Slow Jam Sunday: Az Yet "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"

I used to love these guys. Where are all the male R&B groups at these days?

Slow Jam Sunday: Whitney Houston "I Believe In You and Me"

"I believe in miracles/ And love's a miracle/ Baby you're my dream come true ..."

Here's a nice little jammy from "The Preacher's Wife" soundtrack. This reminds me of Christmas ... It's only five days away!

Slow Jam Sunday: Janet Jackson "Again"

"Good intentions you had many/ I know you did/ I come from a place that hurts/ And God knows how I've cried/ And I never want to return/ Never fall again."

Oh, heartbreak. Love stinks.

Slow Jam Sunday: Toni Braxton "Breathe Again"

This song is the truth. Hope your week is great.

Slow Jam Sunday: Jagged Edge "Promise"

Jagged Edge - Promise
Uploaded by melek69000. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

"If you need a love, I got the love that you need/ Ain't no way they can take that from me/ And I pray to God that one day they will see/ (They'll see that I'm all you need)"

Feeling a little sentimental on this Slow Jam Sunday ... Sigh.

Throwback Thursday: LL Cool J feat. Total "Loungin'"

"You gotta try love/ Can't buy love/ If you play your hand then it's bye-bye love."

I remember lusting after LL in this video. I was all of 12 years old. Shameful. Also, where is Total now?

Throwback Thursday: Black Eyed Peas "Joints and Jams"

This is exactly how I like my Black Eyed Peas.

Throwback Thursday: Ol' Dirty Bastard feat. Kelis "Got Your Money"

ODB ft Kelis - Got your Money
Uploaded by elmokozo. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

"You can call me dirty, and then lift up your skirt [clap, clap]/ And you want some of this dirty, god made dirt and dirt bust yo ass [clap, clap]."

ODB/Big Baby Jesus/Dirt Dog/Osirus was something else. Another one who was gone too soon.

Throwback Thursday: DMX "Ruff Ryders Anthem"

DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

"(My doggs gon') Stop/ (Your doggs gon') Drop/ (And then we gon') Shut 'em down open up shop/ (First we had 'em like) Oh/ (Now they like) No/ (Why baby) That's how Ruff Ryders roll."

Side note: Remember when Eve was a rough-around-the-edges Ruff Ryder? Now she's hot to trot.

Dale Danja "Eighties Baby" Live

Shout out to all the '80s babies!

Slow Jam Sunday: Jodeci "Forever My Lady"

In 1991, this group of two pairs of brothers released this song, which has since been placed on many a bedroom mix. Haha. But inevitably, whenever I hear it, I find myself singing "Forever Sheneneh," being the "Martin" aficionado that I am.

Slow Jam Sunday: Aaliyah "The One I Gave My Heart To"

Remember this slow jam by Aaliyah? Such a good song. I know we've all been through heartbreak and can relate.

Throwback Thursday: Case feat. Foxy Brown and Mary J. Blige "Touch Me, Tease Me"

Case - Touch Me Tease Me
Uploaded by R33f. - See the latest featured music videos.

Man, 1996 feels like so long ago. "The Nutty Professor" was in theaters, Case was relevant, Foxy Brown was rhyming about that "ill nana" and Mary J. still had room for growth.

Video of the Day: Mick Boogie, Peter Bjorn and John "Stay This Way (DJ Jazzy Jeff Remix)" feat. Big Pooh, Chaundon and Phil Nash

"As a kid I had fun every day/As a grown up all I got is bills to pay."

Haha. Man, this song -- from the "Re-Living Thing" mixtape, out now -- made me get my Mary J. Blige reminisce on. The video took me back to childhood, when there was not a worry in the world. I can totally relate to sneaking to watch "Comic View" on BET and getting penny candy from questionable households while visiting my grandparents in Detroit. And this video, directed and animated by Myk Dawg, encapsulated it all in that old-school Nintendo style. This made my day.

Remembering Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – Sept. 13, 1996)

Tupac, the epitome of a West Coast rapper, died 13 years ago today, and like Biggie, Pac's death still remains a mystery. I was all of 12 years old when I heard the news and those memories replay in my mind as if they happened yesterday. He was only 25 when his life ended, and we can only imagine what greatness he could have accomplished in the following years. Here are a few of my favorite Tupac songs.

"Dear Mama"


"I Get Around"


"California Love"


"I Wrote This Song A Long Time Ago"


But in all seriousness, R.I.P. Tupac!

Happy Birthday, Michael! (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

On this day, Michael Jackson would have celebrated his 51st birthday. It's very unfortunate that he left this Earth way too soon. But instead of being sad, we here at Swagger Ready are celebrating the King of Pop's legacy.

In this performance for the Motown 25th Anniversary, MJ mesmerized the world with the moonwalk during a performance of "Billie Jean."

MICHAEL JACKSON - BILLIE JEAN 25TH
Uploaded by OfficialMichaelJackson. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

I like to call these the glory days for MJ, as seen in "Rock With You."

Michael Jackson - Rock With You
Uploaded by klmbaby. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Here's a look at MJ giggin' like no other alongside his brothers in "Dancing Machine."

Jackson 5 - Dancing machine
Uploaded by mister_funkyman. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Celebrating the Life of Aaliyah: Jan. 16, 1979 - Aug. 25, 2001

On this fateful day in 2001, Aaliyah Dana Haughton and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas, after filming the music video for "Rock the Boat." She was 22 at the time. Aaliyah would have celebrated her 30th birthday this year on Jan. 16.

The saying "the good die young" rings true, especially in the case of Aaliyah. It's a blessing that we have Baby Girl's music and videos to reflect on a young lady who has been called "an angel living on Earth." Rest in peace, Aaliyah!



This is one of my favorite Aaliyah joints! Let's remember Aaliyah for the "one in a million" type of person she was.



Another classic ... She was the one who made baggy jeans on girls stylish.



The last music video that Baby Girl shot ... You are missed, Aaliyah!

Throwback Thursday: Bobby Brown "My Prerogative"

Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
Uploaded by jpdc11. - See the latest featured music videos.

Bobby Brown: Expanding the hood's vocab since 1988.

"Everybody talking all this stuff about me/ Why don't they just let me live?"

West Coast Wednesday: Tupac (Makaveli) "To Live and Die in L.A."

I was driving around the LBC today and heard this joint come on the radio and got to reminiscing. This song came out in 1996 when I was all of 12 years old and Tupac went by Makaveli, but now it makes we want to throw up Westside and sip a 40. Love that summertime feel. Westside!

Some food for thought from the late and great 'Pac: "It wouldn't be L.A. without Mexicans/Black love, brown pride and the sets again."

Slow Jam Sunday: Mariah Carey "Always Be My Baby"

Remember when this song came out and you wished your parents would send you to a sleep-away camp during the summer so you and your would-be honey dip could sneak out and cupcake lakeside under the moonlight? Or was that just me?

Anywho, here's a look at Mariah Carey when she was America's sweetheart -- 1996's "Always Be My Baby" off the "Daydream" album.