Words: January 2004 Archives

January 25, 2004

Pimp Metaphysics: Victoria Platt Tilford

Counter Intelligence with Victoria Platt Tilford
Victoria Platt Tilford, gallery owner, actor and regal woman of substance, has appeared in "Jelly's Last Jam," "Dreamgirls," "Guiding Light" and "All My Children." Her latest project is the launch of Studio Gallery with her partners, the Tilford Art Group, in Los Angeles. Recently, we had a chance to dialogue on women, spirit, art, and the state of hip hop. Here's what she had to say:

Tell me a bit about Tilford Art Group and your mission behind the gallery space you have here in Los Angeles.

Tilford Art group was conceived by my husband, Terrell Tilford, who is an artist and also a collector. The mission is to bring art to the community and to show people that they have self-interest in collecting their peoples work. It's an investment. But, also it's to change peoples ideas about what art means.

When I was younger I went to museums because I had to. Certain courses required that I go to museums and do reports or work on artists. But, it always seemed very removed from me because a lot of the people who were considered masters--I didn't like their work. Now that I understand what "art" is, I am not ashamed to say that I am not a huge Picasso fan. It doesn't move me. And now that's what I understand art to be--for me it means to move me.

A lot of people, I think especially in our community, shy away from art because they think, "That's above me." Or, "That's outside of who I am." Or, "I don't understand it." Or, it's an elitist activity--to go see artwork. And then a lot of people don't feel that it's within their budget. Were trying to squash all of those ideas and give people a new understanding of what art is.

It's about what speaks to you. What you deem as good art is good art. What you deem as moving is moving. And it's not to say that I don't like Picassos work. Frida Kahlo--her work moves me. I love Frida Kahlo. And then there are a lot of masters who don't move me and there are a lot of masters who do. And there are a lot of artists who aren't well known who move me. It's like food. Everyone doesn't like artichokes. Just because they say it's a delicacy doesn't mean you have to like it.

What do you think the importance of visual art is in the Black community or the audience you are dealing with? Because, obviously music is a very large, flourishing artistic creation in the Black community but what can visual art bring to people?

I think, one, its documentation. Its documentation of what we've gone through, what we go through, of how we feel. I think any self-expression is extremely valuable. It's much more acceptable to be a musician and that's something I believe should be changed because, all of it is valid. And, all of it tells our story. And not just slavery, you know, I want to hear the spectrum of who we are and that's what I think is missing. We only have music. What about literature? What about visual art? We are not just athletes. We're very diverse. Were a diverse people and Id like to see that represented.

But the major thing is documentation of who we are. I think it's very important for us to collect original work because we have a part of our history. Whether its old work or new, slavery or current times, it's all documentation.

I was reading an interview with a dancer from Brooklyn, Princess Moon Cooper. She said how in traditional culture everything is about the arts and the purpose of the arts is to pass on values and stories. I am always thinking about what is the purpose of art and in different cultures it has different meanings. What would you say it is?

I think it has many different meanings and many different values. In Africa, our art was tribal art. It was to recognize different tribes. It was scarification. That was art. It was art on the body, tattooing. It was to recognize a specific culture. To identify with family--to relate to people--how you relate to them. Now I think it's changed, but not so drastically, because its representative now, I believe, of how far we've come in the races self-expression. Now we get to show what we've gone through honestly.

This is how I feel about something and I believe it's the same thing that dance does. It could be historic and telling a story or it could be an interpretation of the artists feelings about a certain subject.

I was thinking about the idea of art as a tool to transfer values and stories in terms of hip hop culture now. If you think of the various mediums within hip hop culture as the artistic forms, what values are we transferring? And, what stories are we telling?

I don't think were fully utilizing these tools. I am constantly thinking about what is the purpose of art? Am I just sitting on my *ss making stuff or should I be out there teaching, being a nurse, doing something more meaningful? You know what I mean. So I was thinking about this in terms of hip hop and where we are at in terms of really recognizing it as an art form.

I believe hip hop is an art form. I believe it's become very easy to ride on the fantastical element of it and not use it as an instrument of teaching, use it as an instrument of storytelling. Because, the griots were doing the same thing, they were doing it exactly the same way. They had beats, they danced, and they told stories to beats. I am in agreement that we have not utilized it to the degree that we can. I believe some people have.

I think in American culture in general, we don't appreciate the visual arts enough, and if our awareness was raised of what art really is would more and more people functioning within hip hop culture use it more productively?

That's a good question. I actually don't know because I think what it comes down to is not just awareness but people seeing their self-interest in utilizing the tools in art. Maybe I see this more in the visual world because I am involved in the visual arts world--Willie Torbert is an artist we have represented, he shows the pimp, thug 70s scene, our scene, which was you know, it was a wonderful culture, that was a wonderful time, it was rich. But, then there's Jackson Collins who is kind of fine art, but a little dark--we have the spectrum of stuff. Not as many people know about it but the spectrum is there.

I think in terms of hip hop culture we do do things the easy way sometimes. It's been so difficult. It's such a challenge that "...okay, well, this formula is working. Let's just do that..."--instead of pushing the envelope and saying, "What do I really have to say?" Because art is really about...self-expression. What are you saying? What's important to you? Where's your voice?

I was also thinking about self-expression and what is the importance of self-expression? I don't like to use big academic words but, you know, were all like "postmodern" and "nothing matters" and "everybody has their own opinion" dada dada--so why be self-expressive? Or why not just be commercial and just do it for the money? What would you say is the beauty of self-expression?

Ok. Well, ok, on the one hand yeah you could say, "Why do it?" but, then again "Why not?" If the world is not a better place because you've been here, then you've wasted space. That's what I believe. And you've wasted air.

On a deeper level the only reason we can be in this postmodern sort of day and age that were in is because people have been allowed to be self-expressive. Because there was a time when there was all this oppression and people were not allowed to say what they felt, you couldn't burn the flag. Do I agree with it, no, because I don't see the point. But, it is a form of self-expression.

When artists do performance art on the street I never understood it. I always thought, "That's such a dumb thing. How stupid is that. They stand out there and I don't get it and I have to stand and watch." They're doing some obscure abstract thing and I just didn't get it. But I thought about it, it all has to be accepted as self-expression. People watched it, so someone got it. It's about standing up and having your voice be heard as to who you are. Because it allows other people to do the same thing and that's important.

We're not quite at a place where all of us feel empowered by the society we live in. Art allows you to be empowered because, you may hear someone saying something that you've felt or you may see something that you yourself have had the feeling of, or experienced, or agree with. That allows you to stand straighter and to say something about it. Case in point...I saw a piece that had to do with domestic violence. It got me involved with the V-Day celebration, the "Vagina Monologues," because it was very important to me...all of a sudden it sparked something that must have been in me already, but had I not seen that work, I wonder if I would have gotten so involved? So now I go to missions and I perform for women who have been abused. But it was that piece that gave me the backbone, "I can do that, yeah that's what I want to say. I want to say that too."

It's almost like you have to have some sort of faith that things can improve? I'm very curious about spirituality in our peer group, within hip hop culture and its extensions. I'm very interested in our spiritual state of being?

Me too.

I think that dominant culture is not supportive of the fact that we are spiritual beings first. And a lot of people are kind of lost in the...paying the bills, trying to figure out what they're going to do...maybe some greater recognition of visual art within African American culture could help us see the spiritual side of ourselves more because the music is kind of getting...

I think everything is spirit. I think spirit is in everything. It's how we recognize it and how we choose to express it. I agree. I'm not concerned because I have faith that there is a movement--and I feel it--there's a movement happening that there's a lot more spiritual awareness. People are becoming, if I can use an esoteric word, "enlightened", whatever that means, or evolved.

In terms of what we do as artists, and all of us are artists, every single one of us. I don't care if you have a 9-5 job, if you're a surgeon, everyone is an artist. Everyone has some kind of creative gift. One, because our creator created us, therefore we are creators. There is no way we cant be.

The closest that we get to spirit, I believe, is creative arts. Were pulling God or the universe, whatever you want to call that energy, out of absolute nothingness and we make something. And its just what we created and that's the closest that you're getting to expressing who you are as spirit.

It is extremely important to get in touch--all of my friends who are not in some sort of creative something have a harder time relating to people, expressing themselves and communicating. They have a hard time, and certainly this is not a study, but it's different for them. My relationships with them are very different than ones with people who are not just artists, but people who are involved with art somehow--whether its dance or music or singing or visual art or whatever. Because there is a part of you that is not being satiated or fulfilled if you are not being creative. Its part of who we are. We create. In its ultimate we create life. I know I just got kind of esoteric on us....

No, no that's good because I was thinking of this whole idea of creation too. And that is kind of our essence, but that [creation] also in terms of women and that special gift that we have to create life or bring life into the world, and that power. I have some people around me asking me about that power lately, you know men, and why is hip hop so caught up on women as an object or just a sexual being and all of that....?

Well, oh boy, this could be a scary thing....I think a lot of things happened to us in slavery that we brought with us and we haven't processed them healthily and they have metastasized into something else. There was a lot of dissension among black men and black women.

Black men were basically castrated. They were taken away from their families, told that they were nothing, so their power was taken away from them. Black women on the other hand became extremely strong and then had to take on very masculine qualities. So there is resentment there and because of that resentment there was a separation in the unification of the family. But, also between us as individuals who respect each other and who share with each other. We don't do it in the same way. So, in an effort to make contact and to re-connect a skew has happened in how we view each other. All of a sudden were "hoes" and "you fine" and calling your behind an "onion." I know its not to be disrespectful (now sometimes it is and that's different) but I think a lot of times they don't understand why we are not impressed and encouraged by the comments.

There was a man on the street who told me, "Oooh baby, look at that onion. Ooh that's nice." And, I just went up to him. Instead of me getting all annoyed, I asked, "Brother, what do you think is gonna happen? How do you think I'm going to react when you say that to me?" "Oh sister I'm just giving you props." He really thought it was a compliment and I think we've had some things that have happened in our relations as black men and black women. We have gene memory, if that's possible. And I don't think we completely know how to deal with it and so they've dealt with it one way and we haven't dealt with it healthily either. We call all men dogs or none of them can be trusted. We have this thing, "Oh you've got to protect yourself." From what? We've both done this sort of weird adjustment to fill in the spaces where we don't have history together. But the truth is there's nothing that could have been done about that hurt and that pain. It's not either one of our faults. It's just that's what was. But we were never given tools to correct it. How to mend our relationship. Our single mothers, within the hip hop culture, the constant looking at women as objects, you know? And that's my theory on it. I don't obviously have any scientific....

That's okay, I not interested in science. I've always thought that the evolution of our spirits is the main purpose in life. We have spiritual growth were supposed to engage in and in terms of men and women there's a certain mental, spiritual, physical connection that you can genuinely experience that will evolve your spirit. And, I just think it's really sad that people don't recognize what they're missing out on by playing all these games, you know, and power trippin...I wonder how we can get back to learning about that? I even think a lot of educated successful people that I know don't even understand that. You know?

Because, it's not an intellectual understanding...If I may quote the Holy Book, you have to worship God in spirit and in truth. But in spirit, spirit comes first. Jesus never said anything about the intellect. It was never about the intellect, it was about the spirit. I don't know exactly why, I don't know if its in our effort to "make ends," or our efforts to get ahead, or to equalize things, to level the playing ground, to have all that stuff--all that shiny stuff that we think were supposed to have--that we've strayed away from spirituality.

By spirituality I don't mean church necessarily. There are all kinds of spirituality. It's all wonderful and it all works if you work it. But, in our generation and the generation after us and the generation before us there was a hope that was missing. AIDS, drugs in the community, broken homes, fathers not in the household--there's not a balance and so you lose connection with spirit. Some people get drawn to spirit for that reason but, some people detach and retreat. That, I believe is a personal journey. I don't know, and of course, I believe art is supposed to lift people up because the truth of who we all are is spirit...so if you are in the truth of who you are, your actions and your thoughts, you are in alignment with the universe. I believe art is supposed to help you do that by showing you the truth. Whatever their truth is then maybe you'll say, "Oh well that's not my truth, but my truth is this." So, I don't know what completely happened with hip hop culture. Because, for a long time it was about being honest, the truth, being "real." But, then it strayed away from the spirituality of it.

On the same level of being in alignment with spirit and truth, as an actress, what do you think is going on with all these actresses posing half naked on magazine covers, what is that about?

Alright, first I prefer being called an actor. Only because, and I know people are like "blah blah," but you don't call a female doctor a doctress. You know? But, that aside. My peers, my girls, its acceptable and it makes you more popular obviously. So do I have major issue with it? I do not. What are the repercussions of our choices? Every choice has a repercussion, a consequence. What are you doing it for? "Okay, I have $5 in the bank. I really need money. Okay so I know why I'm pimpin myself. That makes sense."

Basically, that's what it is. You're doing it on your terms. Can I say anything about that, no. Do I think it is damaging? To some degree, yes. Not because they're showing their body, but because they are appealing to something that is not necessarily healthy and, men don't do it...it's not the same thing. That's a problem because then we're being objectified. I don't like that. Unless Denzel is going to get up on the cover of some magazine in some little bikini, then why would I get up there with my breast glistening and my butt showing. It's not something that I feel I need to do.

Do I have an aversion to being nude or showing my body, no, if it is part of the story. As far as pictures, no, not really. I love being sexy, I love sexy clothes, I like looking sexy, but I don't need to look sexy for the world. I need to look sexy for my husband.

If it's about me becoming popular I think that's too high a price because I don't need to do it. If that's what is doing it then you don't know who I am. There is so much more to me than "my beautiful body" or "my gorgeous face." I mean, it's a wonderful thing to have, to be attractive, but that's not what I'm giving you. That's not what's making the world--what's making the world better is not how beautiful I am. It's what I do with my gift. It's how I help people. It's how I love people. It's how I teach people how to be more of who they are.

That's smoke and mirrors stuff again. Its buying into what people say is important. Like when they had the "It Girl" list. What the heck is an "It Girl" list? What does that matter? Where is the "It Guy" list? I don't judge other people because they have their own set of standards. I can't possibly know what they're thinking. But, Halle Berry in Swordfish--I didn't understand it. Why? Because people expect you to show your body because you're beautiful? I'm interested in seeing everyone's body if that's going to be the case. Put Kathy Bates naked in a movie. Its objectification, that's what I don't agree with. It's about lust. It's about sex and lust. I don't want to see that.

The other thing that bothers me about it is, my younger sister thinks Britney Spears is amazing. That bothers me, because I personally don't think she's an amazing performer. I don't think she's an amazing singer. So what she's hooking you with is sex, and that tells other young girls that that is where their value lies. And they use their sexual attraction, they use whether they are appealing, they use whether men think they are attractive or want to have sex with them , or are lusting after them, as a barometer for self-worth.

That's a problem for me. I think some of what happens in what were talking about now is what bothers me. Granted, I did a movie where I showed my breasts, but it wasn't about sex. I was getting into a tub. It wasn't nasty. People say, "Well you showed it." But, it's my intention. It was also a conversation that I had with the director and the cinematographer, "Were not glistening up the breasts. Were not making them pretty." You know I had scars at the time. It didn't matter. Scar on my back showed. It wasn't about trying to entice.

What made you come to this understanding? Did you have a strong female presence or male presence in your life?

God....has been my female and my male presence.

Ain't nothing wrong with that.

I believe some of it is grace. I've always been very grounded. I've not always done the smart thing. I haven't always made very good choices, but spirit has always given me someone or something to push me back on the right track. I think a lot of that is what you said before, it's my faith. I know who I am. I have a faith in what God has for me and what God has planned for me. He loves me so much that he's not going to let me make a hard right and let me stay on the wrong path if I'm on the wrong path. He goes "Ok, she made a wrong turn. Let me send some markers in the road to help her get back on track." You know, people go, "That was my sign. I knew I should of done that." You'll get another chance. It's never too late to get back on your path.

I've always been spiritual, I guess you would call it. I've always been very connected to spirit in whatever different ways that took. I was Buddhist for a while. I studied Vodoun for a while. Christian, Christianity, Jehovah's Witness, chanting, Sitah meditation. Because there is truth in everything. There's truth in everything. Were all searching, it seems to me, for the same thing. We want peace. We want fulfillment. We want abundance of good stuff. If you think about it, it's not about the stuff. The things that we have, it's wonderful to have wonderful clothes and a nice car, the house, dada dada. But, peace in your spirit. Comfort in knowing what your place is, that's peace. It's an important thing. No one else except me and God. There can't be anything else.

That allows me to make decisions not based on what other people are saying is supposed to be. Then I can say, "Oh that's not true for me and I know that for myself. You can do that. That's fine, but that's not for me." I believe that's my faith. I think everyone can have that because faith is not some abstract idea. Like people think love is abstract, no it's an action. You have to love someone. I can't just tell you I love you. How do I know? What have you done? You don't call. You don't write. Faith is an action. It's an activity. Because you don't worry when you have faith. You can't. They void each other out. You can't have worry and faith in the same place. They can't co-exist. If you have faith you can't worry. If you have faith you're pressing on. If you have faith you are looking at the "challenge" and going, "Ok I see that, but I know it's going to work out. My eyes are open and my ears are open and my heart is open for the answer that's going to resolve this. Whatever the lesson is Ill learn it and Ill move on."

I hear you. I hear you. In every column I ask for a stream of consciousness response to conscious capitalism.

Oooh, conscious capitalism, those are big words for me, so, I would...I'm not supposed to think right?

Yeah, it can be one word, whatever, anything you want, whatever comes to mind.

It makes me think of race consciousness. Race consciousness is...not like race, but what people have an agreement on. Like the Dow Jones or investments. "Oh you are supposed to do this or this is not going to work." "You're supposed to get married and have kids at this time." Race consciousness, that's what it makes me think, because you have to get agreement--people need agreement to have power and to make money.

So you have to move everybody to your point of view. However you need to do that. You could do that by making them think that they're going to die, or they're not going to be included. That's what it makes me think of.

I know that the Tilford Art Group always donates a portion of their proceeds to a non-profit organization. What is that exactly and why did you decide to do that?

Well, what it is--and actually myself and Reginald Coleman are in charge of finding a non-profit--we've been given so much, mentors and people along the way, and instead of sending all of them a thank you note its like paying it forward. We put money back into the community, put money into programs and organizations that we believe are self-expressing, you know? That are also helping the community. So The Little Angel Bunny Foundation is the one we've chosen for this show. They help children who have been abused, who have been abandoned or have been challenged in situations. They allow them to express themselves through the arts and through music.

We thought it was definitely the non-profit for this show because I am a huge supporter of kids. They are like the most amazing untapped resource we have and I think it's really important that, a lot of these issues were talking about, in correcting them, if we start when they're young then we wont need to correct them. It will already be a part of who they are. Knowing that they are worthy, knowing that they are valued, knowing that their voice is worth being heard. Knowing that they are loved and that what they have to contribute because no one else can contribute except them. So each show we donate money to say thanks to God for lifting us up constantly.

Well thank you Victoria and good luck on the grand opening of your new gallery space.

Tilford Art Groups Studio Gallery will be celebrating its grand opening with the show, STAND UP! Individualism in a Collaborative State, on Sunday, January 25, 2004. It is located at 5449 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90019. Visit tilfordartgroup.com for more information.

Check out dianamcclure.photofolio.com or portfolios.com/dianamcclure to view more of her images.

Message Victoria Platt Tilford and Diana McClure and tell them what you think

Posted by at 11:17 PM | Comments (2)

The Ru Report #123

Bajan Heat, Meat & Musical Treats
When Grammy Award-winning neo-soul singer India.Arie sings "God is real," I really feel her.

Just in the nick of time before the blistering blizzard engulfed the big apple and its surrounding regions, I hopped on a flight to one of my favorite Caribbean locales; beautiful Barbados.

It was a work trip. But I still had fun in the sun.

The differences from this trip and my last sojourn there were aplenty. (I will be diplomatic and just use an analogy funk/soul veteran Rick James once told me: "Once you have caviar, it's hard going back to pork chops.) Nevertheless, I still managed to have a wonderful time in big, beautiful Bajan country.

The call of duty was for "The 11^th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival," running the course of six-days and featuring musical talents such as India.Arie, Herbie Hancock, Lizz Wright, Kem, Michael Cheeseman, Pancho Sanchez, Kirk Whalum, Hiroshima, Fourplay, Kal David, Richard Bona, Emilio Morales, Adrian "Boo" Husbands, and local musician Danah. With a two-fold purpose of increasing the attractiveness of the island and assisting in the developing of the local entertainment industry, this year's jazz fest was held at various locales such as the Sunbury Plantation House and Heritage Park in St. Philip, the Colony Club Hotel in St. James, Garfield Sobers Auditorium in St. Michael and Farley Hill National Park in St. Peter, respectively. Each performance venue provided a unique ambiance for patrons.

Artists who have graced the festival in the past include Tito Puente, Brenda Russell, Dave Koz, Gladys Knight, Earl Klugh, Rachelle Ferrell, Grover Washington, Jr., Dianne Reeves, Najee, Nancy Wilson, Luther Vandross, CeCe Winans, Al Jarreau and Patti LaBelle, amongst countless others.

I was amongst close to 70 media professionals and journalists from around the world--places as far as Venezuela to Toronto--who was invited to cover the 2004 festivities.

Some highlights:

Mr. Sample, former leader of The Crusaders (who recently reunited for the Grammy nominated Verve album Rural Renewal), performing everything from Miles Davis to Bob Marley with his trio. The masterful pianist also shared a funny on-going story about a promised recording collaboration with George Benson that was over a decade in the making, and resulted into an 'issue' over billing.

The young and beautiful Ms. Wright, with her restless talent and ability to emote ala Oleta Adams and Anita Baker, stealing the show as the opening act for Mr. Hancock, who was in 'snub' mode when greeting the press backstage. Ms. Wright singing selections from her remarkable debut album, Salt, took hold of the Bajan audience in such a bewitching fashion. It's great to see a young, twenty-something vocalist using her God-given talent in such and elegant and graceful manner. "Barbados is beautiful," Ms. Wright shared backstage after her performance. "It's very hot. It feels like Georgia, South Georgia where I'm from. And my skin's happy, my blood's happy. The air tastes good out here. It's nice so I'm enjoying this and breathing deeply before I go back to New York," Ms. Wright shared with The Ru Report. Her classy and classic demeanor is far departure from what airwaves and music charts have become littered with in the United States. She is the new truth for music. Strangely enough, the versatile vocalist was overlooked by the Grammy Awards nominating committee for her critically acclaimed opus. But at the rate she's going, she'll stand the test of time sans the Grammy nod.

The centerpiece of the festival was arguably the India.Arie and Kirk Whalum show, which sold out the Garfield Sobers Auditorium. It was soon apparent that the performers decided to forego a sound-check when both of their sets became plagued by deafening technical difficulties. However, both artists went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure Barbados got a great show. Mr. Whalum, accompanied by his brother Kevin Whalum and a kick-ass band, performed gospel, blues, pop and jazz. He ran the gamut in music genres with songs made popular by Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley and Maxwell, respectively. When the sound went out, the Memphis music man grabbed his horn and jumped into the audience and played on the floor. "I'm up in high cotton, as we say down south," he said of performing at the festival. Barbara Weathers--former lead singer of 80s R&B group Atlantic Starr, joined him on stage for a few numbers, which was culminated by a medley of her classic hits such as "For Always" and "If Your Heart Isn't In It."

Ms. Arie performed a near one-hundred minute set and didn't leave the stage--in diva mode to change drag or to take a break--once. Looking like the spitting image of the late song stylist Nina Simone, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter was a true force to be reckoned with. All eyes and ears were on her as she performed numbers from her two critically acclaimed albums, Acoustic Soul, and Voyage To India. After ripping off the sponge from her cordless microphone and negotiating with the monitors, Ms. Arie finally got into a smooth groove. Her and her two plus-sized, female back-up singers peed all over (translation='sang hard') a stripped down rendition of Cyndi Lauper's timeless ballad "True Colors." She played several guitars, a flute and sang her heart and soul out. She told the audience how good it felt to be back on stage after a two-month vacation. A misstep did occur however when she forgot the words to her popular song, "Little Things," towards the end of her set. She picked things up, however, with a striking tribute to Michael Jackson by singing his rare mid-tempo ballad "I Can't Help It" (from the Off The Wall circa). The crowd ate it up. Standing ovations erupted as the set concluded.

Spiritual neo-soul singer Kem kicking things off on Saturday at the scenic and historic Farley Hill. Playing for a little more than an hour, the Detroit-reared singer/songwriter took his keyboard playing and vocal abilities to new heights in the outdoor sun, amongst the Bajan ruins. Performing music from his near-gold-selling debut album, Kemistry, the former homeless alcoholic mesmerized the capacity crowd with his songs of love and spirituality.

"The 11^th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival" may as well be the best music-fest Caribbean experience that I have ever experienced. Co –sponsored by Air Jamaica and the Barbados Tourism Authority, the yearly event is the brainchild of the Cuban-born concert promoter/producer Gilbert M. Rowe.

In addition to great music, Ms. Arie participated in a two-and-a-half-hour workshop at the local community college for students and school kids. "When I walked out, I was like 'okay, I do have something to show somebody,' because I was like, 'Why do they want me to come up there?,' ya know...I had a good time. And it showed me that I want to do more stuff like that," she revealed.

One highlight (or lowlight) that I would be remiss if I didn't mention was the outrageous press conference that was held on Friday--a full five days after the festivities kicked off. (Don't ask!)

The day of when it was set up wasn't as worthy of note as what transpired during the full-scale media spectacle. Mr. Rowe, who I will liken to a Bajan version of Don King, is an outspoken, cavalier kind of guy who minces no words. Perhaps he should've in this case. If we were in colder climates, it would suffice to say that the 'fur flew,' but since we were in 85 degree tropical weather, fur was nowhere around. But fisticuffs were about to be broken out into.

To Mr. Rowe's credit, he did proclaim that he didn't like doing press conferences upon taking the podium. "Don't ask a question unless you really want the answer," he warned in such a daring and intimidating tone to the herd of international press in attendance. "If you talk the talk, you're going to have to walk the walk," he chided. That pretty much became obvious when he tore into a member of the press corps about media access at the events.

Apparently, this has been an ongoing battle for members of the media who came to the island in the past and wanted or needed stage access to artists during their respective shows. Last year, one member of the Toronto press, reportedly, was 'manhandled' by the Bajan authorities under the directives of Mr. Rowe because she allegedly got a little too close for comfort. This was all unbeknownst to the wonderful people at the Barbados Tourism Authority. "If I invite you into my house, don't do as you want to do," he scolded, in relation to the event. He later stated: "I don't make any apologies for anything I've done...Nothing or no one will compromise the Barbados Jazz Festival."

"I know that I ain't easy, but I get the job done," he stated.

I couldn't agree more.

Note to press handlers: Just keep him away from the press conferences.

Keep on keeping on.

Too Beautylicious For Ya Babe
I think one of the greatest thing about the Essence empire is the fact that the women who spring forth from the ranks tend to transcend their talents into some wonderful works.

Well some of them...at least the nice ones, that is.

That's the case with the magazine's former associate beauty editor Jenyne M. Raines, who released her very own debut literary offering, Beautylicious! The Black Girl's Guide to the Fabulous Life (Harlem Moon/Broadway Books), this week.

Billed as lifestyle guide geared toward trend-setting African American women, the 200-page soft and pink trade paperback is a free-flowing forum where Ms. Raines utilizes her extensive experience writing about black style and beauty to share with sisters everywhere, everything from how to fine-tune their mind-set, to chilling with any social set.

"I am an avid reader of fun, spunky "you can do it" books like Swell, The Bombshell's Manual of Style and The Bad Girls series," Ms. Raines tells The Ru Report of her inspiration. "I felt that while these books were general in their scope, no one was really talking to the black girl via her experiences, her icons and her more specific concerns, [like] hair that works when you travel and when you just got out of someone's bed or really breaking it down for us about our health. That was a jumping off point, but it really began as a gem of an idea, when I saw Eartha Kitt at the Carlyle carrying on in five different languages and I began to wonder if she was my aunt, what would she tell me about life."

It was legendary divas such as Ms. Kitt, Diahann Carroll, Diana Ross and Pam Grier that she called on as muses for advice, quotes, and tips on how to navigate your way through life with panache and humor.

"It took about a year, and that's factoring in periods of procrastination," she shares about her process. "The real work came in the time I spent pouring over old magazines like Our World and Black Stars in the Schomburg library and digging up out of print gems like black etiquette books from as early as the late 1800 and the 1930s."

Ms. Raines researched multitudes of background information from the likes of Josephine Baker, Madame C.J. Walker, Bricktop to Whoopi Goldberg, while also raking over her pervious interviews with Halle Berry and Beyonce, while also having dialogue with Kimora Lee Simmons, and the doyenne of etiquette Ophelia De Vore.

"I had to marvel at how when you're meant to do something, you will find that you've been planning for that moment all of your life," she adds.

The Brooklyn, NY resident embarked on a five-city book tour earlier this week. She says she's armed with "a smile and jokes, lots of jokes. Also, a good lip gloss, and fierce pair of shoes. That's the Beautylicious way."

And speaking of her spin on the popular term popularized by the Destiny's Child front-woman, she assures me that it was not intentional. "The title came about in what my editor [Janet Hill] and I laughingly call the "Hollywood moment". The book was originally called Fabulous!...There had to be a million books starting with Fabulous. Now I had to come up with another name. What was going to be catchy, resonant with black culture yet not sound, well ghetto, as well as convey what the book was about? We went from Foxy (too 1975) to Glam (a damn bore) until finally in a haze, I said it needs to sound catchy like bootylicious. From her coma, my editor said, "eh, did you say beautylicious?" And at the moment we screamed out together, "That's it, that's the title, Beautylicious!" Who says brainstorming can't be fun?"

With aspirations to get Hollywood heavyweights like Ms. Goldberg or "Sex & The City" creator Darren Starr to adapt the book into some sort of television project, Ms. Raines continue to press on as a well-regarded tastemaker in the beauty industry. Her articles have appeared in InStyle, Vibe, Heart & Soul, Mode, and Girl, and she has served as a consultant for industry leaders such as Revlon and Clairol.

"I hope that readers get not only a sense of fun, but they tap into the "I am my own creation" spirit of the book," Ms. Raines concludes. "It is my hope that the there are some tools in the book whether on self esteem, fashion, giving a party or luxury that will help in the reader's quest to be the best that she can be...and the feedback I am getting most indicates the brothers feel like they need their own book, too."

Can't wait to get a load of the title of that one.

Cooking Real Good
Black men may be conspicuously absent from the Food Network, but that won't keep us out of the kitchen.

Evander Holyfield's MBC Network will launch a new cooking program that will be pleasing to many a people's pallets. "Real Men Do It In the Kitchen" is a 30-minute weekly series spin-off of the nationally acclaimed "Real Men Cook" Father's Day events, which occur annually in urban cities across the country. Hosted by the events' founder/culinary expert Kofi Moyo, the show is set to air on the network, which is reachable in 26 million households.

"Finally, here is an opportunity to connect emotionally with viewers on a weekly basis while taking a look at the culinary artistry and flavor of Black lifestyle," offered Mr. Moyo. 'When we add our celebrity guest list, there is no doubt that this program will absolutely sizzle."

"Real Men Cook" celebrates its' 15^th anniversary this year. Participants have included celebrities, athletes, politicians, entertainers and clergy. Such notables as Magic Johnson, Tom Joyner, Jesse Jackson, Sr. and MBC co-owner and former New York Yankee Cecil Fielder have endorsed the event or exhibited their culinary skills. So perhaps they may show up on the new show.

Cable veteran and marketing guru Curtis Symonds is co-executive producer of the original series. He says, "For years, African-Americans have celebrated the love of cooking by sharing recipes passed on from generation to generation. Cooking is a rich part of the black family tradition and food is the centerpiece of those gatherings."

With the trend in television programming evolving towards more lifestyle entertainment, healthy living and home improvement, "Real Men Do It In the Kitchen" should be welcome addition and fill a void on the boob tube.

Rising To The Challenge
When a billionaire multimedia mogul calls, you better answer.

Such is the case for the multi-platinum-selling singing sensation Ashanti, who is the latest beauty to land in Oprah Winfrey's good graces.

The Grammy Award-winning Glen Cove, NY native has signed on the dotted line to be the backstage commentator and co host of the finals segment of Ms. Winfrey's take on the American Idol craze, "Oprah's Pop Star Challenge," which kicks of next month in Chicago.

Ashanti is taking a quick break from shooting her debut-starring role in the forthcoming movie, Coach Carter, which stars Samuel L. Jackson, Debbie Morgan, Robert Ri'Chard and Rob Brown. According to the unit publicist on the film, the true to life drama started shooting in Los Angeles on Jan. 14 and is set to wrap in March. An MTV/Paramount property, Coach Carter is inspired by controversial basketball coach Ken Carter of Richmond, CA, who was selected to carry the Olympic Flame on January 19, 2002 as it made its way to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. For the film, Ashanti has second marquee billing and her character is Kyra, a high school student.

She's due to tape her segment on February 13 and her publicist assures us that her "Oprah" gig isn't in conflict with any contractual commitments to the film.

Etc
Powerhouse R&B /Pop vocalist Deborah Cox is all set for her star turn on the Great White Way. The Canadian chanteuse is on board to star in the leading role of the Elton John & Tim Rice musical "AIDA." Starting Feb. 17, Ms. Cox will start a four-month engagement in the critically acclaimed Disney Theatrical Production at the Palace Theater. She's the fifth headline performer to take the title role, following in the footsteps of Heather Headley, Simone (Kelly), Toni Braxton and Michelle T. Williams, respectively.

Three-time-world champion Los Angeles Lakers forward Rick Fox and country music star Tim McGraw have been tapped to share the screen in an advertisement for Anheuser-Busch promoting the use of designated drivers. The commercial is set to kick-off Sunday, February 1, during the television broadcast of "Super Bowl XXXVIII." The 30-second ad--which marks the debut of the company's new alcohol awareness tagline "Responsibility Matters"--shows a pair of valets admiring the special treatment the two celebrities get as they drive up to a posh nightclub. But the one who gets the most attention is an ordinary guy serving as the designated driver. In previous years, Anheuser-Busch has delivered responsibility messages during the Super Bowl telecast, featuring hockey great Wayne Gretzky, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., boxer Oscar De La Hoya and the teeny bop boy band *NSYNC, respectively.

Clint Eastwood's critically acclaimed drama Mystic River is getting reloaded. Warner Bros. Pictures, the film's distributor, will expand the release of the movie to approximately 1,350 screens starting this Friday (Jan. 23). Nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and placed on over 200 Top 10 lists, the movie has done remarkably well since its Oct. 10 release, grossing over $55 million in limited release. Mystic River has been named Best Picture by the National Board of Review, The Boston Herald, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, The Detroit Free Press, Film Comment, Good Morning America, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Observer, Premiere, Rolling Stone and Time, among others. "We're thrilled that Mystic River has resonated so deeply with both audiences and critics, and we look forward to giving moviegoers throughout North America a greater opportunity to see or revisit this poignant and moving film," Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Dan Fellman said in statement. Based on the best-selling novel by Dennis Lehane, Mystic River tells the evocative story of three childhood friends, played by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, whose relationship ends in the wake of a tragic incident. Twenty-five years later, the three are inexorably linked by a murder investigation. The stellar cast also features Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden and Laura Linney.

It is truly the end of an era in premium cable television. And we're not talking about all the hype surrounding HBO's "Sex & The City," either. Showtime's highly successful series "Soul Food" premieres its fifth and final season on Wednesday, Feb. 25. This groundbreaking series has received numerous accolades including "Outstanding Drama Series" at the NAACP Image Awards for two consecutive years. Why is the show ending? Well, it could be due to the fact that the creators wanted to go out on a high note. Or perhaps the series' stars would be demanding more money for their hard work after completing 75 episodes. Either way, the show will be missed. Co-executive producer Robert Teitel, who is also party responsible for the Barbershop franchise, is proud of the fact that "Soul Food" stands out as the only African American drama to survive as long as it has on television. On the Chicago set of the Barbershop sequel, Mr. Teitel revealed to The Ru Report that he's working on another TV show for one his movies; to take Barbershop into series mode and position it into a ensemble sitcom, sort of like "Cheers."

I'll be nothing if I couldn't sing my song.

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

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

Posted by at 07:06 PM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2004

The Ru Report #122

Coming Home
Academy Award winners abound.

Denzel Washington (Out Of Time), Halle Berry (Baps), Johnny Depp (Once

Coming Home
Academy Award winners abound.

Denzel Washington (Out Of Time), Halle Berry (Baps), Johnny Depp (Once Upon A Time In Mexico) and Cuba Gooding Jr.,(Judgment Night) aren't the only Hollywood heavyweights who have home video packages coming out this month.

The likes of Sidney Poitier, Pam Grier, Harry Belafonte, Gordon Parks and Bill Cosby are getting the royal treatment via various home viewing products too.

Next week, Warner Home Video will release four classic films, re-mastered with all-new digital transfers: Super Fly, Uptown Saturday Night, Let's Do It Again and A Piece Of The Action. With the combined artistry of the living aforementioned legends along with the talents of Richard Pryor, Ossie Davis, James Earl Jones and Ron O'Neal, these films stand out as the true tapestry of must-see-movies of the 1970s.

The premiere DVD edition of Super Fly features a new documentary, Last Deal: A Retrospective, including interviews with cast and producers, as well as expert commentary by USC School of Cinema and Television professor Dr. Todd Boyd. The disc also boasts several archival featurettes, including Ron O'Neal on The Making of Super Fly, Curtis Mayfield on Super Fly, and Behind the Threads, in which costume designer Nate Adams discusses the film's original trend-setting fashions.

The premiere DVD editions of Uptown Saturday Night and A Piece Of The Action feature commentaries by Dr. Boyd. …Action also includes a bonus retrospective, Dynamite Duo, with candid interviews from cast members James Earl Jones, Jimmie Walker, Julius Harris, Denise Nicholas and John Amos. The debut disc for Let's Do It Again is highlighted by commentary from screenwriter Richard Wesley and film critic Armond White.

On January 20, MGM will release its own nostalgic packages: The Best Of Soul Cinema and The Sidney Poitier DVD Collection, featuring--for the first time in DVD format--classic films such as For The Love Of Ivy, In The Heat Of The Night, and Lilies Of The Field, along with Cooley High, Hell Up In Harlem and Foxy Brown, respectively. Soul Cinema doesn't only offer 70's films in its packaging. Keenan Ivory Wayans's blaxploitation spoof I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" is also included.

MGM will also release a string of stand alone titles on January 20, including Blacula, Hammer and The Monkey Hustle.

Music Notes
Bootylicious diva Beyonce Knowles is all set to sing the national anthem for "Super Bowl XXXVIII," which will be televised by CBS live from Houston's Reliant Stadium on February 1. With an expected 130 million viewers in the United States and a potential worldwide audience of 800 million viewers, this will arguably be her biggest audience to date. The Destiny's Child front-woman joins an elite group of A-list talents who have been asked to sing the anthem in the past like Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, Vanessa Williams, Wynton Marsalis, Whitney Houston and The Backstreet Boys.

The two-CD, 34-track compilation Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection-Deluxe Edition arrives on retail racks on February 3. For the first time, every hit from Boyz II Men ranging from 1991-2000, their tenure on Universal/Motown is represented--one double platinum, eight platinum and two gold singles and nine more Top 40 R&B hits; plus a second disc of rare remixes, movie tracks and other recordings the fans have craved, each digitally re-mastered. Included in the packaging is a 28-page booklet featuring rare, archival photos and two essays chronicling the group's meteoric career.

Neo Soul singer/songwriter Jill Scott is just about ready for her close-up. From January 12 through mid February Ms. Scott will be basking in the glow of the UPN hit series "Girlfriends" as she makes her acting debut as William's love interest Donna, identified by the oracle as his true soul mate. The down-home Philadelphia native is no stranger to the acting craft. She toured with the traveling production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Rent" before her music career sent her into a stratosphere. Speaking of, her sophomore studio album is due out this summer. Expect to see and hear much of her before and around then.

The Gospel Music Association (GMA) will induct Reverend Al Green, Sandi Patty, Frances W. Preston and the recently deceased Vestal Goodman into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Established in 1971 and has inducted 125 members since its inception, including Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Amy Grant, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Andrae Crouch, Tennessee Ernie Ford, The Oak Ridge Boys, Petra, Bill and Gloria Gaither, the Rambos, Thomas A. Dorsey, the Fairfield Four, Billy Graham and the Jordanaires.

Performing rights organization BMI will present the 5^th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon during the 19^th Annual Stellar Awards festivities this weekend. Honorees include Cissy Houston and The Clark Sisters. The gala luncheon will also feature special musical performances by Virtue, Kim Burrell, Albertina Walker, Angie Stone, Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary. The invitation-only event salutes gospel music and honors outstanding gospel music recording artists, award-winning BMI writers and publishers, and gospel music industry executives.

Stuff
There is a new diva in town over at the Essence magazine empire. Forty-something fashionista Suzanne Boyd will assume the position as Editor-In-Chief of Essence's new women's magazine, which is in the prototype, test market stages. With the working title of THAT, the new publication will cater to a hipper, younger and more edgy urban female demographic (ala Honey magazine). Ms. Boyd, a multiracial Caribbean beauty, hails from Canada where she helmed the country's leading fashion magazine; Flare. The statuesque editrix is said to have a strong skill set and will suit the suits at Time Warner very well. (The new magazine is a more "pronounced" partnership between Essence and the multimedia giant.) She's also one hell of a celebrity in her own right in Toronto. Ms. Boyd is due to arrive in the magazine's Times Square headquarters in early March.

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary, The Fashion & Arts Xchange Inc. will honor actor/dancer/choreographer and designer Geoffrey Holder and his wife Carmen De Lavallade with the Lifetime Achievement Award in an evening entitled Paradise: A Celebration of Excellence. The event will kick off the 2004 Olympus Fall Fashion Week in New York City and take place February 6 at The Fashion Institute of Technology's Haft Auditorium. Presenters and guests for the evening will include Diahann Carroll, Phylicia Rashad and the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Judith Jamison. Fashion Arts Xchange will also so pay tribute to pioneers of excellence in the field of fashion with a recognition award to Ophelia Devore, Dee Simmons (of Grace Del Marco), designer Wesley Tann, illustrator Glenn Tunstall, Wall Street Journal journalist Teri Agins and, president of Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Dr. Joyce F. Brown.

The soon-to-be defunct hit UPN series "The Parkers"--will be going out with a big bang. For the final episodes--as previously reported about here--lead character Nikki Parker has a new love interest played by Hollywood heartthrob Mel Jackson, who gained popularity in movies like Soul Food and Deliver Us From Eva, and the TV show Living Single. An insider tells us that there are wedding bells in the air.

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey will receive the 2004 Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Broadcasters on April 19 in Las Vegas. Each year the award recognizes broadcasters who have made significant and lasting contributions to the broadcasting industry. You would've thought The Almighty O would've been selected as the recipient of this award for all the years of making groundbreaking contributions to the broadcast arena. Hmmm. I wonder if she'll show. The voting committee may be a day late and a dollar (or one billion) short.

The frisky American Pie franchise is still blazing hot. Last summer, its most recent installment, American Wedding, hit the $100 million-plus mark. Six months later, the home video companion has become the biggest DVD comedy franchise of all time with three-day sales of three million units. The package includes 25 minutes of footage specially produced for the un-rated DVD, created by the cast and filmmakers. Provocative special features also include Enter the Dominatrix: Inside the Bachelor Party, Stifler Speak, Cheesy Wedding Video, Grooming the Groom and outrageous deleted scenes and outtakes. Director Jesse Dylan and franchise stars such as Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan and Seann William Scott offer commentary.

I could teach you, but I have to charge.

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

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

Posted by at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)

January 02, 2004

The Ru Report #121

New Year's News
Today is the big day--New Year's Day: A time for rejuvenation and newness; A time for self-reflection and trueness; Time to let go of the past and live for the future (or at least take progressive steps towards it). In our trademark style, The RuU Report invited some of our favorite celebrity notables to share their thoughts on the New Year, resolutions and affirmations. Here's what who and what we came up with:

Celebrated tele-chef Sara Moulton can be seen every single day on her great show "Sara's Secrets" on the Food Network. Of course she has family plans in the kitchen, but overall she wants something for the greater good: "I'm not much of a party girl, so my plans for New Year's Eve were pretty modest. The early part of the evening was to have dinner at home with my husband and kids. I tried out two new recipes--a seven-hour roast leg of lamb and the best fried chicken ever (from the new cookbook by the staff of the test kitchen at the Food Network). Later in the evening my husband and I stole away and joined up with some old pals of ours to see in the New Year. For myself, I haven't made any formal New Year's resolutions. However, I am definitely looking forward to the presidential election in the fall. I hope that a new administration is voted in, one that cares about working people, the environment, universal health care, and civil rights. That's it."

Rock & Soul Superdiva Patti LaBelle promises to keep true to something that she has been proposing for years: "For me, the New Year's holiday means that I've been blessed to live through another year and I will be able to see 2004. Everyone knows my life story and the many deaths that I have personally experienced, so to me each day is a blessing and another year is a special gift. We all plan to do better and take better care of ourselves and I always say that I'm going to start putting myself first and make myself a better Patti, but I'm really going to do it this year. I'm going to work on being a better person by trying to be more honest and fairer with myself so that I'll be happier and more at peace."

Actress On The Rise Jazsmin Lewis, who appears in the white-hot ABC drama "In The Line Of Fire," and will star in Barbershop 2, which opens on February 6 shares her resolutions and her fondest family memories: "New Year's means to me, a time for new beginnings. A time to reach for new goals and complete the old ones, and a new chance to reach out to all the loved ones you may have lost touch with in the old year. Some of my special memories are of when my whole family would get together every New Year's Eve and I would cook dinner and we would all eat together. Then we would sit through the night and tell stories about each other until midnight and count down the ball in Times Square."

Sitcom actor Victor Williams, co-star of the hit series "King Of Queens," wants to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He also has a patriotic heart: "New Year's is the opportunity to reflect on where we are and what we've done with our lives. For me, it's been a good year. I've grown as an artist, businessman and son. There's been a lot of hard work done in 2003. This coming year I plan on having some more play time. I plan on enjoying the simpler life. I'll read more books, go to more movies and spend more time with friends. I like alternating from year to year between work and play. Next year, I play. The conflict in Iraq has been foremost in my thoughts this year. I truly hope that our troops can get a well deserved respite in 2004."

Grammy Award Fashion Forward Song Stylist Jody Watley is a working gal throughout the season and still has to be thankful for her glamorous life: "I am thrilled and blessed to be working again as the new year rings in. It's always a good way to start the New Year--having a job! I'll be in Orlando, Florida this year but I always make sure I have a quiet moment to reflect and give thanks for my life and that of my children and family. I write in my journal and have a nice chilled glass of exquisite champagne. Then it's off to do my thing--in my own inimitable way!!!"

Stage and screen actress Ebony Jo-Ann, who next stars in Broadway's "Drowning Crow" this spring, keeps it real and keeps it moving in her spiritual journey. She also takes time to reflect on her true passion; an extraordinary Black man: "What 2004 means to me is yet another opportunity to get it right. I just want a closer walk with God. I have thought about this extensively and nothing else matters to me. I know that everything else will be in Divine Order if I place God first in my life. As far as my reflections of 2003, I have watched my son, Kenneth's growth and development very closely this past year and I discover that I have raised an extraordinary Black man. I am very proud of this young man who lives the life that he imagines."

Extra, Extra
The boys from R&B/pop group B2K are having a career renaissance of sorts. The teeny bop dreamboats have a new film coming out within the coming weeks, and are now apart of a new Dr. Pepper television advertising campaign. The 2004 campaign for regular Dr Pepper continues with the "Be You" tagline that kicked off the campaign in 2002. The campaign features new musical artists paying tribute to pioneers of a particular genre. In the 30-second commercial spots B2K celebrates the achievements of R&B music legend Smokey Robinson in a recording studio. In other spots, country music star LeAnn Rimes pays tribute to country music superstar Reba McEntire while on the road in the desert southwest, and Latin heart throb Patricia Manterola pairs up with Ana Gabriel at a rural train station for their festive and upbeat commercial, which was recorded in Spanish and English versions. Produced by advertising agency Young & Rubicam New York, the new 2004 Dr Pepper and Diet Dr Pepper commercials will begin airing in January on network and cable programming.

From caffeine to carbohydrates...

Chefs to the stars Stephanie Goldfarb and Marissa Mitchell will open the Pure Foods Low Carb Cafe in a few weeks in the heart of Beverly Hills. The duo--who has styled food for the likes of Halle Berry, Quentin Tarantino, Marcus Allen and Cameron Crowe, amongst others--have created a menu with over 15 low carb lunch and dinner items for this exciting new venture, that will hopefully turn the sugar-filled, oil-fueled, money-grubbing fast food industry on its ear. Their thriving company Pure Foods, LLC has a ground-breaking business model in store that will roll this concept out in several Southern California cities at the same time as they expand their low carb retail stores and introduce a line of low carb desserts, low carb pizza crisps and low carb ice creams in mid February 2004 to supermarkets and low carb retail stores nationally. The average Pure Foods Low Carb Cafe will be 800 square feet and offer their low carb menu via counter service. The cafes will serve only non-alcoholic low carb beverages. "We are making it easier not to cheat" said Brad Saltzman, Co-Founder of Pure Foods, LLC. "No bread, no potatoes, no potato chips--all the things I used to love to eat, I just don't eat anymore." Pure Foods, LLC is a privately held Beverly Hills based company with low carb retail stores in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills with twelve California locations opening in 2004.

From food to fetish...
The whole cottage industry of Playboy is celebrating its 50^th anniversary, and the 25-year-plus art form of hip hop has been invited to the part. On January 9, the premiere of "Buckwild," Playboy TV's first music oriented hip hop themed show will commence. Merging hip hop and adult entertainment in what has been described as a "a liaison of extreme proportions." "Buckwild" will thrust hip hop's top entertainers, a bevy of Black "Buckwild" beauties and uncensored videos to the forefront of the network's new programming agenda. Hosted by underground video veteran Ken "Buckwild" Francis, "Buckwild" is a six-episode commitment, with new shows to air and repeat monthly. "Buckwild" promises to feature interviews from the likes of Outkast, Snoop Dog, Busta Rhymes, Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys, the Ying Yang Twins, Loon and Treach of seminal rap group Naughty by Nature. Unlike your average promotional interviews, "Buckwild" will literally get buck wild with the artists, accompanying them at strip clubs, lingerie shopping for their mates or engaging in their favorite extreme sport. Uncensored music videos will be interspersed with segments such as "Sex Tip of the Day," "That's Ass" and "Eye Candy." In addition to that, Playboy TV will release Snoop Dogg's Buckwild Bus Tour on DVD in the coming months. Part one of a two-part DVD release, the Buckwild Bus Tour is a reality show DVD, which goes behind the scenes with Snoop and his new Buckwild beauties on the recent "Roc the Mic" tour.

And I won't even use the irony of the word when mentioning the artistic talents of the late, great Phyllis Hyman.

On January 27, BMG Heritage documents this essential artist with the release of Ultimate Phyllis Hyman, a digitally re-mastered 19-track collection spanning her entire career across several labels and comes complete with full, lush photos and packaging, and liner notes from the British Ambassador of Soul David Nathan. Kicking off with the breakout hit "Betcha By Golly Wow," the first songs chart Ms. Hyman's evolution with selections from her self-titled debut, including "Loving You, Losing You," and "I Don't Want To Lose You." Subsequently joining with Arista and famed executive Clive Davis, Hyman was produced by Barry Manilow for the major hit "Somewhere In My Lifetime." "You Know How To Love Me" marked her next hit, and in 1981 Ms. Hyman proved she could both break out of the clubs and wow audiences with her Jazz chops when she joined the Broadway cast of "Sophisticated Ladies," a tribute to Duke Ellington. Her career kept its vitality for years to follow, in a remarkably long-running string of hits that included four top 10 R&B singles, including the 1991 number one "Don't Wanna Change The World," "Living In Confusion," "Can't We Fall In Love Again," and "When You Get Right Down To It. A voice silenced long before its time, Phyllis Hyman's legacy lives on with this collection.

The newest change will be: no changes!!!

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

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

Posted by at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)