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USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Jermaine Dupri on the key to a hit record, Quincy Jones and his 'tribute of all tributes'
Jermaine Dupri on the key to a hit record, Quincy Jones and his 'tribute of all tributes' Show Caption Hide Caption Jermaine Dupri to pay tribute to music titan Quincy Jones at ESSENCE Rapper Jermaine Dupri gives a sneak peak into his Quincy Jones tribute set list that features Xscape, MC Lyte and many more. When the illustrious music titan Quincy Jones passed away at the age of 91 last November, Jermaine Dupri acknowledged him as someone who gave him "much more confidence about music and life." The two hit it off when they first met. "He called me his little brother, and I was always at his house," in Los Angeles, Dupri recalled. They chatted over homemade hamburgers, and Jones inspired him in his journey to become vegan. "A lot of the conversations we had, they'll stick with me for the rest of my life." For the esteemed producer, rapper, and So So Def founder, Jones's widely acclaimed career − which ranged from being a part of notable films, working on classic records with legends and his partnership with the King of Pop Michael Jackson − was his blueprint: "I patterned myself after him in my own way," he said. 'Tribute of all tributes' This July, Dupri is poised to honor Jones' influence and legendary catalog at this year's Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans. He intends to put his all on the stage. "This is the Blackest festival that we have in America, and I feel like Quincy is the greatest Black producer of American Black music," Dupri told USA TODAY. "I wanted something that translated to the generation of people that I feel like my music is made for and a younger audience." The panoramic performance will be an educational "tribute of all tributes," showing "the importance of Quincy and who he was to me and who I am as a producer standing across from him," he added. Essence Fest: Performers announced for 2025: Dates, tickets, hosts, what to know What to expect during Dupri's 'ESSENCE Flowers' tribute Included in Dupri's setlist is the late 90s gold-certified record "Keep On, Keepin' On" with MC Lyte and Xscape. It sampled Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl," which was co-produced by Jones. The song was the perfect blend to create a radio smash for the rap pioneer and chart-topping girl group he discovered. "If you hear MC Lyte's version, you might not realize that it's 'Liberian Girl,'" Dupri stated. "That's what I'm going to do in my set; I'm going to make you realize that you might not even realize how much Quincy Jones you have listened to." Other additions to the tribute are the iconic R&B trio SWV, who added their twist to Jones' production on Jackson's "Human Nature" for their beloved debut hit "Right Here." Rap powerhouses The Pharcyde and Mobb Deep's contribution to the performance would underscore how Jones' work was heavily sampled in hip-hop culture. Singer Al B. Sure!, a feature on Jones' 1989 "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)," and other vocalists like Tyrese and Robin Thicke, who were a part of the modern, up-tempo version with Dupri's magic touch decades later, will also take the stage. The 2010 remake came at a time when "Quincy gave young producers the opportunity to take one of his songs and remix it," Dupri stated. It was included on Jones' final album, "Q: Soul Bossa Nostra," made up of contemporary renditions of his classic hits from acts spanning multiple genres. Thicke also appeared in a reimagining of Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" on the same project. Great modern artists do their homework, Dupri says Dupri is a force in his own right and has a prowess for creating timeless music, like Jones. He has worked with the greats, from Usher to Ludacris to Mariah Carey. In recent years, the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has collaborated with rising stars like Dvsn on 2022's "If I Get Caught." Dupri announced that he had signed the Canadian R&B duo to his record label this week. Dupri also worked with singer Ari Lennox, co-producing one of her latest songs, "Soft Girl Era." He also caught a massive hit with Muni Long's ballad "Made For Me," which became a TikTok sensation and secured the vocalist a Grammy Award for the "Live On BET" version. He said their sole studio session was a breeze because Long was knowledgeable. "It's really about going in the studio with talented people that listen and pay attention to the elements that have created songs that are bigger than the songs that they make," Dupri said. Some of those elements to make a hit of that caliber that are missing from today's musical climate are a well-versed producer and a studied artist, according to Dupri. He recently initiated discourse online when he argued that the youth in the current state of R&B lack the traditional church influence. Dupri further clarified his point: "You can go in your room and make a song and get on the charts. That's amazing, but the simplicity of it at some point doesn't live up to the extraordinary space that I know I grew up listening to. People don't understand how important having these pieces in the studio with you are." Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
CBS News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Detroit mayoral candidates participate in first forum of 2025 election
For the first time since the filing deadline, all the major candidates for the 2025 Detroit mayoral election appeared together at a forum Saturday afternoon. A room inside the Riverside Marina clubhouse was full of voters, including the undecided. "I want to find out their qualifications, what their concerns are, and how they apply to me and my community," said Caryl Conway, an undecided voter. Career politicians, an entrepreneur, a former police chief and a businessman are among the top candidates running for Detroit mayor. "We all have different things that we want, and I just want to know who they are here to serve," said undecided voter Charity Whitaker. Affordable housing was the number one priority voters wanted to hear about from the candidates on Saturday. "I would say affordable housing. We have so many people that are homeless, and they require housing for more than just a one- or two-bedroom unit," Conway said. Saturday's forum was organized by the African American Leadership Institute. "We're still the Blackest city in America, and so to have a Black mayor again running the Blackest city in America, I think, will speak volumes when it comes to a whole lot of different leaders, as well as African American communities throughout the country," said Al Williams, president of the African American Leadership Institute. "African American women are the ones who do the work. They knock on the doors, they make the calls, and they go to the voting booth and vote. We are the 92%," said Tashawna Gill, Michigan director for Supermajority, a group that empowers women across the country. Supermajority says Black women will be the deciding factor in the race for Detroit's next mayor. "We will. When we speak, they listen, and we've got to make our voices heard," Conway said. The primary election is set for Aug. 5, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 4.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin faces fury during trip to largely Black neighborhood in D.C.
Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin has been having a rough go at things since President Donald Trump picked the former lawyer for Jan. 6 defendants — who on the day of the attack tweeted that he was at the Capitol and relayed the 'love, faith and joy' at the scene — to serve as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. I wrote last month about Martin's rage over media leaks apparently coming from staffers in his office. And this week, he received fierce backlash during an appearance in one of the Blackest communities in D.C. The Washingtonian magazine published a dispatch from Martin's trip to Anacostia, a neighborhood that is nearly 90% Black, for a discussion with local leaders about crime. On its face, this appearance seemed ripe for controversy, given that Martin is a staunch supporter of the insurrectionists who waged a Ku Klux Klan-style attack on the Capitol, with gallows and all. And apparently, Martin's disconnect from attendees was glaringly obvious. According to the Washingtonian, he made an attempt to drive a wedge between Anacostia residents and Africans who have benefited from foreign aid. And it didn't go over well. Per the Washingtonian: Clearly a back-slapping, friendly person by nature, he began his appearance with a somewhat conciliatory tone, telling the crowd 'you're the experts on what's happening in the community,' and name-dropping the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site as commemorating 'one of the great historic folks.' But he struggled to keep it relatable. By a few minutes in, he brought up the embattled USAID in what he clearly thought was a slam dunk: 'When USAID sent hundreds of millions of dollars to central Africa, didn't you ask, 'why didn't you send it to 7D? (the Seventh District),' he asked. There was an immediate and resounding 'no' from the crowd. 'You didn't?,' Martin scoffed. 'Well you should. I did.' This was a pretty disgusting attempt by Martin to sow division by invoking U.S. Agency for International Development cuts, which are inhibiting everything from HIV treatment to maternal health care in Africa. Martin appeared to be taking tips from his boss here: President Donald Trump peddled this same kind of 'foreigners are taking your money' schlock, particularly to Black audiences, during last year's campaign. And the Washingtonian noted that Martin was called out on this by Cora Masters Barry, the widow of former Washington Mayor Marion Barry: A few minutes later, Cora Masters Barry, Marion Barry's widow, took issue, giving Martin the most severe dressing down of the day. 'You need to learn your politics,' she said. 'You need to learn geography, and world affairs. There's a whole different pot of money that goes to Africa that stops diseases…. You don't know what you talking about, so be careful about what you say when you go places, because you show that you're not well read.' Ouch. She basically called Martin an ignoramus to his face. And Barry didn't stop there: Barry also pointed out that Martin, in his focus on crime, ignored the fact that DC had already made progress. 'You haven't once mentioned Metropolitan [Police Department],' she said. 'You haven't talked about the chief of police, who's doing a great job of bringing crime down. So you can't sit there and talk about what you gonna do as if something's not being done already. What you do is you walk in and you say: 'what's being done and how can I help?'' She reportedly received applause when she advised Martin to 'be careful how you talk to us.' This seems to have been a pretty disastrous showing by Martin, whose MAGA messaging clearly goes over well with hardcore Trump supporters — and far less so with residents of Anacostia. At least those residents appear to see him more as an occupying force in D.C., which Trump has said he wants to 'take over,' than a helpful partner to its communities. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia councilwoman tells ex-BLM mayor to stop playing 'victim' after charging Africa vacay to city card
A former Black Lives Matter organizer elected as mayor of South Fulton, Georgia, in 2021 got a rude awakening Tuesday when a city councilwoman told him to stop playing the "victim" after charging tens of thousands of dollars on his city credit card. At Tuesday's city council meeting in the Atlanta-area, Mayor Khalid Kamau, who also goes by Mayor Kobi, lamented that news cameras were there. He accused some council members of "political posturing" amid reports that the mayor allegedly made more than $26,000 worth of unauthorized purchases on his city credit card in the final quarter of 2024. During that time period, the mayor reportedly documented a 20-day trip to Ghana on his Instagram account. "I am so distressed and disappointed that the Blackest city in the United States of America is headed into Black History Month with this all-Black council tearing each other down," Kamau said. After being recognized to speak, Councilwoman Helen Willis shot back. Georgia Appeals Court Disqualifies Da Fani Willis And Her Team From Trump Election Interference Case "Mayor, I really was going to let this go, but I can't continue to sit here and allow you to make it seem like we're the villains, and you're the victim," Willis said. "Now those cameras are in the back of the room, not because of us. We would love to come to a meeting and just go through this agenda, have a professional meeting. And do the business of the people and go home. But it was you who wanted to go sit around and call us the 'Blackest city' and say we want to tear each other down…" Read On The Fox News App "We're not tearing you down. You took your Black behind over to Africa for 20 days and didn't tell anybody," Willis said, prompting the meeting to be called into order. "No, he called us the Blackest city, and that was disrespectful," she added. "We keep telling him that." Kamau reportedly walked out of the meeting before the portion began to discuss his spending. No stranger to controversy, Kamau, who's been mayor since January 2022, was arrested on burglary and trespassing charges the following year for allegedly entering a lake house he believed to be abandoned before confronting the startled homeowner. His personal website, Netroots Nations, describes Kamau as "the first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public office in the country." Among the $26,000 in authorized purchases, Kamau allegedly spent $1,800 on a table for his office that converts into a pool table, WSB-TV reported, citing bank records. In September, the mayor allegedly used his city card to purchase more than $9,000 worth of travel, including flight upgrades, which are against city policy. Reports say bank records show he also used the city card to spend $13,000 on high-tech electronics and international travel in October. He is also accused of using his city card to buy a $1,300 drone, as well as to make several Amazon purchases, including one purchase that amounted to $1,800. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Mulling Georgia Gubernatorial Run WSB previously reported that bank records show Kamau spent more than $5,000 on several plane tickets, including one Air Kenya flight for more than $1,500, that was charged to the city card. "I wanted to find out if taxpayers paid for this trip," one resident, Reshard Snellings, told the outlet earlier this month. "We should not be asked to go without something so that our elected officials can travel all over the globe."Willis has alleged that Kamau has 112 outstanding receipts that have not been reconciled or submitted, violating city policy requiring justification within 72 hours of purchase. "We need more economic development here, and we don't need to go to Africa in order for the city to have a multi-business deal," Willis said earlier this month, according to WSB. The city does not have rules on international travel, but all personal expenses on city credit cards require approval. Before Tuesday, the council had previously voted to temporarily ban international travel for 30 to 45 days so that the policy could be reviewed. The South Fulton City Manager announced that the firm Baker Tilly will conduct an investigation into the use of the city credit cards, WSB reported. Fox News Digital reached out to Kamau on Wednesday seeking comment but did not immediately hear article source: Georgia councilwoman tells ex-BLM mayor to stop playing 'victim' after charging Africa vacay to city card
Fox News
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Georgia councilwoman tells ex-BLM mayor to stop playing 'victim' after charging Africa vacay to city card
A former Black Lives Matter organizer elected as mayor of South Fulton, Georgia, in 2021 got a rude awakening Tuesday when a city councilwoman told him to stop playing the "victim" after charging tens of thousands of dollars on his city credit card. At Tuesday's city council meeting in the Atlanta-area, Mayor Khalid Kamau, who also goes by Mayor Kobi, lamented that news cameras were there. He accused some council members of "political posturing" amid reports that the mayor allegedly made more than $26,000 worth of unauthorized purchases on his city credit card in the final quarter of 2024. During that time period, the mayor reportedly documented a 20-day trip to Ghana on his Instagram account. "I am so distressed and disappointed that the Blackest city in the United States of America is headed into Black History Month with this all-Black council tearing each other down," Kamau said. After being recognized to speak, Councilwoman Helen Willis shot back. "Mayor, I really was going to let this go, but I can't continue to sit here and allow you to make it seem like we're the villains, and you're the victim," Willis said. "Now those cameras are in the back of the room, not because of us. We would love to come to a meeting and just go through this agenda, have a professional meeting. And do the business of the people and go home. But it was you who wanted to go sit around and call us the 'Blackest city' and say we want to tear each other down…" "We're not tearing you down. You took your Black behind over to Africa for 20 days and didn't tell anybody," Willis said, prompting the meeting to be called into order. "No, he called us the Blackest city, and that was disrespectful," she added. "We keep telling him that." Kamau reportedly walked out of the meeting before the portion began to discuss his spending. No stranger to controversy, Kamau, who's been mayor since January 2022, was arrested on burglary and trespassing charges the following year for allegedly entering a lake house he believed to be abandoned before confronting the startled homeowner. His personal website, Netroots Nations, describes Kamau as "the first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public office in the country." Among the $26,000 in authorized purchases, Kamau allegedly spent $1,800 on a table for his office that converts into a pool table, WSB-TV reported, citing bank records. In September, the mayor allegedly used his city card to purchase more than $9,000 worth of travel, including flight upgrades, which are against city policy. Reports say bank records show he also used the city card to spend $13,000 on high-tech electronics and international travel in October. He is also accused of using his city card to buy a $1,300 drone, as well as to make several Amazon purchases, including one purchase that amounted to $1,800. WSB previously reported that bank records show Kamau spent more than $5,000 on several plane tickets, including one Air Kenya flight for more than $1,500, that was charged to the city card. "I wanted to find out if taxpayers paid for this trip," one resident, Reshard Snellings, told the outlet earlier this month. "We should not be asked to go without something so that our elected officials can travel all over the globe."Willis has alleged that Kamau has 112 outstanding receipts that have not been reconciled or submitted, violating city policy requiring justification within 72 hours of purchase. "We need more economic development here, and we don't need to go to Africa in order for the city to have a multi-business deal," Willis said earlier this month, according to WSB. The city does not have rules on international travel, but all personal expenses on city credit cards require approval. Before Tuesday, the council had previously voted to temporarily ban international travel for 30 to 45 days so that the policy could be reviewed. The South Fulton City Manager announced that the firm Baker Tilly will conduct an investigation into the use of the city credit cards, WSB reported. Fox News Digital reached out to Kamau on Wednesday seeking comment but did not immediately hear back.
