Her music is a mixture of soul like ancient Aster Aweke, with a touch of old Motown meets the smooth and gravy like sound of old Muluken Melesse with the distinct like voice of Zeritu Kebede.

#ThatsWhatSheSaid: Sway Magazine’s Online Recap of Current Events. This week: Hip-Hop royalty is born and a woman fakes death certificate to extend vacation.

New Era’s versatility in being able to switch between R&B, gospel, neo-soul and other genres gives it an edge. In 2011 alone, the band has played for artists including Carlos Morgan, Andreena Mill and Andrea Lewis. It also opened for R&B superstar Omarion at Hamilton’s Mardigras in July.

Growing up singing in her church has added to Jewels’ strong musical foundation but has not sealed her fate in regards to the genre in which she belongs. Her current politically-conscious single, Final Showdown, a combination of pop, soul and R&B, is a perfect example of the genre bending.

“There are many times when I’m the only person of colour in the cast. When you’re not, there’s a sense of camaraderie in some ways and a sense of competition in others.”

“Toronto means everything,” he says. “I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. It’s time for Canada to embrace itself. I am proud to make good music in Canada that Canadians love.”

You wouldn’t think a musical about race relations in the Bad Old South and forbidden love between a white man and a black woman would be an entertaining night out, but Memphis is hugely so, driven by the compelling storyline and powerhouse vocals all around.

Now, after its own nine-year quest, including three licence applications, 98.7 FM — billed as “urban adult contemporary” — represents a second chance at a forum for the black community’s ails and aspirations, as well as for aficionados of black-oriented music.

In the hands of Bassekou Kouyate, the four-stringed ngoni can sing like a harp or wail like an electric guitar; slow and bluesy or lightning quick.

It’s hard to believe, after bearing the full, two-and-a-half hour brunt of Jay-Z and Kanye West’sWatch the Throne tour stop at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night, that there was a time when hip-hop shows were almost presupposed to suck.