Soul Sweep: January 19, 2013...

It's time for the third piece to today's "chart sweeps" of the newest music making its way on to the weekly music charts at Billboard magazine, and this week it's the R&B side of the house....

On the R&B/HipHop Airplay chart, Miguel's "Adorn" commands for an 18th week...

There are two new entries on the chart, and it's a sad testament to the genre that they both have the word "bitch" in the title. With the current misogynistic tone in a big chunk of the hip-hop music scene these days, it neither serves as art nor helps any image the music has the potential to be. The first of this is one of the big purveyors, Lil' Wayne, with "Bitches Love Me" from the upcoming I Am Not A Human Being II at #46. "No Worries", also from the set, sits still at #3.The normal "women aren't for nothin' but gettin' off" posturing is moronic, and why the fuck is Drake still needing to appear "street" by showing up on this shit? Add the reliance on pot and booze and a repetitive backbeat and there's nothing of value here. Grade: F

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The other "b" entry at #49 uses the expletive as a synonym for "shit". Rapper B.o.B tries back his "hard" mode for "We Still In This Bitch" with reality-show whore T.I. and stripper-pimp Juicy J. It's from his Fuck Em We Ball mixtape, and I guess I'm not the audience for this, but the drug and women tag this treads is pretty old. Grade: F+

Meanwhile, over on the Adult R&B format (never has it meant so much), "Adorn" also reigns for a tenth week.

The top debut this week here at #30 is gospel singer VaShawn Mitchell with "Turning Around For Me". He's got a fine voice, though it goes along really really slow, like his audience can't keep up with the lyrics otherwise. Grade: C

And now at #35 we have Fantasia, who is somehow going a little, well, crazy. Somehow posting a picture of her posturing with some incoherent rant about how gays can marry and pot is legal, so why judge her? Who is judging you, Fantasia? Really? I'm sure if anybody is, it's the same people "judging" everybody else. So stop with the throwing under the bus attempt. Some kind of explanation was issued about how she has a great gay fanbase (which she does, I was one of them), but what about those who aren't? Just please, just say you're crazy. It's easier.

Well, her new single from an expected upcoming album, "Lose To Win", samples the Commodores' "Nightshift" Puff Daddy style with lyrics about her relationship to Antwaun Cook, and the legal fight with his ex-wife. I guess she needed this for her own release, but as a song, it's pretty average for someone with her talent. Grade: C-

The third entry is another gospel song, "It's Not Over (When God Is In It)" at #39, by Israel & New Breed featuring James Fortune and Jason Nelson. Typical uplifting new-gospel music, but builds to a better and more passionate climax than the Mitchell track.  Grade: C+

That closes this chapter out, I'll return with the newest on country radio. Groove on!