What's The 411 NYC?

Alicia Keys 'Piano & I' Live at The Beacon Theatre

2011-07-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

Many artist today would be afraid to take the risk of performing live without bringing in the use of a backing track, live band and backup vocalist. Yet Alicia Keys has taken it upon herself to show that she doesn't need a band or backup vocalist for effect, as she performed with just a specially designed Yahama piano during her 'Piano & I' concert at New York City's Beacon Theatre to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of her debut album 2001's 'Songs in a Minor'.

Keys opened the show with a piano prelude leading into the Beatles 1968 song 'Blackbird', signifying that Keys would be paying homage to her inspirations, as well as doing something unique by bridging classical music forms with classic R&B and neo-soul.

Before performing a cover of Mary J Blige's breakout 1992 hit 'Real Love', Keys reflected on how growing up in the early 90's in a gritty urban environment seeing Mary J Blige's style, she could relate and use what Blige represented in crafting her own style. Keys also took the audition back to the seventies with a rendition of Marvin Gayes'1972 song 'Trouble Man' before bringing things back to her time with performances of Brian McKnight's 'Never Felt This Way' and Prince's 'How Come You Don't Call Me' which she herself remade on her debut 'Songs In a Minor', which also made a transition into Keys beginning to focus on performing songs from her own catalog of music.

The songs from 'Songs in a Minor' may have been written in a pre-9/11, pre-war world, but yet have still managed to connect with fans 10 years later.

Fans in the nearly 3,000 seat Beacon Theatre or watching the live stream from AOL watched, listened and at times were asked to participate and sing along as Keys moved through classic tracks from each of her four studio albums: Songs in A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys, As I Am, and The Element of Freedom.

Without the backing vocals and other instrumentation on songs such as 'Fallin' and without the male vocals on a song like 'Diary', Keys has the freedom to fully convey the power and emotion in her voice, compared to when she performed the same songs with instrumentation and backing vocals on her 'Elements of Freedom Tour'.

Keys also uniquely used Billy Joel's 'New York State of Mind' as a segue into her own 2010' Empire State of Mind', again mixing sounds from different eras with the present, at the same time possibly introducing younger audiences to Joel's version which came long before Key's recorded her own. In closing her show Keys chose to perform one of her biggest hits 'No One'.

The size of the venue definitely aided in creating an intimate feel, provide a certain degree of acoustics adding to the sound quality, as well as made it easier for audience participation, and allowed Keys to better interact with the audience. In adding to the intimate environment Keys' decorated the stage with numerous candles, which symbolically stood for how music crosses boundaries and can 'brighten up' someone's life.

If one could name a modern day Nina Simone Alicia Keys would definitely be it.

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alicia keys

Actor Michael K. Williams Talks About Working on "Brooklyn's Finest"

2010-03-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

By: Kadeem Lundy

Many of you may know Michael K. Williams for his breakout role as Omar Little in the hit HBO show "The Wire". I recently interviewed Williams about what it was like working on-set during the filming of the new movie "Brooklyn's Finest" as well as some of his future projects. In the film Williams plays a drug dealer by the name of Red who will do anything in his power to become the new kingpin.

KL: What inspired you to want to take part in the film "Brooklyn's Finest"?

MKW: First of all when I heard two of my mentors were gonna be in this Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes, and then directed by Fuqua that was the main draw for me, first you know real big attraction. Then adding having read the script, being that the storyline was shot in Brooklyn- the streets are arrogant, I felt entitled to the role. Having been born and raised in Brooklyn, in the hood, East Flatbush, Brooklyn. It was a number of things those were pretty much it.

KL: So now, you said that you grew up in Brooklyn, were you able to use some of your experiences growing up, in portraying your character Red in the film?

MKW: Oh absolutely not only was I born and raised in Brooklyn- I grew up in that time the 80’s,I believe in the mid to late 80’s maybe even possibly some of the early 90’s and you know Brooklyn was on fire it was a war zone and I grew up in the middle of a lot of that stuff. Not that I took part in it,but I was there I was definitely there on the sidelines watching what was going down. The story is set in East New York, I believe The Pink Houses specifically, that was one of the worst areas in Brooklyn, you didn’t play when you went out there. You didn’t go out there unless you had to or unless you had the chops to go out there because it was no joke. So I definitely pulled a lot from my childhood.

KL: Now we know you have been in many different television shows such as "The Wire" and many different films,so what did you find most interesting about working on this film?

MKW: I loved the fact they didn’t try to shoot Brooklyn. I love the fact that we actually went to Brooklyn in the hood, and took camera crews and everything into a real project and shot this. I have so much respect for Fuqua even though a lot of times Hollywood would have been a little intimidated by that. But he didn’t play he was in the hood doing that. I got to see some old friends, everyone was coming out to my trailer saying, "Yo whatsup, didn't know you was in this!” and that was a good feeling and just the love we got from the community.That day we shot the scene when Wesley's character gets shot, we tried to kill him in the street, the entire Livonia Avenue came outside,and gave us so much love, to the point where my team had to get me out of there- the love was just so intense. It felt good, it felt real good. I love the fact that we shot in Brooklyn.

KL: Are you working on any other films? Also what other projects do you have in the works?

MKW: I’m not working on any films right now.I'm on a television show, but the only other film I have coming out right now that's in the can is the Cookout 2, that Flavor Unit had produced, they produced the Cookout 1. I believe it's coming out this summer. I'm coming back to HBO- I'm taping a new show called Boardwalk Empire due out in September it's based in Atlantic City and set in the 1920's.

KL: Thank you for your time Michael.

MKW: Thank you

I Can Do Bad All By Myself Review

2009-09-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself Movie Review
By: Kadeem Lundy

Tyler Perry is back with his latest film I Can Do Bad All By Myself. The film, which bears the title of Perry's play stars Academy Award nominated actress Taraji P. Henson in the lead role, Adam Rodriguez, Brian White, Tyler Perry as Madea and newcomer Hope Olaide Wilson. The film also features performances from Grammy Award winning singers Gladys Knight and Mary J. Blige along with Pastor Marvin Winans.
In I Can Do Bad All By Myself, the storyline revolves around a young woman named April (Henson), a nightclub performer whose past problems have led her to become a stubborn, selfish, alcoholic; who feels the need to depend on her married boyfriend (White). However when April unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned niece and nephews, she must find it in herself to change her selfish ways and open up her heart. However April is not alone on her journey to change which is sparked when she meets Mexican immigrant Sandino(Rodriguez), who moves into her home, and provides her with the love and friendship which allows her to open up her heart.
What is different about this film than Perry's previous films is for one the musical numbers and performances in the film are used not only to uplift the audience,but to help April examine her life, and find out who she is. In the film April's no nonsense best friend Tanya is portrayed by none other than Grammy Award winning singer Mary J. Blige, who delivers the title track of the film as a means of sending a message to April that she can do so much better in life. In portraying Tanya, Blige approaches the character in making her not only a friend to April but also a mentor. Blige's character dishes out blunt, straight to the point advice, which provides wisdom. Blige stated that she drew upon her own life experiences to bring the character to life on the big screen.
Another memorable performance in the film is given by Gladys Knight, who plays Wilma, a church going woman who had a close relationship with April's family. Ms. Knight balances her character in the film through soulful gospel numbers as well as the motherly advice she gives to April. Ms. Knight stated that the character was very much like herself, which helped her in portraying her character.
Taraji P. Henson gives a great performance as usual in the film. In portraying April, Henson goes from making the character a misunderstood,selfish woman, to someone the viewers can identify with, and learn to accept. Perry uses the character April to convey the theme of learning to love ones self before fully being able to love others.
On another note, Perry's beloved character Madea appears in this film,however she has far less screen time than in previous films. Yet the scenes with Madea serve it's purpose in using Madea to teach people about how to love and respect themselves.
But with every hero, and motherly figure there comes a villain,which Brian White plays very convincing, as the non- likeable Randy. From the minute Randy steps on screen the audience is made to dislike his character, and it seems as if the character never changes but gets worse as the film progresses.
Overall I would highly recommend this film, due to how it's theme pertaining to the importance of family is portrayed (Hope Olaide Wilson makes the audience feel for her character Jennifer by giving a convincing portrayal of what it feels like to be abandoned), character depictions, as well as character development. On a last note the film is more along the lines of a musical drama rather than a comedy

I Can Do Bad All By Myself hits theaters on Friday, September 11, 2009.
4 stars

TYLER PERRY'S I Can Do Bad All By Myself Red Carpet Premiere by: Kadeem Lundy

2009-09-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, September 8,2009 Lionsgate Films and Tyler Perry Pictures premiered their newest film I Can Do Bad All By Myself at the School of Visual Arts Theater in New York City. The film which bears the title of Perry's play stars Academy Award nominated actress Taraji P. Henson in the lead role, Adam Rodriguez,Brian White, newcomer Hope Olaide Wilson, Pastor Marvin Winans, as well as Grammy Award winning singers Gladys Knight and Mary J. Blige. All of the film's leads made appearances at the premiere as well as many other celebrities who came out to show their support for Perry and his work;some of which being Gayle King, Wendy Williams, and AJ and Free of 106 and Park fame.

In Perry's latest film his focus is on a new character named April, a nightclub singer who unexpectingly becomes caretaker for her deceased sister's children, while learning how to open her heart, after a young man named Sandino comes into her life.

When I asked Ms. Gladys Knight ,who plays Wilma in the film about her role in the film, Ms. Knight stated, "She was me,she is very maternal, and like Wilma I too worry about people and their spiritual growth."

I Can Do Bad All By Myself opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, September 11, 2009

Beyonce Kicks Off Show Your Helping Hands Campaign

2009-06-25T21:13:00.001-07:00

By: Kadeem Lundy

Beyonce recently partnered with General Mills to help promote their feed The Hungry Campaign. Beyonce made a live annoucement stating her involvement with the campaign before her show, during her latest I Am.. Tour at Madison Square Garden on Monday. This is what Beyonce said in regards to her part in the campaign,“Through the work I do with my Survivor Foundation, I’ve been committed to helping families get back on their feet in difficult times,”.“That’s why I’m excited to get involved in this effort to help Feeding America deliver more than 3.5 million meals to local food banks. If we all show a helping hand, together we can make a difference in the fight against hunger.”
Before Monday's show fans were given the opportunity to participate in the campaign, learn more about Beyonce as well as win prizes. General Mills also had volunteers on hand to serve samples of Hamburger Helper to the public.Fans will have the opportunity to donate non-perishable food items at various locations on the tour. For more information please visit http://www.showyourhelpinghand.com/

Dance Flick Movie Review:by Kadeem Lundy

2009-05-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

The Wayans Brothers are back in their new comedy Dance Flick. Dance Flick which is a spoof of such dance films such as Save The Last Dance, Stomp the Yard, You Got Served and Step Up stars Damon Wayans Jr. as Thomas Uncles a young man from the inner city, who connects with a woman named Megan White played by Shoshana Bush in which they are brought together by their love of dancing. in the mix the Wayans, incorporate sendoffs of films such as Twilight into the film.
From the start it's obvious to tell that the characters of Thomas and megan are based on Sean Patrick Thomas and Julia Stiles characters in Save The Last Dance, in which the plot is basically the storyline from Save The Last Dance and You Got Served. However in typical Wayans fashion the jokes and gimmicks are over the top, often times resulting in serious injury or death of a character in the film.
What is different this time around is that the elder Wayans:Marlon, Shawn and Keenan step back and let the younger Wayans take over the direction of the film in which the younger do an impressive job of carrying the film. However the scenes in which the elder Wayans such as Marlon and Shawn appear do hold weight in the film.
Eventhough at times the dialogue was predictable the energy and wittiness of the characters keeps the film going along with the dance numbers. Another interesting thing is about how the Wayans are able to get away with teetering on the brink of an R rated film, but still managing to keep the film PG-13, in which Marlon Wayans would describe as a marketing strategy to legitamately sell to the teen audience.

Interview with Playwright David Lamb

2009-04-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

By: Kadeem Lundy

Playwright and author of the book "Do Platanos Go With Collard Greens", discusses his plays "Platanos and Collard Greens" & "Auction Block To Hip Hop", along with politics,and race.

1.What inspired you to become a playwright?
(Photo of David Lamb:Courtesy of Doolee.com)
That's a good question. Initially I was looking for someone else to adapt the book into a play. I was approached by a Columbia graduate who wanted to do it, but what really happened was when I would speak at schools the students were like you should adapt this to a play and I was like yeah whatever. As time went on that planted a seed in my head. I guess I had been thinking about it for so long when I did it wasn't really hard. The one piece of advice that I had gotten from a playwright that turned out to be very helpful till today. "The play has to be much smaller in terms of characters and ideas you were trying to deal with the book." I decided to focus on Hunter, and their relationship. I think that worked out really well. I guess I'm a chicken as a writer; you can write a play that is straight serious and people can like it, but you don't know if they like it because they are not reacting. My own fears make me add a lot of humor even when I write about serious stuff so I can tell if they are liking it, but I think it works out well because its very funny even though it's serious. I updated it and added a lot of poetry some of it is in the book.

2.How did you come up with the name “Platanos and Collard Greens for your first play?

The name came as a flash of inspiration. It is a metaphor for the cultural history and interaction between the two groups.

3.So you previously wrote a book titled, Do Platanos Go With Collard Green, which served as the basis for your play “Platanos and Collard Greens which explores racial stereotypes, and race relations right? How did you go about researching material in order to write the book ?

It was a mix of life experiences. I also interviewed couples. I did a lot of research into the history of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, in the form of viewing documentaries, reading books,and watching certain movies.

4. In your play "Platanos and Collard Greens” the storyline is centered around the relationship between two Hunter College students, a African American male and a Dominican woman and how they struggle to understand each other’s cultures, and working against racial stereotypes. Were you able to incorporate any of your own experiences as a college student into the play?

The play grew out of my experiences growing up in New York City. I grew up in Astoria Queens in Astoria Housing Projects, which was a mixed African American and Puerto Rican community. My high school was also very mixed, African American and Latino, and as a student at New York University (NYU) School of Law, the Black Law Student Association and the Latino Law Student Association had very close relations. Also I worked as an intern for Assemblyman, now Congressman, Jose Serrano, in my last semester of college. Also the play takes place at a college in NYC and I attended Hunter College.

5. Now you have showcased “Platanos and Collard Greens at colleges around the US, why did you feel it was necessary to reach the college audience?

When I would tour colleges speaking about the book, it was actually the college students who suggested that I turn the book into a play. They wanted to see it enacted on stage.

6. What message would you like the audience to receive from your play “Platanos and Collard Greens?

The play especially touches African Americans, Caribbean folks, and Latinos, and appeals to every generation, from grandmothers to granddaughters from mothers to sons, plus its a great date play. And women really relate to the strong female characters, including the intelligent and beautiful black woman. I hope it makes our audiences laugh, makes them think and inspires them all at the same time.

7. You also have a play called “Auction Block To Hip Hop”, can you tell us a little more about it?

Auction Block to Hip Hop is foremost a love story between Black men and women. It is an in-your-face, hysterical, hip hop love story between a conscious and beautiful filmmaker and a hip hop mogul. With timeless lessons Auction Block will make you laugh and stand up and cheer.
On the night Hip Hop mogul -- "Set Fo' Life" wins numerous awards for his multi-platinum album 'Pimpin' Ain't Easy' three ancestors pay him an unexpected and unwelcome visit that will change his life. Sit back and join him on this journey from slave rebellions to Black Panthers to Barack Obama. From conscious Hip Hop to Gangsta' Rap, from b-boys breakdancing in the streets to owning our own record labels, from Queens to Video Girls its all here.
In the end Set must choose between redemption and damnation, between selling out or being true to the woman he loves and the legacy of his heroic ancestors.

8. In your plays you explore stereotypes in relation to African Americans as well as other cultures, so now that Barack Obama is in office how do you feel his presidency will influence how African Americans are portrayed in the media?

I think that the image of Michelle and Barack is extremely powerful. But we have to be very careful not to be deluded into thinking that our struggle is over.

9. What can we expect from you in the future?

A continued evermore successful run of the show!

Eddie Murphy as Richard Pryor in Biopic

2009-02-28T19:21:00.001-08:00

It is being reported that Eddie Murphy has signed on to portray late comedian Richard Pryor in a film about his life. Oscar- winning director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) is set to direct the film. Pryor's career highs and lows, including his well-publicized battles with alcohol and drug addiction and his struggle with multiple sclerosis, will all be addressed in the film. Condon is eyeing a summer 2010 release of the film. The project was reportedly turned down by the Fox Searchlight Pictures, but given the greenlight by The Weinstein Company. Murphy previously starred with Pryor in the film " Harlem Nights".

By: Kadeem Lundy

Madea Goes To Jail Movie Review

2009-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

Madea is back and stirring up trouble in Tyler Perry's new film " Madea Goes To Jail". The film which was released by Lionsgate films on February 20th, and took in over $41 million over it's opening weekend follows Tyler's beloved character Madea as she is finally sentenced to serve time in prison for her numerous crimes over the years. The film is based on Tyler's 2006 play of the same name.

(Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate Films)

However besides the storyline about Madea finally being sent to prison another storyline takes place in the film at the same time, in which the two stories combine. Candice, played by Keisha Knight Pulliam is a prostitute on the streets of Atlanta, and when she is arrested she comes into contact with a former friend Joshua, played by Derek Luke who is now a successful lawyer and tries everything in his power to help Candice, but she still winds up serving time in prison where she befriends Madea who protects her as well as gives her wisdom to help turn her life around.

Eventhough the film is loosely based on the play it is very different from the play the only central element that remains from the play is the idea of Madea being put in jail. Also Madea's storyline is not the central plot of the film as with all other films in which Madea appears,in terms of the movie focusing on the relationship between Candice and Joshua. Instead Madea serves to bring comedy, as well as motherly wisdom to the dramatic elements of the film, hence the film switches at times from being pure comedy to pure drama. However a few of the characters in the film are very one sided like the villian Joshua's fiancee Laura who tries everything in her power to separate Candice and Joshua, and put Candice in jail forever. Likewise Candice is portrayed as someone who has been a victim all her life, so the film has us cheering for her to finally find peace and happiness while wanting the villain to be exposed and brought to justice.

There are numerous cameos by notable celebrities in the film such as Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner, and Sherri Shepherd, just to name a few. Television judges Greg Mathis and Mablean Ephriam make appearances as judges who try to put Madea in prison. Dr. Phil McGraw makes a notable, but yet funny appearance in a scene where he argues with Madea about getting her to explain why she acts the way she does.

I had the chance to interview a few celebrities at the New York premiere of the film, one being Naturi Naughton who recently portrayed Lil Kim in "Notorious". I asked her what impact does she feel Tyler's films have on the African American culture, and why does she feel Tyler's films are so successful and she stated, " He has a huge impact, he touches on issues that we can all relate to." I also asked Tyler himself what message would he like the viewers to receive from this film and he said, " Forgiveness; learning how to forgive yourself and others".
After viewing the film I feel that Tyler does get his message across of trying to forgive others and moving on with one's life. I also liked the fact that he adds the comedy element into the film, which makes the film worth watching. My only criticism would be that I would have liked to have seen more scenes with Madea, but I highly recommend this film which will definitely have the audience rolling of laughter.
4 stars.

By: Kadeem Lundy

Madea Goes To Jail NYC Red Carpet Premiere

2009-02-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

On the night of February 18th, 2009 Lionsgate Films rolled out the red carpet at New York’s own AMC Lincoln Square Theater for the premiere of Tyler Perry’s new film “Madea Goes To Jail”. Besides the film’s cast which includes Perry, Keisha Knight Pulliam and Derek Luke in the lead roles; many well known celebrities such as Mary J. Blige, Ray J, Monica, and newcomer Naturi Naughton(who recently gave a breakthrough performance as Lil Kim in “Notorious“) all made appearances at the premiere.
In this latest Madea film in the series; Madea is finally sent away to serve hard time in jail after running from the police for many years and a high speed car chase through Atlanta. While at the same time Candy, who is a prostitute gets sent to jail as well where she befriends Madea, and is inspired by Madea’s wisdom and mentorship to help turn her life around, and make a change. The film is based on Tyler Perry’s 2006 play of the same name. Judge Greg Mathis, Dr. Phil McGraw, and Judge Mablean Ephriam all make cameo appearances in the film.
When I asked singer/actress Naturi Naughton what does she believe is the impact that Tyler Perry’s films has on the African American community, she simply said, “ He(Tyler) has made a huge impact on the African American community; he touches on so many issues that we can relate to.” I also asked Tyler himself what message would he like the viewers to receive from this particular Madea film and he stated, “ Forgiveness; learning how to forgive yourself and others.”

By: Kadeem Lundy

Friday The 13th Movie Review

2009-02-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

The hockey mask wearing serial killer Jason Voorchies is back in the latest Friday the 13th film. However this is not just another installment in the Friday the 13tth film series but a complete reworking of the storyline. The film keeps many elements of the original series, while at the same time being surprising and scary. Everyone who is familiar with the original Friday the 13th film series already knows the basic storyline, deformed boy drowns, his mother goes crazy and becomes a murderer and is ultimately killed, boy returns from the dead and seeks revenge on all camp counselors. But this new film gives a bit of a twist that the original film never hinted on which was what if Jason had never been dead in the first place.

(Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. pictures)

In the new version of Friday the 13th Jason is introduced as a character in a myth, a story that was thought to be created to scare camp counselors. However that myth seems to be more real than they expected when the character comes to life and wreaks havoc so to speak, as Jason begins killing them off one by one. Then some time passes and another group of intruders roam along Jason's territory Camp Crystal Lake, and are murdered one by one as one of the intruders searches for his missing sister, where she was last spotted.The film lets the viewer see how Jason becomes Jason, and gives us some clues about how he was able to survive. From what drove Jason to become a serial killer to how Jason lived to why he started wearing his trademark mask are all explained to some degree in the film. The film becomes one of revenge, and protecting what one feels is rightfully theres, and trying to unlock the clues of the unknown. However like the orignal film series Jason never says a word and remains the silent monster stalking his victims. also in this film Jason does not just kill his victims with his trademark machete but uses other methods and weapons to accomplish his task.

I must mention this is not a remake of the original remake. As everyone may already be aware in the original Friday the 13th film Jason Voorchies was not the killer, his mother was and in fact, Jason appeared as a figment of the main character's imagination. The character of Jason wasn't introduced until the second film, and did not wear his trademark hockey mask until the third film in the Friday the 13th series. What this film does is combine the sequence of the first four films, and adds it's own spin.

I would highly recommend this film, especiallyto anyone who was a fan of the original Friday the 13th series. Not only does it have plenty of suspense, and fear factor, but it gives all the characters personality especially Jason who in the original film was sort of like a mindless beast. In this film Jason uses clever tactics, and traps to get his victims. Bottom line you mess with Jason you better watch out.

By Kadeem Lundy

Upcoming Events

2009-02-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

LL Cool J Concert at the Nokia Theater in Times Square- Thursday February 19, 2009 @ 9 PM
Ne-Yo with special guests Jazmine Sullivan & Musiq Soulchild at Radio City Music Hall
Friday February 20, 2009 @ 7 PM

Friday The 13th NYC Premiere

2009-02-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

I recently attended the New York City premiere of the film "Friday the 13th" which is a remake of the 1980's classic horror movie series. The film which is being officially released on February 13, 2009, had the pre-screening at the AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square. The film's producers as well as the actors who portrayed the two main characters Derek Mears (Jason Voorchies) and Jared Padalecki ( Clay) were in attendance. After everyone was seated the producer's as well as the actors in the film introduced the film to the audience.

(Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros/ NYC Comic Con)

Notorious Movie Review: By Kadeem Lundy

2009-01-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

The film ‘Notorious’ about the life and death of rap superstar “The Notorious B.I.G.” otherwise known as Biggie Smalls stars up and coming actor Jamal Woolard as well as well known actors Angela Bassett as Voletta Wallace Biggie’s mother, and Derek Luke as producer and entrepreneur Sean “Puffy” Combs. The cast also includes Naturi Naughton of the music group 3LW as rapper Lil’ Kim, Antonique Smith as Biggie’s wife Faith Evans, Marc John Jefferies as Lil’ Cease; Biggie’s friend as well as member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., Edwin Freeman as Mister Cee, Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur and Dennis L.A. White as Damion “D-Roc” Butler. The film is directed by George Tillman Jr., and written by Reggie Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker.

(Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures)

The film accomplishes the feat of showing how a young man from Brooklyn named Christopher Wallace who was raised in a crime filled environment would become an icon who would influence young people for generations to come through his songs of ambition, struggle, power, and success. The storyline also serves to help the audience get a feel of who the Notorious B.I.G. was behind his rap persona. Even though the film is written in a third person perspective the film accomplishes this task, by allowing the story to be told by Biggie Smalls himself as he serves as narrator throughout the film, helping the audience get a sense of his inner thoughts and feelings.

Most of the film is set in the 1990’s and the audience gets to feel how someone with Biggie’s upbringing could turn to the life he lead. Abandoned by his father at a young age, growing up without a male role model, and being surrounded by a crime riddled environment that promised power and notoriety in the eyes of young Christopher Wallace, seemed all too enticing. But he slowly realized that he had a special gift with the power of his words that could touch millions, and ultimately reflects on the direction that his life is going in, which seems headed for a dead end; so Christopher strives to find a new way of getting power while getting his message across to people across the nation who struggled day in and day out as he did. When he meets producer Sean ”Puffy” Combs (played by Derek Luke) his life changes, and he slowly evolves into the man that the world comes to know as Biggie Smalls aka The Notorious B.I.G. Actor Edwin Freeman who portrays Mister Cee in the film says, “Biggie was way ahead of his time, the things that he rapped about in his music is still being rapped about today.”

In the film we are introduced to three different sides of Notorious B.I.G., we see Christopher Wallace the family man and friend, Biggie Smalls who is the aspiring rapper and drug dealer, and finally the Notorious B.I.G. who is the rap superstar. These three personas illustrated by Woolard’s performance help make Biggie a humanistic character by not only pointing out his triumphs, but showing his downfalls as well, especially in how he handled his relationships with the various women in his life, Faith his wife, Lil’ Kim his on again, off again girlfriend and high school sweetheart Jan.

Woolard makes Biggie believable by not delivering Biggie Smalls as being a one sided character with a tough exterior, but a young man he had inner conflicts that ended up not being resolved by the end of his life, while showing how much of a true friend and family man Biggie was around his children. Derek Luke’s portrayal of Sean “Puffy” Combs leaves us with the image of a man who was determined to elevate himself to another level, while mentoring and inspiring Biggie. Naturi Naughton portrays Lil’ Kim as a young woman who is ambitious, but at the same time expresses deep hurt at the actions of her friend and lover Biggie Smalls. Antonique Smith as Faith comes off as the loving, but emotionally enduring wife, whom even though she loves Biggie at times she doesn’t feel as if she can deal with his ways. Angela Bassett’s portrayal of Voletta Wallace Biggie’s mother allows the audience to feel a sense of sympathy for a mother who not only lost her son in tragic circumstances, but one who had patience and love, even though lacking acceptance of her son’s lifestyle.

The film also gives us a view into the type of relationship Biggie Smalls had with rapper Tupac Shakur (played by Anthony Mackie) which started out as a friendship, but evolved into a feud known as the East-Coast, West-Coast rap war, which would ultimately end both of their lives. It leaves the audience with the feeling of was the whole situation that led up to the feud just a mere misunderstanding of an unfortunate incident, that was blown out of portion, but not the feeling that something corrupt was happening on Biggie Small's end. Mackie's portrayal of Tupac allows us to see how complex a man Tupac really was in terms of his attitude; but at the same time showing how he was an intelligent as well as a socially aware man whose life was also cut short way before his time.

I give the movie three out of four stars due to the nature of how the characters were portrayed, however what I feel was lacking in the film was that I would have liked for the writers to expand more on the friendship that Biggie Smalls and Sean “Puffy” Combs had, due to the fact that the movie mostly displays their business relationship rather than their personal friendship.

Join the Kanye West Fanclub!!!!!!

2008-12-24T17:13:00.000-08:00

Attention all Kanye West fans. Are you a Kanye West Fan like me. Would you like to receive special ticket offers, merchandise, and other things related to Kanye, including the chance to enter contest to win meet & greet passes to meet Kanye himself. Well join the official Kanye West Fanclub, and if you join now you can also recieve a copy of his new album 808's & Heartbreak which is in stores NOW.

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/page.php?content=fanclub

Edwin Freeman portrays Mister Cee in "Notorious"

2008-12-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

I recently interviewed Edwin Freeman who portrays Mister Cee in the upcoming film "Notorious" about the life of late rapper Biggie Smalls other wise known as the Notorious BIG, about his role in the film. Freeman has previously appeared in a few other films such as My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Inside Man. Here is how Mr. Freeman responded to the questions that were asked.

1. How did you go about preparing for your role as Mister Cee?

I met with my acting coach JT Wagner and we dealt with what’s called in Method Acting, Psychological Gestures. I had to create in my mind a posture for the character, a tone of voice, a personality, a favorite hobby, child hood experiences, what I basically had to do was create a whole character, so that it looks like the character has lived a full life when people see him on the screen.

2. Being that Mister Cee is a DJ, did you have any prior experience as a DJ before taking on the role of Mister Cee?

When I was in Junior High School me and my friends used to save our money to buy records and throw house parties on the weekend. So I knew a bit about DJing prior to taking on the role of Mister Cee.

3. Have you ever met Mister Cee, and if so what advice did he give you that helped you portray him in “Notorious”?

Prior to filming I didn’t have the privilege of meeting Mister Cee, but Derek “D-Dot” Angelettie, who is a good friend of Mister Cee, was on set every day to help me with my performance. He was there to help make sure that my portrayal of Mister Cee was authentic, having him on set really worked out for me.

4. What was it like working with Jamal “Gravy” Woolard and Derek Luke on set?

Working with Jamal and Derek was a great experience; they are two down to earth individuals. The level of camaraderie on set was very high. From the producers, Ms. Wallace, Wayne Barrow, Diddy and Mark Pitts to the director, George Tillman down to the actors Derek Luke, Jamal Woolard, Anthony Mackie, Angela Bassett and Dennis White, it was like working with family.

5. How has the music of Biggie Smalls influenced you?

Biggie's music influenced me in a major way, being a young, Black man from Brooklyn, I identify with his music in a major way. Songs like “Juicy”; “Everyday Struggle” and “Sky’s the Limit” has helped me deal with a lot of the ups and downs in the entertainment industry and life in general.

6. What would you say is the impact of Biggie Small’s music on today’s Hip-Hop culture?

For a young man that was taken away from us at the tender age of 24, Biggie was way ahead of his time, the things that he rapped about in his music is still being rapped about today. How he rapped about being the underdog and finally making it to a level in his career where he’s able to take care of his responsibilities, to the way he dressed, the cars he drove and the jewelry he wore. You can still see and hear his influence within the Hip-Hop culture today.

7. What do you feel is Biggie Small's legacy?

“Dream big and work hard”. Biggie was the only child, born to a single mother in a crime and drug infested community and he never once complained. He had a dream and he stopped at nothing to achieve it. There’s a lesson that we can all learn from his life.

8. How do you feel Biggie Small’s legacy has influenced the youth of today?

No matter what obstacles that you are faced with, you can overcome them, if you stay positive and work hard, your innermost dreams can come true. We have more young CEOs and millionaires than ever before in history. That’s because the youth of today shares the same ideals as Biggie, “Dream big and work hard”.

Notorious is being released nationwide on January 16, 2009.

Interview by: Kadeem Lundy

Cadillac Records NYC Premiere

2008-12-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

On Monday, December 1, 2008 The New York City premiere of the new movie "Cadillac Records" was held at the Loews AMC Theater on E. 19th Street & Broadway in Union Square. The movie Cadillac Records is about the history of the Chess Record label which was started in the 1950's by leonard Chess, and also follows the struggles of many of the labels artist. The film stars Beyonce as Etta James, Adrian Brody as Leonard Chess, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade, and Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon( who narrates the film)
As I arrived tat the theater and stood with the crowd, the first celebrity that I saw arriving at the red carpet was Toccara Jones( America's Next Top Model, Celebrity Fit Club), around 6: 35 pm. She waved to the crowd, then proceeded to the tent where the press were doing interviews, on the red carpet. Shortly after around 6:50 pm, Gabrielle Union, who portrays Muddy Water's wife Geneva in the film arrived at the red carpet, but proceeded to walk across the street to greet fans and take pictures, before walking back to the red carpet. From where I was standing I could see Mos Def, and Jeffrey Wright who both star in the film being interviewed. Adrian Brody,Beyonce and Jay Z arrived a short time later, but I cannot recall the exact time, of their arrival.
After viewing the film I must say that the film did capture the time period well, and that it did well in it's approach to show how the African American artist of that time period had to deal with racial barriers, which eventually they crossed those barriers through their music and helped to unite cultures. The film also goes into depth about how each one of the artist's personal problems nearly destroyed their careers and their lives as a whole, presenting a very believable depiction in which you can actually feel the characters pain. My only negative criticism is that I feel that certain parts seemed a bit rushed, and underdeveloped, which lead for a lack of development in a few characters. But over all I would highly recommend anyone to go see this film, to learn about the history of the music of that time period, which has influenced the music of today.

Z100 Jingle Ball Pre-show and VIP Arrivals

2008-12-13T16:16:00.000-08:00

By: Kadeem Lundy

On Friday, December 12, 2008 Z100 hosted their annual Jingle Ball all-star holiday concert at Madison Square Garden. The artist that performed at the concert were Kanye West, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Brandy, The Veronicas, Lady Gaga, Paramore, Katy Perry, Jesse McCarthy,and Leona Lewis. Before the concert a timed meet and greet event was set up to meet singers Brandy, Leona Lewis, Lady Gaga, The Veronicas, Nick Lauchey, Paramore, and Jesse McCarthy in the upstairs lounge at the Roseland Ballroom, as part of the Jingle Ball free pre-show that was free to everyone no tickets, required from 12:30 pm-5:30 pm. During the preshow fans had the opportunity to win tickets, take photos next to card board cutouts of their favorite stars and win other prizes. However in order to attend one of the timed meet and greet sessions to meet one of the scheduled artist, special meet and greet passes were needed.

After I left Z100's Jingle Ball Pre-Show I headed towards Madison Square Garden to catch a glimpse of the other celebrities arriving for the actual Jingle Ball concert which was set to begin at 7:30 pm. I arrived at 4 Penn Plaza around 4:30 and waited with a group of photographers for the artist to arrive. As we waited reggae artist Sean Paul came out, and took photos with fans as well as signed autographs. Around 6pm Brandy arrived in a black jeep, and signed a few autographs and took a few pic,while explaining to the photographers that she had to go in to do her soundcheck and would be back out after the show.Katy Perry came outside, jumped into a car and came back about an hour later signing autographs and taking pictures, before being whisked inside by security. Chris Brown and Rihanna arrived around 6:45 pm, and ran inside before posing for photos., Ne-Yo was the last to arrive at around 7:10. We were informed at 7:45 pm that the show had started and no other artist were arriving.

WKRB 90.3

2008-12-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

Check me out on WKRB 90.3 FM radio all next month from 12:40- 1:40 pm on Brooklyn's own rock and urban station

Z100 Jingle Ball in NYC 12/12/08

2008-12-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

http://promonet.radio-online.com/wire/WHTZ-FM110708.pdf

Some of your favorite artist are performing at the Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden including Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, and a special guest appearance from Kanye West. Meet and greet the celebs performing at Jingle Ball from 12-6 at the Roseland Ballroom on W.52nd street