Latest news with #EssenceFestivalofCulture
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@
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Starting5: Diddy's Trial, Target Boycott, Atlanta Dream, and Essence Festival 2025
Welcome to Starting5, your daily rundown of five ATL news items that should be on your radar or in your group chat. Our morning primer covering culture, politics, sports, and more, is your cheat sheet on what's buzzing in the A. Today marks the eighth day of Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial, and horrific allegations have dominated entertainment news cycles from the start. Last week, singer and fashion model Cassie Ventura testified against her ex-boyfriend Combs, accusing him of physical, emotional, and financial abuse. CNN reports that a male exotic dancer nicknamed 'The Punisher' testified Tuesday that Combs regularly paid him to have sex with Ventura as he watched and directed. Rapper Kid Cudi is expected to take the stand this week and perhaps corroborate Ventura's testimony about Combs allegedly threatening to blow up Cudi's car after learning they were romantically involved, according to Rolling Stone. Pastor Jamal Bryant is turning up the heat on his call to boycott Target. The Atlanta-born movement that has been imploring consumers to avoid the retailer since March 5 is now bringing the nationwide protest to the front doors of their stores on May 25, to commemorate the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The boycott is blowback for Target's withdrawal from diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives pledged to the Black community after Floyd was murdered in 2020. And it could be making an impact: The Associated Press reported that the corporation fell short of projected 2025 first quarter net sales by $380 million. Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, said in a video posted to Facebook that his congregation will assemble outside a Target store in Conyers on Sunday at noon for nine minutes and 40 seconds — to symbolize the length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin fatally kneeled on Floyd's neck. Keisha Lance Bottoms is back like she left something behind. The former Atlanta mayor announced Tuesday she is officially running for governor next year, seeking to replace Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited. Bottoms, who joins Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves and Republican Attorney General Chris Carr in the gubernatorial race, told Capital B Atlanta that her reason for returning to local politics after deciding not to run for mayoral reelection in 2022 is, in part, 'fighting back' against President Donald Trump. 'I'll work with Trump where I can work with Trump,' she said of her intentions if she's elected. 'I won't hesitate to push back on policies that are harmful to people across Georgia. I've been in battle with him before, so I'm not afraid to do it again.' Check back with Capital B Atlanta to read more about Bottoms' stance on issues most important to Black Atlanta voters. The 2025 performance lineup that Essence Festival of Culture announced last month was stacked, but with Tuesday's reveal of additional entertainers, the star power is even more luminous. Erykah Badu, Babyface, SWV, Dru Hill, Ari Lennox, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Patti LaBelle, and many others will be gracing the stage July 3-6 at New Orleans' Caesar Superdome. They're joining a slate that already includes Atlanta's own Summer Walker, Nas, Maxwell, The Isley Brothers, Davido, Buju Banton, Boyz II Men, and N'awlins native Master P, who will be joined by his group No Limit Soldiers for what is being billed as his final performance. The new-look Atlanta Dream clocked its first win of the young 2025 WNBA season Tuesday night, cooling off the Indiana Fever in a 91-90 heater at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis that went down to the wire. New Dream recruit Brittney Griner put up 21 points to lead her team in scoring, paired with 20 from Rhyne Howard — just enough to withstand a fourth-quarter flurry by Caitlin Clark, who notched 27 points and 11 assists. Both teams have a 1-1 record following last night's contest, so Thursday's rematch at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park will be a hot ticket! The post Starting5: Diddy's Trial, Target Boycott, Atlanta Dream, and Essence Festival 2025 appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Slidell man sentenced following rapes of two juveniles
SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) — A Slidell man was sentenced on Friday, May 9, following convictions on multiple sex crimes, including the rape of two juveniles. According to the 22nd Judicial District Court, back in the summer of 2021, a teen girl told friends that she had been molested years earlier. The mother who was hosting the girls spoke with the victim, and an investigation into the matter was later opened by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. OPSO maintenance worker allegedly aided in prison break arrested During the investigation, another teen girl as well as a teen boy both also claimed that they had been sexually assaulted by the same man, identified as 63-year-old Robert Allen Morgan. Morgan was found guilty of multiple sex crimes back in February. The charges included two counts of first-degree rape of a child under age 13, two counts of molestation of a child under age 13, one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of sexual battery of a child under age 15. He has now been sentenced to two life sentences for the rape counts, 25 years for each molestation charge, 10 years for the sexual battery charge and seven years for the indecent behavior Tesla and SpaceX brand reputations tumble in new rankings Cassie's mother: Sean 'Diddy' Combs demanded $20K because her daughter was seeing someone else Music lineup expanded for 2025 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans Cold front brings storms into Louisiana NFL owners unanimously approve player participation in Olympic flag football for 2028 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
