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Last year’s restructuring of the awards (while needed and long overdue) produced a situation where genres compete against one another, despite being constructed and evaluated on different — and sometimes opposing — criteria.
Thus the Best Male Artist category includes guitarist Bheki Khoza’s Getting To Heaven Alive, pianist Paul Hanmer’s soundtrack album Accused No1, bassist Musa Manzini’s Simply Life, Kabelo’s kwaito outing Exodus and Vusi Mahlasela’s folky vocal Naledi Ya Tsala. Whoever wins, it’s hard to say that Khoza, for example, is “better” than Kabelo — they simply occupy different musical territories. It’s like judging wine against football stadiums.
Africa 2007
Khoza looks set fair to pick up at least one award, since he’s also nominated for Album of the Year and Best Instrumental Jazz Album, as well as Best Producer for his work on Simphiwe Dana’s One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street. Dana also has multiple nominations: Best Female Artist; Album of the Year; Best Vocal Jazz and Best Contemporary Jazz Album as well as the Best Producer slot.
Winter Music Conference
It’s that time of year again in Miami when it seems that there are hundreds of concerts each day and no place to park anywhere in the city. I’m talking of course about the Winter Music Conference. Each year since 1985, the crowds attending the WMC have grown consistently.
The activities during the WMC range from drug-ridden club parties to seminars on marketing strategies and artist development. The festival always seems to live up to the hype and is never lacking in events.
This year, Miami receives a special visit from Stones Throw Records. Stones Throw is presenting “Hella International”, a free event to be held at the Raleigh Hotel, Friday, March 23rd from 1 - 10pm. The show will feature DJs: Madlib, Peanut Butter Wolf, J.Rocc and many more. Stones Throw Records already achieves an underground fan base through its connection with Adult Swim, an adult-based series of cartoons featured on the Cartoon Network.
Billboard Chart Busters
Beyonce makes it 10 weeks straight atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Irreplaceable,” but faces another strong competitor for the throne in Nelly Furtado’s “Say It Right” which climbs one spot to a new peak of No. 2. The latter cut is No. 1 on the Pop 100 for a second week.
For a third week, Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” tops the Hot Digital Songs chart but slips 2-3 on the Hot 100. Daughtry’s “It’s Not Over” holds tight at No. 4 for a second week while Gwen Stefani’s “The Sweet Escape” featuring Akon scores a new peak, moving 6-5.
Still climbing in its 12th week on the chart, Ludacris’ “Runaway Love” featuring Mary J. Blige ascends 7-6 and rules the roost on Hot Rap Tracks for a second week. Back on the the Hot 100, Akon’s “I Wanna Love You” featuring Snoop Dogg slips 5-7, while Jim Jones’ “We Fly High” keeps No. 8 warm for a second week. Lloyd’s “You” featuring Lil’ Wayne enters the top tier 11-9 and also ascends 2-1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs tally.
After 22 weeks on the chart, Unk’s “Walk It Out” rockets 17-10 on the Hot 100, the longest climb by an R&B/hip-hop track into the top 10 since Petey Pablo’s 22-week trek with “Freek-A-Leek” in May 2004.
“Cupid’s Chokehold” by alternative hip-hoppers Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump is this week’s greatest digital sales gainer, as it moves 28-15 with the help of a 70,500 downloads. This week’s greatest airplay gainer is Mims’ “This Is Why I’m Hot”, which heats up 72-59.
Bowing at No. 40, the Jonas Brothers’ “Year 3000″ is the chart’s top debut. The track comes from the young group’s debut “It’s About Time,” released last August. After landing at No. 2 yesterday (Feb. 7) with her self-titled RCA debut, Katharine McPhee opens at No. 48 on the Hot 100 with “Over It.” Modest Mouse is also new at No. 59 with “Dashboard.”
Other big debuts this week include Vanessa Hudgens’ “Say OK” at No. 67, Jack Ingram’s cover of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” at No. 77, London-by-way-of-Lebanon songwriter Mika’s “Grace Kelly” at No. 81, Norah Jones’ “Thinking About You” at No. 82 and the Naked Brothers Band’s “Crazy Car” at No. 83.
Hector “El Father” tops Hot Latin Songs with “Sola” for a third week and Rodney Atkins’ “Watching You” remains No. 1 for a fourth on Hot Country Songs.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers begin a fourth week at No. 1 on the Modern Rock chart with “Snow (Hey Oh),” while Three Days Grace is atop Mainstream Rock for a ninth with “Pain.”