Houston based rapper J. L. J has released his new 18 track hip hop album titled “Stay Focused”, available through all major online retailers, including CDBaby and iTunes. Receiving airplay on countless radio stations and websites, the album is gaining nationwide recognition and proving to be a winner by earning a 4 1/2 star rating by consumers on iTunes. “Stay Focused” mainly reflects on life experiences of coming up in a rough neighborhood without catching any breaks.

It surely has the club, crunk, and party jams going as well as songs for the ladies, but overall it’s down to earth with a solid urban type vibe which makes this to be what some would say a complete album. J. L. J is marked as a true lyricist and songwriter spitting rhymes that are pure in nature with great delivery and realness that anyone of any age can relate to.

“My biggest inspiration is to establish myself as a premiere hip hop artist and begin a trend of spreading a more positive message through songs. I’m also destined to raise the bar for the standard of lyrical skill and delivery amongst fellow rappers in the game.”

The determined artist offers fans a true versatile album that caters to all vibes and emotions of the hip hop generation. From dark, hardcore tracks that cater to the streets and the gangsters, (”Dropping Hataz”, “We Got Da Heater”), to the positive messages of songs like (”Live Life To The Fullest”, “Don’t Fall Short”, and “Stay Focused”). The hit single “Party On”, a club track, has already been played over 3600 times on online radio, satellite, and college stations. It also charted on the World Breakout Chart while earning a spot on the Vol. 10 Coast To Coast Mixtapes Mix CD.

“I’ve always had the desire to release a full album because it makes me an official hip hop artist instead of a rapper just doing mix tapes. This album, on the other hand, is already making noise online and hopefully will create the type of buzz that will help place me at the top of the list amongst the best known artists in the industry.”

When listening to this album it becomes very clear that the Lufkin, TX born J. L. J is surely to be the voice of Houston where he’s lived since a child. With this groundbreaking album he is certain to make a mark on the whole world.

http://www.jljhiphopmusic.com artist website

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/stay-focused/id421014267 iTunes store

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jlj cdbaby store

https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-L-J/107636939320502 facebook fanpage

http://www.twitter.com/jljelete twitter page

http://www.myspace.com/jljelete myspace

http://www.reverbnation.com/jlj reverbnation

http://www.youtube.com/1Dabeast1 YouTube

The video “Hypochondriac” by metal band Kunvuk is metal to the extreme. Shot in abandoned farmhouses in Adelaide and Leeton, “Hypochondriac” is supremely intense, both musically and visually. Shot from different angles and camera speeds, the viewer is treated to the band’s performance of the track. You may begin to wonder if you’re losing it before it’s all over, but you’re not. Just be prepared to hold on for the ride through this metal sensation of inhibition and insanity. The music transitions throughout the piece, and at times, it seems like you’re listening to totally different songs, all of which are head banging good. “Hypochondriac” is a great find for any fan of metal, and anyone else who just wants to loosen up and have a good time. The video was directed and overseen by the band’s bass player, Luis Barra.

Hypochondriac - Kunvuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huBrgZHbmzs

MusicDish*China is proud to announce that it has finalized a media sponsorship agreement with Rock Naadam 2011: China Tour. The tour, which brought China-based bands Boys Climbing Ropes, Moon Tyrant and The Horde to Mongolia for the first time, will feature Mongolian rock bands A-Sound and The Lemons performing on a 3 city tour of Ningbo, Shanghai, and Nanjing on August 19, 20, and 21 respectively as part of the tour’s second leg. MusicDish*China will provide exclusive news and coverage from the tour through its network of online media properties and newsletters.

“Rock Naadam is proud to be sponsored by MusicDish China, which provides great insight into all aspects of popular music in China,” said tour director Brian Offenther.

Rock Naadam 2011: China Tour is a very special tour as it will present A-Sound’s first performances to rock fans across China. The tour has already attracted media attention, including TV (ICS - July 1st, the “Shanghai Live” program) and internet press. The center-piece of the tour, a show at Shanghai’s Mao Livehouse that will feature 7 bands and a DJ, is expected to attract a capacity crowd of about 800.

“While there has been some attention paid to Chinese bands of Mongolian ethnicity such as Hanggai and Haya, there has been scant attention paid to the creative energies in the country of Mongolia,” noted MusicDish*China founder Eric de Fontenay. “We’re pleased to be working with Rock Naadam which is aiming to correct this omission with a grand tour that includes Shanghai’s Mao Livehouse.”

About MusicDish*China
Launched at MIDEM 2010 in Cannes, France, MusicDish*China is the latest online brand from MusicDish LLC, a digital music company, providing a unique insight into China’s emerging music industry. Focused on Greater China, MusicDish*China is building its brand as well as that of its artists and partners through partnerships with major stakeholders such as festivals, promoters and producers as well as its in-house social media marketing.
http://china.musicdish.com

Contact Info:
Eric de Fontenay
chinasounds@musicdish.com
+1-718-278-0662
skype: musicdish

And make no mistake about it!! Members of the original HEADHUNTERS minus Herbie Hancock. Play on Singer Tony Adamo’s music. Mike Clark, Bill Summers, Blackbyrd McKnight and Paul Jackson. Mike Clark and Rob Dixion will Co-Produce Tony Roc Adamo at the end of Aug 2011. It will be High Voltage Funk with some heavy Soulin’. UrbanzoneRecords

Long Island hard rock band BLACK DAWN continues to build its New York fanbase with a performance at The Local 269 on Saturday, July 30. Presented by Castle 83-11 Lifers NYC, the longest running heavy music series on the local scene, BLACK DAWN will also be joined by Convictos, Coda Resistance, Hellshot, The Opposition.

Castle 83-11 Lifers NYC Presents BLACK DAWN
Saturday, July 30 at 9:30pm
Location: The Local 269
269 East Houston Street (& Suffolk), NYC
212-228-9874
$10 admission
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=201001073281335

Their hard rock and metal Live shows have always been a crucial aspect of the genre and typically a proving ground for success. “Shows are always supposed to be better than the studio recordings because they are live, which means anything goes. If you want to do an extended guitar solo, go right ahead. If you want to experiment with new equipment, effects, or fills that were not included on the CD, you can incorporate these changes at shows. The show can be an opportunity for fans to hear the songs in a more updated format” Their music has taken them touring all over the country including shows in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Louisville.

BLACK DAWN is a group of four musicians, a faithful road manager, an ever-growing legion of fans, a respect and appreciation for the sound of silence, and a suitcase full of aggressive and passionate hard-edged music. Based in Long Island, NY, the band has been labeled ‘New York’s Hardest Alternative Rock Band’. But Backwash Zine would beg to disagree, stating “…f*ck that. They’re not alternative. They’re metal. The way it’s supposed to be…”. The band describes their music as somewhere between Godsmack and Volbeat and currently have two studio albums out, “Age of Reason” and “Absence of Time,” as well as live album recorded at New York’s famed rock club CBGB.

http://www.blackdawn.net
http://www.blackdawn.net/facebook
http://www.blackdawn.net/twitter

The multitalented Jazz/World multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist Kenny Love has struck gold once again with his new release, “Glide,” which is part of his new compilation CD “cAsE sEnSiTiVe,” to be released during the summer of 2011. On “Glide,” (as with many of his other songs), Kenny showcases his many talents which include playing bass, piano, strings and various percussion instruments, as well as singing vocals, composing, and producing.

“Glide” is a fusion of jazz, rock, and R&B, and with its upbeat tempo, it’s definitely a song that will have you feeling good by the end. The sax melody and rifts, piano, trumpet and vocal combinations are energetic and easy to listen to. “Glide” is a must have for Jazz connoisseurs, and even those who appreciate jazz but are not aficionados will “Glide” through this track as the composition and performances are absolutely sensational. It’s rare, but wonderful, when you find a song in which each instrument is played so well that it holds you captive and yet allows you to appreciate the other instruments in tandem, all of which complement each other perfectly. Whether you’re ready to chill or taking a cruise with the top down, “Glide” will get you where you want to go.

Kenny Love - Glide
http://official.fm/tracks/279917

“I Found You” by Barley Station combines the elements of melodic pop/country with a distinctive rockabilly with a Johnny Cash kind of country feel. The lyrics tell the story of a man who has finally found his true love and is happy, carefree, and enjoying life. Rootsy alternative country at its best, catchy guitar riffs, driving rhythms, and a contagious harmony with simple but cool, happy go lucky lyrics make this a likeable and great track that’s easy on the ears and warming to the heart. “I Found You” will find itself at home in any country music fan’s collection.

“I Found You” - Barley Station
http://official.fm/tracks/279893

A fair amount of fuss was made regarding Music Copyright Society of China’s (MCSC) announcement that it had reached an licensing agreement with Baidu, China’s top online infringer of copyrights. MCSC even announced that they had received their first royalty payment from China’s largest search engine (Yes, Baidu is like merging Google with the old Napster). Finally, a major breakthrough that should please everyone, especially Chinese songwriters, right?

Not quite. On the same day MCSC made their announcement, famous chinese songwriter and producer Xiaosong Gao posted an open letter on his sina blog titled “A letter to my colleagues of the Chinese Songwriters Copyright Alliance.” He was joined by several songwriters such as Xiao Ke and Yadong Zhang in launching the Chinese Songwriters Copyright Alliance (CSCA) a couple of days earlier to fight the egregious copyright infringement by Baidu and negotiate on behalf of songwriters not represented by MCSC. Within days, CSCA soon attracted hundreds of new members.

Xiaosong Gao established MaiTian Music, which used to be China’s largest record label, and now lives in the Los Angeles where he works in film and music sector. He also served as Director of Entertainment for SOHU.com, one of the most popular portals in China. So Gao certainly has a stake in what happens in China on the copyright front, the credibility to speak out and understanding of China’s online market.

Gao notes in his open letter that CSCA’s first step will be negotiating a comprehensive agreement with Baidu and assuring enforcement. “It should be complete legalization rather than meaninglessly building up a legal music platform while the large amount of pirated links remain available on Baidu’s MP3 channel. Baidu MP3 channel is where pirate music sites get their site traffic by simply paying for Baidu advertising, then resell that traffic to pornographic sites or other counterfeit goods services. It gives me such pain knowing this dirty food chain is actually fed with the most beautiful music!”

While I was not aware of the link between pirate music sites and porn, Baidu’s MP3 search page is perhaps the most flagrant form of open piracy I’ve ever seen. And this from Google’s equivalent in China - in other words, not just some website, but THE website that all Chinese surfers use. I was outraged to see that MP3 search page still online today, even after the MCSC agreement and launch of Baidu’s ‘legal’ music service Ting. What’s the use of a legal music service if the pirate service is just a click away on the same site!

Gao has acknowledged the first steps forward made by MCSC and Baidu in creating a legal environment for music. But, he has also noted that MCSC only represents a small amount of songwriters. Nor is the Baidu-MCSC agreement nearly comprehensive enough as it only deals with royalties owed moving forward, not addressing royalties or compensation for past activities on the site. To make matters worse, not only are most Chinese songwriters not member of MCSC, but those that are have been given no information as to the terms of the Baidu-MCSC agreement.

This later point is significant. If there is one thing truly lacking in China’s music industry, it is transparency. Artists and labels continually complain that they often have no idea whether the numbers they are given by mobile carriers are true, that is when they get reporting. This is not insignificant as there has been a rash of arrests at China Mobile for fraud and embezzlement, particularly in the music department. Considering Baidu’s long history of flouting copyright, songwriters are right to be suspicious of any backroom deal struck.

But the issue of transparency goes beyond just Baidu. Yan Xiaohong, deputy director of the National Copyright Administration, noted at a meeting of the Chinese Movie Copyright Association that “the distribution of royalties by collective management organizations should be fair and transparent,” to the point where the organization should be accountable to each individual member.

The fact is that if there were trust in institutions such as MCSC, songwriters wouldn’t feel the need to form another organization to represent their rights. They would just rush to sign with MCSC and collect their check, right? But might they actually be implicitly signing a poison deal with Baidu by joining MCSC?

Gao goes on to express his anger that songwriters are the most vulnerable, neglected and silent group in the music industry while suffering the most by piracy. “No one ever paid any attention to protect our rights as 99% of our income was stolen. Facing the situation in Mainland China where the market is dominated by 98% of pirated CDs, musicians are struggling to survive on the remaining 2% that is the legitimate market.”

End of story? Not quite. An April 19th article in people.com.cn reported that CSCA co-founder Xiao Ke was complaining that Baidu was ignoring CSCA, not having responded to their April 6th open letter to Baidu outlining four basic principles (takedown, apologize, compensate and common development) to advancing negotiation. Yet, Xiaosong Gao was interviewed the next day in the same outlet praising Baidu “for the large degree of improvement” it had done in recognizing the piracy issue and compensating songwriters. The title of the interview? “Xiaosong Gao’s music “crusade” against Baidu harvest results: receives upfront royalty”. And so, the soap opera that is China’s music industry goes on.

By Eric de Fontenay
this article was co-written with Xingyue Peng