Samantha Rise Roberson

June is Black
Music Month
Songwriting legend Kenny Gamble along with President
Jimmy Carter, unofficially deemed June Black Music Month in
1979. It wasn’t until the year 2000, that the House Concurrent
Bill 509 co-authored by Dyana Williams and Chaka Fattah was
passed to recognize June as Black Music Month under the law.
The hurdles that Black music has overcome are tremendous.
Black music has become, in fact, the mainstream, but it never
hurts to take a little time out to reflect on the legendary artists
Get 'em
while they're
hot!
and industry professionals that went through the back doors
so artist today could walk through the front. This issue is jam
packed with a crowd that is propelling Black Music forward
and showing the world why we should celebrate Black music
365 days a year!
Contents
e clu
5
13
9
Dyana Williams
An Advocate for
Black Music
by Shauntae Agnew
Poducers'
Corner
Carvin & Ivan talk
about giving back
by Ashley Colemen
365. 24/7.
Elroy Smith
of Radio One
by Shauntae Agnew
7
17
1
Who Got Next?
Young Steff
has an answer
by Shayna Safford
2
Copy Wronged
Copyright Law
Demystified
by Heny Sauter
Go Independent
Step-by-step
directions to
independence
by Aashir Nuri
8
What do you Do?
Maurice James is
the man behind your
computer screen.
by Ashley Coleman
11
Blues People
Black Music’s impact is
explored
by Aashir Nuri
Musical Chess
A Pawn’s Story
Aisha Winfield
Are you a Future
Music Exec?
Well, it's time
you start
dressing like
one!
Founder of Junior
Music Exec
“I’m excited about this
magazine’s ability to share
positive and accurate
information about the
business of entertainment.
As an organization that
is dedicated to educating
youth about the industry
it is only right that we
provide exclusive interviews,
informative articles, and
important resources for future
music executives.”
“FUTURE MUSIC EXEC”
Tees are available now
for just $20.
Stop by Space 75 to pick
yours up today!
Located in the Piazza in
Northern Liberties
1050 N. Hancock Street
Join The Biz
Exclusives!
usive
15
Lakisha Jones’
So Glad I’m Me
by Shayna Safford
Reviews:
Chrisette Michelle’s
Epiphany
by Ashley Coleman
3
Student
Spotlight:
Elektrik Red’s
How to be a Lady Vol. 1
by Shauntae Agnew
Samantha is KRUNK!
by Ashley Coleman
Thembisa Mshaka’s
Put Your Dreams First
by Amarachi Utah
Justin & the rhythm
section
by Christina Fisher
We are currently
and always looking
for talented young
people to join our
team...
If you are interested in
journalism, creative writing,
photography, art or design;
we could use your help!
Send a resume and two
samples of your work to
thebizexclusives
@gmail.com
Musical Chess:
A Pawn's Story
A day after fierce rain, we embarked on a mission:
Project Interview Rappers. The task ahead seemed
simple, arrive at Broad and Washington at 2:00pm,
interview three rappers, get in; get out, like an O.G.
classic. Why would I ever think it would be that
simple?
So after getting a little turned around in my own
city, 2:00pm turned into 2:45pm. Rode clear past
Washington Avenue when I realized there was no
way Washington was near the stadiums. Getting
that entire thing straight
was stressful with the
impending lateness. But at
least I found a spot right
down the street from the
interview site.
Entering the gates I was
relieved to see my contact for the interview as well
as one of the subjects right at the front. Mr. Can’t
stop, won’t stop, greeted us with warm smiles.
The contact told my counterpart and I to grab VIP
passes so we could move all about. And things
were looking up.
We hustled around to find a somewhat quiet place.
After waiting patiently for our turn after more
prominent media, we were able to interview Can’t
stop, won’t stop. He was personable, gave good
answers. We laughed and joked. Talked about
the new albums coming out. Exchanged hugs at
the end. All we had to do was find the other two
subjects, who were nowhere to be found.
After standing around in the beaming sun, waiting
for the others to arrive. We realized that we had VIP
passes and should see what was going on in those
parts. That’s where we ran into Super Producers,
Budding Star, and you guessed it, Mr. Highway
and The Truth. But no sooner than we went over
to them, they were whisked
away to do their part in this
community event.
Three hours later we were able
to interview Highway and The
Truth. While The Truth had
good answers and charisma,
it was a little hard for him to stay focused. And
when we were just finishing up, Highway arrived.
Annoyed, tired, and dreading speaking to us,
qualities similar to what we were feeling at that
exact point. So we received mediocre rehearsed
answers that probably won’t even make the story.
But I got a pretty good tan waiting.
I got a
pretty good
tan waiting.
1
The Interview:
a hot day &
race cars
©opy
W®onged
1. It takes a lot of work to get a
copyright.
??
?
Actually, copyright subsists in
original works of authorship fixed
in a tangible medium. This is
really just legal language, which
means that once you write or
record something, the copyright
exists. You don’t have to register
the work with the copyright
office to be protected, however,
if order to sue for infringement
and get monetary damages the
work must first be registered.
?
2. If there is no © on the work,
then it is okay to copy.
It is not necessary for an author
to put the copyright symbol on
a work for it to be protected. The
only times that it is “okay to copy”
is if a work is in the public domain
(meaning the author died over
70 years ago) or if it is “fair use.”
Purposes such as criticism,
comment,
news
reporting,
teaching,
scholarship,
or
research, is not an infringement
of copyright. Parody is another
example of fair use. When the
rap group 2 Live Crew did a
version of Roy Orbison’s song
“Pretty Woman” that made fun
of it, their use did not infringe
because it was considered a fair
use as a parody.
3. I can copy a Copyrighted
work as long as I don’t try to
sell it.
Commercial use is only one
factor that a court would look
at in determining whether it is a
fair use. If a court finds that you
infringed a work, then you can
be held liable for actual damages
or statutory damages. Actual
damages are usually computed
based on your profits, while
statutory damages are a number
set by law. In most of the P2P file
sharing cases, the RIAA went after
statutory damages since most
downloaders weren’t selling the
mp3’s.
4. It is legal to use samples as
long as they are short.
There are two ways that music is
protected under copyright law.
Copyright protects the musical
Our legal eXpert
Henry Sauter
breaks down
copyright law in
laymen's terms
work and the sound recording.
Samples use the sound recording
and there is no de minimus use
allowed. De minimus is a Latin
term that basically means a very
minimal amount. In one instance
where NWA sampled 2 seconds
of a Funkadelic song and shifted
the pitch and speed, the courts
ruled that this was infringement,
saying only the owner has the
right to duplicate the sound
recording. If you want to use a
sound it must be licensed or you
have to create it yourself.
5. I can send my recording to
myself in an envelope and
as long as I never open it, I
can prove when my work was
copyrighted.
This is a very common
misconception. An unopened
envelope will not be accepted as
evidence in an infringement case
as proof of when you created a
work. In order to sue someone
else for infringement of your
work, you need to register it with
the copyright office first.
2
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
SHOWCASING GIFTED YOUNG PEOPLE
Justin Faulkner
Drummer of The J Tyme Experience
Student teacher at The Clef Club.
School: Girard Academic Music Program
(GAMP)
Age: 18
Interesting Fact: Can play the piano,
saxophone, he can also sing but prefers
to write and play music
When you listen to jazz,
or go to concerts, you wouldn’t
think the drumming powerhouse
would be a senior in high school.
Justin Faulkner is a young man
from Philadelphia that has made
a name for himself in the music
business. He will be continuing
his education at Berklee College
of Music in Boston and majoring
in music composition and
production. When it comes to
doing shows, he would rather
stay here than go to New York.
“I’m already getting
calls to do gigs, more than
experienced guys have been
getting.” He said.
Justin started playing
in church and has been playing
for 9 years. The young prodigy
plays with the Bradford Quartets
Group, one of the most famous
jazz groups in the world. Great
musicians such as Daren Metz,
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and
Dennis Chambers have also
mentored him.
Justin has music running
through his veins. He comes from
a family of musicians where his
mother and grandmother were
classical pianists, his father is a
vocalist, and his cousins play the
drums as well.
“My mother calls me
every hour of the day to make
sure I’m keeping up with my
school work. I turn my school
work in online when I’m on
tour or fax it in, my teachers are
cooperative and flexible.” Justin
talked about balancing school
and music.
In five years Justin
sees himself still playing drums,
winning a Grammy and showing
people how real music is played.
He also wants to have his group
signed to a major or independent
label.
“Music is for you to enjoy yourself,
it’s not just about the money, it’s
suppose to be played not used,”
He explained.
When asked about
advice he would give to other
young musicians, he had a simple
answer.
“It’s kind of like building
a house and not having any
tools, being focused and staying
in your craft, learn it before you
get into the industry and go hard
all the time.”
Justin’s ambition and
determination to be the best
with his group, has helped him be
able to perform in different areas
across Philadelphia and he’ll soon
be touring in Europe. Look out
for Justin playing in Doylestown,
PA during Black Music Month.
You can look up Justin Faulkner on
his MySpace page www.myspace.
com/jfexperience, YouTube, and
Facebook.
Samantha Rise
Roberson
Sultry lead singer of Erronius Krunk
Grammy U Representative
School: Temple University
Major: Voice Performance/Jazz
Age: 21
Interesting Fact: Can solve a Rubik’s cube
in less than 5 minutes.
Sitting in with her
friends’ band Erronius Krunk,
at
Rembrandt’s
restaurant,
Samantha met Craig White, the
president of the Philadelphia
chapter of the Recording
Academy. A casual conversation
with White made her a shoe-in
for the Grammy U Representative
position that was left vacant by a
student studying abroad.
Grammy U is an
opportunity for college students
to join the National Academy
for Recordings Arts and Science
(NARAS) at a discounted rate.
NARAS is the organization
responsible for the Grammys as
we’ll as a host of other charitable
initiatives that have changed
the face of music. Samantha
informed us about past events as
well as events to come including,
Speaker Series, an Independence
Day Music Conference (Fall),
a Protools 8 Demo, and the
infamous Soundchecks with
artists on tour.
“I was at a board
meeting the other day and I
couldn’t believe the amount of
talent in the room, people who
have been Grammy winners and
nominees.” Samantha explained
the benefits of being a part of an
organization like NARAS.
Samantha is taking it all
in while working with NARAS.
She learns from talented board
members and her co-workers and
applies it to her budding career.
In the fall of 2008 Samantha got
her official “Erronius Krunk jacket
and hat.” The name is a play
on the legendary Jazz pianist,
Thelonius Monk.
The influence of their
music is very eclectic. And when
asked about the type of music
they play, Samantha crafted a
detailed response.
“We’re a Frankenstein
of everything you’ve ever loved.
We’ve got George Clinton’s arm
and John Coltrane’s other arm.
And James Brown’s legs, both
of them, you can’t do the dance
with one. I guess we’ve got
Roberta Flack’s head. It’s just
what we do.”
Erronius Krunk has
gigged all over the Philadelphia
region. Networking is one
of the key factors, Samantha
attributes to securing gigs. Her
professionalism and confidence
have led Samantha and the band
to places like The World Café
Live, Chris’s Jazz Café and a host
of other venues. The band plans
to release an LP by the summer
of 2010. But in the meantime,
take a listen to their tracks on
their Myspace page and look out
for them performing live at some
of the best venues in Philly.
www.myspace.com/
erroniuskrunk
4
Advocate for Black Music
Dyana Williams by Shauntae Agnew
“I am a die-hard radio person, it’s what I was born to
do. Radio allowed me the opportunity to combine
my profound appreciation for music and people.
Every time I get on the microphone, it’s a privilege
and an honor,” said Dyana Williams. She is a woman
that is doing it all. Williams is not only a radio
personality for Radio One’s 107.9 WRNB station,
but an entrepreneur, journalist, media coach and
an activist for Black music.
Williams was a consultant for Cathy Hughes since
the beginning when Radio One used to be Almic
Broadcasting, almost thirty years ago. She was
also the first program director for Radio One’s first
FM acquisition station MAGIC 102.3. Williams has
succeeded in all aspects of media including print,
television, and radio. Although her resume for
communications may be quite impressive, her
contributions to Black music are historical.
“I wrote the draft that became legislation in
Congress known as the African American Music Bill
(House Concurrent Bill 509). I worked closely with
Congressman Chaka Fattah and lobbied the Senate
and Congress and after several years was successful
in getting the legislation passed. In 2000, Congress
officially recognized Black music and its power and
that’s part of why we celebrate Black music month
today.”
5
In the midst of waiting for the African American
Music Bill to get passed, Dyana Williams founded
the International Association of African American
Music (IAAAM) in 1990.
“I established IAAAM in an effort to promote,
protect and perpetuate Black music throughout
the U.S. and around the world. That’s my position
as a music advocate; to recognize, celebrate and
appreciate Black music for its majesty, its economic
strength, and power and to make it easier for the
generations that are coming,” said Williams.
Using her knowledge of the media and music,
Dyana Williams started her own company called
Influence Entertainment in an effort to teach
celebrities how to communicate with the media.
“I was approached by a woman named
Sharon Heyward, then the head of
Urban Music at Virgin Records.
She said I was good with artists
and would make a good
artist development media
coach. So Sharon Heyward
was the one who planted
the seed in my mind. Then I
was hired by Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis’ company to coach
a group called Solo, my next
client was Angie Stone and her
group Vertical Hold, my third client
was D’Angelo and from there my phone has
not stopped ringing.”
like; Rihanna and Chris Brown to rockers like the
Dave Matthews Band and even former Philadelphia
76er Allen Iverson.
“I love my work because no day is the same. I’m
working with an eclectic mix of talented people
from all over the globe. I’ve been very busy these
last 17 years and it’s a great way to make a living
doing what I love.”
For people that are interested in
working in the music business
or becoming the next Dyana
Williams, some strong
advice she gives is to
set goals for yourself,
maintain balance in your
life and to learn your craft.
She says her experiences
and knowledge are part of
the reasons why she gets
hired.
"I a
am hard on,
e- ers I
i
d
p at
o
i wh rn
d
ra it's bo "
s o.
a
w od
t
Check out Dyana Williams every
Influence Entertainment allowed her the
opportunity to work closely with celebrities
from all different genres of music, nationally and
internationally. Ranging anywhere from pop stars
Sunday from 9am until 2pm on Radio
One’s 107.9 WRNB to hear what she considers the
vintage sweet soul music of the 60s, 70s and 80s.
She will also be saluting singer Florence Ballard of
the Supremes on TV One’s Unsung series June 28th
at 8pm Eastern Time.
WHO GOT NE T?
Young Steff: Quickly Rising and Slowly Jukin"
The Biz Exclusive Magazine
caught up with the smooth
Sagittarius hailing from Vineland,
New Jersey, Young Steff. The
20-year-old R&B sensation is
about to make a major mark in
the game.
Born Stephen Goldsboro he
has proven himself worthy of
becoming a star. We asked Young
Steff why did he want to get
involved with music? He said.
“My dad Big Steff put it in me as
a baby and I just fell in
love with it.”
He has worked with
so many artists such
as Cassidy, Maino, and
Hurricane Chris so we
asked if there’s an artist
he would like to work
with that he hasn’t yet. “
“Timberland,” was his
simple response.
He was signed to the Roc
at 12 years old and had
a hit single featuring
Bow Wow called “Can
I Holla.” After years of
traveling with his father,
Young Steff realized this
was what he wanted to
do and he continued to
shine and show off his
God given talents.
Young Steff is the total package
when it comes to singing,
writing, and choreography. He
has the motivation and skills to
be very successful. Although he
has grown since his “Can I Holla
“ days, he is still dedicated and
true to his passion as an artist.
His new single and dance “Slow
Jukin” off his up and coming
album Jump It Off is a smooth
and addictive slow jam that will
have you wanting more of the
swagger filled young man. The
“Slow Jukin” video recently aired
on BET’s show 106th & Park.
Steff showed off his singing
and dancing skills as well as
charming looks. He also does
some major dancing in his single
“Professional.”
At 20, he has a lot of years to put
in to the game and for sure he will
come out a winner. Finally, we
asked the long-haired, talented,
sensation where he sees himself
in five years and he said, “Owning
a dynasty baby.” Look out for
Jump It Off, coming soon!
What Do
You Do?
If you’ve logged on to the websites of any
of the three stations owned by Radio-One
Philadelphia, 100.3 The Beat, 107.9 WRNB,
and 103.9 Praise, you know that there is a lot going on. From streaming broadcast to event pictures,
and live chats, Maurice James, the web coordinator is responsible for it all. Take a look inside a job that
probably often gets overlooked. Meet the man behind the computer screen.
What exactly is
your position at
Radio One?
MJ - My Job title is Web
Coordinator. I maintain
and design content for
all Radio-One websites.
I provide the listeners
with an interactive
web/radio experience.
What is a normal
day of work like
for you?
MJ - Turn my computer
on. Surf the web
for any relevant
entertainment stories.
Look over the RadioOne sites update when
needed. Listen to all
the stations to make
sure what they say on
air reflects on the web.
What do you
think is the most
challenging part
of your job?
MJ – Keeping up with
how fast paced radio is.
I handle three stations,
so I have to say in
contact with three
different PD’s (Program
Directors).
Take us through
some of the steps
you took in order
to obtain your
position?
MJ – Well I worked
in Washington DC at
BET.com, as a Junior
Graphic Designer.
Heard there was a job
opening at Radio-One
Philly. I showed them
some of my work and
the rest is history.
What advice
can you offer
to students
that might be
interested in this
type of job?
What type of
education is
required for your
position?
MJ - The best way to
get better is to work
with a lot of other
artists.
MJ – I went to school
for Graphic Design at
the Art Institute Of
Philadelphia.
How much of
an asset do you
feel the web can
be for aspiring
music industry
professionals?
What is rewarding
about your job?
MJ – Going to events
and seeing my work
displayed i.e. Music
Conference I did all the
banners for that event.
MJ – Look at it like
this, everything is
web driven now so
you need strong web
people to give you a
8
product that stands
out.
Do you have any
advice on how
young musicians
can use the web
to promote
themselves?
MJ – There are tons
of free sites they can
utilize to put their
music out there so take
advantage of it.
What are some
of the sites you
frequent and
what makes you
want to go back
to them time and
time again?
MJ – ESPN.com,
KanyeWest.com/
blog , OnSmash.com,
mygshock.com(blog)
I go to these
sites because of the
lifestyle I live, they keep
me up to date with the
stuff that I enjoy, Music,
Fashion, Sports.
Black Music. 365. 24/7.
Elroy Smith, Radio One's Operation Manager Speaks
by Shauntae Agnew
“We are Black Music Month” says Elroy Smith, the
mastermind behind what you hear on all three
Radio One Philadelphia stations; 100.3 The Beat,
107.9WRNB and 103.9 Praise. Credited as one of
the best Operation Managers in America, he comes
to Philly baring his knowledge of radio and what
makes a song radio worthy.
"See that's a
gospel song on a
hip-hop station.
You don't hear that
everyday."
“Philadelphia is a very important top ten
market. For Radio One to be associated
with the city known for great Black music
is a major thing. We belong in this city
and we want to be a part of the voice in
9
this city,” said Smith, reminiscing about The Sound
of Philadelphia (TSOP) and the ground-breaking
tunes it created.
He admits that music has changed dramatically
from the Gamble and Huff days and the
early 80’s emergence of hip-hop. Smith
states that he doesn’t get excited
about too many of today’s artists, but
he thinks it’s important to keep Black
music relevant.
“There are some
songs like Neyo’s “Mad”
that I find
myself
"We are Black
Music Month"
“See that’s a gospel song on a hiphop station. You don’t hear that
everyday. Why did we do that? It has
a hip-hop feel and fits the beat of the
format. Does every form of music get
With most Black, up-and-coming
artists getting their chance to shine,
most of them are first promoted
through Black radio stations.
Artists such as Usher, Alicia Keys,
and Jazmine Sullivan all got their
breakthroughs on radio. According
to Elroy Smith, 100.3 The Beat was
the first to play Jazmine Sullivan’s
first single “Need U Bad.” So there is
room for creative music, it’s all about
how it’s composed.
“Everybody is trying to survive. The
economy has hurt radio as well. So
have the Internet and iPods, so there
are a whole bunch of things that
we are competing with besides our
contenders. That’s why we need to
do special things like playing “God
in Me” on a hip-hop station and
have great personalities entertain
you because you can pop us off at
anytime and go to another station or
go back to your iPod.”
Radio One encourages listeners to
email [email protected]
with feedback about what you think
of the stations.
www.lildrummaboy.com
He turned on his radio to further
prove his point. Gospel duo Mary
Mary’s new single “God in Me”
pumped out of his speakers and he
let the chorus play a little bit.
exposed? Not at all. Take the Roots
for example. What format would they
fit? That’s a very difficult question.
Unless they created something
that fits the realm of what hip-hop
is about today, it would be very
difficult for them to fit within these
very defined formats,” said Smith.
A New Age Sound Design, Music & Media Solutions Company
nodding to, but for me to run out
and buy a concert ticket, I don’t
know who would make me do that. I
might play a Rick Ross song that you
would never hear in my car, but I’m
not here to program to me. I’m here
to program to an audience and that’s
what they want to hear.”
Trying to please a young audience
can be tricky, but Elroy Smith seems
to have a formula for picking hit
songs although this formula may
leave some artists out in the cold. He
gives a few examples of his strategy.
“Think about “No One” by Alicia Keys.
It’s a strong hook, it has a memorable
strong beat, and it’s a love song.
If a song doesn’t have a hook or a
melodic feel, it’s hard for people to
gravitate to it,” said Smith.
Blues People
The History of Black Music and its Impact
on American Culture
By Aashir Nuri
Black Music in American roots can be traced back
to Africa. During slavery Negro Spirituals were
songs that Blacks would sing for encouragement
and spiritual upliftment while working on the
plantation. These songs were also used as code
messages for planned escapes and revolts.
Different genres of music can be found in
Negro Spirituals.
E v e n
though
N e g r o
Spirituals
are the foundation of Black
music in America, it was actually
the minstrel shows where “Black”
music became popular to a white
audience and had commercial appeal. Minstrel
shows consisted of white actors in blackface
pretending to “act Black” through song and dance.
It is still up for debate on whether or not minstrel
shows actually constitute as authentic Black music,
but minstrel shows popularized the concept
of marketing Black music to a white American
audience.
Shortly after the minstrel show explosion, Jazz
became popular as a more dignified form of Black
music around the late 1800’s. Jazz has its roots
in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz has many distinct
elements such as improvisation, syncopation, and
11
call and response that are found in almost any
genre of Black music from the Negro Spirituals to
hip-hop.
In the 1940s and 1950s, cover songs of Black music,
especially Blues and Rock and Roll, became
very popular.
Cover
songs were rooted in
Hypocrisy,
because
White artists remade
versions of some popular
songs that were created
by Black artists. Many of
these cover songs topped
t h e
music charts. Black artists such as
Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry helped to create Rock
and Roll but weren’t credited for it.
In the 1960s, the creation of Motown Records, a
Black owned record company founded by music
mogul Berry Gordy, changed the perception
of Black music. Motown had control over their
music and the marketing of it. They were able
to popularize the genres of Soul and R&B to a
mainstream American audience. With acts such as
Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Aretha
Franklin and countless others. Motown became
the most popular record label in the History of
American music.
In addition to Soul and R&B, the emergence of funk
in Black music became a force as well. The
legendary James Brown revolutionized
Funk. The genre incorporated elements
of soul, R&B, and Rock and Roll with more
improvising involved.
During the 1970s there were a lot of
social and political issues that inspired
Black music. The social messages in Black
music helped to bring consciousness
and influenced some Blacks to engage in
political activity. Artists such as Gil-Scott
Heron, Marvin Gaye, and Curtis Mayfield
sang songs about the struggles for equality
and justice. Also, Jazz began to incorporate
more funk elements, like legends Ahmad
Jamal and Donald Byrd. The 70s also saw
the explosion of the Blaxploitation era,
where independent and mainstream Black
films became very popular. These films
contained soundtracks and scores from
some of the most popular artists of that
time such as, Curtis Mayfield and Isaac
Hayes. These soundtracks and scores were
epic, allowing soul and funk to dictate the
mood of the film. The 70’s marked the
release of underground soul records that
never achieved national or commercial
success. One classic underground album
is called “Free Your Mind” by Amnesty.
In the 1970s hip-hop was born. It was
formed as an alternative to the disco era
in South Bronx, NY. During that time, there
were a lot of serious issues facing Black
youth such as poverty, gangs, drugs and
poor schooling. As a way to positively
deal with these issues, youth would come
together for what was known as “Jams” or
outdoor dance parties. Many of the youth
were not big fans of disco music, but
didn’t have many other alternative genres
of music to dance to. As a result, they
developed a technique to dance to the
break beats of old soul and funk records.
DJs such as DJ Kool Herc (The Godfather
of hip-hop) mastered the art of looping a
4-8 bar section of a song by continuously
using 2 turntables. Coincidently, those
that danced to these break beats became
known as “Break Boys and Break Girls.’’
Break beats became the foundation for
sampling, it’s a technique of producing
used by the majority of hip-hop producers
today. The Emcee would keep the crowd
entertained through improvised call
and response techniques that would
later develop into more complex lyrics
called rap. Today, hip-hop is the most
dominant and popular form of Black
music worldwide.
There is no way that this article could
summarize the History of Black Music.
The subject is too vast and contains
historical roots and influences from every
part of the world where Black people
reside. However, one common theme that
appeared while researching the History of
Black music is that Black music has always
been created with a purpose to send
messages of inspiration and information
about what was going on in the world.
Producers' Corner
Ivan and Carvin
getting big
and giving
back
by Ashley coleman
Chemistry couldn’t have produced a reaction “We like what
as explosive as the connection between super- Dreamstream stands for.” Ivan starts out.
producers Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias. Under the umbrella Karma Productions, the duo have
“When we came into this business,
worked with all of the
we had an open door and someone
industry’s who’s who
was willing to just take a chance on
including Chris Brown,
us. To be able to give that back is
Jill Scott, Musiq, Jazmine
like the greatest thing.” Carvin adds
Sullivan, Mary J. Blige,
sincerely.
and a host of others.
Many hopefuls uploaded videos
With numerous Grammy
and music on the Carvin and Ivan
nominations, chart topping
feature group on Dreamstream TV
placements, and the world at
to await the decision that would
their fingertips, they still find
be made by both members of
the time to give back to other
the Dreamstream networking
up and coming talent.
site and Haggins and Barias
themselves.
But
getting
Recently, Haggins and Barias
selected won’t be a walk in the
partnered with Dreamstream
park. These guys are some of
TV, a networking site designed
the greatest at what they do
to bring together aspiring
and they are definitely looking
professionals in a host of
for the best of the best.
entertainment
fields,
"I
never
really
had
an
to give a songwriter,
“Talent is still what drives
producer, and artist the argument with this dude. this business … we’re
We don't take it too
chance to come into the
looking for somebody
studio and record a song
who
embodies
all
serious."
with the talented duo. Even
those qualities: talent,
with their unyielding success and busy schedules determination, spirit and strong faith.” Ivan said.
they talk about how important it is to give other
aspiring producers a chance.
Their 13-year partnership began under Jazzy Jeff at
the legendary A Touch of Jazz headquarters, which
13
Haggins calls their “School of Hard Knocks.” It was
there that they were given the same chance they
are offering the members of Dreamstream.
“There we learned how to engineer, we learned
what a producer actually was … that is where we
honed our skills, watching everybody. So if Ivan
made a dope beat, I went in to try to make a beat
that was doper.” Haggins said.
"It's all about
writing a great
record."
It was this fierce competition and determination
that got the duo where they are today.
Barias stressed the importance of being
ready at all times.
“Whoever you meet in the music
industry, be ready at any given moment if you’re a
singer, songwriter, producer, you got to make sure
you have a catalog and be ready to go.”
When it comes to making it in the game, both
Haggins and Barias hold strong to making a good
product. Citing that as the only thing that will give
you longevity in the business.
“It’s all about writing a great record. If you write a
great record that’s timeless and means everything,
then anybody can basically come in and sing it.”
Haggins iterated.
Timeless music is the driving force behind June
being observed as Black Music Month. Barias
referenced some of the greatest musicians of our
time when asked about the significance of Black
Music Month,
“A lot of music today doesn’t educate, teach, or
move people in ways like the music of Leon Huff
and Kenny Gamble were doing, there’s not enough
positivity. And it doesn’t have to be a preaching
thing, it can be entertaining, but you have to be
able to have accountability for your music.”
With the turbulent climate of the music
industry, it is unusual for duos and groups
to stay together as long as they have
without parting ways. Their
philosophy over the
years seems very simple
in their eyes.
“I never really had an
argument with this dude. We
don’t take it too serious.” Barias said.
“We understand each others strengths
and weaknesses. Whatever I can’t do, he
does and whatever he can’t do, I do. We
are also a faith-based duo. Our manager
is faith based. So it ain’t about us anyway.”
Haggins finished.
Keep your eyes and ears open for
all the great tunes to come from
Karma productions and check out
mydreamstream.tv, to follow your
dreams like the winners Tim Halperin,
Donovan Jarvis, Miss T, and Mike Nappi.
14
Soul
is back, from
sabbatical, maternity leave,
or wherever it was. Chrisette
Michele is vying for the title with
her sophomore effort, Epiphany.
Michele is frank with love in
tracks like “Blame it On Me.”
Michele belts out these lines on
the airy, piano and drum track.
“You can say whatever you like,
as long as we just say goodbye,
blame it on me, say it’s my fault,
say I left you outside in the
cold with a broken heart
… as long as it’s over. “ It’s a
refreshing female perspective
that shows women can be okay
after relationships fall through.
The album is full of slow to midtempo tracks, telling love that
the affair is over. There’s a steady
pulse that beats throughout that
keeps your head nodding. In the
mid-tempo tracks like “Playin’
Our Song,” and “Another One”
Michele keeps the vocals strong
as well as including imagery
and wordplay that up-tempo
songs are often missing today.
After expressing all the details
of heartache, the album ends
with “I’m Okay.” Her performance
is convincing, and the album
does seem indeed therapeutic.
Epiphany is a change in pace
from Michele’s debut I am. She
Lakisha Jones released
her
debut
solo
album So Glad I’m
Me on May 19,2009.
The
long
awaited
album is a must have
for the summer. Whether
you’re jamming to it in the
comforts of your room or
cruising to it in your car this
record needs
to be playing. The album is
very impressive and well put together. So Glad I’m
Me is a powerful album that empowers and gives
voice to all women. It truly defines and represents
urban ladies in an honest and respectful manner.
Her lyrics are so soulful and relative to everyday
15
put away the alternative soul for
a more classic R&B album. The
influence of Ne-yo can be heard
on the 6 tracks he wrote and coproduced including the title track
Epiphany. Michele also worked
with producers Chuck Harmony,
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, and
Claude Kelly. Chrisette Michele’s
distinctive twang, great writing
and production make Epiphany
a great listen for the summer.
Hopefully by the third album,
Michele will figure out a balance
between the eclectic creative I
am and the heartfelt classic soul
sound of Epiphany.
R
E
I
EV
life and easy to
connect to. Her
single “Let’s Go
Celebrate” is indeed
a reason to rejoice and celebrate .Not only does
this album deal with love, but its motivational
and uplifting. Each song has it’s own personality
and distinct sound. Her voice is very soulful and
classy and is a voice to remember. Each song on
this album takes you on a journey. You get a little
gospel, soul, pop, and R&B with this wonderfully
crafted masterpiece. Lakisha Jones shows off her
love for her music and her talent with her songs “So
Glad I’m Me” and “Just As I Am”. Indeed this Flint,
Michigan girl is more than just your average singer,
she’s a phenomenal woman. If you don’t have this
album, go get it today!
Parental Advisory? Not too many girl
groups, need an advisory logo on
their CD covers. Under the pen of the
Radio Killa himself, The Dream and
Tricky Stewart, the reincarnation
of Prince’s Vanity 6 has emerged
and their name is Electrik Red.
The girl group consists of four
back-up dancers from New York
and Toronto. Friends, Kyndra
“Binkie” Reevey, Lesley Lewis, Naomi Allen
and Sarah Rosete formed Electrik Red in 2005 and
later signed with Def Jam in 2008. How to Be
A Lady:
Volume 1, which is entirely
produced by The Dream,
is their new album and
a contradiction within
E
S
W
It is true that being a woman
with a big mind and big career
aspirations in today’s society is
easier than it was five years ago.
But it is also true that it is STILL
a very difficult type of woman to
be. This is especially true when
considering a career in a male
dominated industry that expects
women to either remain at the
bottom or use sex appeal to get to
the top. Thembisa Mshaka in her
latest book demonstrates how a
woman can succeed in what has
always been a predominantly
male field without falling into
any of the two prescribed roles
above. In Put Your Dreams First,
itself. Their explicit content
in songs like “P is for Power,”
“Freaky Freaky” and “W.F.Y” use
sexual lyrics to empower women.
There are a few love songs like
“Bed Rest,” and “Devotion,” that
are about giving all of yourself in a
relationship. “Drink in my Cup” and
“On Point,” are songs that have a HipHop feel and it’s definitely something
you could blast in the car or bop your
head
to in the club. Electrik Red’s new single
“So Good” featuring Lil Wayne has already hit the
airwaves, How to Be A Lady: Volume 1, is in stores
now and it’s not bad for $7.99.
Ms. Mshaka crafts a howto guide for success in the
entertainment industry. Her
book provides encouraging
anecdotes and real world
strategies for women seeking to
break into an extremely tightknit and exclusive sect. She
not only provides strategies
on how to get in, but on how
to stay in and become a raving
success. Covering issues ranging
from pay inequality to sexual
harassment, Ms. Mshaka leaves
no stone unturned. Her book is a
must read for all serious minded
women aspiring to break into
the entertainment industry and
beyond.
Serving not only
as a beacon for women working
in the entertainment industry,
it most importantly serves as
a guide for women working
through life.
16
Stop Chasing
That Deal!
Go Independent
10 step-by-step
instructions
on how to
release a CD
independently.
By Aashir Nuri
The music industry is evolving; record labels are downsizing and putting more focus and energy on their
bigger acts and are pushing the smaller acts to the side. This means that the climate for successfully
releasing your music independently is improving and will only get better. Some of the advantages to
releasing your music independently are that you keep nearly 100% of your profits made from CD sales as
opposed to making less than $1.00 per CD sold with a record label. Another advantage is that you are not
locked into any devious contracts that could have the possibility of setting your career back for years (see
Rakim, Bilal and The Lox). Releasing a CD independently means that you control your own destiny with
your music. If your music is enjoyable, the people will buy it, you just have to determine how hard you
will work to make sure people know that it’s out there.
1. Questions to ask yourself. You should jot down
a series of questions and answer them thoroughly
before even starting the process of creating your
CD. Is your stage name trademarked? Have you
registered your songs for copyright protection?
Have you signed up with soundexchange.com?
Do you have any personal contacts in the music
industry? Do you have an entertainment lawyer to
consult with? By doing this you are mapping out a
strategy for your music career.
2. Think long term and map out a long-term
strategy. The reason why so many artists quit
making music after releasing their first CD is
because they assume their first album will jet start
their career and produce longevity. This is not true.
As an independent artist, you should be prepared
to release two or three CDs over a period of 3 to 4
years before achieving the level of success that you
17
are aiming for. The great thing about this is that
you are gradually building a catalog and a fan base
that grows with the release of each album.
3. Set up your Business. You will need to set
up your business by doing the following: Get a
business license, reseller’s license, an IRS tax ID
number, and a fictitious business name. Many of
the expenses associated with releasing your CD
may be tax deductible, so you should definitely
take this step seriously.
4. Mastering your CD. Assuming that your music
has already been recorded and mixed down, the
next step is to have your music mastered. It will
make the sound quality of your music “consistent”
from song to song. If you skip this step, you take
the risk of having a sonicly bad CD that is hard to
listen to from beginning to end. Unless you are a
skilled engineer with experience in professionally
mastering CDs, I recommend that you pay a
professional engineer or company $500 to $600 for
that service.
5. Package your CD. This step involves getting a
professional photographer to take your pictures,
a professional writer to write the song credits and
other information you would like to appear in the
CD booklet and a professional graphic designer to
make everything look nice. This step can cost you a
pretty penny, anywhere between $600 to $800.
6. UPC Barcode. A UPC Barcode will help you keep
track of all of the CDs that you’ve sold and will also
register your CD sales with Nielsen Sound Scan. It
opens up the door for your CDs to be sold in music
stores such as FYE and iTunes. Also, music industry
insiders actually look at Sound Scan numbers to see
what independent artists are selling records. Most
CD duplication companies offer free barcodes with
their duplication services. Alternatively, you can
pay $750 for a UPC barcode at www.uc-council.
org.
7. CD Duplication. The approach that you take in
terms of CD duplication depends on the “realistic”
projection of how many CDs you will sell. I
recommend that you only duplicate 500 CDs at a
time to sell at shows and various local record stores.
You will feel good knowing that you sold out of 500
copies and had to reorder CDs. As an independent
artist the majority of your efforts should be spent
on gaining digital sales anyway.
9. Distribution. Once your CD is packaged and
copyrighten, you are ready to make money! To get
your CD in local mom and pop stores and even chain
stores, you will most likely have to give them your
CD on consignment. Don’t worry! The fact that your
CD is for sale in FYE can be used as a marketing tool
to legitimize you as an artist. Digital distribution is
where you will make most of your money. There’s
a difference between “digital distributors” and
“online retailers”. Both are essential to making
money, however they both operate differently. Do
your research on the terms and you will see that
partnering with a digital distributor rather than
going directly to an online retailer will help you
in the long run. Popular digital distributors are
tunecore.com and musicadium.com.
10. Marketing and Promotions. Now that your
CD is complete and available for sale, the last step
is to market and promote your CD. You may want
to hire a publicist that is able to get your press
kit (bio, press release, photos and CD) to radio
stations and online and print publications, as well
as music venues. You should also be promoting
your music at every opportunity you get. Many
artists work backwards and focus on marketing
and promotions without any product for sale. Do
not make that mistake because people have short
attention spans and will forget about you.
Much Success! And if you’ve read this far, you are
already headed in the right direction!
8. Copyright. You will need to copyright your
CD as a “Sound Recording” using form SR with the
United States Library of Congress. Go to www.
copyright.gov for more information on this.
18
JME BBQ
On June 5th, 2009 Junior Music Executive
held a fund-raising barbeque at the
Friends Neighborhood Guild. The
event featured great food and lively
performances from some of JME’s
talented members.
Thank you to everyone that came out
to support the event, The Future Music
Exec Staff, performers, and The Guild.
The event was a great success and if you
missed it this time around you better be
there next time!
Some great pics from the event!
Upcoming
Events
June 20
Teens Rock Dance
Party @ The Enterprise
Center (2pm – 6pm)
June 26
Dancin’ In The Streets
@ The Outdoor Artists
Piazza (6pm – 11pm)
June 28
Philly Soul Stock Tour @
Malcolm X Park
June 28 – July 6
Sunoco Welcome
America
some cool things
to do in the
hottest season
July 25 – 26
Sounds of R&B
Weekend @ Penn’s
Landing
August 7 – 9
Ladies of Hip Hop
Festival (various
locations)
August 1
Acana African Festival
@ Penn’s Landing
August 8
Doo Wop @ Penn’s
Landing
July 18
MAC’s Global Fusion
Festival @ Penn’s
Landing
August 7 – 8
The Give Back
@Mt. Vernon Park
August 14
Penn’s Landing Jazz
Series @ Penn’s Landing
July 19
Philly Soul Stock Tour @
Arts Garage
August 7
Penn’s Landing Jazz
Series @ Penn’s Landing
August 21
Penn’s Landing Jazz
Series @ Penn’s Landing
July 11
Greek Picnic @
Fairmount Park
August 23
Philly Soul Stock Tour @
Malcolm X Park
August 23
Caribbean Festival @
Penn’s Landing
August 29
Gospel Music Event @
Penn’s Landing
Visit myspace.com/
jrmusicexec
for updates and details
on these events and
more.
The Biz Exclusives is a publication of Junior
Music Executive.
Editorial Director: Ashley Coleman
Managing Editor: Shauntae Agnew
Contributing Writers: Aashir Nuri, Henry Sauter, Amarachi
Utah, Christina Fisher
Photography: James Smith
Cover Photo by Whitney Thomas
Graphics and layout by Flavorite designs
Junior Music Executive
Executive Director: Aisha Winfield
Jr Music Executive
Workshops • Internships • Scholarships • Networking Events
www.jrmusicexec.com
Jr Music Executive was established to inspire high school and
college students in urban environments to pursue higher
education, set goals, and reach their full potential by exposing
them to careers in the music business. We will achieve these
goals by providing students with the appropriate tools, resources,
education, mentoring, and internship opportunities essential to
successful entrance into the entertainment business. Through
our interactive programs, Jr Music Executive promotes selfconfidence, encourages peer mentoring, and increases students’
value of education. Our programs also provide a support system
that fosters life and job skills for at risk youth populations.
Thank You For Your Support