Features

The Ru Report #142

Doing The 'Do':
Seven may just turn out to be a lucky number for music maverick Marcus Johnson. The suave CEO of the Washington D.C.-based Three Keys Music is also a bona fide musician in his own right, who just released his seventh album, Just Doing What I Do, this week to critical acclaim. So why are we just getting wind of him?

"Haters," the recently-turned 33 year-old quips. "I have all these degrees, quite a few records, and I am just really learning the record business," he revealed on a more serious note. "This should be a lesson to those who feel that they are going to jump on the scene and change it immediately. Things take time." It's been nearly four years since the smooth jazz keyboardist (who got his start playing in a pizzeria) released his last set. But ever since then he's been cultivating other talents such as the legendary Bobby Lyle and seasoned soul siren Alyson Williams--all artists on his label. And running a studio (8121 East), where he is known to produce an album within an unheard budget of $25,000 within three-month turn-around.

"As an edge-crafter my job is create a vision for the company," he explained. "Then I must motivate the team around me to desire excellence in the process of creating and not just the outcome. If you focus on creating excellent music, an excellent marketing strategy, an excellent implementation strategy, the result will be excellence. But it starts at the top. Therefore, I am always thinking, reading, learning, testing, adapting, and growing. This is and will be the core of our success."

We met up with the dapper Mr. Johnson at New York's upscale Chez Josephine restaurant last week. The down-home Ohio native, who was accompanied by his legal counsel, didn't have any qualms about ordering the fried chicken dish off of the menu. He brings a certain charm and comfort into spaces that he inhabits. His congeniality wasn't anything I expected from the seasoned bachelor with the law degrees and the privileged pedigree. And that's a good thing. His warm and accessible demeanor may have been the stroke of genius that got him in bed with BET's founder and CEO Robert L. Johnson, who eventually bankrolled his aspirations.

"I met Mr. J at the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival," he revealed. "He introduced my band and would you believe I asked him out to lunch? He in turn invited me to his office and grilled me for about two hours. At the end he asked how could he get involved and I went straight back to the business plan I had been working on for four years. After I presented it, it was a done deal."

Talk about chance encounters.

With a reported $3 million investment, Marcus Johnson's Marimelj Entertainment Group, LLC was born with Three Keys Music, Three Keys Music Publishing, Marimelj Music Publishing, and Studio 8121 East as its main divisions.

"I'm able to do it all only by the grace of God," he confided, while also making references to Rick Warren's best-selling inspirational book, The Purpose Driven Life.

"I have been blessed with a small but committed team of individuals who believe that Three Keys Music is more than a company," he continued. "We are a movement that has at its foundation the creation of a new paradigm. The new paradigm has already been created with technology. My blackberry, cell, laptop, UPS, FED EX, Amtrak, discount airlines, and digital recording equipment allow Three Keys to scale to a size much larger than what we actually are."

The basis of the company is predicated on three principles, elements…keys. When asked about them, he politely obliged: "Key 1 is spirituality: You have to have a commitment to the community and to building something besides wealth. Each employee is required to give 15 hours of community service per month. The artists are required to give the same. It is our belief that if you take care of the streets, they take care of you."

"Key 2 is artistry: You have to have the talent and the desire to grow your talent. This is the area where we, along with a lot of other labels have gone wrong. There are many people that have the talent. However, they don't want to strive to the level of 'artist.' This is not the level where you demand blue M&M's. It's the level where you get in a van with no air conditioning and drive around the country because you believe that you are making a difference and because people want to hear your music. If they will sit in a hall with no AC to hear you, then you need to get your behind out there and play."

"And lastly, Key 3 is strategy: By any means necessary. If you sit in a brainstorming session with me, you will ask yourself, 'Is this fool crazy?' My mind works so fast right now that I have trouble completing sentences. That's not good. However, I have a great team of people that help me develop marketing and strategic plans to put my fragments onto paper and into reality. We don't think outside of the box though…because there is no box. We think with limitless possibilities. Everything is possible." Lauded as one of Ebony magazine's "most eligible bachelors," Mr. Johnson admittedly is a workaholic. But he's getting better at it. "I don't sleep too much, but I work out every other day. I eat pretty well and have learned from the experiences of my mom, who is recovering from a stroke, and my father to let go of the small stuff."

The 19-track opus is ripe with sonic gems. Original pieces such as the fluid title track and the infectious, mid-tempo groove of the stand-out "Love" (featuring Frank "Scoob" Marshall) juxtaposed with piano-laden takes on Beyonce's "Me, Myself & I," Talib Kweli's "Just To Get By" and Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" provides a current and very textured musical landscape. "The song selection is based on relationships," Mr. Johnson explained. "I worked with new producers and stretched out a little while being laid back. My goal was to create a project that is multi-functional. You can listen to it in your car, at the crib, or on the patio behind a couple of glasses of Cabernet."

He teams up with Ms. Williams to take on Simply Red's easy listening staple "Holding Back The Years" and the two create their own musical magic. "She is a dream to work with," he shared about the woman he refers to as his 'sista in music.' "We started working together about nine years ago. She has been on almost all of my CDs and I promised that when I got the label up and running that she would have a project of her own. That's why this is a bonus track. It is truly a bonus."

Currently on a summer jaunt promoting the new disc, Mr. Johnson is looking ahead to the future, optimistically. "I want people to look at me and think of Tiger Woods' swing--like 'Damn… he makes it look so easy I know I can do that." To get folk to say that, I have drawn a picture in their heads through my actions--That's art! That's my goal."

Music Notes
Just in case you missed it, the complete first season of the Emmy Award winning NBC series "American Dreams" arrives on a DVD box set on September 7. Packed with hundreds of unforgettable rock and roll hits and exciting bonus features "American Dreams: Season One--Extended Music Edition," as it is officially titled, will feature musical performances by such current day hit-makers as Usher, Ashanti, Kelly Rowland, LeAnn Rimes, Michelle Branch, Vanessa Carlton, India.Arie, B2K, Stacie Orrico, Third Eye Blind and Duncan Sheik emulating the music stars and personalities of the 1960s. The seven-disc collection, including all 25 Season One episodes plus hours of bonus features, will have a suggested retail priced of $89.98.

Ruff Ryders' Chinese-American rapper Jin has hit the big time. America Online, a major supporter of emerging musical talent, has identified Jin (nee Jin Au-Yeung) as an artist to watch. In the ten weeks following his debut on AOL Music, Jin's music was played over half a million times on the service. That's big! In April, AOL Music--which reaches the largest audience of online music fans in the world--named Jin to their popular 'Breakers' program, which highlights promising artists at the beginning of their music careers. Other artists who have benefited from this early push include 50 Cent, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch and Josh Groban. According to a rep, Jin's long awaited debut album, "The Rest Is History," will hits record stores October 19.

Legendary music outfit Earth, Wind & Fire have signed an exclusive album deal with the Matthew Knowles'-helmed Sanctuary Urban Records Group. Their new yet to be titled album is slated for release October 5 and boasts collaborations with super-producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq. Saadiq, Floetry and Musiq.

Hip-hop music mogul Damon Dash is quite the visionary. The Roc-A-Fella Records honcho has gotten into the frozen treat business. According to one of his reps, ice cream trucks in cities such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia will be wrapped in vinyl covering adorning the likeness of artists such Cam Ron, Kanye West, Beanie Siegel and The Ronson Sisters throughout the month of August. The trucks, along with selling ice cream will give out ROC brand styled promotional items. In other Dash news, he's a co-executive producer of the forthcoming drama The Woodsman starring Mos Def, Eve and Kevin Bacon. He's also the publisher of the hot, new and sleek America Magazine, which features a sunglasses clad R. Kelly, and a bare-bummed Lenny Kravitz on two of its current edition's three covers. Coupled with his Armadale vodka brand, and the Roc-A-Wear clothing line, Mr. Dash is proving that there may be life after Jay Z.

I knew this a few weeks ago, but I was awaiting an official announcement. Never got anything official but I do know for a fact that Goodie Mob's "goodest" member Cee-Lo will headline this year's Seagram's Gin Live Tour, with Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot protégé Tweet as the opener. The tour will arrive at New York's B.B. King Blues Club & Grill on October 13.

Dance, Dance, Dance
Judith Jamison, a.k.a. the Doyenne of Dance, is back in the swing of things with the forthcoming world premiere of "Love Stories," which will kick off the New York season of Alvin Ailey Dance Theater's five-week jaunt on December 1. Conceived and directed by the Company's celebrated aforementioned Artistic Director, the three-part dance production (featuring contributions from Rennie Harris and Robert Battle) is set to the music of Stevie Wonder. This year's season will also feature the sounds of other musical greats such as Earth, Wind & Fire ("Shining Star") and Louis Armstrong ("Burlesque").

The legendary Katherine Dunham will be honored by Dance Teacher magazine with a Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her immense contribution to modern dance education. As one of the first to introduce Caribbean and African dance forms to the U.S. and Europe, Ms. Dunham developed and codified an influential dance technique that today is taught in schools around the world. At age 95, she continues to teach an annual Dunham Technique Seminar, held at the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities in East St. Louis, Illinois. The dancer, choreographer, director, anthropologist, writer and teacher is featured on the cover of the September 2004 edition of the magazine, which is considered the preeminent monthly publication for dance education professionals.

And the Starz premium cable channel plans to celebrate the upcoming Miramax Films theatrical release of Shall We Dance?, starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon, with a sweepstakes, which will send one lucky winner waltzing down the red carpet with the grand prize trip to the star-studded premiere. And leading up to the October 15 theatrical release of the new film, Starz will telecast the original Japanese version of Shall We Dance? throughout September and October. The original 1996 Japanese film centered on a staid businessman and his infatuation with a ballroom dance instructor. The original version holds the record for top United States box office gross for a Japanese-language film ($9.5 million). The remake was directed by Peter Chelsom (Serendipity, Town and Country) and also stars Stanley Tucci, Mya and Nick Cannon.

Stages
Coming this fall: A new musical based on the songs of The Beach Boys titled "Good Vibrations." Starting preview performances in early December at the Eugene O'Neill Theater, the show will be directed and choreographed by John Carrafa (of "Urinetown" and "Into The Woods" fame). A recent presentation of the show was done at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. "American Idol" season one runner-up Justin Guarini starred. A rep for the Broadway production isn't certain if the former mop-top is coming on the Great White Way.

And speaking of White Way, the critically-acclaimed colorful musical "Caroline, Or Change" will shutter on August 29. The George Wolfe-directed spectacle--which netted a Tony Award for newcomer Anika Noni Rose for "Best Featured Actress In A Musical"--will have played 23 previews and 136 regular performances at the Eugene O'Neill theater by the time it closes. Just two weeks ago, a lavish 2-CD soundtrack featuring 53 tracks produced by Jeanine Tesori was released at retail.

Former Spice Girls front-woman Mel B (Melanie Brown) will depart the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical "RENT," on August 20, a rep confirmed. In my humble opinion, I think she's gone too soon. As the spunky Mimi, the former British soap star radiated the stage with much charisma--even proving that she (a Spice Girl, of all things) can hold her own with some of Broadway's best new talents. The line at the Nederlander Theater wrapped around the block with patrons patiently waiting to get a glimpse of the once-popular pop music superstar make her Broadway debut. In other "RENT" news, 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey will attempt to "pay it" when he steps in as lead character Mark on September 20. And unforgettable "American Idol" diva Frenchie Davis has taken a brief break from "paying it" to continue polishing her chops as Effie Melody White in the legendary musical "Dreamgirls." The most recent mounting of the 20-year-old-plus musical opened at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera on Tuesday (Aug. 10) with powerhouse Billy Porter playing the role of James Thunder Early and the dapper Norm Lewis (who can also currently be seen in Olive Garden commercials), theater veteran turned soap star Vanita Harbour and Montego Glover rounding out the cast.

Off The Rack
Jailed rapper Shyne appears on the cover of Vibe magazine's 11^th Annual Juice Issue. In an in-depth interview with soul sister scribe Akiba J. Solomon, the former Bad Boy Records rap star talks very candidly about Sean "P. Diddy" Combs ("It affected my mother and my grandmother, and it could have destroyed my livelihood…All he had to do was tell the truth"), 50 Cent ("I still didn't send the wolves after him…"), hip-hop competition ("I'm fighting for my life. F#$% what these cartoons are out here talking about, man."), the future ("it's about making the music and, hopefully, affecting people the way Bob Marley and [Tupac] did") and life in jail (There's motherf#$%ers in here that got natural life. When I look at their burdens, my load doesn't look so heavy"). And in a fashion only a true hip-hopper can, Shyne (nee Jamaal Barrow) refers to his former Jewish lawyer--the legendary Murray Richman--as a ni@#a. That's classic! The Q&A is quite provocative. My hats go off to Ms. Solomon, a former editor of The Source and current contributor to POZ magazine, for braving the thick razor wire fences, metal detectors and steel cell blocks of Upstate New York's Clinton Correctional Facility to get the story. The magazine was perfectly timed to drop on August 10--the same day as Shyne's new album Godfather Buried Alive was released. And on Vibe's website, 10 lucky winners can win a five-minute phone call from Shyne. Okay!

On a lighter note, Black Girls are truly ruling the September 2004 issue of TRACE magazine. Naomi Campbell, Erykah Badu and Thandie Newton are gracing the magazine's three different covers. The European-styled glossy celebrates its 50^th issue with the special "Black Girls Rule" Collector's Editions, highlighting Black women in fashion, music, film and sports who are making headway in their fields. "With this collector's issue, we want to bring you the best of what TRACE has been over the past seven-and-a-half years, but also give you a glimpse into the future of this unique idea laboratory," said the mag's Chairman/Editor in Chief Claude Grunitzky. And don't think only sexy glamour-pusses are the only ones celebrated. Powerful sisters from the legend of the late Nina Simone and the omnipresent Oprah Winfrey to worldly Winnie Mandela and the irresistible Iman are saluted as some of the 50 most influential black women in the past 50 years.

Video View
Kill Bill Volume 2: Quentin Tarantino's action-packed sequel to last fall's blood soaked hit is just as exhilarating. The flick arrived in stores this week and is already selling like Krispy Kremes. In the last installment, Uma Thurman's lead character (The Bride) is closer to her goal in doing what the title of the movie suggests. A moving familial plot line is erected in this storyline, along with Darryl Hannah's conniving Elle Drive character, who proves to be as just as much of a match as Lucy Lui's Cotton Mouth from Volume 1. Sam Jackson and Michael Madsen appear in the stunning finale, which is just as treacherous as the first. DVD Bonuses include: A behind the scenes program with interviews, comments and on-set visits; a Volume 2 Premiere performance; and a deleted scene called "Damoe."

"On the top getting down, yeah"

©2003 The Ru Report™. All Rights Reserved~~P.O. Box #25 Bushkill PA 18324

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