I can’t stand this song, yet I can’t stop singing it. Then I went on vacation this weekend, and the video was playing nonstop! It’s underwhelming for the sexiness it’s supposed to be exerting, but it could be worse. And the main chick is effing beautiful! Despite her tacky outfit. I’m glad the video focuses on a pretty girl and the Jeremih instead of big wobbly asses hanging from the ceiling when the song totally doesn’t call for it…

Check it out below and tell me what you think of it.

PLAY OR SLAY? Kanye’s “Paranoid” Video

PLAY OR SLAY? Beyonce’s “Ego” Video

Just in case you haven’t seen enough Rihanna around the internet, here’s some more for your fix. But since I’ve seen just about enough these days, I’m not really sure why Kanye West would have her star as the main character in his “Paranoid” video…especially when the video isn’t really about anything at all. Perhaps if she’d been involved in some action scenes I’d be more inclined to look at her make sexy faces and crap for 3 full minutes. Watch the video below and tell me what you think.

Have you ever seen a Beyonce music video? Well, then you can probably predict the beginning, middle and end of “Ego.” The fascinating thing, however, is that despite the fact that almost all of Beyonce’s music videos are the same, and they’re not really THAT good when you really break them down, you still love one just as much as you loved its predecessors. So I guess I can say I don’t hate “Ego” – even though the routine is getting a bit old at this point. Still watched it from beginning to end! Let’s just say I drank the Kool-Aid.

Watch the video below and tell me what you think.

Check out the new video for Teairra Mari’s “Cause A Scene” featuring Flo Rida, below. Minus the excruciatingly long intro and corny dance break that unfortunately very reminiscent of the “Thong Song” video, the song had me rockin in my seat a bit. And the video’s kind of cute and hilarious – like, one of those things you might not do in real life, but it’s funny to watch someone else do it.

Post-112, Slim still hasn’t quit the music game. But do his solo cuts have what it takes to make a name for himself without his group? I’ve been into his singles so far, but his new video for “Heels On,” featuring Ron Brownz and Deezo, doesn’t leave too much to be desired, in my book.

Watch the video below and tell me what you think.

Should Maxwell’s new song be played or slayed?

Missed Maxwell? We sure did! I’m loving his new look. And while his song has to grow on me (in my opinion), the video isn’t bad. Way existential. Or maybe I just enjoy looking at him for four minutes and 23 seconds.

Watch his video for “Pretty Wings” below. What do you think of the song/vid?

Kelly Rowland and David Guetta have a new song called “When Love Takes Over,” and while it took me a second to really get the feel for it, it’s not bad. It reminds me of the music played in European discotheques – you wouldn’t necessarily listen to it while driving, but when it’s on in a busy club, you’re dancing like crazy to it.  Though I’m still not feeling her new “Electrified Poodle” weave, it’s nice to see Kelly still rockin. Watch the video below.

Sue me, but I don’t think this video (by Kanye West feat. Young Jeezy) is THAT amazing. It was good for about 2 minutes, but then I felt compelled to fast forward through the song to see what else was going to happen. Video spoiler: nothing did.

Watch below and tell me what you think.

Lil Kim isn’t just a dancing queen – she’s still making music! The rapper teamed up with singer T-Pain to record her new single “Download,” which you can hear below.

I’m honestly feeling it – she’s doing a lot of this half-singing-half-rapping nonsense these days, but I listened to it all the way through and enjoyed it. Maybe it’s because it’s set to the tune of Zapp’s “Computer Love”….

Click on the audio player and listen to “Download” – what do you think? Play it, or slay it?!

LIL’ KIM FEATURING T-PAIN – “DOWNLOAD”

Check out behind-the-scenes footage of the “Download” video here.

The video for Ne-Yo‘s new single “Part of the List” has been released, and in classic Ne-Yo video form, it’s got its fair share of drama. But it’s not bad… the song’s a little depressing, so it makes you feel some kind of way. And is it just me, or does the lead chick look a little like Jessica Szohr from “Gossip Girl“?

Check the video out below and tell me what you think.

So, Cassie‘s still trying that singing thing out for size, even though she’s much, much better at just being pretty. So she got her boyfriend manager Diddy on a track, which will hopefully put another one of her singles on the radio, since I haven’t heard a hit since “Me and You” from her debut album.

Or maybe I’m hating. Maybe she’s the next Mariah Carey. Click below and tell me what you think.

Like that? Click here to hear Cassie’s other single, “Keep On Lovin Me,” featuring The-Dream.

Riddle me this:

WHY does every g*ddamn person in Hollywood want to have a singing career on the side? Because it’s easy? Because they have enough money lying around to pay for endless hours of studio time? I’m officially convinced that the best artists these days are broke ones, because they DON’T have the money for studio time, so when they finally scrape together the bucks to produce an album, they really strive to make it the best thing since sliced bread.

I don’t think Meagan Good did that, but maybe you’ll feel differently. Listen to her new single “Starstruck” below and tell me if it’s worthy of a radio spin.

Meagan should stick to things like THIS – it’s what she does best!

Aaaand Eminem is officially played.

How long have you been waiting for a new Eminem song? I know I’ve been waiting around for a little while. I watched him drop off the scene, get chubby, lose the weight, come out with a single that didn’t really get popular, because it wasn’t that good, but I had faith in him, because Eminem always bounces back, even if it’s as a guest on someone else’s track.

But this video is straight out of 1998. or 1999. Or 2000. It’s basically a different version of almost every radio single and every video he’s made. And it’s just old. Not that “We Made You” isn’t funny… it just feels a little too familiar. Check it out below and let me know what you think.

How do Ginuwine and Teena Marie fare in the PLAY OR SLAY? game? Click on the links and rate them yourself!

Ginuwine’s back, and he’s got a hot new video featuring LisaRaye and Tyrese called “Last Chance.” However, though both Ginuwine and LisaRaye have been on a bit of a hiatus (him, from producing another album, her, from acting), not much has changed. That is, Ginuwine is still looking youthful and he’s still got moves, and LisaRaye still can’t really act. But the video is kind of deep. Makes you want to call the last person you argued with and make sure you guys are in a good place. Check it out below.

Is LisaRaye the reason Ginuwine and his wife split? He says no!

Boy oh boy am I glad that whole Lil Kim/Naturi Naughton/Faith Evans/Notorious fiasco has been nipped in the bud (or at least quieted), because now Faith can go back to doing what she does best – making music. And when’s the last time you heard anything by Teena Marie?

The two songstresses teamed up for “Can’t Last A Day,” Teena’s first single off her new album Congo Square, celebrating her 30-year anniversary in the music industry. Her 13th album, Congo Square is an ode to singing sensations like Sarah Vaughan and Marvin Gaye, who set the platform upon which she launched her musical career. The album hits the streets on June 9, and we can’t wait! Listen to the song below and tell me what you think.

TEENA MARIE FEAT. FAITH EVANS – “CAN’T LAST A DAY”

Catch up on other PLAY OR SLAY? picks here.

When’s the last time you heard a new Ruben Studdard? When he was telling you he was sorry for 2004? Yea… that was, like, five years ago. Since then, he’s lost weight, gotten hitched, and has pretty much just been chilling while you waited around for another hit.

Well, this might be that hit. Click the audio player below to hear his new single, “Together,” and tell me what you think of Ruben’s comeback.

Like the single? Want to buy it? Click here.

Ruben’s new single may turn into a hit, but will Rihanna’s? How about The Dream’s?

Check out the video for Leela James‘ “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” below

That’s right, she’s covering the legendary James Brown. Do you think she does his original hit justice?

Speaking of remixes, how do you feel about this one?

Not familiar with PLAY OR SLAY?  Check out other videos and give your two cents here.

I have mixed feelings about the Pussycat Dolls’ remix of AJ Rahman’s hit “Jai Ho” from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Mostly because I’m kind of over America always looking for a new culture to bastardize and turn something beautiful and traditional into cheesy, pop-addled trash that will be chewed up and spit out before any of us learn the moves to the video, anyway.

For one thing, I’ve taken traditional Indian dance classes, and it’s actually a pretty beautiful art. I’m not sure what the hell the Dolls are doing. For another, no one was talking about it when AJ Rahman was doing it. I saw him perform on a couple talk shows, but it certainly wasn’t about to make it to all the top radio stations. So I guess I’m just kind of pissed at us, because we misappropriated yet another awesome thing and commercialized it to death. I’m sure the Japanese are breathing a sigh of relief now that we’ve turned to Indians and left Harajuku girls alone.

Expect to see hundreds of teens across the country wearing saris to prom. Yay.

Watch the video below and tell me what you think. And to rate other Play or Slay? picks, click here.

Though this isn’t exactly the most appropriate time to release a song with “whipping” anywhere in the title, Rihanna’s new song definitely had me jamming at my desk. And anyone who knows me knows I’m not the biggest Rihanna fan around, so two enthusiastic thumbs up for “Whipping My Hair” from me is like four enthusiastic thumbs up from anyone else.

Take a listen below and tell me what you think.

RIHANNA – “WHIPPING MY HAIR”

You may like her music, but what do you think of Rihanna’s performance style?

Rihanna is also FUN!

Jennifer Lopez is apparently still making music! Just when we thought the actor/singer was on hiatus while taking care of her new twins, she comes out with a new single called “Hooked On You.”

Listen to it below and let me know what you think.

Will Jenny be rocking this hairstyle in her video?

Maybe sales from her new album will keep her from “borrowing” more diamonds!

The video below for The Dream’s “My Love” featuring Mariah Carey isn’t bad, just… not that great. I like the concept, but I don’t think it’s outlandish to say that Mariah doesn’t exactly make the best hood boo around. It’s not hard to look like you’re scrambling eggs and cornrowing, but somehow, some way… she ends up watering it down with that classic Mariah corniness. Oh well.

The song’s not bad though. What do you think?

Do you blame it on the alcohol?

Were you a Prom Queen?

Weezy’s new song “Prom Queen” is good, but is it just me, or is it a bit (or exactly) reminiscent of a certain debut single by a certain punk singer named… Avril Lavigne?

Check out Weezy’s video for “Prom Queen” below, then click here to watch Avril’s “Sk8er Boi” after that. It’s pretty much the same gist – loser falls for cool kid in high school, loser ends up being famous, cool kid ends up being a loser. So on, so forth.

But aside from all that, what do you think of the video/song in general?

For past PLAY OR SLAY picks, click here

In what looks like the best party I’ve never been to, Jamie Foxx busts out the big guns for his new Hype Williams-produced video for the infectious single “Blame It.”

You sometimes forget that Jamie is talented in both the music and film industry until you see this video, which is TEEMING with stars – Forest Whitaker, Quincy Jones, Ron Howard, Morris Chestnut, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Samuel L. Jackson, to name a few.

Watch the video below. How many stars can you spot?

Check out other Play or Slay? videos HERE.

Check out Bow Wow’s new video for “You Can Get It All” and let me know what you think. And if you’re wondering if he’s sampling TLC’s “Baby, Baby, Baby,” yes, you’re totally right. And that was my jam back in 1992, but I’m not so sure about this one. Watch the video below and decide for yourself.

There are a lot of things I can’t STAND about Kanye West, but I have to admit – his new video for “Welcome to Heartbreak” is actually really, really dope. Part of me doesn’t even want to say that, because he’s so full of himself he’d probably read this post and go, “I know, fool. I know.”

Whatever. Check it out below and tell me what you think of it.

KANYE WEST “Welcome To Heartbreak” Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Jennifer Hudson is back with a new song and a new video called “If This Isn’t Love.” I like her new style, but I’m not so sure about the song just yet. Check out the video below and tell me what you think.

Remember dancing in the club to “Too Close” before it became one of the “old school jams” parties played at the end of the night? Remember Ma$e when he was a rapper… BEFORE he was a reverend and became a rapper again? Well, he and Next have teamed up for a new song called “Let’s Go,” and I want YOU to tell me if it’s worth blasting on the radio, or if these two acts should just keep their hits in the 1990s where they started.

Click the audio player below to listen.

NEXT FEAT MA$E – “LET’S GO”

Check out the trailer for Medicine for Melancholy, a movie about young blacks in San Francisco during the age of rapid gentrification. It’s already gotten a few accolades and looks like a pretty solid film. But will YOU be on line to see it?

So, here’s the thing. If you just want to watch Ciara pop it and dance all sexy, well, I guess this is a good video. The song is just okay, and the sketch at the beginning is super corny. So really, it’s all about the sex.

Check the video below and let me know what YOU think.