BlackVoices Music Feature Story
Top 5 Albums of 2005
By Angela Bronner & Karu Daniels, AOL Black Voices,
Posted: 2007-09-11 11:54:50
If Julie Andrews' hills were alive with the sound of music back in the day, the same is true of today's streets, homes and iPods. From rapper-turned-pop star Kanye West to the spiritual sounds of Yolanda Adams to a more mature sound from comeback diva, Dee Dee Bridgewater, 2005 proved sonically sound. Lend us your ears -- BV will take you there! And holla back and let us know who you think deserves the top spot.
West Is Diggin' For Platinum
AOL Music
Kanye West's 'Late Registration' has garnered this relative new jack eight Grammy noms for 2005.
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1.) Kanye West 'Late Registration'
So what he's brash, cocky and a tad arrogant? When you've got the goods to back up all that trash-talk, adjectives like those become pure haterism. Just because the REST of America got to know Kanye West after the "George Bush" comment, most of US knew him because the producer-cum-rapper has been consistently pumping out hits since 2000. From his own 'Through the Wire' to Alicia Keys' 'You Don't Know My Name' to this year's smash 'Gold Digger' with Jamie Foxx, Kanye should be christened ''platinum digger.'' Last year, the Chicago-bred rapper earned a whopping ten Grammy nominations and snagged three (though he still complained). This year, his 'Late Registration' is up for 8 more and his newly minted G.O.O.D. label with soul crooner John Legend and rapper Common have nine more noms between them. Arrogant? We think successful is a better word.
2.) Dee Dee Bridgewater 'J'ai Deux Amours'
Some things -- like fine wine -- get better with age. And like an exquisite merlot, Grammy- and Tony Award-winning diva Dee Dee Bridgewater doesn't cease to amaze. This vocal powerhouse returned to the music scene this year with a triumphant French influenced album titled 'J'ai Deux Amours.' Bridgewater -- who immortalized the role of Glenda the Good in the original Broadway production of 'The Wiz' -- is one of the best jazz song stylists of her generation. She shows and proves with 'Jai Deux Amours' ( I Have Two Loves), an eleven track opus of Parisian cafe standards including the 10-minute 'La Belle Vie (The Good Life)' and her impassioned version of 'Ne Me Quitte Pas,' which rivals Nina Simone's 1967 rendition.
3.) Yolanda Adams 'Day By Day'
This Grammy Award-winning chanteuse released the critically praised set 'Day by Day' in '05. Propelled by the hard-edged track 'Victory,' the album rocketed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard gospel charts. For the new project, the 41-year-old former school teacher collaborated with other gospel giants including Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary and featured super-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the boards. Standouts on the disc include the up-tempo hybrid 'Lift Him Up,' the radio-friendly 'Someone Watching Over You,' and the powerhouse ballad 'Be Blessed' which is nominated for a Grammy this year. The song 'Victory' was not only was on 'The Gospel' soundtrack but also became the movie's unofficial theme song.
4.) Damian Marley 'Welcome to Jamrock'
The eleventh (and last) seed of the late-great Bob Marley, Damian ''Junior Gong'' Marley emerged like a roaring, reawakened lion from Zion this year with his biggest hit to date, 'Welcome to Jamrock.' The album of the same name is the sonic culmination of the world of conscious roots reggae of his father and the gun-toting brashness of the 27-year-old's dancehall generation. 'Jamrock' burned up the radio and streets like fiyaah last summer, prompting Lil’ Kim to co-opt it on her refrain, 'Welcome to Bed-Stuy.' Welcome to the reemergence of the Marley name.
5.) Ying Yang Twins 'U.S.A. United States of Atlanta'
Just because you hail from the durty-durty doesn't mean your lyrics have to be. With their blend of sexy-nasty-crunk and hits like 'Salt Shaker,' 'Get Low' and 'Wait (The Whisper Song)' it doesn't seem D-Roc and Kaine got that memo. The twins (no actual relation) have done big things this year -- at the first annual Dirty Awards, held smack dab in their hometown of the ATL, Ying Yang ran away with the coveted Crunkest of the Crunk Award, beating out crunk-originator Lil’ Jon and Mississippi MC David Banner. Will a Grammy Award for 'Wait (The Whisper Song)' follow? Indeed, the United States of Atlanta is making noise.
So what he's brash, cocky and a tad arrogant? When you've got the goods to back up all that trash-talk, adjectives like those become pure haterism. Just because the REST of America got to know Kanye West after the "George Bush" comment, most of US knew him because the producer-cum-rapper has been consistently pumping out hits since 2000. From his own 'Through the Wire' to Alicia Keys' 'You Don't Know My Name' to this year's smash 'Gold Digger' with Jamie Foxx, Kanye should be christened ''platinum digger.'' Last year, the Chicago-bred rapper earned a whopping ten Grammy nominations and snagged three (though he still complained). This year, his 'Late Registration' is up for 8 more and his newly minted G.O.O.D. label with soul crooner John Legend and rapper Common have nine more noms between them. Arrogant? We think successful is a better word.
2.) Dee Dee Bridgewater 'J'ai Deux Amours'
Some things -- like fine wine -- get better with age. And like an exquisite merlot, Grammy- and Tony Award-winning diva Dee Dee Bridgewater doesn't cease to amaze. This vocal powerhouse returned to the music scene this year with a triumphant French influenced album titled 'J'ai Deux Amours.' Bridgewater -- who immortalized the role of Glenda the Good in the original Broadway production of 'The Wiz' -- is one of the best jazz song stylists of her generation. She shows and proves with 'Jai Deux Amours' ( I Have Two Loves), an eleven track opus of Parisian cafe standards including the 10-minute 'La Belle Vie (The Good Life)' and her impassioned version of 'Ne Me Quitte Pas,' which rivals Nina Simone's 1967 rendition.
3.) Yolanda Adams 'Day By Day'
This Grammy Award-winning chanteuse released the critically praised set 'Day by Day' in '05. Propelled by the hard-edged track 'Victory,' the album rocketed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard gospel charts. For the new project, the 41-year-old former school teacher collaborated with other gospel giants including Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary and featured super-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the boards. Standouts on the disc include the up-tempo hybrid 'Lift Him Up,' the radio-friendly 'Someone Watching Over You,' and the powerhouse ballad 'Be Blessed' which is nominated for a Grammy this year. The song 'Victory' was not only was on 'The Gospel' soundtrack but also became the movie's unofficial theme song.
4.) Damian Marley 'Welcome to Jamrock'
The eleventh (and last) seed of the late-great Bob Marley, Damian ''Junior Gong'' Marley emerged like a roaring, reawakened lion from Zion this year with his biggest hit to date, 'Welcome to Jamrock.' The album of the same name is the sonic culmination of the world of conscious roots reggae of his father and the gun-toting brashness of the 27-year-old's dancehall generation. 'Jamrock' burned up the radio and streets like fiyaah last summer, prompting Lil’ Kim to co-opt it on her refrain, 'Welcome to Bed-Stuy.' Welcome to the reemergence of the Marley name.
5.) Ying Yang Twins 'U.S.A. United States of Atlanta'
Just because you hail from the durty-durty doesn't mean your lyrics have to be. With their blend of sexy-nasty-crunk and hits like 'Salt Shaker,' 'Get Low' and 'Wait (The Whisper Song)' it doesn't seem D-Roc and Kaine got that memo. The twins (no actual relation) have done big things this year -- at the first annual Dirty Awards, held smack dab in their hometown of the ATL, Ying Yang ran away with the coveted Crunkest of the Crunk Award, beating out crunk-originator Lil’ Jon and Mississippi MC David Banner. Will a Grammy Award for 'Wait (The Whisper Song)' follow? Indeed, the United States of Atlanta is making noise.
2005-03-16 19:03:00
