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TV One’s “Unsung” Returns June 25th With 8 New Episodes
May 23rd, 2012
Summer and music go hand in hand, and TV One helps celebrate the season with eight all-new episodes of its NAACP Image Award-winning series Unsung. TV One’s top-rated series of one-hour biographies celebrating the lives and careers of successful artists or groups who, despite great talent, have not received the level of recognition they deserve or whose stories have never been told, premieres Monday, June 25 at 9 PM ET with a look at one of America’s most influential pop music groups: Sly and the Family Stone.
Full List of Artists Being Featured!
Sly & the Family Stone (June 25) – Among the most influential groups in the history of popular music, Sly & The Family Stone fused funk, soul, rock, and R&B to create a sound that resonated well beyond the charts. Led by the brilliant and charismatic Sly Stone, it was a sound that by turns reflected the idealism of the sixties, and the fracturing of those ideals in the decade that followed. The band’s performance at the Woodstock festival in 1969 showed a group at the height of their powers, while suggesting a future of unlimited musical possibilities. But even while crafting great music, the group gradually disintegrated, torn apart by drugs, personality clashes, and the glare of the public spotlight. Sly Stone himself became deeply reclusive, his recordings increasingly sporadic, while refusing to grant interviews for decades. On this groundbreaking episode of Unsung, Sly Stone emerges to tell that tale, with the help of bandmates and family members – a unique and remarkable musical journey that, after four decades, is still unfolding.
Angela Bofill (July 2) – With a gorgeous voice and five octave range, exotic beauty and an intoxicating stage presence, Angela Bofill took the music world by storm. A native New Yorker who grew up in Harlem and the Bronx, she was a trained musician and sophisticated singer who invested ballads like ‘This Time I’ll be Sweeter,’ and her ode to heartbreak, “I Try” with palpable emotion. She could belt out hot dance numbers like ‘Too Tough’, and gospel-inflected inspirational hymns like “I’m on your Side’ with equal aplomb. But after a run of hits in the 1980s, she faded rapidly from view, as record labels trained their sights on a younger generation of video vixens. Bofill soldiered on for two decades, only to be literally silenced by two devastating strokes. Yet she refused to give up her dream, and is gradually returning to the stage, while sharing her inspirational life story with hard earned wit and wisdom, on this episode of Unsung.
Con Funk Shun (July 9) – With five gold albums and sixteen top forty singles, Con Funk Shun strode across the funk and R&B scene like a colossus for more than a decade. From their roots as high-school friends in Vallejo, California, they honed their chops at Stax records in Memphis, while developing an irrepressibly danceable sound. With hits like “Ffun,” “Shake & Dance With Me,” “Chase Me,” and “Love’s Train,” the group performed in sold-out arenas around the country, while showing off lavish outfits and tightly choreographed moves. But after 17 years together, a succession of personal conflicts caused the band to fall apart. And a decade later, one of their founding members was killed in circumstances at once mysterious and chilling. For this episode, the remaining original members, along with family and friends, gather for the first time to tell the story of a truly Unsung band.
Kool Moe Dee (July 16) – Kool Moe Dee is best remembered for his ever-present hats and shades, but it’s his resistance to hip-hop clichés which fortify his legacy. Anti-drugs and alcohol and pro-education, Moe was always willing to represent bold views in his music and in interviews. He demonstrated his lyrical complexity as a teen, when as a member of the groundbreaking Treacherous Three he created a new, fast-paced style of rhyming that was ultimately emulated by rap superstars like Twista and Busta Rhymes. As a solo artist, he ruled the charts and the clubs with hits like ‘Wild, Wild West’ and ‘I Go to Work’ –while taking on longtime rival LL Cool J with ‘How Ya Like Me Now.’ On this remarkably revealing episode of Unsung, and with help from friends and admirers including Doug E. Fresh, Melle Mel, and Teddy Riley, Kool Moe Dee tells his story, as only he can.
The Marvelettes (July 23) – In 1961, five teenage girls from the sleepy Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan, began a meteoric rise to fame that would revolutionize Motown, while creating a catalog of popular songs that endure to this day. Plucked from the obscurity of a high school talent show, they were signed on the strength of an original song titled “Please Mr. Postman.” Within months, the song became Motown’s first number one pop single. But despite an impressive array of follow-up hits like “Beechwood 4-5789,” “Too Many Fish in the Sea,” and the Smokey Robinson-penned classics “Don’t Mess with Bill,” and “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game” The Marvelettes remained strangely anonymous, never achieving the stature of rival acts like Martha and the Vandellas, or the Supremes. And in the space of a few short years, a stunning series of misfortunes and personal tragedies put an end to the group for good. Now, Unsung brings their full story to life, thanks to testimony from all of the surviving members, while shining a light on the music and legacy of one of the great singing groups of all time.
Gerald Levert (July 30) – Crowned by fans as ‘the last soul singer,’ Gerald Levert was one of the preeminent forces of ‘80’s and 90’s R&B. He took his pedigree from his father, Eddie Levert, of the mighty O’Jays, and while still a teenager, formed his own singing group, LeVert , with Marc Gordon and his younger brother Sean, that dominated the charts. Thanks to infectious hits like “Casanova” and “(Pop Pop Pop Pop ) Goes My Mind,” LeVert scored four straight gold records and five chart-topping singles; from there Gerald launched a formidable solo career, including a duet with his father, “Baby Hold on to Me,” which also hit number one. But Gerald could never find contentment in his many achievements, and remained driven to top himself throughout his career – a journey which ended tragically with his untimely death at the age of forty. Now, family, friends and musical admirers come together for this special portrait of a modern Unsung legend.
Arrested Development (Aug. 13) – Rarely has a group risen so high and fallen so fast as Arrested Development. This captivating musical collective stormed to the top of the charts with an exhilarating brand of countrified rap that mixed the spirit of Sly and the Family Stone with the political charge of Public Enemy, providing a positive alternative to more confrontational gangsta stylings. Their debut album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of, which chronicled the time it took the group to get a record deal, sold four million copies and sparked three top ten hits– “Tennessee,” ‘Mr. Wendal” and “People Everyday”. It also won two Grammys, including the coveted Best New Artist award in 1993, the first time hip-hop had ever taken that prize. And then it all abruptly fell apart, as internal feuding over control, direction and money belied the group’s idealistic vibe. By the time Arrested Development began work on their second album, they had split into two camps and were communicating with each other through agents and managers. After just 2 albums of original material, Arrested Development called it quits. Now mostly reunited, the members of this pioneering band reveal the full story of a group who flew high, fell far, and survived to tell the tale.
Lou Rawls (Aug. 20) – Lou Rawls was a singer’s singer, with a vocal style Frank Sinatra called ‘the silkiest chops in the singing game.’ He commanded the stage, and scored hits with songs that ranged from blues to jazz to uptown R&B, in the course of a magisterial recording career that spanned five decades. A definitive ‘crossover’ artist long before the term was coined, he was at home before crowds in Las Vegas and on the couches of network TV talk shows, while his pioneering work for the United Negro College Fund created a legacy far beyond music. But the man behind that smooth-singing persona was a more complicated figure – an abandoned child whose scars never healed, and whose unpredictable explosions of anger and violence were often directed toward those he loved best. In this ground-breaking episode of ‘Unsung’, friends, family, and musical collaborators – including fellow legends Della Reese, and Gamble & Huff – come together to craft a portrait of a singer whose music transcended category, and a man whose true personality was wrapped in layers of mystery.
UB Interviews: Meet R&B’s Emanny & Download His New Mixtape “Songs About HER”
May 23rd, 2012
It’s not often the world gets to meet a triple threat with the immense, unadulterated talent possessed by Emanny. The dapper, young new singer, songwriter, and producer is taking the world by storm with his melodic singing voice and witty but mature lyrics.
Born Emanny Salgado in New York, his family made sure he was introduced to music at an early age. With several relatives experienced in music, it was only a matter of time before Emanny followed in their footsteps. At the age of 14, he auditioned and was accepted to be a part of the world renowned Boys Choir of Harlem where he gathered much of his musical knowledge and experience.
Since then Emanny has been blessed to use his gifts and talents by performing and recording with great artists like Patti Labelle, Gerald Levert, Billy Killman, James Taylor, Carl Thomas, Ginuwine, Joe Budden, Styles P, Jadakiss and many, many more.
UrbanBridgez.com talked to Emanny bout the release of his new mixtape “Songs About HER,” some of his previous work, working with Jadakiss, his favorite R&B albums and much more!
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[Download] “Songs About HER”
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UrbanBridgez.com: Where did the idea of “Wrong Impression” originate?
Emanny: It came from that “how do I get this girl to trust me” moment. Now whether that is for positive or negative reasons is different person-to-person (laughs).
UrbanBridgez.com: It’s a hot track, do you have plans to release a video and if so, when?
Emanny: Thanks! Definitely, we are looking to shoot it the first week of June. Mills Miller (who directed my “Young and Ready” video) will be shooting it.
UrbanBridgez.com: Remind some people of the various mixtapes you’ve been apart of?
Emanny: I’ve worked with Jadakiss on “Hold You Down” which was on his “I Love You” Mixtape and most recently we collaborated on “Cuz We Paid” off his new Gangsta Grillz Mixtape “Consignment”. I’ve also been featured on Joe Budden’s Mood Muzik 3 & 4 and worked with Emilio Rojas on “One Last Time” off his “Breaking Point” Mixtape.
UrbanBridgez.com: What track that you’ve appeared on is your favorite right now and why?
Emanny: If I had to choose, I’d have to say “Dreamerz” by Joe Budden. It just came from a real place and it is a great example of exactly how I felt at the moment. It’s one of those songs that was and still is very therapeutic for me.
UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about Songs About HER and what listeners can expect after they press play?
Emanny: It’s my love life in a nutshell, both past and present. I feel like R&B doesn’t tackle enough of how men go through pain and hurt in love and how we grow from it as well. This is my story on loving and learning …The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.
UrbanBridgez.com: Explain Liberian Girl, the first thing that comes to mind is Michael Jackson’s song, is that song incorporated in it at all?
Emanny: I always wanted to remake a MJ song especially given the fact that he’s influenced me like no other musically. Liberian Girl fits within the framework of “Songs About HER” because the lyrics are exactly how I felt at one point. There are so many other MJ records I would love to remake but I wanted to do MJ justice and not just re-create something just for the hell of it.
UrbanBridgez.com: What’s it like working with Jadakiss on a music level as well as with business and what’s the biggest lesson he’s taught you about the industry?
Emanny: With him there’s no pressure to prove myself, which is the best thing. He believes in my gift and just let’s me do me. The biggest thing I’ve picked up from being around and working with him is to always stay humble and a man of the people. That often proves to be something that carries you further than the music ever can.
UrbanBridgez.com: As a songwriter, what inspires you the most when you sit down to write a new song?
Emanny: My experiences in life are usually the inspiration for my writings. I sometimes tap into others minds for material as well. I don’t like to write about something I haven’t been exposed to for fear that I might write unrealistically.
UrbanBridgez.com: In honor of Black Music Month, what are three to five of your absolute favorite R&B albums?
Emanny: Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”, Carl Thomas “Emotional”, Usher’s “Confessions”, Brandy’s “Full Moon” & Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In the Key Of Life.”
UrbanBridgez.com: What’s next for you after the release of the mixtape this week?
Emanny: Releasing more quality music and performing like crazy. I want this project to get the fair look I believe it deserves so I’ll just be on a “Songs About HER” mission until I feel it’s run it’s course with the listeners.
New Video: Bobby Brown Premieres “Don’t Let Me Die”
May 22nd, 2012
Bobby Brown will release his first album in 14 years on June 5, 2012 on B. Brown Productions/Bronx Bridge Entertainment, Inc. The single, “Don’t Let Me Die” has already begun to obtain radio play and will air on various music video outlets, beginning next week. The effervescent entertainer is scheduled to stop by BET’S 106 and Park on Tuesday, May 29th in support of his new single and music video. Check the video out below!
“I was hands on with the concept of this video, and I am looking forward to having my fans see it. My brother-in law and I had a great time shooting in Jamaica.” said Bobby Brown.
Bobby Brown will be performing the song live on May 28th, as part of the TODAY Show Rockefeller Plaza Concert Series.
New Video: Leela James “Behind The Scenes” Covering Etta James
May 22nd, 2012
Check out behind the scenes footage from Leela James’ upcoming video for her new single “Something’s Got A Hold on Me.” The song is highlighted on her new CD “Loving You More…In the Spirit of Etta James” which will be in stores July 31st!
New Video: Kevin McCall – “Naked” (feat. Big Sean) and Directed by Chris Brown
May 22nd, 2012
Check the official video for “Naked,” Kevin McCall‘s debut video featuring Big Sean and directed by Kevin‘s label mate, Chris Brown!
New Music: Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks “Celebrate”
May 21st, 2012
Following Jordin Sparks tribute to Whitney Houston at the Billboard Music Awards last night, where she performed “I Will Always Love You” on stage at the MGM Grand. Today her duet with Whitney “Celebrate” has premiered. Reportedly the last song Whitney recorded before her death February 11th. R. Kelly produced the song for the Sparkle film, which hits theaters August 17th! Whitney plays Jordin’s mother in the film.
New Music: Dwele Releases New Single, “What Profit” from Upcoming Album
May 21st, 2012
Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dwele releaes his lush new single, “What Profit,” this week, and announces the release of his fifth studio album in late summer 2012 on RT Music Group/eOne Music.
[Listen] to “What Profit”
A video for “What Profit” was recently shot in Dwele‘s hometown of Detroit, and will be seen on channels soon.
Dwele‘s last album, “W.ants. W.orld. W.omen. (W.W.W.)” was released in 2010, and received rave reviews. People Magazine summed up what critics have said about the album, writing, “This is a first-class, neo-soul affair.”
[Download] “What Profit” from iTunes!
Video: Lil Kim’s “The Return Of The Queen” Tour Hits NYC
May 19th, 2012
Lil’ Kim‘s “The Return Of The Queen” Tour hit New York city last night. Kim performed to the sold-out crowd most of her hit singles including “All About The Benjamins” in which she brought out Drita Davanzo of VH1′s “Mob Wives” to rap her classic verse (see video below). Puff, The LOX & Biggie would be proud.
Lil’ Kim also later brought out two of Hip-Hop‘s biggest female rappers Missy Elliott and EVE (see video below). Many others also came out to support Kim, including Pepa from Salt-N-Pepa and Somaya Reece.
[Photos] Courtesy of True Exclusives!
New Video: Teairra Mari & 2 Chainz Debut “U Did That”
May 18th, 2012
Teairra Mari officially returns to music with the brand new video for “U Did That,” featuring 2 Chainz. The lead single off of her upcoming sophomore album, Sex on the Radio, due this Summer.
“This is one on my favorite videos that I’ve done for a couple of reasons, starting with the mixture of grit and glam, the fact that the settings are very gritty and dark and I’m still serving glam,” Teairra tells AOL’s The BoomBox of the video.
She’s signed to songwriter Rico Love’s Division I imprint. Check out the video clip!