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A great
argument could be made that he should have been the first recipient
of Billboard magazine's Century Award (that honor went to
George Harrison) but Stevie Wonder has finally been given that
prestigious honor, making him the second African American performer
(blues great Buddy Guy was the first in 1993)
to receive the citation.It is the magazine's highest honor for
distinguished creative achievement, and while the question must be
asked why several others haven't yet gotten it (Quincy Jones and
Berry Gordy for starters, as well as Smokey Robinson), it is great
Wonder's finally receiving the nod. In recognition,
the December 11th issue of Billboard carried one of the
most extensive interview/profiles ever done on Wonder by Gail
Mitchell. Among many other things, Wonder says he's now in
discussions with Motown to start his own label, and he cites Raphael
Saadiq and the duo of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis as producers he
admires.
He also says that his long-awaited and delayed new release A Time
2 Love will finally be coming out this spring, and that he'll
follow it with a jazz and gospel release respectively.
He also picks as the three favorite releases among his many great
ones Songs In The Key of Life, Journey Through The Secret
Life Of Plants and then a tossup between Innervisions and
Talking Book.
Wonder plans to write his autobiography in the near future, but
really wants to do a musical. Lastly, Wonder says at some point he
will relocate to Africa, and adds that he doesn't agree with the
widely held view that he hit his artistic peak in the 70s.
Mitchell's article combines research with short, relevant and
intriguing questions, providing both longtime Wonder fans and those
unaware of his true importance enough information and insight to
really understand his contributions. Sometimes the long lead time
necessary for a magazine results in articles being almost
immediately compromised or diluted by breaking developments.
The December issue of Vibe obviously was done before the
release of Nas' new CD, which immediately and decisively answers the
question
"East Coast Rap Who Cares," one of the magazine's lead
articles for this issue. Chuck Creekmur does raise some interesting
issues in regards to his evaluation of what's come down from the
pike from acts like Mobb Deep and Jadakiss lately, though the
current discs from Talib Kweli and Mos Def are certainly among the
best from that region in quite a while.
As for the cover story on Ashanti, so much new information has
been popping up all over the Internet that the Sean Lewis Sharp
piece reads more like ancient history than compelling current
commentary.
Also, while Aliva S. King's story about the Al Green incident 30
years ago is superbly written, one wonders who's going to read it
other than Green fanatics. It was certainly a milestone event, and
it is good that King focuses on Mary Woodson, whose death came less
than an hour following her pouring hot grits on Green. It is an
incredibly sad tale, and a cautionary one, and there are several
truly moving passages.
Hopefully, it will get noticed in the midst of the usual array of
photogenic models, video game ads and other miscellaneous material.
The incredible Bert Williams, who became the biggest theatrical
performer in America at the dawn of the 20th century in part by
performing hideous "coon" songs, gets profiled in a great
story by Ralph Allen featured in the Winter issue of American
Legacy. Williams' talent was so great that he won the admiration
and praises of Eddie Cantor and W.C. Fields, but racism still took
its emotional toll on his psyche.
Sadly, Allen's article is a posthumous one, and his own life was
quite remarkable. Allen's achievements include writing the musicals Sugar
Babies and Honky Tonk Nights and he was an authority on
American musical theatre, Tin Pan Alley and early popular
songs.
Other good stories in the Winter edition include a feature on Black
cowboys and the other side of Boston's high income Beacon Hill. In
the wake of the recent election debacle, it seems everyone has their
own ideas on what needs to be done politically to really make
substantial changes in America. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.
believes that the Democrats must now pursue a long-term human rights
and constitutional amendments strategy, and he explains that in the
December 13 issue of In These Times.
Among other things, Jackson advocates putting into the Constitution
the right to health care, a quality public education and an
individual right to vote. He also says Democrats need to find
non-partisan, non-ideological goals that also don't seem geared
toward special interests and aren't tied to past programs.
We'll see how those running the national Democratic Party treat his
ideas in the coming months. That same issue contains a fascinating
column from Salim Mukwakkil about a recent two-hour radio
conversation between the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Rev.
Jesse Jackson in which they touched on a host of subjects.
Though this part of the article is informative, perhaps the most
intriguing material is the fact that, according to Muwakkil, the two
have maintained private contact for years despite supposedly being
estranged. Mukawkkil's article also includes Rev. Jackson's
assertion that Blacks must get involved in the debate over
"morals," and Minister Farrakhan's critique that both
parties continue ignoring the interests of the poor.
On a less overtly political note, Cedric the Entertainer headlines
the cover for the December Black Enterprise, which contains a
story on how Black comedians are using their success to create a
brand and style of discourse. There's also a story about the
problems still faced by Black actors in Daytime television,
an entity that Œs not quite the bastion of progressivism and
liberalism that it has been painted. Prince and Russell Simmons are
among 27 individuals cited by GQ in their December issue as
being legends, ball-busters and trailblazers. Unfortunately, the
publication didn't see fit to include any Black females among their
choices for Women of the Year.
Rev. Al Sharpton has popped up all over the place lately, from
television appearances on Boston Legal and Girlfriends
to the pages of the Village Voice, which once again accused
him of being an informant and puppet under the thumb of the
Republican Party. Rev. Sharpton appears in a much better light in
the January issue of Esquire, being one of several
individuals asked to some key things they've learned during their
life.
Among others, Rev. Sharpton said that the "harder the struggle,
the greater the life," says that "you gotta give the media
drama," at the end of the day "most people are decent"
and that he "doesn't take attacks personally." Hopefully
Denver Nuggets star forward Carmelo Anthony, another person featured
in the series of profiles, has now learned to know where he is and
whom he's around when someone is filming.
(Ron Wynn is editor of Everything Underground). |
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