in his exaggeratedly nasal voice, just one minute into the album’s opener, “On Sight“. ‘Ye is already letting everyone know that he’s going to do what he wants on this album, with no apologies. And as the above lyric cues “On Sight”‘s techno barrage to let up and reveal a sweeping soul-ish melody reminiscent of his past work, West’s brash aversion to convention pays off. Beautifully.

“On Sight” gives us a little taste of the Kanye we’ve known in the past, easing us into his new world with a head-nodding, futuristic-sounding banger à la “Stronger” that quickly changes directions as the track morphs into a sharp and warbled electronic shrill. Once this discomfort has slightly set in, “Black Skinhead”  comes at us full throttle. The track is the highlight of the album, effortlessly combining gut-wrenching electric guitars with militant, almost ceremonial drums.  Better yet, Kanye’s flow is in a rare double-time that makes his neurotic shrieks even more compelling. (Trivia: he probably hasn’t flowed that fast since “Get Em High“)

The third track, “I Am A God” continues with the same strength as “Black Skinhead“, with ‘Ye declaring himself a “close tie” to Jesus. Understandably, the song has raised a bit of controversy, with many opposed to Kanye presenting himself as a deity. But listening closely to his tone as he snarls those four words, it seems as though Kanye is declaring his status as a god to both the listeners and himself. Furthermore, beyond those four words, it’s important to note the line, “Until the day I get struck by lightning, I am a God.” Even when he’s elevating himself to the heavens, Kanye still seems to be wary of going too high because maybe there actually is someone above.

The production on the album is constantly complex and often schizophrenic, weaving both seamlessly and abruptly between dark House music, distorted dancehall and maximal EDM. This raging mixture of blown-out bass and disparate noises is honestly like nothing else we’ve ever heard from the Chicago rapper. It is not uncommon for rappers to attempt to cross genre-boundaries and it is very common for producers to violate these boundaries (if they even believe in them), but Kanye genuinely seems to have built this album’s soundscape with pure openness. The production credits for Yeezus are notably extensive for an album without live instrumentation. Moreover, artists with very loose hip-hop affiliations seem to have had significant roles.

Nevertheless, perhaps this openness should have been reined in a little bit. Take “Blood on the Leaves,” for instance. Sampling Nina Simone‘s cover of “Strange Fruit,” a song about lynchings of Black males in the South, Kanye samples TNGHT‘s “R U Ready” and creates a song that’s chilling, yet impossible not to dance to. It’s easy to view the sample as the work of a provocateur, but if nothing else, the album is absolutely a gesture in sincerity. In other words, Kanye actually does think it’s okay to conflate lynching with relationship problems. If that sounds absurd to you, that’s because it is. But how could Kanye think that comparison is okay?

That question brings us to Yeezus‘ lyrics. Lyrically, Yeezus isn’t particularly evocative.  Kanye familiarly raps about luxury life on songs like “Send It Up”, women on cuts like “I’m In It” and “Hold My Liquor”, and loss on “Guilt Trip.” Even when these familiar topics are paired with new interests like the youth of Chicago and the contradictions that come with being a black celebrity, the lyrics aren’t particularly rewarding. The real reward of the album is its affect. Even when Kanye is comparing lynching to relationship problems, despite the absurdity of this comparison, the atmosphere of the song, how it makes you feel, is overwhelming. In fact, Kanye seemingly makes the comparison because of how he feels. For him, affects, feelings, can be equated in ways that words (or realities) cannot. Thus, he doesn’t ask us or convince us to feel a certain way by using clever lyrics: he makes us feel a certain way by pairing two disparate sounds and forcing them to work. That is the strength of “Blood on the Leaves” and the overall strength of the album. Kanye has learned to use sound to command listeners to feel a certain affect regardless of how that affect was created.  A cynic might say he really is a God.

The last track on the LP, “Bound 2”, is a journey into nostalgia. From the moment the sample of Ponderosa Twins Plus One‘s song “Bound” begins playing, it’s like time- traveling into the 70’s. This final song is a true treat, because it takes us all the way back to ‘Ye’s College Dropout days, when he pulled samples from some of the greatest singers to bless our ears, including Chaka Khan and Luther Vandross.  Mr. West’s rhymes are what we’d expect from him, but the singing throughout the track is what makes it exceptional. To put the icing on the cake, ‘Ye lets Charlie Wilson belt out, “I know you’re tired of loving…with nobody to love.” It’s a very comforting ending, especially in comparison to the atmosphere that preceded it.

Yeezus lacks a teddy bear or anything closely resembling one, but Kanye West remains embraceable. In fact, Kanye has grown even colder since “Cold,” but perhaps that’s the point. Yeezus doesn’t have have to give a fuck about us for us to give a fuck about him. He’s a god.

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When these geniuses get together it’s nothing but fun and good music. Even Mos Def can’t stop dancing to the beat!

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