Music Minute

The Notorious B.I.G.'s Duets: The Final Chapter. The album combines some of Biggie's original unreleased material with collaborations from some of today's hottest artists. I've always been a fan of Biggie Smalls, most notably his songs "Juicy" and "Big Poppa."

My favorite Duets include the single "Nasty Girl" featuring Jagged Edge, Diddy, Nelly and Avery Storm as well as the album tracks "Ultimate Rush" produced by Scott Storch featuring Missy Elliot and "Just a Memory" featuring Clipse and Diddy. The album definitely leaves a lasting impression just as B.I.G. has.

Music Minute

Citizen Cope's (real name Clarence Greenwood) sophomore album The Clarence Greenwood Recordings as well as his debut Citizen Cope. I've been a fan since 2004, and Greenwood has become better between albums. His songs have also been featured on a plethora of television shows as well as films.

My favorite's from his first LP include: "If There's Love", "Appetite for Lightin' Dynamite", and "Theresa" and the best of Greenwood have to be "Sideways", "Pablo Picasso" and "Bullet and a Target". I also own Greenwood's most recent Every Waking Moment, released in 2006, but have yet to find a favorite so far (though I'm sure I will). I'm hoping someone will soon catch on to his talent.

Music Minute

Angie Stone's Mahogany Soul. Ms. Stone has never had a dramatic commercial success (though she was number 1 on the Billboard Top Heatseakers). Her soul anthems, Wish I Didn't Miss You and Brotha are wonderful and permanently positioned on my iPod.

She's no longer with J records (according to Wikipedia she is now a Stax) so it may be more difficult to find her most recent albums, but there is always greatest hits or iTunes.

Spotlight

Right now, someone somewhere is on the rise in the entertainment industry. Before we thought it was Jessica Alba (and she has risen), then we thought Megan Fox (she has as well, though with her continually vapid comments she may also fall) and finally with Zac Efron (though, we don't know if he has a fan following anymore). Now, we believe Garrett Hedlund is next.

Hedlund, 24, starred in one of our favorite films, the seriously underrated Four Brothers alongside Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese (who I'm happy has an acting career with Transformers because seriously, what happened to him and the whole singing thing?) and Andre 3000 (who needs to continue with his singing, hello Hey Ya!). He was also in Troy, which I loved because I didn't leave even though it spanned like 3 hours. Hedlund was just tapped to star in Tr2n. I do not know what that is, though I do know it is supposed to have a following similar to Watchmen, though on a smaller scale (maybe).

He was good in Friday Night Lights and made us believe Lindsay Lohan was actually worth coveting in Georgia Rule (yes, I know as if that is possible). Lets hope he has a meteoric rise too, just not as fan driven or crazy as the one experienced by Robert Pattinson with Twilight.

Music Minute

Kings of Leon's Only By the Night. This band is hot in the United Kingdom and slowly on the rise in the United States. Matthew McConaughey gave the band a shout out on his Myspace Celebrity Blog.

Downside, not surprisingly, they are not playing a concert anywhere near me anytime soon, but if you get a chance... check them out! I'm more a fan of their earlier songs (I have Red Morning Light and Molly's Chambers on my Ipod running playlist), but it is still a great listen.