Keri Hilson

In A Perfect World

The acclaimed songwriter turned singer releases her long awaited (and often delayed) debut album. Mixing her good girl looks with bad girl lyrics, Hilson belts her anthems across a bevy of slickly produced tracks to make her first solo foray into recorded music a must have for those craving  fresh and new rhythm and blues.

Check out “Knock You Down” featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo below:

Case

The Rose Experience

Call it the year of the comeback. With Ginuwine and Maxwell already on working on their respective albums, Case rounds out the R&B singers ducking full blown retirement with an album that may draw older fans in, but won’t garner him any new followers. Being out of the game for seven years can put a damper on an artist’s evolution and with the early 2000s dated production, such is the “case” with The Rose Experience.

Check out the video for “Lovely” below:

Jim Jones

Pray IV Reign

Jim Jones’ latest studio album is exactly what you’d expect it be: A hodgepodge of braggadocio rap, unintentional comedy and monster production. Jim may not be the best rapper (in fact, he’s far from it) but his ear and ability to pick beats and highlight up-and-coming producers is second to none. If anything,Pray IV Reign is worth picking up just to hear the beats that’ll be on upcoming mixtapes.

Check out the video for “Nana Na Na” below:

Seems like two of the beauties from our March ’09 “Star Track” package have ignited a debate amongst readers as to who’s the hottest Hollywood starlet – Slumdog Millionaire‘s Freida Pinto or actress/model Lauren London. Let’s see how the two stack up against each other.

Freida Pinto, 24

Claim to fame: The Indian model and one time international travel host skyrocketed to fame after Slumdog Millionaire (in which Pinto played the damsel in distress) swept critics and fans off their feet and scooped up eight Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture. Along with the cast of Slumdog Millionaire, Pinto won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. She was also nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2009 BAFTA Awards.

Hits: Aside from Slumdog Millionaire and her work as model, Pinto hasn’t done much else. – yet. She has however landed a role in the next Woody Allen flick. Watch out Scarlett Johanson, PInto could become Allen’s new muse.

Misses: Though strikingly beautiful, her taste in wardrobe leaves much to be desired, as seen by her one-armed Oscar ensemble and the drab threads she rocked on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She also recently dumped her fiance to whom she got engaged to in 2008. Questionable timing if you ask us.

Not that you’re asking or that we’re suggesting. Because we’re not.

Lauren London, 24

Claim to fame: The actress, model, video girl and occasional singer has been featured in music videos for Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, T.I. and Ne-Yo. She’s also acted in ATL and This Christmas (alongside Chris Brown) and will appear in the upcoming flicks Next Day Air and I Love You, Beth Cooper.

Hits: London’s everywhere. You? You’re never there. Whether she’s acting in movies, posing as eye candy for music videos or doing stints on TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris or Entourage, the Los Angeles-born beauty is always present.

Misses:  While it’s good that London’s on everyone’s mind, it’s not so good that some of her claims to fame include hosting BET’s Rip the Runway alongside Nelly, being a presenter on “Mixtape TV,” and posing as Quincy Brown’s date of MTV’s My Super Sweet 16. With this much awkward exposure, she could be one PR snafu away from being the next Kim Kardashian. Which, depending on your standards for success, could be a good thing.

Winner: Freida Pinto

Sure she has issues when it comes to dressing the part of a starlet and may or may have not left her man for fame, but the budding actress hasn’t been as overexposed as London. So unless she decides to pop up in T-Pain’s, Coldplay’s or Flo-Rida’s next videos or host the straight to DVD installment of Justo’s Mixtape Awards, we’re sure that Pinto’s star will stay on the rise.

For more Lauren and Freida, click here to see our exclusive behind-the-scenes video with them both!

And for more, click here to see the ladies in our exclusive photo gallery!

And for even more Freida Pinto, click here to see our one-on-one interview with the Slumdog Millionaire starlet here!

This year men’s fashion went mad for plaid. Check out eight of the hottest celebs in their checks and plaids.

The 2009 Grammy Awards have been announced! See the photos of Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo and LL Cool J plus more of the big event’s hot guest list.

Wait, it’s not what you think… Well, it sort of is. Ne-Yo’s anger gets him into trouble in his new video for “Mad.” Watch what happens below:

At the 2008 American Music Awards, the men took center stage and dressed to impress. Justin Timberlake, Akon, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers, Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo lead the trend in men’s style proving that tailored clothing is what’s hot! As President Elect Obama said: “Brothers pull your pants up.” These celebs took note. What do you think?

Before all the Ne-Yo lovers catch feelings, those were his words — not ours.

In an exclusive interview with our sister site, Hellobeautiful, the R&B soulster talked all things NASCAR, Michael Jackson… and being a nerd! Don’t believe us? Click here.

And for more Ne-Yo, click here.

Since enrolling in R&B’s freshman class of 2006 with his debut album, In My Own Words, and avoiding the sophomore jinx with 2007′s Because of You, singer-songwriter Ne-Yo is poised to earn the rank of upperclassman with his third effort, Year of the Gentleman. In this era of auto-tune anthems, where strip-club cuts compete to be the most downloaded ringtone, Ne-Yo’s smooth tenor rings authentic, and this album will inspire listeners to strive for chivalry over ass-shaking.

The first two singles-a throbbing dance track “Closer” and an ode to boss ladies “Miss Independent,” featuring syrupy synths and staggered drip-drums (both produced by Stargate and co-produced by Ne-Yo)-foreshadow the album’s variety. Although most of the record’s selections are danceable, the artist experiments subtly with tone and tempo. On the seductive “Single,” produced by Polow Da Don (who also sings on the track) drum patterns resemble a racing heartbeat. Switching gears from the tradition of formulaic R&B topics, the Shea Taylor-produced “Lie To Me” displays Ne-Yo’s vulnerability over symphonic strings and keys. The singer chooses to accept dishonesty from an unfaithful girlfriend, rather than confront the truth.

Ne-Yo’s signature conversational writing style is consistent throughout the record, but he drags his dancing feet through some uninspired filler. “Back to What You Know” sounds like that one generic acoustic-guitar song that it seems to work its way onto every R&B album, and the corny, pseudo-inspirational closer, “Stop This World,” overreaches with its grand drama. Year of the Gentleman won’t be heralded for breaking any new ground, but it’s a good effort. Had Ne-Yo done some more polishing, however, he could have dropped a classic. — DEVIN “PAN” BARRETT

A long, long time ago, a year we’ll call 2007, the now impeccably gentlemanly Ne-Yo’s name couldn’t be mentioned without the attached term—“sex addict.” Since supplanted by the floppy-haired likes of David “Californicate Your Way to Rehab” Duchovny, Ne-Yo has gone to release “Miss Independent” a catchy, piquantly percussive song about female empowerment. Nympho rumors aside, Ne-Yo not only clearly loves women, he KNOWS them because his version of the “boss lady” is exactly how a boss lady would like to be seen. I’m no music critic, and while other syrupy, girly jams miss the mark entirely, as a woman, this effort succeeds because of the bumbling lyrical honesty.

According to Ne-Yo, this unmarried, female, “effortlessly fly” shot-caller always has an immaculately matching mani/pedi, has almost paid off her car, the mortgage on her property and her favorite phrase is “Don’t worry, I got it.” In fact, this woman loves to handle BI to the extent that he refrains “she said, she got it,” four additional times. He then croons over and over, as if hypnotized by his own mantra that,  ”She got her own thing, that’s why I love her.” Meanwhile, her interest level remains vague and he deliberately avoids saying that she “needs” anything from him. It’s genius.

Now, this may sound sexist and stereotypish but I think I know this woman. She’s constantly harangued by her parents about no impending nuptials, her siblings have long since married whilst getting their respective master’s degrees, she has gone on date after baffling date with a holes and d bags with little promise and is now, finally, ripe for this dude who just LOVES that he doesn’t have to do squat. He thinks driving this union will require zero steering from him and he is THRILLED. This is a man who is looking forward to early retirement and is eyeing her superior healthcare coverage [wait a second, a $10 dental copay? Amazing!]. “Everything she got best believe she bought it”? It’s like he’s openly admitting to his affections being included among such hard-won belongings. I love that! Isn’t honesty romantic? I think so. Plus, the beat is crazy.

Music blogs are like assholes-everyone has one. And though these Web sites tend to vary in genre, style, taste and often a proper understanding of grammar, they do (like the aforementioned orifice) serve a distinct purpose: Blogs (unlike your ass) let you share your thoughts, rants and raves about music and pop culture.

In a time when we’re used to getting all of our information yesterday (this column will probably be irrelevant by the time you finish reading it), blogs-when they’re good-can often be a valuable resource to artists, their labels, their publicists and recovering music addicts like myself. I have been put on to more than a few artists thanks to diligent bloggers such as That Grape Juice, Stereogum and Nah Right who know good music when they hear it. And shout-out to all the other bloggers who really make it their business to bring us thought-provoking content and new music with consistency and authority.

But for every dope blogger, there’s a Tom, Dick and Hakim who decides that Lil Wayne (not Jay-Z) is the greatest MC alive or that the new Ne-Yo is the worst thing ever. And they know because…THEY KNOW! Those wordsmiths wax poetic about how overrated everyone is, but in reality, they’re jealous fans who once had dreams of being or being with an R&B chick. To all those “professional haters,” I humbly submit this question: Just because you have a music blog, do you really think we need to read it? Much like your butt, it’s probably not something everyone wants to see. Now, that’s just my opinion.

R. Kelly’s Double Up, which recently hit stores, is more edgy and more hip-hop than any of the Kells’ recent releases. GIANT sat down with the R&B maestro to talk about the method to his musical madness and find out what caused this street-savvy shift in sound and sense…

On the sound of Double Up:
“The R&B joints is what made me, but the vibe is more hiphop, way more hiphop than ever, as far as R. Kelly is concerned.”

“I got like seven midtempo-type ballads that you can slow bob to. But other than that it’s maybe nine or ten uptempo club bangers on it. I’ve just taken every thing I’ve done over the last sixteen years and doubled up on it.”

On the haters:
“The haters sparks fire in me to strive even more and work harder. And stay hungrier. I’m very competitive and the more you talk about me, the more I’m gonna ride and the more I’m gonna strive and stay focused. Thank God for my fans sand radio stations cause all that overwhelms the bullshit as far as the haters.”

On working with other artists on remixes:
“Remixes are about fun. It’s almost like mama jokes to me. You got some good mama jokes and I got some, you hit me up then I got some. You go first show me what you got and if they good we gonna trade off and use em. We just change up and trade up.”

“I’ve been doing this for years now. When I work with Polow [Da Don] and them [for instance], they learned things from me, they’re honored to work with me. And I’m honored to be with them. They’re the youth, the new guys coming up, and I’m proud to work with them. There’s such a strong mutual respect between all of us and when you go in the studio with people with that mutual respect, ain’t nothing but magic gonna come outta that. Polow, The Runners, they’re fresh have fresh ideas and I get inspired by fresh ideas. It inspires me to go into the studio and do something good [for myself]. It’s a silent competition. But it’s all good if you know how to keep it in perspective and have fun with it. A lot of kats don’t understand that the point of a remix is to make it better than the record, not just change it. They think that if they just change it that should do it, but what they’re really doing is just killing the original song. And that’s when you hear people say ‘Ah, I like the original better, why you do that?’ I put my all into a remix because I got the hit already, now I can relax.”

On fear:
“You cannot be afraid. When I did ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ it was at a time in my life where the moon and the stars, as they say, lined up and it all fell into place. I needed some healing and sometimes the doctor has to inject his own self. That’s what I was feeling like, and I felt like I was I was writing something that would inspire myself to come up out of what I was dealing with it and going through, being depressed and being down. I’d gained a lot of weight. I needed uplift. And it worked.”

On his musical influences:
“I usually don’t hear my influences til the song is over with. When I’m writing I’m so into what I’m hearing on the radio in my head that I’m just like, ‘Wow, I can’t wait to finish this so everybody else can hear what I’ve just heard.’ It’s like there’s a monster in the backyard, and you’re just like, ‘Look out the window, y’all!’ I just want people to hear what’s in my head and I just be anxious to get into the studio and get it done. Once it’s done it’s like, ‘Oh man, that riff like there is like some Same Cooke shit.’”

On being compared to Ne-Yo and other young, up-and-coming songwriters:
“You know someone asked me what I think about Ne-Yo. I said, ‘He’s a great talent, he’s promising. [This person] said, ‘Well, he kinda reminds people of you, do you think he’s another R. Kelly?’ And I said I’ll never be able to answer that question and the reason why – no disrespect to Ne-Yo – is the simple fact that when he can look back fifteen years and leave a trail of nothing but hits he’ll still never catch up to me cause then I’ll be thirty years deep. That’s why I’ll never be able to answer that. And you know what happens when he get to thirty years.”

“When I was talking about competition earlier, I should tell you, when I talk like that, that’s me not relaxing. When I’m up twenty I always play like I’m down forty.”

For more  with R. Kelly, check out his exclusive GIANT photo gallery here!

Singer. Songwriter. All-around good guy. Ne-Yo is no doubt a triple threat. And with the recent release of his sophomore album, Because of You, GIANT caught up with the Las Vegas native to talk all things Ne-Yo — including his new album, gossip and Jennifer Hudson.

On recording In My Own Words:
“The funny thing is when I started recording this record; I went into the studio with this big bag. It was a big bag of what looked like trash, but in actuality they were songs. With the first record, my comfort zone was the studio. I had to be in the studio, pad in front of me, pen in hand, sitting at the console, listening to the track to write the music. Whereas now, with the success of In My Own Words, it had me moving around so much I had to develop a portable comfort zone—meaning that if I was in a restaurant in London and inspiration struck, I had to get it right there on a napkin. So, some songs were written in London, some songs were written in Japan, Germany, Paris, different states within the United States—everywhere.”

On gossip:
“As far as rumors and accusations, my whole thing is you can be the nicest person on the face of the planet [but] it is these people’s jobs to come up with some kind of dirt on you. And if they can’t find something, they will make something up.”

On breaking genre barriers:
“I’m about to do some stuff with Celine Dion, that’s going to be a stretch from what I normally do, but it’s going to be good. I honestly feel like I am the type of writer, the type of singer that can do a song with Reba McEntire, and then turn around and do a song with Pretty Ricky. I have that in me to where I can do more than one thing, and that’s what I want people to know about me. Don’t come at me with just pop stuff, don’t come at me with just R&B stuff because I have more than that.”

On “Leaving Tonight,” his duet with Jennifer Hudson:
“When I wrote that song, I knew I wanted it to be a duet but I didn’t exactly know with who. I have a pretty good relationship with the people over at J, so somebody put the idea in my head to let Jennifer Hudson hear it. ‘Alright, cool.’ I let her hear it, she loved it, she came it and cut it. It took us about an hour to do. She’s still very real people. I pray that she keeps that because, you know, this business does have the tendency to change people. So, I pray that she stays who she is and how she is for as long as she can.”

Recreating hit records like “Irreplaceable” and “Let Me Love You” for other artists:
“Nobody realizes that ‘Let Me Love You’ was a moment. It was a moment that happened, it passed, it’s over with. You create new moments. You don’t go back to the old ones. Same thing with ‘Irreplaceable,’ so when people ask for another ‘Let Me Love You,’ it’s like, ‘Yo, I can do another ‘Let Me Love You.’ I can do a new song, you know, that may be as good as ‘Let Me Love You’ and go to where ‘Let Me Love You Went’ but as far as ‘Let Me Love You,’ I can’t do that over.’ And I let that be known to people when they ask me to write songs. Like, ‘Yo, I need that ‘Irreplaceable’… No, no, no. ‘Irreplaceable’ was a moment, it happened. I can give you something else that will do the same thing, but it’s not going to be that.”

For more Ne-Yo, click here to check out his exclusive GIANT photo gallery!

Ne-Yo went from Grammy-winning singer/songwriter to fashion model once he stepped in front of our cameras. Check out his stylish photo shoot below:

And for more Ne-Yo, click here to check outtakes from his GIANT feature!