Shakira, Shakira

March 27th marks the release of Shakira’s 10th studio album. I remember when I first heard her voice and saw her on MTV in the video ‘Whenever, Wherever.’My mom fell in love with her music as well that my youngest sister was named after her. Shakira is beyond a Latin sensation and has showcased that she can do just about anything. She’s a global sensation that shows no sign of slowing down.

Shakira has done just about every genre of music and with her upcoming self-titled album she’s going Country with fellow “Voice” judge, Blake Shelton.In her recent Billboard cover story, she discussed the process of this album:

It’s been two-and-a-half years of making songs, trashing them, doing them again, doing eight versions of each song, having a baby, doing “The Voice,” coming back to the studio, reconnecting with my songs.

In her career, Shakira has steadily climbed the charts, experimented with all aspects of music, and has started a family. In 2013 she gave birth to her son, Milan Piqué Mebarak with boyfriend/’soccer’ player Gerard Pique. She met Pique on the set of her ‘Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)’ video and has a song for him on her new album titled, ’23.’

At 37 she’s done basically everything. She has 10 albums under her belt, won over 200 awards including 4 AMAs, 6 Billboard awards, 2 Grammys, 8 Latin Grammys, and 5 VMAs. On top of music she’s balancing family and her new gig as The Voice judge and in my personal opinion she and Usher are my favs alongside Adam and Blake.

Her new album, Shakira, is available for pre-order on iTunes and hits stores 3.25.14.

Enjoy the playlist below of some of Shakira’s best-selling songs:

MMF Celebrates Black History in Music, Feb. 13

On February 13, 1996 two prolific albums were released: The Score & All Eyez on Me.

The Fugees was a trio made up of Pras Michael, Wyclef Jean, and Lauryn Hill. The Score featured 17 tracks and included hits: ‘Fu-gee-la,’ ‘Ready or Not,’ and the Roberta Flack sample, ‘Killing Me Softly.’

The album awarded the trio with two Grammys at the 38th Annual Award show for Best Performance by Duo or Group (‘Killing Me Softly’) and Best Rap Album.

Across the coast, 2Pac released his 4th studio album, All Eyez on Me through Interscope/Death Row Records. It made history as the first solo dual-disc hip hop album being releaed as 2 CDs and 4 LPs. It became his second album to top both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

The album sold 528,000 in its first week and within two months the album was certified 5x platinum by the RIAA. By 1998 it was certified 19x platinum and in 2011 album sales had surpassed 5.8 million in the U.S. The first half of the album featured 14 tracks with hits ‘2 of Americaz Most Wanted’ (w/ Snoop Dogg) and ‘I Ain’t Mad at Cha’ (w/ Danny Boy) & ‘How Do U Want It’ (w/ K-Ci & JoJo). The second half featured 13 tracks.

Although his life and career were cut short in the fall of 1996, 2Pac has sold over 75 million records and made a name for himself not only as an artist, but as an actor and noted public figure.