Reviews – Page 11 – The Pen Hustle With Brandy Cavalli

Is Amazon’s Brick-and-Mortar Store A Facade For E-Commerce?

Experts think the company intends to sell more than hardcovers, paperbacks, and Kindles at its retail location.

Amazon has launched a new brick-and-mortar bookstore, but did it actually leave its heart in the web?
Dubbed Amazon Books, the new retail store is open at University Village in Seattle.

In an announcement on Tuesday, Amazon Books vice president Jennifer Cast called the store “a physical extension of Amazon.com,” adding that the company has used the knowledge it’s gained over the last two decades about consumer tastes to create a desirable in-store shopping experience.

“The books in our store are selected based on Amazon.com customer ratings, pre-orders, sales, popularity on Goodreads, and our curators’ assessments,” Cast wrote in the announcement. “These are fantastic books! Most have been rated 4 stars or above, and many are award winners.”

Singer D.R.A.M. Feels Drake Jacked His “Cha Cha” Song For “Hotline Bling”

Ok so I generally don’t post rap/music beef on this site (unless it turns criminal) but I couldn’t help myself with this one.

“Cha Cha” singer D.R.A.M. is accusing rapper/singer Drake of jacking his song for Drake’s hit song, “Hotline Bling”.

I have heard both songs (on the radio 10,000 times) & while they are both catchy & commercial, I personally dont hear an uncanny resemblance of the two songs. But that’s just me.

True enough, they both have a super catchy salsa-esque feel, but nothing else about the two songs are overtly similar enough to substantiate any “copycat” claims. The choruses are not even remotely alike.

Apparently Mr. D.R.A.M. doesn’t share the same sentiments and took to his Twitter to let his voice be heard after performing in Drake’s hometown of Toronto.

Side note: I have no idea which song was recorded or released first but at this point does it even matter? The publicity sure can’t hurt either one right now!

If I were D.R.A.M. I would sit this one out — we have all just seen what happened last time an artist came for Drake.

Anyway, head over to All Hip Hop and peep D.R.A.M.’s tweets & compare the two songs.

***UPDATED***

Check this out: Drake Finally Responds To “Stealing” D.R.A.M.’s Cha-Cha

Here is what he told FADER Magazine about using the “Cha-Cha” beat:
“You know, like in Jamaica, you’ll have a riddim and it’s like, everyone has to do a song on that,” Drake said. “Imagine that in rap, or imagine that in R&B. Imagine if we got one beat and every single person-me, this guy, this guy, all these guys- had to do a song on that one beat. So sometimes I’ll pick a beat that’s a bit, like, sunnier, I guess is the word you used, than usual, and I just try my hand at it. And that’s kind of what ‘Hotline Bling’ was. And I loved it. It’s cool. I’ve been excited by that sort of creative process.”

What are your thoughts?
Join the discussion.

Review: 31 BOND STREET

This novel is set against the background of bustling, corrupt New York City, just four years before the Civil War.

The author intertwines two main narratives: the trial through the perspective of the defense attorney Henry Clinton, and the story of the lovely young widow Emma Cunningham whose search for a husband brings her into the arms and home of Dr. Burdell.

Check out more of this review.