Ne-Yo – Year of the Gentleman – Ne-Yo

An Ordinary Joe here, with the Ordinary Joe Blog’s official review of Ne-Yo’s third studio album “Year of the Gentleman”

The album opens with Billboard Hot 100’s #7 track, first single “Closer”, “I just can’t stop/ I just can’t stop…” It seems Ne-yo is on a roll; being one of the biggest writers in the R&B World and moving full throttle with his own career.

Lyrical content, albeit the luxury it is in today’s musical world, can always be expected from Ne-Yo. From the lyrics of Rihanna’s “Unfaithful” and “Take a Bow” to recently married, Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” Ne-Yo’s skill is evident. He saves a lot of it for himself, but the reserves ran a little low with the line, “Be your boyfriend til the song goes on” from third track “Single”.

In his shout-out to hard working women, “Miss Independent”, Ne-Yo twists it up being the man inspired by and attracted to a woman of power. In this song, Ne-Yo shows how he’s gotten to this point, through hard work and good songs. “She Got Her Own” is a solid track, somewhat of a follow up to “Miss Independent”, it sings the praises of women who are doing it big solo, and don’t look to their man for a buck. It features Jamie Foxx and a verse from Rapper Fabolous. The new video clip also features appearances by Estelle and Eve.

After the list of “dump me pleases” Ne-Yo recites in “Why Does She Stay”, to answer his question, she probably stays only because you’re Ne-Yo and that’s about it. The talks that Ne-Yo hasn’t changed up much in this album are true however. Personally, I prefer artists to evolve over time, but Ne-yo can’t be blamed for the wide acceptance of his sound and very active career over the past few years.

All in all, The Ordinary Joe Blog gives “Year of the Gentleman” a “B”, for a good addition to your trophy case of love songs and anthems and Ne-Yo’s trophy case of pretty good albums.

Ne-yo and Chris Brown – R&B Beef – Ne-yo and Chris Brown - A Milli

"The more arguments you win, the less friends you'll have" I borrowed that line from a YouTube account owner called Jewelryman. Hey Ordinary Joe, add this to our album promotion techniques... start subliminal "not serious" beefs. 50 Cent did it for every album and look at his success. Now its Ne-yo's turn... yes Ne-yo.

"A millie a millie a million sales" is the only tune that R&B song bird, Ne-yo is trying to perfect with his new freestyle over Lil Wayne's hit song "A Millie" beat. According to industry insiders, Chris Brown has been trash talking about Ne-yo's singing (compared to his own). Also Chris Brown contrasted their album sales saying that he can out sell Ne-yo any day. So, to hit back, Ne-yo dissed back... allegedly. "To whom it may concern... you might sell a million more than me... but you don’t have a million more than me..." is Ne-yo's opening line to the track. Afterwards, Ne-yo raps (yes raps) using lines like "... your girlfriend's favorite song is mine", which, some say, refers to Rihanna's (Chris Brown's supposed girlfriend) hit song "Unfaithful". Some say that it (the track) may be for R. Kelly in response to R. Kelly kicking Ne-yo off of his tour... I doubt it because one of the arguments Ne-yo makes in this song is that he writes a lot of people's songs and R. Kelly does the same.

Ne-yo does have one or two lines in the freestyle that make you say "hmm I'm a lil’ impressed". Lines like "My middle name is "more bread" and my last name is "than your bread" get it? I know Ne-yo said to Mr. BANGLADESH "It's not a Chris Brown diss"; however, I believe that it is either made to boost record sales so he used CB as a tactic to get people's attention or he had some animosity towards Chris and it subconsciously slipped out on track. In my opinion both are, overall, just as great as one another: they merely shine differently. My Biased opinion puts Ne-yo ahead because my girlfriend is a Chris Brown fanatic. What do you think Joe?

Yea Ordinary Joe can you say corny? Well even if you can’t…“corny” doesn’t begin to describe what I, and probably thousands of other people think abut Ne-yo’s freestyle on Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” beat. I think this latest attempt at an “A Milli” freestyle is the crowning glory of the repercussions that occur when R&B artists try to rap…or when Lil Wayne attempts to make a Hip Hop Album for that matter.

And why is it that people who rap on a Lil Wayne beat feel that they’re compelled to sound almost exactly like Weezy does? (Maniacal laughter after every attempted joke included) After Ne-yo said “You don’t got more money than me”, he said “Let’s be Real”…so that’s what I’m trying to do.

Although I, in no way support the butchering of this track, Ne-yo did do a kind of good job of presenting his credentials to anyone who didn’t know them or forgot them. Like the fact that every song on his albums is written by him, and sometimes he writes songs that he gives it to another artist, e.g. Rihanna. However, kicking up Beef against an R&B fiend like Chris Brown can only have little to no benefits for Ne-yo.

To Listen to the Freestyle Click HERE or watch below

Plies - Rap - Definition of Real - Plies

So Ordinary Joe, get this, I'm on a college campus like 4 months back and I got into a conversation on the ignorance of some of modern day’s Hip Hop. In five seconds I know you can guess the name of the artist to pop up. If your IQ level is at least above 95, Souljah Boy and Lil John are the first names that would have popped into your head... and let's just say the artist from the southern region Lil Wayne because, God forbid, before Carter 3 released, everyone and their pet Zebra loved Lil Wayne. Well by my surprise Plies' stance was that any female who says that she ‘loves' Plies has some self-esteem issues. Most agreed because with lyrics like "I got her trained and now she suck me with ice/ I called her my lil bust it baby cause she keep it tight/ when I tell her to bust ain't gatta tell her twice/ When ever I wanna get off she know how to get me right", by just stripping away the beat, all I can imagine is R. Kelly saying this to a 13 year old fan...but that’s another blog. However, in Plies' defense a college student said that Plies keeps it “real”. That paints a picture of her childhood right?

Now let’s discuss what we came here to discuss. Guessing that Plies heard what my college friend said, he named his June 10, 2008 album “Definition of Real”. Being a fan of intelligence I'm not a fan of this album. I'll stay very open minded however and say that he does have the style and essence of southern rap. He embodies old school Trick Daddy... well that’s who you tend to think about when listening to Plies. Also on this album, each song can have you nodding your head to the beat; and, that's all southern hip hop is about right? But rap is considered music. This must be measured on the yard stick of all musicians or, at the least, all hip hop.

Plies' lyricism is crap. The time it took him to write that album probably was as quick as the time it would take him to rewrite that album. Lines like " If I wasn't married to the streets it would be you/ Your lips is what make you so cute" reminds me of 6 grade trying to write a poem for the girl who gave me some of her juice without wiping it off. Those lyrics are the opener of his hit song with Ne-yo called “Bust it Baby”. Aside from simplicity, Plies talks like a stupid man. I know and have heard people from the south. That's not a southern accent, that’s an ignorant southern accent. Saying it's a southern accent is just insulting the south. The best line off the album is "Prefer mine I'm out the hood but respects class". Nice to know that he separates himself from being classy. I can't continue to talk about Plies, because that’s giving him too much attention. When Ice-T told Souljah boy to “eat a d*ck” I think he left out Plies because Plies needs to "eat an *ss" and that’s not a nice thing to say

Yea Ordinary Joe, I’ll skip the well deserved “lol’s” and get down to business too.

Although its lyrics lacked nearly any meaningful content, I somehow found comfort in the reverberations of sound waves hitting my eardrum, while listening to "Worth Goin Fed Fo" and simultaneously watching its video clip, when I read the song was quote “A dedication to all the Goons around the country we lost to the dope game”. Well Mr. Plies I’m sure they will be eternally grateful, not that it will do them any good, because like the song suggest there’s usually one place such a lifestyle leads to.

Ordinary Joe, I’m a fan of some things myself you know, like the person who said “Profanity is the sign of an ignorant mind trying to express itself”. Don’t get me wrong, Hip Hop wasn’t made for Nuns, but Plies represents one of the chosen few who feel they must use an expletive in every bar to sell records.

Oh, and Ordinary Joe I must agree the sole blaming of Souljaboy for the death of Rap is not fair, truly it’s apparent he shouldn’t bare that cross alone.

The Ordinary Joe Blog gives Plies’ album a “D” for destroying the English language amongst other things, and not an “F” because the album was #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to the pall bearers of Hip Hop's black parade