9/27/14 O&A Listen Up: Janelle Monae- Electric lady

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The Electric Lady is the second studio album by recording artist Janelle Monáe, released on September 6, 2013 by Wondaland Arts Society and Bad Boy Records. It is the follow up to her critically acclaimed debut studio album, The ArchAndroid (2010), and like that album, it has received universal acclaim from music critics.

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9/11/14 O&A DIVA ALERT!: Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston- When You Believe

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When You Believe is a song from the 1998 DreamWorks musical animated feature film The Prince of Egypt. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz. A pop single version with additional music and lyrics by writer-producer Babyface was also recorded for the film. The song was performed by pop divas Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston for the film’s end credits and the soundtrack album.

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9/11/14 O&A Throwback Thursday: Mariah Carey

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Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was born and raised on Long Island, New York, she came to prominence after releasing her self-titled debut studio album Mariah Carey in 1990. The album went multiplatinum and spawned four consecutive number one singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Referred to as the songbird supreme by the Guinness World Records, she is famed for her five-octave vocal range, power, melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register.

Throughout her career, Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 2012, Carey was ranked second on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music. Aside from her commercial accomplishments, Carey has won five Grammy Awards, nineteen World Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, and thirty-one Billboard Music Awards. Continue reading

8/30/14 Its Saturday- Anything Goes: A$AP Rocky- A Video Biography

It is Saturday

A new Out and About NYC Magazine feature

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Rakim Mayers better known by his stage name, ASAP Rocky (stylized as A$AP Rocky), is a 26-year-old rapper from Harlem, New York City. He is a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker. Rocky released his debut mixtape Live, Love, ASAP, in 2011 to critical acclaim. The success of his mixtape led to a record deal with Polo Grounds Music, RCA Records, and Sony Music  Entertainment. He recorded his 2013 debut album Long, Live, ASAP, which also well received by critics and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

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8/24/14- O&A Gospel Sunday: Mahalia Jackson- The Queen Of Gospel

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Mahalia Jackson, The Queen of Gospel, became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world. She became an internationally acclaimed singer and civil rights activist. Entertainer Harry Belafonte described Jackson as “the single most powerful black woman in the United States”. She recorded about 30 albums.  Continue reading

(Repost) 10/9/20 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Sammy Davis Jr.- The Original Triple Threat

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Sammy Davis Junior

Samuel George “Sammy” Davis, Jr. was born on December 8, 1925. He was an African- American entertainer who broke many barriers and paved the way for entertainers in all  disciplines. Davis was primarily a dancer and singer, but he also received acclaim as an actor of stage and screen, musician, and impressionist. Davis died at age 64 in 1990, after spending 61 years in the profession he loved.  Continue reading

Throwback Thursday: Destiny’s Child- Survivor and Bootylicious

Throwback Thursday logo 2destinys-child01Destiny’s Child was an R&B girl group formed in 1996 and is best known as a trio comprised of Beyonce’ Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Destiny’s Child has sold more than 60 million records worldwide to date, and Billboard magazine ranks the group as one of the greatest musical trios of all time. Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, including favoritism towards Beyonce by manage/father Matthew Knowles.  Continue reading

Throwback Thursday: Ike and Tina Turner Revue- Proud Mary and River Deep Mountain High (original 1966 promo)

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Late in 1970, while on break from touring in Florida, the band recorded their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary. The song was released the following January and became the duo’s best-selling single, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling well over a million copies. The song earned the group a 1971 Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.  Continue reading

Throwback Thursday: Tamia – You Put A Move On My Heart and Strangler In My House

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Tamia Marilyn Hill known professionally as Tamia, is a Canadian born singer-songwriter whose music spans several genres: R&B, neo soul, hip hop soul, pop, gospel, jazz and soft rock. She is best known for her first Top 40 hit on the R&B charts You Put A Move On My Heart, and her 2001 hit Stranger In My House. Tamia is married to retired NBA player Grant Hill and they have two daughters; Myla Grace and Lael Rose. Continue reading

Throwback Thursday: Bette Midler- Wind Beneath My Wings

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In 1988 Bette Midler, co-starred with Barbara Hershey in the film Beaches. The accompanying soundtrack remains Midler’s all-time biggest selling disc, reaching No. 2 on Billboard‘s album chart and with U.S. sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, Wind Beneath My Winds, which went to No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 and achieved Platinum status. Midler won her third Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Continue reading