1.
Severn, Maryland
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Severn is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 44,231 at the 2010 census, a 26% increase from its population of 35,076 at the 2000 census, Severn is located at 39°7′58″N 76°41′38″W in northwestern Anne Arundel County. It is bordered by Hanover to the north, Glen Burnie to the east, Odenton and Millersville to the south, the Baltimore–Washington Parkway forms the northwestern edge of the CDP, Maryland Route 176 forms the northern edge, and Interstate 97 forms the eastern edge. Part of the boundary of the CDP is formed by the non-tidal portion of the Severn River. The Maryland Route 100 freeway runs through the part of the CDP, connecting the B-W Parkway. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has an area of 17.7 square miles. As of the census of 2000, there were 35,076 people,12,003 households, the population density was 2,511.3 people per square mile. There were 12,362 housing units at a density of 885.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 56. 25% White,34. 56% Black,0. 42% Native American,4. 29% Asian,0. 10% Pacific Islander,1. 36% from other races, and 3. 02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3. 96% of the population,15. 3% of all households were made up of individuals and 2. 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the family size was 3.24. In the CDP, the population was out with 30. 3% under the age of 18,7. 8% from 18 to 24,35. 7% from 25 to 44,21. 1% from 45 to 64. The median age was 33 years, for every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males, the median income for a household in the CDP was $66,204, and the median income for a family was $68,424. Males had an income of $42,933 versus $31,751 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,640, about 5. 4% of families and 6. 5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10. 7% of those under age 18 and 7. 1% of those age 65 or over. Students may attend school within the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district. Eisenhower, died at Fort Meade C. Edward Middlebrooks, politician Marina Harrison, Miss Maryland 2003 and Miss Maryland USA2005 Jessica Benson, singer Erin ODonnell, francis, Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Mariela Pepin, Miss Maryland Teen USA2014
2.
Contemporary R&B
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Contemporary R&B, also known as simply R&B, is a music genre that combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, pop, hip hop and dance. The genre features a record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, an occasional saxophone-laced beat to give a jazz feel. Electronic influences are becoming a trend and the use of hip hop or dance-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness. Contemporary R&B vocalists are often known for their use of melisma, popularized by such as Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, Craig David, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston. That same year, Teddy Riley began producing R&B recordings that included hip hop influences and this combination of R&B style and hip hop rhythms was termed new jack swing and was applied to artists such as Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Al B. Guy, Jodeci and Bell Biv DeVoe, the style became less popular by the end of the 1990s, but later experienced a resurgence. In 1990 Mariah Carey released Vision of Love as her debut single and it was immensely popular peaking at number 1 in many worldwide charts including the Billboard Hot 100, and it propelled Mariahs carrier. The song is said to have popularized the use of melisma. During the mid-1990s, Whitney Houstons The Bodyguard, Original Soundtrack Album sold over 40 million copies becoming the best-selling soundtrack of all time. Janet Jacksons self-titled fifth studio album janet. which came after her historic multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records, sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey recorded several Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits, including One Sweet Day, Carey also released a remix of her 1995 single Fantasy, with Ol Dirty Bastard as a feature, a collaboration format that was unheard of at this point. Carey, Boyz II Men and TLC released albums in 1994 and 1995—Daydream, II and CrazySexyCool. In the late 1990s, neo soul, which added 1970s soul influences to the hip hop soul blend, arose, led by such as DAngelo, Erykah Badu. Hill and Missy Elliott further blurred the line between R&B and hip hop by recording both styles, beginning in 1995, the Grammy Awards enacted the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, with II by Boyz II Men becoming the first recipient. The award was received by TLC for CrazySexyCool in 1996, Tony Rich for Words in 1997, Erykah Badu for Baduizm in 1998. At the end of 1999, Billboard magazine ranked Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson as the first, simultaneously, in the second half of the 1990s, The Neptunes and Timbaland set influential precedence on contemporary R&B and hip hop music. R&B acts such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, in 2001, Alicia Keys released Fallin as her debut single. It peaking at one on the Billboard Hot 100, Mainstream Top 40
3.
Soul music
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Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States, where record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music, catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body moves, are an important feature of soul music. Other characteristics are a call and response between the lead vocalist and the chorus and a tense vocal sound. The style also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds, Soul music reflected the African-American identity and it stressed the importance of an African-American culture. The new-found African-American consciousness led to new styles of music, which boasted pride in being black, Soul music dominated the U. S. R&B chart in the 1960s, and many recordings crossed over into the pop charts in the U. S. By 1968, the music genre had begun to splinter. Some soul artists developed funk music, while other singers and groups developed slicker, more sophisticated, by the early 1970s, soul music had been influenced by psychedelic rock and other genres, leading to psychedelic soul. The United States saw the development of neo soul around 1994, there are also several other subgenres and offshoots of soul music. The term soul had been used among African-American musicians to emphasize the feeling of being an African-American in the United States, according to another source, Soul music was the result of the urbanization and commercialization of rhythm and blues in the 60s. The phrase soul music itself, referring to music with secular lyrics, is first attested in 1961. The term soul in African-American parlance has connotations of African-American pride, gospel groups in the 1940s and 1950s occasionally used the term as part of their name. The jazz style that derived from gospel came to be called soul jazz, important innovators whose recordings in the 1950s contributed to the emergence of soul music included Clyde McPhatter, Hank Ballard, and Etta James. Ray Charles is often cited as popularizing the genre with his string of hits starting with 1954s I Got a Woman. Singer Bobby Womack said, Ray was the genius and he turned the world onto soul music. Charles was open in acknowledging the influence of Pilgrim Travelers vocalist Jesse Whitaker on his singing style, little Richard and James Brown were equally influential. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson are also acknowledged as soul forefathers. Cooke became popular as the singer of gospel group The Soul Stirrers
4.
DreamWorks Records
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DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label itself also featured a Nashville, Tennessee-based subsidiary, DreamWorks Nashville, which specialized in country music and was shut down in 2005. The companys logo was designed by Roy Lichtenstein and was his last commission before his death in 1997, in 1996, six years after Geffen sold Geffen Records to MCA Music Entertainment, he joined Spielberg and Katzenberg to form DreamWorks SKG, which included the subsidiary DreamWorks Records. The labels logo was the last project completed by artist Roy Lichtenstein, Geffen Records distributed DreamWorks until 1999, when Interscope Records took over distribution duties. Rufus Wainwright was the first to be signed to the new label in early 1996, henry Rollins, Tamar Braxton, George Michael, Randy Newman, Morphine, Eels, comedian/actor Chris Rock, Powerman 5000 and others were also signed to the label. The label was presided over by Lenny Waronker and Mo Ostin and it was announced on November 11,2003 that Universal Music Group reached an agreement to acquire DreamWorks Records from DreamWorks SKG for about $100 million. The purchase came at a time when the business was going through major changes as it struggled to counter falling sales. Under the deal new, DreamWorks Records was placed within the Interscope Geffen A&M label, DreamWorks was folded into Geffen Records in 2004. Its country music division, meanwhile, remained operational until January 29,2006, between 1998 and 2005, DreamWorks also operated a division in Nashville, Tennessee for country music acts. Among the artists signed to the DreamWorks Nashville division were Jessica Andrews, Emerson Drive, Toby Keith, Randy Travis, Jimmy Wayne, after DreamWorks Records dissolution, former executive Scott Borchetta formed Big Machine Records in late 2005, signing several country music acts to the label. Borchetta also signed Show Dog Records in partnership with Toby Keith, meanwhile, Borchetta signed Taylor Swift to DreamWorks Records. The latter label merged with Universal South Records to become Show Dog-Universal Music, DreamWorks Records discography List of DreamWorks Records artists List of record labels Video Interview with Lenny Waronker, former President of DreamWorks Records
5.
Casablanca Records
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Casablanca Records is an American recording label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. The label became most successful as a label in the 1970s. Casablanca was founded in 1973 by former Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart and he partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris and Buck Reingold in 1973, and was based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after they left Buddah and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture. Casablanca became one of the most successful labels of the 1970s, signing and releasing albums by acts as Kiss, Donna Summer, Village People, Cher, Lipps Inc. In 1977, PolyGram acquired a 50 percent stake of Casablanca for $15 million, in 1980, in 1980, one of the labels biggest acts, Donna Summer, departed for another record label as she and Casablanca failed to agree on her musical direction for the future. That same year, PolyGram pushed Bogart out of Casablanca due to what it viewed as the labels overspending and accounting irregularities, the film division was separated from the label and renamed PolyGram Pictures. The label was shut down by PolyGram with some of the artist roster and catalogue absorbed into sister label. In 1999, PolyGram was purchased by Seagram and then merged with Seagrams MCA Music Entertainment Group to form the Universal Music Group, in 2000, the Casablanca Records name was revived for a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Tommy Mottola. In a Billboard article, Mottola said that he chose the name as a homage to the original label, Casablanca is currently a dance and electronic label under Republic Records headed by GM, Brett Alperowitz. Bogart was the head of Buddah Records, which was owned by the Viewlex Corporation, also employed at Buddah Records were Holmes, Harris, and Reingold. Bogart had an approach to the music business and he eventually grew tired of answering and conforming to Viewlexs business mode. In 1973, he arranged financing through Warner Bros. Records whereas he could start his own record label, after much back and forth, the green light was eventually given by Warner and Bogart started the new label, bringing Harris, Holmes, and Reingold with him. Bogart called the label Casablanca as it was the name of his favorite film, also, since Warner Bros. owned the rights to the title of the film Casablanca, Bogart knew there would be no lawsuit against him regarding the name Casablanca Records. The labels first signing was the rock group Kiss, however, butter Boy by Fanny and The Hudson Brothers So You Are a Star proved to be Casablancas first Billboard Top 40 hits. Thus, Casablanca experienced lukewarm relations with Warner Bros. its parent company, Warner manufactured and distributed albums for its own acts, as well as for all its sudsidiary labels. Both Casablanca and Warner handled promotion for Casablanca artists, however, a few years later when Warner began experiencing manufacturing problems, it began focusing mainly on manufacturing albums by Warner acts and not so much the sudsidiaries. Thus, Casablanca found itself with only modest success with its releases as it had limited distribution, once Bogart realized this, he took the issue to Warner head Mo Ostin who had not been aware of the lack of attention being given to the sudsidiary labels
6.
Universal Music Group
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Universal Music Group is an American-French global music corporation that is a subsidiary of the Paris-based French media conglomerate Vivendi. UMGs global corporate headquarters are in Santa Monica, California and it is considered one of the Big Three record labels, along with Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. Universal Music was once the music attached to film studio Universal Pictures and its origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in September 1934. The Decca Record Co. Ltd. of England spun American Decca off in 1939, MCA Inc. merged with American Decca in 1962. The present organization was formed when its parent company Seagram purchased PolyGram in May 1998, however, the name had first appeared in 1996 when MCA Music Entertainment Group was renamed Universal Music Group. The PolyGram acquisition included Deutsche Grammophon which traces its ancestry to Berliner Gramophone making Deutsche Grammophon UMGs oldest unit, UMGs Canadian unit traces its ancestry to a Berliner Gramophone breakaway firm the Compo Company. With the 2004 acquisition of Universal Studios by General Electric and merging with GEs NBC and this is the second time a music company has done so, the first being the separation of Time Warner and Warner Music Group. On June 25,2007, Vivendi completed its €1.63 billion purchase of BMG Music Publishing, after receiving European Union regulatory approval, doug Morris stepped down from his position as CEO on January 1,2011. Former chairman/CEO of Universal Music International Lucian Grainge was promoted to CEO of the company, Grainge later replaced him as chairman on March 9,2011. Morris became the chairman of Sony Music Entertainment on July 1,2011. With Grainges appointment as CEO at UMG, Max Hole was promoted to COO of UMGI, starting in 2011 UMGs Interscope Geffen A&M Records will be signing contestants from American Idol/Idol series. On January 2011, UMG announced it was donating 200,000 master recordings from the 1920s to 1940s to the Library of Congress for preservation, in March 2011, Barry Weiss became chairman & CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group & Universal Republic Records. Both companies are restructuring under Weiss, in December 2011, David Foster was named Chairman of Verve Music Group. Among the other companies that had competed for the music business was Warner Music Group which was reported to have made a $2 billion bid. However, IMPALA has said it would fight the merger, coincidentally, UMG sister company StudioCanal has owned the EMI Films library for several years. On September 21,2012, the sale of EMI to UMG was approved in Europe, UMG divested Mute Records, Parlophone, Roxy Recordings, MPS Records, Cooperative Music, Now Thats What I Call Music. Jazzland, Universal Greece, Sanctuary Records, Chrysalis Records, EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, the Beatles recorded music library was allowed to remain with UMG despite being considered part of Parlophone and is now managed by UMGs reorganized Capitol Music Group worldwide. Robbie Williams, who had recorded for Chrysalis, had his transferred to Universals Island Records
7.
Epic Records
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Epic Records is an American record company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, Inc. Epic was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 and it later expanded its scope to include a more diverse range of musical genres, including pop, R&B, rock and hip hop. Historically, the label has housed popular acts such as Boston, ABBA, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Dave Clark Five, Gloria Estefan, Pearl Jam, Shakira, Anastacia, and Sly & the Family Stone. Along with Columbia and RCA Records, Epic is one of Sony Music Entertainments three main record labels, L. A. Reid has served as chairman and CEO of Epic since July 2011. Sylvia Rhone was appointed president in March 2014, Epic Records was launched in 1953 by Columbia Records for the purpose of marketing jazz, pop and classical music that did not fit the theme of its more mainstream Columbia Records label. Initial classical music releases were from Philips Records which distributed Columbia product in Europe, pop talent on co-owned Okeh Records were transferred to Epic which made Okeh a rhythm and blues label. Epics bright-yellow, black, and blue became a familiar trademark for many jazz. By 1960, the musical base had been expanded to include all genres. This was done in part to prevent the roster of Columbia Records from being overstuffed with newer artists, subsequently, Epic became better known for its signing of newer, fledgling acts. By the end of the 1960s, Epic earned its first gold records and had evolved into a formidable hit-making force in rock and roll, R&B and country music. Among its many acts, it included Roy Hamilton, Bobby Vinton, The Dave Clark Five, The Hollies, Tammy Wynette, Donovan, The Yardbirds, Lulu, July, Helen Shapiro and Jeff Beck. Also during the 1960s, Epic oversaw the smaller subsidiary CBS labels including Okeh Records, in 1968, Epic recordings began being distributed in the UK by CBS after the distribution deal with EMI expired that year, Epic itself launched in England around 1971. Epic was involved in a trade of artists. Graham Nash was signed to Epic because of his membership in The Hollies, when the newly formed Crosby, Stills & Nash wanted to sign with Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegün worked out a deal with Clive Davis whereby Richie Furays new band Poco would sign with Epic. Also contributing to the success was its distribution of Philadelphia International Records. Sony bought CBS Records in 1987, and the company was renamed Sony Music in 1991. In 2004, Sony merged with another powerhouse music distributor, BMG, bringing labels such as RCA, Arista, Columbia, Epic, Jive, in February 2009, singer and songwriter Amanda Ghost was appointed president of Epic Records. Later in the year, Sony BMG Music merged Epic and Columbias operations, Sony BMGs Legacy Recordings reissues the companys classic and catalog titles
8.
Entertainment One Music
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Entertainment One Music, a primary division of Entertainment One, is an independent record label in the United States. It has garnered the most Billboard hits of any independently owned music label in history and it is also distributed by the Universal Music Group in Europe under the name eOne Universal. On January 22,2009, Koch Records was officially branded as E1 Music by parent company Entertainment One, E1 Entertainment acquired KOCH Entertainment in June 2005, and renamed the company E1 Music. Since its inception as KOCH Records, E1 Music has charted over 100 albums on Billboards Independent Chart, E1 Music has been the number one independent label according to Billboard for the last six years and quickly grew to become North Americas largest independently owned and distributed record label. E1 Music covers all genres from adult-contemporary to rock, hip hop/urban to country. E1 Music was formed in January 1987 as Koch Records to serve as the North American umbrella for Koch Entertainment. They would sign many country, classical, and rock acts including Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Chris Brubeck, Bob James, the label soon began to gain ground on the other independent record labels in the United States. In the 2000s, they began to sign hip hop acts. They signed various distribution deals with labels like Open Bar Entertainment, Terror Squad, D-Block Records, in 2004, they were able to sign a deal with Snoop Dogg and his Doggystyle Records along with Mobb Deep. They hired Snoop Dogg on to head up their western spin off Koch West, Koch also added onto their roster, Camron and his Diplomat Records. Diplomat rapper, Jim Jones would rise to prominence on the label through the deal, Koch later signed Yonkers rapper, J-Hood and his label On Da Grind Ent. Koch has also had releases from 2Pac, Tha Dogg Pound, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger and Gangsta Advisory. In 2007, when they signed J-Hood they gave him a big position in their Koch East division, J-Hood never released this album and he was booted from D-Block. In 2007, they signed a deal with Foxy Brown and her Black Rose Entertainment, as well as with Ray J. Slim Thug was signed to the label along with his Boss Hoggs label in late 2005. Latin Thug Records was formed by CEO Reyes to build a business with his brother and acting VP of A&R Mellow Man Ace that would focus on releasing personal projects. The label represents the extended Latin Thug family, including projects from Sen and Mellow and collaborations with B Real, Soul Assassins. In March 2008, the company signed neo-soul singer Dwele to their lineup, in October 2008, they signed also pop-jazz singer Basia, and released her comeback album Its That Girl Again a year later. Koch Records also releases music, such as Pokémon, Barney, Sesame Street, The Wiggles
9.
Toni Braxton
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Toni Michelle Braxton is an American singer–songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. Her self-titled debut studio album was released in 1993 and it sold over 10 million copies worldwide, spawning such hits as Another Sad Love Song and Breathe Again and earning Braxton three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. Released in 1996, her album, Secrets, continued her acclaim and mega success. Braxton won two Grammy Awards for Secrets, in 2000, her third album, The Heat, was released. It sold over 4 million copies and included the hit single He Wasnt Man Enough and she then released three more studio albums – More Than a Woman, Libra and Pulse, experiencing personal and label conflicts in between these releases. In 2014, Braxton and long-time collaborator Babyface released an album entitled Love, Marriage & Divorce. Throughout her career, Braxton has sold over 67 million records, including 41 million albums and she has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards and several other awards. Braxton is also an Executive Producer of the show, starring her younger sister. On September 18,2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Toni Michelle Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland. Braxtons maternal grandfather was also a pastor, Braxton is the eldest of six siblings. She has a younger brother Michael, Jr. and four younger sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina and they were raised in a strict religious household, and Braxtons first performing experience was singing in her church choir. On her appearance May 24,2014 broadcast of NPRs Wait Wait, dont Tell Me. she stated that she was not singing to herself at the gas station. Pettaway, working as an attendant at the Annapolis service station where she was refueling, recognized her from local performances and introduced himself, though skeptical, Braxton decided to, in her words, take a chance and accepted. Braxton and her four sisters began performing as The Braxtons in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records in 1989 and their first single, Good Life, was released in 1990. Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio L. A. Reid and Kenneth Babyface Edmonds. Reid and Babyface recruited her to record a demo of Love Shoulda Brought You Home, Baker, who was pregnant at the time, did not record the song but suggested, that Braxton record it. Her recording was included on the soundtrack along with Give U My Heart. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records, on July 13,1993, LaFace Records released Braxtons self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton
10.
Given name
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A given name is a part of a persons personal name. It identifies a person, and differentiates that person from other members of a group, such as a family or clan. The term given name refers to the fact that the name usually is bestowed upon a person and this contrasts with a surname, which is normally inherited, and shared with other members of the childs immediate family. Given names are used in a familiar and friendly manner in informal situations. In more formal situations the surname is commonly used, unless it is necessary to distinguish between people with the same surname. The idioms on a basis and being on first-name terms allude to the familiarity of addressing another by a given name. The order given name – family name, commonly known as the Western order, is used throughout most European countries and in countries that have cultures predominantly influenced by Western Europe. The order family name – given name, commonly known as the Eastern order, is used in East Asia, as well as in Southern and North-Eastern parts of India. The order given name - fathers family name - mothers family name is used in Spanish-speaking countries to acknowledge the families of both parents. Today the order can also be changed legally in Spain using given name - mothers family name - fathers family name, under the common Western naming convention, people may have one or more forenames. If more than one, there is usually a main forename for everyday use, sometimes however two or more forenames may carry equal weight. There is no particular ordering rule for forenames – often the main forename is at the beginning, a childs given name or names are usually chosen by the parents soon after birth. If a name is not assigned at birth, one may be given at a ceremony, with family. In most jurisdictions, a name at birth is a matter of public record, inscribed on a birth certificate. In western cultures, people normally retain the same name throughout their lives. However, in some cases names may be changed by petitioning a court of law. People may also change their names when immigrating from one country to another with different naming conventions, in France, the agency can refer the case to a local judge. Some jurisdictions, like in Sweden, restrict the spelling of names, parents may choose a name because of its meaning
11.
So Many Ways
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So Many Ways is a 1996 album by American R&B female vocal group The Braxtons. Released on August 6,1996, the album produced four singles, So Many Ways, Only Love, The Boss – which peaked at number-one in the Billboard Dance Charts –, so Many Ways peaked at No.26 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It reached #3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart, the Braxtons originally started out in 1989. They first signed as a fivesome to Arista Records which consisted of Toni Braxton and her four sisters, Tamar, Trina, Towanda, in 1990, they released their first single Good Life. It would be their only single as a fivesome, Good Life failed to become a hit and The Braxtons were dropped from Arista Records. Despite the singles underwhelming performance, Toni Braxtons vocals caught the attention of Antonio L. A. Reid, eventually, Toni signed as a solo artist and started her career in 1992. In 1996, three out of the four Braxtons, Trina, Tamar and Towanda reunited and released their album So Many Ways and their older sister Traci, did not join them as she was pregnant at the time they signed a new contract. The album produced four singles, So Many Ways, Only Love, Slow Flow, so Many Ways was released as the lead single from the album July 23,1996. On August 17,1996, The Braxtons released the video for the song, it was directed by Cameron Casey, the single was also used as the opening track for the soundtrack to the comedy film High School High. The song charted at 83 on Billboard Hot 100 and 22 on US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the US, the song reached the top 40 in the UK charting at 32 and in New Zealand the song charted at 17. The trio also performed a version of So Many Ways with rapper Jay-Z on September 9,1996 at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Only Love was released as the second single on January 25,1997. The song charted at #52 on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs spending fourteen weeks in total on the chart, the song charted at #3 on New Zealands Top 40 chart. A music video for song was also released. The Boss was released as the third single in early 1997. A music video was released to promote the song, on February 1,1997 the Masters At Work version topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for one week a #1 in the United States. The song stayed in the chart for 14 weeks, on March 29,1997 the song debuted at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart. The song spent a total of three weeks on the chart at numbers 50 and 69 respectively before leaving the Top 75 on April 12,1997 becoming their second top 40 in the UK, Slow Flow was released as the fourth and final single from the album
12.
Tamar (album)
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Tamar is the self-titled debut studio album by American R&B singer Tamar Braxton. It was released on March 21,2000, by DreamWorks Records, the album features guest appearances from Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri and Amil, while the production handled by Tim & Bob, Tricky Stewart, among others. The album was originally entitled Ridiculous, before the official release, Braxton has become a lead singer of The Braxtons, after her sisters Traci and Toni had to leave the group, which left them as a trio of Tamar, Trina and Towanda. After the release of their album, So Many Ways, Braxton was offered a solo recording contract with DreamWorks. In 2004, Tamars sister Towanda Braxton appeared on the reality TV series Starting Over during its second season, Towanda revealed that Tamar signed a solo contract without telling her or Trina that she left The Braxtons group. In 1999, she released the EP, Tamar, Just Cuz to generate buzz about her the solo album, the Tamar, Just Cuz EP contained 4 songs, Get Mine, Just Cuz, Let Him Go, and Get Mine. Promotional use copies of the album under the title Ridiculous were released, the Ridiculous promotional CD contained a different track order and a song entitled Respect me. The final US track Get Mine, along with the tracks from the Tamar. The album debuted at number 127 on the US Billboard 200, Tamar has admitted in interviews for her second album Love and War that she is not fond of this album due to not having any creative control
13.
We TV
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WE tv is an American digital cable and satellite television channel that is owned by AMC Networks. Similar to VH1 and Bravo, the channels programming focus is bent mainly towards women, though since the fall of 2014, as of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million American households received WE tv. In March 2015, Dish TVs Sling TV announced it would begin making AMC Networks channels available to cord cutters, including AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV. WE tv was originally known as Romance Classics when it launched on September 1,1997 under the ownership of what was then the Cablevision Systems Corporation-controlled Rainbow Media. This format was abandoned in 2001, when the channel was relaunched as WE, Womens Entertainment, in 2006, the channel was renamed WE tv. The channel aired the first three seasons of the popular Logie Award-winning Australian television series McLeods Daughters, but dropped the show in April 2006, the channels format then shifted towards reality shows, with several having topics related to weddings. Other popular shows on the network included Secret Lives of Women, The Locator, in January 2011, WE tv confirmed that it had signed Toni Braxton for a reality series, entitled Braxton Family Values, which is marketed as one of the networks flagship shows. To prepare for the new show lineup, WE tv also gave the network a new logo and marketing tagline. Kendra said the show focuses on motherhood, parenthood, and wife hood, kendra On Top premiered on June 5,2012. In June 2014, the network unveiled a new logo, dropping the Womens Entertainment tagline in an attempt to make the network appeal equally to both the female and male genders, the network also premiered its first original scripted series, The Divide. Mama June, From Not to Hot South of Hell CSI, Miami House Law & Order Law & Order, Criminal Intent Will & Grace Roseanne Spirits of Atlanta Growing Up Hip Hop, Atlanta The Divide Official website
14.
Braxton Family Values
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Braxton Family Values is an American reality television series that airs on WE tv and premiered on April 12,2011. It chronicles the lives of Braxton sisters — Toni, Tamar, Traci, Towanda, Braxton Family Values has received favorable reviews from critics and has been recognized as a guilty pleasure by several media outlets. The fourth season was the most watched season with 1.5 million total viewers, the shows spin-off series, Tamar & Vince, premiered on December 19,2011. In January 2011, WE tv confirmed that it had signed Toni Braxton for a reality series, entitled Braxton Family Values, which is marketed as one of the networks flagship shows. In its first four airings, Braxton Family Values averaged a 0.63 household rating, attracting 350,000 women in the 18-49 demographic and this led the network to renew the series for a 13 episode second season. In July 2011, WE tv ordered additional episodes for season two — bringing the total to 26 episodes. In July 2012, WE tv renewed the show for a season that debuted on March 14,2013. The third season returned on November 14,2013, the second half of season three resumes where the series left off prior to its hiatus, with Traci discovering that her husband may have cheated on her. Trina facing her own troubles and makes the decision to file for a divorce from her husband. Towanda is in celebration mode as she approaches a milestone birthday, Toni is in the midst of a career rebirth as she finishes up her new album Love Marriage & Divorce with Kenneth Babyface Edmonds and prepares for her first tour in over five years. Tamar has launched her album Love and War, her tour, season 3 averaged 1.4 million viewers. On March 20,2014, WE tv announced the fourth season renewal of Braxton Family Values, season 4 will consist of 26 episodes and premiered on August 14,2014. On May 19,2016 the fifth season aired to We tv, Toni Michele Braxton is an American singer–songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. Throughout her career, Braxton has sold over 67 million records, including 41 million albums and she has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards and several other awards. Toni has two sons with Keri Lewis, Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis born 2001 and Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis born 2003, Traci Renee Braxton, is an American singer, reality television personality and Radio personality. In 2013, she got her own show called The Traci Braxton Show on the BLIS. F. M. Her solo debut album, Crash & Burn, was released on October 7,2014, Last Call peaked at number 16 on the US R&B Adult Chart, #11 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart and at #1 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. Traci has one son with Kevin Surratt, Kevin Surratt Jr. born in 1996, Towanda Braxton is an American singer, actress and reality television personality
15.
Love and War (Tamar Braxton album)
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Love and War is the second studio album by American recording artist Tamar Braxton. The album was released on September 3,2013, by Epic Records and it is the first album by Braxton in 13 years. The album was a success, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart selling 114,000 copies, the albums title track Love and War was released on December 6,2012 as the lead single from the album. On January 17,2013, the video was released for Love. Love and War officially impacted US Rhythmic radio on March 26,2013, on May 7,2013, the second single The One was released. On May 30,2013, the video was released for The One. All The Way Home was sent to Urban Mainstream radio on August 21,2013 as the single from the album. On October 17,2013, a video was released for Hot Sugar. The music video for All The Way Home was released on December 4,2013, the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 114,000. The album almost made number one but was beaten by Ariana Grandes Yours Truly, Love and War also debuted at number two in digital sales, selling 51,000 copies, being beaten by Yours Truly once again. However, the album sold well physically, selling 63,000, in its second week, the album sold 35,000 more copies. In its third week, the album sold 20,000 more copies, in its fourth week, the album sold 14,000 more copies bringing its total album sales to 183,000. The album helped Braxton set the record for longest time between an initial chart listing and a first number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart during the SoundScan era. The record was held by Angie Stone, who waited eight years. Love and War was met generally positive reviews from music critics. Kathy Iandoli of Vibe gave the album a review, saying Love And War is at times all over the place. The project is beautifully crazy—exactly what weve come to know and love from Tamar Braxton and it took a dose of reality TV to bring us to Tamars musical reality. Like all classic R&B records, its Tamars marvelous voice that resounds the loudest throughout—and long after its over and its like shes been the music industrys best kept secret for all of these years, and shes finally getting the attention she deserves
16.
The Real (TV series)
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The Real is an American syndicated talk show. The series initially received a run on Fox owned markets in the summer of 2013. The series was developed as a show designed to appeal to younger female viewers who. It was green-lit for national syndication later that fall and officially premiered the following year, in the summer of 2013, it was announced that the series was ordered for a test run on seven Fox-owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Washington D. C. In October 2013, it was announced that The Real had been green-lit for a national syndicated launch, in February 2015, Warner Bros. announced the series had been renewed for a second season. In October 2015, the series was renewed for two seasons, allowing it to air through 2018. SallyAnn Salsano and Rachel Miskowiec are recognized as the executive producers, it is produced by 495 Productions and Telepictures Productions. On May 22,2016, Warner Bros, domestic Television announced that Braxton would no longer be a part of the cast. Although reports show Braxton left involuntarily, she was terminated before the 3rd season premiered, the Real celebrated its 100th episode on February 24,2015. In January 2016, the co-hosts traveled to Washington, D. C. to visit The White House, in addition to granting an interview, The First Lady and the co-hosts spoke to high schoolers about college. Official website The Real at the Internet Movie Database The Real at TV Guide
17.
Fox Broadcasting Company
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The Fox Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. It is the third largest major network in the world based on total revenues, assets. Launched on October 9,1986 as a competitor to the Big Three television networks, Fox and its affiliated companies operate many entertainment channels in international markets, although these do not necessarily air the same programming as the U. S. network. Most viewers in Canada have access to at least one U. S, the network is named after sister company 20th Century Fox, and indirectly for producer William Fox, who founded one of the movie studios predecessors, Fox Film. Fox is a member of the North American Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, 20th Century Fox had been involved in television production as early as the 1950s, producing several syndicated programs. Following the demise of the DuMont Television Network in August of that year after it became mired in financial problems. 20th Century Fox would also produce original content for the NTA network, KTTV in Los Angeles, KRIV in Houston, WFLD-TV in Chicago, and KRLD-TV in Dallas. In October 1985, 20th Century Fox announced its intentions to form a television network that would compete with ABC, CBS. The plans were to use the combination of the Fox studios, organizational plans for the network were held off until the Metromedia acquisitions cleared regulatory hurdles. Then, in December 1985, Rupert Murdoch agreed to pay $325 million to acquire the remaining equity in TCF Holdings from his original partner, Marvin Davis. These first six stations, then broadcasting to a reach of 22% of the nations households. Except for KDAF, all of the original owned-and-operated stations are part of the Fox network today. Like the core O&O group, Foxs affiliate body consisted of independent stations. The Fox Broadcasting Company launched at 11,00 p. m. Eastern and its inaugural program was a late-night talk show, The Late Show, which was hosted by comedian Joan Rivers. By early 1987, Rivers quit The Late Show after disagreements with the network over the creative direction. The network expanded its programming into prime time on April 5,1987, with Children and the sketch comedy series The Tracey Ullman Show. Fox added one new show per week over the several weeks, with the drama 21 Jump Street. On July 11, the network rolled out its Saturday night schedule with the premiere of the drama series Werewolf
18.
Adrienne Bailon
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Adrienne Eliza Houghton is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, actress, dancer and television personality. Adrienne Bailon first became known when she rose to fame as a founding member. Bailon recorded a solo album which was later shelved. Since then, Bailon has stated that she plans to record a Spanish-language solo album. Aside from her work in 3LW and The Cheetah Girls, Bailon went on to develop her own acting career with roles in The Cheetah Girls films, Coach Carter and the MTV film All Youve Got. Aside from her work in film, she has also guest starred in television series including the Disney Channel series Thats So Raven. Bailon co-stars alongside television personality, model and actress Julissa Bermudez in their own reality series, Empire Girls, Julissa, Adrienne met Julissa on the set of the 2006 film All Youve Got. Currently, Bailon is one of the hosts of syndicated talk show The Real along with former fellow Disney Channel star Tamera Mowry, Jeannie Mai, and Loni Love, which premiered on July 15,2013. Bailons career, spanning over 16 years with both 3LW and The Cheetah Girls, has helped her sell a combined 5.6 million recording albums worldwide. Bailon was born to a Puerto Rican mother, Nilda Alicea and she grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Bailon has a sister, Claudette. Bailons parents are divorced, and she was raised by her mother and stepfather and she attended High School for Health Professions and Human Services, but did not pursue a career in the medical field because of her musical endeavors. Bailon commented I really wanted to be an Obstetrician, I wanted to bring babies into the world. Bailon was discovered by Latin pop singer Ricky Martin in October 1999 while she was performing in a choir at Madison Square Garden. Following the performance, Bailon became a member of the girl group 3LW, Bailon stated that she was spotted by a producer while on a field trip to Beth Israel, and was later offered a slot in the female trio. Bailon said. coming from humble beginnings in the projects of the Lower East Side. I sang in church, acted in all the church and school plays, so when the opportunity came to join a girl group I was ready. The group was signed to Epic Records, Kiely Williams and Naturi Naughton were the other two members of the group, and work on their debut album began in 1999
19.
Jeannie Mai
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Jeannie Camtu Mai is an American hostess, fashion expert, executive producer and TV personality. She is most known for How Do I Look. and USAs Character Fantasy, as a fashion expert, she is frequently featured on numerous television programs and networks such as NBCs Today Show on the Fashion Tips Today segment, Extra TV, Entertainment Tonight, Insider and E. Entertainment as well as NBCs co-owned pageant Miss Universe and she is currently one of the hosts on The Real talk show along with Tamera Mowry-Housley, Loni Love, and Adrienne Bailon, which premiered on July 15,2013. Mai also coined the term wearapy, which she defines as how one can manipulate his/her mood from the outside in through style, Jeannie Camtu Mai was born on January 4,1979 in San Jose, California, to a Vietnamese mother and Chinese father. She has two brothers, Dennis and Daniel. She attended De Anza College, majoring in Communications, at age 18, Mai launched her career as a makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics while still living in San Jose, California. She also served as a celebrity makeup stylist for MTVs Total Request Live, KCAL Los Angeles, in 2003, Mai began auditioning for local television networks with self-written scripts to demonstrate her unique hosting talents. She landed a gig co-hosting the Emmy-nominated Asian American Magazine-Style show Stir, soon after, the San Francisco local music channel, California Music Channel, invited her to host her own music countdown. After gaining attention for her personality and knack for style. In 2005, Mai landed her first primetime hosting role on Character Fantasy on the USA Network and she also started appearing as a member of the beauty squad on TLCs 10 Years Younger. In 2008, Mai took part in TV history’s first ever attempt to revamp Miss America’s 52 hopefuls on TLC’s Miss America Reality Check, in 2009, Mai took over as the host of the Style Network’s popular and Emmy-nominated fashion makeover show How Do I Look. She also served as a correspondent and weekend host on NBC’s Extra TV with Mario Lopez, Mai has become recognized for her trademark dark, blue hair. She has also known as the Fashion Wearapist, and also for her constant so in every sentence that she uses. In 2011, Jeannie began hosting Miss Universe and was the resident fashion expert on the NBC hit series The Biggest Loser, in 2012, she appeared as a guest judge on Asias Next Top Model, Cycle 1. In 2013, Mai was the host of a weekly series titled Style Pop on the Style Network. In 2013, Jeannie Mai became co-host of the Fox talk show titled The Real alongside of Tamera Mowry, Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon, and former co-host Tamar Braxton. In 2014, The Real was picked up again for a season, credited to the fantastic chemistry of Herself, Tamera, Adrienne, Loni. The season premiered on September 15,2014, in 2015, Mai was the host of the reality competition series titled Steampunkd on GSN
20.
Loni Love
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Loni Love is an American comedian and actress. While working as an engineer in 2003, Love began to pursue a career in music engineering. She was the runner-up on Star Search 2003 and was named among the Top 10 Comics to Watch in both Variety and Comedy Central in 2009. She is currently one of the hosts of The Real talk show along with Jeannie Mai, Tamera Mowry and Adrienne Bailon, Love was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects. Prior to her career as a comedian, she was an electrical engineer, Love then received her bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Prairie View A&M University in Texas. While at Prairie View, she minored in music and was also a member of the Eta Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta and it was there that she discovered stand-up comedy after winning a $50 competition and then performed frequently during her college life. After finding work as an engineer at Xerox in California, she continued to do stand-up after work in clubs, after eight years of working at Xerox, Love resigned to pursue comedy during a layoff to prevent someone else from losing their job. Recently Love did a show on VH1 called I love the 2000s which she gives her view on 2000-2009s pop culture highlights and became a Roundtable panelist for her friend and fellow comic Chelsea Handler. Love started her career in 2004, after appearing on Star Search, reaching the finals. Since then, she has appeared in films and numerous television shows and she has also acted in dramatic theatre plays. Love was named Hot Comic for 2009 in Campus Activity magazine and one of the Top 10 Comics to Watch in both Variety and Comedy Central and she was awarded the Jury Prize for best stand-up at the 2003 US Comedy Arts Festival. In 2008 Love became the CNN correspondent for D. L. Hughley Breaks the News and she also appears regularly in comedy clubs and the college comedy circuit. In late 2009, Love recorded her first one-hour Comedy Central special, Americas Sister, in 2013, Loni released her first comedy advice book titled Love Him Or Leave Him But Dont Get Stuck With The Tab. It was published by Simon and Schuster, in 2015, she appeared in the comedy film Paul Blart, Mall Cop 2, with Kevin James, and the action film Bad Asses on the Bayou, with Danny Trejo and Danny Glover. Loni Love at the Internet Movie Database
21.
Steve Harvey
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Broderick Stephen Steve Harvey is an American comedian, television host, producer, radio personality, actor, and author. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, the Steve Harvey talk show, Family Feud and Little Big Shots. He is the author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, which was published in March 2009, Harvey previously hosted Showtime at the Apollo, starred in The Steve Harvey Show, and was featured in The Original Kings of Comedy. He is a three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, and a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner in various categories, Harvey was born on January 17,1957, in Welch, West Virginia, the son of Jesse Harvey, a coal miner, and his wife Eloise Vera. His first name is Broderick, named after actor Broderick Crawford of the TV series Highway Patrol, Harveys family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, living on East 112th Street, which would eventually be renamed Steve Harvey Way in 2015. He graduated from Glenville High School in 1974, shortly after high school, he attended Kent State University and West Virginia University and is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He has been a boxer, an autoworker, a salesman, a carpet cleaner. Harvey first performed comedy on October 8,1985, at the Hilarities Comedy Club in Cleveland. In the late 1980s Harvey was homeless for multiple years and he slept in his 1976 Ford when not performing gigs that provided a hotel, and he showered at gas stations or swimming pool showers. Rich and Becky Liss helped Harvey during this time with a contract for carpet cleaning and his success as a stand-up comedian led to a starring role on the ABC show Me and the Boys in 1994. He would later star on the WB network show, The Steve Harvey Show, while popular, the show never achieved critical acclaim outside of the African-American community. In 1997, Harvey continued his work in comedy, performing on the Kings of Comedy tour along with Cedric the Entertainer. The comedy act would later be put together into a film by Spike Lee called The Original Kings of Comedy, DVD sales of The Original Kings of Comedy and Dont Trip, He Aint Through With Me Yet increased Harveys popularity. He released a hip hop and R&B CD on a label he founded. That title was used as the name of his comedy and variety television show. Harvey also launched a line which featured a line of dress wear. In 2005 he co-starred in the movie Racing Stripes and he had appeared in the 2003 movie The Fighting Temptations alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé Knowles. On August 2,2012, Harvey performed his final act at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
22.
Arista Records
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/ˈɛ. rɪ. stə/ was a major American record label. It was a wholly owned unit of Sony Music Entertainment and was handled by Bertelsmann Music Group. The company operated under the RCA Music Group until 2011, the label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records. Until its demise in 2011, it was a distributor and promoter of albums throughout the United States. Today, the labels reissues and catalogue releases are handled by RCA Records, after being fired from CBS Records, Clive Davis was hired by Columbia Pictures in June 1974 to be a consultant for the companys record and music operations. The label was named Arista after New York Citys secondary school honor society, in early 1975, most of the artists who had been signed to Bell were let go, except David Cassidy, Tony Orlando and Dawn, and the 5th Dimension. Others, such as Suzi Quatro and Hot Chocolate, were farmed out to the Bell/Arista-distributed label, several Bell acts, such as Barry Manilow, the Bay City Rollers, and Melissa Manchester moved to Arista. The British Bell label kept that name for a couple of years before changing its name to Arista, the label was immortalized in the 1978 Rockpile song They Called It Rock, in the lyric, Arista says they love you/But the kids cant dance to this. In addition to Manilow, the Kinks, and Dionne Warwick, Arista signed Aretha Franklin in 1980, the labels most significant acquisition came in 1983 when Davis signed Warwicks cousin, Whitney Houston. Houston would eventually become Aristas biggest-selling recording artist, with sales of 200 million records worldwide, Arista had an imprint label in the 1970s called Arista Novus, which focused on contemporary jazz artists. A country music division, Career Records, was merged into the Arista Nashville division in 1997, Arista Austin was used in the late 1990s as a country label. Additionally, Arista was the North American distributor of Jive Records from 1981 until 1987, during the 1990s, Arista also distributed Logic, Rowdy and Heavenly Recordings. Looking to stave off bankruptcy, Columbia Pictures sold Arista to German-based Ariola Records in 1979, after Ariola purchased General Electrics RCA Records in 1986, the combined company was renamed Bertelsmann Music Group, though Aristas U. S. releases would not note BMG until 1987. Into the 1980s, Arista continued its success, including major UK act Secret Affair, over the years it acquired Northwestside Records, deConstruction Records, First Avenue Records, and Dedicated Records in the UK. In 1989, Arista entered into a joint venture with Antonio L. A. Reid and Babyface in the creation of LaFace Records record company of TLC, in 1993, Arista also entered into a joint-venture with Sean P. Diddy Combs to form Bad Boy Records. In 1997 Arista acquired Profile Records, the home of Run-D. M. C. in 1989, Arista signed Milli Vanilli, a duo consisting of Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan that was based in Germany. The label released its album, Girl You Know Its True, which was a remixed and re-edited version of All or Nothing. The album was certified platinum in the U. S. and charted five top-ten singles
23.
Single (music)
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In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record, an album or an EP record. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats, in most cases, a single is a song that is released separately from an album, although it usually also appears on an album. Typically, these are the songs from albums that are released separately for promotional uses such as digital download or commercial radio airplay and are expected to be the most popular, in other cases a recording released as a single may not appear on an album. As digital downloading and audio streaming have become prevalent, it is often possible for every track on an album to also be available separately. Nevertheless, the concept of a single for an album has been retained as an identification of a heavily promoted or more popular song within an album collection. Despite being referred to as a single, singles can include up to as many as three tracks on them. The biggest digital music distributor, iTunes, accepts as many as three tracks less than ten minutes each as a single, as well as popular music player Spotify also following in this trend. Any more than three tracks on a release or longer than thirty minutes in total running time is either an Extended Play or if over six tracks long. The basic specifications of the single were made in the late 19th century. Gramophone discs were manufactured with a range of speeds and in several sizes. By about 1910, however, the 10-inch,78 rpm shellac disc had become the most commonly used format, the inherent technical limitations of the gramophone disc defined the standard format for commercial recordings in the early 20th century.26 rpm. With these factors applied to the 10-inch format, songwriters and performers increasingly tailored their output to fit the new medium, the breakthrough came with Bob Dylans Like a Rolling Stone. Singles have been issued in various formats, including 7-inch, 10-inch, other, less common, formats include singles on digital compact cassette, DVD, and LD, as well as many non-standard sizes of vinyl disc. Some artist release singles on records, a more common in musical subcultures. The most common form of the single is the 45 or 7-inch. The names are derived from its speed,45 rpm. The 7-inch 45 rpm record was released 31 March 1949 by RCA Victor as a smaller, more durable, the first 45 rpm records were monaural, with recordings on both sides of the disc. As stereo recordings became popular in the 1960s, almost all 45 rpm records were produced in stereo by the early 1970s
24.
Good Life (The Braxtons song)
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Good Life is a 1990 single by The Braxtons, featuring Toni Braxton and her four sisters, Towanda, Trina, Traci Braxton, and Tamar Braxton. Good Life, written by the German songwriting/production team Klarmann/Weber, was Toni Braxtons first professional recording, Toni Braxton and her sisters signed with Arista Records as The Braxtons in 1989. In 1990, they released Good Life, their first and only single as a fivesome, the single, backed with Family as a B-side, reached #79 on the Billboard Hot Black Single charts. The song wasnt a hit but it caught the attention of the songwriting/production team of L. A. Reid and Babyface. Toni Braxton was signed with LaFace as a solo artist, the Braxtons disbanded as a foursome but would later reunite as a threesome in 1996, when Trina, Tamar, and Towanda released So Many Ways on Atlantic Records. Traci was not signed because she was pregnant at the time, the Braxtons disbanded for good when Tamar left the group for a solo record deal. Good Life is featured on The Essential Toni Braxton, Braxton Family values,20 Fun Facts About Toni Braxton - article on WeTV
25.
L.A. Reid
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Antonio Marquis L. A. Reid is an American music executive, musician, songwriter, record producer, author and former television music competition judge. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Reid was also the founder and CEO of Hitco Music Publishing, based in New York, Reid first began his music career as a drummer, with his first appearance on record being with the Cincinnati funk rock outfit Pure Essence. Pure Essence released one solitary 45 in the mid-1970s and they later appeared on local FM rock radio station WEBNs second annual LP compilation, but the group was renamed Essence. Reid would experience more success when he became a member of the 1980s R&B band The Deele, best known for their 1988 hit Two Occasions. The band had broken up before the success of the single, the song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. After The Deele disbanded, Reid and band mate Kenneth Babyface Edmonds founded LaFace in 1989 through a joint venture with Arista Records, with funding from Arista Records creator Clive Davis. The label soon became one of the destinations for popular African-American entertainers who created Black Pop music that was easily accessible to both Urban and Top 40 radio formats. Reid signed 14-year-old Usher to the label, whose six album releases have sold 65 million units worldwide, other popular acts on the label during its peak include Toni Braxton, TLC, and Outkast. Both TLC and Toni Braxton went on to more than 65 million records each. Initially headquartered in Atlanta, the played a significant role in building the current landscape of the Atlanta music industry. Hitco Publishing Group With the belief that good songwriting is essential to the success of recording artists, Reid formed the Hitco Publishing Group in 1996 and he gave the future senior vice president of Island Def Jam Music Group his first position as an inter-level creative person at Hitco. In May 2000, Edmonds and Reid sold their remaining 50% stake in LaFace to parent company BMG, the label became an imprint of Arista Records, with Arista taking on sales, marketing, and promotional duties for its acts. At this time, Reid also succeeded his mentor Clive Davis as president of Arista Records, in 2000, LaFace was merged into Arista Records with Reid being promoted to president and CEO of Arista Records. In 1997 Reid was accepted to the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in preparation to become CEO of Arista Records in 2000, Reid signed his first unknown artist, pop/rocker Avril Lavigne, to Arista. Her debut album Let Go sold 6 million copies in the United States, as president of Arista Records, Reid brought the company great success by signing artists such as P. nk and Ciara. Outkasts Speakerboxxx/The Love Below also went on to sell 10 million copies and won a Grammy Award for Album of the year. Following the merger of Sony and BMG, L. A. Reid was released from his contract at Arista in 2004 and quickly became the chairman, Reid stepped down as Chairman/CEO of Island Def Jam in March 2011
26.
Babyface (musician)
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For the guitarist and Beard Of Wales, see Thee Faction. Kenneth Brian Edmonds, known professionally as Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter and he has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career, and has won 11 Grammy Awards. Edmonds was born on April 10,1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Marvin, Barbara was a production operator at a pharmaceutical plant. Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers, attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, when he was in eighth grade, Edmonds father died of lung cancer, leaving his mother to raise her sons alone. At this stage, Edmonds became determined to have a career in music, Edmonds later played with funk performer Bootsy Collins, who tagged him Babyface because of his youthful look. He also performed in the group Manchild as a guitarist and he played keyboards in the light-funk and R&B group the Deele. One of his first major credits as a songwriter for outside artists came when he wrote the tune Slow Jam for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983, Babyface remained in the Deele until 1988, when both he and Reid left the group. His album Playlist consists of eight songs and two original works. It was released on September 18,2007 and it was the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records label. On February 4,2014, he released a Grammy Award-winning duet album with Toni Braxton titled Love, Marriage & Divorce on Motown Records. In the late 1980s, he contributed to the creation of new jack swing, writing and producing music for the likes of Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles, Paula Abdul, in 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Three of the early artists TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton were very successful. TLCs second album CrazySexyCool, for which he wrote and produced some of the hits, under his direction, TLC was able to sell more than 60 million albums worldwide, and a combined total of 75 million records. Toni Braxtons first two albums, Toni Braxton and Secrets, for which he wrote the majority of the songs, Babyface helped form the popular late-1990s R&B group Az Yet. Edmonds also helped to mold and work some of his then-wife Tracey Edmonds acts, such as Jon B. Edmonds has worked with many performers in contemporary music. “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, produced for Whitney Houston, was his first No.1 Top 40 hit in the US. He also wrote and produced Boyz II Mens 1992 End of the Road and 1994 Ill Make Love to You and he received three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year from 1995 to 1997
27.
LaFace Records
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LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1990s and it was originally distributed by its co-creator Arista Records from 1989 through 2001, after which it was shuttered and absorbed into Arista. In 2004, the label was rebooted, and it began operating through Jive Records until both were absorbed into RCA Records in 2011, today, the labels back catalog and reissues are managed by Legacy Recordings. LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio L. A. Reid & Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, and Arista Records, the combined nicknames of the duos successful production company inspired the name of the label. Towards the end of the decade LaFace produced fewer artists, while Babyface began to more on his own music career. The label was acquired completely by Arista and BMG in 1999, in 2001, L. A. Reid was appointed Chairman/CEO of Arista. As a result of Reids promotion, LaFace was dissolved as most of its prominent acts moved up to the main Arista label to continue to work under Reid. In 2004, after the restructuring of the BMG labels. Most of its roster had moved on to Arista returned to the company upon its reactivation. In 2011, LaFace was again shuttered, this time being absorbed into RCA Records, the following is a list of artists who have recorded for LaFace Records. L. A. Reid Babyface Daryl Simmons Kayo Dallas Austin Organized Noize List of record labels Rosa Parks v. LaFace Records
28.
TLC (group)
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TLC is an American girl group whose original line-up consisted of Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Lisa Left Eye Lopes and Rozonda Chilli Thomas. Formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1991, the group was successful during the 1990s and early 2000s in spite of numerous spats with the law, each other. They scored nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four number-one singles Creep, Waterfalls, No Scrubs. TLC also became the first R&B group in history to receive Million certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan for FanMail, having sold over 65 million records worldwide, TLC is the best-selling American girl group and second worldwide to the English group Spice Girls. VH1 ranked TLC as the greatest female group, placing them at number 12 on the list of 100 Greatest Women in Music, Billboard magazine ranked TLC as one of the greatest musical trios, as well as the seventh most successful act of the 1990s. The groups accolades include five career Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, twenty years after their debut, TLC was honored with Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 17th MOBO Awards and Legend Award at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. All three members of TLC are considered irreplaceable by the members, and each of them have contributed equally to the group. Following Lopes death in 2002, instead of replacing her, the members chose to carry on as a duo. In 2017, they are set to release their album as TLC. Jones put out a call for two girls to join her in this trio. Calling the group 2nd Nature, Jones, Watkins, and Lopes began working with producers Jermaine Dupri, impressed by the girls, Reid renamed the group TLC-Skee, with TLC being an Initialism for the names Tionne, Lisa, and Crystal. Reid arranged an audition for them with local record label LaFace Records, run by Kenneth Babyface Edmonds and Reids then-husband, Antonio Reid saw potential in Watkins and Lopes as performers, but felt that Jones should be replaced. According to Jones, things began to unravel for her after Pebbles denied the group the opportunity to take home the contracts that Pebbitone had drafted, Jones did not want to sign before having the contract reviewed by others and perhaps a lawyer. In contrast, Watkins recollection of Jones departure is that both she and Lopes asked Jones to leave the group before their contracts were negotiated. On February 28,1991, Watkins and Lopes signed production, management, as they looked for a replacement for Jones, the two-member TLC-Skee made its first recorded appearance on a track for LaFace act Damian Dames self-titled 1991 LP. Pebbles found the third member in Rozonda Thomas, one of Damian Dames part-time backup dancers, Thomas was signed to the act in April 1991, at about which time the groups name was shortened to TLC. To maintain TLCs name as an acronym for the names, Watkins became T-Boz, Lopes became Left-Eye. The girls were signed to LaFace in May through the production deal with Pebbitone
29.
Singing
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Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of sustained tonality, rhythm, and a variety of vocal techniques. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist, Singers perform music that can be sung with or without accompaniment by musical instruments. Singing is often done in an ensemble of musicians, such as a choir of singers or a band of instrumentalists, Singers may perform as soloists, or accompanied by anything from a single instrument up to a symphony orchestra or big band. Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised and it may be done as a form of religious devotion, as a hobby, as a source of pleasure, comfort, or ritual, as part of music education, or as a profession. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice, if practice is done on a regular basis then the sounds can become more clear and strong. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific genre, such as classical or rock. They typically take voice training provided by teachers or vocal coaches throughout their careers. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort, exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvis/pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles, the pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming, humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body and an individuals size, Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation, another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singers Formant and it has also been shown that a more powerful voice may be achieved with a fatter and fluid-like vocal fold mucosa. The more pliable the mucosa, the more efficient the transfer of energy from the airflow to the vocal folds, Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the voice. A register in the voice is a series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds
30.
Music video
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A music video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. There are also cases where songs are used in tie in marketing campaigns that allow them to more than just a song. Tie ins and merchandising could be used in toys or marketing campaigns for food, although the origins of music videos date back to musical short films that first appeared in the 1920s, they came into prominence in the 1980s when MTV based their format around the medium. Prior to the 1980s, these works were described by terms including illustrated song, filmed insert, promotional film, promotional clip, promotional video, song video. Music videos use a range of styles of contemporary videomaking techniques, including animation, live action filming, documentaries. Some music videos blend different styles, such as animation, music, combining these styles and techniques has become more popular because of the variation it presents to the audience. Many music videos interpret images and scenes from the songs lyrics, other music videos may be without a set concept, being merely a filmed version of the songs live performance. Product placement is a technique in music videos, exemplified by the appearance of the Beats Pill in numerous hip hop videos. In 1894, sheet music publishers Edward B, marks and Joe Stern hired electrician George Thomas and various performers to promote sales of their song The Little Lost Child. Using a magic lantern, Thomas projected a series of images on a screen simultaneous to live performances. This would become a form of entertainment known as the illustrated song. In 1926, with the arrival of many musical short films were produced. Vitaphone shorts featured many bands, vocalists and dancers, early 1930s cartoons featured popular musicians performing their hit songs on-camera in live-action segments during the cartoons. The early animated films by Walt Disney, such as the Silly Symphonies shorts and especially Fantasia, the Warner Brothers cartoons, even today billed as Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, were initially fashioned around specific songs from upcoming Warner Brothers musical films. Live action musical shorts, featuring such performers as Cab Calloway, were also distributed to theaters. Blues singer Bessie Smith appeared in a short film called St. Louis Blues featuring a dramatized performance of the hit song. Numerous other musicians appeared in short musical subjects during this period, soundies, produced and released from 1940 to 1947, were musical films that often included short dance sequences, similar to later music videos
31.
Seven Whole Days
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Seven Whole Days is the third single from Toni Braxtons self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton. The track describes a romance that was fading, nevertheless, it successfully topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in late January 1994. Seven Whole Days is featured on The Essential Toni Braxton and Playlist, the video was shot while Braxton was on tour with her four sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar featured as background singers. It was released in 1993 and directed by Lionel C, the video was later released on Braxtons VEVO channel on October 25,2009. The video is seen in colour and black and white. A Reid and Babyface Written by - L. A Reid and Babyface Published By - ECAF, cuff Link Music, Edwin H. Morris & Co. In 2002, bassist Michael Manson presented his version from his album The Bottom Line, saxophonist Steve Cole is a special guest on this song. Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
32.
Toni Braxton (album)
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Toni Braxton is the debut studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on July 13,1993 by LaFace Records and Arista Records. Toni Braxton debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and later spent two weeks atop the chart as well as three non-consecutive weeks atop the R&B Albums chart. It has sold 5,135,000 copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide, the album was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons. The first single, Another Sad Love Song, peaked at number seven, the albums second single, Breathe Again, peaked in the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B charts and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including You Mean the World to Me, Seven Whole Days, the album earned Braxton several awards, including three Grammy Awards. She also won two American Music Awards in 1994 and another one in 1995, in Japan, the album was released as Love Affair, also a song on the album. The Japanese edition contains the track listing as the standard version, the only difference is the Obi strip. Notes ^a signifies a co-producer ^b signifies a remixer and additional producer ^c signifies a remix producer Credits adapted from the notes of Toni Braxton. List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1994 List of Billboard 200 number-one R&B albums of 1993 Toni Braxton at Discogs
33.
Atlantic Records
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Atlantic Recording Corporation is an American major record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson. In 2004, Atlantic Records and its sister label Elektra Records merged into Atlantic Records Group, craig Kallman is currently the chairman of Atlantic Records. Ahmet Ertegün served as founding chairman until his death on December 14,2006, the brothers had become ardent fans of jazz and rhythm & blues music, amassing a collection of over 15,00078 RPM records. He convinced the family dentist, Dr Vahdi Sabit, to invest $10,000 and recruited Herb Abramson, Abramson had worked as a part-time A&R manager/producer for the jazz label National Records, signing Big Joe Turner and Billy Eckstine. He founded Jubilee Records in 1946, but had no interest in its most successful artists, so, in September 1947, he sold his share in Jubilee to his partner, Jerry Blaine, and invested $2500 in the new Atlantic label. When interviewed in 2009 she attributed her reputation to the companys chronic cash-flow shortage, most of the problems we had with artists were that they wanted advances, and that was very difficult for us. We were undercapitalized for a long time, the labels original office in the Ritz Hotel, Manhattan proved too expensive so they relocated to an $85 per month room in the Hotel Jefferson. In its early years Atlantic focused principally on modern jazz although it released some country and western and spoken word recordings. The union action forced Atlantic to use almost all its capital to cut and stockpile enough recordings to last through the ban, Ertegun and Abramson spent much of the late 1940s and early 1950s scouring nightclubs in search of talent. Ertegun composed many songs under the alias A, in early 1949 a New Orleans distributor phoned Ertegun trying to obtain Stick McGhees Drinking Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee, which was unavailable due to the closure of McGhees previous label. Ertegun knew Sticks younger brother Brownie McGhee, with whom Stick happened to be staying, so he contacted the McGhee brothers, Ertegun asked about artists royalties, which he paid, which surprised Columbia executives, who did not, which scuttled the deal. On the recommendation of broadcaster Willis Conover, Ertegun and Abramson went to see Ruth Brown at the Crystal Caverns club in Washington and she was badly injured in a car accident en route to New York but Atlantic supported her for nine months and then signed her. Her first release for the label So Long, cut at her second Atlantic session on May 25,1949 with the Eddie Condon band, was a major hit, reaching #6 on the R&B chart. Brown went on to more than eighty songs for the label, becoming the most prolific. So significant was Browns success to Atlantics fortunes that the label became known colloquially as The House That Ruth Built. The Clovers Dont You Know I Love You became the labels first R&B #1 in September 1951 and she hit #1 again in March–April 1952 with 5-10-15 Hours. After she left the label in 1961 Browns fortunes declined rapidly - within a few years was reduced to working as a cleaner and bus-driver to support her children. Brown eventually received a payment of $20,000 and founded a charity
34.
Vibe (magazine)
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Vibe is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop artists, actors. The magazines target demographic is young, urban followers of hip hop culture. In 2014, the magazine moved online-only, Quincy Jones launched Vibe in 1993, in partnership with Time Inc. Originally, the publication had been called Volume before co-founding editor, though hip hop mogul Russell Simmons was rumored to be an initial partner, publisher Len Burnett revealed in a March 2007 interview that Simmons clashed with editor-in-chief Jonathan Van Meter. Miller Publishing bought Vibe in 1996, and shortly afterward bought Spin, private equity firm, Wicks Group, bought the magazine in 2006. Jonathan Van Meters successors were Alan Light, Danyel Smith, Emil Wilbikin, Mimi Valdes, and finally Danyel Smith again. On June 30,2009, it was announced that Vibe was shutting its doors and ceasing publication immediately, although according to Essence, after shutting down, private equity investment fund InterMedia Partners bought Vibe magazine. They added Uptown magazine to Vibes parent company, Vibe Holdings, ronald Burkle and Magic Johnson later invested in the company. Vibe Holdings merged with BlackBook Media to form Vibe Media in 2012, on April 25,2013 it was announced that Vibe magazine along with vibe. com and vibevixen. com had been sold to Spin Media for an undisclosed sum. Instead, they cut the frequency to quarterly. In December 2016, Eldridge Industries acquired SpinMedia via the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group for an undisclosed amount, Vibe magazine was known for the creative direction of their covers. R&B singer Mary J. Blige repeatedly made the cover of Vibe, trio TLC were photographed for the cover in firefighters gear, referencing the fact that member Lisa Lopes burned down the house of then-boyfriend and NFL star Andre Rison. The first non-photograph cover of Vibe was an illustration of late singer Aaliyah by well-known artist/illustrator Alvaro, this was Aaliyahs very first appearance on the cover as well. Other famous cover subjects are, Trey Songz, Brandy, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Amerie, Jennifer Lopez, Keyshia Cole, Janet Jackson, Lil Wayne, The Fugees, Eminem, T. I. R. Electro-rapper Kesha made Vibe history when she appeared on the cover in October 2012, the magazine also devoted several pages to photo spreads displaying high-end designer clothing as well as sportswear by urban labels such as Rocawear and Fubu. Vibe made a consistent effort to feature models of all ethnicities in these pages, former editor Emil Wilbikin was frequently credited with styling those pages and keeping fashion in the forefront of the magazines identity during the early 2000s. Many clothing brands created or linked to hip hop celebrities, such as Sean Combs Sean John, Nellys Apple Bottoms, in the September 2003 issue commemorating ten years of publication, the magazine created different covers using black and white portraits of its most popular cover subjects
35.
Billboard (magazine)
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Billboard is an American entertainment media brand owned by the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, a division of Eldridge Industries. It publishes pieces involving news, video, opinion, reviews, events and it is also known for its music charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200, tracking the most popular singles and albums in different genres. It also hosts events, owns a publishing firm, and operates several TV shows, Billboard was founded in 1894 by William Donaldson and James Hennegan as a trade publication for bill posters. Donaldson later acquired Hennegens interest in 1900 for $500, in the 1900s, it covered the entertainment industry, such as circuses, fairs and burlesque shows. It also created a service for travelling entertainers. Billboard began focusing more on the industry as the jukebox, phonograph. Many topics it covered were spun-off into different magazines, including Amusement Business in 1961 to cover outdoor entertainment so that it could focus on music. After Donaldson died in 1925, Billboard was passed down to his children and Hennegans children, until it was sold to investors in 1985. The first issue of Billboard was published in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 1,1894 by William Donaldson, initially, it covered the advertising and bill posting industry and was called Billboard Advertising. At the time, billboards, posters and paper advertisements placed in public spaces were the means of advertising. Donaldson handled editorial and advertising, while Hennegan, who owned Hennegan Printing Co. managed magazine production, the first issues were just eight pages long. The paper had columns like The Bill Room Gossip and The Indefatigable, a department for agricultural fairs was established in 1896. The title was changed to The Billboard in 1897, after a brief departure over editorial differences, Donaldson purchased Hennegans interest in the business in 1900 for $500, to save it from bankruptcy. That May, Donaldson changed it from a monthly to a paper with a greater emphasis on breaking news. He improved editorial quality and opened new offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, London and he also re-focused the magazine on outdoor entertainment like fairs, carnivals, circuses, vaudeville and burlesque shows. A section devoted to circuses was introduced in 1900, followed by more prominent coverage of events in 1901. Billboard also covered topics including regulation, a lack of professionalism, economics and it had a stage gossip column covering the private lives of entertainers, a tent show section covering traveling shows and a sub-section called Freaks to order. According to The Seattle Times, Donaldson also published articles attacking censorship, praising productions exhibiting good taste
36.
Jay-Z
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Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and investor. He is one of the musicians of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. MTV ranked him the Greatest MC of all time in 2006, Rolling Stone ranked three of his albums—Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album —among the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2014, Forbes estimated his net worth at nearly $520 million, Jay Z co-owns the New York 40/40 Club sports bar, and is the co-creator of the clothing line Rocawear. He is the president of Def Jam Recordings, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records. He also founded the sports agency Roc Nation Sports and is a certified NBA, as an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 with 13. He has also had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, in 2009, he was ranked the tenth-most successful artist of the 2000s by Billboard as well as the fifth top solo male artist and fourth top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent. He was also ranked the 88th-greatest artist of all time by Rolling Stone, Jay Z married Singer-Songwriter Beyoncé in 2008. Shawn Carter was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Marcy Houses and he and his three siblings were raised by their mother, Gloria Carter after their father, Adness Reeves abandoned the family. Reeves would later meet and reconcile with Jay Z before dying from liver failure in 2003, Jay Z claims in his lyrics that in 1982, at the age of 12, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry. Along with future rapper AZ, Carter attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn until it was closed down, according to his interviews and lyrics, during this period he sold crack cocaine and was shot at three times. According to his mother, Carter used to wake up his siblings at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table and she bought him a boom box for his birthday, sparking his interest in music. He began freestyling and writing lyrics, known as Jazzy around the neighborhood, Carter later adopted the showbiz/stage name Jay-Z in homage to his mentor Jaz-O. He would drop the hyphen in 2013, Jay Z can be briefly heard on several of Jaz-Os early recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including The Originators and Hawaiian Sophie. Jay Z became embroiled in several battles with rapper LL Cool J in the early 1990s and he first became known to a wide audience on the posse cut Show and Prove on the 1994 Big Daddy Kane album Daddys Home. When I would leave the stage to go change outfits, I would bring out Jay Z and Positive K and let them freestyle until I came back to the stage. The young Jay Z appeared on a song by Big L, Da Graveyard, and on Mic Geronimos Time to Build. His first official rap single was called In My Lifetime, for which he released a music video, an unreleased music video was also produced for the B-side I Cant Get with That
37.
Billboard Hot 100
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The Billboard Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for singles, published weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales, radio play and online streaming, the weekly sales period was originally Monday to Sunday, when Nielsen started tracking sales in 1991, but was changed to Friday to Thursday in July 2015. Radio airplay, which, unlike sales figures and streaming data, is available on a real-time basis. A new chart is compiled and officially released to the public by Billboard on Tuesdays, as of the issue for the week ending on April 15,2017, the Hot 100 has had 1,061 different number one hits. The current number one song is Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, prior to 1955, Billboard did not have a unified, all-encompassing popularity chart, instead measuring songs by individual metrics. At the start of the era in 1955, three such charts existed, Best Sellers in Stores was the first Billboard chart, established in 1936. This chart ranked the biggest selling singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country, Most Played by Jockeys was Billboards original airplay chart. It ranked the most played songs on United States radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys, Most Played in Jukeboxes ranked the most played songs in jukeboxes across the United States. On the week ending November 12,1955, Billboard published The Top 100 for the first time, the Top 100 combined all aspects of a singles performance, based on a point system that typically gave sales more weight than radio airplay. The Best Sellers In Stores, Most Played by Jockeys and Most Played in Jukeboxes charts continued to be published concurrently with the new Top 100 chart. The week ending July 28,1958 was the publication of the Most Played By Jockeys and Top 100 charts. On August 4,1958, Billboard premiered one main all-genre singles chart, the Hot 100 quickly became the industry standard and Billboard discontinued the Best Sellers In Stores chart on October 13,1958. The Billboard Hot 100 is still the standard by which a songs popularity is measured in the United States, the Hot 100 is ranked by radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen BDS, sales data compiled by Nielsen Soundscan and streaming activity provided by online music sources. There are several component charts that contribute to the calculation of the Hot 100. Charts are ranked by number of gross audience impressions, computed by cross-referencing exact times of radio airplay with Arbitron listener data. Hot Singles Sales, the top selling singles compiled from a sample of retail store, mass merchant and internet sales reports collected, compiled. The chart is released weekly and measures sales of commercial singles. With the decline in sales of singles in the US
38.
Secrets Tour
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The Secrets Tour was the debut concert tour by American pop/R&B singer Toni Braxton. The tour was in support of her album, Secrets. The tour began during the summer of 1996 in theatres, jazz saxophonist Kenny G joined the tour September 18,1996. Remaining shows in the U. S. were billed as An Evening with Kenny G & Toni Braxton, the Braxtons Kenny G This setlist is from the concert held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, January 18,1997. It is not representative of all shows during the tour, wade, Gregory Ringo, Mario Johnson, Rodney Day, Gromyko Collins Dancers, Rosero McCoy, Jamal Sims, Omar Lopez, Jermaine Montell
