Chaka Khan slams pop
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Ain't nobody does it better than Chaka Khan, some R&B music lovers might say.
But the Grammy-winning singer insists there are a handful of new-generation vocalists who come real close -- though the music scene today is swamped by flavorless tunes and shallow talent, she says. "Sometimes I wonder what business this is I'm in today -- is it a circus, a fashion show or what?" Khan told a news conference Wednesday during a visit to this Southeast Asian country.
"It's like anybody who has a look can be a singer or entertainer now. The talent is almost not necessary anymore," she said. "I think a lot of people are out there making videos, singing and making a lot of money based on nothing but a cute shape and a pretty face."
Khan, who came to prominence as the vocalist for the 1970s soul-funk group Rufus and had a string of solo hits in the 1980s such as "Ain't Nobody," "I'm Every Woman" and "I Feel For You," said many modern songwriters seem to have "stunted imaginations" and sample tiredly from classic R&B riffs without mixing in fresh inspiration.
Ex-'Road Rules' Cast Member Killed In Crash
10.21.2002 6:17 PM EDT
Michelle Parma
Michelle Parma, the former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who graced the third season of "Road Rules," was killed Saturday afternoon in a three-vehicle collision. She was 27.
Parma was traveling from Dallas to Houston on Interstate 45 with her cousin Mandie Parma, 28, who was also killed in the crash. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Austin Hodges, 16, lost control of his vehicle and crossed the median, hitting the Parmas' Jeep head on. After the Parmas' vehicle was hit, it rotated and was struck by another northbound vehicle, a Kia driven by Barbara Kroll, 30.
Hodges and Kroll reported no serious injuries, while Michelle and Mandie Parma, who were both wearing seatbelts, died at the scene, according to the office of Judge John Kleimann, who pronounced them. Their bodies were taken to Cashner Funeral Home.
Parma appeared in the Europe cast of "Road Rules" in 1996. Along with her castmates Chris, Antoine, Patrice and Belou, she traveled Europe for 10 weeks by Winnebago, train and boat. She ran with the bulls in Spain, put together a fireworks show to celebrate Bastille Day in France and nursed two sick seals back to health and set them free in Amsterdam.
After "Road Rules," Parma, who had studied drama and communications at the University of North Texas, moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She later moved back to Texas to become a flight attendant for Southwest. Parma most recently appeared on the Road Rules "Extreme Challenge" last year.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Unity Church of Dallas. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests donations be made to the United Network for Organ Sharing: 1100 Boulders Parkway, Suite 500, Box 13770, Richmond, VA 23225-8770. Remembrances can be sent to the family in care of Bunim/Murray Productions, Box 10421, Van Nuys, CA 91410.
—Jennifer Vineyard
Lil' Kim and P. Diddy No Longer Speaking
(Katrillion) -- You may have noticed that Lil' Kim and P. Diddy have broken their musical ties.
Turns out Kim is no longer on speaking terms with the rap mogul, who managed her career for several years, served as executive producer for her last album and shared the microphone with the rapstress on tunes such as "All About the Benjamins."
Kim recently dished to The Source magazine about what went down and why she thinks the artist/producer formerly known as Puff Daddy is not all that.
"I think that Puff has a lot to learn in the game still," she said. "I'm grateful to have worked with him, but there are a lot of things I didn't like. He ignored a lot of things that were important. He was my manager, he's supposed to be managing me. I was doing way more for him than he was doing for me. It wasn't a two-way street and it hurt."
Lil' Kim recently recorded a soon-to-be-released album without Puffy's help. Ironically, he is now executive producer for the upcoming album by Foxy Brown, Kim's rap rival.