TAKING U BACK - TLC: DIGGIN' ON U

Since it's Valentines day, we present to you the ultimate hook-up track: TLC's classic joint, "Diggin' on U". Yeah, let this song take you down memory lane. I sure miss these chicks.

If there's someone that you are feeling out there, send them to Encore and just simply ask them to listen to this song. The rest will be a wrap. Promise!

VIDEO - DJ SBU: IN MY TIME/LOVING YOU

Mzansi's No.1 hustler gives us a glimpse into his life with this cool video.

THE GRAMMYS COVERAGE

So the Grammys went down last night and our man Kanye killed it as usual with an energetic performance of "Stronger" as well as a moving rendition of "Hey Mama". He rounded up his evening with 4 Grammys but once again he missed out on the Album of the Year award.

Kanye performing "Hey Mama"

Another highlight of the evening was Amy Winehouse's performance which was broadcasted live via satellite from London; the songstress also scooped Record of the Year, one of the biggest awards at the show.

Although Tina Turner & Beyonce's collaboration was heavily touted it didn't live up to all the hype. It was however interesting to see the two divas strutting their stuff together.

Kanye lighting up the show during a performance
Beyonce showing her best asset
Ashanti & Nelly got their cute couple on
Chris Brown making an entrance
Another cute couple: JD & Janet Jackson
Jay-Z & Kanye share a moment
Nas & Will.i.am
Snoop & Nicole from the Pussy Catt Dolls
Tina Turner & Beyonce
Nas & Kelis show off the controversial title of the rapper's upcoming album

KANYE WEST, AMY WINEHOUSE WIN BIG AT GRAMMYS

What’s up people, I know some of you are looking forward to watch the 50th annual Grammy Awards on TV tonight but I’m gonna have to spoil things by announcing some of the winners already. Yeah, that’s just how we do it on Encore, we break stories while the rest of the Mzansi media still tries to figure out what happened.

Music's biggest night got underway as the ever-elegant Alicia Keys sang and played piano along with the performance by Sinatra, who appeared in black and white on a video screen, a pairing reminiscent of Natalie Cole's "duet" with her late father, Nat King Cole.

But it was Winehouse and West who really came out triumphant; Winehouse led the field with five wins, while West scored four. But both were shut out of the album of the year Grammy, which unexpectedly went to Herbie Hancock's Joni Mitchell covers album, "River: The Joni Letters," in the biggest upset of the night.

Winehouse, who was nominated for six Grammys, won best new artist and song of the year for "Rehab." The artist's performance via satellite from London was the most anticipated of the evening, and she did not disappoint, belting out "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab" in her trademark beehive hairdo and high heels. Immediately afterward, she won record of the year for "Rehab," breaking down in tears as she was mobbed by members of her backing band and her family.

Winehouse has been plagued by substance abuse issues in recent weeks, for which she entered rehab. Her visa to attend the Grammys in person was initially denied by the American embassy in London, who reversed their decision late last week, but not in time for Winehouse to make it to Los Angeles.

West, who led the field with eight nominations, won four Grammys, including best rap album for "Graduation." "A lot of people said hip-hop is dead," he said. "The art form wasn't popping like that anymore. I wanted to cross the genres and show people we can still express ourselves with something fresh and new."

West performed "Stronger" with help from Daft Punk, who he samples in the track, and then shifted into a heartfelt, sung tribute to his mother Donda, who died suddenly last fall. Tina Turner and Beyonce teamed for a glitzy segment, culminating in a duet on "Proud Mary," while the Foo Fighters were accompanied by the fan-voted My Grammy Moment contest winner, violinist Ann Marie Calhoun, on "The Pretender."

If you want to catch all the action and drama, tune onto M-Net at 8:30pm.

REVIEW - SLIKOUR'S VENTILATION MIXTAPE VOL. 2

Slikour is by no means the greatest rapper on planet earth. However, what he’s good at is the execution of creative music ideas that often set a new path that many soon follow. Slikour is a visionary who reminds me of a young Quincy Jones. He is the one dude in local hip hop that is audacious enough to finance his own music projects without the assistance of majors, because like any other true entrepreneur he believes in his product.

On his highly underrated solo debut “Ventilation Mixtape Vol. 1”, Slikour assembled a star-studded cast of burgeoning local rap stars and producers in a manner that had never been done before in the past. With his second offering, he uses the same recipe but to much better effect. Friends such as Tumi, Mr. Selwyn, HHP, Maggz and RJ Benjamin lend a helping hand; this welcome solidarity ensures the well-roundedness of this hip hop opus. The musicality of the album is impressive; Slikour refuses to submit to mediocrity by going as far as enlisting the likes of the Thokoza Youth Choir for a track and by using the services of some recognizable international producers.

Standout tracks from this splendid album include “Showbiz” featuring Tumi, “All the Way” featuring Spex, Nothende and Selwyn and “Fallin”. However, it is on the first single “Dreamer” that he impresses me the most. Featuring the mesmerizing RJ Benjamin on vocals, Slikour takes advantage of the magnetic beat to pour his soul out. He waxes lyrical about some of the economic issues that have enslaved black people for ages. He raps, “Jews, Indians stick together so they lead/we hate ourselves, we endorse overseas”. I know for certain that this track has touched many and it easy to hear why.

Overall, this is an album that every hip hop head, and anyone else that appreciates good music, needs to have in his or her music collection.

One.

AMERICA'S RICHEST BLACK CELEBRITIES

A new Forbes magazine list has been released ranking the highest paid African-American celebrities.

Oprah Winfrey tops the list, with an overall net worth of $2.5 billion. Oprah made $260 million between June 2006 and June 2007, according to the magazine. Her revenues come from a number of successful enterprises, including her daytime talk show, magazine, satellite radio channel, Broadway show and newly-announced cable network slated to debut late next year.

Tiger Woods ranks second on the list, with $100 million banked within the list’s June 2006 to June 2007 time frame – more than any athlete in history. At the rate he’s going, Forbes estimates Woods will become the world’s first sports billionaire within a decade.

Rounding out the top 10 are Jay-Z with $83 million made between June 2006 and June 2007, 50 Cent ($33 million), Kobe Bryant ($33 million), Shaquille O’Neal ($32 million), Michael Jordan ($31 million), Will Smith ($31 million), Beyoncé ($27 million) and LeBron James ($27 million).

The question is: where is Mr. Sean “Diddy” Combs?