Features

The Ru Report #139

Fresh Face: Lloyd
The newest kid on the hip hop/soul block is not that new at all. But his hot sound, his slick image and his latest record company dealings warrant him to kick off our first Fresh Face series.

Lloyd is the hot and hip young crooner shaking things up on the R&B scene via The Inc. Records. For the un-enlightened: that's notorious hip hop music mogul Irv Gotti's flourishing Def Jam-backed enterprise--formerly Murda Inc.--which boasts multi-platinum success stories such as Ja Rule and Ashanti.

The New Orleans born, Atlanta-bred 18-year-old has a hot track out featuring the company's aforementioned "princess," called "South Side," which is in the Top 20 of Billboard's Hot 100 R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart and is the #1 Most Played Music Video on BET, respectively.

But this young cat born under the name Lloyd Polite (pronounced pa-leet) isn't a novice to the music game. As an original member of the late 1990's teeny-bop group N-Toon, the youngster experienced some marginal celebrity status with one of his younger brothers and two fellow Atlanta based schoolboys. Conceived by Klymaxx member Joyce Irby, N-Toon released a single "Ready" on Interscope Records and an album, Toon Time via Dreamworks.

"We did our chitlin' circuit run, " he candidly reflects on those humble beginnings. "But I wasn't always thrilled about it because I was never on that kiddy s@#%. I was never on that pop, bubble gum, cotton candy eating kind of stuff. But on the same token, I take it as a learning experience."

And it's paid off… look at how the lead singer has grown up.

The plaited-up, self-professed playboy is sitting back in his publicity flack's office in midtown's Worldwide Plaza complex, handling publicity chores like a seasoned pro. Not a bit nervous, Lloyd takes on the most difficult questions while remaining congenial, and somewhat playful--his body language is indicative of his youthful ardor.

On this humid summer afternoon, Lloyd is in town making the rounds with mainstream media outlets such as Teen People and YM magazines, while also visiting MTV and BET. He's also performing a showcase at S.I.R. Studios for key industry tastemakers. With his solo debut album, Southside hitting stores on July 20 and the title track blazing radio airwaves, he is quite "in-demand."

"I feel a little overwhelmed man," he confides, his voice lowering. "But then again, I understand that this is not a time to relax because I got a lot more work to put in. I got a lot more to prove to a lot of people. But I was born to do it, man. This is the life we chose."

His southern drawl has a way of drawing an interviewer into the conversation, while his ghetto swagger keeps them tuned in.

Lloyd is a trip too--the boy thinks he's grown.

"Nah, I thought I was grown when I was twelve. Now, I know I'm grown," he quips. "I always felt like I'm a little more advanced than [others my age]. I always felt that I could run with the big boys."

The big boys include Mr. Gotti (real name: Irving Lorenzo)--whose flossy ways and uncanny fascination with mafia movie mentality may have put his company under the microscope of federal investigators--who became smitten with young Lloyd after initially meeting him and hearing him sing a cappella, a little over a year ago. "Irv has earned his stripes already," Lloyd shares. "Irv has put in so much work. And just being in the presence of somebody that already done great things, I gotta bow down to that."

Def Jam's newly minted head honcho Antonio "L.A." Reid (of LaFace Records fame and Arista Records infamy) was also in the mix too. The nattily dressed music man, who launched the careers of OutKast, Usher, TLC, Pink, Avril Lavigne and Toni Braxton, was originally tapped to re-package Lloyd. But some fateful timing led the youngster to the arms of the Gotti family fold.

"One thing I learned from coming in at an early age is when you're a new face in the game, the last thing you need to be is shy. You gotta have charisma. You gotta make people love you," he states, matter-of-factly.

Shy is what he is not. Not at all!

In the middle of the interview, Lloyd displays some sexually titillating naughty boy banter with a female office worker (referring to her as "a secretary"), who is sucking on a lollipop. "Let me taste it," he asks in an amorous way--double entendre intended (It's like no one else is around.) Is it boyish charm? Or a case of raging teenage hormones? I wonder aloud. That's when we get to talking about the alluring trappings of the music world. I warn him not to make the same mistake some of his R&B brothers before him have. He assures me he won't.

And besides, he's already on probation, he reveals, so he knows better.

My ears start to burn. My eyes start to widen. "Probation?" I yell.

"I ain't no angel," he whispers. "I don't really want to reflect on it, but I'll say that everybody got their struggle stories."

"Are you Fed? Are you with the Feds," he teases because of my continuous probing. "You know we have Fed-A-Cinni problems."

"I promise I'll tell you after I speak to my lawyer," he jokes more. This kid has such a quick wit. You can see that he's a bad ass, but you gotta love him. It's something about him that makes you want to root for him. And that's a good thing.

He assures me that he hasn't been to jail. (He just looks like he has.) Mr. Gotti, whom he sometimes refers to as "IG," made him hit the gym to get cut up. It's working, too. In some of his glossed-up photos, he's baring his little chest. And the girls are eating it up. ("And I'm getting at them," he smiles, slyly).

Lloyd plays up his thug sex-appeal too. "We're PYT over here," he beams. "That stands for Pretty, Young and Thuggin!" Okay! In almost the same breath, he reveals that he's more into older women. "I've never dated a girl younger than me. I've always dated women older than me." Hmmm. Ashanti plays his older lover in the video for "South Side."

Musically, armed with his six-figure advance, Lloyd says he is influenced by R. Kelly, Marvin Gaye and even Jodeci. Writing the majority of his first album, he's already standing out on his very own with his brand of "ghetto love" music.

"I feel it's a lot of prototypes," he says of the current state of R&B music. "A lot of people trynna fill shoes that have already been walked in. A lot of people want to be like other people. I feel like it's a lot of bathwater music out now. A lot of that bulls@#%. A lot of that 'sun, moon and the stars above' s@#% But at the same token, I chose my own path. I walk my own path. I feel like it's now or never with me."

No Show, Hoe!
As if she didn't have enough legal troubles.

Last Friday night, Lil' Kim, hip hop's self-proclaimed "Queen Bitch," nearly caused mass hysteria in Times Square when her heavily promoted gig at BB King Club & Grill was abruptly cancelled.

This was nearly four hours after the proposed show time of 8 p.m.

The show, which was booked through the ICM agency, did seem like a stretch--considering that the once multi-platinum-selling raunchy rapstress's last album, La Bella Mafia didn't meet record company expectations, and her current obstruction of justice and perjury charges may stick, leading to jail time.

But more than 500 die hard fans shelled out upwards to $40 a pop to see the rap singer spit her rhymes. Talk about a cult following.

And after sitting--and standing--through three (out of five!) opening acts, the anxious crowd just thought the hip hop diva was being fashionably late by the time the last act rolled off the stage at 9:05 p.m.

Hmph.

Now understand: With its central location on 42^nd Street (in the heart of New York's Times Square) and the acoustics of a great music room, BB King's has earned its stripes as the definitive Midtown Manhattan destination for live music. All the greats play there (such as Aretha Franklin, Pat Benatar, Little Richard, Etta James, James Brown, Rick James, Dianne Reeves and the list goes on). The spot has much cache for tourists from all over the world, music lovers old and young, and folks who just want to revel in the legacy of the club's namesake.

So Independence Day Weekend is a much sought after slot.

Lil' Kim--born Kimberly Jones--was booked well in advance and contractual details were ironed out. She agreed to do one of her shows (where she raps over her previously recorded tracks and hop it up around on stage to get the crowd in a frenzy) and be off the stage by midnight, to honor another event that was going on at the club. Again, it was to be a busy weekend.

She never showed. Well that's what we were thought to believe when the DJ got on the microphone shortly before the strike of midnight to inform the crowd that the show has been called off.

After hearing that, the crowd nearly went ballistic. There was more fake Gucci and Louis Vuitton flying than during a Saturday morning on Canal Street. With only one way to exit the venue (a very narrowly designed stairway, mind you) all hell nearly broke loose as the crowd filed out of that place quicker than you can say "You wanna be this Queen Bee, But you can't be, that's why ya mad at me!" It was like someone spotted O.J. Simpson with a machete, or R. Kelly with a camcorder. Some revelers even yelled out "Where the f@#$ is Foxy Brown?" as they exited the spot. People were angry. They had every right to be. Disappointment welled in their eyes.

"What I have to say about it is that I find it amazing that an artist of that visibility and level of celebrity cares so little for her fans," Gabrielle Brechner, the club's general manager, told The Ru Report. "People pay good, hard earned money to see her perform and she obviously could care less about those people.

You know my crew and I went out the back door, after walking through the kitchen area (like our forefathers and foremothers of song once did during more segregated times).

Upstairs and outside it was a full-scale spectacle. Mayhem ensued. Scuffles broke out because this one stepped on that one's toe or this one bumped into the other one. And it's 2004. But shelling out doe for top-shelf liquor, standing on your feet for a few hours and listening to loud rap music can bring out the worst in some of us. Thankfully a brigade of trained security professionals that were hired by the club (just in case) was in place to diffuse any real ruckus.

To put it lightly, it was a dog's mess.

The story goes a little something like this: Apparently, Lil' Kim was scheduled for a 9 o'clock arrival and a 10:05 start. The club had another event scheduled at roughly 11:30 - midnight, which her people apparently knew about. They were aware that she had to be off by somewhere in the 11 o'clock range. The opening acts were scheduled to go to until about 9:30, with her opener, J Mills, to go from 9:50-10 o'clock right before she went on. At about 8:45 the club got a call from her agent saying she was stuck in New Jersey "with her lawyers" and she wouldn't be arriving until about 10:30. That spelled trouble. At 9:05, the last of first three openers performed (not including J Mills, who wasn't even in the building).

With one and a half hours to fill, the club scurried frantically to move the crowd. An "idiotic" dance contest ensued where a girl shirt "fell off."

10:30 came. No Lil' Kim.

11 o'clock came. No Lil' Kim.

At this point the club were dealing with many refunds and angry patrons who were getting hostile with the club for not controlling the artist. Hmmm.

Three hours after showtime and still no Lil' Kim! Come on now. The only one who can get away with those types of antics is Original Shock Diva Grace Jones--and she's been in the business for nearly two decades (translation = she paid dues).

11:15 came. No Lil' Kim.

It was just around this twilight time that the club's booker and Ms. Brechner, spoke via phone, to the owners of the club and were instructed to give her until 11:30 and then pull the plug citing "breach of contract."

11:30 came. No Lil' Kim

The pint-sized former mistress of late rap kingpin The Notorious B.I.G. finally showed up roughly at 11:34, with her entourage in tow.

She was turned away. Can someone say Kibosh.

The club has merit for litigation. Considering the A-list talent that could've been booked there--and actually show up on time--with the promotions and advertising along with the venue's other expenses, things can get a bit dicey for Lil' Kim (who just signed a merchandising deal to use her image to hawk flashy watches adorned with faux diamonds).

"What she did is completely disrespectful to those people and to the venue with which she was in contract, which she violated," Ms. Brechner added. "It seems like a ridiculous way to try and keep your fans, which in the end is what makes or breaks any artist."

The artist-friendly club is taking a diplomatic stance, however. According to a source, the brass feels that there is no reason to sue as long as they retain their 50% deposit back from Lil' Kim, which they are said to be working on. Dollar figures weren't disclosed, but it wasn't any chump change either.

"And my words of advice to anyone who wants to see Lil' Kim perform," concludes Ms. Brechner, "Skip the live show--just turn on Court TV!"

Ouch!

Calls to Lil' Kim's offices were unsuccessful on Wednesday--due to a faulty voice mail system.

New Music News
Music maestro Quincy Jones has a new CD out. Well, sort of. My favorite on-the-go coffee shop, Starbucks, is now offering a live music CD compilation of selected songs performed at the "We Are the Future" concert--held in Rome on May 16. On an exclusive basis until August 3, participating North American stores will sell the disc, which features performances by Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Patti Austin, Josh Groban, Angelique Kidjo and Andrea Boccelli. Selling for $12.95 U.S. and $16.95 Canadian, 100 percent of the purchase price will be contributed to the We Are the Future initiative, which are working to create child centers in war-torn countries throughout the world. The first child center opened in Kigali (Rwanda) on April 8, 2004. The next five child centers will be in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Asmara (Eritrea), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Nablus (West Bank-Gaza/Rishon Le'Zion) and Kabul (Afghanistan). More than half a million people were entertained by a host of world famous musicians during the six-hour "We Are the Future" concert, making it one of the largest concerts in history. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie and Naomi Campbell also took the stage in support of this global, humanitarian effort, along with the aforementioned musicians, and others. "With the support of Starbucks, we are able to offer a recording of this major event to engage music fans and raise awareness for children living in war-ravaged communities. Please enjoy the excitement and the great music we experienced on that memorable night," Mr. Jones stated.

On August 3, Verve/GRP will release Forever, For Always, For Luther, a masterfully done 10-track tribute to legendary R&B crooner Luther Vandross. Produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner, the disc will feature smooth jazz's heavies George Benson, Kirk Whalum, Paul Jackson, Jr., Boney James, Mindi Abair, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun Lalah Hathaway and Ledisi putting their touches on Mr. Vandross' most cherished gems. In addition to the release, the label will join with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), to help raise funds and awareness for their mission of diabetes care and research on behalf of Luther Vandross, as he continues to recover from the diabetes-related stroke he suffered last year. A major element of the Verve/ADA initiative will be the "Write a Love Letter to Luther" campaign, which will be launched on August 3. This call to action will invite fans to send a note to Luther with a contribution to the ADA's "Forever, For Always, For Luther" Fund. The ADA will collect all the letters to Luther and present them to him and his family on a special occasion. The ADA will also promote the "Love Letter" campaign to their members and constituency online, at events, and through mailings. This charitable organization was designated by the Vandross family.

My favorite singing sisters will be given the royal treatment when Hip-O/UME release The Best Of The Pointer Sisters edition of 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection hits stores on July 27. The Oakland-reared sistergirls who started as a quartet, won awards together, then experienced internal shuffles and resurfaced as a trio has delivered hits since the early 1970s. Along with the Top 30 hits from the group, this new set boasts Bonnie Pointer's two biggest solo records, culled from her 1978 self-titled album ("Heaven Must Have Sent You," "Free Me From My Freedom/Tie Me To A Tree (Handcuff Me)"). Some of my favorites are also included, such as 1973's "Yes, We Can Can," 1980's "He's So Shy," 1981's "Slow Hand" and the 1984 Grammy-winning smash "Jump (For My Love)." This music will be a walk down memory lane. Even though they were one of the first Black acts played in heavy rotation on MTV and were elected to the "Soul Train" Hall of Fame in the 1990s, the only time I hear The Pointer Sisters' music is usually when I'm shopping in a supermarket.

According to his publicist, Grammy nominated rap superstar Snoop Dogg is recording an album tentatively titled R&G: (Rhythm & Gangsta) The Masterpiece, due for release on November 16 as a co-production between Doggy Style and Star Trak, through Geffen Records. He is executive producing the set, which promises to include an array of hit-making collaborators he's worked with over the years. The Neptunes and Gap Band front-man Charlie Wilson is already on board. And perhaps even Dr. Dre.

Etc
Legendary literary great James Baldwin will be honored with a new commemorative postage stamp to be issued by the U.S. Postal Service on July 23. The late Mr. Baldwin's essays, novels, plays, short stories and poems explore various subjects, including race relations, the arts and human relationships, while always showing their author's strong moral conscience. His work made him stand out from the pack during the Civil Rights movement. The stamp is the 20^th in the Postal Services' Literary Arts series. Poet Laureate Dr. Maya Angelou and Liberated Bard Amiri Baraka are scheduled to deliver tributes during the first-day-of-issue ceremony, which will be held in the Langston Hughes Auditorium of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. Acclaimed actor Avery Brooks will serve as master of ceremonies, with luminaries such as Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Reverend Doctor Samuel Joubert, Sr. are expected to attend. "His fervent voice in 20th century American literature forced us to think about issues affecting our great nation, and his leadership in the civil rights movement continues to be an inspiration today," said U.S. Postal Service Vice President of Emergency Preparedness Henry Pankey. The event is free and open the public.

"The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way y'all need Jesus."

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Message Karu F Daniels or email him directly at therureport@aol.com