HHM Remembers: Phyllis Hyman

Today HHM honors Phyllis Hyman

July 6, 1949 — June 30, 1995

Vibe Magazine 1993-2009: End of an Era

I remember borrowing my first Vibe Magazine from my friend in 9th grade so I could read an exclusive interview with Jodeci back in 1994. I was hooked from that moment on. The lastest issue of Vibe was a hot commodity so if someone happened to see it in your bookbag (sidebar: Vibes were wide as hell and couldn't fit perfectly so you could never really hide it) you knew they were going to ask to read it and give back to you by lunch time, in another period, at your locker, or hold it overnight. I was a subscriber from 1995-2005. Orignally because they were hard to find on the newsstands. My favorite years had to be from 1993-2002, I know I wish they would stop coming after a while. It lasted that long by default. I subscribed to Blaze, which was Vibe's answer to The Source, but that folded under a year and I got comped. But Vibe played a major role in how I got my entertainment news and info on the industry.

Its a shame it had to end like this but we're in a midst of a transition. Its a sign of the times. Vibe lost me years ago and I never see young kids browsing through the magazine section like I used to do as a teen and still do out of routine. I love magazines, the layout, the artwork, the photography, these things don't fully come alive for me on a computer screen. This is the same reason why I still refuse IPods & itunes and stick to CDs and my dinosaur of a discman (I do have an MP3 player). I need to know that something is still within my hands. That it is really there and no virus, crash or some other crap beyond my control can keep me from it.

HHM Spotlight: Damian Dame

I wanted to get back to my regularly schedule post, orginally a Throwback Thursday, I'm so out of it, I can't even think so I had to do snatch from Wikipedia. But life is just amazing and you never know when you're gonna go so appreciate it and live your best life even when things just seem so wacky.

Tomorrow marks the death anniversary of the talented duo Damian Dame, who died on the same day June 27th two years apart.


Damian Dame was an R&B duo consisting of Debra Jean "Deah Dame" Hurd (September 20, 1958-June 27, 1994) and Bruce Edward "Damian" Broadus (September 13, 1966-June 27, 1996).
In 1991, Damian Dame became the first act signed to LaFace Records. The duo's self-titled debut spun off two radio hits, "Exclusivity" and "Right Down To It."

Right before Damian Dame began working on their sophomore album, tragedy struck. Deah was killed in an automobile accident in June of 1994. She was just 35 years old. Damian succumbed to colon cancer in June of 1996, at the age of 29. Ironically, his death came two years to the day of his groupmate's passing.

Wikipedia.com

My First Concert

Awesome memories. Most of my childhood memories involve Michael Jackson, I swear we're related, lol. But when I was about 4 my mom got tickets and took me and my fellow MJ fanatic, my cousin Kareem, to this concert at the old JFK stadium in Philly. I even think this was my first subway ride to South Philly we usually drove everywhere. I remember being so excited my nose started bleeding and I was really anxious I couldn't sit still. Something else I can recall is all the people that were there and having to use binoculars. I mean we were in a stadium and so far away like I tweeted earlier I just remember seeing glitter. I also remember being mad he didn't sing Thriller, lol. I was really disappointed because he didn't sing by himself. I knew about the Jacksons through my parents but I only really cared about Michael at that time. My mom said the tickets were just $20, they would be $500 in 2009. I remember going home with a poster that I hung up on my wall to hang with the many others I had. Funny thing about that time in my life I used to talk to my Michael Jackson posters. I didn't have imaginary friends. I had Mike. I had my Mickey Mouse night light because Mike loved Mickey and the huge posters and I would feel safe. Never thought there were monsters in my closet because Michael's big ass poster

was on the front of it, lol. Just wanted to flashback on that memory since it came to me:)

Thank You Michael! XOXO

I'm glad you gave as much as you did. I'm glad you cared as much as you cared. What a pleasure. I'm glad I was a witness to true greatness in talent and just in the human spirit. Thank you for inspiring me to think beyond belief. To believe in my dreams and if something didn't exist to create it.

This one is for you...

How to Sell a Screenplay from Filmmaker Jameel Saleem (LMAO)

Check out more of his vids on YouTube: Click Here

Kanye West & Guru Energy Drink Strike a Deal

Kanye West will be collaborating with Guru to create his own signature drink. In April, Kanye became a shareholder in the company after discovering the product in a NYC deli. “I express myself through music, fashion, art and design and that’s why I am excited to collaborate with GURU; because the brand values what I value, and I can put what inspires me into this new product,” West said.

Last week on June 11th, Kanye hosted the 2nd “Stay in School” Benefit Concert at the historic Chicago Theatre. Proceeds raised by the concert will benefit Loop Dreams, the music production program of the Kanye West Foundation, and the Dr. Donda West Scholarship fund. In case you didn't know Nike donated proceeds from the sales of the Air Yeezys to Loop Dreams & the Dr. Donda West Fund as well. So all those people slept on the streets for sneaks for a very good cause.



For More Information Visit:
Guru Energy
Kanye West Foundation


via Urban Guru

Nas - Street Dreams

Happy 38th Birthday Tupac!!!

"I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, theres a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep ya head up.... and handle it."

Soblu Inc. to Sponsor ABFF’s Official Thursday Night Festival Party

Event will feature a live performance by Raheem Devaughn June 25th in Miami

Soblu Inc., one of Washington, D.C.’s premier entertainment companies, has been announced as the official sponsor of the 2009 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Thursday night festival party (June 25th). Soblu is teaming up with the ABFF to promote the upcoming DVD release of their debut feature film, “Jazz in the Diamond District” (releasing August 2009), and share with the ABFF community a taste of D.C. film and music. The event will be held at Miami’s newly renovated Liv Nightclub, located within the exclusive Fontainebleau Hotel (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139), and will feature a live performance by two-time Grammy Award nominee, Raheem DeVaughn, who is featured on the film’s soundtrack. The event will also include guest appearances by the film’s cast, including “The Wire’s,” Wood Harris and D.C.’s own, Clifton Powell. Tickets for the event are $75 and can be purchased via the festival website link. For table reservations, please contact (305) 674-4680.

For more info:

SoBlu - www.soblu.com

ABFF - www.abff.com - Festival runs June 24-27, 2009

Program Note: Roberto Clemente

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE presents Roberto Clemente, a one-hour documentary about an exceptional baseball player and committed humanitarian, who challenged racial discrimination to become baseball’s first Latino superstar. Read More

Watch Online or on television Monday, June 15th at 9pm on your local PBS station.

Jivox: Your Ad to Your World

I'm putting on my Oprah cap to tell you guys about this website Jivox.com I found browsing the web today. This is a must for any small business owner or entrepreneur. Jivox let's you create your own ad spots, choose your target audiences, and then create your own online campaign.
I think its awesome because I no longer have to fiddle around with Movie Maker if I want to throw something together real quick. They have video and slides. You can either upload your own videos or music or use what they provide. The music is pretty cool and the pics are usable for most categories, I used my own pics and their music. Best of all its free to sign up and create ads. A premium service offering on the site allows you to partake in a online video advertising campaign with over 600 websites.

So far I've done two ad spots, in less than an hour, which Jivox will upload to my YouTube account. Its very easy to learn and navigate, I'll be back to let you see the results. Stay Tuned!

Pharrell Talks About "The Simple Things" at Art Basel

Pharrell breaks down the inspiration behind "The Simple Things". One thing for sure Pharrell loves cupcakes. He says, "The irony and the twist of it, the poetry of the project is that no matter how good that looks to people, for me, the taste of cupcakes is worth far more than diamonds could ever be."

I wonder where he gets his cupcakes from, lol

HHM Spotlight: Shanice

I'm relegated to watching my favorite singer sing her ass off on YouTube and kill everybody else's songs. Here she is doing UnBreak My Heart made famous by Toni Braxton. She also killed Beyonce's Halo & If I Were A Boy and Rihanna's Take A Bow.

Shanice tears them all up. Enough is enough I had to break down and ask her to sing one of her songs, "I Love Your Smile" or "Saving Forever 4U" my favorites. Keeping my fingers crossed:)

This is from the soundtrack of the original Beverly Hills 90210. Peep the fly 90s gear: Cross Colours & cut out hats for your ponytails, Big ass hats, and Brian Austin Green. Every cutie had three names in the 90s, lol!

Follow: twitter.com/shaniceonline

Pharrell Williams x Takashi Murakami x Jacob & Co. "The Simple Things"

This is just incredible to me. I read it sold within a half hour. Another incredible thing is how much Pharrell looks like my dad in this hat and not in a bad way. Only thing missing is the brown slacks and the brown Stacey Adams shoes:) I hope this comes to Art Basel in Miami, I will so go to see this in person.

Read & See More @BBCIceCream

*Update* ~ I just learned this sold for $2.8 million ~American dollars~:

But the grand prize would have to go to Paris-based Emmanuel Perrotin’s duplex stand and its fresh-from-the-studio Takashi Murakami collaboration with hip-hop star Pharrell Williams. Titled The Simple Things and set inside a chamber-like plexi vitrine, the Mr. Dob–themed sculpture is a hallucinatory work in fiberglass, steel, LED light system, and acrylic, and features seven objects — including a bag of Doritos, a bottle of Heinz ketchup, and a can of Pepsi — all made in different types of gold (pink, yellow, and white) and encrusted with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. It sold for €2 million ($2.8 million).

“It looks bling, but it’s really anti-bling,” insisted Perrotin, still flush with excitement from the transaction, which involved a battle between four buyers, two of whom were friends and decided to buy the work jointly and share it.

“Personally, I’m proud not to have followed all these people with less ambitious works,” said Perrotin. “We have to follow the dreams of artists.” He further noted that the piece “was a homage to real life.”

via ArtInfo ~ Judd Tully

Yung Casanova rhymes over "Death of Autotune" Beat & Another Shoulder Tap for Jay

I'm calling this new feature: Spit Hot Fiyah ~ my favorite line from Dylan on Making The Band 2, lol. But this is serious.

Yung Casanova is an artist out of Toronto, Canada. I got this hot off the press from my boi over at Fly City 2 City. He made me a believer. Check out the track here:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/61034661a2f079c8/

For more information on Yung Casanova visit: myspace.com/yungcasanova




As far as my opinion of Death of Autotune: Seriously people, since when do 40 year olds dictate what's hot??? Don't be so shallow. Autotune is used in music of all genres and there's nothing wrong with that. Its about money. Jay can't hop on a fad so he wants to call it corny. I know what's corny this "Brother From Another Planet" he got going on. Take your own advice Jay and change clothes...

Kobe Bryant's Accuser Freestyle

Disclaimer: I don't know if this is the actual accuser.

Kobe Bryants Rape Accuser Freestyles About The Rape

via Forbez DVD

Penny Hardaway & Lil Penny Classic

One of my fondest memories of my teen years was waiting for the next Lil Penny commericial, lol. I had huge crush and was a big fan of Penny Hardaway. Penny was a big deal back then, he was in the running for the next Jordan crown along with Grant Hill, who I loved as well. Back then I was an Orlando Magic fan, there was Penny, Shaq, Dennis Scott, Nick Anderson, Brian Shaw, and Horace Grant. They were swept by Rockets in the 95 NBA Finals but hey there was Hakeen Olujawon and Clyde Drexler on that team and they were the reigning champs. I think Orlando could possibly upset the Lakers. If anything, I hope they don't get swept. We shall see! Peep Tyra in her modeling hey day getting Cindy Crawford status.