Homophonic's Alex chats with quadruple-threats IQ and Nor — who make up the hip hop duo KIN — about their ten-year collaboration and their future as singers/rappers/writers.

For more on KIN, check out kin4life.com or their MySpace page.

Although Janet Jackson is suffering from the flu this week (get well soon, Janet!), she has to feel pretty dang good about her rise back to the top of the pop class. Yep, Janet Jackson is No. 1 again! Jackson's new album, Discipline, hit the shelves late last month and debuted at Billboard's top spot. Will it stay there? Who knows, maybe not, but what a nice turn of events for Jackson.

Though the reviews have been rather mixed, there is no question, based on the record sales alone, that the album holds some quality tracks, and the ones that have gotten airplay so far have been well received. Obviously, she has very loyal fans, as well, but she's always had those fans, and that fact alone didn't drive her last two releases to the top of the charts. Those two, Damita Jo and 20 Y.O., debuted at Billboard No. 2 but slid very quickly in the following weeks. This time around, the label pre-released several tracks. So, I'm going to give the album tracks some credit here.

Several of the more positive critical reviews have compared the feel of the CD to such Jackson classics as Control and The Velvet Rope, though I've read no review that suggest that this CD is as good as either of those. But, hey, the comparison is nice anyway, right? I've been rolling around listening to the CD on the Harman/Kardon, and I have found the album to be sexy, with the right blend of pop rhythms on some tracks, trance/dance rhythms on other tracks, fun lyrics when the music calls for it, and some lyrics much too sexual to blast from open car windows while sitting at a red light next to a car of church-going ladies. Oops ...

What's interesting is that this isn't simply an innocent little pop album. There are a few very provocative tracks on the album. Having said that, there are also several tracks that stand out as being what I enjoy most about pop music in general (the simplicity with nice beats) and Janet Jackson in particular (sexy with her blend of naughty and sweet). … continue reading

I've already confessed my love for dance movies, as well as the primary reason why I love them. It's the choreographed dance sequences. Ya dig? Well, surprise, surprise: I also enjoy videos featuring women doing their damn thing. Missy Elliott has been doing her damn thing for over 10 years, and her videos are almost always unique in one way or another.

Her latest is in 3-D. Girls? Bounce? Missy style? All that in 3-D? My, my, my. Two songs are given the 3-D treatment: "Ching-a-Ling" and "Shake Your Pom-Pom."

Take a look — here's the video, first in 2-D and then in 3-D for those of you who have a pair of specs handy.

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Yes, friends, it has come to this. I am blogging about a bag of chips. No, I have not been stricken by an acute case of the munchies. I swear. Really, I swear. That’s just patchouli. Would it make you feel any better if I said that this is really a post about Missy Elliott, masquerading as a post about chips?

Missy recently signed a deal to be the new spokeswoman for Doritos Collisions, the chips with two flavors in one bag. The campaign’s high concept (seriously, I swear it’s patchouli) is that Doritos Collisions are like music mash-ups. They’re two great flavors/songs that go great together. Or at least that’s what the marketers say. Me, I’m both amused and perplexed by the new TV ad. Does everyone else see the cowboy, or have I wandered into a David Lynch film again? … continue reading