Breakdown: Three Reasons To Leave The Hologram Treatment Alone

Posted on April 21, 2012 by

You’ve seen it. You were amazed, shocked, and even somewhat spooked by it. But there he was, the late Tupac Shakur, in holographic form, waxing poetic like the days of old. Next to him, Snoop Dogg (who is very much alive) performing with him, again like the days of old. Made you think those multiple gunshots never took Pac away nearly 16 years ago. I remember saying to myself, “Stunning. I hope people don’t take this to another level and want to this every time you tun around”

You already know where I am going with this.

Now there is word of the “smoke and mirrors” version of Pac  possibly going on tour and according to posts on The Grio and Huffington Post, famed producer Dr. Dre would like to bring deceased artists like the late Marvin Gaye and Jimi Hendrix to the stage. This would definitely be a draw for future concerts and you know people will line up, sleep outside, and the whole nine to get a peek. But not the kid. Here’s three reasons why RiaRob won’t be taking the bait:

1. God bless the dead. Sometimes it is just better to deal with the memories of yesteryear in traditional fashion. Don’t get me wrong, the performance was great. That does not mean we now need to herd in every dead singer in technological glory in order to sell tickets or bring in the people. Face it, it worked at Coachella. Now leave it there. There are times when our favorite, dearly departed artists simply need to STAY. THAT. WAY. If I need a memory, that is what YouTube is for.

2. Concert tickets are not getting any cheaper. In this economy, the price of the concert ticket is the equivalent of a tank of gas and groceries for the week. By the time you add in food, gas, and childcare (for me, anyway) to said ticket purchase, I’ve spent much more. I do not need to be making life decisions via Ticketmaster for a performance that has already occurred.

3. It may encourage a little bit lot of laziness. I truly understand what companies and artists do and spend to create these “illusions” for these collaborations. For the most part, I love the creativity that is required and its surreal end result. It really enhanced the performance as a whole. But I hold this position: Current artists may look at this and run with it, which would be such a shame because not every artist can put on a good show and some artists need all the help they can get. When I buy tickets to a show, my thought is, “I paid my money and you (the artist/band/group) are going to entertain me.” Part of that entertainment is a live performance. That artist better sing, dance, hoop, holler, and everything else to make sure I remain entertained. And a dead man cannot do that for three hours, no matter who is behind the controls. Show me something real that I have not seen before.

That’s it and that’s all. Hopefully, we can get back to live shows with live artists, already in progress.

Rise above…

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Dim The Lights: Dick Clark

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

Aesthetic Elevation extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late great Richard Wagstaff Clark. Known simply as the iconic Dick Clark, the creator of American Bandstand, dubbed “The World’s Oldest Teenager,” died yesterday of a massive heart attack following a medical procedure.

Celebrities took to social media and the press to express their sympathy, and rightfully so. Between Clark and the late Don Cornelius, they both introduced and reshaped how so many of us view music and how it is presented.

As a child growing up in Annapolis, American Bandstand and Soul Train kept me glued to the tube. Who could forget when Dick Clark brought out The Jackson 5 for the first time:

So many singers and entertainers got their start either on American Bandstand or one of many shows and presentations produced by Dick Clark Productions.

In all honesty, he really shined as he literally became a member of our families every year when Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rocking Eve entertained all the family’s who opted to stay home but envied all those who ventured to Time Square every year to watch the infamous ball drop.

Truly a loss to the world of music and television. The loss of yet another great person in the industry widens my ever-growing concern for the people left in our generation to carry the torch (shaking and scratching my head).

Rise above…

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Tell Me Where To Go: Maxwell To Tour This Summer

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Grammy™ award-winning singer (and bona fide, certified, FINE) Maxwell announced six  dates for his upcoming summer tour featuring sets in Los Angeles, Newark, and Atlanta. This tour will be different in that he will be performing two-night sets in each city,  performing full albums, with an eleven-piece band along for the ride.

Can you say, “Thank you sweet baby Jesus?”

Here’s the details:

Tour Dates:

Los Angeles – Staples Center: June 20 and 21, 2012

Atlanta – Phillips Arena: July 27 and 28, 2012

Newark – Prudential Center: August 3 and 4, 2012

On the first night, you will hear the songs from the Urban Hang Suite and Embrya albums. On the second night, you will hear songs from Now and BLACKsummers’Night.

Of course, American Express will have ticket pre-sales for all three shows starting Friday, April 20, at 10 am, with the remainder made available to the public on April 28.

All I have to say is that there BETTER be more dates added, DC in particular. To those who know like I know, Maxwell concerts in Chocolate City are always great and the tickets sell out quick.

 

 

 

 

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Accounting 101: Celebrities and Back Taxes

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Singer/songwriter Lionel Richie owes $1,130,609.11 in back taxes from earnings in 2010.

Having a successful career in the entertainment business yields several perks and privileges. The most popular among them is the big fat paycheck. Between salaries, royalties, and the now, almost-expected endorsement deals and side, many celebrities enjoy lots of disposable income. That disposable income is easily seen by the public in the form of homes, jewelry, cars, and numerous amounts of complete and utter excess. On the surface, it is viewed that these celebrities would never want or need for anything. A lot of you still think, “they got it made.”

That is, until Uncle Sam sticks out his hand and pimp slaps us all back to reality. Make no mistake, Uncle Sam wants his cut and he wants it now.

With famed singer/songwriter Lionel Richie joining the ranks of entertainers who owe back taxes to the IRS for failure to file and pay taxes, one has to think  that there is more to this growing phenomenon that has led entertainers from Little Wayne to Robin Thicke and Paula Patton to a date with good old Sammy and his boys. There has to be a missing piece.

From shady managers and accountants to the old adage of “one’s eye being bigger than their gut,” more and more of our favorite entertainers are doing the dance with the tax man. So it begs the question: who is really minding the celebrity’s finances?

Apparently some celebrities are not making sure that their tax game is in check. Making sure your tax game is straight is a priority, whether you are making $7 million a year or $7.25 an hour. It makes me wonder what these people were doing when they were considered  “regular people” and had a “regular” job. It would be safe to assume in that instance that they made sure their taxes were paid. At the same time, I understand that the average multimillionaire is not sitting down dealing with their tax affairs at H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt.

If entertainers can make time for cameo appearances, photo shoots, and performances, one would think that they would want to drive by their accountant’s office and make sure the financial machine stays oiled and in proper working order. They should know exactly how much they are making, spending, and owing. This point alone alludes to another problem: too many handlers. At the end of the day, one has to know the 5 W’s when it comes to their people (mainly, the manager, publicist, agent, and accountant).

At any rate, let’s hope Richie makes good on the payment, as it is only for earnings from 2010, but also reported that the IRS will seize his assets if he fails to do so. One would like to think that celebrities would be more mindful and really start examining their finance management. Maybe now they will start paying more attention.

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Academy Awards Wrap Up

Posted on February 27, 2012 by


Keeping this Oscars post short, sweet, and to the point. Here we go…

Viola was Best Dressed (and should have been Best Actress).

Her natural is still speaking wonders…

Billy was bland.

Octavia won (yay!).

Esperanza’s voice was sheer heaven. Hear her performance by clicking the clip.

Silent films speak loudly when they count. You go, Jean Dujardin (winner for Best Actor – The Artist). F-bombs in French anyone?

Lastly, please remember this…

Diddy DID NOT win an Oscar for Best Documentary. T. J. Martin (one half of the directing team with Dan Lindsay), the brother to Diddy’s right, is the one who made history as the first African-American director to win an Academy Award for the honor. Do your research people.

Like I said. Short, sweet, and to the point. That is all. Rise above.

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The Sit Down: Dunson

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

“You are the investor. I am what you need to invest in.”~ Dunson

Kenton Dunson is a man who knows what is at stake. He made a living advising people of what to do with what is at stake. In the push/pull, ebb/flow, love it/leave it world of music, especially in hip-hop, the artist now known as Dunson knows that those stakes are high. I was able to sit down with the mastermind behind the Creative Destruction series prior to his performance for Ear Candy’s 2012 series (presented by Gypsy Soul) to find out more.

You had the opportunity to perform at the legendary S.O.B.’s last month. Describe your experience.

The was my first time performing there. The one thing I can say about performing at a venue like S.O.B.’s is that those crowds listen. They are actually listening to every lyric, every note, every inflection.So many people came out to see the performance. Supporters, label executives, first timers. It was also the first time I was headlining. In short, we killed it (smiles).

As a producer, you obviously recognize that beats and production are very important. What do you look for in a beat maker or fellow producer?

In truth, I look for a producer to create or do something that I can’t do. Nowadays, someone can claim they are a producer simply by clicking a mouse. When I see that producer or beat maker I want to say “Wow, why didn’t I think of that?” That’s why when I met producers like the Phatboiz, right before they blew up, it really made me stop thinking only of myself from a producing standpoint. It forced me to respect other creatives.

Since leaving your gig as an investment advisor, are there any techniques that come in handy in this music game? Also, given that you join the ranks of entertainers who were previously employed in the financial industry, what is it about hip hop music (and subsequently sports and entertainment) that makes it such a draw?

One thing I learned as an advisor was that I was able to see first hand how people reacted to things, and more specifically, what I said. People will respond to certain situations based solely on what you said. One has to be willing to break the ice and communicate in order to gauge what people want or need. As far as hip hop, it serves as an avenue for people who live by lesser means but have a Warren Buffet mindset to actually have an opportunity to realize and exercise their creativity, thus literally changing their environment.

What does Dunson listen to when he steps away from making music?

I listen to so many different styles of music. I listen to Bon Iver, Rick Ross, Feist, a lot of indie rock, Anita Baker, and the female voice. The female voice is the best instrument ever.

Do you think there is a difference between an independent artist recording mixtapes and commercial artists who seem to drop mixtapes more frequently between albums?

Certain artists drop mix tapes when they realize that they have no buzz around them at a particular time. Many artists like to create music where which the label is not involved in order to achieve a more unfiltered and uncensored sound. One has to understand the creativity and the process of the mixtape process on a major scale. Think about it? What would it look like if Stevie Wonder and Kanye West did a mixtape?

What is your idea of the perfect mixtape?

Wow. The perfect mix tape would definitely consist of a theme, great opening tracks, great indication of a play on a sing, and free-flowing. No filler and no fluff.

Lastly, what do you want to say to the mix tape naysayer, the newbie, or the music connoisseur that is going to cop your mix tape, new single, or your upcoming project?

I want them to realize that I am giving up financial gain for your ears. It is more important for you to hear me than to pay me. I am putting in MAN HOURS. That alone is investment.

This artist is someone you really want to keep an eye on. Here’s how you can keep up:

Official Website: www.dunsonmusic.com While there, check out his new single, Count On It, from his upcoming project, The Investment. To sum it up in one word: amazing…

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DunsonMusic

Twitter: @kentondunson

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/kentondunson

Be on the lookout for Dunson’s new project, The Investment, coming soon.

Special thanks to Dunson and Gypsy Soul for the interview.

Rise above!


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(A Quick) View From The Top: Ear Candy 2012 Series – Session 1

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Ear Candy’s 2012 Series started off with a rimshot and a beat drop Tuesday night! Gypsy Soul does not play games when it comes to bringing you the dope sounds courtesy of artists you should ALREADY be following. Time to catch up!

 

The Spot: Teavolve in Harbor East. An avid supporter of the Gypsy Soul movement. The perfect place to launch this year’s series.

The People: Supporters came out, the place was packed. Gypsy Soul + Ear Candy + Teavolve always equals a full house.

Sounds: Courtesy of the super cool DJ Harvey Dent. Dude can rock all day, every day. No complaints over here!

Performances: Headliner Bianca Racquel was unable to perform due to a medical emergency, leaving Dunson with the entire show. He kept everyone in the groove with hits from his Creative Destruction series, topping it off with his new hit, Count On It.

Extras: Gypsy Soul, always staying ahead of the curve, had giveaways including two tickets to Estelle’s (yes, that’s right, Estelle) performance scheduled for this weekend.

Great start to what is going to be a great year for Gypsy Soul. Stay tuned for more events by logging onto www.gypsysoul.info, or via Facebook and Twitter.

Rise above!

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