Doyin


Doyin

Mr ShaoDow drops new single: Get Stronger ft Ghetts

Published on May th, 2011
 
Rapper, Mr ShaoDow, who is also trained in the art of Shaolin Kung Fu has enlisted the help of fellow UK emcee, Ghetts, on his new single ‘Get Stronger’.
 
Mr ShaoDow flows with clarity and a welcomed aggression and Ghetts never one to disappoint displays his distinctive style on ‘Get Stronger‘. The two artists deliver positive lyrics over an energetic and gritty beat that is a fusion of Grime and Dubstep (shout out to SnoWman on production).
 
‘Get Stronger’ is a hard hitting catchy tune that expresses something we can all relate to; everyone’s experienced knock downs in life but this tune inspires you to not give up. It draws on personal experience as Mr ShaoDow explained exclusively to Deja Vu FM.
 
 As an independent artist with no manger, record label or outside funding he often gets denied opportunities, because “this industry is so focused on who you know”.Despite this Mr ShaoDow hasn’t let this hold him back: “When ever a door has been closed in my face, I’ve found my own way in. I travel the country selling my CDs, being told no by random people on the streets. I’ve also been out selling throughout the two coldest winters that we’ve had in years and I still haven’t given up”.

The rapper also spoke about how at the age of 18 he travelled alone to China to learn Shaolin Kung Fu (his name ShaoDow is a tribute to this form of martial arts) and how this encourages him to overcome obstacles: “If I can travel to China on my own and learn Kung Fu, then I can also travel the UK and get my music heard”.

 His determination and ability to motivate himself has led to over 4,000 of his CD’s being sold across the UK independently.

His new release ‘Get Stronger’ will be a digital single including two other tracks; ‘Get Stronger (AK Remix) and ‘Stay Away’ which features Ghetts and Vader;  it’s out on the 3rd of June.

Also look out for the fully animated video for ‘Get Stronger’ which premiers on SB.TV the day after the single is released.
 
　
 
 

 

 
For more information please visit: http://www.MrShaoDow.com

Free Skepta Mixtape: Community Payback

Published on April th, 2011

On the same day that Prince William marries Kate Middleton, grime artist Skepta, has dropped his new mixtape; Community Payback.

It is hosted by the famous Hip Hop DJ who hails from the US, DJ Whoo Kid, and features the likes of fellow UK artists Boy Better Know, Chipmunk, P Money, Lemar and Wizzy Wow.

The Boy Better Know founding member recently released his third album, Doin It Again in January which had some singles reaching the top 40 in the UK charts. Skepta also historically worked with P. Diddy last year on the grime remix of ‘Hello Good Morning’.

In the midst of his success, it seems he still has time to appreciatively give back to his fans with this suitably named 11 track mixtape. To become a recipient of Skepta’s community payback click here for your free download: www.doinitagain.co.uk

Nominees for the Ivor Novello Awards 2011

Published on April rd, 2011

Nominations for the 56th Ivor Novello Award ceremony have been announced this week. The Ivors are presented to celebrate British music writing and to honour British songwriters and composers.

Artists Katy B, Tinie Tempah (pictured below) and Plan B are amongst musicians who have been recognised this year. Both Tinie Tempah’s ‘Pass Out’ and Katy B’s ‘Katy On A Mission’ will be competing in the Best Contemporary song category alongside The XX’s ‘The Islands’.

Plan B (pictured below) is up for an Album Award for his release The Defamation of Strickland Banks, and he also features in the PRS for Music Most Performed Work category for his single ‘She Said’.

Dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of the British music industry, an Ivor Novello Award is often highly regarded amongst musicians, as it acknowledges the creative effort that goes into creating music.

The award show takes place on the 19th of May in London.

Glastonbury Festival 2011: Full line up revealed

Published on April th, 2011


The full line up for the Glastonbury festival 2011 has finally been revealed, and after having a look I’m very impressed to see there will be many appearances from the UK urban scene.

Glasto has been running since 1970 and is the UK’s largest open air music festival.

The three headliners for this year were already confirmed as being Coldplay, U2 and Beyoncé. The rosta now shows they will be  joined by an array of acts, including the UK’s current golden boy Tinie Tempah.

It will be the second time the BRIT award winner will return to the Pyramid stage, who was brought on last year by Snoop Dogg to perform smash hit ‘Pass Out’.

British rapper/singer Plan B who is also a BRIT award winner, will also be gracing the triangular stage.

Other artists from the UK urban scene who will be performing at the festival are Labrinth, Professor Green, Wretch 32, Devlin, Katy B, Skepta, Giggs, P Money, Jodie Connor, Yasmin, Mz Bratt, and Griminal; they’ll all be appearing on the East Dance stage.

The Glastonbury festivals takes place this summer from the 24-26 June (unfortunately all tickets are sold out).

One Love Peace Festival returns to honour Bob Marley

Published on March th, 2011

After a 20 year hiatus the One Love Peace Festival returns to London this summer. The festival is being held to celebrate the life of Bob Marley and mark the 30th anniversary of his death.

Notably the most popular reggae artist to have ever lived, Bob Marley gave the world a gift of amazing music with a social conscience. Even after his death in 1981, the singer/songwriter still remains very popular and will be for generations to come.

An array of acts will grace Wembley arena’s stage, including Bob Marley’s son Ky-Mani Marley, who will perform some of his father’s hit songs.

Ky-Mani Marley (pictured below) said, “It is with great pride that I will pay homage to my father, Bob Marley, with some of his best loved songs. The festival’s message of peace is a noble cause that I hold very dear to my heart and one that my father would have applauded.”                

 

Other artists on the line up include Busta Rhymes, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Gyptian and even UK’s Skepta will be making an appearance.

Busta Rhymes is excited about his up coming performance at the festival: “I can’t wait to get back to the UK. It’s been three years since I last performed here so I’m dying to tear the roof off Wembley Arena.”

Further acts are also yet to be announced.

The One Love Peace Festival was originally inspired by Jamaica’s One Love Peace Concert that was held back in 1978.

In London the event last took place in 1994, where 25,000 festival goers were entertained by the likes of The Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Freddie McGregor and Barrington Levy.

Dexter Ricketts who is responsible for this year’s instalment of the event said he is proud to be involved and explains what he hopes to achieve: “We are greatly honoured to be staging another One Love Peace Festival which marks the 23rd anniversary as well as celebrating the life of Bob Marley. For us the event is all about raising multi-cultural awareness and tolerance through the powerful medium of music.”

The One Love Peace festival aims to show the importance of togetherness amongst all people, thus illustrating that Bob Marley’s legendary message of one love and one world lives on till this very day.

Tickets are priced between £35-£55 and are on sale now.

Wretch 32 is new Road Safety Ambassador

Published on March th, 2011

The teen road safety campaign by Transport for London has been re-introduced this month, and it has enlisted help from artists such as Wretch 32, who is one of the campaigns new Ambassadors.

‘Don’t Let Your Friendship Die on the Road’ aims to make young people aware of the dangers they may face if they are not cautious. Road Safety Ambassadors are promoting the key message, which is that young people need to lookout for one another when they are out with friends.

Speaking about his involvement with ‘Don’t Let Your Friendship Die on the Road’ UK rapper, Wretch 32 said: ‘I decided to get involved because life is precious and something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. If people take on board the safety advice then lives will be saved.’

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson also supports this campaign and he said: ‘These stars are in the perfect position to reach out to their teenage fans and to help them realise that keeping themselves and their friends safe on the city’s roads is desperately important.’

This is the 11th year ’Don’t Let Your Friendship Die on the Road’ has been running and since its initial introduction in 2000, figures show that the number of teenagers killed or seriously injured has decreased by more than half.

Director of Better Routes and Places at TfL, Ben Plowden, is happy that the campaign continues to be a success, although he states there is still more work that needs to be done. Highlighting the support of the campaign’s Ambassadors he said: ‘I’d like to say a big thank you to all the Road Safety Ambassadors who, recognising the importance of this campaign, have kindly donated their time to pass this important message on.’

Late Nights & Early Mornings by Marsha Ambrosius

Published on March th, 2011

British duo, Floetry, sadly parted ways in 2007 and since then the vocalist of the group, Marsha Ambrosius, has released a string of mixtapes, written songs for the likes of Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and has featured on various songs with some of Hip Hop’s elite.

Whilst the Liverpool native has been busy with these projects, fans have anticipated the release of a solo album and though it has been a long time coming, the singer/songwriter finally presents us with Late Nights & Early Mornings.

Marsha Ambrosiuis’ voice is no short of amazing and this is beautifully displayed on all 13 tracks, including the introduction which is suitably named ‘Anticipation’.

The six time Grammy Award nominee is known for displaying an assertive female sexuality on her songs and she does so on the intensely seductive ‘With You’ and ‘Late Nights & Early Mornings’. On both songs she breathlessly sings about the plans she has for her partner, giving the album a nice dose of her celebrated sensuality.

When artists are heavily involved in the writing and production of their albums like Ambrosius, they tend to sing with a precious authenticity, it comes straight from the heart and when they sing you feel it. ‘Far Away’ precisely illustrates this ability, as she channels her emotions through each verse depicting the loss of a friend who committed suicide, and enthralled by her honesty and raw emotion my ears held on to every word.

Another one of my favourites from Late Nights & Early Mornings, is slightly more up-tempo than the rest of the album showing that the singer doesn’t just do ballads – ’Hope She Cheat On You (With A Basketball Player)’ is the lead single. This track is so real, after a bad break up the last thing we want to see is our ex partner happily shacked up with the person they left us for, and she humorously sings ‘I hope she cheat on you with a basketball player, hope she Kim Kardashian her way up’.

I’m not usually fond of covers, but surprisingly the song that I couldn’t stop replaying was ‘Lose Myself’ which is originally a song by Lauryn Hill. What Ambrosius did with this was slightly different to the original but it works very well and she definitely made it her own.

Other noteworthy tracks are ‘Tears’ which has an old school soul vibe, reminiscent of the Motown era, ‘The Break Up Song’ where we see a more vulnerable side to the artist and ‘Chasing Clouds’ where she soothingly sings about escapism.

Production on Late Nights & Early Mornings is smooth and doesn’t get too heavy and complex, allowing for her lovely vocals to take precedence. It has a relaxed vibe and there’s a rawness to it that along with her distinguished voice and beautiful song writing, sets this album miles apart from others.

As a fan from her Floetry days, I had high expectations for this album and I’m glad Marsha Ambrosius didn‘t disappoint – Late Nights & Early Mornings is truly something special and is available in stores now.