LATEST
Re-Issue: Lisa Stansfield
Each week, FADER Media Style Director Chioma Nnadi will comment on the throwback style and fashion of a Suite903 artist. Today’s Re-Issue: Lisa Stansfield.
Going to an all girl’s school in London, I spent a lot of lunch breaks styling out my hair, patiently gluing kissy curls to the side of my face with the precision of a brain surgeon. Kissy curls are basically a variation on finger waves that you tease out with baby hairs, and the teasing part usually involves a lot of gel or wax (Jam or Dax back in the day). Lisa Stansfield was one of the few white girls I knew that could rock that style with any kind of finesse—she had a haughty Linda Evangelista thing going on, but enough hood in her bones to carry off a slick skull cap style too. In the “Someday I’m Coming Back” video, Stansfield manages to splice her signature silent movie starlet look with a little lesbo chic, and the final ensemble is Catwoman turned badass cat burglar. The rolled up beanie and knee-high boots would look just as fresh today as they did back then.
Video: Kid Cudi f. MGMT & Ratatat, “Pursuit of Happiness”
This is some beautiful ass shit. Again, we must ask: Cudi, why do you even bother rapping? Your voice is amazing over this kind of thing. Also, can we please get the number for these girls’ stylist? Feeling the right angles.
DEDICATION: Young Jeezy and Fela Kuti (What? Yes.)
We knew we loved Jeezy but once we heard him call Fela Kuti “gangster” and say “He might be the African Jizzle” we knew it was meant to be. That’s right, you two are soulmates. Your president is black and so was Fela’s. We’re dedicating this song to you Jeezy because the video makes us laugh and so does your statement. Also one party clearly dominates in this video and well…yea. We tell ya, it gets warm and all the couples come out. Cannot wait for the Roforofo 103 Album. – Judnick Mayard
Video: Tinashe, “Mayday”
This British-via-Zimbabwean singer turns in a lovely meditative Mr. Hudson-y emotional jam that we actually like better than anything Mr. Hudson has done yet. He’s been opening for the Noisettes so hopefully he can get some jams in our face-pieces stateside. (via Soul Culture)
Video: Blu, “Amnesia”
This is just classic, a perfect movie-spliced video for this swank little jawn. According to NahRight this is official and just didn’t get widely distributed. We would probably live in this song if it made our lives look this fresh.
CYRIOUSLY: Brown Sugar For Sale
Word, D’Angelo?
Wow, sometimes you wonder when a “great” thing really is over and done with and after reading some headlines from over the weekend, I have no choice but to accept the fate sites like MediaTakeOut and Bossip have already cemented….D’Angelo’s career being in jeopardy is beyond a likely possibility, it is practically a fact.
Apologies for running and gunning with this post without giving a proper set-up, so let me break it down…
Video: Jagged Edge f. Gucci Mane & Trina, “Tip of My Tongue”
MAAAAAN Jagged Edge is back like they never left: leather vests and hoes by the pool. We have no problem with that because we missed these dudes. We wonder if they all still live together? We can definitely appreciate a video that doesn’t ask the “actresses” to act and we just learned some crazy seductive faces for the summer. Also we will be wearing Trina’s high wasted-garter–like-granny-panties / boy short joints all summer as part of the no pants campaign. Sidebar: we think this may be part of a commercial for Nuvo OR T-Pain directed it. Just call it deductive reasoning. JE got our brains pumping this morning. We got all sorts of wittiness on the tips of our tongues which is better than this weekend when we woke up with lint on our tongue from passing out on the couch. Whatever, it’s not about us! Watch the video. -Judnick Mayard
Dedication: Onika Maraj’s High School Talent Show Oeuvre
From backing vocals on Lloyd’s “Take it Off” to “Knockout,” a pop punk collaboration with Lil’ Wayne, we are no stranger to Nicki Minaj’s crooning capabilities. Since she went to New York City’s Fame-ous LaGuardia High School, talent shows probably played a large part in how she cultivated her awesomeness. Usually, she’s rapping ’til her eyes come out of her face, but she is often satiating her Barbies with up-to-the-minute HB-info on Twitter. But tweets is watching, Miss Minaj, and we saw you post last night about Monica’s “Why I Love You So Much” and you belted it out at every performing opportunity you could. You were already our girl, but we didn’t know you think Monica is just as fetch as we do. We’re gonna dedicate “dat jawn” to you, since you’re totally our Alfred Bitchcok.
NYC: Negroclash Reunites Tonight!
The beloved NYC soul party Negroclash is getting back together tonight at subMercer for a special reunion show featuring resident DJs Duane Harriot, Lindsey and Prince Language. Says Lindsey: “expect to hear jams by artists like Marshall Jefferson, Stevie Wonder, Afrika Bambaataa, Mantronix, Davey D, Cybotron, Derrick May, Farley ‘Jackmaster Funk,’ Carl Craig, A Man Called Gerald, Miles Davis, Cybotron, Kraftwerk, Loose Ends, Bobby O, Warp 9, Zapp, Prince, Jonzun Crew, Man Parrish and the list goes on.” We are not mad and it is free! Go get your dancing shoes on.
Preview: Janelle Monae’s New Album
Last night as we sipped on cocktails at the ArchAndroid emotion experience we thought: Yup, just another album listening where an artist we like will either disappoint or leave us wanting. INCORRECT. From the very minute the first song off of Janelle Monae’s debut album started booming all over the theater, we were subjected to involuntary body spasms. Aptly named Dance or Die, we said to ourselves; “ It’s a Suite903 Friday night in sonic form.” Never mind that there was also a super trippy movie playing on the screen to accompany the music. The entire thing played out like our weekend: banging forever with little rest. Afterwards, when we spoke to the Wondaland dudes, who executive produced the album and double as her band, we used the word “ACIDTRIPPINHOLYBALLS” which they said was a fitting and unique adjective. The album is a beautiful piece of art. Janelle spans influences that most artists need a whole career to delve into. From James Brown to Jimi Hendrix to Afrobeat to stuff that we couldn’t even decipher, this album is one thing for certain—a complete digression from the EP. Janelle is an artist who obviously loves to make music, not just sing. THIS LADY LOVES TO JAM. There is no ego in her creation. She sometimes sacrifices her own voice just to blend into the music so that the song is not ruined. How refreshing in a time when most artists sacrifice the quality just so they can yell over the melodies. The two singles out now are amazing but they do no justice to the sound of the album and we only heard half of it. Miss Janelle, you’ve managed to surprise us and exceed our expectations and these days that is quite hard to do. Also hard to do: have a whole room of New York industry people dancing in the aisles at an album listening. It was like Sunday service for the Gospel according to Monae. You’ve made a believer out of us. Album drops May 18th. -Judnick Mayard
