A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
AB, TAKES YOU INSIDE THE NORTHERN LEAGUE EMPIRE

Northern League has quietly built an underground empire. They have outsmarted most artists trying to get on by finding outlets for their music that will pay them without having to sign a major deal. By placing their music in movies, television shows and video games they have been able to create a huge buzz around their name, making marks on the industry just by grinding hard and keeping a clear focus. AB talks to us about how they have been able to grow their business maintain their friendships and cut off the slackers to get to the next level. Building an empire is not easy but AB gives us the blueprint to how to get it started.

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Street Connfinement: AB, what’s good? Northern League is in the building! Can you start by re-introducing yourself to the readers?
AB: For those who don’t know me, I'm the 5 star general behind the money machine we call Northern League. I've been blessed to play a huge role in the creation and the direction of the group, alongside my partners Keith Lo and FS Beatz. For the past six years we've built the League into an underground media monster, which focuses on TV, movies and video games as well as releasing two highly acclaimed CD’s (Wet Paint, and Hustle Now vol.1), which both won CD of the Year for 2008 and 2009 at HBV awards.

Street Connfinement: You were talking about having to continuously re-build the team, as far as always having a lot of artists around you, and dealing with changes. Tell us a little about that situation.
AB: Well, we went through a period where we wanted to establish a strong movement, we were trying to develop and brand the artists we were working with at the time, unfortunately wasn't working out. There were multiple artists. You have to deal with their egos and different personalities. Sometimes things just don’t work out. So those that were strong, we maintained our relationship with, and those that weren't, parted ways. They just didn’t fit the program, and I wish them the best of luck. The end result is that I'm still working with a few of the best writers around, which are Keith Lo, Skarr Vega, Maine Do, Rapz, Price, Wicked, and Manny James just to name a few. Basically, the “Hustle Now”, CD series that we just released will showcase the talents of our current line-up. The HN vol. 1 CD will take you on a journey through club, hip hop, R&B as well as pop. It's an incredible piece of work, and all the production was done by FS Beatz. The next mix CD, we will be tapping into some new producers for a different feel. Production work by Deanero, Enemy Child, & Yayo so…that’s the team right there. It’s not going to change from there, that‘s what I would call our version of the dream team.

Street Connfinement: You always manage to keep yourselves busy doing projects and shows…Where does that motivation come from?
AB: It’s just the love, man… just the natural passion. If we don’t have music, what do we have? That’s the ultimate outlet, to be able to let go and express ourselves without worrying or thinking about problems with family and stress in life. I mean, if we didn’t have that outlet, I don’t know what we would do. The motivation comes from each other, and trusting and believing in one another allows it to work. I do this because I want to see my team succeed. We've come so far that it’s like. Why stop now? We have to keep striving until we can get to that next level. The feeling that we get when our families hear us on TV or in a video game is great! There is nothing like it, it’s priceless! Now our focus is to bring more heat on the street level, and show a variety of different styles on the next few projects.

Street Connfinement: Does this mean that your music’s going to adapt more to the streets?
AB: Absolutely. We’re going to have some good street stuff, some hood club stuff, but still doing us. It’s going to be our version of the streets…the fast life/ the good life side of the streets. I mean, hip hop is supposed to be whatever you feel, so we are going to have our version of the streets where you can just go out there on the block and hang with your peoples, get money, whatever... Are we the most gangsta? No, we never said that. Are we the baddest? No, we never said that. We are about our business, our money, and our music. That’s it, and the new music will reflect that.

Street Connfinement: Tell us about the “Bomb Shelter” CD you guys are about to put out.
AB: “Bomb Shelter”, is going to be the 1st of many street CD’s we release, 10 tracks will probably be the maximum on it. It's quick and simple, but very impactful. It’s going to be a good CD with a lot of powerful music, catchy tunes, catchy verses, and quality choruses. Some R&B, hip hop, street, and pop sounds. It will be the first CD completely produced by Deanero and we will be introducing Price, Maine Do and T-Quest into the mix as well. You can also expect appearances from Vega, Rapz, and King P from the UK.

Street Connfinement: How did you come up with the name “Bomb Shelter”?
AB: It’s funny because the studio that we use, we've been blessed to have for about 3½ years now. We get people from all over that come through, and we feel more at home here than anywhere else. They may be uncomfortable going to certain places because their music’s not going to come out right, or the sound’s not going to come out right, or the environment is stressful. So I look at it as being a safe haven for everybody to come and express themselves without having anything to worry about. So, “Bomb Shelter”, when the world is in turmoil and everything is going down, and you need a safe haven to go to. We have the bomb shelter. And when you look at the music we're creating, it’s very explosive and impactful, and that’s where the name comes from.

Street Connfinement: Northern League has never pursued the major label distribution.
You decided to take your music and go towards the independent side. Tell us about the grinds that you had to go through, not having that major backing and doing everything on your own, and still being able to arrive at the point that you’re at now.
“By doing everything on our own, we have 100 percent creative control over our work, which a lot of people can’t say that they have”.

AB: By doing everything on our own, we have 100 percent creative control over our work, which a lot of people can’t say that they have. We control our own masters, so we make our money off of those masters. We’ve had some attention from a few major labels, but we’ve stayed away from them because the music industry right now is going through a crazy period. When you have a slew of major acts struggling and trying to get off major labels, signing a deal doesn't look that appealing. For instance, I was just reading an interview with Young Joc who’s upset because he can’t release anything other than a mix tape because he’s trying to get out of his contract situation at Bad Boy. Sounds crazy! To the public, what you see on television and in the videos look so flashy and appealing, but the reality is that the music business is a tough, cut throat world where very few survive. So, when you have a lot of major acts that are getting off major labels...go figure. Finding alternate routes in this business is the key to staying relevant. We are good, for what we’re doing right now. It’s a good situation. We have our label together. We have our outlets via (iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon etc…the benefits are coming in slowly, but surely. What’s helping us out is the more music we put into the pipelines to get into TV shows and movies, the sales are coming from that. The mom-and-pop stores are slowly dying out, and people are going digital and we’re on top of it.

Street Connfinement: You said that you’ve been going digital, how do you feel about the whole game going that way?
AB: I think it’s something that artists are going to have to get used to. If you look at the timeline of music and where music started out, whether you’re talking vinyl, 8-tracks, or tapes, the sales went down with each item. They really never ever come back. When you see cassettes go up to their peak and then drop, people aren’t buying them anymore. It's the same for CD’s. It’s a change of the times. CDs have hit their peak. Nobody’s going 5 times platinum off CD’s anymore. The majors are struggling, and indie artists really need to become aware and adapt to it before they get left behind. The days of running around pushing your mix tapes in people’s faces are just about dead and again, this digital thing is going to peak and then, it’s on to the next thing so you better hope you don’t get left further behind. The digital thing is a blessing and a curse in this day, but you have to know how to adapt and move with the times. The attitude of the world today is... if I can't teach an old dog new tricks, then I’ll just get a new dog.

Street Connfinement: Northern League has done a lot of work in the past as far as TV shows and video games, but let everyone know exactly how extensive your resume is so they know just how serious you guys really are grinding.
AB: Let me see, I got the whole resume down-packed. In addition to what we already mentioned earlier there's also, CSI Miami, CSI New York, Making the Band, Parental Control, Real World, Road Rules, Paris Hilton’s My BFF, VH1s Tool Academy, NCIS, and the game- Need for Speed Carbon. We even did background music for the Playboy Review on the Playboy Playmate show. So, there are always things going on. We’ve done the movies, “Architect” and “Delirious”, “Stomp the Yard”, which we are most noted for. I probably forgot half the stuff we did on MTV. And now, we’re going to VH1 so a good percentage of the music you hear there, we may have some involvement. Here is complete list Northern League's music has been featured in:
Greek (ABC Family), Tool Academy (VH1), Playmate Review 2009 (PLAYBOY), Playmate Review 2008 (PLAYBOY), NCIS (CBS), CSI: New York (CBS), CSI: Miami (CBS/A & E), From G's To Gents (MTV), Nitro Circus (MTV), Paris Hilton's My New BFF (MTV), Making the Band season 4 (MTV), Making Menudo (MTV), Newport Harbor (MTV), Rob and Big (MTV), The X Effect (MTV), Adventures in Hollyhood (MTV), Bam's UnHoly Union (MTV), Parental Control (MTV), The Real World (MTV), Yo Momma! (MTV), Tilt (ESPN), Video Citi TV (The WB/CW Network), Weeds (Showtime), Entourage (HBO), Bob Thomas Ford (WYBC radio), Need for Speed, Carbon Edition (EA Sports), NBA Ballerz, Phenom (Midway Sports), Dance Audition (Online), Delirious , From Director Tom Dicollo, (2007), Stomp the Yard (Sony Picture, 2007), The Architect (Magnolia/HD Films, 2006), Alexa digital radio, Sirius/Xm Radio, and Uglyradio.net

Street Connfinement: Tell us about your performance at Toad's Place for the Slaughter House Tour and the people you had on the stage with you. How did that come about?
AB: Slaughter House came about through K-Dub (HOT 93.7) whom reached out to our operations manager Chris Abel. He let him know he was bringing Slaughter House to Toad’s Place and they were going to need some opening acts. Abel put it together and the result was a great show. We had a good time performing especially when the KishiGirls came on stage to rock with us. Slaughter House is about good hip hop. I think that the music we did complemented their style and we adapted and fit right into what was going on. The funniest thing in the world was when Joe Buddens reached down while he was on stage and picked up one of our $100 bill flyers and looked at it...like oh, alright that’s hot and stuck it in his pocket. We were able to build with some good dudes that night. I talked to Royce Da 5’9, Joel Ortiz, Joe Buddens and Crooked I. It was truly an honor to rock on stage with them.

Street Connfinement: I saw the whole thing. You guys had the place going crazy! I went downstairs later in the locker room and you could feel a good vibe. I mean, fans left happy. That was the key to the whole thing…new numbers, new connections.
AB: That’s what the show was supposed to be about. That was a really good show, everybody had a good time at and walked away happy about what they did that night. They walked away happy about buying that ticket and seeing some good performances all the way through the show. Shouts to Oncue also he did his thing.

Street Connfinement: Any last words for the haters… readers… supporters?
AB: Haters, I have no words for. They are all cute, man. That’s it. Haters are cute. That’s funny to me. They’ll hate when I’m not around, but soon as I come around, it’s all love.
“You gotta watch everyone. Even those close to you. It’s bad to say but it’s real. They know exactly who I’m talkin’ to”.
We have money to make, and no time for fake ones. Man up, do you, handle business and stay out of mine! That's all, no longer will I put my attention into people who don’t deserve it, grow up. Friendship is worth more than money, and jealousy can destroy a kingdom. Just some wise words…

Street Connfinement: What about the readers and supporters?
AB: Supporters and the readers…check out www.hustlenow.com , and listen for us on MTV and on VH1. Be ready for that new CD, because it’s going to be hot! To the other artists, if you don’t try something, somebody else will. I wish we could get together here in Connecticut, and have the support of the people. I wish they would come out more.
There are a lot of showcases going on out here in CT. People like Gee from State of the Art Movement are doing music a great service by providing a platform for groups to perform, and if people would actually come out and support these shows, we would have the same effect as Down South or the West Coast, just something to think about.
Also much respect to Mook N Fair! Congrats guys, I hope they have much success. They are a very talented duo. All of CT should be proud.

For more information and to get in contact with Northern League, please check out the following: www.hustlenow.com and www.myspace.com/northernleague

A.B-Northern League
203.785.1130 studio
Hustle Now Recordings Inc.
817 Chapel ST suite 3D
New Haven, CT 06517
http://www.hustlenow.com/
http://www.myspace.com/northernleague
http://www.yoyoyokids.com/
Hustle Now Studio North
Sargolini Publishing-admin by Kobalt Music Publishing

Chad Dawson
The true definition of a Champion Breed

Interview by: Shireal Renee

When all the odds seemed to be against him, he fought his way out. When people told him he wouldn’t make it he fought his way through. Now the world is screaming his name and he fights even harder because now he can’t lose.

Chad Dawson has overcome all the obstacles that have been placed against him. Growing up in poverty he was able to use the love of his family to keep him from falling victim to the streets. Even now as a champion that same love keeps him focused and unshaken because he knows that those are the people that were in his corner before the lights in the ring shined bright on him. Through struggling with bad choices to making a decision to be a good man for his family Chad found a way to come out on top defining the odds and writing his own story. Now after coming back home and taking the championship once again he has showed all who doubted him, that with hard work, perseverance and dedication anyone can make it. He is the true definition of a Champion Breed.
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How is the family, your wife and kids?
Everything is good, I am out here in Los Vegas right now they are back in Connecticut, actually my wife was out here a couple of weeks ago so I got to spend a little bit of time with her before the big fight.

I know you are still a bit of a newly wed, are you two still in the honeymoon phase?
I mean we are both young so we are having fun, its good to be married. We have three beautiful boys, we are both happy and I couldn’t ask for more than that.

What was life like growing up in New Haven?
Growing up in New Haven it was typical like any other kid. I’m not going to act like it was tougher than it was; I was just like any other kid. I grew up in the Hill and the Ville, me and my family moved around a lot. It was pretty tough for us going from different school to different school. We grew up in poverty, we didn’t have it that great, but we grew up with our mother and father. That was the best part about it because we always had each other; we didn’t have to go to the streets looking for other stuff. We had each other; we had our family, which made everything good.

That is always important to have both of your parents in your life. So, who pushed you to follow your aspirations of becoming a boxer?
I would definitely say my father pushed me to become a boxer, he always tells me I’ve been boxing since I was born. Since I was 2 years old and able to put on a pair of gloves, I had a pair of them on; he definitely instilled boxing in me. Every since I was about 8 he brought me to the boxing gym and started my training from then and every since I have been successful.



What was one of your first fights?
I had my first amateur fight when I was 10 years old. Actually my first amateur fight was at the Sports Haven on Longworth.

Do you remember who you fought?
Oh yea, I fought this kid Brian Mase, I actually ended up fighting him for my first four fights. I won 3 out of 4 of those fights.

So you were a champ from the beginning.
I don’t know about a champ because it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am. As an amateur I ended my career with 86 fights and out of the 86 I had 13 losses. So it was a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. At the time boxing was everything to me, so I worked hard at it. There were a couple times when I stayed away from it because I had gotten tiered of it. When I was about 15 or 16 I walked away from boxing to try football and basketball, but at the end of the day I always knew boxing was going to be my way out so I ended up back in the gym and from then on I pushed it real hard. Now I am successful, I am a world champion and everything worked out.

How much has your life changed since you became a boxer?
It changed for the better because 2 to 3 years ago I was struggling day to day just like everybody else. Everybody thought because I was on TV and winning fights that I had money, but the money didn’t really start coming until about 2 years ago when I fought my first world title. At 21 years old people thought I had money but I really didn’t. I was still struggling trying to make it as a fighter. Then, Showtime gave me a shot; I was on there a couple of times and that put a little money in my pocket. Now, I am with HBO and everything is gravy. My life has changed for the better. When I met my wife I had nothing, so she took care of me. Now I have the opportunity to take care of her. We have 3 kids together and everything is great.

What lessons on life has the road to the championship taught you?
I’ve learned a lot of lessons. There were a couple of times when I got in trouble for some things that I should not have been doing. Once I failed a drug test – that should never have happened. I was in the streets running around while at the same time I had a professional career to maintain; the two together wasn’t going to work. I can say me failing that drug test opened my eyes. It showed me there are other things more important then just hanging out in the streets and being with friends. I feel like at the end of the day, after boxing, I can do what I want, but right now I have to focus on boxing because that is what got me to where I am right now.

With all the success, what keeps you grounded?
My family and my kids, and just knowing that there are other things out there. I am 27 years old; I’m a two-time world champion already. I have been in the ring with Antonio Tarver, I’ve fought Glen Johnson, and I have another fight with Glen coming up. Just knowing that there are bigger things out there then me being 28 and having a little bit of money keeps me grounded. I just want to continue to get better. I’m not going to just stop at being good. I don’t want to be just known as a good fighter, I want to be known as a great fighter, so that keeps me going.

How have you used your success in boxing to inspire, uplift and help others in your community?
I like talking to younger guys, when I go down to Ring One and I see the younger kids in there they are all like, “wow, that’s Chad Dawson”. I don’t feel like, ‘wow’ cause I came from the same place that they came from, the same way they are in the gym training hard and working to get to where I am; I’ve been there, done that. For me to go back to the gym and talk to them and give them the opportunity to see me as a regular person, that makes me feel good. The fact that they are able to see me and touch me it is amazing, that is enough for me. I always tell them, ‘if you want to be someone and go somewhere then you have to work hard’. It takes a lot of hard work. It takes more than going to the gym once or twice a week. I know because there were times when I did that. I was lucky because I have so much talent that I would still show up to fights and win. But at the end of the day, I would go into a tournament and I would come in second or third place, but if I would have put the effort and time in at the gym, I would have came in first place. Now I can go back and tell them what I have been through and hopefully that inspires them.

You have a record label, “Champion Breed”, how did you decide to align yourself with the music industry?
I have loved music since I was a little kid; it is something that I always wanted to get into. The label is still up-in-coming. It is not really established right now, but as long as I keep bringing money in from boxing then I can put it into the label so the music business can be my fall back.

How do you balance the time between training for your fights and owning a record label?
It is hard but I have people like Pepe and my wife who help me and try to keep me level headed. It is tough though because when I come home I don’t really want to be bothered with a lot of business. I just want to relax, be with my family and have a little fun. But if I want to be a business man I have to get use to stuff like that.

How is Pepe involved in “Champion Breed”? Is he a part of that business?
I’ve known him for a long time but we have just recently started becoming closer. By bringing him in on the label he is helping me out a lot by scouting for talent. He brings talent to me while at the same time he is teaching me the business because I didn’t know really know a lot about it. My whole life all I did was box, I don’t even have a high school diploma so the only thing I know, is boxing. Pepe is showing me the business part of the music industry as far as owning businesses and becoming a business man, he has been helping me with that. That is why we work so well together because he is teaching me something as well as helping me out.

It is always good to have someone like that around you. So, what artist do you have signed to your label right now?
Right now I have this kid, C-Dubb, Charms and Blazze.

Are you looking to sign any other artist?
Yes, I am talking to a lot of people, a lot of guys give me their CD’s and I listen to them. But at the end of the day, I have to handle my business first which is, boxing. If I don’t have boxing and I am not able to make money doing that, there will be no, “Champion Breed”, there will be no record label. Boxing comes first for me, the music thing comes second. When the time comes and I am ready to hang up the boxing gloves then I can go into the music thing full time. Right now boxing is how I feed my family and how I survive so that comes first and the music thing is secondary.

With that said, how does an artist get your attention? What do you have to see in a person for you to invest your time and money into them?
Well, if I see something in them and I feel like they have the talent then I will invest in them. Right now it has nothing to do with me making money; I just like to help people. Like, Blazze, and C-Dubb, I help them out a lot. I send them in the studio and I pay for their studio time. I like to make people happy; I feel if what I do is making them happy with themselves then they can make good music.

How did it feel coming back to Connecticut to fight?
It felt great. I finally got to come back to my home and showcase my talent. A lot of people have been asking me when I am coming back to Connecticut, so they all got what they wanted.

What was your training schedule like?
I was training 6 days a week. I ran 5 miles a day. I trained 3 times a day; I did my gym work, right after that I went to the fitness gym and then did strength and conditioning work. It was tough but like I said before, that is how I make my money and how I feed my family so at the end of the day when I am banged up I know what I am doing it for. I think about my kids and my wife.

So were you are pretty confident going into the Glen Johnson fight.
Yes, I was very confident because I was on my “A” game. I had been in the gym; I’d trained for over 8 weeks so I was not worried about anything. I believe that when I am in great shape and on my “A” game that nobody can touch me.

Do you have any rituals or spiritual tactics that you practice before you go into a fight?
Not really, we always say a prayer before I go into the ring. About 10 minutes before I fight, we all get together; quiet the dressing room down and say a little prayer. Other than that I like to have my kids around. My son is always in the ring with me, just to have my wife and kids there believing in me, is good. Plus my father is in my corner, my mother is there; and since this fight is in Connecticut my whole family is going to be there, so I have a lot of love and support that makes me feel like nothing can go wrong.

As a woman, I know I would be terrified every time my man went into the ring, how does your wife feel about you fighting?
My wife is very supportive; she always tells me that she prays before I go into a fight. I know it can be tough because I have 3 other brothers that use to box, and I know how it was for me to watch them fight, so I can imagine how it must feel for my wife to sit there while her husband gets hit so for that I commend her. If you watch her on TV, she is calm. I always ask her, ‘why are you so calm’. She says, “Because she has faith in me”.

What words do you have to give to inspire other people trying to come up and accomplish what you’ve accomplished?
I would tell them don’t give up on your dreams. A lot of people told me that I would never make it. I remember being in high school and teachers and principles telling me that I wasn’t going to amount to nothing because I was hard headed. They said, “I wasn’t going to make it”. Believe it or not, I’ve had teachers call me a “dumb jock”. So for me to be where It am right now, even though I don’t have a high school diploma, I feel like I’ve made it, I’ve fulfilled my dreams. I always told people I was going to be a world champion and now I am. I do hope to one day go back to school and get that diploma but at the end of the day I’ve made it to where I wanted to be at, with or without it.

The video is the first ever shot on the historic USS Midway Aircraft Carrier and was approved by the Admiral Moynihan of the Navy (the chief of publicity for the Navy at the Pentagon). The video features appearances from Claudette Robinson ("The First Lady of Motown" of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles), who plays B. Taylor's grandmother in the video, and Beverly Broadus-Green (Author and Snoop Dogg's mother) who plays B. Taylor's mother in the video.

A coming of the age of maturation music video about real life and real life consequences as a young man comes to terms, reassures the women in his life before transitioning to young soldier.

Download this Song at iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/one-life-to-live-single/id417968006

A former Navy sailor, Taylor was approved to shoot the video by Admiral Moynihan, the Navy's Chief of Information and principal spokesperson in Washington D.C. with the help of Commander Robert Anderson, Dir of Navy Entertainment West and Scott McGaugh, Marketing Dir for the USS Midway Museum. "We are glad to have B. Taylor back for this video and are excited to be working with him," said Commander Anderson

For more info on B. Taylor
visit www.btaylor.com
www.facebook.com/thesteviewonderofhiphop
www.myspace.com/thesteviewonderofhiphop

Double Dutch League hits New Haven: wtnh.com

Afternoon shooting in New Haven: wtnh.com

TMC --TASHA MONIQUE CARTER


Tasha Monique Carter has swept the nation with her flare for fashion and her signature line of clothing. TMC Fashions was
established in the early 90’s when Tasha discovered her natural talent for sewing. While many of us where in the malls trying to
keep up with the latest trends, Tasha Monique Carterwas setting trends!

Once Tasha realized her ability to create she began to incorporate her own unique twist. Her signature style being; garments which are long & flowing in the front and short & eye catching in the back.

With the support of family & friends in her hometown New Haven, CT, Tasha began to invest in her craft. She hosted small fashion shows in which she would showcase her clothing line. Although the shows were a success…TMC Fashions were ready to hit a
bigger market. With this in mind, the gutsy designer packed her things and moved to Atlanta, GA.

Between designing, sewing & operating a business Ms. Carter also found time to work on several film/television productions. “I was working as a wardrobe assistant on the film Remember the Titans (starring Denzel Washington), the work was tedious and the
schedule was grueling…But I loved it!” The film bug had bitten her…she has since then worked in all positions dealing with wardrobe on numerous productions. “It takes more than an eye for fashion to work in film/television. You have to be aware of continuity and
stay within the budget…no one really cares what the hottest color is this season.”

After living in Atlanta, GA for several years Tasha Carter once again felt like it was time to broaden her horizons. Los Angeles, CA offered just the forum she needed to kick her career into high gear. TMC Fashions can now be seen in films, magazines & on the red
carpet at Hollywood parties and premiers. Although Tasha Monique Carter has been successful in her field, she is humble and maintains a positive professional attitude.

“I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given because I know how difficult it is to get into this business. That’s why I always do the best I can, no matter how big or small the assignment is, I give it my all!”

Tasha Monique Carter now resides in Los Angeles, CA. She is seeking new and challenging opportunities in the fashion industry.

check out more of tmc on her  facebook pg at
www.facebook.com/TashaMoniqueCarter

The New York Knicks have acquired Carmelo Anthony, league sources told ESPN The Magazine senior writer Chris Broussard on Monday night.


The swap is a three-way deal including Minnesota, a league source told Broussard.


More From ESPN.com
The Knicks will be better in a year or two but have the pieces to be credible by April, ESPN.com's Michael Wilbon writes. Story


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In getting Melo, the Knicks made themselves better in the short and long run, ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor writes. Story


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Carmelo Anthony has the Knicks back on the hoops map, ESPNNewYork.com's Stephen A. Smith writes. Story


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The Knicks aren't a title contender yet, but still figure to be a tough out, ESPNNewYork.com's Chris Sheridan writes. Story


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The Nuggets may have lost Carmelo Anthony but did do well for themselves in the end, ESPN.com's J.A. Adande writes. Story

• Hollinger: Grades
• Ford: A power trio in 2012?


The deal would end the season-long trade saga involving Denver's All-Star forward and send him to his desired destination. If it goes through, it puts Anthony alongside Amare Stoudemire in a potentially explosive frontcourt -- at a heavy cost to the Knicks.


As a part of the deal, the Knicks will send Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who would get additional picks and cash, the sources said. Along with Anthony, New York would acquire Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman.


New York will send Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry to Minnesota as part of the deal in exchange for Corey Brewer.


The Denver Post first reported the trade.


"I'm glad it's over," Nuggets coach George Karl said, according to the newspaper. "I'm glad it's an opportunity to reinvent. I think everybody handled it as classy as you could handle it. There's some sadness to it, there always will be."


Denver might not be Gallinari's final destination. League sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher the Nuggets are not expected to keep Gallinari once their acquisition of him is completed.


While Broussard reported that the Nets might try to acquire Gallinari after striking out on Anthony, there are several other interested teams with first-round draft picks to offer in exchange for the perimeter-shooting forward. Other potential suitors include the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.


The need for time to move Gallinari is why Denver pulled the trigger on the Anthony deal Monday night, rather than get closer to Thursday's trade deadline to see what else develops, sources said. The Nuggets are not looking to deal Felton or Chandler, a league source said.


The Nuggets have explored an Anthony trade since he refused to sign the three-year contract extension worth nearly $65 million they offered him last summer. They appeared on the verge of sending him to the New Jersey Nets on multiple occasions, but the Knicks increased their offer enough to land Anthony, who was believed to prefer New York all along.


The Knicks would hope he could be in uniform Wednesday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks. If he is, he'll probably be wearing a different number.


Anthony wore No. 15 for his seven-year tenure with the Nuggets. He also wore No. 15 during his one season at Syracuse. But that digit will be off limits for Anthony in New York because the organization retired No. 15 twice -- once for Earl Monroe and once for Dick McGuire. A team official was unsure of which number Anthony would wear with the Knicks when contacted by ESPNNewYork.com late Monday night.


Anthony led the Nuggets to the playoffs in each of his first seven seasons in Denver after winning a national title at Syracuse as a freshman and had them positioned for another playoff run this year. But Denver advanced out of the first round just once in that time.


He stood to become the headliner of the 2011 free-agent class, but didn't want to risk free agency knowing a new collective bargaining agreement could cost him millions. But once he refused the extension with the Nuggets -- plus put his Denver mansion on the market last year -- the Nuggets' new front-office team of general manager Masai Ujiri and team president Josh Kroenke had to begin trade talks so they wouldn't risk losing him and getting nothing in return as the Cavaliers did with LeBron James and the Toronto Raptors did with Chris Bosh last year.


Knicks Blog
Looking for more information on your Knicks? ESPNNewYork.com has you covered. Blog


There were persistent rumors Anthony wouldn't take the extension if traded to the Nets, which was a prerequisite for them agreeing to a trade. He instead gets his apparent wish to join a Knicks team that is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and in position for its first playoff berth since 2004.


But the Knicks will make their postseason run without the core of the team. Felton, Gallinari, Mozgov and Chandler were four of New York's top six players, and there is some thought the Knicks gave up too much to get Anthony, a sensational scorer headed to a team that doesn't necessarily need more scoring.


However, the Knicks felt they couldn't pass on the opportunity to land a 26-year-old superstar once he became available. Assuming he extends with the Knicks, Anthony and Stoudemire would be under contract for four more seasons, though the uncertain salary-cap situation could wreck New York's plans to be spenders over the next two summers.


The Nets wanted Anthony, hoping the Brooklyn native would be the face of their franchise when they open their new Barclays Center in 2012. But though he never publicly confirmed the speculation that he wouldn't have extended with the Nets, he did note Friday during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles that the Knicks were further along after acquiring Stoudemire -- his good friend -- last summer.


Anthony met with both Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan over the weekend and hoped there would be a resolution before he returned to the Nuggets. That indeed happened -- he was excused from practice Monday so he could remain in California to appear on Conan O'Brien's show.


Photos: Carmelo Anthony's career



MeloDrama is over: Anthony is going to be a Knick. Enjoy photos of an All-Star's career: Carmelo Anthony


The Nuggets made out well, considering they could have lost Anthony for nothing in the summer. The Nets' offer, centered around rookie Derrick Favors and draft picks, would have meant a rebuilding situation, while the players they acquire from New York could keep them in postseason contention in the Western Conference. The Nuggets host Memphis on Tuesday night.


Karl said he'll miss Billups, a hometown favorite and consummate professional who helped Denver reach the Western Conference finals in 2009, when the Nuggets nearly eliminated the eventual champion Lakers.


"I think Chauncey will go down as one of the greatest winners," Karl said. "His record of seven or eight conference finals is, I mean, that's incredible. I think that's who he is, that's what he stands for. He brought one of them to us. Last year we had a miserable ending. I think there's many people, including myself, that will be sad for Chauncey. I know he loves Denver and we love him, but things happen. There's decisions that have to be made.


"I'm 100 percent behind the decision we made, even though it will be dangerous and there won't be the veteran point guard back there," Karl added. "Felton, I thought was having a great season this year. But I think Ty [Lawson] and Felton are going to have a great challenge to live up to what Chauncey has given us in past years."


Asked who his starting point guard would be, Karl said, "Probably Ty," then got into his maroon SUV and drove away.

Investigation in NHPD protest: wtnh.com

Guardian Angels on patrol in New Haven: wtnh.com

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - In response to New Haven's police layoffs, the Guardian Angels are hitting the streets and say they'll be stepping up patrols for the next three months.

A sign hangs on a telephone poll along Whalley Avenue -- anyone interested in joining the ranks of the Guardian Angels is welcome.

News 8 was with Angels as they hit the streets last night, bringing in reinforcements from Hartford, Norwalk, Boston and New York. The founder, Curtis Sliwa, spoke to our Bob Wilson.

"How are you greeted by the people here?"
"Oh, for the most part, people are high-fiving us, they appreciate the fact that we're making the effort here to make them feel safer, even with less police, but then you'll get the homeboys on the corner flipping us the bird which makes me feel welcome because then I know we're having an impact," Sliwa said.

The Guardian Angels have had a chapter in New Haven since 2007, but decided to beef up their patrols after the city decided to lay off 16 police officers last week. The night the layoffs were announced, there was a double shooting at a Dunkin' Donuts on Derby Avenue. Click here to read more about the police layoffs.

News 8 got reaction from residents in the area, a hot spot for months. Most said they appreciate any and all help here, but it's a Band-Aid, at best.

"I mean, from a standpoint from, more people on the streets that helps the city that would be nice, there's a lot of things that go on around here that shouldn't be," said Michael Addison of New Haven.

"I just seen 'em yesterday but you won't need the Guardian Angels or the police if you put the discipline back in the house," said Wally Shabazz of New Haven.

And because the Guardian Angels do not carry weapons, many say they are simply not an adequate replacement for police officers.

"They not bulletproof, that's what it is, shooting. They gonna wear bullet-proof jackets and helmets it may work," said Shabazz.

I'm actually surprised we don't see this happen more often.

A news crew from Sacramento tv station Fox40 was attacked by angry family members of a shooting victim.

27-year-old Chester Jackson was shot and killed in a parking lot outside an IHOP early morning Sunday (February 20). His family gathered in the parking lot and set up a makeshift memorial. When reporter John Lobertini and photojournalist Rebecca Little approached to see if anyone wanted to talked, things got ugly.

"This is one of the hazards of the business but we didn't expect what we encountered here today," said Lobertini.

Before things escalated into violence, one woman is seen yelling at the news crew, who didn't back down. Then someone is seen pulling Little to the ground by her hair as they attempted to stop her from filming.

"When I fell on the ground I was protecting myself, and then she kicked me and I was still kinda paralyzed, and I hear my reporter John say, 'get up, get up,'" Little told Fox40

It was just an unfortunate situation for everyone. I know I wouldn't want some guy sticking a mic in my face right after a relative was killed. Hopefully the news crew won't try to press any charges.

At one point you can hear family members respond to Little saying she was kicked by replying "nobody hit you b****."



"I know people are going through rough times but that's still my job. I wasn't trying to get in their face and be disrespectful," Little said.

New Englands best of the best came out to Leon's located on Long Warf, a popular beach front restaurant in New Haven to tell the whole world where real champion fighters are bred. CES president Jimmy Burchfield said. " This is an exciting card from top to bottom, there is something for everybody, whether you're a fan in Rhode Island, Connecticut or Massachusetts. The name Block Party is a fitting title because this truely is a celebration of the continued success of New England boxing."

This historic event will take place at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, February 4 , 2011. the headliners are super middleweight Vladine Biosse (9-0, 4 KOs) from Providence R.I. , New Haven, CT. own super middleweight Elvin Ayala ( 20-5, 9 KOs)- CES newest procuration and Ledyard, CT, light heavyweight Brian Macy ( 5-1, 2 KOs) in his long anticipated return.

Elvin Ayala is quoted as saying, " I will fight anyone at any given time," and Brian Macy, A University of Connecticut graduate has served his country for 10 months in Iraq, a true hero.

Also this exciting card features: New Haven junior welterweight Edwin Soto (5-0-1, 2 KOs) against James Ventry (7-12, 4 KOs) of Niagra Falls, NY; New Haven super batamweight Luis Rosa Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs0) facing Cape Coral, FL, native Justin Goodall (1-1, 1 KO) and heavy weight Billy Mofford (9-1-2, 4 KOs) representing Randolph, MA battling Chicago's Theron Johnson (4-3, 1 KOs)

In a exclusive, four round welterweight feature, Sean Eklund (7-4, 1 KO) from Lowell, MA will face off with Noel Garcia (2-6-1, 1 KO) of Springfield, MA.

Javier Flores (4-0, 4 KOs) of Hartford will make his debut against Marcus Hall (4-2-1 2 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y.

Tickets for " Block Party " can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253 or at Ticketmaster  1800-745-3000.  Prices are $40.00, $65.00 and $105.00.

I had a chance to speak with a few of the boxers and here is what one of them  had to say...

Street Connfinement- Could you please tell us a little bout yourself ?

Vladine Biosse- My name is Vladine Biosse, I am super middleweight champion 9-0 4 knock outs and im fighting February 4th at Mohegan Sun Casino. Boxing career for me has been short but good years. I started fighting in 07 after college. I had a short ameture career representing  Cape Verde Islands in the African games which I won the African games. I turned pro after that it's been a good career I am 9-0 and won the super New England, super middleweight title back in July last year, this year is gonna be a good year coming up we have some good fights starting with this fight here. This is what I do day  in day out,I always wanted to be a professional athlete some how some way this is my job now and is a dream come true being able to do this I am living a dream everyday.

Street Connfinement- Very well said. Being that the youth is our future, what message do you have for those who aspire to live the very same dream as you do?

Vladine Biosse- Determination is everthing. Never take no for an answer you probally heard that plenty of times but its true. Don't let people tell you what you can or can not be, you do what you wanna do to be what you wanna be. Its not easy, it's a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrafices you have to make but if you really want it it can happen for you.

Street Connfinement- Thank you very much I don't want to keep you any longer. Do you have a website?

Vladine Biosse- Yes I do, www.cesboxing.com, Mr Providence on Twitter or Face book Vladine Biosse

Submitted by T'Lara  Phelmetta AKA Supreme Essence

Contact me at naturalbornhusla@yahoo.com





http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=496269872277&subj=100000561774910

WIDE OPEN coming to the Wadsworth Atheneum FEB.5, 2011, and FEB.6, 2011!

ABOUT "Wide Open"...

Aetna Theater at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art Welcomes Back
“WIDE OPEN” Stage Play for two Encore performances!

After a phenomenal performance by Shireal Renee and the entire cast the Wide Open stage play was left with a standing ovation. The Wadsworth Atheneum’s, Curator of Film and Theater, Debbie Gaudet said with much enthusiasm, “This show should be on Broadway…” Debbie has invited the production back for an encore performance in the Aetna Theater on February 5th and 6th 2011; show will run 7pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. This time around former president of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and Travelers Foundation John H. Motley will host both nights.

Wide Open is an unconventional one-woman show, there are other actors on stage at various times but the main character Renee is the only one with a speaking role; the other incredibly talented actors play Renee’s thoughts expressing them through interaction and dance movements. The plot is a poetic journey through a young woman’s life as she battles with growing pains, adversity and suffers through an abusive relationship, finally turning to God to help her get through. The show is comical, heartfelt, spiritual, universal and timeless with a hopeful message that anyone can relate to.

Fox 61’s Stan Simpson says, “It was a very powerful show”, “Spectacular!” says audience member Jami, “Encore Please…”was requested from viewer Marsha and rave reviews go on and on from those in attendance. The success of the event also allowed for Wide Open to give a charitable donation in support a local organization Hope 4 Autism. A group bringing support and awareness to children and family’s who have been affected by Autism.

With all the wonderful things coming from this show it was an absolute MUST for an encore performance! The Wadsworth Atheneum’s Aetna Theater is the perfect host for this event the museum is a historical landmark in Hartford and it is opening its doors to breathe life into a vision created by a hometown artists; the Executive Producer, Writer and Star of the show Shireal Renee. With the red carpets, trumpets and entertaining intermission theater goers will be engulfed in the Wide Open experience from the moment the step out of their cars. This show is guaranteed to touch the hearts of everyone in attendance. For more information or to purchase tickets visist www.byreneevisions.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 6, 2011) – Fresh off a historic year in combat sports,
Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., is ready to kick off 2011 in style at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Live professional boxing returns to Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, as CES presents “Block Party” at the Mohegan Sun Arena. CES’ first show of 2011 features the best talent from various New England neighborhoods, headlined by Providence, R.I., super middleweight Vladine Biosse (9-0, 4 KOs) and also starring New Haven, Conn., super middleweight Elvin Ayala (20-5, 9 KOs) – CES’ newest acquisition – and Ledyard, Conn., light heavyweight Brian Macy (5-1, 2 KOs) in his long-awaited return.

“This is an exciting card from top to bottom,” CES president Jimmy
Burchfield said. “There’s something for everybody, whether you’re a fan in Rhode Island, Connecticut or Massachusetts. The name ‘Block Party’ is a fitting title because this truly is a celebration of the continued success of New England boxing. On the top of the card, you’ve got Vladine Biosse, one of the top prospects in boxing, defending his New England super middleweight title against a dangerous opponent. Vladine won four fights in 2010, including a classic battle in front of 42 million homes on ESPN against ‘Irish’ Joey McCreedy, and continues to climb the ladder with each fight.

“With Elvin Ayala in the co-feature, you’ve got an established, ring-savvy veteran and a former world-title challenger who is willing to fight anyone at any given time, and Brian Macy, a University of Connecticut graduate and one of the most popular fighters in his state, is a wonderful story, having served his country for 10 months in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army and now returning to the ring to resume his promising boxing career.

“This is a must-see event and we’re looking forward to filling every seat in the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena.”

A former college football standout at the University of Rhode Island, Biosse will put his New England super middleweight title on the line against hard-punching veteran Sampson Onyango (20-7, 13 KOs) in the eight-round main event. Onyango is originally from Nairobi, Kenya and now fights out of Brockton, Mass. Onyango’s most recent bout was a hard-fought, unanimous decision loss to undefeated Hungarian light heavyweight prospect Zsolt Erdei on Nov. 20 in Atlantic City, N.J.

The six-round co-feature pits Ayala against an opponent to be determined while Macy will fight for the first time in two years against Walter Foster (4-3-1, 4 KOs) of Berkeley, Mo., in a four-round middleweight bout. Macy returned home in September of 2010 following a 10-month stint in Baghdad.

The undercard of “Block Party” features: New Haven junior welterweight Edwin Soto (5-0-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round rematch against Bryan Abraham (2-4-2, 2 KOs) of Schenectady, N.Y. (the two fought to a draw on June 26, 2010 at Mohegan in one of the top regional fights of the year); New Haven super bantamweight Luis Rosa Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) facing Vero Beach, Fla., native Aaron Chavez (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout; and Randolph, Mass., heavyweight Billy Mofford (9-1-2, 4 KOs) battling Chicago’s Theron Johnson (4-3, 1 KO) in a six-round contest.

In a special, welterweight feature, Lowell, Mass., native Sean Eklund (7-4, 1 KO) – the nephew of former world title challenger “Irish” Micky Ward, whose incredible story is portrayed in the box-office sensation, “The Fighter” – will defend his Eastern Boxing Association (EBA) New England title against Noel Garcia (2-6-1, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass. Ward will work Eklund’s corner, along with Ward’s half-brother Dicky Eklund, who is also portrayed in the film. Sean Eklund won the title last year on March 19 with a victory over previously-unbeaten Eddie Soto, who had defeated him in 2009.

Puerto Rican welterweight Javier Flores (4-0, 4 KOs) of Hartford will make his United States debut against tough veteran Marcus Hall (4-2-1, 2 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y., in a six-round bout (Flores’ first four professional fights – all knockout victories – were held in his native Puerto Rico), and Thomas Falowo (1-0, 1 KO) of Providence, R.I., who won his pro debut two months ago on Nov. 12, will battle the dangerous Greg McCoy (2-1-2, 1 KO) in an exciting, four-round interstate middleweight bout.

Tickets for “Block Party” are $40, $65 and $105 and can be purchased by calling CES at (401)724-2253/2254 or calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.cesboxing.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun box office. For more information on “Block Party,” go to www.cesboxing.co. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:30.

Click here to
purchase Tickets





Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports
1052 Charles Street, Suite 1 North Providence, RI 02904
Office: 401/724-2253/2254

http://www.cesboxing.com/html/020411biosse.html

order the book Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson

For years movies have been made to portray the original gangsters of American history like; Scarface, Harlem Nights, and Hoodlum. What a lot of people don’t know is that many of these movie characters are not fiction. These were real gagsters straight out of New York, California and Miami. But since the release of the Denzel Washington’s movie American Gangster everyone has been turning there heads to the interest of the black gangsters in America and really paying attention to the stories of the “Hood Heroes”. The story of Frank Lucus caught the attention of the media like you would expect any Denzel movie to achieve. And for months the real Frank Lucus was all over the air waves promoting his story and like any true black celebrity shouting out all of the people who road with him on his journey.
I was able to catch up with someone who did not directly get a shout out from Frank but was indirectly praised. On a bright sunny spring day in Harlem all the Harlemites came out to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated Harlem Godfather; The wrap on my husband Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson by Mayme Hatcher Johnson with Karen E. Quinones Miller. Mayme Johnson the widow of Bumpy Johnson was not singing the same praises to Frank as he would have allotted her. Mayme says that every thing Frank claims to be true are lies. Karen E. Quinones Miller a self made Harlem success story was personally touched by Mayme’s story and found it her duty to help her set the record straight. Mayme says Frank broke the number one rule that her husband would have never broken, and that was what Frank is mainly famous for…for being a Snitch!

Street Connfinement: I just wanted to say congratulations because I know it’s been a long time at work. So if you want to give us a little background about how you met and how this project started.
Karen Quinones: I knew Bumpy when I was a kid; I met him when I was nine or ten years old. But it didn’t register in my mind that this was the Bumpy Johnson. I knew he was Bumpy Johnson, but not like “The Bumpy Johnson”. And it wasn’t until about 20 years ago that Mayme and I connected. And we’ve been friends, close friends I say for about fifteen years. On and off we’ve been talking about doing the book, but sometimes we just never get a chance. So we’ve been talking on and off about doing the book for the last fifteen years, but just never seemed to get together, wouldn’t you say?
Mayme Johnson: I would say that we kept putting it off.
Karen Quinones: Mayme got really upset because American Gangster there was a lot of lies in there. In Hoodlum they made a lot of mistakes, but Mayme wasn’t upset because they made mistakes, they got it wrong. But in American Gangster there were a lot of lies, outright lies, and she got really upset about that and we’ve been talking about doing this book all this time, let’s go ahead and do it. So that’s how it came about.
Street Connfinement: So exactly how long did it take you to complete from beginning to finish the project?
Karen Quinones: I’ve been researching it actually for almost twenty years. That’s one of the reasons why I think it would be really good for anyone else to do an auto biography on him in Edgar’s Point because a lot of people have died. So there for instance I was able to speak to Junie Bird, Bumpy died in his arms. I was able to speak to Edgar. I was able to speak to Billy Hopkins, and Mayme’s memory is just tremendous. So the research been going on, I mean Mark Henry Perk died about eight years ago. I have him on the record before he died. Ralph Camerno was the best human known gangster, organized crime expert in the country. He died four years ago. I have him on the record talking about Bumpy. So on and on the research has been going on for about fifteen years. You know but it’s like it was never a rush. Eventually we were gonna get it done.


Street Connfinement: It seems like as soon as the movie dropped, the book came really quickly after, and I know that you are reputing a lot of things with American Gangster, so would that be the coincidence, or was it like once you say that you were like “Okay I gotta get this book out there?”
Mayme Johnson: May I just say one thing?
Street Connfinement: Yes.
Mayme Johnson: American Gangster was all lies. I didn’t see anything in there what I could see, what I’ve read to be. Frank Lucas did not know us. That was their way. And when they copied the life of black books I would say wouldn’t you?
Street Connfinement: So he really wasn’t a driver for Bumpy?
Mayme Johnson: No he never drove a day for us. And he was never ever in my home. He may have washed up his cars and shined his shoes, but he certainly did not drive his car. The only thing he ever did to that car was probably wash it, that’s all.

Street Connfinement: So you don’t know Frank Lucas very well at all?
Karen Quinones: What’s to know Frank? But I mean he was like a flunky. So it’s like if your boyfriend or your husband had a flunky you would know him, but he wouldn’t be invited to the house.
Mayme Johnson: He’d just come around to get to know Bumpy, and he just wanted to make a living, get out in the world, and he’d come around to make extra money. Bumpy really never shared his money. That’s why I can’t understand why he told so many lies. He made up all of that. And that’s when I thought he would have done that to my book.
Karen Quinones : And Judy Page, as a matter of fact she’s sitting right over there, she was at the movie theater when she told Mayme that she saw a trailer from American Gangster , and it was at that point that we found out that the movie was coming on and they had made some false remarks about Bumpy, so when she called her Mayme called me and she was like look we been talking about doing this book all this time and we have to do it because all their doing now is telling lies about my husband. And that’s how it came about.
Mayme Johnson: That’s right, that’s how we got started.

Street Connfinement: So they didn’t even grant you the courtesy to let you know they were putting a movie out?
Mayme Johnson: No but I understand now he said I was old and wasn’t able to talk about it anymore.
Street Connfinement: Do you feel like Frank Lucas created his legacy off of your husband’s legacy?
Mayme Johnson: Yes, oh yes. The only person that ever drove Bumpy around was Randy Carson and JJ, JJ Johnson.
Karen Quinones: And Bobby Jones. He was one of the pall bearers.
Mayme Johnson: Yes, right.
Karen Quinones: But the thing is Frank Lucas knew Bumpy, Frank Lucas was a person. I mean I don’t know how else to put it. And Frank is as famous for his listening as he is for his dope dealing. And it makes sense to increase your street credibility to go ahead and hitch your wagon to a man who was known to never have snitched. You know cause no matter what you may say about Bumpy Johnson the man did his time and to anybody else he had to before he snitched. So that gave Frank a little bit of credibility. In his mind that’s what he was doing. And that’s what Mayme and I talked about. It’s like a grab for street credibility. I mean but it was so obvious, I mean because even in the documentary that they filmed for BET, if you look at the documentary their rolling around the street, Frank’s in the back of the car, you see on the street lamps on the street signs that say 121th street and 5th avenue and then he points to a brownstone and he says “My boss lives here, that’s where my boss lives.” But they never lived on 121st street and 5th avenue. They lived on the corner of 120th street and 5th avenue. They lived at 2 west 120th street in an apartment building. And as a matter of fact Willa Mae Park was just here, she lived upstairs from them. He didn’t even know where Bumpy lived, but he’s gone say that he lived six months with them.
Mayme Johnson: He was never in our home.
Karen Quinones: He never even knew them when they were there. He said that he rode Bumpy around for fifteen years. Bumpy was never on the streets for fifteen years straight since turning eighteen. He met Bumpy in 1963, Bumpy died in 1968. Do the math. Unless he was driving him around in Alvarcaz, you think? And since the movie’s come out there’s lawsuits going around, and now Frank is saying all those statements about “yeah we put all the dope in the coffin and this shipment to this plane and did he do it by himself”, and now he’s coming out and saying well you know 99 percent of this movie was a lie. See what happens when you’re threatened with a lawsuit, or see what happens when someone is alive who knows the truth? But I really believe that he didn’t know Mayme was still around. Because he didn’t say all that stuff until Junie was dead because he said that Bumpy died in his arms. Bumpy died in Junie Bird’s arms right at Well’s Restaurant. He would never have said anything like that when Junie was alive. He was old and encrypted when that story came out, and I believe he thought Mayme was dead. Because what he did was, the relationship that Bumpy had with Flash Walker, he made it up for himself. Flash was the one that met Bumpy in the pool hall, Flash was the one that when he got sick Bumpy and Mayme left the back of the house, and let him stay in his house. You know Flash was the one that Bumpy took shopping and bought clothes. Flash was the one that Bumpy treated like a son. But you know what, Flash Walker is dead and it’s so easy because who knew about Flash Walker before we wrote about it? And that’s what Frank Lucas was pouncing on, don’t you think?
Mayme Johnson: That’s right.
Street Connfinement: So he just completely took someone’s life basically?
Mayme Johnson: Well he wanted to make some money. He was broke and didn’t have any money. And I know he didn’t because he was rambling off the lotto.
Street Connfinement: So you’re not getting any rights from that movie at all? From American Gangster?
Mayme Johnson: I have nothing to do with it because it’s lies.
Street Connfinement: So have you heard anything about getting any movie rights for this book you have out here?
Karen Quinones: Well we would love; we would be willing to listen okay. We would certainly consider any offers for options okay. And as I say from your lips to God’s ears.
Street Connfinement: Is there anything that you’d like everybody to know? If you had one thing to tell the public what would you let them know about your husband?
Mayme Johnson: Well to me he was the greatest guy ever lived. He was a gangster, but he was no dope dealer. And to me, I think if he could have just the other day walked in he would have been very grateful to see all the people, my old friends and so many young friends, so many young men. I think he would have been very happy today. He was a great guy. A lot of people really didn’t know him, just knew of his name. To me he was the greatest guy ever lived.
Street Connfinement: Do you feel like his contributions to Harlem, because he’s known as “The Godfather of Harlem” like what major contributions did he make to Harlem?
Karen Quinones: Well if I could help with that.
Mayme Johnson: Please go right ahead.
Karen Quinones: I would say one of the major contributions is he let know people know that they can stand up no matter what position and what economic, what social position they were born in they could stand up to the white man. That they did not have to bow down. Cause you have to remember Bumpy came up at a time where there were still whites through Harlem, the Italians on the East side, and I mean that’s why Bumpy was a legend. Because he was the only black man in New York City, in New York State, in the United States that said, your not gonna do it. And to me one of the positive influences that I see from his life is that he let people know no matter who you are you don’t have to be treated like dirt. And I mean maybe his way wasn’t the best way but like Reverend Johnson said at his eulogy, “Maybe his way wasn’t the best way but he did what he had to do, and he did it well.”
Street Connfinement: Well thank you so much.
Karen Quinones: Thank you.
Mayme Johnson: Thank you.

BY- SHIREAL RENEE

Connfinement: Start off by introducing yourselves and letting the reader’s know exactly what your part in the team is.
Real: This is Real, the producer at STR studios and a general
Soup: This is Soup and I’m a artist / producer at STR studios. You know how I get down.
Stradegy: This is Stradegy better known as Nobles. We all generals in this shi$ just signing in.
Duece: This is Duece “el torro” from STR studios and I’m also a producer and artist. You know how we do. We making this happen.
Big Neene: This is Big Neene aka the general of the STR street team so holla at me.
Street Connfinement: There’s someone else here, he’s part of the STR family but he’s quiet. But I’m a let him introduce himself.
Boon: STR. This is all family right here. I’m wit the movement, I don’t rap but you know I’m here.

Street Connfinement: For those who new to STR why don’t you let the reader’s know what STR stands for.
Stradegy: We’ve been doing this for a minute but for those who are new to us STR stands for Stop The Run Productions and we out here making this real music. We just trying to give the people what they lacking especially in this watered down bubble gum bullshi$ they supplying us with. We stopping ni$$a’s runs if they ain’t down. Get down or lay down, hate or love it.
Soup: True story cause STR is the initials of my government. We do what we talk about and this is what we do. We the real shi$ ni$$a. Anything we get on we over accomplish whatever it is we’re trying to do.

Street Connfinement: Talk to us about the thought process behind a track when you’re all in the lab together.
Duece: It’s more like a group effort coming up with the concept of a track so there’s not too much pressure on one man. We feed off each other as a team.
Big Neene: I feed off of everyone else’s energy so if they want to roll up a dutch in the process then I’m with that.

Street Connfinement: Talk to us about some of your upcoming projects.
Duece: We got the “Walking Tall” album by my man Big Neene, “Real Talk” by my man Real, “Stradegies of War” by Stradegy, followed by my CD “40 Days, 40 Nights” and then finally my man Super Shawn “Soup” titled “No Mercy”. Soup is fresh home from the bing today and made the interview so stay on the look out for that. Oh, and I almost forgot me and Stradegy got a collaboration CD dropping “Never Enough” which will be coming soon. You can check us out at TheWorldIs.NotEnough@yahoo.com
Big Neene: I’m also working on this mix CD titled “Bat” which is a compilation album with a lot of other unsigned artists so if you trying to get on the CD make sure you get at us. The CD is like the story 300 where it’s us vs. the industry.
Real: Besides our music I just want to remind the people how we got our distribution services where we can burn CD’s and giving them an opportunity to get their music out there. We definitely hooking up with Skillz Unlimited out of PA, so we spreading out and I just want people to know that this is what we do. We’re more than just a group or label. We’re family and can’t nobody STOP OUR RUN!
Stradegy: Make sure you look out for “Stradegies of War” which should be out sometime in the middle of May. STR will be in South Beach this Memorial Day holding it down in the clubs just pumping the CD’s to the people. Also I got the mix CD “Stradegies of War” for the album with just raw shi$. Nothing but freestyles and exclusives.

Street Connfinement: Tell us what makes STR stand out from the rest what goes down when STR is on stage what’s the energy like?
Real: You know we like to feed off the crowd so we give out that energy that we gone want to take back in. So it’s like more of a joint venture. The crowd feel us or we feel the crowd, we go back and forth with them. It’s like moving, it’s like a motion almost like a dance. Us and the crowd. Almost like the tango. The hood tango.

Street Connfinement: That’s that crowd participation. Lots of artists don’t get that. They on stage and people ain’t feeling ya music they get mad as a motherf**ker.
Soup: We like to bring that energy almost like a freestyle session. Like right now if we start going verse for verse, line for line how you gone feel that cause it’s real. That’s the type of energy we like to bring to rock the crowd.
Big Neene: Man I just lose my mind on the stage; I ain’t even gone lie to you. I go bananas if my ni$$as there, I don’t care if it’s three people in the building. I’m a rock them, I’m a rock wit my ni$$as, and we all gone be down like a team. Cause we a squad, you can’t stop us. .
Stradegy: This Stradegy, we know we got that energy. We get on the stage, it’s like once you grab that mic it’s on. Once you see the crowd moving, you see everybody running to the stage, you get that attention, you know what it is. We opened up for Hell Rell and we seen them dudes over in the corner, they was rockin to our s**t. They was feelin us cause they know we a movement.

Street Connfinement: Let’s talk about your latest CD and some of the songs on it. Also explain what they mean to you.
Soup: Yeah, No Mercy, this my first LP. No Mercy, this s**t is like for real. This is like my life story. It’s like everything I go through. I’m a real ni$$a. I’m a in and out of jail ni$$a. I got kids and all that s**t but it don’t even matter cause I’m in and out of jail, so that’s like the real story. So if you listen to my s**t it’s like the real story. You understand what I’m going through, and it’s like a million other ni$$as out here who understand what I’m going through so No Mercy is like for real for real. When you say No Mercy it’s like No Mercy! To all you herb ni$$as, and all you real ni$$as, No Mercy, that’s like plain and simple. If you listen to it you’ll understand it. No Mercy.

Street Connfinement: Yeah, that’s what’s up. When that s**t drop, it’s out, ya’ll go cop it. Listen to it, support ya Connecticut artists. These dudes is putting work in. Same way you go buy D Block CD or whoever CD, go cop STR CD at the same time. Let’s talk about some upcoming projects for STR. What’s coming up with yall, like shows, interviews, DVD’s or anything else coming up?
Stradegy: You know, right now we ain’t got no shows coming up. Right now we waiting, something supposed to be poppin off at Toad’s Place. My boy Big be with K Slay and Papoose. But other than that we ready for whatever. Anything that’s going on we want in. We want to be involved with anything that’s going on. So anybody out there looking for talent make sure you look up STR Stop The Run Productions.
Real: I want ya’ll to also be looking out for the STR Ni$$as Can’t Stop The Run video. That’s gone be hitting CT real soon. Ya’ll make sure ya’ll show us some love man, this real s**t man, and that’s like the anthem for ya boys.
Soup: For any ni$$as that wanna battle just come see me. I guarantee ya’ll ni$$as can’t see me. I do what I do.

Street Connfinement: I’m telling you man, Soup is serious. He’s putting the crown on the line. You stop the run you a bad motherf**ker right now. They like they ain’t gonna get violent with ya’ll, they want ya’ll to pick up the mics man. That’s what they trying to get at. Let me get it right. It’s not about the gun play but they do that too, the street play. Street Connfinement: That’s right, the one play like Nas said, “One Mic”. Five mics they coming at ya’ll.
STR Together: It’s not about the gun play; it’s about the one play.
Stradegy: This is for them ni$$as that watch us more than these fu$kin females do. They know how I get down in these streets, I’m a gwap getter and I get it.
Big Neene: Ni$$as know me, I’m from around the way man. You try to air anybody in my team out, I don’t give a f**k if it’s a one on one battle I’m getting on it I’m tearing you apart cause I don’t even battle like that. I done put ni$$as careers on hold. My battling days is over. If you come out and you try to air Deuce, Strategy, Real, or Soup I’m gonna air you out. It’s gonna look real ugly.
Real: Aye, let me elaborate on that. I want ya’ll ni$$as to know that STR man we is f**king so deep right now. Everything we touch is fire. Anybody we collaborate with is fire. Ni$$as know what we do man. We out here f**king setting the mark man. Ni$$as is scared, ni$$as don’t even want to act like they notice what we doing but they know. So for ni$$as that think that we only a few deep ni$$as nah. Man we f**king by the hundreds going to the thousands.

Street Connfinement: Got Damn! Now, now I like that. Now let’s talk about collaborations. Any CT cats ya’ll working with? I need to know they names man.
Stradegy: On the real the only CT cats I’m working with is STR productions. Only CT cats I’m working with is ni$$as that’s already down with my team. I can’t work with nobody else. Anybody else I work with is IL and HUO Productions, which is my little brother. And STR productions, you know we working wit all of them. IL and HUO Productions.
Duece: All our s**t, we do what we do and to maintain, and the family. We can’t work with everybody else. You know we don’t work with trauma sending men. My ni$$a J Rock that’s in the Carolina’s right now, Scoob, ni$$as from all over. Cousin Bootsie, Trigga, he’s a big part of the movement. He come and vibe with ni$$as and put it down. There’s a lot of ni$$as out there man that I just wanna acknowledge man.
Stradegy: Yeah I did a track with L to the Gunz. And you know my boy Chad Dawson “The Champ”, we got a track wit him too “What Goes Around Comes Around”. Collabos? We collabing wit STR! If you ni$$as feel ya’ll got the movement like we got, and you feeling the energy that we got holla at us. The Champ! He’s boxing and he’s rapping. “What Goes Around Comes Around”, the track. They know what it is man.
Real: Yeah we got some females that sung on a couple tracks. Let’s give a shout out to Tonya, Tonya Dorch and Candy from the Hill. So you know we working wit a lot of different artists from around. My man Chris, Jamaican Chris we out ranking. That’s how we do so. Butch definitely, he showed me how to rock on the beats anyway. Back when I was a lil young ni$$a so I gotta respect my ni$$a Butch. He still around. My man DR at Top Ten Studios. That’s how we doing it man.
Stradegy: I gotta send love to my boy Menage too man. He’s another part of STR. He ain’t make it right here right now. But he’s another part of STR movement. He’s another ni$$a ya’ll gone hear about that’s from the hood. Real ni$$a, about his business.

Street Connfinement: Now I want to sit back and talk about what it’s like when people see your CD’s out and they notice you. What’s the response from that?
Soup: I mean you know we get a good response from the people out there. They love our music so there’s probably some haters but they stay in the background we’ll never even get to see them. But when people see our music, they hear our music they love it. We got like what a thousand CD’s out right here In New Haven alone. People buying the music. We just giving CD’s away, people buy them. So it ain’t nothing man, they love the music. That’s just the mixtape right there for the newest volume 1.

Street Connfinement: Yeah that’s what’s up man. One more time, I heard someone talk about MySpace man if ya’ll wanna give ya’ll information out. I know each one of ya’ll got a MySpace. Alright just shout out ya MySpace, ya info, you know whatever, who you are.
Stradegy: MySpace Stradegy@yahoo.com.
Soup: I just came home today so I ain’t got no MySpace. But if you give me a week I’ll have all the MySpace you want.
Big Neene: Aight this is ya boy Big Neen. I ain’t got no MySpace but I’m on STR the whole team. Long as my team and I’m up there s**t I got MySpace. But I will be coming with my own MySpace too. Big Neen, holla at me.
Real: Yo what’s good, this is Real. We working on a multi-dimension space, www.stoptherun.com . That should be up and running within the next month. We just trying to make progress. We got a whole bunch of spaces man. All you spaces is MySpace.
Duece: Yeah, well you know we got more than one MySpace on different sites but the one I want people to hit up right now is TheWorldIs.NotEnough@yahoo.com. When I way it’s nothing but fire up there, it’s nothing but fire baby. Signing off

Street Connfinement: Any last words?
Real: I want to say one more thing before I sign off too. For all the people out there, the new and upcoming artists in New Haven or wherever you at, I want ya’ll to remember one thing. The world is full of negativity. Everything around you is negative. And only time you gone be positive is if you move positive. You gotta put all that other stuff beside you and block out everything, everybody trying to bring you down and make sure you get yours. You gotta step forward with your good foot forward best way you can.
Stradegy: All that I tell you is that the album be out next month May. Crazy fire on there, club track Mama See To It, Deuce “ell torro” got a club track wit my lil cousin Lil Brittney Top Bosses. Street Life, it’s all types of crazy stuff, I Tried So Hard, it’s all types of stuff on there. So May, middle of May it’ll be out.
Soup: This Super Shawn. If you listen to J Random MySpace.com you will understand what I’m talking about. That’s my little brother. I just came out of jail today, and my lil, brother he look up to me. So if you listen to his s**t, you’ll understand where I’m coming from. My little brother is the truth, and before you know it I’m gonna be the truth.
Big Neene: Yo this Big Neen here. I gotta say ni$$as look out for my album Walking Tours, lot of motivation, versatility, gangsta s**t, s**t for the chicks, versatile. It’s all about bringing you up man, getting you outta the hood. And I’m a give you life stories, I’m a give you real s**t on my s**t. and for all you haters out there stop hating man. I’m just tipping you off man.

Stradegy@yahoo.com
www.stoptherun.com
TheWorldIs.NotEnough@yahoo.com

Artist get into the game for many reasons. Some say it is the passion, some say the fortune others the fame. We caught up with Box who proudly admits that he got into the game for the ladies…and his chain. Something’s got to motivate you. Check out what motivates him.

Street Connfinement: Aight we in the building with Box, what good man? What you been up to since the last time we heard from you?
Box: Busy working, you know how I do. Trying to be the number one man on top. It is what it is, nah mean? You see I got the chain, obviously ya boy been grinding.

Street Connfinement: You wore that in the cover shot?
Box: Yeah working on my crazy mixtape weekend, feel me? Had to do something different, do the impossible. Two back to back parties. Younger crowd and the older crowd, two different, nah mean?

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. So as far as since the last time what was the response, you got a good response?
Box: Oh it was crazy. Well you went to the party; you know the s**t was off the hook. This one gon be even more crazy cause we touching different aspects of the game. We touching the younger crowd now, nah mean? Now we got the older crowd, we been had the younger crowd so we just showing the younger crowd some love. And it’s just gon mesh together. Its gon be pretty.

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. So what are you gonna do different this time around? Last time you had the disposable cameras.
Box: Oh we gotta have that. That’s tradition. That’s gon be a Team Jerz trademark, word the free cameras at the party. Lights Camera Action nah mean? Ni$$as gotta remember that. That’s gon be a Team Jerz trademark. Anybody do that s**t you know where they got it from. Word.

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. So as far as the CD’s, what was the response like after people heard it?
Box: CD’s, well until I get some negative feedback I expect the good s**t. So it’s the same, s**t hot, s**t fire, s**t off the hook. Same s**t, nah mean?

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. So I was gon say this time around, your title.
Box: This time, this is nah mean the first one that was our Team Jerz the whole camp. This is my solo joint nah mean. I’m not going solo, I been solo. We all solo artists, we just did a camp album nah mean, and now we doing our solo s**t. This is the first fresh out the box joint.

Street Connfinement: What’s up wit the title? How’d you come up wit that?
Box: Fresh out the box, cause I stay fresh, the name’s Box, and I’m the first one out it. Word. First one out the camp.

Street Connfinement: What can we expect off this album?
Box: You can expect some flames, you can expect some good songs, some good mix sounds, shout out to my VJ Royal Vorham in the VI. You can expect, I’ma give you some titles. Love songs, bitches, I got the slut songs for the bitches, I got some hood s**t, I got some crazy off the wall s**t, I don’t know what the f**k I was thinking when I did the track but its some wild s**t. Its good music, its good music. No drug s**t, you know how I do. I’m the feel the hood ni$$a, but I don’t f**k wit that drug s**t, that’s not me.

Street Connfinement: So as far as the features and productions….
Box: Features is me, myself and I, word. Ni$$as be like Box when you gone do your solo s**t, I understand you got ya team but when you gone do ya solo s**t. Uh, eat it. Eat it now, it’s just me. Nah mean I want everybody to know me, hear my voice. Know how I sound so if you hear me do a collabo you’ll be like “Oh that’s Box”, you feel me? If you hear Lil Wayne on somebody s**t that’s Lil Wayne you feel me. I want somebody to know me by my voice, so it’s like this fresh out the box, this Box s**t.

Street Connfinement: Especially when it’s so soon right after releasing your compilation.
Box: So soon, tell you the truth I had this done at our release party. I’m halfway done wit my second volume to my solo volume two. I just, I always right you feel me? I always work, yeah I do have a nine to five. Ya boy work, you know I be grinding man. Trying to stay out of trouble, nah mean. Have fun. You know how I do. But at the same time you gotta, if this is your dream then you gotta go for it. You can’t just be sitting back waiting and waiting, you gotta keep giving them s**t. You gotta keep giving them s**t. And I feel, I wanted to drop it in March but financially it was like, I wanted to cop the chain so I’m like I gotta put a couple things on hold, so I just dropped it another month back. Yeah we got a weekend now, instead of a day we got the weekend. Shutting it down. Word. So if you don’t make it the first day you damn sure gon make the second one.

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. So as far as the chain what’s that about?
Box: Oh yeah, nah mean. It’s, s**t I been paying on it for a while, I ain’t even gon lie, I been paying on it for a while. But I just wanted something to nah mean when you working hard you want something to show that you putting in work and you working hard nah mean? Like when you in school and s**t you want to go home with a report card and say I got a A, nah mean this is what I been doing in school. And then they see my chain and they like oh yeah he doing what he doing, you feel me?

Street Connfinement: That’s what’s up. As far as after this mixtape how did you come up with what songs you wanted? You said you already got the next one almost done?
Box: I didn’t. I just seen what I liked, nah mean whatever I was feeling at the time I was writing it and The Fresh Out The Box it’s not really a certain theme of the s**t. It’s just what I was feeling, all my hot songs meshed into the CD, the mixtape, you feel me? I’m in the process of working on my album right now, untitled, I don’t know what it’s gon be right now I’m just pushing out these mixtapes cause they quick banging, and they fire. Getting money at these shows, yeah. So I’m not in a rush for that one.

Street Connfinement: So what are some of the other shows you performed at, any videos?
Box: Yeah, shout outs to Zo hooking us up yo, we just did the Oh So Fly for the Wire 4. And for grind season we dropped a love song off the Fresh Out The Box. Yeah you’ll see it, you’ll see the video. But the s**t’s crazy nah mean? We got a lil split joint on there, that s**t is fly as hell. Got all my Team Jerz campers on there and s**t. It’s fly nah mean, when you hear the concept of the song it’s like this ni$$a like, this ain’t no regular ni$$a that just be poppin s**t or doing this that and the third. When he talking bout the bitches he coming at the bitches. Nah mean? When he talking about this that’s what he talking about. It’s not no garbage rap, so word you gotta come at it a different angle.

Street Connfinement: Go down the line-up like CD’s coming out under the Team Jerz umbrella.
Box: CD’s coming out. Well my Fresh OutThe Box of course. Nah mean my boy D Fox got his Foxaholic Anonymous- The Veteran, Mook got his coming out after, it’s not titled yet by Mr. Main Event or something, nah mean he don’t got a title yet but yeah that’s the line-up so far. Probably after that we’ll probably drop volume three for the Team Jerz joint and start over. Keep hearing em. That’s the line-up though.

Street Connfinement: Summertime coming up too though.
Box: Oh I already got, man July, it’s gon be a July 4th volume two Fresh Out The Box. Don’t quote me though. Word don’t quote me, it might be July 3rd or July 5th nah mean? A ni$$a be busy on the 4th. But um yeah I’m working, I’m plotting and planning on my volume two already so you already know I’m working ahead. I’m waiting on the CT cover ni$$a. You already know. If I could get that July spot that’ll be cool. That’ll be perfect timing. But yeah you know I stay grinding, nah mean we just came back from Jersey and s**t. It wasn’t on no music s**t, it was a funeral. But we be back and forth so.

Street Connfinement: Remember last time you were talking about they had everything over in Connecticut and to contact and highlight the video for the awards show. What can we expect of that?
Box: Yes, the dude Tone I’m bout to hit him up with my mixtape, and the Team Jerz mixtape. We damn sure gon be in the awards if not winning, nominated. I already know my s**t is the hottest to I don’t give a f**k. Quote that. Word. I put bread on it. My s**t is the hottest.

Street Connfinement: So since you been in Connecticut have you linked up with any other CT artists?
Box: Um some local cats’ nah mean. Some real local cats. They, I’m not trying to s**t on ni$$as, nah mean but ni$$as need to, if you really want to be a artist you gotta present yourself as a artist. You gotta let ni$$as know you a artist. You can’t be no quiet ass mc. You feel me? If you trying to make it big how you make it big and ya ni$$as in ya camp only know you rap? I’m like oh s**t you spit? You nah mean, ni$$as gotta hear about you. Like ni$$as be like yo Box you spit? I be like what you ain’t know. Nah mean. S**t it’s not I collab wit a couple cats out here but I’m on some s**t like yo I’m not gonna charge you to collab but come at me wit a collab and you not gonna push it. I don’t wanna be on ya s**t just to be doing it. I want you to push that s**t. You know if you gon touch at least a thousand people then that’s cool wit me. But if you gon play it in front of ya boys then I’ll spit a quick sixteen for em. I don’t need be wasting my time. You feel me? Time is money.

Street Connfinement: So what are some of the other artists that you look forward to working with?
Box: Um tell you the truth I look forward to working to industry artists. This local s**t, it’s cool nah mean but I really want to work wit some industry artists cause nah mean bitches be on they d**k, nah mean real talk. It is what it is. Nah mean that’ll make my s**t sell more. Unless another ni$$a go in just as hard as I am. It is what it is. I’ll collab wit anybody as long as they on their grind.



Street Connfinement: So besides the release parties have you been performing at any other places?
Box: Um my dude Blink Money was hooking me up wit some Hartford s**t you nah mean, the s**t at the Club Charisma, that s**t got shot out though nah mean. So ni$$as had to postpone it or whateva. But yeah I been touching outside of Norwich, New London it’s just whatever’s open nah mean been to Providence at the Black Rep and s**t. I don’t know, Jersey. Wherever’s available we there. We’ll go to New York, we’ll go wherever.

Street Connfinement: So as far as being on the Providence, RI cover what do you want your readers to know about you over there?
Box: Well when they get the album, when they get the CD cause I’m damn sure gon be pushing it out there and this magazine they gon know something about me. How I roll, how I am. A lil something. Nah mean if you really listen to the CD that’s what I’m about. All I be talking bout, I’m bout to get caught up. But nah mean I be talking bout bitches, getting bitches, getting money nah mean. That’s me you feel me? Bitch you don’t like to be disrespected get out my face. Get out my face nah mean. If you ain’t on the same page as me then flip it.

Street Connfinement: So as far as going from your compilation CD to your solo CD what did you bring differently?
Box: I brought excitement, you nah mean it’s just like wow this ni$$a, you nah mean it’s like you listening to the compilation you like alright this ni$$a gone be sick, damn I gotta wait three tracks to hear him again you feel me? Now what it’s like? Track, track, track, track, track. So it’s like oh s**t. It’s like oh s**t after oh s**t. Word. It’s mad s**t on there.

Street Connfinement: What was the selection process as far as actually picking the songs?
Box: There wasn’t, there wasn’t. Order wise it was kind of hard. Nah mean wanted the brim right, wanted the beats to sound good together, Roy did a hell of a job on there. Word. But um it was, I don’t know, I don’t know. We just sat down one night and banged that s**t out. Ni$$as was listening, it was cool yo. Every track was like s**t don’t even matter, just put it on the CD. Word, put it on the CD. It’s good though, and I got a bonus track on there, a collab wit me and D Fox. Um that’s my bonus joint off of his s**t Foxaholics Anonymous-The Veteran. His s**t coming out next month so we gotta give that a lil exposure but it’s definitely on some Box s**t, you feel me? Team Jerz the camp, but it’s definitely on some Box s**t. Like get a load of Box.

Street Connfinement: A lot of work going on, or a lot of playing going on?
Box: Never playing, they trying to play wit me. I’m innocent, I’m innocent. Real talk I’m innocent, I plead the fifth. I be on there doing my networking and s**t. Bitches please leave me alone, I’m trying to work. Lol. Word.

Street Connfinement: So you met any connects on there?
Box: Oh yeah I mean it’s a lot of connects on there, you feel me? I don’t know if it’s bulls**t connects until it’s crunch time, but definitely met up with a lot of connects like publishing, producing, marketing, promoting and s**t. And I’m kind of skeptical wit working wit ni$$as, especially wit ni$$as that’s far away. But nah mean I don’t know you gotta take chances sometimes. It might be the right dude to f**k wit. The MySpace is good as f**k yo nah mean. Big ups to Tom for creating that s**t. Real talk. Cause you can catch a lot of people that just be sitting there typing and s**t. That’s a hell of a marketing web joint yo. That s**t is fly as hell, I ain’t gon knock it at all. That s**t is cool. Real talk.

Street Connfinement: So how you think it’s going to affect the game. Like pretty soon they talking about CD sells dropping and everybody going digital. Are you looking forward to that?
Box: I’m not looking forward to it, but I’m ready for it. It’s been dropping, since it started it’s been dropping. But it’s like f**k. You gotta change it. You gotta change how you gon get your money now. You know back then it was about CD sales, now it’s about your f**king stage performance. Ya talent. If you can’t tour then you ain’t s**t.

Street Connfinement: Let’s talk a bout your stage presence.
Box: Oh you already know what that is. You already know how that is. So I’m good on that end. I ain’t worried about that. It’s just getting on. Soon as a ni$$a get on and go on tour it’s over.

Street Connfinement: Any last words for your readers, your fans?
Box: Last words for the readers is to read this over again cause you might miss something. Word.

Street Connfinement: How can the reader’s contact you?
Box: I got the same number my s**t don’t get shut off, (860) 639-8671. You can hit me up on the MySpace, MySpace.com/boxmann36. And yeah I do handle my MySpace, I don’t got no agent or whatever doing my s**t for me. I ain’t famous yet. Word, just hit me up nah mean, listen to my music. Cop my s**t online or if you see me. And yeah enjoy that s**t. If you like good music then you’ll like my s**t word.  

Street Connfinement: We over here with the Infamous Don King the black rep in Providence, Rhode Island.
Don King: My name is Donald King I am the executive and artistic director of the Providence Black Repertory Company and Co-Producer of Providence Sound Session ~08~.

Street Connfinement: Please let us know exactly what the “Black Repertory” is? How did you came up with the idea and then set it into motion?
Don King: The “Black Rep” was formed in the fall of 1996. It was something that came out of back room discussions that I had been having with cats I grew up with when I was a student at Brown University, I took theater there. Then when I graduated I worked with Larry Hamland and another company where I traveled all over the east coast presenting a play. We went to Canada with it, and then did another piece, a musical. This made me decide I wanted to start a cultural institution in the city I grew up in based on things I’ve seen traveling to other cities realizing that there weren’t a lot of cultural outlets her in Rhode Island for black people, where as I saw them in other cities. And since then the initial idea has expanded beyond just African American and scoped to a more African historic scoped to just dealing with issues of class and trying to create a venue for poor people also. And never really losing sight of the fact that we‘re committed to African-American work, but we do work by Latin Artists. We have Latin Jazz series which is really successful. And we have a very diverse acting company that’s made up of people of all nationalities, European descent, African descent, Asian descent. So at the end of the day we’re an American repertory company. We’re an American cultural institution that tries to keep it real.

Street Connfinement: Everybody sees you now as far as how big it’s gotten from when you first started. Talk about some of the struggles.
Don King: Man it has not been easy. We were in a loft on the 4th floor. We would be throwing legal rent parties and the lease would come up threatening to throw my turn-tables out the window. We were doing what we could do to make this thing happen that you see right here. A friend of mine who owned Club Baby, a pretty famous club in town, Jeff Ward, gave me some good advice. He said keep doing this, and you do it to an extent the city’s going to realize it can’t survive without you. And then they’ll help you. And that’s essentially what’s happened. We went from just doing the rent parties and after-hours to really doing theater and things like that. The challenge has always been to be more than just a theater company, but to be a cultural institution; to find creative ways to bring the community into some of the work that we’re trying to do so that people understand that art has a way to transform communities, transform individuals, transform the way in which we think about ourselves, our communities, the world we live in.

Street Connfinement: Exactly. So as far as having background and being a Dj, and doing acting over the North East how did that help you improve the venues as far as where you wanted to go?
Don King: That’s a great question. Let’s start with acting. Acting is something that I never was fully invested in as much as I was invested into being a director. I’m a director by trade. But working in the theater is something that I looked at the things I learned from being an actor and going to see theater. What I began to learn about myself, about my history, about my family, about my absentee father. My mother, the challenges they were up against trying to raise a young black boy and a young black girl. That kind of knowledge came to me specifically through theater and music which is why I became a dj also. So being a dj, that’s why theater is an important corner stone to what we’re doing. My first dj gig I went to my boy that owned Club Baby and he has another venue called Jerky’s and I said “Hey let me dj, let me take your worst night. Sunday night.” So I did a party called Electric Relaxation named after A Tribe Called Quest joint. And it was every Sunday night and I played whatever I wanted to play. And it took a year but it went from like fifteen to twenty people to doing one hundred and fifty people. For a small bar it became the it party in town where all the hipsters, d-boys, fly girls came into my party. And some of my party was influenced by a few different parties I had been to all throughout the world. Soul Kitchen in New York, way back in the day in the early nineties. It was a big party at SOB and at this little chicken shack on Bleeker. I used to go that party when I was in college. There was a party in Oakland that I had been to. And there was a party in Atlanta I used to go to at the Ying Yang café. So a lot of where I got the courage to play genre defining sets was realizing like playing Rolling Stones and then playing Mobb Depp. And then I would play a lot of house music. So that party kind of gave me the sense of studying audiences, studying people. I also realized that people aren’t what they seem like on their outer appearance. Just because someone wears their hat to the back, a t-shirt and forces doesn’t mean he doesn’t like Nina Simone or it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the Rolling Stones. I’ll never forget one day a dude looked like a skinner sitting in the bar and I’m setting up. He walks up to me and he’s like “Can you play me some Nina Simone?” And I’m like how this kid know about some Nina Simone? So it’s like I’ve had a lot of situations in my life where it’s taught me not to characterize people or to stereotype people. And so I carried that over to the Black Rep and it’s hard because people want to hear the bull you hear on the radio, “Why you not playing this song, or that song.” And I’m like look I’m a cultural institution, I’m a non-profit organization. Go down the way to hear whatever the f**k people are playing, I don’t even know. Reggae ain’t even reggae anymore. They don’t even put beats in reggae anymore. They playing violins and all that s**t. so I’m like come to Black Rep and get a breath of fresh air. You’ll get organic, spirit based classics. That’s what we trying to do without being pretentious. That’s not to say you won’t hear me play some hip-hop that might have cursing or that may or may not be misogamist. That’s a part of the culture, I won’t deny that. But your not going to get hit in the head all night with just dumb s**t. Like I had a case where I was playing house and these boys came up to me like “Yo, what’s this man? Can you make me a tape?” I tell people all the time I hate house music, but I like the type of house music I play. I don’t like techno, techno’s not what I do. But if your outside of the genre people think all house music is techno. But it’s not at all. I’ll give you an example. One of my bouncers, you look at him you know he not feeling no house music. First couple weeks he sitting at the door. The fourth week he comes up to me and is like “ Yo this is house music? Yo I’m feeling this, I like this. This house music?” so we convert people because we’re f**king with those genres. So that’s really the foundation of Black Rep in so many ways. You see my staff, white people on my staff tell me all the time “what do you mean you work at the Black Rep? You’re not black.“ I’m like I go to Irish Pub, we go to Chinese Restaurants. We go to the Jewish Community Center. So what’s the difference. I never said you couldn’t come to the Jewish Community Center, so why would you assume you couldn’t come to the Black Rep? So we’re breaking down those kinds of perceptions that people have. Just cause we celebrating who we are, we’re acknowledging who we are as people and what we want to put forth to this country doesn’t mean that we are not Americans. It doesn’t mean that we are excluding ourselves or being separate from anybody else. And that happens. I think hands down there’s no non-profit organization or corporate venue that is more diverse than the Black Rep. And you get Black folks who will say, “ Oh this is a white Black Rep.” Stupid s**t like that and I’m like go to the books. Go look at my mission. Go look at what we’re doing. It ain’t no white about this organization in terms of that. We’re into serving the community, but then again those are ignorant situations that people need to move past. So we’re here to educate people about that stuff too.

Street Connfinement: So as far as the plays, how do you decide which ones you want to have come through?
Don King: It’s difficult because there are a few factors we have to think about. First factor is cost. I would like to do the great musical Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God. But that’s like fifty people in the cast. I can’t afford it. Also we’re in New England and you don’t have the type of gospel tradition as it is in North Carolina or Atlanta. In those places every other person on the street can sing like Mahalia Jackson. So that limits what we can do, how much money we have. And I also look at my company. Can I produce this play at the level and caliber I want to produce it that doesn’t fall below the standards we’ve set for ourselves? And also what does it say to the community?

Street Connfinement: As far as your own In-House acting company how do you go about some of the plays that they do?
Don King: We have about seventeen affiliate artists right now. Megan, who you met, is the captain of them. Megan’s my associate artistic director in another life. So during Sound Session lifetime she’s press and during the year she’s a wonderful director. We just produced a play called Etymology Of Bird, which is about a Brooklyn MC that was dating a girl named Birdie who was about to leave for college and it’s about the tragedy of what happens to their love affair. He’s on the roof top in Brooklyn waiting for her and an undercover cop gets word that there’s a shooting and he’s checking all the buildings and he comes up and shoots the other guy by accident. So Megan just directed that. She did an outstanding job. And I directed a Sam Sheppard play. I don’t always want to do plays by Black playwrights. I put my black consciousness on it.

Street Connfinement: So with the plays do you keep them just over here or do you travel with them?
Don King: Oh we travel all the time. We just did a big Caribbean play by Derrick Wolcock, Two Can Play, and we brought it to Boston. Sold out for a whole weekend. So we had a great weekend. We had sold out here with The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and we sold out. And we sold out in Boston. So we definitely not afraid to take a play to Connecticut if Connecticut’s trying to see us.

Street Connfinement: As far as the Sound Session how did you come up with the whole idea for that?
Don King: I was out working with Cliff Woodrew at the time who is the head of our department of Culture and Tourism and we thought we were ready to come together and produce a festival. We produced a Jazz Blues Festival and we felt like we wanted to do something else but we didn’t want to do a Jazz festival or a Blues festival so I said let’s do a genre defiant festival. Let’s not have it be any specific kind of music but be allowed to do as much as we want.

Street Connfinement: So how do you run that and you still have your business to run over here and you have to organize everything. How do you go about that?
Don King: It’s madness. The way we pull this off is only because I have an amazing staff, and because Megan is an amazing talent person. Michelle is an amazing talented executive assistant to me. My director of operations, Tonya Harris is outstanding. My festival coordinator Mike, also Brown graduate. I graduated from Brown University, Megan also did. I teach at Brown right now. I tell people all the time. This event people get paid another salary to do this all year long. So we don’t get no more money. I don’t get a bonus in my salary. She doesn’t get a bonus in her salary. This is just what we do in addition. So for like three months, May, June and July we take out of our regular work and produce this festival.

Street Connfinement: What was the main purpose of this festival?
Don King: The main purpose of this festival is to raise money for Black Rep, to raise consciousness about what Black Rep is doing. Flag shipping to the world to let people know we’re here, and hopefully they’ll come back and be members of what we’re trying to do.

Street Connfinement: For someone who has never been here how would you sum it up?
Don King: I would sum it up that aside from Brooklyn, I’ve been to Connecticut. I know a little bit about Boston. I would say this. There’s something different. It’s different from Brooklyn, it’s different from Connecticut, its different form Boston. You tell me. Next year when you come back you tell me. But there’s a special kind of magic that exists here that’s really beautiful that we spoke about earlier when we talked about the relaxed setting in a café. That was a dancehall show. Dancehall people get shot. And you will see there’s heads out there, but we chill everybody out at the door. Even when thugs come in there my man at the door is one of the notorious thugs and he checks everybody telling them don’t come in here with that madness. What makes Sound Sessions I think there’s something really unique. On Sunday we start off with gospel, and we end with the Caribbean style parade on Saturday night. We go from the sacred to the profane and everything in between. So there’s some debauchee happening over here, and there’s some deep prayer. Everything is all in good fun. We not going to let anybody get hurt or too drunk. There’s going to be scantily clad women backing it up and it’s going to be beautiful. And you gon see all nations held up. So that’s the big thing about Sound Session. And then after all of that its education stuff. We’re building a tradition In Rhode Island and I need your help. And we a lot of cats. Wherever I’m at or you as long as you guys are serious I want to network. We’ve giving passes to people and they have been shooting stuff for like four of five years and we have never seen it put nowhere. We trying to raise money to get this facility right. We have a campaign where everybody throw a dollar in at Sound Session and fifty thousand people come so if everybody put in a dollar that’s fifty thousand dollars we raised and we’re closer to meeting our goals.

Street Connfinment: So if anyone has any questions, comments, concerns about the soul session where can they go to find out information?
Don King: They can go to www.providencesoundsession.com or www.blackrep.org if you want to find out about Black Rep and that will link you to Sound Sessions website or you can go directly to the website.

Street Connfinement: Sum up Don King in your own words.
Don King: I’ll sum up Black Rep. Black Rep is that we really believe in love. That’s the only way we’ve been able to pull off what we’ve been able to pull off. My staff is not big. We got twelve to fifteen people, maybe ten full time. It’s a small staff that’s pulling off what we’re pulling off. And it only comes from love. We have disagreements but we sit down and we settle it. And a lot of intelligent people who are really connected to our mission. And so Don King is just trying to serve this particular community, this world. I got two kids, a eight month old baby boy, and a two year old girl going on thirty or thirteen. And I want to make sure that she comes into a world that’s about something. So Black Rep is my effort to try to be the change that I want this world to be. We’re not always on it, but we come close. And we hit the mark a few times in a Sound Session. I see us hit the bull’s eye already between Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The past three days I think we hit it everyday. But tonight we’ll see if we can knock it off.

Street Connfinement: What’s the highlights for Sound Session so far?
Don King: So far the highlights for Sound Session I would have to say Jose’ James.We linking up with people all over. We can do something. But Black Rep and Sound Session hopefully we’ll see a profit this year and that will show that I been on my p’s and q’s.
Street Connfinement: Anything else you want to say?
Don King: No I just wamt to say thank you. What’s up Connecticut