Soulheads, this looks like a must see. For anyone even vaguely interested in underground soul music, the scene, the music and the artists should stay in the loop on this coming classic release.
This film is the story of a cultural legend as told by the innovators of an important, and in some cases overlooked, era in Black culture. Spanning the late 1980′s through to the early 2000′s, this story goes deep into the fabric of soul music, it’s definitions, it’s pioneers, it’s offspring, it’s movements, the challenges with the “mainstream” industry and the evolution of the FunkJazz Kafé, a music and arts movement born of Atlanta’s diverse musical heritage. The film covers the decade when Atlanta’s underground music scene became established on the world stage and a new generation of soul singers and musicians emerged.
Appearances by:
CORNEL WEST, DICK GREGORY, DALLAS AUSTIN, ERYKAH BADU, CARON WHEELER, LARRY MIZELL, JOI GILLIAM, GEORGE CLINTON, CEE LO GREEN, JILL SCOTT, ROY AYERS, JAMIE FOXX, RAPHAEL SAADIQ, LIL’ JOHN ROBERTS, THE CHRONICLE, GOODIE MOB, DOUG E. FRESH, JANELLE MONAE, MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO, CHUCK D, PROFESSOR GRIFF, OMAR LYE-FOOK, MC LYTE, TALIB KWELI, COMMON, JAMAL AHMAD, ANTHONY DAVID, RAY MURRAY, ANDRE 3000, N’DEA DAVENPORT, ALGEBRA, LERONDE WILLIAMS, KEVIN POWELL, LOOSE ENDS, BILAL, DIONNE FARRIS, VAN HUNT, ERIC ROBERSON, DONNIE, LADY ALMA, BONE CRUSHER, STICMAN of DEAD PREZ, DJ KEMIT and SPEECH
EXCLUSIVE ADVANCED PREVIEW:
July 13, 2011
During the 2011 National Black Arts Festival
There will be a panel discussion with the director and selected cast from the film after the screening
We are pleased to announce that the much talked about documentary, “Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest” will be hitting theaters on Friday, July 8, 2011 at 4 theaters (3 in NYC and 1 in Hollywood) and then wider release beginning 7/15/2011. The film which is directed by the aptly named Michael Rapaport and will feature behind the scenes footage, concert performances and other tidbits that fans of this legendary group will appreciate. This should definitely be on your calendar. In case you missed it, we also have a free download of the J. Period and Q-Tip “The Abstract” mixtape here.
Check this link for your viewing locations near you. Get more information at the Sony Classics site here.
We simply cannot wait for this FREE show this Friday sponsored by BRIC, the Brooklyn organization responsible for the long running series of free concerts held at the Prospect Park bandshell among other locations.
Event Details:
Steel Pulse
Natural Expression Rhythm Band
Friday, July 1 / 7:30pm / gates 6:30pm
The mighty STEEL PULSE, “perhaps the last great old-school reggae band left,” (NPR) came storming out of Burmingham, UK in the late ’70s and have never let up, delivering their Rastafarian protest reggae with relentless fire now for three-plus decades. NATURAL EXPRESSION RHYTHM BAND, a sprawling local pan-Caribbean collective, hammers out a joyful noise on everything from cowbells to old car parts.
We are huge huge fans of Steel Pulse and had the benefit of going to see them on the waterfront for the first time a couple of years ago. It was a truly amazing time. This is truly a rare treat. These guys sound just perfect. Personally, we cannot imagine a more relaxing time on a Friday night to unwind than this. See you in the front row!
Soulhead #1
Here are a couple of our favorites from Steel Pulse:
According to The Washington Post, several Soul Train items are headed to the Smithsonian.
Reprinted from The Washington Post:
“Get on Board,” one of the the rollicking themes from “Soul Train” could be the mantra of the National Museum of African American History and Culture as the future museum raises funds and collects artifacts.
It has decided to collect some artifacts from “the hippest trip in America,” officials announced Thursday. Next week a few items from the groundbreaking –and backbreaking, in some cases–weekly show of dance and music will be given to the museum.
For 37 years and more than 1,000 episodes, “Soul Train” spotlighted the latest dance moves born in the African American communities in its signature Soul Train dance line. And the dancing didn’t stop as the musical headliners of the time performed. On the stage were The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Christina Aquilera, David Bowie, James Brown and John Legend.
Aretha Franklin, with Don Cornelius, celebrated the show’s 30th anniversary. (Tribune Entertainment – GETTY IMAGES)
The show first aired nationally in 1971, hosted by Don Cornelius, a Chicago disc jockey who took the show to Los Angeles, and into syndication. Cornelius had a thunderous voice, ending each show with a promise: “As always in parting, we wish you love, peace and SOUL!”
“From a scholarly point of view, this is one of those television shows that beamed African American cultural to the households of black and white America. It become of the early crossover shows. It dominated the black TV viewership of black teenagers. And then it impacted white households,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the museum. The New Jersey native added a personal note to the gift. “Like every black kid in America, I watched to see what the newest move was–even if I couldn’t do it.”
The neon “Soul Train” sign (Courtesy of the National Museum of African American History and Culture)
The five donations include the 10- foot-long neon “Train” sign, which was used from 1993 to 2006 and neon signs from the program’s music awards show, used in 2006 and 2007.
The acquisitions will be formally announced June 30 at a special panel discussion and dance party, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. This year’s festival will focus on the culture of Colombia, the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps and Rhythm and Blues music.
The “Soul Train” events on the National Mall include Kenard Gibbs, the CEO of Soul Train Holdings; Tony Cornelius, the son of Don Cornelius; Nicholas Puzo, a discjockey and founder of SoulTrainFans and Questlove, a discjockey and drummer for the Roots. Tuliza Fleming, the museum curator who initiated the acquisition, will moderate the panel. Tyrone Proctor, one of the original Soul Train dancers, will demonstrate some moves and host the party with Questlove spinning the songs, as they used to say.
We are likely late to this party, but we just heard a tribute from the legendary Commodores (sans Lionel Richie). They have re-recorded their 80′s tribute to Marvin Gaye and changed several word to make it MJ specific. Check it out if you haven’t heard it yet.
According to the Associated Press, Michael Jackson‘s famous red and black leather jacket from the Thriller video was sold at auction for $1.8 Million.
“Darren Julien, president and CEO of Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, says the jacket was purchased Sunday by Milton Verret, a commodities trader from Austin, Texas.
The jacket is one of two Jackson wore during the filming of the 1983 “Thriller” video. Jackson wears the jacket in a scene with a troupe of zombies who rise from their graves and break into a dance routine.
Verret says the jacket will be sent on tour and used as a fundraising tool for children’s charities.
A portion of the sale price will go to the Shambala Preserve, a big cat sanctuary caring for two tigers Jackson one owned.”
Uh, yea, this was certainly awkward. Today, content winner Tiffany Green, will be looking for a place to hide after last night’s apparent flub of the winner of the BET Viewer’s Choice award. After winking at her favorite artist, Nicki Minaj, in the audience, she took at look at the tablet computer, which was showing Chris Brown, while the teleprompter read Rihanna.
If you listen to the footage close enough, you can hear someone backstage yell “Get it Straight, Get it Straight”. In reality, as reported this morning, the mixup was a human error. Kudos to to BET’s Stephen G. Hill for taking responsibility for the act as reported by the Washington Post here. As it turned out, Chris Brown was indeed the winner although it was announced on the show that Drake had won. As it turned out, Drake didn’t win but was actually accepting the prize for Rihanna, who had been announced as the second option read by Green. Poor thing. We agree with many of these folks on YouTube.com this morning calling for people to leave her alone. She did the best she could with conflicting information. Needless to say, BET will likely return to the conventional paper envelope method next year.
In case you missed the show, here is a nearly minute by minute recap done by the Ledger-Enquirer:
8 p.m. – Mary J. Blige opens the show. Anita Baker makes an appearance on stage. I love you, ladies! Settle for nothing less than real love! (Check out Souhead.com’s previous coverage of the first time these two sang together here.)
8:07 – Host Kevin Hart takes the stage with a pretty intense step routine. His backup dancers? A bunch of cute kids. I’m impressed.
8:10 – Opening monologue from Kevin Hart. “Nobody’s safe tonight,” he says. He’s all about honesty, poking fun at Jamie Foxx for getting in a fight at an Usher concert. He says it’s time for Puffy — er, Diddy, or whatever — to be “grown.” I agree. You get to a certain point in life when you’re only allowed one name.
8:15 – Best Male R&B Artist goes to Chris Brown. I sense some Breezy domination on the horizon. “All my fans are everything to me,” he says.
8:23 – Well hello, Rick Ross. He performs “Aston Martin Music,” and then is joined by Lil Wayne, Ace Hood and DJ Khaled for “Hustle Hard.” I’m not sure it was the best idea for Rick Ross to expose his stomach. It’s a little, um, intense.
8:29 – Malcolm-Jamal Warner has a new show! Woo hoo!
8:30 – Best Young Star is a tie between Jaden and Willow Smith. They kind of HAD to do that, right? In the name of avoiding sibling rivalries?
8:35 – I spy Justin Bieber in the audience.
8:36 – Host Kevin Hart pokes fun at Rick Ross’ bare chest. He says Rick needs a fourth bra. Funny but true.
8:37 – Hart introduces a fake reality show, “The Real Husbands of Hollywood.” Nick Cannon makes an appearance in the pre-filmed clip. I want this show to really happen.
8:40 – Best Female Hip-Hop Artist is Nicki Minaj. Her hair actually looks somewhat normal tonight. I wanted a green wig. “I love my team,” she says. She brings a full entourage on stage with her, including Lil Wayne and Drake.
8:45 – Jill Scott performs “Rolling Hills.” The stage is set up like a really cool jazz club. She has a little dramatic exchange with Idris Elba. I’m loving the whole theater thing.
8:52 – Is there really an “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” movie?
8:54 – Woo hoo! Come on, I know you love “The Five Heartbeats,” too. Great performance.
8:56 – Best Group is Diddy Dirty Money.
8:58 – Tonight’s show will feature some emerging artists. First up: Mali Music, from Savannah, Ga.
9:04 – Chris Brown performs! He starts off with “She Ain’t You.” Um, what’s up with his pants? I get my answer when he removes his first getup — a suit — to perform “Look at Me Now.” The censors stay very busy. Hello, Busta! After that brief interlude, Breezy goes into a major dance sequence. No crying this year, but he definitely knows how to take command of the stage.
9:12 – Best Collaboration is Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes for “Look at Me Now.” Best acceptance line from Chris Brown: “Public speaking is not my strong suit.”
9:18 – Alicia Keys debuts a new song, “Typewriter.” I’m a little leery of the new track, but I’m totally digging the Alicia Keys/Bruno Mars duet to “A Woman’s Worth.” Then Rick Ross is suddenly on stage. Before I can even analyze his random appearance, Alicia Keys busts out some “Fallin.’” I assume I’m not the only one singing along at home.
9:25 – Nicki Minaj represents Team Barbie, Justin Bieber represents Team Bieber. Don’t ask.
9:27 – Best Male Hip-Hop Artist is Kanye West. He couldn’t make it to the show.
9:32 – Time to recognize some everyday heroes. No, Rick Ross is not among the honorees.
9:34 – Time for a performance by Big Sean and…Chris Brown. They sing “My Last.”
9:38 – Another emerging artist: Kimberly Nichole
9:45 – Cherelle and Alexander O’Neal perform “Saturday Love.” Story of my life.
9:48 – Best New Artist is Wiz Khalifa. He thanks all the young people who “promote positivity.”
9:54 – Trey Songz performs “Love Faces.” Hmm. Let’s just say his bare chest looks a lot different from what Rick Ross brought to the stage a little earlier. Then, he goes into “The Usual.” Then, Kelly Rowland sings “Motivation.” She does a great job. Probably my favorite performance of the night so far.
10:01 – Time to thank the U.S. military.
10:02 – Steve Harvey gets a humanitarian award. “Without God, I would be nothing,” he says.
10:12 – Al Sharpton is in the house!
10:14 – Time for some gospel music. Praise the Lord.
10:19 – Best Gospel Album goes to Mary Mary.
10:25 – Patti LaBelle gets the Lifetime Achievement Award. I really, really, really want to hear “New Attitude” right now. Anyone agree? Instead, I get Cee Lo singing “Somebody Loves You Baby.” I’ll take it. Marsha Ambrosius and Shirley Caesar also perform tributes.
10:39 – Patti LaBelle speaks! “Fifty years and I am still counting,” she says. “Thank God that I’m still standing.” She also sings some hits, including “Lady Marmalade.”
10:57 – AWKWARD MOMENT! While presenting the viewers’ choice award, the presenters accidentally announce Chris Brown as the winner for “Look at Me Now.” Um, turns out the real winner is Rihanna/Drake for “What’s My Name?” Wow. Drake accepts the award. Awkward.
10:59 – The annual “in memory” segment includes a performance of “Regulators.” RIP, Nate Dogg.
11:10 – DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne perform “I’m On One.”
11:16 – Beyonce performs! It’s video footage from her concert in England. She sings “Best Thing I Never Had” followed by “End of Time.”
11:26 – Host Kevin Hart clears up the confusion regarding the viewers’ choice award. Turns out Chris Brown is the real winner after all. He also won the fandemonium award.
We are geared up to check out the 2011 BET Awards and are eagerly awaiting this year’s winners. Check out our predictions below:
Best Female R&B Artist
Marsha Ambrosius Beyoncé
Keri Hilson
Jennifer Hudson Rihanna
Soulhead Pick: This is a tough one since we actually feel there may be a few singers left of this list, namely Ledisi. BUT, we digress. We will go with Beyonce’ based on this list. It’s just really hard to beat B. Plus, she is performing. Could be a lock.
Winner: Rihanna. We find this pretty interesting but Ri Ri did have a strong year last year albeit a bit more edgy than some parents of pre-teen girls may like. Could this be BET’s way of changing the guard (at least temporarily) from Beyonce to Rihanna as the Queen of Pop & B?
Best Male R&B Artist Chris Brown
Cee-Lo Green
Bruno Mars Trey Songz
Usher
Soulhead Pick: We’re going to go with Trey on this one. That brother worked pretty hard this past year to raise his profile. With some of the most unique song names, we will go with him.
Winner: Chris Brown. We knew there was a chance for this to happen but didnt think there would such a wholesale endorsement of Chris Brown. We clearly were wrong.
Best Group Diddy Dirty Money
Cali Swag District
N.E.R.D.
New Boyz
Travis Porter
Soulhead Pick: Again, there was not an enormous amount of quality to choose from, but given the choices, Diddy could get this one. Given recent headlines, Cali Sway could get the nod, but probably not likely.
Winner: Diddy Dirty Money
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Diamond
Cymphonique
Lola Monroe Nicki Minaj
Soulhead pick: We’d be extremely surprised if Nicki Minaj didnt win this one.
Winner: Nicki Minaj. As we said, we’d be pretty amazed if she didn’t win. Her acceptance speech was pretty funny too.
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
B.o.B Drake
Lil Wayne
Rick Ross Kanye West
Soulhead Pick: This is a really really tough one to call. We’d love to see B.o.B. win it but think Drake will get the award here. Kanye also deserves the award as does Rick, but something tells me this could be Drake’s year.
Winner: Kanye West. We were close but no cigar.
Best Collaboration
B.o.B ft. Haley Williams of Paramore, “Airplanes” Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, “Look At Me Now” Kanye West ft. Rihanna, “All of the Lights”
Chris Brown ft. Tyga & Kevin McCall, “Deuces”
Waka Flocka Flame ft. Roscoe Dash & Wale, “No Hands”
Rihanna ft. Drake, “What’s My Name”
Soulhead Pick – We really liked the sultry “What’s My Name” by Rihanna and Drake but REALLY liked “All of the Lights” with Kanye. There are a number of bangers on this list for sure.
Winner: Chris Brown “Look at Me Now”. No comment.
Best New Artist
J. Cole
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Willow Smith Wiz Khalifa
Soulhead Pick – We’d love to see Miguel win for his excellent “All I Want is You” but think of the group, Wiz Khalifa may have made a bit more noise. Bruno could take it based on several notable contributions, but we think the buzz was with Wiz this year.
Winner: Wiz Khalifa took it and the lovely Amber Rose home last night. Lucky brother.
YoungStars Award
Shenell Edmonds
Keke Palmer
Diggy Simmons Jaden Smith Willow Smith
Soulhead Pick – It’s tough to go against the Titan Smith clan. Our pick would be Willow Smith with Keke or Diggie coming in a close second.
Winner: Willow Smith and Jaden Smith (tie). We didn’t see the tie coming but this smelled of politics to us.
Best Gospel
Byron Cage
Deitrick Haddon Mary Mary
Karen Clark Sheard
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Soulhead Pick: Mary Mary deserves this for getting the gospel spread to a wider audience.
Winner: Mary Mary
Centric Award Marsha Ambrosius
Eric Benét
Cee-Lo Green R. Kelly
Kem
Soulhead Pick – R. Kelly still delivers and should win. If not, Kem could take it since he had a great year.
Winner: Marsha Ambrosius did deserve it and she was there to receive the award.
Best International Act (Africa) 2Face Idibia (Nigeria) D’ Banj (Nigeria)
D-Black (Ghana)
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo) Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
Teargas (South Africa)
Soulhead Pick: Angelique Kidjo is hard to beat here. Classic and prolific.
Winner: 2Face Idibia (Nigeria) and D’ Banj (Nigeria) (TIE)
Best International Act (UK)
VV Brown
Chipmunk
Laura Izibor
Skepta
Tinchy Stryder Tinie Tempah
Soulhead Pick – Love Tinie Tempah and hope the selection committee does too.
Winner: Tinie Tempah. Nice!
Best Actress
Halle Berry Taraji P. Henson Regina King
Zoë Saldana
Kerry Washington
Soulhead Pick – Regina did it again this year. We would love to see Taraji win too.
Winner: Taraji P. Henson. We almost got this one right!
Best Actor
Laz Alonso
Chris Brown
Don Cheadle Idris Elba
Jamie Foxx
Soulhead Pick – Idris Elba
Winner: Idris Elba
Best Movie
Death at a Funeral For Colored Girls
Takers
The Book of Eli
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married, Too?
Soulhead Pick – For Colored Girls
Winner: For Colored Girls
Sportswoman of the Year
Tamika Catchings
Candice Dupree
Maya Moore Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Soulhead Pick – Serena Williams for coming back and destroying the competition.
Winner: Serena Williams
Sportsman of the Year
Carmelo Anthony
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James Derrick Rose Michael Vick
Soulhead Pick – Loved witnessing Derrick’s ascent this year.
I remember that day two years ago when I heard the news that Michael Jackson had died. At the time, I was on a conference call with Steve Harvey’s team at Beverly Hill’s SLS Hotel and got an urgent message from a my frat brother Frederick. The message told me that Michael Jackson had been rushed to a hospital not too far from where I was at the time. Immediately, I alerted my colleagues and the call went silent. Within seconds, everyone agreed that we should reschedule the call until the situation got better. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
Later, in another meeting, I got a follow-up text from my friend that Michael Jackson was dead. I was crushed. Too crushed for words, actually. I simply turned my phone towards the other people in my meeting and everyone just gasped in disbelief. A few phone calls and Google searches confirmed our fears. Our childhood idol, our King of Music, not just Pop, was gone forever.
After ordering the requisite rounds of drinks, I knew exactly what we needed. I played the video for the “Motown 25″ celebration which featured one of Michael’s many steps to immortality. We all watched in awe as if we were 13 again and for a moment, it felt like we were in a dream and Michael was still alive.
Alas, he was not. I remember leaving the hotel that day very choked up and actually feeling a little lost. I had never been in a world without Michael Jackson.
I drove out of the parking lot of the hotel and turned on the radio. Nearly every station was playing long stretches of Michael’s music. I turned to KJLA and they were playing ‘Good Times’, a song that is actually rarely played on the radio anymore. The deep melody and lyrics, which seemed more timely than ever literally broke me down. Michael’s voice and the music was just too much to continue driving.
I pulled over and cried like a baby. Head in hands. After composing myself, I drove to Frederick’s house. Once we both saw each other, I remember us just giving each other a hug and crying. We had been through a lot as boys but I never recall a more emotional moment. I’m glad we were there for each other at such a time of loss. We hung out and talked about how unbelievable it was and how sad we were. Afterwards, we met up with another frat brother, Lawrence, at one of our favorite places in LA, The Cork, where Michael’s music was playing and people were singing.
Sure, over the years, there had been years of allegations that Michael had had inappropriate relationships with children and that he was using prescription medication, maybe even excessively. However, we never believed that Michael would do anything to ever harm a child and always believed in his innocence. What we did know was true was that a lot of people are motivated by money and will do anything to dim the shine of one of the greatest stars the world has ever known. We later found out that Michael had been using prescription medication after his 80′s Pepsi commercial debacle where his hair caught on fire. Until the subsequent investigations, we also learned more about the extent of that usage and its administration, both of which played a significant role in his death.
Today, we are deeply saddened to know that we may never really know what happened to Michael on this day two years ago. At the same time, we are happy that his legacy lives on and continues to inspire people throughout the world. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear at least 1 Michael Jackson song and that is a blessing. We miss you Michael!
What an incredible time was had by all at this incredible meeting of the past, present and future of hip hop. On a cloudy and sometimes rainy night in the grimy Apple, an MC who ranks #1 on many greatest rapper of all time lists, Rakim, and the seminal hip hop outfit, The Roots. It has been quite a while since we first committed the entire “Paid in Full” album to memory but on this night, heads were clearly nodding as hard as they were back in the 80′s when this seminal album was first released.
To all of our Brooklyn Soulheads, you better be planning to come out to see singing (soon to be) legend and 4 time Grammy nominee, Ledesi, perform tonight for FREE in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Bandshell. Each Summer in NYC, the free concerts have been getting better and better. This year is no exception. The concert is a part of the long running (33 years to be exact) Celebrate Brooklyn series sponsored by BRIC.
Ledisi is one of this generations most important singers hands down. With an incredible range and ability to emote, she has one of the most enjoyable live shows of any current singing act. She is totally open in her performances and really exposes her feelings and perspectives on the songs she is singing. We are very fortunate to have followed Ledisi’s career since her days back in the San Francisco Bay Area so we are a little less objective about this one.
Her latest album from legendary Verve Records, “Pieces of Me”, includes the very powerful title track that has been gaining popularity and receiving national airplay.
Anthony David has been grinding for many many years and we actually recall meeting him in the early days when he opened for Imani Uzuri in New York’s CB’s (of CBGB fame) Gallery. He has certainly come a long way since then but we know he will tear the house down with his strong vocals and real songs…songs that actually say something.
His recent album project, “Acey Duecy”, has spawned the radio-friendly and soulful song, “4Evermore”, which features the backing vocals of soulful underground singer Algebra and rapper Phonte from rap group, Little Brother. This song grooves.
Price: All Celebrate Brooklyn performances are free with a $3 suggested donation
Location:
The Bandshell is located inside the Park at Prospect Park West and 9th Street.
Directions:
By Public Transportation: (MTA map) • F, G Trains to 15th Street/Prospect Park station or 7 Ave station • 2 or 3 Train to Grand Army Plaza • B-68 or B-69 Buses to Prospect Park West & Ninth Street By Car: • From Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges: Take Flatbush Ave. to Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park West exit to 9th St. • From BQE: Take BQE to 38th St. exit. Make left on 4th Ave, then right on 9th St. to Prospect Park West.
According to many inside sources, a large group of regulars from the recently closed Moe’s Bar will be staging a silent protest at 6pm on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 in front of Ralph’s store which is located on the Northwest corner of South Portland and Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Unless you have been out of the country or under a rock, you couldn’t have missed the extensive local coverage of the closing of Moe’s Bar and the surrounding issues (see our coverage here). However, to make matters worse, fliers have recently been circulating touting the ‘kick off party’ of a Mo’sBar and Lounge (Moe’s sans ‘e’) at the same location as the previous Moe’s and hosted by the Fort Greene Festival.
What is this? Coming to America? Is this McDowell’s.
McDowell's
Needless to say, the news did not please the previous owners or the regulars that helped to make Moe’s a Brooklyn institution.
So, if you have ever been to Moe’s or even had a dream of being in a space with a diverse fun loving group of accepting and loving people, then come on out to join in. There will be a limited number of tee-shirts available. June 22, 2011 6pm. Corner of South Portland and Lafayette. Look for the people with the following shirt on:
soulheads rejoice! Much slept on and in many ways underrated MC Pharoahe Monch makes his way to the legendary Weeksville stage on Saturday, July 2, 2011. For those who don’t know, Monch has been on the scene since the Golden era. We recall meeting him back in the day when he was a part of the seminal hip-hop duo Organized Confusion. Along with Prince Po(etry), they crafted some of the illest rhyme patterns and lyrics over beats that were fresh and not overly sampled at the time and were one of the first groups signed to now defunct and Disney owned Hollywood Basic hip hop imprint. When we met then, Monch was walking to a gig at the now defunct Muse underground hip hop club. He was very humble and a great guy as we had expected. He treated me, then a college radio DJ, with much love and respect.
According to his website, Baloji, is a Congolese Belgian singer. We did some research and really dig this number, which is sung in French. Nice groovy tune with an international flavor.
We are looking forward to seeing this and many other shows this Summer at Weeksville. This popular series curated by fellow Soulhead and Rebel Soul Records owner, Shawn Peters, has featured a stellar lineup for years and this year seems to be no different. Rebel Soul, as many know, is the home of to one of our favorite singers, Martin Luther.
Big up to Kev Beadle’s Solar Radio Show for the heads up on this one. We dig this! Think neo-soul improv with that familiar progressive J Dilla feel. Love this groove. Support underground music. Download this hot track for free here.
Call it what you want, ‘Jherri’, ‘S’, ‘Juicy’, but looking at the recent photos on NicoleBitchie.com, it looks like the G-Unit head honcho, 50 Cent, is taking it retro with his ‘new’ look from way back. Whowouldathunkit? 50 Cent has a Jherri Curl! The soaked headed look from the 80′s makes a triumphant (not) return! Big up to the Axel F Facebook group who will be quite happy to know that the legacy continues. If this aspect of the past returns, we may not be that happy but the paper towel manufacturer’s will surely be happy. He joins such legends as Easy E, Kurtis Blow and of course, Full Force, as purveyors of the greasy locks.
As reported by several local news sources, Richard King, a student on break from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY, was beat down by Patti Labelle’s security at the George H.W. Bush International Airport in Houston, TX in March. Check this video footage and judge for yourself.
What is really hilarious is that instead of investigating the claims themselves, the police on the scene are shooting flicks with Patti. Hilarious!
Although this commercial, “Prized Possession” premiered a while ago, we couldn’t help explore it a bit more. As it turns out, the song, Trouble, is sung by Ray LaMontagne. In this spot from Travelers, we follow along as a cute and worried dog searches for, and ultimately finds, the smartest way to protect his most prized possession.
According to Wikipedia, “Raymond Charles “Ray” LaMontagne (born June 18, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter. Reportedly, after hearing a Stephen Stills song, LaMontagne decided to quit his job and pursue a career in music. He has since released four studio albums,Trouble, Till The Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain and God Willin’ and The Creek Don’t Rise. In the UK, Trouble was a top 5 hit, and the the title track of the album was a top 25 hit. Till the Sun Turns Black was a top 40 hit in the U.S. A soft-spoken person who is known for his raspy voice, LaMontagne has won a number of awards for his music and has performed at several charity events.”
This is definitely one of the more soulful commercials we have seen in quite a while. The combination of the lyrics and the dog’s acting ability really sells the premise of the spot. Until hearing this song, we were unaware of the song very happy that someone hip and soulful was working at Traveler’s insurance’s ad agency. Well done!
Listen to the full song and let us know what you think below:
For anyone near downtown Brooklyn tomorrow, Thursday, June 2, at Noon (we hope) the grand funkster himself will be performing as a part of the annual MetroTech concert series which takes place in Downtown Brooklyn. Past concerts have featured legendary Soul, R&B and Funk acts like Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, Lakeside, and N’dea Davenport to name only a small few. This year’s lineup includes Dionne Farris, Jose James and Maxi Priest among many others for FREE!
Of course, this is another reason for us to love our President. In a written proclamation issued yesterday, May 31, 2011, President Barack Obama issued the following proclamation declaring June 2011 as African-American Music Appreciation Month:
The music of our Nation has always spoken to the condition of our people and reflected the diversity of our Union. African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters have made enormous contributions to our culture by capturing the hardships and aspirations of a community and reminding us of our shared values. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, we honor the rich musical traditions of African-American musicians and their gifts to our country and our world.
From the cadenced hums of spirituals to the melodies of rhythm and blues, African-American music has been used to communicate, to challenge, to praise, and to uplift in times of both despair and triumph. The rhythmic chords embedded in spirituals have long expressed a deep faith in the power of prayer, and brought hope to slaves toiling in fields. The soulfulness of jazz and storytelling in the blues inspired a cultural renaissance, while the potent words of gospel gave strength to a generation that rose above the din of hatred to move our country toward justice and equality for all.
Today, African-American musicians continue to create new musical genres and transform the scope of traditional musical formats. The artistic depth of soul, rock and roll, and hip-hop not only bring together people across our Nation, but also energize and shape the creativity of artists around the world. The contributions of African-American composers and musicians to symphony, opera, choral music, and musical theater continue to reach new audiences and encourage listeners to celebrate fresh interpretations of these and other genres.
In cherished songs passed down through generations and innovative musical fusions crafted today, African-American music continues to transcend time, place, and circumstance to provide a source of pride and inspiration for all who hear its harmonies. This month, we celebrate the legacy of African-American music and its enduring power to bring life to the narrative of our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public officials, educators, and all the people of
the United States to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music which is composed, arranged, or performed by African Americans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
To view the official White House version, click here.
