Shei Atkins: R&B Legend In The Making

Shei Atkins is a native of Houston, TX who grew up in the historical and once flourishing predominantly African American community that in time transitioned into an impoverished urban community known as the "Four Four" (44 Acres Homes). Shei Atkins childhood was colorful, fun and filled with cherished memories as she came from a strong Christ fearing and musically inclined family. Shei can recall singing as far back as she could start speaking from imitating songs from the radio to eventually singing in her church choir as a child. At the age of 19, Shei Atkins would marry her childhood sweetheart, Drathoven, who is also her producer.

Although her first official start in the music industry was in 1997 with Houston based rapper Lil O, it was short lived, due to a series of unfortunate events including the death of Ann Tillman (co-founder of Destiny's Child) her musical trainer. Years later, Shei Atkins would sign with SoulMuzick Recordings headed by Crazy C & Madd Hatta of KBXX Radio where she first appeared on SoulMuZick Recordings 2003 compilation cd entitled Street Gospel Vol. 1.

With her unique and versatile urban style, Shei Atkins music continues to widen and grasp audiences of all ages in the R&B and faith-based music markets especially reaching young girls and women who can relate to her messages of self-esteem, self-worth, self-love, relationships, healing, faith and more. Shei Atkins discography includes her first debut album release Shei Atkins Life in Stereo (2004) followed by her sophmore album The Lita Mae Show (2006) and her third album project a 2-disc cd Girl Talk (2007).

During the release of Shei Atkins 3rd album Girl Talk, she toured with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child in Europe, did a remix with Tank for his song Please Don't Go and had Lil Flip of Houston, TX as the guest rap artist on her track Trunk Bangin' from off of the album.

Rob Young: Never Left The Industry

Rob Young is a native of North Carolina who sings, writes and produces his own music, as well as, collaborates with other music industry professionals and artists. Although his first solo debut album is not slated to be released until the end of 2009, Rob Young is no stranger to the industry.

During his youth, he and a few close friends in high school, formed their own entertainment company which produced and released several albums and a short film. During this period in his early professional music career, he and his fellow group mates graced the stage with artists such as Ja Rule, Pastor Troy, Lost Boys and Fatman Scoop, as well as, being afforded the opportunity to work with Black Sheep’s Mista Launge.

Just as quickly as he and his friends were experiencing a rise in their careers, it suddenly ended when various members of the company and group decided to part ways. After this heavy heart breaking blow, Rob Young re-grouped and refocused on a plan of action for what he wanted to do most.

With his down to earth, feel good R&B music, Rob Young is surely going to be a much welcomed addition to the already popular lists of R&B artists who many listeners can relate and grow with.

Afeni Shakur Donates 2Pac Writing Collection to Atlanta University's Library

Afeni Shakur has handed over more than 150 of her son's items, ranging from rough drafts of lyrics and poems to a photocopy of his contract with Suge Knight and Death Row Records. The rapper's collection will be part of the archives at the library on the campus of the Atlanta University Center, which comprises the historically black universities of Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and the Morehouse School of Medicine.

The library also houses The Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Shakur's records are expected to be available for research in the fall of 2010. "We need to read history from the source," Afeni Shakur said. "It gives people the opportunity to judge him objectively. What we want to do is educate."

Other items include the rapper's handwritten playlists of "All Eyez on Me" and "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory"; letters he wrote to his family when he was in prison in 1994; and some of his personal items returned to the family after his death.

Afeni Shakur says she has never read any of her son's notes. "I haven't touched them one bit," she said. "I have not been able to. But I think when the library makes them available, I think I can go with my family and might able to do it for the first time."

Shakur was one of rap's best-selling artists, becoming an even bigger star after his release from prison in 1995 with his multi-platinum selling album "All Eyez on Me." He was shot to death while riding in a car with Knight in Las Vegas a year later.

"Tupac's collection provides this generation to see primary documents," said Loretta Parham, CEO and library director. "It's the opportunity for them to relate something from the past to now."

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http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur56330.cfm

G Baby: On The Move in Miami

Bold, beautiful, steadfast and regal describes a young woman who is precious and dear to so many people’s hearts. Gifted with the ability to defy and challenge the limitations placed on rap music, in regards to whether or not it can be used to positively impact and uplift people, G Baby has truly shattered that glass ceiling. With her versatile delivery and evolving artistry, she has touched the lives of both young and old across the nation and abroad with her heart felt messages based on real life situations and the underlying truth that positive growth and change is attainable for anyone who truly wants it.

It was as a pre-teen attending a youth conference in Bradenton, Florida that she encountered a life changing experience that led her to making a vow that she would refrain from participating in the nightlife culture of clubbing, drug and alcohol use and pre-marital sex. G Baby has been a solo artist since 2003 when she joined the Spirit Network Production record label as its first artist and label princess. As she evolves and grows as both a woman and an artist, she shares the lyrics of her life, hopes and dreams with fans and listeners from everywhere as a personal desire to positively impact the lives of others through the artistry of musical expressionism.

Something that most people do not know about G Baby is that she has been featured in a variety of artists and groups songs and remixes both within the mainstream urban music industry and faith-based music industry, as well as, outside of the United States. She's also been a co-host on a local Miami, FL faith-based radio show, as well as, is a regularly performing artist for a Christian Night Club. For more info about G Baby visit her official myspace page.

Who Is Mark Arthur?

Mark Arthur (PA) is evangelizing the gospel through rap while setting beats on fire for the Lord's kingdom. Mark Arthur just completed his first EP entitled Handicapped being released through his label RockSoul Entertainment headed by Lee Jerkins and home to urban inspirational singer Michelle Bonilla. Although Mark Arthur is a debut Christian rap artist, he has some kingdom heavy hitters behind him such as Mac the Duolos (Everyday Process), Tru Life (Crossmovement) and Saint Man, as well as, guest artist appearances on tracks with R-Swift and James Maccabbee. (Learn more about Mark Arthur at www.rocksoulentertainment.com or www.myspace.com/markarthur)

Pettidee: Producer, Artist & More Than a Conqueror

Producer and mainstream veteran gospel rap artist Pettidee has been in the urban gospel music industry for over a decade and can boast of both Grammy nominations as a producer and Stellar nominations as an artist during the span of his musical career. A native of Jacksonville, FL, Pettidee grew up in an urban environment that is very similar to neighborhoods across America where young people are faced with hard decisions about which road to take in their lives.

During the course of his life, Pettidee experienced a number of things growing up as a youth including an unfortunate experience of child molestation and a secret battle with depression and suicide , of which, he almost took his own life had it not been for the intervention of his mother unexpectedly walking in on him. The call of the Lord on his life was undeniable. Even though he did not have a personal relationship with the Lord, he knew of the Lord.

Eventually, after a series of life changing events and revelations, Pettidee would come to establish an intimate and personal relationship with the Lord and experience a new life and passion for living. By 1998, he would emerge as a Christian rap artist and producer out of obedience to the voice of the Lord. Aside from ministering through music, he is a motivational speaker and evangelist who travels to both youth and adult correctional facilities and homeless shelters where he speaks with and ministers to youth and adults who are enduring serious life hardships.

In September 2008, Pettidee released the official video for his track entitled "All Alone" shot on location in South Africa. Both the song and the video touches on serious life matters and acts of inhumanity such as with the Darfur civil war in Sudan that has been referred to as blatant acts of genocide against African-Sudanese farmers and citizens. Pettidee’s production track record includes Grits, Antonio Neal, Urban D, 4th Avenue Jones and many more. Pettidee has performed alongside other mainstream urban gospel recording artists such as Mary Mary, Tonex, Lisa McClendon, T-Bone, Grits, J Moss, Cross Movement, Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbet, Canton Jones and Shei Atkins. Pettidee has also enjoyed crossover appeal and success amongst the secular music industry having had performed in major concerts and productions that featured artists such as Master P, Trina, T.I., Thrill Da Playa and Ruben Studdard.

In 2009, one of Pettidee's previously recorded songs from off of his Thug Love album entitled "Never Give Up (Making Me Better)" will be featured in an upcoming movie co-starring Lil Wayne and Bow Wow entitled Hurricane Season. It’s not just about the music for Pettidee, but the message in the music. A loving father and husband,Pettidee is proud to represent a genre of music that reaches everyone regardless of age, ethnicity and religion. “The ability to share music I’m proud to have my kids listen to is important to me”, says Pettidee. Listen to the recorded program and interview with Pettidee in the FuZion Zone.

Giving Honor to The Wrong Things: The Feud Between 50 Cent & Rick Ross

On April 22, 2009 John Carmanica's article on Miami rap artist Rick Ross entitled "Beyond Authenticity: A Rapper Restages " was featured in the New York Times. The article detailed the extent of the 50 Cent and Rick Ross feud which painted a very grotesque picture of the measures taken by G-Unit Records founder and artist 50 Cent to undeniably go out of his way to publicly diss and humiliate Rick Ross by any means necessary. The article also gave Rick Ross' new album "Deeper Than Rap" a good review for lyrical content, style and production work. When Rick Ross' Deeper Than Rap officially dropped, it made the #1 spot on the Billboard Charts which led to a quick question and answer segment on MTV where 50 Cent was confronted about the success of Rick Ross' new album sales and chart ratings.

The feud between 50 Cent and Rick Ross began when information surfaced about Ross being a former Miami-Dade County Correctional Officer and not a hardened criminal or drug dealer. 50 and his camp has even dubbed rap artist Rick Ross as "Officer Ricky". I'm pretty much getting sick and tired of people glorifying the shiesty things in life that are destroying us as a people, family and community instead of building us up. Like I said on the air, Rick Ross owned up to not having had lived the life of a dope boy and actually being a responsible African-American man with a j-o-b that paid his bills and put food in his kids mouths and clothes on their backs before he entered the rap game.

Music is a form of artistic expressionism, entertainment and even healing or support for some. I could care less that Rick Ross was a correctional officer and never experienced the life of a dope boy. In fact, I would love to buy him a bag of chocolate chip cookies and congratulate him for not taking the road easily traveled by so many of our young men who grow up in impoverished inner-city communities surrounded by crime and people always trying to make a quick come up.

I think this extremely immature feud between two grown, multi-talented, intelligent, successful and Blessed African-American secular rap artists needs to be squashed asap and that they both need to be more concerned about how to continue staying Blessed instead of painting the wrong picture to our young people who think its cool to be a thug, dope boy or hustler. If they focus their energies and abilities to attract this type of media hype and publicity for negative drama imagine what they could do if they put their brains together and did something that could make a positive and long lasting impact on the lives of others, especially the youth and adults who can relate to their lyrical messages and find escape, strength or motivation in the words of their songs.

Kenny Knox - Git Ghetto

Life hardships, unfairly dealt hands, hurt, disappointment, abandonment and a harsh reality describes most of what St. Louis, MI native and hard core rap artist Kenny Knox has endured. Only 2 and 1/2 yrs ago, he survived being opened fired upon by a shower of bullets but everyone with him did not. A father, a rap artist, a motivational speaker and a humble and Blessed man with a burning fire to speak about the harsh realities of certain lifestyles through the lyrics that constantly pour forth from his his heart. During his special interview in the FuZion Zone we were able to drop his debut single "Git Ghetto" from his forthcoming album, along with, dropping the next previously unreleased track from his album project featuring Chingy called "Metal Banging".

Aside from his music, we were touched by his personal testimony about surviving a nearly fatal life changing event where he and the people with him were gunned down and how everyone did not make it. Not only did he have to learn to walk again, he had to learn to live again and without the presence of some of the people who were closest to him in his life. At the end of the interview he sent out two extremely powerful and loud messages to those contemplating a lifestyle in the streets or desiring to get out. Check out this extremely emotional interview in the FuZion Zone archives.