Starving Artists
Changing History One Artist At a Time
Black Love: Only in the Movies?
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“Let me tell you somethin’. This here, right now, at this very moment, is all that matters to me. I love you. That’s urgent like a motherfucker.”
Larenz Tate and Nia Long’s painfully realistic dialogue in the new classic “Love Jones” ignited a fuse in Hollywood, causing an explosion of black romantic comedies. The late 90s and early 2000s provided us with stories that spoke uniquely to the African American experience. “The Wood” gave us a retrospective of our hormonal high school days, and “Deliver Us From Eva” reminded us that crazy in-laws aren’t just for white people. Every year for almost ten years, there was at least one black movie that told America of the black love experience.
But then, they stopped.
Whether it was the recycled actors – how many times can Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs play the same-but-different character – or the repackaged retelling of the same story, the impact of the black romantic comedy fizzled quickly. Sure, there were movies before, and have been movies since, but they just haven’t been the same. The most popular black rom-com recently, the “Why Did I Get Married?” franchise, is so dramatic to the point of being unrealistic, and foregoes a relatable storyline for ridiculous stereotypes. “Jumping The Broom” made a valiant effort to bring back the feeling, but even that was a story that focused too much on star power and not enough on…anything else.
Rumors of “The Best Man 2” had the Internet abuzz, but can that magic ever be recaptured? Will we ever see another “Love and Basketball,” which not only solidified the careers of Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps, but also brings back memories every time Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” comes on the radio?
So this Valentine’s Day, forget the movies – have a night in with your boo thang and pop in that copy of “Love Jones,” and ask her, “say baby…can I be your slave?”
This is… For the Lover in You… Or is it?
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The 1981 single by Shalamar “This is For the Lover in You,” boasted lyrics
“This is for the lover in you, this ring means I’ll always be true, this is how we’ll start love anew, this time it’s going to last forever.”
Back then this was just one of many love songs by African-American recording artists.
Love. It’s that short word that holds so much meaning. Love; arguably the foundation of what black music was started on has slowly lost its power. When African-Americans were first crossing over into mainstream America it was the universal language of love that helped make that possible. The undeniable need to be loved, or the fantasy of having love knew no race, gender, or religion. However, it seems as over the decades black love in music has faded and been replaced with a new era of “hit it and quit it” type songs. The question now arises… “Where are all of the love songs?”
Sure, there are recent songs that give you a modern feeling of an unconditional love such as Miguel’s “Sure Thing” where he uses a unique mix of various analogies describing his love. Or even Beyonce’s song “1+1” where she belts that she’s virtually nothing without the love of her life. However, these songs seem to be few and far in-between compared to decades before and seemingly get lost in the shuffle to songs about partying, sex, adultery…basically anything but loving someone or being in love.
Is this just a trend? Is it a sign of the times? Is black love really dead? Or is it just music going through its ever changing cycle of evolution? Whatever it may be there’s no doubt that without the theme of love in black music there would probably be no Al Green, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Sade, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Maxwell, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and many others that are staples in black music.
So for this Valentine’s Day I charge you to take it back to the basics. “Turn off the lights and light a candle” with your special someone as the late Teddy Pendergrass proclaimed and put on some great love songs; prove that black love is not dead.
New Movies to Check Out This Weekend!
0If you’re thinking about spending your Friday or Saturday night at the movies then you should check out a few new releases that may be worth your wild.
First up is Red Tails, a movie about a crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty. If you haven’t heard about this movie or the controversy surrounding this movie you may be living under a rock. Long story short, George Lucas spoke openly about having to shell out $58 million dollars of his own money to fund the project after he was denied any financial support by the major movie studios for having an all-black cast.
Lucas said:
There’s no major white roles in it at all…I showed it to all of them and they said ‘No. We don’t know how to market a movie like this.
Red Tails features actors Gerald McRaney, Cuba Gooding Jr.,David Oyelowo, Terrance Howard, Nate Parker, Tristan Wilds amongst many other actors.
Second up is Underworld Awakening - Legacy.
This action packed movie starring Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy and India Eisley is about when human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrioress Selene leads the battle against humankind.
The third movie you may want to catch this weekend is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and Thomas Horn.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is about a nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
“As an artist, I have to create my own opportunities.”
0ARTIST: Nathanial “Nate” Ryan
SUSTENANCE: Actor
Life so far has been a fun ride for Brooklyn-born Nathaniel Ryan, a handsome 6’0’’ model/actor. Known as “Nate” by friends and family, Nathaniel’s early successes have helped him add some impressive entries to his list of accomplishments. If his smile looks familiar, it may just be because you’ve seen him before. Nathanial has credits in the independent films Defining Moments, and Lonely Love. He’s also been in the stage productions Tartuffe, The Crucible, Marat/Sade, and The Piano Lesson. Nathaniel has also recently worked as an understudy on the world premiere of The Nacirema Society, Pearl Cleage’s newest play at The Alliance Theater in Atlanta.
On what inspires him:
I guess what inspires me and my work is the challenge of it; finding the character, his rhythm and nuances that really bring him to life. Every role is a growth opportunity. When I am working on a new monologue or approaching a new role I never know how it's going to turn out, so it's also about conquering the unknown that makes this career so inspiring.
In addition to his acting credits, Nathaniel has found success in modeling; he has been chosen to represent top national brands such as IceHouse Beer, Microsoft, and Orkin.
On his biggest influence:
My biggest influence is my Mom. She always told me to do my best and to give new things a chance. When I asked her if she thought I could be an actor she said ‘sure, you won't know unless you try,’ and here I am.
Nathaniel’s newest ventures include writing and singing; which have been met with some initial success. His first play, New Beginning, has been voted an audience favorite at several readings.
On what keeps him motivated:
What keeps me motivated is the thought and feeling that I have a purpose. There are a lot of paid acting, modeling and singing gigs out there. Why can't I have one, two or three of them? Also even though I am African-American, I occasionally will go for roles that are at times looking for white guys. I like to go in there and show that I am an actor and I should get the role not based on the color of my skin. I also I've learned that, as an artist, I have to create my own opportunities. I recently wrote a full length play that will premiere in Atlanta in February titled New Beginning. And I started a blog, ‘Train 2 Broadway,’ which chronicles my adventures to becoming a working actor.
Prayer, humility, and passion are his three keys to success. So far, these keys have opened many doors for him and the opportunities certainly appear to be endless.
Internet Submission: GHOSTFUNK by Max Tannone
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Budding music producer Max Tannone is known for taking the sounds of his hometown heroes and crafting them into a number of unique remix albums. Max burst onto the scene in early 2009 with “Jaydiohead”, combining the sounds of rap king Jay-Z and British rockers Radiohead. The project caught the ears of MTV, NBC, hundreds of blogs, music news sites, vinyl bootleggers, and even Jay-Z himself.
Tannone followed Jaydiohead with Mos Dub, merging the styles of Brooklyn legend Mos Def with dub reggae masters like King Tubby and Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Now New York City’s own Max Tannone is back with a new project entitled “GHOSTFUNK.” It is a remix album that combines Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah with the sounds of vintage African funk, high-life, and psychdelic rock.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GHOSTFUNK
Find out more on Max Tannone at his website, follow him on Twitter and friend him on Facebook.
“A Letter to the Millennials” by Lauren J. Daggett
0299 days
by Brendan
in Lauren's Corner
On a beautiful spring day as I strolled around the island of Manhattan contemplating my on-again-off-again love affair with the concrete jungle, I came across a huge billboard in Times Square that described millennial graduates as “overeducated, underemployed, [and] wildly optimistic.” Upon discovering the ad produced by TIME magazine, I froze like a deer caught in headlights, staring up the sign for several moments. I probably resembled one of the many tourists surrounding me, but instead of staring up at the flashing lights, I felt like I was watching the light go out on my generation.
It’s not that I didn’t agree with the content of the billboard or that what was being said was anything new to me. My shock came from the feeling that my generation was inescapably placed in an outrageously paradoxical situation that had now become widely accepted as our fate. It was right there, in my face, on a billboard in Times Square.
I began thinking about the countless friends of mine who had college degrees and less than stellar jobs. I wondered about the friends who only enrolled in graduate school in an attempt to “wait out” the miserable economy. I considered the lives of those who held on to jobs they hated out of a very rational fear of finding nothing better. I remembered the New York Times article that uncovered the drastically low employment rates for law school graduates. So with a wealth of knowledge and a lack of opportunity, where are the “wildly optimistic” to turn?
I do not believe that our current situation makes us a generation without hope. It just seems to me that the hope of this generation lies not in the structure of the past, but in the uncertainty of the future. It dawned upon me that the heart of that message in Times Square lied neither in the fact that we were overeducated nor in the realization that we were underemployed; the heart of the message was in the belief that we were wildly optimistic. A generation as educated and optimistic as this was never meant to be confined to the traditional chains of a mildly satisfying 9-5, but to blaze the trail to a new way of life where we follow our true passions and work for ourselves. Now is the time of artistry and entrepreneurship; not merely because we want to, but because we have to.
The demand has been placed on millennial graduates to create opportunities as opposed to finding them, and there has never been a better time for such a call to action. The rapid expansion of social media has put the world at our fingertips, allowing our impact to reach much further than that of other generations. So why would be content working for those who are less educated and less ambitious than the people who sat next to us in those college classrooms? “Millennials” aren’t lacking opportunities; we’ve just been looking for them in the wrong places. Our opportunities lie not in the tepid promises of traditional definitions of success, but in the rare and innovative ideas of our fellow millennials. It’s time for us to believe more in ourselves than in our economy. After all, we are wildly optimistic and we’ve got nothing to lose. It is my belief that the fate of our generation is a gift and not a curse, if only we all begin to see it that way.
TSA welcomes our newest contributor, Lauren J. Daggett to the team. Born and raised in Chicago, Lauren headed to the “Big Apple” to chase her dreams. Lauren is a graduate of Fordham University with a degree in Journalism. Lauren is a big lover of all of the arts; but specifically she is a trained dancer, actress and writer. Be on the look out for Lauren creating more great articles for TSA!
Introducing Brie
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In an era of music where gimmicks and good looks can often take precedence over skills in a new artist’s career, Brie refreshingly offers true talent, which is only enhanced by her striking beauty. At age 24, Ashlee Brie Gillum, simply goes by her middle name, “Brie.” Brie was born and raised in Detroit Michigan, and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Brie jokingly says, “I could sing and dance, before I learned to walk or talk;” and when watching Brie perform, it’s clear that the stage is nothing new to her. She owns every stage that she steps on and captivates every crowd.
As a dynamic vocalist, classically trained dancer, and gifted songwriter, Brie is a triple threat and a force to be reckoned with. Her writing and vocal abilities are evident in each of her original songs such as, “Midnight Man”, “Lucky”, and “Break Ya Neck.”
As a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, Brie excelled as a dean’s list scholar while never putting her career on the back- burner. Brie went from dancing on tour with artist, Young Joc her freshman year, to backup singing for Kandi Burress of Escape this past winter of 2011. Brie also recently played a dancer in Tyler Perry’s hit film,“For Colored Girls.” Brie has worked with Konvict Music, several well-known Producers, and has been offered opportunities by various music execs in Atlanta. However, Brie is currently unsigned, and has been cautious in making the right decisions for her career. As an independent artist, Brie hasn’t hesitated to take the reign on her own career by writing, recording, and performing her own original pieces at various venues throughout Atlanta, GA. It’s a common occurrence for people to discover Brie’s talents, and ask, “why In the world is this girl not big yet?,” the only explanation is the time is near, and Brie is enjoying every minute of the ride to the top.
On what inspires and influences her work:
My family and friends inspire me to work hard. Wanting to make a difference in someone else’s life makes me work harder and harder every day.
On her biggest influence:
My biggest influence is my mother. She’s like the most amazing person I know. She has given me so much and I just want to be able to give her at least half of what she’s given me (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially) back.
What keeps her going/motivated?
Remembering that “Rome was not built in a day”. Do i experience frustration and even moments of feeling defeated because i’m not where I want to be right now? Sure! However I have to remember what’s for me is for me and my God believes in me so I need to believe in me too!
Check out Brie Performing an acoustic set of Miguel’s “Sure Thing” followed by her original song “Midnight Man”
Brie singing a cover of “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Make sure you visit Brie’s brand new website, Follow her on twitter, visit her YouTube, and Like her Facebook Page.
Album Review: Beyoncé – 4
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Over the past year, while Adele’s been “Rolling in the Deep” and Rihanna’s probably still trying to figure out what her name is, Beyoncé was in the studio creating what she describes as “a musical gumbo,” with a dash of Fela Kuti, a drop of Lauryn Hill, sprinkles of The Stylistics, and equal parts Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, simply titled 4. While there are definitely hints of these flavors, 4 is perhaps the most genuine collection of music she’s made over the course of her career.
**Warning: if you’re looking for Sasha Fierce on 4, you might have to wait until 5, because she isn’t here.
The album opens with “1+1,” a raw, seemingly one-take cut (note the mispronunciation of “algebra”) reminding you that she is really, really in love with Jay-Z – and that you’re single. It’s a far cry from the lead single, the ill-promoted “Run The World (Girls),” which could explain why it’s the last song on the album. In fact, when listening to the album in full, “Run the World (Girls)” just doesn’t fit – it actually sounds like a leftover track from 2008’s I Am…Sasha Fierce, when the Major Lazer sample may have resonated a lot better.
The remaining tracks are what a second Dangerously in Love album would have sounded like, and where the musical influences are heard. “Rather Die Young” is reminiscent of En Vogue (yes, Beyoncé by herself sounds like an entire girl group), with soft, wispy coos on the verses and strong, multidimensional harmonies on the chorus. She carries a similar vocal approach over to “Start Over,” a strange mix of Enya, Aerosmith, and Beyoncé, which somehow works with the lyrics, begging her distant lover to “give love another life.” Songwriting vet Frank Ocean steps in on “I Miss You,” a futuristic-sounding love letter (probably to Jay-Z) asking when he’s coming back home.
One of the few uptempo moments of 4 is Andre 3000-assisted “Party,” destined to be a staple song at cookouts for years to come. Beyoncé’s 90s R&B-style vocals sit pretty over a Kanye West track, dripping in “swagu” – a word I pray never catches on. But perhaps her best moments on this album are “I Care,” where she evokes an early Mary J. Blige, calling out her man for giving less of a damn than she does about their relationship (and ends the song howling in unison with an electric guitar solo); and “Love on Top,” a two-step jam that would make Whitney, Anita, Michael, and Stevie proud.
While 4 is a good album, it’s comparable to the runner-up of America’s Next Top Model – not very memorable. Songwriter extraordinaire Diane Warren’s “I Was Here” drowns in Ryan Tedder’s overproduction, and instead of feeling the lyrics, Beyoncé succumbs to the production and sings with much more force than necessary.
It couldn’t be more obvious that Beyoncé is trying to shake the typecast that songs like “Single Ladies (Put A Ring on It)” and “Bootylicious” have burdened her with; but she’s so good at them. “Countdown,” a brief resurrection of the now-deceased Sasha Fierce, is when she sounds most at ease, but it’s evident listening to the rest of the album that Sasha won’t be on any more albums, any time soon. But with two misfires as singles, who knows? Maybe we’ll see Sasha again if “Countdown” gets a video.
As simple as the title is, it’s representative of significant milestones in her life: her birthday is on September 4, her mother’s birthday is January 4, her husband’s birthday is December 4, their wedding anniversary is April 4, and perhaps most significantly, 4 is her fourth album. And with her 30th birthday coming this year, perhaps this album is an introduction to the grown-up Beyoncé: less “Crazy in Love,” more “Dangerously in Love.” Either way, Queen King B is back. Bow down.
“I use life as a major force of influence through my music.”
0ARTIST: P. Sims
SUSTENANCE: Singer
We told P. Sims we’d be featuring him on TSA, and asked him to send a few sample tracks for us to review. Upon the first listen, we tried to come up with one word to describe him; the word we agreed on? Passion.
Passion in music is a rarity nowadays, even with the most established artists who claim they’re doing what they were born to do – but passion nearly oozes through his songs, lyrically and vocally.
A self-proclaimed “simple to somewhat complex person,” P. Sims combines “real talk” lyrics with a smooth melody on top of strong production, and the end result is “Jon Bennett,” a song where he questions his decision to let the love of his life just walk away.
TSA asked P. Sims about his creative process…
I am passionate about music, all forms of art, and fashion. The small details and depths of things intrigue me. Every relationship, friendship and past experience in general creates my artistic empowerment. I write and record my experiences in an effort to help those dealing with the same or similar issues.
He lists a wide range of musical influences, from The Beatles to Donny Hathaway, but he uses life as his major force of influence throughout his music.
The small details and depths of things intrigue me. My all time favorite artist are The Beatles, though I’m still building my knowledge of the group. My favorite producers are The Neptunes, Kanye West, Swizz Beats, Rich Harrison, Mark Ronson and Cee-Lo Green. I’m not heavy into rap, but Andre 3000, Jay-Z, and Kanye West are all ranked number one in my book.
He observes the entertainer qualities of Usher, Beyoncé and Prince to guide him as he performs. He’s done background vocals for Grammy-nominated Anthony Hamilton, and was an opening performer for Dem Franchize Boyz during their respective Houston performances. His song “Chill” was featured in The Houston Press’ music blog as Single of the Week, and was later named as the magazine’s Artist of the Week.
Stepping onto the national stage, he was one of four finalists out of Houston to make it to the finals in New York City for the fourth season of MTV’s hit series “Making the Band.” And in the summer of 2009, he stepped onto the international stage, performing at Club Soul in Arenas De San Pedro, Spain.
So what does P. Sims have planned for the future?
My plan is to become a major force in music and all industries associated with entertainment. I am the writer, co-producer and arranger of all my music. With my current project, I’m working with Tim Ned of The Goonees, and Chris Rockaway of Rockaway Productions. I also have special features from Yves Saint of The Nice Guys.
For more on P. Sims, follow him on Twitter (@P_Sims), check out his music, check out his website and keep coming back to Tha Starving Artists.
“My aim is not to be famous… it is to be GREAT!”
0ARTIST: Jason Mimms
SUSTENANCE: Actor
Born in Evanston, IL and raised in the heart of Chicago’s south side, Jason was all too familiar growing up with the city’s rich history of prominent entertainers and world-famous legends.
Jason would soon find his own “natural talent” and bring it to the stage. From the age of ten, Jason was performing in front of large crowds, and spent the next 13 years honing his craft, training with the Second City Improv Troupe, and with the renowned Chicago Theatre Company, home to big names like Robert Townsend, Sharif Atkins, and Irma P. Hall. It didn’t take Jason long to decide to turn his budding passion into a career – performing all through high school and college, Jason graduated from Clark Atlanta University receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts.
If you think Jason looks familiar, it may be because you’ve seen him before. Constantly traveling and commanding an established working presence, Jason has managed to accumulate a very extensive resume and training. Many of the roles (both on screen and on stage) include: “Dreams Deferred,” “I Surrender,” “Riding in a Jitney on South Park,” “Blood In My Eyes,” “Morning Noon and Night,” Jason has also made film and TV appearances such as “House Of Payne,” “Why Did I Get Married?” “Madea Goes to Jail,” “Yo’ Mama,” “Roll Bounce,” “Barbershop 2,” and “Stomp The Yard 2.” However Jason is most commonly recognized for his hilariously crazy role on the second season of BET’s hit reality TV show “Hell Date.”
With over 14 years of training and industry experience, Jason continues to make strides towards becoming Hollywood’s next breakthrough superstar.
On Jason’s acting influences:
Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Don Cheadle, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jeffrey Wright, Tom Hanks and Robert De Niro.
Jason is waiting for his time to be among the greats, and his passion for acting has and will continue to remained relentless until he deems success.
As a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a dedicated mentor towards servicing the youth and community, Jason Mimms is the next dynamic actor to command Hollywood’s honorable mention.
Jason’s Acting Reel:
Check out Jason at his website, on Facebook, on twitter @Jasonacts4reel, and on YouTube.
