In this final chapter of the Diva Series, we are honoring a true pioneer in house music.  In the early 90s, Ultra Naté (or as I like to say Ultra Naugh-tay) started out at a major label (WB) where she had nominal success on the dance charts and little if any on the pop charts.  Her two albums Blue Notes in the Basement and One Woman’s Insanity were critically acclaimed but did little to match her contemporaries at the time like Crystal Waters and Robin S, who were having mainstream success.  It wasn't until she left Warner Brothers and moved to the powerhouse dance label Strictly Rhythm that she found her footing.

With the release of the first single Free, her third album Situation Critical blew up.  In fact, Free received a gold certification in the UK and became a massive worldwide hit while securing its place in the gay community as one of the biggest anthems of all-time.  By the time the second single came out (Found a Cure), she had secured not only the affections of us queer folk but was elevated to diva status that had everyone waiting for her next move.

In late 1998, she teamed with superstar DJ Hex Hector and promising new artists Amber and Jocelyn Enriquez to sing on the Gordon Lightfoot classic If You Could Read My Mind (a remake of the disco version popularized by Viola Wills in the early 80's) for the movie 54.  Talk about sealing the deal!  I remember going to see the movie and falling in love with Ryan Phillippe.  I went out and bought the soundtrack as well as the maxi-single, which I played ad nausea.

This was followed in 2000 with the release of Stranger Than Fiction and it’s two mammoth singles Desire and Get It Up (The Feeling).  At this point, the dance industry was rapidly changing from the classic house sounds of the 90s to the bigger productions by superstar producers such as Thunderpuss, Hex Hector, Peter Rauhofer and Victor Calderone.  Not willing to be left behind, Ultra Naté quickly found her way in this new era.

After taking some time off and working on some side projects like the single Freak On with Stonebridge, she finally came out with a new album (Grime, Silk & Thunder), a new look coupled with a new-found attitude and energy.  That album delivered two number one hits (Automatic, Give It All You Got) and two top-three hits (Love’s the Only Drug, Twisted).  However, it was the video for Automatic that had all the boys sweating.  Capturing the burgeoning digital era and instant gratification, the video was a staple in clubs across the globe.

We are already well into 2010 and Ultra Naté hasn't slowed down.  Strictly Rhythm has released newly minted remixes for Free and she has collaborated with Nicola Fasano on the single No Wasted Hearts and a soon to be released single Give It 2 U  from the forthcoming album Sacrifice by the ultra-sexy and master of his domain Quentin Harris.  Ultra is not sitting on her laurels nor dwelling on the past.  While we don’t get new albums as often as we’d like, her continued evolution as an artist and involvement in the dance community is much appreciated and lauded for her enormous contributions.

Even if she never releases another song or album, she would be forever remembered for her voice, her tenacity and the tremendous body of work that has kept our bodies moving and shaking over the years.  It is for this reason and with great pleasure that Party Favorz is honoring Miss Ultra Naté by inducting her into the Diva Hall of Fame.  Be sure to check out the fabulous video Automatic after the jump.

From the fly-girl in In Living Color, a backup dancer for another honored diva Janet Jackson, to some outstanding turns in movies like Out of Sight and the biographical story of late Tejano singer Selena, Jennifer has worked her ass off to get where she is.  I always find it strange that the gay community and the MSM like to root for the underdog and then turn around and tear them down the minute they achieve the very success that we help them achieve.  Frankly, Jenny is laughing all the way to the bank.

Granted, some of her projects may have been a “what was I thinking moment” (Gigli with then-beau Ben Affleck) while others won her rave reviews.  From clothing to perfumes and having a hand as executive producer in several reality programs to her successful turns in low-budget self-produced independent films (An Unfinished Life and Shall We Dance),  Jennifer has lived the dream.  I can’t fault someone smart enough to take advantage of an appearance at the Grammys with then beau P. Diddy wearing a very uh, revealing Versace, thus turning her little star into a supernova.

At the age of 40, Jennifer has found herself with a new label (DefJam) and a new album about to drop this summer.  Sony will be releasing a farewell, love you when you made us money “greatest hits” in early fall making Jennifer’s induction into the Diva Hall of Fame timely and well-deserved.  With an estimated self-worth of $100 million, our Jenny from the block truly is a fly girl.  Party Favorz honors Mrs. Marc Anthony-Lopez with our highest honor.  The little girl from the Bronx has done quite well for herself.

To refresh your memory as to why we love J-Lo so much, check out her video for I’m Glad where she virtually reproduces the scenes from the 80’s iconic movie Flashdance after the jump.  Amazing!

Album : The Diva Series

Artist : Jennifer Lopez

Genre : Mainstream Club

Total Time : 1:43:02:00

Track : 1

Title : Play (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 2

Title : Alive (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 3

Title : I'm Real (Dezrok Vocal Club Mix)

Track : 4

Title : Waiting For Tonight (Hex Hector Vocal Remix Extended)

Track : 5

Title : I'm Glad (Ford's Siren Club Mix)

Track : 6

Title : Ain't It Funny (Almighty Mix)

Track : 7

Title : Walking On Sunshine (Metro Remix)

Track : 8

Title : Do It Well  (Moto Blanco Remix)

Track : 9

Title : Let's Get Loud (Castle Hill Club Mix)

Track : 10

Title : Que Hicisté (Tony Moran Extended Mix)

Track : 11

Title : If You Had My Love (Pablo Flores Remix)

Track : 12

Title : Get Right (Full Intention Vocal Mix)

Track : 13

Title : Hold It Don't Drop It (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

Track : 14

Title : Louboutins (Jody den Broeder & Warren Rigg Club Mix)

Track : 15

Title : Feelin' So Good (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 16

Title : Love Don't Cost A Thing (HQ2 Club Mix)

Track : 17

Title : Fresh Out The Oven [Lola feat. Pitbull] (Karmatronic Club Mix)

From the fly-girl in In Living Color, a backup dancer for another honored diva Janet Jackson, to some outstanding turns in movies like Out of Sight and the biographical story of late Tejano singer Selena, Jennifer has worked her ass off to get where she is.  I always find it strange that the gay community and the MSM like to root for the underdog and then turn around and tear them down the minute they achieve the very success that we help them achieve.  Frankly, Jenny is laughing all the way to the bank.

Granted, some of her projects may have been a “what was I thinking moment” (Gigli with then beau Ben Afflek) while others won her rave reviews.  From clothing to perfumes and having a hand as executive producer in several reality programs to her successful turns in low-budget self-produced independent films (An Unfinished Life and Shall We Dance),  Jennifer has lived the dream.  Personally, I can’t fault someone who is smart enough to take advantage of an appearance at the Grammys with then beau P. Diddy wearing a very uh, revealing Versace, thus turning her little star into a supernova.

At the age of 40, Jennifer has found herself with a new label (DefJam) and a new album about to drop this summer.  Sony will be releasing a farewell, love you when you made us money “greatest hits” in early fall making Jennifer’s induction into the Diva Hall of Fame timely and well-deserved.  With an estimated self-worth of $100 million dollars, our Jenny from the block truly is a fly girl.  Party Favorz honors Mrs. Marc Anthony-Lopez with our highest honor.  The little girl from the Bronx has done quite well for herself.

To refresh your memory as to why we love J-Lo so much, check out her video for I’m Glad where she virtually reproduces the scenes from the 80’s iconic movie Flashdance after the jump.  Amazing!

Album : The Diva Series

Artist : Jennifer Lopez

Genre : Mainstream Club

Total Time : 1:43:02:00

Track : 1

Title : Play (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 2

Title : Alive (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 3

Title : I'm Real (Dezrok Vocal Club Mix)

Track : 4

Title : Waiting For Tonight (Hex Hector Vocal Remix Extended)

Track : 5

Title : I'm Glad (Ford's Siren Club Mix)

Track : 6

Title : Ain't It Funny (Almighty Mix)

Track : 7

Title : Walking On Sunshine (Metro Remix)

Track : 8

Title : Do It Well  (Moto Blanco Remix)

Track : 9

Title : Let's Get Loud (Castle Hill Club Mix)

Track : 10

Title : Que Hicisté (Tony Moran Extended Mix)

Track : 11

Title : If You Had My Love (Pablo Flores Remix)

Track : 12

Title : Get Right (Full Intention Vocal Mix)

Track : 13

Title : Hold It Don't Drop It (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

Track : 14

Title : Louboutins (Jody den Broeder & Warren Rigg Club Mix)

Track : 15

Title : Feelin' So Good (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

Track : 16

Title : Love Don't Cost A Thing (HQ2 Club Mix)

Track : 17

Title : Fresh Out The Oven [Lola feat. Pitbull] (Karmatronic Club Mix)

When I was a kid, I used to mow lawns for money to pay for my records.  I never received an allowance and my dad wouldn't pay me to mow the lawn (though I still had other chores), so I started mowing all the neighbor's lawns.  I charged $10 a job unless they had an extra-large yard, in which case the rate was $20.  Every weekend, I would hop on my bike with the money I had earned and ridden several miles to the nearest record store to buy the latest 45s.  Much like my willingness to bike several miles for my music, to this day, my dedication and passion for music have never faltered.  I've always paralleled music to various points in my past.  The good, the bad and the so-so, music are like a soundtrack to my life.  The first time I kissed a girl, the first time I kissed a boy (and liked it), when my brother died, when I went off to college, it's all there like a bad episode of "Cold Case."

You may be asking yourself, why the heck is he talking about "when he was a kid?"  I'm glad you asked.  With four more sets to go, I HIGHLY recommend that you take the Top Dance Songs of the Year 2019 and back them up somewhere for future enjoyment.  I promise you, 10, 15, 20 years from now, you'll want to dig them out and remember the time you were fierce, flawless, and on top of the world.  Maybe 2009 was the year you came out of the closet, maybe it was the year you fell in and out of love, or even the year you lost your job.  Whatever the reason, you'll dance, you'll sing, and will be telling your friends "remember when music was good."  I realize that everyone thinks I'm the energizer bunny, but I won't be here forever, nor will these time capsules of your life, unless you save them.  It's entirely up to you, but I would certainly trust me on this one.

That's about all I got for today.  This will be the last of the BPM year-end edition and I will begin to roll out the Original Party Favorz year-end edition early next week.  Those waiting for the best of the mainstream circuit of 2009, it's coming soon.  Until then, try to stay warm, have a fantastic weekend and as always, ENJOY!

Album : Year-end Edition v4

Genre : Electro, Funky, House, Progressive

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:48:07:00

1. Alexandra Burke feat. Flo Rida - Bad Boys (Moto Blanco Vocal Mix)

2. Solange - T.O.N.Y (Mark Picchiotti Mix)

3. Moony - I Don't Know Why (Viale & DJ Ross Remix)

4. Booty Luv - Say It (Warren Clarke Remix)

5. Pixie Lott - Boys And Girls (Moto Blanco Club)

6. Enrique Iglesias feat. Ciara - Takin' Back My Love (Jody Den Broeder Club Mix)

7. David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over (Original Mix)

8. Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feelin' (David Guetta Remix)

9. Pronto - Gonna Make U Sweat (Summer Party Mix)

10. Rudenko - Everybody (Club Mix)

11. Miami Starfish feat. Jermaine Stewart - Clothes Off (Soul Seekerz Club Mix)

12. The Ian Carey Project - Get Shaky (Ian Carey Original Mix)

13. Noisettes - Don't Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go) (Soul Seekerz Club Mix)

14. Tiesto & Sneaky Sound System - I Will Be Here (Wolfgang Gartner Remix)

15. U2 - Magnificent (Dave Aude Club Mix)

16. Mini Viva - Left My Heart in Tokyo (Pete Hammond Contemporay Remix)

17. Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up (Bimbo Jones Club Mix)

18. Pussycat Dolls - Hush Hush (I Will Survive) (Dave Aude Extended Mix)

19. Little Boots - Remedy (Stonemasons Club Mix)

20. Ameerah - The Sound Of Missing You (Extended Mix)

When I was a kid, I used to mow lawns for money to pay for my records.  I never received an allowance and my dad wouldn't pay me to mow the lawn (though I still had other chores), so I started mowing all the neighbor's lawns.  I charged $10 a job unless they had an extra-large yard, in which case the rate was $20.  Every weekend, I would hop on my bike with the money I had earned and ridden several miles to the nearest record store to buy the latest 45's.  Much like my willingness to bike several miles for my music, to this day, my dedication and passion for music have never faltered.  I've always paralleled music to various points in my past.  The good, the bad and the so-so, music is like a soundtrack to my life.  The first time I kissed a girl, the first time I kissed a boy (and liked it), when my brother died, when I went off to college, it's all there like a bad episode of "Cold Case."

You may be asking yourself, why the heck is he talking about "when he was a kid?"  I'm glad you asked.  With four more sets to go, I HIGHLY recommend that you take these mixes and back them up somewhere for future enjoyment.  I promise you, 10, 15, 20 years from now, you'll want to dig them out and remember the time you were fierce, flawless and on top of the world.  Maybe 2009 was the year you came out of the closet, maybe it was the year you fell in and out of love or even the year you lost your job.  Whatever the reason, you'll dance, you'll sing and will be telling your friends "remember when music was good."  I realize that everyone thinks I'm the energizer bunny, but I won't be here forever, nor will these time capsules of your life, unless you save them.  It's entirely up to you, but I would certainly trust me on this one.

I also thought that now would be a good time to talk about the "Gay Anthems" four mix set I put out last November.  If you remember, the proceeds from these kick-ass mixes were to go to Equality Across America.  This organization is leading the fight to garner equal rights for the LGBT community here in the US.  If anybody here follows Towleroad, you'll understand the bigotry and hatred that is spewed against us from various groups, including our very own representatives in the United States Congress.  Winning (as if this is a game) my equal rights along with every other gay, lesbian, bi or transsexual person, for now, and future generations is something that I am deeply passionate about.  In fact, if we don't start receiving some serious concessions from our government, I see this heading to the streets of America in the very near future.  Mind you, not the bread crumbs that President Obama keeps throwing out to keep us placated, but outright full equality in life, work, home, health and yes marriage.  We won't stop until we are given FULL EQUALITY with equal protection under the Constitution.

The good news is that with your help, I have officially reached my goal of $500.  In fact, I just tallied up the donations this morning and we currently stand at $530.91.  WooHoo!!!  I will officially be making a donation in that amount on Wednesday this next week.  However, if you haven't had a chance to download these great mix sets, never fear.  I have added a link to the side of my blog titled "Gay Anthems" and a tab at the top of my Podbean page for easy access to all of the mixes.  I also went back and placed an "add to cart" button so you can purchase everything all at once.  If we can push this thing over $600 by next week, that would be SUPER- DUPER FABULOUS!  I want to thank everyone that has contributed to my efforts to give back the only way I can at the moment.  Let's keep it going!

I also have other plans for future donations that include my Chrome Edition.  I was looking at Billboard's "Best of the 2000s" in the Dance/Club Play category and was pretty much appalled.

I like to think of this set as the second half of Janet’s career.  Much like Madonna, the first half is ensconced with the traditional house mixes prominent in the late 80s and much of the 90s.  Starting in 1997 with “the Velvet Rope,” the mixes began to take on much of what was happening in the clubs.  With big names like Tony Moran, Thunderpuss, Jonathan Peters, and Junior Vasquez mixing her music, Janet was able to successfully transition herself into the millennium.

By the time “Damita Jo” came out, she was one of the earliest adopters of the burgeoning electro and progressive scene which she squarely adopted on last year’s “Discipline.”  Despite receiving critical reviews from her two previous efforts and reaching number #1 on the Billboard Album Chart, Discipline failed to garner any hit singles and to this day has sold a paltry 500,000 copies (not great for an established artist).

One could credit the unfortunate publicity incident at the Super Bowl for her downward spiral or maybe she was just ahead of the pack in mainstreaming the underground scene.  Regardless, that didn't stop her from continuing her streak of number #1s on the club charts.

Much like many of our divas, we embrace Janet wholeheartedly and welcome the next chapter in her career.  Though it is unclear, the rumor mill had Janet working with Jimmy Jam on a new album that was supposed to have come out in the spring.  With the death of her brother and the greatest hits package just released, it’s obvious any new material will be pushed into 2010.  Fiercely independent, Janet has a lot of options she could take.  I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what her next move is.  Miss Jackson if you’re nasty, it’s time for your encore.

This set was originally posted on November 24, 2009.  Since there are no current plans to update Miss Jackson’s original induction, I  thought it was appropriate to go back and revisit her original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame for those fans that missed it the first time around.

Album : Janet Jackson v2

Genre : Club, House

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:31:26.00

1. Together Again (Tony Moran 12” Club Mix Edit)

2. Call On Me (Tony Moran’s ‘Autumn Leaves’ Club Mix)

3. The Pleasure Principle (DT’S Twilo Dub)

4. Make Me (Dave Aude Club Mix)

5. Rock With U (Soundpusher Remix)

6. All Nite (Don’t Stop) (Low End Specialists Main Mix)

7. Just A Little While (Peter Rauhofer Club Mix)

8. Son Of A Gun (Al B. Rich Son Of A Club Remix)

9. Throb (David Morales Legendary Club Mix)

10. Feedback (Jody Den Broeder Club)

11. All For You (Change It Up Mix)

12. So Excited (Junior Vasquez Club Mix)

13. Come On Get Up (Milk & Sugar Retro Mix)

14. Twenty Foreplay (Junior Vasquez Jungle Club Mix)

15. Someone To Call My Lover (HQ2 Club Mix)

I like to think of this set as the second half of Janet’s career.  Much like Madonna, the first half is ensconced with the traditional house mixes prominent in the late 80's and much of the 90's.  Starting in 1997 with “the Velvet Rope,” the mixes began to take on much of what was happening in the clubs.  With big names like Tony Moran, Thunderpuss, Jonathan Peters and Junior Vasquez mixing her music, Janet was able to successfully transition herself into the millennium.

By the time “Damita Jo” came out, she was one of the earliest adopters of the burgeoning electro and progressive scene which she squarely adopted on last year’s “Discipline.”  Despite receiving critical reviews from her two previous efforts and reaching number #1 on the Billboard Album Chart, Discipline failed to garner any hit singles and to this day has sold a paltry 500,000 copies (not great for an established artist).

One could credit the unfortunate publicity incident at the Super Bowl for her downward spiral or maybe she was just ahead of the pack in mainstreaming the underground scene.  Regardless, that didn't stop her from continuing her streak of number ones on the club charts.

Much like many of our divas, we embrace Janet whole-heartedly and welcome the next chapter in her career.  Though it is unclear, the rumor mill had Janet working with Jimmy Jam on a new album that was supposed to have come out in the spring.  With the death of her brother and the greatest hits package just released, it’s obvious any new material will be pushed into 2010.  Fiercely independent, Janet has a lot of options she could take.  I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what her next move is.  Miss Jackson if you’re nasty, it’s time for your encore.

This set was originally posted on November 24, 2009.  Since there are no current plans to update Miss Jackson’s original induction, I  thought it was appropriate to go back and revisit her original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame for those fans that missed it the first time around.

Album : Janet Jackson v2

Genre : Club, House

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:31:26.00

1. Together Again (Tony Moran 12” Club Mix Edit)

2. Call On Me (Tony Moran’s ‘Autumn Leaves’ Club Mix)

3. The Pleasure Principle (DT’S Twilo Dub)

4. Make Me (Dave Aude Club Mix)

5. Rock With U (Soundpusher Remix)

6. All Nite (Don’t Stop) (Low End Specialists Main Mix)

7. Just A Little While (Peter Rauhofer Club Mix)

8. Son Of A Gun (Al B. Rich Son Of A Club Remix)

9. Throb (David Morales Legendary Club Mix)

10. Feedback (Jody Den Broeder Club)

11. All For You (Change It Up Mix)

12. So Excited (Junior Vasquez Club Mix)

13. Come On Get Up (Milk & Sugar Retro Mix)

14. Twenty Foreplay (Junior Vasquez Jungle Club Mix)

15. Someone To Call My Lover (HQ2 Club Mix)

Janet was signed to a five-record deal with A&M Records in the early 80s.  After the first two albums failed at radio and in the clubs, A&M was none too thrilled with their decision and even less excited about Janet going back into the studio for her third album in 1985.  Seeking to take control away from her domineering parents (both personally and professionally), Janet hooked up with music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis of “The Time” fame.  The result was a more mature sound with a harder, funkier edge than anything she had ever done.  That album was the mega-selling “Control.”  With no less than six top ten singles spawned from the album, “Control” set the stage for a new Jackson family superstar.

By the time she released “Rhythm Nation” in late 1989, Janet sealed the deal and all bets were off; she had now entered into the stratosphere of worldwide mega-entertainers.  Spawning seven top ten singles, “Rhythm Nation” was a mixture of hard-hitting dance songs with a serious undertone and fun carefree songs that mixed well with Janet’s shy and easygoing personality.  By the time she performed “Black Cat” at the MTV Music Awards, we began to witness a slimmer and more confident Janet.  Once “Love Will Never Do Without You” was released, Janet’s image had morphed from a tough little girl to a full-out sexy beautiful woman.  With the transformation completed, she released a greatest hits album and signed a new multi-million dollar record deal with Virgin Records.  With a purported $80 million contract in her mid-twenties, Janet was the highest-paid artist in the industry, until Mariah Carey left Sony several years later.

From there, Janet went on to have great success with her releases.  That is until the incident involving a “wardrobe malfunction” at Super Bowl XXXVIII in early February of 2004.  While I’m not going to rehash the incident with her and Justin Timberlake here, the publicity stunt caused her record sales to plummet and a backlash at radio.  No matter what you might think of the “nipple-gate,” controversy, Janet is a bona fide superstar worthy of her inclusion in the Diva Hall of Fame.

This set was originally posted on November 17, 2009.  Since there are no current plans to update Miss Jackson’s original induction, I  thought it was appropriate to go back and revisit her original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame for those fans that missed it the first time around.

Album : Janet Jackson v1

Genre : Club, House

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:43:12.00

1. Control (Acapella)

2. Miss You Much (Shep’s House Mix)

3. If (Brothers In Rhythm House Mix)

4. Love Will Never Do (Without You) (U.K. Funky Mix)

5. Runaway (Junior’s Factory Mix)

6. When I Think Of You (Morales House Mix)

7. Got ‘Til It’s Gone (Def Club Mix)

8. Go Deep (Masters At Work Alternative Mix)

9. You Want This (Disco Theory - No Rap)

10. Black Cat (3 Snaps Up 12′’)

11. Rhythm Nation (House Nation Mix)

12. Escapade (Shep’s Housecapade Mix)

13. Doesn’t Really Matter (Jonathan Peters Soundfactory Club Mix)

14. I Want You (Dr. Octavo Funk’n'Stein Club Mix)

15. Because of Love (Frankie & David Classic 12′’)

16. Together Again (Tony Humphries Club Mix)

17. Alright (12′’ House Mix)

18. Scream (Classic Club Mix)

19. I Get Lonely (Janet vs. Jason -The Club Remix)

20. The Pleasure Principle (Legendary Club Mix)

21. That’s The Way Love Goes (CJ FXTC Club Mix)

Janet was signed to a five record deal with A&M Records in the early 80's.  After the first two albums failed at radio and in the clubs, A&M was none too thrilled with their decision and even less excited about Janet going back into the studio for her third album in 1985.  Seeking to take control away from her domineering parents (both personally and professionally), Janet hooked up with music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis of “The Time” fame.  The end result was a more mature sound with a harder, funkier edge than anything she had ever done.  That album was the mega-selling “Control.”  With no less than six top ten singles spawned from the album, “Control” set the stage for a new Jackson family superstar.

By the time she released “Rhythm Nation” in late 1989, Janet sealed the deal and all bets were off; she had now entered into the stratosphere of worldwide mega-entertainers.  Spawning seven top ten singles, “Rhythm Nation” was a mixture of hard-hitting dance songs with a serious undertone and fun carefree songs that mixed well with Janet’s shy and easygoing personality.  By the time she performed “Black Cat” at the MTV Music Awards, we began to witness a slimmer and more confident Janet.  Once “Love Will Never Do Without You” was released, Janet’s image had morphed from a tough little girl to a full-out sexy beautiful woman.  With the transformation completed, she released a greatest hits album and signed a new multi-million dollar record deal with Virgin Records.  With a purported $80 million dollar contract in her mid-twenties, Janet was the highest-paid artist in the industry, until Mariah Carey left Sony several years later.

From there, Janet went on to have great success with her releases.  That is until the incident involving a “wardrobe malfunction” at Super Bowl XXXVIII in early February of 2004.  While I’m not going to rehash the incident with her and Justin Timberlake here, the publicity stunt caused her record sales to plummet and a backlash at radio.  No matter what you might think of the “nipple-gate,” controversy, Janet is a bona fide superstar worthy of her inclusion in the Diva Hall of Fame.

This set was originally posted on November 17, 2009.  Since there are no current plans to update Miss Jackson’s original induction, I  thought it was appropriate to go back and revisit her original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame for those fans that missed it the first time around.

Album : Janet Jackson v1

Genre : Club, House

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:43:12.00

1. Control (Acapella)

2. Miss You Much (Shep’s House Mix)

3. If (Brothers In Rhythm House Mix)

4. Love Will Never Do (Without You) (U.K. Funky Mix)

5. Runaway (Junior’s Factory Mix)

6. When I Think Of You (Morales House Mix)

7. Got ‘Til It’s Gone (Def Club Mix)

8. Go Deep (Masters At Work Alternative Mix)

9. You Want This (Disco Theory - No Rap)

10. Black Cat (3 Snaps Up 12′’)

11. Rhythm Nation (House Nation Mix)

12. Escapade (Shep’s Housecapade Mix)

13. Doesn’t Really Matter (Jonathan Peters Soundfactory Club Mix)

14. I Want You (Dr. Octavo Funk’n'Stein Club Mix)

15. Because of Love (Frankie & David Classic 12′’)

16. Together Again (Tony Humphries Club Mix)

17. Alright (12′’ House Mix)

18. Scream (Classic Club Mix)

19. I Get Lonely (Janet vs. Jason -The Club Remix)

20. The Pleasure Principle (Legendary Club Mix)

21. That’s The Way Love Goes (CJ FXTC Club Mix)

By request, this is a re-post of the original Diva Series featuring the one and only Whitney Houston. Sadly, she was taken from us 3 years after this was posted. RIP my angel.

…I also went back and took a look at this mix and decided to create several mix show edits of the songs.

Let’s face it, anyone who already has most if not all of these mixes knows just how ridiculously long many of them are.  Often the big-name DJs would go off in some direction that had little or nothing to do with the song.  I suppose it was a way to showcase their skills.  I think it was an ego trip.  That’s not to say that these mixes are not brilliant, because they are.

My goal was to go back and provide more cohesiveness to the listener.  As far as I’m concerned, if you forget what song you're listening to about halfway through because it jets off to some alternate universe, then it’s ripe for re-editing.  Probably the most difficult of these songs is Jonathan Peters’ productions.  They weren't only excessive but used a different timing to the beats making it a challenge for anyone attempting to give his mixes a good flow.  For the most part, I did the best I could and I think the result is fantastic, if not stellar.

Given the controversy that has surrounded Whitney over the past years, I’m glad to see she’s back, looking and sounding great.  Let’s face it, she can still sing rings around anyone in the top 40 at any given moment, including Mariah Carey.  I understand no one was happy with “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” as the possible first single and rightfully so.  It’s a typical Diane Warren schlock-fest that wouldn't be out-of-place as the next American Idol’s first single.  What’s good about that kind of song is that it usually lends itself to great remixes.  IDKMOS is very diva, very over the top, and represents the syrupy melodramatic sentiment that every budding drag queen wants to showcase their best Whitney impersonation with.  Hopefully, we’ll be seeing some official remixes (Hex Hector, I can see your name all over this) before the release of the album in September.

Ultimately, Whitney’s induction into the Diva Series Hall of Fame serves as a reminder as to why we fell in love with her in the first place.  Her beauty, her voice, her class, and her fierceness…it’s all here.  Welcome back, Whitney!

Album : Whitney Houston | The Diva Series

Genre : Circuit, House

Year : 2009

Total Time : 1:51:08.00

1. I Will Always Love You (Hex Hector Mixshow)

2. Heartbreak Hotel (Hex Hector Club Mix)

3. I Learned From The Best (HQ2 Club Mixshow)

4. Same Script, Different Cast (Jonathan Peters Vocal Mixshow)

5. My Love Is Your Love (Jonathan Peters’ Vocal Mixshow)

6. Love That Man (Peter Rauhofer NYC Mixshow)

7. It’s Not Right But It’s Ok (Thunderpuss 2000 Mixshow)

8. Try It On My Own (Thunderpuss Club Anthem Mixshow)

9. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Junior’s Happy Handbag Mixshow)

10. Step By Step (Tony Moran Diva X Diva Mixshow)

11. Whatchulookinat (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

12. How Will I Know (Junior Vasquez Club Mix)

13. I’m Your Baby Tonight (Dronez Mix)

14. So Emotional (David Morales Emotional Mixshow)

15. Greatest Love Of All (Club 69 Mixshow)

16. I’m Every Woman (Clivilles & Cole Every Woman’s House Mixshow)