Family Affair
The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina really struck a chord with über-music producer Rodney Jerkins. The sought-after hitmaker was on vacation with his wife, former pop singer Joy Enriquez, in Cancun when the natural disaster barreled into the Gulf Coast.
"We're watching TV and we're like, 'That could be here right now,'" he recalled, while we dined at the Washington, D.C. restaurant Zola. "It's crazy, sometimes when you think about it, like what if it came to New Jersey? You just don't know how God has things planned. It definitely struck a nerve to see all those people out there without any forms of food, transportation. Come on, it was taking five, six, seven days to get to the people out of there. It was crazy!"
When Jerkins returned home, he received a call from Sherman Brown who asked him about producing a song for Katrina victims. "I said, 'Tell me more about it.' He said we would partner up with the Points of Light Foundation, which was founded by George Bush, Sr. back in the '80s. So I said, 'Cool,'" explained the producer, who is also vice president of A&R for Island Def Jam Records.
It was decided that they'd remake the Sister Sledge song "We Are Family," though Jerkins wasn't necessarily in love with the concept initially. "Of course me, I'm a creative guy, and I would have loved to create a song from scratch. But they wanted to do a remake of 'We Are Family' by Sister Sledge because they felt that song was really perfect for the cause," said Jerkins.
The producer then rallied support from a bevy of his music industry friends including Patti LaBelle, Chris Brown, Ciara, Brian McKnight, Mary Mary, Christina Milian, Branford Marsalis, BeBe Winans, George Clinton, Lyfe Jennings, Bishop Paul Morton, Ray J and others. "It's a good blend of past generation and this generation," Jerkins said of the singers on the record. Sister Sledge even sings background on the new version.
"We Are Family" is the lead single from a full-length CD of the same name that will drop Nov. 14, on Bungalo/Universal Music Group. Proceeds from the CD/DVD sales will go toward helping more than 200,000 families that were displaced by the hurricane.
In addition to producing "We Are Family," Jerkins has two hit singles currently riding high on the charts-Beyonce's "Déjà Vu" featuring Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige's "Enough Cryin'." The producer, now more than 100 pounds slimmer, also produced the first single for newcomer Shareefa ("I Need A Boss") and Bobby Valentino ("Turn the Page").
Though Jerkins has worked with everyone from Whitney Houston to Michael Jackson and Madonna, he told me that he'd still love to make music with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson. The 29-year-old talent said he would also enjoy overseeing Michael Jackson's comeback project. "Only if he listens to me. I'm not talking about music, I'm talking about everything. If he said, 'Rodney just take my career,'" he offered.
And what type of transformation would he work on M.J.? "First thing I'd do is take the high-waters off. Get rid of the white socks. Get him in some jeans. He could still be fly with the jackets and the things right here (points to his shoulders), but it would just be the fly way of doing it. He don't have to be so glittery. His hair, he needs a nice cut. There's only but so much you can do with him, but it's just to make him more current," he answered, before adding, "I could do it for Mase too!"
In Control
As part of the media set-up for her forthcoming album, '20 Yo,' Janet Jackson has graced the covers of FHM, Us Weekly, Vibe, W Magazine and Ebony. If that wasn't enough, Jackson is now featured on the October/November cover of the newly revamped Giant magazine.
In the revealing interview with writer Scott Poulson-Bryant, Jackson talks candidly about the speculation that she had a daughter by ex-husband James DeBarge that she hid from the public. "It upsets me people just seem to want me to have this baby that I've never told anyone about. But I think James's mother believes there's a baby, as well. Him and I have actually talked about it. He said to me that his mother had mentioned it to him so much, he had to ask me about it! Like, 'You wouldn't do that, would you?' And I had to tell him, if I'd had a baby, he would know. I would never keep a child from her father," Jackson said.
Jackson also lets loose about her brother, Michael Jackson ("He thought my butt was too big. Maybe he wasn't completely happy with himself, so he put it on me?"); her father, Joe Jackson ("I never really wanted to sing. I wanted to go to college and study business law and just be an actress and support my way through school doing that. But my father always said you can make more money as a singer."); and her low self-esteem ("For a long time, I had a difficult time finding things I liked about myself physically. I never used to look in the mirror... 'cause I didn't really like what I saw.").
Giant magazine is now under the direction of former America magazine editor-in-chief Smokey D. Fontaine, who has landed Beyoncé Knowles and Pharrell Williams as cover subjects since being at the helm. The glossy has taken on many of America magazine's signature features, most noticeably the black and white covers.
Buzzworthy
R&B singer Rihanna is brushing off rumors of a feud with Beyoncé Knowles, who of course is dating Rihanna's label president Sean "Jay-Z" Carter. Music industry types and online blogs speculate that Knowles' alarming second single "Ring the Alarm" is actually about Rihanna, with the track accusing a woman of wanting to take Knowles' man. But Rihanna makes light of the rumors in the new issue of Trace magazine. ""I have always looked up to [Beyoncé]," she told the glossy, before adding: "I don't see why people wouldn't compare me to [Beyoncé]. I must be doing something right."
Angie Winans of the legendary Winans family has released a heartfelt book about the loss of her brother, Ronald Winans. In the tome, 'What Manner of Love is This?,' Winans shares how she coped with the loss of her brother and how God can sustain you in time of bereavement. She wrote: "After my loss, I felt that my Love for my brother had betrayed me; you see, I figured if Love wasn't involved, the pain wouldn't be as severe. Little did I know it would be because of Love I would be able to recover with such enormous speed. We know that death is inevitable; it is a part of life that we cannot avoid. It is something that we must face. So here's the revelation; Love is the antidote for death." For more information on this powerful book, visit
www.angiewinans.net.
Natalie Cole will headline actress Sheryl Lee Ralph's 16th Annual "Divas...Simply Singing!" HIV/AIDS benefit concert. Among the others slated to perform are Stephanie Mills, Broadway diva Frenchie Davis, 'American Idol' finalist Paris Bennett, gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins, Vivian Green and actress Loretta Devine. Soul singer Rahsaan Patterson and jazz musician Jimmy Sommers will also appear. "Divas...Simply Singing!" will take place Saturday Oct. 7, at Los Angeles' Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
Where's Jacque Reid? That's the question that's flooding my email box. Well, here's what I can tell. Reid is gone from the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show. Harvey's former Los Angeles sidekick Shirley Strawberry is his new co-host. Was the parting of Reid and Harvey amicable? Not from what I hear. But nonetheless, Reid is a great talent who'll likely be back on a television or radio network you know and love before you know it!
Playwright and director Mark E. Swinton is readying the launch of his musical 'You Don't Know Me,' a revamped version of his previous play 'Ephraim's Song.' The play exclusively features the music of the defunct R&B group City High, though none of them are involved in the production. The show kicks off with previews on Sept. 21, at the LA Scottish Rite Auditorium. Opening night is Sept. 30.
Frankly Speaking
"I don't do God jokes, because I don't want God to do Damon jokes." - Damon Wayans on why he doesn't do jokes about God in his standup comedy routines or on his new Showtime series 'The Underground.'
Can't Say Names...
I hear that a certain R&B singer is pregnant, but she doesn't want the cat out of the bag yet. Said singer is already married, so there's no scandal there, but she just wants to make the announcement when she's ready. So in good faith, I'll stay mum for now.
Amarie, Mary, Faith, Tamara Gray or Claudette Ortiz (from City High)
BV Scene
Singer-actress Christina Milian spotted looking nervous as she left the Hotel Gansevoort in New York's Soho district as she ran into actor Eric West. The two made headlines when Milian posted a MySpace blog saying she "[have] no idea who Eric West is" despite having co-hosted an event for Elton John's AIDS foundation in August 2005, and being photographed with West at the last New York Fashion Week. My mole said she kept apologizing to West during the chance encounter... Crooner Eric Benet seen having breakfast at Vivian's Café in Studio City, Calif... Gospel singer Edwin Hawkins having dinner with friends at Clydes at Gallery Place in Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown district... Actor Keith Robinson was among those who attended 'Dreamgirls' star Jennifer Hudson's birthday bash at Holly's West in Santa Monica, Calif... Prince was among those at singer Vikter Duplaix's album listening party at the M.J. Higgins Gallery in downtown Los Angeles... Diana Ross strolled through Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Hybrid Mode
