AngryGayBlackCanadianman

After listening to Usher’s new album “Here I Stand” I am very impressed. Usher was the second crush I ever had in my life. There is just something about Usher he can sing, dance, act, and he is gorgeous! I melt every single time I see Usher on television. Usher is the new king of R&B since R Kelly is on his way out. Usher is an international superstar although R Kelly is very popular with urban audiences he isn’t as successful as Usher overseas.

I love Usher because he is a positive image of a young black man. Yes Usher admits to one night stands and cheating on girlfriends. Usher is flawed he is not perfect I admire his honesty. Usher is a very sensitive man. I love sensitive men because they are willing to open up about their feelings and emotions. I have to admit I have a weakness for sensitive male singers and songwriters. I don’t like aggressive men or macho men. I don’t like it when a man is reticent.

I read recently that Usher has fired his mother she is no longer his manager. I applaud Usher for moving on from his mother because he is now independent and following living his life on his own terms.

Usher has clearly matured he is no longer a boy he is now a man. Last year Usher married his stylist Tameka Foster and this obviously pissed off a lot of his female fans. Some of Usher’s female fans forget Usher is almost thirty years old he isn’t a twenty one year old stud anymore. Tameka isn’t gorgeous but she obviously is the woman Usher loves. Usher has always had a predilection for older women doesn’t anyone remember Chilli from TLC she’s older then Usher. I guess Chilli was more palatable because she is attractive.

I don’t understand why some black women are always complaining whenever a black male celebrity marries outside the race? Usher even pointed out he was always going to marry a black woman and have a black child. So what’s the problem? Why are some black females upset with Usher now? Some black women have told me they want to see more positive images of black love. Isn’t Usher’s marriage to Tameka good news?

I don’t care that Usher married an older woman that’s his personal business. Yes, Tameka is thirty seven but so what? Love is love. Why should Usher give up the woman he loves just because some jealous female fans can’t handle him falling in love? Don’t Usher’s fans want him to be happy? Usher deserves to be happy we all deserve to have some happiness in our lives.

The song I love the most on “Here I Stand” is called “Trading Places” in this song there is a gender role reversal. Usher sings about “making coffee, eggs, breakfast in bed” for his woman. Another song I love is “His Mistakes” in this song Usher pleads with the woman he loves to stop blaming him for her ex boyfriend’s egregious behavior.

Some fans may be upset because there are a lot of ballads on the album. Usher demonstrates on “Here I Stand” he is an incredible singer.

Other stands outs on the CD are “appetite”, “Love In The Club”, and “Lifetime”. Usher is branching out I doubt “Here I Stand” will sell as much as “Confessions” though. Confessions was Usher’s breakthrough the CD sold over 9.5 million copies in the United States. Since the public is downloading music these days I doubt “Here I Stand” will sell as much as “Confessions”. “Here I Stand” is a solid album demonstrating Usher moving in a new direction.

I am so excited! Janet Jackson just announced on the Ellen show today that she is going on tour this fall! The tour will be called the “Rock With U Tour”. The first performance will be September 11th. Janet says rehearsals start in about a month. I am very happy about this and I pray that Janet does tour this time. It has been seven long years since Janet has toured!

I just pray there are some Canadian dates on this tour! I just hope to God that Janet will perform in Toronto! If Janet is coming to Toronto I am definitely going to try to get some tickets! I love Janet Jackson so much she is my favorite singer and entertainer!

There is also a number fans can call to let Janet know which songs they want her to perform on the tour. Here is the phone number 323-622-8139. I want Janet to perform the old hits such as “Young Love”, “When I think of you”, “What Have You Done For Me Lately”, “Nasty”, “Let’s Wait Awhile”, “Come Back To Me”, and some songs from The Velvet Rope. The Velvet Rope was Janet’s best album. I love the song “My Need” its such a romantic and erotic song. I also hope Janet performs some songs from Discipline.

I think the tour could be a good way for Janet to make her official comeback. Janet needs to realize that fans love her and we want to see her perform. Okay, Discipline didn’t sell very well but I love the album! I really believe if Janet tours it will be a success. I think its a smart way for Janet to reintroduce herself to the public again and let people realize why Miss Jackson is such a legend! Go Janet!

I know this will sound weird but do you listen to certain artists but are kind of embarrassed about telling friends about it? Sometimes I hear comments like “this artist is so lame” or “he or she’s just not interesting anymore”. Well I will start. It is kind of funny in some gay circles some gays consider k.d. lang’s music to be watered down “elevator music” but I don’t think so. No I don’t listen to k.d. lang just because she’s also gay I listen to her music because I love her voice.

Although I think it is fantastic that k.d. Lang is also Canadian so its kind of cool and patriotic to see another Canadian do so well in America and on the international scene. k.d. has also openly advocated for equal rights for homosexuals and other people too. My favorite k.d. lang CDs are her 1997 album “Drag” this CD is a bunch of smoky cabaret jazz ballads I love this CD!

Another CD that I love is “Invincible Summer” it was released in the year 2000! One of the amazing things about k.d. Lang is her ability to interpret songs and jump musical genres. k.d. used to be popular in the Country Music world until they discovered she was a lesbian and excommunicated her. After Nashville was so homophobic, k.d. Lang had the biggest success of her career with “Ingenue”. I have to check out k.d. Lang’s 2004 album “Hymns From Of The 49th Parallel” its k.d. Lang’s interpretation of the great Canadian song book.

I can also admit I was never a big Britney Spears fan when she emerged on the pop scene in the year 1999 at the age of seventeen. It was only recently when I started to watch “How I Met Your Mother” on CBS that I became kind of interested in Britney. I will admit I am really rooting for Britney and I hope she does get her life together. Well I started to listen to Britney’s 2003 album “In The Zone” and its actually pretty good. No Britney isn’t the best singer out there but she’s not the worst singer either I like her voice I think she can sing. My sister says Britney’s current CD “Blackout” is pretty good I think I will check it out.

I love Hall and Oates although they were popular before my time in the early 1980s. I remember I was at the drug store last year and I just had to purchase their Greatest Hits CD! All my favorite songs such as “kiss on the list”, “private eyes”, “Out of Touch”, “maneater” “I can’t go for that(no can do) “, are on the album. Hall and Oates are affectionately called “blue eyed Soul” music. Daryl Hall the lead singer in Hall and Oates is such an amazing singer his vocals are incredible. A lot of people say Justin Timberlake is a great white male soul singer but Daryl Hall has a much stronger voice with more range and soul.

I also think Robin Thicke is an amazing singer too. Last year I fell in love with the song “Lost without U” its such a sweet ballad. Some people say that Robin Thicke is an older version of Justin Timberlake but that’s not fair. The media have compared Timberlake to Thicke because they are both young white males singing R&B but I think Thicke’s music is much more mature sounding then Justin Timberlake’s music. Thicke also plays multiple instruments. Thicke sings deeply personal songs that touch the soul.

Robin Thicke has been in the music business for a very long time he also is a Grammy award winning producer and songwriter. Thicke has worked with top artists such as Usher and Mary J Blige. Thicke’s second album “The Evolution Of Robin Thicke” was a surprise success selling over 1 million copies in the United States. There is also a Canadian connection Robin’s is the son of the Canadian actor Alan Thicke from the 1980s sitcom “Growing Pains”.

I miss Tevin Campbell I really hope Tevin can make a comeback. I’m Ready is just a great song! I love the album “I’m Ready” every single song is just wonderful. I also love the song “Can We Talk”,  “Always In My Heart”.

Is Mariah Carey just a dizzy moron with a big voice? Is Mariah just a flake with no emotional core or center? If you pay attention to the news articles you would swear there is a tinge of anger mixed with jealousy after Mariah shattered Elvis Presley’s record. Thank goodness Mariah surpassed Elvis. I am a bit sick of Elvis Presley to be honest I just don’t think he’s as talented as the media claims. Mariah Carey is much more talented then Elvis. It is wonderful that Mariah Carey a woman of colour shattered Elvis record this is an incredible achievement. Mariah Carey is here to stay and if people don’t recognize they better wake up now and get with the program.

What is so special about Elvis Presley anyway? Elvis wasn’t that great a singer he had a couple good songs but that’s it. Why are some music critics so bitter? The negativity towards Mariah Carey is pathetic and immature. Mariah has surpassed Elvis with the most number one hit singles for a solo artist she currently has eighteen number one hits. Mariah is currently in second place behind the Beatles they have twenty number one hit songs. The Beatles were huge long before my time I just can’t relate to them. I think in terms of cultural resonance and importance the Beatles are superior to Elvis. Elvis is supposed to be considered a huge legend. I view Elvis a bit differently he was at the right place at the right time.

Part of Elvis popularity is the fact he appropriated African American rhythm and blues sounds to make it palatable to a mainstream audience. Justin Timberlake’s popularity is similar to Elvis he’s a white male singer that had some soul. Elvis was attractive and indeed talented. So why the scorn against Mariah Carey? The fact is many music critics are also middle aged male snobs. The hypocrisy is some of these male music critics have a problem with Mariah Carey because she is a very beautiful and very talented woman. Mariah isn’t just a pretty face she knows the music industry she has worked very hard for her success. In fact, Mariah has also survived numerous lawsuits by frivolous people attempting to discredit her songwriting skills. Mariah Carey has the skills she knows how to write radio friendly hit songs.

Mariah has gone through an evolution some fans complain about Mariah working with hip hop artists. Where have these people been? Mariah has been working with rap artists since 1995! Mariah is a shrewd business woman she knows hip hop is the music that young people gravitate towards she’s not messing with a winning formula. On E=MC2 Mariah mixes the ballads, with the club bangers and mid tempo songs. In the early days of Mariah’s career she was considered adult contemporary pop music but that wasn’t the real Mariah Carey she loves hip hop. I will admit when I was younger I wasn’t a Mariah Carey fan I just wasn’t interested in the elevator music she used to sing in the early 1990s.

Mariah Carey can actually sing really sing she has a multi octave range. When Mariah started her music career in the early 1990s she was criticized for being a technically proficient singer without the emotional core. It is true in the beginning of Mariah career she she simply had a huge vocal range and that’s it but Mariah has changed for the better. Now Mariah is a lot smarter she has more restraint on her voice she lowers the range when necessary to convey the lyrics. There is no need to shout a song lyric that’s not good singing that’s just being stupid.

Being a good singer isn’t just about a big vocal range, a singer is an artist that can convey emotions to the audience transcend the lyrics and make the words have meaning. Christina Aguliera and Beyonce Knowles are good technical singers but they haven’t matured and learned how to really sing. A good singer doesn’t just scream a lyric at the top of her lungs to convey emotion to make a point. A talented singer can twist the words make certain lyrics have an emotional core.

For instance, Billie Holiday may not be considered the best technical singer but she was an incredible emotive singer because she had the ability to discern how take turn the lyrics and make them magic. Words are just words they mean nothing if the singer doesn’t provide some “feelings” behind the words. Mariah Carey has progressed in her career she doesn’t feel the need to belt out multi octave songs because she is now concentrating on the emotional aspect of singing.

On the track “side effects” Mariah sings about waking up at night thinking about the “violent times” with her ex husband and she still feels the “side effects”. I was shocked when Mariah sings the line “the private hell we built”. Mariah doesn’t just write songs for herself she writes for her fans letting people know you can get out of a difficult abusive relationship. On the track “I’m That Chick” the song has a disco groove it is just mellifluous and wonderful. The song “Touch My Body” the current number one hit is about Mariah letting her lover know she prefers her love life to be private. The lyrics are playful, sensual, without being trashy.

“For The Record” is a song about wanting to go back in time dreaming, thinking about a lost love and wanting the lover back. Anyone that has ever loved someone but secretly thinks about their former flames can relate to this song. We always told to not talk about “ex lovers” because it is viewed as a sign of weakness.

Mariah Carey has dealt with sexism in the music industry and judging from the reviews I have read the sexism continues. From the beginning of Mariah Carey’s career she has always been a songwriter and she resents the fact she doesn’t get respect for her songwriting skills. Why is it so hard for the public to believe a woman can write incredible songs with Mariah’s remarkable consistency? Mariah always has a number one hit for every single album she released in her career with the exception of her two year slump.

Some people forget the movie Glitter and the soundtrack was released on 9/11 this is not an excuse people simply weren’t interested in watching movies or purchasing CDs that week due to the terrorist attacks on New York City. Mariah has more substance then people give her credit for. Mariah Carey is clearly a romantic she believes in love and she sings about the good side of love and the dark side of love. Love is a recurring theme in Mariah’s music but on this album she also sings about forgiveness, death, resentment, and there is a bit of anger on this album too.

On the track “I Wish You Well” Mariah quotes from the bible this gospel song is about moving on from pain. Another incredible track is “bye bye” it is mainly about Mariah’s deceased father but is also a song for anyone that has lost a loved one.

I don’t understand why Australian pop sensation Kylie Minogue hasn’t toured North America yet? I love Kylie Minogue she seems so humble about her incredible success. Kylie Minogue’s first album was released in 1988 her debut sold well and attained gold status. Kylie is viewed as an overseas sensation. It is true Kylie is a superstar in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Asia for the past twenty years.

Kylie did breakthrough in North America with the massive success of her 2001 album “Fever” selling over 1 million copies in the United States and triple platinum in Canada.

The media compare Kylie to Madonna but it isn’t fair. Madonna comes across as very truculent and arrogant at times. Kylie is the opposite she is sweet as sunshine she is so adorable. I am so happy she has overcome breast cancer and has returned to the top of the charts.

Kylie is promoting her new album X and I definitely will purchase the CD ASAP! It is obvious Kylie has a fan base here. I definitely want to see Kylie perform in a concert. It sucks that she never performs in North America. I understand Kylie’s massive in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. However, Kylie would be more successful here if she bothered to tour here.

Back in the 1990s when I was a jaded, depressed, unhappy, teenager I started listening to The Smiths. I think one of my first crushes was on Steven Patrick Morrissey. Although my crush on Morrissey has faded over time I still respect him as an artist. Some people say Morrissey is irrelevant to the music industry but I strongly disagree. I think sometimes he is misunderstood. Sometimes I do feel Morrissey takes himself a bit too seriously after all he’s a pop superstar.

I remember a friend of mine he loaned me a copy of “Viva Hate” Morrissey’s first solo album. I loved the brashness of Morrissey’s lyrics and the assertiveness of his voice. Morrissey is a very good singer he is also very opinionated, outspoken, and attractive. Morrissey still looks good for a man that’s almost 49 years old.

The Smiths were a cult eighties British rock group. I didn’t discover The Smiths until the 1990s. I was most impressed with the lead singer and songwriter for the group Steven Patrick Morrissey.

Morrissey was born in Manchester England in the year 1959. Morrissey has a cult following in North America a few of his albums have reached gold status. Even when Morrissey didn’t have a record deal for seven years he toured and sold out concerts. For a long time Morrissey refused to conduct interviews because he felt the media manipulated his comments by twisting his words to create controversies.

The interesting aspect about Morrissey is he refuses to declare his sexual orientation. Some pop critics in the occidental media have declared Morrissey is gay even though he chooses not to speak about his sexuality. In England British journalists often compare Morrissey to the gay literary icon Oscar Wilde. I can see the comparison between both Wilde and Steven Patrick Morrissey have Irish roots. Both Wilde and Morrissey are also passionate about their art and politics. Morrissey and Wilde are also very outspoken and controversial as well.

In the song “America Is Not The World” Morrissey does talk about race, gender, and sexuality. I don’t know if Morrissey is gay but I definitely know he’s not straight. I think perhaps Morrissey is bisexual. People don’t really think about male bisexuality. There is an assumption in society that men cannot be bisexual. A man is either heterosexual or homosexual there is no in between. So why is there this double standard? Female singers can declare they are lesbians or bisexual and nobody says anything.

Now if you listen to The Smiths songs like “Hand In Glove” and “Charming man” you know the songs have a strong homoerotic element. Morrissey continues with the homoeroticism in songs later on in career such as “Roy Keen”. Also, has anyone ever seen the musicians in Morrissey’s band? I mean look at the guitarist, bass player, and drummer these guys are gorgeous aren’t they? Morrissey definitely has one of the best looking bands in rock music these days.

I have a love and hate relationship with Morrissey. Sometimes he says really stupid things because he’s trying to be edgy sometimes Morrissey needs to think before he says stuff. I find Morrissey to be incredibly pretentious and he does things just to shock people. Other times I think Morrissey is one of the smartest men in the music business. I give Morrissey a lot of respect in terms of following his own artistic vision.

For seven long years after Morrissey’s 1997 album “Maladjusted” bombed he didn’t have a record deal. Finally, in the year 2004 Morrissey returned to form on “You Are The Quarry”. Morrissey’s voice never sounded better and the songs are simply incredible. Also “You Are The Quarry” is the most successful solo album of Morrissey’s career.

However, in 2006 Morrissey released “Ringleaders Of The Tormentors” and I must say the album is complete rubbish. The songs are uninspired lacking the lyrical content has a sense of levity. I was disappointed because I think “Ringleaders Of The Tormentors” is Morrissey’s worst solo album. What happened to Morrissey? Where is the man that sang “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful”? What about songs such as “Everyday Is Like Sunday” or “The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get”? On Morrissey’s 2006 album he appears lost and confused. Morrissey now claims he is no longer celibate and having sex. Maybe Morrissey’s mood changed because he’s happy again? I hope Morrissey’s next studio album will be a stronger and better.