If you think you've seen New Orleans-bred Luke James before, you probably have. He's the fresh face featured prominently in Beyoncé's "Run the World" video.
If you don't think you've seen him, it's likely you've heard him, since he's formerly of the duo Luke & Q, who scored a hit with their 2006 single "My Turn." He's also a solid songwriter who has written songs for Chris Brown, Justin Beiber, Britney Spears and even Michael Bolton.
Now, with the release of his new "pre-album," #Luke, James seems poised to take the R&B throne in 2012. The nine-track release boasts all the goods you'd expect from a new-age R&B crooner: poppy melodies, solid arrangements, elaborate falsettos and catchy hooks. And James can really sing.
We're sure we'll hear and see more from James in 2012. Download #Luke for free and follow him on Twitter.
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If you want to see what's hot on black Twitter, check out The Chatterati.Akoto Ofori-Atta is the editor of The Grapevine. Like her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter.