Entertainment KnowLedge - Share In The BlogLedge

Talented and Handsome, Robin Thicke

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:40:00 +0000

Robin Thicke was born in Los Angeles to Different Strokes’ Alan Thicke and vocalist Gloria Loring. Destined for greatness, Robin self-taught himself how to play the piano at the tender age of twelve. By the time he was sixteen, Thicke was writing and producing songs for the likes of Brian McKnight, Brandy, and Color Me Badd. What is more, Robin had written and produced songs for more than twenty platinum and gold albums including but not limited to Pink, Michael Jackson, Christina Aguilera, and Marc Anthony, just to name a few. Shortly thereafter, Robin Thicke was signed to Interscope records and quickly made his acquaintance with Andre Harrell who was former the Uptown Records CEO and mentor to many artists such as Sean “Diddy” Combs and Mary J. Blige. From there on, grew a creative working relationship between the two where Robin’s debut and critically acclaimed album, A Beautiful World was born and released under the alias, Thicke in 2003.

Although this project did not perform to Robin’s expectations, he began to take a different approach. After he started to write songs about love, faith and hope, this lead to his second album in 2006 entitled, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, which became his breakthrough album. This album also lead to a double platinum status with grand hits such as Lost Without U, which became “the #1 most played song in Urban Adult Contemporary BDS and topped four Billboard charts simultaneously”, according to Robin Thicke’s official website.

Mr. Thicke has now become one of the most talented, sexiest, and respected singers and songwriters in R&B and Soul music today. 2007 was a huge year for the artist, as he not only toured with Beyonce, but also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show not once, but twice. That year he took home six awards and many nominations from seven different award shows. If that was not enough, Thicke released his third album, Something Else in 2008, which was said by critics to be one of the best soul albums in years and is Robin’s highest charted album to date. In 2009, Mr. Thicke decided to take a different approach and release a “fantasy world of eroticism” album entitled, Sex Therapy. The song Sex Therapy was named the sexiest song of the year and scored Mr. Thicke many awards.

Today, Robin Thicke is balancing fatherhood (20 month old son, Julian), marriage (high school sweetheart and actress, Paula Patton), and a successful career. Just recently, he released his fifth album, Love After War on December 6, 2011. This album, according to Thicke’s official website, was “born out of a desire to be the uncompromising, idealistic artist he was as a boy, married with the weight of being a man with responsibilities and the scars of the past.” Thicke’s goal with this album is to entertain, move, inspire his listeners, and make them love more. Thicke stated that with this album, he also wanted to write, produce, and sing the entire album without any collaboration with other artists. However, he folded when Lil' Wayne put a verse on the song, Pretty Little Heart. It was so impressive to Robin that this track is the one and only track on the entire album that has collaboration.

Starring his wife, Paula Patton

I had the honor of making the acquaintance of Robin Thicke in November 2011 at the radio station (97.7fm WRBJ), where I am currently an On-Air Personality Intern. I can honestly say he is extremely talented and very down to earth, which is something I can appreciate in a celebrity. He not only did an interview on-air, he was also willing to take pictures with and sign autographs for staff as well as sit and have lunch with the staff as a gift to the winner of the Lunch with Robin Thicke contest. What is more, Mr. Thicke has a sense of humor that is an attention getter and is even more attractive in person (inside and out).

If you too are a fan of Robin Thicke, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic.

Dwight Arrington Myers AKA Heavy D

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:52:00 +0000

Most of you know him as Heavy D, but to close friends and love ones, he was just simply known as Dwight Arrington Myers. Born in Mandeville, Jamaica on May 24, 1967, Heavy D at a very young age, and his family relocated to Mount Vernon, New York. Destined for greatness, Dwight became affiliated with rap music at its inception, and what is more, started making his own demonstration (demo) tapes in junior high school. Subsequently, he formed a group by the name of The Boyz with fellow high school friends: DJ Eddie F, Trouble T-Roy, and G-Wiz. After fortunately reaching their demo tape to Def Jam Executive, Andre’ Harrell who was in the process of establishing Uptown Records, Heavy D and The Boyz were the first Uptown artists in 1986. Commendably, in 1987 Heavy D and The Boyz released their debut album entitled, Living Large. Singles Mr. Big Stuff and The Overweight Lover’s in the House are the two hits that really established Heavy D as a rap icon in the eyes of rap fans. His image was definitely a massive one and on the map now.

This image followed Heavy D, known as ‘Hip-Hop’s original overweight lover’ throughout a lengthy career as a strong MC as well as in film and television. One thing that was so positive and unique about Dwight is that he and his music managed to reach people from a positive perspective without vulgarity and disrespect. According to the article, Heavy D Biography, “…His girth could easily have become a one-note premise, but varied his lyrical concerns to include positive message tracks and fun-loving party jams and exuded warmth and respect for women without getting too graphic or sentimental.” As aforementioned, Mr. Myers was a jack-of-all-trades, as he was rapper, songwriter, producer (tracks for Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, and himself, just to name a few), actor (B.A.P.S., Step Up, Life, Living Single, The Tracy Morgan Show, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Law & Order, and Boston Republic, just to name a few), executive level businessman and believe or not, an agile dancer!

After stepping out of the limelight for a while with performing, Heavy D broke out with two killer performances (Michael Jackson Tribute and 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards (shown below)) in October 2011 letting the world know he still had it. Unfortunately on November 8, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported that Heavy D passed after collapsing outside of his Beverly Hills home. Mr. Myers was pronounced dead in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center emergency room from complications related to pneumonia and respiratory failure. This news not only shocked, but also, devastated the world. Dwight Arrington ‘Heavy D’ Myers was only 44 years old. Homage was recently paid to the late, great entertainer on the 2011 BET Soul Train Awards in November 2011.

Readers,

One thing that stuck out to me personally and that I had absolutely no knowledge of, was that Heavy D wrote and performed the theme song for the hit comedy series, In Living Color with The Boyz. Now when I refer back and pay attention, I definitely hear him rapping the verses. After all of these years, I never knew that was his song. Heavy D will be forever remembered and definitely never forgotten. If you too, were a fan and/or admired Mr. Myers, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Business to Family, Winfrey and Pinkett-Smith Emphasizes a Vision and a Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 03:16:00 +0000

This show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show, which expedited to being the number one nationally syndicated talk show. Climbing the entertainment broadcasting ladder, Oprah Winfrey received numerous of awards for The Oprah Winfrey Show in its first year, specifically, the Broadcaster of the Year award. Winfrey was the youngest person to be granted this award. Not only did Oprah dominate the broadcasting side of entertainment, she also made a name for herself in film. Oprah became a Golden Globe and Oscar Award nominee for portraying the role as Sophia in the 1985 movie, The Color Purple. If this was not enough, Ms. Winfrey demanded her place as a businesswoman and entrepreneur in 1986 by founding her own production company, Harpo

Productions, Incorporated. Time Magazine also named Oprah as one of the “100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century” in 2004. With that being said, Oprah has been measured as the highest-paid television performer, America’s self-made richest woman, the 20^th century’s richest African American, and “the most powerful woman in the world” (Forbes, 2004-2011).

Jada Koren Pinkett-Smith is a multi-talented actress, producer, wife and mother. Born in Baltimore, Maryland to Robson Pinkett, Jr. and Adrienne Banfield who divorced after a few short months of marriage, Jada was destined for stardom. “I just want pieces of the world”, Pinkett-Smith expressed about her career. Determined to acquire those pieces, Jada attended Baltimore School for the Arts where she majored in dance and choreography and built a close friendship with her classmate by the name of Tupac Shakur (2Pac).

She also attended the North Carolina School of the Arts; however, she dropped out after one year in pursuit of a career in acting. Jada started to acquire some of those pieces, as she made her big break by being casted as Lena James, a college freshman at Hillman University in A Different World, a television sitcom. She also made her movie debut in Menace II Society two years thereafter. Continuing to add to those pieces, Jada was casted as opposite of Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor, opposite of Allen Payne in Jason’s Lyric, and found her way behind the camera, as she began directing music videos, just to name a few. Showing her many talents as an actress, director, and producer, Jada Pinkett found love and became Jada Pinkett-Smith, as she married Will Smith in 1997. To their union came two beautiful and talented children, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (son) and Willow Camille Reign Smith (daughter).

Both Jada Pinkett-Smith and Oprah Winfrey believe that in order to be successful at anything, you must have a plan; more specifically, a business plan. In order for Oprah to become such a powerful entrepreneur and businesswoman, she had to have a successful business plan.

According to Ms. Winfrey, a business plan gives you a vision to build a foundation. She stresses the importance of having a vision and that is what she looks for with every business idea brought her way. Although, Jada feels the same way, her business plan is slightly different. She and her husband feel that it just as pertinent to have a Family (Marriage) Business Plan.

“ We are two big beings that came together, and I had my vision and he had his [Will]. So, we had to join them”, Jada said during her interview with Oprah Winfrey on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The couple actually has a Family Business Plan laid out in their home. Although Ms. Winfrey and Mrs. Pinkett-Smith both speak the importance of business plan whether it is with a business or a family, the one common denominator between the two is to have a vision; more specifically, a clear one.

If you too, feel that a good business plan starts out with having a clear vision and too, admire these two powerful African American women, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and share your sentiments about this topic.

Keith Sweat Formerly Known As John Crier

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Near the infamous Apollo Theater, Keith Sweat was born in Harlem, New York on July 22, 1961 to Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Juanita Crier as John Crier. Working as Macy’s clerk while pursuing his Communications degree from City College of New York, Sweat was on his way to stardom. Although Keith worked in the New York Stock Exchange after earning his degree in 1983, he continued his venture in the world of entertainment as well.

As a member of the band, Jamilah in Harlem, in 1975, Sweat traveled and performed throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York. Ready to show the world who Keith Sweat, the artist was, he branched out on his own in 1984 hitting the nightclub arenas in New York. Stepping out on faith, Keith recorded his first single, My Mind is Made Up with Stadium Records, an independent label that had only released two albums. Apparently his decision was a great one, as he co-wrote and co-produced the single, You Are The One For Me for GQ, a group under Stadium Records. What is more, in 1985 Sweat also wrote and produced the single, All I Want is My Baby for artist, Roberta Gilliam.

Mr. Sweat really stepped into the limelight in November 1987 when he released his debut album, Make It Last Forever, which started his claim to fame. The single, Make It Last Forever skyrocketed towards the top of not only the R&B charts, but also the Pop charts with four other songs landing a spot on both charts. His single, I Want Her reached No.1 on the R&B charts. Subsequently, Keith stepped away from his position as a brokerage assistant on Wall Street. Proving his decision to resign to be the right one, Sweat released a second album entitled, I’ll Give All My Love to You in 1990 and it incredibly reach No.3 on the Billboard 200 chart. I’ll Give All My Love to You also reached the No.1 spot on the R&B charts along with other singles that landed spots on the R&B and pop charts as well. What is more, Mr. Sweat released his third album by the latter part of 1991, Keep It Comin’ and its title track reached the No.1 spot on the R&B charts. However, the album did not peek at the same level of success as did his first two albums, but it did debut in the Top 20. Other albums released by Keith Sweat were Get Up On It, Keith Sweat, and Still In The Game, just to name a few.

Proving to the world that he was a ‘jack of all trades’, Keith opened his own nightclub, The Industry and in 1992, he founded the male music group Silk under his record label, Keia Records, named after his second daughter who was born that same year. After several hits with Silk including the single Freak Me written by Keith, he founded a female group, Kut Klose in 1995, of which he has a couple of singles featuring the lead singer of Kut Klose, Athena. Mr. Sweat also served as producer in the 1990s to other groups such as Dru Hill and Ol’ Skool (discovered himself in 1997). After a few year hiatus from the forefront, Keith Sweat teamed up with the late, great Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill to form a group by the name of LSG (Levert, Sweat, & Gill). The trio’s album entitled, Levert. Sweat, Gill. reached No.4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum according to Keith Sweat’s official website.

Keith has also tried his hand in the acting world. According to Keith’s website, “In 1991 he appeared on television in an episode of the hit show New York Undercover where he played himself. In the 1997 film New Jack City he had a brief part where he played the wedding singer at an ill-fated wedding. Also in 1997 he appeared on the TV show Martin in an episode entitled "Stakeout" where he played a detective. He also appeared on Wayans Bros. on an episode entitled ‘Marlon Goes on the Road.’” Most recently, Sweat appeared as himself on an episode of season four of BET’s The Game.

Outside of the world of entertainment, Keith is also a family man. He has four children: Keyshia (1990), Keia (1992), Jordan, (1995), and Justin (1998). In 1992, Sweat married former Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Lisa Wu-Hartwell (Children: Jordan and Justin); however after 10 years of marriage, the two divorced in 2002.

One quote that I found interesting, however by Keith Sweat says, “You can't stop loving or wanting to love because when it’s Garcelle Beauvais right it's the best thing in the world. When you're in a relationship and its good, even if nothing else in your life is right, you feel like your whole world is complete."

Just a little over three decades later, Mr. Sweat still has it! I had the fun opportunity to attend one of his concerts in my hometown of Jackson, MS on Thursday, October 13, 2011, and I must say, I truly enjoyed every minute of his performance. His music is the type of music that in my opinion, will be heard and recognized for years to come.

If you too enjoy the music of Mr. Keith Sweat, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic.

The Late Miss Vesta Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 05:32:00 +0000

The music world suffered a great loss on Thursday, September 22, 2011, when news spread that Rhythm & Blues singer, songwriter, and actress, Vesta Williams passed away. Vesta, best known for her powerful voice and 1980’s hit song, Congratulations, was found dead in her California hotel room. Sources from law enforcement told TMZ that multiple bottles of prescription pills were found in Vesta’s hotel room and that some were even empty. Williams’ death is being called a suicide or an accidental death. Although several rumors circulated that Vesta was 48 years of age and some, 53, reports have confirmed that she was only 48 years old. Toxicology reports could take up to six weeks to disclose results; therefore, the coroner will not be sure if Vesta’s unexpected death was drug related or not until that time. One of Vesta’s closest friends, Jackee Harry, tweeted her condolences in regards to Williams’ sudden death. “…just received truly devastating news: R&B great, and my friend of many yrs, Vesta Williams (@vest4u), has passed away. #RIPVesta.”

Biography

Born on December 1, 1963, Vesta Williams, an Ohio native, started entertaining at an early age. With vocal and comedienne skills, Ms. Williams was on her way. According to Vesta's official website, as a creative songwriter, Vesta not only collaborated on albums with Chuckii Booker and Brian McKnight, she also served as a background vocalist for Jermaine Jackson, David Benoit, Bobby Womack, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight, and Anita Baker, just to name a few. Williams also could be heard on the radio jingles for Revlon, Nike/Air Jordan, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, and Diet Coke. There was more to come, as Vesta scored a No.1 hit and video for her single, Congratulations.

Since recording her first album, Williams was not only known for being a true singer, but also a comedienne, as she has tried her hand at stand up comedy. As Vesta furthered her career, she began to venture into the world of film as an actress. She scored grave reviews as the saloon singer in the celebrated Mario Van Peebles film, POSSE. Vesta stated, “I’ve always felt that to deliver a song successfully, you have to be an actress. A good actress becomes the part, just as a good singer becomes the song.” Vesta’s comedic talents caught the eye of Van Peebles indirectly, and won her this role. What is more, Williams also wrote and performed two songs for POSSE’s soundtrack, Tell Me and Ride For Your Life. Vesta’s comedic talents also caught the eye of other casting directors from the television world, and therefore, she was casted in the popular TV sitcom, Sister, Sister. On this show, Vesta played the recurring role of Monica, which was the best friend of Lisa Landrey played by actress and Broadway mogul, Jackee Harry.

Unfortunately, the limelight started to burn out for Vesta Williams, as she went through an excessive weight-gaining period. With Vesta being only 5’3 and unfortunately reaching a size 26, she admitted that she felt that this was the reason she lost her recording contract. “When I lost my record deal, and my phone wasn’t ringing, I realized that I had to reassess who Vesta was and figure out what was going wrong. I knew it wasn’t my singing ability. So it had to be that I was expendable because I didn’t have the right look,” Williams lamented. After going through a striking 100-pound weight loss program and down to a size 6 in the 1990’s, Vesta interviewed with Ebony Magazine in 1996 and had the opportunity to set the record straight, as she explained that she began gaining excessive weight because her singing career started to fall off.

In more recent years, Vesta Williams had really been back on her feet. Not only had she started back working on music, she also had a new video released to her single, Dedicated. Williams also started back performing and appearing on several shows. Recently, Williams appeared on BET’s The Monique Show, as she discussed her life after the success of her popular song, Congratulations. Additionally, Vesta was scheduled to perform at the annual Los Angeles DIVAS Simply Singing! Concert on October 22, 2011. This event promotes AIDS and HIV awareness and will now pay tribute to not only Vesta Williams, but also the late, great Teena Maria, who passed in December 2010.

Personally, I feel that Vesta Williams was a great entertainer and a powerhouse vocalist. One of my favorite songs by Ms. Williams was her hit single, Congratulations and I also can vividly remember her role as Monica on the television sitcom, Sister, Sister. What an awesome talent, and she definitely will be truly missed.

If Vesta Williams’ creative industry journey and her sudden passing too have touched you, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Music & Film Industry Mogul, Eric ‘Jamie Foxx’ Bishop

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:57:00 +0000

Biography

Jamie Foxx is often described as a triple threat for his versatility as an actor, musician and comedian. Born Eric Bishop, Foxx was raised by his grandparents in Terrell, Texas. He had a special connection with his grandmother Esther Tally, who he affectionately called, “Granny.” It was his “Granny” who recognized his gift to perform and introduced him to the piano. By fifteen, he was serving as musical director and choir leader at Terrell’s New Hope Baptist Church. Not only was he a gifted musician, but also a star athlete at Terrell High school setting records in football and track. It was music that took this well-rounded young man to California when he received a classical piano scholarship to U.S. International University in San Diego.

Jamie Foxx first came to fame as a comedian. Still going by the name, Eric Bishop, he got his foot in the door of showbiz in 1989 when he tried his hand at standup on a dare at an open mic night. However, being chosen to do open mic night was not as easy as he thought. After realizing that the women who signed up for open mic nights were always selected, he used different unisex names with hopes of getting stage time.

After bringing down the house as “Foxx”, the name Eric Bishop was a thing of the past. After spending time on the comedy circuit, he joined Damon Wayans, Tommy Davidson, Jim Carrey, and Keenan Ivory Wayans in the comedy series “In Living Color.” Jamie created some of the show’s funniest and most memorable moments and the show still reruns on BET’s Centric to this day.

What is more, in 1996, Jamie launched his own comedy sitcom series, “The Jamie Foxx Show,” which was one of the top-rated programs on the WB Network during its five-year run. Foxx not only starred on the series alongside co-stars, Garcelle Beauvais, Ellia English, Christopher B. Duncan, and Garrett Morris, he was also the co-creator, executive producer, and director of several episodes.

Additionally, Jamie received critical acclaim for his fascinating work in Any Given Sunday and as Bundini Brown in Ali. If that was not enough, these dramatic roles led to 2004, when Jamie Foxx delivered a triple threat of powerful performances in Ray, Collateral and Redemption.

Jamie’s performances did not go unrecognized, as he won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the legendary Ray Charles as well as the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild (SAG), BAFTA and NAACP Image Awards. Foxx simultaneously acquired Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG Award, BAFTA Award, and Image Award nominations in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Collateral. Additionally, he scored Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations and won an Image Award for his portrayal of condemned gang member-turned-Nobel Peace Prize nominee Stan “Tookie” Williams in the television movie Redemption.

This commendable journey manifested the first time that a single actor has received three Golden Globe nominations and four SAG Award nominations in the same year. Some of his other films include: Dreamgirls, Miami Vice, Jarhead, The Kingdom, The Soloist, Law Abiding Citizen, Valentine’s Day, and more recently, the animated movie, Rio.

Besides his outstanding work in front of the camera, in January 2006, Foxx launched his own radio channel called The Foxxhole with SIRUS Satellite Radio. The station is a combination of uncensored comedy and music. In 2007, Jamie took on an additional role as executive producer of the HBO film, Life Support, an inspirational true-life story of a mother who overcame an addiction to crack and became a positive role model and an AIDS activist in the black community.

Subsequently, Jamie jumped on board with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to launch the I Know Campaign, which is a social media effort to increase awareness and knowledge about HIV prevention and HIV testing.

Not only is Jamie Foxx a huge mogul in the film industry, he has also returned to his love of music and hit it with a bang. His J Records debut, Unpredictable, which was released in December 2005 was nominated for three Grammy Awards, eight Billboard Music Awards, one Soul Train Music Award and two American Music Awards, for which he won Favorite Male Artist. Jamie also received three Grammy nominations and Best R&B Album for his Platinum-selling hit, Intuition, which debuted at No.3 on the Billboard 200 chart in December 2008.

Bringing in the new year on top, on January 31, 2010, he won a Grammy in the category of Best R&B performance by a duo/group with vocals for his record breaking hit Blame It, which featured T-Pain at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. What is more, Blame It broke records including holding the No. 1 position for twelve consecutive weeks on the Urban Mainstream Chart.

Personal Perspective

I am a Jamie Foxx fanatic and would love to meet him one day! I often refer to myself as “Chelle B #1 Jamie-NIAC!” I absolutely love his style, vocal gift (especially with ballads), and comedic talent! He is a great role model for someone trying to break into the film and music industries. Jamie also lends a helping hand to new and already existing artists. He has a top-of-the-line studio inside of his house where he offers artists two weeks of free studio time, and the only thing he asks for in return is the credit. It is quite evident how successful Jamie Foxx has been and it is even more obvious that he is nowhere near finished!

If you too, are a fan of Eric ‘Jamie Foxx’ Bishop’s work, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic!

TNT Network Puts a ThoRN in the Series, HawthoRNe

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:17:00 +0000

Synopsis
Jada Pinkett Smith plays Christina Hawthorne who is a compassionate and headstrong Chief Nursing Officer heading up a group of dedicated nurses at Richmond Trinity Hospital and eventually becomes the Chief Operating Officer (COO). If you or someone you love is sick and is in the hospital, Christina is the type of nurse that you want on your side because she fights for her patients and refuses to let them get lost in the shuffle.

What is more, Hawthorne as Christina is affectionately called, even takes on the doctors as well as administrators who are distracted, overworked, or just unable to see the human being behind the hospital chart. Whether showing humanity to a homeless woman, trying to talk a suicidal cancer patient off a ledge or exposing a doctor's near-fatal error, Hawthorne will do everything in her power to help her patients.
When a patient's care is at risk, she doesn't hesitate to overstep boundaries, defend her staff or stand up to administrators who seem to have forgotten a hospital's true purpose.

Although Christiana spends long days at the hospital lending a helping hand to others, her generosity and caring heart eventually takes a toll on her personal life. Christina is a recent window, as her husband died one year ago after a battle with cancer, leaving her to raise a clever yet rebellious teen-age daughter on her own. While trying to cope with the loss of her husband, becoming a single parent, and taking great care of others, at the end of the day, Hawthorne always seems to let someone get lost in the shuffle: herself.

What’s Really Going On?

The first two seasons of the series averaged just over 3 million viewers each. However, season three premiered with 2.57 million viewers and did not surpass 3 million viewers during the entire season. After three exciting and dramatic seasons, and an even more dramatic and sizzling third season, HawthoRNe has been canceled. According to the article, TNT Cancels ‘Hawthorne’, “TNT truly appreciates the tremendous dedication of everyone involved in 'Hawthorne.' The series gave TNT the opportunity to work with many outstanding people, including Jada Pinkett Smith and the rest of the show's talented cast, crew, producers and writers.” Season three of HawthoRNe premiered on June 14, 2011 and ended on a cliffhanger on August 16, 2011.

Patiently awaiting season four, fans including myself, are extremely upset and infuriated that the network has canceled the series, especially with how the season finale ended.

In my opinion, how can the series bring on a co-star such as Marc Anthony, Christina Hawthorne’s ‘muy caliente’ side love interest, and TNT not order a new season? The series also starred Michael Vartan (Tom) and Vanessa Lengies (Nurse Kelly) and other cast members such as Hannah Hodson (Camille) and Derek Luke (Myles), just to name a few. Season three was by far the best season of HawthoRNe and TNT is not only making a big mistake by canceling the show, but is also disappointing its loyal viewers of the network.

Season Two Finale Cliffhanger

If you too, are disappointed in TNT’s decision to cancel HawthoRNe, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic.

Entertainment Attorney, Kamel L. King

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:26:00 +0000

Entertainment Attorney, Kamel King is a native of Jackson, MS, is licensed to practice in Mississippi, and works at Frascogna Courtney, PLLC’s Jackson, MS office. After receiving a full academic scholarship, he attended American University in Washington, DC and Tougaloo College in Jackson, MS. Mr. King graduated from Tougaloo College with honors receiving his bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations. Kamel decided to further his education when he was accepted to Mississippi College School of Law (MSCOL) where he was President of the MSCOL Entertainment and Sports Law Club for two years. Kamel not only focused on his education, he also managed quite a few regional artists and music producers’ careers. He did this while he studied a variety of intellectual property courses like that of copyrights, unfair competition, consumer law, trademarks, and patent law. Upon graduating from MCSOL in the spring of 2006, Kamel King successfully passed the Mississippi Bar and was admitted into the Mississippi State Bar several months later.

Attorney Kamel King is advancing in his career, as he is the on-the-road attorney for the Grammy-nominated gospel group, The Williams Brothers. He is also the sales manager of Terminal Recording Studios, a Jackson-based studio that is not only a Grammy Award Winner, but also has recorded all of Blackberry Records’ (been in existence for 20 years and has major distribution) award winning albums and other national recording artists. What is more, Mr. King has been an associate producer of five Recording Academy-endorsed Mississippi Grammy Legacy Celebration events, “Mississippi Night” at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, the 72^nd Southern Governor’s Conference, and the 2009 National Governors’ Association Convention. Now specializing in entertainment and sports law, Kamel King is a contributing author of Entertainment Law for the General Practitioner, the first book of its kind published in MS by the American Bar Association (ABA). King’s contribution to this publication was a chapter written by him on live performance. Recently, Kamel also wrote an article in Savvy Life Magazine entitled, Beyond the Glitz and Glam of the Entertainment Industry.

After taking a tour of Terminal Recording Studios, which has had the likes of The Williams Brothers, Mary Mary, Canton Spirituals, and Jackson Southernaires, just to name a few, record inside of its lavish walls, Mr. King offered his advice and expertise on copyright infringement as well as how to relate this advice to the success of a business. Kamel refers to copyright infringement as “an expression of an artist; anything that is a work of art that is expressed through a tangible medium.” He constantly stressed that infringing upon one’s copyright carries serious statutory penalties. If an individual unknowingly infringes upon one’s copyright, he or she can be sued for statutory damages and profits. However, if an individual knowingly infringes upon one’s copyright, the penalties are much steeper. Fortunately, because seeking monetary damages in such litigations are all civil type cases, one will not face jail time. Unfortunately, when a case is won, it is the case winner’s responsibility to obtain the monetary damages. Regardless if the infringing is knowingly or unknowingly done, an injunction will be given to the infringer. According to Attorney Kamel King, an injunction is a legal notice to discontinue the infringement act.

My business is Kicking Karaoke. It is extremely possible for my company to face copyright infringement charges if the proper licenses and permissions are not obtained for the music. Kamel King offered me two KEY pieces of advice to prevent this from happening. They are as follows:

1. Connect with karaoke licensing companies that can assist in streamlining the process.

2. Pay for licenses with the big royalty-accounting-publishing houses.

a. Broadcast Music, Incorporated (BMI)

b. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

c. Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC)

Kamel advised me to obtain licensing from all three companies, as the songs being used at Kicking Karaoke may be a mixture of all three companies’ catalogs. It is better to be safe than sorry, as Mr. King expressed how aggressive these publishing houses are when it comes to copyright infringement. At times these companies will send an unidentified representative to an establishment to blend in with the crowd and observe what is going on with its business. If the representative suspects any type of copyright infringement activity, he or she will report the activity and will file suit.

In my personal opinion, Kamel King’s advice was extremely interesting, helpful, and relevant to my company. What is more, Mr. King gave an example of copyright infringement that had me completely floored. For instance, if someone purchased their favorite movie Pretty Woman, and had a family reunion with a ‘Pretty Woman’ hour involving 50 of their female relatives watching the movie, this is a form of copyright infringement. Still in shock, I asked Attorney King how could something so minute and intimate be infringing upon someone’s copyright. He explained that purchasing the DVD only gives someone and maybe those in their home the right to watch the movie, but a public viewing of the movie is a different story. This example alone made me think about how extremely careful I should be with Kicking Karaoke. I need to make sure I do obtain all the proper licenses for the music and avoid becoming involved in litigations that could lead to the possible demise of my business.

Readers, did you realize how easy it is to infringe upon one’s copyright? Why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic.

Intellectual Property: A Triple Threat

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Threat #1

LimeWire went through some serious legal issues because of copyright infringement, according to the article, Translate “Peer-to-Peer” to “Fear-to-Peer”. Recently LimeWire reached a settlement of $105 million after being found liable for copyright infringement. LimeWire is a popular online file sharing service with almost 50 millions subscribers, as of 2009. This music storehouse basically played a third party role in this litigation, but was a party, nonetheless. The issue came about through LimeWire’s peer-to-peer network. Whereas some of the content shared was done by public domain, according to the article, Translate “Peer-to-Peer” to “Fear-to-Peer”, LimeWire provided the software and services that allowed the exchange to occur. This is mainly how the issue came about.

Major record labels and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) had a serious problem with this trading avenue without having the proper permissions to do so. Consequently, a lawsuit was filed in 2006 claiming that LimeWire allegedly had unlawfully obtained and allowed access to an estimated 9,000 sound recordings of which the plaintiff held the copyrights. Although the plaintiff did receive a vast amount in damages, it was not nearly as much as they initially asked for when filing the suit. Initially, the lawsuit called for $150,000 per pirated song, which totaled $1.4 billion. “Record companies ultimately hope that such large monetary damages will serve as a stronger deterrent which will enable companies to again reap better sales in music, which allegedly began to decline following the popularity and advent of file sharing and consequently, the digital downloading of music illegally.” Now, do not think that LimeWire did not voice its position in this matter. LimeWire actually argued that they were not the sole cause of the music industry’s sales demise, because of bootleggers and music retailer bankruptcies.

Personally, I understand both sides in this litigation; however, just as someone who is an accessory to a crime is guilty as well, the same goes for LimeWire. LimeWire provided the avenue for consumers to exchange such content, which lead to a dead end on Copyright Infringement Boulevard. What do you think?

Threat #2

Wow! If it is not enough that LimeWire is being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit, now the infamous Lil Wayne has taken a dead end turn on Copyright Infringement Boulevard as well. The production company, Done Deal Enterprises for allegedly stealing the 2010 Billboard Hot 100 hit, BedRock, is suing Lil Wayne. However, it does not stop there; the $15 million lawsuit is also after Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records, and Young Money Entertainment. According to the article, Lil Wayne Accused of Stealing ‘BedRock’, the single, which featured Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lloyd and Lil Wayne was No. Two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2010 and “appeared on the compilation disc We Are Young Money.” Lil Wayne’s journey down Copyright Infringement Boulevard is far from over, as he and label representatives have an ordered court appearance scheduled for Wednesday, October 12, 2011.

BedRock

I really do not how I feel about this litigation. Lil Wayne has been recognized on so many occasions for his creativity and unique musical talents. Therefore, it is hard for me to believe him being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit. Why would he need to steal from another when he is so talented in that arena? However, this is just my opinion. If it turns out that Lil Wayne is indeed guilty of doing such, hopefully the amount of monetary damages that is being asked for in the suit will teach him to avoid that of Copyright Infringement Boulevard. As aforementioned, “Record companies ultimately hope that such large monetary damages will serve as a stronger deterrent…” Then again, $15 million may only be ‘chump change’ to him. What do you think?

Threat #3

Seems that you do not have to be a mogul in the music industry to end up on Copyright Infringement Boulevard. According to the article, Sacramento Resident Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Music and Movies, 32-year-old Carlos Benavidez Tejeda pled guilty to criminal copyright infringement. Between June 2010 and November 2010, Carlos “sold counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs to the public at the Galt Market, a flea market in Falt, CA and at other flea markets in the Eastern District of California.” One thousand CDs and DVDs of which copyright was infringed were confiscated from Tejeda’s minivan. Now, if that was not enough, hundreds of copyright-infringing CDS were also confiscated from Carolos’ rented storage unit on December 13, 2010.

Consequently, Carlos Benavidez Tejeda is to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on October 3, 2011. Unfortunately, he may face a maxiumum statutory penalty of three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, this case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carabaja, III and Brian W. Enos and is a product of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force.

Although, Tejeda is not a musician, production company, and does not have any affiliation with the music or film industry, the industry still suffers, nonetheless. In my opinion, being involved with the infringement of copyright should have consequences. Carlos or the next infringer may not walk into a store and steal a product off of the shelf, but what is the difference? The industry feels that stealing is stealing, because in the end the result is all the same. I think so many people believe they are invincible and nothing will ever happen to them or they will never get caught. The industry has to find some way to stop infringement, which is detrimental to sales; therefore, seeking legal action is a way to start. It is good however, that Carlos pled guilty because if he had not, his upcoming sentence could potentially be much worse. What do you think?

Does any of these cases touch you in the same way or differently? Either way, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about these topics.

She Has Gone ABOVE & BEYONCE’

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 01:57:00 +0000

Born September 4, 1981 in Houston, TX to a record manager father and costumer designer mother, Beyonce’ Giselle Knowles was destined to have a successful career in entertainment. Although Beyonce’ initially pursued dance, her distinctive voice was noticed while singing in a church choir. At the tender age of eleven, Beyonce’ was chosen to be a part of an all-girl group (six members) named Girl Time. Girl

Time competed on Star Search, but lost causing her father to quit his job and manage the group full time. In hopes of encouraging his daughter not to give up on her dreams, Mr. Matthew Knowles turned the six-member group into a quartet and renamed them Destiny’s Child. After having many No.1 hit singles and albums over the years, the group officially disbanded in 2005. Although Destiny’s Child had reached its destiny, the best was yet to come for Ms. Beyonce’ Knowles. Upon Destiny’s Child disbandment, Beyonce’s career was just taking off to a place that was ABOVE and BEYOND that of the typical solo artist.

Grammy and Academy Award winner, Beyonce’ is not only a singer and outstanding performer, she is also a songwriter, actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She has had great exposure to writing the lyrical content to songs since her Destiny Child’s days. Ms. Knowles also began to build her filmography during those days as well. With starring roles in films such as A Hip Hopera, Goldmember, The Fighting Temptations, The Pink Panther, Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records, and Obsessed, just to name a few, Beyonce has definitely made a name for herself in the movie arena over the past decade in front of and behind the camera. Not only has she been extraordinarily successful in the movie arena, she has also shown that she can be a successful music artist outside of a group. Beyonce’ has had several No.1 hits, and according to the article, 10 Top Hits From Beyonce, those top 10 singles are as follows:

#10 – Me, Myself and I (2003)

#9 – Upgrade U (2006)

#8 – Déjà vu (2006)

#7 – Diva (2009)

#6 – If I Were a Boy (2008)

#5 – ’03 Bonnie and Clyde (2002)

#4 – Ring the Alarm (2006)

#3 – Crazy in Love (2003)

#2 – Naughtly Girl (2004)

#1 – Single Ladies (2008)

Just as we thought Beyonce’ had reached the peak of her career, she shows us otherwise the only way she knows how: ABOVE and BEYONCE! During the 2008 Presidential Inaugural Ball festivities, Ms. Knowles serenaded At Last to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as the couple took their first dance. Now in 2011, Beyonce’s new album entitled, Beyonce’ 4 has been topping the charts with hit singles like, Run The World (Girls) (Nominated for three VMAS), Best Thing I Never Had, and We Like to Party. With such chart-topping hits and being co-owner with her mother, Tina Knowles to the clothing company, House of Dereon, Beyonce’ has proven that she is far from being done making her mark on this planet.

Yes, I said planet, as Beyonce is an international artist who recently went down in history in June for headlining the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom. What is more, she won the 2011 Billboard Millennium Award in May and her performance at that awards show was ABOVE and BEYOND awesome! Media reports went wild!

If you too are a fan of the multi-talented Beyonce’ Giselle Knowles (Carter), why don’t you go ABOVE and BEYOND and Share In The BlogLedge by posting your sentiments about this topic?

Beyonce' - Run The World (Girls) Official Video

And The 2011 B.E.T. OMG Award Goes To…Ms. Kelly Rowland

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:16:00 +0000

The much anticipated 11^th annual BET Awards aired at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, June 26, 2011 and was hosted by the hysterical and crazy comedian, Kevin Hart. This year’s awards show was centered around who would Rock The Mic. Everyone’s pre-show vote was Chris Brown and as expected, he did rock the mic with a killer performance. However, viewers were not quite ready for what was yet to hit the stage.

Kelly Rowland, former member of one of the most popular R&B female groups, Destiny’s Child, showed up and showed out at the 11^th annual BET Awards. Ms. Rowland demanded the stage in her sexy black outfit and flop hat, as she performed her sizzling and motivational hit song, Motivation along with music artist, Trey Songz. Trey Songz finished his portion of the dual segment by saying, “But even I need a little motivation,” as he introduced Ms. Kelly Rowland to shut down the remainder of the segment and Rowland did just that. Motivation from her 3^rd solo album, Here I Am, has scored the stunning Ms. Kelly a No. 1 position on the Billboard Charts earning her much recognition. According to Facebook mini-feeds, many viewers in TV land anxiously awaited her performance, as Motivation has reached the No. 4 position for Ringtones and No. 18 position for Radio Songs.

By the end of the night during the BET Awards Post-Show After Party segment, Kelly Rowland won the OMG Performance Award of the night voted on by viewers. As if her video for Motivation had not already had the world thinking, “OMG!” Not only the lights and cameras wowed viewers, but also all the action Kelly showed on stage. Kelly’s fierce choreography with and without her background dancers as well as her interaction with Trey Songz as she removed her blazer, neck tie, and see-through blouse left many mouths wide open.

2011 BET Awards Performance

From a personal standpoint, Kelly Rowland’s performance was my favorite performance of the night. Even I have posted the performance on my personal Facebook page. What is more, I too have had Motivation as my ringtone for quite some time now and I will also invest in her 3^rd album. If you enjoyed Kelly’s performance at the 2011 BET Awards as well as other performances, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Official Video for Motivation by Kelly Rowland f/ Lil Wayne

Bringing More Recognition to Mississippi, It’s Michael Robinson

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:12:00 +0000

Back Story

Michael Robinson, affectionately referred to as Mike Rob is a native of Jackson, MS. He is also the 10-year manager of Jackson’s very own recording group, Compozitionz. Mike Rob became affiliated with the entertainment industry in 1989 when Derrick Martin (D’Mar) welcomed him into the band Full Circle, later renamed Infiniti. Infiniti had the opportunity to record a demo and tour for six weeks with Jackson’s very own Dorothy Moore. Determined to gain exposure, Infiniti traveled on this tour with absolutely no air conditioning. However, this did not deter the group from this great experience. Mike stated that although they returned home from the tour with less money than they left with, the exposure was priceless. The group continued to perform at all types of local events for a while, but after not having much luck with being signed to a record label, the group eventually went their separate ways. Not fully believing his own talents, Mike took a hiatus for a while. However, in 2000 opportunity came knocking at his door.

A group that his god brother was a member of, Compozitionz approached Robinson about becoming their manager. The group wanted to start a new project, an oldies act and requested that Mike Rob start on this new venture with them. Hesitant to accept the offer, as he had never been a manager before, Mike decided to take a chance. “If they trusted me enough to ask me to be their manager, although I had never managed anyone before, I thought, hey, let’s go for it.” This began a 10-year artist-manager relationship and currently in 2011, the relationship is still going strong.

Negotiation Process

How long have you been involved with negotiating contracts?

Mike Rob: About 10 years…about as long as I have managed Compozitionz.

During a negotiation process, how do you use objective criteria to get what you want?

Mike Rob: From my experience in the industry, I know what will or will not work and I use that to back up a decision. I do consider what the group may want, but have to make the decision that is best for the group. If I only go off what the group wants, it may be a decision that could put them in the hole from the beginning or it may be a short-term investment instead of a long-term investment.

How do you separate the people from the problem during a process and how easy or hard is it for you to accomplish this?

Mike Rob: It has gotten easier over the years, but it has been a long time coming. Everyone has their feelings about certain things and being that this is a service industry, every buyer feels that they are better than the next. Being realistic, there will be times when you get frustrated. However, the way I stay grounded is to remember to not further upset a person that is already upset. In the end, people just want to be understood or at least make it seem that you understand. Even if you have to put the phone down or step out of the room for a second to gather yourself, do so and get yourself together so that you can remain professional in front of the client. Remember you are the professional and they are the customers.

How do you deal with the core concern, autonomy during a negotiation process?

Mike Rob: You have to allow artists their autonomy; you have to! As a manager, I am their voice. The group has to be able to trust me enough to know that I can speak for them. However, if something is suspicious, then I will consult with them to see how they feel about the situation. Also, it is important to have meetings. This helps to not silence their autonomy and allows them to contribute. I will ask the group what direction are they looking to go in or if they are impressed with the direction a project is already going in thus far.

During a negotiation process, how do you work towards mutual benefit?

Mike Rob: It is a marriage. Everything goes hand in hand. I always go into a negotiation knowing that if they are happy, I will be happy and the more successful they are, the more successful I will be. However, I have to remember to keep the best interest of the artist in mind, locate mutual ground, and work from there.

How do you go about showing appreciation when trying to schedule gigs with well-known acts?

Mike Rob: You have to show appreciation! Mike Rob smiles: Basically, you have to know how to kiss…well, suck up for a better choice of words. Let them know that you recognize they have accomplished this and have accomplished that and that you are trying to get there as well. However, it is extremely important NOT to seem incompetent. A recent situation went terribly wrong because I did so much sucking up that I neglected to demand the respect that we deserved. You have to balance, not only should you show appreciation, but demand it as well. Let individuals know that you and your client too have great accomplishments and not everything depends on their affiliation.

Has a negotiation process ever gotten to the point where you had to deal with dirty tricks and/or tricky tactics and if so, how did you deal with this situation?

Mike Rob: Always know exactly what you want and what you will be willing to do it for and ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING! If you do not get these requests in writing, be ready to suffer the consequences.

Let me tell you a true story. Early on when I first started out as Compozitionz’s manager, we were misled. There was this artist that was just about obsessed with David Ruffin from the Temptations. He always performed David Ruffin acts and felt so close to David because they were both from the same hometown, Meridian, MS. Well one day, he pitches this idea to me that I should bring Compozitionz to Meridian for a show where he would be David Ruffin and they would be The Temptations. It would be marketed as David Ruffin Meets The Temptations in Battle. Well, he completely sold me on the idea. I was extremely hyped about it and when I took the idea to the group; they were sold on the idea and hyped as well. We even brought other acts along with us to Meridian including the entire band. He told me that he would take care of all the marketing and advertising, put us up in a hotel, and pay us after the performance. So the night of the performance, only TWO people were in the audience, but we did finish the entire show. After the performance I met with him and he said it was obvious that money was not made because of the low turnout, but he would however work on a few things and get the money to us in a couple weeks. I knew then there was a problem; therefore, I approached the group and explained what happened and told them that we would probably not be getting paid. Well about 6:00 a.m., I decided to take a walk around the hotel to think and the hotel manager approached me. She inquired if I was a part of the entertainers staying in the hotel and once I confirmed that I was a part of the group, she throws another bombshell my way.
She asked if I had any contact information for the guy who put the groups up in the hotel because his credit card had declined and his cell number was disconnected. I told her that I would get that information to her. When I tried to contact him, the number was indeed disconnected in a matter of ONE day. Therefore, I went back upstairs and told the group to hurry and pack up so we could get out of the hotel before everyone checked out and we would be responsible for paying for the hotel rooms.

The hotel rooms were never paid for and I learned a valuable lesson from all of this and that was to ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING! I did run into him about four or five years later and he had the audacity to come up to me and speak. I just looked at him and walked away.

Hit Single, "Come Over" - One of my favorite songs by Compozitionz

I truly enjoyed my time with Michael Robinson. With a dream of one day being a successful artist in the music industry, I was honored to have the opportunity to interview with him. I learned so much from my interview with Mike Rob and appreciate him taking the time out to discuss the negotiation process.

Readers,

If you too have gained any insight from this interview, why don't you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about this topic.

HELLO-ERR!! It's Tyler Perry Studi-ERRS (TPS)

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:04:00 +0000

Tyler Perry Studios (TPS) is an American film production studio founded by an American actor, director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter, Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry, Jr.) in Atlanta, GA. “The entire facility is 60 acres…30 of them are in development and the other 30 are a part of our future development”, stated Mr. Perry. Tyler Perry started his studios from a vision lead by divine intervention. He expressed that early on he went to the facility and turned away because he felt that it was too big. However, that same night, Mr. Perry had a bout with insomnia and got back up and went back to the facility. He spoke to this divine intervention saying, “…if this is meant for me, give me a sign and make it plain.” As Tyler looked at the gate surrounding the premises, he began to see Bible scriptures and he knew at that moment that this was meant for him. From then on, Tyler Perry Studios was born and Perry stated that he never looked back since then. According to an interview Tyler had with Mo’Nique on The Mo’Nique Show, he chose Atlanta, GA as oppose to Hollywood because Atlanta is like home for him, individuals are honest, and these characteristics are important to him.

Tyler Perry's Interview With Mo'Nique on The Mo'Nique Show...Tour of Tyler Perry Studios

Tyler Perry Studios is home to the infamous and comedic “MA-to-the-D-E-A” (Madea)! Madea has been instrumental in the lucrative success of Tyler Perry and his studios. She is known for her satirical sayings such as, “Hello-err” (hello), “Hallelu-yerr” (hallelujah), and “Sat Down” (sit down), just to name a few. Additionally, Tyler Perry Studios is home to famous stage plays such as The Marriage Counselor, I Know I’ve Been Changed, and Why Did I Get Married, movies such as For Colored Girls (2011 NAACP Award Winner), A Family That Preys, and Madea’s Big Happy Family,

and television shows such as House of Payne and Meet the Browns, just to name a few. According to Tyler Perry’s website, he has each genre broken down into titles: Stageplays and Book, TPS Movies, and T. P. TV respectively. One common denominator of all three is Madea. She travels from stage plays to films and from films to television disciplining children, breaking and running from the law, and amusing her audience wherever she settles.

I have had the privilege of being in the company of a couple of Tyler Perry Studios’ staff and cast members. Ms. Maria Harper of Maria Harper Designs (ATL) is the former fashion designer for Tyler Perry’s plays while on tour and is also my aunt. Also, Demetria McKinney who plays Janine Payne on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne is the goddaughter of Ms. Maria Harper. They both have worked for Tyler Perry Studios for many years and speak highly of how much fun and family oriented the staff and cast members are on site. This has truly been inspirational for me and I hope to follow that inspiration one day and too work for Tyler Perry Studios.

Why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and post your sentiments about how much you enjoy the products of Tyler Perry Studios (e.g. stage plays, films, and/or television shows).

Historical Malaco Records, May Be History?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:51:00 +0000

Malaco Records is an independent record label that is not only established in Jackson, MS, but is also near and dear to the heart of Jackson, MS. It was founded in 1962 by Tommy Couch, Mitchell Malouf, and Wolf Stephenson and was originally a booking agency. However, Malaco welcomed a recording studio in its facility in 1967. Jackson, MS is proud to have such a historical establishment on its grounds.

Malaco Records has an impressive discography with artists ranging from Johnnie Taylor (Cheating in the Next Room and Soul Heaven), Dorothy Moore (Misty Blue), Z.Z. Hill (Down Home Blues), The Williams Brothers (I'm Still Here), Georgia Mass Choir, and Mississippi Mass Choir (God Is Keeping Me), just to name a few. These extraordinary and successful artists have paved the way for so many up and coming local artists, and also serves as encouragement to local artists. The Malaco Music Group has presented an annual Jackson Music Awards for the past 30-plus years that recognizes and acknowledges the musical talents and accomplishments of such artists and musicians during the previous past year.

In 2010, Malaco Records reached a milestone when it was recognized by a historical memoir being planted at the site of where the company was established. The memoir reads, “Malaco Records, one of America’s foremost labels in the fields of southern soul, blues, and gospel, was founded at this site in 1967. Malaco’s studio was the first state-of-the-art recording facility in Mississippi. The label attained national stature with the success of Dorothy Moore’s ‘Misty Blue’ (1976), Z.Z. Hill’s ‘Down Home Blues’ (1982), and other records by the Jackson Southernaires, Denise LaSelle, Bobby Bland, Little Milton, Latimore.”

The following exerts are songs of some Malaco Records’ artists from over the years:

Dorothy Moore's Misty Blue

Johnnie Taylor's Soul Heaven

ZZ Hill's Down Home Blues

The Williams Brothers' I'm Still Here

As the famous phrase states, “All good things come to an end” or at least come to a halt. On Friday, April 15, 2011, one of the deadliest and strongest storm cells and tornados ripped through the southeastern region of the United States. During this treacherous storm, Malaco Records was destroyed! Nearly 45 years of history is gone and its future of being rebuilt is now questionable. According to Jackson, Mississippi’s WLBT TV-3, Wolf Stephenson (co-founder) lamented, “Well it’s just a…it is a very sad feeling to see 44 years of work; 44 years of my life out here gone in 15 seconds, but we’ll clean up; come back to cry another day.” Stephenson and fifteen of his employees were inside Malaco’s walls preparing to shut down for the weekend when the tornado struck. Fortunately, every spot that each individual took cover remained intact. However, the room that housed masters of recordings by world famous artists such as Dorothy Moore and Johnny Taylor as well as record keeping and royalty offices were completely demolished. The southern music industry took a loss on April 15, 2011, and has been left with picking up the pieces. However, its historical memoir still stands, as it weathered the storm.

Wolf Stephenson inside of Malaco Records

Readers,

I leave you with footage from one of the most devastating, deadliest, and damaging tornados in the history of the southeastern region. Why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge and express your sentiments about not only Malaco’s possible demise, but also how devastating these storms were to you and/or to those you may or may not have known.

Southeastern Region (OK, AR, LA, MS, AL)

Clinton, MS

Let me be the first to break the ice by saying that I knew so many individuals that were in the path of these storms in various states and the Lord watched over each of them, because they are all still here to tell the story. Furthermore, when I learned of the destruction that Malaco Records faced, I paused for a second to catch my breath, as I was in disbelief. Seeing the damage in person is far worse than what is seen on the news broadcast. Every time the news mentioned Dorothy Moore's Misty Blue as it related to Malaco Records' history, I would think about how many times I sang this song in talent shows as a little girl. However, I was thankful that everyone inside of the Malaco building survived the storm and without injuries.

TED.com Talk – Robert Gupta: Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Robert Gupta is a violinist with the LA Philharmonic and is also a 2010 TED Fellow. According to TED.com, Gupta received his master’s in music from Yale University and was afforded the grand opportunity to obtain the extraordinaire, Nathaniel Ayers, schizophrenic musician featured in The Soloist, as his violin instructor. In this TED talk, Robert inspires his audience through speaking about how music has such an influence; how music is medicine, sanity, and changes people. He does this through elaborating on Nathaniel Ayers’ life, how Nathaniel influenced the life of Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times columnist and his own personal experiences with Nathaniel Ayers.

Gupta initiates this talk by telling how Steve Lopez was walking down the street one day and heard beautiful music playing on a two-string violin by an African American man who was “charming, rugged, and homeless.” From this, Steve Lopez turned his columns into a book, which then inspired the movie, The Soloist. Robert further explains how talented Nathaniel was growing up and unfortunately due to the sickness of paranoid schizophrenia and a breakdown, he dropped out of Julliard and became homeless. However, because of his passion and love for music, Nathaniel continued to play on the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles, CA, and by hearing such beautiful music one day, Steven Lopez gravitated towards this extraordinary man. The bond between Steven and Nathaniel was like no other and it was because of the influence of music. Gupta stated, “I encourage all of you to read Steve’s book, or to watch the movie to understand not only the beautiful bond that formed between these two men, but how music helped shape that bond, and ultimately was instrumental, if you’ll pardon the pun, in helping Nathaniel get off the streets.”

TED.com Talk - Robert Gupta: Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity

In 2008, Robert Gupta met Nathaniel Ayers at Walt Disney concert hall. He stated that Mr. Ayers came backstage to introduce himself after hearing a Beethoven symphony performance Robert just participated in. Because of his passion for and influence of music, Nathaniel explained to Gupta how such events would never occur due to “treacherous first violin passage work” in Beethoven’s symphony. Now to the ear of an everyday individual, such events had no correlation to the present Beethoven symphony at hand, but that is just how powerful music is to Nathaniel Ayers. Furthermore, Mr. Ayers illustrates how music speaks for and through various events and circumstances. A few days later, Robert Gupta received an email from Nathaniel expressing his interest in a violin lesson with him. Gupta explains in his TED talk that Nathaniel Ayers refuses treatment and because of this, he has schizophrenic episodes. Furthermore, because of his treatment refusal, during Nathaniel and Robert’s first violin lesson, Nathaniel was “lost”, according to Robert. He was talking about demons and smoke haunting him in his sleep and Gupta was afraid that he would ruin Nathaniel’s relationship with the violin if he started talking about scales or anything related to playing the violin. Therefore, Gupta just began to play, and Nathaniel had a “profound change” due to the music. “…Nathaniel’s manic rage was transformed into understanding, a quiet curiosity, and grace.” Then he began to play, by ear, the violin concertos snippets along with Robert Gupta. Through dialogue, Robert began to realize that Nathaniel not only had an “encyclopedic vocabulary”, but that he also related to music on a personal level. Music transformed Nathaniel, and therefore serves as confirmation that music is medicine, sanity, and changes people.

Nathaniel Anthony Ayers & Steve Lopez

I was completely inspired by this documentary because music has a tremendous impact on me as well. While growing up, music was my remedy-my medicine to many situations. I feel Robert Gupta’s talk spoke to me on a different level. I was also inspired by this talk because I absolutely love the film, The Soloist and admire Nathaniel Ayer’s story. In my opinion, Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. had excellent performances in the movie as well. Throughout my career, at any given time if I feel that I cannot go any further, I will always remember and reference back to the life of Nathaniel Ayers and know that I can, not only go further, but go the furthest that I can go. Furthermore, Robert Gupta did an excellent job in illustrating to his audience and viewers how music is medicine, sanity, and changes people not only through Nathaniel Ayers’ life story and Steve Lopez’s bond with Nathaniel, but also through his own personal experiences with Nathaniel Ayers.

How has Robert Gupta’s TED talk inspired you? How do you feel about the life of Nathaniel Ayers? Why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic?

National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA)

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:55:00 +0000

According to www.ncta.com, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association formerly entitled the National Cable Television Association is the largest principal trade association of the cable industry in the United States. Its current President and Chief Executive Officer is Kyle McSlarrow. NCTA with a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code of 8611 was established in 1952 and is based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to provide its members with a strong national presence by providing a single, unified voice on issues affecting the cable and telecommunications industry. NCTA represents cable operators that serve 90-plus percent of the nation’s cable television homes and 200-plus cable program networks. The association also serves equipment suppliers and other services in the cable industry. Now what is more interesting is that NCTA brings in $10 million - $49.9 million annually in sales.

Every year NCTA hosts the industry’s annual Trade Show, which, according to NCTA, serves as a national showcase for the cable industry’s innovative services including quality television programming, interactive television services, high-speed Internet access, and competitive local telephone service. It is quite evident how important and how much of an asset the National Cable & Telecommunications Association is to the industry in the U.S. Not only through its annual Trade Show but also because the association is a representation of cable operators that serve more than 90 percent of cable television homes in the U.S., as aforementioned. Without NCTA, and its high-capacity frequencies of telecommunications better known as broadband, the cable industry would have a high percentage of its audience distraught, as Kyle McSlarrow stated that, "Broadband is the engine of our economy."

Additionally, NCTA has several organizations under its umbrella such as State Associations, Suppliers, and Cable Networks (features Disney Channel in its “Express Yourself” campaign that encourages viewers to embrace and accept their differences, and supports the network’s dedication to communication, diversity, and optimism), just to name a few. However, there are two of NCTA’s organizations in particular that will be discussed in more intricate detail. They are as follows:

Cable in the Classroom (CIC) is the cable industry’s foundation, which promotes the use of cable content and technology to develop and enhance learning for children and youth in the United States. According to NCTA, “Cable in the Classroom advocates for the visionary, sensible and effective use of media in homes, schools, and communities.” Furthermore, CIC has various programs under its umbrella as well. For instance, Education Outreach is a program initiative that provides free cable and broadband connections to schools and libraries across the country and 500-plus hours monthly of television programming and online resources from cable networks that are educational based, just to name a few.

Walter Kaitz Foundation is a non-profit organization under the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) conglomerate as well and was established in 1981. Its purpose is to diversify the executive suites of the cable television industry with talented and qualified ethnic minorities. According to NCTA, “The Foundation’s basic goal of advocating diversity remains constant: To advance the contributions of ethnic minorities and women in the cable telecommunications industry, by advocating for diversity and providing resources for the organization’s members and the industry at large.” Furthermore, Walter Kaitz Foundation focuses on some initiatives and activities under its umbrella as well. The likes of Industry-wide Supplier Diversity, Annual Fundraising Dinner, Targeted Grants Program, Community Outreach, and Career Center are a few that are among that list of initiatives.

The National Cable and Telecommunications Association keeps the news media abreast of progression within the cable and telecommunications industry through an ongoing effort. In doing so, the association frequently issues Media Releases to inform about industry issues and activities to the news media. However, NCTA provides Issue Briefs to offer more in-depth coverage of cumbersome issues. Issue Briefs are Legislative and Regulatory Issues such as Online Piracy, Consumer Piracy, Video Competition, and Broadband Adoption, just to name of few. In addition to keeping the news media abreast on certain developments and issues, NCTA also has a marketing strategy of its own where its audience can keep abreast on its updates as well through social media websites. Furthermore, NCTA promotes through Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, and all of these shortcut icons can be found on NCTA's website homepage.

Although the aforementioned expresses only half of how beneficial the National Cable and Telecommunications Association is to the cable industry in the United States, the association’s affects, contributions, purpose, and importance in and to the industry is still quite evident, nonetheless.

Readers, with so many of you being products of the 90-plus percent of cable television homes, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about how beneficial you think the National Cable and Telecommunications Association is to your daily lives.

Related Articles: NCTA Company Intelligence Report

A Male Dominated Industry: Women’s Fruition In Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:50:00 +0000

In general dialogue, why is humanity referred to as man? There is also WOman. Furthermore, why are women objectified when it comes to entertainment, and portrayed as beings that are meant to be seen and not heard? James Brown sang it best! “This is a man’s world, but it wouldn’t be nothing, without a woman or a girl.” Entertainment is a multi-million dollar industry that has been known to be a male dominated industry. The likes of Aaron Spelling, Michael Jackson, Kelsey Grammer, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, and Bill Cosby, just to name a few, have dominated the many different aspects of the entertainment industry. According to the article, Women, Sexism, & Hollywood: A Look At The Numbers, “Women don’t feel marginalized, but the fact remains, the most powerful positions on most shows are usually occupied by men.” In my opinion, this is quite unfortunate. However, over the decades, women have managed to break through the doors of male domination with dynamic creative strength demanding a place in the entertainment industry. During this post, you will learn about the fruition of prosperous women such as Oprah Winfrey, Sylvia Rhone, and Mara Brock Akil. Additionally, the thoughts of such women, especially that of the African American descent, express that acts of sexism, racism, and lack of creative freedom are some of the obstacles that women unfortunately face in the entertainment industry.

Oprah Winfrey is an Entertainment Executive. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Harpo (Oprah’s name spelled backwards) Productions, Incorporated. According to the article, Academy of Achievement: Oprah Winfrey, at the tender age of 17, Oprah was offered an on-air job at WVOL in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1976, she became a co-anchor on Baltimore, Maryland’s WJZ-TV News. While in Baltimore, Oprah co-hosted a talk show, People Are Talking, in addition to her being an anchor. This show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show, which expedited to being the number one nationally syndicated talk show. Climbing the entertainment broadcasting ladder, Oprah Winfrey received numerous of awards for The Oprah Winfrey Show in its first year, specifically, the Broadcaster of the Year award. Winfrey was the youngest person to be granted this award. Not only did Oprah dominate the broadcasting side of entertainment, she also made a name for herself in film. Oprah became a Golden Globe and Oscar Award nominee for portraying the role as Sophia in the 1985 movie, The Color Purple. If this was not enough, Ms. Winfrey demanded her place as a businesswoman and entrepreneur in 1986 by founding her own production company, Harpo Productions, Incorporated. Time Magazine also named Oprah as one of the “100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century” in 2004. With that being said, Oprah has been measured as the highest-paid television performer, America’s self-made richest woman, the 20^th century’s richest African American, and “the most powerful woman in the world” (Forbes, 2004-2010). Furthermore, Oprah Winfrey is the epitome of a woman’s fruition in this so-called male dominated industry.

Sylvia Rhone is currently the appointed president of Universal Music Group’s Motown Records as well as the Executive Vice President of Universal Records. Sylvia started her entertainment career at Buddah Records as a secretary, but quickly promoted to Promotions Coordinator. While she served in this position, Rhone also started handling promotions nationally for independent start-up labels. “Suddenly, I was responsible for getting my music exposed nationwide. I had to jump in the deep water and sink or swim” (Rhone, 1994). According to the article, Sylvia Rhone Biography, “Her success in promotional work, gained her a reputation as a discoverer and shaper of black music talent.” Sylvia continued to climb the entertainment record promotion ladder for several years ranging from the 1970’s to the 1980’s. Additionally she was hired as Director of National Black Music Promotion at Atlantic Records in 1985. With Atlantic struggling at the time, under Ms. Rhone’s direction, the record label expanded greatly in its artist clientele with many being number one acts. Because Sylvia brought in so much revenue for Atlantic Records, she was promoted to the Senior Vice President of the label. According to Chuck Philips in the Los Angeles Times, “She got results. Her company has been on a multimillion-dollar hot streak since the day she took over.” Sylvia Rhone was eventually appointed as the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of EastWest Records America. This was her own label established by Atlantic in 1991. Not only was Rhone CEO of EastWest Records, she also became the CEO of Elektra Records, and amazingly managed four other labels under the Elektra Entertainment Group. After Elektra Entertainment Group’s dismantlement in 2004, Sylvia Rhone was appointed to her current position in entertainment as the President of Universal Music Group and Executive Vice President of Universal Records. Ms. Rhone has had a phenomenal path in entertainment, also illustrating that she too has demanded her place and proven a woman’s fruition in this male dominated industry. Sylvia stated, “I think that thanks to my success and the success of others, eventually, that sexiest good ol’ boy school of thought will go the way of the dinosaur. It’ll take us a few years to accomplish it, but hey, I’m up for the fight. And so are a lot of other women.”

Mara Brock Akil is an American Television Writer and Producer. Mara began her journey breaking through the doors of entertainment in 1994. She started her first bout of writing for the short-lived television series, South Central on Fox Network. Ms. Brock Akil also landed the supervisory position as writer and producer on the television series, The Jamie Foxx Show in 1999 (notice the video linked to The Jamie Foxx Show, is a sample of a man (Jamie) and a woman (Nicole) battling for their place in the workplace). This was to come shortly after writing four seasons for the television series, Moesha. Climbing the entertainment writing and producing ladder, Mara Brock Akil along with Kelsey Grammer, co-created and co-executive produced the television series, Girlfriends, which she was nominated for an award and also won an award. Additionally, she created and currently executive produces BET’s hit television series, The Game, which brought in over 7.7 million viewers as it premiered on BET January 11, 2011, making it the highest rated television series in the history of cable television. Brock Akil is also venturing through the ABC network where she is currently the consulting writer and producer for ABC’s sitcom, Cougar Town. Mara Brock Akil has truly made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, also illustrating a woman’s fruition.

Outstanding as it is to see women’s fruition in the industry, the obstacles with racism, sexism, and lack of creative freedom that women as a whole have gone through to see even half the fruits of their labor in entertainment, is quite unfortunate. The next few statements are quotes from articles and women of the industry expressing such:

According to the article, Entertainment & News Industry Show Disparity & Gender Gap, “If you’ve wondered why media falls short in its portrayal of women, look at who controls the media and you may understand why it’s so. Underrepresented both in front of and behind the scenes, women still struggle to cross the gender gap in the entertainment and news industry.”

According to Winifred Hervey-Stallworth, executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, “Sexism, racism, and the lack of creative freedom are the obstacles women face. Sexism is often more a problem than racism.”

Amy Berg is the co-executive producer of Eureka television series, and she has been confronted by misogyny on staff in the past. Ms. Berg feels that it is sad for misogyny to still exist. Amy Berg stated, “The really horrible thing about this kind of behavior is that it’s not something you can change. You can’t talk things out. I tried. It’s just something that’s ingrained in people. And if you don’t have support from your showrunner, all you can do is pack your stuff and move on to bigger and better things.”

Furthermore, Yvonne Bynoe, the author of Stand & Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership, & Hip Hop Culture, also feels very passionate about what women face in the industry. She feels that women are unfortunately portrayed as beings that are meant to be seen instead of being heard, therefore depriving women of their creative freedom. According to Ms. Bynoe, “Black women within Hip Hop are to be ogled in music videos, insulted in the name of free speech and discussed by pundits, but rarely are they given access to the major media outlets that would allow them to accurately represent themselves, their images and ideas.”

Although much has been written about the experiences of sexism and racism that is unfortunately prevalent in the entertainment industry, as aforementioned, some women have been vanguard in breaking these male dominated barriers. Oprah Winfrey stated, “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.”

In summation, the entertainment industry is a very demanding industry for men and women. Because of male domination, in most instances, women have to work a little harder to be prosperous in entertainment. However, the success of women in this industry has definitely evolved phenomenally as oppose to years ago. This evolution indeed illustrates a woman’s true fruition by turning a woman’s painting into purpose.

Readers,

I decided to take a different route with my post this week. I wanted to capture the aspects of the entertainment industry from a different angle. As I previously inquired, “In general dialogue, why is humanity referred to as man? There is also WOman. Furthermore, why are women objectified when it comes to entertainment, and portrayed as beings that are meant to be seen and not heard?” Also, when a woman has reached her fruition in her career (entertainment as well as other career fields), why does she have to work just as hard or harder to stay on top, and have to demand respect?

I leave you with a couple clips from The Cosby Show from Youtube. This episode is entitled "Mrs. Huxtable Goes To Kindergarten." In this episode, you will witness Claire Huxtable and the men from a panel discussion, Retrospective, (one in particular) get into a bit of a spat, as Claire (woman) is correct in her facts about The Great Depression, but because she illustrates her intelligence, the panel discussion is constantly sent to a commercial break. A woman's point of view (especially when she is intimidating and correct), is not easily accepted by the men. Being outshone by a woman, just did not sit too well with these men. Pay close attention to the following:

(Push the clip to the 8 minute mark where the panel discussion begins)

(Watch this clip up to the 7 minute mark where Claire answers the phone and turns down the offer to stay on the show)

What do you think? Why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Oldies, But Goodies: The Evolution of Music

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0000

From the likes of The Temptations to Boyz II Men, The Manhattans to Jocedi, The Supremes to SWV, Labelle to TLC, The O’Jays to H-Town, The Marvelettes to Xscape, The Jackson 5 to Men At Large, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas to En Vogue, they all illustrate the parents and offspring of music. Over the decades, music has definitely evolved. When I turn on the radio, very rarely do I hear the infamous and harmonious sounds and styles of such groups. The mainstream rotation is flooded with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Waka Flocka, and Drake, just to name a few. Even the brand of rap music has changed, and in my opinion, not for the better. I will admit that I sometimes enjoy listening to rap music from the 80’s and 90’s as oppose to the rap music of today. However, this is my opinion and preference. What is your opinion and preference? I have to listen to a bunch of nonsense on the radio before I can hear something worth enjoying. What has happened? Old school music was not solely about making money, but it also truly meant something in the process. However, now it seems that any and every thing is put to a beat, and money is all that matters. This is the reason why I do not listen to the radio as much, not the regular stations anyways.

Recently I have found a new love for Sirus/XM Satellite Radio, as it caters to all types of genres. On satellite, I can enjoy the sounds of the aforementioned groups as well as the likes of Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Gerald Levert, Mariah Carey (old school), Whitney Houston (old school), Keith Sweat, and Luther Vandross, just to name a few. I understand that such groups and solo artists are considered “oldies”, but they are also “goodies”, and most importantly, have meaning and appeal to the ear. When I do want to enjoy the new school sounds of Ginuwine, Monica, Kandi Burruss, or Robin Thicke, satellite radio allows me to choose the perfect station that caters to this genre without having to listen to what I feel is displeasing to the ear.

According to the letter and video directed to Lil Wayne from ten year old Nia, nine year old Nya, and five year old Kamaria (collectively aliased as Watoto From the Nile), such music is also displeasing to their ear; specifically, Lil Wayne in their letter/video. They feel that artists such as Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, and Michael Jackson, just to name a few, make music that completes their soul. Furthermore, such artists make music that have meaning and make individuals want to dance, clap their hands, and stump their feet, as oppose to promoting the degradation of women (queens, according to Watoto), drugs, and profane language. In my opinion, it is commendable for such young children to express such strong feelings. As the good ole' saying states, "Well, you've heard it from the mouth of the babies!"

One thought that always ponders my mind is, "I wonder if music will ever be what it used to be. They say history repeats itself. I sure would like to see that history repeated." I concur with the lyrics of Marvin Gaye when he sings, "Ah, mercy, mercy me. Ah, things ain't what they used to be, nah." The question is, "What's Going On?" (Gaye, 1971).

Why don't you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Does The Music You Listen To Define Who You Are? Are You Stereotyped Based On Your Preference?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:14:00 +0000

Often times, we as people feed into the stereotypes. For example, you are a thug if you enjoy rap music or promiscuous if you enjoy sexually explicit music or even religious if you enjoy gospel music. However, the situation could be the complete opposite. For instance, there are some corporate professionals who may love rap, but how would you know they enjoy such unless they shared that information with you or you have heard them listening to such? The outside world may stereotype these professionals as individuals who listen to classical music or something of the conservative genre. Does it mean that those who do not prefer conservative music are less of a professional? The same goes for a person who is always listening to gospel music. This person is stereotyped as being a religious or a “good” person. However, what if you ran into this person at a Luther Vandross concert or Betty Wright concert, or even a P.Diddy concert? Does this mean that they are any less of a “good” person?

According to the article, Does Your Music Define You?, Professor Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University who conducted a study on if personality type and musical taste are closely related stated, “The general public has held a stereotype of heavy metal fans as being suicidally depressed and being of a danger to themselves and society in general. But they are quite delicate things." This goes to show that you cannot always perceive a person based on their preference, and that it is quite easy to mistakenly stereotype a person.

What happens is if we know of a person, we tend to stereotype them based on their outer appearance and their demeanor. However, if we actually witness what a person listens to, we stereotype him or her based on their genre preference. In the end, a person is stereotyped one way or another, and these stereotypes can easily offend its victims.

Additionally, some people may say, “I just enjoy the beat of the song, I do not even know the words” or “The words speak to me. They understand me.” or “I just like something upbeat that I can dance to”. Does any of this necessarily mean a specific type of genre defines who people are as human beings?

Here are a few articles expressing various perspectives on not only if music defines who you are, but if so, how and why it defines who you are. They are as follows:

http://www.helium.com/items/1270222-music-and-how-it-does-define-people-but-shouldnt

http://www.helium.com/items/726019-how-music-defines-who-we-are

http://www.helium.com/items/867593-how-music-defines-who-we-are

In my opinion, music does however personify what a person is feeling at any given time. Ironically, it seems that every time you are feeling a certain way, you can turn on the radio and the perfect song is playing. This song happens to explain every single emotion you are feeling or going through. I believe that music is a preference. Music is more of an expression of your emotion and less of a definition of who you are as a person. However, this is just my personal opinion, and others may disagree.

With that being said, why don’t you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.

Related Articles: http://blog.musicomh.com/musicomh/2008/09/does-your-music.html

Does What You Post On Social Networks Matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Boyd) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Please be careful about what you post online. After all, it is the WORLD WIDE WEB! People fail to realize what 'www' means. I have seen so many news stories on the Today's Show about how many employers do not hire candidates due to their facebook or twitter pages. I have even seen stories of people going to jail for things they have stated or posted on social networks. I have also seen so many stories about youth committing suicide from being bullied because they trusted posting photos "in privacy" via inboxes, but somehow they were released. My mother always told me, "Never post or write something you do not want to be read or seen, because as long as it is in writing or put on public sites such as emails, social sites, etc., it can be and most likely WILL be read or seen."
I take this advice to heart, and with my aspiring to be in the entertainment industry, this advice should be at the top of my list of priorities to abide by. However, you do not have to be venturing through the world of entertainment to monitor what you post. You should do this whether you are in grade school, college, your career, and in every day life. Have fun, yes, but be tasteful.

http://www.care2.com/causes/womens-rights/blog/the-real-mean-girls-15-year-old-girl-commits-suicide-after-intense-bullying/

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/more-employers-use-social-networks-to-check-out-applicants/

It is all just sad. This is why I emphasize to be extremely careful!

Why don't you Share In The BlogLedge, and post your sentiments about this topic.