Who Else Supports Obama?
By Charlene Morgan – 04/11/08
Email: charlene.morgan@mywestminster.ac.uk
Barack Obama has long had the support of celebrities from the start of his campaign, who believe he is the man who can turn things around for America. An endless list of actors, writers, singers, civil rights activists and media icons has all shown their support for Barack Obama to become the next president of the USA.
Oprah
US talk show tycoon Oprah Winfrey endorses Obama live on the Larry King show in May 2002 and hosted an event that raised three million dollars for his campaign in September 2002.
Winfrey speaks at Obama rally in Iowa – September 2008 “I’m not voting for Barack Obama because he’s black I’m voting for him because he’s brilliant“, causing mass applause by the audience.
Will.i.am
Rapper Will.i.am released a new promo music video ‘YES WE CAN’ in February of this year, featuring guest appearances by Jessica Alba, Jon Leguizamo and others in support for Barack Obama campaign.
Usher Raymond
R&B Singer Usher Raymond speak to highschool kids in Iwoa. ” I am voting for Barack Obama, cos it is time for change” says Usher. The crowd of young girls scream more for Usher than Obama.
Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel
Justin Timberlake and girlfriend Jessica Biel make an appearance at the Las Vegas rally in October 2008 Barack Obama.
Timberlake speak to the people gathered at the Clark County Government Center amphitheate, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Me and Jess, we’re here as Americans. We’re here as humans because this is something we had to do.”
He added, “We’ve never publicly endorsed before. But we’ve never been so inspired by one person.“
George Clooney
“He is the best candidate I have ever seen…This guys a president…This guy walks in a room and every politician in that room stop…He possesses the quality you cannot teach and you can’t learn, he is a leader”.
These are just some of Hollywood’s celebrities who supports Barack Obama. Click here to see who else is supporting the US Senator.
Madonna’s Relationship’s
By Charlene Morgan – 25/10/08
Email: charlene.morgan@mywestminster.ac.uk
Since the 1980’s worldwide pop icon Madonna has always shocked her audience with controversial acts and the use of blatant sexual antics to publicize her music. So no surprise, when it comes to her relationships, both go hand in hand. From actors to artist to basketball players, yes you guessed it Madonna’s dated them. With the divorce of her marriage to Guy Ritchie on the cards, dare I try and explore the history of Madonna’s turbulent love affairs?
1980’s
Madonna meets songwriter producer Stephen Bray in 1981, studying dance at the University of Michigan. The pair ventures out to New York and join ‘The Breakfast Club’ band. Together, they produce the biggest hit songs of the 1980s, including Madonna’s biggest hit album – ‘Like a Prayer’
In the fall of 1982, Madonna starts to date Neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The love affair began when Madonna introduced herself to Basquiat at a party, but ends in 1983, partly due to Basquiat’s heroine addiction. Basquiat later dies of drug overdose in 1988.
Madge and Songwriter and music producer John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez date for two years after being introduced by ex boyfriend Stephen Bray. Benitez, instrumental in Madonna’s early success – works on song classics Holiday, Borderline and Lucky Star.
When filming the music video for “Material Girl” in 1985, Madonna dates actor Sean Penn. The pair gets married in August 1985, but three and a half years later file for a divorce (1987). During her divorce to Penn, Madonna says, “I was completely obsessed with my career and not ready to be generous in any shape or form.”
The American comedian Sandra Bernhard famously jokes that she had slept with Madonna and husband Sean Penn, during their marriage in 1985 to 1987.
During the summer of 1988, Madonna and son of former US president, John F. Kennedy, Jr. almost sleep together in a cheap Chicago hotel. The pair does not consummate their meeting, due to a lack of condoms. (So she says in her latest Bio… hmm) At this time Madonna was still legally married to Sean Penn whilst Kennedy Jr. was in a long-term relationship. Naughty Naughty !
1990’s
Whilst working on the set of Dick Tracy in 1989 Madonna begins to sleep with co-star Warren Beatty. The couple break up in the fall of 1990, after a year and a half together.
Madonna sleeps with musician Lenny Kravitz, whilst collaborating on the 1990 track Justify My Love.
Madonna hooks up with bisexual model and porn star Tony Ward late 1990. Ward features in erotic music videos ‘Justify My Love’ (1989) and Cherish. The relationship is short lived and ends by early 1991.
Shortly after dating Tony Ward, Madonna begins a relationship with white rap artist Robert Van Winkle commonly known as Vanilla Ice in late 1991. The affair lasts eight months.
In September 1994 Madonna met fitness trainer Carlos Leon. Madonna becomes pregnant in 1995 and gives birth to his daughter, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon on 14.10.96.
In between her on/off relationship with Carlos Leon, Madonna briefly dates bad boy basketball player Dennis Rodman in the mid 1990’s. Rodman later said that the affair began when Madonna looked at him all sexy and said, “You’re staying with me, in my room.” Also stating in his Bio she was “desperate to have his baby”.
2000’s
Madonna dates Andy Bird, who sold his story about their eighteen-month relationship in late 2000. Andy was sleeping on sofas and unemployed when a friend set up a date with the pop icon. Within four months she was pregnant with his child – Madonna had an abortion.
Madonna first meets film director Guy Ritchie in 1999 though mutual friends, Sting and wife Trudie Styler. On August 11, 2000, she gave birth to their son, Rocco in Los Angeles. Madge and Guy get married in Scotland on 22nd December 2000. Both adopt son David Banda Mwale from Malawi, Africa in September 2005. The couple and three children live together in London. After eight years of marriage Madge and her Guy file for a divorce, October 2008.
Madonna is rumored to have a relationship with US ball player Alex Rodriguez. The pop icon denies all affiliations with the hoop star. The wife, Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce in July 2008 due to constant extramarital affairs.
And the list goes on ….
Madonna is also rumored to have dated Tupac Shakur, Jose Canseco, Mark Wahlberg, Ingrid Caseres, John Enod III, Anthony Kiedis, David Blaine and even Michael Jackson.
MOBO History
By Charlene Morgan – 21/10/08
Email: charlene.morgan@mywestminster.ac.uk
The MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards was first established in 1996 by CEO and founder Kanya King. It was the first annual event that promoted music and culture influenced by black origin in Europe. Kanya had an idea to create something that would elevate black music to mainstream popular status. This month we celebrate 13 years of that dreams reality.
From Connaught hotel to Wembley Arena hard work and perseverance has paid off, MOBO is one of the UK’s most acknowledged awards ceremonies today. Each year the MOBO Awards play to a collection of the music industry’s finest, together with an array of A-list artists performing alongside presenting in-depth entertainment categories. The genres of music which make up these categories include R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Reggae, Hip Hop, UK grime, Funky house and World music.
How it all started
Growing up in North London and being of Ghanaian and Irish decent, as a young child King was introduced to a whole variety of music. Noticing a hole in the market and the need for more awareness for music of black decent, King started off her journey in creating the Black Music Awards. [Read More]
By re-mortgaging her house and securing sponsors King was able to finance her dream. In just 6 weeks, King and a small team put together the first ever MOBO Awards in Connaught hotel. This was broadcasted on ITV Carlton television.
Well received from its first year of broadcasting in the following years the MOBO Awards would get worldwide recognition for its efforts, including from our previous Prime Minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie Blair. It is also supported by some of today’s greatest names; Lionel Richie, Beverly Knight, Tina Turner and Nelson Mandela to name just a few.
Kings efforts have not gone unnoticed, she was acknowledged by the Queen in Buckingham Palace for one of British women, having exceptional achievements alongside Cherie Blair and JK Rowling, and in 1999 was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
Promoting Change
Due to its stressfulness, the MOBO’s have influenced and paved the way for other outlets of Urban music, some of which include MTV Base, Channel U and BBC 1Xtra.
Phil Spector – Musical Genius
By Charlene Morgan 09/10/08
The originator of the “Wall of Sound” production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s’
Harvey Philip Spector, born in 1940 in the Bronx New York, first became involved with music, when he moved to Los Angeles in 1953, with his family. It was there Spector learned to play the guitar and took part in various showcases.
In high school Spector and his three friends Harvey Goldstein, Marshall Lieb and singer Annette Kleinbard got together to form the ‘Teddy Bears ’. In 1958 the ‘Teddy Bears secured a recording deal with Era Records, releasing song, “To Know Him Is to Love Him” on Era Records subsidiary label, Dore Records. The song sold over a million copies and took the number one spot on the Billboards Hot 100 singles chart.
The Teddy Bears
After their success the Teddy Bears were picked up by Imperial Records, but could not compete, with the success of their earlier releases, with none of the releases from their album “The Teddy Bears Sing” reaching the top 100 lists. After this the band separated.
In 1960, Spector worked along side songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, where he co-wrote the Ben E. King Top 10 hit “Spanish Harlem”. Spector also releases his own productions, including releases by LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown, and Billy Storm, as well as The Top Notes’ original version of “Twist and Shout”. Spector later produced Ray Peterson’s “Corrina, Corrina,” which reached number nine in Jan of 1961.
Spector then got together with Lester Sill to form a new record label, called ‘Philles Records’. Their first major hit “There’s No Other (Like My Baby)” performed by the “Crystals” making it to the top 20. Their next release, “Uptown”, did even better, making it to number 13 in the charts.
Around this time Spector was also responsible for producing “Second Hand Love” by Connie Francis, reaching number 7, in the charts, Broadway star Jean DuShon’s “Talk to Me”.
Spector is more widely known for pioneering ‘The Wall of Sound’ in the late 60’s. This came from a production technique to create a dense, layered effect that reproduced well on AM radio and jukeboxes. To attain this signature sound, Spector gathered large groups of musicians to play orchestrated parts, often doubling and tripling many instruments playing in unison to give a fuller sound. Spector called this the “Wagnerian approach to rock & roll”.
By the mid 60’s Spector had built up his production crew called the ‘The Wrecking Crew’. This included session players Hal Blaine, Steve Douglas, Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell and top dogs Jack Nitzsche and Sony Bono.
Phil Spector and John Lennon
Whilst producing John Lennon’s Hit solo single “Instant Karma!”, Spector was then invited to work alongside the Beatles, in 1970. The resulting album “Let it Be” was a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Spector later went on to create both ex Beatles John Lennon and George Harrisons albums. Both made the top ten charts.
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