A-Alikes Explode on Film

May 29, 2009 By

Director Paul Biedrzycki has completed the A-Alikes music video for their recent single, "Explode", including the documentary for "The Ballot or the Bullet", which will have a featured film screening in the Bronx, NY on June 1st by Rebel Diaz.

Miami, Florida US – May 28, 2009 – A-Alikes and Paul Biedrzyck have conjoined their talents once again by fusing Paul Biedrzyck's vivid cinematography with the innovative A-Alikes message for the latest music video, "Explode." This second single off A-Alikes' soundtrack for "The Ballot or the Bullet" documentary has already been featured on WNYU, WRFL, CFRO, WKDU, KHDC, KSMT, KTRU and more radio stations globally. The music video is also an excerpt of the documentary, which will be featured on Monday, June 1st in the Bronx, NY by Rebel Diaz.

"A-Alikes are the Revolutionary voice of the streets that needs to be heard. While other voices in Hip Hop jumped on the bandwagon, A-Alikes kept it realer than ever with The Ballot or the Bullet and No Savior." – Rebel Diaz

A-Alikes is also set to release a new mixtape with DJ Victorious on June 14th titled, "The Hustle and the Hunted Part 3." While many of the new mixtapes out now have an array of features, A-Alikes keep it classic with artists relevant to their music. I.G. is featured along with production by Hedrush, Checkmate, UK producer Baby J, and DJ Butta who also produced "Explode."

View "Explode" Music Video
http://www.vimeo.com/4893960

Film Screening- June 1st at 7pm (Complimentary Admission)
478 Austin Place, 2nd Floor
Bronx, NY

About A-Alikes

At a time when the economy is sinking, the prison industrial complex is expanding and the music industry is shrinking into a handful of major corporations driven by sales alone, A-Alikes offers a connection to the streets with a concern for the future of the community. Their debut release" I Eat You Eat" on Nervous records helped garner them national press and lead them to their current project "The Ballot or the Bullet", a documentary and soundtrack. This is a prelude to A-Alikes' upcoming full length LP "Us Against Them", a new venture between Guerilla Nation and digital distributor ContentChunk.Com

More Info:            Http://www.aalikes.net

                            Http://www.myspace.com/aalikes

Media Contacts
Dennis Paredes
Public Wizard, INC.
786.277.7367
DParedes@PublicWizardInc.com

Filed Under: Hip Hop PR Wire, Hip Hop Press Releases Tagged With: ,

Jay-Z, Eminem and DJ Hero(TM) Join in Groundbreaking Collaboration to Bring New Music and DJ Culture to Gaming Platform

May 29, 2009 By

Innovative Partnership Includes Special Edition Featuring Music CDs from Both Artists

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Jay-Z and Eminem – two of the music industry's most influential and successful artists – will join DJ Hero(TM), the highly-anticipated new game that is bringing DJ culture and new music genres including hip-hop, electronic, R&B and soul music to the successful Guitar Hero(R) platform, Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) announced today.

Jay-Z and Eminem will contribute some of their popular songs to DJ Hero and will collaborate on a special branded edition of the game that will include an advanced version of the game's turntable controller, a metal traveling case that transforms into a performance-ready DJ stand and two exclusive music CD compilations featuring greatest hits and new mixes from each artist. Jay-Z and Eminem will both provide downloadable content later this year that will give DJ Hero fans fresh mixes of their material.

"Jay-Z and Eminem are innovators and they share a vision for expanding their genre by letting fans embrace technology and music in new and exciting ways to get the most out of the experience," said Dan Rosensweig, president and CEO of Guitar Hero. "Jay-Z and Eminem embody an entire generation and will continue to influence popular culture. Now their fans can experience what it's like to play the music, mix the music and compete with themselves and others in a game that expands with the user."

"A DJ has the ability to use music to control people's emotions and is responsible for the entire vibe of a room, a club or a party," said Jay-Z. "DJ Hero is the first video game that allows everyone to enjoy the unique experience of creating that environment."

"I came up doing freestyle battles on local stages with other MCs and DJs," said Eminem. "DJ'ing is an essential part of hip-hop and DJ Hero will give people all over the chance to experience the music from the other side of the turntables."

DJ Hero immerses fans into DJ culture and a sea of music as they take turns with their friends, scratching songs, playing along to the hottest tracks and ruling the party. The game's innovative turntable controller was created exclusively for the game and features familiar DJ tools including a fully-rotating turntable, sample buttons, effects dial and crossfader. Players master various DJ techniques as they play along to visual cues for scratching, blending, crossfading and sampling, and can also add their own creative spark by choosing to add a variety of effects, samples and scratches. Social expression is heightened with euphoric multiplayer gameplay where two DJs can battle competitively or have a player join in to emcee over any track in the game using any USB compatible microphone. Additionally, gamers can rock together as DJ Hero features DJ-guitar exclusive mixes played with a turntable controller and Guitar Hero(R) guitar controller.

DJ Hero is part of a highly anticipated fall video game lineup that includes Guitar Hero(R) 5 and Band Hero(TM), which will redefine how consumers interact with music. Through unique partnerships with some of the hottest rock, hip-hop and top 40 artists, these games are bringing more fun ways to explore, share and participate in music for millions of people around the world.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION(R)3 and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii(TM) system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard's success in integrating the operations of Activision Publishing and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated, and the other factors identified in Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

(C) 2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Guitar Hero, Activision and RedOctane are registered trademarks and DJ Hero is a trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc.

"PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Used with Permission. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo.

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

CONTACT: Eric Hollreiser, Vice President, Public Relations, GUITAR HERO,
+1-424-744-5784,
Eric.hollreiser@activision.com

Web Site: http://www.activision.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/007396.html

Filed Under: Hip Hop Press Releases Tagged With: , ,

Hip Hop Press: Directly Submitted Releases Now Indexed by Google News

May 29, 2009 By

Press releases submitted directly to Hip Hop Press are now indexed by Google News.  So if you haven't been submitting releases directly because we pick them up from other newswires, please reconsider.  And if we pick it up first elsewhere and you still send your release directly, we will update the release so it's included in the Google News feed.

Please submit all press releases to:
hiphoppress(at)netweed(dot)com

If you have questions, please hit us up there as well.

Filed Under: About, Featured Releases, Hip Hop PR Wire, Hip Hop Press Releases, Music Industry Press Releases, RnB Press Releases, Urban Arts and Fashion Press Releases Tagged With: , ,

ArtistRise.com Launches Free Online Community for Concert Industry

May 29, 2009 By

First of its kind, allows bands to book shows through profiles, venues to promote, industry to network and fans to be heard.

Los Angeles, CA (Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) May 28, 2009 — Artist Rise Inc. today announces the launch of beta site ArtistRise.com, a free profile based community for the concert industry. AR provides musicians, industry professionals, venues and fans with a platform to network, post content and conduct business online.

The digital age of music has sparked the creation of countless social media websites. But, few if any, have focused on the most lucrative areas of the music business―concerts.

"As record labels struggle to find a new bottom line, we're left with corporate branded creativity, misdirected talent and in many cases bad taste," said Ken Ashley, Founder, Artist Rise Inc. "Our goal is to build a community that heightens the experience of live music, not digital music, to develop unique site culture and provide cutting edge features that help young bands gain exposure and book shows."

The Artist Rise homepage serves as a "living" industry resource by featuring content contributed by members. Members can easily submit news, events, reviews and rants for publication via a one-click system. The goal is to post fresh content daily and build an intelligent, interactive community. Members have access to unique features including: custom profiles, multi-media, messaging, contact befriending, calendar scheduling for shows and a booking system to exchange performance offers.

"Every band should join Artist Rise solely for the booking system," said Chongyang Luo, who leads the project development at Artist Rise Inc. "Even if a band has no representation, AR provides a means to receive performance offers. They can be as simple as house party gigs or complex as tour support bookings. Within a few clicks, the offer arrives in the band's AR profile inbox and is copied in an e-mail for the band, their manager or agent to review. It's simple, effective, and free."

The websites design provides an alternative to the commonly advertisement ridden and cluttered pages of other communities by presenting a distinct professional style. No banner advertising appears in member's profile pages or even on the homepage.

"MySpace became a default resource for the music business since it enabled bands to reach fans and industry to quickly evaluate new acts. But in reality, it's part of the Fox News Corporation umbrella and doesn't provide any business solutions," said Johnny V, a Los Angeles based music manager. "Artist Rise not only encourages bands to play live but provides the tools to do so. That's what the business should be about."

Artist Rise Inc. has initiated marketing efforts in New York and Los Angeles but membership is open to the globe.

"Artist Rise is one big grassroots experiment", said Ken Ashley. "We have no corporate funding and only volunteers working on top of their day jobs. I invite anyone who loves live music to share in our vision, submit interesting content through the homepage and spread the word to bands. Together we'll ensure live music is the future of music."

About Artist Rise:
Artist Rise Inc. founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Ken Ashley and Chongyang Luo to develop, maintain and promote ArtistRise.com. Ken Ashley is a New York City native currently living in Los Angeles and works for a music booking agency. Chongyang Luo is based in Silicon Valley and focuses his work on new business models that can transform industries and lives. Artist Rise Inc. mobilizes volunteers from various segments of the music industry to help maintain and promote ArtistRise.com.

For more information or to volunteer support, contact:
Ken Ashley
Artist Rise Inc. | ArtistRise.com
E-Mail: Ken (at) ArtistRise (dot) com
Phone: 718-614-9394

Filed Under: Music Industry Press Releases Tagged With:

CELEBRITY JEWELERS RAFAELLO & CO. ANNOUNCE INDEPENDENT LAUNCH AND INTRODUCE PREMIER “BLACKOUT COLLECTION”

May 29, 2009 By

NEW YORK, May 28 — Notable jewelers Rafaello & Co. proudly announce the unveiling of their newly designed website, www.rafaelloandcompany.com, as well as the launch of their corresponding deluxe showroom located in New York City's diamond district. An innovator in luxury jewelry for over twenty years, Rafaello's resplendent pieces have garnered the brand a variety of award-winning celebrity clientele including: Jamie Foxx, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, T-Pain, Carmelo Anthony (NBA), Dwight Freeney (NFL) and many more.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090528/NY24168 )

Always inspired to expand their affection for superior jewelry of distinction and grandeur, Rafaello is also pleased to present their newest treasure — The Blackout Collection. An array of high quality black diamonds all accessed from the world's most exclusive diamond mines. Specialty trend pieces include: rosaries, watches, bracelets and cocktail rings. The "Blackout Collection" takes inspiration from the millions who have lost their lives in Africa during the Sierra Leone Civil War. Rafaello's commitment to the non usage of conflict diamonds will donate on behalf of the purchaser, a certain amount of proceeds to an undisclosed African charity which will be announced at a later date.

In addition to their personal jewelry line, Rafaello is the exclusive dealer for Avenir Chrono which homes a limited special edition men's watch entitled the "Boss Premier," recently worn by platinum-selling Def Jam recording artist, Rick Ross, in his music video "All I Really Want Is You."

Rafaello was founded by Rafael Aranbayev, his two sons Avi and Eric Aranbayev and nephew Gabriel "The Jeweler" Jacobs. Having a luxury lifestyle brand catering to the upper echelon of sports and entertainment; Rafaello is a proud sponsor of the WBC Welterweight Title fight for Andre Berto at The Hard Rock Cafe, in Hollywood, FL on May 29, 2009.

For more information about Rafaello & Co. Jewelers:
Press Contact:
Lexi Chow
The CNC Agency
Email: lchow@thecncagency.com

Filed Under: Urban Arts and Fashion Press Releases Tagged With: ,

mun2 PREMIERES ‘CONCERT FOR THE TROOPS’ ON SATURDAY MAY 30TH AT 8PM

May 28, 2009 By

The Network Partners with the U.S Army for Special Concert Honoring Their Soldiers

Performances by Frankie J, Paula DeAnda, Baby Bash and Lala

Universal City, CA. May 27, 2009 –  mun2 (moon-dos), the lifestyle cable network for bicultural Latinos 18-34, premieres a concert special celebrating and honoring U.S. Army Soldiers.  Premiering Saturday May 30th at 8pmET/PT, the one-hour special features live performances by recording artists Frankie J, Paula DeAnda, Baby Bash and Lala.

"We wanted to celebrate and thank Army Soldiers by offering them as well as their friends and family a special concert," says Flavio Morales, VP Programming, mun2.  "We're happy to have partnered with the U.S. Army to bring this exclusive concert featuring performances by four very talented Latin artists for the men and women serving our country."

"After recently having visited our troops serving in Iraq and experiencing first-hand what they do and go through, it's an honor to give back through the gift of music," added Baby Bash.  "It's the least I can do for our troops and everything they do for us."

"It was my pleasure to be a part of mun2's Concert for the Troops.  I hope everyone enjoys my performance as much as I did while on stage.  I want to thank the U.S. Army and all of our Armed Forces for giving us the freedom we celebrate everyday, and also a special thanks to mun2 for putting together this special night," says Frankie J.

mun2's "Concert for the Troops" comes as part of the network's continued commitment to our Latino Soldiers.  In 2007, the network was honored with a prestigious Peabody Award for an originally-produced news special entitled, "For My Country: Latinos in the Military."  The special showcases the trend of Latinos as the fastest-growing ethnic group in the military and takes a close look at the options young Latinos in the United States face upon graduating high school, with an emphasis on the military.

"Concert for the Troops" offers soldiers the opportunity to shine as they share anecdotes from their time in the Army.  The four performing artists also share their special messages with the troops, and, performing it together for the first time, Frankie J, Paula DeAnda and Baby Bash wrap up the concert with "As Days Go By," a song written in honor of the Soldiers who are away from their loved ones.

###

About mun2:

mun2 (moon-dos) is the lifestyle cable network for today's culture connectors (C2s) – bicultural Latinos 18-34.  As the bilingual network that amplifies the Latinos experience, mun2 is culturally-grounded and reflects the best of both worlds – mun2 is uniquely American.  From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content across a multi-screen platform.  As the only nationally measured bilingual cable network by Nielsen NTI, mun2 has an increased distribution to over 29 million households, and is a part of the Telemundo Group, a division of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment.

About holamun2.com:

For your daily dose of candy, glitters and freejoles, visit http://holamun2.com, mun2's fully interactive site featuring all things mun2. A portal for bicultural Latinos to experience entertainment on their terms, holamun2 features exclusive interviews, original videos, entertainment news, interaction with other mun2 fans and ways to vote for what's next on mun2. From politics and pop to videos and video games, holamun2.com is the online destination devoted to the lifestyles of bicultural Latinos.

mun2 Contact:
Debbie Lazo
818-622-4066
debbie.lazo@nbcuni.com

Artist Contact:
Talia C. Rodríguez-Shakur
323.644.0606
talia@streetropical.com

Filed Under: Hip Hop PR Wire, Hip Hop Press Releases, RnB Press Releases Tagged With: ,

“DOUGH BOYS” FROM WRITER-PRODUCER PRESTON WHITMORE TO OPEN 10TH ANIVERSARY EDITION OF THE HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

May 28, 2009 By

(May 28, 2009 – Beverly Hills, CA) The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) today announced that the gripping urban drama "Dough Boys," from writer-producer Preston Whitmore ("This Christmas," "Doing Hard Time," "Crossover"), will replace the previously announced film to open the 10th anniversary edition of the festival on Tuesday, June 2, 7:00 pm at the Fine Arts Theatre (8556 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills, CA). Tanya Kersey, founder and executive director of HBFF, made the announcement.

Helmed by first-time director Nicholas Harvell, "Dough Boys" follows four troubled city youths and the poor choices they make. The film stars Arlen Escarpeta ("Friday the 13th"), Cory Hardrict ("Gran Torino," "He's Just Not That Into You"), Maurice McRae ("The King"), Lorenzo Eduardo ("The Hammer"), Wood Harris ("The Wire") and Sticky Fingaz ("Blade, "Doing Hard Time").

The toll taken by life in the inner city is explored in the film which tells the story of Corey (Escarpeta), Smooth, (Hardrict), Black (McRae) and Long Cuz (Eduardo) who live by their own rules and survive by their wits. Four friends bonded by circumstance and the streets, they struggle to make good in a world that seems determined to keep them hustling. With their dreams always just out of reach, "The Dough Boys" think they have found the one big score that will change their lives, and all they have to risk is-everything.

"Dough Boys" is the first film to emerge from Give Back Raise Up, a program founded by Whitmore to fund independent films and give up-and-coming directors, actors and filmmakers the opportunity to utilize their creative skills. Whitmore has pledged to continue to finance and produce low budget pictures to provide a showcase for talented newcomers both in front of and behind the camera.

"We are proud to have this film open our 10th anniversary festival," said Kersey. "The genesis of this film through Preston's Give Back Raise Up program speaks to the heart of what the Hollywood Black Film Festival is all about — bringing new creative voices and visions to the attention of the industry, press and public."

"Dough Boys" will be broadcast on BET on June 15, 2009 and will be released on DVD on June 16, 2009 from BET and Paramount Home Entertainment.

The opening night red carpet will be hosted by KJLH Radio personality Aundrae Russell. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the cast & crew. An after-party, sponsored by KJLH, Coca-Cola, Smart Water and Stella Artois with specialty trays from Creative Cuisine's Chef Das will follow in the Grand Lobby of the Wilshire Theatre (8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA).

For the festival schedule, a complete list of films, screening tickets, and more information about the Hollywood Black Film Festival, go to the festival Web site at www.hbff.org.

About the Hollywood Black Film Festival

The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF), dubbed "The Black Sundance," is an annual 6-day celebration of black cinema drawing together established and rising filmmakers, popular film and television stars, writers, industry executives, emerging artists and diverse audiences from Southern California and around the world. The festival was founded in 1999 by its executive director, Tanya Kersey, in order to enhance the careers of emerging and established black filmmakers through a public exhibition and competition program. The festival's goal is to play an integral role in discovering and launching independent films and filmmakers by bringing them to the attention of the industry, media and public. Since its inception in 1999, HBFF has screened a total of 721 independent films. In addition to screening feature, short, student, documentary, animation and music video film projects, HBFF's Infotainment Conference features dozens of informational seminars, panels and workshops covering a wide variety of topics and featuring more than 100 "industry insiders" participating in the talk-show style panels, roundtable discussions and workshops. The Storyteller Competitions Live Staged Reading showcases the work of the 3 finalist scripts in the festival's storyteller competition.

About the HBFF 2009 Sponsors

Official sponsors for HBFF 2009 are 20th Century Fox, Coca Cola, KJLH Radio, Kodak, One Village Entertainment, SAG Indie and Smart Water. Festival supporters include Allen Events,  bSide,  Codeblack Entertainment, Don Welch Productions,  In The Twink of an Eye Casting,  Liquid Soul Media,  Organization of Black Screenwriters, Planet DMA,  Preston Picture Company, Rainforest Films, Syncom,  The Cosby Program, The Hollywood Reporter, Tranquil Management, Upscale Magazine and the West Angeles CDC: Entertainment Project. Prize Sponsors are Entertainment Partners,  Final Draft, Indieflix,  Showbiz Software, Studio System and Writers Boot Camp. Bonner Bros.,  Brimmage Communications, Chef Cheo,  Chef Das (Creative Cuisine),  Hotty Hoody,  Creative Handbook, Stella Artois and The Incentives Office are donor sponsors.  Friends of the Festival are the Bahamas Film & Television Commission, Graphic Sharks Worldwide and Jackie & Doug Christie.  FarCor Studios is the VIP room sponsor.  Media and promotional partners are Black Talent News, BlackHollywoodUniversity.com,  EURweb, "Inside Urban Hollywood, " Urban Mediamakers Association and Urban Network.  The Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills and SSG: Screening Services Group are venue sponsors.

#     #     #

MEDIA CONTACT:
Cecy Galvan
(310) 558-1696 – Office
(310) 497-5177 – Cell
cecy@bleuentertainmentpr.com

Filed Under: Hip Hop PR Wire, Urban Arts and Fashion Press Releases Tagged With: , ,

Famed Director Spike Lee Goes One-on-One with Award-Winning Journalist Ed Gordon

May 28, 2009 By

To Deliver a No-Holds-Barred Interview on Movies, Politics, Black Genocide, Stereotypes, and Tyler Perry

May 28, 2009, NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On this weekend's special edition of Our World With Black Enterprise, award-winning director Spike Lee sits down for an interview with host Ed Gordon for a no holds barred interview rife with the artist's trademark frankness. Taped live at the 14th annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, Lee takes no prisoners, tackling being labeled controversial, discussing his concern about the image of blacks in the media, and weighing in with his thoughts on contemporaries John Singleton and Tyler Perry.

Our World with Black Enterprise will air its exclusive interview with Spike Lee on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31 on syndicated stations across the country. Highlights include:

On his films being labeled "controversial":

I think journalists are lazy—how do you define people with one word? The subject matters we've done in my films—I don't think they are controversial. I don't think racism is controversial, it's thought provoking. If you look at how we dealt with that in Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X [etc.]. I don't think School Daze was controversial. We looked at what I feel are the superficial differences that keep us from being a more unified people. Superficial differences based on skin complexion, hair texture, class—that type of stuff. That's not controversial.

On his films becoming a part of people's lives:

It's great. Many people have told me over the years that they ended up going to a historically black college because of School Daze and they never listened to jazz before Mo' Better Blues or Do The Right Thing. Barack took Michelle to see Do The Right Thing. That was their first date, so it's good to hear that sort of thing … that's President Barack and the First Lady, Michelle (laughter).

On the difficulty he has funding movies:

I still think that with material that is deeply rooted in African American history, it's harder to get that stuff made. I have a trilogy of black biopics that I have yet to get funded—Jackie Robinson, another one on Joe Louis, then most recently James Brown—I want Wesley Snipes to play James Brown. We just can't get the financing for them. So we just have to be more creative and try and get the money. Even with the last film, Miracle at St. Anna—the bulk of that money came from Europe.

On the era of Blaxploitation movies:

I understood that a lot of actors were getting work, I understood that a lot of people were getting experience behind the camera. But I don't know why we were glorifying drug dealers. It's the same thing with this gangta rap—you know, the glorification of "thuggery" and gangsters. … These hip-hop guys boast how many times they have seen Scarface. It's crazy. It is really leading to our demise.

On stereotypical images of blacks in the media:

Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is "coonery" and buffoonery. I know it's making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns and House of Payne) and I am scratching my head. … We got a black President and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep 'n' Eat?

On Tyler Perry and what the black consumer (really) wants to see:

We've had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made Boyz in the Hood], people came out to see it. But when he did Rosewood, nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn't think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African Americans, we're not one monolithic group so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to Amos n' Andy.

On the election of a black President:

It was witnessing history. It was like being alive when Jackie Robinson integrated baseball, when Joe Louis knocked out (Max) Schmeling—it was like that. When Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers, every African American in this country was praying for him. When Joe Louis fought and won, black communities—in Detroit, Harlem, Chicago—black communities from all over the world would come out of the house after listening to Joe knock out those guys on the radio … and celebrate. With [President Obama's victory] it was the same thing!

On what black America must do after the Obama victory:

Now that Barack Hussein Obama has become the 44th president of the United States, [some people want to act] like we've been delivered, like there is no more racism, no more prejudice. That's not the case at all. So we have to stay vigilant. We live in a time where some young black men say they're okay with the fact that they might not live past 18 years old. Any time that young black men think like that, you know something is wrong. We're killing each other. It's genocide and a lot of it is fueled by many factors. But we have to stop it if we are going to survive as a people.

Our World with Black Enterprise will air its exclusive interview with Spike Lee on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, in major markets across the country, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Check your local listings and visit www.blackenterprise.com/ourworld for additional time and station information.

About Our World with Black Enterprise

Our World with Black Enterprise is a weekly, half hour television series that spotlights the contemporary African American experience. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Ed Gordon, the nationally syndicated program features news, entertainment, roundtable discussions, and special interest stories about African Americans from all walks of life. It debuted in September 2006. Visit www.blackenterprise.com/ourworld for show times, stations, and video clips.

Contacts

Black Enterprise
Andrew Wadium, 212-886-9598
wadiuma@blackenterprise.com

Filed Under: Urban Arts and Fashion Press Releases Tagged With: ,

Take It “Easy” This Summer With Secret Agent 23 Skidoo!!

May 28, 2009 By

Family Hip Hop Artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to Release New Album, "Easy," on July 14th, 2008

FAMILY HIP HOP ARTIST SECRET AGENT 23 SKIDOO TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, 'EASY,' ON JULY 14TH, 2008

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – May 28, 2009) – If you like your hip hop old school, but are still in elementary school, then Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has got you covered! E1 Music/Happiness Records will release Secret Agent 23 Skidoo's new album, "Easy," on July 14th, 2009. The album contains 3 previously unreleased bonus tracks and will have an SRP of $11.98.

The song "Gotta Be Me" peaked at #1 on XMKids satellite radio, and continues to receive heavy radio airplay on kids/family radio.

By combining the world of infectious beats and rhymes that he grew up on with the magical realm of childhood, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo aims to introduce kids to hip hop without compromising either one. "Easy" is an upbeat collection of beats and rhymes from a dad that wasn't quite ready to succumb to purple dinosaurs and Kumbaya circles.

"Easy" mixes traditional funk, bluegrass, reggae and blues over golden-age hip hop beats then tops it all off with vivid stories populated by dragons, mermaids and robots, plus party rhymes with an accent on promoting creativity and confidence. Speaking in a kid's language with a grownup's delivery creates the perfect mix, especially when the beats will make even a hip hop snob nod!

Entertainment and education strike a perfect balance in this story filled party album and kids of all ages have been spotted nodding their heads to its sophisticated musicality.

"'Easy,' is a revelation. Plenty of artists have taken a stab at 'kid-hop' before, but not one has produced such an unqualified success. This is real hip-hop… the songs radiate positivity, promoting self-esteem and curiosity… so masterfully delivered that it doesn't feel the least bit corny. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has set a new bar for the genre." – Cookie Magazine

"He may sound like a colleague of Maxwell Smart's, but this pop artist is actually closer to Kanye West… " – The New York Times

"The list of really good kids' hip-hop albums is very short. Not only does 'Easy' go to the top of that list, it should find a lot of fans among people who don't consider themselves big hip-hop fans. … Definitely recommended." – Zooglobble.com

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo will be performing this summer at various family friendly festivals and venues, including at Kidzapalooza (Lollapalooza) and Austin Kiddie Limits (Austin City Limits Festival). He is also featured on the first ever Kidzapalooza compilation, "Kidzapalooza, Vol. 1," which will be released on June 16th, 2009.

Track Listing for Easy:
   1.  Welcome to the Show
   2.  Gotta Be Me
   3.  Luck
   4.  The Last Dragon
   5.  Sleepover
   6.  Mysterious
   7.  Family Tree
   8.  New Day
   9.  Hot Lava
  10.  Have Fun
  11.  The Bluegrasshopper
  12.  Life Is Music
  13.  Sweet Dreams
  14.  Robots Can't Cry (Bonus Track)
  15.  I Like Fruit (Bonus Track)
  16.  Boogie Man (Bonus Track)

For more information, go to: www.secretagent23skidoo.com or www.kochrecords.com

About E1 Entertainment

E1 Entertainment (AIM: ETO) is a leading independent entertainment content owner that acquires film, television and music rights and exploits these rights in all media in more than 190 countries.

The company currently operates in Canada, the U.S., the UK, Holland and Belgium through its four primary businesses units: E1 Television, E1 Films, E1 Music and E1 Distribution. These businesses collectively represent E1's extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production/distribution, Kids content, Licensing and Distribution.

E1's content library includes more than 3,700 feature films, 2,700 hours of original television programming and 15,000 music tracks.

About Tor Hyams/Happiness Records

Tor Hyams has 20 years of experience in the music and film industries, from writing and performing his own material to producing world-class recording artists, live music festivals for children, short films and digital programming, and composing dozens of scores for both film and television.

With Perry Farrell, Hyams then conceived and developed Kidzapalooza as a family festival nested within the Lollapalooza Festival, produced by C3 Presents. Kidzapalooza, now in its sixth successful year with Hyams as Producer and Emcee, has been contracted through 2011. Continuing his live music work with C3, Hyams now produces The "Kiddie Limits" stage for Austin City Limits and a number of other regional festivals.

For the past two years, Tor has led the family music efforts at the SXSW Music festival and seeing the interest that this category draws, co-founded Kindiefest, the first ever family music conference featuring panels and performances with the most influential personalities in the world of children's music. The first Kindiefest was held in Brooklyn, NY this May and was a raging success. He has also recently been named a judge for the 2009 NAPPA awards, the world's most prestigious award for children's audio product.

For more information, contact
Giovanna Melchiorre
516-484-1000×279
Email Contact
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=7F2CE377DB302E45

David Bosch
516-484-1000×185
Email Contact
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=86588AF16D56163C

Filed Under: Hip Hop Press Releases Tagged With: ,

Pure Play Music and WSA Distributing Partner to Eliminate the Need for a mp3 Player

May 28, 2009 By

SAN DIEGO, May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Pure Play Music, Ltd., (Pink Sheets: PPML) ("Pure Play") and WSA Distributing are partnering to launch a first of its kind music download service providing content from new and emerging artists. Under the terms of the agreement WSA will act as Pure Play's exclusive provider of microSD flashing and distribution in NA. WSA and Pure Play have co-developed an automated system for flashing music onto microSD cards that allows them to offer music on a regional and/or local basis. Mobile subscribers will receive a microSD card with the purchase of certain mobile devices, or they can choose to add a music accessory bundle with the purchase of any music capable phone. In each scenario, the user will receive 100 DRM-free tracks, and can subscribe to the monthly service that allows the subscriber to download up to 20 tracks per month for less than $5.00. The first of several US carriers will launch the service in the 1st week of July, 2009.

Pure Play and WSA view the program as a key moment in the transitioning of mobile device owners away from mp3 players. "With more that 50% of mobile devices having music capabilities, it is no longer necessary to carry two devices," stated Rick Sterger, COO at Pure Play Music. With the design of this program the two companies believe they can educate users on the music capabilities of mobile devices at the point of sale. They predict that nearly all mobile device purchasers will walk out of their carrier store with 50 songs, ready to play, on their phone.

Pure Play is an entire music infrastructure that allows an artist to self market their own music. Through Pure Play's unique and expansive distribution network, Pure Play has introduced something that will completely change the way unsigned, emerging artists and indie acts get their music played commercially. Pure Play provides independent artists with access to broad new distribution channels to introduce their music to the world — and monetize it. By utilizing our exclusive partnerships that control the majority of the world's in-store music needs, we allow music to reach millions; and we believe the monetization of music on a massive scale.

WSA is a leading provider of value-added services for the wireless communication. WSA will be preloading phones with exclusive emerging artist content from Pure Play Music. WSA is a provider with the quality and capacity of a large corporation, but it maintains the flexibility, attention to detail and speed of a small business. Its dedication to being a provider of cutting-edge innovation and technology is the primary reason this relationship was possible. Its San Diego location possesses three assembly lines and is capable of flashing over a 1 million mobile devices each month. With the introduction of our first of its kind media distribution capability, it will increase Pure Play's ability to enter new markets and redefine existing industries.

Source: Pure Play Music, Ltd.

CONTACT: Richard Labrum of Pure Play Music, Ltd., +1-619-471-4097,
rich@pureplaymusic.com

Filed Under: Music Industry Press Releases Tagged With: ,
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