Aiight... sohh, I'm not sure whether it was Tyrese or Black Ty that called me this past Friday, but I talked on the phone with one of them kats about the new cd Alter Ego.
"I wasn't looking to the fans to back me on this. But a lot of them did. I was looking to win over one of the biggest challenges... which to me are my peers. The people in the industry. All across the board I won every time. All I did was press play. You don't get it when I talk about it, you've got to hear it," Tyrese told me.

So I'm gonna take the challenge and really listen to Alter Ego. Not just the one or two times I played it to get familiar with what it was all about. I've got it on the mp3 player.We'll see what happens. Thus far I think this is first single is just okay for a voice as dope as his.Imma post the rest of the interview this week as more of you listen to the new album. As for Black Ty, if you are still unfamiliar, check out the multi part video series he has on YouTube. Here is part one.

lso check out these tracks. I kinda like that Bobby V, although the vocal arrangement on the background is weak. Too simplified for that track, almost amatuerish... but I like it overall. Good music for the treadmill.
-"Let's Go" - Bobby Valentino
-"Upgrade U" Instrumental - Swizz Beatz
-"Kings and Queens" - Mary J. Blige & John Legend

And what do y'all think of J. Holiday?

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Monday - November 20, 2006 by Kevin R. Scott
Ne-Yo

R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo is teaming with Omarion, Pretty Ricky and rapper Yung Joc on the Scream 5 Tour, kicking off on November 22 at Miami's American Airlines Arena.

Ne-Yo, who is known to be pretty mellow on stage, promises more dancing and a more entertaining stage show since being inspired by Chris Brown while on the Up Close and Personal Tour.

"Being on this tour with Chris showed me that comparison's are going to be made regardless to what you do anyway and that you should not limit yourself just because you're trying to avoid comparisons," Ne-Yo told SOHH Soulful exclusively, of trying to avoid comparisons to Usher.

"Chris' show is electric from start to finish... I have been holding back from the whole dancing thing trying to prove a point and I lost my own damn point. The point of this whole thing is entertainment. It's all about entertainment. It's all about giving everything you've got when you get out on that stage. That's what Chris does. He inspired me to go back into myself and just realize that I was basically cheating people by not giving everything that I got" Ne-Yo told SOHH.

Ne-Yo who penned Beyonce's third single "Irreplaceable" from her sophomore cd B'Day and recently co executive produced the Save the Last Dance 2 soundtrack has also begun working on new material for his own second solo set which is expected in Spring 2007.

Scream 5 Tour Dates:

Nov. 22: Miami (American Airlines Arena)

Nov. 24: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)

Nov. 25: Birmingham, Ala. (Jefferson Arena)

Nov. 26: Atlanta (Philips Arena)

Dec. 1: Memphis, Tenn. (FedEx Forum)

Dec. 2: St. Louis (Scottrade Center)

Dec. 3: Kansas City, Mo. (Kemper Arena)

Dec. 8: Oakland, Calif. (Oakland Arena)

Dec. 10: Inglewood, Calif. (The Forum)

Dec. 21: Hampton, Va. (Hampton Coliseum)

Dec. 22: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)

Dec. 23: New York (Madison Square Garden)

Dec. 26: Detroit (Joe Louis Arena)

Dec. 28: Rosemont, Ill. (Allstate Arena)

Dec. 29: Cleveland (Wolstein Center at CSU)

Dec. 30: Baltimore (1st Mariner Arena)

Dec. 31: Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)

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I've been seeing John Legend pop up all over the place. Just yesterday he performed "Heaven" on "Ellen," when it hit me.

This guy is sohh choreographed. He grabs the mic at the same point each time in the song, he looks to the audience at the same time. It kind of reminds me of when you go to a Janet Jackson concert and when it's time to perform her 'ballad,' "Again" from the Janet CD and she cries during the same point of the song each time. I saw that tour about three times and it never failed. Same with John.

We've mentioned before how he is consistent to a fault. The album is good ... damn good. It's bonafide to be exact but can someone give this nigga an extasy pill or a double shot of Henny before he hits the stage?

He was even tight with Ellen. Maybe he couldn't loosen up during the interview because she is gay. And he is not quite gay, but just kinda geigh.

Oooh pictures from the World Music Awards....

SOHH Chris Brown performed "Thriller" and not Michael. Great, but bummer. For more pics head over to Juicy News.

Check out this video shot from the crowd, Chris sounds great vocally.

Shout out to Dig for video. The funny thing is, you'll sit and watch it all the way through because "Thriller" is just that song. All these years later it still gets you amp'd. Don't front! This must have been Chris Brown's dream.

But while you were wondering where Kanye is and if he is still peeved at John for not taking his advice by making "Heaven" the first release we were staring at this:

nd compiling our
SOHH Soulful Top 5 Songs of the Moment

5. Levert - "Cassanova"
This was the first time I ever heard the name Levert. My mom use to run this track. R.I.P. Gerald!

(shoulder pads and all)

4. Fantasia - "Hood Boy"
I saw Fantasia last night. I've witnessed the hysteria. I'm a fan now.

3. Shareefa - "Butterfly"

2. John Legend - "Again"
Track #8 on the cd. GRAMMY, GRAMMY, GRAMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Jay & Bey - "Hollywood"

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Janet Jackson, who according to



(no she's not pregnant)

In this staged interview the Jackson royal answers questions like, How good is Jermaine Dupri in bed on a scale of 1 to 10? Has she ever faked an orgasm? and What is the strangest place she has had sex?
Watch all eight parts on YouTube.com


Beyonce, Jamie Fox, Eddie Murphy and show stopper Jennifer Hudson will be on "Oprah" today for the first big American interview for "Dreamgirls." Watch the official "One Night Only" promotional video here.

Check it out and see if the movie is worth $25 a ticket.

Last week we mentioned that Omarion would release a video for "Ice Box". It world premiered on BET this past Friday. The video features Timbaland and Solange as the love interest.

oes that video smell anything like this:

Dark theme, Timbaland in the car, slower tempo.... maybe not.

Solange is rumored to be in the studio with Bilal working on her sophomore cd. We'll have to verify that later on.

Omarion co-headlines the Scream 5 Tour with NeYo, Pretty Ricky and Yung Joc.

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Saturday - November 18, 2006 by Alexis Chase
Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons and tsunami survivor/model Petra Nemcova are planning a trip to Botswana and South Africa later this month in order to get in some first hand research about the African diamond trade.

Simmons, who works with popular jeweler DeBeers on his own line of jewelry, has high hopes that the trade can be redirected in order to better benefit the people of Africa.

"I'm making a lot of money by selling diamonds," Simmons told the New York Daily News. "I want to give my money back to the people in Africa. We're starting the Diamond Empowerment Fund to teach Africans how to cut and polish diamonds on the continent, instead of taking the diamonds out. We want more of the black Africans to become executives. The diamond industry should be the leader of African empowerment."

The pair have already made plans to tour diamond mines and factories in both countries, but many inside the diamond industry believe top jewelers will be reluctant to allow Africans to take over cutting their gems. Most companies currently rely on experts in Belgium and Israel to do that job.

The diamond industry has faced ongoing scrutiny over the sale of "conflict diamonds," thanks in part to songs like Kanye West's "Diamonds for Sierra Leone" and the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio film Blood Diamond, both which have cast light on how diamonds were used to finance civil war in African countries during the 1990s.

While Simmons has said the industry has gotten much better about avoiding conflict diamonds, he said, "The business can always get better."

In the meantime, Simmons is working toward reaching a point where buying diamonds can be looked at as a more humanitarian act, adding that his hope is to reach a point when "Americans will know that, when they buy a diamond, it doesn't make you an asshole with money, it can make you a person who's empowering Africans."

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Before deciding to write my report on Young Jeezy’s dismal album release concert that took place last night in Downtown Atlanta, I truly wrestled with my journalistic integrity and my inability to fake the funk. Sometimes journalists will try to put a positive spin on a story to shed an artist of any possible embarrassing moments and or instances no matter what their own personal experience were. This practice is often used to keep them in the artist’s good graces. Though I aspire to keep my opinions neutral, I often fail as I feel that it is my duty to keep it real as I can with each and every one of you. With that being said I have to tell you that to call Young Jeezy’s promotional concert a disappointment would be a major understatement.

The famed Tabernacle, on Luckie and Spring street, was where Jeezy’s held his highly publicized “secret location” concert. But, the overwhelming absence of celebrities and fans left many to believe that maybe it was a little too secret. Though the presentation at the venue was eye appealing with various unbelievably luxury automobiles posted in front as you entered the building. The un-professionalism and lateness of Jeezy and his camp ruined any amazing moment that felt.

The event, which was supposed to start sharply at 7PM blew the deadline leaving all media personnel standing around idly wiping camera lenses, networking with other media outlets and shivering to remain somewhat comfortable as warma bright day turned into a cold dark night. By 8PM things continued to spiral out of control as not one celebrity who was supposedly confirmed to attend this event had bothered to show up. By 8:30 PM any hope that this concert was going to be exciting faded from within me. As I looked around and watched radio stations breaking down their publicity tables and packing up their promotional trucks I knew in my heart of hearts that this evening was a complete waste of my time. But the straw that broke the camels back for me and most of my entertainment colleagues was when we all found out that the reason for the delay of the black carpet was because the venue hadn’t been filled to capacity, not even half to capacity. While I wasn’t told this personally it seemed that Jeezy wasn’t interested in performing for half filled room.

Though I can’t place the blame of the chain of events completely on the Snowman, I can say that to me, when it comes to Young Jeezy – nobody cares! With all the buffoonery that was playing out before my eyes I did still managed to get into the building early on to watch Young Jeezy practice his set with his live band and entourage in tote. And who to my surprise do I see sitting one row back from the front is none other then Ms. Ghetto Girl herself – Ms. Keisha Cole. Her presence was completely unexpected seeing that she has been denying relationship rumors between her and Jeezy for quite sometime. To say that she was unapproachable would be me being kind. Keisha was surrounded by uniformed police officers the entire practice session. Now, this wouldn’t be anything necessarily interesting had it not have been an almost empty room. Who was she being protected from? I don’t know and frankly, I just don’t give a fuck.

If this is any indication of Jeezy’s future career i.e. the lack of interest from Atlanta, the lack of respect for the black press, or the fact that he couldn’t give away free tickets to one of his own shows. Then I will make sure to not waste my time, or valuable resources on such an undesirable rapper.


Be sure to be here tommrrow for the launch of Atlanta's Own!!

Peace!

--Sohh Gyant
Posted by SOHH Gyant at December 14, 2006 12:49 AM

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