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Friday, November 17, 2006
Councilmen Request Block Be Named After Gerald Levert
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported today that two Cleveland city councilmen are asking that a downtown block
be renamed in honor of Gerald Levert.
The paper reports that councilmen Kevin Conwell and Joe Cimperman will introduce a resolution Monday to designate
East 25th Street between Superior and St. Clair avenues as Gerald Levert Lane. Levert, a great soul singer and son
of legendary singer Eddie Levert, died at his Cleveland area home last week.
The block was chosen because of its proximity to Cleveland’s Radio One stations, which frequently played Levert’s
songs. The area has had lots of visitors since Levert’s passing, teeming with those wishing to pay homage to the late singer.
The Tom Joyner Morning Show, which featured a call from Levert the day he died, will air from Cleveland
on Friday. November’s Sky Show, scheduled for the same day in Greensboro, N.C., will go on as scheduled.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
O.J. Tells How He Would Have Done “It” In Book and Interview
In the 12 years since Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman
were murdered outside of her home, theories have abounded about what happened. Later this month, O.J. Simpson will
tell the world how things would have gone if he committed the crime.
O.J., who was charged with the murders but later acquitted, will do an interview with book publisher Judith
Regan titled “If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened.” The two-part interview, which airs November 27 and 29 at 9 ET/PT on Fox,
will serve as a promotional tool for If I Did It, a book he’s written that will hit stores November 30.
Fox hopes the show will attract big ratings and maybe bring closure to the circus that’s surrounded Simpson
since 1994.
“This is an interview that no one thought would ever happen. It’s the definitive last chapter in the Trial
of the Century,” said Mike Darnell, Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming at Fox, in a statement.
It’s odd that Simpson would choose to hypothesize on the case. After being found not guilty by a Los Angeles jury in 1995, Simpson vowed to hire private investigators to search for the “real killers.”
As of now, no investigations have been conducted.
But clearly, he has his own speculations of what happened. In a clip available on Fox’s Web site, Simpson notes that whoever committed the gruesome double murder would have been covered in the victims’ blood.
No other details of Simpson’s interview were released.
Naomi Campbell Goes To Court
Naomi Campbell returned to court today (Nov. 15) as her lawyer and a Manhattan prosecutor
tried unsuccessfully to cut a deal on charges that she threw a cell phone at her maid over a pair of missing jeans.
"We're still in the process of working out a possible disposition," said Assistant District Attorney Shanda
Strain at a short hearing where the 36-year-old supermodel, who wore a formfitting gray dress and black 3-inch suede pumps,
stood mutely according to the AP.
Campbell's lawyer, David Breitbart,
said he was considering a plea offer from the Manhattan district attorney's office
but declined to provide details. He also told reporters Campbell hoped to reach an
agreement that would only require community service, even though legally she could face up to seven years in prison and deportation
if convicted on the assault charge.
The defense attorney also said he didn't want Campbell in a situation
like '80s pop star Boy George, who was followed by reporters when he did community
service for the Sanitation Department earlier this year after pleading guilty in March to falsely reporting a burglary at
his lower Manhattan apartment.
Campbell was accused of hitting Ana Scolavino in the back of the head with a cell phone in the model's Manhattan
apartment. Scolavino was treated for a head injury after the incident.
On Tuesday, Campbell was sued by another former maid who says the model viciously assaulted her while calling
her a dumb Romanian. The lawsuit by Gaby Gibson, who worked for Campbell from November 2005 through January 2006, calls Campbell
a "violent super-bigot," and says she hit Gibson, called her names and threatened to charge her with theft after being unable
to find a pair of designer jeans. The lawsuit goes on to say "Campbell either kicked or punched the back of Gibson's head
... while yelling discriminatory comments" as the maid searched the closet for the jeans.
"I'm so frustrated that a lawyer would use terms like that," Breitbart said about the bigot remark. "I thought
we learned in law school not to call people names."
The British supermodel is due back in court Jan. 16.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Celebrities Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. At National Memorial
A ground breaking ceremony was held yesterday (Nov. 13) at the newly built Martin Luther King
Jr. Memorial located on the National Mall in Washington commemorating the civil rights leader.
The $100 million project is the first-ever national monument dedicated to an African American on the National
Mall. A multitude of celebrities showed up to turn the first shovels of dirt on the monument honoring King, who was murdered
38 years ago.
"This is very exciting," Harry E. Johnson, president of the Martin Luther King National Memorial, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.
"This is now a reality."
Among the celebrities and national dignitaries were figureheads Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou.
After 10 long years in the making, the efforts to build the memorial accelerated after last year’s passing
of fellow civil rights figure Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, widow of the late Martin Luther King Jr.
“She never was a person to say ’Why didn’t it happen sooner?’ That would not be Coretta Scott King,” Angelou
said of her longtime friend.
The location of the memorial is surrounded by the Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Franklin D. Roosevelt memorials
near the eastern edge of the Potomac River Tidal Basin. From a distance, visitors can see the stairs where King delivered
his most famous speech during the march on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963.
The entrance to the memorial will include a central sculpture called “The Mountain of Despair,” signifying
the racially-compromised climate of America that inspired King and others to overcome racial and social barriers without violence.
“This gateway was designed to lead visitors to the heart and soul of this living memorial,” said Ed Jackson,
Jr., the project’s executive architect.
Donations from major corporations totaled less than $40 million as of August 2005. But as of Nov. 1, donations
topped $65.5 million, and the Martin Luther King Memorial Project Foundation says they hope to have the site completed
by the spring of 2008.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Tue, November 14, 2006 | link
Friday, November 10, 2006
Gerald Levert Dies, Only 40 Years Old
R&B singer Gerald Levert died today (Nov. 10) presumably of a heart attack. He was 40.
Levert, born in Cleveland, was a founding member and the lead singer of the 1990's R&B trio LeVert, who
scored big hits with "Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop (Goes My Mind)", "Casanova", and "ABC-123." He was also a part of R&B supergroup
LSG, composed of platinum selling R&B crooners Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill.
As a solo artist, Levert gained an immense fan base with a string of R&B ballads ("I'd Give Anything (to
Fall in Love)", "You Got That Love") from his numerous album projects on East West/Elektra Records.
Over the years, the vocal powerhouse has collaborated with Patti LaBelle, Miki Howard, Kelly Price,
Teena Marie, Chris Rock and with his father, Eddie Levert, on many different occasions.
"All of us at Atlantic [Records] are shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely death," said an Atlantic
rep via e-mail. "He was one of the greatest voices of our time, who sang with unmatched soulfulness and power, as well as
a tremendously gifted composer and an accomplished producer. Above all, he was an exceptional human being whose warmth and
grace inspired us all. Gerald has been a member of our family for two decades, and he will be greatly missed by everyone who
had the pleasure and privilege of working with him through the years.
"This is a tremendous loss for the music community and for his millions of fans. Our thoughts and prayers
are with Gerald’s family during this very difficult time.”
No further information was available at press time.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Two New Mary J. Blige Collections On The Way
Fourteen years after her debut, Mary J. Blige is the unquestioned R&B voice of her generation.
To celebrate 2006, her most successful year, she’s dropping a commemorative greatest hits package and a benefit album for
the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Reflections—A Retrospective will feature classics ranging from
What’s the 411? all the way to The Breakthough, along with four new recordings.
The package will hit stores December 12, and the first single will be “We Ride (I See The Future),” which
will reunite Blige with Bryan Michael Cox and Johnta Austin, the team behind “Be Without You.” According to a statement released
by Mary’s label, Geffen Records, the record is both a celebration of 2006 and a tribute to Blige’s faithful fans.
The package is coming at the apex of Blige’s career. 2005’s The Breakthrough debuted at #1 and sold
over 700,000 copies in its first week. 2006 saw her join U2 to perform her cover of the Irish band’s classic “One,”
along with performances on “Dances With The Stars,” “American Idol,” “Oprah” and the soap opera “One Life to Live.”
Geffen also announced that Mary J. Blige and Friends, a two-disc set available only at Circuit City,
is coming soon.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Boxer Kid Chocolate Wins, Again
Less than a month after vibe.com featured a detailed report on the super middleweight boxer, Peter
"Kid Chocolate" Quillin, Vibe Magazine conducted a photo shoot portraying Quillin getting knocked out by music guru Diddy,
which appears in its November 2006 Championship issue. "Kid Chocolate" redeemed his losing centerfold image on Friday (Nov.
3), knocking out his opponent David Estrada in the first round.
The victorious win, which took place during Cedric Kushner's
Boxing Marathon Extravanga at New York's famed Roseland Ballroom, makes for Quillin's 8th consecutive win and his 7th career
knock out, while Estrada's new record lies at 10 losses, 10 wins, and 7 knock outs.
The 160 lb. Afro Cuban, who
hails from the streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan, also defeated Brad Austin in a second round knock out during a fight that
took place on September 20.
Quillin, who throws chocolate candies to the audience after every
fight, adopted his nickname after noticing his physical resemblance to the late Cuban-born fighter originally nicknamed "Kid
Chocolate".
When Quillin’s not in the ring putting his fists of fury to use,
abiding by a strict training regimen, or working as a fulltime boxing instructor, then he’s spending time guiding inner-city
youth at the Goodwill Center in Jamaica, Queens, where he acts as a youth mentor and boxing instructor. “I know how important
it is to have a positive role model,” said Quillin during an exclusive Vibe.com interview. “If I’m able to make a difference
by helping kids see that they can achieve success if they put their mind to it, then that’s all that matters.”
And as far as that Vibe/Diddy shot goes, Quillin remains “It
was a lot of fun and it was great exposure for me."
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Denzel Washington Credits Mentors in New Book
Actor Denzel Washington's new book, A Hand To Guide Me, gives credit to his childhood mentors,
along with those of more than 70 entertainment, sports, business and political leaders.
"It's a celebration of the people behind the people those who don't get the recognition who influence the
Bill Clintons or the Jimmy Carters or the George Steinbrenners of the world," said Washington.
A Hand To Guide Me, which gathers together essays by more than 70 entertainment, sports, business and
political leaders, features both Cinton and Carter, as well as New York Yankees owner, John Mellencamp, Whoopi Goldberg, Atlanta
Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, and others, who tell the stories of their own childhood mentors.
In Washington's own story, he writes that he took inspiration as a child from a counselor at the Boys Club
in his hometown of Mount Vernon, N.Y, a high school English teacher who had students read the New York Times every morning.
He also found a mentor in a barber at a shop where he earned money sweeping.
"We all have the potential to help out and inspire young people and to make an impression upon them," Washington
said.
The book is a fundraiser for the Atlanta-based Boys and Girls Clubs of America, with 60 percent of the proceeds
going to the Boys and Girls Clubs, and a quarter of that going to his childhood club in Mount Vernon.
Washington, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2002 for Training Day and for Best Supporting Actor
in 1989's Glory, next appears in Deja Vu, a science fiction thriller that opens Nov. 22.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
London Woman Says She is Real Mother of Michael Jackson Kids, Files Lawsuit
A London mental patient has filed a lawsuit claiming she is the real mother of Michael Jackson's
three kids, among other things.
Nona Jackson, 36, who filed suit without a lawyer on October 20, claims she is the biological mother of Prince
Michael, 9, Paris, 8, and Prince Michael 2nd, 4, and is demanding a say in Jackson's custody agreement with his ex-wife, Debbie
Rowe, reports the New York Daily News.
"Michael and I are a sexually active couple and have been this way from the
beginning," Nona Jackson claims in a bizarre letter to the Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming DNA tests would prove her
claim. She also says Rowe and Michael Jackson's other ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley, are guilty of extorting money from the
singer, and that those relationships were never consummated.
As if that wasn't enough, Nona, whose birth name is Deborah Olufnmilola Oluwatoyosi Famoriyo, refers to herself
as a "Black Jew born in Britain," and claims to have written more than 3,000 songs and six scripts for Jackson.
Nona says she is on the British dole as Victoria Armstrong-Jones, though she legally changed her name to match
Jackson's.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Actor Jesse Martin Is Robbed In Hometown
Actor Jesse L. Martin, who plays a cop in the television series Law & Order, became
a real-life crime victim after returning to his hometown of Buffalo to shoot a film.
Martin was eating breakfast in a restaurant on Monday (Oct. 23), signing autographs
and even offering career advice to the cook, when someone broke into his sport utility vehicle and stole his luggage, video
iPod and dozens of autographed photos.
"He's lived in New York City for 20 years and has never been robbed or a victim of theft," director Peter
McGennis said. "He comes back here and in two days he gets fleeced."
Martin, 37, was filming scenes for McGennis' independent movie "Buffalo Bushido." He flew back to New York
City with only the clothes on his back and his wallet.
A graduate of the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, Martin plays Detective Ed Green on the NBC
series.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Naomi Campbell Arrested Again?
Supermodel Naomi Campbell was transported by police to a local London police station Thursday after
her alleged involvement in an altercation the day before, police and news reports said.
Metropolitan Police reports said officers were called to an address in central London Wednesday (Oct. 25)
afternoon and arrested a 36-year-old woman at 1:20 p.m., who was eventually released on bail.
Police declined to say whether Campbell, 36, was involved. However, those involved did confirm inquiries,
stating that "a 36-year-old woman" had returned to a police station Thursday morning and was released on bail until an undisclosed
date in December.
The force does not name people who have ben arrested unless they are charged with a crime.
A statement from the Outside Organization, which represents Campbell, said, "We believe there has been a misunderstanding.
Once police have investigated we are sure this will be resolved satisfactorily."
Campbell admitted in 2000 that she attacked her personal assistant Georgina Galanis, with a bejeweled cell
phone. The model paid an undisclosed sum to Galanis and was not convicted of a crime.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Kelly Price Back With ‘This Is Who I Am’
Singer Kelly Price transitions from the secular to the spiritual with her first gospel/inspiration album,
This is Who I Am.
Kelly Price’s 2003 gold-certified effort, Priceless, featured the singer’s usual R&B flair,
but Price takes a different turn in her latest album, This Is Who I Am.
This Is Who I Am is a “collection of eleven
songs, that are very eclectic, which is what I am musically. I love all kinds of music and this album reflects that,” Price
told Vibe.com exclusively.
Some of the biggest artists in gospel music today are featured in collaborations with Price
including Donnie McClurkin, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Richard Smallwood and Joe Ligon from the legendary gospel quartet, Mighty
Clouds of Joy.
The first single, "Healing", is a track “was written for anybody who has dealt with emotional things
that they need to be healed from."
Price, a self-described “preacher’s kid, who grew up in the church,” did not necessarily
aim to make an album filled with “church songs” but rather “an album that embodies anything anybody would want to hear– songs
that touch you from the inside out."
Although switching genres on this record, Price has no plans to stop recording R&B.
“I always wanted to make a gospel record…to pay homage to the way I grew up." states Price. "The music that I grew up on.
The music that my mother listened to.”
Price’s platinum debut, A Soul of a Woman, released in 1998 featured the hit,
“Friend of Mine” which was later remixed and featured R. Kelly and Ronald Isley. The song made history by reaching Billboard’s
top spot twice for the same song. It also reached the #1 spot with no music video at television.
The thrice Grammy-nominated
Price who also writes, produces and acts, began her recording career as a backup singer for Mariah Carey. Hip hop heads will
also be familiar with her vocals on the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” and Diddy’s “No Way Out”.
 Healing drops October 24.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Russell Simmons Announces Humanitarian Fact-Finding Mission to Southern Africa
Hip hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons announced today that he has accepted an invitation by
the Diamond Information Center to travel to south africa for a humanitarian fact-finding mission.
As the owner of the Simmons Jewelry Company, Simmons is interested in learning
how his relationships in the diamond business can help to enhance the educational and economic empowerment of people and communities
in Africa.
Simmons will lead the mission to South Africa and Botswana from November 26 to December 4, 2006.
Friday, October 20, 2006
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Def Jam Creates Hip Hop Video Game For 2007
Def Jam and Electronic Arts (EA) announced the release of DEF JAM: ICON for Playstation3 and Xbox 360
video game consoles, set to hit stores March 2007.
The hip-hop-influenced game, which fuses music with culture and hip hop lifestyle
elements, will premier in North America and Europe, and is said to be the next generation in video gaming.
“Music is the cornerstone of hip hop culture so we wanted to incorporate music and rhythm into the actual
game play mechanics,” says Kudo Tsunoda, executive producer and General Manager of EA, a computer company based in Chicago.
“In DEF JAM: ICON, we are changing the way fighting games are played! We are completely innovating
the role of the environments in the games, moving from the typical lifeless arenas," Tsunda added. "The hip hop celebrities
are fighting in to environments that play an instrumental part in the fight where they will react to the music and interact
with both characters like a third fighter."
The game will feature simulated reality action street fighting and hip hop beats as players live out the life
of a hip hop mogul through T.I., Ludacris or Big Boi of Outkast. The music will effect how players fight in each venue, while
interactions with other characters will be a key strategy to staying alive.
"DEF JAM: ICON will guarantee the ultimate combination of a real hip hop experience and revolutionary
fighting game play,” concluded Lauren Wirtzer, VP Marketing, Def Jam Enterprises.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Girls From Danity Kane In Car Accident
First Cassidy, now reports have it that Aubrey, Aundrea, D. Woods, Dawn and Shannon -
the girls from Danity Kane - have been involved in their own freeway mishap.
According to a myspace blog posted
today (Oct. 13), the girls were in a "really bad car accident," stating that Aubrey had a "really mild concussion and a black
eye, Dawn hurt her shoulder and they all have whiplash injuries."
The post goes on to say "Aubrey wanted everyone to know that Danity Kane
is very sorry and upset about not being able to make their appearance at the club tonight."
An Atlantic rep confirmed all members of the group are still in the hospital. No word on when they will be
discharged.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Not James Brown But Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman
Baltimore, MD (BlackNews.com) - Men waking "singing in hieroglyphics" the sweat from their love making creating
a new Nile? Is this possible? To restore black love is as challenging as rebuilding the pyramids. Personal Passion is a poetry
and photography collaboration that is symmetry between the visual art and the written word. Of course the women are beautiful,
and distracting, however "Personal Passion" is also a mirror to encourage the reader to love and celebrate the erotic.
Black
women have not always been proud of their bodies, so Personal Passion is then a walk to freedom. Let's begin with the lady
with cuffs. You look at her holding them in her left hand. Do you want to play with her? Or is this a reminder that perhaps
many of our men [and women] are outlaws?
Personal Passion, by Jesse Sharpe, brings together photography and poetry
(phoetry). One is therefore directed to the image and the metaphor. It is seductive, and the visual connection between the
poetry and the photography is not only moving, but requires the reader to look from the photograph to the poem for explanation.
"The poems included in Personal Passion have a fragrance to them. It's a combination of incense and flowers. The sensual
tone captures a degree of moisture and one assumes all the wetness is from two bodies and not one."
- E. Ethelbert Miller,
poet and literary activists Director of the African American Resource Center at Howard University
From a woman's point
of view:
Personal Passion is remarkable book of poetry and erotic photography. Jesse Sharpe and his colleagues are
able to capture the beauty and sensuality of the women and the tenderness of the men. The work is a journey of love and passion.
-
Carolyn Johnston, Prof. of American History at Eckerd College
All those who have reviewed this collaboration agree,
the best advice is to purchase a copy and to become immersed in it. Personal Passion is such a tasteful tribute of phoetry
(photography and poetry) to women, that it is deserving of a both golden quill and golden frame.
Jesse Sharpe is a
native Washingtonian (D.C.), and now writes now just a stone's throw away in Maryland, that is if you don't catch him writing
on the city's subway. The sequel to Personal Passion, Mannerizmz is due to be released in January 2007. His other books include
Hurry Home (war chronicles), a collection of love poetry in the midst of war; Menfolk Talk'n, poetry and a short story lamenting
the destruction of young black boys; Foreplay (hands gliden'n ovah me), erotic poetry; and an amazing children's activity
workbook - My Afri-bets Learning Book - that combines poetry, vocabulary building, Swahili, cutting and pasting as well as
handwriting practice in one book.
Personal Passion, as well as the author's other books may be ordered online at www.sharpebooksonline.com or from bookstores and other online sources. Email Jesse Sharpe at sharpesolutions1@comcast.net
or contact him at 240-375-6033 for reviews, book signings, or more information.
Monday, October 9, 2006
BET in Talks to Air Reruns of HBO's 'Wire'
HBO is finalizing a deal with BET to make the black-oriented cable channel the syndicated home of its critically
acclaimed original series The Wire.
According to the Associated Press, the pact allows HBO, which recently ordered a fifth and final season of
the drama series, to give BET all five seasons of The Wire, - which is currently four episodes into its fourth season
- amounting to a total of 62 episodes.
The AP also reported that BET is looking to begin airing one episode per week in primetime as soon as the
first quarter of next year, with multiple runs for each installment. The Viacom-owned network is expected to put a substantial
marketing push behind The Wire - perhaps in the range of $100,000 per episode, a low sum by syndication standards.
The Wire is not BET's first syndicated acquisition from HBO; the network also purchased the critically
acclaimed miniseries The Corner, which, like Wire, chronicled the harsh realities of inner-city life.
Friday, October 6, 2006
R. Kelly Back In Court, Accused of Assault
R. Kelly is no stranger to court, but this time around, the hearing is due to a personal
strike against the Pied Piper, as Henry "Love" Vaughn, who describes himself as a longtime "mentor and guide" to R. Kelly,
claims to have been attacked by the Chi-Town R&B legend.
Yahoo.com reports that in a suit filed Wednesday (Oct. 4), Vaughn was at Kelly's South Suburban Olympia Fields home last
February when, following an argument, Kelly and other employees dragged Vaughn to the basement, attacked him and held him
against his will.
The suit goes on to say that the song "Step in the Name of Love" was allegedly Vaughn's creation and that
Kelly went back on a promise to give him half the proceeds from the song.
In a written statement issued Wednesday, a representative of Kelly characterized Vaughn as a "disgruntled
former employee and hanger-on" who is using the lawsuit to extort money from the singer.
Vaughn's suit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages and court costs.
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