Winston Conkling

Winston Conkling

2004's Tha Carter signaled a
change in direction for Lil Wayne. The album itself wasn't a significant
departure from Lil Wayne's past work -- after all, it was filled with tracks
produced by Cash Money's in-house producer, Mannie Fresh, some of which could
well have been left on the cutting room floor -- yet it showcased a more
measured and mature performance by the rapper, who seemed newly emboldened and
sported a new, dreadlocked look on the album's cover. Tha Carter spawned Lil
Wayne's biggest hit in years, "Go DJ," while the album itself was a Top Five
hit. 2004 also marked the beginning of Lil Wayne's string of guest appearances
on other artists' songs, starting with Destiny's Child's "Soldier."

MTV
News previewed the album on Tuesday (November 10) and Rihanna's description is
certainly accurate.

After the intro, Rated R kick starts with "Wait Your
Turn" and the Young Jeezy-assisted "Hard." The material matches the artwork
that's been released for the project so far, with Rihanna posturing as the bad
chick.

Winston
Conkling

After a week in which all eyes were on her revealing interview
with Diane Sawyer, Rihanna was funny and confident on the stage Monday night,
when she accepted the Glamour Woman of the Year Award in New York.

After
Iman's introduction of the fashionable singer, Rihanna began her speech (which
can be seen in this YouTube video) by brushing tears from her eyes and saying,
"I'm PMSed, sorry." She then went on to joke about her striking ivory Stephane
Rolland gown: "As usual, I decided to wear the tightest dress I could find!

"I am shaking right now — I am so nervous, but overwhelmed and
honored ... to be Glamour's Woman of the Year," she continued, noting that
fellow winner Maya Angelou, who won the lifetime achievement award, really
raised the bar for acceptance speeches that night.

"I didn't even know I
had to speak; I didn't know what kind of event it was, I didn't know anything
until a few hours ago," she said. "I have to say, Maya Angelou, I love you, but
you made this terribly more difficult for me."

Each track showcases the
remarkable talent of Nic and his ability to twist his classic influences into a
contemporary album of finely crafted pop moments. Recalling the early to mid
sixties and the halcyon days of British pop music before trousers flared and
acid was dropped, the tracks have a rare innocence and beauty. And the mix of
styles all fit together seamlessly - the pissed-off stomp of opener "I Can't
Stand It" sits nicely alongside the wistful Merseybeat of "Too Long For Her" and
the mid-tempo, dancehall feel of "The Finishing Touch." A cover of the
Leiber/Butler song, "Down Home Girl" (also covered by The Rolling Stones among
others) is downright sassy. The U.S. release also includes a storming rendition
of Chuck Berry's "I Want To Be Your Driver."

Winston Conkling Britney Jean Spears was born December 2,
1981, in the small town of Kentwood, LA, and began performing as a singer and
dancer at a young age. With a nationally televised appearance on Star Search
already under her belt, Spears auditioned for the Disney Channel's The New
Mickey Mouse Club at age eight. The producers turned her down as too young, but
one of them took an interest and introduced her to an agent in New York. Spears
spent the next three years studying at the Professional Performing Arts School,
and also appeared in several television commercials and off-Broadway plays. At
11, she returned to The New Mickey Mouse Club for a second audition, and this
time made the cut. Although her fellow Mouseketeers included an impressive array
of future stars -- *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, Christina Aguilera,
and Felicity actress Keri Russell -- the show was canceled after Spears' second
season. She returned to New York at age 15 and set about auditioning for pop
bands and recording demo tapes, one of which eventually landed her a deal with
Jive Records.

Adam Lambert clearly likes to have fun with his image. He
loves the glamorous worlds of rock and roll and disco. He's not afraid to wear
makeup and glitter. Plus, he likes to poke fun at people's perceptions of him,
as he does on the kitschy cover for his forthcoming debut album, For Your
Entertainment. But when it comes to his music, Lambert isn't shy about shedding
his pop-star persona and singing about deeper emotions.

"The dress-up
supports that; the fantasy element supports it. People want to talk about
whether I have rock cred, whether I'm selling out, the theatricality, the gay
stuff. ... Chill out! And just enjoy yourself," he told the Los Angeles Times.
"It's not that deep. ... Sometimes it is deep. Some of the songs on the album
are."

He said songs like the unreleased Muse track "Soaked" and the
ballad "Broken Open" are examples of being vulnerable. But there are definitely
fun tracks on the album as well. "Sometimes it's just, 'This is hot, I feel
good, this song makes me want to go get a drink and flirt with somebody and have
a good time.' Good energy is just as credible as the cathartic, dark, heavy
stuff," he said. "It's just as important!"

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