The Urban Gentleman

Latest Obsession: Vampire Weekend

I know that if I’m talking about an “obsession” it usually involves fashion or style, but last night I was turned on to a group that is totally my new obsession. I asked a few friends to suggest some music for me at around 1:25am because my itunes playlist just wasn’t doing it for my mood at the moment (I like to listen to music that is congruent to how I feel ), collectively they suggested:

1. Gym Class Heroes- The Quilt
2. Jamie Foxx- Intuition
3. Hollyweerd
4. Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend

All if it was/is fantastic music, but Vampire Weekend was exactly what I needed… I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of them earlier. Sheesh, that means that there’s more goodAzz music out there that I’m totally unaware of, so ummm anymore musical suggestions gentleman?

Common: Universal Mind Control

| Entertainment & Music | 4 Comments

I don’t have time to give a complete review right now…. but this album is hot. Common is hands down one of the best artist alive— he and Lupe and Andre 3000 completely keep it real. I love alot of the beats on this album, they’re different yet classic. I actually first listened to the album this morning and I’m re-listening to it right now and it really is pretty darn fantastic. “Make My Day” featuring Cee-lo is one of my favorites… it just has that “southern easy living” feel about it, with a little bit of that 50s/60s sound- basically it has the same feel as “Hey Ya” by Andre 3000 and “Go Baby” by Lupe Fiasco. I just like the way he raps… it’s a bit old school, but modern at that same time.

Definitely buy this album or buy it for a friend.

My British Crushes: JLS- Jack the Lad Swing

| Celebrity Style, Entertainment & Music | 2 Comments

Ortise, Marvin, Aston, JB

I rarely get crushes on guys, but the up and coming group Jack the Lad Swing aka JLS are the execption- they’re just down right adorable. (I understand that this is a man’s blog, I just had to get that on the table.) I got word of these guys when someone was talking to me about how many United Kingdom readers I had and that they heard one of the group members considers himself an Urban Gentleman- I was linked to this interview. They are current contestants on a british television talent show called The X Factor, it’s the biggest talent competition show in Europe (basically like American idol). Leona Lewis was discovered on X Factor.

They Can Sing Huh… the next British Boy II Men?

Okay well I don’t technically have a crush on them, but I do like their style- it has certainly transformed over the past few months. They started off in cute matching pastel polos and now they manage to mix their individual styles into a very well polished look.

I think it’s cool that they have designated colors like the Power Rangers- one always wears red, another blue, green, and yellow. Sometimes the things that seem the corniest are the coolest, it’s like Pharrell loving spongebob sqaurepants. These guys are hella talented and I can definitely see them being a hit world-wide. I KNOW girls will go crazy over them in America especially since we haven’t hand a big male group since B2K. From what I have heard them say in their interview they would like to be more like classic all male groups (i.e Boyz II Men) than the typical boy bands (i.e Backstreet Boys).

a very casual coordinated look.

they’re taking it back with the satin jackets,
reminds me of starter jackets.

Here’s a couple of their many funny videos on youtube.

A bugle? His style game goes kinda hard- I like that, very original.
(but “blow my bugle”, how rude, lol)
Oh and check the A’s hat in the background- I’m lovin’ it.

I love the way British people talk!

JLS Brief Biography:

Marvin Humes, 23 (March 18th, 1985)
Occupation: Property Sales, Location: SE London

Jonathan Gill (JB), 21 (Dec 7th 1986)
Occupation: Student, Location: Croyden

Ortise Williams, 21 (Nov 27th, 1986)
Occupation: Works with disabled children, Location: Fulham

Aston Merrygold, 20 (Fen 13th 1988)
Occupation: Singer, Location: Etersbourough

*Marvin has my same birthday- March 18th!!!

Emotional Connection: 808s and Heartbreak

| Entertainment & Music | 6 Comments

Okay, so I was going to do this whole big spiel, yanno talk about Kanye West's new album: 808s and Heartbreaks, but I decided to keep it simple… 808s and Heartbreak is the shyt.

Naw, I can't just leave it there, lol, I have literally been jamming to this album every second of the day for the past week– Robocop and See You In My Nightmares are on repeat c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y. The 808s are everything and more, his insistence that every track use TR-808 generated drum beats for a more 'tribal drum' feel and to get away from 'typical Hip-hop beats' worked, it worked like hell. I mean the songs go hard, they go soooooo hard. The beats? Well they captivate your mind, putting you in an alternate universe where you somehow gain the ability to see like Kanye. His emotions are strategically yet unintentionally smeared throughout the album in the rawest ways. Alexis Phifer (as I shake my head) that girl is definitely deep in his heart, as is alot of other situations and life happenings.

Kanye and Alexis

I haven't experienced this type of emotional connection to an album since The Love Below. Remember when that came out- the double album Speakerboxx/Love Below? I remember getting the album from my big brother, going into my room, popping it into my silver Aiwa stereo system, laying on the bed, and pressing play. My heart, my mind, my soul was touched like never before- it was pure art, pure poetry, just raw and deeper than anyone could ever imagine. And 808s and Heartbreak is the only album that has came close to recreating such an experience. When talented/artistic/creative rappers get emotional – GREAT things happen.

It's funny cuz I didn't even like Robocop at first… but now I heart it. I just have to stop playing it for awhile before I completely play it out… but forseriously (lol), this is his deepest album to date- very honest very real. It may not be The Love Below (who can seriously go harder than 3 stacks??, c'mon), but some of tracks are pretty close.

You can purchase the album in The Urban Gentleman StoreFront (top left corner)- it's in the "Essentials of Cool" section and "Music" section.

An old 808 machine article.

Side Note: I have some pretty rockin sockin video ideas for both Robocop and See You in My Nightmares (Lil'Wayne is a beast in this one), so ummm hit me up Ye' if you need some ideas, lol.