Aaliyah Dana Haughton 1979 - 2001
Archive for the 'Music' Category
23
Aug
RIP Nick Ashford
Nick Ashford
Like all fans of good music, I was shocked to hear about the passing of Motown songwriter Nickolas Ashford this week. Ironically his death was somewhat overshadowed in the media by the equally tragic passing of Jerry Leiber who penned many hits for Elvis Presley.
The legacy of both writers is in their catalogues. Ashford, who met his wife and songwriting partner Valerie Simpson in church, wrote classics such as You’re All I Need To Get By and the Chaka Khan hit, I’m Every Woman. As a duet the couple are best known for the 1980s anthem with Solid (As A Rock). They were inducted into into the Songwriters Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Overcoming homelessness at the start of his journey to success, Ashford, and his wife went on to pen songs for the likes of Ray Charles’s (Let’s Get Stoned), Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing), and Diana Ross’s first solo single, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand). Ashford and Simpson also grace the sleeve notes of Amy Winhouse’s Back To Black album with a co-writing credit on Tears Dry On Their Own, which contains a sample from Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.
Ashford and Simpson’s last release was the 2009 CD and DVD of their live performances titled The Real Thing. The 14 track CD with 65 minutes of vibrant live footage is a ticket to experience the musical magic that iconic singer-songwriters Ashford and Simpson embody. Ashford and Simpson are stamped all over modern times being sampled on Mary J Blige and Method Man’s You’re All I Need To Get By, and with a timely remix to Solid (Solid (As Barack), released for Obama’s 2008 inauguration, and parodied on Saturday Night Live, they proved that they remained relevant.
Recipients of The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ (ASCAP) highest honour, The Founder’s Award in 1999, Ashford and Simpson’s music is epitomised as being the fine wine of the industry – only sounding better with age. Young and old indulge in their refreshing bridge from old school to new school.
Tributes have poured in from the music world for the musical genius who is survived by his wife and their daughters Nicole and Asia. Due to Hurricane Irene Ashford’s funeral has been delayed until Monday 29 August. Mr Ashford thank you for the inspiration; rest in peace.
posted by The UK Corner in Music and have Comment (1)
03
Aug
Hairstyle Influences of R&B Stars
In June of this year, a judge in the United Kingdom ruled that a school’s ban on a young boy’s cornrows was “indirect racial discrimination.” The High Court ruled against St. Gregory’s Catholic Science College, a secondary school in North London, England.
In September 2009, the Boy, known as “G,” was refused entry on his first day for breaking the strict uniform policy. It is reported that the school was concerned that some hairstyles represented the gang culture in the area. The school, which is rated as excellent by the regulator Ofsted, allegedly prefers hairstyles with a short back and sides. It apparently also bans fully shaven hair, to avoid the skinhead look associated with right wing racist groups.
Have stars such as R Kelly popularised cornrows for males?
The court was reportedly told that cornrows were part of G’s family tradition and that he had not cut his hair since birth. The family’s attorney, Angela Jackman, from Maxwell Gillott, said: “…St Gregory’s Catholic Science College operates a policy which does not fully comply with current equalities legislation. We believe it discriminates against boys of African heritage by disregarding a widely recognized cultural practice.”
The case caused widespread debate with some saying that all pupils should have to comply with such uniform policies to enforce discipline, and that the ban would apply in countries such as Jamaica.
Since I was a young girl, and still to this day, I have occasionally worn cornrows. However, I recall men and boys adopting the look being a more recent thing in England–hairstyles with a short back and side being more popular when I was growing up. I think the way boys wear their hair owes something to their cultural heritage dating back to Africa or the Caribbean, but it also owes something to fashion and to their cultural icons.
14
Jul
The UK Corner concert review: Naughty by Nature and Ice Cube @ Indigo2
You never quite know what to expect from a Hip-Hop gig. Indigo2 had intense security. I wasn’t quite dressed for any raucous behaviour wearing sandals, but luckily, my feet escaped injury in the testosterone filled environment. This was the perfect playground for New Jersey’s reunited Naughty by Nature, who came to party!
Vin Rock
Treach
The Grammy Award-winning trio performed all their hits including the infectious O.P.P. Amid the old school revival, they paid homage to their peers across genres when DJ Kay Gee (who brought us Koffee Brown and also worked with Zhane and Next), played DMX’s Up In Here, House of Pain’s Jump Around, B.O.B ft. Bruno Mars’ Nothin On You and Snoop and Pharrell’s Beautiful. Such was the diversity of the 2,400 strong audience — a mixture of races, ages and genders.
Treach and Vin Rock were on full form embracing role-play to excite the crowd. Tracks such as Craziest, a reworking of Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry – Everything’s Gonna be All Right and It’s On, only added more fuel to the fire. Celebrating their 20 year anniversary; Naughty by Nature were keen to perform new material Flags and to plug their social media platforms, but the crowd were 100% invested in a live interaction with the Hip-Hop veterans.
The good vibes continued with Jamboree and Clap Yo Hands before Treach sipped on some Courvoisier while resisting chants to ‘down it.’ Soberly, Treach paid homage to Tupac who he acted alongside in Juice. Looking at his tattoo on his left arm he performed Hail Mary/Mourn You Till I Join You, which he wrote after Tupac died. Ashes to Ashes, Tupac’s California Love and a tribute to Biggie followed this while Treach warned about the dangers of allowing external forces into friendships.
But things turned ugly when Treach angrily reacted to a member of the audience who he alleged had given him the finger all night. After offering to replace the towel on the man’s face with his underpants, Treach calmed down and tipped his hat to the UK’s Slick Rick with a rendition of We Like to Party. Ending with their hits Feel Me Flow and Hip-Hop Hooray, they departed the stage.
Ice cube
It would take a special act to fill the vacuum they left. But despite the sound of his name, Ice Cube, 42, had not come to douse the flames of entertainment. Arriving to Issac Hayes’ Theme From Shaft, he was every bit blaxploitation with his mini Afro and Afro pick! If his words didn’t emphasize that he was representing’ the Westside, the glittery Ws on his shirt made the statement. The glitter extended to his trainers and he sparkled in his role as entertainer.
Alongside DJ Crazy Toones and rapper WC, he took the audience back to 1989, the days of NWA and beyond. Classics such as Straight out of Compton, Hello, Jack N The Box, Natural Born Killazs, Check Your Self, Why We Thugs, Can You Bounce, Smoke Some Weed, You Can Do It, Bow Down, Life In California, Go to Church and Bop Gun transcended time. His crip walking completed the gangster theme to the evening. With his expertise in acting, directing and producing, Ice Cube executed the show well, commandeering the stage with perfect timing and dramatically finishing tracks with each one punctuated by darkness.
Ice cube disturbing the peace
On a lighter note rapper WC performed a great track from his album Revenge of the Barracuda. While that was well received, the audience did not take too kindly to talk of a gig at Cardiff the previous night. While Ice Cube sung London’s praises, he asked his DJ how he was feeling explaining that his mood dictated the quality of music he would spin. When It Was A Good Day came on; the crowd knew DJ Loony Tunes was as elated as they were.
Having come on stage slightly late, Ice Cube was annoyed when he was asked to finish but defiantly, he performed two more tracks. The first She Couldn’t Make it On Her Own featured his son Doughboy (The name of Ice Cube’s Boyz n the Hood character, the iconic film which celebrated it’s 20 year anniversary on 12 July) AKA Darryl, who is featured on his last album, I Am the West, and the second, Gangsta Nation, a tribute to the late Nate Dogg.
Leaving in the same style with which he arrived, Ice Cube’s closing theme song was The O’Jays’ Back Stabbers. While he offered to sign CDs and T-shirts in the back, ironically the audience was led out of a side door. But memories beat mementos; on their highly anticipated return to UK shores, these legends did Hip-Hop proud.
posted by The UK Corner in Music and have Comments (3)
10
Jul
Music Potential
All roads lead to Music Potential on 21 July. For eight hours, this free event at Wembley Arena will give young people a taste of the music industry. Star of the show will be Wretch 32. Rising UK hip hop star Jermaine Scott, aka Wretch 32, is the face of Music Potential – a partnership between Choice FM and Barclaycard Unwind. The initiative, run by the radio station’s youth project ‘I Have a Choice’, was set up to offer 16-25 year olds their first step toward a career in the music or radio industry. Free workshops will include music production, mixing, film making and vocal skills. The event caps a programme of training events for 900 young people; where wretch will take part in a Q&A session about his route into the music industry.
Find out how to make money and how to market your music. Budding stars can also submit a demo at the Music Potential event and be selected to win a professional recording session with Wretch32 at the Point Black studios .
Wretch 32
Wretch 32, signed to Ministry Of Sound/Levels Recordings, is currently riding high in the UK charts with his latest single, Unorthodox, a collaboration with fellow rapper Example. His tracks draw on his experiences growing up among the high rises of Tottenham’s Tiverton Estate and the notorious Broadwater Farm. His first major label single, Traktor, reached the UK Top 10 in January.
Wretch 32 says: “…It’s tough for kids growing up – so easy to make foolish choices. I’m behind anything that gives them a chance to achieve their dreams, get out of the situation they’re in…I’ve come out the other side and the music industry is a paradise for me – hopefully this will give other kids the chance to experience that too.” For more information visit: http://www.choice-fm.co.uk/life/music-potential/.
posted by The UK Corner in Music and have Comments Off on Music Potential
