R&B Today

*India Arie and her "Accoustic Soul" project. I haven't heard the entire CD - but what I've heard so far impresses. Admittedly, I'm already tired of her first single, "Video." But that's the fault of overplay, not hers. The track "Wonderful," a tribute to Stevie Wonder is a nice track - makes me consider making a purchase.

*Sean "Puffy" Combs getting off. Just as the world was getting a break from Puffy and his sampling - he'll likely be back to making music soon, sampling the best R&B has to offer. On the other side, Johnnie Cochran, Combs' attorney, has said he will no longer handle criminal cases - JZ, Eminem and a whole host of other entertainers are scrambling to find legal counsel as we speak!

*"Survivor" by Beyonce & Them . By now you've caught Kelly's verse where she's sticking it to Ex-group members by saying her mama taught her better than to badmouth someone on the Internet, in magazines or on the radio. But Mama must have skipped the lesson where you don't badmouth someone on a record for millions to hear.

*Jill Scott opening for the Sting tour. I love it - first of all I love Sting, loved him in the Police. Don't try to strip my Soul card for that. But what I love most is that Ms. Scott is not afraid to show her diversity.

*BBD is coming out with a new CD. Yes, Bell, Biv, Devoe formerly of New Edition. What?! I used to jam to them back in the early '90's, but I'm not sure they can capture that same hip-hop, smoothed out with an R&B twist flava that was their own unique brand. Already too many hybrids out to make it unique anymore.

*How skinny Ms. Janet Jackson was during the MTV Icon program. You know Janet is my girl - so I'm ignoring the re-circulated rumors about liposuction etc.. Janet had picked up a few pounds in the Nutty Professor II - but I figure the new svelte look is to show Renee what he's missing.

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