The Plateau bunch was exclusively invited to a ‘Cocktail Jam’ event on May 21, 2008 hosted by Pipe Line Brands (www.pipelinebrands.com) and The Xchange (www.go-xchange.com). The concept behind the event was something out of an alcoholic’s dream: A bunch of new liquor brands were giving complimentary tastings of their exclusive lines for guests to try out. Needless to say giggles and easy laughs were had by all (except for our designated driver who nursed a drink and admired the spectacular views afforded by the Xchange’s 9th floor Chelsea loft location). They were all fantastic drinks with a few exceptional ones standing out. Shots out to David from Coole Swan
… Tasty…
Check out the photos of the event below and tell us what you would’ve done:
cocktail jam
Delmar and Nikki
David from Coole Swan with Nicole
Nikki with some new friends
Delmar with a bottle of some fantastic stuff
Alex with Coole swan bartender
Delmar with new friends
Her glasses were just too cool
Filed under: OP-ED
It’s kind of funny to me how lately everyone has commented on the state of Hip-Hop – how Southern rappers aren’t really sticking to the roots of real Hip-Hop and so on. But has anyone ever considered taking a look at what has become of R&B?
I grew up in the R&B era of Whitney Houston, Billy Ocean, Michael Jackson, Prince, Luther Vandross, En Vogue, Keith Sweat, Bel Biv DeVoe, Boyz II Men, and Mary J. Blige. Back in those days R&B pretty much stuck to its roots it begun with in the late sixties/early seventies and then re-evolving itself in the early eighties. Today new comers calling themselves R&B artists when some of them aren’t really sticking to the prototype.
I’m not saying that this is a good or bad thing – but if industry is going to question the state of true Hip Hop, shouldn’t we be questioning the R&B music of today as well? Many of these artists are combining the sounds with Pop, Electronica, Dance, and even Rock – basically in attempts to reach mass audiences. The newest trend in R&B is artists tend to rely on instruments, a catchy hook, or a well established rapper’s guest appearance to get more airplay versus getting on solely on their God-given talents. This “genre gluttony” to become a superstar across the board can sometimes hinder underground artists who are trying to emerge onto the music scene and establish themselves as R&B artists. The affect usually occurs when the underground artists try and get radio play, the attention of major labels, or market themselves as fresh talent.
They then may have to tap into the other genres instead of sticking to what is original to them for fear of their craft being mistaken for wanting to be a clone of someone who is already established. But then there are those underground artists who really stick to the R&B sound regardless of what the major artists are doing. This can be seen in underground artists such as Pretty Willie aka P-Dub out of Saint Louis, Missouri. He is someone who has pretty much stuck to his R&B sound, has came out with four albums already while making a name for himself throughout the Midwest and Deep South. Other examples of underground R&B artists who have maintained their initial sounds are Mateo, Ledisi, and Stevie Hoang – all who tend to have a fan base following through the now popular Myspace.com.
While I don’t think R&B (or Hip Hop) is dead, I do believe this new merging of genres, is a trend that is here to stay whether we like it or not. It is definitely a tactic that underground and major artists can use to expand their fan base and also break down the barriers to give all listeners an even more delightful music listening experience.
-Phonz L. Thomas
