The Urban Daily » Aretha Franklin

Did Aretha Franklin’s Sons Cause Her Wedding Cancellation?

Michael Arceneaux — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:01:47 +0000

Did a National Enquirer story cause Aretha Franklin to put a hold on her plans to marry longtime man friend, Willie Wilkerson? The tabloid says that once they published a story about how concerned the Queen of Soul’s four sons were about her getting hitched, she decided to cancel the wedding. A source told the tabloid, “After the Enquirer’s report, Aretha finally listened to her boys. She knew they were protective, but she had no idea how angry they were about her plans to marry Willie.

The source added that, “Willie is hurt, but he loves Aretha and he’s staying with her.” What’s the problem? The gossip rag claims Aretha’s boys were concerned that he planned to cut them out of her will. Aretha’s estate is said to be valued at $60 million.

Aretha Franklin Calls It Off: “There’ll Be No Wedding”

Lauryn Hill Honors Aretha Franklin [PHOTOS]

Aretha Franklin Calls It Off: “There’ll Be No Wedding”

Shamika Sanders — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:30:28 +0000

Aretha Franklin has called off her summer wedding with her boyfriend William “Willie” Willkerson.

Regretfully, To Our Friends and Supporters:

Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time. We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it. We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends.

Aretha Franklin Is Getting Married: “No, I’m Not Pregnant”

Aretha Franklin Hospitalized After Tripping Over Jimmy Choo

Aretha Franklin Is Getting Married: “No, I’m Not Pregnant”

Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:06:16 +0000

Aretha Franklin is giving hope to single seniors, now that the 69-year-old soul legend is engaged to be married to her “forever friend” William “Willie” Wilkerson. According to People, the Queen of Soul plans on becoming a Mrs. this summer on Miami Beach. She says, “We’re looking at June or July for our date and no, I’m not pregnant, LOL!”

Aretha’s engagement announcement follows this week’s news that Michael Jordan and LeBron James are headed down the aisle. Find out more details about Aretha’s good news, and see a photo of her fiance right here.

Aretha Franklin Hospitalized After Tripping Over Jimmy Choo

Lauryn Hill Honors Aretha Franklin [PHOTOS]

Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:08:26 +0000

Lauryn Hill was one of the celebrities to honor soul legend Aretha Franklin at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland with a music tribute. The event was the 16th American Music Masters Tribute at PlayhouseSquare’s State Theatre and here’s a look at L Boogie onstage.

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Ron Isley: “R. Kelly And I Are Working On An Album!”

Jonathan Hailey — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:09:13 +0000

For nearly six decades, Ron Isley has woven himself into the fabric of soul music. The Cincinnati’s native son got his start recording with his brothers as The Isley Brothers in 1959. From then on, Isley has enjoyed the highs and lows of being a legendary entertainer. From being the only artist to have a hit single in every decade since the 50s to spending 37 months in prison for tax evasion, Ron Isley has been through it all. Recently, I (@JaySpeakEasy) spoke to the man whose music most likely had a hand in my conception. Mr. Isley discussed the misfortunes surrounding his last album, how he stays current, his plans for his next album. This is Mr. Biggs.

Your last project, and first solo album, was Mr. I. What was the reception like to that project?

It was great until the record company, Def Soul/Island/Def Jam Records, was dismantled. The company was dismantled right at the beginning of the release. L.A. Reid was no longer there and everybody in the company was either laid off or fired. Some of our albums got caught up in that tangle there. L.A is going to Sony Records. Myself, I’ll probably wind up doing my next record with him. All our plans for the record were caught up in the changes. All of the sudden, L.A. Reid didn’t work at my label anymore.

One question about the album is why didn’t your cover of The Carpenters “(They Long To Be) Close To You” with Lauryn Hill make the cut?

We tried to get that approved from everybody involved because that’s definitely a hit record. It got leaked and once it leaked, everyone loved it. The leak showed everybody wanted that record. At the time, I don’t know what she was doing. She was having a kid and raising her other children. Everything was just a lot of confusion. It was just confusion everywhere.

You said things with that album didn’t go as planned? What was the strategy in its promotion?

Our first release of that album was supposed to be “Take It How You Want It” with T.I. and he got sent to jail. Aretha Franklin and I did a duet for it and she got sick. Everybody was praying for her. In the midst of all that, the label fired all of the people working on my project.

What was it like working with T.I.?

It was great, man. Really great. I couldn’t wait for the record to come out and we were ready to do a video and everything. The weekend we were to shoot the video, he was arrested. I was just shocked over that.

What music are you listening to now?

Well, I listen to the Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner radio shows to keep up with everything. As for artists, I listen to Chris Brown and Trey Songz. I like to see what they’re doing and how it makes the fans move and feel.

Speaking of Chris Brown, what do you think about the Chris Browns, Trey Songz, and Anthony Hamiltons? What are your thoughts on the new crop of R&B singers coming up?

I like that Anthony Hamilton record with Jill Scott. I really like that. Chris Brown and Trey Songz have great songs. I like the way their records are produced. They have a lot to learn, but they are young enough to fix and change things. If they stay close to the business, they will get all of those things worked out. Maxwell has got his thing together and I love his last album.

What new singers would you like to work with in the future?

I want to do something with Beyonce and Alicia Keys. I’ve got to do a record with them, but I guess those would be the people I will work with in the future. Also, I’ve always wanted to do a record with Al Green. That would be something magical if we ever get together to do it.

Will you be collaborating with R. Kelly again?

Yes, I’m working with R. Kelly on the next album right now!

Is it a collaborative album or just a solo record?

Uh, I don’t want to tell you all of that. I kind of want to keep it a secret. We don’t want to give anything out. I can tell you it is going to be dynamite. You can tell the world that.

Earlier we talked a little bit about R&B’s new crop of singers. Would you rather be revered as a legend in the game or respected as a competitor?

They know I’m a competitor and they also know I’m a legend! I’ve been making records since before many of their parents were born, so in that aspect, I’m a legend. However, I still am out there delivering great records.

You’ve had hits in every decade since the fifties. Do you ever think you’ll slow down and just relax on an island somewhere?

No, I picture myself just staying at it and going forward and things. I want to be at a place where everything I’ve done is at the top. I love all of my records. I can’t say that I have a favorite because they all mean something to me. They mean something to my fans and I love all my records. So stopping is not an option.

Ron Isley & Lauryn Hill “Close To You” [AUDIO]

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THEN & NOW: 1960s Music Icons

Iliana Rabun-Wood, Associate Managing Editor — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:08:53 +0000

Black music icons of the 1960s look the most different from how they do now. In the 1960s there was Motown, miniskirts, beehive wigs and sharp suits. Take a look at what some of the decade’s biggest stars looked like then…and what they look like now:

Aretha Franklin Hospitalized After Tripping Over Jimmy Choo

Shamika Sanders — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:14:37 +0000

Aretha Franklin was hospitalized and suffered a fractured toe after tripping over a spiked Jimmy Choo shoe recently. Aretha says her toe “hurt like heck for a minute but seemed to subside.” After recently over-coming a serious illness I think Aretha will pull through just fine!

Spotted @UsMagazine.com

BLACK MUSIC MOMENT #50: Aretha Franklin Born

Aretha Franklin Denies Rumors Of Gastric Bypass

BLACK MUSIC MOMENT #50: Aretha Franklin Born

Alvin Blanco — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:01:54 +0000

Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare)
406 Lucy Ave, Memphis Tennesse

When: March 25, 1942

What: The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has the most million-selling singles of any female artist. In 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Happy Birthday Aretha Franklin!

jlbarrow — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:15:15 +0000

69 years ago today the Queen of Soul was born in Memphis Tennessee as Aretha Louise Franklin. The soul, jazz and gospel legend was ranked #1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s greatest singers of all time.

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On the strength of hits like “Respect,” “Think,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Chain of Fools.” Franklin became a staple on the Billboard charts and in 1987 became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Franklin was also the only featured singer at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009.

As with many soul legends the hip-hop generation has loved recycling the work of Franklin to make their own classics. Check out some Franklin originals and the songs that sampled her:

“Think”

“Gas Face” by 3rd Bass

“One Step Ahead”

“Ms Fat Booty” by Mos Def

“Save Me”

“The Creator” Pete Rock & CL Smooth

Aretha Franklin Denies Rumors Of Gastric Bypass

The Urban Daily — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:34:42 +0000

Aretha Franklin‘s recent shedding of 80-plus pounds after a recent health scare have led to rumors that the still-reigning Queen of Soul underwent gastric bypass surgery. However, Franklin is denying these rumors, but won’t say how she lost the weight.

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“Definitely not and would not,” Franklin, 68, said when asked by Access Hollywood if she had gastric bypass surgery.

Queen Ree Ree is also still not speaking about the specifics surrounding the medical procedure she underwent late last year. Rumors spread that Franklin was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

“I don’t have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors,” Franklin quipped. “The problem has been resolved.”

Spotted @ PopEater

Aretha Responds To Fantasia’s Grammy Boycott

The Urban Daily — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:45:20 +0000

Fantasia Barrino boycotted the Grammy‘s this year because she wasn’t asked to participate in the tribute to Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul has responded to Fantasia’s boycott.

Franklin issued a statement to USA Today:

“I was sorry to hear that Fantasia was upset because she did not get the opportunity to participate in my Grammy Tribute this year. I recall that in the past, Fantasia participated in both my MusicCares Person of the Year Tribute and my United Negro College Fund Tribute. Fantasia is still young in the business and although we all love and appreciate her she must understand that in this business of show business she will not always get to participate in everything she would like participate in. I’m sure it was not an intentional omission. I will see Fantasia over the summer here in Detroit.”

Why Wasn’t Adele Included In The Grammy’s Aretha Tribute? [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:26:47 +0000

While everyone was wondering why Fantasia Barrino wasn’t included in The Grammy’s tribute to Aretha Franklin this past Sunday, including Fantasia herself, another group of people were wondering why UK sensation Adele had been left out.

The 22-year-old London native has been receiving a ton of well-deserved buzz surrounding her soulful upcoming sophomore album, 21, due out on February 22nd. She recently taped an “Unplugged” special for VH1 and covered Aretha’s classic song “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman.”

Normally Aretha covers are taboo, but Adele knocks this one out of the park with her emotional performance.

Adele’s Unplugged special airs March 3rd at 7PM on VH1.

Aretha Franklin Stopped Eating Soul Food & Went To Whole Foods

Shamika Sanders — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:56:55 +0000

Aretha Franklin surprised audiences when she appeared on the 2011 Grammy Awards thinner and healthier looking. The Queen Of Soul was rumored to have had pancreatic cancer that was effectively removed during surger. While Aretha denies being gravely ill she admits to changing her eating habits and kicking her old favorites(soul food) to the curb in an interview with the Associated Press.

“They’re off my diet. They just really don’t fit with Whole Foods[...]I had it for enough years that I don’t miss it. You can’t continue to eat things that are not good for you.”

“When you come off (a high-energy concert), a carrot or some celery just isn’t going to work. I’ve gotta do a fresh fruit thing … and come up with some tasty and satisfying recipes that are going to work for me after concerts.”

Her anticipated album, Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love,is set to be out in 2011.

Click here, for full article.

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Ol’ Heads Say Alice Walker Owes Them Credit For The Color Purple

Wyn — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:53:43 +0000

The Old Headz are back at it again. This time they're saying that they helped Alice Walker to write the Color Purple. ... Read more..

Recap Of The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards

Shamika Sanders — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:17:00 +0000

The 53rd annual Grammy Awards kicked off with a tribute to Aretha Franklin. LL Cool J hit the stage to introduce Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Yolanda Adams in an unprecedented performance of “Natural Woman.” Christina Aguilera redeemed herself from her mishap during the singing of the national anthem at the 2011 Superbowl with the best vocals I’ve heard on a white girl thus far! Aretha filmed a special thank you speech, appearing abnormally thin(for her) after her highly successful surgery.

Lady Gaga performed her new single “Born This Way “ for the first time with freakishly real, abnormal shoulders, makeup and transparent outfit. Not to mention she pulled up to the Grammys in an egg?!

Lenny Kravitz looked amazing.

With 14 Grammy nominations between them, B.O.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae took to the stage performing one of the biggest songs of 2010—“Nothing On You.” While B.O.B looked like the man from the Monopoly box, Janelle stole the show with her natural beauty and signature bouffant singing “Cold War”

Bruno Mars and his charming smile sang his little heart out in a black and white Smokey Robinson reminiscent performance.

***Justin Beiber Alert***

Footage of the first meeting between Usher and Justin Beiber graced the screens of millions to cheese over. It was followed by a corny acting session between the two on stage. With Usher crowning the 53^rdGrammys as Beibers “time” Justin hit the first note on his guitar singing “Baby.” A couple of martial art moves later Beibs was joined on stage by Jaden Smith(who was wearing leopard jeans). Will and Jada were in the crowd smiling proudly and singing along to their son’s verse on “Never Say Never”

***End Justin Beiber Alert***

Justin joined Usher on stage for the same dance routine we have been seeing ever since “OMG” first came out. None-the-less it was the best performance I’ve seen from Usher in a long time!

Lady Gaga took home the Grammy for Pop Vocal Album over Beibs, Katy Perry and John Mayer. She surprisingly thanked Whitney Houston for inspiring her to write her new single “Born This Way.”

The Teddy Pendergrass tribute was sort of suspect, probably because it was performed by a white trio with guitars.

Jamie Foxx introduced Cee Lo Green but didn’t warn us that he would be wearing a costume that looked like it was designed by Missy Elliot, a 300 Spartan and showgirl. Though dressed like a gay chicken, Cee Lo’s performance was highly invigorating to an otherwise boring award show. Gwyneth Paltrow made an appearance wearing a jumpsuit with secy Louboutin’s and proved that she can actually sing before humping the piano.

Cee Lo and Eminem lost Song Of The Year to Lady Antebellum.

Seth Rogen joked about getting high with Miley Cyrus before introducing Rihanna, Dr. Dre and Eminem. Rihanna kicked her Side-Show Bob hairstyle for a sleek bob and paper bag dress. There was a slight technical difficulty with Eminem’s mic as Rihanna seductively walked to him from across the room. Dr Dre shortly made his highly anticipated debut which was as overrated as Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie” song.

Esperenza robbed Drake and Justin Bieber of Best New Artist.

Finally Nicki Minaj showed her face, along-side Will.I.Am to present the award for Rap Album which Eminem snatched early for his work on “Recovery.” He thanked Rihanna for helping propel his album to such heights and bigged up Detroit.

Beyonce looked amazing as usual, although they only showed a glimpse of her.

P.Diddy looked absolutely ridiculous with gold fronts introducing Ri Ri and Drizzy. Rihanna heated up the stage,literally(cue the Illuminati rumors) and even got Drake to bust a wine during “What’s My Name.”

Record Of The Year went to Lady Antebellum and beat out Cee Lo, Jay-Z, and Eminem…very upsetting!

Album Of The Year went to…The Suburbs

P.S-Jay-Z and Lil’ Wayne were nowhere to be found.

All in all, I fell asleep three times during the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards it was completely BORING!

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys need to retire “Empire State Of Mind” and performance of the night went to Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow followed by Rihanna and Drake! I know exactly what the awards could have used; a performance by…Chris Brown!

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Christina Aguilera Added To Aretha Franklin Tribute

Christina Aguilera Added To Aretha Tribute At Grammys; Will She Stumble Again?

The Urban Daily — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Christina Aguilera‘s national anthem fumble before Sunday’s Super Bowl game made headlines as the pop star forgot the words. Instead of going into seclusion for screwing up such a high-profile performance, Aguilera is marching on, having been added to the Aretha Franklin tribute that will occur during the Grammy Awards ceremony this Sunday.

Aguilera will be joined on stage by Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, country singer Martina McBride, and Florence Welch of indie-pop group Florence & The Machine. The tribute will definitely display the impact that the Queen of Soul has had, not only on R&B singers, but on singers of various genres.

Franklin will receive the Grammy Legend Award at the ceremony, but it’s currently unknown whether or not she will appear. Franklin made headlines in late 2010 due to a health scare that forced her to cancel a tour and undergo emergency surgery. The Queen of Soul later stated that her health problems have since been resolved.

Source: E! Online

5 Women Who Should Play Aretha Franklin Instead Of Halle Berry

Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:58:46 +0000

With all due r-e-s-p-e-c-t to Aretha Franklin, we have to agree with Halle Berry that she probably isn’t the ideal person to play her in a movie on her life. Given her place in history as one of the greatest voices in music, you can’t have just anyone lip-sync their way through her biopic. At the very least the person should be able to hold a note.

Furthermore, we know that Ms. Franklin was one svelte Diva in her younger days but we’re not sure Halle could really capture the essence of who she was then and now. If the Queen Of Soul wants to keep it real, here are five women who could do bang up job playing her in a movie.

Queen Latifah

Dana Owens could be a fine Queen Of Soul. With two singing albums of under her belt (The Dana Owens Album and Trav’in Light) there would be no need to artificially enhance her vocals. But even more convincing was her performance as Liz Bailey in Living Outloud. She’d have no problem conveying Franklin’s regal swag.

Jennifer Hudson

The Oscar Award winning singer and actress is the fan favorite to play Aretha Franklin. Her looks, voice and acting prowess make her a fairly obvious choice. And with her new Weight Watchers sculpted frame she has the flexibility to play Franklin at different parts of her career.

Amber Riley

The neophyte from Glee has turned heads with her showstopping performances as Mercedes Jones. Finding someone with both singing and acting chops is key and Riley has both to spare.

Jill Scott

My personal favorite for any feature-length film lead Ms. Scott would put the D in Diva for this role. Her turns in Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? series and on HBO’s “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” prove she’s more than comfortable in front of the camera. And did we mention she could sing?

Fantasia

As one of Franklin’s closest friends Fantasia could bring an element to the role that most of the others on this list couldn’t. Not to mention her voice is probably closest to Aretha’s in power and style. Her stint on Broadway playing Celie in “The Color Purple” means she will need less coaching than most in front of the camera.

Who do you think should play Aretha Franklin in her biopic? Leave a comment with your own choice.

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Halle Berry Says, “I Can’t Do Aretha Justice”

The Urban Daily — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:45:01 +0000

Aretha Franklin may have her mind made up on who she wants to play her in a biopic, but it appears that Halle Berry is “respectfully” declining the offer.

The Golden Globe nominee told E! News on the red carpet that she can’t sing worth a lick and that would be key to her taking the role.

“If I could carry a tune, I’d consider it,” she says. “Someone should tell Aretha that I can’t do her justice.”

In 1998 Berry played the singer Zola Taylor, one of the three wives of pop singer Frankie Lymon, in the biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love. But she may feel more is required to take on playing the Queen Of Soul.

[SOURCE]

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Aretha Franklin Says She Didn’t Have Cancer

The Urban Daily — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:45:21 +0000

Aretha Franklin wants to set the record straight about her recent health scare. Though it was rumored that the Queen of Soul had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Franklin says that she never had cancer.

“I don’t know where ‘pancreatic cancer’ came from,” Franklin told Access Hollywood. “I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that,” Aretha continued. “No one in my family ever said that to anybody.”

Though she admits that there was a health scare, Aretha refuses to reveal what happened to her last month.

“I went through a number of procedures before I knew what was wrong,” Aretha says.

Once doctors identified the problem, they performed one last surgical procedure, which Aretha’s doctor said added years to her life. “He said, ‘The surgery that you just had is going to add 15 to 20 more years to your life.’”

Aretha also revealed that she’s made significant progress in her battle with her weight, claiming that she’s now wearing a size 16 or 18.

“It’s getting better every day. I plan on keeping this weight that I have now — I’m so happy with it.”

Aretha Franklin Confirms Halle Berry To Portray Her In Biopic

The Urban Daily — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:45:15 +0000

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, called in to The Wendy Williams Show recently for a phone interview.

Host Wendy Williams was ecstatic to speak to Franklin, and quickly asked about her health, to which Franklin responded that her health was “superb.”

The banter between the two continued for several minutes with Queen Ree-Ree sounding lively and joking with Wendy about Franklin’s love life and R. Kelly’s latest single.

Williams ended the interview by asking about the rumored biopic that is in the works about Franklin’s life.

Aretha confirmed that the film was going to happen and stunned the audience by revealing that Halle Berry will portray her. No release date for the film was given.

Watch the interview below!

Aretha Franklin Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer

The Urban Daily — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:49:19 +0000

After undergoing surgery for an unreported illness last week, many people feared the worst for Aretha Franklin’s health.

The singer, who earlier this year cancelled all concerts through May 2011 due to “medical reasons,” came out of surgery in good spirits according to her publicist.

However, the National Enquirer is reporting that the Queen of Soul is fighting pancreatic cancer, a disease that claims the life of 90-95% of those who are unfortunate enough to receive the diagnosis.

While the Enquirer may have the history of being a tabloid, the publication was the first to report on actor Patrick Swayze’s battle with pancreatic cancer, which he lost in 2009, as well as actress Christina Applegate’s battle with breast cancer in 2008.

UPDATE:

Detroit’s Fox affiliate, Fox 2, has confirmed that Franklin was diagnosed with cancer. Her family says that she is doing “OK” at the present time.

Our prayers are with Aretha, and we anxiously await the day that we hear that she’s been given a clean bill of health.

Source

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Aretha Franklin Fractures Ribs; Sad She’ll Miss Hot Dogs & Birthday Cake

The Urban Daily — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:48:13 +0000

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, has cancelled two upcoming free concerts in New York City after the singer fractured her ribs and complained of abdominal pain after suffering a fall.

Lady Soul’s spokeswoman, Gwendolyn Quinn issued a statement explaining the reasons for the cancellation:

“Due to fractured ribs and pain in the abdomen, it was necessary for Ms. Franklin to cancel and reschedule the two concerts,” said the statement from spokeswoman Gwendolyn Quinn. Franklin’s doctors have advised her to come in for tests immediately, the statement said.

“I was very much looking forward to being in Brooklyn and having a foot-long hot dog at Coney Island,” Franklin said in the statement. “Hopefully I will get it before the end of August.”

Franklin, 68, also noted, “I will really miss that nice slice of cake from Congressman Charlie Rangel’s birthday party and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.”

The two free concerts at Brooklyn’s Wingate Park in the East Flatbush neighborhood and at Asser Levy Park in Brighton Beach will be rescheduled.

We resisted the strong urge to get snarky with this post, because this is Aretha. She’ll still sing circles around any of these so called Rhythm & Blues chicks on the scene any day!

Let’s see Keri Hilson/Rihanna/Keyshia Cole/Ciara/Cassie/Mary J Blige (yeah, I said it) pull this off:

Get well soon Aretha!!!!!!!!!!

Michael Jackson & Aretha Franklin Honored At The Apollo Theater

The Urban Daily — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:55:07 +0000

From NBCNY.com

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, were inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame at the Apollo Theater’s 2010 Spring Benefit, a star-studded affair dubbed “Evening of Legends.”

“Michael was the King, the true King of Pop,” said actor-comedian Chris Tucker who accepted the award on behalf of the Jackson family, just shy of the one year anniversary of his death.

Tucker also reminisced about their trips to the mall, “We would be walking and people started to notice that he was Michael Jackson and all of a sudden I turned into his bodyguard.”

Watch video of the ceremony below.

Kanye West’s Soulful Sample Selections

Bill Johnson — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:16:43 +0000

It goes without saying that Kanye West, who celebrated a birthday yesterday, is one of hip-hop’s greatest producers.

Taking a cue from the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, Kanye’s early work featured a lot samples from classic soul records from the 1970s. Artists from Jay-Z to Janet Jackson used Kanye’s soul sampling beats.

Here are a few of our favorite Kanye productions, and the sweet soul records Kanye sampled for them:

Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”

Built around a few samples from The Main Ingredient’s “Let Me Prove My Love To You,” Alicia Keys got her third top 10 single in the US with this song from her second album.

Slum Village “Selfish” (feat. Kanye West & John Legend)

T3 and Elzhi of Slum Village teamed up with Kanye and John Legend on this track that samples Aretha Franklin’s classic piano ballad, “Call Me.”

Twista “Overnight Celebrity”

Kanye gave this beat to his fellow Chicago hometown hero, Twista. “Overnight Celebrity” uses a sample of Lenny Williams’ “‘Cause I Love You.”

Scarface “Guess Who’s Back” (feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel)

Kanye produced this single from Scarface’s critically acclaimed 2002 album, The Fix. The song samples Motown’s vocal group The Originals and their song “Sunrise.”

Kanye West “Spaceship” (feat. G.L.C. & Consequence)

Kanye’s tale about being a disgruntled employee at The Gap features a sample of Marvin Gaye’s classic balad “Distant Lover.”

Janet Jackson “I Want You”

This single from Janet’s Damita Jo album features a sample of B.T. Express’ cover of The Carpenters’ AM radio staple “(They Long To Be) Close To You.”

Nas “Poppa Was A Playa”

Although credited to Kanye’s mentor, Deric Angelettie (aka The Mad Rapper), Kanye actually ghostproduced this track from Nas’ The Lost Tapes album that samples Eddie Kendricks’ “The Newness Is Gone.”

The Heart & Soul Of Black Music

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:49:53 +0000

soul (Middle English, from Old English sawol) – 1. the animating and vital principle in human beings, credited with the faculties of thought, actions and emotion and often conceived as an immaterial entity. 2. a sense of ethnic pride among African-Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion and music.

In the mid-to-late Fifties, rhythm and blues was essentially “taken over” – re-routed from its original status as the popular music of African-Americans– to become the popular music of the whole world, with a new name: rock and roll. Around that same time, a distinctly black music genre evolved, borrowing heavily from the music of the African-American church. Soul music was a blending of the vocal techniques, chord progressions and call-and-response patterns of gospel, with the blues of R&B. It’s no coincidence that one of the first great voices of soul music came from the gospel world. Sam Cooke, son of a Baptist preacher, born in the Mississippi Delta and raised in Chicago, was the first huge star of gospel music. His gospel fans were outraged when he abandoned the Soul Stirrers gospel group in 1957 to sing “the devil’s music.” Cooke went on to become the first star of the emerging soul style. Cooke wrote one of the first overtly political songs of the genre, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and was an entrepreneur, starting the SAR record label. SAR released records by the Soul Stirrers, Johnnie Taylor, and the Valentinos, a quintet of gospel-singing brothers named Womack from the Fairfax neighborhood of Cleveland. Lead singer Bobby Womack went solo and became a soul star in his own right.

Aretha Franklin’s style of soul is representative of the Atlantic Records sound, which ran the gamut of all the distinctive regional styles that emerged in soul’s mid-Sixties heyday. Atlantic was an early soul pioneer, starting with the genius of Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, and of course, the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin. The regional styles included gritty, earthy Memphis soul –represented by the work of artists like Al Green, Rufus Thomas, and Luther Ingram. The silky-smooth Chicago and Philadelphia sound included Chi-town’s Impressions, Jerry Butler and the Chi-Lites, and Philly’s unmatchable production team of Gamble and Huff, who brought us the Spinners, Stylistics, O’Jays and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Detroit soul, associated primarily with the artists of Motown Records, like the Temptations and Supremes, became “the sound of young America,” in the words of the Motown company slogan.

One primary impetus in the development of soul music was the growth of the civil rights movement. Love and human relationships were the overriding themes of much earlier African-American music, and soul singers certainly covered that territory. But the power, urgency and prescience of soul music developed when artists strayed from the relative safety of romance and addressed social injustice, racial pride, black militancy and protest. Peter Guralnick, music scholar and author of Dream Boogie:The Triumph of Sam Cooke, says that the development of soul music paralleled the civil rights movement stylistically as well as chronologically, “emerging with stealth at first, slowly gathering strength, learning to assert itself without apology, then [was] forced to retrench in the face of a series of traumatic events and jarring disappointments.” As the end of the Sixties approached, soul music made way for a more militantly Afrocentric genre of black music, funk. The assassinations of our leaders, the inferno of our neighborhoods and the disillusionment brought on by failures of the civil rights movement called for a different sound, and the shape of black music was changing, yet again.

– Meredith Rutledge for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

The Greatest Soundtracks Of The Blaxploitation Era

Bill Johnson — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:47:26 +0000

With the increasing number of films aimed towards black audiences in the early 1970s, filmmakers realized that they couldn’t turn to Henry Mancini to provide the musical backdrops for these movies.

They rightfully turned to black musicians to score their films and add an extra touch of soul. In many cases, the soundtracks have outlasted the films.

The list of acts that composed film scores for these blaxploitation movies reads like a who’s who of classic 70′s soul: Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Womack, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye, just to name a few.

We’ve put together a gallery featuring some of the most essential soundtracks from the great black film renaissance of the 1970s.

Which ones are your favorites???

RELATED: 10 Of The Best Black Music Movies

Producer Ayatollah Talks About Making Mos Def’s “Ms Fat Booty”

jlbarrow — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:56:09 +0000

Back in 1999 Mos Def’s “Ms Fat Booty” helped propel the then underground MC into the mainstream radio spotlight. One of the greatest odes to beautiful booties (click here for the top 10) the song was built on a sample of Aretha Franklin’s “One Step Ahead.” In this interview with Nodfactor.com the producer of the song, Ayatollah, talks about how the beat came together.

Who Cares About Gossip?Check It Out!

Byakuugan_Mod — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:20:52 +0000

BP member sadgyrlhush6 says, “I know some could care less, but some of the things i am finding and reading is full of hilarity.”

In the forum “Off Topic-Idle Gossip and Celeb Chit Chat” members dish on the latest celebrity gossip they come across on any given day. Check it out here.

To find out what else is going on in the BP Community click here.

VIDEO: Aretha Franklin Blesses The Inauguration!

The Urban Daily — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:32:23 +0000

Today marked a symbolic day in American history and African-American culture. Barack Obama was officially sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America! One of the standout moments was a soul-stirring rendition of "My Country 'Tis Of Thee" sung by the legendary Queen of Soul - Aretha Franklin. Check o... Read more..

VIDEO BLOG: Charlamagne Doesn’t Want To Touch Aretha’s “Body”

Charlamagne Tha God — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:22:13 +0000

In his fourth video blog, Charlamagne has a bone to pick with Aretha Franklin and fat people everywhere. Click here to watch his latest video rant. Do you agree or disagree? Speak on it in our comments section!... Read more..