The nascent Los Angeles, CA rap group, The New Boyz, who have risen to commercial visibility via the success of their popular dance record, “You’re A Jerk,” hosted a listening session for a group of media personnel (music journalist and bloggers) at Legacy Studios in New York City, to discuss the release of their debut album, Skinny Jeanz & A Mic. After listening to a monologue and anecdote from the Warner Bros./Asylum Records music executives, rappers Ben J (ne, Earl Benjamin) and Legacy (ne, Dominic Thomas), stepped into the studio to play us what everyone was gathered to hear: Skinny Jeanz & A Mic. Below is a track-by-track breakdown of the New Boyz debut album. 

Track 1: “Cricketz” featuring Tyga - With the same kind of upbeat tempo and spare production as the group’s hit song, “You’re A Jerk” (next song on the album), the New Boyz address the haters who question their skinny jeans fashion, retorting that all the chatter sounds like crickets. 

Track 2: “You’re A Jerk” – The song that introduced the New Boyz to the mainstream music scene and spawned countless numbers of “jerkin’” YouTube dance videos amongst the teen audience. 

Track 3: “Dot Com” – As active participants of the “dot com” generation, the New Boyz pay homage to the medium that has helped promote their music and bolster their careers: the internet, also known as, the World Wide Web. 

Track 4: “Colorz” – As fans of the rap group, The Cool Kids, the New Boys offered their rendition of the minimalist, retro-style boom-bap sound the former duo is known for. 

Track 5: “Way 2 Many Chickz” –  The group shares jovial tales of unfortunate experiences with females with un-ladylike characteristics (bad breath, bodily gas, and herpes to name a few). 

Track 6: “Turnt” – Another “jerk” style record that sounds as if it will be accompanied by some sort of a dance. 

Track 7: “Bunz” featuring Kidd SB – Upon hearing this record, it’s hard not to think of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.” An ode to all the curvy woman in the world, the boys clearly reflect their interest in round derrieres with the lyrics: “I like my buns fat and juicy, I don’t want no saggy booty.” 

Track 8: “Cashmere” – Over a pulsating drum beat, the New Boyz use an old school, back-and-forth flow, a la Run DMC, to tell the story about a girl that Legacy is trying to court.

Track 9: “So Dope” – Returning back to their bread-and-butter sound, the group offers listeners another dance track sure to make kids get up and “jerk.” 

Track 10: “Tie Me Down” featuring Ray J – The group’s second single is an obvious attempt at mainstream notoriety, as it possesses a more polished sound that will enable them to build upon the adoration of their female audience. 

Track 11: “New Girl” featuring D&D – Catering again to the ladies, the group takes a page from Soulja Boy by creating a radio-friendly record that will appeal to many adolescent girls, setting themselves up to become music’s next teenage heartthrobs.

Track 12: “No More” featuring O.N.E. – The group continues the theme of being ladies men on this R&B infused track about the highs-and-lows of being in a rocky relationship. 

Track 13: “One Night” – The album closes out with another R&B/hip-hop blend devoted to casual relations.

Known for the teen-anthem “You’re A Jerk,” Los Angeles, California based rap duo New Boyz (Legacy & Ben J) are scheduled to release their 13-track debut album Skinny Jeanz & A Mic on September 15, 2009 via Asylum/Warner Bros. Records.

The popularity of “You’re A Jerk,” which is supported by a “jerkin’” dance, has catapulted the 17-year old teenagers from Myspace notoriety to national exposure.

The record has also inspired a movement amongst the teenage demographic. Variations of the dance have been recorded and uploaded by fans to the web.

“The Jerk community is a viral community, garnering over 50 million views without advertising,” says Shariff Hassan, co-producer of the Skinny Jeans: The Movement documentary series.  “And because of technology, this movement also marks the first time that youth culture has an international audience instantly.”

“People think we only do jerk music, but we do a whole lot of everything,” says Legacy. “The album’s about the typical teenage life.”

  

Warner Bros. Records has announced that industry veteran Todd Moscowitz, along with Asylum Records, have joined the Warner Bros. label. In his new role, Moscowitz will serve as Executive Vice President, reporting directly to Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Tom Whalley.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work even more closely with Tom and his team and to provide Asylum artists the unparalleled resources of Warner Bros. Records,” says Moscowitz. “It’s an honor to be a part of a label so deeply-rooted in the history and culture of our business.”

“Todd’s success in urban music and his commitment to artist development make him the perfect partner for Warner Bros. Records,” says Whalley. “As the music business continues to evolve, executives such as Todd, who appreciate the importance of great artists and understand the complexities of the business, will shape the future of our industry. I am thrilled that Todd will be leading the way with me at Warner Bros. Records.”

Although Moscowitz has joined the Warner Bros. team, he will still continue to operate as the CEO of Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group (ILG), which includes the label East West Records. In this position, Moscowitz will report to WEA Corp.’s president and CEO John Esposito.

Part of Moscowitz’s new role is to oversee the expansion of the label’s urban roster. Under the new arrangement, Asylum Records plans to take advantage of Warner Bros. Records’ marketing and promotions staff to help its up-and-coming artists, while Asylum will serve as an A&R and artist development resource for Warner Bros. Records, as the latter label tries to expand its presence in urban music. 

In 2004, Moscowitz was named president of Asylum Records, a label designed to provide full promotion, marketing and sales support to independent labels and artists in the urban genre. Some of the artists on the Asylum roster include Scarface, Bun B., Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Ginuwine, Slim (of 112), and many others.

    

Who Is Mike Jones? “Who? Mike Jones.” That’s the rhetorical question Houston rapper Mike Jones asked the world on his debut album. Four years after making sure everyone knew his name, Jones is back to drop his sophomore album entitled The Voice, due in stores April 28th via Ice Age/Swishahouse/Asylum Records.

“For the past four years I have been doing a lot of restructuring: getting this record right, making sure my business is right and more. Now I am ready to finish what I started. I’m hoping my fans will feel The Voice was worth the wait.”

Targeting the attention of the ladies, “Next To You” (produced by J.R. Rotem) is the lead single off the new album. Jones also got production from other beatmakers including: Mannie Fresh, Mr. Collipark and The Package Store, Bigg D and Jim Jonsin, Kojack, Essay Potna, and Mike Dean; as well as guest appearances from Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, Devin The Dude, Hurricane Chris, and Twista.

Mike Jones is currently readying a promotional tour in support of The Voice and will be in LA on March 17th and 18th, San Francisco on March 19th, and Portland and San Diego on March 20th.

 

Following a four-year absence from the music scene, R&B crooner Ginuwine is making his return with his new single “Last Chance,” off his sixth studio album A Man’s Thoughts.

The singer that brought the world hits such as “Pony,” “In Those Jeans,” and “So Anxious,” feels that his new record demonstrates his development as a man. “’Last Chance’ reflects the maturity of my personal growth over the past few years,” says Ginuwine.

To support the song, Ginuwine is scheduled to shoot the video for “Last Chance” March 6th in Los Angeles, CA, and will include guest appearances from Tyrese Gibson, Lisa Raye, Ray J and comedian/actor Alex Thomas.

Produced by Bryan Michael Cox, “Last Chance” recently impacted Urban AC radio earlier in the week (March 3rd) and will be added to urban mainstream formats later in the month (March 24th).

In 2008, Ginuwine signed with Notifi/Asylum/Warner Brothers Records, ending a ten-year relationship with Sony Records, to record his up-coming project A Man’s Thoughts, due in stores June 2nd.

Former D4L member Carlos “Shawty Lo” Walker is scheduled to follow-up 2008’s Units In The City with the release of his sophomore disc, Carlos, on May 5th.  

Raised in the Bankhead section of Atlanta, Shawty Lo draws inspiration on his newest project from his upbringing in the neighborhood. “The whole concept of this album is really an interpretation of how I and a majority of the people around me feel or have felt and the lives we’ve lived. This record is even more personal than Units in the City, says Shawty Lo.

The first single off the album, “Supplier,” features go-to-rapper Lil’ Wayne and R&B crooner Trey Songz. Rapper Gucci Mane lends his support on “Dope Boy Knot,” while Lil’ Kim provides her services on “Get Money.” Other guests appearances on the album include: Rick Ross, Bun B, T-Pain and members of his D4L collective.

Shawty Lo first earned national attention with the success of D4L’s hit single “Laffy Taffy.” Capitalizing off the group’s popularity, the rapper released his first solo album Units In the City last year via D4L/Asylum Records, which produced the street anthem, “Dey Know.”