ROCKY DAWUNI & ALPHA BLONDY LIVE!!

ROCKY DAWUNI & ALPHA BLONDY LIVE!!

Two of Africa’s foremost international Reggae stars, Ghana’s Rocky Dawuni and Cote D'Ivoire’s 
Alpha Blondy, will be sharing the stage at the forthcoming Africa Festival Munster to be 
held at Skaters Palace in Munster, Germany on June 23^rd, 2012. Dawuni comes off a stellar
year in which his unique fusion of Reggae and Afrobeat won him the “Best African Artiste 2011” 
at the last International Reggae and World Music Awards , a feature on CNN’s African Voices 
as well as being named one of CNN’s Top 10 African Artists on the global stage.

Ivorian star Alpha Blondy has been one of the earliest pioneers of African Reggae, having 
played for thousands all over the world. His landmark album “Jerusalem” is still considered 
one of the finest Reggae albums ever recorded. Blondy has been a major force in African Reggae's 
global appeal alongside South Africa’s Lucky Dube and the new generation led by artists like 
Dawuni. This promises to be the ultimate African Roots Reggae party!!!

June 23, 2012 
Afrika Festival Muenster 2012
Skaters  Palace,  Dahlweg  126,
Muenster, Germany
www.afrika-koorperative.de

ABOUT ROCKY DAWUNI:

Ghana’s international music star Rocky Dawuni has leveraged his popularity within and 
without of the Continent to champion social causes and inspire a generation of artists and
fans alike. Dawuni’s eloquence as well as his successful melding of musical celebrity and 
social action has made him a spokesperson for various causes worldwide. Over the last few
years, his music and electric live performances have attracted thousands to his concerts.
Rocky’s upcoming new album, “Afro Roots,” fully captures his unique fusion of Afro Beat a
nd Reggae while confirming him as an artist in the tradition of both Fela Kuti and Bob Marley
in utilizing his music to uplift, unify and inspire.

Please check out  www.rockydawuni.com for complete tour listings! 

Additional Rocky Dawuni Links: 
www.facebook.com/rockydawunimusic
www.youtube.com/rockydawunimusic
www.twitter.com/rockydawuni 
www.sonicbids.com/rockydawuni

Eric Bene`t “The One”

Eric Bene`t Jordan  was born on October 15, 1966 in Mobile Alabama.He is the youngest of five siblings. Eric grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He sang with group called the Gerard in the 1980s. In 1992 Eric his sister and his cousin formed a band called Bene’t, they released a self-titled album in 1992 that sold 100,000 records. Eric’s had some personal problems so his career was put on hold for a while. His father died of cancer. He became a single father of daughter named India  his girlfriend Tami Marie Stauff died on April 29, 1993 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.Eric was married to Halle Berry from 2001 to 2005. In 2011 he married Princes ex-wife Manuela Testolini who gave birth to a baby girl, Lucia Bella on December 21, 2011. Eric’s career really started to flourish when he was nominated for a Grammy for “Spend My Life With You”, a duet he did with Tamia. This song was one of my favorites in 2000. Eric released his 7<sup>th</sup> album “The One” on June 5, 2012. This album is honest, classy and smooth. It has a lot of slow songs and has some up tempo songs as well. I really like this album and these are the songs that speak to me, “Gonna Be My Girl”, “That's My Lady”, “Harriett Jones”, “Runnin”, “News For You”, “Here In My Arms”. “I Hope That It's You” has a reggae beat. Eric and his daughter India Bene`t are doing a duet on the song “Muzik (Feat. India Benét)”. This is a beautiful song. Eric really did his thing on this album. I’m going to put this one on my playlist. Listen to some songs from Eric Bene`t “The One” album on Streetwise Radio. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on iTunes, live365, Athena365 and MyGen365.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Ben%C3%A9t

Guru

.

I’m writing about Keith Edward Elam known by Guru, because my cousin DJ Michael Ealey is going to be featuring Guru’s Jazzamatazz Volume II Reality CD on his internet radio station Streetwise Radio. Guru stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal. I have been listening to Guru’s music while writing this blog, I’m wondering why I have not never heard of this brother. His Jazzmatazz album’s volume 1 through 4 is a fusion of jazz and hip hop at its best. Guru has some of the great jazz and R&B artists featured on this album like Donald Byrd, Simon Law, N'Dea Davenport, Branford Marsalis, DJ Jazzy Nice, DC Lee, Lonnie Liston Smith and Roy Ayers, Chaka Khan, Courtney Pine, Gary Barnacle, Carleen Anderson, DC Lee and DJ Jimmy Jay. Guru featuring Angie Stone “Keep Your Worries” is on hit. It is real refreshing to hear a rapper rap about something positive, other than that crap about degrading women, drinking, smoking, killing and the bling. It is truly sad that Guru died too young from cancer, just when his career was starting to blow up. His legacy will live on through his music. If you have not heard of Guru like myself listen to Streetwise Radio Big Hop at 6pm Pacific time You will be a fan for life. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on https://www.liveonlineradio.net/usa/streetwise-radio.htm

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_(rapper)

Monica (New Life)

Monica Denise Brown was born on October 24, 1980 in College Park, Georgia. Monica destine to be a singer, she started singing at Jones Hill Chapel United Methodist Church in Newman, Georgia at the age of two. At the 10 year old she became the youngest singer in Charles Thompson and the Majestics, traveling 12-piece gospel choir. Monica came on the music scene in 1991 when she was performing Whitney Houston’s 1986 “Greatest Love of All”. Dallas Austin a music producer saw her perform and offered Monica a record deal with Arista Records. Monica went on to put out 6 albums. She then known as the R&B teen queen. Now Monica is 31 years old with two kids and on her second marriage to NBA player Shannon Brown. Her 7^th album “New Life” says it all. This album reflects Monica’s past and present. The songs I liked off this album are “Big Mistake”, Take A Chance (featuring Wale)”, “Until Its Gone”, “Amazing”, “Cry”, and “Time To Move On”. Monica is singing her heart on this album she is showing her maturity. I always liked Monica, it is good to hear her again. Check out some of Monica’s songs on Streetwise Radio. You can also tune into Streetwise Radio on live365, myGen365 and I-Tunes.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_(entertainer)

Ruben Studdard (Letters from Birmingham)

The world fell in love with Ruben Studdard in 2003 when he was a contestant on American Idol T.V. show. Ruben Studdard was born Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard on September 12, 1978 in Frankfurt, Germany. Ruben grew up in Birmingham Alabama, he began singing at the Rising Star Baptist Church he was three years old he when he sang for the first time. Ruben received a scholarship to Alabama A&M University in football while he was playing at Huffman High School. While Ruben was growing up he was listening to his mother’s Donny Hathaway and Fred Hammond albums. He decided he would pursue a career in music. Ruben joined the men’s music fraternity of America Omicron Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Ruben was nicknamed the “Velvet Teddy Bear” when he was on American Idol and that name truly fit him. Ruben’s career took off after winning American Idol the single “Flying Without Wings” the song he sung on the finale show and one of the songs on his debut album “Soulful” released in 2003. This is still one of my favorites songs. Ruben went on to release a gospel album in November 2004 entitled “I Need an Angel” which was number one on the Gospel Charts in the first week and number twenty on the Billboard charts. Ruben went on to release two more albums in 2006. His third album “The Return”, he collaborated with Ne-Yo. On this album and in 2009 “Love Is” was released. I still enjoyed both of these albums. Ladies, Ruben Studdard is a single man again. His marriage to Sutra Zuri McCants lasted less than three years and with this said his new album “Letters From Birmingham” has been released and it is Ruben Studdard at his finest. My favorite songs on this album are “Do It Right (Feat. Chrisette Michele)”, “Turn U Out”, “What’s The Reason”, “Twisted Love” “Love Skies” and “ June 28^th (I’m Single)”. Ruben Studdard pours his heart into this album and the diversity of this album is very appealing. You Can listen to songs form Ruben Studdard’s album “Letters from Birmingham” on Streetwise Radio or live365, MyGen365, Athena365 and iTunes.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruben_Studdard

Some Critics Say R&B Music Is Dead

I don’t think so! There are so many great R&B artists out there. What happened to our true R&B entertainers with rich and exceptional voices? Like Stevie Wonder, Patty Labelle, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway Luther Vandross the list goes on. They’re out there; R&B is not dead! New R&B artist are being played on internet radio. The masses except the crap that is being played on the on-air R&B radio stations all over the country. I can’t stand the on-air R&B radio stations; they don’t play enough new artists all they play are the most popular artists that every ones heard of. On-air R&B radio stations are dead to me! Once the masses get tired of the crap that is being played on the on-air radio stations they will turn to internet radio. I like listening to internet radio, because you hear new artists that can really sing. The Dj’s on internet radio don’t have to adhere to the on-air radio station play list they can play whatever they like. My favorite internet radio station is Streetwise Radio the Dj’s play artists that you have never heard of like Melissa Untalon, Esperanza Spaulding, Cleveland P. Jones, Sa-Ra, Sean Oliver, Darrius Willrich, Boog Brown, Ruff Endz and Jeffery Smith. Streetwise radio keeps adding new artists to its playlist, artist that can sing! So when you get sick of the same old crap the on-air radio stations are playing tune into internet radio for some new talented R&B artists. You can tune into Streetwise radio on iTunes, MyGen365, live365, Athena365.

LM

http://blogcritics.org/music/article/r-kelly-and-the-slow-unfortunate/