FRIDAY NIGHT IN NORTH CAROLINA

I am in the pretty city of Charlotte for CIAA this weekend at a spot called "THE BIG CHILL".  I am here to host with DJ 9th Wonder and Parish of EPMD.  Wow!!  This takes me back to the days when Parish and I performed at colleges and universities all over the east coast.  Our first show together was in 86 and it was at Stoney Brook.  At that time Eric Sermon was still in college so Parish had to perform both their parts.  No one was the wiser because the two that made EPMD sound so much alike it didn't even matter.

Anyhow I look forward to tonight and of course I will give you the scoop on how it all goes down.  BTW.. I was invited to co-host a party tomorrow but I backed out once I got wind the other host was the guy who calls himself "THE PIED PIPER".

GRAMMY ORG.

As a member of the Grammy committee I urge all that have had any type of musical release to join. As a member you have the ability to vote for Grammy winners. I hear people as they watch the Grammys baffled as to how "so and so" won!! Well I'm here to tell you, you can change the fate of who takes the award home. Please visit the Grammy site and register to become a member for just a $100 annual fee.

Also look out for the new Grammy Museum. The GRAMMY Museum is one-of-a-kind, 30,000 square foot museum with interactive, permanent and traveling exhibits including:

• Four floors of dynamic and stimulating exhibit space
• More than two dozen exhibits that explore the greatest GRAMMY music - everything from Rock and Hip-Hop to Country, Classical, R&B, and Jazz
• 200 seat state-of-the-art GRAMMY Sound Stage
• A roof top terrace for special programs and private events
• Interesting and thought-provoking educational and public programs featuring films, lectures and performances

The GRAMMY Museum website is designed to keep Recording Academy members and the general public informed about exhibits, membership, public programs, performances, exclusive Recording Academy member events.

Please visit Grammy Museum.  Please sign up for the e-newsletter to received updates on the museum, exhibits and more!!

Photo Shoot

What's up my people!!! Here at a photo shoot in Silver Lake, CA. I think it's definitely going well, but you can never tell until you get the shots.

Last night I kicked a verse at the studio for a new joint called "Let's go". It's a hot lil something and I can't wait for the world to hear it.

Yesterday we had our meeting with Myspace and it went extremely well. We will keep you posted on updates concerning the group, Almost September.

ASCAP PRESENTS

Writers Roundtable

CLARK-ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
Robert Woodruff Library Exhibition Hall
111 James P. Brawley Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA
7pm to 9pm
No RSVP is required.

ASCAP will present a special "Writers Roundtable" panel discussion on Thursday, March 6, from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. The panel will feature some of today's top songwriters and is part of an ongoing series of professional development programs that focus on the music creation process. Moderated by ASCAP's Tremayne "Tre" Anchrum, the event is free and open to the public.
Featured panelists are:

Lyfe Jennings
Songwriter: "Never Never Land," "S.E.X.," "Must Be Nice"

Manuel Seal
Songwriter: "Always Be My Baby" (Mariah Carey); "My Boo" (Usher); "We Belong Together" (Mariah Carey)

Cri$tyle "The Ink" Johnson
Songwriter: "Touch My Body" (Mariah Carey); "Angel" (Natasha Bedingfield); "I'm Grown" (Tiffany Evans); "Hood Anthem" (Keke Palmer)

Atozzio "The Hitt Writer"
Songwriter: "Friend Me Up" (Keke Palmer); "Mama" (Chris Brown); "Holla At Ya Boy" (2 Much)

RL
Songwriter: "Butta Love," "Too Close," "I Still Love You"

KIM WAYANS ROCKS A ONE WOMAN SHOW

SATURDAY NIGHT I JOINED 65 OTHERS IN A SOLD OUT SHOWING OF A WOMAN SHOW PERFORMED BY THE KIM WAYANS.  WE ALL CRAMMED IN TO WITNESS THE LAST NIGHT OF A MONTH'S RUN OF "A HANDSOME WOMAN RETREATS".  THE TWO HOUR LONG AUTO-BIOGRAPHICAL PIECE WAS WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY KIM AND WAS FILLED WITH LAUGHTER, TEARS, AND BONE GRIPPING TRUTH.

THE STORY GOES

On the advice of her yoga instructor, a dissatisfied, panic-plagued woman attends a ten-day silent meditation retreat to root out the source of her anxiety. It's an awkward, sometimes painful, often funny journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Kim introduces many of the unique characters whose influences contributed to the Wayans Family becoming one of the most successful families in entertainment today.

THE PLAY IS EXPECTED TO RUN IN CLEVELAND FOR 2 WEEKS.  PLEASE CHECK HER OUT 

FRIDAY NIGHT (STUDIO)

LAST NIGHT PROVED TO BE QUITE PRODUCTIVE.  I HIT THE STUDIO WITH JARED, ONE THIRD OF THE NEW GROUP ALMOST SEPTEMBER.  WE WROTE TO A TRACK PRODUCED BY THE LATE GREAT JDILLA.  IF YOU'RE UNAWARE OF THE MAN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO HIP HOP GOOGLE HIM.  HE'S PRODUCED TALIB, MOS DEF, SLUM VILLAGE AND COMMON.  DURING COMMON'S LAST SHOW HERE IN LA, AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES, HE PAID TRIBUTE TO JDILLA.  WELL THANKS FOR JARED'S CONNECTIONS BACK IN HIS HOME TOWN OF DETROIT WE NOW HAVE A TRACK FROM ONE OF THE GREATEST HIP HOP PRODUCERS THAT EVER LIVED.

COLUMBIA, MI

A WOMAN'S WISDOM IS NECESSARY IN THE SCOPE OF ALL THAT IS AT THIS MOMENT. OR ANY OTHER MOMENT THAT LIVES TO EXIST. WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE, YOUR OPINION, YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR TENACITY, YOUR FORGIVENESS, YOUR ABILITY TO SPRING BACK!!! 

YOUNG BOYS AND OLD SHOULD RESPECT AND CHERISH THE TABLE YOU SET FOOD UPON. YOU ARE, IN ESSENCE, WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND.  MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN HIP HOP DOES NOT LIE AT THE HAND OF A FEW JERK OFFS AND THEIR MISUSE OF THE POWER OF THE MIC.  MY DISAPPOINTMENT IS WITH EVERYONE THAT CAN STOP THE CYCLE BUT CHOOSE TO ALLOW IT TO PERSIST!!!! 

AS WOMEN WHO LOVE HIP HOP WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGED.  WE SHOULD SPEND OUR TIME AND OUR DOLLAR WISELY.  SPEND OUR HARD EARNED MONEY ON MUSIC WITH LYRICS THAT SHOW RESPECT, LOVE AND ADMIRATION TO THE BEAUTIFUL QUEENS THAT WE ARE.  SPEND TIME WATCHING AND LISTENING TO VIDEOS AND MUSIC THAT LIFT OUR SPIRITS AND INSPIRE OUR LIVES AND MAKE US FEEL GOOD IN A WORLD THAT TREATS US AS LAST ON THE TOTEM POLE.

HIP HOP HAS ALWAYS BEEN HOME TO ME.  SOMEWHERE I'M WANTED AND SOMEWHERE THAT FEELS COMFORTABLE.  WHY SHOULD I FEEL MISPLACED BY A FEW UNINVITED GUESTS??