Cruisin' Artistically

Last weekend my husband and I embarked on our late honeymoon Cruise trip to the Bahamas. It was a good time. Got to see the locals in Bahamas and try some local Rum, which was extremely sweet by the way. Like, syrup sweet. We danced, ate, explored (We went to a little Museum in the Bahamas about slavery and the liberation of slaves there) And enjoyed ourselves. But I'll take this time to focus on the artistic side of things.

Going there my husband and I sported my Chaddy Boom tshirt. I had a guy ask who is Chaddy Boom. My husband pointed at me and he asked about music, so of course you know I had a CD on deck. I gave it to him. I took a few Cds with me. You just never know. I also got to self promote while doing Karaoke. I used Chaddy Boom for my name, in which someone said "Who's Chaddy Boom?" after the DJ called my name. I performed my homie Bruno Mars' latest joint "That's What I Like" since that was like the ONLY Bruno Mars song I didn't hear on the ship. Man, this cruise loved some Bruno Mars. I heard 24k Magic at least 26 times during the trip. I love him but that was enough. Oh, everyone liked the performance. It was interesting to have people cheer for you during Karaoke. And my voice was broken...a little hoarse from the night before. Of course the next day it was just fine.

We went to a couple of the live shows. The first one was a performance of the cultures around the world. They did about six or seven European countries. They did China, one African, and one Latin and then focused on America, post Native American land. I have issues with things sometime. The performance was great but sometimes when dancers are hired they are hired solely on their technical abilities, without taking into account the other styles of dance they will be needing to perform. So I was a little disappointed in the dance portion of the African piece. The dancers were extremely pulled up, instead of grounded and the choreography was very technical in the ballet kind of way. I was sad to see there was no Indian or Middle eastern Tribute. I honestly think it's because there is no way to incorporate ballet and technical dance into belly dance and BollyWood style performances. (A BollyWood performance would have been so dope.) And I always get sad when things of Native Americans are erased. I was very sad they didn't do a tribute. Then again, I didn't expect one. It was just sad. I wish we knew more about the natives of the land we live in. Ok...sadness over.

Ok I know they couldn't hit on every country, but there most certainly could have been a wider variety. Maybe like 3 European, one middle Eastern, China, India, one African I guess is alright since the world doesn't know the different styles, one Caribbean, one South American, then finished off with a Native American rain dance and then the USA. This would have been ideal for me. The lack of authenticity bothered me. But it was still a great show.

The show the next night bothered me even more. Like I say, the show was great but the lack of authenticity bothered me. They called it a Rock N Roll tribute. The most rock they did a Tribute to was Elvis and a Chuck "Berry-ish" performance. They did Doowop, Disco, lots of disco. Honestly, I need a Hero was the most modern Rock song they did. It was not a Rock show. It was a Tribute to the years of popular music. Still was great. But not rock. Maybe they didn't have clearance for the music of the real rock bands, but they shouldn't have done it. Or it could have been called "tourist rock." There was nothing done by any major well known rock bands but there was a Tribute to Abba! Last time I checked, Dancing Queen wasn't exactly rocking out. But hey what do I know?
  
Overall I enjoyed myself. It was a great experience and the shows, authentic or not, had two great hosts. The male and female leads were amazing. Dancers, eh, we need to start hiring dancers with more versatility. You can't audition dancers only on technical style then throw in ballet-less dances. Because technique is all they know. So they look awkward doing any style that has to be grounded rather than pulled up....ehhh, rant over about awkward bodily pulled up or downness.

The Cruise was great. Looking forward to going again with the whole family. You should try it once in a while.

GET OUT With The Family

A couple of weeks ago me and my best friend went to see the new film 'Get Out." I'm not huge of scary movies but I don't mind creepy psychological scary as opposed to "make you jump as many times as possible" scary. We thoroughly enjoyed the film. After all, it did receive a very rare 100% on the film critique website Rotten Tomatoes.

Some people had their views about it. How deep it was, how deep it wasn't. The film didn't touch on anything new to what my mind had not encountered before, but it still was a great concept. And I didn't leave the theatre feeling "some type of way" about the majority race of this country. My favorite thing that happened with this movie was the Get Out Challenge!

There is a very popular scene in the film where one of the field workers is dashing through the field going, I don't know how fast. I won't reveal why this person is doing it if you haven't seen the movie. Go watch it if you can. In the theatres! Not these strange trolling spammers who appear on people's statuses on facebook randomly with links to the full film, in my skeptical opinion, in order to thwart the amazing sales this film has been doing in the box office.

Back to this challenge. It is the most simple challenge you can participate in, and I never do the challenges. Not the ice bucket, not the Monica So Gone, and most certainly not the mannequin! But I decided to include my family in on it too!!! To twist it up a little bit, because I hate doing things like everyone else. Here is my version of the Get Out Challenge, Family edition!

The Road to My EP Release Show (Poppish Rockish)

So last night I did a podcast interview with Jack Conner of "The Phoenix Report." It was a very cool interview. I've been knowing Jack through his band Vertebreaker for a few years now. He's a really good guy. Cares about music and artists who are trying to do something about their talents. I was interviewed about my journey into Poppish Rockishness and the release of my EP 'Poppish Rockish' out now for sale on iTunes, Amazon and streaming on Google Play Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. 

We spoke about the roots of my music, how my influences are from R&B singers and dancers, people like Michael and Janet Jackson, TLC, Aaliyah, and Bruno Mars. The origins of how I came about doing Poppish Rockish music is kind of mysterious, other than the fact that when I tried R&B for years, it just never worked out. Once I started diving into the Rockish genre, I was able to take off with writing, recording, performing, etc.

My EP 'Poppish Rockish' is a long time in the making. I've been working on this for six years. Recording songs, and re-recording them over and over. Revamping them with either more real instruments (we used the music program sounds in the beginning) and the evolution of my voice. That is a whole situation in itself. It took me a while to start singing the way I sing. Listening to artists like Janet, TLC, and Aaliyah who are all known for their silky smooth vocals, I had to find my own.

Because I had been studying their songs for years, and not Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's I was used to singing softly. Took me a while to come out of my shell with the help of  my parents and my brother Quent Aleem, A.K.A, Yella Fella 407. I started doing vocal excercises from youtube vocal coaches and it started to get better and better. But enough about all of that. I then started performing my songs to tracks on stage. I had no band, had never had a band and I knew about the world of making show tracks. So this is what I did.

It wasn't until 2012 that I finally started my live band. I had released two music videos and I was ready to get out there. I put a band together and through many transformations of it, we started performing.  During these days I was performing primarily with metal and hard rock bands around the Orlando area. To my surprise, my music and show was well received, just like my Poppish Rockish sound had been well received by trap music rap artists when I performed with tracks back in the day. I don't have any genre to specifically perform with, so I'm always the weird genre'd artist, wherever I perform. And it's cool. I'm good with that.

Fastforward, performances were going and the last time I performed live was May 30th, 2015 in Tampa. I was pregnant with my second child. It seems as if the pregnancy was a slow down in the beginning, but it actually was a great thing. On top of the baby being another blessing in my life, he was a blessing for my music. The timing was perfect. I regrouped. I wanted to take things to a new and higher level. When I returned to the stage I wanted things to be more legit, professional, captivating, and overall better than any performances I had done in the past.

On top of this, I met some awesome musicians who I was blessed with and a great producer/guitar player/engineer who was a big help as well. We scratched all the music that was already recorded for my Poppish Rockish album and we started over with recording. The guitars are better, and I have live drums on every single track. It was an eight month process when we started and I'm very happy with the finished product. We recorded a full album but I am releasing just an EP right now. The rest is for later..muahahahaha.

I now have an EP that I am very proud of, I'm not uncomfortable with any of it. I love the sound, production, even my vocals I'm not embarrassed of anymore! I've always been self conscious about them. I have now started rehearsals. My big return to the stage is next Thursday, March 2nd at the Haven in Winter Park, Florida. I have guests Beach Casino and Tears of a Tyrant joining me. I love their styles. It's going to be a great show. I'd like you guys to join me as well. All info can be found on my website ChaddyBoom.com. It's gonna be an energy packed show. Entertaining. I can't wait to return to the stage. And I hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

With love my lovelies,

Chaddy.

Let's Talk About The Grammys

So this year's Grammys was entertaining. I'm usually bored, usually doing DVR on it and watching it later. But the way the cable box is set up I can only record 2 things at a time and Sunday nights are heavy DVRing nights. This usually messes up my recording of award shows so I had to watch the whole thing live, just in case my DVR tried to pop off and do something crazy like not record....but of course, the whole thing recorded this time. So saddle up, I kind of watched it two times so I have a lot to talk about!

I was going to go down a list and tell what I thought of all of the performers, but there were a lot. So I'm gonna highlight somethings. First off, no one was boring. It was an amazing thing. I'm usually bored by a plethora of performers and fast forward through the awards given. This year was different. James Corden was entertaining. Loved his opening rap. He got skills yo. And yall see the way he was moving when he was spitting those dope lyrics??? Like a natural rap artist!! I absolutely adored the Carpool. Blu Ivy was too cute running in there like that. It made me feel like it was a family get together, not knowing the lyrics of the song, just like me :-). Everyone looked amazing, even John Travolta with what appeared to be, a lace wig, or something of the sort. Something was weird about it. I couldn't analyze it thoroughly however. 


Real quick. Bruno Mars has to be making so much coin right now. The news is on and they are talking about the Grammys and they use 24k Magic for the background music. They did it last night at the Grammys too...and on plenty of commercials and everything. So to Bruno I say, keep doing what you do and get those coins boo. 

Ok, back to the Grammys. Before I get into performances I'm gonna get into a few awards. I'm so proud of Chance the Rapper. He knows about the industry. He worked it the right way and it has paid off. Not to mention how he took us to CHUCH (church)!!! Very good performance. Kirk Franklin could have gone without that dress though. The men are always wearing skirts and dresses for award shows. Now I don't mean actual skirts and dresses, just like these performers are always wearing panties on stage. They are leotards and body suits but they fit the characteristics of panties. And the guys' clothing fits the characteristics of skirts and dresses so.....
Adele and Beyonce had a moment. I loved it. I agree with Adele that Beyonce should have gotten the Album of the year award. Lemonade was a conceptual piece of work, but versatile and very well put together. And not to mention the creativity when releasing it. 21 Pilots touched me with their story of the underwear. They said "you could be next. Anyone from anywhere can do anything." This touched me. Because I am barely anywhere right now with my music. But I know if I keep pushing, I got this! Grammys in a few years!! And I know I don't have to be on a label to achieve this. Thanks Chance!!

Now, performances! Adele opened with her power Ballad "Hello" and did amazing. Adele is always having great years when she releases work. She sells a ridiculous amount of albums by today's standards and always wins all the Grammys. Her George Michael tribute was very moving. I didn't know the girl Alicia Keyes performed with until the show, but I liked the song. And Alicia Keys giving seventies disco with that outfit!! Ed Sheeran is always amazing. I believe it was two years ago at the Grammys, that I was bored, where I first heard "Thinking Out Loud." That performance moved me. It was like the only one that moved me, between performers not dancing with enthusiasm or performing ballads with dead eyes and no emotion. I love how he challenges himself during these performances, making the music right there. Requires and intense amount of focus. Then still singing with feeling. Well done Mr. A Team! 
Now let me get into this country music. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood. Their song sounded like an old school pop song. I felt no country in it. I wanted to two-step groovingly. I usually feel funk with country music, in a rocking way with some artists but not soul like this. It was definitely a jam. I loved the song. But country music doesn't have jams. So this was like a few years ago when Taylor Swift was still winning (or even being nominated for) CMA Awards with her pop songs. I want the song though. Beyonce was great as she usually is. She been having long presentations lately, like every time. But she gave a very conceptual presentation. I loved the choreography. 
Gary Clark Jr gave soul!! I liked that peformance and Pentatonix gave amazing performance with that last minute tribute to Legend AL Jerrou.
We had some deepness as well. Katy Perry with Bob Marley's grandson, Skip, and taking eachother's hands with the "We The People" in the background. That got her a standing ovation. I love her song as well. Her peformance had too many things going on, however. But this is what she usually does, put too many things in the way of her performing. She looked great though, that look fits her well, and going Blonde along with Jinju Lee of DNCE  and Halsey. 
The ultimate fight the power came with the mash of A Tribe Called Quest (rip Phife), Busta Buss and Anderson Paak!!! I felt that Power!! Yes!! And Anderson, I remember seeing you on the BET awards and you showed why you deserve to be on tour with Bruno Mars.

Which brings me to my final person to talk about. If you know me you know who I'm talking about. My boy Bruno. I'm so happy I'm not the only person on my timeline anymore talking about his greatness. People started to see when he headlined the Superbowl. But they really see now! So he performed one of my absolute favorites from the album, and ironically the night before I had just thought about what this song would look like live and my prayers were answered quickly! I didn't even know he was performing until my Dad told me! And two times at that! But he gave old school r&b. Something I miss. A feeling, a style. I adored it. His tribute to Prince along with the Time was everything  (well I needed more songs done) but Bruno gave me guyliner  and Purple rain shirt!!! His band was perfect for this tribute. Can't wait for the tour!!

Ok I'm done. This was long. I could keep going but if you got his far, thank you. I love you. I enjoyed this year's Grammys and can not wait to be a part of it one day. Because I will!!

Superbowl Fifty-Something (I think)

So, another year, another Superbowl. Another extreme money making day for the ones with the money already. And we just eat it up. Well, they eat it up, not me. I just cook normal Sunday Dinner with a little bit of Superbowl spirit in it. So yeah, I guess I do eat it up a little. Year after year I have no idea who's in the Superbowl, like ever. I have vague memories of being back home in Buffalo in the 90s.  

A few years in a row I'd go to family member's Superbowl Parties and they'd be singing "Buffalo's going to the Superbowl!" I never knew what it was, I didn't care, and still don't care. There's is something, however, that I do pay attention to for the past recent years that I hadn't back then, probably because I was off playing with my cousins somewhere. It is the halftime show
But first, let's get into the "cultiness" of the obsession with sport's teams. I hardly ever root for any team, at all. Why? Because I don't care. I have the same feelings towards sports teams as I do for the lives of the Kardashians. Like, the feelings are non-existent. They aren't there. I don't think of it. These things are just thrown into my face, into my life. I respect the sports, however. I just don't care where the players play. 

Now, I understand pride in where you come from or for the team you like a lot. Be it because the coaching is awesome, the players are great. I don't know what makes a favorite team a favorite team unless you live in that city. A bias, the same as if you knew one of the players. But I will not understand the gang mindset. I won't. 

The fights and riots that break out over players who play for different cities. It's wild. I will never understand it. But let's just blame it on the alcohol ( Thanks Jamie Foxx). It's the only thing I will accept as a reason to fight over teams who don't know you, don't give a darn about you and who are not about to even loan you a dime. But enough about it. Patriots won. Crazy. They were down by so much. 

Reminds me of my highschool days when us female basketball players beat this undefeated girls team of the city in their final game. They got too comfortable. They balled their eyes out too and later denied the loss ever even occurred for them...yes..fond memories of big upsets. But let's move on to my favorite and ONLY reason I even have it on the channel of the Superbowl. The Halftime Show.  



So, Lady Gaga slayed!!! I went on Facebook and saw some people say it was boring. HOW??? I have never been a humongous fan of Lady Gaga's songs (I most certainly enjoy and jam to them however) but I have always adored, respected and enjoyed her performances. She's talented as crap and sings her but off!!! Please, someone tell me HOW was this boring? Every song had their own element. She started on top of the building and flew around. But there was substance while doing it! Her dancers! And the part that touched my soul was when she did A Million Reasons and went down and hugged the girl. I don't know, it did something to me. And she ended strong! So anyone to say she didn't slay is biased. I don't care if you don't like her music, you CANNOT say this performance didn't rock. I wanna be like you Gaga!!!  

So in closing....I love to play sports, do not enjoy watching them. Teams are a cult that further divide us in many situations mainly because of alcohol. And Janet Jackson, Micheal Jackson and Bruno Mars will always be in my top of Superbowl performances. I want to be like you guys!!! Til next time my loves. Muah!

-CB