To Twitter or Tweet

I don't follow a lot of celebrities on Twitter, because for the most part they only use it to satisfy their own egos. You know, saying a lot but replying to nothing. Self-promotion is respectable, but ignoring folks on a SOCIAL networking site doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

That being said, a few celebs have caught my attention (Trey Songz, Jordin Sparks, Tristan Wilds), but Mariah Carey is by far the FUNNIEST.

Mimi usually makes me want to vomit, but I won't front...chick is hella self-aware, so that I get the feeling I'm laughing with her.

Here are just a few of her gems:

• "someone complained about the bad grammar in my messages. For the record, it's a tweet dear, not a thesis."


• "Nick is too cute when he's sleep! I wish he didn't have to work tomorrow so he could help me sleep all day and I could sing all nite!"


• "Just finished working out. Whooo! Quite naturally" its 5am and I still can't sleep"(sung like "crybaby" from "Rainbow"99)lol Who's up?"


• "I'm pretty sure my spell check is broken cos I know I MUSTVE spelled Chihuwawa wrong. No, I cannot spell..its almost as bad as I am at math!"


• "When I was 4, Iwent on an Easter egg hunt and I actually stumbled upon "THE BONUS EGG" aka I WON!!! But...Then... This 12yr old girl stole the BONUS EGG right out of my hand and ran around saying.."I got the BONUS EGG!!!".... (Easter saga cont.) Anyway, she won a HUGE Easter basket w/stuffed animals and candy and she didn't even find the frikin egg!!!

If you're on Twitter, follow her. If you're not, sign-up for twitter, and follow her.

Oh, and if your @'s are a bit sparse, here's a list of some of my favorite Twitter-ers:

@Pinkissopretty5

@KevinRScott

@Ellington51

@ChrisJervis

@MsMirandaMarie

@Amanda_Allison

Trust me, funny, consistently entertaining folks. (No shade to the others I'm following, ya'll know I only hang w/ the best.)

Oh, and follow ME: @Bfloyd86

Chrisette Michele's Career Should Benefit from Her "Epiphany"

To say that Chrisette Michele's debut was disappointing would be unfair. Her first single "If I Have My Way" was lovely, but just too adult-contemporary for her intended audience. But anyone who has heard the title track from Michele's Epiphany can tell you that the singer has developed a sound more suitable for her youth. Epiphany is fresh in every sense of the word, from production to delivery, and shows that Michele is ready to become an R&B star in her own right.

While "Epiphany" is easily the best track on the 12 song album, Michele remains satisfying throughout. The self-sacrificial "Blame it On Me" is as well-written as it is performed. Lyrics like "Sometimes it hurts to know the loving you had is slowly fading away" fall just short of melo-drama, so that listeners can find them relatable without feeling embarrased. More importantly, Michele's voice is flawless throughout the song. She has a range that sounds as elegant in its lower registers as it does in higher octaves, and delivers tons of emotion behind each note.

Check "Porcelain Doll" for a down-to-earth delivery, with plenty of attitude: "I'm a full-grown woman, I am not your porcelain doll." "Notebook" comes with every bit of the personal confession implied by the title, while "Our Song" is an airy, country inspired mid-tempo that could serve as the perfect summer break-up lament.

There's not a bad track on Epiphany, and even the Ne-Yo feature on "What You Do" doesn't sacrifice the album's sincerity.

After Epiphany, Chrisette Michele deserves a spot among R&B's hottest up-and-coming artists, right next to Jazmine Sullivan and Jennifer Hudson (who, incidently, weren't able to deliver albums nearly as satisfying). I haven't heard a better album in 2009.

Check out "Blame it On Me" and "Porcelain Doll."

Ciara's Finally Debuts Her "Fantasy Ride"

Ciara hasn't had the easiest run preceding the release of her third studio album, Fantasy Ride. But after a succession of under-performing singles, her duet with Justin Timberlake, "Love, Sex & Magic" has managed to build a bit of anticipation for the album's May 5th release, and the final product proves that Fantasy Ride was worth the wait.

Back in 2004, when Ciara was trendy instead of trendsetting, it was difficult to decipher the artist behind the radio-ready wrapping. In 2006, she took a bit of a risk with "Promise," the slowed down lead single from her second album Evolution. Still, despite the album's title, Evolution offered very little progression from her debut. Three years later, Ciara finally delivers an album worthy of her potential.

At its best, Fantasy Ride sees Ciara seamlessly merging the hip-hop appeal that has kept her a club staple for years, with the R&B swagger that finally gives her crediability beyond the dancefloor. Songs like the Dream produced "Like a Surgeon" translate just as well from the club to the bedroom, all the while demonstrating that Ciara has perfected a sustainable brand of sexiness that eluded her earlier efforts. "Ciara to the Stage" serves as further testament to the singer's newfound sexual agency, while "Echo" picks up the pace without sacrificing the maturity. Still, Ciara is familiar with her audience, and album standout "G is For Girl" caters to the urban fanbase that made her a star.

However, the album isn't without its setbacks. While Ciara has made serious vocal strides since her debut, a number of Fantasy Ride's tracks still suffer from her occasionally strained vocals. In fact, songs like "High Price" and "Lover's Thing" only fail as a result of Ciara's delivery. "Lover's Thing" in particular would be a solid ballad if not for her near-embarrassing pitch. On the otherhand, "I Don't Remember" suffers not because of Ciara, but due to Ne-Yo's uninspired production. The song hardly fits the rest of the album's pacing, and thankfully serves as the last track - that way you can stop at the infinitely more satisfying "Tell Me What Your Name Is," and pretend that "I Don't Remember" never happened.

With Fantasy Ride Ciara demonstrates that her five-year career is a work of progression instead of predictability, and that should be enough to keep listeners interested for at least five more.

Check out "Like a Surgeon" and "G is For Girl"...on another blog, cause I'm tired of having my posts taken down.