DJ/writer/singer Keo Nozari previews his forthcoming CD with this hip hop grooving dance track. At a time when r&b and hiphop artists are being influenced by dance music, its good to see the influence going both ways. Very reminiscent of the late 80's/early 90s hip-house sound, song even features a Neneh Cherry-flavoured rap. The concept of a male vocalist with a female rapper is just one of many ways that Keo flips the script as is the usage of scantily clad men and trans people as opposed to the normal scantily clad women found in most hip hop videos. While the song itself is not as instantly catchy as "Rewind" or as emotionally moving as "Close Enough," it's really not meant to be. If Cazwell is the best known gay rapper, "Like Lightning" will set Keo Nozari up as the major gay hip hop singer - able to take idioms and ideas from mainstream hip hop and express it with a gay voice. Now, that really is flipping the script. Here's hoping for some hot club mixes..
Video - Youtube
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Photo Courtesy of Breakthrough

Birmingham born singer KJ first popped onto my radar last year with the fierce Wideboys remix of his last single "Shakin That." The insane energy of the track perfectly highlighted his playful lyrics. The new single "Without You" shows another side of KJ, less player and more heartbroken lover. Both the lyrics and the vocal delivery are reminiscent of classic freestyle and I can hear it sung over "Planet Rock" beats. A fresh mix by Moto Blanco modernizes the track in a similar vein to their club friendly rework of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi." The two tracks played back to back would fit any commerical DJ's set on a Saturday night.
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Photo Courtesy of Savage Trax

Since the unofficial demise of the Sugababes, there's been a lot of speculation about what the founding members will be doing with themselves. While Mutya Buena has had a couple of minor hits and an album, it's nice to see that she's continuing to put herself out there. This new track by Agent X also features the vocals of Ultra, a male singer who's voice sounds very similar to Buena's. Agent X sticks with his garage house sound, bringing it to 3Beat Records which is sure to get a plethora of Euro-styled house mixes. Look out for this track hitting your nearest dance compilation!
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Photo Courtesy of 3Beat

The way Kid Sister shifts between hip hop and dance is like a swift kick to the pants. It doesn't hurt but it wakes you up and makes you pay attention. The glittery video for the latest single from this Chicago native will hopefully garner her some attention. It is nothing new in terms of visuals. I mean, how many times have we seen people painted into existence before? The real shining star of this presentation is the song, which keeps up some fierce level of energy and really sets the standards HI for female rappers in the dance world. Remixes are varied and you should be able to find one that suits your crowd.
Video - Youtube
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Photo Courtesy of Downtown