Master P Launches Preschool Brand

Make ‘em say unnnnnnhhhhhhh…..

From Cynopsis:

The father and son team of Master P and Romeo (f/k/a Lil’ Romeo) are working on Gee Gee the Magical Giraffe a new educational preschool property.  Developed by Romeo, Gee Gee is designed to make learning fun for kids using music and dance.  The property is featured in a series of books, and will also star in an animated series slated to bow on DVD, and a movie that is expected in theaters in 2009.  The books will be written with the help of Romeo’s real life little sister Itali Miller, while artists Ryan Hutchinson and Olatokunbo Betiku will animate the property.  Romeo, a successful rapper, starred in Nickelodeon’s live-action series titled Romeo! (2003-6), and is going to star with his dad in a horror movie (as in not for kids) titled The Pig People.

 

Click here for more on Gee Gee

Jews, Obama and Jeremiah Wright

Shhhhh. Can you hear that?
It’s the collective groan of the staff and supporters of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign as Obama’s polarizing pastor, Jeremiah Wright has reappeared on the media scene. After getting berated in the press for several weeks (including an inappropriate, continual focus from Fox News’ resident bag o’ worthlessness Bill O’Reilly) and then repudiated by his former pupil, Rev Wright has returned, bringing his name back into public consciousness.

Coolio Gets New Reality Show on Oxygen

From cynopsis

New on Oxygen Network

Coolio’s Rules – Viewers will look inside rap star Coolio’s personal life as father, musical artist and entrepreneur.  Executive producers include Chris Coelen, Greg Goldman and Mike Duffy for RFD in addition to Andrew Hoegl, Jonathan Singer, Susan Haber and Coolio. Series debuts later this year.

Touch

What is this thing called “touch” and why is Barack Obama out of it?

According most pundits (and to all Hillary Clinton supporters) yesterday’s Pennsylvania primary proved is that Barack Obama is out of touch with the “average joe”, blue-collar working White American. The kind of guy/gal that is apparently crucial to the Democratic Party victory come November.

But Why?

Black Television News Channel Readies 2009 Launch

From Cynopsis

Black Television News Channel (BTNC) inked a multi-year carriage agreement with Comcast well before its 2009 launch. Under the deal, BTNC will be added to Comcast systems in Atlanta, Baltimore Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. when it makes its debut as a 24/7 cable news network with original news programming from an African American perspective. It will create a coast-to-coast all high-def TV newsgathering system with network operations headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Bill Cosby Readies Hip Hop Album

From Billboard

This is ridiculous.  Granted Bill won’t rap or sing, but then what can it really accomplish?

BOOP.

Bill Cosby will serve as executive producer and co-writer on “Cosby Narratives Vol. 1: State of Emergency.”  The album is expected to drop within the next several weeks.

Designed as a companion to Cosby’s “Come on People: On the Path From Victims to Victors” — the debate-provoking 2007 book co-authored with Dr. Alvin Poussaint — “State of Emergency” weaves hip-hop, jazz, pop, funk and other genres around frank, positive messages drawn from Cosby’s lyrics, stories and musical ideas.

Guests include such newcomer MCs as SupaNova Slom, Jace the Great and Brother Hahz. Selections include the New Orleans-jazzed “Where’s the Parade” (a celebration of womanhood), the funky-soul “Dads Behind the Glass” and R&B-vibed “Get on Your Job.” Despite previous reports, Cosby does not rap or sing on the album.

In a statement released by longtime Cosby representative David Brokaw, “State of Emergency” is described as an “unflinching look at life in the 21st century but without the profanity, misogyny, violence and braggadocio” that Cosby has vehemently criticized in hip-hop music.

The Problem with Black Media

From a report by Ad Age

A great article about how the shrinkage of Black-owned media is posing difficult for marketers.

“All things being equal, we’d have no problem supporting” black-owned media, said a CMO [Chief Marketing Officer], but “a lot of the true African-American owned media companies are small and very decentralized. That doesn’t fit our strategy of needing to have a national reach. We have looked at some of the options, but the delivery is so small in relation to cost it doesn’t fit our strategy.”

In a world of scale — and the benefits of lower ad pricing that come with it — there are few independent, black-owned media outlets left to support, and those that exist don’t have the reach to offer competitive rates.

Some of the biggest names in black media today actually are owned by corporate titans. The most notable example is BET, which founder Bob Johnson sold to Viacom for $3 billion in 2000. Then there’s Essence: Time Warner’s publishing arm took full ownership of the legacy brand in January 2005.

But the most dismal rate of media ownership among African-Americans is in TV. Only five African-Americans own full-power commercial TV stations; they collectively own eight out of 1,379 commercials stations nationwide.

Read the entire article here 

Kevin Powell Presents Sexual Assault Awareness Month Event

From AllHipHop.com aka “The Rap Sheet”

All you brooklyn peoples show up!

Hip-Hop activist/author Kevin Powell is joining forces with Black and Male in America (BAMIA) and New York radio station Hot 97.1, to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and to present a special screening and discussion about the award-winning documentary No!. The event, which is also presented by April Silver of Akila Worksongs, Inc., Connect and the Black and Latino Filmmakers Coalition, will take place at 7 p.m. tonight (April 7) at Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Written, directed and produced by Aishah Shahidah Simmons, No! focuses on rape, sexual assault and violence against women and girls. April is noted for being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a annual time that is used to bring awareness to sexual violence and prevention as well as efforts to provide rape crisis intervention and prevention services while supporting sexual assault survivors and victims. 

Outkast’s Big Boi to Perform in Ballet

From an Article in the Wall Street Journal

The classical art of ballet gets a contemporary makeover on Thursday, when the Atlanta Ballet unveils “big,” a collaboration between the ballet and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton, half of the hip-hop duo OutKast. With a cast of 80 and live music from Big Boi and other hip-hop artists, the 90-minute story of a young Big Boi’s travels juxtaposes classical and modern music. “We’re opening with Verdi and then we have a very popular Big Boi song, ‘Morris Brown.’ Right away, the contrasts will be startling,” says Lauri Stallings, the choreographer of “big.” Six Atlanta shows of “big” are planned, wrapping up April 13.

This looks amazing.

Choreography by Lauri Stallings

April 10-13, 2008
6 performances only at the Fabulous Fox Theatre

Joining Big Boi and Atlanta Ballet’s exquisite dancers onstage will be talented voices such as Sleepy Brown, Janelle Monáe, Joi Gilliam, Scar, Big Rube, Rock D, and members of the musical group Konkrete. Don’t miss out on this daring performance that is sure to tantalize the senses and leave you wanting more!  Audiences can expect to hear some of these artists’, as well as Big Boi’s, most popular hits:

- “Morris Brown” from the Idlewild soundtrack

- “Church” and “The Rooster” from Speakerboxxx

- “Bombs Over Baghdad” from Stankonia

- “Kryptonite” from Big Boi Presents…Got Purp? Vol. 2

- Sleepy Brown’s “I Can’t Wait” featuring Big Boi from his Mr. Brown album

- Janelle Monáe’s “Sincerely Jane” and “Metropolis” from the newly released Metropolis album

Buy Tickets HERE! 

Obama Breaks Campaigning Rules in New York City

From the NY Daily News

Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign violated New York City Education Department regulations by making a video in a Bronx classroom starring high school kids inspired by the presidential candidate’s speeches. The video was attached to a mass e-mailing Friday that included a pitch for donations.

Filming in school buildings for political or promotional purposes is “a violation of the chancellor’s regulations,” said Margie Feinberg, a department spokeswoman, after viewing the video and e-mail.

“We’re considering disciplinary action against the school administration,” she added.

If this wasn’t a pitch for donations, I think it’d be ok, as this video is truly inspiring.  To see what Obama’s “Race Speech” did for young diverse kids living in the Bronx.  Too bad there was a “donate” button attached with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9IldaegAB0[/youtube]