Featured Artists’ Coalition means more music for fans

By admin | October 6, 2008

As credit markets tumble, while people and corporations scramble to find solid footing (you can see my interview discussing real estate), artists in the U.K. are taking steps to secure their fortunes as well. And the moves seem to be reasonable if not fair.

The newly formed Featured Artists’ Coalition is a venture of musicians and performers that are looking to keep control of their work. Some might presume that they would already control their music and have the full rights to it, but that has never been true in the U.K. and in America for most artists. Far too often the real controlling power has been the music companies, which doles out a pittance to performers and musicians while reaping hordes.

Unlike other such organizations in the past, this one has a huge and solid support of artists from every genre and time period. Already there have been over 60 artists involved as charter members. Some involved include:

This is a venture that is determined to achieve a level of fairness that has not existed in the industry ever before. One of the biggest motivations for artists today is the fact that the internet has changed the industry forever.

MP3 players and the ability to digitally download music on a single or album basis has changed the way the music industry makes music. This is even more expansive and environment changing than music videos and cable proved to be. And many artists have been excluded from the income that has been generated from these new formats.

So Featured Artists’ Coalition has sought changes, and I have no doubt that artists in America are watching closely on the result of these efforts. They want to be fairly compensated whenever the music companies make money off of their efforts, which seems reasonable. They want to keep the rights to their music, not being forced to automatically lose their rights to the music company. Again a fair request.

Perhaps the biggest thing they want is one that makes the most sense to me; they want music companies to either ‘use or lose’ the copyrights they have on an artists work. Effectively this means that all the work of an artist must be made available for purchase to the public in some format or the music company loses the rights to those songs. I for one would love to be able to get some of the less known or hard to find songs of several artists that music companies feel are not cost-effective enough to make available in a mass format.

If this Coalition takes flight and forces change in the U.K. then I expect sweeping reforms across the globe. This of course would be a win for the artists and performers, but they are not the ultimate winners. We the fans would gain the most from these changes. Ultimately it means that artists would have more reasons to perform, and more of their recordings would be available to the public either through the music company or the artist themselves.

So music fans should keep an eye to the U.K. and the music companies there. Change is coming and for the public it will be good.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

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In My Name - Will.i.am, celebrities, dignitaries, and you around the world

By admin | September 26, 2008

Written by Michael Vass

I realize that over the last couple of weeks the main issue facing the nation has been the bailout of the financial markets, and the mortgage crisis that spurred it. But that is hardly the only thing that has been happening in the world, or this nation.

While the major news media has been forecasting bail out deal after bailout deal, which keeps getting denied by various Senators and Representatives, and predicting what might or might not happen if the deal does or does not get done they have forgotten to cover celebrities, entertainers, and dignitaries that are reminding the world of the promises made to end poverty and combat disease.

In 2000 world leaders came together in the United Nations to create the Millennium Development Goals. The promise was to end poverty in the world, reduce those afflicted by pr the potential of diseases like Malaria and AIDS, increase access to healthcare, and improve the opportunity and quality of education by 2015. We are now halfway to that date, and far too many nations have forgotten about the promise they made. But concerned people have not.

Will.i.am has been in the forefront of multiple celebrities, entertainers, and world dignitaries and Youtube in generating attention to the promise made by our leaders. For 2 days he and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Scarlett Johansson, Annie Lennox, John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Fergie, Angelique Kidjo, Kristin Davis, Elle Macpherson and many others, not to mention organizations including GCAP, Oxfam International, Save the Children and Comic Relief, have joined together to create the new channel on Youtube called “in my name”.

On this channel you the public and citizenry of the world have the opportunity to introduce yourself, your nation, and your message to the leaders of the world and your country to live up to the promises they made in 2000. Youtube will be accepting your videos, or video pettion if you prefer, until November 1st. At that point Will.i.am will be taking the best videos and mashing-up to form a single video set to the new song In My Name (dedicated to this cause) that will be presented to the entire United Nations.

We can only hope that world leaders will be moved by this expression of international care and attention. We must demand that moved or not, world leaders act as they have promised us they will. I am reminded of a line from a great movie you may have seen (and if you didn’t go see it) called V for Vendetta

“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

The fear in this case is that we, the people have not forgotten what was promised on our behalf, nor those that are in need. That we hold the true power our Governments use, and determine how that power should be used.

The major media may not care that so many across the world remember the promises made, but I like many others do. And I believe that me must be held to our words. Because the world is not a varying number of individual countries but in the end just a collection of people, and none deserve to live in poverty or with sickness or in hunger.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

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Tyler Perry helping more families than Congress right now

By admin | September 23, 2008

Written by Michael Vass

I have often said that the major news media gives short shrift to celebrities and entertainers that are doing the right thing. With all the media swirling around the mortgage bailout plans, you might think that all other news has been thrown to the wayside but that would be untrue.

A casual look in the search engines finds that there is plenty of news on celebrities. There is news on Meg Ryan and her divorce. There is news about whether Miley Cyrus will stay or leave Hanna Montana. There is even a focus on Isis King, the first transgendered model in the ridiculous and brain-cell depleting America’s Next Top Model.

Not a single one of those ‘news’ items are worth the time to read more than the headline.

But what you haven’t heard, what isn’t rushing across the internet or the cable news networks is a simple bit of good. Yes, a celebrity is actually helping regular people. Just because it felt like the right thing to do.

The celebrity in this case is the renown Tyler Perry. In case you are unfamiliar with this acclaimed director, actor, movie writer, producer and playwright I’ll give you a bit of help. He created Diary of a Mad Black Woman which he may be best known for. He is also responsible for Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. If you are unfamiliar with either of these it may be because all of Perry’s work focuses and stars predominately Black actors and actresses.

Tyler Perry grew up with abuse as a child, he has been homeless, he dropped out of school at 16 but went back for his GED. His book Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life was number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List. He has released 5 films (his 6th just hit theaters) that have made $187 million dollars just in the U.S.

Tyler Perry is a success by virtually any standard you chose to mark him by.

And he went out and donated 2 weeks worth of food for 1,000 families today. He is actively helping families in Atlanta that are struggling and hungry. And the major news media seem to not care.

The people at Hosea Feed the Hungry and the Homeless care center certainly are happy to have received this huge gift. I cannot fathom how families in need in Atlanta are not happy as well. But it seems that the major news media aren’t happy reporting a successful Black man directly helping people in a way that virtually every politician refuses or is incapable of doing.

Keep an eye out though. I guarantee that the second a Black entertainer is arrested, or does something stupid, regardless of the financial woe of the day you will see it on the national news. Miley Cyrus on a drunken binge will get a side note, but say a rapper getting arrested will upfront news. Yet improving the lives of 1,000 families is a minor footnote.

It makes me sick. Especially when polls show that some 48% of White Americans think Blacks are violent, or that 38% think Blacks are lazy. Tyler Perry, and many other African American celebrities, proves that the stereotypes that survive and plague this nation right now are wrong. But you wouldn’t know it from the major media.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

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Amateur Photography Art Contest

By admin | August 7, 2008

Written by Michael Vass

Often the average person, if asked, would mention that an artist is a painter, and usually older. Such were the comments I received when I asked a few random people. But that is not the only type of artist or art.

There is photography, which is a difficult art form as anyone taking photos at a family gathering might attest. The availability of cameras, camcorders, and cell phone cameras belies the techniques and insight a true artist can bring to these tools. Far too often the abundance of photos on social networks and the internet makes it look easy.

But when the art is considered, amateurs (including kids up to age 17) that are interested in showing their ability might feel they don’t have many opportunities to display their work. But in Delaware there is a chance coming up.

A competition for amateurs is now underway, and will be open until Oct. 12th for submissions. Organized by Friends of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, the contest is a nature photography event focused on aspects of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. On Oct 19th winners will be announced and given cash prizes – with entries being on display to the public from Oct 19th – Nov. 21st.

There are 4 categories, all of which are color photos, which are:

Landscapes or Seascapes
Native Wildlife (birds, animals, insects, amphibians, etc.)
Native Flowers and Plants
Beauty of Prime Hook - pictures taken of the scenery, flora and fauna of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

None of the pictures can include anything manmade, nor contain any people. Entries are to be submitted with a fee of $5 for each photo or $30 for 8. Students do not have to pay the entry fee.

To find out more details on the rules and information on the contest visit the Friends of Prime Hook site.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

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Ludacris is not Senator Obama - understand Sean Hannity?

By admin | July 31, 2008

Written by Michael Vass

Name one thing that is potentially deadly to the political ambition of Senator Barack Obama and involves the youth of America.

Ludacris.

Or at least that is what the news media would love you to believe. And when I say news media I mean at least Sean Hannity, that I am aware of right now. But I have no doubt that there will be more than just a few that will try to use rapper Ludacris as a weapon against Senator Obama.

The problem is that Ludacris has released a video where he is lauding Senator Obama, and disparages Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John McCain, Rev. Jesse Jackson and President Bush – in a manner only rappers would believe to be decent.

Here is the video – WARNING – some individuals and parents may find this objectionable. (note there are several versions of this video on Youtube, I have selected the least visually insulting version)

I agree with most of the news media that Ludacris is a poor representative of Senator Obama. His use of foul language, the N-word, and implications of women as valueless sacks of meat meant for the base enjoyment of men are all things I denounce and disagree with. Were that the only implication in the news media I would have no problem with their assault.

But that is not the case. The words and images of Ludacris are being used to intimidate White Americans. As displayed on Hannity & Colmes the lyrics are matched with images that are obviously meant to imply ‘watch out for the crazy violent Black men’. That I do not agree with.

When Senator Obama first met with Ludacris in 2006 it was at YouthAIDS ”Kick Me” campaign to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. If preventing AIDS is not a positive, what is? What is violent or crazy about keeping our kids alive and healthy? Nothing, and it’s why the national news media had little to say about their conversation.

After Senator Obama declared his intention to run for the Democratic nomination, months later, a Youtube video came out called Obama Girl. While it was whimsical I heard no comments about how negative this expression of pro-Obama support was beyond its less than serious nature. The media was not rooting out the backgrounds of the performers looking to show how dangerous Obama was at the time. Of course at that time in 2007 Senator Clinton was still expected to garner the nomination.

When Will.I.Am made his popular and catchy music video demonstrating his support of Senator Obama no one raised an eyebrow. Yet Will.I.Am is a member of a music group that has used lyrics that while not as explicit as those used by rappers, is no less suggestive. Of course Senator Obama was still expected to lose to one of the White candidates at the time.

But now that Senator Obama is the Democratic nominee, and another Black musician has voiced his support – well things are different.

But how?

This is just another entertainer that supports Obama. This is just another expression of that support. And it has nothing to do with Senator Obama or his policies. This does not reflect on Obama’s intention to get out of Iraq, or reduce energy prices, or implement a national healthcare system. It’s just a guy saying he likes Obama more than McCain in a bad way.

Yet according to pundits I have seen and read this is Obama’s problem. As if he was singing the song himself. And others have stated how this song does not reflect the social morality and family values of middle America.

But Obama isn’t singing the song. Ludacris has nothing to do with his campaign. And the most recent data states that more than 55% of all rap music sales are because of White youth throughout America. So obviously it must match up with hordes of family values throughout the nation’s White families.

The point is that I can understand debating the policy issues of Senator Obama. I can respect supporters and detractors that have substantive reasons. But to play on stereotypical fears of racial ignorance is insulting and unwarranted.

Yes Ludacris went way too far. Yes he should apologize for the attacks he made. It’s true the Obama campaign denounced the video. But what does any of this have to do with Senator Obama besides the fact that both men are Black?

Sean Hannity was wrong for the manner in which he presented this news item. He was wrong to imply the racial component as he did in his program on July 30th. He too should apologize for the over the top suggestive presentation that he provided. He is no less wrong than Ludacris. And the news media needs to stop trying to create Rev. Wright fiascos for their ratings and newspaper sales, just because a Black entertainer – or just a person in general – supports Senator Obama.

Rating 3.50 out of 5

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