B IS FOR BLACK.....DON'T MISTAKE IT!

After the fuss kicked-off by the African-American community over The L'Oreal Group's campaign which showed one of its celebrity endorsers, Beyonce Knowles looking well... "whiter", this year's campaign images has just been unveiled and is it just us but doesn't she actually look like an person of ethnic-origin now?

Lets do the comparison ourselves, shall we?



2009



OLD

2008

BALDY

We've been wanting reasons to further crucify Ne-Yo and his silly preoccupation with wearing a hat at every opportunity which has now been cleverly disguised as "the Gentleman's hat" - whatever!

We finally have put 2 and 2 together after stumbling on his Seattle Police mugshot and it looks like your fave 'so-sick' personality is balding.

Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess he kinda has to wear that hat otherwise he may be grouped in the OAP section at your local HMV store.

LEAVE PUFFY....LIVE ON THE STREET

This is what falling in love with P-Diddy will do to ya. Audrey O' Brien has been confirmed to do Playboy for $500,000.

Has anyone ever noticed why no one who that has ever been produced/ guided by Puff "Call me Sean" Diddy Poopy Diddy Pop, never makes a success out of their talent after they part ways. Think about it, where is Ma$e, Total, 112, ....it's almost like working with Puff is a curse for real.

The only person who seems to be exempt from this curse is the man himself...Go figure!

DRU-TV.....NO NO NO NO!

Someone better pinch me quick.....how the hell is DRU HILL, (i) going to try and make a comeback record then, (ii) anchor their very own TV reality show depicting their journey back to the top.

What part of N.O doesn't their record label understand. NO NO NO NO. We said it four times - hang them to dry.

I'D BEE DAMNED!

You know you gotta look twice when you see Sasha Fierce's name in the same sentence as a Golden globe - I thought she was been nominated for the category 'Best alter ego"....I'd been damned!

The "I AM" Beyonce, on the other hand, has been nominated for her song 'Once in a Lifetime' from the upcoming movie 'Cadillac Records'.

Any more confusing shenanigans B?

CALL HIM WHAT YOU LIKE, HE IS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

I suppose it was extremely presumptuous on our path to think the negro-esque parodies, jokes, or slang would stop once the man of the year became the President-elect but I guess we were wrong.

Here's another ignorant song 'Barack the Magic Negro' doing its YouTube rounds and which the Sky News Channel has confirmed that the RNC Chairman defends.

Lord have mercy!

'I'M F******* MATT DAMON'

I must confess I have never truly found nor understood Sarah Silverman or her antics but I must admit this sketch 'I'm fucking Matt Damon' is pure genius.

Watch this!

BLAST FROM THE SANTA: MARY J'S BE HAPPY

The Christmas spirit is certainly in full swing - just arrived in London after a 12-hour flight and I was pleasently suprised on how much a golden oldie can lift the Renaissance Man's spirit.

Here's a classic from 1994 from Mary. J. Blige's My Life album....this is the standout breakthrough single 'Be Happy', that's all the team here can ask you to do today as you tuck into that turkey or lamb....whatever you're having this afternoon.

Just do that 90's head nodding to this!

SONG OF THE FESTIVITIES: DANIEL MERRIWEATHER

I've often defended the point that Christmas should usher in your favourite past times. Around this time of the year, some great music rears its head and become synonymous with the festive period of that year.

Daniel Merriweather (The guy from the classic Mark Ronson's Stop Me) is on the verge of dropping his debut record and this is the first official single (if I'm not mistaken) lifted from the record.

This is 'Changes' and it features possibly the rapper that will feature on some of the more important records (not necessarily commercial!!) in 2009, WALE!

This is so soulful yet adventurous.

SUPERMODEL SWAGGER

Guess who's knocking boots with Sessilee Lopez.....yep, you guessed right, it's no other than Mr. 'Love Lockdown' West. You might have noticed the Victoria Secret supermodel as the busty-fur-coat-wearing hardass who shovelled a strapped up Kanye to death in the Flashing Lights video.

What can we say, Kanye or as my uncle would call him 'Kenny West' has brung it again!

LET US UPGRADE YA!

Some fresh male accessories around - feast your eyes and perhaps part with your cash.



Patrik Erwell reversible mountain coat



Sony Alpha 900 DSLR



What a Man should know, Vol.1



George Hamilton's Louis Vuitton black leather holdall

ASTON MARTIN ONE-77

As we head rapidly towards what is clearly a global recession, should luxury car makers such as Aston martin be allowed to make cars like this $2 million limited edition One-77?

I know a lot of our male readers are instantly screaming YES at their computer screens - the only problem is they aren't the ones placing their government names of its waiting list.

STYLISTICS...

Here's Kanye again - never failing to disappoint with his trendy-ass-self. Here he is outside the David Letterman studios in New York as he continues to churn out one TV appearance after the other, all in aid of breaking more records with first week sales of his new release '808 & Heartbreak'

SHE'S ACTUALLY TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT

Model of the moment, Arlenis Sosa is actually too bloody gorgeous we have decided.

The 19-year old Dominican descedent is too beautiful for the camera lenses, we almost wish she hadn't been "discovered", it would have been reassuring to know that not all beautiful people are being used to sell garment.

The Lord is good and the word is Arlenis.

N-O, NO!

Just spoke with some excitable music journalists about the forthcoming Jamie Foxx album 'Intuition'

Sorry...but isn't this like getting excited about the prospects of losing a couple of quid over a bad bet? We all know it's gonna suck!

TAKE A WILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLD GUESS!

Guess who made an appearance at last night's American Music Awards?




Soooooo...we ask the question, is this Be'I Am..pure' or 'Sasha'?

Kinda getting confused, can you just make up your mind.

WHO'S GONNA SAVE MY SOUL

At the Renaissance Man, we had been raving about the depth of Gnarls Barkley new single 'Who's gonna save my soul' for months, finally, a befitting promotional video has been released and like everything Gnarls.....this is master class.

Enjoy and think!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: WILEY

Big shout out to Aterlieu Olu for giving us the heads up on the new Wiley single 'Ca$h in my Pocket'

It is funny indeed.....kinda reminds us of the hit series 'The Office' .... but on dope, of course.

THE SOFTER SIDE OF BEYONCE

The softer side of Beyonce is certainly the way forward for the emerging icon’s career. Regardless of our personal opinion on the persona and person behind what has essentially been a great musical talent. On the eve of her new release, I Am.....Sasha Fierce, a 2-CD music extravaganza – similar to an overdose of your favourite biscuit or fruit, this will essentially be the quintessential beyonz a.k.a Ms Put a ring on it dream.

She seems to have dug deep on her vocal arrangements and her song writing abilities, the sophisticated productions on the first CD instalment I Am, is admirable. For the first time, I find myself listening to beyonce’s lyrical content and I confess I almost don’t feel like I’m listening to a Beyonce record.

What do I mean, after all this is the same lady who brought out cliché empowerment drivel but pop classics such as Bootylicious and Independent women. It is reassuring that with age people grow and SOME artists develop musically. This is very evident on I Am and something the superstar should be proud of. Hallelujah, Halo have courageous melodies which rivals even Diane Warren in her finest hour.

The B-side ‘Sasha Fierce’ the supposed alter ego is far more brass and abrasive but sadly doesn’t work and almost puts a ? on which of the sides is really Beyonce. Is the delectable quality of side A, a A&R ploy or is it vice versa, whichever it is.....the 2CD is a commendable effort and granted to secure more airplay for the young woman who is quickly racing into the legends corner.....whether we like it or not!

ALESHA: NOT CALLING THE SHOTS

Do you ever think there are some 'stars' who are good at being jack-of-all-trades , and by that I mean - being a bonafide celebrity, glossy pages regular, etc.

Would you agree if we place Alesha Dixon in that box. I mean, we were all loving her towards the end of last year as she was crowned winner of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, gracefully silencing her enemies especially husband snatcher Javine.

Now......we have mentally tried to block her only hit 'Lipstick' from the face of the planet but she seems to be persistent. She has a new song titled 'The Boy does nothing' which sounds more like a re-make of Mambo No.5 by that fella with the moustache.

If the truth be told, this is awful. Is she's seriously trying to convince us that she has 100% creative input in this offering. We would choke with laughter. We believe in evolving but really - this is a longgggggggggggggg way from the Mis-Teeq ladies days. Even, Mis-teeq's half-boiled R&B tunes are masterpieces in comparison to this drivel.

C'mon Alesha, your credibility is seriously on the line.