by Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce: I don’t even know where to begin with this mess. I remember when Lady Gaga came out about a year ago, and I really liked her music. After the MTV Video Music Awards when she came out dressed in bizarre outfits and blood all over her body, my liking of her began to dwindle. I feel like she, or anyone else for that matter, shouldn’t have to do all the extra-ness to get people to listen to her music or be interested in her. To talk about her? Maybe…but it’s not necessary! The music alone should speak for itself.

This video presents her biggest debacle to date! I heard a few people mention this video a few days ago but I thought nothing of it. I really thought people made the mistake of calling the video Telephone when they really meant Video Phone – which is Beyonce’s previous single. I finally became intrigued enough to search for the video today, and I was shocked. To even watch the video you have to be 18 or older and have a YouTube account to login. That’s just to watch the video…because it’s that explicit!

After being uploaded for only seven days, there are already more than 20+ MILLION views! And the video is almost ten minutes long! That’s a mini movie – like the kind Michael Jackson used to make back in the day. Yet, this mini movie is straight clownery. Lady Gaga has no self respect and with 10 layers of makeup on, she looks ridiculous. I’m trying to figure out what made Beyonce want to be a part of this song/video!?! I can understand the ‘you be in my video, I’ll be in yours’ deal they probably made, but sometimes you have to put your foot down. Bey just lost some cool points and entered a lower class level in my book by being in this video. My guess is that her hubby, Jay, pushed her to be in this video due to the publicity she would get by being associated with Lady Gaga. Yep – that’s my story and I’m sticking with it!

I could dwell on so many parts of the video that are whack…. the name of the Bey’s truck (Pu**ywagon – what the hell?), Tyrese’s guest appearance (dude – are you really not getting any more movie roles that you have to stoop so slow and be in a LG video?)…I won’t even say anymore. I’ll let you watch this craziness below.

Tonight you need to be at home! Or, I’ll let you slide if you are attending a Haiti fundraiser. Beginning at 8pm EST (7pm CST) MTV’s “Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” will broadcast across a number of networks, including MTV. There will be over 100 celebrities and influencers broadcasting live all over the globe, from LA to NY to London to Haiti, to help raise money for the reconstruction of Haiti.

Performers include Wyclef Jean, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Kid Rock, Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, Justin Timberlake and tons more. I’m super excited because this concert will be one of a kind. Some artists will perform songs that have never been heard before, while we we also see collaborations from artists we never thought we would see on the same stage. The telethon will also feature actors, television hosts, athletes, and singers who will be answering the phones. That will be an epic sight to see.

Make sure you tune in. I’m sure out of ALL these channels the telethon will air on, there is one that you can watch – whether you have cable or not: BC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1, CMT, PBS, TNT, Showtime, Comedy Central, Bravo, E! Entertainment, National Geographic Channel, Oxygen, G4, CENTRIC, Current TV, Fuse, MLB Network, EPIX, Palladia, SoapNet, Style, Discovery Health, Planet Green, CNN en Español, HBO Latino and Canadian networks, including CBC Television, CTV, Global Television and MuchMusic.

View this video of George Clooney, the telethon’s organizer, as he discusses ways the youth can get involved as well his hopes for the fundraiser:

by Jay-Z: First, I must make it known that this video was uploaded on New Year’s Eve and has more than 2.2 million views! That is roughly 730k+ views a week. That’s bananas!

I liked this track off the Blueprint 3 album, but I think Jay has been hanging around Rihanna too long because this video is straight crazy! There have been numerous rumors and videos over the last few months that explain that Jay-Z worships the devil. I’m not one to assume something so immoral but this video sure does make you think twice…

I’M SO IMPRESSED with Alicia Keys’ live YouTube performance. Her look. Her sound. Her band. All fabulous! It was such a great use of technology to bring the performance and the cause to those not physically attending. #AmexAlicia, the designated hashtag on Twitter, became a trending topic during the show and by the end of the show was at number 3. Alicia performed a melody of hits from her first debut album, Songs in A Minor, to her latest album, Element of Freedom, that will release on December 15. To be honest, I’m glad she switched it up. I’m not really feeling the first two singles from her album. I just found out today that Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart was her second single – which means I totally missed the first single! Out of the songs that she performed, which I included below, I’m most excited about Love is Blind. For 6 years to have passed, I, along with the millions of other A Keys fans, am anxiously awaiting the Element of Freedom. December 15 everybody! Don’t forget!

Songs that Alicia performed:
Love is Blind
Karma
You Don’t Know My Name
Doesn’t Mean Anything
Wreckless Love
Diary
Distance and Time
If I Ain’t Got You
Superwoman
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Like You’ll Never See Me Again
Falling
No One
Empire State of Mind – and there was a surprise appearance by Jay-Z

I, along with millions of other Americans, was completely shocked at the passing of DJ Am last Friday, August 28. I had heard his name previously and new he was in the hip dj crowd, but had never exposed myself to his creative interpretation of music. After his passing, I wanted to listen to some of his work and downloaded Fix Your Face Volume 2, a mixtape that he and Travis Barker released. First, I must make note that the mixtape was free but you had to “pay” to get it by sending a tweet. Definitely a savvy social media move! Back to the music – this mixtape has to be the BEST mixtape I have ever heard! NO LIE! Never have I heard a mixtape in which the dj goes from The Beatles to Biggie to Warren G to Metallica to Jay-Z to The Mamas and The Papas to Lil John + more. I’ve been listening to Fix Your Face Vol 2. nonstop for the last few days and every time I feel as though I need to be in a club with some strobe lights – and I don’t even go out! It was only natural that I had to go back and download Fix You Face Vol.1 too!

Another part of my research informed me that DJ AM, Adam Goldstein back then, was a member of the group Crazy Town. Their most popular single was Butterfly and was one of my jams back in the day. It’s super ironic that in the Butterfly video, one of the band members was rockin a D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) T-shirt :/ DJ AM had previously been addicted to crocaine and ecstacy as was currently working on his own drug recovery series for MTV called Gone Too Far. This whole story is so sad, but serves as an example for other people who struggle with drug addictions. I want to celebrate not only DJ AM’s life, but the impact he has and will continue to have on people’s lives.

We can celebrate the music too! The following is a produced video of TRV$DJAM (Travis Barker + DJ AM) from Fix Your Face Volume 1 = absolutely amazing talent!

by Aries Spears: This has to be one of my all time favorite freestyles! I saw this video a few years ago and I continue to watch it randomly when I want a good laugh. Or, I show people this video when I want them to trip off Spears’ ability to impersonate rappers. He sounds JUST LIKE them. If you listen to the words without seeing the video you would believe that the vocals were from LL,  Snoop, DMX, and Jay, but I suggest seeing the video to believe it. The impersonation of Jay’s laugh is remarkable. The DJ is heard saying “Dude, that was awesome!” prior to the video ending. I concur!

by Beyoncé: Traditionally, I was not a Beyoncé fan as she turned Destiny’s Child to Beyoncé and Friends. However, with each solo album that she releases I like her music more and more. My good friend over at hair-sugar sent me the link to this video earlier, and I tell you it broke me down! I heard the track on Bey’s album, I Am…Sasha Fierce, and I liked it, but I believe the video takes the lyrics to a new level! Everytime I watch this video it makes me cry.  The first time I watched it was at work and it had me with tears pouring by 1:37 in! The video reminds of the relationship between my boyfriend and I and is such a great depiction of love, friendship, admiration, and respect. If I wanted to put my two cents in I would suggest the chemistry between Michael Ealy and Bey is amazing. I couldn’t even imagine Jay Z in this video, and I definitely don’t envision him as the sensitive supportive husband type. If you are a female, sensitive in the least bit, and madly in love – I would say you need a tissue before watching She also released the video for Diva, but I felt this track was worthy of a solo post!

by 50 Cent: I have a lot of new ideas for the direction of where I want to take 6inchvinyl in 2009. As time progresses you will see new information daily that spans all aspects of music, from those who make the music behind the scenes to what’s the hottest song from a movie in Japan, while also continuing with the original purpose of the blog – to provide a destination to hear unreleased and/or newly released tracks. I began my work day, like I normally do, with listening to the newest mixtapes. The first mixtape I listened to had an intro of If I Can’t by 50 Cent featuring Jay-Z. Now I wasn’t feeling Jay on the track, but the original is a track on one of my favorite albums, Get Rich or Die Trying, and undeniably 50’s best work. I have not really listened to any of 50 Cent’s latest work as his most recent singles are not comparable to his first singles released and I knew it would be difficult to create another great album such as Get Rich or Die Trying. While this track never gained popularity as a viable single, it is marked in my book as a good riding, pre-club song that is guaranteed to get you hype! Be prepared to turn your dial to increase the volume while bobbing your head.

by Jay-Z: The weather is HORRIBLE outside and I had to practically drive through a flood to arrive at work. I began to think about seasons with better weather and of course Summer was the first that came to mind. Summer thoughts led to Dear Summer - yea I know I have sporadic thoughts – but this is my jam! A couple of summers ago, between this track and Feelin’ It, these tracks were played in heavy rotation. It’s the mix of the old 70s background, Jay’s fire lyrics, and no featured artist that makes this an all time classic. The song was never released on an album and a few mixtapes had it in their line up, truly defining it as an underground masterpiece. These are just a few lines from the opening:

Dear summer, I know you gon’ miss me
For we been together like Nike Airs and crisp tees
S dots with polo fleeces
Purple label shit with the logo secret
Gimme couple years, shit I might just sneak in
A couple words and like Peaches and Herb
We’ll be reunited and it feels so hood
Have the whole world saying “How you still so good?”

Like always, I looked on YouTube for the song so you can listen with visual appeal. For some reason, YouTube only had the instrumentals. I guess Jay had the videos taken down, which is wiggity wiggity whack! As the alternative, I have the track below so you can hear…It’s the best I can do

by Jay-Z ft. Santogold: Pure fire! I heard this and knew I would want to press repeat after the first 10 seconds. A new artist to me, Santogold, is featured on this track. I did not know who this artist was, but after hearing her on this=my new fave track, I had to research her and cop her newly self-titled album. Her sound mixed with Jay is similar to the sound produced by M.I.A. and Jay+others for Swagger Like Us. To add more greatness to the track, my Sample King – also known as Kanye – is the producer. This is reportedly the first single off the Notorious soundtrack that will release January 13. The album should be high quality, as it is in honor of the Notorius B.I.G.’s biographical film that will release January 16. I’m sure Biggie is looking down proud of Jay for reppin their borough with such esteem!