Bark + Bite

Miguel talks about his next two singles, hear new track "On U Like Rain"

Miguel is a busy dude. That is when he's getting into scraps with other R&B singers on Twitter.

The barcode-haired singer recently played at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans and he talked about the next two singles from his debut project, All I Want Is You, with Sound-Savvy.

The plan is to release "Quickie" (which is already gaining traction on urban radio) and "Girls Like You" in tandem. He shot videos for songs, in one day no less, and by the way he talks about the concept, it sounds like they'll be combined as one video.

If you think about "Quickie" as far as the concept, "Quickie" and "Girls Like You" are completely opposite records, talking about completely opposite things. It was all about symbolism and juxtaposing my reality with my subconscious. One is my reality and one is the subconscious.

Watch Miguel talk about his new singles and hear a new song below

Monica sticks with that '90s sound on "Anything to Find You"

Some people in R&B just prefer to move on, like Usher, who is now cashing in on euro-pop with David Guetta and will.i.am. Monica, on the other hand, is loyal to R&B to a T. In fact, '90s R&B, the decade in which she rose to fame, is so much her thang, thang that she got Rick Ross and Lil' Kim to come together on a track that apes everything Mary J. Blige and Puff were doing in the '90s with hip hop soul.

Teaming up with her friend and reliable collaborator Missy Elliott, Monica sings about searching for a soul mate to end her lonely pangs over a sample of the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya." And maybe it's the Biggie sample that gives Lil' Kim back her mojo, cause she sounds like her old Hardcore self with her naughty quips about men being only good for the lickin' and not the stickin'. Rick Ross, as usual, is BIG-inspired as well, but he's really unnecessary filler on the track. Kind of like his appearance in Kanye's "Monster." The track would've been perfectly fine with just Mo' and Kim.

Despite the song sticking to the tried and true formula that Missy has concocted with Monica, the truth is that it still works. There ain't nothin' wrong, with a little '90s R&B. Can't get enough, to be quite honest.

Listen to Monica's new hip hop soul single below

R.Kelly awkwardly forces himself on to Britney's "Till The World Ends"

When R.Kelly hooked up with Britney Spears to produce her almost single "Outrageous" for her 2004 album In The Zone, he was an in-demand songwriter and producer. He'd weathered the backlash of his underage sex scandal by cooking up irresistibly catchy ditties like "Ignition Part 2" and at the time, he was busy producing for people like Nick Cannon, B2K, Ciara, Michael Jackson and Ginuwine.

It was an odd pairing somewhat back then, but it worked. Britney was able to sell R.Kelly's freak song about an "outrageous" sex drive and shopping spree thanks to her naughty but nice persona.

Now, perhaps as the result of an itch for a reunion with the Britser, R.Kelly has unnecessarily jumped on a remix of Britney's latest hit, "Till The World Ends," and it's pretty awful. Like old-uncle-trying-to-do-the-dougie-at-your-graduation-party awkward.

R. Kelly might be able to genre hop between R&B and gospel music but he sure as hell can't touch dance-pop with a ten foot pole. Just because you put autotune on your voice and hop on a boom boom pow beat doesn't mean you're will.i.am. This dance thing ain't for everybody!

Listen to R.Kelly's head-scratching remix to Britney's song below

Patrick Stump and Lupe Fiasco show Chitown love in "This City"

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys have created a monster. After the wild success of their ode to Gotham City in "Empire State of Mind," Katy Perry teamed up with Snoop to shout out California in "California Gurls." Now, Patrick Stump is teaming up with his Chitown brother Lupe Fiasco to proudly boast for the Second City on his new single "This City."

In an interview with The A.V. Club, Patrick Stump said that although the label pushed him to put a rapper on his new single, his relationship with Lupe Fiasco was organic and pre-dates Stump's solo endeavors.

"Before Food & Liquor came out he and I were talking about working on something together. I ended up producing the song ‘Little Weapon,’ for his The Cool record,” he said. “I actually wrote the hook for ‘This City’ with him in mind before I decided to use it for Soul Punk, so when the label asked me if I'd be interested in doing a remix with an MC he was the only real way I'd say yes.”

The song has an '80s arena rock feel to it, which is going with the trends considering how much Lady Gaga is flirting with the same sound on Born This Way. Lupe's verse is politically and racially charged as always, but it's still palatable enough to squeeze in just fine with the rest in pop radio.

Listen to the new Patrick Stump single below

Gym Class Heroes is giving the same gift with new wrapping in "Stereo Heart"

The crooning rap group of years past is back with a song that likens their love to a musical relic.

In “Stereo Heart”, which features Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine, Travie McCoy and Co. ask for understanding from their newest love interest, for whom their heart is beginning to “beat like a stereo.”

How cute, another song about love (and a random object) from the New York-based group that hasn’t made a song together since 2005 when they released their breakout hit "Cupid’s Chokehold,” a song about all the stupid things that make two people fall in love.

But instead of  “I mean she even cooks me pancakes/And Alka Seltzer when my tummy aches / If that ain't love then I don't know what love is.”

We get, “If I was just another dusty record on the shelf/Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else/If I ask you to scratch my back, could you manage that.”

Kanye has a temper tantrum over his mama on "Mama's Boyfriend"

Kanye lost his mother four years ago, but he's revisiting his childhood on "Mama's Boyfriend," a track that almost made My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

When Kanye kicked off his campaign for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with visits to Facebook and Rolling Stone last year, he performed an a capella version of this song for his audiences. In the song, Kanye reflects on how the kids of women he dates now remind him of himself and the way he used to behave when his single mother dated other men.

"I don't like you n**ga, if I was old enough I'd fight you n**ga / I wanna run over you with my bike, you ni**ga," Kanye bitterly spits in the mindset of his 10-year-old self.

While the song is good, it's understandable why 'Ye left it off of MBDTF. The song is far more College Dropout-sounding than MBDTF. It retreats to Kanye's classic sound, which is fine, but MBDTF was an album about progression and forward-thinking.

Listen to Kanye's new song below

Skylar Grey wants to dance alone in her new song

Skylar Grey has been playing hook girl for Alex da Kid's productions, but now she's putting forth her own solo material, with her full debut album Invinsible slated to drop in the fall.

The first offering from Skylar, "Dance Without You," maintains the dark, mysterious percussive-heavy sound that she's crafted so far. Skylar hauntedly bellows, "So insecure, so uptight / I break my neck, to be polite / I cannot take your whispering"

On the surface, the song may seem to be about a guy who Skylar wants to break free from, but it really reads like an internal conflict. It's similar to the internal dialogue Gwen Stefani had with herself with "What You Waiting For," in which she tried to confront her fears and insecurities about solo stardom.

Listen to Skylar Grey's new track below

Jay Sean steps away from the club and reveals his softer side

After a few false starts with attempts at club bangers like "2012" and "Hit The Lights" for his oft-delayed sophomore set Freeze Time, Jay Sean has decided to switch things up and go with a classic, R&B ballad for his Mistress mixtape.

It's a smart move really. The dance-pop genre is quickly becoming oversaturated and Jay isn't gonna stand out by chasing the crowd. So instead, he figures he can win with a less-is-more approach on his new song "Where Do We Go." It's a delicate and hummable R&B ballad that is slightly reminiscent of Extreme's "More Than Words" with its acoustic guitar and handclap beat.

If you thought you knew Jay Sean well before, you'll be in for a surprise. Come hear the tender side of the Young Money/Cash Money Billionaires.