Rapper M-1 is more than just a rapper. When compared to his peers,
his political consciousness is acute and his commentary is
almost always thought provoking. In an interview a couple
of months ago, M-1 was quoted as saying: "Instead of
offering us 28 days in February, we should be awarded
reparations as this so-called Black History Month doesn't
include any agenda to lift oppression from Black life i.e.,
war on drugs, taxes, awful healthcare conditions, and
economic disparity."
"I propose a ban on the term 'Black History Month' because
it doesn't identify the land mass and the people that
produced everything that we know as culture today."
Our
new music staffer Tykim Jones took advantage of the
opportunity to speak with M-1 for this exclusive interview.
The M-1
Interview
BMIA.com:
What’s really good people? This is your music editor Tykim
Jones coming at you with an exclusive interview with an all
too familiar name and face. You may know him from the
soundtrack “Dead Presidents” and from the rap group Dead
Prez. Hey M-1, thanks for taking the time to do this
interview I want to jump right into it. How long have you
been in the music business and how did you get started?
M-1:
Since 1996,then I moved to N.Y. where I became active with
crews that led to this political animal, knew it was time to
change perspectives.
BMIA.com:
With the release of RBG (Revolutionary But Gangsta), you and
Stic have another hit on your hands. What’s the difference
between this work and your previous stuff?
M-1:
International.
BMIA.com:
Is it true that you and Stic met on the campus of Florida
A&M where you were a student and he was just hanging out?
M-1:
Yeah, I chose going to school to escape selling drugs, it
was during a “Let’s Get Free” 02 contest. We clicked on the
same ideas.
BMIA.com:
You always seem to have a new sound, do you go into the
studio with the intention of coming out with a new style or
does it just happen?
M-1:
I stay humble, because as an artist I’m still a baby.
Listening for new music is a form of expression, traveling,
studio and change.
BMIA.com:
Who are some of your musical and personal influences?
M-1:
Master P, Billie Holiday, Tupac (Brenda’s Got A Baby),
Malcolm X, Prince and Too Short just to name a few.
BMIA.com:
What do you want people to get or learn as a result of
listening to your music?
M-1:
Organization towards freedom in the hood.
BMIA.com:
The other night I was watching “VH-1’s behind the music
featuring New Edition. The show pointed out that after
their first major tour, the group got a check for $1.87.
How can artists protect themselves from being ripped off?
M-1:
Don’t sign!
BMIA.com:
How would you describe your contribution to music?
M-1:
Listening, changing the world.
BMIA.com:
Ok M-1, this is the part of the interview where we ”strap”
you in the Black Men In America.com Hot Seat. This is our
version of “call and response ”where we say something and
you call out the first thing that comes to mind. Are you
ready?
M-1:
Ready.
BMIA.com:
Revolution
M-1:
Now.
BMIA.com:
Black people’s struggle
M-1:
Arrested
BMIA.com:
Eazy-E
M-1:
Gangsta
BMIA.com:
Gil Scott-heron
M-1:
Black Pain
BMIA.com:
Your favorite female artist?
M-1:
Billie Holiday
BMIA.com:
Your favorite male artist?
M-1:
Stalla Gucci
BMIA.com:
Favorite way to relax?
M-1:
Marijuana
BMIA.com:
Favorite song of all time?
M-1:
Too many to mention
BMIA.com:
Most common mistake people make when starting out in the
music business?
M-1:
Unorganized!
BMIA.com:
M1, you are officially out of the Black Men In America.com
hot seat.
BMIA.com:
What are the biggest challenges facing black men in
America?
M-1:
Self determination and black men.
BMIA.com:
How can people reading this article support you?
BMIA.com:
M-1 thanks for the exclusive. Good looks!
M-1:
No doubt, much love and success on your journey as you
venture out as a black man in America. Peace!
BMIA.com:
All right y’all, there you have it, straight from the artist
himself, M-1. Make sure you keep an eye out for that new
tunnel banga: RBG:”REVOLUTIONARY BUT GANGSTA”where ya
man M-1 brings it to you politically correct.
Tykim
Jones, of Black Men In America.com, conducted this
interview. Special thanks to
Michelle McDevitt of AudibleTreats.com.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
Patrick Taylor Has Mocha Entertainment On The Move
Mocha Entertainment Group, Inc (MEG)
is an entertainment production and publishing company. The
primary goal of the company is to create and maintain the
Internet's premier destinations for urban individuals around
the world, all housed under the common brand of “Mocha.”
Patrick C. Taylor,
Vice President of Strategic Planning & Technology is a
self-proclaimed Internet Technologist responsible for
Mocha’s Internet application design, development and
implementation experience. Patrick has worked for various
high profile companies within the sectors of Finance, Health
Care, E-commerce and Entertainment. Patrick has designed and
developed high profile applications for companies such as Earthlink, Inc., TicketMaster-CitySearch, PayMyBills.com,
and BlueFrogMobile.com.
In addition, Patrick has worked with companies abroad
assisting with the implementation of middle to large scale
Internet applications and the training of the employees
using those systems. He has traveled as far as Sweden and
Australia on behalf of his previous employers.
In his current role as Vice President of Strategic Planning
and Technology, Patrick reports directly to the Chief
Executive Officer providing oversight, management and
coordination of the technological infrastructure within the
company. He is responsible for comprehensive planning
coordination, strategic planning, research and technical
assistance required to implement all Internet services
produced by the Mocha Entertainment Group, Inc.
Patrick
Taylor of Mocha Entertainment
BMIA.com:
So you’re the Vice President of Strategic Planning and
Technology? Tell us
about yourself, your background and how you came to be a
part of mocha. Were you there from the beginning?
Patrick Taylor:Yes,
that is correct. I hold that title within the
Mocha Entertainment Group
(Mocha), but I have never seen the president of my
department he/she must be on an extended vacation!
I
report directly to the CEO providing oversight, management
and coordination of the technological infrastructure within
the company.
I am
responsible for comprehensive planning coordination,
strategic planning, research and technical assistance
required to implement all Internet services produced by the
Mocha Entertainment Group,
Inc.
Whewww..
I really just flip burgers!
As for
my background, I have over ten years of Internet application
design and development experience. I have worked for various
high profile companies within the sectors of Finance, Health
Care, E-commerce and Entertainment. Some of the companies
that I've worked for prior to the Mocha Entertainment Group
are, Earthlink, Inc., TicketMaster-CitySearch,
PayMyBills.com, and BlueFrogMobile.com, just to name a few.
How
did I become a part of Mocha? Well, I am good friend and a
previous business partner of the CEO,
James Lincoln. He initially
asked if I wanted to be apart of something "destined to be
big", something made for our culture. I declined because of
existing consultant projects that required the majority of
my time, in addition to my own personal projects.
But
even with that decline, I was unofficially apart of the
Mocha team because I helped with the initial infrastructure
setup and application testing.. A month after the launch of
our first Mocha service "The
Mocha Lounge," is
when I officially became a apart of the Mocha team.
BMIA.com:
How did you become a part of Mocha?
Patrick Taylor:
Well, I am good friend and a previous business partner of
the CEO,
James Lincoln. He initially asked if I wanted to be
apart of something "destined to be big", something made for
our culture. I declined because of existing consultant
projects that required the majority of my time, in addition
to my own personal projects. But even with that decline, I
was unofficially apart of the Mocha team because I helped
with the initial infrastructure setup and application
testing.. A month after the launch of our first Mocha
service "The Mocha Lounge," is when I
officially became a apart of the Mocha team.
BMIA.com:
Patrick, Mocha is an amazing site. Tell us about Mocha and
its history. Who are the original founders?
Patrick Taylor:
Mocha is a brand, which I feel exemplifies the essence of
our culture. It's alive and vibrant, soulful (even for the
Internet) and it's rich with beauty!
Mocha
from the aspect of business, is an entertainment company
providing online and offline services for the "Urban"
demographic. The official launch date of our first service
was March 17th, 2004. If I'm wrong on that, don't stick me
James!
We
provide services in the areas of online dating, message
board, forums, Internet radio, free personal WebPages,
blogging, sms chat, event/venue promotion and we even have a
record label, Mocha Music.
The
originating Founder is James Lincoln, and The Mocha
Entertainment Group, Inc. is the manifestation of his desire
to create something of quality for our culture, that will be
around for a long time.
The
Mocha team consists of (4) total, James, Kiarash (KB),
Tyrone and myself.
BMIA.com:
You told me that Mocha has changed a lot since its creation.
Does this have anything do with
Mocha City?
Patrick Taylor:
Mocha has experienced growth. It has become a "living
entity" on the Internet. My statement about change needs
clarification. Mocha has grown a lot since it's creation.
Mocha City and
Mocha Vibe are
great examples. Mocha along with any other large e-Community website is like
a big social culture dish from my perspective. From the
first entity introduced, the first member, to the next, to
the next and so on. In 1 1/2 years of being operable, there
is enough history within Mocha to write a book or make a
movie! “Cough, all you producers out there. Hit me up!”
BMIA.com:
I remember you telling me that Mocha has spawned its own
culture such as people starting other businesses based on
Mocha and others were spawning long lasting relationships.
Can you tell me a little about this?
Patrick Taylor:
Yes, continuing on from what I wrote earlier, if you just
look at the word "Community" whether it is online or
offline, it's a place where people "live," mingle, hangout,
chill or just kick-it.
I have
met numerous members on Mocha that conduct daily business
transactions, where the customer or lead was generated from
another member within Mocha. From sales of crafts, to sales
of books, to the selling of phone accessories and more. Our
e-Community is a resource to many people, in many forms.
Our premier service was "The Mocha Lounge," which is a
quality online dating service for, but not limited to, Black
and African-American singles. As with any dating site, you
will have those love connections and breakups, but with
Mocha we have the blessing of people creating "family-like"
bonds. These bonds are long-lasting friendships and
relationships that will hopefully last for years.
BMIA.com:
What’s the difference between Mocha and the other large
black community sites?
Patrick Taylor:
Laughing! I should ask you that question? How do you think
we are different from the other large black community sites?
But first, can you give me a list of those besides the
obvious one that I will not mention; this is my interview
and not theirs! *Jab*
From
the aspect of basic functionality, we are not that different
from any community website. But, after registration, the
differences are noticeable from the get-go.
Mocha
is about the people within the e-Community, you will notice
that we feature members throughout the e-Community
services. Why? Because without them there is no Mocha.
I
believe this to be true; the members themselves create 90%
of all content within our e-Community. We give the Mocha
members the tools to be creative and express themselves, and
to promote themselves. There is a simple fact about the
behavior of people; we love to talk about ourselves!
Mocha
is a brand, Mocha is an association, Mocha is family. Mocha
is quickly becoming the example of how a black online
e-Community should be built.
During
the early days of Mocha, or even earlier, James and I joked
about writing books about our experiences working for
others, and writing about how to properly design and build
an Internet application. I think Mocha would serve as the
perfect example for such a book. Whatcha think?
BMIA.com:
I think you should write a book. Let me shift gears. There
are difference cultures within the black community. For
example you have Caribbean, African, and West Indian. Mocha
seems to bridge the gaps. What does Mocha have to offer to
the entire black community at large?
Patrick Taylor:
Wow, I’m really feeling these questions you are throwing at
me. Kudos to you! Mocha offers "Community," a place to
come and meet whoever is within the community. As you said,
Mocha exists to be of service to all cultures that fall
under the "Black" umbrella.
I want
to state this, although Mocha was created with our culture
specifically in mind. We are an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
e-Community.
BMIA.com:
What does that mean?
Patrick Taylor:
We don't care what pigment of skin color you have!
BMIA.com:
The growth of Mocha is phenomenal. Just browsing through the
site I can see that it has its own feel and culture. It
seems to become very personal to the people that are
involved there. Does Mocha recognize that it has a lot of
power with its members and how they live in real life?
Patrick Taylor:
I believe everyone on the Mocha team is aware of how Mocha
has become an integral part of our member’s lives. Our
members have told us this, and when an unfortunate service
outage occurs, they really let us know! (Laughing).
We do
not have "Power" over our members, because they empower us
to provide the best for them and in return together we are
becoming something quite cool.
And
you are correct, Mocha gives off a personal feeling.. And I
will attribute that to the fact that we make the e-Community
about the people that are within it. Even in our newsletter,
we allow our members to create some of the content, why?
Because Mocha is about Community!
BMIA.com:
Mocha does features on its members. Many are not celebrities
but are just as interesting. How did this fantastic Idea
come about?
Patrick Taylor:
Ummmm.. I guess I’m jumping ahead of you in this interview
huh? (Laughing).
The
concept of "Featured Members" came from James, and it goes
beyond the typical "put a picture on the main page" of a
website with a little blurb. Why not feature more than one
member? And not just on one website, but all the websites
that may be in your e-Community. We make celebrities within
Mocha, but that was not our intention. Or was it? It has
been a fantastic hit within the e-Community, because we do
it at random and it surprises most. That two-minutes of
"fame" goes along way with building smiles.
BMIA.com:
What are some of the big projects that Mocha has going on
now?
We
have a number of projects going on, and at times. It’s
enough to scramble the brain like some delicious eggs! I am
not a liberty (gag order, non-disclosure, fear of a beat
down) to discuss some of the projects on the whiteboard.
I'll just state, that whatever we drop, it will be Hot! Oooh, but we did
just release our new event/promotion service called "MochaVibe,”
and it's Hot. We
allow promoters to list events happening locally,
nationwide, for FREE. There is also a service directory for
people wishing to promote their event related services (DJ'ing,
Security, etc).
BMIA.com:
Is Mocha involved in the community at large other then just
the black community?
Patrick Taylor:
No, but it's only a matter of time. Mocha is spreading like
FIRE!
BMIA.com:
Where is Mocha going in 2005 and beyond?
We are
trying to market ourselves more this year, to get the name
Mocha out to the masses. We would love for Mocha to be a
household name, (Laughing). "Did you Mocha today?" 2005 is
almost over, and this was a year of stabilization and
acceptance.. We are definitely a player in the game! For
the future, I would say we will continue to build the Mocha
brand, continue to provide quality entertainment for our
members, grow the e-Community, have fun and be successful in
our business.
BMIA.com:
Thank you Patrick, it has been a pleasure.
Patrick Taylor:
Thank you.
This interview was
conducted by Mike McKoy of FullBlown
Entertainment and was
posted on December 7, 2005.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
Vick Allen --
Simply Soul
Click On Photo To Enlarge
Singer Vick Allen has a new CD called “Simply Soul.”
Until his CD arrived on my desk, I had never heard of Vick
Allen. So who is Vick Allen? I did a little research with
his record company
MALACO, and discovered that Allen grew up on Jackson,
Mississippi. Mississippi is known for breeding blues and
R&B artists and Allen is no different. Gaining confidence
and support from his family and church members, Allen
produced and recorded his first CD at 15 years old. After
graduating from high school, Allen started singing
professionally with the popular group “The Canton
Spirituals. Allen later ventured out on his own sharing the
stage with such artists as Bobby
“Blue” Bland, The O’Jays, Buddy Miles, and Willie Clayton. Vick
Allen is a well-known singer, producer, performer, and
musician in both the Gospel, R&B and Blues genres.
Although Allen may be one of the youngest
Soul/Blues artists of today, he certainly isn’t new to the
game. He has spent the past twelve years regularly touring
and writing with the legendary Canton Spirituals as well as
writing and producing for Willie Clayton and Bobby Rush; he
has also arranged for Mel Waiters and has shared the stage
with Bobby “Blue” Bland, The O' Jays and Buddy Miles.
It is just a matter of time before he reaches the legendary
status of those that he has spent so many years supporting
behind the scenes!
On
“Simply Soul,”
Vick Allen clearly demonstrates that he is a young dude with
an “old soul.” Allen’s vocal styling gives way to
flashbacks of singers Johnny
Taylor, Z. Z. Hill and Little Milton. If you
like vintage R&B and Blues, (and songs that talk about
drinking, creeping, good loving and lying), “Simply Soul” will
find a happy home in your CD player.
My personal favorites are
Why Don't You?, (great soul
ballad), Funky Line Dance,
(Cha Cha, 2-Step, Free Step),
Creepin' Ain't Easy (Playa's Anthem), and
Lord You're Good To Me
(inspirational gospel).
You
can
click here to buy “Simply
Soul” by Vick
Allen.
Posted December 7, 2005
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
You may not have ever seen him,
but you've almost certainly heard his voice. He is Rodney Saulsberry, and he is
arguably one of the best voiceover artists in the entertainment
business. Saulsberry's voice
can be heard in movies, commercials and television specials. He
also sings and acts.
You can hear Rodney Saulsberry’s voice at
"The Indiana Pacers"
Basketball games and on the "Toyota Camry" commercials that come on at
the beginning and end of the Tavis Smiley Show.
As one of the top trailer voices in the business, movie fans have heard
Rodney’s voice promoting some of their favorites flicks such as: How
Stella Got Her Groove Back,
Friday After Next, Drumline,
Undercover Brother,
The
Best Man,
Bowfinger, Life, Finding Forrester, Soul Food,
All
About The Benjamin’s,
Hardball,
Juwanna Mann,
Crooklyn,
Bamboozled,
Clockers,
and many more.
Saulsberry is also a mainstream commercial pitchman. He’s done work
voiceover work for ALPO,
Honda Accord, Lincoln LS, Colgate, Toyota, White Castle, 7UP, Burger
King, SBC,
and Nestle Crunch.
He’s also been heard on various promo presentations for sitcoms and
dramatic series on: NBC,
CBS, ABC, FOX, UPN, Fox Family, BET,USA,
and the WBnetworks. If that’s not enough, Saulsberry can also be heard on many
books on tape. Rodney Saulsberry is everywhere!
Animation is another strong suit for this versatile voice actor.
Saulsberry is the voice of Joe
Robbie Robertson
on the hit cartoon series Spider-Man, Ufwapo on Ahh…RealMonsters, Willy on Xyber 9,
and has guest starred on many other Saturday morning cartoons.
Saulsberry the singer has recorded two rhythm and blues albums that have
produced two Top 40 R&B singles, I
Wonder
andLook
Whatcha Done Now.
He has performed on The
Tonight Show,
Soul Train
and Dance
Fever.
His music videos have played in heavy rotation on VH1
and BET.
Saulsberry the actor has made guest appearances on the following
television shows: Taxi,
Mash, Gimme a Break, 227, Hill Street Blues
and Dr.
Quinn Medicine Woman.
He also enjoyed series regular status on the soap opera’s, Capitoland
The
Young and the Restless.
Rodney Saulsberry
is a trailblazer and a role model. He’s also another great example of
an ordinary man, doing extraordinary things. Do you think you have what
it takes to make it as a voice-over artist?Rodney’s new book, “You Can Bank On Your Voice”
helps you to discover the magic in your voice and turn it into a
profession that could make you rich! In his book Rodney shares how to
audition, find an agent, make a demo tape and more.
To learn more about Rodney
Saulsberry read Gary Johnson’s interview with him. Rodney was as
excited about this interview. We hope you enjoy it.
The Man With The Voice: The Rodney
Saulsberry Interview
BMIA.com: When did
you first realize that you had “the right stuff” to be a voiceover
artist?
Rodney Saulsberry:
After I recorded my first movie trailer. It was Spike Lee’s,
Crooklyn
for Universal Pictures. When the session was over, I felt like I was
on to something, and I could really be successful in the voice-over
industry. Up to that point I wasn’t really sure I had “the right stuff.”
BMIA.com: How did
you become one of the premier voiceover talents in the entertainment
business?
Rodney Saulsberry:
I worked very hard to perfect my craft. I developed my own unique sound
and vocal delivery. I tried to always be professional, and I was lucky.
Of course everyone should know that success happens when preparation
meets opportunity.
BMIA.com: What
part of the country were you raised and what’s your educational
background?
Rodney Saulsberry:
I was born and raised in Detroit Michigan, and I graduated from the
University of Michigan with a Bachelors of Arts in Education.
BMIA.com: Did you
study to be a voiceover artist?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Indirectly, yes. I took one formal voiceover workshop, but I feel like I
have been studying and preparing for this career most of my adult life,
by watching and listening to people talk and interact with each other
everyday. My acting background was very beneficial to my migration to
doing voice-overs. I have always espoused to the notion of voice-over
being voice-acting.
BMIA.com: Did you
have any mentors? If so, how important were they in the development of
your career.
Rodney Saulsberry:
My drama teachers in high school and my parents were my mentors. The
positive reinforcement they provided me with daily helped develop my
confidence and character, which had a strong impact on my future career.
BMIA.com: Who
were your role models growing up?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Berry Gordy, for his entrepreneurial spirit, Sammy Davis Jr., for his
awesome talent, and Muhammad Ali, for his strength and willingness to
stand up for what he believed in.
BMIA.com: Since
we can’t see your face, what are some of the shows, commercials or
movies where we’ve heard your voice?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Currently, you can hear my voice on many radio commercials that include,
Verizon, Chrysler Pacifica,
and the US Army. On
television you can hear me promoting the DVD release of Tupac Resurrection, Zatarains
and Toyota Camry. Other
movie campaigns include, Ice Cube’s, Friday
and Friday after Next. How
Stella Got Her Groove Back, Dumb & Dumberer, Against the Ropes,
and
Finding Forrester.
Rodney Saulsberry:
It’s a how-to-book about being successful in the voice-over industry. I
break it down step by step and tell you what you need to get started in
the business. Topics include; How to audition, Finding an agent, and
Making a demo CD. The early chapters are great for the beginner. The
rest of the book deals with making lots of money, voice-over techniques,
marketing strategies, the home studio, managing your money, vocal
exercises, and practice scripts. I sprinkle the book with small excerpts
of my own story that relate to a certain lesson I’m teaching. My goal is
to let the public know there’s an opportunity to make a great living in
show business, behind the scenes. An exciting and rewarding career that
can be very lucrative. I love my job. How many people can say that? I
want to share my joy and knowledge, so I wrote the book. This is my
chance to give something back.
BMIA.com: How did
you get your book deal?
Rodney Saulsberry: I submitted a
galley (an unedited advanced readers copy) to a number of publishers and
I got contract offers from two of them. However, growing up in Detroit
where Berry Gordy created Motown, and watching entrepreneurs today like,
Russell Simmons, P Diddy, Damon Dash, and the very successful author,
Zane, I decided that my financial voice-over success afforded me the
ability to produce my own book. So, I created Tomdor Publishing, LLC.
The name is a combination of my late father’s names Thomas and my
mother’s name, Dorothy. I control my product totally, from inception to
the final presentation. I have national distribution, and I participate
in dollar ONE. If you can afford it, ownership is the best way to go.
BMIA.com: What do
you want readers to learn as a result of reading your book?
Rodney Saulsberry:
I want them to learn everything they need to know to be a successful
voice-over artist. And, with hard work, talent and a little luck, you
can reach your goals. This is not easy; you have to put in the hard
work.
BMIA.com: How
many black voiceover artists are there at your level in the
entertainment business?
Rodney Saulsberry:
That’s a good question. I wish I could tell you that there were a lot,
but I have to say that the number is relative to the rest of the
entertainment industry, and that I am one of a small group of very
successful African American voice-over actors. This is another reason I
was compelled to share my story, to bring other minorities into the
voice-over field. It’s no different from any other industry, we have to
work hard and not allow race to be an issue. Denzel, Oprah, Quincy and
Will, sure didn’t let race get in their way, why should you?
BMIA.com: I
understand that you have your own studio. How do you use the available
technology to hone your craft and advance your business?
Rodney Saulsberry:
For starters, with my own home studio I have the ability to practice on
the microphone and record my practices whenever and as long as I want to
at any time of the day or night. Secondly, the advanced technology
allows me to work professionally at home with clients around the country
and throughout the world. The emergence of digital phone lines has
revolutionized the voiceover industry. Now I can sound like I’m in New
York “live,” from my home studio in Agoura, California.
BMIA.com: Let’s
talk about barriers that you may have faced. Have you faced any?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Of course I have, but I don’t let barriers rent space in my head, I go
forward, around, above and through barriers. Martin Luther King had much
worse barriers to face. We owe it to the civil rights leaders of the
past to not let a barrier impede our upward climb.
BMIA.com: How do
you define success?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Complete happiness in whatever you choose to do in life. Success is in
the eye of the beholder.
BMIA.com: What
would you say is your biggest success to date?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Personally, my biggest success would have to be my wife and I raising
our teenage daughter who has turned out to be a very intelligent and
mature young lady. Business wise my biggest success to date is my book.
The public reception has been fantastic. The sales are incredible and I
am already into my second printing. Somebody said, “If you build it,
they will come.”
BMIA.com: What’s
a typical day in the life of Rodney Saulsberry?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Extremely busy! If you want the blow by blow, you’ll have to purchase my
book and read the introduction, titled, “A Day in the Life of a
Voice-Over Artist.” I start doing voice-overs as early as 8: 00 AM in
the morning, sometimes earlier. I shut it down at around 7:00 PM.
BMIA.com: What
are the biggest challenges facing black men in America?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Our biggest challenges reside in our own minds. If you let someone else
set your boundaries, you will be defeated. We have to think positive and
always believe that we will succeed. That is the challenge! We have to
forge ahead and not be intimidated by the negative forces out there who
don’t want us to be successful. We must where blinders to the finish
line that is our achieved goal!
BMIA.com: Aside
from buying your book, what advice would you give to anyone who wants to
be a voiceover artist?
Rodney Saulsberry:
Learn the craft. Take some acting classes, voice-over is voice acting,
you have to know how to act. Find yourself a good voice-over coach and
study religiously.
BMIA.com: If a
company wants to hire you, how can they contact you?
Rodney Saulsberry:
For bookings you can contact my agent, Erik Seastrand of the William
Morris Agency at: 310-859-4289.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
Bootsy Is Back!
What 55-year old man
carries a “space bass,” wears star shaped sunglasses, steps out in Nike
shoes and shouts “Glory Be The Funk’s On Me?” That’s right, the one and
only Bootsy Collins!
Bootsy does not
grant many interviews. Therefore, we want to acknowledge the fact that he
was very gracious with his time and answered all of our questions. The
man needs no introduction, so let’s just do it! Here’s the Bootsy Collins
interview.
BMIA.com:
How does your new CD “Play With Bootsy” compare to your earlier work?
Bootsy: My back-in-the-day work was all done at
the P-Funk Lab in Detroit, along with George Clinton, Parliament
Funkadelic, and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Our technique for recording was to
walk in, rehearse a bit, and hit it. The new CD was done in a few
different studios, including Bootzilla Rehab-P-Form School of Fine Art-tro-nuts,
along with lots of appearances from yesterday’s and today’s finest
artists. The technique is a lot different. By using pro-tools and
analog, we were able to mail order parts for songs which was kind of fun.
BMIA.com:
You have a lot of different artists on “Play With Bootsy,” most notably
Snoop Dogg. How did you and Snoop meet?
Bootsy:
Snoop and I first met when I was with Color me Badd and we were performing
at Soul Train. He is so much like me that I couldn’t believe it. Of
course I have settled down quite a bit since, but yeah, that’s my nephew
Snoop.
BMIA.com:
What have you been doing for the past 6 years?
Bootsy:
I’ve been doing lots of behind-the-scenes projects such as video games,
film scoring, Pontiac and Nike commercials and guest appearances on CDs of
a number of today’s artists. My touring has not been in my plans because
we are trying to open new doors so I can do what I really want to do, and
that is to be the backbone, manager, and adviser for some new and upcoming
stars. I love to see the twinkle in their eyes; it reminds me of how
badly I wanted it.
BMIA.com:
Most folks know about your history playing with the James Brown Band at
age 15. You’ve been in the music business for over 3 decades. Did you
think you would last this long?
Bootsy:
All I was thinking about was the actual musical ideas that were flooding
my mind at the time. Tomorrow never meant anything to me – it was all
about how much music and fun I can do today.
BMIA.com:
When you were growing up, who were the artists that influenced you the
most?
Bootsy:
Sly Stone, James Brown Band, James Jamerson, bass player for Motown, and
my hero, Jimi Hendrix.
BMIA.com:
Growing up what was your earliest or most vivid recollection of being
different?
Bootsy:
When I had to wear whatever my mom got from the Goodwill store, Salvation
Army, you know the kids would laugh at me. I felt bad at first, but then
I turned it into something creative by mixing and matching colors and
going for being different. Then I was more of an artist in school, so I
would sit around and read comic books, draw stick men with star glasses –
pretty deep for a kid in those days.
BMIA.com:
When you think about some of the artists of today’s generation, who do you
listen to and like the most? Why?
Bootsy:
OutKast and Roots, because they push the envelope and suffer the
consequences and remain standing. That’s how we did it.
BMIA.com:
What’s a typical day for Bootsy?
Bootsy:
I start off meditating and being thankful for another day to go out and
make a difference in somebody’s life. Then I exercise to keep the holy
temple that God gave me in the best shape I can. You know that in the day
I abused everything, so now I’m cleaning up my temple that has been loaned
to me. Then I go to work for the Funk of it, or do something special with
my son. Then I might give a speech at the drug rehab programs in my town,
or a youth meeting, interviews, etc.
BMIA.com:
You hung around a lot of folks that fell victim to drugs and alcohol. How
did you manage to survive?
Bootsy: I looked, learned, and listened real
hard as I was partying and started to see my friends dying and crying,
getting burned for all they had, and I had a few things happen to me that
helped turn my life around. I had everything but the spirit of God, so I
finally realized that’s what I needed more than drugs.
BMIA.com:
Tell us something interesting or that we don’t know about: James Brown,
Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone.
Bootsy:
They all hurt, they all bleed, they all are more sensitive than the
average humanoid, and they all are living on another frequency. There you
have it from the horse’s mouth, I think.
BMIA.com:
What advice would you give for someone who wants to make in the music
business?
Bootsy:
The first thing is to practice and develop your talent and skills without
ceasing. Then try to find doors to get into so people can hear and see
you perform. Seeing you is very, very important because that is part of
the body language that connects the art to the one as a whole. Stay
focused on what you love and enjoy doing – then just “P”-yo-self.
Play with Bootsy is a wonderful outer
space journey that only Bootzilla can navigate. Still funky after all
these years, you can’t help but jump right on board. As Bootsy says, “You
can’t get in without a funk card baby,” so get your copy today! You can
visit Thump Classic R&B at
www.ThumpRecords.com.
“Just smell
me on this one!” – Bootsy
Special thanks to
Makeda Smith
for arranging this interview.
Click On Photo To Enlarge
COMEDIAN J. ANTHONY
BROWN
GETS SERIOUS ABOUT DIABETES WITH
dLifeTV -- A NEW TALK SHOW
J. Anthony Brown is one of 2.8
million African Americans living with diabetes. As
co-host of the first weekly diabetes talk show, dLifeTV, debuting
March 20 at 7:00PM Eastern /
4:00PM Pacific on CNBC, funnyman Brown will get
serious about diabetes, a topic close to his heart.
dLifeTV is produced by dLife - For Your Diabetes Life.
With a fan base of over eight million
listeners from his daily duty as co-host of the Tom
Joyner Morning Show, audiences are more than familiar
with Brown’s gut busting jokes, hilarious song parodies
and good-humored antics. While still incorporating his
uncanny sense of humor into a topic that greatly impacts
the Black community, Brown will have now a unique
opportunity to entertain while educating.
“I have kept it no secret that I suffer from what Black
Americans used to call ‘the sugar’! Diabetes is no
laughing matter. But humor is a wonderful tool to use
when educating and informing. To be a part of dlifeTV is such an honor. I get to join fellow
celebrities Mother Love, and Miss America 1999 Nicole Johnson Baker, actor
Jim Turner, and
Olympic champion swimmer Gary Hall, Jr. as we
help our audience better manage their disease. And the
funny thing is – we all have diabetes and that’s no
joke!”
dLifeTV will also feature guests from the world
of entertainment, sports, healthcare, fitness, food and
nutrition, and everyday life who have something from
advice to inspiration to offer the diabetes community.
Guests on the first six episodes include heavyweight
champion Joe Frazier; Pittsburgh Steelers guard,
#73, Kendall Simmons; B.B. King; rap
artist Phife ofA Tribe Called Quest;
Joslin medalists; and many others. All share their
experiences and/or expertise about how to better manage
diabetes for a fuller life. Emmy Award winner Erik
Sorenson, former president of MSNBC, is one of
dLifeTV’s executive producers.
dLifeTV represents one facet of the dLife media
outreach. The comprehensive consumer website
www.dLife.com to become the largest
independent diabetes site on the Internet has already
gone live with its initial release. dLife.com
serves as a total diabetes hub, featuring the latest
information and exclusive content about the condition
from many of the top experts in the world. Topics
include diagnosis, research, lifestyle, and diabetes
treatment and management information. The website also
offers tips on health, fitness, and nutrition.
On March 1, dLife also launched
dLifeRadio, which
produces “The dLife Diabetes Minute” with Dr. Bob
Arnot 60-second vignettes featuring diabetes facts
and tips, airing on more than 400 stations around the
nation. The other dLife media outlet is dLifeConnect,
a direct mail newsletter connecting more than 2.5
million people who are actively managing their disease
with helpful information, products, and services.
For more information about dLifeTV, other dLife media
and living well with diabetes, visit www.dLife.com.
Van McCoy was a talented writer, producer
and arranger, well known and respected in the music industry long before the
public became aware of him through his Grammy award winning number one hit,
"The Hustle." His untimely death at age 39 shocked and
saddened the music world.He
was a fantastically prolific composer, arranger, producer, pianist and singer
who left over 700 music copyrights to his credit where he was writer or
co-writer.
McCoy's #1 smash "The Hustle" was culled from his 1975 debut album
Disco
Baby, which
peaked at #12 on the Billboard
Hot 200 and remained on the charts for 23 weeks.
Van McCoy was born
January 6,1940, in
Washington, D.C. His mother arranged piano lessons
for him when he was four. He formed a duo with his older brother Norman, who
played the violin.By the time he
was 12, Van was writing songs. He gave up music as a teenager, mostly because
his friends teased him about playing the piano, and didn't take it up again
until he was a psychology major at Howard University.
Click On CD Cover To
Enlarge
While attending
college, he sang with a local group called
The Starlighters. Then he joined
the Heartbeats and recorded for Gone/End Records.He moved to Philadelphiaand, with an
uncle, started a record label, Rockin' Records.He released his own song, "Hey Mr. DJ," which was picked up
by Scepter Records.The label
hired Van as an A&R
(Artist
& Repertoire) man and he wrote "Stop the Music" for
The
Shirelles.In 1962 he
went to work for producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as a staff writer,
and during the '60s wrote many pop hits, including "Giving Up" for
Gladys
Knight and the Pips, "Baby, I'm Yours" for
Barbara
Lewis and "When You're Young and In Love" for
Ruby and the Romantics.
He started a
production company and recorded his own album for Columbia Records. He
continued to write and produce songs for people like
Aretha Franklin, Brenda and the Tabulations,Nancy
Wilson, Jackie Wilson, The Drifters, Chuck Jackson, Walter Jackson, Faith,
Hope & Charity, Chad and Jeremy, the original
Peaches and Herb, Vikki Carr, Barbara Lewis,
Nina Simone, Nat Cole, Gloria Lynn, Tom Jones, Brenda
and The Tabulations, Roberta Flack, and
in 1970 wrote and produced a number 11 hit for
The Presidents. "5-10-15-20
(25-30 Years of Love)." A year later he started to work with
The
Stylistics. This association teamed him with producers Hugo and Luigi at
Avco Records.
After his success
with "The Hustle," McCoy formed a partnership with Charles Kipps and
produced a gold record for former Temptation
David Ruffin ("Walk Away From
Love") at Motown.McCoy also
wrote and produced hits for Melba
Moore and Stacey Lattisaw.Despite all his pop hits, McCoy's true love was classical music.
"I like Beethoven, Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Dvorak and Tchaikowsky as much
as I like Thom Bell and Gamble and Huff," he said in Essence
magazine.
Van McCoy doing what he loved--composing
and performing music.
If that’s not enough, McCoy wrote some of the music for TV classic,
"Woman Called Moses," the story of Harriett Tubman.
Mae
West, the legendary actress, produced and starred in her own movie, "Sextette"
and asked Van to write the theme song, and to make a cameo appearance in the
film. He was also a frequent guest
on the "Tonight Show" and appeared on the "Mike Douglas
Show."
As fame and fortune grew, Van continued singing, recording and performing.
He formed his own orchestra, Soul
City Symphony, and with singers Faith, Hope and Charity, produced several
albums and gave many performances. Then came the Grammy nominated
"Disco Baby" album and the Grammy winning, gold single,
"The Hustle." The Disco explosion of the mid- 70's propelled Van
and the Hustle into a worldwide tour, and later to a great show at the
Avery Fisher Hall in
New York City
.
Click
On Album Covers To Enlarge
McCoy didn't realize he had composed an international best-seller when he
recorded "The Hustle."According
to Fred Bronson, author of the book
The
Billboard Book of Number One Hits, "The album was
specifically geared toward the discotheques because of the major role they
play in getting a lot of new products started," McCoy told Vernon Gibbs
in Essence
magazine. "'The Hustle' was
the last cut we did on the album, and we almost didn't
do it. I was introduced to The
Hustle by a disc jockey (David Todd) at a
New York City nightclub called the Adam's Apple.
He'd
been after me for a while to come and check out this new dance, but I just
never had the chance so I sent one of my friends."
"When he came back, he showed me this very strange dance. It was
something completely different from the “you-do-your-thing-and-I-do-mine
dances”; it was people dancing together again. The
Hustle reminded me of ballroom dancing, and I love graceful dancing.”
"I had recorded an entire album and
my partner kept bugging me about doing something with The Hustle.
We
had just one hour of studio time left, so I sat down and wrote whatever
came into my head. Even after
I finished 'The Hustle,' I wasn't excited because outside of the Latin
market and the New York
discos I wasn't aware of how popular the dance had become.
I
had no idea when I threw it together that it was going to be the hit it
is."VH-1
ranked “The Hustle” #5 on their list of the 100 Greatest Dance Tunes
Of All Time.(Click
here to view the entire list).
Van McCoy, overwhelmed by the sudden burst of stardom and life in the fast
lane, never got back to the mellow life and fun career he had so dearly
cherished. The 39 year old star was stricken with heart failure in his
fashionable home in Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey and without regaining consciousness, died July 6, 1979
at
Englewood General
Hospital.
This year is the 25th
anniversary of his death and a celebration of his legacy.Van McCoy’s music needs to be introduced to a new generation.After reading this article, you realize that there is so much you
don’t know about Van the man, and his music.
Visit the official
Van
McCoy web site at
www.vanmccoymusic.com
for the latest updates regarding the worldwide celebrations and activities
concerning this talented composer, producer and performer.
So what do
you think? If you would
like to respond to this article click here
and sign our Guestbook to
leave a public or private statement, comment or reaction.
The 100 Greatest Dance Tunes of All Time (VH-1)
1. "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor 2. "Don't Leave Me This Way" - Thelma Houston 3. "We Are Family" - Sister Sledge 4. "Vogue" - Madonna 5. "The Hustle" - Van McCoy 6. "Last Dance" - Donna Summer 7. "Y.M.C.A." - Village People 8. "The Twist" - Chubby Checker 9. "Gonna Make You
Sweat" - C&C Music Factory 10. "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees 11. "Respect" - Aretha Franklin 12. "Get Down Tonight" - KC & the Sunshine Band 13. "Love's Theme" - Love Unlimited Orchestra 14. "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" - Sylvester 15. "It Takes Two" - Rob Base & DJ E Z Rock 16. "Don't Stop 'Til
You Get Enough" - Michael Jackson 17. "Disco Inferno" - The Trammps 18. "Dancing In The Street" - Martha & the
Vandellas 19. "Shame" - Evelyn "Champagne" King 20. "Got To Be Real" - Cheryl Lynn 21. "That's The Way (I Like It)" - KC & the
Sunshine Band 22. "Love Hangover" - Diana Ross 23. "Lady
Marmalade" - Labelle 24. "Let The Music
Play" - Shannon 25. "Mashed Potato
Time" - Dee Dee Sharp 26. "Le Freak"
- Chic 27. "Louie
Louie" - The Kingsmen 28. "Billie
Jean" - Michael Jackson 29. "Finally"
- Ce Ce Peniston 30. "Turn The Beat
Around" - Vicki Sue Robinson 31. "Best Of My
Love" - The Emotions 32. "You Should Be
Dancing" - Bee Gees 33. "Upside
Down" - Diana Ross 34. "Forget Me Nots"
- Patrice Rushen 35. "It's Raining
Men" - The Weather Girls 36. "Rhythm Is A
Dancer" - Snap! 37. "Push It"
- Salt-N-Pepa 38. "Ain't No
Stoppin' Us Now" - McFadden & Whitehead 39. "Love
Train" - The O'Jays 40. "Into The
Groove" - Madonna 41. "Rock The
Boat" - Hues Corporation 42. "Love Is The
Message" - MFSB 43.
"Celebration" - Kool & The Gang 44. "Good
Times" - Chic 45. "More, More,
More (Part 1)" - Andrea True Connection 46. "Boogie Oogie
Oogie" - A Taste Of Honey 47. "Dance To The
Music" - Sly & the Family Stone 48. "Cool
Jerk" - The Capitols 49. "Shout" -
The Isley Brothers 50. "Back To Life
(However Do You Want Me)" - Soul 2 Soul 51. "Never Can Say
Goodbye" - Gloria Gaynor 52. "Brick
House" - The Commodores 53. "Ring My
Bell" - Anita Ward 54. "Doctor
Love" - First Choice 55. "The Loco
Motion" - Little Eva 56. "Rock Your
Baby" - George McCrae 57. "Cherchez La
Femme" - Dr. Buzzard's Original "Savannah" Band 58. "All Night Long
(All Night)" - Lionel Richie 59. "La Bamba"
- Ritchie Valens 60. "Believe"
- Cher 61. "Jump (For My
Love)" - Pointer Sisters 62. "Shake Your
Groove Thing" - Peaches & Herb 63. "Love To Love
You Baby" - Donna Summer 64. "Funkytown"
- Lipps Inc. 65. "Land Of 1,000
Dances" - Wilson Pickett 66. "1999" -
Prince 67. "Flashdance"
- Irene Cara 68. "Take Your Time
(Do It Right)" - The S.O.S. Band 69. "Shotgun"
- Jr. Walker & The All Stars 70. "Get Up (I Feel
Like Being A Sex Machine)" - James Brown 71. "Let's
Dance" - David Bowie 72. "Fly Robin
Fly" - Silver Convention 73. "Show Me
Love" - Robin S 74. "My
Prerogative" - Bobby Brown 75. "I Got You (I
Feel Good)" - James Brown 76. "I Feel
Love" - Donna Summer 77. "Ain't
Nobody" - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan 78. "And The Beat
Goes On" - The Whispers 79. "Heart Of
Glass" - Blondie 80. "You're The
First, The Last, My Everything" - Barry White 81. "Straight
Up" - Paula Abdul 82. "Play That
Funky Music" - Wild Cherry 83. "Got To Give It
Up" - Marvin Gaye 84. "Macarena
(Bayside Boys Mix)" - LosDelRio 85. "Keep On
Truckin'" - Eddie Kendricks 86. "I Want To
Dance With Somebody" - Whitney Houston 87. "TSOP (The
Sound Of Philadelphia)" - MFSB Featuring the Three Degrees 88. "U Can't Touch
This" - M.C. Hammer 89. "MacArthurPark" - Donna Summer 90.
"Heartbeat" - Tanya Gardner 91. "You Spin Me
Round (Like A Record)" - Dead Or Alive 92. "Disco
Lady" - Johnnie Taylor 93. "Thank You (Fallettinme
Be Mice Elf Agin)" - Sly & the Family Stone 94.
"Flashlight" - Parliament 95. "ABC" -
Jackson 5 96. "What'd I
Say" - Ray Charles 97. "Dancing
Queen" - ABBA 98. "Do Ya Think
I'm Sexy" - Rod Stewart 99. "Rock
Lobster" - The B-52's 100. "Gettin' Jiggy
Wit It" - Will Smith
