Ice Cube on Signing With Interscope Records: ‘They’re Game Changers’
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Nearly 27 years after leaving N.W.A to pursue a solo career in music — and more recently in films — Ice Cube has signed his first deal with a major label: Interscope Records announced its pact with the rapper Thursday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“It makes sense for a lot of reasons,” Cube told Variety on Thursday. “Interscope has always been on the cutting edge of music, so it’s cool to be associated with a label that’s done so much for hip-hop and music in general. They’re game changers.”
Interscope has a solid history in the genre, with multi-platinum releases from Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and and Cube’s former bandmate in N.W.A, Dr. Dre.
“We are thrilled to announce that Ice Cube has joined the Interscope family,” chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records John Janick said. “He’s obviously one of the legendary figures in hip hop. That’s a massive statement on its own, but he’s so much more than that. Cube has an incredible body of work and as a fan, I’m honored to welcome him to the label.”
The first project under the new deal will be a 25th anniversary edition of his second solo album, “Death Certificate,” which was released in October 1991. The re-release, dropping on June 9, will feature three new songs, “Only One Me,” “Dominate The Weak” and the lead single, “Good Cop, Bad Cop.” The LP debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/ Hip-Hop Albums chart shortly after its initial release.
“It’s cool now to have dough from the ‘big boys’ to get some of these new ideas out to the public,” the rapper said. “New records, new compilations and all these ideas that we can build over at Interscope.”
The rapper’s musical career, which had taken a back seat to his lucrative work as a film producer and actor, has revived in the wake of the 2015 N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton” and the group’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2016.
Cube will continue to helm his independent label Lench Mob Records. According to a press release announcing the deal, Ice Cube has sold more than 10 million albums to date, between 14 solo and group albums.
At the time of its original release, “Death Certificate” was on the receiving end of criticism stemming from the still-percolating “gangsta rap” controversies that plagued N.W.A and ultimately led to Interscope parting ways with its original distributor, Warner Music, in 1995 (only to ink a more lucrative deal with Universal almost immediately). For a time in Oregon, it was illegal for local retailers to promote Ice Cube in any way.
“Sadly, our community is dealing with many of the same issues,” Cube said. “I only hope that young millennials feeling powerless in the ‘hood can channel their own anger and frustration by listening to this record.”
Source: Variety
On This Day In Comedy… In 1933 Comedian And Actor Godfrey MacArthur Cambridge Was Born
Comedian, Actor, Godfrey MacArthur Cambridge was born in New York City, New York
If his parents had had their way, Cambridge would’ve become a doctor. He attended Hofstra College where he studied medicine for three years, then woke up one morning, dropped out and became an actor. That was probably a dramatic moment remembered by all who witnessed, but then the reality of being a struggling actor set in. Cambridge found himself doing less acting and more job bouncing. He was an ambulance driver, a gardener, bead-sorter, cab driver, popcorn bunny maker, airplane cleaner, New York Housing Authority clerk and judo instructor.
Cambridge’s hard work to keep food in his belly paid off. He took his bartending skills from real life and played a bartender in his first play, Take a Giant Step. It was off-Broadway, but in 1957 he made it to the big time. He debuted in the original production of Herman Wouk’s Nature’s Way. Four years later Cambridge earned an Obie Award for his work in The Blacks: A Clown Show. A year later he received a Tony nomination for his work in the original version of Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious in a cast that included Ruby Dee, Helen Martin, Beah Richards, Alan Alda, Sorrell Booke and Roger C. Carmel. His performance in 1965’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was lauded as well. Cambridge proved himself to be an accomplished actor.
Godfrey Cambridge was also good on film. He played a government agent in The President’s Analyst (1967); a cab driver in Bye Bye Braverman (1968); a white racist who turns black in Watermelon Man (1970); a line-crossing cop in Cotton Comes to Harlem and its sequel Come Back Charleston Blue (1972) and a gay gangster in Pam Grier’s Friday Foster (1975). In 1970, he financed and produced the graphic anti-drug film, Dead is Dead, where actual addicts were shown shooting up and going through withdrawal. Cambridge also appeared in the films, The Busy Body, The Biggest Bundle of Them All, The Biscuit Eater, Beware! The Blob and Whiffs.
Godfrey Cambridge made his presence known on television. He guest-starred on Car 54 Where Are You?, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Spy, The Phil Silvers Show and in Night Gallery playing a comedian who appeals to a genie to get his career back on track. Steven Spielberg directed that episode which co-starred Tom Bosley. Cambridge also did underwear commercials for Jockey.
Standup comedy was another Cambridge strength. In 1965 Time magazine recognized him as being one of the top four most celebrated Black comedians in the nation along with Dick Gregory, Nipsey Russell and Bill Cosby. Cambridge was universally accepted with a brand of comedy that though truthful, sarcastic and incisive, was unifying. He made appearances on The Tonight Show and was one of the country’s top earning nationally headlining standup comedians. In a career spanning several decades he released four albums; all from Epic Records.
Godfrey Cambridge died on November 29, 1976 in Burbank, California of a heart attack. It occurred while he was filming Victory at Entebbe, a movie where Cambridge was portraying Uganda’s brutal president, Idi Amin Dada. When the news was made public Amin was quoted as saying Cambridge’s death was “punishment from God”. Godfrey Cambridge was 43 years old.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1969 Comedian And Actor Edwin San Juan Was Born!
On this day in comedy on February 24, 1969, Comedian, Actor, Edwin San Juan was born
When San Juan was coming up in comedy there weren’t a passel of clubs catering to the Asian audience. So the Filipino funny man cut his teeth in Latin clubs and bars alongside comedians such as Gabriel Iglesias, Felipe Esparza and Jeff Garcia. It was the perfectly rough circuit to get good and he did. Soon he was doing USO shows and headlining nationally. So San Juan was a seasoned pro when he gained notoriety as the creator and Executive Producer of SlantED Comedy, a showcase of Asian American stand-up comedians televised on Showtime.
As a standup comedian, San Juan appeared on all available shows. He was seen on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham’s, BET’s Comic View, Live from Hollywood, Latino Laugh Festival, Que Loco, Inside Joke, Latino 101, International Sexy Ladies Show (ummm), Loco Comedy Jam, Comics without Borders, The Payaso Comedy Slam and Destination Stardom.
Edwin San Juan appeared in the 2010 film, I’m Not Like That No More with Paul Rodriguez and he was the grand champion on the UPN show, Talent Agency. He later moved to Nevada to become the resident comedian at the Las Vegas Live Comedy Club and in 2015 San Juan won Las Vegas Weekly’s “Best Comedian on the Las Vegas Strip.”
On This Day In Comedy… In 1983 Comedian, Actor, And Writer Aziz Ansari Was Born!
On this day in comedy on February 23, 1983, Comedian, Actor, Writer, Aziz Ansari was born in Columbia, South Carolina
Taking a different career path than his gastroenterologist father, the versatile Ansari got his start in comedy while still in school at the New York University. He performed in clubs in New York and furthered his comedic education at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre. To date he has headlined several national tours and released four comedy CD / DVDs. He takes the approach of talking about his own personal experiences so no other comedians can steal his act or bits. He’s performed at such prestigious venues as Madison Square garden and Carnegie Hall.
His television credits include Uncle Morty’s Dub Shack, Reno 911!,Scrubs, MTV’s Human Giant, which he created as a vehicle for himself, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, and NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
He created Master of None for Netflix and formed a strong relationship with MTV (he hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 201) and Comedy Central which yielded many of Ansari created projects and collaborations.
Ansari has worked in numerous films such as Funny People, I Love You, Man. Get Him to the Greek, Observe and Report and 30 Minutes or Less.
Ansari is also an author with his first book Modern Romance: An Investigation which dropped in 2015. It’s about dating and was co-written with Eric Klinenberg, an actual sociologist.
He has done voice-over work as the recurring, Darryl on Bob’s Burgers, Mub in Epic, Martin in The Ventura Bros., Billy Billions in Ben 10: Omniverse, DMO in Adventure Time, Charles in Animals and on music videos (“Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye West). In the latter, he played himself (as in the film, This is the End, Comedy Bang! Bang! and the animated feature, Ice Age: Continental Drift)
Ansari has earned a lot of industry nominations and has won the Variety Power of Comedy Award, a Critics’ Choice Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1970 Actress, Model, And Producer Niecy Nash Was Born!
On this day in comedy on February 23, 1970 Actress, Model, Producer, Carol Denise “Niecy” Nash (Carol Denise Ensley) was born in Palmdale, California
Many performers shy away from the label ‘role model’. Others become them by example. After the shooting death of her younger brother in 1993, her mother founded M.A.V. I. S. (Mothers Against Violence in Schools) and Nash became its most outspoken spokesperson; informing the public about the dangers of violence on campus. That level of commitment permeates her work as well.
Nash began her career in films. The maiden voyage was 1995’s Boys on the Side in a small virtually uncredited role; the character had no name, just a description. That didn’t happen again. In 1999, she was in Cookie’s Fortune, Guess Who in 2005, Code Name: The Cleaner in 2007, Not Easily Broken in 2009, G-Force in 2009 and Trust Me in 2013.
Niecy Nash was also extremely active on television. From 2003-2010 she hosted Clean House on the Style Network. For her tenure of excellence, she won an Emmy. However, most viewers got a load of Nash when she gained notoriety on the Comedy Central sitcom, Reno 911 playing sassy Deputy Raineesha Williams from 2003 to 2009. In 2007, the show was shot as a feature length film, Reno 911!: Miami.
Before, during and after her run-on Reno 911!, Nash guest starred on Reba, Girlfriends, One on One, Half & Half, That’s So Raven, My Name is Earl, Monk and others. From 2003 – 2005 Nash had recurring roles on The Bernie Mac Show as Mac’s sister, Benita and she co-starred with Jerry O’Connell on the Fox sitcom, Do Not Disturb in 2008. She had her own reality show, Leave It to Niecy, about her new family in 2011, a recurring role on Fox as a doctor on The Mindy Project and in 2015 she was Andre Braugher’s sister on the Fox comedy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Niecy Nash’s detail to craft did not go unnoticed. She received multiple acting award nominations for the part of nurse Denise “DiDi” Ortley in Getting On airing on HBO from 2013-2015. Beginning in 2012 she co-starred with Cedric the Entertainer on The Soul Man, a spin-off from the popular AMC sitcom, Hot in Cleveland. Her role as Cedric’s wife has been universally applauded, but Nash has also received acclaim for her rare dramatic performances. In the role of civil rights activist Richie Jean Jackson in 2014’s Selma she got raves. She also received good reviews for her recurring role on the CBS series, City of Angels.
The multi-faceted Nash was also no stranger to animation. She was Mama Robin in Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005). She portrayed Cookie Freeman on The Boondocks and Fatso’s Mama on Minoriteam in 2006. She lent her voice for the character of Mrs. Boots on the animated series, Slacker Cats on ABC Family and voiced Lorraine on American Dad from 2007-2013. Nash was heard as Miss Yelp in Horton Hears a Who! (2008), Janet on The Cleveland Show (2010) and Gloria on The LeBrons in 2011. She honestly would’ve done more, but there are only 24 hours in a day.
In 2009 Niecy Nash won a Gracie Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Reno 911! In 2010, she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special
On This Day In Comedy… In 1929 Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter, Director, Playwright, Songwriter, And Author “Chespirito” Was Born!
On this day in comedy on February 21, 1929 Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter, Director, Playwright, Songwriter, Author, Roberto Gómez Bolaños, aka “Chespirito” was born.
Highly regarded as one of the most recognized Spanish-language comedians of the 20th Century, Chespirito gained international renown for being the creative force behind the television hits, Chespirito (1968), El Chavo del Ocho (1973) and El Chapulin Colorado (1973). He wrote, directed and starred in each. His shows were so popular that El Chavo del Ocho still receives viewership of over 91 million.
Born in Mexico City, Chespirito got his stage moniker writing plays and film dialogue. It means “Little Shakespeare”. The artist of many hats was discovered as an actor while waiting in line for a job as a writer. He initially wrote and starred in children’s comedy shows where he could introduce a variety of enduring characters for Mexican network, Televisa. Those shows aired in 124 countries.
Chespirito’s influence was felt throughout the artistic community. Matt Groening, creator of The Simpson said, “Bumblebee Man” was a take-off of a character on Chespirito’s El Chapulin Colorado. Chespirito was an accidental composer. He began writing music as a hobby and developed into an accomplished composer. He’s written songs for film, television and theater. The prolific talent published three books and received numerous awards; both from the creative community as well as national honors.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1984 Comedian, Host, And Actor Trevor Noah Was Born!
On this day in comedy on February 20, 1984 Comedian, Host, Actor, Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, South Africa
Initially known in America as Jon Stewart’s successor on The Daily Show, Noah has always carried more weight than most. When his Swiss/German father and Xhosa/Jewish mother ended their illegal relationship due to apartheid (she was jailed and he moved back to Switzerland), Noah was raised by his mother and grandmother. That is until his mother married, got divorced and then was shot in the face by her jealous ex for getting engaged to another man. Noah was also threatened with death and moved from Johannesburg to Los Angeles, California in 2011.
Prior to relocating Noah had made his mark in Africa where themes of race were basic to his material. He broke onto the public scene at the age of 18 in 2002 starring on the South African soap opera, Isidingo. He hosted his own radio show (Noah’s Ark) on YFM, a leading youth radio station; hosted an educational show on SABC2; a gossip show and a sports show on SABC 1 and a dating show called The Amazing Date. Noah hosted the South Africa Film and Television Awards, The Axe Sweet Life (a reality competition show), his own show, Tonight with Trevor Noah and he was a spokesperson for one of the largest cellular providers in South Africa, Cell C. He’s performed all over South Africa, toured with Gabriel Iglesias and taped multiple standup comedy specials. He was the first South African comedian to perform stand up on The Tonight Show in 2012 and the first to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2013. He’s been the subject of a documentary, a Roast Master on Comedy Central and a recurring contributor on The Daily Show.
So when Comedy Central announced Jon Stewart’s replacement in March 2015 they were confident the seasoned Trevor Noah was ready. Yet despite the fact the takeover wasn’t going to happen until September, the internet was abuzz about how Stewart was irreplaceable and that this guy Noah had no right to be in a successor conversation. Haters trolled YouTube looking for incriminating evidence to support their case and he had some. They uncovered several jokes of his that did not work. Social media was aghast. A comedian who has bombed before. Unheard of! He was called anti-Jewish even though he is part Jewish, but fortunately the network ignored the firestorm and Noah made his debut. His self-described politically progressive style fit right into The Daily Show mindset. Though it took a moment for the audience to get used to the new host, Noah drew his crowd to him and the long running signature program kept bringing in viewers. So much for irreplaceability.
Trevor Noah speaks more than a half dozen languages fluently and has won the 2012 South African Comic’s Choice Comic of the Year Award and the 2015 MTV Africa Music Award for Personality of the Year.
Dave Chappelle Performs At The “Illuminati Bake Sale” In New York
Dave Chappelle was among the entertainers on hand for this year’s star-studded Robin Hood Foundation gala [or as he called it, “the Illuminati bake sale”] at the Javits Convention Center last week.
Artists, athletes, journalists, government officials, and philanthropists joined to make for a crowd that sat everyone from Alex Rodriguez, Michael Strahan, Eli Manning, J. Lo, Michael Douglas, Willie Geist and Katie Couric together with Jeb Bush, Goldman Sachs executive Lloyd C. Blankfein, hedge fund magnate Kenneth Griffin and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the exclusive anti-poverty fundraiser. With admission prices to the event ranging from $3,000 per person to $30,000 for a table, and attendees opening their wallets to pledge their support, the function was able to bring the organization more than $54 million in one night.
With the price of the ticket came the enjoyment of performances from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Coldplay, and Chappelle, who delivered a 15-minute set that touched on classism and politics. One of the highlights for the comedy great was his admission that he may have made a mistake by putting forth a vote of confidence for Donald Trump during the final weeks of his campaign for the nation’s highest office. “You know, I was the first guy on television to ever say ‘give Donald Trump a chance.’ I know I f**ked up, I shouldn’t have said that. Huge mistake on my part,” Chappelle said to laughter, applause and whistles.
Source: Vlad TV
‘The Get Down’ Canceled By Netflix!
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Netflix has canceled Baz Luhrmann’s “The Get Down” after one season.
The cancellation draws brings an official end to a series that was plagued by behind-the-scenes troubles and failed connect with viewers in the way that buzzy Netflix hits such as “Stranger Things” and “Orange is the New Black” have. Season one premiered in two parts, with the second part debuting on the streaming service in April to little fanfare. The first part of season one, which premiered last year, drew 3.2 million total U.S. adults 18-49 in its first 31 days, according to Symphony Advanced Media — roughly one fifth the audience that viewed “Orangie is the New Black” season four in its first 31 days.
Produced by Sony Pictures Television, “The Get Down” was the most expensive original series in Netflix’s history, costing at least $120 million to produce. at $7.5 million per episode, the series was one of the most costly in Holywood history. As Variety reported last year, production on the show was stopped and started so many times that some writers on the series began to jokingly call it “The Shut Down.”
Luhrmann, a filmmaker known for elaborate productions feature film hits (“Moulin Rouge!”) and flops (“Australia”) said at the time that he felt overwhelmed by his role as showrunner and had considered abandoning the project.
“I really believed that I was sort of going to be an uncle to the project,” Luhrmann told Variety last year. “The mechanism that pre-existed to create TV shows didn’t really work for this show. At every step of the way there was no precedent for what we were doing. The standard process really didn’t work, so progressively, I was drawn more and more into the center of it.”
WATCH: Keegan-Michael Key Co-Stars In New Netflix Original Series ‘Friends From College’
“Friends From College”
Netflix presents an original comedy series “Friends from College” premiering on the SVOD platform on July 14.
Hailing from Nick Stoller (“Neighbors,” “Neighbors: Sorority Rising,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Get Him to the Greek”) and Francesca Delbanco, who also serve as executive producers and writers on the series, with Stoller directing all eight episodes, “Friends from College” centers on a group of friends who went to Harvard together and are now facing down their forties and experiencing a range of success, or lack thereof, both professionally and domestically. With interwoven relationships, the series will explore old friendships, former romantic entanglements and balancing adult life with nostalgia for the past.
The series features an all-star cast including Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders, Annie Parisse, Nat Faxon, Fred Savage and Jae Suh Park.
“Friends From College”