Re-titled “Little Drummer Girl,” Keys was a virtual unknown at the time of the song’s release.

Little did we all know that she’d blow up to become a superstar!

Check out this live performance of “Little Drummer Girl” from 1998, three years before she took the world by storm with her debut album.

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The Emotions hit big in the late 70s with “Best Of My Love” and “Boogie Wonderland” (with Earth Wind & Fire).

This holiday tune from earlier in their career is a bit of a downer, but it’s still worth listening to in order to remember those who may be spending this holiday season alone!

RELATED: The 12 Jams Of Christmas

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Last year, he read to us from Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and this year he’s reading us Clement C. Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas.”

But of course, Snoop isn’t gonna do it the traditional way…

Snoop’s version of the classic holiday poem features a cursing Santa, three video hoes models back-up dancers, and uhhhh… Pepsi Max?

Yeah, it’s a Pepsi ad, but it’s also Snoop reading Christmas stories.

We’ll let it slide.

RELATED: VIDEO: Snoop Dogg Channels Bootsy Collins & The Grinch

RELATED: Hip-Hop’s Ten Greatest Christmas Songs

Tis the season for a little Christmas rapping. We’ve put together a list of our ten favorite hip-hop holiday tunes that you may find us singing while we’re out caroling this year. Take a listen to these and find yourself full of the holiday spirit!

10. David Banner “The Christmas Song”

9. Ying Yang Twins “Deck Da Club”

8. Mr. Lif “Santa’s Got A Muthaf*ckin’ Uzi”

7. Snoop Dogg “Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto”

VIDEO: Snoop Dogg Channels Bootsy Collins & The Grinch

6. Ludacris “Ludacrismas”

5. Eazy E “Merry Muthaf*ckin Xmas”

4. Juice Crew “Cold Chillin’ Christmas”

3. The Treacherous 3 “Christmas Rap”

2. Kurtis Blow “Christmas Rapping”

1. Run-DMC “Christmas In Hollis”

Honorable Mentions:
Outkast “Player’s Ball,” De La Soul “Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa,” Tha Dogg Pound “I Wish,” Blondie & Fab 5 Freddie “Christmas Rapture,” Jim Jones “Have A Happy Christmas”

The song has been covered by everyone from Usher to Chris Brown to Christina Aguilera to Gloria Estefan.

RELATED: The 12 Jams Of Christmas

RELATED: John Legend & The Roots “Little Ghetto Boy” [VIDEO]

Strength In Numbers

- If you aren’t planning on spending the holiday with your family, you more than likely aren’t alone. Ask around and see if anyone you know is in the same boat. If you can put together a small group of people, have a pot luck dinner at someone’s house, then pass out on their couch while watching the Detroit Lions get crushed.

House Hopping

- This is my favorite. People tend to take pity on those who spend a holiday all alone. This usually leads to the golden phrase “Come over to our place for dinner!” If you tell enough people that you have no plans for the holiday, you can rack up a ton of invitations in no time at all. When Thanksgiving finally rolls around, you can sample tryptophantic goodness from a few different households. Don’t show up empty handed, though. Bring a small dessert. You also will want to use halftime at the Lions game to travel to the next house.

Thanksgiving To Go

- Some of us single men might be a little lacking in kitchen skills. Judging from the work my own mother put in to preparing it, Thanksgiving dinner can seem like a little bit of a daunting task. Fortunately, there’s help for the culinary challenged. Several supermarkets and restaurants have pre-made Thanksgiving meals available for sale. You can often buy enough for just one meal, or you can be smart and buy enough so that you’ll have leftovers the next day. Call a few places ahead of time and see if they have meals available that will have you laid out on the couch during the Lions game.

Help Out

- Another great way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday is to help those who are less fortunate than you. Research the soup kitchens, rescue missions, and homeless shelters in your area and see if they are looking for volunteers to help serve food to those in need.  Sure, you might miss the Lions game, but you will have made a valuable contribution to your community.

Forget It

- If none of these options appeal to you, then you can always just skip Thanksgiving. Inevitably, someone will tell you that you’re crazy and shouldn’t spend the holiday alone. You can just remind them of the first Thanksgiving and the displacement of Native Americans and how you don’t wish to commemorate such a heinous part of American history.  That should shut them up and leave you free to sit on the couch with Chinese take-out in your belly (they’re always open on Thanksgiving) and the Lions game on your 52″ HDTV.

All Things Thanksgiving:

VIDEO: Give Thanks The Southpark Way

The Second Thanksgiving [HUMOR]

5 Thanksgiving Songs To Perk Up Turkey Day!

REWIND: The Single Man’s Thanksgiving Survival Guide

How Not To Get Killed On Black Friday

Young Money Gives Away Turkeys For Thanksgiving

In order to keep ourselves from going crazy, we decided to leave out the multitudes of greatest hits compilations, box sets, remix albums, and anything else primarily consisting of previously released material.  We also decided to stick to just widely released albums, so you won’t find any of the group’s pre-Motown material here. Maybe next year.

What you will find below are reviews of the twelve albums released as The Jackson 5, five albums released as The Jacksons, eleven solo albums by Michael Jackson, and five compilations of previously unreleased material by either the Jackson 5 or Michael Jackson.

Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
Released December 18, 1969

By the time The Jackson 5′s debut album was released, the general public had already been captivated by Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, and Jackie’s first national single, “I Want You Back,” which had been released two months earlier and had gone to #1 on the R&B charts and #5 on the pop chart. Though in the album’s liner notes, Diana Ross writes that Michael was 10 years old, he was 11 at the album’s release.  That takes nothing away from the fact that Michael storms through this album with the conviction of a singer three times his age.

Recommended Tracks: “I Want You Back,” “Who’s Lovin’ You,” and Jermaine’s excellent lead on “My Cherie Amour.”

ABC
Released May 1970

Any album that starts off with a classic like “The Love You Save” can not be bad.  On ABC’s 12 songs, the kiddie act is played up more than on their debut with songs like “2-4-6-8,” “One More Chance,” and the album’s undeniable title track. Michael’s voice again is the star of the album as he tackles songs like Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t Know Why I Love You” with such ease.

Recommended tracks: “The Love You Save,” “One More Chance,” “ABC”, “2-4-6-8,” “Don’t Know Why I Love You,” “I’ll Bet You”

Third Album
Released September 1970

The boys previewed their appropriately titled third album in less than a year with their first ballad ever released as a single.  “I’ll Be There” has rightfully become a Jackson 5 classic, and was famously covered by Mariah Carey in 1992. Third Album shows a funkier side to the group as they stomp and clap through jams like “How Funky Is Your Chicken” and “Goin’ Back To Indiana.”  The smooth “Can I See You In The Morning” features Michael’s voice double tracked for the first time.  He’d use this studio technique on his voice to great effect on his debut solo album, which would come a year later.

Recommended Tracks: “I’ll Be There,” “Ready Or Not (Here I Come),” “Can I See You In The Morning,” “How Funky Is Your Chicken,” “Mama’s Pearl,” “Darling Dear”

The Jackson 5 Christmas Album
Released October 15, 1970

Even though the boys were raised as Jehovah’s Witness’, that didn’t stop them from releasing a Christmas album, as was standard for most of Motown’s hit making acts.  An expanded version of this album was released in 2009 with 10 bonus tracks!

Recommended Tracks: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Give Love On Christmas Day”

Maybe Tomorrow
Released April 1971

With the confidence they received from the success of their first ballad released as a single, “I’ll Be There” reaching #1 on the pop and R&B charts, The Jackson 5 kicked off their fourth album with the absolutely sublime “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Unfortunately The Jackson 5′s perfect record of Top 10 singles was briefly interrupted by the album’s title track a song that leaves me puzzled as to why it stalled at #20 on the pop charts. While it’s not as strong as the albums that preceded it, Maybe Tomorrow would prove to be the source of a couple of hip-hop classics, as the title track was sampled for Ghostface Killah’s “All That I Got Is You”, and “It’s Great To Be Here” reached a whole new generation of listeners as the sample used during The Notorious B.I.G.’s verse on “It’s All About The Benjamins.”

Recommended Tracks: “Maybe Tomorrow,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “It’s Great To Be Here,” “Honey Chile,” “I Will Find A Way”

Goin’ Back To Indiana
Released September 1971

The Jackson 5′s “Goin’ Back to Indiana” television special aired on September 19, 1971. The show featured appearances from Bill Cosby as a news reporter, Tommy Smothers, Diana Ross, Rosey Grier, and many other celebrities. The accompanying soundtrack album also featured several songs recorded live at the group’s homecoming concert in Gary, IN on May 29, 1971. It’s these live tracks that highlight the album. Kicking off with the group covering Sly & The Family Stone’s “Stand!” and “I Want To Take You Higher” (songs of which Michael Jackson would eventually own the publishing rights), the hometown crowd is immediately electrified.

Recommended Tracks: “Medley: Walk On / The Love You Save,” “Stand!,” “Feelin’ Alright”

Got To Be There
Released January 25, 1972

Michael Jackson’s solo debut gets off to an amazing start with 13-year-old Michael’s rendition of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” leaving you to wonder how it’s possible that a boy so young can emote such adult sentiments so effectively. Notable is Michael’s straight-up rapped verse on “Girl Don’t Take Your Love From Me.”

Recommended Tracks: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” “Girl Don’t Take Your Love From Me,” “Got To Be There,” “Rockin’ Robin,” “Maria (You Were The Only One), “You’ve Got A Friend”

Lookin’ Through The Windows
Released May 1972

On Lookin’ Through The Windows, Michael’s voice noticeably started to change, but not in a devastating way.  Those soaring high notes were still well within his reach, but Michael found comfort in his lower register as well. Because of the effects puberty was having on Michael’s voice, it’s interesting to hear more lead parts given to older brother Jermaine. The album marked the beginning in a shift in the group’s sound.

Recommended Tracks: “Lookin’ Through The Windows,” “Doctor My Eyes,” “Little Bitty Pretty One,” “Don’t Want To See You Tomorrow”

Ben
Released August 4, 1972

Michael’s second solo album is often overshadowed by that song about the rat.  While “Ben,” written for the film of the same name, is an excellent song, there are far better songs on the album.  Michael’s cover of The Stylistics’ “People Make The World Go ‘Round” nearly trumps the original.  Of all of his Motown-era solo albums, Ben is one of the best.

Recommended Tracks: “Ben,” “Greatest Show On Earth,” “People Make The World Go ‘Round,” “We’ve Got A Good Thing Going,” “What Goes Around Comes Around”

Skywriter
Released March 1973

Eight albums into their career, The Jackson 5 found their popularity waning a bit.  The guys were getting older and the sound of music in general is starting to shift away from the bubblegum pop sound that brought them to fame.  The album was their lowest charting to date, reaching #15 on the R&B chart and #44 on the pop chart.

Recommended Tracks: “Touch,” “Corner Of The Sky,” “I Can’t Quit Your Love,” “Uppermost”

Music & Me
Released April 13, 1973

At 14, Michael’s third solo album attempted to paint a mellower image.  Michael sings accompanied by just an orchestra on “Too Young.” He appears on the album’s cover strumming an acoustic guitar, though he doesn’t play a single instrument on the album.  The album failed to do well, though it sold four million copies worldwide.

Recommended Tracks: “With A Child’s Heart,” “Doggin’ Around,” “Johnny Raven,” “Morning Glow,” “Music And Me”

In Japan!
Released 1973

Recorded at the Jackson 5′s April 30th tour stop in Japan, this album was initially only released overseas.  It didn’t see release in the United States until 2004 when it was pressed in a very limited and very sold-out run of 5,000 copies.  The brothers Jackson rip through several of their hits.  Jermaine and Michael both get a chance to perform material from their solo records, though Michael seems to have a bit of struggle through portions of “Got To Be There” as his voice had significantly changed. The real treat on this album is an incredibly funky rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

Recommended Tracks: “Superstition,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “I Wanna Be Where You Are.”

G.I.T. – Get It Together
Released September 1973

Experimenting with a much funkier sound than before, G.I.T. – Get It Together showcases the Jackson 5 as a group of young men.  Michael’s no longer hitting the high notes.  The songs have a bit more grit and edge to them sonically.  Despite this change, the group, minus Jermaine, was still unhappy with the direction that Motown was pushing them in.  They didn’t let it show on this album. The 8-minute “Hum Along & Dance” shows The Jackson 5 at their funkiest.

Recommended Tracks: “Get It Together,” “Don’t Say Good Bye Again,” “Hum Along & Dance,” “It’s Too Late To Change The Time,” “Dancing Machine”

Dancing Machine
Released September 1974

Re-invigorated by the success of the single “Dancing Machine” taken from their G.I.T. – Get It Together album, Motown remixed the song and included it as the title track to their follow-up album.  The epic 7-and-a-half minute “I Am Love” which showcased Jermaine’s incredible maturing vocals, would be the group’s last top 20 pop single for Motown. Funkier than it’s predecessor, songs from this album still can pack a dancefloor!

Recommended Tracks: “I Am Love,” “Whatever You Got, I Want,” “Dancing Machine,” “The Life Of The Party,” “What You Don’t Know,” “The Mirrors Of My Mind”

Forever, Michael
Released January 16, 1975

Michael’s last solo album under the Motown umbrella was his least successful on the pop charts, peaking at #101. That doesn’t mean that the album is without merit. The album’s lead single “We’re Almost There” remains a favorite amongst die-hard Michael Jackson fans.

Recommended Tracks: “We’re Almost There,” “Take Me Back,” “Dapper Dan,” “Dear Michael”

Moving Violation
Released May 1975

For their last album under Motown, The Jackson 5 teamed up with Brian Holland of Motown’s legendary songwriting and producing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who handled over half of the album’s tracks including the dancefloor stomper “Forever Came Today,” a song originally performed by Diana Ross & The Supremes. Released as a single, the song was a top 10 smash on the R&B charts, and its b-side, the ballad “All I Do Is Think of You” is one of the most beloved songs on the Jackson 5 discography.

Recommended Tracks: “Forever Came Today,” “All I Do Is Think Of You,” “Breezy,”  “(You Were Made) Especially For Me,” “Body Language (Do The Love Dance)”

Joyful Jukebox Music
Released October 26, 1976

Now that The Jackson 5 had successfully gotten themselves out of their Motown contract and signed a new deal with CBS, Motown quickly scrambled to put out a new album before their first album on their new label.  Mostly built around leftovers from the recording sessions for the Skywriter and G.I.T. – Get It Together albums, Joyful Jukebox Music is a rather unremarkable album, with few bright spots.  It was briefly reissued on CD, packaged with another Motown compilation of unreleased songs, 1979′s Boogie.

Recommended Tracks: “Pride And Joy,”  “Love Is The Thing You Need,” “Make Tonight All Mine”

The Jacksons
Released November 27, 1976

With Motown retaining the rights to the name “The Jackson 5,” as well as Jermaine Jackson who stayed behind at Motown, the newly christened The Jacksons moved over to CBS records, replaced Jermaine with Randy, and holed themselves up in the studio with Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff of Philadelphia International.  The Jacksons marks the first time in their career that the group were allowed to contribute their own songs to an album (“Style Of Life” and “Blues Away”).  The album kicks off with the dance classic “Enjoy Yourself” which became the group’s first top 10 hit in 2 years.

Recommended Listening: “Enjoy Yourself,” “Good Times,” “Keep On Dancing,” “Show You The Way To Go,” “Living Together,” “Style Of Life”

Goin’ Places
Released October 18, 1977

Although it’s the second lowest selling non-compilation album in their catalog — the group’s 1988 release sans Michael, 2300 Jackson Street, owns that dubious honor — Goin’ Places is by no means a bad album.  Though there are no instantly recognizable classics on the album, it’s a solid record that dares you to sit still.

Recommended Listening: “Music’s Takin’ Over,” “Different Kind Of Lady,” “Man Of War,” “Do What You Wanna”

Destiny
Released December 17, 1978

Encouraged by the success of “Different Kind Of Lady” from their Goin’ Places album, The Jacksons broke from the Gamble/Huff team for Destiny, the first album that the group would write and produce by themselves, with the exception of the classic “Blame It On The Boogie,” which was actually a cover of a song by unrelated UK singer Mick Jackson. Destiny would return the group to top-selling status, and rightfully so. It’s one of their best albums.

Recommended Listening: “Blame It On The Boogie,” “That’s What You Get (For Being Polite),” “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground),” “Push Me Away,”

Reviews continue after the gallery!

Off The Wall
Released August 10, 1979

While most people pronounce Thriller as Michael Jackson’s best album, I have to disagree and shove a copy of Off The Wall in their faces.  Flawless from the spoken intro of “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” to the funky fade out of “Burn This Disco Out,” Off The Wall showcases Michael making music for one primary purpose: dancing.  Even the mellower cuts, save the maudlin “She’s Out Of My Life,” are good for a two-step.  With Quincy Jones in the producer’s chair, a who’s who of late 70′s session musicians, and 10 amazing songs, Michael was right to be disappointed when he received only one Grammy award for the album, a best male R&B vocal award for “Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough.”

Recommended Listening: The whole thing.

Boogie
Released 1979

To capitalize off of the success of Off The Wall, Motown rushed out another compilation of Jackson 5 outtakes and released it on the short-lived Natural Resources label.  The songs on Boogie were recorded throughout their time at Motown and include alternate versions of Jackson 5 classics such as “ABC,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” and “Dancing Machine.”

Recommended Tracks: “I Was Made To Love Her,” “One Day I’ll Marry You”

Triumph
Released July 3, 1980

Triumph shows The Jacksons at their finest.  Michael was fresh off the success of Off The Wall and the rest of the group contribute some great songs to the album.  From the opening fanfare of the march-like “Can You Feel It,” keep hitting home run after home run. The album brought the group back to the top of the R&B album charts for the first time since 1971′s Maybe Tomorrow.

Recommended Listening: “Can You Feel It,” “Lovely One,” “Everybody,” “This Place Hotel,” “Give It Up,” “Your Ways,” “Walk Right Now”

The Jacksons Live!
Released November 1981

Edited together using recordings made from The Jackson’s stops on their Triumph Tour in four different cities, The Jacksons Live! is a stunning album that features the brothers tearing through singles from their years as The Jackson 5, their new life as The Jacksons, and songs from Michael’s Off The Wall album.  One listen to this album will make you wish for a time machine so you can go back and see the tour in person.

Recommended Listening: “Can You Feel It,” “Rock With You,” “Workin’ Day And Night,” “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” “Shake Your Body Down To The Ground”

Thriller
Released November 30, 1982

Michael’s sixth solo album almost never came out.  During the recording of Thriller, Michael and producer Quincy Jones fought about what songs should make the album.  Quincy thought “Billie Jean” wasn’t strong enough to make the album. Michael demanded it be kept and threatened to cancel the album altogether. The entire world can thank God that Michael’s threat was idle.  I don’t think I’d want to live in a world where an album as well crafted as Thriller does not exist. An album that spawned so many culturally significant moments (the “Thriller” video, Michael’s performance of “Billie Jean” at Motown 25, the integration of MTV), we may never see an album this important again. There is something for everyone on this album, which is why it’s estimated to have sold up to 110 million copies worldwide.

Recommended tracks: “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Baby Be Mine,” “Billie Jean,” “Human Nature,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” “The Lady In My Life,” “Thriller”

Farewell My Summer Love
Released May 1984

Motown again looked to cash in on Michael Jackson’s success by releasing this compilation of unreleased songs from Michael’s Motown-era solo albums.  The songs were updated with added drum machines and synthesizers, but left Michael’s original vocals in tact.  The title track  managed to reach #7 on the R&B chart, and cracked the Top 40 on the pop charts.  The original mixes of these songs were included on the limited edition 2009 3-disc box set Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection.  It’s those original mixes that we recommend, and not these versions updated for 1984!

Recommended Tracks: “Call On Me,” “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me,” “Farewell My Summer Love”

Victory
Released July 6, 1984

The Jacksons’ first album in four years feels less like a group album and more like a collection of solo songs by each of the six Jackson brothers.  That isn’t to say that the album, which sounds incredibly dated 16 years after release, is all bad.  There are a few gems to be unearthed, particularly Randy’s incredible “One More Chance,” which little sister Janet would cover 10 years later.

Recommended Tracks: “Torture,” “One More Chance,” “Be Not Always,” “State Of Shock (feat. Mick Jagger),” “Body”

Looking Back To Yesterday: Never-Before-Released-Masters
Released February 11, 1986

Motown raided their vaults again for this 1986 compilation of unreleased songs.  One listen to the album and it’s easy to see why a lot of these songs were not used in the 1970s.  That’s not to say that it’s a bad album.  It’s just a collection of mediocre performances and songs.

Recommended Tracks: “Give Me Half A Chance,” “Love’s Gone Bad,” “Lonely Teardrops,”  “I Was Made To Love Her”

Bad
Released August 31, 1987

Following up a monstrous album like Thriller is an unenviable task.  However, Michael managed to craft a very respectable follow-up in Bad.  The album is not without its flaws.  “Just Good Friends,” a duet with Stevie Wonder, is pretty embarassing considering that it’s sandwiched between songs as great as “Liberian Girl” and “Another Part Of Me.”  The title track was originally conceived as a duet between Michael and his friendly rival Prince, who didn’t want to sing the lyric “You’re butt is mine” to Michael or have Michael sing it to him. In 2010, the album sounds very much of its time, but the songs still shine through the glossy ’80s production.

Recommended Tracks: “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Speed Demon,” “Liberian Girl,” “Another Part Of Me,” “Man In The Mirror,” “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Dirty Diana,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Leave Me Alone”

Dangerous
Released November 26, 1991

For 1991′s Dangerous album, Michael broke his ties with his longtime producer Quincy Jones and enlisted Teddy Riley to produce half of the album. Dangerous finds Michael surrounded by rougher sounding beats.  Michael’s vocal performance is markedly different on the album as his already percussive voice gets even more so, and adds a bit of a growl in places.  Despite the harder sound, Dangerous was an instant success, and several of its tunes are bonafide classics.

Recommended Tracks: “Jam,” “Why You Wanna Trip On Me,” “In The Closet,” “She Drives Me Wild,” “Remember The Time,” “Can’t Let Her Get Away,” “Heal The World,” “Who Is It,” “Will You Be There,” “Keep The Faith,” “Dangerous”

HIStory: Past Present & Future (Book 1)
Released June 16, 1995

Packaged as a 2-cd set, HIStory was one-part greatest hits package, one part brand new studio album.  Michael teamed up with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Dallas Austin to produce tracks on the album.  Michael produced a sizable chunk of the album himself.  The album is full of songs rooted in Michael’s own politics, paranoia, and weariness of his own celebrity and probably reveal more about himself than any other album he’s ever recorded.  It’s this insight into Michael’s psyche that make HIStory a fascinating listen.

Recommended Tracks: “Scream (with Janet Jackson),” “They Don’t Care About Us,” “Stranger In Moscow,” “This Time Around (with The Notorious B.I.G.), ” “2 Bad,” “Money,” “You Are Not Alone,” “Tabloid Junkie,” “Little Susie,” “Smile”

Blood On The Dance Floor
Released May 20, 1997

Half remix-album, half brand-new studio EP, Blood On The Dance Floor is probably one of the least essential items in Michael’s catalog.  None of the new material really leaves much of a lasting impression, aside from the song “Morphine” where Michael sings about a person with an addiction to prescription drugs.

Recommended Tracks: “Blood On The Dance Floor,” “Morphine,” “Ghosts,” “Is It Scary”

Invincible
Released October 30, 2001

Michael’s final solo album was produced largely by Rodney Jerkins, which is its main downfall.  Jerkins’ desire to make his productions sound futuristic falls flat.  It’s the songs where producers like Dr. Freeze (“Break Of Dawn”), Teddy Riley (“Heaven Can Wait”, “Whatever Happens”) and Dre of Dre & Vidal fame (“Butterflies”) keep it simple and smooth that excel the most.

Recommended Listening: “Break Of Dawn,” “Heaven Can Wait,” “You Rock My World,” “Whatever Happens,” “Butterflies”

I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters
Released November 10, 2009

A few months after Michael’s death, Universal Music Group, which owns the Motown catalog, released a compilation of unreleased material from the Jackson 5.  Among these songs include the much rumored about “Buttercup,” written by Stevie Wonder.   The album is padded with alternate versions of songs like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” and “Dancing Machine.”  The previously unheard songs are what makes this compilation worthwhile.  Michael’s version of the Curtis Mayfield penned “Man’s Temptation” is nothing short of amazing.

Recommended Listening: “Man’s Temptation,” “Love Call,” “Buttercup”

What’s your favorite Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5/The Jacksons album??

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“People been hitting me up like, ‘I’m gonna bash your head in,’ ‘you f—-t,’ ‘I’m gonna kill you,’ ” Lil B told MTV. “I’m not gonna stop and I’m not scared of anybody on earth. That’s why I [titled the album I'm Gay] and nobody gonna stop me.”

Lil’ B insists that he’s heterosexual and that the word “gay” in the album title refers to the word’s other meaning – happy. ”I’m very gay, but I love women. I’m not attracted to men in any way. I’ve never been attracted to a man in my life. But yes I am gay, I’m so happy,” Lil’ B said. “I’m a gay, heterosexual male.”

RELATED: Lil B & Just Blaze Discuss The “I’m Gay” Album Title [AUDIO]

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From PopEater.com:

“Chris was so dangerous backstage that we called 911,” a ‘GMA’ insider tells me. “He totally flew off the handle after being asked a question about his 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend Rihanna. Now ABC has to decide if they are willing to let this man promote his music on a family show on its network or walk away from this obviously troubled young man.”

Chris Brown is scheduled to perform on the popular dancing competition next Monday.

Should Chris Brown be banned from ABC?

RELATED: Chris Brown’s Temper Flares Up On Set Of “Good Morning America” [PICS]

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Check out the video below!

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“I was a boss b*tch in that motherf*cker,” Da Brat says. “All the officers and counselors told me that the girls never bought so much makeup and got in trouble for tight pants. It was so funny. I was rollin’ off that sh*t. Everybody was trying to be homies and friends. Wash my clothes, do my hair, and just everything.”

WBW Honors: Madame C.J. Walker

WBW Honors: Mary McLeod Bethune

Da Brat also says she had several celebrity visitors during her time in the clink.

“I had support from Nick [Cannon] and Mariah [Carey] came to see me. Went through the whole ordeal to come see me. Kat Williams came to see me. JD and my sister [Lisa Raye] came to see me. My folks came. My squad.”

Read the whole interview at XXLmag.com

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Samples of History: Led Zeppelin Seeks Blues Inspiration

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“I didn’t mind… The Grey Album,” The Beatles’ Paul McCartney says in an upcoming BBC Radio 1 documentary. “But the thing was the record company minded. They didn’t like that and they put up a bit of a fuss. But it was like, take it easy guys, it’s a tribute.”

McCartney says he feels that sampling The Beatles in hip-hop and dance music is only fair, since the band admittedly borrowed heavily from their influences. “It was really cool when hip-hop started, you would hear references in lyrics, you always felt honoured,” McCartney says. “It’s exactly what we did in the beginning – introducing black soul music to a mass white audience. It’s come full circle, it’s well cool. When you hear a riff similar to your own, your first feeling is ‘rip-off’. After you’ve got over it you think, look at that, someone’s noticed that riff.”

Source: BeeHiveCity.com

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WBW Honors: Berry Gordy

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In his video, Dupri lays part of the blame on the Grammy board, and a hefty part of the blame on the hip-hop community’s lack of involvement in the NARAS’ day-to-day operations. Dupri even thinks that half of the hip-hop community aren’t even members of the organization.

Spotted @ Vibe.com

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The slow, bass-heavy track is pretty typical of Luger’s production, but without the melodrama of his track for Jay-Z & Kanye’s “H.A.M.”

Do you think “Platinum” will push Snoop’s new album to Platinum status?

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Campbell made the announcement right as the city prepares for a recall of sitting mayor Carlos Alvarez.

“We need someone with vision,” Campbell told the Miami New Times. “I believe I have the vision.”

Campbell believes that his background in running both a successful record label and a nightclub qualify him to run the city.

“When I ran my record company, every year we would first go over what was making revenue for us and beef that side up. Then we would cut the areas where we were not generating revenue. The first place we looked was payroll. I’ll do the same with the county budget.”

Uncle Luke also plans to enact a tax on exotic dancers. He plans to use the funds raised from that tax to benefit programs for school-aged girls.

“Even though all my stripper friends are gonna be mad at me, I think we can stimulate the economy with a tax on strippers. They make all this money and don’t pay taxes. I’d take that cash and put it into a fund where it supports youth athletics for girls like cheerleading or softball. Or it can go to help pay for existing little girls programs that are struggling to get government assistance.”

Would you vote for Uncle Luke as mayor of your town?  Let us know in the comments!

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The upcoming episode will mark Brown’s first appearance on the show.  Actor/comedian Russell Brand will host the episode.

Source: Rap-Up.com

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Over the course of television history, there have been dozens of black sitcoms that we have all watched in the comfort of our homes, so I figured it was time to retire the Huxtables and let some other shows duke it out for the top slot.

5. A Different World

This spin-off of The Cosby Show brought the HBCU experience into the homes of America on a weekly basis from 1987 to 1993.  Viewers immediately fell in love with the show’s cast of characters, from Whitley Gilbert the rich southern belle to Dwayne Wayne the awkward nerd.  During the show’s run, the show dealt with serious topics such as apartheid, censorship, AIDS, date rape, and much more.

4. Good Times

The Evans family of Chicago’s southside projects gave television viewers an unapologetic view of a hard working, low-income black family trying to survive.  Though the family’s socioeconomic status wasn’t the greatest, the family stuck together through thick and thin and managed to make audiences and each other laugh in the process.

The show also tackled more than its fair share of social issues.  Everyone remembers when Penny, played by a young Janet Jackson, was burned by the iron, or when J.J. thought he had contracted VD.

3. The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

This sitcom launched Will Smith’s career into the stratosphere.  Viewers nationwide fell in love with his character as well as his TV family, The Banks family. We all did the “Carlton Dance.”  We all laughed when Will’s best friend Jazz repeatedly got thrown out of the house by Uncle Phil.  We all cried when Will’s father left him a second time.  The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was quite possibly the only successor to the throne of The Cosby Show when it comes to sitcoms centered around the black family.

2. The Jeffersons

From its memorable theme song to George Jefferson’s love affair with the word “honky,” The Jeffersons was the perfect sitcom for the black audience in the late 70s.  Fortunately, the rest of America caught on and kept The Jeffersons on the air well into the 80s. The interplay between George and his wife, Weezy; their maid, Florence; as well as their neighbors, the Wilsons, an interracial couple, continues to keep audiences in stitches.

1. Living Single

Admittedly, Living Single, isn’t an obvious pick for the #1 slot, but look at it this way: the premise of the show was so great that it was completely stolen, recast, and called Friends.  The ensemble cast consistently got laughs and showcased a group of young, successful black men and women.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE BLACK SITCOMS HERE!

Roy Ayers is one of the fathers of the hip-hop movement.  His soulful, jazz influenced songs have provided the backdrop of many a hip-hop classic (“Bonita Applebum” anybody?) This 1981 song was written around the time that the movement for making the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr a national holiday went into full swing.

VIDEO: Top 5 MLK Songs!

In front of 200,000 people on August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr delivered this speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. This speech has been recognized as one of the greatest public speeches ever in human history.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: Is Dr. King’s Dream A Beautiful Nightmare?

Either this young man lost a bet, or he really loves Froot Loops cereal, because we can’t think of any other reason to get our hair dyed with the Froot Loops logo, Toucan Sam, and a few pieces of the admittedly tasty breakfast cereal.

A Froot Loops haircut??

Where they do that at???

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Bram Stroker’s Dracula was first published in 1897.  Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein even earlier in 1818. Robert Louis Stevenson introduced the world to the character of Dr. Jeckyll and his alter ego, Mr Hyde, in 1886. The dark and macabre poetry of Edgar Allen Poe is on syllabuses in high schools nationwide.

With the advent of film, works of horror lept off of the pages of books and onto the screens of movie theaters. F.W. Murnau’s 1922 Dracula adaptation Nosferatu, is often included on respected lists of the greatest films of all time. OF ALL TIME.

The public’s infatuation with being scared and put at unease by these tales of evil beings has continued throughout the years going strong in both literature (Stephen King, anybody?) and film (“1-2, Freddy’s comin for you…”).

In 1983, Michael Jackson’s Thriller short film turned the world upside down.  The werewolf tale set to the title track from Jackson’s landmark album was an instant hit.  Entire families gathered around the television to watch Michael’s transformation into a werewolf, and subsequent dancing zombie.  The video is always near the top, if not at the apex of every list of the greatest music videos ever.  It was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2009 for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically.” It was the first music video to receive that honor.

To put it simply, the public loves to be frightened.

So here we are in the midnight hours of 2010, and I wake up this morning to find that a rough cut of Kanye West’s “Monster” video had found its way to the internet.

Still photos and a behind the scenes video that leaked promised an appropriately dark visual, and the video delivers on that promise.

The video is full of amazing and horrific images, from cannibalistic models to Kanye laying in bed with two presumably dead white girls, or holding the severed head of another girl.

Nicki Minaj’s segment of the video is cleverly done as her shifting voice is split into two separate Nicki’s, Executioner Nicki and Pink-Wigged Schoolgirl Nicki.

We’re certain the video will reignite discussion of Kanye’s rumored allegiance to Satan and/or the Illuminati, but how else are you going to make a music video for a song called “Monster” if you don’t tap into the horror genre?

And besides, no sane person truly believes that Michael Jackson was marching in Satan’s army when “Thriller” came out.

What do you think of Kanye’s “Monster” video?

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“Syllables,” the rumored track featuring Eminem, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z & 50 Cent leaked today.

And we approve.

Well, that is until Stat Quo & Ca$his come in and ruin it…

No idea where this is gonna end up, but something tells us that a re-release of Eminem’s Recovery album is just around the corner…

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Now he’s back with the follow up single, “Sure Thing,” from his debut album All I Want Is You, in stores now.

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In his early days as an aspiring rock star, Teena Marie took him under her wing and gave him a place to live.  She also took him to her recording sessions and to concerts.

“She nurtured me and helped me to become who I am,” Kravitz said. “I never really talked much about it in depth, but I would not be here. She changed my life not only as an artist but as a person who truly loved me for who I was.”

In 1994, Lenny appeared on Teena’s independently released album, Passion Play, singing on the song “Main Squeeze.”

Teena Marie & Lenny Kravitz “Main Squeeze”

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50 hopped on Twitter this morning offering to shovel snow for $100 per house.

I’m going out to shovel snow and see if I can make me a few extra dollars today. I’m charging more if they want to take pictures.

I want a hundred dollars per house. I bet anybody I’ll make a grand moving snow today. Lol

I want a hundred dollars if you’re stuck. I’ll get you out. Lol

I got 4 people on one street to agree to my fee after they saw the first job I did. Now I’m looking for employees.

I’m paying 30 dollars and hour I only want 3 workers that 90 dollars an hour but I think we can do all 4 in a hour in a half. Lol

This snow moving business is just to see if laws apply to every business. After the first job I got 4 more now I have 3 kid I hired.

One is a cute kid. He has on a snow suit. So I’m sending him to ring the door bell to ask if we can shovel their snow. Lol

When you look at his eyes it’s hard to tell him no. lol Then I come to tell them how much they have to pay us. Lol

Once a hustler, always a hustler!

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Now they’ve reunited for the latest track from Swizz Beatz’ weekly “Monster Monday” free download series, “Speechless.”

The track is based around the same Bink! produced track that Kanye West used for “Devil In A New Dress” from his latest album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Download the track for free at www.monstermondays.com!

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When she popped up on stage at Chris Brown’s recent Christmas Eve concert in New York City, she probably wishes more than ever that she had stayed in her seat.

Brown invited Lil’ Mama on stage to kick a freestyle at his “All Black Extravaganza” show which took place at NYC’s Webster Hall venue.  However, those in attendance weren’t impressed with her skills and began booing her.

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He was sentenced on December 16th to a year in jail for a probation violation.  At his sentencing, Judge Christine Mulleneaux said that she believes he has “an undiagnosed mental condition.”

According to the Phoenix New Times, DMX’s manager, Nakia Walker, wouldn’t comment  on whether DMX might have a mental disorder, but  says she wasn’t surprised when she learned that he was being moved to a mental health unit.

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From TMZ.com

Teena suffered a grand mal seizure a month before her death. Close family friends tell us Tina has suffered other seizures, but the grand mal shook her up badly. We’re told she had broken two ribs after falling during that seizure.

We’re told the L.A. County Coroner’s Office found diazepam — an antiseizure drug — at Teena’s home, but friends say she had stopped taking the medicine because of side effects and began taking herbal remedies instead.

Friends also tell TMZ … Teena was so scared of having another grand mal seizure she would have someone sleep next to her at night.

Friends say on Saturday night someone slept in the same room with Teena and left in the morning.  Teena was talking with her bodyguard at around 11:30 AM. She went back to bed in the early afternoon — no one was with her when she slept. Teena’s daughter checked in with her at around 1 PM and Teena was fine.

But at around 3 PM, Teena’s daughter checked in with her again, and found her unresponsive.

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Not only do 50 Cent and his 14-year-old son Marquise look an awful lot alike, but they both apparently have a penchant for playing with money.

50 posted a handful of photos of Marquise playing around with a stack of hundred dollar bills just before Christmas.

Looks like we know what 50 gave his son for the holiday.

And we’re jealous.

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