Bow Wow & Omarion Join Forces to Create Collaborative Album

The chart-topping multi-platinum hip-hop dynamos Bow Wow and Omarion have joined forces to create a new collaborative collection that promises to become one of the major musical events of 2007. The top secret Bow Wow-Omarion project will be released Tuesday, November 13.

While details of the Bow Wow-Omarion project remain under wraps, the new album marks the culmination of a joint collaborative process dating back to 2005, when Omarion’s vocal contributions to “Let Me Hold You,” the first single from Bow Wow’s fourth album, Wanted, peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Bow Wow his first-ever Top 10 single and Omarion his first Top 10 as a solo artist.

That same year, Bow Wow and Omarion hit the road as co-headliners on the SRO “Scream Tour IV Presents: The Heart Throb Tour.”

“Me and O have been trying to put this together for so many years, and now we’ve got the opportunity to do it,” Bow Wow told Billboard.com earlier this month. “We’re in the creative process right now, coming up with ideas daily, so the process is real smooth. We’re anxious to make this whole thing happen. It’s gonna be a special event. It’s gonna be crazy, something the people have been waiting on — the girls have been waiting on — for years. O’s one of my best friends. Anytime you get a chance to work with somebody you’re best friends with, it’s not even work, it’s like working with family.”

Omarion shares his best friend’s enthusiasm for the as-yet-unnamed project. “This isn’t about money, this is about music,” says Omarion. “We both started young and have grown up together, working on the same tours, and have developed our identity in the music world. Jay-Z and R Kelly were the first big R&B/Rap combo, and we have great respect for them and have been inspired by them, but we still want to create something we can call our own. We just want to do our own thing. We want to have a great time and make good music for our fans. This is gonna be fun, so ‘World, Watch out! We’re coming!’”

Currently on the road with his “Price Of Fame Tour,” Bow Wow is riding the success of his latest Top 10 album, The Price Of Fame, which reached #6 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The Price Of Fame kicked out a string of hit singles including the #1 Hot Rap Tracks chartbuster “Shortie Like Mine” as well as “I’m A Flirt” and “Outta My System.”

Released in December 2006, The Price of Fame is the first new studio album from Bow Wow since July 2005 when his RIAA platinum-certified Wanted debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and generated the smash singles “Let Me Hold You” (featuring Omarion) (#1 Rap, #2 R&B/Hip-Hop, #4 Hot 100) and “Like You” (featuring Ciara) (#1 Rap, #1 R&B Hip-Hop, #3 Hot 100).

Bow Wow — whose film credits include “Like Mike” (one of the 50 Top Grossing films of 2002), “All About The Benjamins” (2003), “Johnson Family Vacation” (2004), “Roll Bounce” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” (2006). This past year, he also starred in the CW hit television series, “Smallville.”

Bow Wow first burst on the scene back in 2000 — under the wing of super producer Jermaine Dupri — with his debut album, Beware of Dog, which went on to sell more than three million copies while solidifying his status as an authentic hip-hop heartthrob.

Bow Wow took his brand of rap to the next level with 2001′s Doggy Bag, hitting the road in support of his multi-platinum sophomore CD with the sold- out “SCREAM Tour II,” wowing fans all over the country with hits like “Take Ya Home” and “Thank You.”

With his third album, 2003′s Unleashed, Bow Wow became more directly involved with writing and producing his music, creating a collection directly from the heart, conveying a more personal overview of life from Bow Wow’s perspective.

He is the youngest musician to open the Grammy Awards, is the first “kid” to be included in Vanity Fair’s prestigious annual music issue (October 2001), and entered “The Guinness Book of World Records” as the youngest solo rapper to hit #1 on the U.S. charts.

Bow Wow is launching his own media company, LBW Entertainment, which handles emerging artists including Young Jinsu and Clee-O.

With numerous hit singles, platinum-plus albums, sold-out tours, starring roles in hit films, and a place in “The Guinness Book of World Records” already on his resume, Bow Wow continues to prove that he’s the 100% real deal with the indisputable goods: a bona fide superstar blessed with talent, tenacity, and a deep connection to his audience.

R&B superstar Omarion rang in 2007 with 21, the year’s first #1 album. The performer’s second solo album (and first on Columbia Records) entered the Billboard Top 200 best-selling albums and the R&B sales charts at #1, mirroring the achievement of his debut solo album, O, which entered both those charts at #1 in February 2005. An important new voice in contemporary R&B and hip-hop, Omarion is one of a select group of artists to have achieved back-to- back #1 debuts on both the Hot 100 and the R&B charts with two consecutive albums.

Born and raised in Inglewood, California, Omarion rose to fame while still a teen as a member of the groundbreaking urban “boy band” B2K. His soulful vocals, riveting stage presence, and undeniable charisma helped B2K score a hit with the group’s very first single, “Uh Huh,” in 2001; achieve gold status with the group’s self-titled debut album in 2002; and go RIAA platinum with the group’s best-selling sophomore outing, Pandemonium! in 2003.

Omarion’s undeniable media-geniality has led to numerous television guest appearances including “Punk’d,” “The Sharon Osbourne Show,” “Regis & Kelly” and “Soul Train.” In addition to his musical performances, Omarion has acted on the big screen with key roles in “You Got Served” and “Fat Albert.” Omarion stars in “Somebody Help Me,” an innovative horror film directed by Chris Stokes and may be seen in the upcoming films “Reggaeton” and Tyger (“Menace II Society”) Williams’ “Street Soldier.”

30 years later… Star Wars: Why It Endures, Why We Need It… And Why It’s Still Such Fun

Thirty years ago, an unheralded film known as Star Wars opened in theaters and took audiences on a groundbreaking journey to a galaxy far, far away. It instantly seized the public’s imagination, and three decades later still claims that grasp.

Now, a new special from The History Channel seeks to understand why the
emotional impact of the Star Wars Saga remains as relevant as ever. The
two- hour special, STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED, is a World Premiere on The History Channel on Monday, May 28 at 9pm ET/PT.

Check it out!  I hope they talk to Billy Dee and James Earl Jones.

It’s the 50 Cent AKA ‘Curtis’ Take Over on BET’s Rap City

Do not adjust your television sets, 50 Cent will be taking over as celebrity host for RAP CITY, beginning May 29, 2007 through June 2, 2007 @ 5 p.m./ET. In the midst of promoting his third album entitled, “Curtis” and getting ready for a ground-breaking performance at this year’s BET AWARDS ’07, multi-platinum recording artist 50 Cent breaks all the rules and creates history during his reign on RAP CITY this Black Music Month.

What exactly can RAP CITY viewers look forward to with Curtis in charge? Expect an all-star lineup of guests including G-UNIT star, Tony Yayo; the legendary lyricist KRS-One; hip-hop pioneer Marley Marl and well-renowned DJ Whoo Kid on the turntables. Of course it wouldn’t be a RAP CITY show without the top rap videos in the country and a few surprises throughout the week. 50 Cent also sits down with political activist and BET correspondent, Jeff Johnson to discuss all the current “hot” topics affecting the nation of hip- hop. Touching topics, like the use of the “N-word,” diversity in rap music, a variety of issues facing the hip-hop community, views on Master P and more- Jeff spares no question and 50 doesn’t back down in response. Tune in to see 50 Cent unplugged … only on BET.

Making its debut in 1989, RAP CITY, is the longest-running rap show in history, providing a full hour of music videos, guest DJ’s and celebrity guest appearances. Airing Monday thru Friday at 5:00 pm/ ET, the show is an exclusive showcase for hip hop music videos and features interviews with the most highlighted rap stars of the moment along with memorable freestyles from artists. It’s a “must-see” week of RAP CITY – tune in May 29th for the takeover!

Original Tuskegee Airmen to Participate in the National Memorial Day Parade

As Americans watch the National Memorial Day Parade, Bill Broadwater hopes that young and old alike will take notice of the AMVETS float on which he and a half dozen members of the original Tuskegee Airmen, the all black Army Air Corps squadron established during WWII and based in Tuskegee, Ala., will be riding.

“The military never really intended for us to become pilots,” said Broadwater, 81, who entered the service in 1944. In those days, he said, there was so much racism in America that few people were willing to give black airmen a chance to participate in combat or other military missions. But after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt publicly praised the performance of the Tuskegee pilots, public pressure grew to allow Tuskegee airmen to fly military missions, and they eventually got their chance, initially in Africa and later in Europe. “We proved that not only could we fly airplanes, but we could fly as well as anyone in the European theatre,” said Broadwater, who frequently speaks to schoolchildren about the contributions of the famed black pilots, who fought to end segregation in the U.S. military at the same time they were fighting America’s adversaries overseas.

“The message to learn from all of this,” Broadwater said, “is never to let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.”

It’s a message AMVETS hopes rings loud and clear. The Lanham, Md.-based veterans service organization, which asked to sponsor the Tuskegee Airmen float, is the only national veterans service organization that represents all veterans, regardless of when or where they served.

“We think it’s important to recognize the Tuskegee Airmen because they demonstrated not only how African Americans fought for the right to fly, but how they succeeded in providing exemplary service that changed the face of the military forever. They also demonstrated the fact that we’re stronger as a country if we’re working together toward common goals rather than against each other,” said Tom McGriff, AMVETS’ national commander. Although Broadwater went through extensive training, he never got the chance to fly military missions overseas because the war ended in the Pacific by the time he was ready to fly. He left the service in 1946 and tried to find work as a commercial pilot. But even after securing one of the top 10 scores in a pilot’s test for Eastern Airlines, he couldn’t get hired because union agreements prohibited African Americans from flying commercial aircraft.

It wasn’t until the Federal Aviation Administration filed a lawsuit in 1964, in fact, that black pilots finally won the ability to fly commercial aircraft. Broadwater himself actively supported that effort, having obtained work as an FAA air traffic controller.

“While we certainly haven’t reached parity, America has come a long ways from those days,” said Broadwater, who worked for 28 years as an FAA air traffic controller, 16 years of which he spent in the Washington, D.C. area.

Broadwater said it’s important for young and old alike to recognize the contributions that African Africans have made to keep America safe and secure.

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Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., Third Annual Spring Benefit

The Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., announced today that on Monday, June 11, 2007, it will host its third annual Spring Benefit — a three-part affair that includes a glamorous red carpet and pre-show cocktail reception; a tribute concert and awards ceremony; and a grand tented after party. The star-studded event will bring together the best and brightest in business and entertainment to raise funds in support of the Apollo’s 73-year legacy and its initiatives for emerging artists, education programs, and community outreach efforts in New York City and beyond.

This year’s event will commemorate the life and music of the late Apollo Legend, James Brown, with a ceremony inducting Mr. Brown posthumously into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. The awards ceremony will continue with the presentation of the Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis Arts and Humanitarian Award to Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon and the corporate award to Lehman Brothers. The much anticipated evening will commence in the historic, legendary Apollo Theater where guests will be entertained with a wide range of performances and appearances in tribute to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. The tribute concert will feature the incomparable Mos Def accompanied by his Big Band and other special guests, including Funk Legend Maceo Parker, James Brown’s renowned saxophone player. There will also be a special performance to the music of James Brown by the internationally esteemed Dance Theatre of Harlem Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. Chris Tucker will again serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies. The event will culminate at the Apollo Supper Club — a unique lounge atmosphere featuring the generous gourmet creations of celebrity chef, Alexander Smalls; plentiful libations, courtesy of Hennessy and Moet Hennessy USA; and late-night dancing to music spun by DJ Hollywood. Jonelle Procope, president and CEO of the Apollo, explained that “it is our mission to preserve and develop our legendary Theater through the Apollo Experience of world-class live performances that honor the influence and advance the contributions of African-American artists, as well as emerging creative voices across cultural and artistic media. This year’s Spring Benefit especially embodies this vision — by presenting multigenerational entertainers who are legends on the one hand and some of the most unique, forward-thinking creative voices of our time, working in a variety of artistic genres on the other. This is our history — it is our future and it is what the Apollo does best.”

Richard Parsons, chairman of the Apollo’s board of directors, expressed the significance of the evening and the institution as “the Apollo Theater shares a unique relationship with everyone who walks through its doors — from the countless stars that were born on its stage to its world-famous, international audience to the thousands in Harlem’s communities served by its programs. With the support of businesses whose employees live and work in New York City combined with commitments from civic-minded individuals, this milestone event will go far in helping to guarantee the future of the Apollo and its programs.”

Lead Sponsors for the event include American Airlines, Hennessy, The Coca Cola Company, Essence Magazine, Lehman Brothers, New York Daily News, Skadden Arps, Time Warner Inc., TV One, and W Hotels.

Norfolk Southern Recognized as a Top Supporter of HBCU Engineering Programs

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) has been identified as one of the companies most supportive of historically black engineering colleges and universities, according to a new survey in U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine.

Norfolk Southern joins 66 other U.S. companies, based on a survey of the deans of 11 higher-education engineering programs and the Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE) corporate academic alliance. This is the second time Norfolk Southern has been recognized.

The survey, now in its fifth year, evaluated the following factors: support for infrastructure modernization and enhancement, research, participation on advisory councils, faculty development opportunities, scholarships, student projects, stipends, co-ops and career opportunities.

Norfolk Southern is committed to attracting the best talent to our company,” said Cindy Earhart, NS vice president human resources. “We are proud of the strong recruiting partnerships we have built with these outstanding schools, and we look forward to strengthening them in the future.”

U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology provides news and information about black engineering, technology, entrepreneurs, engineers, education, Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA), and historically black colleges and universities from communities in the United States, United Kingdom, Caribbean and Africa. To view the entire survey rankings, visit http://www.blackengineer.com.

Stomp The Yard On DVD May 15th

On Blue-Ray and DVD this week — Stomp the Yard!

Plot Synopsis: After the death of his younger brother, a troubled 19-year-old street dancer from Los Angeles is able to bypass juvenile hall by enrolling in the historically black, Truth University in Atlanta, Georgia. But his efforts to get an education and woo the girl he likes are sidelined when he is courted by the top two campus fraternities, both of which want and need his fierce street-style dance moves to win the highly coveted national step show competition.

Rock The Bells Movie Out In May

Eddie Murphy to Star in Fantasy Island

Eddie Murphy is set to star in a big-screen adaptation of Fantasy Island, the Aaron Spelling-produced primetime soap that ran from 1978-1984 on ABC and made a white-suited star of Ricardo Montalban, who played the island’s mysterious owner, Mr. Roarke.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Houston Black Expo Officials Announce New Programming and Entertainment Lineup

The 4th annual H-E-B Houston Black Expo (Expo 2007), the largest African-American tradeshow in Texas, is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 through Sunday, May 20, 2007. Beginning at noon each day, Expo 2007 occurs at the George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas.

“A Taste of Black Houston,” Expo 2007′s kick-off reception and tasting, is scheduled for 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, May 18, at Cafe 4212 located at 4212 Almeda Blvd. This ticketed event is open to the public and includes live music and cuisine by Ral’s Fine Catering & Bistro, Fat Daddy’s Restaurant, the Breakfast Klub, Bennie Ferrell Caterers, Frenchy’s Chicken, and CRAVE Gourmet Bakery & Catering.

Expo 2007 is an annual celebration of African-American culture showcasing black achievements in business, art, history and economics. Annually, it attracts more than 20,000 attendees from throughout the United States and contributes $1.5 million to the Houston economy.

Officials have announced 38 items of programming as rich and wide-ranging as the people it represents. This year’s expo takes a broader focus on business development with topics on Internet marketing and professional speaking, as well as a youth-oriented session called “Handle Ya Business Youth Summit,” which includes money management and entrepreneurialism. Home buying and cooking demonstrations are additional facets of the event.

Performance continues as a highlight of the expo. Featured headliners are R&B sensation Musiq Soulchild and Minister of Music Cedric Ford. Several dramatic interpretations bring historical perspectives to life.

The tradeshow floor comprises more than 250 vendors showcasing products and services ranging from financial services and college degree programs to fashion and home furnishings. Special vendor discounts and giveaways will occur during “Power Shopping Hours” from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

“Our goal with the increased programming and reach is to grow the H-E-B Houston Black Expo exponentially,” said Jerome Love, president and CEO of the Texas Black Expo. “We want to foster business growth, educate and expose youths to entrepreneurship and empower communities across the state of Texas. Expo is just one of the many year-round programs we will offer.” H-E-B Houston Black Expo tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and may be purchased at the door or online. Admission to “A Taste of Black Houston” is $75.

Major underwriters of the 2007 H-E-B Houston Black Expo include H-E-B, Washington Mutual Bank, Shell, Nationwide, Frenchy’s Chicken, and Anheuser- Busch.

Toyota Yaris Pays Respect to Hip Hop

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. is showcasing their Yaris with a fully integrated urban campaign encompassing the true spirit of the Hip Hop movement. Named “Yaris vs. Yaris,” the campaign gives a playful head-nod to old school battles by pitting the Yaris Liftback against the Yaris Sedan throughout. Debuting this month, “Yaris vs. Yaris” includes TV, print, radio, online and in-store advertisements as well as a series of special events.

“Yaris vs. Yaris” television ads will include two 30-second spots, “Bomb Da Bass” and “Tag.” In “Bomb Da Bass” an animated Yaris Liftback and Sedan go head-to-head in a larger than life speaker box competition and in “Tag” two animated Yaris’ race to tag the streets. Print ads will depict the Yaris Liftback and Sedan as a pair of new sneakers in, “Fresh Kicks” while in “Bangin” an animated Yaris Liftback will be shown with super sonic speakers. There will be two radio spots showcasing underground rap artists Dice Raw and Truck North in a lyrical rap battle taking on the personas of the Yaris Liftback and Sedan. Additional campaign elements include a microsite and a four-market live event tour.

“We are excited to bring the integrated Yaris vs. Yaris campaign into an authentic urban subculture,” says Kim McCullough, Corporate Manager of Marketing Communications for Toyota. “This campaign embodies the spirit of Yaris and brings it to life with a passion that speaks genuinely to our target audience.”

To further immerse consumers in the new Yaris experience, four boutique lounges across the nation will host “Yaris vs. Yaris” events. The kick-off event takes place in Houston on June 7, Atlanta on June 14, Washington, DC on June 21 and Chicago on June 28. Consumers are guaranteed to see talented DJs, MCs, B-boys and B-girls square off in mock battles, each representing either the Yaris Liftback or Sedan.

“Competition has always been a fundamental part of hip hop,” says Munier Sharrieff, Creative Director at Burrell. “From DJs having scratch battles, break dancers using moves to go toe-to-toe and emcees flowing to prove who’s got the best rhymes, battles have a solid role in the culture.” Burrell, Toyota’s African-American agency, developed and produced the campaign.

In partnership with Complex Magazine and Radio One, “Yaris vs. Yaris” will pull consumers into the campaign with a “Fresh Kicks” sneaker design competition and a DJ contest that will find the “Bangin” DJ in each market. By logging on to http://www.yarisversusyaris.com, DJs can submit their best musical mixes and sneaker aficionados can submit original designs of customized kicks that incorporate Yaris design cues. Consumers can log on to the website http://www.yarisversusyaris.com and cast votes for the top DJ and sneaker design per market. The local winners will be showcased at the Yaris events in each market with the winning mix performed live and the winning “Fresh Kicks” design on display at each event.

The national winner of the “Fresh Kicks” and “Bangin’ DJ” contest will be determined on June 28 at the grand finale in Chicago. The winning DJ will have their mix played nationally on Radio One and the “Fresh Kicks” contest winner receiving a trip to NYC to be the sneaker editor of Complex Magazine for a day.

For more information and to RSVP for the events, visit http://www.yarisversusyaris.com.

Steakhouse refuses to serve O.J. Simpson

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