Black Music Notes Aug. 20

8/20/09: Bow Wow
With the latest addition of Drake to his Young Money/Cash Money roster, rapper Lil Wayne is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down the assembling of his growing music dynasty. Jermaine Dupri's former protege Bow Wow is also joining the ranks; the pint size rapper, who sold 73,000 of his last album 'New Jack City II,' announced earlier this week via his Twitter page: "It's official, I'm a Cash Money Millionaire!" The sudden announcement comes as a shock to some since the Ohio native proclaimed his retirement from the music industry in to pursue an acting career following his departure from Columbia Records. Before signing with Cash Money Records, Bow Wow was also considering inking a deal with T.I. 's Grand Hustle label via Atlantic Records and relaunching So So Def alongside Dupri.


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8/18/09: Macy Gray/Mya
Former Grammy-winning chart-toppers Macy Gray and Mya will join the ranks of 'Dancing with the Stars' when the hit televised celebrity dance competition returns for its ninth season on ABC. The network announced a whopping 16 celebrity contestants, including singers Aaron Carter, Donnie Osmond and Kelly Osbourne, will compete on the show when it debuts on Sept. 21.


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8/18/09: Ciara
2009 hasn't been the best year for Ciara: the 'Goodies' singer's big movie project, 'Mama, I Want To Sing,' resumed production without her last spring; her latest album, 'Fantasy Ride, was outsold by neo-soul singer on the rise Chrisette Michele's – after a lot of hype and even posing nude on the cover of Vibe magazine. Now, she's being replaced on the biggest concert tour of the summer – by her label mate Jordin Sparks. Billboard has confirmed that the 'American Idol' winner will take Ciara's place on the second leg of "The Circus Starring Britney Spears." Sparks will take over the reigns for the U.S. portion of the trek, which also features opener Kristinia DeBarge and up-and-coming acts Girlicious and One Call. A rep for Jive Records, home to all three artists, did not give a reason for the switch. Leg two of "Circus" kicks off Aug. 20 in Hamilton, Ontario and ends on Sept. 27 in Las Vegas.


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8/14/09: Smokey Robinson
With 50 years of professional music experience under his belt, legendary Motown crooner Smokey Robinson is set to deliver his latest project of original material on Aug. 25 titled 'Time Flies When You're Having Fun'. It's not on Motown though. The ROBSO Records/ADA Distribution release features Robinson collaborating alongside the likes of Joss Stone, Carlos Santana, and India.Arie for a collection of nostalgic tracks reminiscent to his earlier work. To recapture that familiar sound, the former Miracles frontman decided to tap into recording with a live band. "That way was like doing a concert, because everybody was feeding off of each other," he reflected. "It's just that live vibe." 'Time Flies When You're Having Fun' also features the lead single and Norah Jones cover 'Don't Know Why' and a bonus track: Robinson's re-working of the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'


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8/14/09: Pharrell Williams/Michael Jackson
Since the untimely death of Michael Jackson two months ago, many of today's most renowned producers have taken interest in remixing some of his biggest hits. In the coming weeks, various remix collections will be making their way onto the net featuring reworked versions of Jackson 5 hits as part of an upcoming Universal Motown project titled 'Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite.' Among the producers taking part in the special project are The Neptunes ('Never Can Say Goodbye'), Dallas Austin ('I Wanna Be Where You Are'), Q-Tip, Ryan Leslie, Polow Da Don, Tricky Stewart, Stargate, and fellow Amy Winehouse and Nas collaborator Salaam Remi who revamped the Jackson's 'ABC' into a more reggae-flavored version. The full collection of suites will be released as a complete project on Oct. 27.


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8/14/09: N'dambi
When it comes to merging soul sounds from the 1970s and the 1980s with the legacy of Stax Records, singer-songwriter N'dambi has a bright 'pink' future ahead of her. The Dallas native and former Erykah Badu back-up singer is gearing up to release her debut opus for the label on Oct. 6, titled 'Pink Elephant.' For the set, N'dambi decided to tap former Shalamar and Gladys Knight producer Leon Sylvers to help incorporate a modern sheen with classic R&B. Notable tracks from 'Pink Elephant' includes the old-school hip-hop flavored 'Nobody Jones,' 'Ooo Baby,' and 'The One' among others.


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8/14/09: Vanessa Bell Armstrong/Rev. Ike
This weekend, gospel music powerhouse Vanessa Bell Armstrong will join Rev. Al Sharpton and singers Kim Burrell, Yolanda Wyns and Sarah Dash at a special ceremony celebrating the life of Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, better known to millions of members, visitors and radio listeners as "Rev. Ike" - The Success and Prosperity Preacher. According to spokesman Angelo Ellerbee, the event will be held on Aug. 15 at New York City's Historic Palace Cathedral (the same Washington Heights church where Rev. Ike presided over for decades.) "A great spiritual leader in our generation who has left big shoes for all of us to try to fill," is how his protégé Bishop E. Bernard Jordan (of Zoe Ministries) described the late clergyman who died July 28 at age 74.


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8/14/09: Berry Gordy
Motown Records founder Berry Gordy will pay homage to the late, great Michael Jackson by writing the introduction to a reissue of his 1998 memoir 'Moonwalk.' According to a statement released by publisher Harmony Books, Gordy will offer recollections of MJ as a child star and of the group formed with his brothers, the Jackson 5. Originally acquired by then-Doubleday editor Jackie Kennedy Onassis and published, he book will be reissued in October by Random House Inc. with a first printing of 100,000 copies.


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8/10/09: Jay-Z/Rihanna/Kanye West:
In support of his forthcoming release, 'The Blueprint 3,' Jay-Z is planning on assisting Jay Leno in kicking off his switch from late night to prime-time television on Sept. 14 at 10 pm. The rap mogul is scheduled to -- alongside Kanye West and Rihanna -- to perform his new single 'Run This Town.' Last week Hov (as he is known) and his cronies filmed the track's video clip in Queens, New York's historical Fort Totten Park. 'The Blueprint 3' hits stores on September 11.


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8/10/09: Maxwell:
Fresh off the heels of his sold out summer tour, chart-topping crooner Maxwell is making an exception for his fans by hitting the road this fall. In conjunction with Live Nation, the Brooklyn-bred singer-songwriter will be joined with Common and Chrisette Michele beginning Sept. 25 in Toronto. Last month, the singer's long-awaited album 'BLACKsummers'night,' debuted at the number one slot on the Billboard 200 chart selling 550,000 copies to date. Tickets go on sale for the 14-city trek on Aug.14. It ends Oct.17 in San Francisco.


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