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Alicia Keys Tops Digital Chart

Twelve-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys' latest opus The Element of Freedom (MBK/J Records) debuts at #1 on Billboard's R&B Albums and Digital Albums charts and #2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, according to Nielsen/SoundScan.

With a total of 417,277 units sold in a week, this marks the biggest first week sales debut for a female R&B singer this year and Keys' 5th straight chart-topping debut (Keys' previous four albums debuted at #1 on the aforementioned charts).

With radio stations playing five songs simultaneously from The Element of Freedom ("Doesn't Mean Anything," "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart," "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down," "Un-thinkable," with background vocals provided by Drake, and "Put It In A Love Song" featuring Beyoncé) and critics such as Entertainment Weekly citing "Keys latest hits all the right notes" there's no wonder why fans flocked to purchase Keys fifth release. - more on this story

Chosen Few Checkin' In With Free MP3

In advance of their upcoming 2010 full length New World Symphony, West Coast/Midwest trio Chosen Few are dropping a series of collaborative tracks, collectively titled Sounds From The Fewchr, to build buzz.

The latest, "Checkin' In," featuring Bay Area compatriot Jern Eye, might be the jazziest hip-hop track released since 1995, and that's not a bad thing. When you're making "golden age" style hip-hop, few co-signs are more valuable than that of legendarily innovative Oakland collective Hieroglyphics.

Well, the proverbial Chosen Few- Cold Showda, Unjust, and Charles Cooper- recently signed to Hiero Imperium Records. While "do the logical" is an unlikely thesis statement to hear coming out of a hip-hop song, Chosen Few have found an important void to fill. While much of hip-hop is about barely restrained chaos, Chosen Few are in full control of everything on this track. Insightful lyrics, uniformly confident rhyming, and top-notch horns lend an unusual amount of swagger to an otherwise laid back track. And while working toward filling that void, with "Checkin' In," Chosen Few were also able to bring personal meaning and reflection to the song, as Cold Showda says of the track, "'Checkin' In' is kind of a reflection song. As artists we've kept growing and stayed in our lane despite the ever so fickle shift in the hip-hop landscape. Being able to work with the homie Jern, who we've been doing shows with for nearly 10 years helped fill out the song perfectly."

Chosen Few's New World Symphony will be available on January 9, 2010 via Hiero Imperium Records. - MP3

MarQ Spekt Presents Bloodlust Vol. 2 Free Download

Bloodlust 2 is the definitive MarQ Spekt record. A step above everything released thus far. This project features the reclusive veteran rhyming along side some of his generations finest MC's including Karniege, Messiah, Vordul Mega, Sean Price, J-Live, Stahhr the Empress, Thirstin Howl 3rd, Broady Champs, C-Rayz Walz, John Robinson, Skit Slam, Dynas and more.

Those who have followed the "Broady Champ" since the late 90's and kept your eyes to the ground during Spekt's J..D. Salinger-esque hiatus from the game, finally have what they have been waiting for. Bloodlust 2 is a labor of love and the first album to hand anyone who wants to know what he MarQ Spekt is about. Barbwire rhymes, scrunch your face up verses, the "grilchiness" that you've been missing.

A lot of variety and styles on this mixtape, yet it serves as only an appetizer to 2 upcoming Spekt solo projects The Scalpel and Persona Non Grata as well as follow up Broady Champs, Invizzibl Men and random verses scattered throughout 2010. The Future of HipHop comes from someone with a deep grasp of that grimy 90's era. - more on this story

Book Of Eli Soundtrack

Reprise Records will release the original motion picture soundtrack to the Hughes Brothers-directed feature film Book Of Eli on January 12th, 2010 — three days before the film hits theaters nationwide on January 15th, 2010.

The Book of Eli Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features an original score by composer/musician/producer Atticus Ross, marking his third collaboration with the Hughes Brothers and his first feature film score. Ross' music is a unique hybrid score of electronic and organic elements; writing with his wife (Claudia Sarne) and brother (Leopold Ross), the basic tracks were recorded at his studio in Los Angeles before departing to London where it was finished in Abbey Road Studios with a full 80-piece orchestra.

The soundtrack will be released as a standard CD as well as in three digital packages: A standard version available from all digital service providers, a deluxe version featuring three bonus tracks ("The Bridge," "Carnergie's Purpose," and "Dissolve") from all DSP's excluding iTunes, and an exclusive iTunes package featuring the three bonus tracks listed above plus a remix of "Panoramic" by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. A vinyl version of the soundtrack will be released in February. - more on this story

Meral Guneyman & Dick Hyman Release Danzas Tropicales

The award-winning and classical trained pianist Meral Guneyman, along with the iconic jazz arranger, composer and pianist Dick Hyman, present Danzas Tropicales, a fluid collection of piano compositions dedicated to Latin dance rhythms.

Guneyman and Hyman create a sound which captures a signature blend of Latin fervor and sophisticated elegance. Danzas Tropicales features an array of lively rhythms, ranging from the original title piece, composed by Hyman himself, to an exciting spectrum of Latin-American classics spanning the past century, including interpretations of "Garota De Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema)" and "Manha De Carnaval."

"We dived into the world of Tango Nuevo, Bossa Nova and Samba, and found great enjoyment in performing these popular but challenging dance rhythms. Of course, to begin with, we were dealing with beautiful compositions by Astor Piazzolla, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Bonfa, Ernesto Nazareth, and in particular, Pablo Ziegler, who became our friend and adviser in the preparation of this album. In addition, there was Dick Hyman's remarkable concert piece, 'Danzas Tropicales,' which gave us our album title. Dick is also responsible for the deft arrangements of many of the titles," states Meral Guneyman. - more on this story

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