From a Planet Called Harlem
Producer/artist Pharrell introduced his latest protégé, Teyana Taylor, at the Kush Lounge in NYC. The event served as her 18th birthday bash as well. Her first single, “I Feel Alive (Spinnin’)” featuring Pharrell impacts this January, with the album, From A Planet Called Harlem, scheduled for a March release. Bangladesh, Hit Boy and Pharrell join in the production for the birthday girl.
Emmis NY Promotes Alexandra Cameron
Alexandra Cameron has been promoted to SVP/GM of Emmis Radio’s New York cluster that includes Top 40/rhythmic WQHT-FM (Hot 97) and urban WRKS-FM (98.7). Previously Director of Sales, and prior to that GSM of Hot 97, Cameron is “a high-energy, passionate believer in radio, who also serves as a leading voice of change and creativity in our industry,” commented Emmis Radio President Rick Cummings. “I’m certain she’ll take Emmis New York to even greater levels of performance.”
“It blows my mind that our medium continues to be so clearly undervalued and misunderstood,” Cameron responded. “My greatest passion is to be instrumental in changing that and leave some small legacy for the medium I love and find infinitely cool, including the people that are part of it. The #1 priority is to ensure Emmis NY is a benefactor of that and I am privileged to be entrusted with such an opportunity in such uncertain times. This will be a very challenging role with challenging expectations and I welcome it with vigor.”
BLS Beat Goes On Staying Focused on Community
WBLS, all decked out in holiday décor with falling snowflakes on its website, will be taking 107 winners in its “Yes We Can Holiday Jam” contest to the MGM at Foxwoods on December 19 for a show featuring Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick. Steve Harvey and Wendy Williams will be leading the celebration for the Inner City Broadcasting heritage urban AC station WBLS-FM (107.5).
Unfortunately some of its staffers will not be joining in the celebration. Two veteran broadcasters, virtual icons at WBLS, were let go just before Thanksgiving. “Quiet Storm” night show host Vaughn Harper with more than 20 years at the station and overnight personality Champaine, who just celebrated her 25th anniversary with the station this year, were among those cut as the station looks to economize and lower its overhead. No replacements have been named as the station goes to an all-music playlist, still airing a Quiet Storm format in Harper’s timeslot. The station and listeners were sorry to lose two friends that had helped establish the WBLS legacy.
ICBC is even more focused on its community involvement, especially in these critical times and recently headed a major food drive along with sister station gospel WLIB-AM (1190) that Capitol artist Avant joined to gather food supplies for the needy.
WLIB’s midday personality/PD Denise Hill, aka Gospel Lady, who recently hosted an after Thanksgiving gospel concert—she called it a church party—has given up her programming duties to focus more on her air show, reports Inner City OM Skip Dillard, who will handle programming for the gospel station in the interim.
The station recently signed with Katz Media, upon Interep’s demise. “We are excited to enter into this long-term relationship with the Katz Radio Group,” said ICBC president Charles Warfield. “We expect this partnership to result in significant new revenue opportunities through stronger advertising relationships and an increased number of multiplatform marketing opportunities.”
KISS Holiday Mix Master Weekend
A “who’s who” of classic DJs kicks off the holidays on Emmis urban WRKS-FM (Kiss 98.7) NYC for Holiday Master Mix Weekend starting Christmas Day and ending December 28. Master mixers include Kool DJ Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, Chris Love, Brucie B, Kid Capri and DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Qua, DJ Pleasure, Darryl James, Ruben Toro, DJ Lady Dee, Tommie Allen and Grandmaster Flash.
“KISS FM is the most legendary radio station in NYC,” explains KISS Mixshow Coordinator and Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex. “It was the first station to really support DJs and mixers in major dayparts in the early ‘80s. It’s only right that they are the first to do it again with the World’s Greatest DJ’s.”
Jazz At The Bricktop
The Apollo Theater recently saluted the Broadway musical, “Bricktop, Queen of the Night,” with an invitation-only, closed-door jazz session that included Wallace Roney and his Quintet along with Mickey Bass, Don McKenzie, Katie Bull, Iqua Colson, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Winard Harper, the Dom Minasi Trio, Maurice Chestnut and the Avery Sharpe Trio, among others. The upcoming musical is based on the life of Ada “Bricktop” Smith, an American-born jazz cabaret owner in Paris in the ‘20s and ‘30s who nurtured some of jazz’s greatest players. The Bricktop, as her cabaret was called, was world renowned, where celebrities, royalty, politicians and music lovers would stop in to hear the hippest jazz and be photographed. Paul Lambert, Jonas Neilson and Whoopi Goldberg are producing the musical, with original music and lyrics by Ron Abel and Chuck Steffan.
RUSH Youth Holiday Party
Hundreds of at-risk New York City youth affiliated with Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation-supported programs partied at Rush Philanthropic’s Ninth Annual Youth Holiday Party sponsored by Target. Dawn Richards of Danity Kane hosted the holiday party which included appearances by Russell Simmons, hip-hop artists Jim Jones and Teyana Taylor, JoJo Simmons (son of Reverend Run) of Run’s House on MTV, BET’s Alesha Renee, radio personality Egypt, America’s Next Top Model Jaslene Gonzalez, TV hit “Heroes” Jamie Hecter, platinum selling singer/producer Ryan Leslie, Que from the group Day 26 on MTV’s “Making The Band,” Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets, among others.
Allan Houston Expands Legacy
New York Knicks All-Star and Assistant to the President Allan Houston hosted a fundraiser for the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation at the Sports Museum of America recently auctioning off autographed collectibles from LeBron James, Tiger Woos and Derek Jeter, among others as celebrities like Wynton Marsalis, Ron Howard and Ben Stiller bid. (l-r) Houston with special guests Malik Rose, Jared Jeffries and John Starks—Photo by Hubert Williams
UNICEF Snowflake Lighting
Rihanna and Ne-Yo were among those helping to make the traditional UNICEF Snowflake Lighting in NYC special.
Deborah Cox: The Promise
Toronto native Deborah Cox introduced her new Deco album The Promise at an intimate soiree in NYC.
WBLS Adds Dr. Bob Lee to Overnights
Inner City Broadcasting urban AC WBLS-FM (107.5) has added Dr. Bob Lee to handle its overnight shift Sunday through Thursday from midnight until 5am. Spinning today’s R&B and classic soul, Lee, who has both his BA and MA in Communications, adds these responsibilities to an already diverse job description with the heritage station. He is also the station’s Community Affairs Director and hosts a “Daily Dose” series addressing health issues that affect the community. Additionally, he also hosts the weekly live television program “Open” on BronxNet cable and is a frequent host in the Harlem community of events. Founder and board member of the Make the Grade Foundation, a not-for-profit that mentors and aids school children, Lee also mentors the students who run the weekly music program, “Table for Two,” on WLIU-FM (88.1) in Brooklyn.
