VIDEO: THE-DREAM - SLOW IT DOWN

Enough with them muthafuckin' dance songs, you gotta slow it down. 

VIDEO: THE-DREAM FT PUSHA T - DOPE BITCH

Terius continues to get it right. Video is tight as fuck.

THE-DREAM MADE $15,000,000 FROM "UMBRELLA"

The song that put him on the map, got him his deal with Def Jam and kick-started the 5 year run he and Tricky Stewart have been on since also made him $15,000,000.

Rihanna's "Umbrella" was #1 in just about every country during 2007 and was her biggest hit up until last week when the Calvin Harris assisted "We Found Love" surpassed it. I wonder how much Calvin will make then?!

VIDEO: THE-DREAM - LONG GONE

Featuring Sophia Marie

VIDEO: THE-DREAM WITH ROC4LIFE.COM

The-Dream sits down with Roc4Life.com to talk songwriting and some other shit.

VIDEO: THE-DREAM FEAT T.I. - MAKE UP BAG

Its a cool song I guess. Possibly The-Dreams least awkward video to date.

VIDEO: THE-DREAM - LOVE KING

Upon first listen to "Love King" I was a bit disappointed that dude had stuck to the same formula once again, but every time I listen I find myself warming to the song.

Its not exactly the record you'd expect after a guy gets married to one of the hottest r&b singers and has a child with her, but whatever...

VIDEO: SHAWTY LO - A TOWN FT THE-DREAM, LUDACRIS, GUCCI MANE

FREE GUCCI!!! haha

AFFINITY'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2009

After much deliberation within a series of approximately 57 emails, we present the AffinityBlog's Top 10 Albums of 2009 list.

Compiled and commentated by Weez, Bizjuan and Myself:

#1. The-Dream - Love vs Money (Radio Killa/Def Jam/Universal)

Key songwriters: The-Dream

Key Producers: Tricky Stewart & LOS Da Mystro

Fuego: While not as immediately engaging as his debut, Love/Hate, the diversity in sound is wider and vocal delivery stronger. An easy album of the year choice for me.

Weez: Compelling, polarising and overlooked on so many levels. With most commercial R&B opting to sadly stay within the parameters, leave it to the best writer in the business to pen and perform the most exciting and best all round work of 2009 with a stunningly diverse set of intertwined, sonically futuristic, oddly structured songs. Aside from, (very) arguably 1998 Timbaland, never before has R&B music been pushed this far into future. The one-two-three punch of Love vs Money Part 1 & 2 into Fancy is up there with my best 20 minutes of 2009.

Biz: The guy is a visionary, and for mine peerless within the genre. A genius. The seamless progression from “Fancy’ to ‘Right side of my brain’ in the latter half of the record is one of my favourite musical moments this year. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

#2. Royksopp - Junior (Wall Of Sound/Astralwerks)
Key Songwriters: Robyn, Lykke Li, Anneli Drecker, Karin Andersson

Key Producers: Royksopp

Fuego: I had never listened to an entire Royksopp album before Junior and the only way to describe this album is genre-defying. The production is incredible from A-Z

Weez: Stunning. Diverse as it is layered, Junior is probably one of the most beautifully crafted albums I have ever heard. There’s just no point in writing anymore about it.

Biz: Unfamiliar w/ Royksopp before this album, this easily makes my top 3 this year. If this is the future of music I’m on board. This music is evocative, visual, the collabs are smart, it’s just wonderful. The crunchy synths of ‘Vision One’ are too much.


#3. Miike Snow - Miike Snow (Downtown)

Key Songwriters: Andrew Wyatt

Key Producers: Bloody & Avant

Fuego: With Bloodyshy & Avant being some of my favourite producers, I think I was always going to love this album. Its the perfect summer album while being the perfect winter album.

Weez: You know those albums that you finally sit down and listen to properly, only to realise that you pretty much know every song on there vaguely because it just happened to be played everywhere you went for the weeks prior? Yeah this is one of those. Only when that happened to me, I realised that there was at least three weeks of my life that I wasn’t listening to Miike Snow all the time when I could have been listening to Miike Snow all the time and I just fucking lost it aye.

Biz: Where have these guys been all my life? I’m embarassing people I like with my endless rantings about how great this all is. O god, I think I’m dying, and our drinks were just poured. Look outside, someone’s waiting, with a yellow horse.


#4. Ryan Leslie - Transition (NextSelection/Universal Motown)

Entirely written & produced by Ryan Leslie

Fuego: R-Les releases two albums in a year yet still manages to create something fresh, simplistic and truly special with Transition.

Weez: Playing to his clear strengths of simplicity and R&B music tradition, Transition finally found Ryan Leslie reaching his major potential - focused and streamlined for an entire album, with every moment of the 11 tracks sounding like they are meant to be there. For me, it reminded me of the best parts of 2002-2004 Raphael Saadiq, with the instant likability, the lust charged lyrics and the classic melodies. Had he not half-rapped a lot of the verses on this album, it would have ranked higher for me but a slight complaint of an incredible release.

Biz: How talented can one man be? I’ll be personally affronted if R-Les doesn’t do big things. A wonderful demonstration of the fact that tracks need not be overwhelmingly complex to be flat out compelling. ‘Something that I like’ one of my tracks of the year.


5. Drake - So Far Gone (Mixtape & EP - Retail Version) (Cash Money Records/Universal Motown)

Key Songwriters: Aubrey 'Drake' Graham

Key Producers: Noah "40" Shebib, Boi-1da, DJ Khalil, Needlz

Fuego: I can honestly say I hadn't listened to a rap mixtape in its entirety for a year or two until this came along. Game changing... So much so that we've pitted it against our favorite 'albums' of the year.

Weez: Blending relatable, smart raps and light R&B melodies with eerie soundscapes, this was both a classic record and a lesson in late 00’s artist promotion.. Moody and honest yet instantly likable, Drake provided a calmer alternative to mentor Lil Wayne and remarkably without losing any rap credibility, superbly bridged the gap between the hood and the hipsters, both musically and publicly. And if anyone says, “But it’s a mixtape, not an album”, hit me up the next time a free internet mixtape spawns a number one single, earns a Grammy nomination and catapults the artist to the forefront of their genre in 10 months. Now for the album....

Biz: Shocked at how pervasive I found this record on first listen; ethereal, pleasantly reminded me of beloved elements of ATLiens. Ultimately listened more to the Chopped & Screwed version by DJ Mr. Rogers.


#6. Temper Trap - Conditions (Infectious Records/Glassnote/Liberation)

Key Songwriters: Temper Trap

Key Producers: John Abbiss

Fuego: It has been incredible watching these guys go from virtually unknown to critically acclaimed worldwide. Dougie's vocal performance is captivating from start to finish.

Weez: The best and the worst thing about Australian music in 2009. Whilst the album was the ghostly, euphoric and rhythmic masterpiece that it is, the Australian media and radio ignored the band and it’s amazing success in the UK and US for the majority of the year and forced the band to re-locate. It took a beautiful performance of "Sweet Disposition" to be the only mind blowing moment of a mind numbing ARIA’s for everyone to sit-up and take serious notice. Shame on us.

Biz: Besotted by this record, which continues to reveal new depths to me with each listen. And there have been some listens. Subtle, shifting, wonderful to play thru in its entirity. Can’t help but rock back onto my heels to the epic ‘Soldier On’.


#7. Rick Ross - Deeper Than Rap (Maybach Music Group/Def Jam/Universal)

Key Songwriters: Rick Ross, Kevin Cossom, The-Dream.

Key Producers: JUSTICE League, The Inkredibles, The Runners

Fuego: No rap artist has put together an album as cohesive and well rounded as this in a long time - I'd say since Lil Wayne's, Carter II.

Weez: Ricky Fucking Rawse. The Bawse. Shakes off potentially career ending allegations of a law enforcement past through extreme denial and then goes and makes the album of his career – in fact the best actual rap album of 2009 and a potential long term classic in terms of listenability. Plus, I haven’t enjoyed drunkenly belting out a chorus like "Yacht Club" since like, "Ridin’ Dirty" or something

Biz: Ex-Corrections offer? I couldn’t give a fuck. Too much fun to listen to. I would always ask Rick Ross to dine at my table. We could eat a whole meal of food too.


#8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus (V2 Records)

Key Songwriters: Phoenix

Key Producers: Phillipe Zdar

Fuego: You wouldn't believe how many times I read indie-hipster bloggers who are 'supposed' long time fans of Phoenix, whinging about people 'jumping on the Phoenix bandwagon'. Fags, Phoenix put together a great album and in turn, gained new fans. Its a beautiful thing. Stop complaining and embrace it you douche bags.

Weez: Ahh Wolfgang Amadeus. The album that had blogs whoring, fans bickering and hipsters felating, and everyone else just listening and enjoying the shit out of a truly great album. Go them. (PS – I really thought ‘felating’ was a word, but I am mistaken according to Outlook spellcheck)

Biz: So familiar on first listen, in a good way. Lisztomania is like my sheepskin moccasins, mate.


#9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Warp)

Key Songwriters: Daniel Rossen, Ed Droste

Key Producers: Chris Taylor
Fuego: This is the only album in our Top 10 that I personally haven't spent enough time with to comment on. I'll let Biz explain why it deserved this position.

Weez: I’m gonna be honest here. I haven’t listened to this album yet and I’m really not in the mood for it now as I write this. Truth be told, I am still listening to Junior. But I tell you something, this list was a group effort and if Biz says it’s his favourite album of the year, I’m not going to argue. Carry on.

Biz: (Update: A few people have questioned why we included this if two of us are unfamiliar with the album - The list was a collaborative effort and we asked Biz to be a part of the process as we value his judgment and opinion as much as our own. In light of this, he has decided to expand on his commentary in a way that only Biz could! Brilliant.)

Unequivocally my record of the year. The musicianship on display here is relentless, the harmonies exquisite. Having after the fact become aware of the many 'critical' plaudits that the album has garnered, I feel fortunate that I was not aware of the same when first was listening. For mine impossible to place within a genre, and all the better for so being. Akin to the musical manifestation of attempts to derive meaning from events where there is no possibility of the same, evident in all of melody, composition, instrumentation and lyrics. Continues to conjure up delirious images of Ang Lee's film version of the book 'The Ice Storm'. I found this record to be truly transcendent, and a most welcome companion.


#10. Courtney John - Made In Jamaica (Jamaica Records / FiWi Music)

Key Songwriters: Courtney John

Key Producers: Chris "Peckings & "Dub Duke" Price, Sly & Robbie.

Fuego: It’s been a long time since I've heard a Reggae artist with such an incredible voice. Courtney John's falsetto is amazing. This has been a perfect album to kick start my summer.
Weez: The antithesis of the dancehall explosion of 2009 (Mavado, Vybz Kartel, Major Lazer), Jamaica’s Courtney John delivered a beautiful, bare bones reggae record with his slight voice, sweet lyrics and rich R&B like melodies. I haven’t been able to stop telling people about it, I’m like Henry Hill.

Biz: I’m glad we could get this record into the top 10. This is summertime embodied, it’s moreish, memorable, and surprisingly diverse as you move into its latter stages also.

And for the albums we really enjoyed but couldn't justify giving a position amongst the above 10:

The Clipse - Til The Casket Drops
Mario - D.N.A.
R Kelly - Untitled
Chrisette Michele - Epiphany
Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon: End Of The Day
Daniel Merriweather - Love & War
Lady Gaga - Fame Monster
X & Hell - Million Dollar Sex Party (Shameless!!!)
Passion Pit - Manners
Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend
Trey Songz - Ready
Melanie Fiona - The Bridge

Feel free to praise or hate on our choices. We definitely don't claim to be critics or anything of the kind, simply just fans of music.

RISING ICONS: THE-DREAM

In between songs The-Dream talks about everything from how he got started in music to his creative process and so on.

"Making a hit song is like making a hit conversation"

As ridiculous as that sounds, I can totally dig it. I definitely believe you have to be a good conversationalist to be a good songwriter.

Oh also since Dream mentions B2K's "Everything" as his first placement as a songwriter, I've uploaded it for you to refresh your memory. His background vocals are all over it.

B2k - Everything

LOS DA MYSTRO VS PRINCE

This isn't directly related to what I've posted below, but you should watch it to see how amazing dude is as a jazz pianist.

Los Da Mystro posted this on his Twitter last night:

Listening to Prince " the Beautiful One" This song has Infleunced my style prolly more than any other song! Prince is da Truth!

I always thought The-Dream's "Fast Car" was directly influenced by Prince's "When Doves Cry" but "The Beautiful Ones" is really LOS' style to a t. Just 20 years beforehand. Haha.



Prince - The Beautiful Ones



The-Dream - Shawty Is The Shit

SNOOP DOGG FT THE DREAM - GANGSTA LUV (VIDEO)

Yeah this is my jam. Perfect summer jam even if it does sound somewhat reminiscent of J Wess & Digga's "Bang This" which sounded somewhat reminiscent of everything on Dr Dre's 2001. Haha. No shots!

RIHANNA - RUSSIAN ROULETTE

Yep, so we waited for Ri-Ri's new single to make its debut and its here. What you think?

Rihanna - Russian Roulette (Courtesy 2DopeBoyz)

Written by Ne-Yo and produced by UK Dubstep/DnB duo Chase & Status. I'm hearing it is in fact produced by Ne-Yo's right hand man Chuck Harmony.

If that link doesn't work for you, go listen here

PAPPIN FRIDAY XVII (LATE)

Jewell Santini

I think two music posts per week is becoming somewhat ambitious, but I'll try my best to keep it pappin.

Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Heads Will Roll (Cutlass Supreme Remix)

Proxy - Who Are You? (Bloody Beetroots Voices Remix)
via RCRDLBL

Calvin Harris - Flashback (Eric Prydz Remix)

Jo Jo - Impossible To Love (Prod by Oak)

Shakira Ft Lil Wayne - Give It Up To Me (Prod by Timbaland)

Brandy - I Don't Really Care

Brutha - Right Here (Prod by Stereotypes)

Act Yo Age - Night Of The Hornheadz (DCUP Remix)

Fabian - Heatwave (Russ Chimes' Funkwave Remix)
via BigStereo

Christina Milian Ft The-Dream - Supersonic (Prod by L.O.S.)

TRICKY STEWART ON FORTHCOMING RIHANNA ALBUM

Tricky & Dream

via Rap-Up.com

How do you top a monster hit like “Umbrella”? For Tricky Stewart, the answer is easy. You don’t. The hitmaker behind 2007’s chart-topper speaks exclusively with Rap-Up.com about producing the biggest album of Rihanna’s career.

There are reports that Rihanna’s fourth album will drop before the end of the year. Is that true?
I do believe it is. We’re actually just getting started. I just wrote some records that I’m in love with this past week. Rihanna and I will be getting in the studio sometime in the next two weeks, so we actually have not recorded anything for her new album yet.

Do you set out with the intention to top a hit like “Umbrella”?
I just try to chase greatness and I try to do what at the time is going to be something that is looked at as truly great. You can’t say what record is gonna be a bigger hit than whatever because the hit is always about the connection of how the people feel about what you’ve done. You can never get a gauge on that until the record is actually out. You can make records with your instincts to try to top what you did as far as the greatness that you put into the last record.

Are you going to keep the sound similar to her last album, Good Girl Gone Bad, or try something completely different?
Man, you know we can’t do that. We come out with something that sounds like “Umbrella,” they’re gonna be saying that we tried to do something that sounded like “Umbrella.” That’s not what the great artists do. They don’t even allow you to do stuff like that. Every great artist always wants to hear something they’ve never heard before.

What’s it like working with Rihanna?
She’s just a pleasure. She’s a very sweet, down-to-earth person. You would never know how successful she is ’cause she’s just so nice and warm. I guess maybe it’s her background of being from the islands. She’s just a really sweet, warm person to be around.

How did “Umbrella” change your life?
“Umbrella” changed my life because it was the first hit record that made people want to know who I was. I’ve had hit records before with [Mya's] “Case of the Ex” and JT Money’s “Who Dat” and records here and there, but this was the first record that people go, “I wanna know what that guy is. I wanna know who those guys are.” That was the biggest thing. At that point when that light came on, [The-Dream and I] had been down in Atlanta just getting ready for that moment, so we were really prepared for the ride.

---

I know for a fact, The Y's (James Fauntleroy, Justin Timberlake & Rob Knox) have cut multiple records for the album, other than that everyone in the industry seems to be on it, or working on it.

PAPPIN FRIDAY X (LATE)

Yasmine Chanel

I love everything about the new Fred Falke tune. It almost deserves its own post. So great.

Like me, you probably have no idea who Glasnost are, but this song of theirs is quite brilliant.

Download all tracks:
Pappin Friday - X - AffinityMusicGroup.com

Fever Ray - Seven (Crookers Remix)
via DISCODUST

Ian Carey - Shot Caller (Original Mix)

Fred Falke - Back To Stay (Original Mix)

Super Mal & Phonat - Pixelated (Super Mal Vocal Re-Edit)
via DISCODUST

Glasnost - No Survivor
via PMA

Courtney John - Lucky Man
via CONCRETELOOP

Rafale - Drive (Grum Remix)

Shawty Lo Ft Ludacris, The-Dream & Gucci Mane - Atlanta GA

Birdman Ft Lil Wayne & Drake - Money To Blow

Lloyd - Pusha (Prod by The Runners)

Lets Go To War - Burn Down The Disco
via RCRDLBL

Nas - Made You Look (Laidback Luke Bootleg)

JAMIE FOXX FT DRAKE, THE-DREAM & KANYE - DIGITAL GIRL (VIDEO)

This video is fresh as a muthafucka. The way Tricky changed the beat for Kanye's section is genius. I don't get why people are talking shit about this. Its all on-point to me...

TUESDAY TRAXXX X

Natasha Yi

Download All Tracks
Tuesday Traxxx - X - AffinityMusicGroup.com

The-Dream - Zodiac

Beyonce - Slow Love

Calvin Harris - Stars Come Out
via PMA

Simian Mobile Disco - 1000 Horses Can't Be Wrong
via PMA

Simian Mobile Disco - Sythesize
via PMA

Usher - Be (Prod By Ryan Leslie)

Atozzio - Any Day

Chris Brown - Don't Know What It Is

PAPPIN FRIDAY VII

Jessica Burciaga & Suelyn

Volume 7!

What a muthafucka of a week it has been. If you follow me on Twitter you have probably seen my subliminal outbursts of anger and contempt. Its time like the past 5 days that make me hate being involved in the music business, but then all it takes is one good call presenting a great opportunity and the hate is turned back into a cynical kind of love.

Ahh the life of a music producer...

Download the pack: Pappin Friday VII - AffinityMusicGroup.com

Lil Wayne - Million Dolla Baby (Prod by Just Blaze)

Passion Pit Ft Ellie Goulding - Sleepyhead (Starsmith Remix)
via Discodust

Division Kent - Salty (Justin Faust Remix)
via Discodust

Steed Lord - Dirty Mutha (Crookers Remix)
via RCRDLBL

Atozzio - Non Stop

Little Boots - Remedy (Buffetlibre Vs Sidechains Remix)
via PMA

Michael Bolton - Just One Love (Prod By Darkchild)

Aion Clarke - U Chose Me (Prod By B. Cox)

Tiest Ft Sneaky Sound System - I Will Be Here (Benny Benassi Remix)

The Clipse Ft Keri Hilson & Pharrell - Eyes On Me (FINAL)

Lil Kim Ft The Dream, T-Pain, Charlie Wilson & T-Pain - Download Remix
(Computer Love flip!!! and then Soulja Boy ruins it, literally)

TUESDAY TRAXXX VII

Tiara

I got a DCMA takedown for my last Tuesday Traxxx. So I'm extending a big FUCK YOU to Blogger for that shit.

After a discussion with Weez and Memphis, I've decided I'll be providing a zip file of all the songs I upload on Tuesday Traxxx and Pappin Friday for those of you who don't have the time to download each song individually. Yeow!

Download all songs:
Tuesday Traxxx VII - AffinityMusicGroup.com

Miike Snow - Animal (Peter, John & Bjorn Remix)
via RCRDLBL

Crookers - Gypsy P

Fat Joe Ft Pleasure P - Aloha

Ne-Yo - All Over

Bloody Beetroots Ft Cool Kids - Awesome
via PMA

Frankmusik Ft Tinchy Stryder - Wrong Time, Wrong Place
via RCRDLBL

Sean Kingston - Face Drop

Blue Pearl - Naked In The Rain (Sidechains Remix)
via Discodust

Tommy Sparks - Miracle (GRUM Remix)

The-Dream - They Don't Know Me

Robin Thicke - Dirty It Up

Stacy Barthe - The Tape (EP)
via Surf Club