Kenny Gamble Reflects On The Legacy Of Aretha Franklin With Dyana Williams and Karen Vaughn

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Fans, celebrities, musicians, all paid homage to the legacy of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin today after the news surfaced of her passing.

Related: Clive Davis, Diana Ross & More React to Aretha Franklin’s Death

Today on 100.3 WRNB, Dyana Williams joined Karen Vaughn as we paid homage through memories, listener call ins, and your favorite songs. We had the legend himself Mr. Kenny Gamble call into the station to share some memories of Aretha Franklin with our listeners.

Related: A Rose Is Still A Rose: On Aretha Franklin’s ’90s Classic

Listen to the full conversation if you missed it at noon above and keep it locked to 100.3 WRNB as we continue to honor the late great Aretha Franklin.

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Dame Dash Speaks Exclusively To Quincy Harris About Lee Daniels “I Want My Money!”

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The Cinema Society & Entertainment Weekly Host 'The Wrestler' Screening

Source: Stephen Lovekin / Getty

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Damon Dash, former business partner with Jay-Z released a video yesterday on his Instagram page. Damon can be seen arguing with West Philly’s own, Lee Daniels. Lee has given us movies like Precious, TV shows like Empire and Stars. Damon says that Lee owes him $2 million.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkftOQ-gAUT/?taken-by=duskopoppington

Dame Dash on the money Lee Daniels owes him:

I gave him $2 million dollars for one project which was the Woodsman, and when I made my money back he asked me to put that money into [the movie] Shadow Boxer and I was very apprehensive about it because that was my working capital to remain independent…he guaranteed me I would get my  money back in like, 3 months. This was 3 years BEFORE the movie Precious. He made me an agreement to put me in every movie he made until I got my money back. My name was not on the movie Precious, I don’t get invited to no screenings. And even before that I put him at the table with a different circle of people. I tried to present him properly, I invested in his movies, we would go to Sundance and Cannes. I put him at the table with people like Andre Leon Talley. He would always sell me on the black thing, “oh we black, I go to Oprah Winfrey she won’t give me no money, I go to Denzel [Washington] he won’t put up no money” So I said “ok, I’ll try to help you but when you get there, look out.

Dame Dash on the album Reasonable Doubt celebrating 22 years

It’s important not to live in the past, but to enjoy the past but also know that you have to be doing something in the now. I hate to be that guy that is always talking about what I did 22 years ago. I didn’t do anything unless I knew it was going to live forever, so I expected it to do what it’s doing.

Dame Dash on his “friendship” with Jay-Z 

[Quincy asks Dame if he and Jay-Z are still friends] you tell me? I don’t get no money from what we were doing back then and that was strategically done so friends don’t usually do that to friends. I understand the business but as a friend, that was f-d up.

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[AUDIO] West Philly High School Drop Out Becomes A Superstar Entrepreneur!

Troy Carter

Source: Headshot / Troy Carter

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When talent manager Troy Carter and Eve parted ways after seven years, he lost everything. He overcame adversities, established the Atom Factory, signed Lady Gaga as his first client and over the course of seventeen years, became one of the most powerful managers in the entertainment business. He represented everyone from John Legend to Meghan Trainor. Hear Troy tell how he rose from being a high school drop to how growing up in Philly gave him great instincts. Carter, a successful venture capitalist, has appeared as a guest on Shark Tank. He continues running his technology investment fund, is overseeing global artists services for Spotify and is managing the Prince estate.

 

[AUDIO] Trenton Native, Carrie Compere Stars in The Color Purple

Carrie Compere

Source: via D. Williams / n/a

Trenton native and accomplished actress, Carrie Compere stars as Sophia in the Color Purple and is among the outstanding cast of the Tony award winning musical, (based on the Alice Walker Pulitzer Prize novel and popular film). The Color Purple is the story of an abused teenager, Celie, forced by her mean father to marry an abusive Georgia farmer and her struggle to overcome adversity. The North American Tour presented by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization will run in Philadelphia’s Forrest Theatre, December 12-17, 2017!

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Two GRAMMY Noms for Lovers – The Baylor Project

Philly pride for Temple University alum and former member of the platinum singing duo, Zhane’ (Hey Mister DJ) Jean Baylor and her husband of over 15 years, drummer Marcus Baylor (previously with the Yellowjackets) garnered two GRAMMY nominations for their debut cd, “The Journey”. The couple are nominated for best jazz vocal album and best traditional R&B performance. Released on the Baylor’s Be A Light label, the record reached the number eight position on Billboard Jazz chart. The GRAMMY telecast moves from LA’s Staple Center to New York’s famed Madison Square Garden and will air live on CBS, January 28. 2018. For a full listing of all GRAMMY categories visit GRAMMY. Congratulations to former Philly/Jersey area residents, Jean and Marcus on their creative collaboration that is a fruitful labor of love!

[Audio] OWN Network features Peabo Bryson & His Wife On Checked Inn TONIGHT!

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OWN Network features Peabo Bryson & His Wife On Checked Inn TONIGHT!

Superstar balladeer/songwriter, Peabo Bryson and his wife Tanya, are featured in the new OWN network reality show, “Checked Inn” premiering tonight at 10pm. Owner/Chief Enjoyment Officer, of Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast Inns, Monique Greenwood and Melody Short, Director of Operations and Marketing, are two of the featured cast members and share what it takes for a family owned business to operate and the special guests featured  the new show. According to Monique, some guests “when they check in, don’t just bring luggage, sometimes they bring a lot of baggage.” There will be a special free viewing party of the second episode of Checked Inn shown in Philly, Saturday, November 25 at 9pm at Rose Petals Cafe and Lounge 322  W. Chelten Avenue.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. New Book 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro & a few about white folks!

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Historian, educator, host of Finding Your Roots on PBS, and author, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., has released his 40th book, 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro (Pantheon).  Inspiration for the book came from Pittsburgh Courier journalist, Joel Augustus Rogers, and his 1934 release, 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro.

In the Gates book, he shares compelling and astonishing information, that has been largely obscured and typically not taught in most school curriculums.  For example,  Gates told Soulful Sunday, that nearly 8 million folks in the USA, “4% of all white people in America are really black – according to the one drop rule. If you did their DNA, they have a significant percentage of black ancestry and somewhere their ancestors just passed.”

If you are interested in learning more about the massive and long standing contributions of black folks, this 476 page gem is for you!

JAY-Z: THE MAKING OF A BUSINESS, MAN

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via cassiuslife.com

While NYC is the one and only birthplace of hip hop, Philadelphia has long since been one of the most important stops for artists looking to prove that they had what it takes to make it on the national stage. “The City of Brotherly Love” also holds the distinction of being home to Schooly-D (an early architect of what would come to be known as “Gangster Rap”), as well as legendary turntablists DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Cash Money and famed acts such as Freeway, Eve and The Roots.

Colby Colb, the Vice President of Programming for Radio One, started his broadcast career there at a time when some of the emcees now known as legends were just getting started. A radio icon, he clocked 21 years on air in Philly and as a result, he’s got an incredible amount of throwback interviews and rare footage to share— and he’s sharing the wealth with CASSIUS.

For the first installment of Colby Colb in the Crates, check out audio from interviews with JAY-Z dating back over two decades— just in time for the release of the mogul’s highly anticipated 4:44 album, where he discusses the early beginnings of Roc-A-Fella Records, purchasing his freedom from Priority Records, and much more.

Do yourself a favor and check it out above now.

Words By Cory Townes – CassiusLife.com 

[Exclusive] Shawn Stockman aka S8 of Boyz II Men Sings the “Real Star Spangled Banner” [3rd verse] (Listen)

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It has been almost 2 months since Colin Kaepernick first protested the National Anthem and more celebrates are taking a stance as well.

S8 formally known as Shawn Stockman, of the legendary group Boyz II Men, understands the message behind the protest and wants to help enlighten others.

S8 starts off singing the National Anthem as we all have sung in grade school and during special events.  But shortly after the verse we all know, S8 jumps down to the 3rd verse which gets very dark and unfamiliar.

Related: NEWS ROUNDUP: FLOTUS Takes Down Donald Trump With Epic Mic Tap…AND MORE

After hearing the song, I must admit, as a black man it was a little uncomfortable to know that I have been forced to sing a song that wasn’t written for me during a time that my ancestors were still enslaved. It doesn’t matter if your black, white, red, yellow, or purple.  We all need to stand up and fight for what is right.

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Lyrics :

The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

#PoeKnows

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Kim Burrell To Be Honored During Essence Festival

Kim Burrell

Source: Monifa Brown / Shanachie Entertainment

Stellar Award winner and gifted luminary Kim Burrell will be righteously celebrated by an all-star collective of artists during the Essence Festival .   The Annual Day of Praise and Inspiration will take place Sunday July 5, 2015 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

Smokie Norful, Marvin Sapp, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Jonathan McReynolds, Jason Nelson, Jessica Reedy and others will use their voices to acknowledge Kim Burrell’s place in the pantheon of human music.

Kim spoke with Soulful Sunday’s Derrick Sampson and Dyana Williams about the all-atar tribute,  her new single, Thank You Jesus, her forthcoming album, coping with the death of close family members, Sunday’s Best, what the Essence Festival means to her and more.

Listen to the interview below…

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Musical Actress Kimber Sprawl Shines in Memphis!

Actress Kimber Sprawl

Courtesy Walnut Street Theatre

Musical theatre actress Kimber Sprawl shines as the star of Memphis now playing at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Soulful Sunday’s Derrick Sampson and I spoke with the shining star about the cast, play and her evolving career. @kimbersprawl

Take a listen to our conversation on Old School 100.3