After months and months (and damn near years if you want to get technical) of speculation, Jennifer Lopez has officially decided to drop a greatest hits album!

J.Lo will celebrate 13 years as a recording artist by releasing Dance Again… The Hits on July 24th, which also happens to be her 43rd birthday. The collection is preceded by the top 20 hit lead single “Dance Again” featuring (who else?) Pitbull and the only other new song on the set “Goin’ In” featuring Flo-Rida. The GoonRock-produced cut will also be the lead single from the upcoming Step Up Revolution film, in theaters this July. 

Dance Again… The Hits will be released as two different versions - a standard, 13 track edition and a deluxe which features a few more greatest hits and a bonus DVD including some of biggest videos.

Standard Edition Tracklist:

1. Dance Again Featuring Pitbull
2. Goin’ In – Featuring Flo Rida
3. I’m Into You – Featuring Lil Wayne
4. On The Floor – Featuring Pitbull
5. Love Don’t Cost A Thing
6. If You Had My Love
7. Waiting For Tonight
8. Get Right – Featuring Fabolous
9. Jenny From The Block (Track Masters Remix) – Featuring Styles & Jadakiss
10. I’m Real (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule
11. Do It Well
12. Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule & Caddillac Tah
13. Feelin’ So Good (Remix) – Featuring Big Pun & Fat Joe

Deluxe Edition Tracklist:

Disc 1 (of 2)
1. Dance Again Featuring Pitbull
2. Goin’ In – Featuring Flo Rida
3. I’m Into You – Featuring Lil Wayne
4. On The Floor – Featuring Pitbull
5. Love Don’t Cost A Thing
6. If You Had My Love
7. Waiting For Tonight
8. Get Right – Featuring Fabolous
9. Jenny From The Block (Track Masters Remix) – Featuring Styles & Jadakiss
10. I’m Real (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule
11. Do It Well
12. Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule & Caddillac Tah
13. Feelin’ So Good (Remix) – Featuring Big Pun & Fat Joe
14. All I Have – Featuring LL Cool J
15. Que Hiciste
16. Let’s Get Loud

Disc 2 (of 2)
1. Dance Again – Featuring Pitbull (DVD)
2. On The Floor – Featuring Pitbull (DVD)
3. On The Floor – Featuring Pitbull (DVD)
4. If You Had My Love (DVD)
5. Waiting For Tonight (DVD)
6. Get Right (DVD)
7. Jenny From The Block (DVD)
8. I’m Real (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule (DVD)
9. Do It Well (DVD)
10. Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) – Featuring Ja Rule & Caddillac Tah (DVD)
11. Feelin’ So Good (Remix – Featuring Big Pun & Fat Joe (DVD)

To this day, it’s still crazy to think that Jenny Lo has been in the music game since 1999 when she broke out with her debut single “If You Had My Love,” being the first of her four #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s like, who would’ve thought an actress would have this much longevity becoming a singer? She may not have the hottest album sales like she used to, but Jennifer can still crank out a hit single here and there.

Now as for the tracklist, I don’t agree with certain songs being put on the CD and certain ones not being added on. “Feelin’ So Good” was nice back in the day, but the reality is it was a flop. I guess this was her way of showing her Puerto Rican roots some love. I still which she would’ve included “I’m Gonna Be Alright (Remix)” featuring Nas, which was a surprise top 10 hit on the Hot 100. Another thing is, I never realized she had so many damn features! 

Now on a personal note, seeing the she has used the name J.Lo on this CD and on her last album Love? gives me hope that maybe she’ll go back to being Jenny From The Block and give me some hood hoe Bronx shit that I need back in my life and that made her a star!

It took me a while to really get into Lana Del Rey because I didn’t know if she was a spoof artist that you’re not supposed to take serious and the fact that her Nicki Minaj booty inflated duck lips seems faker than grass growing from paint (see, doesn’t make sense right?). Plus, she can be so lifeless when it comes to her performances. But, after just a day of listening Born To Die, I finally began appreciating her art.

Which is why I was low-key hype to hear she would be releasing a video for the album’s track “National Anthem.” The even bigger surprise is that she recruited rapper A$AP Rocky as the John F. Kennedy to her Jackie O in the Anthony Mandler-directed clip.

I have to say, I absolutely love this video. The whole storyline, acting and the cinematography set every thing off in a great way. And even though A$AP and Lana are just good friends, I can honestly see them being a great couple in real life because their chemistry just was too real.

Swerve!

G.O.O.D. Music is definitely in the building! No, well they’re in an underground parking garage, but all the same. Kanye West keeps it all black alongside Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz in their video for my favorite song out right now “Mercy”. Even Teyana Taylor and Kid Cudi have cameos in the black-and-white clip. One of the real stars of the video is the Lamborghini Murciélago.

I honestly love this video already! The art direction of it and the shooting angles from the camera just puts the official stamp on it. I mean, even Teyana looked bad with her long straight hair. Seeing this video just shows that now more than ever, G.O.O.D. Music has the strong potential to be the next big group of artists (like a Young Money or Roc-A-Fella) that Kanye has been itching to do ever since he started the label a several years ago.

Cruel Summer, the official debut compilation album for G.O.O.D. Music, still doesn’t have an official release date, but it will drop this summer.

SN: I swear 2 Chainz needs to be signed to G.O.O.D. Music. Like, he just fits their crew even though he’s older than Kanye and Jesus combined.

One of my all-time favorite flops from the past decade Ciara is FINALLY back with some new music!

The former Prince of Crunk & B and the conductor on the Fantasy Ride dance train that she said would come around again, has just dropped the official lead single from her new album One Woman Army. Keeping with the military theme, CiCi is trying to get you on your fitness intensity style with the single “Sweat.” She even brings along rapper of the moment 2 Chaaaaainnnnzzz along for the ride (no pun intended).

Do I think this is a banger? Yes. Will this do great (or good or decent) on not only the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart but the Hot 100? Possibly.

“Sweat” sounds like it’ll definitely get Urban radio support, but the verdict is still out if this will get some sort of crossover appeal unless she releases a Top 40-styled second single before the release of the album. As much as I like it as a lead single to get the OWA promo going, the single just screams buzz/intro single as opposed to a real lead, first single.

Now I’m sure you all are questioning my newfound love and support of Cedric. I’ve always been a fan of his, but it wasn’t until the mistakes of choosing certain singles and dumbassness of both Fantasy Ride and Basic Broad Instinct turned me sour. But one day earlier this year, I told myself that I shall never ever (no pun intended again) be mean towards the Prince again. I’m just curious what this whole One Woman Army movement will be all about and if she can reclaim a spot alongside Rihanna and Beyonce.

Nicki Minaj has finally spoken out about her decision to dismiss herself from this past Sunday’s (6/3) lineup for this year’s Hot 97 Summer Jam in Jersey. For those living under a rock, Onika was scheduled to perform at the annual event…until Hot 97’s “personality” DJ Peter Rosenberg tried to hype the crowd up with his rant, basically saying f*** Nicki and her pop stuff like “Starships” because the real hip-hop heads weren’t there for that. That upset one of the personalities in Nicki’s head as well as her boss Lil Wayne, who outright told her she’s not going on that stage! 

The part about all of this that sucks is that she was due to have an epic guest list with her during her set, including Foxy Brown, Beenie Man, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Azealia Banks and some others. Well, this all didn’t set right with another Hot 97 DJ, Funkmaster Flex, who started dissing her sales and her workmanship. With all of that drama, the two chopped it up for an interview during his show, where Nicki expressed her dismay at how the station handled the situation, giving out the true facts about her sales like a Barb wrote it out for her, and that she will do a free concert to make up for the situation.

It’s weird that Flex would even feel some sort of way towards Nicki being that they’ve been very cool in that past and she would even give him exclusives to air. I always find it a bitch move if a dude starts arguments with a female, and the way Flex was going on, he definitely had his hormonal breakfast on deck. Nicki handled herself well, but she just put herself back in that stereotype that a female rapper always gotta abide by the rules of their male bosses (aka like Lil Kim). Nicki could’ve just been a boss like she wants to be and killed the stage for her fans regardless of what some washed up DJ in New York says. But these are just my opinions.

In other news, Nicki has officially chosen “Pound The Alarm” to be the next Pop single lifted from her gold sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.

FINALLY gaining some US success with her single and album “Lights” (which came out ages ago), Ellie Goulding has decided to take on a track by Canadian singer The Weeknd. The English singer-songwriter covered Weeknd’s track “High For This”, which can be found on his EP House of Balloons.

I’m always a fan of hearing one artist cover another artist’s song because it always brings something out different on the track. Ellie doing her version of “High For This” is no different. Her voice just gels well with the song’s new production and the lyrical matter of the song.

The Blackest White man in the world Robin Thicke is currently enjoying a bit of success being one of the judges on this summer’s latest music competition show, ABC’s Duets. But that isn’t keeping him away from his music career. Robin just dropped the video for his cover of Whitney Houston’s hit “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” which Thicke dropped as a free download following the late diva’s death in February.

I like Robin Thicke’s music, a lot. But sometimes, he just brings a sour sap mood to certain songs. I mean, it’s a nice tribute and all, but it’s too slow for me.