Blast from The Past! [Sci-Fi music underground] (ESSENCE)

When Black Music Goes Sci-Fi
By Marcus Scott
Essence Magazine

In 2005, producer Rich Harrison reintroduced a 70s funk style that established song-of-the-summer cuts like “Get Right” and “1 Thing” for some of the world’s hottest artists including stylista J. Lo and go-go diva Amerie. These songs, backed by great dance music videos, proved that when something’s good, it deserves a comeback. In the heyday of Earth, Wind & Fire, the Ohio Players and P-Funk, in a land where tinfoil spaceships hovered on platforms and where skimpy plastic bodysuits were chic, science fiction themes saturated the music scene. Here are those men and women who embrace sci-fi chic:

1. Unrivaled dance pop vet Janet Jackson released futuristic videos before with “If,” and the state-of-the-art “Scream” with her brother Michael, but it was her roller disco Æon Flux masqurade that really gave us “Feedback” in 2008.

2. From razor-sharp and sleek quiffs to fun and frizzy Mad Max Mohawks, superstar Rihanna went in a new direction when she debuted her summer supernova “Disturbia.” Clad in the music video, donning a dominatrix space cadet style, she cements the sci-fi trend.

3. This year, we saw a transformation in R&B empress Beyoncé. With her megahit “Single Ladies,” she debuted the now-infamous Lorraine Schwartz robo--glove, and then the sassy metallic dangle shades in “Diva.” Rocking Thierry Mugler ‘s disco-ball Barbarella designs on her world tour, Beyoncé is truly “Fierce.”

4. Bad Boy upstart and afropunk princess Janelle Monáe—with her pompadour hair, slim-cut leisure suits and intergallatic roar on her critically acclaimed Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase—is beaming us to the nearest to clothing and music stores!

5. Shingai Shoniwa is delivers the noise with her africana Blade Runner fashion sense, that mixes 60s Hollywood glitz and Year 3000 thrills, especially in videos “Never Forget You,” and “Scratch Your Name.”

6. Gone are the days of Hollywood starlet pin-up sparkle, now are the times of bad girl glam. With her kledioscopic flair, Kelis (as seen in “Bossy”) is head-to-toe—from zig-zag hair cuts, automaton designs to her eccentric shoe game—the lovechild of George Clinton and Grace Jones.

7. With her 80s afrocentric ladytron glam, up-and-comer Santigold took the world by storm with her critically-acclaimed “L.E.S. Artistes,” and knack for mixing Road Warrior-type animal prints with neon tribal accessories.

8. Sci-fi chic is not only for women. Justin Timberlake is, by far, one of the most exciting stars of the Y2K era. With FutureSex/LoveSounds in 2006 and then the debut of his William Rast fashion line which is part James Bond casanova /part Clockwork Orange, he solidified his influence with the catchy tunes “SexyBack” and “Lovestoned.”

9. Before there was Justin, there was the fluorescent glitterati Pharrell Williams. His b-boy meets Star Trek cybernetic spaceman appeal has lit up red carpets since his iconic “Frontin’.” Making a cameo with robo-swagger in Common’s “Universal Mind Control” music video, he shows no signs of slowing down.

10. He gave swagger to legends Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs always gives a bit of a futuristic metallic “Tin Mannish” suit tinge of excitement in his videos, just look at Maxell-like “Tell Me,” and the legendary “Mo Money Mo Problems.”

11. This Hollaback Girl from Orange County has always been a trendsetter, from her unique Tomboy fashion in the early 90s to her Mafioso glamour in “It’s My Life,” but it was her post-apocalyptic surf punk Matrix look in “Hella Good,” that made us stand and salute while giving Gwen Stefani street cred.

12. Borrowing P-Funk’s Mothership Connection influences and mixing them with a fabulous ragtime Roaring 20s sensibility, André 3000 is perhaps at the forefront of the moment, making his mark with jams “Ms. Jackson,” “B.O.B.” and “Prototype.”

13. Kanye West is the quintessential icon of sci-fi cool. With his clean cosmonaut glam, this suave playboy created the biggest fashion craze since Beyoncé’s gold pumps when he donned a pair of Alain Mikil shutter shades in “Stronger.”

14. Cool kid Lupe Fiasco slid into the spotlight and never left a bad taste in our mouth when he strutted his neo-soul meets Mace Windu finesse in his landmark hits “Superstar” and “Daydreamin’.”

15. Crowned prince of Pop and R&B Usher, from fitted Sucka emcee bubble jackets to white Vanilla Sky-influenced tuxedos, from his sensual “U Remind Me,” to songs “Yeah” and “Love in This Club,” has become the staple of sci-fi swag.

16. Way before the youngins began the trend, there was His Purple Majesty or His Royal Badness, better known as Prince. From 1999 to Sign O’ the Times and everything after, Prince’s flower child rockstar meets sex pistol Eraserhead is still working his magic.

17. Then there was one. The fabulous and feral Grace Jones, with her wire armor, gaudy-glittered gowns, tribal patterns, and iconic Flat Top were immortalized on her hit albums “Nightclubbing” and “Slave to the Rhythm,” above all—this maneater scared and enticed us.

18. Lady Gaga, from her stunning debut in “Just Dance,” she helped kicked off a sci-fi revolution with her Running Man meets Minority Report fashion attentiveness. Viewed as the go-go version of Grace Jones, this pop diva gives us chills with her PVC body suits and avant-garde love of fabric.

19. College radio fave Kid Sister, flaunted her unique flamboyance in her video “Pro Nails,” with her Conehead-like bouffant up do, Harajuku make-up and mod look.

20. While his urban gear is not considered futuristic, rap legend Busta Rhymes arguably revolutionized the video world with his stunning visuals. Look at the Grace Jones-esque “Put York Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” and his liquid metal duet with Janet Jackson on “What’s It Gonna Be?!”

21. Self-decapitation. Check. Transforming into mythological creatures. Check. Missy Elliot, the lady with cartoon mind, has done it all and with her videos like “Sock It To Me”—full of Megaman references—makes her more than a pioneer, but trailblazer.

22. Who is that girl Teyana Taylor? Coining the phrase “Google Me,” she lept headfirst into the music game, inspiring the fashion world with her frizzy afropuff curl, smooth as spider’s silk skirts and eccentric color scheme.

If you're interested to see who made the list, go to: http://photos.essence.com/galleries/black_music_goes_scifi

This was written some time ago over the summer. Expect new updates with interviews of Mehcad Brooks, Columbus Short, Benjamin Patterson and other Guys To Watch, as well as a few music reviews and a countdown of best & worst of the year! Stay tuned.

This is a De'Vine Production

College student by day and music producer/fine arts mogul by night, I was so impressed with the creative wonders of Ms. De'Vine Alexand[h]er that I was moved to interview her about holistic artistry and projects with her lyrical counterpart, Luci M. Here are some excerpts from the article:

Young, gifted musicians and producers, Luci M. and De'Vine Alexand[h]er have music in their blood. Singer, songwriter, rapper, and engineer...and this is just their beginning.

They’ve been best friends for six years and their birthdays are so close together (one day apart), you’d think that they are sisters. Within their musical unity, both women stay busy on top of their artistry.

Novlette Lee aka De’Vine Alexand[h]er is a nice young lady with ambitious dreams to excel in music and fine arts. Lee grew up around music and has come to embrace it as her own, as her father is a DJ and her mother kept her vocals proper in her home church choir. When she says she loves art, she means every aspect of it and shows it to the world.

Luci M. was born not just in the Bronx, but also into this world knowing that she wanted to be a singer. Just like her best friend, she also grew up singing in the church. Her mother’s spidey senses tingled as she came the the realization that her daughter has something special. She sang her first solo at the tender age of 10 in her children choir and kept stepping up into her Sunday school’s worshiping team and eventually the adult choir. She began working with different people and bringing out her own style of music to cater to all genres. At 17 years old, Luci M. and De’Vine decided to pursue their music. Miss M had an R&B album in 2007. Now she is working part-time at home while working on her second album, which is mostly reggae.

Their best songs can be heard on their music page . “Put it On Me,“ “Get Pan Mi Level,“ and ‘The Female Anthem” are their most popular tracks among their friends, family, and fans. Some of their songs are composed of sampled dance hall beats, harmonic unison, and lyrics that roll off the tip of their tongues. Their most recent uploaded track is “Life into Me,“ which is a slowed down, yet rhythmic, hip shaking love song and introduces their newest artist, Rejean Smith.

To see the original article, check out inCOLOR Magazine.

Photo courtesy of their Myspace music page.

Anjulie debut-album review (Nu-Soul)

Anjulie goes boom!

By Marcus Scott

Nu-Soul Magazine

November 20, 2009

Honeycomb-churning contralto-voiced sugar pop chanteuse Anjulie is a harmonious idiosyncrasy to say the least, and with her eponymous debut, she’s got the moxie to be the reigning US Hot Dance Club Play princess. On first listen, this Great White Northern answer to Santigold and Regina Spektor turns a melting pot of sound into a cultural mosaic. From Tango, dark wave bossa nova, world rhythms, hip-hop soul, ‘70s era Philly soul-disco to acid jazz flourishes, contagious neo-soul half-scats, Morricone-esque superfluities, and Sunnyside-up acoustic guitar riffs—Anjulie shows that she is slowly putting her stamp on popular music. With “Rain” and “Addicted2Me” having both been featured on MTV’s famous-for-being-famous mainstay scripted-reality broadcasts “The Hills” and “The City,” this funky mademoiselle is getting eyed by the cool kids.

First single “Boom,” sounds like a 60s Nancy Sinatra-esque vibe that could easily have been a staple on the Kill Bill soundtrack had it debuted a few years prior. Its pseudo-James Bond guitar flare, cabaret sass shimmering in the horns and fire-eater big band sound on the backbeat creates a magic that screams A-list Avalon. “Boom,” a rather haunting stalker-in-the-shadows foxtrot bathtub-surrounded-with-candles serenade, is a finger-snapping fiesta that, upon first listen, sounds like an alien musical oddity on the rise. Anjulie’s daringly dark timbre and use of restraint forces the listener to tune in and sway to the intercontinental rhythms and with the rotation of her video—a Salvador Dali Alice in Wonderland panache—the listener is drawn into a parallel universe of the extraterrestrial…something we haven’t seen in a jazz artist since Herbie Hancock’s Future Shock record.

“Rain,” a sexy recall of the late-90s millennium bubblegum Bad Boy R&B sound pioneered by Blackstreet, TLC and P!nk’s debut that instantly transforms Anjulie from a fizzy-mystic soul chorus girl to urban café torch singer. The stormy weather synth orchestra drum thunderclap backing intro that jumps into a simple acoustic guitar hip-hop melody is refreshing, and with a resemblance to The Score’s “Ready or Not” by rap supergroup The Fugees and a sound that almost rehashes Craig David’s “Walking Away”. Maybe Anjule is on her way to making a name for herself in a time where music is being dominated by glitzy-shiny Lady Gaga and sugary spectacle-stealing Britney Spears upstarts.

From Oaksville, a suburb of Toronto, the young songbird interned at the Metalworks recording studio at 17, where she met Jon Levine, keyboardist of the Canadian R&B hit-makers Philosopher Kings. Born to Guyanese immigrants, this boom box blasting lovechild of Nelly Furtado of Corinne Bailey Rae is a well-read versifier to say the least. The computer pro tools steroid-juiced “Some Dumb Girl,” with her sassy and girlish coos and the 80s Japanese synthpop atmospheric liquid breathing jazz backing, sounds more like a movie soundtrack than a confession of infidelity…and arguably, that is its charm. Unlike her peers, who have out more radio-friendly tunes, Anjulie’s melancholy and chill resonance places her audience in a world best explored lying in a bed reading a book or while the listener is on the road at 4 o’clock in the morning driving on cruise control as the sun begins to rise. Her lyrics, so in tune with rudimentary human emotion, is written in generalities—which can to some critics be an excuse to rid oneself of having to show any “real talent”—but it works because her solid delivery can be understood because everyone understands them. Written as if in conversation, on “Some Dumb Girl,” Anjulie makes a pious protest and she speaks volumes. She follows this up with the psychedelic R&B showstopper made-for-primetime-series-finale “Addicted2Me.” The feisty two-step club-grinder, with its distorted vocal backing and it’s sweat-dripping baseline, she declares “Nobody gotta love like mine,” with a popped-blister vocal roar. Anjulie rips her lover a new one with her confident refrain, and with moxie she is a brazen beauty on the prowl with statements like “’Til your addicted to me like the sand to the sea/And everything that you see is a vision of me/Your addicted to me like a fatal disease/Until your love for me is a love like me.”
The album is a stunning debut from an artist, be it that most won’t appreciate it because of the mellow tinge of the record, but what Anjulie does is create a nexus between genres and kicks down the walls of sound that we segregate in music stores. For Anjulie can’t be boxed in. Listen to “Same Damn Thing,” whose folk rock lyric style sounds like an early Sheryl Crow effort and whose melody sounds like a Vitamin C / Ace of Base amalgamation, with its hotter-than-July 60s-beach-party sound and Anjulie’s saccharine alto. Clearly, Anjulie—still an unknown—could be one of the best talents to come out of the last half of first decade of the 21st century with her soulful blend of sistah-girl swagger and Lolita debutante darling decadence. Probably one of the most dismissed albums this year, this sexy vamp is an artist on the rise.

Check it out: http://blog.nu-soulmag.com/?p=1409

The Noisettes' "Wild Young Hearts Review" (Nu-Soul)

Shingai and The Boys bring in 'da Noise and bring in 'da Funk
By Marcus Scott
Nu-Soul Magazine
November 20,2009

When two punk-rock London rude boys met a bluesy-soul songstress with a halo of hair with ribbons of frayed and frazzled afro curls, magic was made, and their debut “What’s The Time, Mr. Wolf?” went on to become an underground glow stick-waving party starter. After guitarist Daniel Smith and percussionist Jamie Morrison tapped the shoulder of Zimbabwean temper-tantum Veruca Salt sex kitten Shingai Shoniwa to create a purple flamed mushroom cloud sound that fuses No Doubt, Bow Wow Wow and Sade—they took the London anti-establishment subterranean by storm. And for a while, there were paper wars between them and New York bar-divers The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and no one could make up their minds. Both bands had chicks with enough moxie to spare: emotional-cutter Karen would crowdsurf as if attempting suicide on stage and Shingai would dart off a nightclub floor like a beer pong ball from hell—and both have killer fashion senses. Eventually, Karen O and her boys went on to make electro-synth dance records—and the Noisettes elected to create this excellent sophomore effort, Wild Young Hearts, a riveting new wave neo-soul punk-rock record that shimmers and shines like electric silk.

This critic had the chance to see these lovely musical droogs in a club in SoHo, promoting a listing of what would become this record not long ago, and noticed that the young American’s who were in attendance liked what they had to say, as hundreds slicked through the bouncer-guarded velvet roped doors like liquid jellyfishes. Why are they such hot shots you wonder? Upon releasing their first record, they were called “The Band to Watch” by magazines such as Nylon and Rolling Stone, with Spin magazine detailing the band’s rich rave-gala live performances as an eccentrically sublime experience in modern times. With a girl group duo backing singer Shingai, a clash-of-titans bazaar of sound drifting Jamie’s LSD-epileptic drumming style and Daniel’s fever pitch ozone-destroying guitar blazing, they are a band on the rise, achieving an eclectic fan base of zeitgeist trendsetters and blitzed literati cool kids. With their fête lifestyle, they opened this record like they opened that magical show in NYC, with the radio-friendly and happy-go-lucky “Wild Young Hearts”—a jovial, punky-funk handclapping anthem made for the Y2K iPhone generation sweethearts. It’s memorably luscious La-la-la-la intro and show stopping chorus clap break make for a great time especially in a time where fans driven by surf-rock Disney pop tart tunes could also join in. Shingai’s solid delivery and charismatic summer-love-gone-awry anecdote is one guaranteed to get the party started with its take no prisoners swing-and-sway melody.

The band did their best to create an all-out welcoming burlesque dance record with the over-the-top electro dance two-step club romper, “Don’t Upset The Rhythm”—an 80s Talking Heads-esque cardboard break-dance number. With the sleek keyboard scales and violin trimmings, its jump-on-the-bed backbeat creates a stark and stir-crazy frantic frenzy feel made as if for an awesome hand-to-hand spy-verses-spy mortal combat action flick sequence. With its new wave Miami Vice credit icebreaker, its synth jingle melody, and the smoky-voiced girl choir mosh pit echo, the band burns down the house with a song that is easily one of the perfect drink-in-hand club bangers of the year.
The track that best describes the record is the sexy, moonlighting “Never Forget You”—the 60s girl group tinged tune perfect for the slow dancing couple’s only teenybopper prom night, as sparks fly across the gymnasium floors with the song’s brilliant orchestral flourishes and Shingai’s raspy gospel-metal mezzo-soprano wail and its star-crossed love-affair-gone-wrong lyrics. Sweet on the ear, this Chess Records rip-off sounds like a re-mastered novelty air loom lost in storage files from years ago, a sound that works well among its peers. The bass thud and the string arrangement souring over Shingai’s sticky-and-sweet flypaper vocal acrobatics and Daniel’s guitar sunshine-and-roses guitar loops, without any reservations, is a perfect summer fling soundtrack.

There is always a song that is a record stand out, and it happens to be the lighter-waving “Atticus”—possibly the best song in the career of the rebellious rock trio, and one of the best on this set list. This may become a staple for the closing of all of the shows. The signature guitar riff, the drumming embellishments of ballroom jazz and the faint sounds of bass in the backing…? This beautiful unassisted confession is sung, almost as if just above a whisper, discussing the singer’s empathetic desire for self-destruction, is probably the most personal and above all, the most important. To be frank, it’s a stand-out blues record that is dying to have its 15 minutes on MTV’s Unplugged. Taking clip notes from the famous Harper Lee “To Kill A Mockingbird” novel, this brooding dim-the-lights tribal-esque folksy guitar blues number about breaking barriers despite the repercussions, is a rebel song in many ways and also a bare bones lover’s quarrel R&B single. With the vocal spirit of Billie Holiday and the riot grrl war cry of Gwen Stefani, Shingai’s stifling vibrato fused with Jamie’s windblown drum sound creates a haunting but radiant work of art, especially with Daniel’s string-plucking appearing to mimic the sound of a bird’s wings snapping in succession.

With not-so-easy-to-brush-off-as-filler tunes like “Saturday Night” and “24 Hours,” the album works to create a sound that their peers aren’t making, like the neo-soul garage rock candle-lit philharmonic concert single “Every Now and Then.” Road mapping their adventures in this epic rags to riches tall-tale, written as if on post-it note or Twitter update, in the vein of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” or the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Tell Me Baby”—this is a song written for fans and new fans alike, and what a treat it is, with its glorious anthem rock quality. These young artistes use great restraint, easily opting not to go the route of big-time gospel choir epic and playing it down with Shingai’s superior motto-vibrato melisma and distorted howls.

One of the best records of the year by one of the loudest bands in the world the Noisettes are sure to be the next apex in rock music…because, like all greats, they speak volumes.

Want to see the Whole article, go to: http://blog.nu-soulmag.com/?p=1416

The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute

It’s been three months since the world lost Michael Jackson and tributes have been flowing in many magazine pages, Web pages, music, lyrics and dance. Janet Jackson was able to perform with her late older brother one last time at the MTV VMA’s, and it indeed was a performance to remember.

After a heartfelt introduction to the fallen King of Pop by Madonna, the performance started off with a brief replay of MTV’s launch and the announcement of the premiere of the Thriller video with a young, bright-eyed, handsome Jackson in his signature red jacket. The stage was then flooded by dancers flaunting various outfits Jackson wore in his past performances and videos, such as the gangster suit from “Smooth Criminal” and the black-and-white ensemble from “Black and White.” The video mash-up on the big screen consisted of “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Smooth Criminal.” With each video transition, the dancers gave their all to put on one serious performance because everyone knows that Michael constantly did the same for his fans.

The icing on the cake was the “Scream” duet that Janet did with Michael from his 1995 album, HIStory. The audience screamed while clips of the video were being shown and as soon as Michael’s verse ended, the glass broke and there appeared the Disciplined diva with her futuristic dance outfit. Singing her verse, dancing with Michael and pulling her ultimate Jackson swag, Janet gave an unbelievable performance that shook Radio City Music Hall. The Jackson brothers were so proud of their sister and the rest of the dancers and they know that Michael would have been, too.

Check out the original posting at http://www.in-color.net/index.php/article/the_ultimate_michael_jackson_tribute/.

Photo courtesy of last.fm.

Senator Dems Working with Gov. Paterson

This assignment was by far the hardest story that I did for my public affairs reporting class [oh em gee]. But thank goodness, my group was assisted by my professor and we finished:

Senate Dems are 'committed' to working with governor

Wednesday Oct 7 10:34 AM

By Casey Quinlan, Regina Rivers, Dana Morris, Michael McDonald and Terra Thompson, contributors to The Legislative Gazette

Senate Democrats say they are committed to working with the governor and other lawmakers in the coming weeks as leaders try to remedy the state’s estimated $3 billion budget deficit.

Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Majority Conference, released a statement Tuesday following Gov. David A. Paterson’s announcement that he will try to cut $500 million from the current budget.

"We support the governor’s efforts to get spending under control. The Senate majority is committed to working with the executive and other leaders to protect New Yorkers from further tax and fee increases and to preserve vital services," Shafran said. "With real transparency and real accountability we will find the real savings we need to make New York more affordable for middle income families and small businesses."

Two weeks ago Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, proposed during a September 23 leaders meeting that the new lieutenant governor chair a meeting of the budget staffs of legislative leaders and the governor’s office to begin talks about budget reduction. The governor agreed to the plan.

In a statement released yesterday, Paterson said, “I look forward to working cooperatively with the Legislature to enact additional savings and close our current-year budget deficit.”

In recent days Kolb spoke with Paterson and Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch about the budget after complaining that both of the men had failed to return his phone calls, according to Gannett News Service. Kolb said he is uncertain whether the Democratic majority in both houses wanted to make the cuts.

To see the original posting of the article, check out http://www.legislativegazette.com/day_item.php?item=1146.

In light of me spelling out AIM instant message lingo, my next posting will be an essay of Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman and how media saturated we are as a culture; pending on the grade I receive in my Press in America course.

Write On, Sista (Inside Black Hollywood Magazine)

Write On, Sista!

Written by admin in interviews at 6:22 pm on Aug 11th, 09

Aspiring lifestyle journalist Eboyne’ Jackson has been on the move to her success and shows no signs of stopping.

From print media to her eye-catching website to the many hits for her radio and public access show, Jackson is hitting the journalism world with massive force. Jackson earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Communications minor from Post University in 2007. Since then, she has been contributing, writing, and corresponding for various publications and began to utilize radio and TV in order to expand her audience.

“The Ebony radio show like a part two to the Eboyne’ talk show,” Jackson said. “The TV show is more timely and there is not a lot of editing for the radio.” As a staff writer of Parle’ Magazine, Jackson got in touch with urban author, Relentless Aaron for an interview. They touched based a short time after the interview and began talking business. “Relentless Radio stays true to fun, fabulousity, and whimsical commentary.” Jackson’s radio show has reached more than 10,000 views in just two weeks after its debut and has interviewed Abiola Adams, author Omar Tyree, and Christian Keyes.

“From spirituality and faith to health and beauty and with dynamics on how to go about being multi-faceted, listeners can feel like they can do it,” Jackson states. In addition to her multimedia talents and work with Parle’ Magazine, Jackson writes for various print and online publications. She has graced the pages of Iconography, Diva Dymes, Dynamically Advanced Movements, and Street Confinement Magazines, as well as the New Hampshire Telegraph, the Connecticut Republican-American Newspapers and AOL Black Voices. The positions that she holds with the publications include staff writer, columnist, correspondent, feature fashion writer, fashion editor, and music editor.
Jackson has interviewed a plethora of movers, shakers and entertainers, such as radio personality Miss Info, Pastry designers Vanessa and Angela Simmons, singer and producer Ne-yo, and celebrity stylist Dr. Boogie. She also stated that she was fortunate to attend and cover the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama earlier this year. Soon, she’ll be adding author and fashion designer to her résumé. She is currently working on the manuscript of her first book.

“It’s a self-help book focusing on women empowerment, our place in the world, and how God designed us to be beautiful,” Jackson said. “We can be fun, sensual and sexy without compromising our dignity.” With the book geared toward Christian women and all women in general, Jackson emphasizes about how important it is for people to notice their appearance and portrayal to their environments. “The people I interviewed in my book are offering their own critique on beauty…presenting one’s self commentary with spiritual reference, we do have to answer to someone for our actions,” she concluded.
Jackson is also looking to Anna L. Sparkman to help her with the beginning phases of her clothing line catering to curvy women. Jackson is taking her time in order to achieve the right results. The clothes are being catered to fit women with various shapes, like the big hips, small waist, etc. With her flair for glamorous fashion and her journalistic advancements, we can expect a lot from Ms. Jackson in the months to come. Check out her literary passions and latest interviews at www.eboynejackson.com.

Check out original version at http://insideblackhollywood.com/2009/08/11/write-on-sista/.

PICK UP ESSENCE, SEPT 2009

Look at the 30-page Michael Jackson Tribute with a byline by Marcus A. Scott!

"As the Summer 2009 research and production Essence Intern, I had the excellent opportunity to pitch ideas to the magazine for the September issue, which had to be "crashed in" because of Michael Jackson's shocking death at 50. We had many projects at this time--including our summer project, writing profile features for future files, working on the 40th Anniversary Issue, and various other projects we had at this time--so this was a doozy trying to pull this off! I pitched several ideas, some of which made it in to the magazine. As interns, we covered the timeline and by-the-numbers. My role after this was to compile most of the info, then find sources, then find more facts, and more numbers and to make it as cohesive as possible. This took speaking to the RIAA, Billboard, the Grammys, TV guide and various other media outlets that cater to entertainment, music, pop culture and philanthropy--all of which Michael Jackson has influenced. It was very fun, but took alot of effort. You could say that this was my project, but all of the interns did a lot finding great factoids."

-Marcus Scott (credited as Marcus A. Scott) about his experience working with the magazine. Marcus was a Summer 2009 intern with Time, Inc., publisher of Essence. He worked as the research, processing and production intern, and was housed in Columbia University. He says the experience was a great one!

Athletes and their girls (Essence.com)

Baller and The Beauty
Why do rock stars have all the fun? Here are some of today's hottest athletes and even gorgeous girlfriends/wives!
A gallery by Marcus Scott
Essence Magazine

To see the link, go to: http://photos.essence.com/galleries/baller_and_beauty

Hip-Hop Wives (Essence)

Hip-hop Wives: The Real Wives of Hip-hop and Rap stardom
A gallery by Marcus Scott
Essence Magazine

From CEOs and studio execs to hip-hop pioneers turned pastors, ESSENCE.com brings you the top married couples in the rap game.










To read more, go to:
http://photos.essence.com/galleries/hip_hop_marriages_going_strong

King of Pop, now King of Covers! (Essence.com)

The King of Pop is now the King of All Covers
Michael Jackson’s presence alone, was larger than life, he was the JumboTron megastar.
By Marcus Scott

One black fedora. Check. One rhinestone jacket. Check. A pair of black high-water slacks. Check. A pair of ultra-slick black Oxford shoes. Check. Raising the bar to the sun until it liquefied. Check. Check. Check.

Far from any dilettante in the entertainment biz, on March 25, 1983, 24-year-old Michael Joseph Jackson from small-town Gary, Indiana, shined like a white dwarf when he performed a memorable Jackson 5 medley, reunited with all of his brothers for the 25th anniversary of Motown. Motown 25 was saturated with memorable moments: Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” The Temptations and The Four Tops face-off, and Stevie Wonder’s medley. But nothing stood tantamount to the soft-spoken Michael. His electrifying and exhilarating performance of “Billie Jean,” a menacingly sinister futuristic jazz-funk with the sassy crack-whipped downbeat, cat-on-the-prowl bass stare was unforgettable. A panic-attack set to music, Jackson’s unique vocal hiccup falsetto styling and fancy footwork thrilled the Motown 25 crowd, but it was his bullet-time moonwalk that sprinkled the gold dust that solidified his superstardom.

With a career spanning four decades in popular culture, Michael Jackson’s spectacular and unprecedented career has been nothing short of spectacular. The androgynous, sequined gloved man-child known for his quintessentially avant-garde fashion sense; dizzyingly sleek razor-sharp dance routines and startling, sentimental songbird glissading-tenor—left a black hole that couldn’t be filled. Jackson’s take-no-prisoners frontman bravissimo, was left unmatched by his closest contenders Prince, Madonna and even his youngest sister, Janet. No one did better: no one could hit the same notes with the same emotion, had the same intensity, had the same imagination that created the blueprints for “Scream” and Leave Me Alone,” no one could write the same messages in their songs, and no one could out-dance him. So, why would they cover him? Here are a few stars with the gull to pull it off.

1. Recently, Mrs. Badu herself decided to get her inner Michael one. Covering Michael’s ‘72 single “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” with The Roots crew as her co-pilot, the cover is almost as good as original… almost.
2. Whistle Register diva extradonaire Mariah Carey, a legend in her own right wowed critics and fans alike when she performed for MTV Unplugged in ’92. Her rendition of Jackson’s timeless 1970’s I’ll Be There,” with back-up singer Trey Lorenz was soul-stirring, but despite a No. 1 hit, Michael is still here with us.

3. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, arguably this generation’s Aretha, brought down the house with her rendition of “Will You Be There?,” with a choir backing her when she performed this gem at the Michael’s memorial at The Staples Center. But, nonetheless its Michael’s vocal ticks and gospel howl that made this a principle standout on his Dangerous album.

4. In 1996, BLACKstreet’s Another Level, took the pop game by the horns and their signature “No Diggity” was anything but a forgettable track. But even they had a hand in sampling the “King.” When Teddy Riley remixed “Billie Jean” with this club banger, it was destined for greatness… just not as great as the original.

5. “Billie Jean” was also covered by another star. The MTV Awards 2007 saw many things that night, with Kanye and others jamming the night away, but it was up-and-comer Chris Brown’s performance with former flame Rihanna that stole the show when he executed Mike’s hat toss, spins, and landing en pointe. A legend in the making?

6. Barbados ingénue Rihanna also got her kicks with “The Gloved One.” Her chart-topper “Don’t Stop The Music,” sampled Michael’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” from the landmark Thriller. Now, if only she can get the African chant down. We believe it’s: “Mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa.”

7. Kanye is famous for name checking MJ in his tunes. Basically the backbone of Kanye’s “Good Life,” Michael’s “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” is still one of Thriller’s several highlights. With a T-Pain cameo, Kanye’s Graduation standout track still gets the party started.

8. No one can glam it up better than Beyoncé, and on June 26, ,the night after Michael passed she honored him the best way she knew how: doing a cover. From Off The Wall, “I Can’t Help It” is the smooth jazz slow jam that captured the King at a perfect calm. While the effort wasn’t bad, she’s still got a long way to be Mike, battling between her cliché prima donna vocal gymnastics and Mike’s effortless

9. Giving Mike a big run for his money is sometimes neo-soul singer, sometimes folk singer and pianist John Legend featuring political satirist Stephen Colbert singing “The Girl is Mine.” Probably the oddest couple in musical history, this tour de force, a cover of the very first single from Thriller—comical and soulful—is music with wings.

10. Thriller opened the way it closed, phenomenally and unforgettably. The last track, “The Lady In My Life,” a quiet storm slow jam has also been covered from Ne-Yo to Al B. Sure in R&B music. Mike’s poignant riffs and boy soprano high notes laced with gushy sweetness was one of the few songs responsible for late night pillow talks. Hip-hop icon LL Cool J agrees, and with Boyz II Men grooving in a melismatic unison, “Hey Lover” from his hit “Mr. Smith” not only topped charts, it made us sweat, sampling this MJ classic.

11. From their sophomore self-titled album Naughty By Nature, the East Orange trio unleashed an unforgettable ’91 hip-hop anthem, sampling the Jackson 5’s No. 1 hit “ABC.” Just a simple melody, an acronym for other people’s (sexual) property, “O.P.P.” remains one of the most influential pieces in hip-hip history.

12. “I Want You Back,” the first Jackson 5 single released on Motown, made history as one of four back-to-back number one hits. No doubt, Mr. Roc-A-Fella himself asked Mr. West to sprinkle some Kanye dust on his now-classic The Blueprint. Magic was created when Jay-Z declares fame on the summer smash “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” sampling the J5 standout. The Motown fave has been sampled numerous times, and helped a lot of songs become hits—remember, “Jump” from Kris Kross? Forty years later, and this J5 song is still funky.

13. These Sisters With Voices kick-started a rock-the-house career amongst a competition against other girl groups TLC, Total and Xscape, in the early to mid-90s, but it was their defiant Thriller sample that took the cake in ’92. On the heels of their No. 1 hit “Weak,” it was “Right Here (Human Nature remix)” that was the jump-off to every block party, with Coko’s up-close-and-personal swagger and Michael’s piecing and breathtaking falsetto that pulls at the heart strings.

14. From his 2001 album Invincible, Michael covered a song from UK duo Floetry, about the special someone that stirs up those little emotions every time you look at them. Almost without batting an eye, Michael spits out the syrupy ballad “Butterflies” like he’s calmly sipping chamomile, effortlessly. At first listen alone, it’s evident that the third single, released from his tenth studio album, was a far cry from the Gaia of sound ringing out from Natalie Stewart’s little mouth. While Natalie provides the voice, it’s Mike who provides the bittersweet and heartfelt passion, that Marsha Ambrosius declared.

If you want to see the published version, go here: http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/entertainment/articles/the_king_of_pop_is_now_the_king_of_all_covers/?Page=1

What's up Ladies? (Obvious Magazine: Womens Issue, Sping 2009; never published)

Women, have they lost their minds?!

Masochists or the misinformed: Why women ignore the risk of infection

Raw Love Issue

Spring 2009

Obvious Magazine: Women

By Marcus Scott

On June 5, 1981, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued statements in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that unusual clusters of Pneumocystics pneumonia or PCP were found in five homosexual Los Angeles men. The disease that caused these outbreaks was titled the Gay Related Immune Deficiency. It wasn’t until the discovery of heterosexual couples, drug users and prostitutes having contracted the disease, that it was titled the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, better known as AIDS. On the brink of 28 years after it was first discovered, the virus is now a pandemic according to “The first postmodern pandemic: 25 years of HIV/ AIDS” by L. O. Kallings, the former Secretary-General of the International AIDS Society. Despite the risk of infection, more and more people worldwide are contracting the disease, with over 6000 people, ages 15 to 24, becoming infected with each passing day according to http://www.about.com. Women are the most at risk.

According to About, women practically accounted for the 50 percent of all living beings with the disease worldwide, as 57 percent of women in the Sub-Saharan Africa are HIV positive. You might say that 28 years is a lifetime. In that time, we say the birth of MTV and the music video era, then the ever-addictive Youtube, for example. So, why is it women aren’t getting the education they need to prevent contracting the disease? Is it lack of funding that causes the lack of education, which in turn, enables the spread of the disease? Is it their choice to engage is unprotected sex or is it absolute carelessness? Women, after all have been the victims of a higher patriarchal power, which was instilled in them that they are homemakers and live for their partners and their children.

On February 19, 1963, only months before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, TX, a young feminist Smith College graduate published a landmark for the ages, after sending a questionnaire to her female classmates. The questionnaire showed a common discontent for their lives. This groundbreaking work placed the triviality women felt in positions that required them to be academically, psychologically and monetarily reliant upon their husbands/partners was called a “mystique.” Defined by the book’s author, Betty Friedan, as “the problem that has no name,” the revolutionary work was called The Feminine Mystique. In this book, Friedan hypothesized that all women may possibly be victims of a counterfeit belief system which requires finding depth and individuality in their own lives through their children and husbands/partners. Maybe there is some truth to this, as some men even believe that women exist merely as objects for a man’s own entertainment and sexual satisfaction. And then there are men, who have realized this and made artistic criticisms of the male chauvinism. For example, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s 1879’s “A Doll’s House” characterized a woman leaving her husband after he refused to give up his honor for the love of his wife, a sacrifice many women have been doing for centuries. But, as these women, who are cerebrally trained to give up their honor for love, are they trained to value themselves?

With the spread of infection, virus and disease populating the world, it seems as if more and more women are throwing caution to the wind, despite risk of contracting contagious ailments. According to Population Services International, 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV or AIDS, and of that number, over 15.5 million women have contracted the virus, in agreement with Advert. It’s also a leading cause of death for black women ages 25 to 34, with HIV rates in Latino women increasing. So, with loads of information on the World Wide Web as well in libraries and clinics, why aren’t women going to the source to protect themselves? Four female New York college students agreed that carelessness and self-esteem issues maybe the root of why more women in U.S. are becoming victims of the AIDS virus.

“Some women, in the heat of the moment, aren’t thinking of the consequences and some of them think of right then and right there” said Christina Foster, 21, a Social Work major from Buffalo. Like many women her age who were interviewed, Foster agreed that incidents of rape and even the “Virgin Cure” aren’t reasons for the rise in Sexually Transmitted infections and diseases.

In developing countries outside of the US, the “Virgin Cure,” a very popular notion in countries like India and Thailand, as well as the continent of Africa, is the panacea to combat the disease. Largely controlled patriarchal societies, the disease spreads like wildfire, with South African children younger than 15 estimated at more than 580,000 in agreement with http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za. According to the website, the myth of the “Virgin Cure,” is the belief stemming from the notion that a woman’s intact hymen and a minor quantity of vaginal secretion prevents transmission through sexual intercourse. Mike-Earl Taylor, the author of the research, says the believe stretches back to 16^th century Europe and notably in the Victorian 19^th century England where outbreaks of syphilis and gonorrhea were prominent. But this doesn’t necessarily mean, especially with the resources in the US, that this ideology is true for most American women.

“Nowadays, women don’t really care about their bodies and won’t happen, and don’t necessarily think about the consequences. [One] has to beware of the culture factors because where I come from, you don’t use condoms because that’s your partner for life,” says Faduma Farah, 19, a Muslim migrant from Somalia attending a SUNY school. “Before you even marry, in my religion, you have to know your partner well enough to know that he is clean and free of diseases and in my culture that means you have to be a virgin.” Other women agreed with this, and said that it may be a cultural issue or other outside sources. “A lot of it may not be sexual, sometimes it may be health insurance or that they are not being educated enough,” explained Narcisa Núñez, 21, A New Yorker attending school in Upstate New York, who states that there may be other reasons for women contracting infections, despite carelessness.

“People think that they are not vulnerable to these diseases and think that ‘oh, it won’t happen to me.’ You see these billboards and it’s like 1 out of 4 people are infected, and if there’s eight people in the room, mostly likely, two people are infected,” said Kristin Antis, 20, a Buffalo State student from Elmira, New York.

None of these women noted that prostitution was not as huge an issue of being careless or not health insurance, stating that these women, as sex workers, are more aware of the risk than the masses. So, what is it really? “It’s something deeper than it is,” the women said. Maybe it is carelessness, not so much that women are going out into the community and engage in sex, but putting their partners first, something most of the women agreed to.

“In any type of relationship, especially marriage, you still have yourself to think about, first and foremost because you are born in this world alone and you will die alone,” posited Nichole Williams, 24, a student from Brooklyn, New York, pursuing a master’s degree in history. “In marriage, we tend to put our guard down, the fact that you put yourself first and take charge of your well being, doesn’t mean you don’t trust your partner, you are protecting yourself and that’s what matters in the end.”

A Designed Dream

You have men that are into fashion and looking good. Then someone just appears and catches your eye. That is exactly what Aswad Abasi did when he launched his Abasi Couture clothing line. The DC native has taken the whole world of appearance into his hands by becoming the designer that he wanted to be, no questions asked.

The man who had been sketching for years prior to his success didn’t have any formal training in designing. “I was originally music major at the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts at Berkley,” Abasi said. He still plays his music and uses it as a muse for his line. “I enjoy shopping for myself. I use mainstream designers to put things together and create my own style.” The main focus was a women’s clothing and accessory line for the company. While Abasi was focused on the clothes, his brother was busy sketching ideas for jewelry and handbags. Abasi suffered the loss of his business partner and brother in 2003, but new visions began to unveil itself and he is continuing what was started long ago.

“Fashion designing was my therapy while coping with the loss of my brother and it helps me to this day,” Abasi said. The Abasi Couture logo with wings symbolizes the clothing line taking flight in honor of his brother. Because of the support and motivation of local designers when he was new to the industry, he participated in local shows and fittings. His collection debuted in 2008 in Washington DC. “Over 200 people came to see my show and I did all of the promoting online,” Abasi said. “At least 90 percent of my work is conducted over the Internet.” His MySpace page, his website, www.abasiworld.com, and people purchasing his clothes on www.nyfashionconnect.com is better because he doesn’t mind spending so much time online. His website is showcasing his designs, his Phoenix Rising fashion show, pictures and peeks of models promoting his talent. The dream that Abasi and his brother started and the vision that continued from him is a result from the support of his loved ones.

“My parents and other relatives started their own businesses and keep their businesses motivated,” Abasi said, speaking of role models and inspirations he looks to for his work and success. He has magazine collage clippings to help him create his next piece of clothing in addition to his original sketchbook that he kept prior to his business starting that he uses for new ideas. Additionally, his collection is also derived from a person’s body shape and the associating compliments to an outfit.

In the days to come, Abasi is working on a women’s shoe line, handbag line, a men’s line and a fashion magazine as well as more fashion shows. His company is also heading towards model management in efforts to connect models with fashion designers and shows. It is no doubt that Abasi’s brother would be very proud of the success that his business partner is achieving by keeping his dream alive.

Photo courtesy of fierceambition.com. Check out the original article at www.divadymes-ezine.com!

BSC's 2009 Springfest will knock your socks off! (Buffalo Rising)

Gym Class Heroes and company are coming to Buffalo State College and are taking no prisoners
By Marcus Scott

Fueled by Ramen alternative hip-hop/indie rock band Gym Class Heroes will headline Buffalo State College’s Springfest 2009, on Friday, May 1, at the Sports Arena located in the Houston Gym.

The music alchemists from Geneva, New York wowed audiences with the release of their second commercial LP As Cruel as School Children when their hits “Cupid’s Chokehold” and “Clothes Off!!” skyrocketed to the top of the charts in the summer of 2007. Debuting at 14 on the Billboard 200 chart after the lead single, the funky philandering party anthem “Cookie Jar” hit radio airwaves; the band is supporting their latest effort titled The Quilt. With an album featuring radio favorites like up-and-coming British contralto Estelle and rap icon Busta Rhymes, the eclectic rock band join with another guest artist as they make a pit stop in Buffalo.

Since his 2007 debut, Grammy-nominated R&B producer Terius Youngdell “The-Dream” Nash has been at the top of the music producer A-list since he released “Shawty is a 10.”In addition to producing several tracks for recording artists LL Cool J, Mariah Carrey and Rihanna, The-Dream is supporting his second album Love Vs. Money, which features the hit single “Rockin’ That Thang.” With his many cameos in several music videos, including Gym Class Heroes’ “Cookie Jar” video, he is one of the most celebrated popular music luminaries today.

Reality TV pop group Day 26 of Making the Band 4 fame, join the troupe as they celebrate the release of their second album Favorite in a Day. After their eponymous debut album had No. 1 success with songs “Got me Going” and “Since You’ve Been Gone,” critics and fans alike have expressed great prospects for the group’s second album.

Funded through the student activity fee at Buffalo State, United Student Government sponsors another miscellaneous and invigorating line-up. All tickets for this year’s Springfest are on sale at the Campbell Student Union and Rockwell Hall box offices, respectively. With identification, tickets for Buffalo State students are available for $5 and general admission tickets are available for $20. All doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will commence at 8:00 p.m. For more information about Springfest 2009 tickets, please contact Buffalo State’s United Student Government at (716) 878-6701.

If you'd like to see the published article, go to: http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/04/the-2009-bsc-springfest.html

We Are all Made of Stars, and then some… (Buffalo Rising Online)

We all, are stars:
The Buffalo Museum of Science scores and celebrates a year of astronomy and quantum mechanices in this year's International Year of Astronomy 2009.
By Marcus Scott

“On a basic quantum level, all the matter in the universe is essentially made up of stardust,” said quantum physics enthusiast and electro-pop personality Moby, when he was interviewed after his megahit “We Are All Made of Stars” took over the airwaves in 2002. Who knows? Maybe, he’s right. Man has been connected to the stars and its many constellations for centuries, forming a nexus with stars through technology and science. Some scientists have even expressed that both the human body and the stars find their origins in cosmic dust. Having extradited scientific and sociological information through the ages, the Buffalo Museum of Science celebrates the 400th anniversary of the very first use of an astronomical telescope by the “Father of Modern Science” himself, Galileo Galilei and Kepler’s Astronomia Nova. Celebrating the science and one of its trailblazers with the International Year of Astronomy 2009, a global fête of astronomy and its contributions to the arts, culture and civilization, the Buffalo Museum is donating 100 hours of programming with its Tifft Nature Preserve. Maybe man and the stars are closer than we think.
Taking place on a local and international level, from the heart of Africa to here in the states, the International Year of Astronomy 2009 is observing practically everything about the science and the stars, from black holes to cosmology. This week, the museum will be doing a continuum of “Telescopes and Constellations,” a weekend program that documents how a telescope works, and trains one to recognize universally-known constellations in Western New York on April 18-19 and April 25-26. Another scheduled program is that of “Night Sky and Solar Energy,” a tutorial on the sun’s energy and the conversion of light energy into heat and mechanical energies and a seminar of the Earth’s moon and its eight phases on April on 15-17. All activities included with admission, with doors opening at 11:00 a.m. and closing at 3:00 p.m. With special views of “Telescopes and Constellations” on weekends from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., all events lead to the celebration of the International Astronomy Day. Viewing the sun through safely filtered telescopes and taking guests on a virtual excursion of the solar system, tourists will are sure to cause a commotion with the museum’s inside exhibitions and activities.
But, before the events meet their climax, there are still attention-grabbing events sure to keep one’s interest. With its delicate approach to guiding both young and inquiring minds interested in the science through historical observation, the museum also encourages Buffalo residents to join Dr. Dejan Stojkovic of SUNY Buffalo as he gives an overview of black holes this Sunday, between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Connect with the stars and connect with people at this year’s International Year of Astronomy!

If you want to see the publishedversion, go to: http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/04/the-buffalo-science-museum-we-are-all-made-of-stars.html