Wednesday, March 10, 2010Audible Treats Announces Inaugural Official SXSW 2010 Showcase Lineup
Premier lifestyle and entertainment marketing firm, Audible Treats, is pleased to announce their first Official SXSW 2010 Showcase. The showcase, which will take place at The Independent on Saturday, March 20th, will feature a unique mix of legendary, established, and rising hip-hop acts, including co-headliners Black Milk and Black Sheep, along with Donwill and Von Pea of Tanya Morgan, One Be Lo, Diamond District, Finale, Crown Royale, Bisco Smith, League510, iLL-Literacy, and TRUTHLiVE. Amp Live of Zion I will serve as the official DJ for the evening.
Following the overwhelming success of Audible Treats' 2009 CMJ showcase, an event featuring a number of outstanding performances including Souls Of Mischief's lone east coast appearance for the year, this first official SXSW showcase continues to build on Audible Treats foundation as a leader in digital marketing and online and print publicity, while displaying the immense talents of the artists represented by the company. "Were looking forward to bursting onto the SX scene with a stellar line-up for our first official showcase," says Audible Treats President and Co-Founder, Michelle McDevitt. Co-Founder and Director of Marketing, Gavin Rhodes, adds, "We've worked hard with our media and lifestyle partners to produce an impressive show filled with amazing giveaways and prizes. Fans are going to be in for a real treat."
Audible Treats has partnered with elite lifestyle and music tech companies to give away free goodies throughout the evening. Joining forces once again with Asics/Onitsuka Tiger. Audible Treats will distribute special freebies and they will also be awarding one lucky attendee with a free Maschine midi controller courtesy of a special collaboration with leading music software and instrument company, Native Instruments. Joining in the festivities as official media partners for the showcase are Beyond Race Magazine, BrooklynVegan.com, CokeMachineGlow.com, and The Smoking Section. As an official SXSW-sponsored showcase all badge and wristband holders will be allowed in for free, while a limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
Audible Treats is a Brooklyn-based entertainment marketing and publicity firm specializing in print and online media coverage. Working closely with the best record labels and lifestyle companies since 2004, Audible Treats creates customized, effective marketing and publicity campaigns for countless clients, ranging the spectrum from legacy artists to Grammy-winners to rising stars including T-Pain, Too $hort, Anthony Hamilton, Black Milk, The Pharcyde, J*DaVeY and many more. By combining out-of-the-box creative strategies with industry know-how, Audible Treats plays a vital role in assisting clients to meet their goals.
The Details:
When: Saturday, March 20, 2010, 7:30PM - 2:00AM
What: Audible Treats SXSW 2010 Showcase featuring Black Milk, Black Sheep, Donwill and Von Pea of Tanya Morgan, One Be Lo, Diamond District, Finale, Crown Royale, Bisco Smith, League510, iLL-Literacy, TRUTHLiVE
Showcase DJ: Amp Live
Where: The Independent @ 501 Brushy Street Austin, Texas 78702
Wednesday, March 10, 2010ELIO LEONI-SCETI Out At EMIEMI Music CEO Elio Leoni-Sceti is leaving the major on March 31.
EMI issued a statement today (March 10) about his shock exit. The company said that Charles Allen has been appointed executive chairman.
Allen has been non-executive chairman of EMI Music since January 2009, chairing its board during the transformation of the business under Terra Firma.
In its statement, EMI said Leoni-Sceti had "successfully led EMI Music through the first phase of its operational turnaround."
Leoni-Sceti, previously a senior manager with household cleaning products firm Reckitt Benckiser, has only been at EMI 18 months. Last month he was asked by Guy Hands to draw up a new plan for the recorded music company, in order to persuade Terra Firma investors to inject up to £120 million ($179 million) of additional investment. But now he is out, it remains unclear if Allen will now lead that strategic plan.
"Over the past two and a half years [since Terra Firma's acquisition], EMI Music has become a stronger and growing company, with a talented senior team, significant creative success and a more rigorous approach to marketing and operations," the statement continued. "This has resulted in increased sales, improved market share and industry-leading EBITDA margins."
"Elio has done a great job," said Allen. "I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him; he is a very talented executive and we all wish him well in the future. Our goals for EMI Music remain the same. I will support and guide the group's strong team, keep EMI's focus on creativity and superb A&R, and deliver a digital platform. This is a great business - our task is to ensure it has a great future."
Leoni-Sceti added: "EMI is a wonderful business with...More ELIO LEONI-SCETI
Source: Andre Paine, London, Billboard.biz
Wednesday, March 10, 2010'Real Housewives' NENE LEAKES' Son Arrested On Drug ChargesNene was just on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show over a week ago talking about how she was trying to get her son on the right track, but it looks like she was a little too late.
RadarOnline is reporting that Nene’s son, Bryson Bryant, is in the Gwinnett County Detention Center with two charges listed against him, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and failure to appear.
Source: UrbanInformer.com
 
Wednesday, March 10, 2010Sony To Launch 3D TVs In JuneTOKYO -- Sony Corp. will launch 3D televisions in June, entering an increasingly crowded market that is betting the revolutionary TV will become the next hot product in the electronics industry.
The maker of Bravia flat TVs hopes 3D models to make up 10% of more than 25 million LCD TVs it aims to sell in the next financial year.
Sony's chief executive Howard Stringer holds high hopes of a shift to 3D as it will likely give a boost to many of its business operations, which range from TVs, digital cameras and Blu-ray DVD players to video games.
"Sony is a formidable competitor to Samsung because it is leading the game industry. It will likely be ardent game players who will first buy 3D TVs as an early adopter," said Alex Oh, an analyst at Hanwha Securities in Seoul.
"In that sense, Sony, which is envisioning a comprehensive entertainment company, will take advantage of its game business, contents and movies, compared with Samsung and LG which remain focused on hardwares."
Behind industry leader Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Sony is vying with LG Electronics Inc for the position as the world's No.2 flat TV maker. The maker of the PlayStation 3 game console plans to release 3D game software around June in time for TV launch.
Last month, Samsung started offering 3D TVs in South Korea and said it would launch them globally this month with the aim of selling at least 2 million 3D TVs this year.
Panasonic Corp, the fourth-largest, plans to launch its 3D TVs in the United States on Wednesday and says it will cooperate with top U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy Co in promoting them.
Many TV makers hope the new technology will be as big a boost for the industry as the transition to color TVs from black and white.
However, some analysts noted many consumers have...More 3D TVs
Source: Kiyoshi Takenaka, Reuters
Wednesday, March 10, 2010ROBERT DE NIRO To Play Vince Lombardi In ESPN FilmRobert De Niro is running to daylight.
The actor has become attached to play legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi in a biopic being developed by ESPN Films, Andell Entertainment and the NFL. Titled “Lombardi,” the project is being penned by “Forrest Gump” writer Eric Roth.
The film will focus on the years that Lombardi rebuilt the Packers into a gridiron powerhouse, and five-time champions, between 1959-67. The producers plan to release the film in late January 2012, between the AFC and NFC conference championship games and the Super Bowl.
De Niro and Jane Rosenthal’s Tribeca Prods. is producing along with ESPN Films, Andell, the NFL and Chris Olsen.
“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said NFL vp programming Charles Coplin. “With the addition of De Niro, Eric and Tribeca Prods., we have a deep bench to produce a film worthy of the legendary coach and American icon.”
ESPN and Andell acquired life rights to Lombardi’s story from his estate and son Vincent Lombardi Jr., as well as the rights to the 1968 book “Instant Replay,” written by Dick Schaap and former Packer Jerry Kramer, who was a right guard and placekicker throughout Lombardi’s tenure.
“We’ve had an extraordinary relationship with ESPN for five years through the Tribeca Film Festival, and now we’re able to extend that association into production,” Rosenthal said.
CAA, which reps De Niro, Roth and Rosenthal, collaborates with ESPN Films on film projects. De Niro, also repped by manager Rick Yorn, has “Machete” (April), “Stone” (May) and the untitled “Meet the Fockers” sequel (December) scheduled for...More ROBERT DE NIRO
Source: Jay A. Fernandez, THR
     
Tuesday, March 09, 2010Vid: DONNIS Speaks On Career, Joining The Air Force, Signing w/ AtlanticATLien Donnis speaks on being discovered and what's next for his career.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010Almost Famous 2010 Spring Edition 8PM March 18th at Ambient Plus Studio  Almost Famous Spring Forward in 2010
Verseus Entertainment Group's 3rd Annual Almost Famous Spring Edition will commence Thursday, March 18th at 8PM in the historic Castleberry Hill District at Ambient Plus Studio (585 Wells Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30312). The show will feature exceptional new artists from across the country and an unplugged segment with several artists performing with a live band.
Founded in 2004, the Atlanta-based Almost Famous Show is an outlet for artists to be introduced to prominent music industry professionals as well as their future fans. Many successful artists have graced the Almost Famous stage such as Kaleena (Dirty Money), Gucci Mane, Killer Mike, B.o.B, and Rock City (Konvict/Interscope) among others. Previous attendees of the show include award winning producers Rodney Jerkins (Beyonce, Brandy), Bryan Michael Cox (Usher, Mary J, Mariah Carey), DJ Toomp (T.I., Kanye West, Jeezy, Jay Z), Mr. Collipark (Ying Yang Twins, Soulja Boy, Jamie Foxx); artist managers and A&Rs Chaka Zula (DTP), Kawan "KP" Prather (John Legend) and industry tastemakers TJ Chapman (TJ's DJ's) and Core DJs founder Tony Neal.
Verseus Entertainment Group is a boutique entertainment firm with an emphasis in public relations, event management, promotions and artist consulting. Over the years, Verseus Entertainment Group has produced over 50 Almost Famous Shows in Atlanta, New York City, Miami, Mississippi and Alabama. VEG has also provided publicity, event management and promotion to New York Times best-selling author Omar Tyree, Billboard Hip Hop and R&B Conference, Atlantis Music Conference, and a host of others.
For more information log onto www.almostfamousshow.com
Tuesday, March 09, 2010Where Does Black Literature Go From Here?
Today one of the biggest publishing markets is Urban Literature. However, Street Lit has come under fire from many angles. With urban novel being turned into Oscar nominated movies such as Precious, this is as good of a time as any to ask what is the state of Black Literature? There are those that say that Street Literature has no real value to Black Literature as a whole, and that it is equivalent to gangster rap's relation to the larger genre of Hip-Hop. Then there are people who swear by Urban Literature, as they claim that is type of literary fair is the only kind they will consume. Surprising the people who swear by Ghetto Literature the most are middle class black women.
Before I became an author I knew that urban literature had credibility issue, I just didn't know how deep the issue really was. I won't go into how many authors have four or five books, but still don't know how to use a simile, yet and still street literature dominates the market. So why would anyone think that there is a problem with black literature? With so many titles selling like hot cakes and its proponents saying 'I've sold X amount of books" , "people are buying it'. I have heard statements similar to these being uttered by crack dealers of the 80s, as justification of why they sold drugs. I was at a book event and I overheard an author say “I am an Essence bestseller”, followed by the publisher snickering, is that respect? This is not to say that there are not some wonderfully well written positive African American books out there. There are stories of black success, black triumph, but are black people reading those books? “Any story celebrating the beauty and strength of black family life, the power of education, and the desire to succeed in the workplace and in business is now out of fashion.” wrote Juan William in his article titled “Precious' Little of Value in Ghetto Literature”.
Another argument is that ghetto literature attracts new readers, or that it provides escapism, but for many blacks this type of escapism can be had by not opening a book, but a door. After reading novels filled with busty women and thugs, novels overflowing with misogyny, depicting female characters as “dime pieces” or “trophies”, proudly display real gritty scenes of criminal activities and murder that go unpunished or glorified, one would have to wonder if Marva Allen owner of Hue-Man bookstore in Harlem was right when she said, “It's not literature it's fiction... they offer no literary advantages.” Or is there something more to this box that these black harlequins have put black literature in? Maybe it has something to do with where you find these books in the bookstore. I have never seen a white literature section, though I have seen American Literature sections devoid of black authors, except for sport stories of course. Is a book made urban by the skin color of its characters, or the skin color of the author? In the New York Times article “Their Eyes Were Reading Smut”, Nick Chiles said ,“On shelf after shelf, in bookcase after bookcase, all that I could see was lurid book jackets displaying all forms of brown flesh, usually half-naked and in some erotic pose, often accompanied by guns and other symbols of criminal life. I felt as if I was walking into a pornography shop, except in this case the smut is being produced by and for my people, and it is called literature.” Is Nick Chiles right?
Maybe the problem is in the definition, What is literature? If you solely define it as it as publication of printed material then there is no issue, but historically literature has meant much more than that. Rebecca West once said that, "Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity.” Apparently many disagree...
Read the rest here:
http://mghardie.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/where-does-black-literature-go-from-here/
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