David Banner – The Philanthropist

David Banner – The Philanthropist
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
August 1, 2007


Whether its the drama of Usher’s on-again/off-again engagement, the Mike Vick dog fighting controversy, or the competition for attention from Lindsey, Paris or Nicole, it seems like today’s young stars are competing constantly for negative press attention. This summer alone, there has been more than enough negative publicity from a variety of young actors, rappers, producers, etc; and the press has been diving into this pool of unconstructive behavior. Even the Fugees, everybody’s favorite rap trio, can’t seem to keep family business in the family. Amidst the controversies, back-biting, trash-talking and questionable celebrity relationships, it is always nice when we have a celebrity who defies the odds and does something encouraging and constructive that uplifts our community. My favorite rapper of the month has to be David Banner who constantly gives back to his Mississippi home.

Rapper/Producer/Composer, David Banner, who has contributed much of his time and money into rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, took 80 kids from Stewpot Neighborhood Children's program in Jackson, Mississippi on an all expense paid trip to Six Flags in Georgia. What makes this so special is that many kids, especially here in the south; rarely get a chance to leave their neighborhoods, let alone their state. According to Stewpot Community Services Counselor, Sherry Adams, “The children that we serve at Stewpot would not normally be able to go on an 'out of town' trip. Most of the kids in the community have not been out of Mississippi. Because of Banner's love for our community, he makes it possible for our kids to travel outside of Mississippi, on a fun and exciting summer trip every year. David made it all possible because these kids don't have to pay a dime.” Banner supplied the troop with a bus, food, t-shirts and tickets to the park.
Though this story may not be considered newsworthy, especially in comparison to today’s standards that define celebrity news, this story is extremely special. It shows a side of Banner that will never be displayed or reported through traditional news mediums. It is also an everyday example of what many of our rappers, athletes, and singers are doing everyday throughout communities all over this country that will never be reported or discussed.

I say kudos to Banner and all those who take time out of their celebrity lives to give back and make a difference.
According to Eurweb.com, Banner, whose next album “The Greatest Story Ever Told” is due in October, has been sponsoring these trips to Six Flags since 2005, hoping to introduce the Stewpot kids to different environments.

The Magic of a Civil Rights Award winner

Magic Johnson – Civil Rights Award
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
August 2, 2007

On July 24, Magic Johnson was named as a recipient of the National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award. The museum holds this event each fall in honor of individuals who are significant contributors in civil rights and are future leaders for the fight for human rights. Individuals who have received the Freedom Award have had a global impact, or have impacted human and civil rights abroad. Some of the prior recipients of this award include Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Oprah and Bono.

Located in Memphis, The National Civil Rights Museum is actually the Lorraine Hotel, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Magic was nominated by the museum for work he has accomplished since leaving the NBA, by promoting economic development, health care and education in low-income neighborhoods and “underserved communities.” Along with Johnson, other Freedom Award recipients include Dr. John Hope Franklin, James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History, also the author of many books including his most famous, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African-Americans, now in its seventh edition. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, First female president of Liberia is also a recipient.

Magic’s resume is indeed impressive: Johnson Development Corporation includes Magic Johnson Theatres, T.G.I. Fridays, Starbucks, Washington Mutual (home lending), Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund (real estate), and the Magic Johnson Youth Foundation, which has established four HIV/AIDS clinics located in Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Oakland, and San Francisco. For all of his accomplishments and his fight to overcome the pitfalls that have affected his life, Magic Johnson is an iconic symbol for our community and highly deserving of the Freedom Award. For more information about The National Civil Rights Museum and/or the Freedom award recipients I encourage everyone to visit http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org.


editor note: Magic Johnson is truly an example of what we consider Amerikaz Most Wanted (read below for what we believe AMW is or visit amwie.com) who do you believe should be a civil rights award winner? please feel free to comment...

50 Gets Pushed Back to the Future

50 Cent’s New Album Gets Pushed Back to the Future- An editorial
AMW !.e. Talent: DJ single Handed
July 20, 2007

Fans of the infamous marketing and money machine known as rapper 50 Cent will have to wait just a little bit longer (again) for the release of his new album. Originally scheduled for a Labor Day release, the album entitled Curtis is now being pushed back a week due to the holiday weekend. Even after being pushed back several times already,a representative from 50’s camp commented that the “decision was made to push the release one week so that it is available everywhere at 10 am on (the) day of the release.”

The new album is rife with super-producers such as Dr. Dre and Timbaland and includes guest appearances from Eminem, Akon, and Mary J. Blige. I’ve listened to two tracks off the album already. If those give any indication of what’s in store, then we should expect typical 50 Cent.

I just hope that typical 50 Cent includes at least one or two legitimate club hits. Between “I Get Money” and “She Wants It,” he certainly doesn’t have one yet.

“I Get Money” cleverly samples “I get money, money I got” from Audio Two’s 1988 rap hit “Top Billin’.” The drums have been shamelessly jacked from Cassidy’s hit “I’m a Hustla” and remain virtually unchanged for this track. 50 raps about the money he has and the things that money has gotten him. It will at least get radio burn.

“She Wants It” features a satisfactory Justin Timberlake performance on the hook, 50 rapping about women again (a by-product of the money he’s got), and the weakest production that I have ever heard from Timbaland. I never ever thought I’d hear a sub-par, “blah” sounding beat emerge from his studios. I was wrong, so I’ll strap on my ice skates and traverse through Hell frozen over.

According to an interview in XXL, 50 thinks that he can still sell eight million records. His previous two albums have sold tens of millions worldwide. Too bad he’s now selling product in a marketplace where having a gold record is the new platinum. I also anticipate rap artists being signed to five and six ringtone deals due to extreme decline in album sales.

Unless he can once again completely monopolize the market (saturate is not a strong enough word to describe what happened when the G Unit brand first hit the map), who knows if he’ll be able to sell 800K, let alone eight million? With the seemingly imminent dissolution of the G Unit camp, we’ll see how relevant 50 still remains in the game, and largely on his own.

Even if he’s never successful again, at least he got rich and didn’t have to die trying.

Black British Music Crisis

Black British Music Crisis
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea White
July 19, 2007

There seems to be an interesting debate stewing after the live showing of the Concert for Diana held in Wembley Stadium in Northwest London, in honor of Princess Diana who passed in a tragic accident ten years ago. The concert given by her two sons, William and Harry, had over 20 live performers, half of these coming from the U.S. including Puffy, Kanye West, and Pharrell. It was shown on every continent, except Antarctica. Though I did not watch the entire musical dedication, I did hear that Corinne Bailey Rae made an appearance, which was rumored to be a last-minute attraction. Also, Corrine does not appear on the official website as a featured artist www.concertfordiana.com.

Apparently the absence or lack of Black British artists during the Concert for Diana is being used as somewhat of a tool to show the world that there is a lack of respect for Black British music artists. Kwaku, founder of the Black Music Congress, which is a forum for highlighting British black music issues, networking, and a pathway to music industry education, has written a published letter to the two princes to express his concern. Though the letter is not harsh, he has stated that it may have been in oversight on the royal family’s part that no black British artists were included, and that he urges them to include these artists in any of their future events. According to Kwaku, “Britain is not short of well-known black artists. Artists such as Beverley Knight Lemar, Sway, Seal, Sade, Jamelia, Maxi Priest, Courtney Pine, and many more that have profiles comparable to many of the featured artists on the said bills.” I don’t know about you but I would trade one Sade song for Joss Stone’s entire performance any day.

One major problem according to Kwaku is that the traditional record companies have not invested the money and time in to black music artists, and they have certainly not developed any ideas on how to turn black artist into global-selling artists. There is at least one British record company that has examined its A&R development in order to develop black talent; however these artists are mostly signed to short-term deals because the expectation for the artists is usually low due to its confinement to the ‘urban’ genre. And without any global expectations, there are usually no resources to further develop these black artists.

It seems like black people all over the world are constantly in a fight for something. Whether it’s rights, equal opportunity, war or famine, black human beings are constantly subjected to the need to fight for what seems like the basic essentials, which include recognition and respect. I do not think that there were any underlying goals of excluding black British artists, but I do think that it was important to use the concert to bring bigger issues to light. In 2007, we are still dealing with the notion that blacks are not viewed as worthy according to corporate and pop culture. Kwaku said in another letter to British music companies, “What is good for British black music is ultimately good for the British music industry.” I think the American music industry would say amen to that, and I can only hope that Europe can develop more Seals and Sades to share with the world.




Source: www.eurweb.com

Miss Jones: Literary Genius or Tired Tell-All??

Miss Jones: Literary Genius or Tired Tell-All
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
July 15, 2007

On the threads and throughout internet chat rooms there is a fine line where women stand either, defending or blasting this new, somewhat disturbing, somewhat intriguing trend of urban tell-all books. Amidst the literary tales of Carrine Stephans and her disturbingly romantic accounts of sex and pain with some of the industries A and B-list rappers, and the non-fictitious exploits of Carmen Bryan with her baby’s dad and his sworn enemy, comes yet another tell-all book people have been buzzing about from Miss Jones, morning radio host on Hot 97 in New York.

The book is titled, “Have You Met Miss Jones? The Life and Loves of Radio's Most Controversial Diva.” In this memoir, Miss Jones shares aspects of her life and career with readers, including what everyone is talking about, her bedroom tale-tales with rapper Busta Rhymes, which includes some unwarranted details regarding his performance and his lack of interest after “it” was over. (If you want to know the specifics, Google it or go buy the book.) It also includes more information about her open disdain for Beyonce along with drama between Lil Kim, Biggie and Faith Evans from back-in-the-day. This memoir is mainly an account of her rise to radio stardom.

What is interesting in all the chat rooms and vent sessions is how divided women are on the subject of Miss Jones and all of the other women who have written tell-all books. With no surprise, many women are simply stating that these books are garbage and irrelevant. These women say that this is just another way for a gold-digger to “come up” and it’s an obvious display of lack of respect and plain old ho-ism. On the other side, there are many women that are defending these women and their tell-alls. These defenders believe for years men have had their way with women using and abusing them to get what they want. Some of the authors of these tell-alls have been the subject of hit songs and have been used as pawns in a game where everyone is gaining except that woman. These women believe that finally, this is a way where the woman has a voice where people can finally know the other side of the story.

I understand both points; however we need to ask ourselves what is the real agenda of Miss Jones. What is the purpose of an educated, successful, fairly intelligent radio personality adding this specific and rather boring sexual encounter to her so-called memoir? How does this brief story of her relationship or lack thereof, show what she had to go through to make it in the tough business of radio? With Carmen Bryan it seemed like people really wanted to know her side, since she has been publicly bashed, it seemed only fair for her to respond. But with Miss Jones, the “shock-jock,” why did we need to know about this minor detail of her life? I think we all know the answer, and at the end of the day Miss Jones knows also – sex sells, even the boring, lackluster, pointless kind described in her memoir. Radio is a tough business, especially NY radio, and to make it to where she has is impossible for most. Miss Jones has rarely used her position to promote anything positive. This minute detail has derailed any helpful advice or any positive statement she could give to those out there trying to figure out the dynamics of radio and its corporate culture. Miss Jones has been the subject of much negative controversy, and this newest ploy for attention really puts some stank on her success. Miss Jones may sell plenty of copies of her memoir, but her status as a pioneer of radio seems sad and tarnished.

Still Crazy (Legs) After All These Years

Rock Steady Crew – Still Crazy (Legs) After All These Years
AMW !.e Talent: DJ Single Handed
July 15, 2006

I love when I get the chance to write about what’s right in hip-hop instead of expressing my laundry list of what’s wrong with it. This month’s anniversary celebration of the Rock Steady Crew is my opportunity to do just that.

Three decades after its inception, the crew of “true school” hip-hop heads is still going strong. Their 30th anniversary celebration will include exhibitions of the four elements, including DJ and b-boy and b-girl battles as well as panel discussions, art shows, and parties galore. Most of the events will be taking place in Manhattan and the Bronx starting July 23, and a free concert featuring EPMD will happen Sunday, July 29 at 1 pm at Lincoln Park in Newark, NJ.

Rock Steady Crew president and renowned b-boy Richard “Crazy Legs” Colon wants the anniversary to “focus on all aspects that make Hip-Hop the social force that it is. This is about education and entertainment. With crew battles, hot DJs, panels, and live graffiti shows, our 30th promises to showcase everything Hip-Hop represents.”

I can only hope that there’s still an audience for it. With any luck, there’s as much of a “below the mainstream radar” following as there was when I first attended a Rock Steady Crew anniversary as a college freshman in 2000.

Concerts in Manhattan featuring Dead Prez, Gang Starr, M.O.P., and Tony Touch among others were the highlights of my experience that year. The b-boy and b-girl competitions were amazing to watch. I even got my first taste of Reggaeton before it hit the American mainstream as Ivy Queen, Daddy Yankee, and Mexicano 777 took the stage to perform their track off Tony Touch’s “Piecemaker” album.

I will, at the very least, attend the EPMD concert and see if there’s still a connection between me and the art form that gave me a voice in the first place. If not, I guess I’ll continue spitting my brand of disgruntled old man “music was so much better when I was your age” rhetoric. At least for as long as the upper management at AMWie tolerates it.

Source: Allhiphop.com