In a little more than a year, B. Scott has created one of the fastest growing multimedia websites, with millions of visitors a month from all over the world. The website’s festive and sophisticated daily content includes celebrity entertainment, fashion, music, and night life all infused with B. Scott’s well known splendiferous personality. What’s so different about his website, (lovebscott.com), is his approach to entertainment and celebrity news with a positive spin. B. Scott’s philosophy is centered on providing pop culture commentary that is honest, witty, and fun but never spiteful or hateful. He has achieved much success by personally connecting with his readers and love muffins (the name B. Scott uses for his fans).
Who is Utada?
January 27, 2008
Born on January 19th, 1983 in Manhattan, NY,this child protégé was born to traditional-Japanese-style singer mother and a musician/producer father, music was this girls destiny.
Traveling as child between New York and Tokyo, Utada Hikaru remembers going to the studio after school to do homework, taking naps under huge speakers, and watching her parents record music. Utada composed and recorded her first song at the age of 11, and recorded her first solo album in English, which she had written and composed most of the songs. Her first Japanese album, release in 1999, has sold over 9 million copies. She’s currently one of top selling artist in Japan and has been crowned by her fans as the Princess of J-Pop. This girl is like the Japanese Janet Jackson!
In 2004, Utada released an English album under the Island Def Jam label entitled Exodus, that featured production from super-producer Timbaland. Now here’s the sad part about this Love Muffin’s, and is part of the reason why the music industry frustrates me these days. Exodus sold 500,000+ copies in it’s first week worldwide, and was Utada’s 4 consecutive release to debut at #1, which eventually ended up selling 1.35 million copies. I’m going to assume that the album must be good. But how many copies were sold in the US? A weak 30,000 units! My question is why is it that if your music is not some factory-made BS that they’re trying to feed our ears today, you won’t have a chance being successful in the US market? Any thoughts Love Muffins?
Here are some select Utada Hikaru tracks, including a duet with Ne-Yo!
“Let Me Give You My Love” (produced by Timbaland)
Ne-Yo feat.Utada - Do You
Exodus 04 (produced by Timbaland)
The Workout
Simple and Clean
Blow My Whistle feat. Foxy Brown from the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack
Utada and Kiley Dean - By Your Side (produced by Timbaland)
And check out her first video for “Easy Breezy” off of Exodus!
Enzempiro on January 27, 2008 at 2:26 am #
Simple & Clean is my shit B!!!
the lyrics are so freakin’ smooth.
“Simple & Clean is the way that your makin’ me feel tonight.”
omg so dope.
But whats sad B is that most people don’t listen outside of:
BOOTY BUTT CHEEKS BOOTY BOOTY BUTT CHEEKS.
But thank you so much for bringin’ her up.
Kai1980 on January 27, 2008 at 6:33 am #
did she really say i’m japaneesie lolol. If I heard the words right from that video…. that is what she said. Hecke naw
nay nay on January 27, 2008 at 6:49 am #
no
Avisjay on January 27, 2008 at 8:40 am #
The thing is that the Record Industry isn’t ran by musicians or lovers of music. It’s ran by lovers of MONEY! There’s few Industry professionals that know a hit when they here it. Thats what make a Clive Davis so extraordinary, because he’s a Lawyer that knows talent when he hears it. Thats why they hire a Jay-Z, La Reid, J Depree and the likes because they don’t know music (especially R&B and Hip-Hop), and purchase someone to find the next hit for them! If your in the industry you hear so much that you know is gonna blow, then …..poof, it’s thrown to the side. That’s why producers that have one hit still get work because in their mind, “he made that one song that sold millions, maybe he can do it again?”. Then it happens! But not because it’s a good track, but because they control what gets pushed (a better artist may have been pushed to the side)! Very few Radio Stations break new records, they’re in cohoots with the Labels. That’s why you can listen to a song, go in the store for 45 minutes, come out and the same song is starting to play again! Or, change the channel and the same song is playing. You notice in some cities with 2 or 3 R&B/Hip-Hop stations, they all seem to have the same playlist! They know “you may not like it now, but after the 100th time you heard it, YOU’LL LUV IT!”. This is the thinking, no one wants to lose money, so they make money together. Does that means new music suffers, new trendsetters suffer, of course! The Music Industry is about making money, not MUSIC! Music is just the means to achieve that goal.
FerryBerry on January 27, 2008 at 8:55 am #
I LOVE me some Hikki now. I’ve never had a chance to hear By Your Side and I’m loving it. Thanks for giving me a chance to finally hear it.
I think there were two reasons why her album didn’t do good here. The first was obviously lack of promotion. I found out about her randomly on the net. The second was the album itself. She already had quite a few die hard fans in the States. Which is pretty much most of the people who got her album. Even they admit that Exodus wasn’t that good. I agree even though I went out on a whim and got her album despite disliking Easy Breezy. Eventually the album did grow on me but not until months after I made my purchase.
Tiff B on January 27, 2008 at 9:14 am #
I love Utada!!!!! I have all of her albums, even the ones in Japanese!
Justin on January 27, 2008 at 9:40 am #
It’s really sad that Exodus only sold 30k in the US but I fell in love with it when it was released! Her voice is really pretty too.
andy on January 27, 2008 at 9:46 am #
utada’s japanese alubm are fabulous too her vocals are better in the japanese songs though she’s really great live too
watch her performance live of one of her songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lZs2pMPZ0A
Jeremy A. on January 27, 2008 at 11:03 am #
I love Utada Hikaru. Her songs are beautiful in Japanese and English. Plus I am an anime fan. lol
karla on January 27, 2008 at 11:55 am #
Ive been a fan of Utada for YEARS! I must say, her japanese material is absolutely beautiful.
you should definitely check out “automatic” (B. i’m SURE you’ll ADORE this track)http://youtube.com/watch?v=G2yLG0zifnc
“first love” http://youtube.com/watch?v=6uNDdaqdIGo
“Flavor of Life (ballad version)” http://youtube.com/watch?v=JJdPqcvtqE8
and “sakura drops” http://youtube.com/watch?v=3ABZXw50YR4
just to name a few of her astounding songs!
SAY WHAT :0 on January 27, 2008 at 12:32 pm #
she’s not really all that to me but i do like the beats of her songs!!
the “Do You” duet wit ne-yo was a no-no. but Exodus 04, the workout was cool. (the other ones wouldn’t come up:(
But i did look her up on imeem, and her song “my little lover boy” is hot!!!
SAY WHAT :0 on January 27, 2008 at 12:35 pm #
oh just saw the “easy breezy” vid, don’t like, sorry Utada.
Brandon on January 27, 2008 at 1:43 pm #
B, Good look on the Utada post. I have been a fan of hers for YEARS. She has such a beautiful voice. I like all of her stuff, but I will admit that all of her best work is her Japanese hits (and English versions of her Japanese hits).
Exodus…eh. As much of a fan of Utada as I am, I’ll admit it wasn’t her best work. It’s a GOOD album, don’t get me wrong. But like Janet Jackson’s “20 Y.O.” and Mariah Carey’s “Charm Bracelet”, “Exodus” is an album that Utada fans (and there are a lot of us, internationally) would enjoy and buy but isn’t nearly as good as the work that defines her.
robby792811 on January 27, 2008 at 2:27 pm #
I think it’s boring…
roderick on January 27, 2008 at 2:44 pm #
OMG! I LUV UTADA!!! Thats my BITCH lol ^^ i have every cd she ever made, i know every song english or japanese. I LOVE HER!!!!!!
Seattle Slim/The Beatniks on January 27, 2008 at 3:09 pm #
LOL people def sleep on Utada. She was on my MP3 player/CD Player from back in 2002/2003 when I first heard her Simple and Clean remix and original track for the Kingdom Hearts video game.
MzWoods on January 27, 2008 at 3:24 pm #
love her! got into her after her “Sanctuary” song for the Kingdom Hearts game and have tried to listen to all her other stuff since. Japanese music is the way to go cuz the stuff we have out here now kinda sucks
MzWoods on January 27, 2008 at 3:30 pm #
and that duet w/ne-yo was wayyyyy better than the mary j blige one because i like mary but she didn’t even try to blend with his voice and ended up sounding off key when they were singing together
HH on January 27, 2008 at 6:45 pm #
I’m part Japanese and also from New York and I’ve been a fan for some time…I have all her muzac!
Marina on January 27, 2008 at 7:57 pm #
Pretty Gay!!! WTF? Hahahaha.
Marina on January 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm #
No offenses to you Bscott…I love you…the song/video just stank….I love love love you….Ive seen every single video of yours…you are the coolest dude out there…I love love loveeee you. Sorry about the other comment…once again no offense meant.
Maashallah on January 27, 2008 at 8:29 pm #
Ive been a fan of hikki from 2002. I prefer her japanese stuff because the lyrics are so much deeper and so are the vocals. However check out the bloodshy and avant remix of you make me want to be a man. its great!
Hey Hey on January 27, 2008 at 9:14 pm #
I love it!!!
“I still remember..”
Gotta go overseas to get some play nowadays though
Mz_Synful_n10tionz on January 27, 2008 at 10:35 pm #
I frikkin luhv her ! Sanctuary is my shit ! ..
/-\Alexander/-\ on January 27, 2008 at 11:36 pm #
I’ve been listening to this girl for years! Everything she touches turns into international gold. But B…you should really check out another Japanese artist named Crystal Kay…the girl is half Black and Korean but was raised Japanese, and she is REALLY is the Janet Jackson of Japan. Check her out on youtube…my favorite song of hers is “Ex-Boyfriend”.
Misa on January 28, 2008 at 3:04 am #
OMG it’s soo cool that you posted music of Utada’s. Ever since the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack which had a remix of Simple and Clean (SHOUT OUT TO THE GAMERS AND ANIME FANS), I’ve been hooked. Sanctuary is my jam. I’ve been playing her songs since the first KH (circa 2002). B you are the best!
Cody on January 28, 2008 at 9:57 am #
yeah, she’z hot. the song featuring Foxy Brown is old, but still hot. i love the diversity she brings. united statez is so bland….kinda like white people’s cooking.
Diabolical on January 28, 2008 at 6:57 pm #
I actually don’t like her voice at all so I can see why she only sold 30K albums in the US.