R.I.P. Notorious B.I.G - 16th Anniversary

The spotlight shines once again on Notorious B.I.G - 'Christopher Wallace' on the 16th anniversary of his death.  Friends and family of the late Biggie Smalls sharing memories and discussing their feelings towards his passing and legacy with a number of media outlets. The mother of his daughter, and T’yanna sat down for a radio interview on New York's Hot 97, last year for an ‘insightful’ interview.

More on Biggie inside, including my brief encounter with the hip-hop legend when I attended one of his performances in Toronto. Watch footage from the fallen hip hop icon's funeral which was attended by many of his friends, and also an  interview with his daughter.

R.I.P. Lincoln MacCauley Alexander (1922 - 2012)

 

 

Lincoln MacCauley Alexander was born January 21, 1922 in Toronto to West Indian parents and grew up in Toronto and New York City. He served in World War II with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a corporal, graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto 1953; that path was set after he had applied for a sales job with Stelco in 1949 after graduating from McMaster University with a BA. They said customers would not want to deal with a black man, and this gave him the impetus to attend law school. 

He first ran for political office in 1965 and was a seatmate of John Diefenbaker in Parliament. Later on he was elected to the House of Commons in 1968 making him the first black member of Parliament. Alexander moved to Hamilton in the early 1940s and he represented Hamilton West for the PC party, a position he would hold for the next four elections. The Honourable Lincoln Alexander served as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991 and was the first black person to do so. Read more and watch the trailer for his film documentary...

New Music: Whitney Houston - 'I Look To You' Ft. R. Kelly

#R.Kelly penned the moving and spiritual track "I Look To You" for the late great #WhitneyHouston which was released on her 2009 album of the same title. Seven months after her passing, the RnB, Soul, Gospel, Pop singer's legacy lives on.

R. Kelly duets with the iconic legend on “I Look to You,” which Kelly sang at Houston’s funeral. Both artists vocals are merged together on the latest release of this memoriable and gracious track.....

R.I.P. Sam 'the Record Man' Sniderman (1920 - 2012)

Sam Sniderman, founder of the Sam the Record Man chain of stores — still so memorable for its flagship location near Yonge and Gould streets in Toronto — has died at the age of 92. Opened in 1959, the store with the massive neon records was a fixture on the street until 2007. An October memorial service will be announced shortly....

Aaliyah featuring Drake – Enough Said (Shlohmo Remix)

Yesterday was the 11th anniversary of RnB icon Aaliyah death, and in honor comes another intriguing tribute. This time around, Los Angeles-based producer Shlohmo hits the scene with his chopped up and slowed down interpretation of her Drake-assisted single "Enough Said" of off the forthcoming posthumous Aaliyah, which is being directed by the Toronto native and his partner Noah "40" Shebib.

Listen inside...

Full Video: Heavy D – “Be Inspired” Documentary

If you missed the Heavy D documentary bio that aired on BET’s Centric network, you can watch the full length video via courtesy of LargeUp and read what they had to say about it, and watch the documentary inside...

R.I.P. Legendary Winston Riley (1946-2012)

The passing of legendary Jamaican singer and producer Winston Riley–who slipped away last week, after remaining in a coma since November, went largely unnoticed in mainstream music circles.
Riley was born in Kingston, Jamaica and he was pivotal figure in expanding reggae music internationally. His entry into the music industry was at 16 years old in 1962, when he formed The Techniques harmony group, which recorded their first tracks for Byron Lee, and then later recorded for Duke Reid. In 1968, he left the group and formed his own Techniques record label, moving into production, producing artistes like Boris Gardiner, The Escorts, Alton and Hortense Ellis, and Johnny Osbourne.

His own song, "Double Barrll", performed by Dave and Ansell Collins under Riley's own production, was one of the first international reggae hits, reaching #1 in the Dutch and UK Singles Chart.

 His "Stalag" riddim has often been used. The rhythm was first released in 1973, as the instrumental Ansell Collins track, "Stalag 17", named after the World War II film of the same name. It reappeared later as "Stalag 18", "Stalag 19", "Stalag 20" and "Ring the Alarm Quick".

Riley produced General Echo's hugely influential The Slackest album in 1979, and he went on to launch the careers of Sister Nancy, Buju Banton, Cutty Ranks, Lone Ranger, and Frankie Paul.