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Morning Show Update
January 10, 2007
Welcome to the Update
Freddie Bell, velvet morning voice talent and General Manager of Z 1470 Totally Gospel (KZTG – 1470) is a mellifluous voice actor, broadcast-journalist and speaker who is also a National Voice Actor. His vast voice over credits, include hosting several radio programs including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Love Train, It’s The Gospel in Tampa, The Freddie Bell Morning Show in radio on KSGS – 950AM, Solid Gold Soul in Minneapolis, plus This is Music, The Freddie Bell Countdown Show and The Minneapolis NAACP Community Affairs television Programs in Minneapolis.
Invite Freddie to your next event or seminar as a Keynote Speaker, covering topics including You Gotta Have H.E.A.R.T., Tuning In to R.A.D.I.O, Maximizing Your Potential, Imagination, The Secret Key To Success, Winning Through Community Service, Dreaming Your Way to Success and a variety of topics related to sales and sales management. Freddie shares ideas and techniques he used to propel Solid Gold Soul Radio into a household name and the launch of Totally Gospel radio in the Twin Cities. Call today for booking details. 888-639-9738.
Listen to the Freddie Bell Show, 4 to 7pm, weekdays on Z 1470 KZTG, Totally Gospel, or on the web at www.totallygospel.com.
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GRANDMASTER FLASH & FURIOUS FIVE ELECTED TO ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME
Hip hop legends Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday, January 8th. The Ronettes, Van Halen, R.E.M., and Patti Smith will also be inducted as part of the class of 2007 on March 12th at the annual ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
Grandmaster Flash explained how the group has impacted rapper and deejays. He said: “What you’re looking at is like two templates that intertwined to become the ground breaking force of hip-hop. Let me explain. Whenever you see two or more emcees split a sentence up back and forth as if one person was saying it, it’s called switch overs. That set the whole tone to how emcees would rap.”
Flash added: “If you see anybody doing any type of trickery on the turntables, cutting, scratching, whatever you want to call it, I’m the first deejay that created that.”
BUSTA RHYMES ORDERED TO PAY FAN $100,000
Busta Rhymes and his bodyguard Troy Green were ordered to pay an autograph seeking fan $100,000 for allegedly assaulting him when he asked for an autograph. Allhiphop.com reports that Melvin Smith was awarded the judgment for an incident which took place in lower Manhattan in 2005.
Smith, a handyman, approached Rhymes for an autograph outside of Corner Gourmet II deli near City Hall. Rhymes and Green allegedly beat up Smith, causing a cut on his eye that required four stitches.
Smith’s lawyer explained, “My client was not aggressive in seeking the autograph. Melvin went in to get an autograph and got a knuckle sandwich instead.”
Rhymes has an extensive history of aggressive behavior. In 2004, the rapper pleaded no contest to charges that he allegedly grabbed and shoved a fan named Celine Giguere who touched his face after a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts, in December 2002. Rhymes was placed on unsupervised probation for six months, and he was also ordered to pay $300 in court costs and a $21 fee for unsupervised probation. The case was automatically dismissed after the six-month period.
Last year, Rhymes was charged with assault charges for allegedly getting into it with a fan who spit on his Maybach.
Last week, Busta Rhymes was thrown in jail, after he allegedly beat down a former employee who went to his office to get some back pay. According to reports, after Busta posted his $3,500 bail. . . he decided to go out and tear it up. That night, he and his five-man crew hit the New York club Stereo, where Busta dropped several grand on three bottles of champagne and one of Hennessy. Busta also tipped his waitress $500 Then, the next day, Busta went to Jacob The Jeweler. . . to drop some more money on diamonds.
His next court date for his latest assault charge is February 20th.
JAY-Z PARTNERS WITH GMC FOR CONCEPT VEHICLE IN HIS OWN SPECIAL COLOR
Hip hop mogul Jay-Z is known for his taste in vehicles. The rapper is driving the new Maybach coupe in his latest video, “Lost Ones,” and on Saturday night, January 6th, he was in Detroit, Michigan to introduce the new GMC Yukon Denali SUV. SOHH.com reports that Jay-Z and General Motors have worked together for over two years to create the concept vehicle and that Jay-Z worked directly with the company’s global color studio to create a unique and reflective color that has been dubbed Jay-Z Blue.
Jay-Z, who emerged from one of the vehicles on stage at the Detroit Riverfront on Saturday (January 6th), said, “Hopefully I’ll be able to drive one of them out of here tonight.”
The event was attended by Vivica Fox, Jennifer Hudson, Rosie Perez, Nick Lachey, and Carmen Electra.
MOS DEF’S LATEST ALBUM RECALLED BY GEFFEN RECORDS
Many Mos Def fans were surprised to find his latest album, Tru3 Magic, in stores on Friday, December 29th. Besides the fact that most new releases hit stores on Tuesdays, the new album featured only a picture-CD in a plastic case. According to the rapper’s label, that’s because the set was recalled but sending the CD back was up to the discretion of individual retailers.
MTV.com reports that after the album leaked in early December, Geffen Records and Mos Def decided to push up its release and it actually showed up in some stores on December 19th. But after realizing the set lacked the adequate promotional push, Geffen Records and the rapper decided to push back the release.
Now Tru3 Magic will be released with full artwork and an altered track listing this spring. The project will be Mos Def’s last under his current contract with Geffen Records.
The current edition of Tru3 Magic will become a collector’s edition and it has quietly sold over 11,000 copies already, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In related news, Mos Def was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Undeniable” in the Best Rap Solo Performance category. The song is the lead single from Tru3 Magic. Winners will be announced at the 49th annual Grammy Awards in February.
DIDDY HOSTS BIRTHDAY BASH FOR GILBERT ARENAS: WIZARDS STAR SERENADED BY THE LIKES OF BUSTA, LIL’ WAYNE, T.I. AND THE GAME.
The talk of D.C. continues to be the party at Love nightclub Friday night to celebrate the 25th birthday of Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas. Sean “Diddy” Combs flew in to host the lavish event, which saw performances by Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Wayne, T.I. and The Game before the party ended. Rappers weren’t the only celebrities in attendance. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell rolled through, as did several other Redskins and Wizards players. “This just shows you how much love Gilbert has and we have as a team,” Wizards guard Jarvis Hayes told AP. “I’ve never seen a party like this — nowhere close.”
Earlier on Friday, Arenas nearly earned a triple- double – scoring 35 points, a season-high 12 assists and seven rebounds to help the Wizards beat the Los Angeles Clippers 116-105. During one of his foul shots, the sellout crowd of 20,173 at the Verizon Center began chanting “MVP!” While the party at Love started at 9 p.m., Arenas arrived at around midnight. The venue featured a life-sized ice carving of Arenas playing basketball, and television monitors airing No. 0’s highlights throughout the night. According to AP, many of the 7,500 invited guests clogged the stairwells leading to the fourth floor, where Arenas was holding court. “He was taking it in stride,” Hayes said of Arenas’ reaction to the clamoring fans.
DAVE MAYS AND BENZINO ACCUSED OF STEALING CONTENT
Former Source magazine owners Dave Mays and Ray Benzino launched their new weekly rap gossip, Hip Hop Weekly, in October and the duo is already taking heat from other publications, specifically Mark Echo’s Complex magazine. Ballerstatus.com reports that Complex has accused Mays and Benzino of stealing content and called the publication the “piss poor-cheapest paper to ever be printed on-rumor rag.”
On their web blog, Complex magazine went on to say, “Hip Hop Weekly, the gossipy-rap- tabloid that is sure to get both founders and sexual harassers, Ray Benzino and Dave Mays, shot, need to learn how to attribute sources, especially when they just thieve content without consent. Word for word they reprinted quotes with no credits and definitely no green light from us.”
Mays responded in a written statement, “We feel very sorry that the folks at Complex magazine believe that Hip Hop Weekly is a ‘biting’ and ‘gossipy-tabloid’ printed on piss-poor paper but ever since the launch of our revolutionary new format, we have been receiving rave reviews about our coverage of hip-hop culture and entertainment on a weekly basis.”
Benzino added, “Contrary to anyone else’s beliefs, there is no beef between us and Complex, or with any other hip-hop magazine for that matter….It’s a fast-moving world, so the Hip Hop Weekly format only fits the times.”
BEYONCE DANCE AUDITION DRAWS HUNDREDS IN HOUSTON
Hundreds of dancing hopefuls showed up over the weekend as Beyonce held another in a series of auditions in her home town of Houston. Dancers were put through their paces Saturday at a Houston studio, performing choreographed routines to such Beyonce hits as “Deja Vu” in front of choreographer Frank Gaston and several cameras.
Houston is the third location in the cross-country search to fill 40 slots for Beyonce’s upcoming worldwide tour. Previous dance auditions have been held in Atlanta and Los Angeles, and the audition process will continue in New York and Chicago.
Beyonce and Gaston will review the tapes and choose 30 finalists from each city. Finalists will be sent to New York or Los Angeles to compete for the final positions.
Competition is bound to be fierce, since open calls for such a high profile artist tour are rare. The chosen dancers will earn between $1,500 to $3,000 a week and get extensive exposure.
Beyonce utilized the open-call audition process to formulate her current all-female touring band.
Tour dates have not yet been announced.
RIHANNA WINS BARBADOS MUSIC AWARDS
Pop and R&B singer Rihanna earned the Entertainer of the Year award at this year’s Barbados Music Awards, held in Bridgetown on Friday, January 5th. It’s the second year in a row the 18-year-old has won the island’s top award.
She also took home Best Album for A Girl Like Me and Best Song for the Top 10 single “Unfaithful,” which she performed at the packed ceremony.
“I am always delighted to win awards, but it’s especially great to win awards at home,” she said, according to AP. “I’m actually working on my third album, so you will be seeing and hearing a lot from me in the upcoming months.”
The Def Jam hitmaker was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on the Caribbean island, and shot to fame with her 2005 single “‘Pon De Replay” from her debut album Music Of The Sun. She told me that when she’s away from home she really misses the “three Fs”: “West Indian food, very spicy, it’s really good…food, friends and family.”
MAURICE WHITE HANDPICKED ARTISTS FOR ‘INTERPRETATIONS’
Earth Wind & Fire founder, producer and chief songwriter Maurice White says that the all-star tribute album being released on the revived Stax label was actually put into motion by Concord Records, whose John Burk pitched the idea to him at last year’s Grammy Awards. The new set, titled Interpretations: Celebrating The Music of Earth Wind & Fire, is being released on due March 27th on the legendary Stax label, which was acquired by Concord.
The album features performances by Chaka Khan, Dwele, Bilal, MeShell Ndegeocello, Lalah Hathaway, Ledisi, Mint Condition, and new Stax signee Angie Stone, among others.
White says he personally approved all the artists, and offered them a list of Earth, Wind & Fire’s many hits to choose from. He told me: “So we gave the artists a list of songs and from that they pretty much selected a song that they figured they could do the best job on. Yeah, I was the executive producer, I let them produce musically because I wanted them to feel free to do whatever they felt was necessary to complete the song.”
The first single will be a version of “September” by gospel star Kirk Franklin that is dedicated to the people of New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama, who were hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina. The single will be available at radio in late January.
THE POINTER SISTERS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FALLEN MEMBER
Anita Pointer says carrying on with the Pointer Sisters has helped her overcome some painful losses. Pointer spoke to the Honolulu Star Bulletin and explained that performing helped her through the recent deaths of her daughter, her mother, and most recently her sister and group-cofounder June Pointer, who died last April of cancer. Anita explained that, “The last six years… they’ve been really stressful. It’s by the grace of God that we’re still doing this. It’s been unbelievable. My life has taken quite a turn. The touring has really relieved the pain and the hurt. It’s helped keep my mind occupied.”
Anita added that the group is taking a brief hiatus from live work to concentrate on recording: “We’re going to take some time to do some recording. We’re writing songs. In fact, just last week I wrote a song about June… It was tough to pick up after June died. It’s still tough. I miss her so. She was so wonderful, and while it will never be the same, Ruth and I wanted to go on.”
Anita and sister Ruth have been performing with Ruth’s daughter, Issa Pointer, whose father is former Temptations’ lead singer Dennis Edwards: “She has good genetics, between her mom and her father, who sang ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone.’ We approached her when June wasn’t well and couldn’t go on the road. It was a pretty easy transition at the time.”
No release date has been scheduled for the upcoming Pointer Sisters album, which will be their first new studio collection since 1993’s Only Sisters Can Do That.
Anita Pointer told me that throughout the group’s 30- odd-year career they’ve always been thankful to have the opportunity to perform and record: “We’re always working on new projects, were always writing, always looking for that killer song. So that’s what we’re doing right now. Working in and out of the country, in and out of California, and just having a really good time, and working hard.”
ENTERTAINMENT QUICKIES
Hip-Hop video model/television personality and actress Melyssa Ford has joined Sirius Satellite Radio as an on-air host. Ford will be a host on Sirius’ commercial free R&B/Hip-Hop station, Hot Jamz, channel 50. Ford’s first day on the air starts Monday, Jan. 15 and her show will air from 12-6 pm EST. Ford has graced the pages of magazines like XXL, Maxim and Black Men’s Magazine. She has also been featured in videos by Jay-Z, Mystikal, Jadakiss, R. Kelly and others.
It seems like every other week rapper Foxy Brown has a run-in with the law. In fact, her behavior has gotten so bad that insiders are beginning to wonder if she has a serious problem. MediaTakeOut.com spoke with someone close to Foxy who believes that she does. According to the woman, Foxy may be hooked on the addictive painkiller Oxycontin. The woman, who has known Foxy for years, spoke exclusively to MediaTakeOut.com. She claims that she saw Foxy take a dozen of what she believes were the addictive pain killers in one sitting. She explains, “I saw [Foxy] and she looked terrible, her weave was coming out and she was all ashy … and she kept complaining of a headache and popping pills – it was sad.” The woman continued, “When I asked [Foxy] what kind of pills she was taking, she told me to mind my [EXPLETIVE] business … but I’ve used Oxycontin before so I know what they look like.” And there’s more evidence that Foxy may be abusing the addictive painkiller. According to the National Institute of Health’s website, prolonged Oxycontin abuse leads to sensorineural hearing loss, an extremely rare condition. Last year Foxy Brown was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss. She has since undergone two operations to restore her hearing.
MARIO: NEW DISC INFLUENCED BY FILM
Mario says that his new disc, Go, is heavily influenced by things he’s experienced in filming Freedom Writers. He tells us, “The album consists of a lot of different types of records. The film, Freedom Writers, actually influenced a song called ‘Do Right’ that’s on the album. It’s a lot more personal. It talks about my experiences growing up as a teenager, and why I chose to sing and you know not be a statistic. You know, God blessed me with a voice and he blessed me with insight.”
Freedom Writers opened in theaters this weekend, and ended up the number-four film with sales totaling nine-point-seven million dollars.
Go is slated to be released this spring
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Go!, Mario (Guest artists include: Alicia Keys, Nelly and Akon.)
Downtown Journey of a Heart, John Waite (Includes a duet with Alison Krauss.)
Never Hear The End Of It, Sloan
Jump In Soundtrack, The new Disney Channel movie (With songs performed by High School Musical’s Corbin Bleu, Akeelah and the Bee’s Keke Palmer, and 15-year-old Jordan Pruitt, who’s currently the opening act for High School Musical:The Concert.)
Crunk Hits 3, Various Artists (Featuring music from: David Banner, Three 6 Mafia, Webstar, E-40, Akon, LL Cool J, Pitbull, Paul Wall, the Ying Yang Twins, Too Short, Chris Brown, T-Pain, Tyrese, Jim Jones, Lil Rob and Lil Wayne.)
Son of a Refugee, Patriarch
The Best Kept Secret, (Kool Keith’s reunited rap group) The Ultramagnetic MCs
STAR JONES WAS THE MOST ANNOYING CELEBRITY OF 2006
What if somebody came up with a list of the Most Annoying Celebrities of 2006, and Donald Trump only came in second while Kevin Federline finished 18th??? Believe it or not, that happened. The website AmIAnnoying.com has released its annual list of the Most Annoying Celebrities of the Year, and Star Jones beat Trump to the top spot. Paris Hilton was a close third.
The Top 10 Most Annoying Celebrities of 2006 are:
1.) Star Jones
2.) Donald Trump
3.) Paris Hilton
4.) Michael Jackson
5.) Justin Timberlake
6.) Stacey Keibler
7.) Dr. Phil
8.) Oprah Winfrey
9.) Lindsay Lohan
10.) Tom Cruise
TYRESE’S GIRLFRIEND SAYS FIGHT WAS “DISTORTED”
The attorney representing the girlfriend of singer/actor Tyrese Gibson has issued a statement in response to an altercation that allegedly occurred at a Los Angeles home last Thursday night.
The woman’s attorney tells TMZ “Reports that Tyrese punched my client- his girlfriend- in the arm, thigh or anywhere else are false. It is true, Mr. Gibson and his girlfriend had been arguing. She became very emotional and distressed during the argument and called 911 in an attempt to get a mediator. Mr. Gibson, frustrated, left the home. My client, Mr. Gibson’s girlfriend, who is 11 weeks pregnant, then became more upset and began throwing up. When the paramedics arrived, concerned about the baby, they took her to the hospital. Fortunately, she was fine. Once at the hospital, she was asked by a nurse whether she had been assaulted. She said no. She was then asked what her pain level was on a scale of zero to ten. She said zero. She then discharged herself. Mr. Gibson and his girlfriend are very much still in love, together and excited about their expectant child. She is quite saddened that this event was so distorted.”
Police sources tell TMZ they are “interested” in speaking to Tyrese about the incident.
No charges have been filed.
ELLA FITZGERALD STAMP TO BE UNVEILED IN NEW YORK
The late jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald will be honored tomorrow in New York, as the U.S. Postal Service will induct her as the 30th personality in its Black Heritage stamp series. Singer Nancy Wilson, saxophonist James Moody, Fitzgerald’s son Ray Brown Jr., the Rev. Calvin O. Butts of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, and other friends and notables will gather at the Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City at 11 a.m. for a special unveiling of the stamp art.
Widely known as “The First Lady of Song,” Fitzgerald is pictured on the new stamp with a portrait based on a 1956 photograph.
The Postal Service issued its first Black Heritage stamp in 1978 with a stamp honoring Harriet Tubman. Since then, the popular series has seen postage stamps featuring the images of Martin Luther King Jr., Marian Anderson, Malcolm X, Thurgood Marshall, and many others.
OFFICIALS SAY MADONNA IS DOING A GOOD JOB AS MOM
Madonna is doing a good job as mother to her newly adopted son, David Banda, according to the Malawian government. An official told Reuters, “We have been monitoring her, and so far we see a loving mother in Madonna, and David is very fine. The father should not be worried.” Madonna signed interim adoption papers last fall and agreed to be monitored for 18 months so that Malawi officials would decide whether David could officially join her family.
Madonna’s Confessions tour is coming to CD and DVD on January 30th.
She’ll be up for three prizes at the Grammy Awards on February 11th.
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Black History Fact
In 1861, Mississippi became the second state to secede from the Union.
In 1866, Fisk University was founded.
In 1906, Poet and novelist Paul Laurence Dunbar died.
In 1914, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was founded at Howard University.
In 1922, Ahmed Sekou Toure, the first president of Guinea, was born.
In 1946, Poet Countee Cullen died at the age of 42 in New York City.
In 1967, the Georgia legislature, bowing to legal decisions and national pressure, seated Representative Julian Bond, a critic of the Vietnam War.
In 1989, Time Inc. agreed to sell NYT Cable for $420 million to a group led by J. Bruce Llewellyn. It was the largest cable TV acquisition by an African-American at the time.
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Celebrity Birthdays
Tyrone “Mugsy” Bogues, former NBA star, 42
Earl Graves, publisher of Black Enterprise, 72
Angie Martinez, rapper, actress, and radio personality, 35
Mia X, former No Limit rapper and actress, 37
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Words To the Wise
God is still a miracle worker
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Contact Information
Freddie Bell
newsletter@voiceunique.com
888-639-9738
Filed under: Freddie's Morning Show Update, General, Motivation, Totally Gospel Minneapolis
