Rihanna Who? Beyonce Inks $50 Million Deal With Pepsi

If Beyonce hasn't proven that she's Queen by now, she just solidified her place on the throne by inking a $50 million deal with Pepsi...

VIDEO: Emelie Sandé - "Clown"

British singing sensation, Emeli Sandé dropped a new video today, "Clown" from her top selling debut album, Our Version of Events. Despite the recent Grammy snub, she continues doing what she does best which is putting out great music. See the video after the break!

THROWBACK: Pebbles "Giving You The Benefit" [VIDEO]

Today's throwback video features eighties/nineties artist, Pebbles. "Giving You The Benefit" was a number-one single from her second album, Always in 1990. It is, to date, one of the biggest singles of her career. 

New Music: Tamar Braxton "Love and War" [AUDIO]

Don't call her diva Toni Braxton's little sister or music mogul, Vincent Herbert's wife. Tamar Braxton is proving that she's a star in her own right.  Newly signed to Interscope Records,  "Love and War" is the lead single from her undated upcoming album release and has been all the buzz on Twitter today.

The beginning of the song does have a classic Toni Braxton vibe, but homegirl makes this song all her own. Her success as the reality star of WEtv's  Braxton Family Values and Tamar & Vince has given her a whole new audience of fans who were unfamiliar with her previously. Looking forward to hearing new music from Tamar!

See Also: New Heat: Toni Braxton "I Heart You" Video

55th Grammy Award Nominations--Luke James, SWV, and Tamia Get Nods!

For those of you that did not get a chance to tune into the 55th Grammy Awards nominations show last night, below is the list of the R&B categories. The show was held in Nashville, TN last night and featured an array of performers while hosted by rapper/actor LL Cool J and country star, Taylor Swift.  For the complete list of nominees, go here.

Best R&B Performance
Thank You - Estelle
Gonna Be Alright (f.t.b.) - Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Ledisi
I Want You - Luke James
Adorn - Miguel
Climax - Usher

Best Traditional R&B Performance
Lately - Anita Baker
Love On Top - Beyoncé
Wrong Side Of A Love Song - Melanie Fiona
Real Good Hands - Gregory Porter
If Only You Knew - SWV

Best R&B Song
Adorn - Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Beautiful Surprise - Tamia Hill, Claude Kelly & Salaam Remi, songwriters (Tamia)
Heart Attack - Benjamin Levin, Rico Love & Tremaine Neverson, songwriters (Trey Songz)
Pray For Me - Antonio Dixon, Kenny Edmonds, Anthony Hamilton & Patrick "jque" Smith, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
Refill - Darhyl "dj" Camper, Elle Varner & Andrew "pop" Wansel, songwriters (Elle Varner)

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Fortune - Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream - Miguel
Channel Orange - Frank Ocean

Best R&B Album
Black Radio - Robert Glasper Experiment
Back To Love - Anthony Hamilton
Write Me Back - R. Kelly
Beautiful Surprise - Tamia
Open Invitation - Tyrese

Song of the Day: Freddie Jackson "At Christmas"

Keeping up with the Christmas theme, I decided to post another holiday favorite. I abolutely love "At Christmas" by 80s R&B singer, Freddie Jackson. He sings of giving, sharing, and family--what the holidays are all about during Christmas.

This song was featured on This Christmas with Freddie Jackson in 1998. If you don't have this album in your collection, go out and cop it now. Enjoy!

Flashback: Anita Baker Performs "Frosty's Ray (Frosty The Snowman)" on Tony Danza Show

Only the illustrious Anita Baker could take a simple traditional song like "Frosty's Rag (Frosty the Snowman)" and sang the song like she's on Broadway. From the scats to the riffs, she knows how to make a song her own! She visited the Tony Danza Show to promote her 2005 Christmas release, Christmas Fantasy.

I forgot Tony even had a show. I used to have a crush on him when he starred in Who's The Boss? (and yes, I had a lot of childhood crushes. Clearly, he was enamoured by Ms. Baker because he was just grinnin' and skinnin' after she finished singing, lol. If you don't have Christmas Fantasy in your holiday music collection, you are definitely missing out!

VIDEO: Boyz II Men "Let It Snow"

This Christmas classic needs no introduction. The lead track from Boyz II Men's 1993 holiday album, Christmas Interpretations, "Let It Snow" is a classic that can be heard everywhere during this time of year. The song features then Motown label-mate, Brian McKnight, as well.

I was about five or six when this album came out. As one of my favorite R&B male groups of all time, I love hearing their harmonious voices singing Christmas classics and a few then-unknown, but now classics of their own. Most of which, were written by Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight. The whole album can be played from start to finish, but some of my favorites are "Let It Snow", "You're Not Alone", "Cold, December Nights", "Why Christmas" and "Who Would've Thought?"

Thanks R&B Haven for the video!

New Music: Alicia Keys ft/ Maxwell "Fire We Make"

"Fire We Make" is from Alicia Keys fifth studio album, Girl On Fire. Collectively, the album is a good listen. However, as soon as I pressed play on #7, I could tell this one was going to be on repeat! Alicia went back to her cornrow rocking days in the studio, because her and Maxwell did the damn thing with this song right here!  As soon as I saw Maxwell's name while listening to Girl on Fire, I thought, "Awwww shiet!"

Eric Benet & Faith Evans "Christmas Without You"

There's nothing I love more than Soul/R&B Christmas music, and two of my favorite singers, Eric Benet and Faith Evans did not fail to disappoint. The mid-tempo "Christmas Without You" talks about being without the one you love on Christmas. Take a listen and leave a comment on what you think.

Song of the Day: The Jackson 5 "Give Love On Christmas Day"

Originally recorded by The Jackson 5, this holiday classic from their Christmas album is a favorite that can be heard on radios and in stores everywhere during this time of the year. This song has been covered by The Temptations, New Edition, and Johnny Gill. Even though I love their versions too, nothing ever compares to the original.