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Az Yet is an American R&B group from Philadelphia, best known for their songs "Last Night" and the cover "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" originally performed by Chicago. Az Yet released their self-titled debut album in 1996 on LaFace Records. The album featured a "who's who" of musical heavyweights, including David Foster, Babyface, Sheila E., and Brian McKnight. The first single, "Last Night," reached #9 on the US Hot 100, #1 on the R&B chart, peaked at #2 on Australia's ARIA charts, and spent 2 weeks at #1 in New Zealand's RIANZ charts, ultimately achieving platinum status in the US. The group's second single, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (a cover of the Chicago hit), was nominated for a Grammy award (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals), reached #8 on the Hot 100, and achieved platinum status. Driven by these two singles, the album reached RIAA platinum status. Dion Allen, Claude Thomas, Kenny Terry and Parrice Smith Halftime Chat R&B Podcast is your home for soulful conversations, music insights, and artist interviews in the world of R&B. Hosted by Music Broadcaster, Psychotherapist, and Life Coach, Nnamdi E.S. Okoye. Halftime Chat features candid conversations with some of the biggest names in R&B, including El DeBarge, SWV, DJ Cassidy, Mr. Dalvin, Father MC and many more. Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/HalftimeChat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halftimechat Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halftimechat/ Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/halftime-chat
Kathy Sledge is an American singer–songwriter and producer. Sledge is best known as the youngest and founding member of Sister Sledge, an American vocal group which is made up of her sisters that formed in 1971. After achieving success beginning the late–1970s thru the mid–1980s with Sister Sledge, Sledge embarked on her solo career in 1989. She has had several hits on the International Pop and Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including "Take Me Back to Love Again", which hit #1 in 1992. Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. In 1979, they released their breakthrough album We Are Family, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and included the 1979 US top-10 singles "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family". A third single, "Lost in Music", reached the US top 40. "We Are Family" earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. #KathySledge #sistersledge #halftimechat Hosted by Broadcaster & Psychotherapist Nnamdi E.S. Okoye, Halftime Chat R&B Podcast is your home for RnB, New Jack Swing and Old School Hip Hop. Dropping Interviews with your favourite R&B artists & Music videos from the 80s, 90s and 2000s. SOCIAL ===============================
Az Yet is an American R&B group from Philadelphia, best known for their songs "Last Night" and the cover "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" Formed in 1989 initially as a duo with Shawn Rivera and Dion Allen, the two were later joined by Kenny Terry, whom they met singing in the lobby of the Wyndham Hotel in Philadelphia, Claude Thomas, Damon Core, & Dyshon Benson. Az Yet released their self-titled debut album in 1996 on LaFace Records. The album featured a "who's who" of musical heavyweights, including David Foster, Babyface, Sheila E., and Brian McKnight. The first single, "Last Night", reached #9 on the US Hot 100, 1 on the R&B chart, peaked at 2 on Australia's ARIA charts, and spent 2 weeks at 1 in New Zealand's RIANZ charts, ultimately achieving platinum status in the US. The group's second single, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (a cover of the Chicago hit), was nominated for a Grammy award (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals), reached 8 on the Hot 100, and achieved platinum status. Driven by these two singles, the album reached RIAA platinum status.[ #NewJackSwing #RnBMusic #RnB #SoulMusic #Music #RnBPodcast #NewJackSwingPodcast #MusicIndustry #MusicBusiness Halftime Chat is your home for RnB, New Jack Swing and Old School Hip Hop. Dropping Interviews with your favourite R&B artists & Music videos from the 80s, 90s and 2000s We Love the 80s, 90s & 00s! Intro Music Music: Secret Sauce Musician: Jeff Kaale End Credits Music Music: You Know Musician: Jeff Kaale Want to Donate or support the production of Halftime Chat?
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and melancholia, and is often inspired by personal experiences. He has received numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards, 17 Juno Awards, six American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.Born and raised in Toronto, Tesfaye began his music career in 2009 by anonymously releasing music on YouTube. Two years later, he co-founded the XO record label and released the mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, which quickly gained recognition for his style of contemporary and alternative R&B and the mystique surrounding his identity. In 2012, he signed with Republic Records and rereleased the mixtapes in the compilation album Trilogy. He explored dark wave in his debut studio album Kiss Land (2013), which debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. After its release, Tesfaye began contributing to film soundtracks, with his acclaimed single "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance, while also being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.Tesfaye earned major critical and commercial success with his pop-leaning second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). It became his first number-one project in the US, and is one of the year's best-selling albums. With the US Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills", Beauty Behind the Madness won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. His trap-infused third studio album Starboy (2016) saw similar commercial success and included the US number-one single of the same name. Like its predecessor, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Tesfaye explored new wave and dream pop with his critically acclaimed fourth studio album After Hours (2020), which featured the chart record-setting single "Blinding Lights" and the US number-one singles "Heartless" and "Save Your Tears". His dance-pop inspired fifth studio album Dawn FM (2022) included the US top-ten single "Take My Breath", and "Sacrifice".Among the world's best-selling music artists with over 75 million records sold, Tesfaye holds several streaming and Billboard chart records. He is the first artist to simultaneously debut on the top three on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while "Blinding Lights" is the longest-charting song in Billboard history. Often considered as a prominent figure in contemporary popular music, Tesfaye was listed by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people in 2020. An advocate for racial equality and food security, he was appointed a World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador in 2021.
Jon returns this week to recap on the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards results. We also touch on U.K. Hip-Hop albums that should have been considered for a GRAMMY. (00:00) Intro; Spotlight Series #76: Amindi (05:35) UK Albums that deserve the Grammy nomination New releases: (14:17) Kehlani: Up at Night (ft. Justin Bieber) (17:50) Joyner Lucas: Ye Not Crazy (22:10) Vince Staples: ROSE STREET (25:39) Freddie Gibbs: Ice Cream (ft. Rick Ross) (27:44) Ella Mai: leave You Alone (29:46) City Girls: Top Notch (ft. Fivio Foreign) (30:36) Lupe Fiasco: 100 Chicagos (31:51) Dreamville: D-Day - The Mixtape Main discussion starts here: (36:36) GRAMMY's intro (39:02) Record of the Year (44:13) Album of the Year (47:54) Best New Artist (51:53) Best Rap Album (56:20) Best Rap Performance (58:10) Best Rap Song (01:02:48) Best Melodic Rap Performance (01:05:05) Best R&B Performance (01:16:01) Best Traditional R&B Performance (01:19:52) Best R&B Song (01:21:47) Best Progressive R&B Album (01:26:17) Best R&B Album (01:30:49) Summary (01:32:55) Closing, Now and Then playlist
The 64th Grammy Awards is airing 4/3 8pm on CBS and Paramount+. It will be available to stream the day after broadcast. The Recording Academy added 10 entries to the Grammys' Big Four categories: Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. I "announce" my predictions for the Big Four, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Rock Song, Best R&B Performance, Best Rap Album, and Best Country Album. You can view my predictions before and after the show on Music Notes with Jess' social media. Music Notes with Jess' social media:facebook.com/musicnoteswithjesstwitter.com/musicnotesjessinstagram.com/musicnoteswithjessGrammys: https://www.grammy.com/awards/64th-annual-grammy-awards-2021Grammys Twitter account: twitter.com/TheRecordAcadMusic Notes with Jess' Grammy 2022 Nominees Recap Episode:https://www.spreaker.com/user/jesscatena/ep-111-grammys-2022-nominees-review
This week Demar and Adriel discuss the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, who they think will win and who they want to win each category. Timestamps: Record Of The Year ( 00:02:23 ) Album of the Year ( 00:09:00 ) Song of the Year (00:14:30 ) Best New Artist ( 00:18:35 ) Best Pop Solo Performance ( 00:20:50 ) Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (00:24:25 ) Best Pop Vocal Album ( 00:27:25 ) Best R&B Performance (00:30:25 ) Best R&B Album ( 00:33:30 ) Best Rap Performance ( 00:36:15 ) Best Melodic Rap Performance ( 00:41:35 ) Best Rap Song ( 00:47:55) Best Rap Album ( 00:51:55 ) P.S. Shoutout to our biggest snubs: Vince Staples, Arlo Parks, Dave and Unknown T Follow us: Twitter / Instagram: @AlbumModePod @AdrielSmileydotcom @DemarjGrant Clubhouse / Greenroom: @demar @adrielsmiley
Photo credit: tm_10001https://flic.kr/p/4waN1UUsage: CC BY-SA 2.0Keyboard player: Gail NoblesVocals by: Gail NoblesPodcast theme: Gail Nobles © 2001Another Heartbreak (Another Hotel)Good evening. You're listening to the Whitney Soul Podcast, and I'm your host, Gail Nobles. Today's topic: Another Heartbreak (Another Hotel). First, it was MJ. Then it was Whitney, and this is a podcast intro.(Music)That was just an intro for the show but Whitney Houston had a heartbreak hotel song of her own to sing with Faith Evans and Kelly Price. To hear it, you can listen on Spotify and YouTube. The song was released as the second single from Houston's 1998 album, My Love Is Your Love. Whitney also had sung a little bit of Jackson's version of Heartbreak Hotel live in concert back in 1999. She was awesome. She could throw down on some Michael Jackson songs. I'm wondering did Michael say anything to her about it. And he should of made a record with Whitney. But it didn't happen. It's good to know that they were friends. Two gifted people. However, Whitney Houston never tried to be anyone else in singing.She said, “ I got my licks from my mom. My mother, Cissy Houston. … So when everyone tries to figure out who I sound like, I don't sound like anyone apart from my mother.” And so, singing her own version of Heartbreak Hotel, the song reached number two on the US Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart on Feb. 2, 1999. Heartbreak Hotel was certified Platinum by RIAA. It was also a hit in many countries worldwide. The song received two nominations at the 2000 Grammy Awards for the Best R&B song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. We got a Whitney Houston story. We got another version of another heartbreak of another hotel written down in music history. (music podcast theme)Another Heartbreak (Another Hotel) by Gail Nobles. You're listening to The Whitney Soul Podcast © 2021.
Topics: Y2K Bug, Eminem, The Best Man, 90's TV (Bonus Artist: Rocky Mtn. Rhyme Posse) 1999 Notes Snapshots 1. Bill Clinton President 2. Jan – A snowstorm leaves 14 inches (36 cm) of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and 21 inches (53 cm) in Chicago, Illinois, killing 68. 3. Jan – The adult animated sitcom Family Guy debuts on the Fox network after Super Bowl XXXIII. 4. Feb - Impeachment of Bill Clinton: President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the Senate. 5. Mar - A Michigan jury finds Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty of second-degree murder for administering a lethal injection to a terminally ill man. 6. Apr - Columbine High School massacre: Two Littleton, Colorado teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, open fire on their teachers and classmates, killing 12 students and one teacher, and then themselves. It would be the deadliest shooting at a high school in U.S. history at the time. The shooting sparks debate on school bullying, gun control and violence in the media. 7. May - The animated children's TV series SpongeBob SquarePants debuts on the cable network Nickelodeon. 8. May - Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is released in theaters. 9. Jun - Texas Governor George W. Bush announces he will seek the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States. 10. Jun - Napster Released. It was mainly used by people who shared MP3 music and digital audio files. As the laws about file sharing and copyright regarding the internet were just newly established, the service soon ran into legal troubles dealing with copyright infringement. 11. Jul - U.S. soccer player Brandi Chastain scores the game winning penalty kick against China in the FIFA Women's World Cup. Briana Scurry, goalkeeper, was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2017. She was the first woman goalkeeper and first black woman to be awarded the honor. 12. Jun - Lance Armsrong wins the Tour de France. The United States Anti-Doping Agency announced in August 2012 that they had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998, including his seven consecutive Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005 (which were, originally, the most wins in the event's history) 13. Sep - The West Nile Virus first appears in the United States. The disease spread quickly through infected birds. Mosquitoes spread the disease to mammals. 14. Dec - Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, replaced by Vladimir Putin. Yeltsin has been describes as, "Russia's first modern leader" and has been compared to Nelson Mandela. 15. Top 3 Pop Songs 16. #1 "Believe" Cher 17. #2 "No Scrubs" TLC 18. #3 "Angel of Mine" Monica 19. Record of the Year: "Smooth" – Santana featuring Rob Thomas 20. Album of the Year: Supernatural – Santana 21. Song of the Year: "Smooth" – Santana featuring Rob 22. Best New Artist: Christina Aguilera (Note: Beat out Brittney Spears) 23. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "It's Not Right but It's Okay" – Whitney Houston 24. Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Staying Power" – Barry White 25. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: "No Scrubs" – TLC 26. Best R&B Song: "No Scrubs" – TLC 27. Best R&B Album: FanMail – TLC 28. Best Rap Solo Performance: "My Name Is" – Eminem 29. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "You Got Me" – The Roots featuring Erykah Badu 30. Best Rap Album: The Slim Shady LP – Eminem 31. Top 3 Moives 32. #1 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 33. #2 The Sixth Sense 34. #3 Toy Story 2 35. Notables: Office Space, Analyze This, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Matrix (3/31/1999 - 20 days before Columbine), Life, The Mummy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Wild Wild West, American Pie, The Blair Witch Project, Eyes Wide Shut, The Wood, The Iron Giant, The Sixth Sense, The Thomas Crown Affair, Bowfinger, Three Kings, Fight Club, The Green Mile, Any Given Sunday 36. Top 3 TV Shows 37. #1 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Tuesday 38. #2 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Thursday 39. #3 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Sunday 40. Debuts: The PJs, The Parkers, The Queen Latifah Show, Judge Mathis 41. Economic Snapshots 42. Income = 40.8k (Previously 38.1k) 43. House = 131.7k (129.3k) 44. Car = 21kk (17k) 45. Rent = 645 (619) 46. Harvard = 31.1k (30,080) 47. Movie = 5.06 (4.69) 48. Gas = 1.22 (1.15) 49. Stamp = .33 (.32) 50. Social Scene: Y2K Scare 51. The Y2K problem and the millennium bug was the most important thing on most companies minds in 1999. This fear was fueled by the press coverage and other media speculation, as well as corporate and government reports. All over the world companies and organizations checked and upgraded their computer systems. Problems were anticipated, and arose, because many programs represented four-digit years with only the final two digits – making the year 2000 indistinguishable from 1900. 52. (Audio Clip) 53. Music Scene 54. Music Scene: Black Songs from the Top 40 55. #2 "No Scrubs" - TLC 56. #3 "Angel of Mine" - Monica 57. #4 "Heartbreak Hotel" - Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price 58. #9 "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" - Deborah Cox 59. #11 "Where My Girls At?" - 702 60. #12 "If You Had My Love" - Jennifer Lopez 61. #14 "Have You Ever?" - Brandy 62. #16 "I'm Your Angel" - R. Kelly and Celine Dion 63. #19 "Smooth" - Santana featuring Rob Thomas 64. #20 "Unpretty" - TLC 65. #21 "Bills, Bills, Bills" - Destiny's Child 66. #24 "Fortunate" - Maxwell 67. #27 "What's It Gonna Be?!" - Busta Rhymes featuring Janet 68. #28 "What It's Like" - Everlast 69. #29 "Fly Away" - Lenny Kravitz 70. #31 "Lately" - Divine 71. #33 "Wild Wild West" - Will Smith featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee 72. #35 "Heartbreaker" - Mariah Carey featuring Jay-Z 73. #36 "I Still Believe" - Mariah Carey 74. #39 "Can I Get A..." - Jay-Z featuring Amil and Ja Rule 75. #42 "Mambo No. 5" - Lou Bega 76. #43 "Sweet Lady" - Tyrese 77. Top Rnb Albums 78. Jan Ghetto Fabulous - Mystikal 79. Jan Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood - DMX 80. Feb Made Man - Silkk the Shocker 81. Feb Chyna Doll - Foxy Brown 82. Feb The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill 83. Mar Da Next Level - Mr. Serv-On 84. Mar FanMail - TLC 85. Mar Bossalinie - C-Murder 86. Apr The Slim Shady LP - Eminem 87. Apr I Am… - Nas 88. May Ryde or Die Vol. 1 - Ruff Ryders 89. May No Limit Top Dogg - Snoop Dogg 90. Jun In Our Lifetime - 8Ball & MJG 91. Jun The Art of Storytelling - Slick Rick 92. Jun Venni Vetti Vecci - Ja Rule 93. Jul Da Real World - Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott 94. Jul Beneath the Surface - GZA/Genius 95. Jul Street Life - Fiend 96. Jul Can't Stay Away - Too Short 97. Aug Guerrilla Warfare - Hot Boys 98. Aug Coming of Age - Memphis Bleek 99. Sep Mary - Mary J. Blige 100. Sep Forever - Puff Daddy 101. Oct Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady - Eve 102. Ocy Blackout! - Method Man & Redman 103. Nov Only God Can Judge Me - Master P 104. Nov Tha Block Is Hot - Lil Wayne 105. Dec 2001 - Dr. Dre 106. Dec Born Again - The Notorious B.I.G. 107. Featured Artist: Eminem 108. Childhood & Early Life: Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1972, to parents who were members of a band that used to perform at the hotel 'Ramada Inns.' He grew up in a predominantly black neighbourhood, where he was often bullied. As a child he showed affinity toward comics and music, particularly rapping. He had a difficult childhood and he was never on good terms with his mother. He was, however, close to her half-brother, Ronnie. Marshall's education suffered as a result of constant troubles with his mom and he dropped-out of 'Lincoln High School,' when he was seventeen. 109. Career: When Marshall was fourteen years old, he started rapping and attenditg contetst with his friend DeShaun Dupree Holton, who later became famous as rapper Proof. The two friends formed their own group called 'D12' or 'The Dirty Dozen,' in 1996. Also in 1996, Eminem (@16) brought out his first album titled 'Infinite.' The album was recorded under the banner of 'FBT Productions,' and included songs that spoke about the struggles he faced after the birth of his daughter, at a time when he was financially unstable. His financial condition had worsened and by 1997, he was forced to live in his mother's house with his family. During this time, to let go of the frustration building inside him, he created an anti-social alter-ego named 'Slim Shady.' He even recorded his first extended play by the same name in the same year. 110. After he was fired from his job and evicted from his home, Eminem went to Los Angeles to compete in the 1997 Rap Olympics, an annual, nationwide battle rap competition. He placed second, and an Interscope Records intern in attendance called asked Eminem for a copy of the Slim Shady EP, which was then sent to company CEO Jimmy Iovine. Iovine played the tape for record producer Dr. Dre, who recalled sayingd, "In my entire career in the music industry, I have never found anything from a demo tape or a CD. When Jimmy played this, I said, 'Find him. Now.'" Although Dre's friends criticized him for hiring a white rapper, he was confident in his decision: "I don't give a fuck if you're purple; if you can kick it, I'm working with you." 111. In February 1999, Dr. Dre helped Eminem release an album titled 'The Slim Shady LP,' which immediately catapulted him to fame. With hits like 'My Name Is,' '97 Bonnie and Clyde,' and 'Guilty Conscience,' it was one of the most successful albums of the year. 112. Movie Scene: The Best Man 113. Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), a commitment-shy writer and the best man at the wedding of Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Mia (Monica Calhoun), is nervous-and with good reason. His steamy new novel hits bookstores soon, and when his friends finally read it he knows they will notice more than just a passing resemblance to the characters depicted in the book. 114. Director: Malcolm D. Lee, Debut film [Undercover Brother (2002), Roll Bounce (2005), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008), Soul Men (2008), Scary Movie 5 (2013), The Best Man Holiday (2013), Girls Trip (2017), and Night School (2018)] 115. Cast: Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, Terance Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa, Terrence Howard, Regina Hall [*Film Debut] 116. 'The Best Man': A Joyous Occasion [By Lonnae O'Neal Parker Washington Post Staff Writer, Oct 1999] 117. This smart debut from filmmaker Malcolm D. Lee, cousin to the film's producer, Spike, centers around a group of old friends who reunite in New York for a wedding. Tapping into the Zeitgeist of young black professionals starving to see themselves on film, it hits all the right cultural touchstones: from BET to Stevie Wonder, Chubb Rock to bid whist. Although the film is produced by Spike Lee, don't expect racial politics. And while comparisons to another black wedding-themed movie starring Taye Diggs, "The Wood," are bound to come up, resist. 118. James Berardinelli - Reelviews 119. The Best Man is not what it initially seems to be. Despite starting out with all the earmarks of a fairly ordinary romantic comedy, the project develops into a surprisingly effective look at a man's quest for rebirth after events topple him from a pedestal of arrogance. And, while there are plenty of laughs to be had, The Best Man functions better as a light drama than a straight comedy, with several scenes packing a punch because they're played straight. The film is the directorial debut of Malcolm D. Lee (Spike's cousin), who may have gotten this chance because of family connections but shows enough promise to earn further opportunities on his own. 120. The Best Man (1999) - 1½ Stars [Reviewed by Dustin Putman, October 1999] 121. As with 1997's melodramatic, corny "Soul Food," and last summer's "The Wood," which also starred Diggs in a story set around a wedding(!), "The Best Man" aspires to be something more than it actually is. Kudos to Lee for trying his hand at a more knowledgeable picture that all audiences (not just African-Americans) might enjoy, but he also gets more than his share of debits for its severely flawed treatment. At over two hours in length, "The Best Man" thankfully never overstays its welcome and goes by fairly fast, but by the time the Electric Slide was carried out by everyone at the wedding reception over the end credits, I realized that the actors deserved far better. As is, the conclusion plays like an excuse for each of the cast members to give themselves a pat on the back, when they really didn't earn that pat to begin with. 122. Denzel Washington, film debut in Carbon Copy (1981) and in 1982, Denzel made his first appearance in the medical drama St. Elsewhere as Dr. Philip Chandler. The role proved to be the breakthrough in his career. 123. Nominated for Best Supporting Actor: Cry Freedom (1988) and Glory (1990)(*won) 124. Nominated for Best Actor for Malcolm X (1993) 125. 1981 Carbon Copy / 1984 A Soldier's Story / 1986 Power / 1987 Cry Freedom / 1988 For Queen and Country / 1989 The Mighty Quinn / 1989 Glory / 1990 Heart Condition / 1990 Mo' Better Blues / 1991 Mississippi Masala / 1991 Ricochet / 1992 Malcolm X / 1993 Much Ado About Nothing / 1993 The Pelican Brief / 1993 Philadelphia / 1995 Crimson Tide / 1995 Virtuosity / 1995 Devil in a Blue Dress / 1996 Courage Under Fire / 1996 The Preacher's Wife / 1998 Fallen / 1998 He Got Game / 1998 The Siege / 1999 The Bone Collector / 1999 The Hurricane - [25 films] 126. Samuel L. Jackson. 127. Nominated for Best Supporting Actor: Pulp Fiction (1994) 128. 1981 Ragtime / 1987 Magic Sticks / 1988 Coming to America / 1988 School Daze / 1989 Do the Right Thing / 1989 Sea of Love / 1990 Def by Temptation / 1990 A Shock to the System / 1990 Betsy's Wedding / 1990 Mo' Better Blues / 1990 The Exorcist III / 1990 Goodfellas / 1990 The Return of Superfly / 1991 Strictly Business / 1991 Jungle Fever / 1991 Jumpin' at the Boneyard / 1991 Johnny Suede / 1992 Juice / 1992 Patriot Games /1992 White Sands / 1992 Fathers & Sons / 1993 Menace II Society /1993 Loaded Weapon / 1993 Amos & Andrew / 1993 Jurassic Park / 1993 True Romance / 1994 Fresh / 1994 Pulp Fiction / 1994 The New Age / 1994 Hail Caesar / 1994 Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker / 1994 The Search for One-eye Jimmy / 1995 Kiss of Death / 1995 Die Hard with a Vengeance / 1995 Losing Isaiah / 1995 Fluke / 1996 The Great White Hype / 1996 A Time to Kill / 1996 The Long Kiss Goodnight / 1996 Hard Eight / 1996 Trees Lounge / 1997 One Eight Seven / 1997 Eve's Bayou / 1997 Jackie Brown / 1998 Sphere / 1998 The Negotiator / 1998 The Red Violin / 1998 Out of Sight / 1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace / 1999 Deep Blue Sea - [50 films] 129. Question: DW vs. SLJ? 130. Television Scene: 131. 18 Black Sitcoms of the '90s That Changed the Game: Published Jan 24, 2020 - By Damarys Ocaña Perez 132. Black sitcoms have been popular since classics like Good Times, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son hit television screens nationwide in the '70s. But it wasn't until The Cosby Show became a ratings juggernaut in the mid '80s that networks finally saw the potential in investing heavily in sitcoms with black leads. 133. And so the '90s became a decade in which more black sitcoms than ever made it onto TV 134. Naturally, given the success of The Cosby Show, a lot of shows that followed featured families. But they didn't just simply copy the formula. 135. The lives of younger people took center stage as well in the '90s. So, instead of being the token black friend within the larger context of a show, black teens, college students, 20-something professionals became the vehicle for funny and even poignant stories. 136. The '90s turned hugely talented black comedians and actors into stars who remain household names to this day, and it goes to show the impact that being given a seat at the table and a voice on prime time television can accomplish. 137. Here are 18 black '90s sitcoms that we love do this day for the impact they had on our lives then and now. 138. 'A Different World' (1987-1993): One of the show's major accomplishments was being among the first to tackle real issues like date rape, racism, and HIV, things that the Cosby Show had avoided. A Different World is the gem that created a bridge to the '90s black sitcom boom. 139. 'Family Matters' (1989-1997): The longest-running sitcom about a black family (it spanned nine seasons to The Cosby Show's eight), Family Matters was not only funny -- especially after introducing super-nerd Urkel -- but managed to balance big laughs with more serious moments. There were episodes that centered around civil rights history and police mistreatment of young black men, and a wide-ranging audience got to see them, thanks to the show's across-the-board popularity. 140. 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' (1990-1996): Nestled between Will Smith's rapping days and his status as one of the world's most bankable A-list movie stars was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which made his a household name and produced one of the longest-running fan debates in TV history on which of the two actresses who played Aunt Viv was the best one. 141. 'Roc' (1991-1994): Before Charles S. Dutton went on to win three Emmys for his work on other shows, he starred in this underrated and brief series that was fairly typical sitcom until the second season, which aired each episode live. Roc was a treat because Dutton and several of the other cast members were trained stage actors. 142. 'Martin' (1992-1997): Martin Lawrence was all edge when he wasn't doing Martin. (One of his stand-up specials was slapped with an NC-17 rating, and he was banned from Saturday Night Live for delivering a hilariously raunchy monologue.) That makes it all the more interesting that on the show Martin, he played a lovably manic man-boy. We lost count of how many characters Martin played on the show (in disguise), each one of them hilarious in their own specific way. 143. 'Hangin' With Mr. Cooper' (1992-1997): This sitcom had a great cast, including comedian Raven-Symoné, Holly Robinson Peete, and Mark Curry. 144. 'Living Single' (1993-1998): The show marked the first time that we saw young black women portrayed as professionals and given well-rounded personalities, have healthy relationships, and pave the way for black female-centered shows - nlike Girlfriends and Insecure. 145. 'Sister, Sister' (1994-1999): There are so many reasons why we loved Sister,Sister, and one of them was that the show would occasionally break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience, which made us feel part of the action. But the show also had layers that deepened its story: The girls had been the product of an interracial relationship between a black mom and a white dad who never had the chance to marry before being separated in tragic circumstances. 146. 'In The House' (1995-1999): It wasn't the world's best sitcom, but hey, LL Cool J has always been a snack. 147. 'The Parent 'Hood' (1995-1999): One of the four original Wednesday night shows that helped launched the WB (The Wayans Bros was another), what sets the show apart are the whimsical fantasy sequences that the dad dreams up to help him solve family issues in a creative and unexpected way. 148. 'The Wayans Bros.' (1995-1999): In Living Color, it's not, but this sitcom from younger Wayans siblings Shawn and Marlon is still simple fun that doesn't require too many brain cells -- and that can be a good thing. 149. 'Moesha' (1996-2001): Moesha centered around a black teenager diving into deeper explorations of all kinds of relationships and left cliffhangers in several story lines dangling when it was canceled. 150. 'The Jamie Foxx Show' (1996-2001): Fresh off the groundbreaking comedy sketch show In Living Color and before he becoming an movie star, Jamie Foxx starred as an aspiring actor who works at his relatives' hotel. 151. 'Kenan & Kel' (1996-2000): Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell were Nickelodeon's first black sitcom stars, having landed their own show when producers saw them joking around on the set of All That when they were series regulars. 152. 'The Steve Harvey Show' (1996-2002): A big highlight is the constant guest star roster that's a who's who of black TV stars and musicians -- like Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Kim Fields, and Ja’Net DuBois of the classic sitcom Good Times. 153. 'The Hughleys' (1998-2002): Two decades before Black-ish tackled a similar premise, The Hughleys featured a family that lives in a predominantly white neighborhood. 154. 'The Famous Jett Jackson' (1998-2001): This show had just 65 episodes but has a special place in our hearts as the first Disney Channel show to feature a black actor as the lead. The immensely talented and magnetic Lee Thompson Young starred as Jett Jackson, a kid who tries to live a normal life when he's not filming. Thompson tragically died at age 29, after struggling with bipolar disorder and depression, but the heartwarming show lives on. 155. 'The Parkers' (1999-2004): It's no surprise that one of the most down-to-earth black sitcoms from the '90s starred Mo'Nique as a single mom who dropped out of high school to raise her baby. 156. Question: Most Liked Show of the 90’s? 157. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1999
Topics: Monica Lewinsky Scandal, Jay Z, Beloved (Film), 90's Tech (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound and Luck Pacheco) 1998 General Snapshots 1. Bill Clinton President 2. Jan - Paula Jones accuses U.S. President Bill Clinton of sexual harassment. 3. Jan - Smoking is banned in all California bars and restaurants. 4. Jan - Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos become the first AFC team in 14 years to win the Super Bowl, as they defeat the Green Bay Packers 5. Jan - Lewinsky scandal: On American television, President Bill Clinton denies he had "sexual relations" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The next day, Hillary Clinton appears on The Today Show, calling the attacks against her husband part of a "vast right-wing conspiracy". 6. Mar - The Food and Drug Administration approves Viagra for use as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, the first pill to be approved for this condition in the United States. 7. Apr - The unemployment rate drops to 4.3%, the lowest level since February 1970. 8. Apr - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 9,000 for the first time. 9. Apr - Teletubbies begins its U.S. television debut on PBS. 10. Apr - Inflight smoking is banned on all commercial passenger flights in the United States, 11. Jun - The Chicago Bulls win their 6th NBA title in 8 years when they beat the Utah Jazz. This is also Michael Jordan's last game as a Bull, clinching the game in the final seconds on a fadeaway jumper. 12. Aug - The bombings of the United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya kill 224 people and injure over 4,500; they are linked to terrorist Osama bin Laden. Two weeks later. The United States military launches cruise missile attacks against alleged al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical plant in Sudan. 13. Oct - College student Matthew Shepard is found tied to a fence near Laramie, Wyoming. His death became a symbol of gay-bashing and sparked a national debate on homophobia in the U.S. 14. Nov - Jesse Ventura, former professional wrestler, is elected Governor of Minnesota. 15. Nov - America Online announces it will acquire Netscape Communications for $4.2B as the “Dot.com” bubble heats up. Between 1995 and 2000, the Nasdaq Composite stock market index rose 400%. 16. Dec - Lewinsky scandal: President Bill Clinton is impeached by the United States House of Representatives. (He was later acquitted of any wrongdoing.) 17. Open Comments 18. Top 3 Pop songs 19. #1 "Too Close", Next 20. #2 "The Boy Is Mine", Brandy and Monica 21. #3 "You're Still the One", Shania Twain 22. Record of the Year: "My Heart Will Go On", Celine Dion 23. Album of the Year: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill 24. Song of the Year: "My Heart Will Go On", Celine Dion 25. Best New Artist: Lauryn Hill 26. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Doo Wop (That Thing)”, Lauryn Hill 27. Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "St. Louis Blues”, Stevie Wonder in Herbie Hancock's Gershwin's World 28. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: "The Boy Is Mine", Brandy & Monica 29. Best R&B Song: "Doo Wop (That Thing)”, Lauryn Hill 30. Best R&B Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill 31. Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album: Live! One Night Only, Patti LaBelle 32. Best Rap Solo Performance: "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It", Will Smith 33. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Intergalactic", Beastie Boys 34. Best Rap Album: Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, Jay-Z 35. Top 3 Movies 36. #1 Armageddon 37. #2 Saving Private Ryan 38. #3 Godzilla 39. Notables: Dr. Dolittle, Half Baked, The Wedding Singer, The Big Lebowski, Primary Colors, The Players Club, Suicide Kings, He Got Game, Bulworth, The Truman Show, Mulan, There's Something About Mary, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Blade, Rush Hour, Antz, Beloved, Belly, The Waterboy, A Bug's Life, A Simple Plan, You've Got Mail 40. Open Comments 41. Top 3 TV Shows 42. #1 ER 43. #2 Friends 44. #3 Frasier 45. Debuts: Judge Joe Brown, The Hughleys 46. Open Comments 47. Economic Snapshots 48. Income = 38.1 (Previously 37.5K) 49. House = 129.3 (124k) 50. Car = 17k (17k) 51. Rent = 619 (576) 52. Harvard = 30,080 (28.9) 53. Movie = 4.69 (4.59) 54. Gas = 1.15 (1.22) 55. Stamp = .32 (-) 56. Social Scene: Monica Lewinsky Scandal (Highlights) 57. Born in San Francisco in 1973, Monica Lewinsky was raised in a well-off family in the Los Angeles area. In the summer of 1995 (@ 22 yrs. old), after graduating from Lewis and Clark College, she landed an unpaid internship in the White House chief of staff’s office. 58. In November 1995, during a federal government shutdown, Lewinsky flirted with the president and the two had their first sexual encounter. Later that month, she took a paying job in the Office of Legislative Affairs. 59. They had seven more encounters in the White House and her visits started drawing notice from people. In April 1996, a deputy chief of staff had her transferred to a job at the Pentagon. 60. The president and Lewinsky had two more encounters, the last was in spring 1997, and stayed in touch by phone. 61. At the Pentagon, she befriended a coworker, Linda Tripp, and she confided details of her affair with the president. Tripp in turn shared the story with an anti-Clinton conservative literary agent she knew. That person urged Tripp to secretly, and in violation of taping laws, record hours of her phone conversations with Lewinsky. 62. Word of Tripp’s tapes made it to lawyers working on behalf of Paula Jones, a former government employee who had filed a lawsuit against the president for alleged sexual misconduct that took place in 1991, when he was governor of Arkansas. 63. In December 1997, Lewinsky was subpoenaed by Jones’ attorneys and, after the president allegedly suggested she be evasive, the former intern denied in an affidavit that she had had a sexual relationship with Clinton. 64. Around the same time, independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who had been investigating Clinton and his wife Hillary’s involvement in a failed business venture called Whitewater, found out about Tripp’s recordings. Soon afterward, FBI agents fitted Tripp with a hidden microphone so she could legally tape her conversations with Lewinsky. 65. Then Starr expanded his investigation to include the president’s relationship with Lewinsky and told her that if she did not cooperate with the investigation she would be charged with perjury. 66. When Clinton was deposed in January 1998 by Jones’ legal team, he claimed he had never had sexual relations with Lewinsky. (The Big Lie) 67. On January 17, 1998, the Drudge Report, a conservative online news site, published the accusations against the president and the next day revealed Lewinsky’s identity. The mainstream media picked up the story a few days later, and a national scandal Erupted. Clinton refuted the allegations against him, famously stating at a press conference, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” 68. That July, Lewinsky’s lawyers announced she had been granted immunity in exchange for her testimony. She also gave Starr’s team physical evidence of her affair with Clinton: a blue dress with an incriminating stain containing the president’s DNA. At the suggestion of Tripp, Lewinsky had never laundered the garment. 69. On August 17, 1998, Clinton testified before a grand jury and confessed he had engaged in “inappropriate intimate physical contact” with Lewinsky. However, the president contended his actions did not meet the definition of sexual relations used by Jones’ attorneys—so he had not perjured himself. That night, he appeared on national TV and apologized for his behavior but maintained he had never asked anyone involved to lie or do anything illegal. 70. In September 1998, Starr gave Congress a 445-page report. The Starr Report was soon made public by Congress and published in book form, becoming a best-seller 71. In December, the House approved two articles of impeachment against him: perjury and obstruction of justice. He was only the second president in U.S. history to be impeached (after President Andrew Johnson in 1868). 72. On February 12, 1999, following a five-week trial in the Senate, Clinton was acquitted. (During his impeachment proceedings, he agreed to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit for $850,000, but admitted no wrongdoing.) 73. Open Comments: 74. Question: Impeach? (Y/N) (Can you imagine if Barack did this to Michelle!) 75. Music Scene: Black Songs from the Top 40 76. #1 "Too Close" - Next 77. #2 "The Boy Is Mine" - Brandy and Monica 78. #6 "Together Again" - Janet 79. #7 "All My Life" - K-Ci & JoJo 80. #9 "Nice & Slow" - Usher 81. #12 "No, No, No" - Destiny's Child 82. #14 "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" - Will Smith 83. #15 "You Make Me Wanna..." - Usher 84. #16 "My Way" - Usher 85. #17 My All" - Mariah Carey 86. #18 "The First Night" - Monica 87. #19 "Been Around the World" - Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase 88. #24 "Body Bumpin' (Yippie-Yi-Yo)" - Public Announcement 89. #26 "I Don't Ever Want to See You Again" - Uncle Sam 90. #27 "Let's Ride" - Montell Jordan featuring Master P and Silkk the Shocker 91. #30 "A Song for Mama" - Boyz II Men 92. #31 "What You Want" - Mase featuring Total 93. #33 "Gone till November" - Wyclef Jean 94. #34 "My Body" - LSG 95. #36 "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" - Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz 96. #39 "They Don't Know" - Jon B. 97. #40 "Make 'Em Say Uhh!" - Master P featuring Fiend, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal 98. Vote: 99. Top RnB Albums 100. Jan - R U Still Down? (Remember Me), 2Pac 101. Jan - My Way, Usher 102. Jan - Money, Power & Respect, The LOX 103. Feb - My Balls and My Word, Young Bleed 104. Feb - Anytime, Brian McKnight 105. Mar - Charge It 2 da Game, Silkk the Shocker 106. Mar - My Homies, Scarface 107. Mar - Life or Death, C-Murder 108. Apr - The Pillage, Cappadonna 109. Apr - Moment of Truth, Gang Starr 110. May - There's One in Every Family, Fiend 111. Jun - It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, DMX 112. Jun - MP Da Last Don, Master P 113. Jul - El Nino, Def Squad 114. Jul - Am I My Brother's Keeper, Kane & Abel 115. Aug - N.O.R.E., Noreaga 116. Aug - Jermaine Dupri Presents: Life In 1472, Jermaine Dupri 117. Aug - Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told, Snoop Dogg 118. Sep - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill 119. Oct - Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, Jay-Z 120. Nov - R., R. Kelly 121. Dec - Tical 2000: Judgement Day, Method Man 122. Dec - Doc's da Name 2000, Redman 123. Vote: 124. Featured Artists: Jay Z 125. Childhood & Early Life: Shawn Corey Carter was born in Brooklyn, New York City in 1969. He is the last of the four children. When he was only 11 years old, his father abandoned the family. They lived in the drug-infested ‘Marcy Projects’, where violence and gun-culture were also prevalent. He soon became so imbibed the gun-culture that he allegedly shot his elder brother in the shoulder for pocketing his jewelry. His interest in music was sparked from early on when he received a boom box for his birthday from his mother. He began free styling, scripting lyrics and copied the music of many popular artists of the time. He studied at several local high schools, where he was classmates with future performers, Busta Rhymes and The Notorious B.I.G., before ultimately dropping out and selling drugs. 126. Career Highlights 127. 1989 Jaz-O (@19yrs): Hooked up with local star and fellow project inhabitant, Jaz-O, who became his guru and taught him the industry basics. In order to pay homage to his mentor, he changed his name to Jay-Z, since Sean was known as ‘Jazzy’ in his neighborhood. Jaz-O’s “Hawaiian Sophie” is one of Jay-Z’s earliest appearances on wax. - Key development: He saw Jaz-O get jerked over by the record business. No record deal and he return to selling drugs. 128. 1992 Big Daddy Kane (@22): BDK records a mixtape with Jaz-O and Jay-Z. Eventually, BDK and Jay start working together and during BDK’s time with the Patti LaBelle tour he had Jay-Z performing for him while was in the back changing clothes. Key Development: Exposure and experience, but no deal. Back to the streets. 129. 1994 Original Flavor/Clark Kent/Damon Dash (@24): Original Flavor was one of rap's middle school crews headed by Ski, an MC/producer. They were also the first group managed by future recording industry executive Damon Dash. Although Ski worked with legendary New York DJ Clark Kent for the groups debut project, the album fizzled. For their follow-up, Ski enlisted the aid of a few more MCs including a young Brooklynite with some experience in the rap field, Jay-Z. Original Flavor was Jay-Z's training ground and it served as a catapult for his future endeavors. Flavor's sophomore release was released in 1994 and again fizzled. However, the lead single "Can I Get Open" features Jay-Z in impeccable pre-Jayhova form. Jay-Z's skills far surpassed those of the rest of the crew and his solo career would begin soon. Key Development: Local buzz, regional tours, several singles and videos but no deal. Starts transition from the streets. 130. 1995-96 Roc-A-Fella Records (@25): Frustrated with being turned down by several major labels Carter, Dash and Kareem Burke started their own label, Roc-A-Fella, as an independent outlet for Jay-Z's music. After becoming a local sensation, Jay-Z turned into Jigga and adopted the Tony Montana-styled persona. He would continue to work with his Original Flavor partner Ski after the group disbanded, making him a member/producer of his Roc-a-Fella staff. Jay-Z was also supported by The Notorious B.I.G.'s producer DJ Clark Kent. Key Development: Debut album, ‘Reasonable Doubt’ released in 1996. It did not immediately attain commercial success, but it spawned several hits, and established Jay-Z in the hip-hop community. No more streets. 131. 1997 Def Jam (@27): Roc-A-Fella Records agreed to a 50/50 partnership and distribution deal with Def Jam. His second studio album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Is released. The album debuted at #3 and most of the production is handled by Puff Daddy's production team giving the album a glossier sound than its predecessor. It was a shift from the mafioso rap themes of his first effort to a more popular sound. Critical reviews: "Though the productions are just a bit flashier and more commercial than on his debut, Jay-Z remained the tough street rapper, and even improved a bit on his flow...he struts the line between project poet and up-and-coming player" while balancing "both personas with the best rapping heard in the rap game since the deaths of 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G." (Also, in response to the sellout charge, Roc-A-Fella Records released the movie Streets Is Watching.) 132. 1998 Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life: The third studio album was released on September 29, 1998, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. Key Development: He cracks the code. This album went on to become his most commercially successful album to date, selling over 5 million copies. Critics review: Q magazine called it "the epitome of mainstream hip hop". 133. Audio Clip 134. Open Comments: 135. Question: Everybody knows someone who overcame the “streets” and is a success or should have overcome the “streets” and been a success. Who is your personal “Jay-Z”? 136. Movie Scene: Beloved 137. Summary: In 1873 Ohio, Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) is a mother of three haunted by her horrific slavery past and her desperate actions for freedom. As a result, Sethe's home is haunted by a furious poltergeist, which drives away her two sons. Sethe and her daughter (Kimberly Elise) endure living with the spirit for 10 more years, until an old friend, Paul D. Garner (Danny Glover), arrives to run it out. After Garner moves in, a strange woman named Beloved (Thandie Newton) enters their lives, causing turmoil. 138. Accolades: Academy Awards, Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood (Nominated), Chicago Film Critics, Most Promising Actress: Kimberly Elise (Winner), NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Danny Glover (Winner) 139. Review: Demme's direction tells the story through mood and accumulation of incident, rather than through a traditional story line. His editor, Carol Littleton, takes on the difficult task of helping us find our way through the maze. Some audience members, I imagine, will not like it--will find it confusing or too convoluted. And it does not provide the kind of easy lift at the end that they might expect. Sethe's tragic story is the kind where the only happy ending is that it is over. - Roger Ebert 140. Review: No Peace from a Brutal Legacy. "Beloved" works on its own but is much enhanced by familiarity with the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. In so ambitiously bringing this story to the screen, Ms. Winfrey underscores a favorite, invaluable credo: read the book. - By Janet Maslin. NY Times 141. Fallout: 'Beloved' Tests Racial Themes At Box Office; Will This Winfrey Film Appeal to White Audiences? - By Bernard Weinraub 142. Answer: No. Winfrey has gone on public record stating that she ate 30 pounds of macaroni and cheese when she was informed the Saturday after the movie opened that "we got beat by something called Chucky." Oprah also claimed that Beloved's failure at the box office was the worst moment in her career and brought her into a major depression. "It was the only time in my life that I was ever depressed, and I recognized that I (was) depressed because I've done enough shows (on the topic). 'Oh, this is what people must feel like who are depressed.” 143. Open Comments 144. Question: Favorite book-to-movie?: Call Me By Your Name/The Princess Bride/12 Years a Slave/Little Women/Mean Girls/The Shawshank Redemption/Harry Potter/Gone Girl/The Color Purple/The Wizard of Oz/Jurassic Park/The Lord of the Rings/The Godfather/THE /COLOR PURPLE/ROOTS/WAITING TO EXHALE/BELOVED/WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT/THINK LIKE A MAN/THE WIZ/THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES/The Help/THE HELP/MALCOLM X/LADY SINGS THE BLUES/HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK/PRECIOUS/DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS 145. Technology that changed us: The 1990s, from Worldwide Web to Google - By David Gewirtz, ZDNET 146. 1990: The First Web Browser - Of all the technologies that changed our lives, perhaps the most profound of the last 50 years has been the web. But it was not the ability to hyperlink documents that made the most impact. Instead, it was the application that presented all that information to users, the browser. English scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented and wrote the first web browser in 1990 while employed at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland. Notables: Adobe released the first version of Photoshop in 1990. 147. 1991: Linux - On August 25, 1991, Linus Torvalds typed the following to the Minix Usenet newsgroup, and it changed everything, "I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional..." Today, Linux runs in everything, from light bulbs to cars, to almost all TVs and phones on the market. Notable: Second generation (2G) cell phones. 2G service used digital transmission instead of analog and paved the way for SMS messaging. 148. 1992: The First Sms Text Message - December 3, 1992 engineer Neil Papworth sent a message to Richard Jarvis on a Vodafone Orbitel 901 handset. It said, "MERRY CHRISTMAS". 149. 1993: Mosaic Web Browser - It was the first browser that could display images. Mosaic was created by grad students at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Mosaic eventually became Netscape, which dominated the web (for a while, at least). 150. 1994: Amazon Founded - It started as a source for books. Notable: Sony's first PlayStation 151. 1995: Windows 95 And Ie 1.0 - Windows 95 was the first version of Windows to include IE, which would become the dominant browser for more than a decade. Notable (1): E-commerce: While the concept of e-commerce existed loosely for a few years, it was not until the 1990s that modern e-commerce was born. In 1995, both Amazon and eBay launched, and in 1999 Alibaba made its debut. Notable (2): JavaScript. SSL, and eBay 152. 1996: Palm Pilot Handheld - The first successful handheld PDA. Notable: DVD, & USB 153. 1997: Steve Jobs Returns To Apple - Apple would soon utterly transform music and telephones. Notable: MP3 players, Netflix, and Wi-Fi standard adopted. 154. 1998: Google Founded. Notable: Windows 98 and first iMac introduced. 155. 1999: The digital video recorder (DVR) was born. Notable: BlackBerry and preparing for the Y2K bug. 156. Question: Best 90’s tech: 157. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1998?
PART ONECo-hosts Scott and Paul pay tribute to the legacies of Eddie Van Halen and Johnny Bush, two songwriters from very different genres who recently passed. PART TWOOur in-depth interview with the amazing Ledisi where she reveals her wide-ranging influences; gives us the inside track on working with Rex Rideout, Raphael Saadiq, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; talks about the hand Prince played in shaping her career, and explains why she geeked out when she saw Bruce Springsteen at the Grammy Awards. ABOUT LEDISILedisi is a singer, songwriter, and actress with a dozen Grammy nominations in categories including Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song. After several years on her own independent label she signed with Verve Forecast Records for her album Lost & Found, which hit the Top 10 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart. She went on to release a string of albums for the label, all of which hit the Top 5 on the US charts. In addition, she landed more than a dozen hits on Billboard’s R&B singles charts, including “Alright,” “Goin’ Thru Changes,” “Pieces of Me,” “Stay Together,” “I Blame You,” “High,” “All the Way,” and others. In addition to her twelve Grammy nominations, Ledisi has won two Soul Train Music Awards, been nominated for Best Female Artist three times at the NAACP Awards, and is an NAACP Spirit Award honoree. She performed at the White House seven times at the request of Barack and Michelle Obama, and has maintained consistently high critical acclaim—from her first album to her most recent release, The Wild Card on her own Listen Back Entertainment in partnership with BMG.
Topics: Tupac death, Fugees, Set It Off, Moesha (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) http://afropopremix.com 1996 Snapshots 1. President: Bill Clinton 2. Jan - Whitewater scandal: U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton testifies before a grand jury. 3. Feb - Daniel Green is convicted of the murder of James Jordan, the father of basketball star Michael Jordan. 4. Mar - Lyle and Erik Menendez are found guilty of first-degree murder for the shotgun killing of their parents. 5. Apr - Chicago Bulls set a new NBA record for the most wins in a season, 70. 6. May -? 7. Jun - The Colorado Avalanche wins their first Stanley Cup in their first season based out of Denver and The Chicago Bulls win their fourth NBA Championship by defeating the Seattle Supersonics. 8. July - The Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics kills 2 and injures 111. 9. Aug - Tiger Woods makes his professional PGA Tour debut. 10. Sep - Tupac Shakur dies. 11. Oct - The Fox News Channel is launched. 12. Nov - Bill Clinton defeats Republican challenger Bob Dole to win his second term. 13. Dec - Death of JonBenét Ramsey: A six-year-old beauty queen is beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado; her body is found the following day. 14. Open Comments: 15. Music Snapshots 16. #1 Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los del Río 17. #2 One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men 18. #3 Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion 19. Record of the Year: Change the World – Eric Clapton 20. Album of the Year: Falling Into You – Celine Dion 21. Song of the Year: Change the World 22. Best New Artist: LeAnn Rimes 23. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: You're Makin' Me High – Toni Braxton 24. Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Your Secret Love – Luther Vandross 25. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Killing Me Softly – Fugees 26. Best R&B Song: Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Babyface, songwriter (Whitney Houston) 27. Best R&B Album: Words – The Tony Rich Project 28. Best Rap Solo Performance: Hey Lover – LL Cool J 29. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Tha Crossroads – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony 30. Best Rap Album: The Score – Fugees 31. Movie Snapshots 32. #1 Independence Day 33. #2 Twister 34. #3 Mission: Impossible 35. Notables: Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, The Birdcage, Fargo, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, The Nutty Professor, Kazaam, Set It Off, Space Jam, Jerry Maguire. 36. TV Snapshots 37. #1 - ER 38. #2 - Seinfeld 39. #3 - Suddenly Susan 40. Debuts: Moesha, The Daily Show, Kenan & Kel, The Steve Harvey Show, In The House, Malcolm & Eddie, Homeboys in Outer Space, The Jamie Foxx Show 41. Economic Snapshots 42. Income = 36.3k (Previously 36K) 43. House = 118.2K (113) 44. Car = 16.3k (15.5) 45. Rent = 554(550) 46. Harvard = 27.5k (26k) 47. Movie = 4.42 (4.35) 48. Gas = 1.22 (1.12) 49. Stamp = .32 (-) 50. Social Scene: Tupac Killed 51. Childhood: Tupac Shakur, born Parish Crooks, was born on June 16, 1971, to Black Panther activist parents in New York City. Thirteen days later, his mother, Alice Faye Walker (Afeni Shakur), changed his name. The parents wanted to avoid him being targeted by Black Panther-affiliated enemies. His mother was imprisoned while she was pregnant with him. Tupac's father, Billy Garland, was also a Panther but lost contact with Afeni when Tupac was five years old. The rapper would not see his father again until he was 23 - I thought my father was dead all my life. 52. Early Life: He had a difficult childhood, as he grew up in the company of criminals, militant activist, violence, and a drugged addicted mother with a transient lifestyle. Art became a constructive and safe escape. His first acting stint was in 1983 (@12 yrs. old) with the Harlem’s 127th StreetRepertory Ensemble when he performed in a play ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ at the Apollo Theater. In 1984, Tupac's family moved from New York City to Baltimore, Maryland.There he studied poetry, jazz, acting, and ballet at the Baltimore School for the Arts and befriended Jada Pinkett. The family later moved to Marin City, California, across the bay from Oakland, in 1988 (@17 yrs. old). They went to the home of a woman Afeni had been close to during her Black Panther days and lived in a poor housing complex, referred to as ‘the Jungle.’ 53. Early Career: While attending high school he participated in a poetry workshop known as The Microphone Sessions, organized by Leila Steinberg, who would eventually become his first manager. She introduced 19-year-old Tupac to Atron Gregory, a manager for the World Class Wrekin Cru’ and tour manager for NWA, who had just returned to the Bay Area, started TNT Records, and quickly gained attention by signing Digital Underground. Gregory matched Tupac with Digital Underground as a roadie and backup dancer. Tupac’s talent was soon recognized by the group, and he began rapping in some of their songs. He debuted on ‘Same Song,’ which was featured in the 1991 film Nothing But Trouble. (@20 yrs. old) 54. Solo Career: He released his debut solo album ‘2Pacalypse Now’ in 1991. (Big hit - 'Brenda's Got a Baby') Also in 1991, Shakur filed a $10-million lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department for allegedly brutalizing him over jaywalking. The case was settled for about $43,000. (1992 - Juice, first starring role) His second album, ‘Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z’ came out in 1993. It was more successful than its predecessor and contained the hits ‘Keep Ya Head Up’ and ‘I Get Around’. (1993 - Poetic Justice, co-starred with Janet Jackson) In 1994, he formed a group Thug Life and they released one album ‘Thug Life: Volume 1. (1994 - Above the Rim, Co-starred with Duane Martin) During this period he had several brushes with the law (he was associated with the shooting of a 6 yr. old Qa'id Walker-Teal in Marin City / shooting two policemen / various physical assaults) and was shot in an armed robbery case. After recovering from the shooting, he was sent to prison on a sexual assault charge. He released the album ‘Me Against the World’ in 1995 (@24) while serving his prison term. The album was an immediate hit and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. 55. Final Album: During 1995, while imprisoned, impoverished, and with his mother about to lose her house, Tupac had his wife get word to Marion Suge Knight, in Los Angeles, boss of the Death Row Records, at the time a verry successful company, and asked for a meeting. Tupac's mother received $15k, Suge paid Tupac's $1.4m bail, signed the rapper, and went to work on the album ‘All Eyez on Me’. The album was recorded in two weeks! In a matter of two weeks, Tupac recorded and completed the double-disc album, completing two out of three albums he owed Death Row. (The third release would end up being the posthumously released The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory) Released in February of 1996, the album featured five singles and went multi-Platinum in just a few months after its release. 56. Death: Seven months later, in September 1996, Tupac was killed in a drive-by shooting. He was 25 years old. 57. Open Comments: 58. Question: Confused young man or someone to be taken seriously? (What did he represent?) 59. Music Scene: 60. Black Songs in the Top 40 61. #1 Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los del Río 62. #2 One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men 63. #4 Nobody Knows, The Tony Rich Project 64. #5 Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey 65. #6 Give Me One Reason, Tracy Chapman 66. #7 Tha Crossroads, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony 67. #9 You're Makin' Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton 68. #10 Twisted, Keith Sweat 69. #11 C'mon N' Ride It (The Train), Quad City DJ's 70. #14 Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Whitney Houston 71. #16 Sittin' Up in My Room, Brandy 72. #17 How Do U Want It / California Love, 2Pac featuring K-Ci and JoJo 73. #20 Hey Lover, LL Cool J 74. #21 Loungin, LL Cool J 75. #23 Be My Lover, La Bouche 76. #27 I Can't Sleep Baby (If I), R. Kelly 77. #32 Not Gon' Cry, Mary J. Blige 78. #33 Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio featuring L.V. 79. #34 Only You, 112 featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase 80. #35 Down Low (Nobody Has to Know), R. Kelly featuring The Isley Brothers 81. #36 You're the One, SWV 82. #37 Sweet Dreams, La Bouche 83. #38 Before You Walk Out of My Life / Like This and Like That, Monica 84. #40 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), Coolio 85. #42 No Diggity, Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre 86. Vote: 87. Top RnB Albums 88. Jan - Waiting to Exhale, Soundtrack / Various artists 89. Feb - Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton, Eazy-E 90. Mar - All Eyez on Me, 2Pac 91. Mar - The Score, Fugees 92. Apr - The Coming, Busta Rhymes 93. Apr - The Resurrection, Geto Boys 94. Jun - Gettin' It (Album Number Ten), Too Short 95. Jun - Legal Drug Money, Lost Boyz 96. Jun - The Nutty Professor, Soundtrack / Various artists 97. Jul - Secrets, Toni Braxton 98. Jul - Keith Sweat, Keith Sweat 99. Jul - It Was Written, Nas 100. Aug - Beats, Rhymes and Life, A Tribe Called Quest 101. Sep - ATLiens, Outkast 102. Sep - Home Again, New Edition 103. Oct - Another Level, Blackstreet 104. Nov - Bow Down, Westside Connection 105. Nov - Ironman, Ghostface Killah 106. Nov - The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, Makaveli 107. Nov - Tha Doggfather, Snoop Dogg 108. Dec - Hell on Earth, Mobb Deep 109. Dec - Muddy Waters, Redman 110. Vote: 111. Featured Artist: The Fugees 112. Lauryn Hill (@21 yrs. old in 1996) was born in 1975 to a high school teacher and computer expert in New Jersey. Her mother played piano and her father sang in nightclubs. Young Lauryn sang in church choirs, gospel groups and showed a strong voice. She loved '60s and '70s soul and by age thirteen, she was playing the amateur night showtime at the Apollo, doing a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Who's Loving You". Hill nabbed minor roles on television's As the World Turns and in the film Sister Act II: Back in the Habit. Her work with the Fugees began in 1987 in high school with friend Prakazrel Samuel Michel. 113. "Pras" (@23 in 1996) was born in Brooklyn in 1972 and raised in New Jersey. He showed an early interest in music and attended Rutgers University and Yale University, pursuing a double major in Philosophy and Psychology. 114. Wyclef Jean (@27 yrs. old) was born in 1969 in Haiti, the son of a minister. When he was nine, he moved to the projects of Brooklyn, and later New Jersey, where he took up guitar and the study of music. 115. The trio formed in the late '80s, named themselves the Tranzlator Crew and used Hill's soap opera acting proceeds to pay for equipment. They toured the tri-state area and were signed to major label Ruffhouse/Columbia in 1993. Hill was still a minor. Shortly thereafter, they renamed themselves Fugees, a derisive slang term for refugees, and released a debut 12-inch Fugees (Tranzlator Crew) "Boof Baf" to no notable sales. 116. Their 1994 debut LP Blunted on Reality, stylized in a fashion like A Tribe Called Quest, Poor Righteous Teachers, and Digable Planets, did better. However, it was the remixed versions of "Nappy Head (Mona Lisa)" and "Vocab" that earned the group another budget for a follow-up album. (Also, notable, in later interviews Pras would say that a married Wyclef and the underage Hill were having a clandestine relationship at the time) 117. Combining a mix of conscious hip hp, soul, and reggae, with a homemade basement studio, sampled melodies, live guitars, bass, keys, "The Score" arrived in 1996, filling the void between gangsta and glitter. It became an instant classic, ultimately selling over 18 million copies. 118. Open Comments: 119. Internal "Affairs": In the summer of 1996, on the Smoking Grooves Tour, Hill met Rohan Marley, (one of Bob Marley's kids) and even though the former University of Miami football player was initially rebuffed, because Hill was still seeing Jean, , no one knew who the child really belonged to. 120. In the summer of 1996 Hill had met Rohan Marley, a son of Bob Marley and a former University of Miami football player. Hill subsequently began a relationship with him, while still also involved with the married Wyclef. She soon became visibly pregnant. Marley and Hill's first child was born the following summer. 121. Soon after Zion was born, she learned that Marley already had a wife and two children from another marriage. 122. Amid newfound international fame and baby Daddy drama, Wyclef did not support Hill's solo desires (she had made appearances on Wyclef's solo project), thus leading to the group splitting up. 123. Hill started work on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill; blocking out Wyclef Jean from any type of production help after he had snubbed her. Her old-school takes on "Doo Wop (That Thing)" helped it rule the charts in 1998 and win five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album -- the most ever for a woman. 124. Meanwhile, Hill was having more of Marley's children and becoming close with Brother Anthony, a spiritual adviser who studied the Bible with her several times per week. In 2001, she recorded an MTV Unplugged session where she broke down in tears and admitted to being deranged and emotionally unstable. Rolling Stone called the session "a public breakdown", though it debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went platinum. 125. She has been a sporadic and reluctant public figure ever since. 126. Question: Have you ever had an affair with a co-worker? How did it turn out? 127. Movie Scene: Set It Off. [Directed by F. Gary Gray Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller. Starring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett, and Vivica A. Fox] 128. Rotten Tomatoes, Critics Consensus: It may not boast an original plot, but Set It Off is a satisfying, socially conscious heist film thanks largely to fine performances from its leads. 129. Emanuel Levy, Variety 11-1996: Influenced by "Thelma & Louise" and "Waiting to Exhale," F. Gary Gray's "Set It Off" is a well-crafted girls-n-the-hood actioner, with an acute social conscience and plenty of soul. A tale of female bonding and empowerment, this relevant film boasts a terrific cast, headed by Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah in career-making performances. 130. Stephen Holden, New York Times 11-1996: Just Trying to Get Even While They Get Rich. On the long list of Hollywood heist movies that make you root for its criminals to steal a million dollars and live happily ever after, F. Gary Gray's film ''Set It Off'' is one of the most poignantly impassioned. If this messy roller coaster of a film often seems to be going in several directions at once, it never for a second loses empathy for its quartet of black female bank robbers who grew up together in a Los Angeles housing project and earn meager wages working for a janitorial service... A pop psychologist might translate the story into a fable called ''Women Who Rob Banks and the Society That Hates Them.' 131. Roger Ebert 11-1996: “Set It Off” is advertised as a thriller about four black women who rob banks. But it's a lot more than that. It creates a portrait of the lives of these women that's so observant and informed; it's like “Waiting to Exhale” with a strong jolt of reality. The movie surprised and moved me: I expected a routine action picture and was amazed how much I started to care about the characters. 132. Kent, Entertainment Weekly 09-2019: Why Set It Off is an era-defining film that shouldn't be remade. We are clearly in the age of reboots and remakes, but the '90s heist film is irreplaceable. 133. Question 1: Remake or Sequel? 134. Question 2: Do we really want more black female action heroines/stories? (i.e., women of Black Panther, "Breaking In" movie, Berry, Valkyrie, Guardians...etc.) 135. TV Scene: Moesha 136. Screen Rant: No show lasts for six seasons without making a cultural impact; Moesha was nominated for 32 awards and won three: two NAACP Image Awards and one SHINE Award. The series was syndicated, and still airs around the world. Netflix picked up streaming rights to the series in 2020, which became available to US subscribers on August 1, 2020. As new viewers will discover, however, despite how influential the show was, it ends abruptly after a significant cliffhanger for the main character in the season 6 finale. Despite the recognition, the show steadily declined in ratings, leading to its cancelation. 137. Moesha Mitchell went through quite the journey on Moesha. At the beginning of the series, Moesha was still dealing with her mother's death a few years prior and learning to come to terms with her new stepmother, Deirdre "Dee" Mitchel (Sheryl Lee Ralph) — who just happened to be the vice principal at Moesha's school. The final season sees Brandy experiencing the trials and tribulations of being a young adult, complete with an engagement to long-time on-again, off-again boyfriend Quinton "Q" Brooks (Fredro Starr) and attending college. The final episode ends with the reveal of a positive pregnancy test in Moesha's dorm — who it belongs to, however, is a mystery. Since the show never got another season, the storyline was never resolved. 138. According to EW, at the time, UPN's plan was to address the pregnancy cliffhanger in the spin-off series The Parkers, which premiered on the network in 1999. The Parkers followed Moesha's "boy-crazy" friend Kimberly Ann "Kim" Parker as she navigated attending college with her mother, who has decided to enlist at the same time as her daughter. For unknown reasons, however, the planned resolution never took place, despite The Parkers running until 2005. With there being reports of a possible reboot series in the works, perhaps this Moesha storyline — as well as the question of what happened to Moesha's brother Myles, who disappeared in the finale — can finally be laid to rest." 139. Question: Is it reboot worthy? / Is any classic black TV show reboot worthy? 140. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1996?
Topics: Million Man March, TLC, Friday, UPN (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) http://afropopremix.com 1995 Notes 1. Snapshots 2. President: Bill Clinton 3. Jan - The WB Television Network and The United Paramount Network (UPN) launches. 4. Mar - Yahoo! was incorporated and soon became the first popular online directory and search engine on the World Wide Web. 5. Mar - Mississippi ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The amendment was nationally ratified in 1865. Until February 7, 2013, the state of Mississippi had never submitted the required documentation to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, meaning it never officially abolished slavery. 6. Mar - Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E is suddenly hospitalized, diagnosed with AIDS, and dies due to its complications. 7. Apr - Oklahoma City bombing: 168 people, including 8 Federal Marshals and 19 children, are killed at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Timothy McVeigh and one of his accomplices, Terry Nichols, set off the bomb. 8. May - In Culpeper, Virginia, actor Christopher Reeve is paralyzed from the neck down after falling from his horse in a riding competition. [See - “Superman Curse”] 9. Sep - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opens. 10. Oct - The Million Man March is held in Washington, D.C. The event was conceived by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. 11. Dec - The presidents of Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia sign a peace treaty in Paris, ending a three-and-a-half-year war. 12. Music Snapshots 13. #1 "Gangsta's Paradise", Coolio featuring L.V. 14. #2 "Waterfalls", TLC 15. #3 "Creep", TLC 16. Record of the Year: "Kiss From a Rose", Seal 17. Album of the Year: Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette 18. Song of the Year: "Kiss From a Rose", Seal 19. Best New Artist: Hootie & the Blowfish 20. Best Female R&B: Anita Baker for "I Apologize" 21. Best Male R&B: Stevie Wonder for "For Your Love" 22. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: TLC for "Creep" 23. Best R&B Song: Stevie Wonder (songwriter) for "For Your Love" 24. Best R&B Album: TLC for CrazySexyCool 25. Best Rap Solo: "Gangsta's Paradise", Coolio 26. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By", Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige 27. Best Rap Album: Poverty's Paradise, Naughty by Nature 28. Movie Snapshots 29. #1 Die Hard with a Vengeance 30. #2 Toy Story 31. #3 Apollo 13 32. Notables: Higher Learning, Major Payne, Bad Boys, New Jersey Drive, Friday, Braveheart, Batman Forever, Pocahontas, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Clueless, Waterworld, Mortal Kombat, The Tuskegee Airmen, The Usual Suspects, Seven, Dead Presidents, The American President, Casino, Money Train, Heat, Waiting to Exhale. 33. TV Snapshots 34. Top TV Shows 35. #1 ER 36. #2 Seinfeld 37. #3 Friends 38. Debuts: The Wayans Bros. (WB), The Parent 'Hood (WB), Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (still airing), In the House 39. Economic Snapshots 40. Income = 35.9k (Previously 37K) 41. House = 113.1K (119) 42. Car = 15.5k (12.5) 43. Rent = 550 (533) 44. Harvard = 26.2k (24.9) 45. Movie = 4.35 (4) 46. Gas = 1.12 (1.09) 47. Stamp .32 (.29) 48. Social Scene: Million Man March 49. A political demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16, 1995, to promote African American unity and family values. Estimates of the number of marchers, most of whom were African American men, ranged from 400,000 to nearly 1.1 million, ranking it among the largest gatherings of its kind in American history. 50. Several African American leaders did not support the march, including Mary Frances Berry, chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and Rep. John Lewis, the latter of whom saw Farrakhan’s message as an effort to “resegregate America.” 51. Comments: 52. Featured Speaker: Louis Farrakhan, @62 yrs old 53. Born Louis Eugene Wolcott on May 11, 1933, in New York City, New York, to Sarah Mae Manning and Percival Clark. His parents separated even before he was born. 54. He did not know his biological father and was brought up by his stepfather Louis Wolcott. The death of his stepfather in 1936 led to the relocation of his family to Boston, Massachusetts. 55. From an early age, he received rigorous training in violin, so much so that by the time he turned 13 he had mastered the instrument and was playing along with the ‘Boston College Orchestra’ and ‘Boston Civic Symphony.’ 56. In his first year as a teenager, he became one of the first black performers to appear on the ‘Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour. ‘The following year, he had two national level victories under his belt. 57. He attended the prestigious ‘Boston Latin School’ after which he was admitted to ‘English High School. ‘After graduating from ‘English High School,’ he enrolled for a three-year course at the ‘Winston-Salem Teachers College’ on a track scholarship. 58. Starting from the 1950s, he pursued a career in music. He recorded several calypso albums under the pseudonym ‘The Charmer. ‘He toured frequently since the release of his first album. In 1955, he organized a show titled ‘Calypso Follies’ in Chicago. 59. Interestingly, one of his songs remained a chartbuster and on top of the ‘Billboard Chart’ for five years in a row. 60. It was while pursuing his professional music career that he was first exposed to the teachings of ‘Nation of Islam’ through his friend and saxophonist Rodney Smith. 61. Later, Elijah Muhammad invited him to attend the Nation of Islam’s annual ‘Saviours' Day’ address. Inspired by the discourse, he resolved to be a member of ‘Nation of Islam’ (NOI) in 1955. (@22) 62. He fulfilled all the requirements to become a registered Muslim/ registered believer/ registered laborer of NOI. Subsequently, he received an approval by the NOI headquarter in July 1955. 63. Initially known by the name Louis X, his name was later changed to the ‘holy name’ Louis Farrakhan. A derivative of the Arabic word furqan, which means "The Criterion". He gave up on a music career and dedicated his life to the ‘Nation of Islam.’ 64. Within a span of nine months, he worked his way up and started serving as the assistant minister to Malcolm X, who was heading the Muhammad’s Temple of Islam in Boston at that time. 65. He was soon made the minister as Malcom X was shifted to the Temple of Muhammad in Harlem, New York. Farrakhan replaced Malcom X as the minister at the Boston Temple. 66. Malcolm X was assassinated on 21 February 1965 and Farrakhan profited from it as he was appointed to two prominent positions in NOI. (@32) 67. He was appointed to the chair of the minister of the influential Harlem Mosque in 1965, a position which he held until 1975. Furthermore, he became the national spokesman and representative of NOI and served in this position until Elijah Muhammad’s death in 1975. 68. In 1975, the Nation's leadership chose Wallace Muhammad, also known as Warith Deen Mohammad, the fifth of Elijah Muhammad's sons, not Farrakhan, as the new Supreme Minister. 69. Though Farrakhan remained a loyalist of the Muhammad clan for some time, in 1977 he withdrew his support from the organization and rebuilt the original ‘Nation of Islam’ which had been established by its founders. 70. Soon after its foundation, he started a weekly newspaper by the name ‘The Final Call, Inc.’ The objective of this initiation was to communicate his views and thoughts to the supporters and members. 71. Two years later, along with his supporters, he organized the first ‘Saviours’ Day’ convention in Chicago. His group promised to walk by the principles of Elijah Muhammad. 72. Throughout his leadership, he blamed the Jewish community and other ethnic and racial groups for the sufferings endured by African Americans. 73. In October of 1995, he planned a broad coalition, intending to assemble about one million men in Washington DC for the ‘Million Man March.’ 74. At the convention, he was the keynote speaker along with distinguished African American intellectuals, such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King III, Cornel West, Jesse Jackson, and Benjamin Chavis. 75. Question: Who else could pull this off today? Where have our leaders gone? (Besides Obama) 76. Music Scene 77. #1 "Gangsta's Paradise", Coolio featuring L.V. 78. #2 "Waterfalls", TLC 79. #3 "Creep", TLC 80. #4 "Kiss from a Rose", Seal 81. #5 "On Bended Knee", Boyz II Men 82. #6 "Another Night", Real McCoy 83. #7 "Fantasy", Mariah Carey 84. #9 "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)", Monica 85. #10 "This Is How We Do It", Montell Jordan 86. #11 "I Know", Dionne Farris 87. #12 "Water Runs Dry", Boyz II Men 88. #13 "Freak Like Me", Adina Howard 89. #15 "I Can Love You Like That", All-4-One 90. #18 "Boombastic" / "In the Summertime", Shaggy 91. #20 "You Gotta Be", Des'ree 92. #21 "You Are Not Alone", Michael Jackson 93. #23 "One More Chance", The Notorious B.I.G. 94. #24 "Here Comes the Hotstepper", Ini Kamoze 95. #25 "Candy Rain", Soul for Real 96. #27 "I Believe", Blessid Union of Souls 97. #28 "Red Light Special", TLC 98. #29 "Runaway", Janet Jackson 99. #31 "Colors of the Wind", Vanessa Williams 100. #32 "Someone to Love", Jon B. 101. #34 "If You Love Me", Brownstone 102. #36 "I Got 5 on It", Luniz 103. #37 "Baby", Brandy 104. #40 "He's Mine", MoKenStef 105. Vote: 106. Jan - My Life, Mary J. Blige 107. Feb - Cocktails, Too Short 108. Mar - Safe + Sound, DJ Quik 109. Apr - Me Against the World, 2Pac 110. Apr - Friday, Soundtrack 111. Jun - Poverty's Paradise, Naughty by Nature 112. Jul - HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, Michael Jackson 113. Jul - Operation Stackola, Luniz 114. Aug - The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, Jodeci 115. Aug - E. 1999 Eternal, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony 116. Sep - The Show, Soundtrack 117. Oct - 4,5,6, Kool G Rap 118. Oct - Daydream, Mariah Carey 119. Oct - Doe or Die, AZ 120. Nov - Dogg Food, Tha Dogg Pound 121. Dec - R. Kelly, R. Kelly 122. Dec - Waiting to Exhale, Soundtrack 123. Vote: 124. Featured Artists: TLC 125. Tionne Tenese Watkins (@25) was born on April 26, 1970, in Des Moines, Iowa, into a family of African American, Native American and Irish descent. Both her parents, James and Gayle Watkins, were musicians and singers. 126. Her parents divorced when she was three years old. Thereafter, she was raised by her mother, who taught her to be “confident and independent”. At the age of nine, they moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where her maternal grandmother used to live. 127. As a child, she was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia (SCA), as a result of which, she had to spend a lot of time in hospitals. 128. As a teenager, she began working as a hair model, eventually serving as a manicurist and shampoo girl at a popular Atlanta hair salon. 129. In 1990, (@20) Tionne Watkins heard that a teenager named Crystal Clear was planning to open an all-girls group like Bell Biv DeVoe, having a tomboyish, hip-hop image. Eventually, she appeared for an audition and joined the three-member band, the third one being Lisa Lopes. 130. Calling themselves ‘2nd Nature’, they soon started working with Jermaine Dupri and Rico Wade on demo tape material. 131. Meanwhile, Watkins met Perri "Pebbles" Reid, the owner of the management and production company, Pebbitone, and managed to arrange an audition with her. 132. Impressed by the girls, Reid arranged an audition with the local record label, LaFace Records, co-founded by her then husband Antonio Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmund. She also changed the group’s name to TLC with ‘T’ representing Tionne, ‘L’ Lisa, and ‘C’ Crystal. 133. Although Antonio Reid was impressed by Watkins and Lopes, he did not approve of Clear, who was eventually replaced by Rozonda Thomas in April 1991. Very soon, Watkins became "T-Boz", Lopes became "Left-Eye", and Thomas became "Chilli”, so that ‘TLC’ continued to be the acronym of their names. 134. Their debut album, 'Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip' was released on February 25, 1992, by LaFace Records. It peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, selling six million copies worldwide, and was certified quadruple platinum RIAA. 135. 'Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip' scored three top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Baby-Baby-Baby’ peaking at number two, ‘Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg’ at number six and ‘What About Your Friends’ at number seven. Moreover, ‘Baby-Baby-Baby’ also peaked at number one at Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. 136. In 1993, the group started working on their second album, ‘CrazySexyCool’. But because of Lisa’s personal problems, it took time to complete and was ultimately released on September 15, 1994. 137. Certified Diamond, the album was a huge success, peaking at the 3rd position on the US Billboard 200. It sold over 11 million copies in the United States alone. The album was nominated for six Grammy Awards, out of which it won two and helped TLC to become the second-best selling girl group of all time. 138. Billboard named them the ‘Artist of the Year’ at the Billboard Music Awards. The album also appeared on Rolling Stone Magazine’s ’500 Greatest Albums of All Time’. 139. Despite the success, TLC was forced to file for bankruptcy because of poor contracts they had signed in 1991. Eventually, the group signed a new contract with the same company and went back to work. 140. Rozonda Ocelian Thomas (@24) was born on 27th February 1971 in Atlanta, Georgia to Abdul Ali and Ava Thomas. Her mother is of African American as well as Native American descent, while her father is of East Indian and Middle Eastern Background. She was raised by a single mother and did not meet her father until she was 25. 141. Thomas studied at Benjamin E. Mays High School, from where she graduated in 1989. Soon she started working as a back-up dancer for the R&B group Damian Dame. 142. In 1991, (@20) Rozonda Thomas joined the pop group TLC. 143. Lisa Nicole Lopes (@24) was born on May 27, 1971, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father was Ronald Lopes Sr., a staff sergeant in the US Army, and her mother was Wanda Denise, a seamstress. She was of Cape Verdean, Mexican, American, African and Portuguese descent. She was the eldest of three siblings. Her parents divorced when she was in school. Following this, she was raised by her paternal grandmother. 144. At the age of five, she began playing the piano and eventually started composing songs over the next few years. She studied at the Philadelphia School for Girls. 145. In late 1990, having heard of an open casting call for a new girl group through her then-boyfriend, Lopes moved to Atlanta to audition. 146. Lopes’ personal life, though, was marred by her rocky relationship with football great Andre Rison, and in 1994, she was arrested for burning down his home. 147. In 2000, she began her solo-project ‘Supernova’ which was set to be released in August 2001. However, the date was postponed repeatedly. It was eventually broadcast over the internet in 2002. The album was yet to be released formally and a fourth TLC project was in the making, when Lopes met with a tragic car accident in 2002 which unfortunately put an end to her life. she was just 30 years old. 148. Question: Is the WAP controversy justified? 149. Movie Scene: Friday 1995 film 150. (Links and Resources: Strong Black Legends: John Witherspoon; "John Witherspoon's Style of Comedy was Timeless," Justin Tinsley, The Undefeated; Gene Siskel's review, Chicago Tribune; Desson Howe's review, Washington Post; "After 20 Years, Friday Is (Still) The Most Important Film Ever Made About The Hood," Kelley L. Carter, BuzzFeed; "John Witherspoon Made Every Scene Better," Rembert Brown, New York Times; Review by Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly. - Find additional episodes, leave a comment, or make a donation to support the podcast at unaffiliatedcritic.com.) 151. Reviews: 152. Gene Siskel: For all of the shouting, mugging and rap music, a surprisingly dull comic yarn about a young man (Ice Cube) trying to survive in the 'hood. Colorful characters abound, but nothing ties them together. I knew the picture was in trouble when its first gag involved an old lady spewing obscenities. (Rating: 1 star) 153. By Desson Howe, Washington Post Staff Writer - April 28, 1995: "Friday," a comedy starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, is dirty, offensive, infantile and may launch a few sanctimonious opinion columns. And I mean that in the nicest way. The movie, which shamelessly hawks its own "Friday" music video at the beginning and eschews political correctness whenever possible, happens to be incredibly funny. 154. After 20 Years, “Friday” Is (Still) The Most Important Film Ever Made About The Hood: - Kelley L. Carter, BuzzFeed News Reporter. Posted April 20, 2015. 155. “...Todd Boyd, a professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts as well as screenwriter and producer of the 1999 coming-of-age drama The Wood, says that Friday didn't just add an element of comedy to depictions of everyday life in black neighborhoods, it spawned a new genre — the hood comedy. 156. “The film demonstrated that black life was not all drugs, violence, dysfunction, and pathology — yet instead of offering a Cosby Show-like fantasy, Friday put these issues in context, finding humor in the everyday lives of regular black people,” he explains. “Since the 1970s, Hollywood has always looked favorably upon low-budget black films that produce high profit margins at the box office. Friday expanded the representation of the hood into the realm of comedy and achieved box office success at the same time.” 157. Other hood comedies that followed include: 1996’s satire Don’t Be a Menace While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, 1998’s The Player’s Club (Cube wrote and directed it), 2001’s How High, and 2002’s Barbershop, the latter of which Cube starred in. 158. Question: Friday or Carwash? - Chris Tucker or Mike Epps? 159. TV Scene 160. “Was UPN Black America’s Last Hope for a Black Sitcom-Friendly Broadcast Television Network?” April 20, 2017 - https://shadowandact.com 161. “...Since ABC’s "Black-ish" debuted this fall, it has drawn numerous comparisons to "The Cosby Show" — and I have questions. I wonder why the majority of essays and critiques jumped to a show that has been off-air for 22 years. Although few television shows rivaled the mainstream popularity of Bill Cosby’s chef d’oeuvre, plenty of Black sitcoms have filled its gap since its 1992 finale. Does no one remember the quasi-Black glory of United Paramount Network (UPN)? And can there ever be another like it? 162. From 1995 to 2006 UPN was the home for over 10 concurrently running Black sitcoms (and a handful of dramas). Given the sheer volume of programming, that’s remarkable in and of itself. But perhaps what is more noteworthy than the number of shows is the range of Black life they displayed. 163. "All of Us," produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, centered on a blended family of two divorced spouses and their significant others. The Essence Atkins and Rachel True-helmed "Half & Half" explored the relationship between two estranged half-sisters. "Moesha" was UPN’s most successful sitcom during its five-year run and introduced America to another beloved, nuclear Black family besides the Huxtables. Other notable UPN sitcoms included "One on One," "The Parkers," "Eve," and "Malcolm & Eddie." 164. UPN actively sought programming aimed for Black audiences at a time when Black mainstays from the Big Three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were waning. "Family Matters" was cancelled from ABC’s coveted TGIF lineup in 1998. Fox declined to extend Martin Lawrence’s eponymously named sitcom the previous year. The major networks were beginning to narrow their viewership to exclude all-Black casting on their sitcoms. Not only were Black actors finding work on shows sold to UPN, but established Black producer-writers like Eunetta T. Boone and Ralph Farquhar found a home as well. 165. Despite—and maybe because of—its friendliness to Black programming, UPN suffered from a reputation as a sub-par network. The ratings for their sitcoms often scraped the bottom of the Nielsen barrel. UPN is remembered more for its utter failures ("Homeboys in Outer Space") and ignored when we fondly recall the glory of "Girlfriends." 166. “UPN took the rejects. UPN was 'the Black channel,'” we joke. UPN may not have been perfect, but it gave Black audiences so much to choose from without feeling as if one show had to represent the totality of Blackness. 167. Accordingly, "Black-ish" has a lot riding on its success. Black audiences tune in hoping big wigs take notice and order more Black sitcoms. But it is telling that major networks began a “blackout” of successful Black cast shows in the late 90s and The CW essentially did the same a decade later. 168. "Black-ish" could be the start of another heyday for Black sitcoms. We reach backward to "The Cosby Show" because we love it best and we always will. But in doing so, we ignore the stable of Black shows that kept us laughing long after The Huxtables faded to black. However, the success of "Black-ish" will remain singular until executives reexamine their beliefs about African American audiences; we need them, like UPN once did, to give us a chance. I just hope it doesn’t take another decade. 169. Other Notable UPN Shows: Everybody Hates Chris 2005 / Girlfriends 2000 / All of Us 2003 / Moesha 1996 / The Parkers 1999 / Malcolm and Eddie 1996 / In The House 1995 / Between Brothers 1997 / 170. Other Notable WB Shows: The WB The Wayans Brothers 1995 / The Parent 'Hood 1995 / Steve Harvey Show 1996 / The Jamie Foxx Show 1996 / Smart Guy 1997 / MIB Animated 1997 / The PJs 1999 171. Question: What the hell is wrong with BET? 172. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1995?
Topics: OJ Simpson, R. Kelly & Aaliyah, Samuel Jackson, Black TV Cancellation (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) http://afropopremix.com Snapshots 1. Bill Clinton is President 2. Jan - In Detroit, Michigan, Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an assailant, under orders from figure skating rival Tonya Harding's ex-husband. Tonya later pleads guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution for trying to cover-up the attack, is fined $100,000, and banned from the sport. 3. Jan - During a segment on NBC's Today, host Bryant Gumbel asks, "What is the internet, anyway?" 4. Feb - During the opening monologue on Saturday Night Live, guest host Martin Lawrence makes sexually explicit jokes about female genitalia and feminine hygiene, which results in NBC banning him from appearing on the network (for the next year) and SNL (for life). In repeats of the episode, the offending section of the monologue is replaced by a title card read by an off-screen player (writer Jim Downey), saying that although SNL is neutral about the issues mentioned by Lawrence, network policy prevents his remarks from being re-broadcast, and that the incident almost cost the entire cast of SNL their jobs. 5. Apr - Kurt Cobain, songwriter and frontman for the band Nirvana, is found dead at his Lake Washington home. He is believed to have committed suicide three days before he was found. 6. Jun - Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman are murdered outside the Simpson home in Los Angeles. O.J. Simpson is later acquitted of the killings but is held liable in a civil suit. 7. Nov - Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan announces that he has Alzheimer's disease. 8. Nov - WXYC, the student radio station of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, provides the world's first internet radio broadcast, aka live streaming. 9. Nov - Rapper Tupac Shakur is shot five times and robbed after entering the lobby of Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan. 10. Sep - The pilot episode for Friends airs on NBC. 11. Open Comments 12. Top 3 Pop Songs 13. #1 "The Sign", Ace of Base 14. #2 "I Swear", All-4-One 15. #3 "I'll Make Love to You", Boyz II Men 16. Record of the Year: Sheryl Crow for "All I Wanna Do" 17. Album of the Year: Tony Bennett for MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett 18. Song of the Year: Bruce Springsteen for "Streets of Philadelphia" 19. Best New Artist: Sheryl Crow 20. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Toni Braxton for "Breathe Again" 21. Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Babyface for "When Can I See You" 22. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Boyz II Men for "I'll Make Love to You" 23. Best R&B Album: Boyz II Men for II 24. Best Rap Solo Performance: "U.N.I.T.Y." – Queen Latifah 25. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "None of Your Business" – Salt-N-Pepa 26. Top 3 Movies 27. #1 The Lion King 28. #2 Forrest Gump 29. #3 True Lies 30. Notables: House party 3, Blue Chips, Sugar Hill, Above The Rim, The Ink Well, Crooklyn, Beverly Hills Cop 3, Speed, Forrest Gump, True Lies, The Shawshank Redemption, Jason's Lyric, Pulp Fiction, Dumb and Dumber 31. Top # TV Shows 32. #1 Seinfeld 33. #2 ER 34. #3 Home Improvement 35. Debuts - Sister, Sister, South Central, Rolanda 36. Economic Scene 37. Income = 37k (Previously 31K) 38. House = 119K (113) 39. Car = 12.5k (12.7) 40. Rent = 533 (532) 41. Harvard = 24.9k (23.5) 42. Movie = 4 (4.14) 43. Gas = 1.09 (1.16) 44. Stamp .29 (Same) 45. Social Scene: OJ Simpson 46. O.J. Simpson was born on July 9, 1947, in Putrero Hill, California, in the family of Eunice and Jimmy Lee Simpson. His father was a chef and bank custodian and his mother were a hospital administrator. Soon after his birth he developed rickets and had to wear braces on his legs till he was five. In 1952, his father left the family when he was still very young, and his mother had to take responsibility of raising the four children. He joined the ‘Persian Warriors’, a street gang in his early teens and was confined at the ‘San Francisco Youth Guidance Center’ for a short while. He played football for his team the ‘Galileo Lions’ at the ‘Galileo High School’ (now known as ‘Galileo Academy of Science and Technology’) in San Francisco. 47. List of the most familiar faces that played pivotal roles in the trial. 48. Marcia Clark (Prosecution / Ice Queen): An ace trial lawyer for the L.A. District Attorney's office, Clark spent years in the Special Trials Unit, which involved some of the most complex investigations, before becoming the lead prosecutor of the Simpson murder trial. Described as cold and calculating, Clark turned off many black female jurors who viewed her courtroom style as harsh and aggressive. After losing the Simpson case, Clark resigned from the L.A. District Attorney's office. 49. Christopher Darden (Prosecution / Uncle Tom / Token): Despite being a co-prosecuting attorney with Clark, Darden had limited trial experience. Still, as a black man amid a majority black jury, his participation was important so as to dismiss the notion that the otherwise all-white prosecution had racist motivations against Simpson. Although Darden floundered at the start of the trial and was purportedly intimidated by Cochran, he gained momentum as events progressed. However, he made a consequential mistake when he demanded that Simpson try on the infamous bloody gloves, which ended up being too small for the accused's hands. The loss of the Simpson trial devastated Darden, who was known for his short fuse, and he took a leave of absence. 50. Robert Shapiro (Defense / Publicity Hound): A lover of the spotlight, lead defense counsel Shapiro knew how to make a deal without going to trial and was a master at manipulating the media in order to garner sympathy for his famous clients. In fact, he was praised as the "Defense Counsel of the Year" in 1994, which even Judge Ito applauded. But when he began representing Simpson, Shapiro found himself jostling to keep his leadership role as other attorneys on his team were chomping at the bit to outshine him. Reportedly, co-defense lawyer F. Lee Bailey leaked stories to the press about Shapiro's ego, one of many indications there was infighting within the group. However, the blow that removed Shapiro from his lead status was when Cochran won Simpson's favor by visiting him in jail — something Shapiro preferred not to do with any of his clients. Once Cochran took over as lead counsel, Shapiro was vocally critical and attempted to distance himself from his team's chosen strategies. He would later tell Barba ra Walters that "not only did we play the race card, we dealt it from the bottom of the deck." 51. Johnnie Cochran (Defense / Master Manipulator): Having moved up the legal ranks in L.A.'s criminal division, Cochran went on to represent some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Michael Jackson and James Brown. In 1994, he was considered one of the best trial lawyers in the nation, and it was Simpson himself who asked Shapiro to bring Cochran onto the team. Once Cochran gained control of Simpson's defense strategy and pushed Shapiro to the side, he wooed the courtroom and media. Using his "black preacher" style approach, he controversially used the race card to curry sympathy for Simpson. After prosecutor Darden made the mistake of demanding Simpson try on the ill-fitted bloody gloves, Cochran uttered the famous phrase: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit." That moment became a turning point of the trial, giving Simpson's defense a huge advantage. 52. Lance Ito (Judge / Wanna Be): Before Lance Ito was appointed to the bench in 1989, he was an attorney for the L.A. district and at one point, worked under Cochran. A fan of media attention, Ito was arguably too lax about different aspects of the Simpson trial, giving interviews and inviting celebrities and journalists into his chambers. Judge Ito was further criticized on his decision to allow cameras in the courtroom and letting attorneys stall and have too many sidebars. His willingness to include Detective Mark Fuhrman's old taped interviews, in which he denigrated black people, was also a huge source of contention for the prosecution. In a strange twist, the tapes also revealed Fuhrman had made disparaging remarks about Ito's wife, Margaret York, who was Fuhrman's department superior at the time. When those comments were exposed, the prosecution asked for Ito to recuse himself due to his possible bias against Fuhrman, but later the request was withdrawn. 53. Mark Fuhrman (Detective & Witness / Racists): Among the most controversial figures of the Simpson trial was L.A. homicide detective Mark Fuhrman. Responsible for discovering the "bloody glove" at the murder scene, Fuhrman did what the LAPD refused to do to Simpson — he threw the former NFL star in jail. Although Fuhrman denied ever having racist tendencies or using the n-word, a taped interview he had chosen to do 10 years earlier revealed otherwise. In the recording, he was quoted as saying to incarcerated black people: "You do what you're told, understand, n—r?" A wave of backlash hit Fuhrman, but he continued denying being a racist and also pushed back against the defense's theory that he planted the bloody glove to frame Simpson. 54. Dennis Fung (Criminologist & Witness / Dunce): As the prosecution's witness, Dennis Fung — the LAPD criminologist who collected evidence at the murder scene — ended up spending the longest time testifying on the stand. For nine days, Fung recalled how he collected samples of blood, albeit admittedly overlooking some important areas where blood drops were identified and not always using gloves. The defense ate up Fung's inefficient and careless actions and implicated him as a liar who was part of a larger LAPD conspiracy against Simpson. 55. Kato Kaelin (Witness / ???, Comedy Relief): Aspiring actor and houseguest of Simpson, Brian "Kato" Kaelin was a star witness for the prosecution. Present at Simpson's Rockingham mansion at the time of the murders, Kaelin claimed that he ate dinner with Simpson that night but could not account for the star athlete's whereabouts between the hours of 9:36 p.m. and 11 p.m. (the prosecution theorized that Simpson murdered his ex-wife and Goldman between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.). Due to Kaelin's shiftiness on the stand, prosecutor Clark turned against him and treated him as a hostile witness. Regardless, Kaelin — with his thick tufts of blond hair and surfer dude ways — gained considerable popularity in the media as a likable and comedic character of the trial. 56. Allan Park (Witness / Voice of Reason): As the limousine driver who was hired to drive Simpson to the airport for his evening flight to Chicago, Allan Park was a vital witness to the prosecution. Competent and composed, Park helped bolster the idea that Simpson may not have been at the Rockingham mansion when the double homicide occurred. Still, the jury did not give much weight to his testimony, asking for his transcript only hours before deliberation. Reportedly, one juror wholly dismissed Park's testimony because he was unable to recall the number of cars parked at the Rockingham mansion. Upon hearing this, Park was shocked his testimony was so casually disregarded. 57. Open Floor: 58. Question: What did you want to happen? 59. Music Scene: Black songs from the Top 40 60. #3 "I'll Make Love to You", Boyz II Men 61. #5 "Hero", Mariah Carey 62. #7 "Breathe Again", Toni Braxton 63. #11 "Bump n' Grind", R. Kelly 64. #12 "Again", Janet Jackson 65. #14 "Whatta Man", Salt-n-Pepa and En Vogue 66. #16 "Without You" / "Never Forget You", Mariah Carey 67. #17 "You Mean the World to Me", Toni Braxton 68. #19 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", Prince 69. #20 "Fantastic Voyage", Coolio 70. #22 "Regulate", Warren G featuring Nate Dogg 71. #23 "If You Go", Jon Secada 72. #24 "Back & Forth", Aaliyah 73. #26 "When Can I See You", Babyface 74. #29 "Shoop", Salt-n-Pepa 75. #30 "Any Time, Any Place", Janet Jackson 76. #31 "Shine", Collective Soul 77. #36 "Can We Talk", Tevin Campbell 78. #37 "Funkdafied", Da Brat 79. #39 "Gangsta Lean", DRS 80. Vote 81. Top RnB Albums 82. Jan - Doggystyle , Snoop Doggy Dogg 83. Jan - Diary of a Mad Band, Jodeci 84. Feb - 12 Play, R. Kelly 85. Apr - Above the Rim, Soundtrack/Various artists 86. Jun - Nuttin' But Love, Heavy D & the Boyz 87. Jun - Above the Rim, Soundtrack/Various artists 88. Jun - Regulate...G Funk Era, Warren G 89. Jul - Get Up on It, Keith Sweat 90. Jul – Funkdafied, Da Brat 91. Aug - We Come Strapped, MC Eiht featuring Compton's Most Wanted 92. Sep - Changing Faces, Changing Faces 93. Sep – II, Boyz II Men 94. Oct - Rhythm of Love, Anita Baker 95. Oct - Jason's Lyric, Soundtrack/Various artists 96. Nov - Murder Was the Case, Soundtrack/Various artists 97. Nov - The Icon Is Love, Barry White 98. Dec – Tical, Method Man 99. Dec - Dare Iz a Darkside, Redman 100. Dec - My Life, Mary J. Blige 101. Dec - Miracles: The Holiday Album, Kenny G 102. Vote: 103. Music Scene: R. Kelly and Aaliyah 104. R. Kelly is an American singer-songwriter, often referred to as the King of R&B. 105. Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known as R. Kelly to his fans, is an American singer. He is one of the best-selling music artists in the United States and the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s. A multi-faceted personality, Kelly is a singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and former semi-professional basketball player. 106. R. Kelly was born on January 8, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He and his three siblings were raised by their mother Joanne in the Baptist church, where she served as the lead singer of the choir. 107. The family lived in poverty and struggled to make ends meet. Kelly started singing as part of the church choir when he was eight. 108. He had a very difficult childhood as he was often sexually abused by a woman. In his 2012 autobiography ‘Soulacoaster,’ he had penned down his experience and the reason why he never told about his ordeal to anyone. When he was 11, he was shot in the shoulder while riding his bike home. 109. He had an untreated learning disability, which made it difficult for him to read and write. Eventually, he had to drop out of high school. 110. He studied at the ‘Kenwood Academy’ in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. He was an athletic young boy and played basketball for his high school team. However, his music teacher Lena McLin, who had recognized his musical talent, advised him to leave the sport and focus on music. 111. He was very close to his mother, who took him to church and clubs where she performed. She died of cancer in 1993. 112. Kelly gained recognition in 1989 when he, along with Marc McWilliams, Shawn Brooks, and Vincent Walker, participated in the TV show ‘Big Break,’ where he went on to win the $100,000 grand prize. 113. As a youngster, he formed the group ‘MGM’ (Musically Gifted Men) along with his friends Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker, and Shawn Brooks. In 1990, ‘MGM’ recorded and released their first single, ‘Why You Wanna Play Me’ and disbanded shortly after. 114. In 1992, Kelly released his debut album ‘Born into the 90’s’ along with a musical group named ‘Public Announcement.’ The album produced several hit songs and was eventually certified platinum 115. Kelly's first solo album, ‘12 Play,’ was released in November 1993. 116. R. Kelly, 27, achieves mainstream success when his single “Bump n’ Grind”, released in January of 1994, hits number one on the Billboard 100. A month later, his protégé Aliyah releases her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, which was almost entirely written and produced by him. 117. His self-titled album ‘R. Kelly’ was out in 1995. Featuring introspective lyrics and foot-tapping music, this album became a huge hit and spawned three number one singles – ‘You Remind Me of Something,’ ‘Down Low (Nobody Has to Know),’ and ‘I Can't Sleep (Baby If I). 118. Aaliyah Biography: Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane and Michael Haughton. She had one brother whom she was very close to. She was very family oriented and had close relations with her parents and grandmother. She was of African American descent. 119. Her mother was a vocalist and young Aaliyah began singing when she was a child, performing at weddings, charity events, and for church choir. Her uncle Barry Hankerson was married to recording artist Gladys Knight who played a major role in introducing Aaliyah to the show business. 120. She attended a Catholic school named ‘Gesu Elementary,’ where she was cast to play a role in a stage play titled ‘Annie.’ 121. With support from Gladys, Aaliyah auditioned for commercials and television programs, and also for several record labels. She started appearing in concerts alongside Gladys when she was 11. 122. Aaliyah signed with ‘Jive Records’ and her Uncle Barry Hankerson's ‘Blackground Records’ when she was just 12. Her debut album ‘Age Ain't Nothing but a Number,’ which was recorded when the singer was just 14, was released in 1994. 123. In its very first week, the album sold almost 74, 000 copies. Soon, it reached from 24th to the 18th position in ‘Billboard 200,’ eventually selling over three million copies in the United States, where it was certified double platinum by the ‘RIAA.’ 124. The tremendous success of the album catapulted Aaliyah to international stardom. During this time, rumors of her illegal marriage with her mentor and recording artist and producer R. Kelly began circulating. 125. In order to silence the rumors, Aaliyah left ‘Jive Records’ and signed a contract with ‘Atlantic Records,’ under which she released her second album ‘One in a Million’ in 1996. This album was also a major success. It peaked at No. 18 on the ‘Billboard 200,’ and sold over 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. It was certified double platinum by the ‘RIAA.’ 126. Aaliyah, along with her crew, flew to the Bahamas on August 25, 2001, to shoot the music video of the song, ‘Rock the Boat.’ Completing the shoot early, the crew decided to return to Florida instead of waiting for the next day as per schedule. For their return, they boarded a small private airplane. 127. The plane was smaller than the one the crew had arrived in. However, the whole party and the equipment were accommodated on board, overloading the plane with a surplus of 320 kg and one excess passenger. The plane crashed soon after taking off, killing everyone on board. 128. Open Comments: 129. Controversies 130. Illegal marriage: According to Vibe and the Chicago Sun-Times, 27-year-old Kelly and 15-year-old protégée Aaliyah were illegally married in a secret ceremony on August 31, 1994, in Cook County.[126][127] Upon meeting Kelly and prior to the nuptials, Aaliyah admitted she had falsely stated she was 18. In a 2008 interview, Kelly's tour manager, Demetrius Smith, said that he facilitated the wedding by obtaining falsified identification for Aaliyah which listed her as 18 years of age. 131. He married Andrea, his former backup dancer, in 1996. The couple has three children. They divorced in 2009 after almost 13 years of marriage. 132. 1998, Kelly paid Tiffany Hawkins $250,000 after she claimed Kelly had induced her to have group sex with other teenage girls when she was 15 years old. 133. 2001: Sued by intern: Tracy Sampson sues R. Kelly, accusing him of inducing her "into an indecent sexual relationship" when she was 17 years old. The woman, a former intern at Epic Records, claimed she was "treated as his personal sex object and cast aside". "He often tried to control every aspect of my life including who I would see and where I would go," she said in her legal case against him. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, said the New York Post. 134. 2002: Two more court cases - Kelly is sued for a third time by Patrice Jones, a Chicago woman who claims he impregnated her when she was underage, and that she was forced to have an abortion. A woman named Montina Woods also sued Kelly, alleging that he videotaped them having sex without her knowledge. The recording was allegedly circulated on an R Kelly "sex tape" sold by bootleggers under the title R. Kelly Triple-X. The star settled both cases out of court, paying an undisclosed sum in return for a non-disclosure agreement. 135. 2017, Kelly was accused of forcing girls to stay in an ‘abusive cult.’ 136. 2018, the ‘Women of Color’ branch of the ‘Time's Up’ movement called for a boycott of Kelly's music and performances over the many allegations against him. The boycott was accompanied by a social media campaign called ‘Mute R. Kelly.’ 137. 2019, Kelly was taken back to the ‘Cook County Jail’ after failing to pay $161,633 in child support. On March 9, 2019, he was released after someone, who didn't want to be identified, paid off the child support. 138. 2019, Lifetime began airing a six-part documentary series, “Surviving R. Kelly”, detailing sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against Kelly. 139. Question: Why do we treat R Kelly different than Michael? 140. Movie Scene: Sam Jack Mutha F@#A 141. Samuel Leroy Jackson was born on December 21, 1948, in Washington, D.C. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was raised by his mother Elizabeth Jackson as his father lived away from the family and later passed away from alcoholism. He met his father only twice during his life. 142. He studied at a number of segregated schools and graduated from ‘Riverside High School’ in Chattanooga. During his time at school, he played the French horn and the trumpet in the school orchestra. He suffered from stuttering when he was a child. 143. He initially dreamt of pursuing a degree in marine biology at ‘Morehouse College’ in Atlanta, but soon switched degrees after he discovered the actor in him. He graduated from the institute in 1972 and at the same time, co-founded the theatre group, ‘Just Us Theatre.’ 144. After appearing in several plays, including ‘The Opera’ and ‘A Soldier’s Play,’ he made his motion picture debut in the blaxploitation film ‘Together for Days’ in 1972. Four years later, he appeared in the television series ‘i’ On.’ 145. He moved to New York City and spent the next several years appearing in stage plays, such as ‘The Piano Lesson’ and ‘Two Trains Running.’ In 1977, he appeared in the film ‘The Displaced Person.’ 146. It is believed that in his early years he was mentored by Morgan Freeman. Later on, in his career, he started doing noticeable roles in films like ‘School Daze’ and ‘Do the Right Thing,’ which released in 1988 and 1989, respectively. 147. In 1990, he appeared in ‘Goodfellas’ in a minor role and then worked as a substitute on ‘The Cosby Show’ for the next three years. 148. From 1990 to 1993, he worked in films like ‘Def by Temptation,’ ‘The Return of Superfly,’ ‘Strictly Business,’ ‘Jungle Fever,’ ‘Patriot Games,’ ‘True Romance,’ ‘Amos & Andrew,’ ‘Jurassic Park,’ and ‘Loaded Weapon 1.’ 149. In 1994, he played the critically acclaimed role of Jules Winnfield in the hit film ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Jackson became a world icon after the release and subsequent success of the movie. It was later revealed that director Quentin Tarantino specifically wanted him for the role. 150. Open Comments: 151. Question: Is Sam better than Denzel? 152. TV Scene: The Death of Black TV 153. Cancelled in 1994: Jan - The Les Brown Show, Feb – Thea, The Sinbad Show, May – Roc, In Living Color, and The Arsenio Hall Show 154. Article #1: A TELEVISION TREND: AUDIENCES IN BLACK AND WHITE by Paul Farhi November 29, 1994 155. All across the country tonight, millions of households will tune to ABC's "Home Improvement." In a typical week, the situation comedy about the host of a household fix-it show is the most-watched program on the air. Yet one group of viewers is decidedly sparse among the masses of "Home Improvement" fans. In African American households, the program barely makes the top 30. Other big network hits are even less popular: "Seinfeld" and "Frasier" don't even crack the top 90 …The top show for black audiences this season: "Living Single," a Fox sitcom that ranks 69th among all audiences.” 156. Article #2: Let’s rewind a bit. In the mid-'80s, when there wasn't a whole lot of programming aimed specifically at black folks, black and white viewers watched mostly the same shows — 15 of the top 20 most-watched shows for black audiences in the 1985-96 season were also in white viewers' top 20. But by the next decade, everything had changed. While the then-Big Three had a handful of shows with black casts in the mid-1990s like Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it was the upstart networks like Fox and later UPN and the WB (Both launched in Jan 1995) that seriously doubled down on black viewers in a bid to become commercially viable as quickly as possible. The result was a kind of alternate TV universe where you could find black folks on-screen seemingly every night of the week — In Living Color; Roc; Sister, Sister; Moesha; In The House; The Jamie Foxx Show; Malcolm & Eddie. (Alas, Latinos and Asian-American folks were then, as now, mostly absent from lead roles on network TV, even on th e smaller "netlets.") 157. Lots of these shows had big, devoted black followings. While huge swaths of America yearned for Ross and Rachel to get together, my high school classmates and I geeked over the fact that an episode of Fox's New York Undercover played "Flava In Ya Ear" over the cold open… Fox's 1994-95 Thursday night lineup — Martin at 8 p.m., Living Single at 8:30 and New York Undercover at 9 — were the three highest-rated shows among black TV viewers that season. But among white viewers, none of those three shows even cracked the top 100. By the end of the 1990s, Fox switched its focus from black audiences to go after young male viewers, a demographic that they felt was more desirable to advertisers.” 158. By 2008, the viewing habits of black viewers and white viewers were converging once more. With few "black shows" on broadcast TV, everyone was watching American Idol, Dancing With the Stars or CSI. Black folks who wanted to watch black folks on TV had to go to cable, and so they did. - https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/04/01/395777889/this-isnt-the-first-time-network-tv-discovered-black-people 159. Question: Do we need “Black” TV? 160. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1994?
Topics: OJ Simpson, R. Kelly & Aaliyah, Samuel Jackson, Black TV Cancellation (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) http://afropopremix.com Snapshots 1. Bill Clinton is President 2. Jan - In Detroit, Michigan, Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an assailant, under orders from figure skating rival Tonya Harding's ex-husband. Tonya later pleads guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution for trying to cover-up the attack, is fined $100,000, and banned from the sport. 3. Jan - During a segment on NBC's Today, host Bryant Gumbel asks, "What is the internet, anyway?" 4. Feb - During the opening monologue on Saturday Night Live, guest host Martin Lawrence makes sexually explicit jokes about female genitalia and feminine hygiene, which results in NBC banning him from appearing on the network (for the next year) and SNL (for life). In repeats of the episode, the offending section of the monologue is replaced by a title card read by an off-screen player (writer Jim Downey), saying that although SNL is neutral about the issues mentioned by Lawrence, network policy prevents his remarks from being re-broadcast, and that the incident almost cost the entire cast of SNL their jobs. 5. Apr - Kurt Cobain, songwriter and frontman for the band Nirvana, is found dead at his Lake Washington home. He is believed to have committed suicide three days before he was found. 6. Jun - Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman are murdered outside the Simpson home in Los Angeles. O.J. Simpson is later acquitted of the killings but is held liable in a civil suit. 7. Nov - Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan announces that he has Alzheimer's disease. 8. Nov - WXYC, the student radio station of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, provides the world's first internet radio broadcast, aka live streaming. 9. Nov - Rapper Tupac Shakur is shot five times and robbed after entering the lobby of Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan. 10. Sep - The pilot episode for Friends airs on NBC. 11. Open Comments 12. Top 3 Pop Songs 13. #1 "The Sign", Ace of Base 14. #2 "I Swear", All-4-One 15. #3 "I'll Make Love to You", Boyz II Men 16. Record of the Year: Sheryl Crow for "All I Wanna Do" 17. Album of the Year: Tony Bennett for MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett 18. Song of the Year: Bruce Springsteen for "Streets of Philadelphia" 19. Best New Artist: Sheryl Crow 20. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Toni Braxton for "Breathe Again" 21. Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Babyface for "When Can I See You" 22. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Boyz II Men for "I'll Make Love to You" 23. Best R&B Album: Boyz II Men for II 24. Best Rap Solo Performance: "U.N.I.T.Y." – Queen Latifah 25. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "None of Your Business" – Salt-N-Pepa 26. Top 3 Movies 27. #1 The Lion King 28. #2 Forrest Gump 29. #3 True Lies 30. Notables: House party 3, Blue Chips, Sugar Hill, Above The Rim, The Ink Well, Crooklyn, Beverly Hills Cop 3, Speed, Forrest Gump, True Lies, The Shawshank Redemption, Jason's Lyric, Pulp Fiction, Dumb and Dumber 31. Top # TV Shows 32. #1 Seinfeld 33. #2 ER 34. #3 Home Improvement 35. Debuts - Sister, Sister, South Central, Rolanda 36. Economic Scene 37. Income = 37k (Previously 31K) 38. House = 119K (113) 39. Car = 12.5k (12.7) 40. Rent = 533 (532) 41. Harvard = 24.9k (23.5) 42. Movie = 4 (4.14) 43. Gas = 1.09 (1.16) 44. Stamp .29 (Same) 45. Social Scene: OJ Simpson 46. O.J. Simpson was born on July 9, 1947, in Putrero Hill, California, in the family of Eunice and Jimmy Lee Simpson. His father was a chef and bank custodian and his mother were a hospital administrator. Soon after his birth he developed rickets and had to wear braces on his legs till he was five. In 1952, his father left the family when he was still very young, and his mother had to take responsibility of raising the four children. He joined the ‘Persian Warriors’, a street gang in his early teens and was confined at the ‘San Francisco Youth Guidance Center’ for a short while. He played football for his team the ‘Galileo Lions’ at the ‘Galileo High School’ (now known as ‘Galileo Academy of Science and Technology’) in San Francisco. 47. List of the most familiar faces that played pivotal roles in the trial. 48. Marcia Clark (Prosecution / Ice Queen): An ace trial lawyer for the L.A. District Attorney's office, Clark spent years in the Special Trials Unit, which involved some of the most complex investigations, before becoming the lead prosecutor of the Simpson murder trial. Described as cold and calculating, Clark turned off many black female jurors who viewed her courtroom style as harsh and aggressive. After losing the Simpson case, Clark resigned from the L.A. District Attorney's office. 49. Christopher Darden (Prosecution / Uncle Tom / Token): Despite being a co-prosecuting attorney with Clark, Darden had limited trial experience. Still, as a black man amid a majority black jury, his participation was important so as to dismiss the notion that the otherwise all-white prosecution had racist motivations against Simpson. Although Darden floundered at the start of the trial and was purportedly intimidated by Cochran, he gained momentum as events progressed. However, he made a consequential mistake when he demanded that Simpson try on the infamous bloody gloves, which ended up being too small for the accused's hands. The loss of the Simpson trial devastated Darden, who was known for his short fuse, and he took a leave of absence. 50. Robert Shapiro (Defense / Publicity Hound): A lover of the spotlight, lead defense counsel Shapiro knew how to make a deal without going to trial and was a master at manipulating the media in order to garner sympathy for his famous clients. In fact, he was praised as the "Defense Counsel of the Year" in 1994, which even Judge Ito applauded. But when he began representing Simpson, Shapiro found himself jostling to keep his leadership role as other attorneys on his team were chomping at the bit to outshine him. Reportedly, co-defense lawyer F. Lee Bailey leaked stories to the press about Shapiro's ego, one of many indications there was infighting within the group. However, the blow that removed Shapiro from his lead status was when Cochran won Simpson's favor by visiting him in jail — something Shapiro preferred not to do with any of his clients. Once Cochran took over as lead counsel, Shapiro was vocally critical and attempted to distance himself from his team's chosen strategies. He would later tell Barba ra Walters that "not only did we play the race card, we dealt it from the bottom of the deck." 51. Johnnie Cochran (Defense / Master Manipulator): Having moved up the legal ranks in L.A.'s criminal division, Cochran went on to represent some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Michael Jackson and James Brown. In 1994, he was considered one of the best trial lawyers in the nation, and it was Simpson himself who asked Shapiro to bring Cochran onto the team. Once Cochran gained control of Simpson's defense strategy and pushed Shapiro to the side, he wooed the courtroom and media. Using his "black preacher" style approach, he controversially used the race card to curry sympathy for Simpson. After prosecutor Darden made the mistake of demanding Simpson try on the ill-fitted bloody gloves, Cochran uttered the famous phrase: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit." That moment became a turning point of the trial, giving Simpson's defense a huge advantage. 52. Lance Ito (Judge / Wanna Be): Before Lance Ito was appointed to the bench in 1989, he was an attorney for the L.A. district and at one point, worked under Cochran. A fan of media attention, Ito was arguably too lax about different aspects of the Simpson trial, giving interviews and inviting celebrities and journalists into his chambers. Judge Ito was further criticized on his decision to allow cameras in the courtroom and letting attorneys stall and have too many sidebars. His willingness to include Detective Mark Fuhrman's old taped interviews, in which he denigrated black people, was also a huge source of contention for the prosecution. In a strange twist, the tapes also revealed Fuhrman had made disparaging remarks about Ito's wife, Margaret York, who was Fuhrman's department superior at the time. When those comments were exposed, the prosecution asked for Ito to recuse himself due to his possible bias against Fuhrman, but later the request was withdrawn. 53. Mark Fuhrman (Detective & Witness / Racists): Among the most controversial figures of the Simpson trial was L.A. homicide detective Mark Fuhrman. Responsible for discovering the "bloody glove" at the murder scene, Fuhrman did what the LAPD refused to do to Simpson — he threw the former NFL star in jail. Although Fuhrman denied ever having racist tendencies or using the n-word, a taped interview he had chosen to do 10 years earlier revealed otherwise. In the recording, he was quoted as saying to incarcerated black people: "You do what you're told, understand, n—r?" A wave of backlash hit Fuhrman, but he continued denying being a racist and also pushed back against the defense's theory that he planted the bloody glove to frame Simpson. 54. Dennis Fung (Criminologist & Witness / Dunce): As the prosecution's witness, Dennis Fung — the LAPD criminologist who collected evidence at the murder scene — ended up spending the longest time testifying on the stand. For nine days, Fung recalled how he collected samples of blood, albeit admittedly overlooking some important areas where blood drops were identified and not always using gloves. The defense ate up Fung's inefficient and careless actions and implicated him as a liar who was part of a larger LAPD conspiracy against Simpson. 55. Kato Kaelin (Witness / ???, Comedy Relief): Aspiring actor and houseguest of Simpson, Brian "Kato" Kaelin was a star witness for the prosecution. Present at Simpson's Rockingham mansion at the time of the murders, Kaelin claimed that he ate dinner with Simpson that night but could not account for the star athlete's whereabouts between the hours of 9:36 p.m. and 11 p.m. (the prosecution theorized that Simpson murdered his ex-wife and Goldman between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.). Due to Kaelin's shiftiness on the stand, prosecutor Clark turned against him and treated him as a hostile witness. Regardless, Kaelin — with his thick tufts of blond hair and surfer dude ways — gained considerable popularity in the media as a likable and comedic character of the trial. 56. Allan Park (Witness / Voice of Reason): As the limousine driver who was hired to drive Simpson to the airport for his evening flight to Chicago, Allan Park was a vital witness to the prosecution. Competent and composed, Park helped bolster the idea that Simpson may not have been at the Rockingham mansion when the double homicide occurred. Still, the jury did not give much weight to his testimony, asking for his transcript only hours before deliberation. Reportedly, one juror wholly dismissed Park's testimony because he was unable to recall the number of cars parked at the Rockingham mansion. Upon hearing this, Park was shocked his testimony was so casually disregarded. 57. Open Floor: 58. Question: What did you want to happen? 59. Music Scene: Black songs from the Top 40 60. #3 "I'll Make Love to You", Boyz II Men 61. #5 "Hero", Mariah Carey 62. #7 "Breathe Again", Toni Braxton 63. #11 "Bump n' Grind", R. Kelly 64. #12 "Again", Janet Jackson 65. #14 "Whatta Man", Salt-n-Pepa and En Vogue 66. #16 "Without You" / "Never Forget You", Mariah Carey 67. #17 "You Mean the World to Me", Toni Braxton 68. #19 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", Prince 69. #20 "Fantastic Voyage", Coolio 70. #22 "Regulate", Warren G featuring Nate Dogg 71. #23 "If You Go", Jon Secada 72. #24 "Back & Forth", Aaliyah 73. #26 "When Can I See You", Babyface 74. #29 "Shoop", Salt-n-Pepa 75. #30 "Any Time, Any Place", Janet Jackson 76. #31 "Shine", Collective Soul 77. #36 "Can We Talk", Tevin Campbell 78. #37 "Funkdafied", Da Brat 79. #39 "Gangsta Lean", DRS 80. Vote 81. Top RnB Albums 82. Jan - Doggystyle , Snoop Doggy Dogg 83. Jan - Diary of a Mad Band, Jodeci 84. Feb - 12 Play, R. Kelly 85. Apr - Above the Rim, Soundtrack/Various artists 86. Jun - Nuttin' But Love, Heavy D & the Boyz 87. Jun - Above the Rim, Soundtrack/Various artists 88. Jun - Regulate...G Funk Era, Warren G 89. Jul - Get Up on It, Keith Sweat 90. Jul – Funkdafied, Da Brat 91. Aug - We Come Strapped, MC Eiht featuring Compton's Most Wanted 92. Sep - Changing Faces, Changing Faces 93. Sep – II, Boyz II Men 94. Oct - Rhythm of Love, Anita Baker 95. Oct - Jason's Lyric, Soundtrack/Various artists 96. Nov - Murder Was the Case, Soundtrack/Various artists 97. Nov - The Icon Is Love, Barry White 98. Dec – Tical, Method Man 99. Dec - Dare Iz a Darkside, Redman 100. Dec - My Life, Mary J. Blige 101. Dec - Miracles: The Holiday Album, Kenny G 102. Vote: 103. Music Scene: R. Kelly and Aaliyah 104. R. Kelly is an American singer-songwriter, often referred to as the King of R&B. 105. Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known as R. Kelly to his fans, is an American singer. He is one of the best-selling music artists in the United States and the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s. A multi-faceted personality, Kelly is a singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and former semi-professional basketball player. 106. R. Kelly was born on January 8, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He and his three siblings were raised by their mother Joanne in the Baptist church, where she served as the lead singer of the choir. 107. The family lived in poverty and struggled to make ends meet. Kelly started singing as part of the church choir when he was eight. 108. He had a very difficult childhood as he was often sexually abused by a woman. In his 2012 autobiography ‘Soulacoaster,’ he had penned down his experience and the reason why he never told about his ordeal to anyone. When he was 11, he was shot in the shoulder while riding his bike home. 109. He had an untreated learning disability, which made it difficult for him to read and write. Eventually, he had to drop out of high school. 110. He studied at the ‘Kenwood Academy’ in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. He was an athletic young boy and played basketball for his high school team. However, his music teacher Lena McLin, who had recognized his musical talent, advised him to leave the sport and focus on music. 111. He was very close to his mother, who took him to church and clubs where she performed. She died of cancer in 1993. 112. Kelly gained recognition in 1989 when he, along with Marc McWilliams, Shawn Brooks, and Vincent Walker, participated in the TV show ‘Big Break,’ where he went on to win the $100,000 grand prize. 113. As a youngster, he formed the group ‘MGM’ (Musically Gifted Men) along with his friends Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker, and Shawn Brooks. In 1990, ‘MGM’ recorded and released their first single, ‘Why You Wanna Play Me’ and disbanded shortly after. 114. In 1992, Kelly released his debut album ‘Born into the 90’s’ along with a musical group named ‘Public Announcement.’ The album produced several hit songs and was eventually certified platinum 115. Kelly's first solo album, ‘12 Play,’ was released in November 1993. 116. R. Kelly, 27, achieves mainstream success when his single “Bump n’ Grind”, released in January of 1994, hits number one on the Billboard 100. A month later, his protégé Aliyah releases her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, which was almost entirely written and produced by him. 117. His self-titled album ‘R. Kelly’ was out in 1995. Featuring introspective lyrics and foot-tapping music, this album became a huge hit and spawned three number one singles – ‘You Remind Me of Something,’ ‘Down Low (Nobody Has to Know),’ and ‘I Can't Sleep (Baby If I). 118. Aaliyah Biography: Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane and Michael Haughton. She had one brother whom she was very close to. She was very family oriented and had close relations with her parents and grandmother. She was of African American descent. 119. Her mother was a vocalist and young Aaliyah began singing when she was a child, performing at weddings, charity events, and for church choir. Her uncle Barry Hankerson was married to recording artist Gladys Knight who played a major role in introducing Aaliyah to the show business. 120. She attended a Catholic school named ‘Gesu Elementary,’ where she was cast to play a role in a stage play titled ‘Annie.’ 121. With support from Gladys, Aaliyah auditioned for commercials and television programs, and also for several record labels. She started appearing in concerts alongside Gladys when she was 11. 122. Aaliyah signed with ‘Jive Records’ and her Uncle Barry Hankerson's ‘Blackground Records’ when she was just 12. Her debut album ‘Age Ain't Nothing but a Number,’ which was recorded when the singer was just 14, was released in 1994. 123. In its very first week, the album sold almost 74, 000 copies. Soon, it reached from 24th to the 18th position in ‘Billboard 200,’ eventually selling over three million copies in the United States, where it was certified double platinum by the ‘RIAA.’ 124. The tremendous success of the album catapulted Aaliyah to international stardom. During this time, rumors of her illegal marriage with her mentor and recording artist and producer R. Kelly began circulating. 125. In order to silence the rumors, Aaliyah left ‘Jive Records’ and signed a contract with ‘Atlantic Records,’ under which she released her second album ‘One in a Million’ in 1996. This album was also a major success. It peaked at No. 18 on the ‘Billboard 200,’ and sold over 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. It was certified double platinum by the ‘RIAA.’ 126. Aaliyah, along with her crew, flew to the Bahamas on August 25, 2001, to shoot the music video of the song, ‘Rock the Boat.’ Completing the shoot early, the crew decided to return to Florida instead of waiting for the next day as per schedule. For their return, they boarded a small private airplane. 127. The plane was smaller than the one the crew had arrived in. However, the whole party and the equipment were accommodated on board, overloading the plane with a surplus of 320 kg and one excess passenger. The plane crashed soon after taking off, killing everyone on board. 128. Open Comments: 129. Controversies 130. Illegal marriage: According to Vibe and the Chicago Sun-Times, 27-year-old Kelly and 15-year-old protégée Aaliyah were illegally married in a secret ceremony on August 31, 1994, in Cook County.[126][127] Upon meeting Kelly and prior to the nuptials, Aaliyah admitted she had falsely stated she was 18. In a 2008 interview, Kelly's tour manager, Demetrius Smith, said that he facilitated the wedding by obtaining falsified identification for Aaliyah which listed her as 18 years of age. 131. He married Andrea, his former backup dancer, in 1996. The couple has three children. They divorced in 2009 after almost 13 years of marriage. 132. 1998, Kelly paid Tiffany Hawkins $250,000 after she claimed Kelly had induced her to have group sex with other teenage girls when she was 15 years old. 133. 2001: Sued by intern: Tracy Sampson sues R. Kelly, accusing him of inducing her "into an indecent sexual relationship" when she was 17 years old. The woman, a former intern at Epic Records, claimed she was "treated as his personal sex object and cast aside". "He often tried to control every aspect of my life including who I would see and where I would go," she said in her legal case against him. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, said the New York Post. 134. 2002: Two more court cases - Kelly is sued for a third time by Patrice Jones, a Chicago woman who claims he impregnated her when she was underage, and that she was forced to have an abortion. A woman named Montina Woods also sued Kelly, alleging that he videotaped them having sex without her knowledge. The recording was allegedly circulated on an R Kelly "sex tape" sold by bootleggers under the title R. Kelly Triple-X. The star settled both cases out of court, paying an undisclosed sum in return for a non-disclosure agreement. 135. 2017, Kelly was accused of forcing girls to stay in an ‘abusive cult.’ 136. 2018, the ‘Women of Color’ branch of the ‘Time's Up’ movement called for a boycott of Kelly's music and performances over the many allegations against him. The boycott was accompanied by a social media campaign called ‘Mute R. Kelly.’ 137. 2019, Kelly was taken back to the ‘Cook County Jail’ after failing to pay $161,633 in child support. On March 9, 2019, he was released after someone, who didn't want to be identified, paid off the child support. 138. 2019, Lifetime began airing a six-part documentary series, “Surviving R. Kelly”, detailing sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against Kelly. 139. Question: Why do we treat R Kelly different than Michael? 140. Movie Scene: Sam Jack Mutha F@#A 141. Samuel Leroy Jackson was born on December 21, 1948, in Washington, D.C. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was raised by his mother Elizabeth Jackson as his father lived away from the family and later passed away from alcoholism. He met his father only twice during his life. 142. He studied at a number of segregated schools and graduated from ‘Riverside High School’ in Chattanooga. During his time at school, he played the French horn and the trumpet in the school orchestra. He suffered from stuttering when he was a child. 143. He initially dreamt of pursuing a degree in marine biology at ‘Morehouse College’ in Atlanta, but soon switched degrees after he discovered the actor in him. He graduated from the institute in 1972 and at the same time, co-founded the theatre group, ‘Just Us Theatre.’ 144. After appearing in several plays, including ‘The Opera’ and ‘A Soldier’s Play,’ he made his motion picture debut in the blaxploitation film ‘Together for Days’ in 1972. Four years later, he appeared in the television series ‘i’ On.’ 145. He moved to New York City and spent the next several years appearing in stage plays, such as ‘The Piano Lesson’ and ‘Two Trains Running.’ In 1977, he appeared in the film ‘The Displaced Person.’ 146. It is believed that in his early years he was mentored by Morgan Freeman. Later on, in his career, he started doing noticeable roles in films like ‘School Daze’ and ‘Do the Right Thing,’ which released in 1988 and 1989, respectively. 147. In 1990, he appeared in ‘Goodfellas’ in a minor role and then worked as a substitute on ‘The Cosby Show’ for the next three years. 148. From 1990 to 1993, he worked in films like ‘Def by Temptation,’ ‘The Return of Superfly,’ ‘Strictly Business,’ ‘Jungle Fever,’ ‘Patriot Games,’ ‘True Romance,’ ‘Amos & Andrew,’ ‘Jurassic Park,’ and ‘Loaded Weapon 1.’ 149. In 1994, he played the critically acclaimed role of Jules Winnfield in the hit film ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Jackson became a world icon after the release and subsequent success of the movie. It was later revealed that director Quentin Tarantino specifically wanted him for the role. 150. Open Comments: 151. Question: Is Sam better than Denzel? 152. TV Scene: The Death of Black TV 153. Cancelled in 1994: Jan - The Les Brown Show, Feb – Thea, The Sinbad Show, May – Roc, In Living Color, and The Arsenio Hall Show 154. Article #1: A TELEVISION TREND: AUDIENCES IN BLACK AND WHITE by Paul Farhi November 29, 1994 155. All across the country tonight, millions of households will tune to ABC's "Home Improvement." In a typical week, the situation comedy about the host of a household fix-it show is the most-watched program on the air. Yet one group of viewers is decidedly sparse among the masses of "Home Improvement" fans. In African American households, the program barely makes the top 30. Other big network hits are even less popular: "Seinfeld" and "Frasier" don't even crack the top 90 …The top show for black audiences this season: "Living Single," a Fox sitcom that ranks 69th among all audiences.” 156. Article #2: Let’s rewind a bit. In the mid-'80s, when there wasn't a whole lot of programming aimed specifically at black folks, black and white viewers watched mostly the same shows — 15 of the top 20 most-watched shows for black audiences in the 1985-96 season were also in white viewers' top 20. But by the next decade, everything had changed. While the then-Big Three had a handful of shows with black casts in the mid-1990s like Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it was the upstart networks like Fox and later UPN and the WB (Both launched in Jan 1995) that seriously doubled down on black viewers in a bid to become commercially viable as quickly as possible. The result was a kind of alternate TV universe where you could find black folks on-screen seemingly every night of the week — In Living Color; Roc; Sister, Sister; Moesha; In The House; The Jamie Foxx Show; Malcolm & Eddie. (Alas, Latinos and Asian-American folks were then, as now, mostly absent from lead roles on network TV, even on th e smaller "netlets.") 157. Lots of these shows had big, devoted black followings. While huge swaths of America yearned for Ross and Rachel to get together, my high school classmates and I geeked over the fact that an episode of Fox's New York Undercover played "Flava In Ya Ear" over the cold open… Fox's 1994-95 Thursday night lineup — Martin at 8 p.m., Living Single at 8:30 and New York Undercover at 9 — were the three highest-rated shows among black TV viewers that season. But among white viewers, none of those three shows even cracked the top 100. By the end of the 1990s, Fox switched its focus from black audiences to go after young male viewers, a demographic that they felt was more desirable to advertisers.” 158. By 2008, the viewing habits of black viewers and white viewers were converging once more. With few "black shows" on broadcast TV, everyone was watching American Idol, Dancing With the Stars or CSI. Black folks who wanted to watch black folks on TV had to go to cable, and so they did. - https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/04/01/395777889/this-isnt-the-first-time-network-tv-discovered-black-people 159. Question: Do we need “Black” TV? 160. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1994?
Thanks to Lauren for her time and vulnerability this week. She is the co-author of The Boss of You: Everything A Woman Needs to Know to Start, Run, and Maintain Her Own Business. You can read more about Lauren (and sign up for her coaching services!) at laurenbacon.com. You really ought to listen to Cranes in the Sky either before or after you listen to Lauren's story. Grammy Awards are a complicated measure of whether a song is worth your time or not but it's worth mentioning that Cranes did win the 2017 Grammy for Best R&B Performance along with a 2017 BET Her Award and the 2017 Ashford and Simpson Songwriter's Award at the Soul Train Music Awards. If you read a little about Cranes (including this pretty cool interview between Solange and her sister who you might have heard of) you can see how Lauren's story is quite similar to the events that inspired Solange to write the song.As always, you can get in touch with The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.
Topics: WTC Bombing, Urban Fashion, Dr. Dre, Menace II Society, Living Single (Bonus Artist: Luck) http://afropopremix.com/ https://www.vibe.com/2016/01/1993-the-year-hip-hop-and-rb-conquered-the-world "1993: The Year Hip-Hop And R&B Conquered The World" 1993 was a historically transformative period for hip-hop and rhythm and blues. When VIBE Magazine dropped its iconic black and white debut issue in September of 1993—featuring a ridiculously fresh faced Snoop Doggy Dogg gracing the landmark cover—it was yet another reminder how ubiquitous urban culture had become. 1993: Hip Hop Artist that released albums A Tribe Called Quest / Bone Thugs-n-Harmony / Cypress Hill / De La Soul / Digable Planets / Digital Underground / DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince / Eazy-E / Fat Joe / Geto Boys / Heavy D & the Boyz / Ice Cube / Ice-T / Insane Clown Posse / Jodeci / Jungle Brothers / Kid Rock / Kris Kross / KRS-One / LL Cool J / Luke / MC Lyte / Naughty by Nature / Onyx / Queen Latifah / Run-D.M.C. / Salt-n-Pepa / Shaquille O'Neal / Snoop Dogg / Tag Team / The Roots / Too Short / Tupac / Wu-Tang Clan / Yo-Yo Next recording: Sunday June, 28th 2020 Time: Decatur / Tulsa - 12 noon Denver - 11a California - 10a Topics: Social - World Trade Center bombing Social - Urban fashion Music - The Chronic, by Dr. Dre Movies - Menace II Society TV - Living Single 1. 1993 notes 2. Bill Clinton, President 3. Feb – Former tennis player Arthur Ashe, 49, dies of the AIDS virus in New York. Ashe was believed to have contracted the virus from a blood transfusion during a heart surgery ten years earlier. 4. Feb – World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a van bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over 1,000. 5. Feb – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents raid the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, with a warrant to arrest leader David Koresh on federal firearms violations. Four agents and five Davidians die in the raid and a 51-day standoff begins. 6. Mar - ESPN holds the first ever ESPY Awards. 7. Apr – The Kuwaiti government claims to uncover an Iraqi assassination plot against former U.S. President George H. W. Bush shortly after his visit to Kuwait. Two Iraqi nationals confess to driving a car bomb into Kuwait on behalf of the Iraqi Intelligence Service. 8. Apr - Colorado Rockies becomes a baseball team 9. Jun - The final episode of Soul Train with Don Cornelius as host airs. 10. Jul – U.S. President Bill Clinton announces his 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy regarding homosexuals serving in the American military. 11. Sep – PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin shake hands in Washington D.C., after signing a peace accord. 12. Oct – A large scale battle erupts between U.S. forces and local militia in Mogadishu, Somalia; eighteen Americans and over 1,000 Somalis are killed. The assault was planned to include an air and ground phase. As the mission was ongoing, Somali forces shot down two American Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters using RPG-7s. A desperate defense of the downed helicopters began, which would become dramatized in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down. Fighting lasted through the night to defend the survivors of the crashes, including the insertion of two sniper commandos who would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. In the morning, a UNOSOM II armored convoy fought their way to the helicopters, incurring further casualties but eventually rescuing the survivors. 13. Nov – President Clinton signs the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act into law, requiring purchasers of handguns to pass a background check. 14. Open Comments: 15. Top 3 Pop Songs 16. #1. "I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston 17. #2. "Whoomp! (There It Is)" Tag Team 18. #3. "Can't Help Falling in Love" UB40 19. Record of the Year: "I Will Always Love You", Whitney Houston 20. Album of the Year: The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album 21. Song of the Year: "A Whole New World" by Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle 22. Best New Artist: Toni Braxton 23. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Toni Braxton for "Another Sad Love Song" 24. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Ray Charles for "A Song for You" 25. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: Sade for "No Ordinary Love" 26. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson 27. Best Rap Solo Performance: Dr. Dre for "Let Me Ride" 28. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Digable Planets for "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" 29. Top 3 movies 30. #1. Jurassic Park 31. #2. Mrs. Doubtfire 32. #3. The Fugitive 33. Notables: CB4, Groundhog Day, The Crying Game, Falling Down, Indecent Proposal, Who's the Man?, Sleepless in Seattle, Poetic Justice, Carlito's Way, A Bronx Tale 34. Top 3 TV Shows 35. #1. 60 Minutes 36. #2. Home Improvement 37. #3. Seinfeld 38. Debuts: Living Single (Forgot to Mention "Martin" debut for 1992) 39. Economic Snapshots 40. Avg. Income: 31k (30k - previously) 41. New Home: 113k (122.5k) 42. Avg Rent: 532 (519) 43. New Car: 12.7k (16.9k) 44. Harvard: 23.5k (15.4k) 45. Movie Ticket: 4.14 (4.25) 46. Gas: 1.16 1.05 (1.05) 47. Stamp: .29 (.29) 48. Social Scene: WTC Bombing 49. A 1,200-pound bomb in a Ryder rental truck parked in a parking garage beneath the World Trade Center exploded. The explosion created a hole about 6 stories deep. An estimated 50,000 people were evacuated, yet only 6 people died. 50. Ramzi Yousef directed the organization and execution of the bombing. He said he did it to avenge the sufferings Palestinian people had endured at the hands of US-aided Israel. He is the nephew of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed - the accused mastermind of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people and ultimately brought down the World Trade Center. 51. Timeline 52. February 26, 1993 - At 12:18 p.m. ET, a bomb explodes on the second subterranean level of Vista Hotel's public parking garage, below the 2 World Trade Center building. 53. February 28, 1993 - The FBI confirms that a bomb caused the explosion. In the wreckage, federal agents find shattered van parts with a vehicle identification number. 54. March 4, 1993 - Mohammad Salameh is arrested after he claims a refund on a rented van authorities believe carried the explosives. 6 More arrested over next 8 months. 55. March 29, 1993 - The World Trade Center re-opens. 56. August 25, 1993 - Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman (The Blind Sheik) an Egyptian cleric who emigrated to the United States, is indicted for involvement for in the terrorist plot. Some of the 1993 bombing suspects frequented the New Jersey mosque where he preached. 57. February 7, 1995 - Suspected WTC bombing mastermind Yousef is captured abroad by the FBI and State Department. 58. October 1995 - Abdel-Rahman is convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison. 59. January 8, 1998 - After being convicted, Yousef is sentenced to 240 years in prison for his role in organizing the bombing. "I am a terrorist and proud of it," he tells the court. He has been locked away in solitary confinement at the federal "Supermax" prison in Florence, Colorado, since 1998. 60. February 18, 2017 - Abdel-Rahman, the blind Egyptian-born cleric who inspired terrorist plots including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, passes away in an American prison at the age of 78. 61. Question: What do you remember about this attack and/or the 9/11 attack? 62. Social Scene (2) Urban Wear / Street gear explosion 63. First generation of hip-hop acts dressed like the top RnB acts that influenced them: Classic Motown, Rick James, Michael Jackson, Prince, George Clinton, etc... 64. 1983: Run-DMC set a new standard in hip-hop fashion, choosing casual wear like adidas sneakers and Kangol hats over suits, fancy shoes and other expensive gear. They popularized, the B-Boy look of bucket hats, sneakers, and gold chains. 65. Mid 80's Dapper Dan, born Daniel Day, a haberdasher who would import bootlegged fabrics or screen-print logos onto luxury leather, then turn them into one-of-a-kind, street-inflected pieces. His boutique, operated from 1982–92 and is most associated with introducing high fashion (opposite Run-DMC's casual style) to the hip hop world, with high profile clients over the years including Eric B. & Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, & LL Cool J. 66. 1984-1992: Tommy Hilfiger & Polo Ralph Lauren: Between 1984 and 1989, Ralph Lauren was king of the hip-hop culture. When Tommy Hilfiger was released in the early 1990s, both brands battled each other for the hearts of musicians and the attention of hip-hop fans around the world. In 1992, Grand Puba wrote lyrics for the Mary J. Blige’s song “What’s the 411?” and mentioned Hilfiger because that’s what he was repping at the time. Puba said he gave a shout-out to the brand because rap artists recognized “whatever’s fresh, whatever’s dope.” 67. 1990: Founded in 1989, Cross Colours was geared toward young African Americans to help promote pride in their ethnicity. Based on the principle of “clothes without prejudice,” Cross Colours is one of the most iconic brands to embrace hip-hop culture. In 1990, on the first season of the hit primetime television show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, lead actor Will Smith wore a series of boldly hued and geometric looks designed by the young Los Angeles–based urban apparel line. African American-owned, founded by Carl Jones and T.J. Walker, the brand quickly skyrocketed. Soon, it was being worn by almost every musical icon of the era. Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Run DMC, Dr. Dre, Lil Kim, Mary J. Blige, members of TLC, television show In Living Color, and Muhammad Ali. 68. 1993: With the mainstream success of hip-hop, street gear/urban wear sales exploded and legitimized "Urban" fashion as a legitimate niche for major retail outlets. 69. Notable brands: Pelle (1978), Karl Kani (1989), Phat Farm (1992), PNB Nation (1992), Fubu (1992), Ecko Unlimited (1993), Mecca (1994), Enyce (1996), Sean John (1998), Rocawear (1999) 70. Question: What old-school gear/style would you still rock today? 71. Music Scene: 72. Black Songs from the top 40 73. #1. "I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston 74. #2. "Whoomp! (There It Is)" Tag Team 75. #4. "That's the Way Love Goes" Janet Jackson 76. #5. "Freak Me" Silk 77. #6. "Weak" SWV 78. #7."If I Ever Fall in Love" Shai 79. #8. "Dreamlover" Mariah Carey 80. #9. "Rump Shaker" Wreckx-n-Effect 81. #10. "Informer" Snow 82. #11. "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" Dr. Dre 83. #12. "In the Still of the Nite" Boyz II Men 84. #13. "Don't Walk Away" Jade 85. #14. "Knockin' da Boots" H-Town 86. #15. "Lately" Jodeci 87. #16. "Dazzey Duks" Duice 88. #17. "Show Me Love" Robin S. 89. #18. "A Whole New World" Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle 90. #19. "If" Janet Jackson 91. #20. "I'm So Into You" SWV 92. #21."Love Is" Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight 93. #23. "I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)" Exposé 94. #24. "Ditty" Paperboy 95. #25. "Rhythm Is a Dancer" Snap! 96. #29. "Right Here" SWV 97. #30. "I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston 98. #31. "Mr. Wendal" Arrested Development 99. #33. "Saving Forever for You" Shanice 100. #35. "If I Had No Loot" Tony! Toni! Toné! 101. #37. "Slam" Onyx 102. #38. "Looking Through Patient Eyes" P.M. Dawn 103. #39. "I'm Every Woman" Whitney Houston 104. #40. "Baby I'm Yours" Shai 105. Vote: 106. Number One RnB Albums 107. Jan The Bodyguard - Soundtrack / Whitney Houston 108. Feb The Chronic - Dr. Dre 109. Mar 19 Naughty III - Naughty by Nature 110. Mar Till Death Do Us Part - Geto Boys 111. Apr Loose Control - Silk 112. Apr 14 Shots to the Dome - LL Cool J 113. May Down with the King - Run-D.M.C. 114. May Fever for Da Flavor - H-Town 115. Jun janet. - Janet Jackson 116. June 26 Menace II Society - Soundtrack / Various artists 117. Aug Black Sunday - Cypress Hill 118. Sep The World Is Yours - Scarface 119. Sep Music Box - Mariah Carey 120. Oct Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton 121. Oct 187, He Wrote - Spice 1 122. Nov It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa - Eazy-E 123. Nov Get in Where You Fit In - Too Short 124. Nov Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest 125. Dec Shock of the Hour - MC Ren 126. Dec Doggystyle - Snoop Doggy Dogg 127. Dec Lethal Injection - Ice Cube 128. Vote: 129. Music Scene: The Chronic by Dr. Dre, (@age 28 yrs. old) 130. Bio: Dr Dre (Andre Romelle Young) is an American rapper, producer and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Aftermath Entertainment. 131. His initial stint with music was as a DJ in the local club, The Eve After Dark. It was during this time that he took up the moniker Dr Dre that has lived with him all through. In 1984, Dre began his musical career as a member of the musical group, World Class Weckin’ Cru. The group soon dominated the electro-hop scene in the West Coast with their first single, ‘Surgery’ selling more than 50,000 copies within Compton alone. In 1986, he along with Eazy-E, Ice Cube and DJ Yella formed the local gangsta rap group N.W.A. (Niggaz for Life). N.W.A worked on the themes of urban crime and gang lifestyle. Their lyrics were harsh and overt, and brought to mainstream America the slice of ‘real’ life on streets. N.W.A’s debutant studio album, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ met with blockbuster success, selling more than 2 million copies. Its single, ‘Fuck Tha Police’ explored the tension between black youth and police officials. In 1991, the group released its second album, ‘Efil4zaggin’ before disbanding. In 1991, he co-founded Death Row Records with Sue Knight. In 1992, he released his first single, which served as the title track for the film ‘Deep Cover’. The single featured the debut of rapper Snoop Dogg as well. 132. In 1993, Dre made the big leap of his career with his maiden album, ‘The Chronic’. Its singles, ‘Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang’, ‘Let Me Ride’, ‘Fuck with Dre Day’ created a revolution in the music industry, making the album a cultural phenomenon. The album with its G-funk sound dominated the hip hop music for the early 1990s.Following success as a rapper, he switched to being a producer. He produced Snoop Dogg’s debut album, ‘Doggystyle’, Tupac Shakur’s work, ‘All Eyez on Me’ and several film songs. 133. In 1996, following contractual dispute, he left Death Row Records for good. Same year, he set up his own label, Aftermath Entertainment in connection with Interscope Records. 134. Audio clip 1 - Review 135. Audio clip 2 - Jimmy Iovine 136. Question: Are you tired of Ganster Rap? If so, when and why? 137. Movie Scene: Menace II Society 138. Audio Clip Trailer 139. Firmly established "Hood" films as commercially viable, just like fashion. 140. Question: which of the following is your favorite "hood" film? 141. Colors, 1988 / King Of New York, 1990 / Boyz N The Hood, 1991 / Juice, 1992 / New Jack City, 1992 / South Central, 1992 / Deep Cover 1992 / Menace II Society, 1993 / Poetic Justice, 1993 / Sugar Hill, 1993 / Strapped, 1993 / CB4*, 1993 142. Soon to come: Fresh (1994) / Above the Rim (1994) / Friday (1995) / Higher Learning (1995) / New Jersey Drive (1995) / Set It Off (1996) / Dead Presidents (1995) / Hoodlum (1997) / The Players Club (1998) / Belly (1998) / In Too Deep (1999) 143. TV Scene: Living Single, starring Queen Latifah (@ 23 yrs. old) 144. Audio clip Theme song 145. Queen Latifah is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, record producer and talk show host 146. Dana Elaine Owens was born on 18th March 1970 in Newark, New Jersey, to Lance and Rita Owens. Her father was in police services. Her parents got divorced when she was eight. She was raised by her mother in Baptist faith. Her mother played a catalyst role in her music career. She had an older brother, Lance Owens, who also worked in police service. He died in a motorbike accident in 1992. This motorbike was presented to him by Latifah. She attended Catholic School in Newark, New Jersey. During her high school days, she was part of girls’ basketball team. She began rapping during high school. She formed her first rap group ‘Ladies Fresh’ when she was in junior year. She met local DJ Mark James. He formed a group named ‘Flavor Unit’ of which Latifah was the original member. James made a demo record of Latifah's rap ‘Princess of the Posse’. This recording caught attention of ‘Tommy Boy Music’ who immediately signed Latifah. In 1988, this music company offered her first single, ‘Wrath of My Madness’. The song got a positive response and she got an opportunity of a European tour and to perform at the ‘Apollo Theater’. In 1989, when she was just 19 years old, Latifah released her first album, ‘All Hail to the Queen’, which went on to sell more than 1 million copies. 147. Queen invested her money in a small video store on the ground floor of her apartment. She elevated this business to turn it into a record production company. In 1991, when she was just 21 years old, she rolled out ‘Flavor Unit Records and Management Company’ in New Jersey in partnership with her old friend Shakim Compere. She became the CEO of this company. In the same year, she also tried her hands at acting. She debuted in inter-racial romance drama ‘Jungle Fever’. In 1992, she appeared in crime thriller ‘Juice’. 148. Soon she grabbed a leading role in the groundbreaking a sitcom ‘Living Single’. 149. By late 1993, her record company signed 17 rap groups. One of these groups, ‘Naughty by nature’, was extraordinarily successful. In the same year, this company released, album ‘Black Reign’. 150. audio clip - Friends vs Living Single 151. Question: Did Friends have any character that was better than Living Single? 152. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1993?
Topics: L.A. Riots, Mary J. Blige, White Men Can't Jump, Def Comdey Jam (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1992 Snapshots 1. President: George H. W. Bush 2. Feb - In Indianapolis, Indiana, boxer Mike Tyson is convicted of raping Desiree Washington. 3. Mar - H. Ross Perot announces that he will run for U.S. President. 4. Apr - Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of the murder of mob boss Paul Castellano and of racketeering, and is later sentenced to life in prison. 5. Apr - Former tennis player Arthur Ashe, 48, announces that he is suffering from the AIDS virus, which he is believed to have contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in 1983. 6. Apr - In Simi Valley, California, a jury acquits four LAPD police officers accused of excessive force in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King, causing the 1992 Los Angeles riots and leading to 53 deaths and $1 billion in damage. 7. May - After 30 years, Johnny Carson retires as host of NBC's The Tonight Show. 8. Jun - During a spelling bee at a Trenton, New Jersey elementary school, U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle erroneously corrects a student's spelling of the word potato, indicating it should have an e at the end. 9. Jul - 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Spain 10. Oct - The video game Mortal Kombat is released. 11. Nov - Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas defeats incumbent President George H. W. Bush and businessman H. Ross Perot in the US presidential election. ["It's the economy, stupid"/ "I didn't inhale."] 12. Dec - Hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre releases his solo debut studio album The Chronic. 13. Top 3 Pop Songs 14. #1 - End of the Road", Boyz II Men 15. #2 - "Baby Got Back", Sir Mix-a-Lot 16. #3 - ‘Jump", Kris Kross 17. Record of the Year - Eric Clapton for "Tears in Heaven" 18. Album of the Year - Eric Clapton for Unplugged 19. Song of the Year - Eric Clapton "Tears in Heaven" 20. Best New Artist - Arrested Development 21. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female - Chaka Khan for The Woman I Am 22. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male - Al Jarreau for Heaven and Earth 23. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - Boyz II Men for "End of the 24. Road" 25. Best Rap Solo Performance - Sir Mix-a-Lot for Baby Got Back 26. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group - Arrested Development for Tennessee 27. #1 - Aladdin 28. #2 - The Bodyguard 29. #3 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York 30. Notables: Juice, American Me, Basic Instinct, Deep Cover, Sister Act, A league of Their Own, Mo' Money, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Mighty Ducks, Reservoir Dogs, Malcolm X, The Bodyguard, A Few Good Men, Toys, White Men Can't Jump 31. Top 3Tv Shows 32. #1 60 Minutes 33. #2 - Roseanne 34. #3 - Home Improvement 35. Debuts: Hanging with Mr. Cooper and Def Comedy Jam 36. Economic Snapshots 37. Avg. Income: 30k (29.9k - previously) 38. New Home: 122.5 (120k) 39. Avg Rent: 519 (495) 40. New Car: 16.9k (16.8k) 41. Harvard: 15.4 (14.5k) 42. Movie Ticket: 4.25 (4.25) 43. Gas: 1.05 (1.12) 44. Stamp: .29 (.25) 45. Social Scene: LA Riots 46. Audio Clip 47. Open Comments 48. Question: Do riots actually serve a meaningful purpose? What would you tell your kids if 49. they were in a riot? (On either side) 50. Music Scene 51. Top Black Songs from the top 40 52. #1. "End of the Road". Boyz II Men 53. #2. "Baby Got Back". Sir Mix-a-Lot 54. #3. "Jump". Kris Kross 55. #4. "Save the Best for Last". Vanessa Williams 56. #5. "Baby-Baby-Baby". TLC 57. #7. "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)". En Vogue 58. #9. "All 4 Love". Color Me Badd 59. #10. "Just Another Day". Jon Secada 60. #11. "I Love Your Smile". Shanice 61. #14. "Black or White". Michael Jackson 62. #16. "I'll Be There". Mariah Carey 63. #19. "Remember the Time". Michael Jackson 64. #20. "Finally". CeCe Peniston 65. #23. "Can't Let Go". Mariah Carey 66. #24. "Jump Around". House of Pain 67. #25. "Diamonds and Pearls". Prince and The New Power Generation 68. #27. "Masterpiece". Atlantic Starr 69. #29. "Giving Him Something He Can Feel". En Vogue 70. #31. "Come and Talk to Me". Jodeci 71. #33. "Humpin' Around". Bobby Brown 72. #35. "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do". Tevin Campbell 73. #36. "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg". TLC 74. #37. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday". Boyz II Men 75. #38. "Move This". Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K 76. #40. "Tennessee". Arrested Development 77. #41. "The Best Things in Life Are Free". Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson 78. #42. "Make It Happen". Mariah Carey 79. #44. "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss". P.M. Dawn 80. #46. "2 Legit 2 Quit". Hammer 81. #47. "Please Don't Go". KWS 82. #48. "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)". Mint Condition 83. Vote: 84. Top RnB Albums 85. Jan - Dangerous, Michael Jackson 86. Feb - Keep It Comin', Keith Sweat 87. Apr - Private Line, Gerald Levert 88. May - The Comfort Zone, Vanessa Williams 89. May - Funky Divas, En Vogue 90. May - Totally Krossed Out, Kris Kross 91. Jun - Dead Serious, Das EFX 92. Oct - What's the 411?, Mary J. Blige 93. Nov - Bobby, Bobby Brown 94. Dec - The Predator, Ice Cube 95. Vote: 96. Featured Artist: Mary J. Blige 97. Audio: 98. Open Comments 99. Movie Scene: White Men Can't Jump 100. Audio Clip 101. Open Comments 102. Question: Why do Black people LOVE basketball? 103. TV Scene: Def Comedy Jam 104. According to Russel Simmions, In his book "Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money + God" The inspiration for Def COmedey Jam was a club on Crenshaw Blvd in L.A. called the Comedy Act Theater. Robin Harris hosted performances there, and he already had a serious underground buzz, from House PArty and Do the Right Thing. At the same time, everywhere Russell traveled, the "Black Comedy" nights were hot, and Russel was always looking for stuff that was "hot" with his hip-hop customer base. 105. In 1989, he eventually hooked up with Hollywood power player Stan Lathan (Sanford & Son, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, Remington Steele ,Cagney & Lacey, Frank's Place, Roc and the 1984 classic feature film Beat Street) and they began creating Def Comedy Jam. 106. The original run of Def Comedy Jam ran from July 1, 1992 to January 1, 1997. In the fall of 2006 it returned to HBO. Many comedians had their careers launched by the huge success of this series! 107. Robin Harris was going to be the original host, but he died in 1990. Eddie Murphy was a big supporter of Martin Lawrence to replace Harris. 108. The show caught major criticism for using excessive foul language and a “supposed” negative representation of African Americans. Bill Cosby and Sidney Potier were major critics. 109. Def Comedy Jam, went on to become the longest running HBO series ever, launched the careers of several A-List comedians today. 110. 1992 Alumni: 111. Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, Bill Bellamy, DL Hughley, Adele Givens, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chapelle, Eddie Griffin, Joe Torry, Michael Colyar, and Ricky Harris Jr. 112. Open Comments 113. Question: Favorite bit/comedian? 114. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1992?
Topics: Rodney King, Boyz II Men / Jodeci, Boyz In the Hood, Roc - Sitcom (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1991 General Snapshots 1. President: George H. W. Bush 2. January - Gulf War: The Congress of the United States passes a resolution authorizing the use of military force to liberate Kuwait. 5 days later, Operation Desert Storm begins with airstrikes against Iraq. 3. January - Whitney Houstondelivers her now legendary rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" 4. February - Gulf War: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that "Kuwait is liberated". 5. February - Tim Meadows and Adam Sandler join the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live. 6. March - An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles, California police officers. 7. July - Boxer Mike Tyson is arrested and charged with raping Miss Black America contestant Desiree Washington in Indianapolis, Indiana. 8. July - Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is arrested after the remains of eleven men and boys are found in his Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment. Police soon find out that he is involved in six more murders. 9. August - Nickelodeon introduces its series of Nicktoons, with Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show the first three to air. 10. August - The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is first released in the United States. 11. October - The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews both Supreme Court candidate Clarence Thomas and former aide Anita Hill, who alleges that Thomas sexually harassed her while she worked for him. 12. October - Jennifer Lopez joins the cast as one of the Fly Girls on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color (she would leave the show after the next season). Other cast additions include future Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx. 13. November - Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson announces that he has HIV, effectively ending his NBA career. 14. November - Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury dies from AIDS at 45 years old, one day after making his diagnosis public. 15. December - The Cold War ends as President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev resigns and the Soviet Union dissolves. 16. Open Comments 17. Top 3 Pop Songs 18. #1 - "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", Bryan Adams 19. #2 - "I Wanna Sex You Up", Color Me Badd 20. #3 - "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", C+C Music Factory 21. Record of the Year: "Unforgettable" performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole 22. Album of the Year: Unforgettable... with Love performed by Natalie Cole 23. Song of the Year: "Unforgettable" performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole 24. Best New Artist: Marc Cohn 25. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Lisa Fischer for "How Can I Ease the Pain" & Patti LaBelle for "Burnin'" 26. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Luther Vandross for Power of Love 27. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Boyz II Men for "Cooleyhighharmony" 28. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Power of Love/Love Power" performed by Luther Vandross 29. Best Rap Solo Performance: LL Cool J for "Mama Said Knock You Out" 30. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "Summertime" 31. Top 3 Movies 32. #1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day 33. #2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 34. #3. Beauty and the Beast 35. Notables: The Silence of the Lambs, New Jack City, The Five Heartbeats, A Rage in Harlem, Thelma & Louise, Jungle Fever, Point Break, and House Party 2 36. Top 3 TV Shows 37. #1 60 Minutes 38. #2 Roseanne 39. #3 Murphy Brown 40. Mea Culpa: Family Matters originated 9/22/1989 on ABC 41. Notables: The Party Machine with Nia Peeples, The Jerry Springer Show, The Montel Williams Show, Hammerman, & Roc. 42. Economic Snapshots 43. Avg. Income: 29.9k (29K) 44. New Home: 120k (previously 123K) 45. Avg Rent: 495 (465) 46. New Car: 16.8k (16K) 47. Harvard: 14.5k (13.5k) 48. Movie Ticket: 4.25 (3.50) 49. Gas: 1.12 (1.34) 50. Stamp: .25 (.25) 51. Social Scene: Police Beating of Rodney King 52. Early Life: Rodney King (@ 26 yrs. old), born in Sacramento, CA, was an American taxi driver who is best known for the 1991 police beatings and the 1992 riots as a result of the officers’ trial. 53. Prior Record: In 1987, he pleaded no contest to a charge of battery. In 1989, King was imprisoned for robbery after robbing a store; he served one year of a two-year sentence. 54. 1991 Arrest: Rodney King attempted to outrun a police patrol car in March 1991. King had been drinking and feared he would be over the limit, driving under the influence charge would have seen King return to jail. King refused to pull over for the police and a high-speed chase ensued. Eventually, King was cornered, and he and the other occupants of the car were ordered to leave the vehicle and lie face down on the ground. King refused and was forcibly removed from the car. While on the ground the police beat and abused the three men. The Los Angeles Police Department then arrived on the scene; the original officers on the scene had been highway patrol. Rodney King resisted arrest and was tasered. King was then viciously beaten repeatedly while on the ground by police wielding batons. King continually attempted to stand up only to be met with a further hail of baton blows from the four police officers. King suffered from thirty-three baton blows and six kicks before having his arms and legs cuffed. Eight officers were involved in his arrest. George Halliday, a man who lived near the sight of the arrest, had filmed the arrest from the time that King was tasered. Halliday contacted the LAPD about his videotape, but the police department showed no interest in the footage. Halliday next presented the footage to a local TV station which aired the footage. It caused a sensation across the media. The footage made Rodney King’s arrest a lightning rod for a more comprehensive discussion about police brutality against minorities. 55. Legal Proceedings: Rodney King had suffered facial fractures, lacerations and a broken ankle from his arrest. The city awarded King damages amounting to 3.8 million dollars as well as covering his legal costs which totaled to close to two million dollars. He was also not charged with drink driving or evading arrest due to the time between the incident and the start of legal proceedings. Four LAPD officers were charged with using excessive force. The legal case against the officers was mired in controversy from the start as the initial judge, Bernard Kamins was removed, and the trial received a change of venue. Warren Christopher also began a commission to investigate accusations of police discrimination. Three of the officers charged were acquitted, and the fourth faced a no verdict. The court’s decision shocked the nation. The mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, and the President of the United States of America, George Bush, both declared they could not understand the verdict and condemned the officers involved. Many African Americans considered the trial a whitewash and were incensed. Following the 1992 Riots, the officers were tried in a federal court, and two were found guilty and sentenced to thirty months in prison. 56. Rodney King Riots: Following the court's verdict and the release of the officers, widespread civil unrest erupted in North America. The worst of the rioting was confined to LA, but Las Vegas, San Francisco, Atlanta and even Toronto in Canada experienced violence. The 1992 LA Riots became known as the Rodney King Riots due to their link to the court case. King appeared on TV during the riots to appeal for calm. Before the verdict was announced the police, force had been expecting trouble, money for overtime and a delay in the reading of the verdict were granted to give police time to prepare. Rioting started at a liquor store in Normandie. LAPD officers attempted to make an arrest a hostile crowd surrounded them and forced them to retreat. TV coverage of the violence encouraged more people to take to the streets, and the police communications proved wholly inadequate to deal with the spread of the violence. The rioters began destroying property and attacking people going about their business. Over a thousand firearms were looted, and some fires were started as night set in. The riots spread throughout the city and emergency workers came under gunfire as they attempted to tackle the fires and help the wounded. A curfew was declared, and the National Guard began deploying. Despite this the second day of looting and arson took place. Rioting spread to Hollywood, Inglewood, Long Beach and Compton. Police was criticized for focusing their attention on defending the wealthier areas of LA such as Beverley Hills. Other minority neighborhoods were forced to form militias to protect their property. Korean shopkeepers were involved in a shoot-out with rioters in Koreatown. On the third day of rioting, the Federal government took direct control of all military in the area and began overseeing the response to the riots. Troops and police officers from other regions of California started pouring into the city. On the fourth day, over thirteen thousand soldiers were deployed on the streets of LA, and the rioting was slowly quelled. The riot was spread over six days, but troops remained in the area for weeks afterward. Fifty-five people died during the riots and over two thousand hospitalized. A billion dollars’ worth of damage had been done; the worst affected were the Korean community. Eleven thousand people were arrested during the rioting, but because of the sheer volume of prisoners, police were unable to prosecute the majority. 57. King After the Riots: Rodney King continued to have run-ins with the law and was sometimes arrested after the 1992 Riots. In 2007, King was shot in an attempted robbery. King appeared in a reality TV show, Sober House, which covered celebrities in rehab. 2012 saw King publish his memoirs, The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption. Rodney King fathered a daughter with Carmen Simpson when they were both teenagers. In 1985, he married Daneta Lyles, and they had a daughter together. The pair divorced in 1988. King then married Crystal Waters, with whom he also had a daughter. They divorced in 1996. King had been arrested for assaulting both his wives. In 2010, King began living with Cynthia Kelly, and it was she who found him in the swimming pool on 17 June 2012. King was pronounced dead by medical staff, and plenty of drugs and alcohol were found in his system. 58. The King beating began a wave of reforms for the Los Angeles Police Department, including tighter rules on when officers can use force, more minority officers, and stricter term limits for police chiefs. 59. Question: What is the lesson to be learned? 60. Question: What do we teach the children about dealing with cops? 61. Top Black Songs from the top 40 62. #2 - "I Wanna Sex You Up", Color Me Badd 63. #3 - "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", C+C Music Factory 64. #4 - "Rush Rush", Paula Abdul 65. #8 - "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)", Hi-Five 66. #9 - "The First Time", Surface 67. #11 - "Motownphilly", Boyz II Men 68. #12 - "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)", Stevie B 69. #13 - "Someday", Mariah Carey 70. #16 - "All the Man That I Need", Whitney Houston 71. #18 - "I Adore Mi Amor" , Color Me Badd 72. #19 - "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", Janet Jackson 73. #20 - "Good Vibrations", Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch 74. #21 - "Justify My Love", Madonna 75. #22 - "Emotions", Mariah Carey 76. #24 - "Romantic", Karyn White 77. #25 - "Hold You Tight", Tara Kemp 78. #26 - "I Don't Wanna Cry", Mariah Carey 79. #28 - "Every Heartbeat", Amy Grant 80. #29 - "Sensitivity", Ralph Tresvant 81. #30 - "Touch Me (All Night Long)", Cathy Dennis 82. #31 - "I've Been Thinking About You", Londonbeat 83. #32 - "Do Anything", Natural Selection 84. #34 - "Coming Out of the Dark", Gloria Estefan 85. #35 - "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over", Lenny Kravitz 86. #36 - "Here We Go", C+C Music Factory 87. #38 - "Summertime", DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 88. #40 - "P.A.S.S.I.O.N.", Rythm Syndicate 89. Vote: 90. Top R&B Albums 91. Jan - I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston 92. Feb - The Future - Guy 93. Feb - Do Me Again - Freddie Jackson 94. Mar - Business as Usual - EPMD 95. Apr - Ralph Tresvant - Ralph Tresvant 96. Apr - Hi-Five - Hi-Five 97. Apr - New Jack City - Soundtrack / Various artists 98. Jun - Power of Love - Luther Vandross 99. Jul - Make Time for Love - Keith Washington 100. Aug - Jungle Fever - Soundtrack / Stevie Wonder 101. Aug - Cooleyhighharmony - Boyz II Men 102. Sep - Boyz n the Hood - Soundtrack / Various artists 103. Oct - Can You Stop the Rain - Peabo Bryson 104. Oct - Good Woman - Gladys Knight 105. Oct - Different Lifestyles - BeBe & CeCe Winans 106. Nov - As Raw As Ever - Shabba Ranks 107. Nov - Forever My Lady - Jodeci 108. Nov - Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black - Public Enemy 109. Dec - Diamonds and Pearls - Prince and The New Power Generation 110. Dec - Death Certificate - Ice Cube 111. Vote: 112. Featured Artists #1: Boyz II Men is the most commercially successful R&B group of all time. They've sold millions of records and produced three of the longest-running No. 1 pop singles in music history. The pioneering R&B group is known for their flawless blend of four-part harmonies, and their influence is still felt to this day. 113. Formation: Boyz II Men formed in 1988 at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Nathan Morris and Marc Nelson founded the group, originally known as Unique Attraction. Other members came and went due to graduation, but Morris and Nelson eventually met Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockmanand Michael McCary, and the group stabilized. They took inspiration from the popular R&B group New Edition and renamed themselves Boyz II Men after their song "Boys to Men." They got their big break in 1989 when they snuck backstage at a concert to sing for New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoemember Michael Bivins. They sang an a cappella rendition of the New Edition song "Can You Stand the Rain." Bivins was impressed and agreed to help them get signed. Marc Nelson left the group not long before they started working on their debut album, allegedly due to personality differences. Boyz II Men became a quartet—with Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman—that would soon find international fame. 114. Early Career: Bivins helped produce Boyz II Men's first album, Cooleyhighharmony, on Motown Records in 1991. The new jack swing style was characteristic of Bell Biv DeVoe's music, but Boyz II Men's classic, soulful vocals offered something different that was eventually dubbed "hip hop doo wop." Since the very beginning, Boyz II Men has featured all members equally as lead vocalists, going against the typical R&B group set up of one lead singer/front man and a handful of nameless backups. Their arrangement became a sort of trademark for the group. Cooleyhighharmony was a major success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and winning them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The singles "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" both became No. 1 R&B hits. 115. Commercial Breakthrough: After their debut, they abandoned the new jack swing style to focus on creating a more mature, pop-infused sound. They released the wildly successful single "End of the Road" in 1992. The song spent a record-breaking 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the year's most popular song. Just like that, Boyz II Men has transformed from R&B up-and-comers to mainstream superstars. 116. Legacy: Boyz II Men was instrumental in bringing R&B back to the mainstream, where it had not appeared since the '70s. With a staggering 60 million albums sold worldwide; they hold the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time. For more than 20 years they have created a catalog of massively successful songs known for rich, smooth harmonies and timeless subject matter. 117. Open Comments: 118. Featured Artists #2: Jodeci, one of the premier '90s R&B acts, were a quartet notable for successfully marrying gospel-esque harmonization’s with a sexier-than-thou style. Also, they were the first act that future hip-hop superstars Timbaland and Missy Elliott were involved with. 119. Biography: Jodeci was an R&B group formed from two sets of two brothers, the Haileys and the DeGrates. All four of them were brought up in the Pentecostal church in North Carolina, the DeGrates' father was a minister. As young boys, they sang in gospel choirs which recorded albums and had their songs played on the radio, but they weren't destined to meet until they were teenagers. Their girlfriends introduced them. However, when they did meet, K-Ci was with a girl Dalvin had been dating, and a fight nearly broke out. The Hailey brothers and DeVante started hanging out together, partying and talking about making R&B records together, coming up with the name Jodeci at this time. At age 16, DeVante ran away to Minneapolis to get a job in Prince's organization but was refused. He returned to Charlotte, where he wrote a song and recorded JoJo singing it. The two planned on going to New York to shop the demo around by themselves, but both K-Ci and Dalvin decided to tag along at the last minute. By the time they got to New York, they had demo recordings of 29 songs, which they brought to the offices of Uptown Entertainment. They were almost rejected, but rapper Heavy D overheard the tape and talked Uptown president Andre Harrell into hearing the group. Harrell was impressed, and just like that, Jodeci signed a recording contract. In 1991, they recorded Forever My Lady, which featured the gold single "Come and Talk to Me" and went on to sell over three million copies. 120. Jodeci Albums: 1991: Forever My Lady (3x platinum) / 1993: Diary of a Mad Band (2x platinum) / 1995: The Show, The After Party, The Hotel (platinum) 121. Open Comments: 122. Track vs Track Album Battle: Cooleyhighharmony vs Forever My Lady 123. Movie Scene: John Singleton / Boyz In the Hood 124. John Singleton’s 1991 feature film debut, Boyz n the Hood, garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Singleton followed-up with Poetic Justice in 1993 and Higher Learning in 1995. Subsequent works include 1997's Rosewood, 2000's Shaft remake and 2001's Baby Boy. In 2005, he produced Hustle & Flow and directed Four Brothers. The filmmaker died on April 29, 2019, after suffering a stroke. 125. Profile: He grew up in South Central Los Angeles and studied screenwriting at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. During his four-year studies there, he won three writing awards. 126. These achievements in writing earned Singleton a contract with the powerful Creative Artists Agency during his sophomore year at USC, and in May of 1990, his agent sent the script for Boyz N the Hood to Columbia pictures. The response was immediate: “I thought John’s script had a distinctive voice and great insight,” Frank Price, chairman of Columbia Pictures, said in an interview excerpted in the New York Times. “He’s not just a good writer, but he has enormous self-confidence and assurance. In fact, the last time I’d met someone that young with so much self-assurance was Steven Spielberg.” Columbia wanted to make the picture, but at first wanted someone else to direct it. Singleton believed only he could do it. “They asked me if I would consider anybody else directing it,” he recalled to Interview’s Steven Daly. “And I said, Hell, no, I’m not gonna let somebody from Idaho or Encino direct a movie about living in South Central Los Angeles. They can’t come in here and cast it and go through the rewrites and know exactly what aesthetics are unique to this film.” In 1991, Columbia Pictures bought his script for Boyz n the Hood and budgeted it at $7 million. The film portrayed life in crime-ridden South-Central L.A. and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director in 1991, making Singleton the first African American and the youngest person ever nominated for the award. The film also garnered a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. 127. Legacy: Regina King, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Nia Long, Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut, Tyra Banks, Tyrese Gibson, Taraji P Henson 128. Open Comments: 129. Boyz In the Hood Summary: Follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence and prospects. 130. Major Themes: (1) the power of family and black culture in the ghettos, (2) effects of capitalism to American citizens especially the Negros living in harsh environments, (3) the power of temptation and (4) more so juvenile and gang associated delinquencies that are usually influenced by peer and social pressure (5) gentrification, (6) living in a bad neighborhood, and (7) gangs. 131. Question: What themes stood out for you? 132. Television Scene: Roc (3 Seasons) Comedy, Sitcom 133. Summary: Garbageman Roc Emerson and his wife shared their Baltimore home with his outspoken father and apathetic brother. In an unusual move, the sitcom's entire second season was performed live. Series star Charles S. Dutton won a 1993 NAACP Image Award for his portrayal of Roc. The show deals with real life issues such as gang violence, local politics, drugs, teens and sexually transmitted diseases. Roc reminded you of a typical family with normal problems such as parenting and dealing with live in relatives. The series gaining momentum in the last season could not make its presence felt on Tuesdays, the networks worst night for ratings. The struggle eventually led up to the series cancellation. 134. Awards: 1992: GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Episode, 1994: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Charles S. Dutton 135. Question: Has anyone ever watched this? 136. Vote: Most impactful item/event from 1991?
Topics: Rodney King, Boyz II Men / Jodeci, Boyz In the Hood, Roc - Sitcom (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1991 General Snapshots 1. President: George H. W. Bush 2. January - Gulf War: The Congress of the United States passes a resolution authorizing the use of military force to liberate Kuwait. 5 days later, Operation Desert Storm begins with airstrikes against Iraq. 3. January - Whitney Houstondelivers her now legendary rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" 4. February - Gulf War: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that "Kuwait is liberated". 5. February - Tim Meadows and Adam Sandler join the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live. 6. March - An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles, California police officers. 7. July - Boxer Mike Tyson is arrested and charged with raping Miss Black America contestant Desiree Washington in Indianapolis, Indiana. 8. July - Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is arrested after the remains of eleven men and boys are found in his Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment. Police soon find out that he is involved in six more murders. 9. August - Nickelodeon introduces its series of Nicktoons, with Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show the first three to air. 10. August - The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is first released in the United States. 11. October - The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews both Supreme Court candidate Clarence Thomas and former aide Anita Hill, who alleges that Thomas sexually harassed her while she worked for him. 12. October - Jennifer Lopez joins the cast as one of the Fly Girls on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color (she would leave the show after the next season). Other cast additions include future Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx. 13. November - Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson announces that he has HIV, effectively ending his NBA career. 14. November - Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury dies from AIDS at 45 years old, one day after making his diagnosis public. 15. December - The Cold War ends as President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev resigns and the Soviet Union dissolves. 16. Open Comments 17. Top 3 Pop Songs 18. #1 - "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", Bryan Adams 19. #2 - "I Wanna Sex You Up", Color Me Badd 20. #3 - "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", C+C Music Factory 21. Record of the Year: "Unforgettable" performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole 22. Album of the Year: Unforgettable... with Love performed by Natalie Cole 23. Song of the Year: "Unforgettable" performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole 24. Best New Artist: Marc Cohn 25. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Lisa Fischer for "How Can I Ease the Pain" & Patti LaBelle for "Burnin'" 26. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Luther Vandross for Power of Love 27. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Boyz II Men for "Cooleyhighharmony" 28. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Power of Love/Love Power" performed by Luther Vandross 29. Best Rap Solo Performance: LL Cool J for "Mama Said Knock You Out" 30. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "Summertime" 31. Top 3 Movies 32. #1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day 33. #2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 34. #3. Beauty and the Beast 35. Notables: The Silence of the Lambs, New Jack City, The Five Heartbeats, A Rage in Harlem, Thelma & Louise, Jungle Fever, Point Break, and House Party 2 36. Top 3 TV Shows 37. #1 60 Minutes 38. #2 Roseanne 39. #3 Murphy Brown 40. Mea Culpa: Family Matters originated 9/22/1989 on ABC 41. Notables: The Party Machine with Nia Peeples, The Jerry Springer Show, The Montel Williams Show, Hammerman, & Roc. 42. Economic Snapshots 43. Avg. Income: 29.9k (29K) 44. New Home: 120k (previously 123K) 45. Avg Rent: 495 (465) 46. New Car: 16.8k (16K) 47. Harvard: 14.5k (13.5k) 48. Movie Ticket: 4.25 (3.50) 49. Gas: 1.12 (1.34) 50. Stamp: .25 (.25) 51. Social Scene: Police Beating of Rodney King 52. Early Life: Rodney King (@ 26 yrs. old), born in Sacramento, CA, was an American taxi driver who is best known for the 1991 police beatings and the 1992 riots as a result of the officers’ trial. 53. Prior Record: In 1987, he pleaded no contest to a charge of battery. In 1989, King was imprisoned for robbery after robbing a store; he served one year of a two-year sentence. 54. 1991 Arrest: Rodney King attempted to outrun a police patrol car in March 1991. King had been drinking and feared he would be over the limit, driving under the influence charge would have seen King return to jail. King refused to pull over for the police and a high-speed chase ensued. Eventually, King was cornered, and he and the other occupants of the car were ordered to leave the vehicle and lie face down on the ground. King refused and was forcibly removed from the car. While on the ground the police beat and abused the three men. The Los Angeles Police Department then arrived on the scene; the original officers on the scene had been highway patrol. Rodney King resisted arrest and was tasered. King was then viciously beaten repeatedly while on the ground by police wielding batons. King continually attempted to stand up only to be met with a further hail of baton blows from the four police officers. King suffered from thirty-three baton blows and six kicks before having his arms and legs cuffed. Eight officers were involved in his arrest. George Halliday, a man who lived near the sight of the arrest, had filmed the arrest from the time that King was tasered. Halliday contacted the LAPD about his videotape, but the police department showed no interest in the footage. Halliday next presented the footage to a local TV station which aired the footage. It caused a sensation across the media. The footage made Rodney King’s arrest a lightning rod for a more comprehensive discussion about police brutality against minorities. 55. Legal Proceedings: Rodney King had suffered facial fractures, lacerations and a broken ankle from his arrest. The city awarded King damages amounting to 3.8 million dollars as well as covering his legal costs which totaled to close to two million dollars. He was also not charged with drink driving or evading arrest due to the time between the incident and the start of legal proceedings. Four LAPD officers were charged with using excessive force. The legal case against the officers was mired in controversy from the start as the initial judge, Bernard Kamins was removed, and the trial received a change of venue. Warren Christopher also began a commission to investigate accusations of police discrimination. Three of the officers charged were acquitted, and the fourth faced a no verdict. The court’s decision shocked the nation. The mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, and the President of the United States of America, George Bush, both declared they could not understand the verdict and condemned the officers involved. Many African Americans considered the trial a whitewash and were incensed. Following the 1992 Riots, the officers were tried in a federal court, and two were found guilty and sentenced to thirty months in prison. 56. Rodney King Riots: Following the court's verdict and the release of the officers, widespread civil unrest erupted in North America. The worst of the rioting was confined to LA, but Las Vegas, San Francisco, Atlanta and even Toronto in Canada experienced violence. The 1992 LA Riots became known as the Rodney King Riots due to their link to the court case. King appeared on TV during the riots to appeal for calm. Before the verdict was announced the police, force had been expecting trouble, money for overtime and a delay in the reading of the verdict were granted to give police time to prepare. Rioting started at a liquor store in Normandie. LAPD officers attempted to make an arrest a hostile crowd surrounded them and forced them to retreat. TV coverage of the violence encouraged more people to take to the streets, and the police communications proved wholly inadequate to deal with the spread of the violence. The rioters began destroying property and attacking people going about their business. Over a thousand firearms were looted, and some fires were started as night set in. The riots spread throughout the city and emergency workers came under gunfire as they attempted to tackle the fires and help the wounded. A curfew was declared, and the National Guard began deploying. Despite this the second day of looting and arson took place. Rioting spread to Hollywood, Inglewood, Long Beach and Compton. Police was criticized for focusing their attention on defending the wealthier areas of LA such as Beverley Hills. Other minority neighborhoods were forced to form militias to protect their property. Korean shopkeepers were involved in a shoot-out with rioters in Koreatown. On the third day of rioting, the Federal government took direct control of all military in the area and began overseeing the response to the riots. Troops and police officers from other regions of California started pouring into the city. On the fourth day, over thirteen thousand soldiers were deployed on the streets of LA, and the rioting was slowly quelled. The riot was spread over six days, but troops remained in the area for weeks afterward. Fifty-five people died during the riots and over two thousand hospitalized. A billion dollars’ worth of damage had been done; the worst affected were the Korean community. Eleven thousand people were arrested during the rioting, but because of the sheer volume of prisoners, police were unable to prosecute the majority. 57. King After the Riots: Rodney King continued to have run-ins with the law and was sometimes arrested after the 1992 Riots. In 2007, King was shot in an attempted robbery. King appeared in a reality TV show, Sober House, which covered celebrities in rehab. 2012 saw King publish his memoirs, The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption. Rodney King fathered a daughter with Carmen Simpson when they were both teenagers. In 1985, he married Daneta Lyles, and they had a daughter together. The pair divorced in 1988. King then married Crystal Waters, with whom he also had a daughter. They divorced in 1996. King had been arrested for assaulting both his wives. In 2010, King began living with Cynthia Kelly, and it was she who found him in the swimming pool on 17 June 2012. King was pronounced dead by medical staff, and plenty of drugs and alcohol were found in his system. 58. The King beating began a wave of reforms for the Los Angeles Police Department, including tighter rules on when officers can use force, more minority officers, and stricter term limits for police chiefs. 59. Question: What is the lesson to be learned? 60. Question: What do we teach the children about dealing with cops? 61. Top Black Songs from the top 40 62. #2 - "I Wanna Sex You Up", Color Me Badd 63. #3 - "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", C+C Music Factory 64. #4 - "Rush Rush", Paula Abdul 65. #8 - "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)", Hi-Five 66. #9 - "The First Time", Surface 67. #11 - "Motownphilly", Boyz II Men 68. #12 - "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)", Stevie B 69. #13 - "Someday", Mariah Carey 70. #16 - "All the Man That I Need", Whitney Houston 71. #18 - "I Adore Mi Amor" , Color Me Badd 72. #19 - "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", Janet Jackson 73. #20 - "Good Vibrations", Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch 74. #21 - "Justify My Love", Madonna 75. #22 - "Emotions", Mariah Carey 76. #24 - "Romantic", Karyn White 77. #25 - "Hold You Tight", Tara Kemp 78. #26 - "I Don't Wanna Cry", Mariah Carey 79. #28 - "Every Heartbeat", Amy Grant 80. #29 - "Sensitivity", Ralph Tresvant 81. #30 - "Touch Me (All Night Long)", Cathy Dennis 82. #31 - "I've Been Thinking About You", Londonbeat 83. #32 - "Do Anything", Natural Selection 84. #34 - "Coming Out of the Dark", Gloria Estefan 85. #35 - "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over", Lenny Kravitz 86. #36 - "Here We Go", C+C Music Factory 87. #38 - "Summertime", DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 88. #40 - "P.A.S.S.I.O.N.", Rythm Syndicate 89. Vote: 90. Top R&B Albums 91. Jan - I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston 92. Feb - The Future - Guy 93. Feb - Do Me Again - Freddie Jackson 94. Mar - Business as Usual - EPMD 95. Apr - Ralph Tresvant - Ralph Tresvant 96. Apr - Hi-Five - Hi-Five 97. Apr - New Jack City - Soundtrack / Various artists 98. Jun - Power of Love - Luther Vandross 99. Jul - Make Time for Love - Keith Washington 100. Aug - Jungle Fever - Soundtrack / Stevie Wonder 101. Aug - Cooleyhighharmony - Boyz II Men 102. Sep - Boyz n the Hood - Soundtrack / Various artists 103. Oct - Can You Stop the Rain - Peabo Bryson 104. Oct - Good Woman - Gladys Knight 105. Oct - Different Lifestyles - BeBe & CeCe Winans 106. Nov - As Raw As Ever - Shabba Ranks 107. Nov - Forever My Lady - Jodeci 108. Nov - Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black - Public Enemy 109. Dec - Diamonds and Pearls - Prince and The New Power Generation 110. Dec - Death Certificate - Ice Cube 111. Vote: 112. Featured Artists #1: Boyz II Men is the most commercially successful R&B group of all time. They've sold millions of records and produced three of the longest-running No. 1 pop singles in music history. The pioneering R&B group is known for their flawless blend of four-part harmonies, and their influence is still felt to this day. 113. Formation: Boyz II Men formed in 1988 at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Nathan Morris and Marc Nelson founded the group, originally known as Unique Attraction. Other members came and went due to graduation, but Morris and Nelson eventually met Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockmanand Michael McCary, and the group stabilized. They took inspiration from the popular R&B group New Edition and renamed themselves Boyz II Men after their song "Boys to Men." They got their big break in 1989 when they snuck backstage at a concert to sing for New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoemember Michael Bivins. They sang an a cappella rendition of the New Edition song "Can You Stand the Rain." Bivins was impressed and agreed to help them get signed. Marc Nelson left the group not long before they started working on their debut album, allegedly due to personality differences. Boyz II Men became a quartet—with Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman—that would soon find international fame. 114. Early Career: Bivins helped produce Boyz II Men's first album, Cooleyhighharmony, on Motown Records in 1991. The new jack swing style was characteristic of Bell Biv DeVoe's music, but Boyz II Men's classic, soulful vocals offered something different that was eventually dubbed "hip hop doo wop." Since the very beginning, Boyz II Men has featured all members equally as lead vocalists, going against the typical R&B group set up of one lead singer/front man and a handful of nameless backups. Their arrangement became a sort of trademark for the group. Cooleyhighharmony was a major success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and winning them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The singles "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" both became No. 1 R&B hits. 115. Commercial Breakthrough: After their debut, they abandoned the new jack swing style to focus on creating a more mature, pop-infused sound. They released the wildly successful single "End of the Road" in 1992. The song spent a record-breaking 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the year's most popular song. Just like that, Boyz II Men has transformed from R&B up-and-comers to mainstream superstars. 116. Legacy: Boyz II Men was instrumental in bringing R&B back to the mainstream, where it had not appeared since the '70s. With a staggering 60 million albums sold worldwide; they hold the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time. For more than 20 years they have created a catalog of massively successful songs known for rich, smooth harmonies and timeless subject matter. 117. Open Comments: 118. Featured Artists #2: Jodeci, one of the premier '90s R&B acts, were a quartet notable for successfully marrying gospel-esque harmonization’s with a sexier-than-thou style. Also, they were the first act that future hip-hop superstars Timbaland and Missy Elliott were involved with. 119. Biography: Jodeci was an R&B group formed from two sets of two brothers, the Haileys and the DeGrates. All four of them were brought up in the Pentecostal church in North Carolina, the DeGrates' father was a minister. As young boys, they sang in gospel choirs which recorded albums and had their songs played on the radio, but they weren't destined to meet until they were teenagers. Their girlfriends introduced them. However, when they did meet, K-Ci was with a girl Dalvin had been dating, and a fight nearly broke out. The Hailey brothers and DeVante started hanging out together, partying and talking about making R&B records together, coming up with the name Jodeci at this time. At age 16, DeVante ran away to Minneapolis to get a job in Prince's organization but was refused. He returned to Charlotte, where he wrote a song and recorded JoJo singing it. The two planned on going to New York to shop the demo around by themselves, but both K-Ci and Dalvin decided to tag along at the last minute. By the time they got to New York, they had demo recordings of 29 songs, which they brought to the offices of Uptown Entertainment. They were almost rejected, but rapper Heavy D overheard the tape and talked Uptown president Andre Harrell into hearing the group. Harrell was impressed, and just like that, Jodeci signed a recording contract. In 1991, they recorded Forever My Lady, which featured the gold single "Come and Talk to Me" and went on to sell over three million copies. 120. Jodeci Albums: 1991: Forever My Lady (3x platinum) / 1993: Diary of a Mad Band (2x platinum) / 1995: The Show, The After Party, The Hotel (platinum) 121. Open Comments: 122. Track vs Track Album Battle: Cooleyhighharmony vs Forever My Lady 123. Movie Scene: John Singleton / Boyz In the Hood 124. John Singleton’s 1991 feature film debut, Boyz n the Hood, garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Singleton followed-up with Poetic Justice in 1993 and Higher Learning in 1995. Subsequent works include 1997's Rosewood, 2000's Shaft remake and 2001's Baby Boy. In 2005, he produced Hustle & Flow and directed Four Brothers. The filmmaker died on April 29, 2019, after suffering a stroke. 125. Profile: He grew up in South Central Los Angeles and studied screenwriting at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. During his four-year studies there, he won three writing awards. 126. These achievements in writing earned Singleton a contract with the powerful Creative Artists Agency during his sophomore year at USC, and in May of 1990, his agent sent the script for Boyz N the Hood to Columbia pictures. The response was immediate: “I thought John’s script had a distinctive voice and great insight,” Frank Price, chairman of Columbia Pictures, said in an interview excerpted in the New York Times. “He’s not just a good writer, but he has enormous self-confidence and assurance. In fact, the last time I’d met someone that young with so much self-assurance was Steven Spielberg.” Columbia wanted to make the picture, but at first wanted someone else to direct it. Singleton believed only he could do it. “They asked me if I would consider anybody else directing it,” he recalled to Interview’s Steven Daly. “And I said, Hell, no, I’m not gonna let somebody from Idaho or Encino direct a movie about living in South Central Los Angeles. They can’t come in here and cast it and go through the rewrites and know exactly what aesthetics are unique to this film.” In 1991, Columbia Pictures bought his script for Boyz n the Hood and budgeted it at $7 million. The film portrayed life in crime-ridden South-Central L.A. and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director in 1991, making Singleton the first African American and the youngest person ever nominated for the award. The film also garnered a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. 127. Legacy: Regina King, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Nia Long, Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut, Tyra Banks, Tyrese Gibson, Taraji P Henson 128. Open Comments: 129. Boyz In the Hood Summary: Follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence and prospects. 130. Major Themes: (1) the power of family and black culture in the ghettos, (2) effects of capitalism to American citizens especially the Negros living in harsh environments, (3) the power of temptation and (4) more so juvenile and gang associated delinquencies that are usually influenced by peer and social pressure (5) gentrification, (6) living in a bad neighborhood, and (7) gangs. 131. Question: What themes stood out for you? 132. Television Scene: Roc (3 Seasons) Comedy, Sitcom 133. Summary: Garbageman Roc Emerson and his wife shared their Baltimore home with his outspoken father and apathetic brother. In an unusual move, the sitcom's entire second season was performed live. Series star Charles S. Dutton won a 1993 NAACP Image Award for his portrayal of Roc. The show deals with real life issues such as gang violence, local politics, drugs, teens and sexually transmitted diseases. Roc reminded you of a typical family with normal problems such as parenting and dealing with live in relatives. The series gaining momentum in the last season could not make its presence felt on Tuesdays, the networks worst night for ratings. The struggle eventually led up to the series cancellation. 134. Awards: 1992: GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Episode, 1994: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Charles S. Dutton 135. Question: Has anyone ever watched this? 136. Vote: Most impactful item/event from 1991?
Topics: A Black Renaissance?, Mariah Carey, House Party, In Living Color / The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1990 General Snapshots 1. George Bush Sr. President 2. January - United States invasion of Panama: General Manuel Noriega, the deposed "strongman of Panama", surrenders to American forces. 3. January - Douglas Wilder becomes the first elected African American governor as he takes office in Richmond, Virginia. 4. January - Mayor Marion Barry is arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting. 5. February - James "Buster" Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson to win the World Heavyweight Boxing crown. 6. February - A smoking ban takes effect on all domestic U.S. flights of less than six hours. 7. March - Greyhound bus drivers’ strike for higher pay. 8. April - STS-31: The Hubble Space Telescope is launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. 9. June - Nelson Mandela tours North America, visiting 3 Canadian cities and 8 U.S. cities. 10. July - George H. W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act, designed to protect disabled Americans from discrimination. 11. August - Gulf War: Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War. 12. September - Chris Rock makes Saturday Night Live debut. 13. October - Evander Holyfield defeats James "Buster" Douglas to become the heavyweight boxing champion. 14. November - Sharon Pratt Kelly is elected Mayor of the District of Columbia, becoming the first black woman to head a major U.S. city. She takes office January 2, 1991. 15. Top 3 Pop Songs 16. #1 "Hold On" Wilson Phillips 17. #2 "It Must Have Been Love" Roxette 18. #3 "Nothing Compares 2 U" Sinéad O'Connor 19. Record of the Year - "Another Day in Paradise" – Phil Collins 20. Album of the Year - Quincy Jones (producer & artist) for Back on the Block 21. Song of the Year - "From a Distance" performed by Bette Midler 22. Best New Artist - Mariah Carey 23. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female - Anita Baker for Compositions 24. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male - Luther Vandross for "Here and Now" 25. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group - Ray Charles & Chaka Khan for "I'll Be Good to You" 26. Best Rhythm & Blues Song - "U Can't Touch This" performed by M.C. Hammer 27. Best Rap Solo Performance - M.C. Hammer for "U Can't Touch This" 28. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group - Big Daddy Kane, Ice T, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, Quincy D. III & Quincy Jones for "Back on the Block" 29. Top 3 Movies 30. #1 Ghost 31. #2 Home Alone 32. # 3 Pretty Woman 33. Other Notables: 34. Top 3 TV Shows 35. Cheers 36. 60 Minutes 37. Roseanne 38. Debuts: In Living Color, True Colors, Brewster Place, The Fresh Prince 39. Economic Snapshots 40. New Home: 123k (previously 120K) 41. Avg Rent: 465 (425) 42. Avg. Income: 29k (27K) 43. New Car: 16k (15K) 44. Harvard: 13.5k (12.7k) 45. Movie Ticket: 4 3.50 - same 46. Gas: 1.34 (.97) 47. Stamp: .25 (.25) 48. Social Scene: Pop Culture Dominance and Influence 49. Politics: Colin Powell, Douglas Wilder, Congressional Black Caucus @ 25 (John Lewis 2nd term) 50. Business: Ebony/Jet, Russel Simmons, Reginald F. Lewis 51. Sports: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. 52. Music: Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney, Janet Jackson, MC Hammer, Anita Baker 53. Movies: Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Freeman, Spike Lee, Robert Townsend 54. Television: Oprah (Daytime), Cosby (Prime time), Aresnio (Nighttime) 55. Open Comments: 56. Question: Assimilation? OK, but who is changing who? Are we changing America or is America Changing us? 57. Music Scene 58. Black Songs from the Top 40 59. #4 "Poison" Bell Biv DeVoe 60. #6 "Vision of Love" Mariah Carey 61. #8 "Hold On" En Vogue 62. #11 "Do Me!" Bell Biv DeVoe 63. #13 "Pump Up the Jam" Technotronic 64. #14 "Opposites Attract" Paula Abdul and The Wild Pair 65. #15 "Escapade" Janet Jackson 66. #17 "Close to You" Maxi Priest 67. #21 "All Around the World" Lisa Stansfield 68. #22 "I Wanna Be Rich" Calloway 69. #23 "Rub You the Right Way" Johnny Gill 70. #24 "She Ain't Worth It" Glenn Medeiros and Bobby Brown 71. #26 "The Power" Snap! 72. #30 "Two to Make It Right" Seduction 73. #33 "Step by Step" New Kids on the Block 74. #36 "I Don't Have the Heart" James Ingram 75. #38 "Rhythm Nation" Janet Jackson 76. #41 "Everything" Jody Watley 77. #42 "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler 78. #43 "Here and Now" Luther Vandross 79. Top RnB Albums 80. January Tender Lover Babyface 81. January Back on the Block Quincy Jones 82. April Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer 83. June Poison Bell Biv DeVoe 84. June Johnny Gill Johnny Gill 85. August I'll Give All My Love to You Keith Sweat 86. December I'm Your Baby Tonight Whitney Houston 87. Featured Artist: Mariah Angela Carey, (Songbird) singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and philanthropist 88. Childhood - Born to Patricia (Hickey), an Irish American mezzo-soprano opera singer, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer. They got divorced when Carey was only three. Her first public performance was at the age of six. By the age of sixteen, she was skipping classes to write songs and her brother, Morgan, paid for her first recording session. She finally graduated from Harborfields High School, in 1987. 89. Career - Before Carey got her big break, she worked as a temp and juggled with a few odd jobs such as a beautician, hair sweeper in a salon, waitress and as a coat check girl. After several years of struggling, Carey began singing background vocals for the pop and salsa singer-songwriter Brenda Starr in the late 1980s. Additionally, Carey wrote four songs with Ben Margulies, which solely constituted her demo tape. Margulies was a drummer, guitarist, piano player and singer. (One of Margulies's bandmates went to high school with Mariah’s older brother) Starr ultimately helped Carey land a record contract by giving her demo tape to Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola. In 1988, Mottola signed her***. 90. In June of 1990, her self-titled album, ‘Mariah Carey’, which contained four No.1 hits were released. It was the best-selling album of 1991 and has been certified nine times Platinum. 91. Aside from her voice, she has become known for her songwriting. Yahoo Music editor Jason Ankeny wrote, "She earned frequent comparison to rivals Whitney Houston and Celine Dion but did them both one better by composing all of her own material." Also, according to Billboard magazine, she was the most successful artist of the 1990s in the United States. Additionally, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Carey as the third best-selling female artist of all-time behind Madonna, Rhianna, maybe Taylor Swift. 92. Open Comments: 93. Point #1 – Divas status is earned. (She stuck to her guns re: song writing / Dunked on everyone / Checked Eminem) 94. Pont #2 – Studio performer, but not studio tricks. 95. Point #3 – The Christmas Song 96. Question: Is Mariah a "Soul" singer? 97. Movie Scene: House Party,” …an infectious, engaging comedy starring the rap duo Kid 'N Play.” 98. Plot: Although Kid has been grounded by his father, he sneaks out for a party at his friend Play's house. But Kid has no clue about the trouble that awaits him in the form of three thugs from school. 99. Release date: March 9, 1990 / Rotten Tomatoes: 93% 4.5 Stars 100. Budget - $2.5m, / Box office - $26.4m 101. Open Comments: 102. Point #1: Cast is great (Tisha & Martin broke out) 103. Point #2: First truly successful "Hood" comedy franchise. (4! sequels) 104. Point #3: Not possible without the success of Robert and Spike. Director said the project only got the green light because of the recent box office success of "black" movies. 105. Question: What are some of your house party war stories? 106. Television Scene 107. #1 - In Living Color (1990–1994): [IMDB Rating: 8.1/10] Keenen Ivory Wayans (@ wasn't looking to do a TV show. In 1988, he was riding high on the success of his cult hit I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and contemplating his next movie. But he took a meeting with a fledgling network called Fox, which made an offer he couldn't refuse. "They told me I could do whatever I wanted," Wayans, 61, recalls. What he wanted was to do a show like Saturday Night Live only much, much edgier. Homey Da Clown, Homeboy Shopping Network, Men on Films, Fire Marshall Bill, Oswald Bates, Wanda, The Fly Girls — the skits Wayans and his mostly African American cast performed each week pushed the envelope not just of TV's color barrier but of TV comedy, won an Emmy and incubated the careers of stars Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Lopez, and several members of the Wayans family. 108. Open Comments: 109. Question: Chapelle or In Living Color? 110. #2 - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996) [MDB Rating: 7.9/10]: A streetwise, poor young man from Philadelphia is sent by his mother to live with his aunt, uncle and cousins in their Bel-Air mansion. 111. Open Comments 112. Point #1 - Will and Jazzy were supposed to do the movie House Party 113. Point #2 - Quincy is doing the most! - Fresh Prince, a collaboration of Quincy Jones and the then-married team of Andy and Susan Borowitz, was based loosely on the life of Will Smith’s then-manager Benny Medina (and on the lifestyle of Jones’ own family) and ran on NBC from 1990-96. NBC was wary of a project starring a rapper, and the show was derided at first by some for a lack of grit. Ultimately, critiques proved ignorant, as the sitcom became part of the cultural DNA of the 1990s. “The Cosbys were affluent,” said Quincy Jones in 2015, “but the Banks’ were wealthy. I don’t think you’d ever seen a wealthy African-American family on television until Fresh Prince, and you definitely hadn’t seen a kid from the hip-hop generation until Fresh Prince.” 114. Open Comments: 115. Question: Why wasn't this just "Different Strokes" - Pt. 2? 116. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1990?
I made 10 winner predictions for the 62nd Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Best Pop/Duo Group Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best R&B Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Country Album, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year. Songs Used:Theme Song: "Dance Track", composed by Jessica Ann Catena"Good as Hell" - Lizzo"Sunflower" - Post Malone & Swae Lee"BLOW" - Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars"Panini" - Lil Nas X"Could've Been" - H.E.R. feat. Bryson Tiller"Harmony Hall" - Vampire Weekend"Look What God Gave Her" - Thomas Rhett"Lover" - Taylor Swift"Talk" - Khalid"bury a friend" - Billie Eilish
For the 62nd Grammy Awards, I made predictions of 10 categories: Best New Artist, Best Pop/Duo Group Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best R&B Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Country Album, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year.Theme Song: "Dance Track", composed by Jessica Ann Catena
Topics: 80's Tech, MC Hammer, Do The Right Thing, The Arsenio Hall Show (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1989 Notes 1. General Snapshots 2. George Bush Sr. President 3. Feb - Barbara Harris is the first woman (and first black woman) consecrated as a bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. 4. Mar - Exxon Valdez oil spill: In Alaska's Prince William Sound the Exxon Valdez spills 240,000 barrels (38,000 m3) of oil after running aground. 5. Apr - Bill White becomes president of baseball's National League, becoming the first African American to head a major sports league. 6. Apr - Trisha Meili is attacked while jogging in New York City's Central Park; as her identity remains secret for years, she becomes known as the "Central Park Jogger." 7. May - President Bush vetoes a minimum-wage bill passed by Congress on May 17 that would have increased the minimum wage to $4.55 an hour. 8. Jun - In Texas v. Johnson, the United States Supreme Court ruled that burning the Flag of the United States was protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. 9. Jun - In Penry v. Lynaugh, the Supreme Court rules that states can execute murderers as young as 16 or who are mentally retarded. 10. Jul - In Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the Supreme Court gives the state’s new authority to restrict abortions. 11. Aug - President Bush nominates United States Army Gen. Colin Powell as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the first African American to hold that position. 12. Aug - Hughey P. Newton was murdered in Oakland, California by Tyrone Robinson, a member of the Black Guerrilla Family. 13. Aug - Yusef Hawkins is shot in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York, sparking racial tensions between African Americans and Italian Americans. 14. Nov - Douglas Wilder wins the Virginia governor's race, becoming the first elected African American governor in the United States. 15. Nov - David Dinkins becomes the first African American mayor of New York City. 16. Nov - Congress passes legislation to raise the minimum wage from $3.35 to $4.25 an hour by April 1991. Bush signs this bill on November 17. 17. Nov - Clarence Page 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary 18. Nov - Denzel Washington: First African American actor to receive two Best Supporting Actor nominations. Cry Freedom / Glory (Won) 19. Misc.: Ron Brown is elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee, becoming the first African American to lead a major United States political party. 20. Misc.: The first of 24 Global Positioning System satellites is placed into orbit. 21. Open Comments: 22. Top 3 Pop Songs 23. #1 "Look Away" Chicago 24. #2 "My Prerogative" Bobby Brown 25. #3 "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" Poison 26. Record of the Year: Bette Midler for "Wind Beneath My Wings" 27. Album of the Year: Bonnie Raitt for Nick of Time 28. Song of the Year: "Wind Beneath My Wings" performed by Bette Midler 29. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Anita Baker for "Giving You the Best That I Got" 30. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Bobby Brown for "Every Little Step" 31. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler for "Back to Life" 32. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "If You Don't Know Me By Now" performed by Simply Red 33. Best Rap Performance: Young MC for "Bust a Move" 34. Open Comments 35. Top Movies 36. #1 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 37. #2 Batman 38. #3 Back to the Future Part II 39. Other Notables: Look Who's Talking, Dead Poets Society, Lethal Weapon 2, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Disney, Ghostbusters II, The Little Mermaid Disney, Born on the Fourth of July, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Lean on Me, Field of Dreams, Weekend at Bernie's, When Harry Met Sally..., Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Harlem Nights, The War of the Roses, Steel Magnolias, Glory, and Driving Miss Daisy*. 40. Top 3 TV Shows 41. #1 - The Cosby Show 42. #2 - Roseanne 43. #3 - Cheers 44. Debuts: Saved by the Bell, American Gladiators, Doogie Howser, M.D., Baywatch, America's Funniest Home Videos, COPS, Seinfeld, and The Simpsons 45. Economic Snapshot: 46. New Home: 120K - previously 91,777 47. Avg Rent: 425 - p. 420 48. Avg. Income: 37K - p. 24k 49. New Car: 15K - p. 10,432 50. Harvard: 12,700 - p. 12,015 51. Movie Ticket: 3.50 - same 52. Gas: .97 - p. .91 53. Stamp: .25 - same 54. Social Scene: Top Tech of The 80’s 55. Mobile Tech 56. Sony Walkman: Before the iPod effectively killed off an entire industry, the Sony Walkman was the original, must-have portable cassette player. Unlike portable radio players, the Japan-made Walkman allowed people to choose what to listen to via portable headphones, and make playlists on tape, alongside FM and AM radio frequencies. Like with Texas Instrument’s Speak and Spell, the first model hit shelves in the late 1970s, but it rose to prominence during the two decades that followed. So ubiquitous it became that the word Walkman even entered the English dictionary in 1986. The model pictured is the WM-F77. 57. Nokia-Mobira Cityman 900: These days, the mobile phone is so far advanced we barely even call it a mobile phone any more, but back in the '80s the sheer thought of carrying a phone any further than the length of a coiled plastic chord seemed fantasy at best. Then along came a handful of firms, including a certain Finnish outfit by the name of Nokia-Mobira and made portable phone calls an actual reality. Looking back the sheer size of it is almost laughable (18cm high and 760g in weight to be precise), but it was practically lightweight compared to the colossal Talkman, which weighed in at shocking 5.5kg! Still, it put Nokia on the map and set the stage for the firm's dominance to come in the late '90 and early '00s. 58. The Boombox: Much like the VHS player, the humble Boombox was more of a collective movement than the work of one particular model, but it still became one of the most iconic devices of the late '80s. Again, to keep things on message with this feature, the classic Boombox wasn't just a powerful all-in-one music player (with AM/FM radio and multiple cassette decks) it was also a portable music player (if you were willing to lug it around). While its size and battery-powered portability eventually saw it go the way of the dodo in and around the mid '90s, the 'ghetto blaster' became intertwined with the rise of hip hop in the States and secured itself a place in the annals of gadget lore. 59. Sharp pocket computer: The 1980s was the decade of the microprocessor, led by the likes of Sharp and its range of pocket computers. These gadgets resembled calculators but worked in a similar way to how we use keyboards on modern-day PCs and laptops. Below a 24-digit dot matrix LCD display sat a full QWERTY-style keyboard you could use to program BASIC code. The computer’s battery was said to last 200 hours and it even came with a connector that let you attach a printer or tape drive. 60. Epson ET-10 Pocket TV: If you haven't already twigged, there's a bit of a pattern forming with this feature - good ol' portability. From music on the move to phone calls away from home, handheld technology helped define the decade and every single one that's followed. And so, it was the turn of the humble TV, already shrinking as a regular set, to get the micro treatment. The ET-10 from Epson was one of the first, and the most popular, with its two-inch liquid crystal display offering proper TV viewing while out and about (and in a decent spot to catch the analogue signal). With a five-hour battery, the ET-10 was a proper little dynamo and foreshadowed the portable TV experience we take for granted now with tablets and smartphones. 61. Casio Databank: It’s a testament to just how cool and iconic the Casio Databank watches became - they’re still sold in various models and designs today. One of the original models of this calculator watch, the gold version of the DBC 610 (pictured), was first released in 1985 and later re-released due to popular demand. The designs of these modern versions have barely deviated from the original and still feature a membrane keyboard, with Mode and Adjust physical buttons on the side. 62. Gaming Tech 63. Nintendo Entertainment System: Another iconic Japanese import of the 1980s was the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES. A remodeled version of the company’s Family Computer, or Famicom, the 8-bit NES was originally designed to be a joint venture between Nintendo and Atari until a dispute over licensing meant Nintendo decided to go it alone. It helped lift the gaming industry out of the slump of 1983 by offering easier-to-use controllers, standardized graphics and a wider variety of game genres. It brought hugely popular arcade games, including Donkey Kong, to home TVs. 64. Nintendo Game Boy: Fresh off the success of its Nintendo Entertainment System, the Japanese giant launched a handheld version of is 8-bit console called the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989. It effectively used the same A and B controls and D pad seen on the NES, positioned below a 4.7cm x 4.3xm “pea soup” green LCD display. Using ROM cartridges also similar in design to those used on the NES, these games could be inserted and removed on the back of the device. The Game Boy ran on four AA batteries and was an incredibly robust console, making it a popular choice among kids. The Game Boy and its successor the Game Boy Color have sold in excess of 118 million units and spawned several later models, namely the Game Boy Lite and Game Boy Advance. 65. Simon: Another classic from the 1980s that is still sold today is the Simon game. Named after the Simon Says game, the toy’s premise is simple – the colored panels light up and you must repeat the pattern and tones it creates. Yet despite this simple gameplay, it was a great feat of engineering at the time of release in 1978 and became a pop culture icon during the 1980s. 66. Speak and Spell: One of the world’s first handheld PCs and gaming consoles, the educational Speak and Spell from Texas Instruments was unveiled during the 1978 Consumer Electronic Shows. Its visual display was among the first of its kind and it used interchangeable cartridges to let children play different games, aimed at helping to improve their spelling and vocabulary. It became one of the iconic toys of the 1980s until its final model was released in 1992, and its use of the first single-chip microcontroller and speech synthesizer paved the way for many of the gadgets we use today. 67. Social Media Tech 68. Polaroid Sun AF 660: Polaroid cameras have seen a resurgence of late, thanks in part to the release of a classic-looking digital model called One Step Plus. Yet the original designs, such as the Polaroid Autofocus Lightmixer 660 pictured, can still be found on auction sites selling for decent sums. Part of the Polaroid 600 series, the Autofocus 660 (also known as the AF 660) had an 116mm lens and was the first in the range to use Polaroid's patented Sonar Autofocus technology. This system used sensors to establish how far away a subject was, using sonar pulses, to achieve an accurate autofocus shot. 69. Computing Tech 70. Apple Macintosh 128K: Long before Steve Jobs debuted the iPhone on stage in Cupertino in 2007, his company specialized in personal computers. The first of which was known as the Apple Macintosh. It was later renamed the Macintosh 128K to differentiate it from its successor, the Macintosh 512K. Released to great fanfare in 1984, Alien director Ridley Scott created the now-infamous advert for the computer, broadcast during that year’s Superbowl. The Macintosh 128K got its name by the fact it ran on 128K of RAM. It had a 9in CRT monitor, single-sided floppy disk drive and featured a handle on the top that meant it could be moved from place to place. 71. Smart Home Tech 72. The Clapper: Sadly not every gadget that came out of the '80s set the precedent for a bloodline of tech to come, but hey, there's something pretty satisfying about clapping your hands (or whichever body parts you preferred using) to turn off a lamp. Plugging into a power socket in your wall, the Clapper was basically a sound activated on/off switch that could link up to devices for hours of clap-controlled hilarity. It didn't work that great and was prone to being set off by anything from coughs to dog barks. Still, it looked good in the movies, right? 73. VHS player/VCR recorder: Okay, with so many different players that helped make VHS the preferred video format in the '80s (sorry BetaMax), it's hard to nail down particular model that made all the difference, but it just goes to prove how influential those chunky video cassettes became in the '80s and '90s. From Panasonic to JVC, all the big and aspiring electronics giants had their own player and future fortunes were made as the home video entertainment market boomed. Now you could buy films and watch them in the comfort of your home own home. More importantly, you could eventually record TV content as well. Grainy compilations of Red Dwarf and Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles? Yes please! 74. Only thing missing was the internet 75. Open Comments: 76. Music Scene: 77. Top Black songs from Billboard Top 40 Chart 78. #2 "My Prerogative" Bobby Brown 79. #4 "Straight Up" Paula Abdul 80. #5 "Miss You Much" Janet Jackson 81. #6 "Cold Hearted" Paula Abdul 82. #8 "Girl You Know It's True" Milli Vanilli 83. #10 "Giving You the Best That I Got" Anita Baker 84. #14 "Don't Wanna Lose You" Gloria Estefan 85. #16 "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" Milli Vanilli 86. #19 "On Our Own" Bobby Brown 87. #21 "Blame It on the Rain" Milli Vanilli 88. #25 "Like a Prayer" Madonna 89. #28 "Baby Don't Forget My Number" Milli Vanilli 90. #30 "Forever Your Girl" Paula Abdul 91. #33 "Wild Thing" Tone Lōc 92. #36 "Buffalo Stance" Neneh Cherry 93. #46 "Real Love" Jody Watley 94. Vote: 95. Top RnB Albums 96. Jan - Giving You the Best That I Got, Anita Baker 97. Jan - Karyn White, Karyn White 98. Mar - Don't Be Cruel, Bobby Brown 99. Apr - Let's Get It Started, MC Hammer 100. Apr – Guy, Guy 101. May - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Slick Rick 102. May - Feet High and Rising, De La Soul 103. Jul - Walking with a Panther, LL Cool J 104. Aug - Big Tyme, Heavy D and the Boyz 105. Sep - 2 Keep On Movin', Soul II Soul 106. Sep - Unfinished Business, EPMD 107. Sep - No One Can Do It Better, The D.O.C. 108. Oct - Tender Lover, Babyface 109. Nov - Silky Soul, Frankie Beverly and Maze 110. Nov - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson 111. Dec - Stay with Me Regina Belle 112. Vote: 113. Featured Artist: MC Hammer, Stanley Kirk Burrell (@27 Yrs. old) 114. Childhood & Early Life: Born and raised in Oakland, California. He was the youngest of his 6 siblings and lived in a government housing project apartment in East Oakland. His father, Lewis Burrell, worked as warehouse supervisor while his mother was a secretary. Interested in baseball from his early boyhood, he spent time around the ‘Oakland Coliseum’ and entertained by dancing during the breaks. ‘Oakland Athletics’ owner, Charles Finley, watched him perform in the Coliseum’s parking lot and hired the 11-year Burrell as ‘batboy.’ Burrell’s resemblance to the baseball player ‘Hammerin’ Hank Aaron earned him the nick-name ‘Hammer.’ The ‘MC’ part came from ‘Master of Ceremonies’ as he performed at various clubs while on the road with A’s. He played baseball (second base) during high school years and wished to be a professional player but was not selected. After high school, he enlisted for US Navy and served as aviation storekeeper for 3 years. 115. Career: After being honorably discharged from the US Navy, Hammer began playing in clubs and formed ‘Holy Ghost Boys,’ a Christian rap music group with Jon Gibson. One of their songs, ‘The Wall,’ became a hit. Two former A’s player, Mike Davis and Dwayne Murphy, helped him financially to start his own record label, ‘Bust It Records.’ Hammer released his debut album, ‘Feel My Power,’ through his own label, ‘Oakland Records,’ in 1987, and the album sold over 60,000 copies. He released a single, ‘Ring ‘Em,’ and marketed it on his own. Hammer formed a troupe with dancers, musicians and vocalist, and presented stage shows and live shows at clubs. Through his album and one of his live acts, he earned a multi-album deal with the ‘Capitol Records’ in 1988. His first album through ‘Capitol,’ was the 1989 album, ‘Let’s Get It Started,’ a revised version of ‘Feel My Power.’ With its charted numbers, ‘Turn This Mutha Out,’ ‘Let’s Get it Started,’ ‘They Put Me in the Mix’ among others, the album sold more than 2 million copies and was certified double platinum. 116. Hammer toured around with his live show promoting the album and installed a recording studio at the back of this tour bus, where he recorded songs. His next album, ‘Please, Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em,’ was brought out on February 12, 1990. The single, ‘U Can’t Touch This,’ from this album proved most successful and is considered as his signature song. 117. He was a part of many TV shows and films, including cartoon-show, ‘Hammerman,’ ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘The Right Connections,’ ‘Deadly Rhapsody,’ ‘The Surreal Life,’ among many others. He appeared as a dance judge on the show, ‘Dance Fever’ (2003). ‘Hammertime’ (2009) was his reality TV series on ‘A&E Network,’ which dealt with his daily life. Hammer established ‘Oakland Stable’ in 1991 for thoroughbred horses. He was also involved with various business ventures from clothing lines, to tech start-up and product endorsements. Hammer sported a lavish lifestyle with a huge mansion at Fremont, California, sprawling estate and luxury cars. He also spent a large amount of money on his stage shows, staff, and relatives. With $13 million in debt, he filed for bankruptcy in 1996. In 1997, he turned to faith and became a preacher with a Christian Ministry TV show. 118. Open Comments: 119. Question: Would you rather flame out spectacularly like Hammer or low-key longevity? 120. Movie Scene: Do The Right Thing, Spike Lee 121. Breakdown: by Walker Valdez - “The film…focuses on a single day of the lives of racially diverse people who live and work in a lower-class neighborhood in Brooklyn New York. However, this ordinary day takes place on one of the hottest days of the summer. The film centers on how social class, race and the moral decisions that the characters make have a direct effect on the way people interact with each other. It starts with the film’s characters waking up to start their day and climaxes with a neighborhood riot after police officers excessively restrain and kill a young black man named Radio Raheem for fighting an older Italian American restaurant owner named Sal in his pizzeria, and then outside on the street. The film, although released in 1989, with its social commentary on the effect that race has on police brutality is just as relevant today as when it was released 26 years ago. 122. Cast was bananas! 123. Negative Review - David Denby, then writing for New York, also predicted a dire outcome…He accused Lee of creating "the dramatic structure that primes black people to cheer the explosion as an act of revenge," and concluded, “The end of this movie is shambles, and if some audiences go wild, he's partly responsible." 124. The same notion crept into Joe Klein's editorial in the same issue of New York, in which he surmised as to the film's possible political effect on David Dinkins's mayoral campaign. He wrote: "Dinkins will also have to pay the price for Spike Lee's reckless new movie about a summer race riot in Brooklyn" 125. Speaking about the reviews more than 10 years later, Lee was still livid: "What the fuck is that?... What he's saying is, 'Pray to God that this film doesn't open in your theater, (because) niggers are gonna go crazy.'" Lee points out that white audiences aren't presumed to "go crazy" over far more violent action films, "but we're such mental midgets that we can't tell the difference between what's on screen and what's in real life?" 126. Positive Review - Roger Ebert: “I have been given only a few filmgoing experiences in my life to equal the first time I saw “Do the Right Thing.” Most movies remain up there on the screen. Only a few penetrate your soul. In May of 1989 I walked out of the screening at the Cannes Film Festival with tears in my eyes. Spike Lee had done an almost impossible thing. He'd made a movie about race in America that empathized with all the participants. He didn't draw lines or take sides but simply looked with sadness at one racial flashpoint that stood for many others.” 127. Question: What is the right thing to do in the face of systemic social injustice? 128. TV Scene: The Arsenio Hall Show 129. Arsenio Hall (@ 33 yrs. old) is a famous American comedian, actor and talk show host who gained his fame from the show ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’ that aired from the year 1989 to 1994 and 2013 to 2014. Born and raised in Cleveland, as a child, Arsenio used to perform magic tricks. He joined and graduated from Warrensville Heights High School and later pursued his higher education from Kent State University. 130. Early Profession and Career: “Arsenio was a passionate and determined child from childhood and wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. During his early career days, he went to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy. He has appeared on Thicke of the Night as an announcer, besides, Alan Thicke. Arsenio appeared on numerous talk shows which made him popular among the audiences. However, he reached in a prominent place in the talk show genre when he got an opportunity to host his own show ‘The Arsenio Hall Show.’ The late-night show was a hit. 131. Where did he come from? 132. Open Comments: 133. Question: Where do you go nowadays to tap into black culture? 134. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1989?
Topics: Gangs, Keith Sweat, Al. B. Sure!, Bobby Brown, Coming to America, A Different World (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) Snapshots 1. Ronald Reagan President (Last Year!) 2. Jan - Doug Williams super bowl [Two weeks earlier, CBS commentator Jimmy the Greek had been fired for remarking that blacks were better at sports because of slave plantation breeding techniques: “During the slave period, the slave owner would breed his big black with his big woman so that he would have a big black kid — that’s where it all started.”] 3. Feb – Winter Olympics: Jamaican Bobsled team! Debi Thomas 1988 winter Olympics Bronze medal - The best African American figure skater in history 4. Jul - Jessie Jackson keep hope alive speech at the DNC 5. Jul - The first ever edition of "Shark Week" airs on Discovery Channel. 6. Aug - Yo! MTV Raps 7. Sep - James Brown, while high on PCP, was involved in a high-speed chase with the police. He was eventually convicted of assaulting an officer and possession of an unlicensed firearm, among other charges. He spent three years in prison 8. Sep – Summer Olympics: Florence Joyner She is considered the fastest woman of all time, based on the world records she set in 1988 for both the 100 m and 200 m still stand. Jackie Joyner-Kersee long jump and heptathlon, Carl Lewis, Steve Lewis, and roger kingdom 9. Oct - Sega's two-year head start on Nintendo in the 16-bit gaming wars began on October 29, 1988, when the Sega Genesis launched 10. Nov - George Bush elected President 11. Dec - Mad Max Robinson dies 12. Dec - Roots: The Gift, the third installment of the Roots series is broadcast on ABC. 13. Open Comments: 14. Top Pop Songs 15. #1 - "Faith" - George Michael 16. #2 - Need You Tonight" - INXS 17. #3 - "Got My Mind Set on You" - George Harrison 18. Grammy Awards 19. Record of the Year: Bobby McFerrin for "Don't Worry, Be Happy" 20. Album of the Year: George Michael (producer & artist) for Faith 21. Song of the Year: Bobby McFerrin for "Don't Worry, Be Happy" 22. Best New Artist: Tracy Chapman 23. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Anita Baker for "Giving You the Best That I Got" 24. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Terence Trent D'Arby for Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'arby 25. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Gladys Knight & the Pips for "Love Overboard" 26. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: Anita Baker for "Giving You the Best That I Got" performed by Anita Baker 27. Best Rap Performance: "Parents Just Don't Understand" – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. [The first award for Best Rap Performance was presented to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "Parents Just Don't Understand". Jeff and Smith led a boycott in protest of the awards presentation not being televised, and some members of the rap community felt that more qualified artists were overlooked. 28. Top 3 Movies 29. #1 - Rain Man 30. #2 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit 31. #3 - Coming to America 32. Other Notables: Big, Twins, Crocodile Dundee II, Die Hard, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Cocktail, Beetlejuice, Above the Law, Colors, A Fish Called Wanda, Young Guns, Tougher Than Leather, Child's Play, The Land Before Time, Tequila Sunrise, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and School Daze. 33. Top 3 TV Shows 34. #1 - The Cosby Show 35. #2 - Roseanne 36. #3 - A Different World 37. Economic Snapshots 38. New Home: 91,777 39. Avg Rent: 420 40. Avg. Income: 24,457 41. New Car: 10,432 42. Harvard: 12,015 43. Movie Ticket: 3.50 44. Gas: .91 45. Stamp: .25 46. Social Scene: Gangs and the movie Colors 47. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZvatzKVM2g 48. “Bulls”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJQAKDbq0hI 49. Stevin Levitt, Freakonomics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UGC2nLnaes 50. @9:35 - Summary: McDonalds vs Gang 51. Factors: Socio-political-economical, hyper masculinity and criminal justice/policing 52. Other ethnicities “evolved” out of their “street-gang” phases, but black- brown people are dealt with differently. 53. Open Comments: 54. Question: would more representation in the criminal justice system help – how to counter our internal factor? 55. Music Scene: 56. Top Black Singles 57. #6 - "So Emotional", Whitney Houston 58. #11 - "One More Try", George Michael 59. #12 - "Wishing Well", Terence Trent D'Arby 60. #15 - "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car", Billy Ocean 61. #21, "Man in the Mirror", Michael Jackson 62. #27, "Father Figure", George Michael 63. #33 - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", Whitney Houston 64. #36 - "The Way You Make Me Feel", Michael Jackson 65. #37 - "Don't Worry, Be Happy", Bobby McFerrin 66. Top Black Albums 67. Jan – Bad, Michael Jackson 68. Jan - Characters, Stevie Wonder 69. Feb - All Our Love, Gladys Knight & the Pips 70. Mar - Make It Last Forever, Keith Sweat 71. Apr - Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby, Terence Trent D'Arby 72. May - Faith, George Michael 73. Jul - In Effect Mode, Al B. Sure! 74. Aug - Strictly Business, EPMD 75. Sep - Don't Be Cruel, Bobby Brown 76. Sep - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy 77. Oct - Don't Let Love Slip Away, Freddie Jackson 78. Nov - Giving You the Best That I Got, Anita Baker 79. Nov - Any Love, Luther Vandross 80. Vote: 81. Featured Artists: New jack swingers 82. Keith Sweat (@ 27 yrs. old): Known for his distinctive ‘whining’ vocal style, Sweat has established himself as one of the most successful male R&B/soul singers not only in America but also in other parts of the world. Born Keith Douglas Sweat, he was raised in Harlem and by the time he was 14 he had performed at various nightclubs in and around New York City. He graduated from the City College of New York with a BS degree in ‘communications’, after which he worked for a brief period as a successful brokerage assistant in a Wall Street firm. Despite a prosperous career at the Wall Street, he chose to pursue his passion for music and began writing songs and tried selling them to various record labels. In 1975, he began his career in music as a member of the Harlem based band called the ‘Jamilah’. In 1984, he left ‘Jamilah’ in order to begin a solo career and subsequently sang at various nightclubs in New York. He was quickly noticed and given an opportunity to record an independent album for ‘Stadium Records’. He recorded ‘My Mind Is Made Up’ for the ‘Stadium Records’ and he was also credited as the co-writer and co-producer of ‘You Are the One for Me’. On November 25, 1987 his debut solo album ‘Make It Last Forever’ was released, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was the song that inaugurated the new jack swing era "I Want Her" 83. Bobby Brown (@ 19 yrs. old): Brown changed producers for this album and worked extensively with hit-making songwriting and production duo Babyface and L.A. Reid. Alex Henderson of AllMusic wrote: “Don't Be Cruel was to Bobby Brown what Control was to Janet Jackson – a tougher, more aggressive project that shed his "bubblegum" image altogether and brought him to a new artistic and commercial plateau. With "My Prerogative" and the title song, Brown became a leader of new jack swing” 84. Al B. Sure!(@ 20 yrs. old): During the late '80s, Al B. Sure! enjoyed a brief run as one of new jack swing's most popular romantic singers. Born Al Brown in Boston, he grew up in Mount Vernon, NY, listening to smooth crooners like Marvin Gaye and Johnny Mathis; he later became interested in rap and added that skill to his vocal repertoire. At age ten, he and a friend performed on a song written by Ellie Greenwich for the soundtrack of Sesame Street, and later he began writing songs with his cousin Kyle West. While in high school (where he quarterbacked the football team), he became friends with Edward Ferrell, aka DJ Eddie F, who was working with rapper Heavy D at the time. Eddie F introduced the still-teenaged Al B. Sure! to Heavy D's manager/Uptown label head Andre Harrell, who had him sing backing vocals on several Heavy D tracks and helped him get a deal with Warner Brothers. In 1987, Al was selected by Quincy Jones as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. He collaborated with Jones on various projects, most notably the platinum single “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” from Jones’ double-platinum-certified album Back on the Block. On this hit, he was one of a quartet with El DeBarge, Barry White, and James Ingram. His debut album of 1988 In Effect Mode topped the Billboard R&B chart for seven consecutive weeks, selling more than two million copies. 85. Open Comments: 86. Question: Al B. Said “There’s a generation of women starving to be told I love you again” What happened?! Who is bringing it back? 87. Movie Scene: Coming to America 88. Trailer: 89. The Hollywood Reporter's original review: “Eddie Murphy's latest Coming to America is likely to leave the wreath-bearers, the frantic faithful, the crowd herders and the legions of line-waiters in numbed, disbelieving disappointment…Distressingly, the film flops into the blandest of sitcom formats, never realizing its regal potential...Coming to America is the filmic equivalent of using a Maserati to go to the corner grocery store…Yes, there are some crazy pieces crammed into America — Murphy and Hall in their multi-roles do a running black barbershop bit that is good and nuts — but this comedy is generally tame and sappy…The plot itself is pathetic…No getting around it, while the script completely misses as a social satire, the writers have botched the romance part of America as well…Rivaling the inept screenplay is John Landis' cornball direction, which includes a TV season's worth of reactive cutaways to an ugly poodle…On a production level, at least, Coming to America gets top marks. — Duane Byrge originally published on June 24, 1988. 90. Open Comments: 91. Question: Is this Eddie’s best movie? Was Arsenio better than Eddie? Sequel or a remake? 92. Television Scene: A Different World 93. Theme song differences 94. Debbie Allen’s influence 95. Why didn’t any of them go onto stardom? - 96. Vote: Best/most important/favorite pop culture item from 1988?
Good Vibes Radio Show 037 - 4th hour with Ibn Salaam (Artist Preview) Hiatus Kaiyote is a future soul quartet formed in Melbourne in 2011. The members are Naomi "Nai Palm" Saalfield (vocals, guitar), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keyboards) and Perrin Moss (drums, percussion). They have been nominated twice for Grammy Awards. In 2013, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for their song "Nakamarra", performed with Q-Tip.[6] The song appears on their debut album, Tawk Tomahawk. The band released their second album, Choose Your Weapon, on 1 May 2015. The review aggregator Metacritic has given the album a normalised rating of 88 out of 100, based on 6 reviews. On 9 May 2015, Choose Your Weapon debuted at number 22 on the Australian albums chart. The song "Breathing Underwater" from Choose Your Weapon was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Good Vibes Radio Show 037 - 4th hour with Ibn Salaam (Artist Preview) Hiatus Kaiyote is a future soul quartet formed in Melbourne in 2011. The members are Naomi "Nai Palm" Saalfield (vocals, guitar), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keyboards) and Perrin Moss (drums, percussion). They have been nominated twice for Grammy Awards. In 2013, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for their song "Nakamarra", performed with Q-Tip.[6] The song appears on their debut album, Tawk Tomahawk. The band released their second album, Choose Your Weapon, on 1 May 2015. The review aggregator Metacritic has given the album a normalised rating of 88 out of 100, based on 6 reviews. On 9 May 2015, Choose Your Weapon debuted at number 22 on the Australian albums chart. The song "Breathing Underwater" from Choose Your Weapon was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Good Vibes Radio Show 037 - 4th hour with Ibn Salaam (Artist Preview) Hiatus Kaiyote is a future soul quartet formed in Melbourne in 2011. The members are Naomi "Nai Palm" Saalfield (vocals, guitar), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keyboards) and Perrin Moss (drums, percussion). They have been nominated twice for Grammy Awards. In 2013, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for their song "Nakamarra", performed with Q-Tip.[6] The song appears on their debut album, Tawk Tomahawk. The band released their second album, Choose Your Weapon, on 1 May 2015. The review aggregator Metacritic has given the album a normalised rating of 88 out of 100, based on 6 reviews. On 9 May 2015, Choose Your Weapon debuted at number 22 on the Australian albums chart. The song "Breathing Underwater" from Choose Your Weapon was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards.
We're back it is Friday at the 35 acres and a microphone podcast farm I'm Aaron Goodwin, you are already here if you are within the sound of my voice. If you would do me a solid and share with a friend or post on a wall or tweet about this podcast that pays tribute to the true school of hip hop. Old school.. Real throwbacks. Not the 90's. I've said before the years we research are from 1980ish to 1989. And new jack swing's start signaled the movements end as radio play for the format rhythm chr or rhymthmic had been born. It was a Latino hispanic based format that eventually turned to a more afro-centric type feel as teddy Riley/ guy.. jodeci, and so many more... started taking the lead I qualify myself as a radio historian. Being in rhythm radio at the beginning and a fan of it, prior to. I live in a very agricultural area of central California and have retired from radio and now do parties and weddings asa mobile dj. This podcast is a labor of love for the fans and it helps me cope with all the crazy in the world and the actual action of producing voice and the types of things I did at radio I can do through this lil project. season 2 after a one year hiatus. 10 thousand downloads world wide weekly and it is neat being here in a America. Northern California.. and seeing the messages from our socials or the adds at the Facebook page and the foreign folks around the world. Names in other languages. How the culture invaded the far away china as American culture spawned there in the 80's and how asians rule the breakdance world in my opinion its all very cool and that drives me to the work to make this thing happen. All for Love is the third studio album by American R&B quintet New Edition, released by MCA Records on November 8, 1985. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Also, this would be the final studio album to feature original group member Bobby Brown, who would shortly depart for a solo career until he would later return for their 1996 comeback album with the group, Home Again. By Spring 1985, New Edition was one of the biggest pop acts in the world after the success of their self-titled second album released the year before. However, the group was now in mortgage to MCA Records, as a result of having borrowed money from the label to disentangle themselves from a stifling production deal they mistakenly signed during the recording of their previous album. As a result, All for Love would become the first in a cluster of albums the group would be forced to record during this period to work off its debt. And While most of the members were comfortable with the group's direction, Bobby Brown was becoming increasingly discontent and unappreciative with its bubblegum pop image. Brown was also agitated at having not been more prominently featured as a lead vocalist on the album. Vincent Brantley, the album's main producer, had originally sought to give Brown more solo spots. However, MCA balked at this idea — insisting that Ralph Tresvant continue to be used on principal vocals. During a national tour in Oakland, California to promote the album, Brown often cut in on Tresvant's leads, performing more raunchily onstage, compared to his band mates. Also, Brown angered the group's management by disrespectfully throwing his mike in the air and being ungrateful when not getting his way onstage. Growing tension between Brown and his band mates eventually reached a standoff, which contributed to his being terminated from the group in December 1985. Following Brown's departure, New Edition would continue to promote All for Love as a quartet. Lets get to the singles which are some of the strongest the new edition ever did. The neat thing about rhythm in these days is you didn't know the name and artist but you sure knew the songs by sound. Made everyone an a&r person back then. Because you knew what you were hearing was genius and Ralph tresvant might very well be the best ever and beyond Michael Jackson as far as some were concerned back then as the best voice in r and b. And when you go back and listen. You can totally see the reason for the comparison and why Mca made the decision to keep him as lead once they secured them for the mortgage albums as the band thought. Without knowing the drama, I think in my mind these were some of the best bubble gummy bad ass tunes that were coming out tracks like "Count Me Out", "Count Me Out" was released as a single in September 1985 on the MCA . Much like the group's earliest single, "Cool It Now", again, lead singer Ralph Tresvant is warned by his friends (co-members Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins) to not fall for a girl after he told them to "count him out" of any activities that they had planned to do much to his friends' dismay. The song's music video was notable for Brown's absence as he had broken from the group around the time of the video. Only Tresvant, DeVoe, Bell, and Bivins were in the video and parts of the song that originally belonged to Brown were lipsynced by Bell. Brown's vocals remain on the song. Despite a modest showing at number fifty-one on the pop singles chart, the song reached number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart. And here again as we talk about rhythm radio and the eighties the overt racism by mgrs and ads at radio opted to not buy in in markets like where I live a predominantly at the time white area. Older white male owners. Simply like the vote in California where you see the big cities they had radioes there and in those big cities new edition got played due to demographics This is the second week of the new edition feature on my podcast the old school rewind last week's is posted and maybe in your downloads go check it out. We're parlaying and displaying.. the type of term you'd have heard back then. Car culture lowrider, The language has changed And the new edition are going through times in their life where they are old for sophomoric bubblegum tracks, but due to them each taking equal loans to buy out themselves from the prior deal they were in debt. And for me and my listening these are the magical songs and the music was progressing as it should The next single up from all for love is a little bit of love is all it takes. A favorite of mine and as I wiki'd to find some information on this single. There I nothing out there. Which to me is perplexing. Save that for another podcast. Let your ears do the listening and you'll feel the feel of new edition more than many of their tracks.. play a little bit of love is all it takes This is the second episode where one wasn't enough to feature the stellar work of the new edition. We're up to and maybe because I was a sophomoric kid going through the high school years I'm more clued into the broken heart girls being true to your girl. Alll of the things you'd expect from a ballad that is what NE was so good at doing Play "With You All the Way". Toward the year's end, Christmas All Over The World, a holiday EP, was released as well as an oldies album of tunes from the '50s sung by the group with an '80s production style. Earth Angel feat lil Anthony By 1987, New Edition was a group in transition. The band members were aging out of their teens into their twenties, and sought for their image and sound to reflect their coming of age. In addition to employing the famed production team of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to help steer the music in a new direction, they also recruited Washington, D.C.-based baritone/tenor Johnny Gill—who, in 1984, had scored a hit with R&B singer Stacy Lattisaw on "Perfect Combination". The New Edition members had actually known Gill since they released their hit "Candy Girl" in 1983 and Gill released his R&B Top 30 hit "Super Love" that same year. They had joked that they would let him in the group if he could improve his dancing skills. Prompting Gill’s entrance into the group was when lead singer Ralph Tresvant considered recording a solo album. To circumvent New Edition being left without a lead singer, Michael Bivins suggested bringing in 20-year-old Gill to replace him. Gill accepted the invitation, joining the group in the spring of 1987. Tresvant, however, wasn’t ready to leave— resulting in New Edition, inadvertently, becoming a quintet again as they began production on their fifth album, Heart Break.[5] While most of Heart Break features principal vocals by Tresvant, with occasional solos by Ricky Bell, Gill’s voice is significantly displayed as the secondary lead throughout the album. Gill took the lead on the track “Boys to Men”- a song in which the singer initially resisted and resented recording, feeling it was too juvenile. "Boys To Men" became one of the album's most popular numbers, despite it never being officially released as a single.[6] Another standout album track was “Competition,” a song written by Tresvant that addresses the disappointment felt over the departure of Bobby Brown two years earlier. One song in particular, "Where It All Started", was a thinly veiled jab at New Kids on the Block. The group was discovered by their former producer Maurice Starr as a direct response to New Edition severing ties with him on less than amicable terms.[7] In an ironic twist, Jam & Lewis- the writers and producers behind the song- would also work with New Kids on the Block's lead singer Jordan Knight on his 1999 self-titled debut a little over a decade later. The two groups would later team up for a duet on the latter's 2008 reunion album The Block. "If It Isn't Love" from 1988 and the first single from Heart Break. The song became the biggest hit from that album, getting into the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number seven, and reached the second position on the Hot Black Singles chart. Its chart performance and well-received music video garnered the quintet their first nomination for Best R&B Performance by a "Duo or Group with Vocals" at the 31st Grammy Awards in February 1989. The song and video is also notable for being the introduction of fellow R&B singer Johnny Gill as a new member of the R&B quintet. Many have called this particular album the most seminal New Edition album. Four fans from Philadelphia in particular were inspired by one of the songs on the album. "Boys to Men", the song that Johnny Gill hated recording, ended up becoming the name of the group who changed their name to Boyz II Men. The group would end up being managed and mentored by Michael Bivins. Boyz II Men names New Edition as one of their most influential bands. The album also saw a successful concert tour for the group as well. Through 1988 and 1989, New Edition toured all over the world with opening acts, ex-New Edition member Bobby Brown (who had also found big time success with his breakthrough album, Don't Be Cruel) and Al B. Sure!.[5] Interesting note the R&B group Jagged Edge named their sophomore album J.E. Heartbreak as a tribute to Heart Break The new edition album. Here's the first single Play if it isn't love We're up to the second single Written and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis with Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Ricky Bell on lead vocals, this mid-tempo song is about a man being fancied by a woman who he thinks is not his type, and is trying to gently let her down. His friends, meanwhile, can’t understand his lack of interest in said female, who they believe is a catch. No matter all the success Though the song was a sizable hit on urban radio, peaking at #3 on the R&B charts in the fall of 1988— unlike its predecessor, “If It Isn’t Love,” it failed to make the same impression on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart—where it peaked at #95. The radio still hasn't changed but has made mark-ed progress at this time in 1988.. The music video for “You’re Not My Kind of Girl” is set to a concert performance of the song (which was led in by the music video for “If It Isn’t Love.”) The concert was held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. New Edition held a radio contest for tickets to the taping, which were won by LA resident, Viveca McGuire. Play. You're Not My Kind of Girl" this is the second of two episodes of new edition being highlighted here on the podcast for the true school. The old school rewind. new edition is on and the album heart break is up I'm Aaron Goodwin. If you like what you hear or think you know someone who would appreciate the show. Share and subscribe for me. Add and subscribe at Apple Podcasts iTunes. Or wherever you get your podcasts I-heart. Stitcher audio is also posted to youtube search old school rewind podcast copy tweet insta. Snapchat spread the word and thank you again for your ear time.. One of new editions best songs "Can You Stand the Rain" was released on December 13, 1988 by MCA Records as the third single from their fifth studio album, Heart Break. It was Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell on lead vocals and Michael Bivins with a spoken piece, "Can You Stand the Rain" is about a relationship presently going well, but the man is asking the woman if he can count on her to remain by his side, in case things should ever become stormy. Despite "Can You Stand The Rain" failing to reach the Hot 100 top forty, peaking instead at number 44, it became New Edition's fourth single to top Billboard's R&B singles chart. when you watch the video, much like the stuff from the solo career of Ralph sings great. He cannot dance. He looks like he dances to fast lol aww just clownin right now "Can You Stand the Rain" was sampled by New Edition themselves covered by Boyz II Men for their 1997 album, Evolution. In 2001, freestyle singers Safire & Cynthia turned the song into a freestyle/club jam, In 2003, the song was also covered by Guy Sebastian, the first winner of Australian Idol, Was on making the band In 2008, gospel group The Murrills covered the song with alternative lyrics for their album, "Can You Stand the Rain" was sampled by Big Sean for his single "My Last" featuring Chris Brown. Netflix series featured during the Lip-synching scene in the 2013 holiday film, The Best Man Holiday Even featured in the season 15 of the The Voice performed by contestants from team Adam Play Can you stand the rain Final track and closer for this weeks show. "N.E. Heart Break" fifth and final single from their sixth studio album Heart Break (1988). "N.E. Heart Break" peaked at number 13 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The music video for the song depicts the group members riding mopeds after finishing their Heart Break tour. The music video featured cameos from Malcolm Jamal Warner (who also directed the video), Heavy D & The Boyz (The group's labelmate), Shanice Wilson, The Boys, Robert Townsend, and Brooke Payne, who also appeared in the "If It Isn't Love" video. The version of the song featured in the video is the single version, rather than the one featured on the studio album.
Topics: Crack Epidemic, Michael Jackson - Bad, Hollywood Shuffle, Eyes on the Prize (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) Snapshots 1. Ronald Reagan President – (Should have been impeached) 2. January 3. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, became the very first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 4. March 5. U.S. President Ronald Reagan addresses the American people on the Iran-Contra Affair, acknowledging that his overtures to Iran had 'deteriorated' into an arms-for-hostages deal. 6. Jim Bakker, head of PTL Ministries, resigns after admitting an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn. 7. April 8. Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of English rock band Queen, is diagnosed with AIDS. He dies four years later after making his diagnosis public. 9. Matt Groening's The Simpsons debuts as a series of short animated segments as part of The Tracey Ullman Show on Fox. 10. May 11. U.S. Senator Gary Hart drops out of the running for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, amid allegations of an extramarital affair with Donna Rice. 12. June 13. During a visit to Berlin, Germany, U.S. President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. 14. Teddy Seymour is officially designated the first black man to sail around the world, when he completes his solo sailing circumnavigation in Frederiksted, St. Croix, of the United States Virgin Islands. 15. Edwards v. Aguillard: The Supreme Court of the United States rules that a Louisiana law requiring that creation science be taught in public schools whenever evolution is taught is unconstitutional. 16. July 17. Ronald Reagan nominates former Solicitor General Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. The nomination is later rejected by the Senate, the first and only nominee rejection to date. 18. October 19. Jesse Jackson launches his second campaign for U.S. President. 20. The United States is caught up in a drama that unfolds on television as a young child, Jessica McClure, falls down a well in Midland, Texas, and is later rescued. 21. December 22. Prozac makes its debut in the United States. 23. Open Comments 24. Black Snapshots 25. Mar - The first ever Soul Train Music Awards 26. Apr - Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Al Campanis makes racially insensitive comments when 27. asked about the scarcity of black field or general managers in MLB. Campanis, who had played alongside Robinson and was known for being close to him, was being interviewed about the subject on Nightline. Anchorman Ted Koppel asked him why, at the time, there had been few black managers and no black general managers in Major League Baseball. Campanis' reply was that blacks "may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or, perhaps, a general manager" for these positions. Elsewhere in the interview, he said that blacks are often poor swimmers "because they don't have the buoyancy." Koppel says he gave Campanis several opportunities to clarify, ("Do you really believe that?") or back down from his remarks, but Campanis confirmed his views with his replies. Campanis was fired less than 48 hours later. 28. Literature – Rita Dove wins a Pulitzer for Thomas and Beulah and Toni Morrison publishes Beloved; it will win a Pulitzer and become a movie. Terri McMillan's first book, Mama, was published in 1987, later works include Disappearing Acts, Waiting To Exhale, and How Stella got Her Groove Back. James Baldwin, author of If Beale Street Could Talk, passed away. 29. John H. Johnson is named the first BE Entrepreneur of the Decade, having built Johnson Publishing Co. Inc., producers of Ebony, Jet, and Fashion Fair cosmetics into an international powerhouse. Born and raised in Arkansas, Johnson’s family moved to Chicago when he was a teen. He excelled in school, received a scholarship to the University of Chicago, and began working at an insurance company. He got his start when his mother used her furniture as collateral for a $500 loan to start his first publication, Negro Digest, in 1942, which served as the launching pad for him to create the largest African American publishing company in the world. Seemingly, there wasn’t a single African American household in late 20th century America in which you could not find a copy of Ebony or Jet on the coffee table. In September 1955, Johnson made a decision that forever shook the world. Not one to vacillate on any issue, he revealed to millions the mutilated corpse of Emmett Till, a Chicago youngster who had been bludgeoned and shot in Mississippi for reportedly whistling at a white woman. Shortly thereafter, other black publications followed Jet’s lead in publishing the photos. It galvanized clusters of African Americans nationwide to protest such senseless acts of violence. In one bold move, the determined 37-year-old publisher helped launch the civil rights movement. 30. Open Comments 31. Top 3 Pop Songs 32. #1 - "Walk Like an Egyptian", The Bangles 33. #2 - "Alone", Heart 34. #3 - "Shake You Down", Gregory Abbott 35. Grammy Awards 36. Record of the Year - Paul Simon for "Graceland" 37. Album of the Year -U2 for The Joshua Tree 38. Song of the Year - "Somewhere Out There" performed by Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram 39. Best New Artist - Jody Watley 40. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female - Aretha Franklin for Aretha 41. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male - Smokey Robinson for "Just to See Her" 42. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - Aretha Franklin & George Michael for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" 43. Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) - David Sanborn for "Chicago Song" 44. Best Rhythm & Blues Song - Bill Withers (songwriter) for "Lean on Me" performed by Club Nouveau 45. Open Comments 46. Top 3 Movies 47. #1 - Beverly Hills Cop II 48. #2 – Platoon 49. #3 - Fatal Attraction 50. Other Notables: Lethal Weapon, Predator, Spaceballs, Full Metal Jacket, RoboCop, La Bamba, The Lost Boys, Who's That Girl, Disorderlies, Dirty Dancing, The Big Easy, Hellraiser, The Princess Bride, Three Men and a Baby, Wall Street, Good Morning, Vietnam, and Eddie Murphy Raw 51. Open Comments 52. Top 3 TV Shows 53. #1 - The Cosby Show 54. #2 - A Different World 55. #3 - Cheers 56. Debuts: 21 Jump Street, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and A Different World 57. Open Comments 58. Economic Snapshots 59. New Home: 92,024 60. Avg Rent: 395 61. Avg. Income: 24,375 62. New Car: 10,370 63. Harvard: 11,390 64. Movie Ticket: 3.00 65. Gas: .89 66. Stamp: .22 67. Social Scene: The Crack Epidemic 68. Crack cocaine 69. What is it - Crack cocaine, is a free base form of cocaine that can be smoked. Cocaine had a reputation as a “party” drug for rich white people. Heroine was a “street” drug for poor black people. Crack became popular on the “streets” with dealers because it turns powder cocaine into an extremely profitable and addictive drug you can now sell to anybody, rich, poor, black, and white. Users liked it because it is a cheap and very potent. 70. Epidemic background – In 1981, crack started showing up in southern states, like Miami and Houston, and on the west coast, Los Angeles and Oakland. (Coastal/Port cities) Crack was basically an unheard-of drug until 1985. That year was the first time the term "crack" was used by the press, November, 29 New York Times article - A NEW, PURIFIED FORM OF COCAINE CAUSES ALARM AS ABUSE INCREASES, By Jane Gross. Within a year, over one thousand stories showed up in the press. By 1987, The DOJ said crack was in 46 out of 50 states. 71. How did it Happen? The main conspiracy theory out there is that Reagan had the CIA do it. 72. Audio Clip 73. Question: Did crack impact your life at all? Why/Why not? 74. Music Scene: Black Songs from the top 40 75. #3 - "Shake You Down", Gregory Abbott 76. #4 - "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", Whitney Houston 77. #7 - "Here I Go Again", Whitesnake 78. #14 - "Always", Atlantic Starr 79. #16 - "Looking for a New Love", Jody Watley 80. #17 - "Head to Toe", Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam 81. #22 - "Didn't We Almost Have It All", Whitney Houston 82. #24 - "I Want Your Sex", George Michael 83. #29 - "Lean on Me", Club Nouveau 84. #31 - "Lost in Emotion", Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam 85. #36 - "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", Aretha Franklin and George Michael 86. #37 - "Control", Janet Jackson 87. #38 - "U Got the Look", Prince 88. #39 - "Somewhere Out There", Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram 89. Vote: 90. Top RnB Albums 91. Jan - Just Like the First Time, Freddie Jackson 92. May - Give Me the Reason, Luther Vandross 93. Jun - Jody Watley, Jody Watley 94. Jul - One Heartbeat, Smokey Robinson 95. Jul - Bigger and Deffer, LL Cool J 96. Sep - If I Were Your Woman, Stephanie Mills 97. Dec – Characters, Stevie Wonder 98. Vote 99. Featured Artist: Michael Jackson, BAD 100. Open Floor 101. Question 1: Best Song on the Album 102. Question 2: Best MJ song ever? 103. Movie Scene: Hollywood Shuffle, by Robert Townsend and Keenan Ivory Wayans 104. Robert Townsend, writer, producer, director, and actor was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 6, 1957, the second oldest of four children to Shirley and Robert Townsend. Growing up on the Westside of Chicago, Townsend was raised by his mother in a single parent home. As a child Townsend watched TV where he learned to do impersonations of his favorite actors. In 1974, at age 17, he joined Chicago’s Experimental Black Actors Guild X-Bag Theatre and studied at the Second City comedy workshop for improvisation. In 1975, he had a brief uncredited role in the 1975 movie, Cooley High. After high school, Townsend enrolled at Illinois State University, studied for a year, dropped out and moved to New York to pursue comedy. 105. Townsend met Keenan Ivory Wayans while they were both auditioning at the Improvisation Comedy club and the two formed a lifelong friendship. Keenan left for Hollywood, Robert stayed in NYC, and in 1980, at age 23, he almost landed Eddie Murphy’s spot on SNL. Keenan soon talked him into moving to Hollywood and pursuing an acting career. 106. He performed on comedy specials such as Rodney Dangerfield: It’s Not Easy Being Me and landed minor roles in films such as A Soldier’s Story (1984) with Denzel Washington, Streets of Fire (1984) with Diane Lane, and American Flyers, a 1985 movie starring Kevin Costner. 107. The auditioning process in Hollywood, along with other industry processes, were making Robert and Keenan very frustrated. Tired of the run-around and shuffling back and forth for opportunities that were patronizing and demeaning, they decided to make their own movie. At age 30, without any funding beyond the money saved from his earlier work, he co-wrote, directed, and starred in the critically acclaimed 1987 film, Hollywood Shuffle. Later that same year he directed his old friend Eddie Murphy’s stand-up special Raw. In 1991 he directed and starred in The Five Heartbeats, a biographical drama based loosely on the lives of the rhythm and blues group, the Dells and Temptations. He also directed and starred in The Meteor Man (1993) with James Earl Jones and Bill Cosby and went on to co-create the television series The Parent 'Hood (1995-99) 108. Open Floor 109. Audio Clip 110. Question 1: Is Tyler Perry a Tom? 111. Question 2: What are today’s stereotypes? 112. Television scene: Eyes on the Prize- An American television series and 14-part documentary about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States that originally aired on PBS in 1987. 113. Produced by Blackside, Eyes on the Prize tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today. Winner of numerous Emmy Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, an International Documentary Award, and a Television Critics Association Award, Eyes on the Prize is the most critically acclaimed documentary on civil rights in America. 114. The 1987 original airing: America's Civil Rights Years 1954–1965 (6 parts) Pt. 1 - Awakenings (1954–1956)": Chronicles the murder of Emmett Till in Mississippi and the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama. Pt. 2 - "Fighting Back (1957–1962)”: Chronicles the school desegregation crises at Central High School by the Little Rock Nine in Arkansas and by James Meredith at the University of Mississippi during the Ole Miss riot of 1962. Pt. 3 - "Ain't Scared of Your Jails (1960–1961)": Covers the Nashville sit-ins and boycotts that sought to end racial segregation at lunch counters in Tennessee and the Freedom Riders efforts to end segregation on interstate transportation and terminals throughout the southern United States. Pt. 4 - "No Easy Walk (1961–1963)": Examines the failed attempt by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Albany, Georgia to end segregation and the subsequent lessons learned to win a major victory in Birmingham, Alabama during the Birmingham campaign. The film also covers the March on Washington, one of the largest political rallies for civil rights in United States. Pt. 5 - "Mississippi: Is This America? (1962–1964)" Chronicles the murder of Medgar Evers in 1963 and the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in 1964 in Mississippi. The film also covers the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) attendance at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City during the United States presidential election of 1964. Pt. 6 - "Bridge to Freedom (1965)": Examines the effort to restore voting rights in Selma, Alabama during the Selma to Montgomery marches. 115. Review from Common Sense Media: - IS IT ANY GOOD? - This documentary series is wonderfully narrated by Julian Bond and peppered with feisty first-person accounts from the people who lived it. Watching early film of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a 26-year-old clergyman at the beginning of his historic odyssey and seeing the young, future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall just after his victory in Brown vs. the Board of Education are highlights in a film that consistently strives for excellence, integrity, and clarity. It's a fascinating, emotional journey marked by moments of sadness, disgust, pride, and ultimately joy. Eyes on the Prize brings a crucial part of America's recent past to life. 116. About Henry Hampton: Hampton was born in St. Louis and as a child suffered from polio. He obtained a B. A. degree from Washington University in his hometown. He was a renowned producer whose television documentary Eyes on the Prize set the pattern for nonfiction accounts of the civil rights movement. His films include The Great Depression and America's War on Poverty, both of which were critically acclaimed. Hampton founded and ran Blackside Productions; the United States' largest African American owned documentary film Production Company. His work focused on the lives of the poor and disenfranchised and chronicled the 20th century's great political and social movements. 117. Open Floor: 118. Question: None 119. Vote: Favorite/Best/Most Important Pop Culture Item of 1987
Topics: Chicago Bears, Janet Jackson, Anita Baker, She's Gotta Have It, 227-(TV Sitcom)(Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) General Snapshots 1. Ronald Reagan is President 2. Jan - The first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring Martin Luther King Jr., is observed. 3. Jan - The first group of inductees to the Rock and Roll HOF, included Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and 3 other white performers. Also inducted were, James Brown*, Little Richard*, Fats Domino*, Ray Charles*, Chuck Berry*, Sam Cooke*, Robert Johnson*, and Jimmy Yancey*. 4. Jan - Super Bowl XX: The Chicago Bears defeat the New England Patriots 46–10 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. 5. Jan - Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates 73 seconds after launch, killing the crew of seven astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe (see Space Shuttle Challenger disaster). President Ronald Reagan postpones for one week the State of the Union address that had been scheduled for the evening and instead addresses the nation on the Challenger disaster. 6. Mar - Halley's Comet is a comet visible from Earth every 75–76 years. It last appeared in the inner parts of the Solar System in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061. 7. Apr - The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults, hosted by Geraldo Rivera, is a two-hour live American television special. 8. Apr - In Ukraine, one of the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear plant explodes, creating the world’s worst nuclear disaster. 31 are killed directly by the incident, many more die from cancer in later years, many thousands more are exposed to significant amounts of radioactive material, and vast territories in Ukraine and Belarus are rendered uninhabitable. 9. May - Hands Across America: approximately 6.5 million people form a human chain from New York City to Long Beach, California, to raise money to fight hunger and homelessness. The event raised about $15 million. A total of 24 cities participated along the route, including: Champaign, Illinois (with Walter Payton), Chebanse, Illinois (A cornfield in central Illinois served as center-point of the nation with 16,000 people in attendance), Springfield, Illinois (with 50 Abraham Lincoln impersonators), and St. Louis, Missouri (with Kathleen Turner under the St. Louis Arch) 10. Aug - In Edmond, Oklahoma, United States Postal Service employee Patrick Sherrill guns down 14 of his co-workers before committing suicide. 11. Sep - Desmond Tutu becomes the first black Anglican Church bishop in South Africa’s Cape Town, the most senior position in southern Africa's Anglican hierarchy. Theologically, he sought to fuse ideas from black theology with African theology; politically, he identifies as a socialist. 12. Nov - Iran–Contra affair: The United States has been selling weapons to Iran in secret, in order to secure the release of 7 American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon. Also, profits from the covert weapons sales to Iran were illegally diverted to the anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua. National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary, Fawn Hall, start shredding documents implicating them. 13. Nov - Mike Tyson wins his first world boxing title by defeating Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout or stoppage, 12 of them in the first round. 14. Dec - Three African Americans are assaulted by a group of white teens in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York. One of the victims, Michael Griffith, is run over and killed by a motorist while attempting to flee the attackers. 15. Open Comments: 16. Top 3 Pop Songs 17. 1 "That's What Friends Are For, Dionne and Friends 18. 2 "Say You, Say Me", Lionel Richie 19. 3 "I Miss You", Klymaxx 20. Grammy Award Winners 21. Record of the Year: "Higher Love", Steve Winwood 22. Album of the Year: Paul Simon (producer & artist) for Graceland 23. Song of the Year: Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager (songwriters) for "That's What Friends Are For" performed by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder 24. Best New Artist: Bruce Hornsby & the Range 25. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Anita Baker for Rapture 26. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: James Brown for "Living in America" 27. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: Prince and The Revolution for "Kiss" 28. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Sweet Love" performed by Anita Baker 29. Open Comments 30. Top 3 Movies 1. Top Gun 2. Crocodile Dundee 3. Platoon 31. Other Notables: The Karate Kid Part II, Star Trek IV, Back To School, Aliens, The Golden Child, Ruthless People, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Crocodile Dundee, The Fly, Howard the Duck, Labyrinth, Little Shop of Horrors, Platoon, Pretty in Pink, Stand By Me, Top Gun, The Three Amigos ---AND UNDER THE CHERRY MOON! 32. Open Comments 33. Top 3 TV Shows 1. The Cosby Show 2. Family Ties 3. Cheers 34. Open Comments 35. Economic Snapshot 36. New Home: 89,463 37. Avg Rent: 385 38. Avg. Income: 22,300 39. New Car: 9,300 40. Harvard:10,600 yearly 41. Movie Ticket: 2.75 42. Gas: .89 43. Stamp: .22 44. Social Scene: Chicago Bears – Super Bowl Shufflin!! 45. “In March of 1920 a man telephoned me. Mr. Chamberlain asked if I would like to come to Decatur and work for the Staley Company. [George Chamberlain was general superintendent of the A. E. Staley Company, a food starch company of Decatur, Illinois. In 1919, the company's Fellowship Club had formed a football team. It had done well against other local teams, but Mr. Staley wanted to build it into a team that could compete successfully with the best semi-professional and industrial teams in the country.” - George Halas, in his book Halas by Halas. 46. The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, on September 17, 1920 and moved to Chicago in 1921. It is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals, which was originally also in Chicago. Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the company hired George Halas, a Chicago native, and Edward "Dutch" Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. The 1920 Decatur Staleys season was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922). The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys. Under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for $100 (~$1,400 in 2019). In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise and, as with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team. Halas liked the bright orange-and-blue colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois, and the Bears adopted those colors as their own. 47. The 1985 Bears were simply the greatest team ever, and here's why. The collection of players Chicago put together not just on defense, but also offense, made them one of the most talented teams ever assembled. The Bears steam-rolled their way through the regular season with a 15-1 record. In Super Bowl XX, they destroyed the Pats 46-10, with the only 10 points they would give up in the entire playoffs. At the time, the 36-point win was the largest in Super Bowl history. Chicago finished with an 18-1 overall record and allowed only five of the teams they faced that year to score more than 10 points in a game. They had the greatest running back in NFL history, Walter Payton. They had the best middle linebacker in NFL history, Mike Singletary. And they even had the 1985 Coach of the Year, Mike Ditka. But, most importantly, they had the greatest team in the history of the NFL. (Including the “Punkie” QB and the Fridge!) They were the 1985 Chicago Bears. R.I.P. Sweetness. Although you wore No. 34 on the field, you will always be No. 1 in Bears fans' hearts! - MATT REAGAN [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/136752-1985-chicago-bears-the-greatest-team-ever] 48. Question: Did you care? 49. Music Scene 50. Black Songs from the Top 40 51. 1 "That's What Friends Are For, Dionne and Friends 52. 2 "Say You, Say Me", Lionel Richie 53. 3 "I Miss You", Klymaxx 54. 4 "On My Own", Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald 55. 6 "How Will I Know", Whitney Houston 56. 7 "Party All the Time", Eddie Murphy 57. 11 "Greatest Love of All", Whitney Houston 58. 12 "Secret Lovers", Atlantic Starr 59. 16 "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)", Billy Ocean 60. 19 "Kiss", Prince and The Revolution 61. 26 "I Can't Wait", Nu Shooz 62. 31 "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going", Billy Ocean 63. 32 "When I Think of You", Janet Jackson 64. 39 "Dancing on the Ceiling", Lionel Richie 65. 43 "What Have You Done For Me Lately", Janet Jackson 66. Vote: 67. Top RnB Albums 68. Jan - In Square Circle, Stevie Wonder 69. Feb – Promise, Sade 70. Apr – Control, Janet Jackson 71. Jun - Winner in You, Patti LaBelle 72. Aug - Love Zone, Billy Ocean 73. Aug - Raising Hell, Run–D.M.C. 74. Sep – Rapture, Anita Baker 75. Oct - Word Up!, Cameo 76. Nov - Give Me the Reason, Luther Vandross 77. Dec - Just Like the First Time, Freddie Jackson 78. *Dec - Life, Love & Pain, the debut album of Club Nouveau (Personal Favorite – 1st “Grown Up” album I bumped) 79. Vote 80. Featured Artist: Janet Damita Jo Jackson (@ 20 yrs. old): a.k.a, Ms. Jackson if you’re Nasty. 81. One of the most awarded artists in the world, her career longevity, hit records and trail of achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music. In her more than four decades of music career that has spanned over eleven studio albums and seven world tours, Jackson has sold more than 100 million records with four of her albums being included in Rolling Stone's ‘500 Greatest Albums’ and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's ‘Definitive 200’ list. She was a fixture on MTV and a major role model for young artist. 82. Childhood and career: Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, she was the youngest of the ten children. With the entire family into the entertainment business, it was only natural for Janet Jackson to follow suit. She recorded herself in the studio and by the age of seven, had performed at the Las Vegas Strip at MGM Casino. In 1976, Jackson began acting in the variety show ‘The Jacksons’. The following year, she grabbed a main role as Penny Gordon Woods in the sitcom ‘Good Times’. This was followed by a role in ‘A New Kind of Family’ and a recurring role in ‘Different Strokes’. At the age of 16, Jackson received a contract with A&M Records. Under the label, she released her debut album ‘Janet Jackson’ in 1982. The album peaked at number 63 on the Billboard 200, and number six on the publication’s R&B albums chart. In 1984, Jackson released her second album ‘Dream Street’. The album was moderately successful, peaking at 147 on the Billboard 200, and number 19 on the R&B albums chart. Its lead single ‘Don’t Stand a Chance’ peaked at number nine on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Continuous tiffs with her father led Jackson to come out from under his shell. She then teamed with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to come up with her third album ‘Control’ in 1986 which became a major hit. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, selling over ten million copies worldwide. 83. ‘Control’ gave Jackson her first breakthrough success. It not just spawned top five singles but also gave her, her first number one hit on the Hot 100. The album went on to receive six Billboard Awards, including Top Pop Singles Artist and three Grammy nominations. It also won four American Music Awards from twelve nominations, the highest ever till date. ‘Control’ gained crossover pop appeal, giving Jackson her own identity, away from her clan. Following the stupendous success of ‘Control’, Jackson was bounded by the pressure to come up with its sequel. However, she refrained from bowing down to the pressure and instead came up with her fourth album ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ that dealt with a socially conscious theme. 84. Open Comments: 85. Question 1: Nipple Gate - In a 2006 interview with MTV, Justin Timberlake admitted that Jackson suffered more in wake of the controversy. “If you consider it 50-50, then I probably got 10 percent of the blame,” Timberlake told MTV’s John Norris in a 2006 interview. “I think America is harsher on women. I think America is unfairly harsh on ethnic people.” He also said that he could have “handled [the aftermath] better.” - Why did she get crushed? 86. Question 2: TMZ 6/23/2019 - Janet Jackson has broken her silence amid new allegations against her brother, Michael Jackson, in "Leaving Neverland" -- and her message is simple ... his rep will be just fine. Janet says, "I love it when I see kids emulating him, when adults still listen to his music. It just lets you know the impact that my family has had on the world." She added, "I hope I'm not sounding arrogant in any way -- I'm just stating what it is. It's really all God's doing, and I'm just thankful for that." She's also defended him in the past, specifically when Jordy Chandler accused Michael of sexual abuse in '93. At the time, Janet called it a money grab. – Denial or Business? 87. Featured Artist: Anita Denise Baker (@ 28 yrs. old): a.k.a., 'The Songstress'. Singer and songwriter. 88. Childhood & Early Life: Born in Toledo, Ohio. She was abandoned by her parents at the age of two and was raised by a foster family in Detroit, Michigan. Her foster parents passed away when she was only 12 and her foster sister took care of her upbringing after the death of her foster parents. Baker had an interest in music from an early age and started singing R & B in nightclubs in Detroit by the time she was 16. It was after one of those performances that funk band leader David Washington of ‘Chapter 8’ identified her and asked her to go to go for an audition in order to join the band. 89. Career: Baker became a member of the band ‘Chapter 8’ in 1975 (@ 17 yrs. old) and following a string of performances, the band was handed a deal by Ariola Records in 1979. The group’s first album ‘Chapter 8’ was released in 1979 and featured the singles "Ready for Your Love," a duet between Baker and bandmate Gerald Lyles, and the Baker-led "I Just Want to Be Your Girl." In 1979, Ariola Records was taken over by Arista Records and Chapter 8 lost their contract as Arista Records was of the view that Baker was not fit to be the group’s lead singer. Baker went back to Detroit and worked as a waitress and a receptionist for a law firm. In 1983 (@ 25yrs old), she released her debut solo album, 'The Songstress', under the Beverly Glen label. The album was a popular one and many of the songs made it to the music charts. Following the release of the album she had a protracted legal battle with the Beverly Glen label over payment of royalties and breach of contract issues. She won the case against the label in 1985, signed with Elektra Records label, and came out with her second album 'Rapture' in 1986. The album became a big hit, with over eight million copies sold worldwide and led to ‘The Rapture Tour’. 90. Open Comments: 91. Question: Parade Magazine 9/12/19 - Short hair, don’t care! Tamron Hall has been rocking a short ‘do for over 20 years—and the TV personality, 48, revealed on her new self-titled daytime talk show that she decided to first go for the chop because of an old flame. “I cut my hair when I was 18 years old because my boyfriend at the time had a crush on Anita Baker, and I had a bigger crush on him than he did on me apparently,” she shared. So, Hall modeled her hair after the “Sweet Love” singer, who has been credited as one of the pioneers of the pixie haircut. – Do you like the pixie on women? 92. Movie Scene: She’s Gotta Have It 93. A 1986 American black-and-white comedy-drama film written, edited and directed by Spike Lee. Filmed on a small budget and Lee's first feature-length film, it earned positive reviews and launched Lee's career. The plot concerns a young woman (Johns) who is seeing three men, and the feelings this arrangement provokes. Nola idealizes the freedom to have multiple sex partners that men have typically enjoyed, saying “A woman can be a sexual being, doesn’t have to belong to a man, and perhaps shouldn’t even wish for such a thing.” Nola's voice has been described as the most revolutionary element in the film, a representation of the struggle African American women faced in society at the time. 94. Review: By Esi Edugyan, he Guardian 12/2017 - Perhaps the most daring aspect of ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ was not its portrayal of sexuality but simply its willingness to view black people just as people. The film never highlights their racial otherness, exploring instead the whole messy business of their experiences. The black experience – to the extent such a thing even exists – is not only slavery and racism and economic disparity and brutality and the endless ongoing struggle, though it is all these things certainly. It is also sex and love and boredom and dreaming and joy. 95. Question: Are promiscuous black women now acceptable? 96. TV Scene 97. Debuts: Oprah Winfrey's Chicago-based talk show goes national, He's the Mayor, The Redd Foxx Show, Melba, featuring singer/actress Melba Moore. 98. Cancellations: Mar - Diff'rent Strokes, 1978 / Apr - Benson, 1979 / May - The Love Boat, 1977 99. Featured Show: “227” 100. “227” stars Marla Gibbs as Mary Jenkins. The series was adapted from a play written in 1978 by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building. The show was created as a starring vehicle for Marla Gibbs, who had become famous as Florence Johnston, the sassy maid on The Jeffersons, and had starred in Houston's play in Los Angeles. This role was similar in nature. 101. “227” followed the lives of Mary Jenkins (Marla Gibbs), a nosy, tart-tongued, but loving housewife. Her husband, Lester (Hal Williams), had his own construction company, and their daughter, Brenda (Regina King), was boy-crazy yet smart and studious, in her first television acting role. Also cast in 227 was Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry), Mary's young neighbor who constantly bickered back and forth with her about their respective views on life. Except for The Cosby Show and A Different World, “227” achieved higher ratings than other sitcoms airing at the time with a predominantly African American cast during the first two seasons. Awards: Winner of 1987 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Jackée Harry. 102. Open Comments: 103. Featured Character: Sandra's style was so great because it's the quintessential 1980's look of "grown and sexy". Sandra showed us Black women could be bold, fierce, fabulous, and fashionistas and rock any outfit with enough confidence to stop traffic. From interview with Lee Bailey’s Electronic Urban Report, “I was a diva, full and blown up. In fact, I was the ‘It’ girl. Oh yeah, I was that girl. I dressed well, had a lot of money. I don’t know how many cars. You know, it was the 80s, it was not a blur, but it flew so fast.” Fortunately, Harry had a great vehicle to shine in “227,” which struck a chord with its relatable characters. Harry’s hard work obviously paid off with Sandra, who became a certified hit with viewers. It’s a given that Harry put her stamp on the character, but she credits a couple of entertainment icons for helping to lay the groundwork for her and other women to be funny and sexy without missing a beat. Especially when it came to Sandra. “Just funny. Funny. And the clothes she wore, scandalous. Funny lines. Sexy, fancy. People wanted that and I didn’t know that, then,” Harry said about what made her beloved “227” character so endearing. “I grew up watching a lot of TV and I had seen women like that on TV… a lot of different women like Mae West and Lucille Ball. That was my vision of funny. Pretty, but still funny and you can get away with a lot more. Which is still true today.” 104. Open Comments: 105. Question: Ever met a real-life “Jackee”? 106. Vote: Best Pop Culture item/event for 1986
Topics: Air Jordans, Whitney Houston, Sade, The Color Purple, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Phylicia Rashad (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1985 Notes General Snapshots 1. President: Ronald Reagan 2. Jan – In Hollywood, California, the charity single "We Are the World" is recorded by USA for Africa. The single raises money to combat the ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The American act consists of high-profile performers, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross. 3. Jan – The newest music video channel, VH-1, begins broadcasting on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV. The first video played is Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner". 4. Mar – WrestleMania debuts at Madison Square Garden. In the main event, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper. The attendance for the event was 19,121. The event was seen by over one million viewers through closed-circuit television, making it the largest pay-per-view showing of a wrestling event on closed-circuit television in the United States at the time. 5. Apr – Coca-Cola changes its recipe and releases New Coke. The response is overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula is back on the market in less than three months. 6. Aug - Ryan White who was expelled from Western High School in Indiana is allowed to attend his first day of classes via telephone. 7. Sep - The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA. 8. Oct – The Nintendo Entertainment System is released in U.S. stores. By 1988, industry observers stated that the NES's popularity had grown so quickly that the market for Nintendo cartridges was larger than that for all home computer software. The NES was released two years after the North American video game crash of 1983, when many retailers and adult consumers regarded electronic games as a passing fad. With the NES, Nintendo also changed the relationship between console manufacturers and third-party software developers by restricting developers from publishing and distributing software without licensed approval. This led to higher-quality games, which helped change the attitude of a public that had grown weary from poorly produced games for earlier systems. 9. Nov - Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. 10. Open Comments: 11. Top 3 Pop Songs 12. 1 "Careless Whisper" Wham! 13. 2 "Like a Virgin" Madonna 14. 3 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Wham! 15. Grammy Awards 16. Record of the Year: Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" 17. Album of the Year: Phil Collins (producer & artist) for No Jacket Required 18. Song of the Year: Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (songwriters) for "We Are the World" 19. Best New Artist: Sade 20. Top 3 Movies 21. Back to the Future 22. Rambo: First Blood Part II 23. Rocky IV 24. Other Notables: The Color Purple / Out of Africa / Cocoon / The Jewel of the Nile / Witness / The Goonies / Spies Like Us / The Breakfast Club / Brewster's Millions / St. Elmo's Fire / Krush Groove 25. Top 3 TV Shows 26. The Cosby Show 27. Family Ties 28. Murder, She Wrote 29. TV Debuts 30. Sep - What's Happening Now!! / Stir Crazy 31. Black Snapshots 32. Feb - Whitney Houston releases her debut album – Whitney Houston. 33. Mar – Mike Tyson makes his professional debut in Albany, New York, a match which he wins by a first-round knockout. 34. May - Michael Jordan is named as the NBA's "Rookie of the Year." 35. May – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mayor Wilson Goode, the first African American to hold that office, orders police to storm the headquarters of the black liberation/back-to-nature group MOVE to end a stand-off over serving arrest warrants. (Due process?!?!) The police drop 2 explosive devices into the headquarters, killing 6 adults and 5 children, and destroyed an additional 61 residental homes in the resulting fire. The survivors filed a civil suit against the city and the police department, and were awarded $1.5 million in 1996. 36. Jul - The final episode of The Jeffersons airs. (1975-) 10 yrs 37. Aug - Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-) 13 yrs 38. Nov - Ebony Man: EM Magazine launches 39. Best Comedy Recording: Whoopi Goldberg - Original Broadway Show Recording 40. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Aretha Franklin for "Freeway of Love" 41. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Stevie Wonder for In Square Circle 42. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Commodores for "Nightshift" 43. Economic Snapshot 44. Avg. Income = $22,138 45. House = $99,331 46. New Car = $9,531 47. Avg. Rent = $375 48. Tuition at Harvard = $9,800 49. Movie Ticket = $2.75 50. Gas = $1.20 51. Stamp = $0.22 52. Socilal Scene: “Money, it's gotta be da shoes!” - Mars Blackmon 53. The Air Jordan I was originally released in 1985 and is almost single-handedly responsible for modern-day sneaker culture. Michael Jordan originally wanted to sign with either Converse or Adidas. But Converse declined and according to a Wall Street Journal article published in 2015 so did Adidas. Still MJ was not convinced. Only when Nike, thinking they had nothing to loose, offered to give MJ his own shoe- and clothing line did he change his mind. This was unheard of at the time, no NBA player had an entire product line named after them. As the first basketball player with his own signature shoes Jordan would immediately become the king of basketball sneaker advertising. Just to be on the safe side Nike worked an out-clause into the contract: if Air Jordans didn’t earn Nike $3 million in the first 3 years, or if Jordan didn’t make the NBA All-Star Game in his first three years, Nike could dump him. Jordan was voted into the All-Star Game as a Rookie starter and the "Air Jordan 1" shoe made Nike $130 million in 1985 alone. The rest is history. 54. Open Comments: 55. The pushback and common critisisms 56. Extremely superficial materialism is one of the only ways that many black Americans express a sense of self worth. 57. When you live in a society where nobody has a savings account, or a college degree, or has traveled abroad, having a fresh pair of sneakers and a gold chain shouldn't be your version of keeping up with the Joneses. 58. Liking shoes is as much of a "black thing" as liking chicken is a "black thing". Everyone likes both of these things. 59. Open Comments: 60. It became popular in the late 80s for people with moderate or low incomes to wear clothing adorned with the names and logos of luxury, high-end brands. Then all the luxury brands started making their own low-end, logo-covered versions. You wear your favorite sports team to affiliate yourself with them. It's the same thing with Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Jordache, Guess, Wrangler, Levi, Gitano, Bonjour, Sasson, etc., it's a way of signalling. 61. Question: We went from tailored suits and dresses to baggy jeans and yoga pants. From afro's and braids to fashioned bandanas and bleached blondes. From the stylish Supremes and Tempations to tatooed faces and pireced everytginhg. - What do you think is at the root of our decisions? Are we victims of advertising? 62. Music Scene 63. Black Songs from the Top 40 (No Lionel Richie showed up!) 64. 5 "I Feel for You" Chaka Khan 65. 6 "Out of Touch" Hall & Oates 66. 12 "Easy Lover" Philip Bailey and Phil Collins 67. 17 "Cherish" Kool & the Gang 68. 20 "We Are the World" USA for Africa 69. 22 "Part-Time Lover" Stevie Wonder 70. 23 "Saving All My Love For You" Whitney Houston 71. 26 "Cool It Now" New Edition 72. 28 "Loverboy" Billy Ocean 73. 29 "Lovergirl" Teena Marie 74. 31 "Oh Sheila" Ready for the World 75. 32 "Rhythm of the Night" DeBarge 76. 38 "Neutron Dance" The Pointer Sisters 77. 40 "Nightshift" Commodores 78. Vote: 79. Top RnB Singles 80. Jan - "Operator" Midnight Star 81. Jan - "Gotta Get You Home Tonight" Eugene Wilde 82. Feb - "Mr. Telephone Man" New Edition 83. Feb - "Missing You" Diana Ross 84. Mar - "Nightshift" The Commodores 85. Apr - "Back In Stride" Maze featuring Frankie Beverly 86. Apr - "Rhythm Of the Night" DeBarge 87. May - "We Are the World" USA for Africa 88. May - "Fresh" Kool & the Gang 89. May - "You Give Good Love" Whitney Houston 90. Jun - "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" Freddie Jackson 91. Jul - "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" Loose Ends 92. Jul - "Save Your Love (For #1)" René & Angela 93. Aug - "Freeway of Love" Aretha Franklin 94. Sep - "Saving All My Love for You" Whitney Houston 95. Sep - "Cherish" Kool & the Gang 96. Sep - "Oh Sheila" Ready For the World 97. Oct - "You Are My Lady" Freddie Jackson 98. Oct - "Part-Time Lover" Stevie Wonder 99. Nov - "Caravan of Love" Isley-Jasper-Isley 100. Dec - "Don't Say No Tonight" Eugene Wilde 101. Vote: 102. Top RnB Albums 103. Jan - New Edition New Edition 104. Feb - Solid Ashford & Simpson 105. Mar - Gap Band VI The Gap Band 106. Mar p- Private Dancer Tina Turner 107. Apr - Nightshift The Commodores 108. Apr - Can't Stop the Love Frankie Beverly and Maze 109. May - The Night I Fell in Love Luther Vandross 110. Jun - Whitney Houston Whitney Houston 111. Jun - Rock Me Tonight Freddie Jackson 112. Nov - In Square Circle Stevie Wonder 113. Vote 114. Featured Artists: Whitney Houston and Sade 115. Whitney Elizabeth Houston, @22 yrs old: Singer, actress, model, and producer, Whitney Houston is one of the world’s most successful female entertainers of all time. 116. Born and raised in Newark NJ, she is the daughter of Grammy-award-winning gospel singer, Emily “Cissy” Houston and John R. Houston, who managed his daughter’s production company. 117. Childhood & Early Life 118. She was no stranger to the entertainment industry, having come from a line of singers and actresses. Not only did her mother’s vocal group, the ‘Sweet Inspirations’, sing backup for Aretha Franklin, but her cousins Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick are also renowned singers, as well as her godmother, Darlene Love. She began performing in her church’s gospel choir as a soloist at the age of eleven and learned to play the piano. While attending Catholic school, she took voice lessons from her mother, with whom she would occasionally perform in nightclubs. 119. Career 120. In 1977 (@ 14 yrs old), she was a backup singer for Michael Zager Band’s single ‘Life’s a Party’ and the following year she sang on Chaka Khan’s single ‘I’m Every Woman’. She was offered an opportunity to sign with a recording company, but her mother declined so she would finish high school. In the early 1980s, (@17 yrs old), she worked as a model, appearing in several magazines including, ‘Seventeen’, where she became the first African American to be featured on the cover. She also took on acting gigs appearing in TV show episodes such as, ‘Gimme a Break’, while continuing to develop her vocal skills. In 1983,(@ 20yrs old) she was signed with ‘Arista Records’. President Clive Davis spent the next couple years assembling lyricists and producers to balance her gospel-like sound with contemporary melodies. In 1985, her debut album, ‘Whitney Houston’ gradually became the number one selling album of her career. She went on to win two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards. 121. Open Comments: 122. A Hot Mess 123. On February 11th, 2012, Whitney Houston (@ 48 yrs old) was found facedown in a bathtub. Weeks later, an autopsy report would contribute Houston’s death to accidental drowning, heart disease and cocaine use. There were additional traces of a muscle relaxant, Xanax, marijuana and an allergy medication in the singer’s system. 124. The sad, secret life of Whitney Houston: From a secret lesbian relationship to a decades-long struggle with drugs, five years after singer’s death, a new film ‘Whitney: Can I Be Me’ examines what caused her tragic downfall - Tara Brady [Jun 12, 2017] https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/the-sad-secret-life-of-whitney-houston-1.3105861 125. Selected quotes from the article: 126. What exactly killed Houston? Why did she drown? How did she drown? Was she simply overwhelmed by the controlling demands of her formidable mother, Cissy Houston, Svengali Clive Davis, and her record company, Arista? Did the aftermath of her toxic and co-dependent marriage to Bobby Brown send her spiralling? Or was it the dissolution of her decades-old lesbian relationship with her assistant Robyn Crawford? It’s complicated, as documentarian Nick Broomfield discovered. “In the end I think the divide between who she was and what her public persona was became more and more difficult,” says documentarian Nick Broomfield. “And she just went down, 127. The imploding relations between Houston, Bobby Brown and Robyn Crawford. Brown told Us Weekly magazine that Houston was bisexual and that she once had an affair with Tupac Shakur. He went on to say that Houston kept her relationship with Crawford hidden because of Cissy. “I really feel that if Robyn was accepted into Whitney’s life, Whitney would still be alive today,” Brown told the magazine. “She didn’t have close friends with her anymore.” 128. From Cissy’s notorious 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey: “Would it have bothered you if your daughter was gay?” “Absolutely,” Cissy snapped back. “You wouldn’t have condoned it?” continued an incredulous Oprah. “Not at all.” ...“I didn’t particularly like [Crawford],” Cissy told the talk show queen. “She just spoke too much, disrespectful sometimes, like she had something over Nippy (Houston’s nickname), and I didn’t like that at all. She was all right, she turned out to be all right, I guess. That was her friend.” 129. Houston and Crawford first bonded while they were teenagers working at a community centre in East Orange, New Jersey. When Houston’s modelling career began to take off, she’d face bullying in school, and Crawford, who was originally a friend of Houston’s older brothers Michael and Gary, would frequently come to the rescue. When Houston moved out of her family home, she shared her first apartment with Crawford. Deep into Houston and Brown’s 14-year marriage, Crawford remained a fixture in Houston’s domestic arrangements. 130. Houston’s marriage to Brown, understandably, made for an uneasy romantic trinity. In Derrick Handspike’s unauthorised 2008 biography, Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But . . ., the author quotes Brown as saying: “Now I realise Whitney had a different agenda than I did when we got married. I believe her agenda was to clean up her image while mine was to be loved and have children. “Whitney felt she had to make rumours of a lesbian affair go away. Since she was the American Sweetheart and all, that didn’t go too well with her image. In Whitney’s situation the only solution was to get married and have kids. That would kill all speculation whether it was true or not.” 131. Supermarket tabloids did a brisk trade during the 1990s by peddling the idea that Houston’s life spiralled into addiction after she married Brown. She was the gospel-singing good girl – the church-going daughter of Cissy and a cousin of Dionne Warwick. He was a bad boy who, aged 20, when they first met, had already been shot and stabbed in the shoulder. Their tumultuous marriage (from 1992 to 2007), characterised by drug use, infidelity and a costly entourage, was seldom out of the headlines. But contrary to popular belief, Brown did not introduce his troubled wife to cocaine. Houston first dabbled with drugs with her brothers, Michael and Gary, as a teenager. The truth is that Houston was always as “street“ as her R&B star husband. But that part of her personal history didn’t fit with what Broomfield calls “the Whitney character”. As Pattie Howard, Houston’s backing vocalist, notes: “People may not know it but Whitney was from the ‘hood’. They wanted to present her as the princess. And that’s what white America was presented with.” Kenneth Reynolds, who worked in marketing for Arista Records recalls that: “Anything that was too black sounding was sent back. We wanted Joni Mitchell. We wanted Barbra Streisand. ” “She was very carefully groomed for nearly two years before the first album came out,” explains Broomfield. “So every aspect of her was carefully considered. She was a major project. A lot of money was spent on her. Anything that was too R&B was out. They didn’t want a female James Brown. That was not part of their vision. Which, of course, was a very successful vision.” 132. In 1989, just as Houston topped 25 million in album sales and surpassed the Beatles’s record with seven consecutive number one hits, she attended the Soul Train awards where, in response to her “white” music, she was roundly booed. Pre-Beyoncé and Mariah Carey, “crossover” was synonymous with cultural betrayal. People shouted “Oreo” – brown on the outside, white on the inside – as her nomination for Best Female Vocalist was announced. “It’s not a good feeling,” says Houston, in Can I Be Me. “It’s horrible and kind of funny. You think: ‘Are they booing me?’ And you have to sit there and be cordial and smiley. And you feel like: ‘Oh my God’.” Kirk Whalum, the saxophonist who toured with Houston for more than seven years recalls that night, which coincidentally, was the first time she met Brown. “It was devastating [for her],” says Whalum. 133. By the end of the 90s, Houston found herself at the centre of a perfect storm of ongoing racial friction, marital troubles and drug abuse. Friends, unable to watch Houston’s decline, began to drift away. Her father, John, died in 2003, but not before his management company, John Houston Entertainment LLC, filed a $100 million lawsuit against his own daughter. Months before his death, he made a public appeal on the syndicated show, Celebrity Justice: “You get your act together, honey, and you pay me the money that you owe me.” Robyn Crawford’s departure in 2000, too, prompted a new, crippling dependency on crack-cocaine and other substances. - “Robyn was the one who was keeping her together,” says writer Allison Samuels. “That’s when drugs became so important to her.” 134. Open Comments: 135. The Smooth Operator -Helen Folasade Adu, professionally known as Sade (@26 yrs old) 136. Sade is an internationally renowned, multi-Grammy award winning singer who is known for her smooth, melodic vocals and the seamless incorporation of different styles of music. She was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on January 16, 1959. Her father Adebisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer of economics, and her mother Anne Hayes, a district nurse, had met in London. Sade was the couple’s second child. Shortly after her birth, Sade’s parents separated and she and her brother followed their mother to Colchester, Essex, England. There, the children were raised by their mother as well as their maternal grandfather. Upon finishing her education at Clacton County High School in Colchester, she enrolled at Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in London to pursue fashion and design. After completion of her program, she worked as a model and menswear designer. 137. Sade entered the music scene around 1980 when she started singing harmony for Arriva, a Latin funk band. She joined another funk band called Pride and was a background singer for the group. Pride garnered much attention from record companies due to their performances around London. Eventually Sade and fellow bandmates, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denma, and Andrew Hale signed a deal with the U.K. division of Epic Records and formed the band Sade. In 1984 the band’s debut album, Diamond Life, was released to much critical success and was bolstered by singles such as “Hang On to Your Love” and “Smooth Operator.” The band followed up their debut with their next album, Promise, which was released the following year. “The Sweetest Taboo,” a single from Promise, was on the U.S. Hot 100 for six months. She was awarded the Grammy for best new artist of 1985. 138. Open Comments: 139. Selected quote about her sound 140. Let's get this into context. With Sade it's unlikely there will ever be a full, naked baring of the soul. In terms of contemporary icons, it's better to listen to Mary J for stories of drama and shattered devotion. But Sade, today, is all about the acknowledged presence of absence. What's missing in her music is as important as what's present. - The Fader 141. A small, yet important, fact: When Sade signed her first record deal with Epic in the early '80s, she accepted a small advance, worth ~$70,000 in exchange for an unusually high cut of sales for a new artist—15 percent. It was a deal that ended up proving immensely lucrative, and it has freed her from many of the commercial demands that often encumber artists. Put simply, she only works when and how she wants to. As one executive at her label, Epic, put it to me: "Who's going to argue with a woman who's sold 50 million albums? She's more powerful than anyone working at the label, including the [President]." - The Fader 142. Question: Does the Sade sound ever wear out? 143. The Movie Scene 144. The Color Purple/Film synopsis 145. An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing "Mister" Albert Johnson (Danny Glover), things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa. Based on the novel by Alice Walker. 146. Review by Roger Ebert 147. Returning to "The Color Purple" after almost 20 years, I can see its flaws more easily than when I named it the best film of 1985, but I can also understand why it moved me so deeply, and why the greatness of some films depends not on their perfection or logic, but on their heart. The movie may have inconsistencies, confusions and improbabilities, but there is one perfect thing at its center, and that is the character of Celie, as played by Whoopi Goldberg. "Here is this year's winner for best actress," I wrote in my original review, and that should have been true, but although "The Color Purple" had 11 nominations, it won not a single Oscar. When a movie character is really working, we become that character. That's what the movies offer: Escapism into lives other than our own. I am not female, I am not black, I am not Celie, but for a time during "The Color Purple," my mind deceives me that I am all of those things, and as I empathize with her struggle and victory I learn something about what it must have been like to be her. - Roger Ebert 148. Selected Quotes 149. In Honor of Its 33rd Anniversary, Here Are 10 Life Lessons I Learned From the Color Purple - By Melissa Kimble Dec 18, 2018 [https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a25616715/the-color-purple-quotes-anniversary/] 150. I was born a few years after the film was released. However, I can credit much of my self discovery to the many times I’ve watched it. My favorite quotes from the movie taught me valuable lessons about Black womanhood, faith, and self love. And these 10 are the ones I’ll never forget. 151. “Girl, you oughta bash Mister’s head open and think about heaven later.” By Oprah Winfrey - In a film where women are treated like inferiors, Sofia breaks the mold by refusing to be her husband's punching bag. This scene-stealing monologue, with its rage filled entrance by the O of O, is an act of defiance—especially one committed in early 20th century Georgia. It was powerful and necessary to see a Black woman go against the grain on screen. And to me, it was a call to action to be fearless. 152. "I'm poor, Black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here! I’m here!" By Whoopi Goldberg - What a victorious statement this was by Celie, who, up until this point, had spent most of her life feeling unworthy and invisible. It reminded me that even with our flaws and imperfections, we still deserve to show up in our own lives. 153. "Until you do right by me, everything you think about is going to crumble." By - Whoopi Goldberg - With these words, Celie breaks a cycle of abuse from Mister and sticks up for herself. I interpreted this line as a sign that I don’t have to carry the weight of people who have caused my pain; life will take care of everything. 154. “Miss Celie, why you always covering up your smile?” By Desreta Jackson - Growing up, I was very insecure about my smile. And when Shug Avery posed this question to Miss Celie, it also made me turn to myself. When Shug encourages Celie to smile, I learned that there’s no need to cover up my own 155. Open Comments: 156. Featured Artist 157. Caryn Elaine Johnson, a.k.a. Whoopi Goldberg (@ 30 yrs old): an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, Broadway star, political activist, author and talk show host, she is one of the most successful and established African American actresses of her time. 158. Born and raised in Manhattan, she is one of 14 entertainers ever to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. What differentiates Goldberg from her contemporaries is the excellence that she portrayed in all the mediums of entertainment, be it television, theatre, films or radio. 159. Childhood & Early Life 160. Her mother was a nurse and a teacher while her father served as a clergyman. She was raised in the Chelsea-Elliot Houses by her mother alone after her father disbanded the family when she was young. She studied until her teen years and later dropped out of school. Her started acting started at a young age. It was during her stage performance that people complimented her by saying that she looked like whoopee cushion. It was from there that she took the stage name Whoopi and adopted Goldberg as her surname to sound more Jewish. 161. Career 162. In 1974, (@ age 19) she moved to California and thereafter lived in various cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. It was during this time that she honed her acting skills and developed her talent as a stand-up comedian. However, soon thereafter, she returned to New York and started receiving training under acting coach Uta Hagen. Her first ever appearance on screen was for William Farley’s feature, ‘Citizen: I'm Not Losing My Mind, I'm Giving It Away’ in 1982 (@ 27). In 1983, she created, starred and directed a ‘The Spook Show’, a one-woman show that addressed the issue of race in American but in a unique and innovative style. Next, she created other off-Broadway productions such as ‘Little Girl’ an African-American child obsessed with having blond hair and ‘Fontaine’ a junkie who also happens to hold a doctorate in literature. The innovative presentation and sense of wit and style in her shows impressed director Mike Nicholas who offered to take ‘The Spook Show’ to the Broadway. The show which ran for 156 performances, met with much acclaim both commercially and critically. It went on to earn her a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. The eye-catching performance and amazing positive reception of the show earned her attention of the Hollywood bigwigs. It helped her bag a role in the Steven Spielberg film, ‘The Color Purple’, released in 1985. The movie met with resounding success, clutching 11 Academy Awards nominations and she won her first Golden Globe award. 163. Open Comments: 164. Oprah Gail Winfrey , a.k.a. Oprah Winfrey (@ 31 yrs old): Talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. 165. Childhood & Early Life 166. Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, on a small family farm, to an unwed mother who had a short relationship with a soldier stationed nearby, Oprah grew up in dire poverty, and was primarily raised by her grandmother. Sexually abused and mistreated as a child, Winfrey rose above adversity to focus on her primary and high school education. 167. Career 168. When she was still a teenager, the local CBS television station in Nashville, Tennessee offered her a job as a co-anchor. She turned it down three times. At age 19, Oprah Winfrey said yes after the fourth offer. She failed the interview, but instead was offered a job as a full-time reporter for a Baltimore television news channel. She did poorly as a reporter, and by age 22 she was fired from the news division. The director of the station gave Winfrey a boost by selecting her to anchor a morning talk show entitled ‘People are Talking’. For the next seven years, her talk show enjoyed excellent ratings. In 1981, (@ 27) she moved to Chicago to host a talk show entitled ‘A.M. Chicago’. Four years later, (1985) after a tremendous boost in the ratings, the producers changed the name to ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’. She caught the attention of Quincy Jones, a Chicago native, and he cast her as Sofia for the first movie he produced, 'The Color Purple'. The following year ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ was broadcast nationally. 169. Open Comments: 170. TV Scene: 171. Featured Actor: Phylician Ayers Allen, a.k.a Phylicia Rashad is an Emmy-nominated American actress, singer, and director. 172. Her multi-faceted career began with Broadway before she branched into television and films. She is best remembered for her character as Claire Huxtable in the NBC sitcom ‘The Cosby Show’, which ran for eight years. The series brought Phylicia much deserved recognition, also earning her two Emmy nominations. Phylicia, however, is immortalized for her rich performances on the stage as an artist. She starred in several lavish musicals and dramas, all praised highly by critics. She became the first African American actress to walk away with a Tony Award for her performance in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘Raisin in The Sun’. Subsequently, she was venerated within the African American acting community at the NAACP Awards, where she was called ‘The Mother’ of the Black Community. Her other popular plays include ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’, ‘August: Osage Country’, and ‘Gem of the Ocean’. She has tried her hand at stage direction and has successfully directed hit plays at prominent stages. Over the course of her career, Rashad has starred in several television series and voiced many characters. Her prolific output continues to be on the rise as she is still an active part of the entertainment industry. 173. Childhood & Early Life: 174. Phylicia Rashad was born Phylician Ayers Allen on June 19, 1948, in Houston, Texas to Vivian Ayers and Andrew Arthur Allen. Her mother was a prize-winning poet and artist, while her father was a reputed orthodontist. She has three siblings: Andrew Arthur Allen Jr., Debbie Allen, and Hugh Allen. Phylicia was raised in the United States and Mexico. She studied at Howard University, Washington D.C. and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre in 1970. During her university days, she was inculcated into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. 175. Career 176. After graduating with a degree in theatre, Phylicia immediately joined the Negro Ensemble Company in New York. She toured the city and was seen in several plays under this troupe. Her Broadway debut occurred in 1972 and she was seen in several minor roles for hit musicals, including ‘The Wiz’ (1975) and ‘Dreamgirls’ (1981). In 1978, Rashad tried her hand at something new by releasing the concept album ‘Josephine Superstar’, an album that was based on Josephine Baker’s life. She decided to embark on an alternative career in television owing to the scarcity of good roles given to her. In 1982, after moving to television, Rashad landed a recurring role in the series ‘One Life to Live’ as Courtney Wright, a publicist. In 1984, Phylicia Rashad was roped in to play the role of Clair Huxtable, an attorney, in the hit comedy ‘The Cosby Show’. The show starred Bill Cosby in the lead role and Phylicia played his wife. The series ran for over eight years and was a critical and commercial success. Phylicia’s role as Clair proved to be the highest point in her career, earning her two Emmy Award nominations. 177. Open Comments 178. Question: Is she a good actor? Do you buy her in other roles? 179. Vote: Best Pop Culture item/event for 1985
Topics: Air Jordans, Whitney Houston, Sade, The Color Purple, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Phylicia Rashad (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1985 Notes General Snapshots 1. President: Ronald Reagan 2. Jan – In Hollywood, California, the charity single "We Are the World" is recorded by USA for Africa. The single raises money to combat the ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The American act consists of high-profile performers, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross. 3. Jan – The newest music video channel, VH-1, begins broadcasting on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV. The first video played is Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner". 4. Mar – WrestleMania debuts at Madison Square Garden. In the main event, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper. The attendance for the event was 19,121. The event was seen by over one million viewers through closed-circuit television, making it the largest pay-per-view showing of a wrestling event on closed-circuit television in the United States at the time. 5. Apr – Coca-Cola changes its recipe and releases New Coke. The response is overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula is back on the market in less than three months. 6. Aug - Ryan White who was expelled from Western High School in Indiana is allowed to attend his first day of classes via telephone. 7. Sep - The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA. 8. Oct – The Nintendo Entertainment System is released in U.S. stores. By 1988, industry observers stated that the NES's popularity had grown so quickly that the market for Nintendo cartridges was larger than that for all home computer software. The NES was released two years after the North American video game crash of 1983, when many retailers and adult consumers regarded electronic games as a passing fad. With the NES, Nintendo also changed the relationship between console manufacturers and third-party software developers by restricting developers from publishing and distributing software without licensed approval. This led to higher-quality games, which helped change the attitude of a public that had grown weary from poorly produced games for earlier systems. 9. Nov - Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. 10. Open Comments: 11. Top 3 Pop Songs 12. 1 "Careless Whisper" Wham! 13. 2 "Like a Virgin" Madonna 14. 3 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Wham! 15. Grammy Awards 16. Record of the Year: Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" 17. Album of the Year: Phil Collins (producer & artist) for No Jacket Required 18. Song of the Year: Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (songwriters) for "We Are the World" 19. Best New Artist: Sade 20. Top 3 Movies 21. Back to the Future 22. Rambo: First Blood Part II 23. Rocky IV 24. Other Notables: The Color Purple / Out of Africa / Cocoon / The Jewel of the Nile / Witness / The Goonies / Spies Like Us / The Breakfast Club / Brewster's Millions / St. Elmo's Fire / Krush Groove 25. Top 3 TV Shows 26. The Cosby Show 27. Family Ties 28. Murder, She Wrote 29. TV Debuts 30. Sep - What's Happening Now!! / Stir Crazy 31. Black Snapshots 32. Feb - Whitney Houston releases her debut album – Whitney Houston. 33. Mar – Mike Tyson makes his professional debut in Albany, New York, a match which he wins by a first-round knockout. 34. May - Michael Jordan is named as the NBA's "Rookie of the Year." 35. May – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mayor Wilson Goode, the first African American to hold that office, orders police to storm the headquarters of the black liberation/back-to-nature group MOVE to end a stand-off over serving arrest warrants. (Due process?!?!) The police drop 2 explosive devices into the headquarters, killing 6 adults and 5 children, and destroyed an additional 61 residental homes in the resulting fire. The survivors filed a civil suit against the city and the police department, and were awarded $1.5 million in 1996. 36. Jul - The final episode of The Jeffersons airs. (1975-) 10 yrs 37. Aug - Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-) 13 yrs 38. Nov - Ebony Man: EM Magazine launches 39. Best Comedy Recording: Whoopi Goldberg - Original Broadway Show Recording 40. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Aretha Franklin for "Freeway of Love" 41. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Stevie Wonder for In Square Circle 42. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Commodores for "Nightshift" 43. Economic Snapshot 44. Avg. Income = $22,138 45. House = $99,331 46. New Car = $9,531 47. Avg. Rent = $375 48. Tuition at Harvard = $9,800 49. Movie Ticket = $2.75 50. Gas = $1.20 51. Stamp = $0.22 52. Socilal Scene: “Money, it's gotta be da shoes!” - Mars Blackmon 53. The Air Jordan I was originally released in 1985 and is almost single-handedly responsible for modern-day sneaker culture. Michael Jordan originally wanted to sign with either Converse or Adidas. But Converse declined and according to a Wall Street Journal article published in 2015 so did Adidas. Still MJ was not convinced. Only when Nike, thinking they had nothing to loose, offered to give MJ his own shoe- and clothing line did he change his mind. This was unheard of at the time, no NBA player had an entire product line named after them. As the first basketball player with his own signature shoes Jordan would immediately become the king of basketball sneaker advertising. Just to be on the safe side Nike worked an out-clause into the contract: if Air Jordans didn’t earn Nike $3 million in the first 3 years, or if Jordan didn’t make the NBA All-Star Game in his first three years, Nike could dump him. Jordan was voted into the All-Star Game as a Rookie starter and the "Air Jordan 1" shoe made Nike $130 million in 1985 alone. The rest is history. 54. Open Comments: 55. The pushback and common critisisms 56. Extremely superficial materialism is one of the only ways that many black Americans express a sense of self worth. 57. When you live in a society where nobody has a savings account, or a college degree, or has traveled abroad, having a fresh pair of sneakers and a gold chain shouldn't be your version of keeping up with the Joneses. 58. Liking shoes is as much of a "black thing" as liking chicken is a "black thing". Everyone likes both of these things. 59. Open Comments: 60. It became popular in the late 80s for people with moderate or low incomes to wear clothing adorned with the names and logos of luxury, high-end brands. Then all the luxury brands started making their own low-end, logo-covered versions. You wear your favorite sports team to affiliate yourself with them. It's the same thing with Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Jordache, Guess, Wrangler, Levi, Gitano, Bonjour, Sasson, etc., it's a way of signalling. 61. Question: We went from tailored suits and dresses to baggy jeans and yoga pants. From afro's and braids to fashioned bandanas and bleached blondes. From the stylish Supremes and Tempations to tatooed faces and pireced everytginhg. - What do you think is at the root of our decisions? Are we victims of advertising? 62. Music Scene 63. Black Songs from the Top 40 (No Lionel Richie showed up!) 64. 5 "I Feel for You" Chaka Khan 65. 6 "Out of Touch" Hall & Oates 66. 12 "Easy Lover" Philip Bailey and Phil Collins 67. 17 "Cherish" Kool & the Gang 68. 20 "We Are the World" USA for Africa 69. 22 "Part-Time Lover" Stevie Wonder 70. 23 "Saving All My Love For You" Whitney Houston 71. 26 "Cool It Now" New Edition 72. 28 "Loverboy" Billy Ocean 73. 29 "Lovergirl" Teena Marie 74. 31 "Oh Sheila" Ready for the World 75. 32 "Rhythm of the Night" DeBarge 76. 38 "Neutron Dance" The Pointer Sisters 77. 40 "Nightshift" Commodores 78. Vote: 79. Top RnB Singles 80. Jan - "Operator" Midnight Star 81. Jan - "Gotta Get You Home Tonight" Eugene Wilde 82. Feb - "Mr. Telephone Man" New Edition 83. Feb - "Missing You" Diana Ross 84. Mar - "Nightshift" The Commodores 85. Apr - "Back In Stride" Maze featuring Frankie Beverly 86. Apr - "Rhythm Of the Night" DeBarge 87. May - "We Are the World" USA for Africa 88. May - "Fresh" Kool & the Gang 89. May - "You Give Good Love" Whitney Houston 90. Jun - "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" Freddie Jackson 91. Jul - "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" Loose Ends 92. Jul - "Save Your Love (For #1)" René & Angela 93. Aug - "Freeway of Love" Aretha Franklin 94. Sep - "Saving All My Love for You" Whitney Houston 95. Sep - "Cherish" Kool & the Gang 96. Sep - "Oh Sheila" Ready For the World 97. Oct - "You Are My Lady" Freddie Jackson 98. Oct - "Part-Time Lover" Stevie Wonder 99. Nov - "Caravan of Love" Isley-Jasper-Isley 100. Dec - "Don't Say No Tonight" Eugene Wilde 101. Vote: 102. Top RnB Albums 103. Jan - New Edition New Edition 104. Feb - Solid Ashford & Simpson 105. Mar - Gap Band VI The Gap Band 106. Mar p- Private Dancer Tina Turner 107. Apr - Nightshift The Commodores 108. Apr - Can't Stop the Love Frankie Beverly and Maze 109. May - The Night I Fell in Love Luther Vandross 110. Jun - Whitney Houston Whitney Houston 111. Jun - Rock Me Tonight Freddie Jackson 112. Nov - In Square Circle Stevie Wonder 113. Vote 114. Featured Artists: Whitney Houston and Sade 115. Whitney Elizabeth Houston, @22 yrs old: Singer, actress, model, and producer, Whitney Houston is one of the world’s most successful female entertainers of all time. 116. Born and raised in Newark NJ, she is the daughter of Grammy-award-winning gospel singer, Emily “Cissy” Houston and John R. Houston, who managed his daughter’s production company. 117. Childhood & Early Life 118. She was no stranger to the entertainment industry, having come from a line of singers and actresses. Not only did her mother’s vocal group, the ‘Sweet Inspirations’, sing backup for Aretha Franklin, but her cousins Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick are also renowned singers, as well as her godmother, Darlene Love. She began performing in her church’s gospel choir as a soloist at the age of eleven and learned to play the piano. While attending Catholic school, she took voice lessons from her mother, with whom she would occasionally perform in nightclubs. 119. Career 120. In 1977 (@ 14 yrs old), she was a backup singer for Michael Zager Band’s single ‘Life’s a Party’ and the following year she sang on Chaka Khan’s single ‘I’m Every Woman’. She was offered an opportunity to sign with a recording company, but her mother declined so she would finish high school. In the early 1980s, (@17 yrs old), she worked as a model, appearing in several magazines including, ‘Seventeen’, where she became the first African American to be featured on the cover. She also took on acting gigs appearing in TV show episodes such as, ‘Gimme a Break’, while continuing to develop her vocal skills. In 1983,(@ 20yrs old) she was signed with ‘Arista Records’. President Clive Davis spent the next couple years assembling lyricists and producers to balance her gospel-like sound with contemporary melodies. In 1985, her debut album, ‘Whitney Houston’ gradually became the number one selling album of her career. She went on to win two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards. 121. Open Comments: 122. A Hot Mess 123. On February 11th, 2012, Whitney Houston (@ 48 yrs old) was found facedown in a bathtub. Weeks later, an autopsy report would contribute Houston’s death to accidental drowning, heart disease and cocaine use. There were additional traces of a muscle relaxant, Xanax, marijuana and an allergy medication in the singer’s system. 124. The sad, secret life of Whitney Houston: From a secret lesbian relationship to a decades-long struggle with drugs, five years after singer’s death, a new film ‘Whitney: Can I Be Me’ examines what caused her tragic downfall - Tara Brady [Jun 12, 2017] https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/the-sad-secret-life-of-whitney-houston-1.3105861 125. Selected quotes from the article: 126. What exactly killed Houston? Why did she drown? How did she drown? Was she simply overwhelmed by the controlling demands of her formidable mother, Cissy Houston, Svengali Clive Davis, and her record company, Arista? Did the aftermath of her toxic and co-dependent marriage to Bobby Brown send her spiralling? Or was it the dissolution of her decades-old lesbian relationship with her assistant Robyn Crawford? It’s complicated, as documentarian Nick Broomfield discovered. “In the end I think the divide between who she was and what her public persona was became more and more difficult,” says documentarian Nick Broomfield. “And she just went down, 127. The imploding relations between Houston, Bobby Brown and Robyn Crawford. Brown told Us Weekly magazine that Houston was bisexual and that she once had an affair with Tupac Shakur. He went on to say that Houston kept her relationship with Crawford hidden because of Cissy. “I really feel that if Robyn was accepted into Whitney’s life, Whitney would still be alive today,” Brown told the magazine. “She didn’t have close friends with her anymore.” 128. From Cissy’s notorious 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey: “Would it have bothered you if your daughter was gay?” “Absolutely,” Cissy snapped back. “You wouldn’t have condoned it?” continued an incredulous Oprah. “Not at all.” ...“I didn’t particularly like [Crawford],” Cissy told the talk show queen. “She just spoke too much, disrespectful sometimes, like she had something over Nippy (Houston’s nickname), and I didn’t like that at all. She was all right, she turned out to be all right, I guess. That was her friend.” 129. Houston and Crawford first bonded while they were teenagers working at a community centre in East Orange, New Jersey. When Houston’s modelling career began to take off, she’d face bullying in school, and Crawford, who was originally a friend of Houston’s older brothers Michael and Gary, would frequently come to the rescue. When Houston moved out of her family home, she shared her first apartment with Crawford. Deep into Houston and Brown’s 14-year marriage, Crawford remained a fixture in Houston’s domestic arrangements. 130. Houston’s marriage to Brown, understandably, made for an uneasy romantic trinity. In Derrick Handspike’s unauthorised 2008 biography, Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But . . ., the author quotes Brown as saying: “Now I realise Whitney had a different agenda than I did when we got married. I believe her agenda was to clean up her image while mine was to be loved and have children. “Whitney felt she had to make rumours of a lesbian affair go away. Since she was the American Sweetheart and all, that didn’t go too well with her image. In Whitney’s situation the only solution was to get married and have kids. That would kill all speculation whether it was true or not.” 131. Supermarket tabloids did a brisk trade during the 1990s by peddling the idea that Houston’s life spiralled into addiction after she married Brown. She was the gospel-singing good girl – the church-going daughter of Cissy and a cousin of Dionne Warwick. He was a bad boy who, aged 20, when they first met, had already been shot and stabbed in the shoulder. Their tumultuous marriage (from 1992 to 2007), characterised by drug use, infidelity and a costly entourage, was seldom out of the headlines. But contrary to popular belief, Brown did not introduce his troubled wife to cocaine. Houston first dabbled with drugs with her brothers, Michael and Gary, as a teenager. The truth is that Houston was always as “street“ as her R&B star husband. But that part of her personal history didn’t fit with what Broomfield calls “the Whitney character”. As Pattie Howard, Houston’s backing vocalist, notes: “People may not know it but Whitney was from the ‘hood’. They wanted to present her as the princess. And that’s what white America was presented with.” Kenneth Reynolds, who worked in marketing for Arista Records recalls that: “Anything that was too black sounding was sent back. We wanted Joni Mitchell. We wanted Barbra Streisand. ” “She was very carefully groomed for nearly two years before the first album came out,” explains Broomfield. “So every aspect of her was carefully considered. She was a major project. A lot of money was spent on her. Anything that was too R&B was out. They didn’t want a female James Brown. That was not part of their vision. Which, of course, was a very successful vision.” 132. In 1989, just as Houston topped 25 million in album sales and surpassed the Beatles’s record with seven consecutive number one hits, she attended the Soul Train awards where, in response to her “white” music, she was roundly booed. Pre-Beyoncé and Mariah Carey, “crossover” was synonymous with cultural betrayal. People shouted “Oreo” – brown on the outside, white on the inside – as her nomination for Best Female Vocalist was announced. “It’s not a good feeling,” says Houston, in Can I Be Me. “It’s horrible and kind of funny. You think: ‘Are they booing me?’ And you have to sit there and be cordial and smiley. And you feel like: ‘Oh my God’.” Kirk Whalum, the saxophonist who toured with Houston for more than seven years recalls that night, which coincidentally, was the first time she met Brown. “It was devastating [for her],” says Whalum. 133. By the end of the 90s, Houston found herself at the centre of a perfect storm of ongoing racial friction, marital troubles and drug abuse. Friends, unable to watch Houston’s decline, began to drift away. Her father, John, died in 2003, but not before his management company, John Houston Entertainment LLC, filed a $100 million lawsuit against his own daughter. Months before his death, he made a public appeal on the syndicated show, Celebrity Justice: “You get your act together, honey, and you pay me the money that you owe me.” Robyn Crawford’s departure in 2000, too, prompted a new, crippling dependency on crack-cocaine and other substances. - “Robyn was the one who was keeping her together,” says writer Allison Samuels. “That’s when drugs became so important to her.” 134. Open Comments: 135. The Smooth Operator -Helen Folasade Adu, professionally known as Sade (@26 yrs old) 136. Sade is an internationally renowned, multi-Grammy award winning singer who is known for her smooth, melodic vocals and the seamless incorporation of different styles of music. She was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on January 16, 1959. Her father Adebisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer of economics, and her mother Anne Hayes, a district nurse, had met in London. Sade was the couple’s second child. Shortly after her birth, Sade’s parents separated and she and her brother followed their mother to Colchester, Essex, England. There, the children were raised by their mother as well as their maternal grandfather. Upon finishing her education at Clacton County High School in Colchester, she enrolled at Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in London to pursue fashion and design. After completion of her program, she worked as a model and menswear designer. 137. Sade entered the music scene around 1980 when she started singing harmony for Arriva, a Latin funk band. She joined another funk band called Pride and was a background singer for the group. Pride garnered much attention from record companies due to their performances around London. Eventually Sade and fellow bandmates, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denma, and Andrew Hale signed a deal with the U.K. division of Epic Records and formed the band Sade. In 1984 the band’s debut album, Diamond Life, was released to much critical success and was bolstered by singles such as “Hang On to Your Love” and “Smooth Operator.” The band followed up their debut with their next album, Promise, which was released the following year. “The Sweetest Taboo,” a single from Promise, was on the U.S. Hot 100 for six months. She was awarded the Grammy for best new artist of 1985. 138. Open Comments: 139. Selected quote about her sound 140. Let's get this into context. With Sade it's unlikely there will ever be a full, naked baring of the soul. In terms of contemporary icons, it's better to listen to Mary J for stories of drama and shattered devotion. But Sade, today, is all about the acknowledged presence of absence. What's missing in her music is as important as what's present. - The Fader 141. A small, yet important, fact: When Sade signed her first record deal with Epic in the early '80s, she accepted a small advance, worth ~$70,000 in exchange for an unusually high cut of sales for a new artist—15 percent. It was a deal that ended up proving immensely lucrative, and it has freed her from many of the commercial demands that often encumber artists. Put simply, she only works when and how she wants to. As one executive at her label, Epic, put it to me: "Who's going to argue with a woman who's sold 50 million albums? She's more powerful than anyone working at the label, including the [President]." - The Fader 142. Question: Does the Sade sound ever wear out? 143. The Movie Scene 144. The Color Purple/Film synopsis 145. An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing "Mister" Albert Johnson (Danny Glover), things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa. Based on the novel by Alice Walker. 146. Review by Roger Ebert 147. Returning to "The Color Purple" after almost 20 years, I can see its flaws more easily than when I named it the best film of 1985, but I can also understand why it moved me so deeply, and why the greatness of some films depends not on their perfection or logic, but on their heart. The movie may have inconsistencies, confusions and improbabilities, but there is one perfect thing at its center, and that is the character of Celie, as played by Whoopi Goldberg. "Here is this year's winner for best actress," I wrote in my original review, and that should have been true, but although "The Color Purple" had 11 nominations, it won not a single Oscar. When a movie character is really working, we become that character. That's what the movies offer: Escapism into lives other than our own. I am not female, I am not black, I am not Celie, but for a time during "The Color Purple," my mind deceives me that I am all of those things, and as I empathize with her struggle and victory I learn something about what it must have been like to be her. - Roger Ebert 148. Selected Quotes 149. In Honor of Its 33rd Anniversary, Here Are 10 Life Lessons I Learned From the Color Purple - By Melissa Kimble Dec 18, 2018 [https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a25616715/the-color-purple-quotes-anniversary/] 150. I was born a few years after the film was released. However, I can credit much of my self discovery to the many times I’ve watched it. My favorite quotes from the movie taught me valuable lessons about Black womanhood, faith, and self love. And these 10 are the ones I’ll never forget. 151. “Girl, you oughta bash Mister’s head open and think about heaven later.” By Oprah Winfrey - In a film where women are treated like inferiors, Sofia breaks the mold by refusing to be her husband's punching bag. This scene-stealing monologue, with its rage filled entrance by the O of O, is an act of defiance—especially one committed in early 20th century Georgia. It was powerful and necessary to see a Black woman go against the grain on screen. And to me, it was a call to action to be fearless. 152. "I'm poor, Black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here! I’m here!" By Whoopi Goldberg - What a victorious statement this was by Celie, who, up until this point, had spent most of her life feeling unworthy and invisible. It reminded me that even with our flaws and imperfections, we still deserve to show up in our own lives. 153. "Until you do right by me, everything you think about is going to crumble." By - Whoopi Goldberg - With these words, Celie breaks a cycle of abuse from Mister and sticks up for herself. I interpreted this line as a sign that I don’t have to carry the weight of people who have caused my pain; life will take care of everything. 154. “Miss Celie, why you always covering up your smile?” By Desreta Jackson - Growing up, I was very insecure about my smile. And when Shug Avery posed this question to Miss Celie, it also made me turn to myself. When Shug encourages Celie to smile, I learned that there’s no need to cover up my own 155. Open Comments: 156. Featured Artist 157. Caryn Elaine Johnson, a.k.a. Whoopi Goldberg (@ 30 yrs old): an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, Broadway star, political activist, author and talk show host, she is one of the most successful and established African American actresses of her time. 158. Born and raised in Manhattan, she is one of 14 entertainers ever to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. What differentiates Goldberg from her contemporaries is the excellence that she portrayed in all the mediums of entertainment, be it television, theatre, films or radio. 159. Childhood & Early Life 160. Her mother was a nurse and a teacher while her father served as a clergyman. She was raised in the Chelsea-Elliot Houses by her mother alone after her father disbanded the family when she was young. She studied until her teen years and later dropped out of school. Her started acting started at a young age. It was during her stage performance that people complimented her by saying that she looked like whoopee cushion. It was from there that she took the stage name Whoopi and adopted Goldberg as her surname to sound more Jewish. 161. Career 162. In 1974, (@ age 19) she moved to California and thereafter lived in various cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. It was during this time that she honed her acting skills and developed her talent as a stand-up comedian. However, soon thereafter, she returned to New York and started receiving training under acting coach Uta Hagen. Her first ever appearance on screen was for William Farley’s feature, ‘Citizen: I'm Not Losing My Mind, I'm Giving It Away’ in 1982 (@ 27). In 1983, she created, starred and directed a ‘The Spook Show’, a one-woman show that addressed the issue of race in American but in a unique and innovative style. Next, she created other off-Broadway productions such as ‘Little Girl’ an African-American child obsessed with having blond hair and ‘Fontaine’ a junkie who also happens to hold a doctorate in literature. The innovative presentation and sense of wit and style in her shows impressed director Mike Nicholas who offered to take ‘The Spook Show’ to the Broadway. The show which ran for 156 performances, met with much acclaim both commercially and critically. It went on to earn her a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. The eye-catching performance and amazing positive reception of the show earned her attention of the Hollywood bigwigs. It helped her bag a role in the Steven Spielberg film, ‘The Color Purple’, released in 1985. The movie met with resounding success, clutching 11 Academy Awards nominations and she won her first Golden Globe award. 163. Open Comments: 164. Oprah Gail Winfrey , a.k.a. Oprah Winfrey (@ 31 yrs old): Talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. 165. Childhood & Early Life 166. Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, on a small family farm, to an unwed mother who had a short relationship with a soldier stationed nearby, Oprah grew up in dire poverty, and was primarily raised by her grandmother. Sexually abused and mistreated as a child, Winfrey rose above adversity to focus on her primary and high school education. 167. Career 168. When she was still a teenager, the local CBS television station in Nashville, Tennessee offered her a job as a co-anchor. She turned it down three times. At age 19, Oprah Winfrey said yes after the fourth offer. She failed the interview, but instead was offered a job as a full-time reporter for a Baltimore television news channel. She did poorly as a reporter, and by age 22 she was fired from the news division. The director of the station gave Winfrey a boost by selecting her to anchor a morning talk show entitled ‘People are Talking’. For the next seven years, her talk show enjoyed excellent ratings. In 1981, (@ 27) she moved to Chicago to host a talk show entitled ‘A.M. Chicago’. Four years later, (1985) after a tremendous boost in the ratings, the producers changed the name to ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’. She caught the attention of Quincy Jones, a Chicago native, and he cast her as Sofia for the first movie he produced, 'The Color Purple'. The following year ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ was broadcast nationally. 169. Open Comments: 170. TV Scene: 171. Featured Actor: Phylician Ayers Allen, a.k.a Phylicia Rashad is an Emmy-nominated American actress, singer, and director. 172. Her multi-faceted career began with Broadway before she branched into television and films. She is best remembered for her character as Claire Huxtable in the NBC sitcom ‘The Cosby Show’, which ran for eight years. The series brought Phylicia much deserved recognition, also earning her two Emmy nominations. Phylicia, however, is immortalized for her rich performances on the stage as an artist. She starred in several lavish musicals and dramas, all praised highly by critics. She became the first African American actress to walk away with a Tony Award for her performance in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘Raisin in The Sun’. Subsequently, she was venerated within the African American acting community at the NAACP Awards, where she was called ‘The Mother’ of the Black Community. Her other popular plays include ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’, ‘August: Osage Country’, and ‘Gem of the Ocean’. She has tried her hand at stage direction and has successfully directed hit plays at prominent stages. Over the course of her career, Rashad has starred in several television series and voiced many characters. Her prolific output continues to be on the rise as she is still an active part of the entertainment industry. 173. Childhood & Early Life: 174. Phylicia Rashad was born Phylician Ayers Allen on June 19, 1948, in Houston, Texas to Vivian Ayers and Andrew Arthur Allen. Her mother was a prize-winning poet and artist, while her father was a reputed orthodontist. She has three siblings: Andrew Arthur Allen Jr., Debbie Allen, and Hugh Allen. Phylicia was raised in the United States and Mexico. She studied at Howard University, Washington D.C. and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre in 1970. During her university days, she was inculcated into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. 175. Career 176. After graduating with a degree in theatre, Phylicia immediately joined the Negro Ensemble Company in New York. She toured the city and was seen in several plays under this troupe. Her Broadway debut occurred in 1972 and she was seen in several minor roles for hit musicals, including ‘The Wiz’ (1975) and ‘Dreamgirls’ (1981). In 1978, Rashad tried her hand at something new by releasing the concept album ‘Josephine Superstar’, an album that was based on Josephine Baker’s life. She decided to embark on an alternative career in television owing to the scarcity of good roles given to her. In 1982, after moving to television, Rashad landed a recurring role in the series ‘One Life to Live’ as Courtney Wright, a publicist. In 1984, Phylicia Rashad was roped in to play the role of Clair Huxtable, an attorney, in the hit comedy ‘The Cosby Show’. The show starred Bill Cosby in the lead role and Phylicia played his wife. The series ran for over eight years and was a critical and commercial success. Phylicia’s role as Clair proved to be the highest point in her career, earning her two Emmy Award nominations. 177. Open Comments 178. Question: Is she a good actor? Do you buy her in other roles? 179. Vote: Best Pop Culture item/event for 1985
Topics: 1984 Olympics, Prince, Purple Rain (LP/Film), Cosby Show. (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1984 Notes General Snapshots 1. President: Ronald Reagan 2. Jan - US Bell System is broken up Bell System divestiture breaks AT&T into 24 independent units. 3. Jan - Wendy's "Fluffy Bun" advertisement is first broadcast, which gains Clara Peller and her "Where's the beef?" catchphrase national fame. 4. Jan - Michael Jackson's hair catches on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial. Michael Jackson stars in a Pepsi commercial with a young Alfonso Ribeiro, a.k.a Carlton from “The Fresh Prince.” 5. Feb - Michael Jackson wins a record eight Grammy Awards. [Prince was in the audience] 6. May - Happy Days airs its series finale, "Passages". 7. Jun – Best ever NBA draft: (1) Hakeem Olajuwon, (3) Michael Jordan, (5) Charles Barkley, and (16) John Stockton. [Sam Bowie 2nd pick] 8. Jun - Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space on the Space Shuttle Challenger. 9. Jul - The Motion Picture Association of America institutes the PG-13 rating, as a response to violent horror films such as Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. [Parental Advisory sticker for albums coming next year because of Darling Nikki by Prince] 10. Jul - ABC begins their coverage of the Summer Olympic Games from Los Angeles. 11. Sep - The first MTV Video Music Awards, featuring Madonna’s iconic breakout moment, the ‘Like a Virgin’ performance. 12. Nov - Sony and Philips introduce the first portable CD player. 13. Nov – Reagan Re-Elected 14. Top 3 Pop Songs 15. #1 - "When Doves Cry", Prince 16. #2 - "What's Love Got to Do with It", Tina Turner 17. #3 - "Say Say Say", Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson 18. Record of the Year: Tina Turner / What's Love Got To Do With It 19. Album of the Year: Lionel Richie / Can't Slow Down 20. Song of the Year: Terry Britten (songwriter) / What's Love Got To Do With 21. Best New Artist: Cyndi Lauper 22. Top 3 Movies 23. #1 - Beverly Hills Cop 24. #2 - Ghostbusters 25. #3 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 26. Other Notable Movies 27. Gremlins / Karate Kid /Footloose / Terminator / Nightmare on Elm Street / Police Academy / The Never-Ending Story / Sixteen Candles / Romancing the Stone / Breakin’ / Beat Street 28. Top 3 TV Shows 29. #1 – Dynasty 30. #2 – Dallas 31. #3 - The Cosby Show 32. Black Snapshots 33. Apr - Marvin Gaye, singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1939) Motown legend Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his own father after a fight between them. The murder weapon was a gun he had given his father for Christmas. His reputed final words were, "I got what I wanted... I couldn't do it myself, so I made him do it." 34. Jul - Vanessa L. Williams becomes the first Miss America to resign when she surrenders her crown, after nude photos of her appear in Penthouse magazine. 35. Dec - Four African American youths board an express train in The Bronx and attempt to rob Bernhard Goetz. He shoots them. 36. Dec - The first nationally broadcast telethon for the United Negro College fund is held. - "A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste" 37. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Chaka Khan / "I Feel for You" 38. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Billy Ocean / "Caribbean Queen" 39. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: James Ingram & Michael McDonald for "Yah Mo B There" 40. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: Herbie Hancock / "Sound System" 41. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: Prince, songwriter / "I Feel for You" performed by Chaka Khan 42. Economic Snapshot 43. Avg. Income = $21,600 44. House = $86,700 45. New Car = $8,700 46. Avg. Rent = $350 47. Tuition at Harvard = $9,000 48. Movie Ticket = $2.50 49. Gas = $1.10 50. Stamp = $0.20 51. Social Scene: 1984 Olympics [Jul 28th - Aug 12th] 52. Under the direction of the American entrepreneur Peter Ueberroth, the 1984 Olympics witnessed the ascension of commercialism as an integral element in the staging of the Games. Corporate sponsors, principally U.S.-based multinationals, could put Olympic symbols on their products, which were then marketed as the “official” such product of the Olympics. A spot on the torch relay team sold for $3,000 per km. The Olympics turned a profit ($225 million) for the first time since 1932. Despite concerns about growing corporate involvement ... the financial success and high worldwide television ratings raised optimism about the Olympic movement for the first time in a generation. [Due to the success of the games, Peter Ueberroth was named Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1984.] - https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles- 53. The Soviets, and 13 other countries, in retaliation for the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, boycotted the 1984 Olympics. 54. Highlights: 55. Carl Lewis Ties Jesse Owens: At the 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens won four gold medals — the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter, the long jump, and the 400-meter relay. Nearly five decades later, Carl Lewis also won four gold medals, in the same events as Jesse. 56. Edwin Moses won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles 8 years after winning in 1976. 57. Mary Lou Retton: The U.S. became enthralled with the short (4' 9"), exuberant Mary Lou Retton in her attempt to win gold in gymnastics, a sport that had long been dominated by the Soviet Union. When Retton received perfect scores in her final two events, she became the first American woman to win an individual gold medal in gymnastics. 58. A marathon for women was held for the first time at the Olympics (won by Joan Benoit of the U.S.) 59. Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin were on the team that won the gold medal in basketball. 60. The United States topped the medal count for the first time since 1968. 61. Music Scene 62. Black Songs from the Top 40 63. #1 - "When Doves Cry", Prince 64. #2 - "What's Love Got to Do with It", Tina Turner 65. #3 - "Say Say Say", Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson 66. #7 – “Hello", Lionel Richie 67. #9 - "Ghostbusters", Ray Parker Jr. 68. #12 - "All Night Long (All Night)", Lionel Richie 69. #13 - "Let's Hear It for the Boy", Deniece Williams 70. #18 - "Jump (For My Love)", The Pointer Sisters 71. #21 - "Let's Go Crazy", Prince and The Revolution 72. #22 - "Say It Isn't So", Hall & Oates 73. #24 - "Joanna", Kool & The Gang 74. #25 - "I Just Called to Say I Love You", Stevie Wonder 75. #30 - "The Glamorous Life", Sheila E. 76. #32 - "Stuck on You", Lionel Richie 77. Vote: 78. Top R&B Albums 79. Jan - Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie 80. Mar – Thriller, Michael Jackson 81. Apr - Busy Body, Luther Vandross 82. Apr - She's Strange, Cameo 83. May - Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie 84. Jul - Jermaine Jackson, Jermaine Jackson 85. Jul – Lady, One Way 86. Jul - Private Dancer, Tina Turner 87. Jul - Purple Rain [Soundtrack], Prince and The Revolution 88. Dec - The Woman in Red [Soundtrack], Stevie Wonder 89. Vote: 90. Featured Artist: Prince Rogers Nelson, a.k.a. Prince, The Purple One. American singer, songwriter, actor, and multi-instrumentalist. (@ 26 yrs. old) 91. Famous for his flamboyance, powerful voice, and eclectic behavior, he boasted of a career that spanned four long decades, a rarity in the music world where success is fickle. With worldwide sales of 100 million records, he is counted amongst the best-selling artists of all time. The son of a pianist and a jazz singer, Prince inherited his musical talents from his parents who encouraged him from a young age to pursue music as a career. Under his parents’ guidance he developed a deep love for music and began creating tunes when he was just seven. He also taught himself how to play the piano, guitar and drums. He became a professional singer and performer as a young man and earned much popularity with his eponymous album ‘Prince.’ His highly sexualized lyrics, creative compositions, and incorporation of elements of funk, dance, and rock music made him stand out from others of his generation. He enjoyed a very successful career that was cut short by his untimely death at the age of 57. 92. Childhood & Early Life: 93. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 7, 1958 to an African American couple Mattie Della and John Lewis Nelson. His father was a pianist and songwriter and his mother was a jazz singer. He suffered from epileptic seizures as a young child. He became interested in music at a young age and was encouraged by his parents. He taught himself how to play the piano, guitar and drums, and wrote his first tune when he was seven. His parents separated when he was ten, and the next few years were spent repeatedly switching homes, sometimes living with his father and sometimes with his other. He formed his first band, Grand Central (later known as Champagne), when he was 14. 94. Career: 95. Debut album ‘For You’, (1978) / ‘Prince’, (1979) - Hit singles ‘Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’. Went platinum, effectively establishing Prince’s career. / ‘Dirty Mind’ (1980) / ’Controversy’ (1981), and ‘1999’ (1982) 96. 1984, he released ‘Purple Rain’. Sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1. The same year he appeared in a rock musical drama film of the same name, making his film debut. The film became a cult classic. 97. Following Albums: ‘Parade’ (1986) / ‘Sign o' the Times’ (1987) / ‘Lovesexy’ (1988) / ‘Batman’ (1989) 98. In the 1990s he started performing with a new backing band, the New Power Generation. 99. In 1993 he changed his stage name to, an unpronounceable symbol which was a combination of the symbols for male (♂) and female (♀). 100. ‘Purple Rain’ is consistently ranked among the best albums in music history and is widely regarded as Prince's magnum opus. It has sold over 22 million copies worldwide, becoming the sixth best-selling soundtrack album of all time. His album ‘Sign o' the Times’, which had elements of funk, soul, psychedelic pop, and rock music, and featured tracks like ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’, ‘Housequake’ and ‘It’ was another one of his mega hits. In 1989, ‘Time Out’ magazine ranked it as the greatest album of all time. 101. In early April 2016 he reported that he was not feeling well and postponed his performances. It was also said that he was being treated for drug overdose. On April 21, 2016, he was found dead in an elevator. He was 57 years old. 102. Open Comments: Do you know what Purple Rain is? 103. TV Scene: 110. Open Comments: 111. Question: Evans or Huxtables? 112. Vote:
Topics: The Cold War, Run-DMC, New Edition, Bill Cosby (Himself), Eddie Murphy (Delirious). (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1983 Notes 1. Ronald Reagan President 2. Feb - The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, setting a record for most-watched television broadcast in American history. 3. Mar - Strategic Defense Initiative: U.S. President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars". 4. Mar - Michael Jackson performs the dance move that will forever be known as the "moonwalk" at Motown 25. 5. Apr - The April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut kills 63 people. 6. Sep - Cold War: Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down by a Soviet Union jet fighter when the commercial aircraft enters Soviet airspace. All 269 on board are killed including U.S. Congressman Larry McDonald. 7. Sep - Vanessa Lynn Williams becomes the first African American to be crowned Miss America, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 8. Oct - United States troops invade Grenada at the behest of Eugenia Charles of Dominica, a member of the Organization of American States. 9. Oct - Microsoft Word is first released. 10. Nov - The first United States cruise missiles arrive at Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace campaigners. 11. Dec - Michael Jackson's music video for "Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. It becomes the most often repeated and famous music video of all time, increasing his own popularity and record sales of the album "Thriller". 12. Misc.: McDonald's introduces the McNugget and The Cabbage Patch Kids dolls make their national debut, their popularity leads to the Cabbage Patch riots. 13. Top 3 Pop Songs 14. 1 - "Every Breath You Take", The Police 15. 2 - "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson 16. 3 - "Flashdance... What a Feeling", Irene Cara 17. Record of the Year: "Beat It" – Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones 18. Album of the Year: Thriller – Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones 19. Song of the Year: "Every Breath You Take" – The Police Sting (songwriter) 20. Best New Artist: Culture Club 21. Top 3 Movies 22. 1 - Return of the Jedi 23. 2 - Terms of Endearment 24. 3. Flashdance 25. Top 3 TV 26. 1 - Dallas 27. 2 - 60 Minutes 28. 3 - Dynasty 29. Debuts: The A-Team / Webster 30. Black Snapshots 31. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Chaka Khan – Chaka Khan 32. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson 33. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: "Ain't Nobody" – Chaka Khan & Rufus 34. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: "Rockit" – Herbie Hancock 35. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson 36. Best Comedy Recording: "Eddie Murphy", Comedian – Eddie Murphy (Also shows up in TV) 37. Apr - Harold Lee Washington became the first African American Mayor of Chicago. 38. Aug - STS-8: Space Shuttle Challenger carries Guion S. Bluford (Col, USAF, Ret.), the first African American astronaut, into space. 39. Nov - Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana (a black woman), to create a federal holiday honoring MLK Jr. Although the federal holiday honoring King was signed into law in 1983 and took effect three years later, not every U.S. state chose to observe the holiday at the state level until 1991. 40. Nov - Jessie Jackson announced his campaign for President of the United States in the 1984 election, becoming the second African American (after Shirley Chisholm) to mount a nationwide campaign for president. 41. Sept - Vanesa Williams becomes the first African American recipient of the Miss America title. 42. Misc.: The Color Purple wins the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. 43. The Women of Brewster Place is the debut novel of American author Gloria Naylor. It won the 1983 National Book Award for "First Novel". 44. “Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?”, Maya Angelou's fourth volume of poetry, is published. 45. Nikki Giovanni publishes her 9th poetry collection, "Those Who Ride The Night Winds". Included are poems about John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, as well as friends, lovers, mothers, and the poet herself. 46. Economic Snapshots 47. New House: 82k 48. Avg Income: 21k 49. New Car: 9k 50. Avg. Rent: 350 51. Tuition to Harvard: 8K 52. Movie Ticket: 2.50 53. Gas: 1.20 54. Stamp: 20c 55. Social Scene: The Cold War Becomes A Real Thing for Gen X. 56. Brief Overview - [http://www.american-historama.org/1945-1989-cold-war-era/strategic-defense-initiative.htm] 57. The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as Star Wars because it promoted ideas such as lasers and computer-guided projectiles, was the US response to possible nuclear attacks and it was introduced on March 23, 1983 during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. 58. The objective of the SDI program was to develop an advanced anti-ballistic missile system to enable the United States to prevent missile attacks from the USSR and other countries during the Cold War. 59. The idea was to set up many space satellites that would detect the launch, and then shoot down, any enemy missiles. 60. The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was cancelled in 1993 and replaced with the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002. 61. 10 SDI Highlights 62. #1: Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was the military strategy adopted during the Cold War Arms Race. It assumed that both the USSR and the US would refrain from launching nuclear weapons, knowing that the other country would retaliate and cause the complete nuclear annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. 63. #2: The Strategic "Defense" Initiative program focused on strategic defense and replaced the "Offensive" doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD). 64. #3: SDI became the subject of intense political controversy. A Washington Post article published the day after the speech, quoted Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy describing the proposal as "reckless Star Wars schemes." 65. #4: Critics in the media used that term frequently (despite Reagan's request that they use the program's official name), implying it was an impractical science fiction. This did much damage the program's credibility. 66. #5: Many critics believed that it would extend the arms race into space and cause the USSR to expand its own offensive nuclear weapons. 67. #6: SDI began extremely expensive research projects costing billions of dollars every year. The research projects included space-based laser weapons, spy satellites and space-based interceptors. 68. #7: In response to the US research projects, the Soviets began work on developing their own version of Strategic Defense Initiative. 69. #8: The efforts by the Soviet Union to match the expenditure of the U.S. in the Cold War Arms Race contributed greatly to nation's economic problems. 70. #9: Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev realized that the USSR could not afford the Cold War Arms Race or match the massive expenditure involved in the US Strategic Defense Initiative. In 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev fell from power and the Soviet Union was dissolved. 71. #10: The SDI had itself become an economic weapon and was instrumental in causing the downfall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. 72. Audio Clip: 73. Question: Do you think the threat of Nuclear War has grown or shrunk during your lifetime? 74. Music Scene 75. Top R&B Singles (from Billboard's Year-End Top 40 Pop Songs) 76. #2 - "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson 77. #3 - "Flashdance... What a Feeling", Irene Cara 78. #5 - "Beat It", Michael Jackson 79. #7 - "Maneater", Hall & Oates 80. #8 - "Baby, Come to Me", Patti Austin and James Ingram 81. #15 - "She Works Hard for the Money", Donna Summer 82. #25 - "Little Red Corvette" Prince 83. #29 - "You" Lionel Richie 84. #32 - "Sexual Healing" Marvin Gaye 85. #29 - “One on One" Hall & Oates 86. #41 - "1999" Prince 87. Other Notable 1983 R&B Singles 88. Apr - "Atomic Dog", George Clinton 89. May - "Candy Girl", New Edition 90. May - "Save the Overtime (For Me)", Gladys Knight and the Pips 91. Jun - "Juicy Fruit", Mtume 92. Oct - "Ain't Nobody", Rufus & Chaka Khan 93. Oct - "All Night Long (All Night)", Lionel Richie 94. Dec - "Time Will Reveal", DeBarge 95. Vote 96. Top R&B Albums (from Billboard's number-one R&B albums) 97. Jan - Midnight Love, Marvin Gaye 98. Jan - Thriller, Michael Jackson 99. Jul - Between the Sheets, The Isley Brothers 100. Jul - Thriller, Michael Jackson 101. Sep - Cold Blooded, Rick James 102. Nov - Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie 103. Vote 104. Key Artist #1: Run - DMC 105. Run (Joseph Simmons) @ 19 yrs old / DMC (Darryl McDaniels) @ 19 yrs old / Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) @ 18 yrs old 106. The trio grew up in Hollis, Queens, a moderately stable African American community in New York. / DMC was born to a teenage mother and was adopted three months later. 107. Run and DMC were childhood friends 108. 1978: JMJ discovers the turntable at age 13. By age 14 he is spinning for live crowds at block parties. 109. 1980: The trio met via the emerging hip-hop scene at Hollis' "Two-Fifths Park". Simmons and McDaniels rapped in front of Mizell at the park, and the three became friends. 110. 1981: Fortunately for them, Run’s older brother, Russell Simmons, had his foot in the music business, as the manager for rappers Kurtis Blow and Whodini. Russell made Run Kurtis Blow's DJ and helped him record the single “Street Kid,” but it went nowhere. Later that year, the friends decide to become a crew. 111. 1982: Russell agreed to help the new group record a single and get a record deal, but on one condition –McDaniels change his stage name, from “Easy D” to “D.M.C.” 112. 1983: Run DMC hit the scene with their debut 12-inch single for “It’s Like That,” with “Sucker MCs” as the B-side. The out-of-the-box success of these two songs was the beginning of a new era for hip-hop. 113. Run-D.M.C. exploded out of Hollis, changing popular culture in general. Not only was their sound different, so was their dress. Earlier rap stars fashioned their looks after the spangled superhero costumes of 1970s funk acts like Parliament-Funkadelic and Rick James, Run-DMC appeared in their signature bowler hats, black leather jackets, unlaced Adidas athletic shoes, and black denim pants, establishing the more casual look of hip urban youth. 114. They were the first rappers to have a gold album - Run-D.M.C. (1984). The first rap act to appear on MTV, becoming popular with the cable channel’s largely white audience with their fusion of hip-hop and guitar solos on hits such as “Rock Box” (1984) and a 1986 remake of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”. 115. Although the group never officially disbanded, their recording and performing activities decreased significantly in the 1990s and in 2002 Jam Master Jay was fatally shot at a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. 116. Run-DMC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 and received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2016. 117. Meanwhile, up the coast near Boston… In 1978, Robert Barisford Brown (@ 9 yrs old), Michael Lamont Bivins (@ 10 yrs old), and Ricardo "Ricky" Bell (@ 11 yrs old) started a vocal group. 118. Ricardo’s friend Ralph Edward Tresvant (@10 yrs old), and the nephew of the group’s manager and choreographer, Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (@11 yrs old) soon joined. 119. Key Artists #2: New Edition 120. For a complete history go watch "The New Edition Story" on BET 121. But the short story is this...They all lived in the Orchard Park Projects in Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, and where heavily influenced by Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5. 122. They scored its big break in 1981, when they finished 2nd in a local talent show. They impressed the singer/producer Maurice Starr, and he brought the group to his studio the following day and started recording their debut album, Candy Girl. 123. Audio Clip 124. Question: These two groups are primarily responsible for hip-hop crossing over to rock and R&B, and therefore a wider and whiter audience. Has that been a good thing? 125. Movie Scene 126. Bill Cosby: Himself 127. After I Spy and before The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby left his own inimitable mark on the arena of stand-up comedy in this live concert showcasing his down-to-earth observations on the rigors and joys of family life. Cosby, using only a microphone and a chair, discusses his take on raising kids and the illogical nature of children and the futility of trying to argue with a child that in the end may be smarter than you. Notable highlights include Cosby's ruminations on the meaning of the all-purpose phrase "I don't know" to kids, and Cosby describing the effect raising children has on his wife Camille's mental state and the pitch of her voice. Containing the basis for the humor of his long-running situation comedy, Bill Cosby: Himself is a polished, occasionally insightful, and frequently hilarious night of comedy from one of the longtime masters of the form. --Robert Lane: https://www.quotes.net/movies/bill_cosby%3A_himself_1089 128. Born poor, the son of a sailor and a maid, he excelled at school, in both sport and academic study, becoming class president and winning a university scholarship while doing part-time jobs to help support his family. Giving all that up, he instantly became successful as a comedian, going on to be the first African American to star in a network TV series (I Spy), as well as the first to win an acting Emmy (three of them, plus one for variety shows and nine Grammies). By the time this performance was recorded, he had completed a doctorate in education, and was about to launch The Cosby Show, the decade's biggest sitcom, which would make him the best-paid entertainer in the world for two years running (1986 and 1987). He also sings and can play jazz guitar and drums. At 75, he's still extremely funny. - https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/jul/19/comedy-gold-bill-cosby-himself 129. Television Scene 130. Delirious (1983) is an American stand-up comedy television special directed by Bruce Gowers, written by and starring Eddie Murphy. The comedy became a TV Special for HBO released August 30, 1983.Eddie Murphy in stand-up before all the prosthetic flesh happened. For a generation of naughty schoolboys, this was the video to have; no parent-free gathering or playground conversation was complete without repeating some of Eddie’s profanity-strewn, impression-laden genius. The homophobic opening gambit and an alarmingly ignorant bit on AIDS are jaw-dropping, but there’s no denying Murphy’s supreme on-stage talent — when he’s on more timeless material (ice cream, cookouts, shoe-throwing mothers), few in the world were ever as funny as this. It’s easy to forget how funny Murphy's stand-up really was. Despite being a little dated in subject, this still slays. - https://www.empireonline.com/movies/eddie-murphy-delirious/review/ 131. “The most homophobic standup routine I’ve ever seen,” says another. “Can’t believe all the messed-up things he says about AIDS, including saying how you’ll catch AIDS from your girlfriend if she kisses her gay friend. 80s hateful prejudice in full force.” 132. Murphy apologized for the routine back in 1996, saying, “I deeply regret any pain all this has caused. Just like the rest of the world, I am more educated about AIDS in 1996 than I was in 1981. ”I know how serious an issue AIDS is the world over. I know that AIDS isn’t funny. It’s 1996 and I’m a lot smarter about AIDS now. I am not homophobic, and I am not anti-gay. My wife and I have donated both time and money to AIDS research. I’ve had people close to me die from the disease as well. I don’t know a person who hasn’t been touched in some way by this disease. Everybody knows somebody who is sick. Black people have been hit harder by this disease than any other group of people on the planet.” - https://www.queerty.com/eddie-murphys-homophobic-comedy-special-delirious-now-streaming-netflix-20161229 133. Question: Does he get a pass? 134. The A-Team 135. Four Vietnam vets, framed for a crime they didn't commit, help the innocent while on the run from the military. It’s THE A-TEAM 136. Led by master of disguise, Lieutenant Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith played by the gruff but loveable George Peppard, this group of falsely convicted commandos now work as fugitive mercenaries. Dirk Benedict is the team’s master manipulator and con man, Templeton “Face” Peck. Dwight Schultz plays the certifiable master aviator, Captain H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock. And you can’t spell The A-Team without Mr. T as master mechanic, Mohawked muscle man, and van driver (with a serious fear of flying), Bosco “B.A.” (“Bad Attitude”) Baracus. But enough jibba jabba. Tune in and watch the plan come together, fool! 137. The show ran for five seasons, with several minor cast changes along the way; the show's eventual decline was attributed to the constantly recycled and extremely formulaic plot. Attempts to win viewers back, by both changing the overall premise and having the A-Team overseen by a former antagonist, worked for only a short while. 138. Logic and credibility were usually ignored for the series' trademark over-the-top explosions, but the show never took itself particularly seriously, anyway: most of Hannibal's disguises were paper-thin, the villains were usually mostly-inept and somewhat one-dimensional, and the weapons that the Team cobbled together from miscellaneous parts were invariably more effective than the machine guns that the episode's villains used. 139. A big-screen version was released in June 2010, with Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley and Quinton Jackson as the team. The trailer can be seen on YouTube. Tropes go to the respective page. 140. Question: Does anybody care? 141. Webster 142. The post-retirement season is suddenly disrupted for football player George Papadapolis and his wife Katherine when Webster, the orphaned son of a former teammate, moves in. Laughter, and life lessons, in every episode. Webster was ABC's answer to the long-running NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes ... especially with its showcase star and even down to the basic concept (a young African American child being adopted by a white family). 143. The showcase star on Webster was Emmanuel Lewis, who played the title character. At 4-foot-3, the 12-year-old Lewis easily passed for 6 or 7 (the character's age at the start of the series in 1983), which was Webster's age when he was adopted by 144. Clark's production company. After the third season ended, Emmanuel Lewis Entertainment Enterprises, Inc. was established and became a third production company. This was actually part of an agreement between Karras and Clark, Paramount, and ABC, in which Emmanuel Lewis would get production credit alongside them for ABC to stop making the story lines be "all Webster, all the time. “The series ran from 1983-1987 on ABC before spending its final two first-run years in syndication. By the time the final first-run episode aired in 1989, Webster was 12 years old and getting ready to enter junior high school; in real life, Lewis had just turned 18. 145. Question: Why didn’t we riot in the streets? 146. Final Vote: Favorite pop culture event/item for 1983?
Topics: Reaganomics, MJ vis-a-vis Prince, 48 Hrs. (Film). (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1. 1982 Notes 2. General Snapshots 3. Ronald Reagan President 4. Oct – The 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders occur when 7 people in the Chicago area die after ingesting capsules laced with potassium cyanide. 5. November – The unemployment rate peaks at 10.8%. 6. November 2 – United States elections, 1982. The Republican Party loses 27 seats to the majority Democratic Party in the House. 7. November 30 – Michael Jackson releases Thriller, the biggest-selling album of all time. 8. Open Comments 9. Popular Music Scene 10. Top 3 Singles 11. 1 - "Physical", Olivia Newton-John 12. 2 - "Eye of the Tiger", Survivor 13. 3 - "I Love Rock 'n Roll", Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 14. Record of the Year - "Rosanna", Toto 15. Album of the Year - Toto IV, Toto 16. Song of the Year - "Always on My Mind", Willie Nelson 17. Best New Artist - Men at Work 18. Open Comments 19. Popular Movies 20. Top 3 Grossing Movies 21. 1 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 22. 2 – Tootsie 23. 3 - An Officer and a Gentleman 24. Notables: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, First Blood, Poltergeist, Rocky III, Porky's, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan 25. Open Comments 26. Popular TV 27. 1 - 60 Minutes 28. 2 – Dallas 29. 3 - M*A*S*H / Magnum, P.I. 30. Black Snapshots 31. Jan - Fame debuts on TV 32. Mar - Teddy Pendergrass is severely injured in a car accident in Philadelphia. Pendergrass's injuries result in him being paralyzed from the chest down. 33. Andrew Jackson Young Jr., pastor, politician, diplomat, activist, former executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and a close confidant to Martin Luther King Jr. becomes Mayor of Atlanta. 34. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Jennifer Holliday for "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)"Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Marvin Gaye for "Sexual Healing" 35. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: (tie) Dazz Band for "Let It Whip" 36. Earth, Wind & Fire for "Wanna Be with You" 37. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Turn Your Love Around" performed by George Benson 38. Best Comedy Recording: Richard Pryor for Live on the Sunset Strip 39. Economic Snapshots 40. New House - 82.5k 41. Avg Income - 21k 42. New Car - 8k 43. Avg Rent – 320 44. Harvard Tuition - 7k per year 45. Movie Ticket - 2.50 46. Stamp - .20 47. Open Comments 48. Social Scene: Reaganomics 49. Reaganomics is a popular term used to refer to the economic policies of Ronald Reagan 50. During the campaign of 1980, Ronald Reagan announced a recipe to fix the nation's economic mess. He claimed an undue tax burden, excessive government regulation, and massive social spending programs hampered growth. 51. Reagan's 1981 Program for Economic Recovery had four major policy objectives: (1) reduce the growth of government spending, (2) reduce the marginal tax rates on income from both labor and capital, (3) reduce regulation, and (4) reduce inflation by controlling the growth of the money supply. The economic theory behind the plan was called Supply-Side, or Trickle-Down economics, or voodoo economics by political opponents. 52. Did It Work? 53. President Reagan delivered on each of his four major policy objectives., although not to the extent that he and his supporters had hoped. 54. Government spending wasn't lowered, just shifted from domestic programs to defense. The result? The federal debt almost tripled, from $997 billion in 1981 to $2.857 trillion in 1989. 55. Reagan cut tax rates enough to stimulate consumer demand. By Reagan's last year in office, the top income tax rate was 28 percent for single people making $18,550 or more. Anyone making less paid no taxes at all. That was much less than the 1980 top tax rate of 70 percent for individuals earning $108,000 or more. Reagan offset these tax cuts with tax increases elsewhere. He raised Social Security payroll taxes and some excise taxes. Reagan cut the corporate tax rate from 46 percent to 40 percent. 56. Reagan deregulated: Domestic oil and gas, cable TV, long-distance telephone service, interstate bus service, and ocean shipping. He eased bank regulations, but that helped create the Savings and Loan Crisis in 1989. Reagan increased, not decreased, import barriers. He did little to reduce other regulations affecting health, safety, and the environment. Carter had reduced regulations at a faster pace. 57. Tame Inflation. Reagan was fortunate Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker was already in place. Volcker vigorously attacked the double-digit inflation of the 1970s. 58. Legacy 59. Reagan’s indifference to urban problems was legendary. For example, early in his presidency, at a White House reception, Reagan greeted the only black member of his Cabinet, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Samuel Pierce, saying: “How are you, Mr. Mayor? I’m glad to meet you. How are things in your city?” He had failed to recognize his own HUD Secretary. 60. And his dislike for public school education is still with us. 61. MAY 06, 2013 LANCE T. IZUMI: SACRAMENTO, CA – While Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy changed the face of the world, it shouldn’t be forgotten that his leadership also dramatically changed the face of issues at home. Top among those was education. In 1983, the Reagan administration released the groundbreaking report A Nation at Risk. Using a wealth of statistical data, the report demonstrated in detail the failings of America’s education system and the impact of those failings on the country’s children. The report recommended greater emphasis on basic subjects such as math and English, more rigorous and measurable standards, higher expectations for student performance and conduct, lengthening the school year, and improving teacher quality through, for example, increasing standards for teacher training programs. It’s no coincidence that the report’s recommendations form the basis for much of today’s agenda for education reform. 62. According to Dick Carpenter, professor of education leadership at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, in the two years after the release of “A Nation at Risk”, Reagan delivered more than 50 education-related speeches. Prof. Carpenter found, In speech after speech, Reagan articulated his educational beliefs and ideas, including parental responsibility in education; school choice, including tax credits and vouchers; rigorous academic content focused on basics such as reading, writing, arithmetic, history, and government; religious freedom in schools; high standards of conduct and discipline; character education; and a federal responsibility in helping the disadvantaged. 63. Gary K. Clabaugh The Cutting Edge 259: Most presupposed that the charges made by Mr. Reagan’s handpicked panel were true. Oddly, throughout this entire clamor parents’ confidence in the schools their children attended remained remarkably high.9Meanwhile Mr. Reagan was quietly halving federal aid to education. 64. That sums up Mr. Reagan’s educational legacy. As governor and president he demagogically fanned discontent with public education,then made political hay of it. As governor and president he bashed educators and slashed education spending while professing to value it. And as governor and president, he left the nation’s educators dispirited and demoralized. 65. Open Comments 66. Question: What are some of the changes you have noticed in schools since you were a child? Good & Bad. 67. Music Scene 68. Black Songs from the Top 40 69. 4 - "Ebony and Ivory", Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder 70. 15 - "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", Hall & Oates 71. 24 - "Let It Whip", Dazz Band 72. 26 - "The Other Woman", Ray Parker Jr.27 - "Turn Your Love Around", George Benson 73. 33 - "Let's Groove”, Earth, Wind & Fire 74. Vote Top R&B Albums 75. Jan - Raise!, Earth, Wind and Fire 76. Feb - Skyy Line, Skyy 77. Feb - The Poet, Bobby Womack 78. Apr - Love Is Where You Find It, The Whispers 79. Apr - Friends, Shalamar 80. May - Brilliance, Atlantic Starr 81. May - The Other Woman, Ray Parker, Jr. 82. Jun - Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Stevie Wonder 83. Jun - Keep It Live, Dazz Band 84. Jul - Gap Band IV, The Gap Band 85. Sep - Jump to It, Aretha Franklin 86. Oct - Get Loose, Evelyn "Champagne" King 87. Nov - Forever, For Always, For Love, Luther Vandross 88. Nov - Lionel Richie, Lionel Richie 89. Dec - Midnight Love, Marvin Gaye 90. Key Artists: Michael Jackson, vis-a-vis Prince, and Quincy 91. Let's just peek into the "underground" scene and see what Prince has been up to since Off The Wall 92. (1979)"Thriller" is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982 93. "1999" is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first to feature his band the Revolution. It was released on October 27, 1982. 94. Previous Albums by Prince: For You (1978), Prince (1979), Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), 1999 (1982) - Peak Chart Position for "1999" was #5 95. Singles from Prince since 1978: 96. June 7, 1978 - "Just as Long as We're Together" 97. November 21, 1978 - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" 98. August 24, 1979"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" 99. January 23, 1980"Still Waiting" 100. March 25, 1980"Sexy Dancer" 101. April 1980 (non-US single)"Uptown" 102. September 10, 1980"Dirty Mind" 103. November 26, 1980"Do It All Night" 104. March 6, 1981"Controversy" 105. September 2, 1981"Sexuality" 106. October 1981 (non-US single)"Let's Work" 107. January 6, 1982"Do Me, Baby" 108. July 16, 1982Singles from "1999""1999" 109. September 24, 1982"Little Red Corvette" 110. February 9, 1983"D.M.S.R." 111. Vote: Prince vs. MJ 112. Quincy Delight Jones Jr., aka The Dude (@ 49 yrs. old): Producer, musician, composer, and film producer. 113. Born on the South Side of Chicago 114. Parents divorced at a young age. At 10 yrs. old, family moved to the state of Washington. 115. At 14, began playing the trumpet, arranging music, and hanging out with 16-year-old Ray Charles. 116. At 19, left college to become a professional musician with the Lionel Hampton band. While with the band he did arrangements for Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and other prominent artists of the day. 117. For the next 8 years he traveled the world performing with Hampton, arranging music, and building possibly the best contacts list in music history. 118. At 27, he started his own band. It was a financial failure and left him in serious debt. 119. Irving Green, friend and head of Mercury records gave him a personal loan, and an executive job. Quincy was off to the races. 120. Highlights: 121. One 1 year later, friend Sidney Lumet, one of the most prolific filmmakers of the era: 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976), and The Verdict (1982), asked him to score his film The Pawnbroker. He would go one to score 40+ films. 122. In 1964, at age 31, he was the arranger/conductor for Frank Sinatra's 2nd album with Count Basie, It Might As Well Be Swing, which contained the classic hit Fly Me to The Moon. It became the first music heard on the Moon when played on a portable cassette player by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin after he stepped onto the Moon. 123. In addition, he composed the theme music for the TV shows, Sanford and Son, Ironside, Banacek, The Bill Cosby Show, the opening episode of Roots, Mad TV and the game show Now You See It. 124. He was co-producer for the 1985 film The Color Purple. He convinced Steven Spielberg to direct, and was responsible for discovering and casting Oprah. 125. In 1990, he began production for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, with Will Smith, and In the House, with LL Cool J. 126. He launched Vibe magazine in 1993.He is second in the list of all-time Grammy award wins with 28. (31 is 1st) 127. Absolute Legend. 128. Bonus Song: Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five 129. "The Message" is the best-known track by legendary hip-hop innovators Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and is a song that, without exaggeration, changed rap music's tone and content forever. 130. Movie Scene: 48 Hrs., starring Eddie Murphy 131. TV Scene: N/A 132. Vote: Favorite/Most Important Pop Culture thing for the year?
Topics: Black Hair/Jheri Curls, Luther Vandross, Ragtime (Film) - Howard Rollins Jr., Nell Carter (Tv). (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1981 Notes 1. Snapshots 2. Ronald Reagan is President 3. Jan - Ronald Reagan is sworn in as the 40th President of the United States. Minutes later, Iran releases the 52 Americans held for 444 days, ending the Iran hostage crisis. 4. Mar - U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by John Hinckley, Jr. Two police officers and Press Secretary James Brady are also wounded. 5. Jun - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that five homosexual men in Los Angeles, California, have a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems (the first recognized cases of AIDS). 6. Jul - President Ronald Reagan nominates the first woman, Sandra Day O'Connor, to the Supreme Court of the United States. 7. Aug - MTV (Music Television) is launched on cable television in the United States. 8. Aug - The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is introduced. 9. Nov - Luke and Laura marry on the U.S. soap opera General Hospital; it is the highest-rated hour in daytime television history. 10. Dec - The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, is born in Norfolk, Virginia. 11. Open Comments: 12. Popular Music Scene 13. Top 3 Singles 14. 1 - "Bette Davis Eyes", Kim Carnes 15. 2 - "Endless Love", Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 16. 3 - "Lady", Kenny Rogers 17. Record of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes" performed by Kim Carnes 18. Album of the Year: John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy 19. Song of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes" performed by Kim Carnes 20. Best New Artist: Sheena Easton 21. Open Comments: 22. Popular Movies 23. Top 3 Grossing Movies 24. 1 - Raiders of the Lost Ark 25. 2 - On Golden Pond 26. 3 - Superman II 27. Open Comments: 28. Popular TV 29. Top 3 Rated Shows 30. 1 - Dallas 31. 2 - 60 Minutes 32. 3 - The Jeffersons 33. Open Comments: 34. Black Snapshots 35. Feb - Funky 4 + 1 perform "That's the Joint" on NBC's Saturday Night Live. This makes them the first hip hop act to perform on national television. 36. Mar - Toni Morrison gave her next novel, Tar Baby (1981), a contemporary setting. In it, a looks-obsessed fashion model, Jadine, falls in love with Son, a penniless drifter who feels at ease with being black. 37. Jun - Wayne Williams, a 23-year-old African American, is arrested and charged with the murders of two other African Americans. He is later accused of 28 others, in the Atlanta child murders. 38. Aug - Bryant Gumbel: The candidates auditioned for Brokaw's job throughout the summer of 1981 when he was on vacation. Gumbel became a candidate for the job just by chance when he served as a last-minute substitute for Today co-anchor Jane Pauley in August 1981. 39. Oct - Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for six seasons from October 29, 1981 until May 12, 1987. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. 40. Sep - Isabel Sanford - For her role on The Jeffersons as "Weezy", she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1981, making her the first African American actress to win in that category. 41. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Aretha Franklin for "Hold On I'm Comin'" 42. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: James Ingram for "One Hundred Ways" 43. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Quincy Jones for The Dude 44. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: David Sanborn for "All I Need Is You" 45. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Just the Two of Us" performed by Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers 46. Open Comments: 47. Economic Snapshot 48. New House: 78k 49. Avg. income: 21k 50. New car: 8k 51. Avg rent: 315 52. Postage Stamp: 18c 53. Movie ticket: 2.25 54. Open Comments: 55. Social Scene: The Jheri Curl 56. Brief History of Black Hair 57. For centuries black communities around the world have created hairstyles that are uniquely their own. These hairstyles span all the way back to the ancient world and continue to weave their way through the social, political and cultural conversations surrounding black identity today. 58. Ancient Origins: Headdresses and wigs symbolized one’s rank and were essential to royal and wealthy Egyptians, male and female alike. 59. Twisted Locks: Dreadlocks have often been perceived as a hairstyle associated with 20th century Jamaican and Rastafarian culture, but according to Dr. Bert Ashe’s book, Twisted: My Dreadlock Chronicles, one of the earliest known recordings of the style has been found in the Hindu Vedic scriptures and worn about 2,500 years ago. 60. Intricate Braids: Braids were used to signify marital status, age, religion, wealth, and rank within several West African communities. 61. Bantu/Nubian Knots: Bantu universally translates to “people” among many African languages and is used to categorize over 400 ethnic groups in Africa. 62. Cornrows: Africans wore these tight braids laid along the scalp as a representation of agriculture, order and a civilized way of life. These types of braids have served many purposes, from an everyday convenience to a more elaborate adornment meant for special occasions. In the age of colonialism, slaves wore cornrows not only as an homage to where they had come from, but also a practical way to wear one’s hair during long labored hours. 63. Madam CJ Walker and The Quest for Straight Hair: Even after Emancipation, there was a growing notion that European textured hair was “good” and African textured hair was “bad,” foreign and unprofessional. Wigs and chemical treatments became the means to achieve smoother, straighter hair. Cornrows were still popular, but this time only as the base for sew-ins and extensions, not something thought of as for public display. In the early 1900s, Annie Malone and Madam C.J. Walker started to develop products that targeted this want for straighter hair. 64. Dreadlocks: In the 1920s, Jamaica born Marcus Garvey began a black nationalist movement in America to spread his belief that all black people should return to their rightful homeland of Africa. Although many associate dreadlocks like Bob Marley’s with what became known as the Rastafari movement, the Ethiopian emperor, who the movement was named for, was better known for his facial hair than the hair on his head. Early Rastas were reluctant to cut their hair due to the Nazarite vow in the Bible. Tensions started to build regarding debates on whether to comb these locs. In the 1950s, a faction within the Rastafari movement, the Youth Black Faith, rebelled against any visual signs of conformity, and split into the “House of Dreadlocks” and “House of Combsomes.” 65. Afro: With the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s, came the rise of the natural hair movement that encouraged black communities to accept their hair and turn away from damaging products. The notion of conforming to European standards did not fit with their message of black power. 66. Jheri Curl (Thanks Michael Jackson): The Jheri curl provided a glossy curly style that became uniquely iconic in its time. The name comes from its inventor, Jheri Redding, a white man from an Illinois farm who turned into one of the 20th century’s leading hair chemists. In the 1970s, Jheri Redding Products created a two-step chemical process that first softened the hair, then sprang it up into curls. However, Comer Cottrell is the man responsible for taking this product to the masses. In 1970, Cottrell and two partners started mixing hair care products by hand for their new L.A. company, Pro-Line Corporation. By 1980 they were able to create a product that replicated the look of the Jheri curl for much cheaper. The Curly Kit cut out the need to book an expensive salon appointment and in 1981, Forbes magazine called it “the biggest single product ever to hit the black cosmetic market.” In their first year of business, the $8 kits took in over $10 million in sales. 67. Audio Clips 68. Shape-Ups and Fade: (Thanks Michael Jackson) The 1980s ushered in the birth of Hip Hop, which had a huge cultural influence on style. Black barber shops around the U.S. had perfected the fade but the ‘80s allowed them to blossom with more forms of creativity and expressionism. Afros were shaped up with the sides cut short for a hi-top fade, and cornrows were braided in with flairs of individuality. Icons like Grace Jones sported inspired looks on their album covers, and by the 1990s the fade was being beamed into television sets across the U.S., via Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. [Source: https://www.history.com/news/black-hairstyles-visual-history-in-photos] 69. Open Comments: 70. Question: What is your "back in the day" hair horror story? 71. Music Scene 72. Black Songs from the Top 40 73. #2 - "Endless Love", Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 74. #6 - "Celebration", Kool & the Gang 75. #7 - "Kiss on My List", Hall & Oates 76. #13 - "Being with You", Smokey Robinson 77. #18 - "Just the Two of Us", Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers 78. #19 - "Slow Hand", The Pointer Sisters 79. #22 - "Sukiyaki", A Taste of Honey 80. #39 - "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", Commodores 81. #45 - "How 'Bout Us", Champaign 82. Vote: 83. Top R&B Albums 84. Jan - Hotter Than July, Stevie Wonder 85. Feb - The Gap Band III, The Gap Band 86. Mar - The Two Of Us, Yarbrough & Peoples 87. Apr - Being With You, Smokey Robinson 88. May - A Woman Needs Love, Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio 89. Jun - Street Songs, Rick James 90. Oct - Breakin' Away, Jarreau 91. Nov - The Many Facets Of Roger, Roger 92. Nov - Never Too Much, Luther Vandross 93. Nov - Something Special, Kool & The Gang 94. Nov - Raise, Earth, Wind & Fire 95. Vote: 96. Key Artists: Luther Vandross, "The Velvet Voice" 97. Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (@ 30 yrs. old), was born and raised in NYC. He was a singer, songwriter and record producer. - "For many years, Luther Vandross was the vintage Cadillac among the banged-up jalopies in the used car lot of male pop singers. 98. With a sound that echoed the smooth soul stylings of the 1960s, Vandross was a fixture on the rhythm and blues charts from his solo recording debut in 1981 until his tragic stroke in 2003. Over the course of his career he released a string of platinum albums and established himself as one of the leading romantic singers of his generation. Much of his appeal came from his emotional approach to music, which he modeled after great female vocalists such as his friends Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick." 99. He Came from Musical Family: His father, an upholsterer, died when Luther was eight years old, and his mother, a nurse, supported the family (4 children) while living in lower Manhattan housing project. His first piano lessons came at the age of three and his sister was a member of a doo-wop group. By 13, Vandross was obsessed with the girl groups of the Motown label, as well as the gospel-based soul sounds being produced by the likes of Aretha Franklin and Cissy Houston. He liked to hang out in the school hallways and sing doo-wop. In 1972 (@21 yrs. old) a song written by Vandross, "Everybody Rejoice," was chosen for the Broadway musical The Wiz. Although he received substantial royalties for the composition, the money was not enough to support him completely, and Vandross continued to work at a variety of "day jobs". 100. Entered the Music Industry through the Back Door: In 1974 (@23 yrs. old), Vandross received his first real professional break. A childhood friend landed a job backing British singer David Bowie, and he invited Vandross to accompany him to a recording session during the making of Bowie's album Young Americans. During the session, Bowie overheard Vandross mentioning some background vocal arrangement suggestions to Alomar. Bowie loved the ideas, and he immediately hired Vandross to sing and arrange backup vocals for the album. He also recorded a Vandross-penned song, "Fascination." When the album was finished, Vandross joined the Bowie tour as a backup singer. Through Bowie, Vandross made many important connections in the music industry, laying the groundwork for his own budding career. Bowie introduced Vandross was Bette Midler. She hired Vandross to sing backup vocals on her next two albums. Vandross soon became much sought after. Among the artists whose recordings his voice appeared on during the next few years were Chaka Khan, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, the Average White Band, Barbra Streisand, and Donna Summer. He also became one of Madison Avenue's favorite voices for commercial jingles. During the late 1970s, Vandross's anonymous voice was used to sell everything from fried chicken to long-distance telephone service, not to mention as a recruiting tool for the U.S. Army. Artistically, however, those jobs did not satisfy him, and he continued to try to break out as a solo act. He formed or joined several groups, with such names as Luther, Bionic Boogie, and Change, but none proved commercially viable. He also sang the lead vocal on Chic's song "Dance, Dance, Dance." 101. Hit the Big Time: Part of the problem in landing a solo recording contract was Vandross's insistence on total creative control of the recording process. Another problem was the prevalence of disco, a musical form antithetical to Vandross's lyrical approach. Finally, in 1980, Vandross used his own money to rent a studio and began recording. He took the resulting handful of songs to Epic Records, and he was immediately given a contract. Epic released Vandross's first solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. The album sold more than one million copies cracked the top ten on black pop charts, and effectively launched Vandross's career as a solo superstar. 102. Audio Clip / Open comments: 103. Achievements: Grammy Awards, 1979, 1990, 1991 (2), 1996, 2003 (4); NAACP Image Awards, 1990, 2003. 104. Health and death: As Vandross's career expanded, so did his waistline. At times his weight soared to well over 300 pounds. Angered by the constant mention of his size in the press, where he was tagged with such nicknames as the "heavyweight of soul," Vandross shed 120 pounds, only to seesaw back and forth between weight extremes for the next several years. In several interviews, Vandross attributed the yo-yoing to his love life. When things were going well, he lost weight; when he was heartsick, he overcompensated with food. Sadly, in April of 2003 Vandross suffered a debilitating stroke that left him temporarily in a coma; the stroke was likely caused by a combination of his recent weight gain and his ongoing struggle with diabetes. He never fully recovered. 105. Vandross died on July 1, 2005, at the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, at the age of 54 of a heart attack. [Source:https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/luther-vandross] 106. Movie Scene: Ragtime 107. A 1981 drama, directed by Miloš Forman, based on the 1975 historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. Starring: Howad E Rollins Jr, Moses Gunn, Debbie Allen, and Samuel Jackson. 108. Review: "Profound as Coalhouse's story might be, Ragtime is about far more. Set in early 1900s New York, at the beginning of America's so-called Gilded Age, the movie is about the radical and long-lasting changes, including the onset of the industrial revolution, and increased importance of civil rights and sexual equality issues. As in E.L. Doctorow's novel, the characters in Forman's film each represent those changes, with Coalhouse just one in a complex and compelling mix. [Source: Nikki Tranter - 28 Nov 2004 https://www.popmatters.com/ragtime-1981-dvd-2496253275.html] 109. Roger Ebert - “Ragtime” is a loving, beautifully mounted, graceful film that creates its characters with great clarity. We understand where everyone stands, and most of the time we even know why. Forman surrounds them with some of the other characters from the Doctorow novel (including Harry Houdini, Teddy Roosevelt, and Norman Mailer as the architect Sanford White), but in the film they're just atmosphere, window dressing. Forman's decision to stick with the story of Coalhouse is vindicated, because he tells it so well. [Source: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ragtime-1981] 110. Audio Clips 111. Open Comments 112. The actor Howard E. Rollins Jnr made his film debut in Milos Forman's Ragtime (1981) as Coalhouse Walker, the cool, sophisticated ragtime pianist. who becomes head of a group of black revolutionaries. Variety praised his "staggeringly effective portrayal of conscience-wracked pride" and "intense screen magnetism that bodes instant stardom". For a time, it looked as if Rollins would become Sidney Poitier's successor. However, in spite of unanimous praise from the critics, and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Rollins made only one other film appearance. This was A Soldier's Story (1984) ...Rollins gave another memorable performance as the stylish, self-assured but intense Captain Richard Davenport, one of the first black officers in the US Army, who arrives in a racially segregated training camp in wartime Louisiana to investigate the murder of a black sergeant. But this time there was no Oscar recognition or any follow-up movie roles. Years passed before Hollywood felt ready to promote a serious black actor: Denzel Washington. 113. Question: Was he better than Denzel? 114. Black Television: Gimme a Break! [PLEASE!] 115. The series aired for 6 seasons and starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. 116. Nell Ruth Hardy, (@ 33yrs old), born and raised in Birmingham, AL was an award-winning singer, actress, Broadway and television performer. She possessed a powerful, sultry singing voice and had a very strong stage presence; she deftly handled roles in drama, comedy, and musicals with equal capability. 117. Carter was the fifth of nine children. When she was a toddler, her father died of electrocution. At 15, she was raped at gunpoint and gave birth to the child. That same year, four of her friends died when a bomb planted by segregationists exploded in a local church. Later, Carter would say she found solace in listening to music, having a fondness for her mother's Dinah Washington and B.B. King tunes as well as her brother's Elvis Presley records. Carter developed her performance skills by singing in church groups, on the gospel circuit, on a weekly radio program, and coffeehouses. At age 19, she moved to New York City to study acting at Bill Russell's School of Drama. There, she began to appear at several nightclubs. 118. Carter's Broadway debut came in the 1971 musical Soon. (@23 yrs. old), – unknowns Richard Gere and Peter Allen were in the cast. Carter also had a bit part in the film Jesus Christ Superstar in 1973. She moved overseas and studied drama in London before being cast in the 1978 Broadway production of Ain’t Misbehavin' (@30 yrs. old), where it ran four years. She would win a Tony Award for her performance in Ain't Misbehavin' and won an Emmy Award in 1982 for the television version of the show. In addition to her stage roles, Carter appeared in a handful of television shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including the soap opera Ryan's Hope in 1978 and 1979 and in the television series The Mis-adventures of Sheriff Lobo in 1980. Sensing her appeal, network executives offered her the lead role in the sitcom Gimme A Break! in 1981. 119. Audio clip: 120. After Gimme a Break went off the air in 1987, Carter took various parts in films, on television shows, and on stage. Even later in her career, Carter kept active with cabaret performances and concerts. 121. Eating disorders, alcohol and drug addiction, and other health concerns plagued Carter for years. In a 1994 interview, she admitted that she first tried cocaine the night she won her Tony Award. In 1992, Carter had two brain surgeries to fix an aneurysm. In 1997, Carter learned she had diabetes. Carter was married in 1982 and divorced in 1992, then married again that same year. She was divorced again in 1993. In 1989 and 1990, she adopted two sons. Carter died on January 23, 2003, at the age of 54 due to natural causes likely caused by heart disease and complications from diabetes. [Rumored: After her passing, friends and family were surprised to discover that Carter had been living as a closeted lesbian, and that custody of her children had been left to her domestic partner, Ann Kaser.] [Main Source: https://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-A-Di/Carter-Nell.html#ixzz5kPhe5ORT] 122. Open Comments 123. Question: Was this just a show about a modern Mammy? 124. Vote: Favorite Pop Culture thing for the year?
Topics: Pac-Man & the start of the "Gaming" culture, Zapp, Fame (1980 Film), Eddie Murphy. (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1980 1. Jimmy Carter President 2. Jan – The comic strips The Far Side debuts in newspapers 3. Feb – The XIII Winter Olympics open in Lake Placid, New York.[1] 4. Feb – The United States Olympic Hockey Team defeats the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Winter Olympics, in the Miracle on Ice. 5. Feb - U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. 6. Apr – Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation. 7. Apr – Rosie Ruiz wins the Boston Marathon, but is later exposed as a fraud and stripped of her award 8. May – A Miami, Florida court acquits four white police officers of killing Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance executive, provoking three days of race riots. 9. May – Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 and causing US$3 billion in damage. 10. May – The Empire Strikes Back is released. 11. May – Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game of all time, is released. 12. May – Vernon Jordan is shot and critically injured in an assassination attempt in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Joseph Paul Franklin (the first major news story for CNN). 13. Jun – The Cable News Network (CNN) is officially launched. 14. Jun – In Los Angeles, comedian Richard Pryor is badly burned trying to freebase cocaine. 15. Jun – U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs Proclamation 4771, requiring 19- and 20-year-old males to register for a peacetime military draft, in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 16. Jul – The Unemployment Rate peaks at 7.8%, the highest in four years. 17. Nov – United States presidential election, 1980: Republican challenger and former Governor Ronald Reagan of California defeats incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter, exactly one year after the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis. 18. Nov - Millions of viewers tune into the U.S. soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J. R. Ewing. The "Who shot J. R.?" event is a national obsession. 19. Dec - John Lennon is shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. 20. Open Comments: 21. Popular Music Scene 22. Top 3 Singles 23. 1 - "Call Me", Blondie 24. 2 - "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II", Pink Floyd 25. 3 - "Magic", Olivia Newton-John 26. Record of the Year: Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for "Sailing" 27. Album of the Year: Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for Christopher Cross 28. Song of the Year: Christopher Cross for "Sailing" 29. Best New Artist: Christopher Cross 30. Open Comments: 31. Popular Movies 32. Top 3 Grossing Movies 33. 1 - The Empire Strikes Back 34. 2 - 9 to 5 35. 3 - Stir Crazy 36. Open Comments: 37. Notables: 38. Airplane!, starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 39. American Gigolo, directed by Paul Schrader, starring Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton and Héctor Elizondo 40. The Blue Lagoon, starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins 41. The Blues Brothers, directed by John Landis, starring John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Henry Gibson 42. Caddyshack, directed by Harold Ramis, starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Cindy Morgan, Bill Murray 43. Coal Miner's Daughter, starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones 44. Flash Gordon, directed by Mike Hodges, starring Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol 45. Friday the 13th, directed by Sean S. Cunningham, starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King and Harry Crosby 46. Raging Bull, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty 47. The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers 48. Open Comments: 49. Popular TV 50. Top 3 Rated Shows 51. 1 - Dallas 52. 2 - The Dukes of Hazzard 53. 3- 60 Minutes 54. Open Comments: 55. Black Snapshots 56. Ralph Abernathy, president of the SCLC following the assassination of King in 1968, endorses Ronald Reagan 57. Nikki Giovanni publishes Vacation Time: Poems for Children 58. Bernard Shaw stars at CNN: Shaw is widely known for the question he posed to Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Michael Dukakis at his second Presidential debate with George H. W. Bush during the 1988 election, which Shaw was moderating. Knowing that Dukakis opposed the death penalty, Shaw asked him if he would support an irrevocable death penalty for a man who hypothetically raped and murdered Dukakis's wife. Dukakis responded that he would not. 59. Nov - Eddie Murphy made his first Saturday Night Live appearance, appearing in a non-speaking role in the sketch "In Search Of The Negro Republican". 60. Jan - Black Entertainment Television launches in the United States as a block of programming on the USA Network; it won't be until 1983 that BET becomes a full-fledged channel. 61. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female - Stephanie Mills for "Never Knew Love Like This Before" 62. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male - George Benson for Give Me the Night 63. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - The Manhattans for "Shining Star" 64. Open Comments: 65. Economic 66. New House: 69K 67. Avg. income: 19K 68. New car: 7K 69. Avg rent: 300 70. Postage Stamp: 15c 71. Movie ticket: 2.25 72. Open Comments: 73. Social Scene: Pac-Man, Arcade, and the birth of the Gaming Culture. 74. Taken from: For Amusement Only: the life and death of the American arcade [https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/16/3740422/the-life-and-death-of-the-american-arcade-for-amusement-only] 75. "If you’ve never been inside a “real” arcade, it could be hard to distinguish one from say, oh, a Dave & Buster’s. Authenticity is a hard nut to crack, but there are a few hallmarks of the video game arcade of days gone by: first, they have video games. Lots and lots of video games, and (usually) pinball machines. They’re dark (so that you can see the screens better), and they don’t sell food or booze. You can make an exception for a lonely vending machine, sure, but full meals? No thanks. There’s no sign outside that says you “must be 21 to enter.” These are rarely family-friendly institutions, either. Your mom wouldn’t want to be there, and nobody would want her there, anyway. This is a place for kids to be with other kids, teens to be with other teens, and early-stage adults to serve as the ambassador badasses in residence for the younger generation. It’s noisy, with all the kids yelling and the video games on permanent demo mode, beckoning you to waste just one more quarter. In earlier days (though well into the ‘90s), it’s sometimes smoky inside, and the cabinets bear the scars of many a forgotten cig left hanging off the edge while its owner tries one last time for a high score, inevitably ending in his or her death. The defining feature of a “real” arcade, however, is that there aren’t really any left." 76. Open Comments: 77. The years between 1978 and 1982 saw unprecedented growth across the entire video game industry. A January 1982 cover story in Time magazine noted that the most popular machines were pulling in $400 a week in quarters and the number of dedicated arcades in the United States reached its peak with around 13,000. Video game cabinets also appeared in grocery stores, drug stores, doctor’s offices, and even in school recreation centers. The arcade chain Tilt began opening locations in the growing number of shopping malls across America. Beginning with Space Invaders in 1978, a string of now legendary games were released in rapid succession: Galaxian ('79), Asteroids ('79), Berzerk ('80), Centipede ('80), Rally-X ('80), Defender ('81), Donkey Kong ('81), Frogger ('81), Galaga ('81), Ms. Pac-Man ('81), Dig Dug ('82), Donkey Kong Jr. (('82), Joust ('82), Pole Position ('82), Q*bert ('82), and Tron ('82). 78. Simultaneously, the home console business blossomed: from the primitive Magnavox Odyssey in 1972, the concept of home gaming erupted with the Atari 2600 and the Apple II in 1977, the Intellivision in 1980, the Commodore 64 and ColecoVision in 1982, and the NES and Sega Master System in 1985.But it was 1980’s Pac-Man, the most successful video arcade game of all time, released by Midway in the United States, which had the most lasting effects on the industry and the American psyche. 79. Audio Clip: 80. Question: What do you say about the following criticisms: Ingrains scripts of violence and aggression into the psyche. / Too much sex, nudity, and mistreatment of women. / Poor portrayal of race / Addiction leading to health problems and obesity. 81. Music Scene 82. Black Songs from the Top 40 83. 4 "Rock with You" Michael Jackson 84. 8 "Funkytown" Lipps Inc 85. 13 "Cruisin" Smokey Robinson 86. 14 "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" The Spinners 87. 18 "Upside Down" Diana Ross 88. 19 "Please Don't Go" KC and the Sunshine Band 89. 21 "With You I'm Born Again" Billy Preston and Syreeta 90. 22 "Shining Star" The Manhattans 91. 23 "Still" Commodores 92. 29 "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" The Spinners 93. 30 "Let's Get Serious" Jermaine Jackson 94. 35 "Ladies' Night" Kool & the Gang 95. 36 "Too Hot" Kool & the Gang 96. 37 "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" The SOS Band 97. 38 "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer 98. 42 "Special Lady" Ray, Goodman & Brown 99. 43 "Send One Your Love" Stevie Wonder 100. 44 "The Second Time Around" Shalamar 101. Vote: 102. Top R&B Albums 103. Jan - Off the Wall Michael Jackson 104. Feb - The Whispers The Whispers 105. Apr - Light Up the Night The Brothers Johnson 106. May - Go All the Way The Isley Brothers 107. Jun - Let’s Get Serious Jermaine Jackson 108. Jul - Cameosis Cameo 109. Jul - diana Diana Ross 110. Sep - Give Me the Night George Benson 111. Oct - Love Approach Tom Browne 112. Oct - Zapp Zapp 113. Nov - Triumph The Jacksons 114. Nov - Hotter Than July Stevie Wonder 115. Vote: 116. Key Artists: Roger Troutman and Zapp 117. Roger Troutman (@ 29 yrs. old) singer, composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. 118. Born and raised in Hamilton, OH, the fourth child of nine, he gravitated toward music at an extremely early age; he was only five years old when he received his first guitar. 119. By 11, he was playing in local bands with one of his brothers. 120. Influenced by old-schoolers B.B. King, Jimmy Reed, Chuck Jackson, and Junior Walker, and then-current chart-toppers The Temptations, Wilson Pickett, and the Beatles, by the late '60s, Roger had added Hammond organ to his resumé of instruments, and 2 more brothers. 121. Like many of his generation, Roger and his brothers became enraptured by such funk/rock artists as Jimi Hendrix, the Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, and Funkadelic. 122. By age 26, the band was playing shows all over the U.S. and Canada. The group added another Troutman brother to their ranks ((4 in total), Terry, who went by the nickname of "Zapp," and that soon became the group's new name. 123. Shortly thereafter, Bootsy Collins' brother, Phelps "Catfish" Collins, happened to catch a gig by Zapp, who put them in touch with Bootsy, who then brought them to the attention of George Clinton. Clinton promptly signing the group to his own custom label, Uncle Jam. 124. Clinton got Roger (Not Zapp) a performance spot at a 1979 Awards show and declared “Roger Troutman as the most talented musician” he'd ever seen in his life. Roger’s performance created a buzz for Zapp's self-titled debut release, issued in 1980. 125. Audio clips 126. After the 1980 release of Zapp's debut album, tensions rose between Roger Troutman and George Clinton. Troutman's solo album “The Many Facets of Roger” was primarily funded by Clinton and Clinton was experiencing financial troubles due to his poor management skills and shifting tastes in music. 127. Troutman could see the disarray surrounding Clinton and severed their partnership by accepting a higher offer for the album from Warner Bros. and cut Clinton out of the picture. 128. Clinton's view was, "…I paid for it. I don't like to go into it on the negative side, but it cost about 5 million [dollars], and a lot of people's jobs and what we consider as the empire falling". - The financial loss from the rupture with Troutman is credited as one of the factors that derailed Clinton's musical career and sent Funkadelic into hiatus. 129. On Sunday morning, April 25, 1999, Roger Troutman was fatally wounded as a result of an apparent murder-suicide that was orchestrated by his older brother, Larry. Roger was shot several times in the torso by Larry as he exited a recording studio. Larry's body was found in a car a short distance away from the murder scene. There were no witnesses at the time, and Larry's motive for the murder of Roger remains unclear. Larry had been experiencing increasingly severe financial problems managing the family-run business. Larry might also have been bitter after Roger fired him as manager of his music career, a position Larry had held for several years. 130. After Troutman's death, Ice Cube said that "More Bounce To The Ounce" introduced him to hip-hop. "I was in the sixth grade, we'd stayed after school. We had this dude named Mr. Lock, and he used to bring in his radio with these pop-lockers. He used to teach [the dance group] the L.A. Lockers, and he would do community service in after-school programs. He knew a lot of kids and introduced them to all the new dances, he put on that song 'More Bounce', and they started pop-locking. And I think from that visual, from seeing that, it was my first introduction into hip-hop. Period. I didn't know nothing about nothing. I hadn't heard 'Rapper's Delight' yet. It was the first thing that was really fly to me. They started dancing, and since 'More Bounce' goes on forever, they just got down. I just think that was a rush of adrenaline for me, like a chemical reaction in my brain.” 131. Open Comments 132. Black Movies: Fame 133. Blending elements of straight drama, music, and dance, FAME shadows a group of gifted students (including singer Irene Cara, dancer Gene Anthony Ray, and composer Lee Currieri) during their time at New York's prestigious High School of Performing Arts, where they're learning the skills they need to succeed. The film -- which won two Oscars for its music (including a Best Original Song statuette for the title track "Fame" -- spawned a 1980s TV series of the same name that allowed several of its young stars to reprise their roles and gave Debbie Allen a much more prominent role as a no-nonsense dance teacher. 134. Critical response: Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune, "When the kids perform, the movie sings, but their fictionalized personal stories are melodramatic drivel." - Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, "Fame is a genuine treasure, moving and entertaining, a movie that understands being a teen-ager as well as Breaking Away did, but studies its characters in a completely different milieu." 135. Audio Clips 136. Open Comments 137. Black Television: Eddie Murphy – The Young Prince 138. Edward Regan Murphy, (@ 19 yrs. old), Comedian, actor, screen writer, film producer, and singer? He was the dominant comedic voice during the 1980s. 139. Born and raised in NYC, parents split when he was 3, father died when he was eight, lived in foster care for a year, and began doing stand-up comedy after listening to "That Nigger's Crazy", by Richard Pryor, when he was 15. 140. Doing impersonations of Al Green at talents shows helped him land gigs at late night clubs. 141. After the 79-80 season of SNL wrapped for summer break, the show had a major shakeup. OG Producer, Lorene Michaels and the OG cast left. After the new producer was hired, she had 2 months to re-cast the show. 142. In September 19-year-old Eddie contacted the show and repeatedly pleaded for an audition. 2 months later he made his national television debut. 143. Audio Clips 144. Major criticism:” Welcome Back, Eddie Murphy! The rise and fall and rise of America's most dangerous comic” - Chris Nashawaty November 06, 2011 - [https://ew.com/article/2011/11/06/welcome-back-eddie-murphy-the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-of-americas-most-dangerous-comic/] 145. “If you grew up watching Eddie Murphy chomping on a cigar as Gumby or getting gunned down in a hail of bullets as Buckwheat on Saturday Night Live, or better yet, dropping F-bombs as the cool-cat star of 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop, it’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that there’s a whole generation out there that has no clue just how funny and dirty he once was. When they think of Eddie Murphy — if they even think of him at all — it’s as the donkey from the kiddie franchise Shrek, or the once-dangerous comedian desperately searching for laughs in fart gags and fat suits in The Klumps.” 146. Audio Clips 147. Open Comments 148. Question: Is Eddie funny or formula? 149. Vote: Favorite Pop Culture thing for the year?
Last week when the Grammy nominations were announced, New Orleans' PJ Morton was among the honorees. He is nominated for Best R&B Album (for Gumbo Unplugged), Best R&B Performance (for "How Deep Is Your Love" featuring Yebba), and Best Traditional R&B Performance (for"First Began"). The news came while Morton's attention was on another album--Christmas with PJ Morton, his most recent release on his own Morton Records label. The album presents Morton first as an interpreter of songs, including a glam/funky take on Mariah Carey's "All I Want is You." He did pen two songs for the occasion, including "Do You Believe," a contemporary gospel song featuring Yolanda Adams. Host Alex Rawls recently talked to Morton about the album, gospel and secular music, Christmas with Bishop Paul Morton and the family, and the business of Christmas music. He also talked to New Orleans' Boyfriend, who returns to 12 Songs to about Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," the most recent song to enter the Christmas canon. The conversation talks about Mariah now and then, Love Actually, Phil Spector and nostalgia.
Tonight, on It's Real Talk Radio, we'll be recapping the 2018 Grammys which marks the 60th ceremony of the Grammys. From star studded performances to edge of your seat award announcements, the 2018 Grammys will be one to remember. Grammy Nomination categories include: Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Dance Recording, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album, Best Alternative Music Album, Best R&B Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best R&B Album, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Sung Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album, Best Music Video, Best Music Film, Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and the list goes on and on. So what did you think of the 2018 Grammys? Did you enjoy the performances? Did you agree with the nominations? Did you agree with the winners? Do you think anyone was robbed? If so, who, in what category and why? We'll be sharing our thoughts on some the performances, nominations and winners, so don't miss out! Let's see how much we agree and disagree on. For anyone who agrees or disagrees wholeheartedly, feel free to express yourself. You can Facebook Inbox us or email us (info listed below) to share your views. 1 thing's for sure and 2 things for certain, it's about to get real! #ItJustGotReal Call In # 347-838-9540 Email: ItsRealTalkRadio@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItsRealTalkRadio Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/ItsRealTalkRadioFamily Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItsRealRadioMD
The Blues Foundation Podcast - Season 1: Blues Hall of Fame Dinah Washington was the most popular black, female, recording artist of the 50's. During the peak of her career, it seemed like everything she touched turned to gold. Obviously, she had made a lot of fans. She also counted the other musical stars of the day as ardent devotees. Her talent, charisma, and hit-making ability were undeniable, and everyone wanted to record with her. But the critics weren't always so nice. See, Dinah was a blues singer, they felt. And they wanted her to stay a blues singer. But Dinah Washington was so good, she could sing anything she wanted. She was a phenomenal jazz and pop singer. Dinah even had a hit singing a cover of Hank William's Country and Western standard, "Cold Cold Heart." And the critics just didn't like that. They often accused her of selling out the art of the blues to generate hits on the charts. But it wasn't the critics that did Dinah Washington in. They never could get to her. It was the lifestyle. Her 7, tumultuous marriages; alcohol abuse; the constant battle to stay thin, so that she'd look good on stage. In 1963, at the tragically young age of 39 years old, Dinah Washington accidentally overdosed on diet pills. During her lifetime she received a Grammy Award for Best R & B Performance. She has three recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Dinah was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003. This is her story.
Some things in life and business are to be expected. In this weeks news, there was a little bit of both involved - good and not so good. This "expectation" is in order for congratulations. Singer and reality TV regular Ray J is set to become a first-time father. Ray J and Princess Love wed in August, 2016. An additional congrats, goes to rapper Rick Ross as he has scored a high-profile deal with luxury rap watchmaker Hublot to named the official brand ambassador the company, which was established in 1976. Meek Mill and his legal issues seemed to be gaining some positive progress with names such as Jay-Z and Rev. Al Sharpton lending time to his probation violation case via their platforms. Unexpectedly, he hit yet another roadblock to freedom after a legal motion aimed at hopefully gaining freedom was denied. Keep hope alive for Meek! Donald Trump’s actions will forever keep him in a sunken place. Native Americans have confirmed that he uses the word Pocahontas as an offensive term used towards Senator Elizabeth Warren. “You were here long before any of us were here, although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas,” he joked. This guy has a lot of nerve! Prince Harry is engaged to Meghan Markle. We’re only reporting on this for cultural purposes because the actress is a Black woman, lol. Congrats to them though! The 60th Annual Grammy nominations are in and we have to admit they are pretty lit. Cardi B has been nominated for two Grammys in the categories of Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and SZA has racked up a total of five nominations making her the most nominated woman for next year’s awards. The “Ctrl” singer is up for Best New Artist, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Urban Contemporary Album, and Best R&B Performance. We hope this dream will come true for them both at the 2018 award show taking place January 28...fingers crossed! How Does Your Upbringing Influence Your Behavior In Your Relationships? The crew had something interesting things to say on this one, lol. Get caught up with this and more next Wednesday, 9-10pm!
Bruce Charles Sudano is an American singer-songwriter, noted for creating songs for artists such as Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and his late wife, the Grammy Award-winning singer Donna Summer. Sudano is the founder of indie record label Purple Heart Recording Company. Signed as a solo artist by RCA he released his first record The Fugitive Kind in 1981. It featured the song "Starting Over Again" co-written with wife Donna Summer about his parents' divorce. In 1980, the song was recorded and released by Dolly Parton and hit #1 on the U.S. country charts in May 1980, and recorded by Reba McEntire in 1995. Sudano spent two decades managing Summer's career. They toured together, with Sudano playing keyboards and singing background vocals. In 1984, Sudano wrote "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" with Michael Omartian, which Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson recorded as a duet for the album Jermaine Jackson, and in 1985 was Grammy nominated Grammy Awards for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He co-wrote four songs on Summer's She Works Hard For The Money album. One of which was the adult contemporary hit, "Love Has A Mind of Its Own". In 1986, he co-wrote "Closest Thing To Perfect", the title track for the John Travolta, Jamie Lee Curtis movie Perfect Theme music for Madame Perry's Salon composed and performed by Denton Perry. Do you have a new book or music and need promotion on a mini-budget? Jennifer Perry is a seasoned entertainment publicity expert ready to teach you DIY Publicity. A 90 minute session gives you a head start in true professional style for only $89. Email jperryDIY@lonewolfcomm.netfor details or to schedule.
Grammy Award® nominated singer/songwriter and New Orleans native Luke Jameshttp://whoislukejames.com embodies the organic soulfulness that has been lacking in contemporary music lately. The N.A.R.S Records/Island Def Jam recording artist has been captivating audiences worldwide having graced the stage performing as the sole opening act for Beyonce’s recent Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in Europe and all 4 of her legendary shows at Revel in Atlantic City for her “Back To Business” concerts in 2012. Luke was nominated for a 2013 Grammy® Award for Best R&B Performance for his single ‘I Want You’ and he was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2012 Soul Train Awards. He wa?s also the face of the Sean John Fall/Holiday 2012 Campaign, which has put him on the fashion industry radar. GQ Magazine online has already listed him on their “Best Dressed” list
Tamia was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. As a child, she took acting and singing lessons, eventually performing in a number of local choirs and theatrical presentations. She soon earned a reputation and several awards, including the YTV Vocal Achievement Award in 1993. The following year, she won the Steve Ross Music Scholarship at the American Academy of Achievement's Annual Salute to Excel lence in 1994. That same year, she attended a fateful party thrown by her manager Brenda Richie for Luther Vandross. There she met producer Quincy Jones, who became taken with Tamia's talent during a one-song performance. Soon Jones had Tamia in the studio, recording "You Put a Move on My Heart" for Jones' new album, Q's Jook Joint. The song became a Top Ten R&B hit and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Another song on the album, a duet with Babyface entitled "Slow Jams," was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. She also sang "Missing You" with Brandy, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan on the soundtrack for the 1995 film “Set It Off.” With a Grammy nod for "Missing You,” this made for three nominations for Tamia, who hadn’t even released an album yet.