FRIDAY TRACK: WE ALL NEED THE SECRET

How's it going?

Every now and then we have to clean our surroundings; our rooms, our walkways, our heads, friendships, our lives. It's interesting how often many of us sleep in messy surroundings by simply sweeping things under the bed. The day you finally decide to lift the mattress up, you are suddenly amazed by the amount of debris that has accumulated over time often making you ill psychologically.

I have been reading "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne, this book explains with simplicity the law that is governing all lives, and offers the knowledge of how to create - intentionally and effortlessly - a joyful life. This is the secret to everything - the secret to unlimited happiness, love, health and prosperity.

It's is all about the law of attraction. The capacity of the mind to attract negative or positive things into your life - if you think and see it, chances are you will hold it. You can have, be, do anything you want, all of this is possible by knowing the SECRET. I urge everyone to get a copy. YOU deserve to know the SECRET.



This week's Friday Track is 'FREEMAN' by the dynamic duo MATTAFIX. This is the liberation song of the year and I want us to listen and jam to this great summery anthem. Have a good weekend and thank you for your birthday messages.

Kind Regards,

USAIN BOLT: PERFECTION

I have just experienced the greatest Olympic moment at the Beijing 2008. The 100 m men’s final was nothing short of magnificent. It had everything – style, adrenaline and also the utter destruction of the existing world record.

He won the race in an unbelievable 9.69 secs.

This was a golden moment and you can only imagine the endorsement assault start as Puma will struggle to keep this 21-year old Jamaican. For the rest of his life – the number 2163 will be forever significant.

I WANNA BE A REALITY STAR....TOO

The beautiful thing about our front row seat at the D-squared fashion show was spotting Anthony from UK's Celebrity Big Brother Hijacked; he was the obnoxious young boxer who had the brain the size of a jar.

Anyway, what a difference a good publicity makes - Anthony now models? So our researchers found that he'd also done underwear campaigns for Empirio Armani. Go figure! This really doesn't do anything for that old saying: "All models are dumb" except Tyson Beckford of course - he's an alien.



(Pre-Celebrity Big Brother Hijacked 2008; before airbrushed graced his face)



(This is now!)

Let's all go on Big Brother. YAY!

BAG IT BOYS!

WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PROFOUND TO SAY ABOUT THIS EXPECT BOYS - IT'S YOUR TURN TO WORK IT!

SPEND A LITTLE ON:.......TASSELS

Tassels are a no-brainer. In the last month, nothing looks better with a pair of stonewash denim and you no longer have to be a Sloaner own a pair. They are great as casuals and can really dictate your sitting position at your next dinner party.

Feast your eyes on this season's must have pair of footwear. We have selected a few from collections by Louis Vuitton, Paul Smith, Gucci amongst many.






They go with an array of trousers types; from chinos to Levi’s 501s to those holiday Linen trousers gathering dust in your closet. However, if you have the balls the size of the Rafa Nadal, you can wear yours with rolled up distressed jeans.

TRACK OF THE WEEK: FREAKY GURL

Straight from the streets of NYC to your computer screens.

This is the very rowdy single from Gucci Mane appropriately titled 'Freaky Gurl'. The lyrics are legendary.

Be warned.....this may be the most unattractive man you'd ever meet.

Enjoy!

ROGER: "YOU SHALL OVERCOME"

A bad day for our Tennis hero.

Roger Federer has suffered another horrific defeat, this time at on-going Beijing Olympics losing to the very talented American James Blake.

It continues to hurt to see Roger so dejected. We continue to root for our great champion. These are sign o' the times but it is nothing a great champion cannot surpass.

Keep your faith, Roger.

THE 'NOT-SO-CLEVER' IMPOSTER

Has anyone seen the new Flo-rida ft Will.I.Am promotional video for 'In the Ayer'?

It just confirms what I've always thought about Flo-rida as an impost er. As if a rapper who's album is titled 'Mail On Sunday' isn't bad enough, he relies heavily on guest appearances to carry his weight on songs. As anyone ever noticed that he spends half of the time singing and dancing clearly loving his own drivel.

Any respectable rapper with an thirst to be taken seriously would never have guest star on their first three singles. It simply isn't done. Does he actually plan to make any money out of his craft?

Like I said - Imposter - I would actually like to see a die-hard Flo-rida fan. That'll be a spectacle.

THIS IS YOUR SPOTLIGHT: JENNIFER HUDSON

The wait seemed like an eternity and we know many like ourselves who thirst so desperately for more after her emphatic-Oscar winning performance as "Effie White" in Dreamgirls. The good news is the girl is back after that "shamble" of a role in the very brilliant "Sexy and the City movie"

Her debut single is "Spotlight" taken from the September-due release album - as of press time, we are unsure about the album title.

Nevertheles, we like this single very much and subsequently very excited about the direction which SONY BMG Music Entertainment is taking the woman that many had written off as "a marketing nightmare" including the silly American Idol voters (we're not even going to go there!)

Enjoy your time in the Spotlight Jennifer!

Also, someone at our HQ has just suggested that this samples Ne-Yo's Because of You. You make the judgement.

ISSAC HAYES: A FALLEN LEGEND

It is not in Renaissance Man style to continuously report tragedies but it's been a bewildering weekend with two great African-Americans answering to God's calling.

We tragically confirm the sad death of American funk-soul legend and Academy Award-award winning musician Isaac Hayes who was found dead at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, earlier today. He was 65.

He will be sadly missed.

FRIDAY TRACK:.....LIVE FROM BRYANT PARK

Hello Friday lovers,

I'm sitting on a lawn and surfing the net - where I'm I .....230 Thompson St.. the land of the free of course. I'm watching the rush hour commuters match soldierly with their backpacks and handbags. My feet jitters in my John Lobb as I anticipate the many things to see and experience in the hours to come.

Game aficionados pace sluggishly as men with classic New York accents concentrate over Chess profusely as if they were under the threats of war under their flat-caps.

I feel part of the noise, the bike-horns, the shaded walkways, I feel part of the Starbucks-carrying Choo, the collapsible wooden chairs, I feel part of the Skyscrapers, the over-zealous traffic wardens, the unsure tourists, I feel like I belong in my RayBan's and white trousers.

I feel all of this cause I'm in the New York state of mind.

This week's Friday Track is the very talented (you have not idea) TAIO CRUZ - the London based, song-writer producer who's album DEPARTURE is the most under-APPRECIATED record of the past few months.

This is the fantastic "She's Like A Star" - this is the weekend banger you wanted to bop to.

Enjoy, I'm off to Flatbush Ave to cop me the Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings record.

Regards,

THIS LIFE

This thing called life is exhilirating.

This morning a member of our team had a baby boy and less than an hour later, we hear of the tragic loss of American comedian, Bernie Mac.

So far, very little information is available. His publicist has released a statement confirming that the 50-year old comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

Our hearts go out to his family and we shall continue to enjoy the impressive portfolio of work which he left behind.

FRIDAY TRACK: HERE COMES THE SUN

Happy Friday,

Allegedly, today (July 25) is going to be the hottest day in London so far with a predicted 30oC expected to pierce my oily skin.

It has been an interesting week of discovery and fine-turning my musical knowledge. I have been a student of hip hop all week as your kind selves have been sending your favourite rap verses of all time as a result of last week’s challenge. With every contribution, I go back and dig, dust and relive the words which range from NWA to WuTang to Masta Ace to Andre 3000.

I’d like to say thank you for your participation, this has been a real eye-opener to the joys that music brings to us all.

We have put together a table of all the verses which were sent to us @ the FRIDAY TRACK. A big thank you to Osa for painstakingly ensuring that we have a comprehensive list. The list is particularly great as it provides instant links to youtube and the respective lyrics forum. It’s great fun!

This week’s choice is a hot scorcher just like this hot summer day. This is DAYS LIKE THESE by the hugely underrated Shaun Escoffery. This is a monster tune.

If you eat anything today make sure it’s an Ice Cream. Go on ladies, ignore the calories.

Enjoy the rest of the day. Mad love to our people from San Fran to Lagos to London to Singapore to New York to Amsterdam to Paris to Washington DC to Tokyo.

We truly love days like these!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: PHARELL & Co.

You can't say we don't find exclusive. This is the new converse commercial theme tune; it's a NERD production featuring Julian Casablanca and Santiago (we like her!!)

Enjoy, this is My Drive Thru! We give it 5-stars.

LOOKS BETTER IN WAX

Despite all the drama and crack pipes, our favourite Ms 'No-no-no' keeps hording up the spotlight. Last week, her album was declared the biggest-seller globally, racking up a total of 9.78 million copies (yep, she's almost diamond people) and today, Madame Tussuad's London has just unveiled a waxwork of our favourite beehive.

Mum and Dad decided to stand next to it. Why we say, why?

SHWAYZE & CISCO

These dudes are so out-of-the-world with their Malibu-BEHAVIOUR, it's ridiculous.

Check out this very catchy 'Buzzin'

SHIT HAPPENS!

Just to think Christian Bale should be on top of the world as his Batman jsut scored big with cinema-goers across the globe grossing a whooping $79 million in its first week opening in America ($11m less than the estimated cost of production). It has just been revealed that he has been charged with assault by the British police. Guess by who.....his mother and sister.

Is that bizzare enough for you? Apparently he lashed out at both members of the family on sunday night at the Dorchester Hotel in London's Park Lane.

Our heart bleeds for one of the most successful Batmans on his generation. First, Heath Ledger's performance has overshadowed everyone's including the lead performance and now a possible arrest. What a timing? Perhaps, this is what happens when the media have forgotten Batman himself, falling needlessly for the 'joker'.

Go figure!

MERCURY DONE GOOD

The Mercury music prize shortlisted albums were announced this morning at an event in Covent Garden, london. We are quite pleased as two of our favourite albums from the year so far, were acknowledged.

Adele's 19 and Estelle's Shine.



I'm pretty positive neither would win but wouldn't it be special if Adele won. I saw her at the Somerset House on Saturday and she was breathtaking considering this time last year, she wasn't even signed to Excel.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: LITTLE JACKIE

Courtesy of the Renaissance Man, here are some of our favourite videos at the moment.

This is Little Jackie's The World should revolve around me

KATY PERRY: HAS SHE KISSED HER CAREER AWAY?

I hope the lord forgives me for this one cause I don't know Katy Perry from Adam and I'm certainly not qualified to determine what her capabilities are as an artist but I can't help but feel after hearing her debut single "I kissed a girl...." don't artists run the risk of doom after launching their career with such a 'controversial/brave/tongue-in-cheek' debut. So many spring to mind - Meredith Brook's Bitch, Sandi Thom's Punk Rocker, etc.

These songs will certainly guarantee radio airplay and might end up at the top of the charts however the stigma that sticks for the rest of the artist's career is this silly debut that people sadly can't detach themselves from.