Another Legend Passes (R.I.P) Issac Hayes

I always have and will continue to respect those who came before me. The musical legends that I look up to not only have inspired me creatively but have broken down racial and cultural barriers to provide my generation with a chance strive to reach our goals and dreams.

Issac Hayes was one of those legends who “changed the game” and for that I have the utmost love and respect for him and his musical legacy. Too many of our legends have passed and it makes me think about the fact that our generation has relatively few legends of equal stature. With, Luther, Gerald, Barry, Ray, and of course James gone among others, who will carry the torch?

The African American entertainment world had a horrible weekend with the passing of two icons, the other being Bernie Mac and it got me thinking a bit (hence the blog). Will the world be devastated by Soldier Boy’s demise? Will his music make enough of an impact that in 70 years when he passes (God willing) will the world feel the void? What about those guys who made Laffy Taffy , what were they called again?

This is not meant to bash either of those acts, as I’m not mad at either of them for doing something positive with their lives but when you are given 60 minutes (or less) to speak to people via a cd and you can speak on anything you want and choose to uplift or encourage your people or not, wouldn’t you want to actually say… something? I want to. I’m just curious if the musical acts of today excluding of course, Alicia Keys, Nas, Common, Outkast and others, will make the same kind of impact as the artists of our parents and grandparents generations?

What do you think?

-Andre Ramone

www.myspace.com/andreramonemusic
www.andreramone.wordpress.com
www.youtube.com/andreramone

Ana Free Commercial

For those of you who don’t know, I work with a team called Team Business LLC. and we are a team of producers (The Drumline), music biz types (Music Mogul Kyle B. Jones) and web 2.0 entrepreneurs (The Homey Tom Hynes). One of our many endeavors is that between the four of us we manage, produce and down right “ride for” Youtube sensation, Ana Free. If you don’t know who Ana is, besides the fact that you live under a rock you must not Youtube very much (or at least not effectively;-).

Ana Free is the lovely and talented Portuguese singer songwriter who has created a career via the ever so popular video sharing community that is Youtube. Recently she released her very first single on iTunes called “In My Place” and I took it upon myself to create a little commercial for her song. The song is great and I wanted to do my part to let the world hear it. The song was written by Ana and produced by my Drumline production partner Blake Brandes aka DJ. Decryption. Enjoy!!!

If you would like to purchase the song, click here…

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZ…
43441

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will.I.Am: State of The Industry Convo

Will. I. Am has a great perspective on the current state of the music industry…  

 

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 08 Election

Sorry, this may be old to y’all but I’m new to The Onion. I think it’s now my favorite thing on earth:)

Make the Iraq war eco-friendly…

This is absolutely hillarious. I love it!

Josiah Leming

 

 This kid is my new hero. His music is amazing and I’m glad those idiots on American Idol didn’t know what they had. This way he gets to sing his own songs which are unbelievable.

 

I blog when I feel like it…

Just in case you wondered.

We Have Ron Paul!!!

 These vids speak for themselves…

 

 

My Brother on Military TV!

This is an excerpt from the January 24, 2008 episode of “Around theServices” on the Pentagon Channel which featured an interview with mybrother, Sgt. Frank Warren of the U.S. Air Force. You can alsoaccess thisthrough my youtube channel, ARTV at www.youtube.com/andreramone .

 

American Gangster

 

So I saw the film American Gangster last night and I liked almost everything about it including the performances, the music and the fashion but my only complaint was the story itself. It seems weird for me to have liked the movie so much yet had issues with the story but it was not what was told that I had a problem with, it was what was left out. I felt like the movie was a slow build that disappointingly left out many, if not most of the details of Frank Lucas’ downfall. Also I found myself conflicted about Hollywood focusing on a black drug lord who was bigger than a thug or street pimp who actually built an empire with sound business practices to ensure success when they have so often have only presented the latter on screen. Although Frank Lucas was a criminal he still defied certain stereotypes in a lot of ways and as a black man I had to catch myself a few times from feeling a sense of pride toward a man who became more powerful than the mafia, who probably would refer to him as a “freekin’ moolie” or “moulinyan” at a time when the consensus was that we were somehow less intelligent than everyone else but still was a murderer who sold poison to his own people.

 

All in a all, if you want to see a great performance by arguably the greatest actor of his generation, Denzel Washington, then check this movie out. I still plan on buying it when it comes out on DVD and if you want a little more insight into Frank Lucas, check out this interesting New York Magazine article.

 

-A.R.

 

The Return of Superfly