on November 18, 2016 at 1:30 PM NEW YORK (AP) -- When Bruno Mars was in the studio crafting his upbeat, funky new album, he had a dress code: Wear your finest clothes, and leave your sloppy sweatpants at the door. He said dressing up set to the mood so that he and his collaborators could write and produce groovy, smooth and soulful songs that make up "24K Magic," his first album in four years. "I made it a point: I'm showing up to the studio, we working, but I'm not showing up in sweats 'cause you're going to get what sweats sounds like ... so I'm going to wear every jewelry piece I collected, and my finest shoes, and write some songs," Mars said. "It just helped keep the motion (going)." His swag and style -- a curly, mini Afro, silky Versace shirt, classic shorts, slick shoes and a studded pinky ring -- match the sound of "24K Magic," an epic '90s R&B-inspired album that plays like a cohesive jam session. It will be released Friday. Mars, 31, said the album was inspired by his love for R&B acts like New Edition, Boyz II Men and Jodeci, as well as West Coast rap (DJ Quik came to the studio to give him a flexatone, the percussion instrument, to use on the album).

"The spirit of this album, growing up in the '90s, is to me the most joyous (time) for me. That's what I grew up on," he said. "I love DJ Quik, Suga Free, Too Short, E-40, Dr. Dre of course, Snoop, and that's because these songs, they influenced hip-hop, these '70s funk songs, but it took place in the '90s and that's why you had this soulful music with a superstar rapping on it. httyd hoodieFor me, it was all about the live show and the kind of party I want to throw.atf hoodie "That is the spirit we were hoping to capture on this album, and that rhythm is not as popular on radio right now," he added.mbs hoodies Mars says the trendy sound that some of his peers have adopted -- downbeat, alternative R&B -- isn't him.fenway hoodie

"See, when I grew up you had to know how to dance, that was the whole thing. Everybody danced, thugs are dancing, the girls ain't looking at you unless you're dancing," he said on a couch in the finely decorated and hip Atlantic Records office in New York City. "I remember having so much fun growing up going to functions and dancing, having a good time. People see me and my band do what we do and I'm just trying to push that even now more so on this album than the last two. It's like, 'We got to be moving' -- that's it." Then he adds: "And I'm being mean about the R&B stuff. There's room, it's just not what I can bring to the table. It's not what I want to do." "24K Magic" is Mars, yet again, crafting his own space in the pop music landscape: After debuting in 2010 as a co-writer, co-producer and guest singer on hits like "Nothin' On You" and "Billionaire," he went on to become a solo star with his debut, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," as well as its follow-up, 2012's "Unorthodox Jukebox."

He won Grammys for both multi-platinum albums. They helped him headline the 2014 Super Bowl -- an accomplishment no other artist achieved so early in their career -- and the success of last year's "Uptown Funk" brought him to the big game for a second time last February. "What's really helped us -- and I don't think a lot of producers have the luxury of, have the privilege of -- is being able to be in the studio recording an album and then going out and performing it," said Philip Lawrence, who performs in Mars' band and has also co-written and co-produced with the pop star since he became a household name. "We got two different vantage points: We got the sitting in the studio laboring over songs for hours and days and weeks, and then we get to take whatever that energy is and put it in front of people. And when you do that it gives you the opportunity to see what works, what doesn't work, what could be better, what could be improved on." Mars' dance routines have gotten attention because they are slick, hip and, at times, hilarious.

He started working with Phil Tayag of the hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez for "Uptown Funk" and continued to work with the dancer for his latest project and tour ("The 24K Magic World Tour" kicks off next March and Mars will open Sunday's American Music Awards in Los Angeles). "We'd link up and just start moving and see who could make each other laugh first," Mars said of the choreography. That was also the mood he had in the studio while writing his new album: "If we can make each other laugh, that should mean something." The only guest on the album is Halle Barry, whose voice appears on the irresistibly smooth "Calling All My Lovelies." R&B icon Babyface lends a hand to the closing track, the slow groove "Too Good to Say Goodbye," and T-Pain co-wrote the catchy "Straight Up & Down," which uses parts of the 1993 hit "Baby I'm Yours" by R&B group Shai. Mars said when he first played his label the new music, they were hesitant about the sound. "It's not really 'When I see your face...,'" Mars said, singing the hook to his past hit, "Just the Way You Are."

"I remember the label was iffy when they heard it, and I was like, 'Trust me, there's a whole vision behind this,'" he said. "Thank God they trust me." By MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music WriterNick Cannon receives major backlash following the debut of a whiteface alter ego used for promoting his new album, . Nick Cannon unveiled a whiteface alter ego, “Connor Smallnut,” while shamelessly promoting his new album—which also goes by a racially charged title, White People Party Music. Cannon, who is better known as Mariah Carey’s husband and the host of America’s Got Talent, took to Twitter and Instagram for his big unveiling.I’m White!!!” wrote the Black TV host and rapper, alongside a photo of himself sporting whiteface makeup and a straight blond wig, along with a beanie hat, distressed jeans, T-shirt and flannel shirt to complete his “skater boy” look. He then added the hashtags, “#WHITEPEOPLEPARTYMUSIC #Wppm in stores April 1st!!!!!! Dude Go Get It!!!

#GoodCredit #DogKissing #BeerPong #FarmersMarkets #FistPumping #CreamCheeseEating #RacialDraft ‘Bro I got drafted!!'” Almost immediately, Cannon’s social-media accounts became flooded with comments calling his depiction insulting, racist and a double standard. Many are debating the differences between racism and humor, referring back to recent Blackface controversies involving Julianne Hough, who publicly apologized after being called ignorant and racist for sporting Blackface along with her Halloween costume of Orange Is the New Black character Crazy Eyes. Cannon quickly responded to the critics via his Twitter account by saying, “It’s funny how people take themselves so seriously. We feed off of it. Just relax and have fun!!” It’s funny how people take themselves so seriously. Just relax and have fun!! — Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) March 24, 2014 Those defending Cannon say it is in fact a double standard because whiteface simply does not have the same negative connotation as Blackface, which originated in the mid to late 1800s in minstrel shows.

White actors would paint their face black using burnt cork or grease to depict stereotypical and degrading Black characters, most likely representing slaves who spoke in a “plantation” accent. Those who see Cannon’s whiteface as an example of reverse racism point to his own mocking of the “white skater boy” accent, and stereotypically white traits like having “good credit” and being “privileged,” captions he inserted with the photos. Cannon continues to defend himself via Twitter, uploading a photo of Robert Downey Jr.’s Blackface character in the movie Tropic Thunder with the caption “Shout out to @RobertDowneyJr. This is one of my favorite characters of all time! There is a big difference between Humor and Hatred.” One of his most recent posts said: “Hold up… What the f*** is “White Face??? Did I just create a new term??? What the f#ck is “White Face”??? Whether intentionally racist or not, Cannon capitalized on a controversial topic to plug his upcoming album—and it worked.