Photo courtesy of StacieJ.com Any faithful viewer of this season’s run of the NBC reality show The Apprentice already knows the drama that surrounded the dismissal of the Harlem business owner, introduced to us as “Stacie J”, in the third week of the series. It is easy to think that you know a reality television […]
AHHA: I heard everybody else use the word crazy towards you. Stacie: It was never him [saying it to me on the air]. To me, it was the only reason everyone [was] saying the word crazy is because he was consistently saying crazy. In my firing [they] obviously consulted their legal department, because the first […]
Hassan Johnson has developed a knack for being a bad guy. Not in real life, of course, however the popular HBO series The Wire, in which Hassan plays the incarcerated schemer Wee-Bey, is full of characters so richly well developed – it’s got to feel good being bad on such a hot show. While still […]
No matter how much, or how little, you know about Christion, the truth is that Roc-A-Fella Records gave birth to this creation, introducing the world to a male duo with a rare sound that could transcend time and hold true to the roots of Blues, Soul, & Jazz. Damon Dash was the first to recognize […]
When Nicole Wray hit the scene in 1998 as a spry 17-year-old, people were transfixed by her sultry voice and wholesome girl-next-door beauty. She delivered her debut album, Make It Hot, with a certain mature vibe that most teenagers could never pull off, and her deal with Missy Elliott’s Goldmind record label gave her an […]
AHHA: If you had to name one single artist that influenced you the most with regard to your career and/or your music, who would it be and why? Nicole: It would be probably Mary J. Blige, because I watched her life from a young teen to my life now, and seen how she stayed on […]
It’s been some time since Americans have given major radio support to a female Dancehall or Reggae star. Ms. Thing began her Jamaican invasion by ripping the hook for Beenie Man’s massive hit, “Dude”. Now she offers up her solo debut, Miss Jamaica, to the world. The record sports production from legendary Reggae producer Dave […]
When Ashanti Douglas exploded onto the music scene in 2002, she was introduced to the world as the “Princess of R&B”, designated as such by her Murder Inc. mentors. Since then, the Long Island native has worn her bequeathed crown well, from singing hooks in Big Pun’s “How We Roll” and Ja Rule’s “Always on […]
There is a good chance that you haven’t heard from TQ since 1998, when he debuted on Epic Records with his genre bending album They Never Saw Me Comin’. His soulful crooning was not your usual brand of “love me down” belting, but was rather a virtual reflection in theme and lyricism of the hard […]
Television’s newest reality superstar, Toccara, was recently eliminated from Season Three of Tyra Banks’ popular show, America’s Next Top Model. Regardless, that is not going to stop the Ohio native from achieving her goal of becoming the first plus-size super model of the world. Although naturally bodacious Toccara had to endure weeks of constant critique […]
Respect goes a long way in this world, and having it breeds success in its own right – even if the accolades are minimal. R&B veteran Jon B definitely has respect, and with nearly ten years in the game he has created an impressive trail of hits and a legion of loyal fans. Having collaborated […]
In today’s industry, R&B artists still in their teenage years typically follow the same mold as those before them: either being thrown into a marketable group aimed at breaking young girls’ hearts, or enjoying solo exposure while singing about typical heartbreak stories and generic ballads. Regardless, after one listen to the break-through single “Where Were […]
Cuba Gooding, Sr. definitely has many things to be proud of. He has over 40 years of entertainment on his astute resume, including being a member of the legendary soul group The Main Ingredient. He is the doting father of Cuba Gooding, Jr., who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1997, and two […]
Boyz II Men has experienced heights in their years together that even some of the most seasoned artists are still yearning to attain. With multi-platinum singles and albums, they set records for keeping songs at #1 on the charts – first with “End Of The Road” in 1992 at 13 weeks, followed by 1994’s “I’ll […]
AHHA: Have you considered covering any songs outside of classic R&B – rock songs or any other genre? Nathan: We’ve considered creating some rock songs and different things like that. As far as covers, there are so many songs that we’d love to do. This Throwback album that we have now is not even the […]
AHHA: Do you have any regrets about your musical direction during the course of your career? Shawn: I have more regrets about our mind states during some of those albums than the music. The music was always the easiest thing for us to do – we can sing almost anything. If we feel it, we […]
Sex is the world’s first industry and the oldest known profession. If used for the purpose of selling something, it can become a viable asset and tool for what you do. Lady Saw learned this lesson a long time ago, and she is reaping the fruits of her expertise. Having been Jamaica’s leading sex symbol […]
Comedic genius is often measured by the ability to attach laughter to some of life’s most troublesome issues. Mo’Nique is a master of intertwining comedy and confusion, and she has brought happiness to millions of people with her “take no prisoners” brand of humor. The Baltimore comedienne is best known for her now syndicated sitcom, […]
Roy Ayers has experienced an unparalleled life in music. Born and raised in Los Angeles, the Jazz vibraphonist has enjoyed a phenomenal career that spans five decades and even more musical genres, including Jazz, Funk and Disco, to name a few. Whether his music is sparking countless games of “Who sampled that?” or he himself […]
AHHA: Who are some of the current acts that you are into? RA: Jill Scott – [she] sampled one of my songs on her current record. She sampled ‘No Stranger to Love’. The names go on from Will Smith, to…there’s just so many people. Mary J. Blige is probably the biggest sample I ever had […]