Critically acclaimed recording artists Goodie Mob are set to reintroduce themselves to hip-hop purists with their fourth and highly anticipated new album Age Against the Machine, scheduled for release on August 27, 2013.

After a 14-year hiatus, Grammy Award winning artist CeeLo Green reunites with his original Atlanta rap group, Goodie Mob and his Goodiebrothers Big Gipp, Khujo, and T-Mo, to remind naysayers of the group’s lauded history as rap royalty of the “Dirty South.”  To quell the anticipation for new music before the album’s release date, Goodie Mob will unleash their new radio single “Special Education” featuring Janelle Monae as well as the street single “Pinstripes” featuring T.I. in coming weeks.

“Special Education” is already receiving early accolades. 

“The ATLiens have seen fit to raise total pandemonium in the form of the single ‘Special Education’, which takes the Aquemini blueprint a step farther, wedding industrial crunch to funk with surprisingly harmonious results,” says Pitchfork. 

Billboard exclaims, “The project is impressively fluid and cohesive.”

In February, the collective surprised fans and joined fellow member CeeLo Green onstage during his Las Vegas residency show, “CeeLo Green is Loberace,” at Planet Hollywood and performed classics from their arsenal of three Gold-Certified albums including songs “Soul Food” and “They Don’t Dance No Mo.’” In addition, the group is currently featured in a television commercial campaign for the Las Vegas Tourism Board, which is in rotation now and will air nationally throughout the rest of the year.

Last year, Goodie Mob released the single “Fight to Win,” an anthem of liberation, motivation, and determination, which they premiered on NBC’s hit show The Voice and performed at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards. Furthermore, the track was used as the official theme song for the 2012 NBA Playoffs and was prominently featured in the campaign surrounding the release of the SamsungGalaxy SIII.

SFPL is glad to see the super group back in action! Welcome back fellas! 

Watch as the 23 year-old MC discusses his third single off of his latest mixtape “The Takeoff,” hosted by DJ Holiday, entitled “Incredigirl.”, the process of maintaining as an independent artist and his respect for Jay-Z.

-Stay Fly!

Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, actor and philanthropist NE-YO has announced an intimate six-city fan appreciation experience entitled “A Night with NE-YO,” which kicked-off May 7th in Chicago in support of his latest Motown Records release, R.E.D. which includes the latest single “Should be You” feat. Fabolous and Diddy.

The stripped down trek, with stops in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, and Dallas will allow fans an opportunity to be up-close-and-personal with NE-YO, whose catalog has amassed over 10 million albums and 23 million singles sold worldwide.

Tickets for the Night with NE-YO Experience, presented by smooth and fiery MALIBU® Red, are gratis and will be distributed through contests with participating radio stations in each market.

The location of each show will be revealed to winners through select radio partners. 

On making the announcement, NE-YO stated,

“I’m excited to have a global partnership with MALIBU® Red, which will allow me to get back on the road and perform songs from my new album R.E.D, classics from my previous works and the smooth experience of Malibu Red drinks. This tour underscores my appreciation for my fans, and it was important for me to play intimate venues where I could be as close to them as possible.”

NE-YO – who is scheduled to perform on Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series on August 2 – serves as the Chief Creative Officer for MALIBU® Red, and is an active participant in the creativity of certain product developments for the new beverage. Furthermore, he contributed artistically to the brand when putting together the Smooth and Fiery launch campaign last year. 

Multi-faceted entertainer NE-YO, whose recent album R.E.D. spawned the top ten Billboard Hot 100 hit “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself),” has been the go-to scribe for such artists as Rihanna, Usher, Beyoncé and Enrique Iglesias. His first three albums are all nearing RIAA double platinum for sales in excess of 2 million copies each; and he has amassed five platinum and one RIAA gold single. His artistic endeavors have also included roles in Stomp The Yard ,Save The Last Dance, and most recently George Lucas’ Red Tails. In addition to his executive role as Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal Motown Records, NE-YO heads The Compound Foundation, which provides resources for children in foster care.

Please see below for the tour itinerary:

NE-YO’s Tour Dates/ Radio Sponsors

May 7: Chicago, IL.- WGCI

May 13: Philadelphia, PA.-WUSL

May 14: Washington D.C.-WKYS

May 15: Charlotte, NC.-WPEG

May 16: Atlanta, GA.-V103

May 17: Dallas, TX.- K104

As you may know, Damon Wayans Jr. comes froms family tree of just pure comedic talent! Now the ‘Happy Endings’ star teams up with NIVEA MEN, to not only make shaving fun; but to face those unwanted irritations in life. Check it out below…

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

NIVEA MEN, the world’s number one grooming brand is kicking off its “Silence the Irritation” campaign, encouraging men to think beyond the blade and focus more on the skincare side of shaving. As a brand that has specialized in men’s skincare for more than 90 years, NIVEA MEN hopes to break through today’s cluttered, gadget-driven market and help men understand that no matter how sharp the razor is, unkempt skin will never be in.

To help drive the conversation around “Silence the Irritation,” NIVEA MEN turned to thousands of males via Break Media’s proprietary Acumen research platform to better understand how they felt about shaving, shaving irritations and other areas of life that may irk them. Not surprisingly, razor burn and shaving irritation, in addition to having to shave altogether, topped the list of irritants which also included things like dying cell phone batteries, overly-talkative coworkers and Mr. Know-it-Alls. Some men even admitted to growing out their beards to avoid having to shave at all.

For those annoyed by, or even weary, of shaving irritation, NIVEA MEN has a variety of products that address every step of the process from skin prep to post-shave care. The NIVEA MEN SENSITIVE line is formulated for even the most delicate skin so that shaving irritation is a thing of the past because, at the end of the day, a necessity like shaving shouldn’t be one of life’s top irritants.

“Despite all of the fancy, expensive razors in the marketplace, men continue to dread the shaving experience as it is painful and irritating,” said Evan Eckman, Vice President of Marketing – North America, Beiersdorf Inc. “With more than nine decades of male grooming experience, we at NIVEA MEN understand male skincare needs better than ever and with our assortment of balms and gel solutions specifically formulated for men, we hope to help men silence shaving irritation once and for all.”

To help spread awareness of the “Silence the Irritation” message, NIVEA MEN partnered with Break Media to create a customized co-branded series starring Happy Endings star, Damon Wayans Jr and True Blood actress Janina Gavankar.  The series takes on a humorous approach in exposing men’s biggest life irritants, with each episode’s premise based off of the survey findings.  The Just Face It  premiered on May 7^th and be available to watch at Break Media’s MadeMan.com / NIVEA MEN hub, www.mademan.com/NIVEA-for-men-usa, its YouTube channelwww.youtube.com/mademan and on the NIVEA MEN Facebook and NIVEA USA YouTube pages.

A “Silence the Irritation” mobile optimized content hub on MadeMan.com will also be available and feature editorial content created for NIVEA MEN, including a sweepstakes opportunity (Shave off Your Monday Morning Irritations) with a weekly winner. Prizes will include noise-cancelling headphones, cash prizes to help pay for taxes, among others.

Check out the first two episodes below…

King Beyonce, took some time out of her busy tour schedule to sit down with ABC News’ Amy Robach in London to discuss her upcoming animated movie ‘Epic’ (where she plays a Queen which is one of the first projects she took on after giving birth to young princess, Blue Ivy. Bey also discusses the controversy behind her trip to Cuba with Jay-Z, as well as her plans to have more kids. Check it out …

MTV announced a brand new relationship series entitled “Girl, Get Your Mind Right,” featuring  author and expert Tionna Smalls, to kick off the summer season with a heavy dose of straight talk and sass.  

In this new daily strip starting on Monday, May 20th at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT, Tionna Smalls takes her signature no-holds-barred approach to help set girls straight when it comes to relationships. In each episode Tionna works with a young woman on ways she can improve her chances of finding a meaningful relationship, understand why her current dating situation is just not working, or break her own bad habits.

“I’m excited to be a part of the MTV family and help the girls get their mind right,” said Smalls. “I think it’s time for ladies to take over the world! Girls everywhere will become stronger when dealing with relationships after watching this show.”

Recently, singer Fantasia stopped by the NY office of GlobalGrind.com to speak with the blog maven himself, BlogXilla. She speaks about her current relationship status, what song makes her #turntup in the clubs, and the process of the “Without Me” track featuring Missy and Kelly. But wait until you see Fantasia run away from Xilla, after his Libra tactics got out of hand; then Fantasia proceeds to sing and run away! LOL! #GoodTimes…Check it out below…

With two brand new Tyler Perry scripted shows coming to OWN Network, Oprah and Tyler decided to explain; ‘Why They Lean On Each Other’ in Essence Magazine‘s June 2013 issue. This makes Tyler’s 2nd time covering Essence within a year.

Check out what the power duo had to say…

TP: Both of us have to continue to live in our truth. If she doesn’t like something, say it. If I don’t like something, I’ll say it. And we’ll figure it out and keep moving on…”

Oprah: We both know how rare this is,” the 59-year-old mogul says. “Where else in the history of our African-American culture have two really, really successful people who can do whatever they want said, ‘Let’s come together and be even more powerful – let’s take it to the tenth power?”

Photo Credit: Kwaku Alston

Check out more over at Essence.com!

SFPL‘s “Renaissance Man”, Luke James has been officially selected by Beyonce herself; to be the opening act for the ‘Mrs. Carter Tour’ in Europe beginning on April 24th in Paris. Read more below…

It was announced today that N.A.R.S. Records/ Island Def Jam recording artist Luke James was personally chosen by 17-time GRAMMY® Award winner and global superstar Beyoncéas the opening performer on her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in Europe. Beginning April 24th in Paris, France through May 29th in Stockholm, Sweden, with the exception of Oslo, Norway, GRAMMY® Award nominated Luke James will take the stage to deliver his dynamic presence and signature soulful sound for what is sure to be a spectacular performance. (See tour dates below)

“Luke James is a gifted singer and songwriter and what he does on stage with his pure falsetto is incredible. I am excited to have him join the tour and to introduce this soulful singer to an audience in Europe that will be discovering a true star,” said Beyoncé

Managed by Beyoncé’s creative director/show director, Frank Gatson Jr. and Los-Angeles based business partner Greg Parks, Luke James has been championed by the global superstar for his artistry and vocals for years. Luke James was the sole opening act for all fourof the Beyonce’s shows at Revel in Atlantic City for her “Back To Business” concerts last summer and he was selected for a featured role in her 2011 “Run the World” video.

“It is such an unimaginable honor to be sharing the light yet again with Beyoncé on her sold out Mrs. Carter Show World Tour,” said Luke James. “This is a blessing that I do not take lightly. Thank you Beyoncé.”

Luke James, who was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 2013 GRAMMY® Awards for his hit single, ‘I Want You’ and nominated for Best New Artist at the 2012 Soul Train Awards, has been captivating audiences with his live performances. Billboard recently branded him as “R&B’s new golden boy” and “a star,” while BET.com says “it would be a pop culture injustice if Luke James doesn’t become a household name.”

With crowd-rising performances at BET Honors, Black Girls Rock!, ESSENCE Music Festival 2012, BET Music Matters Tour, 2013 Trumpet Awards and BET Networks CEO Debra Lee’s PRE BET Awards dinner, the “buttery-smooth New Orleans soul singer” (Village Voice) with the “pretty falsetto” (New York Times) has quickly stepped out into the limelight even before the release of his debut solo album.

Luke James has amassed an impressive list of writing credits, including tracks with Justin Bieber (“That Should Be Me”), Chris Brown (“Crawl”), and Britney Spears (“Kill The Lights”), as well as Keri Hilson, Brandy, and others.

Other projects in the works include a role in the upcoming ‘Black Nativity’ movie, co-starring with Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige. Luke James will also take the stage at the 2013 ESSENCE Music Festival on July 7, 2013 in New Orleans.

For more information about Luke James, his pre-album, Whispers In The Dark and his upcoming debut solo album, Made To Love, please visit:

www.whoislukejames.com
www.facebook.com/whoislukejames
Follow @whoislukejames on Twitter; @wolfjames on Instagram

MRS. CARTER SHOW WORLD TOUR CONCERT DATES FEATURING LUKE JAMES:

April 24: Paris, France / Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
April 25: Paris, France / Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
April 26: Birmingham, UK / LG Arena
April 27: Birmi9ngham, UK/ LG Arena
April 29: London, UK / The O2
April 30: London, UK / The O2
May 1: London, UK / The O2
May 3: London, UK / The O2
May 4: London, UK/ The 02
May 5: London, UK/ The 02
May 7: Manchester, UK / Manchester Arena
May 8: Manchester, UK/ Manchester Arena
May 9: Manchester, UK/ Manchester Arena
May 11: Dublin, Ireland / The O2
May 12: Dublin, Ireland / The O2
May 14: Antwerp, Belgium / Sportpaleis Antwerpen
May 15: Antwerp, Belgium/ Sportpaleis Antwerpen
May 17: Zurich, Switzerland / Hallenstadion
May 18: Milan, Italy / Mediolanum Forum
May 20: Montpellier, France / Park & Suites Arena
May 22: Munich, Germany / Olympiahalle
May 23: Berlin, Germany / 02 World
May 24: Berlin, Germany / O2 World
May 27: Copenhagen, Denmark / Forum
May 29: Stockholm, Sweden / Ericsson Globe Arena

You are now tuned in to ‘The Fly Geenius Files’! This first installment features multi-talented actor, TYLER DEAN FLORES. Although, Flores is most recognized for his supporting role in The Dark Knight Rises he has also modeled in national campaigns and is now moving into the next phase of his career. Always heavily influenced by hip hop, Tyler is adding the title of “musician” to his extensive resume, taking on the name TY FLO. Check out more of him below…

Tyler is from Harlem and has never allowed adversities or circumstances to stifle his growth. Only 15 years old, Flores morphed his booming modeling career into constant auditions and a creditable role in a motion picture, alongside some of Hollywood’s elite.

KL: “I never got a chance to reach out to him (Nas). I was so wrapped up in getting the music done and samples cleared and mastered. I didn’t wanna rush the process; I actually wanted to sit in the studio and vibe with him. [It was] the only thing that I had a vision for that I sought out to accomplish, but in due time…”

On which artist puts them on their toes and to go harder:
KL: “My partner J. Cole is always keeping it to the point where you have to show and prove. My partner Drake kills it.”

M: “What’s fucked up about R&B is that that camaraderie doesn’t exist. I don’t really know why.”

Interesting (and seemingly true) words Miguel.  The “Quickie” singer’s solo cover & spread is below:

On the biggest risk they’ve taken artistically:
M: “Overall it doesn’t sound like any other R&B album that’s been put out in the past decade…I remember having a conversation with Mark, my A&R like, “Man, I don’t know if they’re going to get this shit.””

KL: “The idea of a concept record has been lost for a long time – will that translate to 16-year-old kids in high school rather than the super energetic joint on the radio? I definitely had that in the back of my mind when I was creating this album.”

On Frank Ocean’s announcement:
M: “In all reality, Frank Ocean took a big chance the way that artists are supposed to. Sonically and how he writes and what he’s writing about and how he chooses to express himself vocally, all his choices are very unique and I appreciate that about him. Not only did his announcement overshadow my music, but it overshadowed his as well.

-Stay Fly!

<c/enter>

And pay CLOSE attention to the single in the background … *hint, hint*

Joseline Hernandez is BAAACCCKKKKKK! And, honestly we couldn’t be happier! The ratchetness on television just hasn’t been the same since she left the screen! Her low class shenanigans were missed like Grandma’s Sunday Dinner!

WATCH IT NOW!

Based on THAT >>>> HERE are the 6 Reason’s why we will be watching Love & Hip Hop Atlanta Season 2

1. Joseline and Stevie are officially a couple and Mimi is still MADD!

Mimi still needs to occupy every seat in Madison Square Garden. 

2. Mimi has a new girlfriend, and it’s not Arianne!

Her new boy toy is (fill in the blank) __________ !
3. Erica and Lil Scrappy’s momma, Momma Dee RUMBLE!! YES !!!!

Momma Dee meddles too much in her son’s affairs! She’s low key obsessed with her son … it’s kinda pathetic.
4. K. Michelle and Rasheeda RUMBLE !!!!! 

We are rooting for K. Michelle on this one, Rasheeeeeda needs to climb back down the ladder and relax in her natural underground habitat. 
5. Rasheeda is also pregnant and her husband doesn’t think it’s his ….

Chile …
6. Shay is STILL holding on to a dream ….

Gurl!

The magic returns Monday april 22nd on VH1!

-Stay Fly!