SEXYBLACK FIRST LISTEN: Tamar Braxton, Jaheim, Miguel, Mariah Carey, Luke James, Bridget Kelly

Tamar Braxton -- The One (Hot) [SEXYBLACK PICK]

Jaheim -- Age Ain't A Factor

Mariah Carey & Miguel -- Beautiful

Luke James -- I.O.U. (Remix) w/ Bridget Kelly

Early Christmas Gift from Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, and Mariah Carey

This is why I love music.

SEXYBLACK FIRST LISTEN: Anita Baker, Meelah, Robin Thicke, Vivian Green, Mariah Carey, Rick Ross, Meek Mill

Anita Baker -- Lately (Cover)

Meelah -- I Should Let You Go (Hot)

Robin Thicke -- Another Life (Hot!!) [SEXYBLACK PICK]

Vivian Green -- Anything Out There

Mariah Carey -- Triumphant (Get 'Em) w/ Meek Mill & Rick Ross (HOT!!!!)

Mariah Carey & John Legend "When Christmas Comes" Music Video

SEXYBLACK'S RANDOM ACTS PLAYLIST BREAKDOWN

It's time once again to shake things up again.  So check the SEXYBEAR above for the new RANDOM ACTS.

• How You Did It by Jojo -- This is a hot new leaked track from one of the most prolific underrated vocalists in the game, Jojo Levesque.  That's right, I said it.  This girl IS the future.  Timbaland features her TWICE on his latest CD.  And here's a head's up:  The ISH that she did with NASRI, are crazy-ree-tar-ted (in a good way!).  Keep on the look out for ANYTHING from Jojo.  It's serious.
• The Roof by Mariah Carey -- Mariah got real gully with this sick Mobb Deep sample back in the day, making this joint a classic that you can lay back to.
• All At Once by Whitney Houston -- It's time we all came to terms with the fact that Whitney will never sound like this again.  It may be the worst thing that Crack ever did to the world.  Good thing we have one of my favorite tracks off her self-titled debut album to remind us what should've been.
• Set It Off by Ne-Yo -- One of the better leaks that Ne-Yo has released recently.  There's like five per week from him, so I'm not gonna say much more about this one.  Who knows who's album it may show up on.
• I Can Change Your Life by Lloyd & R.L. -- This was originally a solo track written by R.L.  He decided to share the wealth and brought Lloyd in.  Lloyd's falsetto really elevates this already AMAZING track.  This track bangs, and you won't be able to get the hook out of your head.  I.  Love.  This.  Track.
• Rock Your Body by Justin Timberlake -- If Ralph Tresvant's Sensitivity was my high school anthem, this song was probably my University (final year) anthem.  This was MY JAM!  Still is.  Seriously, if this song comes on in a retail store, I'm bustin' out the steps.  This song is infectious, and you can't help but think of the sick video that Justin made to it.  The year Justified came out, there were only two important albums for the next two years, Justified and 8701.  Still, both incredibly amazing and important albums.
• Zone by Drake -- Now, I don't know if this SUPERSICK track is gonna be on the most anticipated album in years, Thank Me Later, by Drake, but it SHOULD be.  The production on this leak sounds like Kanye, and his flow is from Hip Hop Heaven.  I dare you not to like this track.  If you haven't heard it yet, be warned it is NSFW.  Oh, and thank me later for this exclusive.
• 1-4-All-4-1 by East Coast Family -- Boyz II Men, ABC, BBD.  Classic.  IF you know this joint, you already know what it means.  Nuff said.
• The River by Noel Gourdin -- I really, really, really wanted this guy to NOT be a one-hit wonder, because the writing and presentation of this song was so well done.  Unfortunately, it was the only song on the album that showed such creativity and effort.  In this unforgiving industry, you rarely get a second shot.  Does he deserve one?  Everytime I listen to this track, I think maybe.  This track RAN American radio for a good 9 months straight.  Storytelling through song can work if done the right way.
• Superman by Monica -- Americans love themselves some Monica.  Her latest album has her mounting her biggest comeback, and with the success of her reality television show and her alliances with Keyshia Cole, Keri Hilson and others, she has the biggest support in years.  Unfortunately, the album is just blah.  There are shining moments.  Here is one of them.

With this context, I hope you will enjoy SEXYBLACK'S RANDOM ACTS even more.  The SEXYBEAR doesn't have a volume control, but it does have a pause button that's easy to spot.  Feel free to leave me a comment sharing some of your personal memories or feelings about these tracks, old and new, and maybe get a request in there. If it's hot, and I got it, it may appear.

- SEXYBLACK

Mariah's Shot at Angelic Redemption

Not six months after the release of her worst album ever, Mariah is set to return with something designed to make us forget about it. Normally, you wouldn't see much on this blog about Mariah as with every album, she gets more and more gimmicky and has, at this point, completely lost touch with her roots and what got her to where she is.

With one of two new singles, "Angels Cry", Mariah Carey revisits some of the heart-felt skill and use of melody that she used to be known for... but let it be known, that she needed help. "Angels Cry" features on vocals, it's writer, Ne-Yo. This crafty penmanship has become what Ne-Yo is known for, and he's used it many times to save a number of artists careers, and now it's Mariah's turn... I actually love this song. It's a few notches down from perfect, and it's reminiscent of a time when we all loved Mariah.

Mariah Carey - Angels Cry

Okay so the video is not that great (Nick Cannon, you are getting better, keep trying), but that's not what the post was highlighting.

This song is featured on Mariah's Remix album called Angels Advocate, due on March 30, 2010.

Some recent Mariah facts:

Negative -- Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel, her recent release, is officially her worst selling album to date, and many are saying that the speedy outing of two videos, one featuring Ne-Yo, the other featuring Nikki Minaj are desperate attempts by her camp to keep her relevant.

Positive (yet questionable) -- Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" was recently named the last decade's most popular song, according to HitsDailyDouble.com. The song, whose popularity was calculated by record sales, airplay and online streaming, was the second single of Carey's comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi.

BET.com's 10 BEST Songs of the Decade

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  Beyonce -- Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) -- Now, no doubt this was a HUGE song, but a song of the decade... maybe, JUST maybe.  It was one of the most different songs of the last 12 months, that is for sure, and it did take a lot of chances, but there were a lot of tracks like that over the last 10 years.
  
  
  
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  Kanye West -- Jesus Walks -- I agree with this one.  In no other contemporary Hip Hop track was spirituality so prominently discussed -- the good and the bad of it.  This song made us think about the world we live in and was even bold enough to have some poignant commentary on the music industry that (eventually) brought it to us.  This was an important track.
  
  
  
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  Rihanna -- Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z) -- One of the catchiest, if not THE catchiest song of the decade.  Sometimes it's all about the hooks and the presentation and this song took radio, tv, and the internet by storm.  It is unapologetic, the beat is strong, and it is unforgettable.  It is the song that made Rihanna an international superstar.