1. How well will Whitney Houston’s new album do after hearing the classic sounding “Million Dollar Bill?”
2. How hot will the video be for “Run This Town?”
3.Is it necessary for Christopher Wallace’s son to start a rap career right now?
Devyne Stephens, camper Eriq Scott, T-Boz and counselor Jessica Smith
Atlanta, GA- August 7, 2009- Yesterday, Atlanta-based entertainment mogul and CEO of Upfront Megatainment, Devyne Stephens , visited Camp Twin Lakes, with T-Boz of TLC fame. Camp Twin Lakes Camp is a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic, and educational programs for children facing serious illnesses and other physical, emotional and life challenges. Each week the camp focuses on a particular illness and offers a haven for young people from 6-16 giving them nutritious meals, lots of activities and medical staff to insure the youngsters’ safety.
This week Camp Twin Lakes focused on children with sickle cell anemia. T-Boz is a sickle cell sufferer. Devyne and T-Boz spent time with the children and met one young woman, in particular, with an interesting story.
Jessica Smith, now 21, came to Twin Lakes when she was 7. Growing up in South Carolina in a community where she was the only person she knew with sickle cell, Jessica felt isolated and ostracized. When she arrived at Twin Lakes, imagine her surprise and relief to meet someone else, an entire bunk full in fact, of other children with the same illness. At Twin Lakes, she had found a family. Many of these children don’t want anyone to know they have sickle cell outside of camp. Jessica grew up at Twin Lakes, eventually becoming a CIT (counselor in training) and is now a full fledged counselor. Last year, she gave birth to her own daughter who also has sickle cell anemia. Jessica is now thinking about what she wants for her daughter and that includes a place like Twin Lakes.
Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting about 72,000 Americans or 1 in 500 African Americans, with 1 in 12 African Americans carrying the sickle cell trait. In the United States alone, those diagnosed with sickle cell anemia total approximately 8,000 per year, 666 per month, 153 per week and 21 per day.
HONOLULU, HI (Aug 6, 2009) -Thompson’s Productions, Waikiki Shell, Tr3ees and Styrophibia are joining forces to highlight the importance of preserving the environment by making ‘Ziggy Marley Live in Concert’ at the Waikiki Shell an eco-friendly event.
This commitment to environmental sustainability means all food and beverage service wares will be made from bio-compostable containers to reduce the impact of consumption on the island’s beautiful landscape. Styrophobia will provide cups, serving ware and utensils made from sustainable products. Tr3ees will also be working with the Waikiki Shell to set up recycling containers around the venue at each trashcan for water bottle collection. Plus, generators in use will be fueled with biodiesel instead of regular petroleum diesel.
“It is important to Thompson’s Productions to care for the communities where we host our events and one way we can do that is by partnering with organizations such as Styrophobia and TR3EES to help reduce waste and educate people about environmental responsibility,†says Kevin Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson’s Productions. “Going green is about changing habits and we can make a difference one-person at a time.â€
Tr3ees specializes in custom designing and producing sustainable, green, zero waste events and businesses in Hawaii by reducing the environmental impact of their operations, while educating participants and the surrounding community. “Thompson’s Productions is showing true environmental leadership in Hawaii by being the first green event at the Waikiki Shell since the Kokua Festivals. We are committed to involving concert goers in being GREEN!,†says Jennifer Homcy, Co-Founder of TR3EES.
Ari Patz, co-owner and director of operations of Styrophobia, adds providing sustainable alternatives will make a difference to help preserve the earth. “Each time a plastic container is thrown away its lifespan is hundreds of years in our
environment, leaching toxins and choking marine life. Styrophobia is proud to partner with Thompson’s Productions to help reduce environmental degradation through education and community outreach.â€
‘Ziggy Marley Live in Concert’ will be held at the Waikiki Shell on Saturday August 15th, and at the Maui War Memorial on Sunday August 16, 2009. Thompson’s Productions has partnered with The Waikiki Park Shore and The Hotel Wailea of The Aqua Hotels & Resorts chain, Hard Rock Café, Maui Brewing Company, Mana Foods, Land of Organica, Love Fatigues, High Country Kombucha, Coast Line Limousine, Govinda Restaurant, Watanabe Floral, Clearwire Hawaii, T&C Surf Hawaii and more to bring this special event to Hawaii.
The concert will start at 5:00 p.m and continue until 10:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $35, $45 and $55 and can be purchased at the Blaisdell Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets, including select Macy’s. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 745-3000. For more event information, please call Hawaii Pacific Entertainment at (808) 237-3675 or e-mail umma@hawaiipacificentertainment.com or log on to www.hawaiipacificentertainment.com.
For further information about the featured artists please visit these links:
www.ziggymarley.com,
www.myspace.com/mysteriousandthemysticbandm,
www.myspace.com/rovleta,
www.myspace.com/josephisrael,
www.myspace.com/blakdiamonuim ,
www.myspace.com/lionrootszion.
For more information on Thompson’s Productions please visit
http://www.thompsonsproductions.com.
About TR3EES
TR3EES is Hawaii’s only Green Event Solutions company focused on incorporating environmental and social responsibility into events, concerts, and festivals. Our mission is to use business and event leaders to raise awareness about island stewardship through outreach, education, waste reduction and management. Go to www.tr3ees.com for more information.
About Styrophobia
Our mission is to integrate environmentally friendly alternatives using sustainable resources and eventually grow to finance better biodegradable technology, fair trade and environmental programs. Our Eco Store includes sustainable products, including biodegradables for everyday consumption choices. Styrophobia is committed to contributing at least 5% of profits to sustainability programs. We believe contribution needs to be approached mindfully. As global consciousness grows we believe together we can reduce our environmental footprint. Please join us in this effort. Mahalo!
“My mission statement is to put out feel good music and to uplift the R&B lovers”
K’Jon’s meditative “On The Ocean†is quelling the inner turmoil of an R&B nation dealing with a dire economy, health care issues and a new Black president. Hailing from Detroit, a city of tall musical merit going through severe political and economic ignominy he wrote his hit song came from a place of peaceful resilience in the face of his own personal challenges. Oddly enough the song’s soothing qualities almost conceal the rolling rhythm underneath that has snared the feet of ballroom dancers around the country. The so-called urban adult contemporary music slot never had this much life in a song and exceeded its usual watery expectations with a sound politically analogous to Lionel Richie’s crossovers. Earlier stints as an independent artist and songwriter produced the Latin tinted “Miami†on the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack and got him gigs opening for the likes of Ludacris, Ginuwine, Ne-Yo and T-Pain. Interest in his artistry reached a nadir this week with the release of his first album I Get Around and K’Jon spoke with Kickmag about his journey into a fulltime music career and why “On The Ocean†means so much to him.
How did you get started with music?
I’ve been recording all my life you know so it was a hobby I pretty much held down a 9 to 5 but a point in time I got laid off and I turned to music fulltime as a professional career so you know as soon as I did that I got called up to New York and I jumped on the Too Fast To Furious soundtrack and things were not as promising but I came back to Detroit worked independently and here it is now. I was pushing On The Ocean for a couple of years and Universal Republic signed me they thought the record had an even greater potential.
Where did “ On The Ocean†come from?
I wrote that while I was dying as an artist I had a production situation but as an artist it wasn’t moving fast enough for me so I was assigned to write for different people and my frustrations came out in that record you know I was away from my hometown I was away from my daughter and my frustrations I used the ocean as a metaphor it was something that I could see happening but it wasn’t but I was just gonna keep on working and being persistent until things turned around for me.
How did it become a tune for the steppers?
Actually when I was working independently I would service everyone radio, DJs, it became a ballroom song first and the ballroom community embraced it and then it lead to the steppers embracing it so pretty much just sharing the music and actually visiting Chicago several times and that’s how it became a stepper’s song.
Is your album self-produced?
It’s ninety percent self-produced myself and my partner Proteus we call ourselves the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen there are other producers but we produce ninety-percent.
Who do you listen to?
I have a wide range I’m listening to the new Maino, I’m listening to the Maxwell CD, Jazmine Sullivan, Keri Hilson I got John Mayer in my CD and I’m also listening to Charlie Wilson and Ginuwine.
What is your mission statement as an artist?
My mission statement is to put out feel good music and to uplift the R&B lovers making music they can feel good about and get them through life that’s my mission I just want to make positive inspirational music.
What do you think about the distribution of music on the net?
I’m kind of in the middle I think it’s a great tool but I think overall I think we need to adapt as far as compensation for artists because it’s a great tool to get your music out there but at the same time I think artists the titles that you gain definitely not from the website but from people who take advantage of them there just needs to be a more constructive system that can ensure that artists are compensated that’s gonna take a lot of brainstorming and someone very clever to come up with something that’ll appease everyone.
Is there anyone you want to work with?
Everyone but to start off I want to work with some of the R&B premier divas I love Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. , Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Keyshia Cole but also Jazmine Sullivan I would like to do a duet and put something out there and also produce and write for them as well I think that’s a start.
What is going to give K’Jon longevity?
Listening to your fanbase and being true to them and yourself the Ocean paved the way for me so I’m listening to my audience and if they want more of that so I’m actually listening to them I think that’s going to give me longevity because as long as your fanbase is happy you’re gonna be here for a long time. And R&B when it comes to their fanbase they are very loyal and so I’m looking forward to it and hopefully I am blessed with longevity.
Is there anything you want to add?
I want to tell the fans thank you for the support and make sure that they know that the album comes out August 4th it’s entitled I Get Around.