Classic Music: Dare Art Alade: Escalade (A Nigerian Hit)

Nigeria's hip-hop and R&B giants: Tuface, D'Banj and Dare Art Alade.( Google them)
This is like having Diddy, Jay-Z and Ludacris in my arms

My starstruck girlfriends with Dare after he jumped off the stage at the end of his performance! (The power of my press pass!)

Someone asked me about Nigerian music in an e-mail last night. They wanted to know what kind of music we sing. It's the same deal....R&B, hip-hop, rap etc. I promised to upload my fave artist Dare Art Alade whose father was the legendary Nigerian singer Art Alade who passed away years ago. His name is Oluwadare just like mine is Oluwakemi. The song starts "My name is Dare" pronounced Da-ray. It's a 2006 song off his old album and it's a hit that won't go away.

Escalade is about how Nigerian girls will only date you if you have a luxury car. (TRUE!) In this case, Dare has access to the cars etc but CAN'T DRIVE in the song! It is so funny. Listen to it, download it and he is also checking the story out. He opened in that 2006 concert for Busta and Snoop Dogg and opened for Diddy in the 2007 one. Listen to his English, we are a British colony and all the misconceptions about Africa is WRONG! Listen below........

Atlanta-Based Health Program Reaching Youth Through Music.

COMMUNICATING important health information to the nation's youth has long been a challenge, but a Georgia medical student is getting the word out in a language that's understood by most young people: music. From March to May, a groundbreaking health education concert tour featuring many big-name artists will take to the stage in cities from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles. The program, Music Inspires Health, is the brainchild of Benjamin Levy, who said he created the initiative to empower teens, college students and young adults to make better decisions about their health.

Canada's shaking things up at South by Southwest.

The Canadian independent music industry's annual pilgrimage to the South by Southwest festival is taking on a different cast these days. The names creating a stir at this year's festival include Edmonton rapper Cadence Weapon, ultra-hot Toronto synth-pop duo Crystal Castles, bassbin-rattling Montreal electronic producer Ghislain Poirier, dance-rock unit Woodhands and Toronto's much-loved electro-splatter. See what else is going on down there.

Toronto`s top music reporter Rudy Blair of 680News is live online now till 1pm

Live right now at 680news.com: We are following Rudy Blair on his quest to become the next Media Idol. For those of you in the States, this is an original CANADIAN thing! Send your questions to Rudy at news680@rogers.com. As you can see, I was even trying to compete with 680 News Music Reporter Rudy Blair. Me singing is like trying to spend the night in the White House Lincoln bedroom. IMPOSSIBLE! I can try in the shower.........LOL. Rudy replied my question about even trying to beat him on the contest. He said this is not about `beating`anyone. Find out why he`s really doing it and guess who his singing coach is going to be. It`s a big celebrity too. Read his answers here. Click here to see the other Media Idol Contestants.

Rudy Blair`s Bio (Courtesy 680news.com)

After graduating from Vaughan Road Collegiate, Rudy Blair majored in Radio Broadcasting at Humber College.

Soon after he was employed by several major market radio stations in Toronto, eventually landing at the number one AM music station All Hits Radio CFTR. Several years later the pop station evolved into Canada’s Number One News Station, 680News, where Rudy remains as a music and entertainment reporter.

Rudy enjoys chatting with stars like Jennifer Lopez, P Diddy, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson, Sting, Lionel Richie and many more.

In 1997 Rudy was honoured with the "HRRC Excellence in Race Relations Gold Medal." In 1999 he won the RTNDA "Dave Rogers Central Regional Award" and in 2001 along with the 680News Morning Team won the coveted ‘Edward R. Murrow Award’ for "Best Newscast in the World" on the US Elections ‘History on Hold.’

In 2002 Rudy won "The RTNDA International Award" for "Best Use of Sound" for the feature "A Tribute to the September 11th Victims and Heroes.’

His television appearances include Rogers Television "DayTime Toronto" where every other week Rudy reports on the latest album releases and music news, hosted a program(2002)called "Toronto Sessions" that featured local groups and solo musicians from across Toronto and the business side of the music industry , appeared several times on the nationally syndicated show "TSN's Off The Record with Michael Lansberg" and in 2003 Rudy was one of three hosts for the CBC national broadcast of "Urban Exposure 5-The Canadian Urban Music Awards".

And from 2000 to 2003 Rudy was the in house mc/host at Rogers Centre(Skydome)for the Toronto Blue Jays

Here are the Top Ten Valentine songs.

Top Ten Valentine's Day Love Songs based on Singtones' downloads for February (with first release date):

1. "Just The Way You Are" / Barry White / 1978
2. "Your Song" / Elton John / 1970
3. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" / Andy Williams / 1967
4. "Eternal Flame" / Bangles / 1991
5. "Hello" / Lionel Richie / 1984
6. "Ain't No Sunshine" / Bill Withers / 1971
7. "Bleeding Love / Leona Lewis / 2007
8. "My Boo" / Usher and Alicia Keys / 2004
9. "Stand By Me" / Ben E. King / 1961
10. "Close To You" / Carpenters / 1970