Soularized 

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty charged up for the weekend of July 16 and 17 to roll around. If you haven't heard about it, you should've. I think it's going to be pretty big. Huge, even. No, I don't work for the promotions committee of Rochester MusicFest. No, Mayor Bill didn't slide me any dead presidents to say this.

In the 11-year history of the Rochester MusicFest, I don't think it has ever had such a stellar, superstar lineup. For an r&b and hip-hop cat like me, the lineup is sick.

We're talking Brian McKnight, Boyz II Men, and Faith Evans: Already that's over 25 million records sold in the US alone, with countless hits. Not to mention 112 and Jagged Edge, each of them with a core audience to scoop their records up every time they drop. We also have the newcomers on the scene: Raheem DeVaughn, Lyfe Jennings, and John Legend, larger-than-life right now with the help of his Kanye West-produced debut. Speaking of Kanye West, we've gotta talk about the sole hip-hop act on the bill, Common, who just put out his blazin' hot LP on West's record label.

As great as this sounds (at least to me), there are a few acts I could have done without. BET's making-the-band group Fatty Koo will be there, as will non-singing-but-fun-song-making Ciara, and the "move your body" girls Nina Sky. I guess they're harmless, but they're not who I'm checking for. I'm hungry for the meat and potatoes of the event, and I'll sit through the low-fat appetizers to see 'em.

--- jaythreeoh