24XII - Update

The more time I spend in Birmingham with my newly establish extended family, the more I am humbled and appreciate the fact that I have been lucky enough to stumble into a situation that seems perfect. We have the equipment, the ambition, the expertise and the respect to push our Musical talents to the limit and really aim to give the public a taste of something new and exciting.

Working with 24XII is like going to a friends house, doing all your homework and then spending the next 8 hours playing computer games. We put in so much hard work its unreal, but its always followed by the laughter and silliness I think all adults need in their lives to remind us that we don't always have to be THAT serious. Life is too short.

Since signing to my Independent Label, GXR, I have developed friendships with my label mates as well as quite a close bond with my Manager. He is intelligent, ambitious, hard working and just... Fun to be around. Never once have I seen him flinch at the sight of an obstacle, no matter how difficult it initially seems to be to overcome. Its inspiring and reassuring. It motivates me and those around him to continue pushing.

We shot my first EVER official Music video in my time their and I have to say, the experience was amazing. Everything I could have asked for and more. I always wondered, apprehensively, how I would react having to perform in front of an entire camera crew with, steaming hot lights and lenses shoved in my face. Would I be ok? Would I shrivel up into a ball of insecurity and self consciousness? Or would I relish the attention, the opportunity to perform and impress? Turns out I loved it! Thats one less anxiety out of the way! I know I can perform and work the camera, I cant wait to get better and better at it. We shot the entire video in one of our several illustrious live rooms in studio and the band went real crazy with the vibe live instruments and an audience (Only the camera crew but... An audience nonetheless lol) bring into affect. Can not wait until the next one!

24XII have began working with artist from all over the UK and have even had people fly over from America specifically to work with them, which in itself is a testament to the teams value as a Music Production company. As a signed 'Song Writer' and 'Artist Development Mentor' its an honour to experience the growth and play a major part in it.

Things will continue to get better and better. I know this to be a fact. Nothing gets in the way of sheer hard work, determination, talent and ambition. Nothing.

Love: Do We Need It?

Why do we find it so hard to 'Love'? To truly love and maintain that 'Love' for the rest of our lives? We grow up being read love stories by our parents, we watch scenarios of love and romance play out over and over again in films and television programs, we hear about it relentlessly in our favourite love songs, yet practically every single relationship I have ever witnessed has ended. There are exceptions of course, as in, I know of relationships that are still 'working', but even they seem to become weaker and continuously degrade as the years fly by.

Being in Love is the most beautiful sensation, emotion or feeling a Human Being can experience. It is one of the few aspects of being Human that help differentiate between us and the other life forms that inhabit our planet. We are blessed with the gift of 'Love', whether by nature or a divine presence is highly debatable, either way, we are blessed. However, it also seems to be the one thing that causes the most pain, anguish and hate on this planet. Great Men have become psychotic killers and neurotic lunatics because of a Woman and the feelings they harbour for her. Then, on the other hand, Mankind has achieved so much with the thrust of motivation and inspiration love can provide a person. From great art work to historic battles, love seems to be at the centre in one way or another, of every great 'Event' in mankind's history. The love of money, power, Women... Has perhaps been the most prominent denominator in everything relevant in history, to the way we conduct our own, individual lives.

I am specifically talking about the romantic 'Love' we all have grown to love and hate through our lives. So lets stick to that. I guess the first fundamental question to ask is, what is love? Its a question I get asked a lot and people seem to search the answer for the most. Some say its a heaven sent gift, a sign letting you know when you have found your 'other half' or life partner. Others say it is nothing more than a chemical imbalance that occurs in the brain when we come across someone that qualifies as a valid 'mate'. How can one person possibly define an emotion for over 6 billion people though? There cant be one definitive answer! I think love is completely down to perception. We all react differently to different things so its impossible to really elaborate on what love is or what creates the need to love in the first place. What works for one person, will not for another etc etc

We all want to be loved in some way or another. No matter how independent we are or how much we deny that we need someone, the fact of the matter is, being a Human Being automatically implants that 'Love me' quality in us. We all need reassurance, to feel like we are special, to belong, to feel part of someone, to feel wanted and needed, its only natural. Some need it more than others, of course, and go about acquiring it in different ways, but its always there.

As you can tell, this post is not going to give you the answers you seek, for I am but a Human Being too with the same fundamental flaws that prevent me from being truly objective in this subject matter (Lol). Hopefully this incites some debate....

I want your opinions. Why do you think its so important to us? Can we ever stop 'needing' Love? Can we truly be happy without it? What do you think...?

Music: Where I'm At!

As most of you may know, I am an aspiring singer/songwriter. I have been attempting to find my feet and an avenue to press forward with my Musical ambition, with no real success. However... Over the last few months, life has taken a sudden jolt upwards towards success that has pretty much help drag me through the relentless, boring and mundane 'normal' life I am forced to entertain...

I recently signed to GXR (Global Xzotix Records). An ambitious, new, heavily backed by experience and contacts, Independent Music Label. I have finally been recognised and acknowledged for my talents! So far my experience with them has been great in every way. I have learnt more in the last 3 months than I have in my entire life when it comes to Music and the industry in general. My management are proactive, informative, humble, ambitious, confident and extremely hard working. What more could an artist want? We, as a team, have spent every moment of every waking day since my signing, working towards reaching a point where I can worry about nothing but writing and recording Music to present to my loving, affectionate and motivating supporters that have been pushing me since my first YouTube video, and new audiences a like, with the aim of capturing and securing there attention too.

That moment has arrived! I have been recording and getting songs under my belt now and I'm truly struggling with the concept of holding onto my material and keeping it secret! Being so used to uploading everything I do straight to YouTube is a habit, hard to break! I now have actual goals and real targets to work towards with a supportive team behind me helping orchestrate every move I make in this game of Chess I call.... 'MUSIC'! Life is good!

About two months ago my management got me working with a company called 24XII Productions.... This is where things get REALLY interesting. They are a hard working, INCREDIBLY talented, ambitious hardworking group of studio engineers, technicians, musicians, singers, songwriters and producers that behave like there calling in life is to make me and everyone else they seem to work with, feel like they can achieve anything in studio. The material I have been leaving with sometimes has me questioning if I actually pulled off those rifts, or hit those notes! There ability to draw and cultivate confidence and courage out of an artist is unreal. No matter how insecure I feel about a song, melody or arrangement I have put together when I walk into studio, I leave there feeling like we made the absolute best out of what I laid on the table. That is, in my opinion, KEY to an artists progression. I have had my fair share of experiences, feeling like the wind has been kicked out of me after a less than glamourous or encouraging studio session... Thank goodness those days are over. They really can make you question if what you are doing is worth the disappointment, let downs and struggle it takes to achieve in the industry. Its disheartening at the very least.

So all in all, Musically... The future seems bright for me. Lets keep our fingers crossed shall we...? ;)

'Black Girls Are 'Least' Attractive': Daily Star Headline Incites Predictable Backlash!

WHAT was the Daily Star thinking when it chose this as a headline? I mean, it makes sense in terms of grabbing immediate attention, but with an already slurred reputation for being seedy and misinformed, you would think the newspaper would take a little more care in handling its Public Image right? WRONG!

The funny thing about it is... The headline is misleading. Those that actually take the initiative to READ the article, instead of just jumping on the Bandwagon of Hate that seems to be riding till the wheels fall off on most social networking sites, will see that the Daily Star is actually fighting against the offensive statement and attempting to disprove the claims made by Satoshi Kanazawa, a controversial Psychologist. 

I would not go so far as to deem the statement made by Satoshi Kanazaw as racist or discriminative... I do actually believe that through some weird and slightly misguided form of research, he has ended up with the results that Black Women are in fact, less attractive than those of the lighter persuasion... I guess socially, you could argue that she is right. I mean lets be honest, White European Women are held in higher esteem by most stereotypical standards, than Black Women. Its not right, but that's how it is and has been for a long time now... Its called social conditioning.

On a Human level OF COURSE Black Women are not less attractive than any other race of Women. If we looked at peoples personal opinions, I would like to think that beauty is NOT determined by the colour of skin, but by an individuals personal preference, judging purely on each individuals physical attributes. Lets just hope that's how it is in 2011... The modern era of interracial relationships and the letting go of racial stereotypes and prejudice... 

Cleo Sol - Another Glimmer Of Hope!

Uniquely beautiful with a voice that many have placed in the same sentence as Miss Diva Beyonce herself, and justifiably so... I bring to you an exciting Artist hailing from West London. Born into an actively Musical family, with both Parents being Musicians themselves, I guess it was only natural she would find her own footing in the industry and begin forging her own career.

She has already worked with Artists such as Tinie Temper, Bashy, Kano, Roll Deep, Wretch 32, Bluey Robinson and many other UK Gems working their way up the career path. Quite a CV of achievement to have at the start of your Musical journey wouldn't you agree?

The singer/songwriter known as Cleo Sol, is currently working shoulder to shoulder with a well respected and very talented Producer known as 'Davinche'. Her current single 'Love Bass' is a sexy fusion of R&B vocals & a brooding Dubstep-esk bass line. With the promise of an album soon to come, I cant help but quietly watch her progress from a distance praying she achieves heights her Talent seems destined to take her.

She seems to be doing all the ground work needed to build a strong foundation and a lasting platform to show us what she is made of. You can find live performances scattered across YouTube which really show that she is NOT just another studio singer, but someone that can command a stage, a band and forge a bond with the audience strong enough to have them follow her to the depths of hell and back if she demanded it.

All in all, a promising act with bucket loads of potential. If you had yet to hear about her... Remember where you did first! Visit http://www.cleosol.com to learn more about her and keep in touch with her latest releases and live performances.

Bad Boys: Whats The Appeal?

Bad Boys... Just the title makes me roll my eyes so hard I'm scared they wont return back to their normal position and I'll be left looking like a cross eyed Justin Timberlake... *Sigh*....

I am referring to the stereotypical 'Bad Boys' that many Women tend to run towards like Pigs off a cliff... Ultimately to their own self-destruction. The kind of Man that takes the concept of 'Treat them mean to keep them keen' to a whole new level.  The kind you see walking around with a chip on their shoulders because Daddy didn't stick around long enough to see their testicles drop and say 'Well done Son. You made it'. Or maybe Mummy didn't say 'I love you' enough? Either way, I'm talking about the Men out there that act like the world is SO hard and they have been through SO much, so they have some sort of excuse to act like a moody toddler when they don't get their way in life. Meh... So far I don't see the appeal...

Maybe its the whole 'Rebel' attitude Women are drawn too? Bearing in mind that these Men are not REAL Rebels of course... You know, the kind legends are made of. The type that stood up against oppressive, corrupt, discriminating and racist societies to create better futures for the generations to follow them... No, we are talking about the type of 'Rebel' that refused to go to school every day because he 'dont need english ya get me innit'... Or the type that will not bother getting a job because the Government are going to 'Get to much tax out of me'... So he would rather sit his fat ass at home, getting high and living off everyone else's Tax Contributions... Nice.

Perhaps its the old age attraction to an 'Alpha Male' then? Bearing in mind that these Men are not REAL Alpha Males of course... You know, the type Love songs are made of. The type that take charge when it comes to the well being of those around them. The kind of Men that do everything in their power to make sure the Woman in their life is completely taken care of, emotionally and physically... No, we are talking about the type of 'Alpha Male' that thinks no one else's opinion matters or means anything. The type that thinks getting drunk and punching the nearest person smaller than themselves in the face (Sometimes this 'smaller person' happens to be the girlfriend in the equation)... Somehow reinforces his manhood and makes him feel powerful and in control... Nice.

Maybe its the natural nurturing instinct Woman are blessed with (sometimes cursed with)... That makes them want to 'Save' hopeless Men like the ones I am describing and turn them into some sort of productive Human Being. Who knows... I could go on for DAYS addressing every possible reason so many Women choose (I say 'choose' because it IS a CHOICE..)... To subject themselves to emotional disappointment and sometimes physical harm too.

At the end of the day... Only Women with low self esteem and a lack of self confidence and self worth seem to end up with 'Bad Boys'. That is saying something right? No self respecting, strong minded, confident Woman goes for the type of Men I have described in this post, so don't you think if YOU tend to end up with that kind, something isn't quite right?

If you find yourself in the endless cycle of making bad decision after bad decision when it comes to your choice of Men... Here is what you must do...

1. STAY SINGLE... And then do the following...

2. Become an introspective person. Honestly look at yourself from the inside out, instead of the outside in... Figure out what you truly need from a relationship instead of focusing purely on what you want.

3. Look back at your past boyfriends. Figure out what attracted you to them... If you look deeper than just the physical attraction, you should soon see that you have been only going for what you want instead of what you actually need and deserve. For example, you may settle for someone quickly because you WANT to feel wanted and loved now... When really what you NEED to do is wait until someone deserving comes along that can give you more than just temporary satisfaction.

4. Realise that unless you make a concious effort to stay away from bad influences and situations that surround you with 'Bad Boys'... You will continue to leave yourself venerable to repeating the same mistakes.

5. Do things to boost your self esteem. You must take part in activities that will give you a sense of achievement and progress in life, whether that be pursuing higher education, workings towards that job promotion at work, joining some sort of social club or taking up a new hobby. Whatever it is, make sure its positive and time consuming.

Implementing these 5 steps will help you, over time, build up a strong foundation of self worth and by doing so, will help raise your standards. If you value yourself, then people that don't place on you the same value, will become unattractive to you, and at the risk of sounding arrogant... Even beneath you! You will start giving time and affection to Men that warrant it. To Men that wok hard for your love and continue to make you feel like you have finally... Made the RIGHT choice. You at least owe it to yourself to try.

TC's ' Love's Assassin' Mixtape Review

A masterful display of mind bending vocal control and tonality, range that would make most Women want to tear out and pummel their vocal chords to oblivion with a sledge hammer... An emotional, relevant, fluid writing style & enough personality to fill the heads of a thousand 'industry puppets'. That my friends, is what Tiyon Christian aka 'TC' brings to the table of Music.

For too long now we have had to deal with the bland and tasteless offering of rotten vegetables the Music Industry has become all too accustomed to force feeding us, but now... Now their is hope! TC's mixtape 'Love's Assassin' has given me LIFE since its release date, April 21st this year. There is something truly special about this 'meat feast' TC has decided to bless us with...

It is more than just his incredible vocal prowess that continues reaching greater heights every time he steps into the studio, its his ability to write Music that connects and relates to every aspect of life we may experience regardless of gender, upbringing, race, or where we live in the world. Anybody and everybody will find something to admire, respect and value about his artistry.

I refuse to talk about this anymore! I am purposely not going to go into any specific detail about the songs featured on the mixtape, or why just writing this post has me CONVULSING from withdrawal symptoms from my favourite song aptly named 'Love's Assassin' on this masterpiece of a mixtape that surpasses most R&B album releases in the last DECADE!

Follow this link to download the 'Holy Grail' of R&B for yourself so you too can become a TC addict -> http://www.makeahsound.com/ <- Thank me later...

FHM's 100 Sexiest Women In The World 2011 - Really?

Is she beautiful? Yes. Is she sexy? Yes. Would most Men love to spend a night with this beautiful Woman? YES! Is she is the SEXIEST Woman in the World 2011? HELL NO!

No offence to the young starlet but I can think of a whole list of celebrities or people in the public eye that would give her a run for her money, in fact her whole damn bank account and every penny in her purse too!

It has become patently obvious over the years that to win this sort of public poll, you need not be the sexiest, the prettiest, the best dressed or the most unique looking, but simply the most popular at the time.

Plus we must take into account the fact that most of the voters for this Poll (FHM Readers) are a certain demographic of 'Male' that tend to be attracted to a specific type of Woman, so we must keep in mind that just because she won this award... *Bows Gracefully*... Her look, specifically her size, is most likely not what most Men would deem sexy or their personal preference. Hopefully the younger generation of Women will not be fooled into believing that to be sexy or attractive, you have to look as slim as Rosie Huntington, for that would be VERY far from the truth...

Same Sex Cheating: Is There A Difference?

In the last few weeks I have had quite a few, perhaps to many, conversations regarding cheating. What constitutes 'cheating'? What would be forgiveable and what wouldn't be? Questions like these are pretty common and the answers usually depend on each individuals own ability to cope with different levels of what I would refer to as 'betrayal'. For example, someone may forgive their partner kissing someone else, in fact they may not even think it a big deal, but they would draw the line at full sex, whilst others consider any sort of romantic/sexual interaction with another person, whether physical or mental, as a deal breaker in a relationship.

There does seem to be one particular grey area in the subject of 'Cheating' that perhaps is not discussed enough though... What happens if your partner cheats on you with the same sex? Some, what I would call 'Typical' Men, would be a lot happier knowing their partner has cheated on them with a Woman, over a Man. I think its largely to do with the whole concept of competition. If she cheats with a Woman, at least she didn't cheat because another Man can satisfy her better than you can... She just wants something that you yourself enjoy, a Woman's touch. However, should this effect the way a person deals with being cheated on or diminish the seriousness of infidelity? I'm not too sure...

I personally  believe relationships are healthiest when kept between two people, without any direct interference from people outside the euphoric (sometimes painful), bubble of 'Love'. Emotions are hard to manage regardless of circumstance or how compatible two people are without the added stress and worry that comes with having to share someone. As Human beings, I believe we desire and deserve complete devotion from the ones we love. Not to mention the piece of mind that comes with knowing your sexual health is not put at risk by a sexually, over ambitious partner sleeping with someone else.

All in all, allowing someone to stray, either knowingly or by not setting clear boundaries on what's acceptable and what's not, opens the door to a lot of potential pain and disappointment. I honestly believe those claiming to be happy letting their partner run wild and free around the neighbourhood are worried putting their foot down may put them at risk of loosing the person they cling to so desperately.

You deserve 100% devotion, love, commitment, peace of mind, honesty and loyalty. Never settle for any less...

Nicki Minaj? *Melts* - 'Super Bass' Review

I am OFFICIALLY a Nicki Minaj fan! I have liked her for a long time but I have admittedly... *Looks Left & Right Suspiciously*... Kept it a bit of a secret, purely because I didn't want to be slumped into the 'He is only a fan because she is popular right now' category of trend following sheep. She is undoubtedly talented, in fact, I feel pretty comfortable saying she is more than likely the best Female rapper currently storming the mainstream Music Arena.

Her newest release 'Super Bass' (Video Above) is such a pop chart topper its hard to remember her 'Warning Shot' days & underground mixtapes when she now dances around in a pink wig and leggings so tight I swear I catch a glimpse of her Birth Canal at certain points in the video *Gags*... The song is brilliant, a unique Nicki Minaj-esk version of a Pop/RnB/Rap song. She fuses Genres really well, and if for nothing else, she should be commended for doing so. Nicki is sexy, unique (Although its obvious where her image is derived from)... Intelligent, hungry and talented. Exactly what the Music industry feeds into. I hope she continues her success and is around for as long as possible.

FACT: 99% Of The Worlds 'Haters' Do NOT Exist!

Ok. I am at my wits END right now! I am truly sick of seeing Tweets and Facebook status updates that contain phrases similar to these:
Hi Hater'
'Haters Make Me Famous'
'Haters Are Just Misguided Fans'
'I Love A Hater'
'The More Haters You Got The Stronger Your Grind'

Fool sit down PLEASE! WHY has it suddenly become fashion to have 'haters'? WHY? To many people, it seems to represent some form of success or achievement. I guess it works on the basis, that if you have 'haters', its because you have something to 'hate' on, right? In other words, you must have something other people don't, attracting jealously, negativity and all sorts of potentially de-motivating attention.

Ok, that's fine I guess. I can understand, respect and maybe even relate to that concept. However... Many of the people I see complaining about this influx of 'hating', don't seem like the kind of people anyone would have anything to be jealous about. I mean, most of you look like the kid in high school that sat at the front of the class getting pens thrown at there oddly shaped heads whilst being called names that would savage the self esteem of even the most confident among us!

Now, we all know Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social  networking sites, give people the power to re-invent themselves online. At home/work/school you can be the outcast, the lonely one that has no friends or love life, whilst online, be the CEO of your own company, have 4 girlfriends that fight over who is going to cook you breakfast in the morning and be up for a Grammy nomination but there has to be some sort of, back to reality inducing slap for these people RIGHT?!?

*Sigh... Snaps Out Of Rant*

Anyway... What I am trying to say is... PLEASE take a long hard look in the mirror and at your life, before claiming to be harassed by 'haters'. It is abundantly obvious that 99.8% of you have 0 'haters' because you honestly have '0' to be envious about...

Hmmm... Now, is it not ironic though, that just by posting my opinion on this, every human being my opinion applies to... Will now label me a 'hater'? (@_@)

*Jumps Head First Off Bridge*

The Truth: What Men Want In Bed

Too many of you ‘Lovers’ out there are… Well… To put it bluntly… Useless! Gender doesn't seem to be an exception either! Most of us… Men & Women… Just…. Suck! (No Pun Intended Lol)

Here are some basic tips on what the average Man wants in bed. Ladies, stick to these 5 and you will be covering the basics and jumping into bed with a good foundation of sexual knowledge.

1: Oral Sex - We LOVE it. You gotta be into it too though or dont even bother.  If you look like you have to force yourself, we will get frustrated, and most likely not hide it. Let us see that passion in ur eyes! ;)

2: A Proactive Partner - Be enthusiastic & exciting! No lying there like a sack of potatoes! Move with us, flow with us. Suggest new ideas, positions, ways of doing things etc etc

3: Confidence - Feel secure in your skin… No hiding under the sheets! Exube confidence & we will show u our appreciation for it in more ways than 1… ;)

4: No Acting - Dont fake it! We need to know when you are actually enjoying it so we can learn to please you. Real men dont want needless moaning we havent worked for.

5: Relax - Dont start interrogating us as soon as its over! No ‘Where does this leave us’… If u took the chance of getting into bed with someone without clear expectations before, dont turn detective all of a sudden. He may actually be thinking the same thing as u in a positive way, but being pushy or coming across desperate, will make him run! 

Ladies, put this into practice and watch your love life change for the better. Thank me later.

Its Ok To Embrace Your White Side FOOL!

*Sigh*… I have noticed that there seems to be 1 common problem a large majority of Mixed Raced (Predominately White/Black African/West Indian Mixes) seem to suffer from… We cast aside our White side! Why do we do this? Why do we shun one half of our cultural background? In Urban Culture, It seems embracing and showing personality traits, commonly associated with the ‘White’ stereotype, are seen as generally a negative thing, something that can lead to being looked down upon, laughed at, verbally abused and even being exiled from certain social groups.

Why is it acceptable to cast aside the White side of your background but not the Black side? Why is there no balance? Is it simply because being ‘Black’ is in fashion? Is it ‘cool’ to be ethnic or mixed? Perhaps… Which in that case implies it is just a passing fad… I can live with that, I guess… All I know is that the majority of the people I have in mind while writing this post have been raised by there WHITE Mother and where abandoned for some reason or another by there Black parent, but yet they cling to there Black roots & sweep there White culture under the carpet, as if having Black in them has been the best thing that’s ever happened to them…

Now I am not implying all Black people abandon there children, I wouldn’t even dream of such a thing. I myself have in fact have been raised by a strong, beautiful Black woman…. However, my Mum always took the time to educate me on both cultures, she made sure I knew I was a beautiful mix of culture, history, colour and life experience. That I understood that just being alive, was testament to the ability people have within them to not just tolerate, but accept and embrace other cultures. That love has no boundary or limitation, it does not discriminate. I am truly blessed, unfortunately most people do not have the luxury of great parenting… I am aware of this… So maybe the blame lies with Parents?

My advice:

People NEED to start realising that doing nothing but focusing on your Black roots does not make you cool, fashionable or educated… It makes you just as ignorant as the Nazi that keeps playing ‘Heil Hitler’ at full volume down the road from me. To become a complete person, to understand who you are and where you have come from, you must actively embrace EVERYTHING about you and your family history. Take time to learn about your Black AND your White side. They are just as important as each other and you can learn just as much from each one. Take time to explore every little grove and crevice in the foundation that makes YOU who you are. Only once you look within and search for the true meaning of being ‘Culturally/Racially Educated’ will you realise, that just being you is what life is about, not trying to look like what you see on MTV and BET… #JustSaying

*Slips Into Blog World Unannounced*

See my face? Do I look at all bothered? See my extremely muscular (More like underfed lol) exterior? I am here for war! I have decided to enter into the scary world of Blogging! Why you ask? Well… I fill my Facebook/Twitter with so many off the wall status updates & comments, I have decided to use BlogSpot as my new dumping ground! Expect EVERYTHING! Stay posted for my Musical updates as well as my opinions on the latest news!