Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
Eminem - 'Encore'
Opening Opinion 8/10 Okay, so this is an in depth review of Em’s fourth album, Encore…sadly I have a bootlegged copy with no skits, so I won’t talk about those. Encore is known as being Em’s worst album...and, in my opinion, that is true. Let’s get into it…
By Matthew Sullivan8 years ago in Beat
Taking Back Control of Your Royalties
There was a time not too long ago when Musicians and songwriters were able to make a decent living from their craft. If you had a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) working on your behalf, you were in a good place. Agencies like BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC collected royalties on behalf of the artists and songwriters. Radio and TV stations logged what was played and who wrote it all and then PROs sent out quarterly payments. Often these could add up to quite a bit.
By Tim Ellerbe II8 years ago in Beat
Worst Holiday Songs
The songs that you can't avoid if you try. I should start by saying Christmas is not my favorite holiday. So, there may be the appearance of a bias here. Even so, I posit that any song contingent on a holiday will be a difficult listen. I believe Halloween is the best time of the year, but that doesn’t mean I want to listen to The Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers. Actually, that song should be the lead single off an album called 'If I Could Erase This from Existence.'
By Jeffery Paul8 years ago in Beat
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is one the top selling pop artists in the world. Before all the fame and becoming Bruno Mars, he was born into this world as Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents are Latin percussionist Peter and his mother was singer and dancer Bernadette. Bruno's parents gave him the nickname Bruno after Sammartino. He has five siblings. Bruno Mars was born into a very musical family. He started taking music seriously when he was about three years old. He would perform with his family on stage. And he would be an impersonator of Elvis Presley. All of Hawaii would come and see little Bruno perform. Later on down the road he would also impersonate the king of pop, Michael Jackson. As the years went by when Bruno Mars was in high school, him and some of his friends formed a group called "The School Boys." They would perform in front of the Ilikai Hotel in Hawaii. Then, after graduating high school, he moves to Los Angeles. The first few years were a little hard for Bruno Mars. He struggled to try and make it in the music industry. Then one day Bruno Mars was introduced to songwriter Phillip Lawrence to help him write music for other artist. Bruno Mars had finally scored his writing songs for Brandy and Flo Rida. When he wrote the song "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy, he decided to join him on the track and it became a major hit. After several years in the music industry, Bruno Mars finally became a broke out artist after singing with B.O.B on the song called "Nothin' On You." It went straight to the number 1 spot immediately. Then the time finally came, Bruno Mars released his first solo single "Just The Way You Are" from his debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" in 2010. The song and the album made it to the top 10 charts. Then he made follow up songs like "Grenade" and "The Lazy Song," which also cracked the top 10 charts. Then he wrote a song called "It Will Rain" for the movie Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 in 2011. In 2012, he released his second album "Unorthodox Jukebox." On that album were a few hits like "Locked Out of Heaven," which went to the top. And it won Best Music Video. "Treasure" was another song from the album and won Best Choreography. Then there was "When I Was Your Man," that reached number 1 also. Bruno became popular that he collaborates with Mark Ronson on "Uptown Funk." In 2013, Bruno Mars gets the opportunity to perform at the song at the Super Bowl. Bruno Mars has come a long way. What is Bruno Mars doing now? He has collaborated with other artists like Damian Marley, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and others you can name. He starred in the movie Rio 2 as Roberto. And he has released a few more hits like "Versace on The Floor," "24k Magic," and "That's What I Like." He is dating model Jessica Caban since 2012. I hoping there will be wedding bells or maybe Bruno Jr. He has really helped by donating money to Flint, Michigan for the water crisis. That really makes me a bigger fan of his, because he helped my hometown. One funny thing I see when I look at Bruno Mars as a kid, my son Joseph looks just like him. People always ask me if Bruno Mars is his father. Nope! But anyways, Bruno Mars is a very hard working man. Bruno Mars is also very VERY handsome. I love you Bruno Mars!
By Shante Hernandez8 years ago in Beat
Concert Experience: Jon Bellion
Jon Bellion. Songwriter, producer, rapper, singer, performer. You get the whole package with Jon Bellion. Jon is from New York. He makes it very clear in some of his songs that he absolutely loves New York, and it seems like it has really inspired him. His albums, The Definition, Growth, Translations Through Speakers, The Separation, and The Human Condition are some of the greatest albums released in this generation. They're real music.
By Beka Bishop8 years ago in Beat
Check It! An Open Mic Night - 12/14
Jitters. Butterflies. Sweaty palms, weak knees, “arms are heavy” — Good thing I said no to my mom’s spaghetti. Yes, I was nervous, to say the least. Something I didn’t consider to happen for years, but I took a lead of faith and made it happen. I started plottin’ and schemin’, took a few months — and several migraines — but, finally, I organized and hosted my first open mic show.
By Sadé Sanchez8 years ago in Beat
Weird Facts About Your Favorite Rock Musicians
Rock musicians are often known for their tough exterior and their reckless behavior. However, as with most celebrities, fans forget that at the end of the day, rock stars are also just people. They have their weak moments and they have their quirks. They have accomplishments other than fame. These weird facts about your favorite rock musicians will surprise you, and even make you laugh.
By Taylor Markarian8 years ago in Beat
