NEW VIDEO: ELBEE THRIE, "NICE TO MEET ME"

Elbee Thrie from the Brooklyn based soul collective Phony Ppl shines in the video "Nice To Meet Me," a single that is part of the hype of their upcoming project, 53,000.

Phony Ppl have scored a local monthly residence at Brooklyn Bowl, until the end of the summer. The first show is May 1, so go check them out if you're in the NYC area.--GB

NEW VIDEO: ASTRO, "CATCHIN' WRECK"

The Astronomical Kid walks his stomping city grounds in his video for "Catchin' Wreck," the second single off of his mixtape Deadbeats & Lazy Lyrics. Who spot the cassette tape in the video too? Teaching that digital generation a thing or two... --GB

NEW VIDEO: KHAYA MTHETHWA FEAT. PROVERB, "LIL MEANS A LOT"

Spotlight on Khaya Mthethwa. He's had a whirlwind trip, as anyone would being plucked from obscurity to nationwide fame. He was the winner of the Season 8 South African version of Idol (the first black winner at that). As a young man from Durban North, KwaZulu Natal, he made great waves, with his claim to fame being a knock-out version of Nicki Minaj's "Superbass." After a triumphant win, Universal Music South Africa scooped him up, backing his first album For You, his first single "Move," and this, above, his second single, "Lil Means A Lot." The album has earned him an accolade ("Best Newcomer") at the 2013 Metro Fm Music Awards in Durban. 

Watch him work his R&B side in "Lil Means A Lot" while surrounded by dancer beauties, and while South African rapper ProVerb drops a verse. Also, check out his stunning version of Nicki Minaj's "Superbass" that put him on, after the jump.--GB

VIDEO: CEELO GREEN AND LAURIANA MAE PERFORM "ONLY YOU" ON ELLEN

CeeLo and Lauriana Mae performed "Only You" on Ellen, which taped yesterday and aired today. CeeLo sang the catchy tune in a blue shirt with red stripe and red trousers, while Lauriana went all out in a long black three-quarter sleeve sheer geometric print number.  

Lauriana is preparing her debut album under Atlantic Records, and currently has an EP out entitled Love Mae. CeeLo recently finished a Las Vegas residency ("CeeLo Green is 'Loberace'"), which has been extended for another run come October, and he also will return as a judge for Season 5 of The Voice, which starts in June.

"Only You" will be on CeeLo's forthcoming album. 

NEW EP: SID SRIRAM, "WEST COAST NIGHTFALL: BEFORE DUSK"

This is what they call "urban/indie/pop;" a mixture of pensive lagging beats, stings of the upper scales of piano keys, and uplifting melodies by man of the moment, Sid Sriram. It's entitled West Coast Nightfall: Before Dusk, and its Part 1 of a two part series. Produced by Sid and AJ Singh, the songs were mixed by Andrew Sarlo. Enjoy the tracks, including "Winter Mind" and "Anymore," below as an offering partnership with DJBOOTH.com.

Arrangement/Production: Andy Kautz & William Wells
Live instrumentation: Dan Drohan, Eric Jackowitz, Jake Sherman, Kyle Miles, and Sean Tracy
Engineering: Pran Bandi & Jeremy Blas.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD SID SRIRAM'S WEST COAST NIGHTFALL: BEFORE DUSK

SOUNDCLOUD VERSION

Propers: DJBOOTH

NEW VIDEO: SID SRIRAM, "WINTER MIND"

Sid Sriram's video for "Winter Mind" leaves him near a lake, before dusk, lamenting on his present state, and in front of a simple white background for dramatic effect.

This song will appear on West Coast Nightfall: Before Dusk, which will drop on April 17.

VIDEO: LISSIE, "SHAMELESS" (LYRIC VIDEO)

Lissie has provided us with the lyric video for "Shameless," the first original song from her in over two years. Expect an album in June from the raspy crooner, and an official video soon. This is just for those who can't contain their excitement. --GB

NEW VIDEO: LUKE JAMES, "I.O.U."

In the mini-movie that is Luke James' "I.O.U.," him and gorgeous leading lady ride hot bikes around Brooklyn, walk the bridge, and love in the club, before a cliffhanger sets the two apart. Perhaps forever!?!? Well, it's really up in the air; needless to say, Luke really owes his lady for this one. Watch above.

Luke is working on his debut,  Made To Love. --GB

NEW VIDEO: JADEN SMITH, "SHAKESPEARE"

Jaden Smith's video for "Shakespeare" is a one-man show, and the rising star raps about his style and his uprise. In the video, Jaden's raps in front of different artistic settings as a background to his profile; ex. Jaden spits rhymes in front of a bunch of picture framed unknowns, juxtaposed with his shadow in front of colorful lights. 

"Ima focus/ And just try to win this Grammy/ And you know I'm bout to do it/ And I'll never have a plan B..," is just one of his punchy verses.

Directed by Moises Arias.

Jaden will be starring in a film with his father Will Smith. It's a sci-fi flick in which Kitai Raige (Jaden) and his father Cypher (Will) crash land into Earth 1,000 years after humans were extradited off of the planet.-- It's M. Night Shyamalan's After Earth, and it's set for release on June 7. --GB

Propers-AllHipHop

NEW VIDEO: THE SKINS PERFORM "OCEAN" AT THE FARM AT SXSW

SXSW wrapped a few weeks back, but not before rockers The Skins shut down a farm with their acoustic rendition of their song "Ocean" off their self-titled EP released early last year. Watch above.

They recently released a new single, "Dead Hands," featured in Cinemax's new Spring preview commercial for the coming season. Like The Skin's FB page to Download.


The crew is working on their debut entitled Show Me Some Skin with more deets to come. 

NEW MUSIC: SID SRIRAM, "WINTER MIND"

Sid Sriram still has winter on his mind. Trying to shake off the feeling of heaviness in this seasonal cusp, the riff-happy crooner drops "Winter Mind," a track preceding West Coast Nightfall: Before Dusk, now with a date set to April 17. Produced by Sid and AJ Singh. Warm up to it.--GB

Andy. Friggin. Allo.

     

You. Had. Me. At. Hello.

NEW MUSIC: LUKE JAMES "I WANT YOU" (REMIX)

Luke James has dropped a throwback (i.e. the picture above), part of Danja's Throwback Track Thrusday's, a remix to his famous "I Want You." It has been gloriously mashed with The Fugees "Fu-Gee-La," making for a really cool R&B/hip-hop collision.

Right now he's stretching his acting chops, working on the remake of Langston Hughes Black Nativity, which will arrive to theater screens during the holiday season. Expect to see him in the flick with Tyrese, Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, and more.