APPLE MUSIC IS HERE NOW & HERE ARE OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS @APPLE @BILLBOARD @ASCAP @BMI

For iOS device users whomever owns an current generation iPod, iPad, or iPhone found today that Apple released iOS 8.4 this morning around 11 am EST/8 am PST. The update I'm happy to say didn't take up much room & probably took 15 minutes to download & install to my phone. After a year or maybe a year & a half of buying out Beats Music for a lump sum of billions of dollars, Apple earlier this month announced they would further merge the Beats brand by merging with their existing music app, now known as Apple Music at their annual WWDC conference. The app would be offered for both Android & iOS. They would add the features that everyone loved about the Beats App but also bring it together with iTunes extensive music catalog, they announced a world wide streaming radio station Beats One Radio & promised custom curated playlists. HERE'S A RECAP OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.


My impressions are that my iTunes Radio favorite stations were still intact. Beats One Radio is a free feature that I think you can enjoy without having to try the free three month trial. I walked my dog & streamed Beat One Radio with Hot 97's Ebro with his show on Beats One Radio running from 6-8pm. I also enjoyed listening to Pharrell's new song Freedom & Puff Daddy's new song which he performed along side Pharrell at the BET Awards.

I'm pretty much still checking it out so am I partial to Apple Music or Google Play Music, that question I can not answer just yet. Unfortunately I was never a Beats Music subscriber so I can't tell you what was different & what I may have missed during the transition. I wouldn't necessarily tell readers here to go rush getting the three month trial. I would advice giving it a try before you knock it. However if you have a particular streaming preference then I can suggest to stick with what you like but if you want to try different music streaming apps then slowly wade in & check it out.

LET'S CHECK OUT SOME OTHER NOTABLE REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS AS WELL

WHO THOSE OF YOU WHO MISSED IT! THE WATER COOLER TALK OF THE 2015 @BET AWARDS!

The 15th annual awards gala—hosted by Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross—took place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and kicked off with a performance from Kendrick Lamar. The Weeknd hit the BET Awards stage for the first time with help from Alicia Keys. Puff Daddy and the Family celebrated 20 years of Bad Boy with a medley of hits. BET honored Smokey Robinson and Janet Jackson. CHECK OUT THE LIST OF THIS YEARS WINNERS AND AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE PERFORMANCES HERE to hold you over until there is a rerun shown on-air.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF WINNERS



KENDRICK LAMAR KILLS THE MIC ON THE STAGE WITH ALRIGHT

CIARA, TINASHE, & JASON DERULO HONOR JANET JACKSON WITH A TRIBUTE PERFORMANCE

JANET RECEIVES BET ICON AWARD



THE WEEKND & ALICIA KEYS PERFORM

SMOKEY ROBINSON TRIBUTE BY NE-YO, TORI KELLY & ROBIN THICKE

SMOKEY ROBINSON STILL GOT IT

THE BAD BOY FAMILY REUNITES & CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THIS REST OF THE PERFORMANCES HERE!

A SNEAK ATTACK! GOOGLE GETS ONE UP ON APPLE WITH AN EARLY UPDATE OF THE IMPROVED GOOGLE PLAY MUSIC

Apple had announced earlier this month at their annual WWDC that they would finally do something with the billion dollar acquisition of Beats Music & Audio previously owned by Jimmy Iovine & Dr. Dre that they would merge the brands into the Apple family as Apple Music which would compete against other streaming music apps such as Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora, Rdio, iHeart Radio & various other streaming services for music. In a few days after Google released a video online YouTube showing off improved capabilities for their streaming music service Google Play Music. And as of this past Wednesday, June 24. They updated their apps to display the new & improved Google Play music.



Available in the U.S., Google Play Music provides free, ad-supported radio for what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, or what you want to hear. Instantly start radio stations based on songs, artists, or albums, or browse by genre, mood, activity, decade, and more.

Previously in years past the way Google Play Music worked is using your Google account you could upload 50,000 of your personal songs downloaded on your computer or external hard drive to the cloud. After you went over that 50,000 you could then subscribe to Google Play All Access granting you more room in the cloud to upload mp3s. Apple Music releases this Tuesday on June 30th. Apple Music will have a free three month period & limited free features. I had found out after the fact that my Google Play Music app had updated & I could choose catered radio stations based off the mood I was feeling & the occasion. Being that I have an 16 gb iPhone I have used Pandora, iTunes Radio, Google Play Music (of course), Spotify, & various music streaming apps. With limited space on a lot of our phones streaming is the best way to still enjoy our music.

I have played with the new improved Google Play Music for the past 24 hours. I have to commend Google on the innovation of their Google Play Music app. On Tuesday, my iPhone will undoubtedly update to Apple Music & I'll kiss the old music app good bye. I'll see what free features await me from Apple (maybe in the form of Beats One Radio...come on at least give me that). However, getting back to Google Play Music. For those on a budget who may not want to necessarily shell out $9.99/month...no matter what device iOS or Android then I definitely recommend Google Play Music for your entertainment.

SUPPORT OUR BOY BASEBOOMER HERE ON HIS SITE HERE

THANKS FOR THE LOVE & HAVING OUR BLOG URL FEED ON YOUR SITE. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE HERE!

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

THE CLASH OF THE TITANS! MICROSOFT V SONY! E3 HIGHLIGHTS

In 2015, the console wars continue on as gaming giants such as Sony & Microsoft fight to the death to win over more perspective buyers that will either purchase their first gaming system or trade an older previous system like XBox 360 or Playstation 3 to XBox One or Playstation 4. Here are the recent highlights. Thanks to our friends over at Polygon for taking time out to cover this years 2015 & also condense all the memorable highlights into two 8 minute videos each for Sony Entertainment & Microsoft.

Long have our video games went from Atari, Sega & Nintendo Entertainment systems into entertainment systems capable of video calling people on Skype, watching Netflix & various other streaming systems, watching DVD/Blu Ray discs & doing much more than just simply playing games. Without further adieu here are the awesome highlights from 2015's E3 (known as Electronic Entertainment Expo). Also, we will also cover other interesting tech developments in my next blog!

SONY'S E3 2015 PRESS CONFERENCE IN 8 MINUTES



MICROSOFT E3 2015 PRESS CONFERENCE IN 8 MINUTES



E3 2015 GAME TRAILERS

MORE STREET FIGHTER REMIXES

CHECK IT OUT RIGHT HERE

BEAT JACKIN: JADAKISS REMIXES N.E.R.D.- GOD BLESS US ALL WITH HIS LIL BRUH

I first heard this song on N*E*R*D's album Seeing Sounds. Make sure you get that from iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play or etc if you don't have that in your collection. Jadakiss on one of his I LOVE YOU (Dedication to the Fans) mixtape remixes the song into an inspiring Street Knowledge song called Lil Bruh. Make sure you check it out. It's dope as hell. And I'll post the original version for your listening enjoyment. And for that MIXTAPE, DOWNLOAD HERE!

WHERE JADAKISS SAMPLED & GOT IT FROM

FROM A MINOR CARTOON CHARACTER TO MAJOR COMIC BOOK VILLAINOUS ICON: DC'S HARLEY QUINN!

Harley Quinn started out as a character that was created just for Batman: The Animated Series as a girlfriend & ditzy assistant of the Joker created by Bruce Timm & Paul Dini. She became so popular that DC Comics who brought us such comic heroes & villains such as Superman, Batman, The Joker, Lex Luthor & etc decided to make her a regular character in the Batman comics books. As of last year, DC decided to take it step further by giving her own comic series. In 2016, Harley Quinn will be played by Margot Robbie as part of the Suicide Squad & DC's Cinematic Universe. She has basically become the female Joker.

Harley was first voiced by actress, Arleen Sorkin for the Batman Animated Series & Star Wars actor Mark Hamill(whom we also know as Luke Skywalker) voiced the Joker for the series. Both Sorkin & Hamill are both well noted for their iconic voices. Sorkin voiced Harley Quinn from 1992 to 2003, again in 2009 for the popular XBox 360 & Playstation Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum & Arkham City games, & then in 2011 reprise her role in DC Universe Online game. A few other actresses have voiced her as well.

Without a doubt, she has become a fan favorite & the most well known character women choose to cosplay as when at Comiccons. Here is a brief history of The Joker's girl, Harley Quinn

MAKE SURE YOU GO OUT & SUPPORT THE NEW BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT GAME COMING OUT FOR PLAYSTATION 4 & XBOX ONE

HIP-HOP HADOKEN! TOP STREET FIGHTER REMIXES

There's no secret that Hip-Hop has always loved Street Fighter! You have seen Notorious B.I.G.'s Juicy video where him & his crew Junior Mafia are playing each other in Street Fighter...Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis. In 1994, there was a live action Street Fighter movie. The movie was not memorable. Probably not even Jean Claude Van Dam could save the movie as Guile.

Capcom recently announced coming later this year will be the follow up to their smash hit game, Street Fighter 4 (with Ultra, Super, etc) editions & Street Fighter vs Tekken. With Street Fighter 5 coming for Playstation 4 & XBox One. Who remembers spending tons of quarters just to play Street Fighter back in the day. And the happiness of plugging in that Street Fighter cartridge into your Sega Genesis & Super Nintendo.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WITH OUR FRIENDS OVER AT IGN

LADIES & GENTLEMEN FOR YOUR PLEASURE THE TOP STREET FIGHTER HIP-HOP & RAP SONGS I'VE COMPILED. CHECK OUT THE PLAYLIST HERE AT THE BOTTOM

Here's some gameplay footage for the PS4 exclusive title, Street Fighter V.

May contain content inappropriate for children, visit www.esrb.org for rating information

THE HISTORY OF STREET FIGHTER

LIGHTENING STRIKES TWICE! COOL V AKA VIBEZ RIDES THE SOUL TRAIN AGAIN

The Industry Insomniac, Cool V makes Soul Train again. Check out at http://soultrain.com/2015/06/03/qa-cool-v-good-vibez-and-better-inspirations. Much love & thanks to Soul Train for the feature. It's a well written article by Joe Walker. And it was a great Q&A interview. Make sure you keep it locked to Soul Train for more informative news. Follow him on Twitter @mrjoewalker, connect with him on Facebook, and also visit his blog ByMrJoeWalker.blogspot.com.