Skylar Grey Debuts Invisible and Visit Nalen for Exclusive Showcase

CHART SPOTLIGHT. WelcheMusic is looking forward to Skylar Grey’s exclusive showcase at Stockholm’s Nalen on Aug.25. Expect her to perform the hit single ‘Invisible,’ which is also set for a late September release in the UK. Née Holly Brook Hafermann, the 25-year old Wisconsin-born singer has already enjoyed success as a guest vocalist on Fort Minor’s ‘Where’d You Go,’ Diddy–Dirty Money’s ‘Coming Home,’ Lupe Fiasco’s ‘Words I Never Said’ and Dr. Dre & Eminem’s ‘I Need a Doctor.’ This November, Skylar Grey’s debut set INVINCIBLE will be released. The title is a portmanteau of ‘invisible’ and ‘invincible.’ The set was produced by the whiz kid Alex da Kid in its entirety.

The showcase headlines the latest launch of Com Hem Sessions – showcases to be held on a monthly basis and made available at the new music channel Digster Play, which is part of Com Hem’s On Demand service. Digster is available online offering a variety of Spotify playlists such as Digster URBAN, Digster DANCEFLOOR and Digster HOUSE.

Skylar Grey also penned Eminem and Rihanna’s world hit ‘Love the Way You Lie’ (all three versions). She has also recorded her own version of the track. Skylar Grey started performing at the tender age of six, yet it took a while before she changed to her artist name from Holly Brook.

Skylar Grey – Love the Way You Lie

Skylar Grey – Love The Way You Lie by PopDash

Com Hem Sessions are exclusive live sessions made available in Digster Play, the latest on demand service from the Swedish cable operator Com Hem in collaboration with Universal Music. Backstage material will also be made available. The showcases are to be held on a monthly basis and made available at the new music channel. Digster is available online offering a variety of Spotify playlists such as Digster URBAN, Digster DANCEFLOOR and Digster HOUSE.

Listen to Skylar Grey via Spotify:

Check out Skylar Grey’s lyrics here.

50 Cent Returns with Outlaw

CHART SPOTLIGHT. Be it that 50 Cent intentionally leaked his own single “Outlaw,” now it’s out via ordinary channels such as iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. The track is yet to appear on any mainstream charts.

The 36-year old rapper, née Curtis Jackson hails from South Jamaica, a neighborhood in NYC’s Queens. At twelve, he began dealing with drugs during the 1980s crack epidemic. The rapper’s unofficial debut album was Power of the Dollar from 2000. It was followed by the compilation album Guess Who’s Back (2002), which caught the eyes of Eminem and Dr. Dre. They helped 50 Cent’s major breakthrough Get Rich or Die Tryin’ to come true in 2003. The set included singles such as the US No.1 s “In Da Club,” “21 Questions” and “Wanksta.”

According to Hip Hop Music Dotcom, 50 Cent masterminded the leak of his own when “Outlaw” bowed earlier this June. The rapper felt that his record label Aftermath/Interscope was delaying the process. MuzikDaily still thinks the man is relevant in the game…plus he’s one hell of a business man and is worth about 400 Mill… Hopefully, EW Music Mix find the new material better than 50 Cent’s 2009 album Before I Self Destruct calling it his worst album ever.

Despite not releasing any material on his own, 50 Cent has frequently collaborated on other productions. Last year he collaborated with Jeremih on “Down on Me,” and earlier this year the rapper added two guest verses on ex-Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger’s “Right Here.” It was adapted for the US market as the lead single off Scherzinger’s album Killer Love. The song premiered on American Idol.

Auto play

Listen to 50 Cent via Spotify:

Jeremih featuring 50 Cent – Down On Me
50 Cent – Outlaw – Explicit Version
50 Cent – In Da Club
50 Cent – Candy Shop
50 Cent – Ayo Technology

R.I.P. Nate Dogg

CHART REWIND. The death of Nate Dogg earlier this week saddened the hip hop community worldwide. Née Nathaniel Dwayne Hale in Long Beach, California 41 years ago Nate Dogg began his career in a local Baptist church.

He signed his first record deal with Death Row Records in 1993 upon being discovered by Dr. Dre at a house party.

Nate Dogg’s breakthrough was unquestionably “Regulate,” the 1994 track recorded with rapper Warren G. Taken off the set Regulate…G Funk Era. WelcheMusic also notes that is was included on the soundtrack to Above the Rim. The track became a worldwide hit, peaking at No.2 in the US and No.4 in Sweden.

The track samples Michael McDonald’s hit “I Keep Forgettin’” as well as dialogue from the 1988 film Young Guns. Above the Rim features the late 2Pac in a leading role.

Nate Dogg’s biggest hit was the 2003 chart-topper “21 Questions” as a featured vocalist on 50 Cent’s single. Featured on the classic album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ the track also made the top ten in the UK.

Ke$ha Claims the Top Spot in the States

The Rage Against the Machine Facebook campaign didn’t reach the States, which meant that Ke$ha could claim the Billboard Hot 100 top spot without controversy. This means that Jay-Z and Alicia Keys moves 1-2 this week with “Empire State of Mind.”

Last week, Ke$ha only marginally beat Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” As “TiK ToK” now reigns atop, this means that she’s the first female artist to reach the top with a debut single since Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.” To be totally fair, Ke$ha did already top the charts earlier this year, but her appearance on Flo Rida’s “Right Round” was non-credited. Expect her album Animal to reach stores in January 2010.

As WelcheMusic reported a few days back, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the acoustic version of “Empire State of Mind” would reach the charts. As it turns out, this version does debut at No.55. The highest new entry comes from Eminem, whose “Hell Breaks Loose” comes in at No.29. It features Dr. Dre and was added to the release of Relapse:Refill, a re-issue with bonus tracks. It’s worth mentioning that Usher enters at No.94 with “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home).” It’s the second track lifted from the forthcoming album Raymond vs. Raymond. The first one, “Papers,” peaked at a disappointing No.31. Usher hasn’t reached the upper reaches since “Love in this Club” topped the charts in the beginning of 2008. Maybe he should record a duet it with Alicia Keys – remember “My Boo” in 2004…

Etikett: Dr. Dre