The PUB Report

In the world of entertainment few people have the pedigree needed to be a multi-media artist like Draft. Born in Chicago, Draft was raised by a family of music aficionados and nurtured on the sweet sounds of the city. Born Alfredrick King Slater Jr., Draft was raised primarily by his dad, aunt and late grandmother. Surrounded by cousins, aunts and friends, Draft began to develop his love for music. Exposed to everything from blues, jazz, rhythm & blues and all forms of rap, Draft began to try his hand at writing. By studying artists such as: Rakim, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas, Draft began to tighten up his game. He also began to read as much as he possibly could. Remembering the lessons taught to him by his uncle (a successful entertainment entrepreneur) Draft knew the more knowledge he had, the more he could write about. Having gotten his writing game tight Draft felt there was still something missing in his technique. Little did he know he was about to find out.

Finding a new edge to his writing Draft was able to put his pain, joy and love into his words. As he began to grow as a superb lyricist, he now faced the most life-altering experience to date. On October 13, 2006, Draft’s mother, Venus Jones, passed away.

At this point, Draft felt completely lost and abandoned; his focus on music totally diminished. Inspired by a close family members Christmas card which expressed the term of endearment, “Don’t Ever Give up on Your Dreams”, was the motivational force that Draft needed to regain focus. Draft the artist was now officially born. Emerging back on the scene Draft began devouring the competition on every stage he stepped on. Turning heads in the music industry and having perfected his game, he was now ready to make his mark in Hip Hop. Always on the sidelines, supporting and inspiring Draft with music to rock on, in 2008 with F Records fully equipped, F.R.E.A.K immediately signed Draft as his Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist.

ABOUT F.R.E.A.K.

Dean “F.R.E.A.K” Farmer (RIAA® Certified Multi Platinum Producer) is an American record producer/multi-instrumentalist/artist born in Chicago, Illinois and currently lives in New York. He has sold over 37 million albums as a producer. He is well known for producing 50 Cent’s smash single “Amusement Park” with Dangerous LLC and Silence from the “Curtis” album. Recently, he contributed his guitar talents on Jay Z’s song “Say Hello, produced by DJ Toomp for the Billboard #1 album “American Gangster.” F.R.E.A.K which means Forever Reaching Excellence Attaining Knowledge is known for his unique guitar and bass tracks layered with lush Fender Rhodes electric pianos, moog synths, live percussion and horns. He recently launched his new record label, F Records and signed his first artist, Chicago hip hop artist, Draft.

The GRAMMY Foundation® selected 83 talented high school students from 75 cities and 23 states across the United States to participate in the fifth annual GRAMMY Camp® that took place from July 11-19 at the University of Southern California. GRAMMY Camp students worked with GRAMMY-winning and -nominated professionals and industry specialists affiliated with The Recording Academy® and experienced an immersive, interactive and highly collaborative residential summer music camp. GRAMMY Camp was sponsored in part by Epiphone. Financial assistance for GRAMMY Camp was offered to qualified students; this year, a portion of these resources was generously provided by ASCAP, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Fund, and the Ford Motor Company Fund.

Pictured above are Ford Motor Company Fund scholarship recipients (left, 2nd from left and right) Noah Corwick, Endea Owens, and Richard Tandy with GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares® President/CEO and Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. Students Noah Corwick, Endea Owens and Richard Tandy came from high schools in Phoenix, Detroit and Miami, respectively.
Photograph courtesy of the Recording Academy
Photographed by: Jesse Grant/WireImage.com 2009

Photo by KenthePhotographer

On the heels of releasing their most important issue ever, the double-cover Commemorative Michael Jackson Tribute Edition, Hip Hop Weekly magazine publishers Dave Mays and Ray Benzino were recently acknowledged with the award for “Best Magazine” at the Urban Music Awards in New York. Hip Hop Weekly beat out The Source, Vibe, and XXL, all long-time urban mainstays. The award comes just two years after Hip Hop Weekly was named one of the “15 Hottest Magazine Launches” in 2007 by prestigious media industry authority “MIN.” The Urban Music Awards honor marks Hip Hop Weekly’s emergence in 2009 as the leader of the “next generation” in print media for a consumer market that has broadened and matured as hip hop has become a mainstream, worldwide culture.

This year’s Urban Music Awards USA ceremony was held July 17 at the renowned Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Hip Hop Weekly was nominated by over 2 million fans worldwide for submission into the Best Magazine category. Editor-at-large Cynthia Horner and Style/Creative Editor TJ Rudy were on-hand to accept the award at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom.

“We are proud that the world’s first celebrity weekly-format magazine for the hip hop community has been acknowledged as the Best Magazine of 2009, just two and a half years after our launch,” said David Mays, Hip Hop Weekly’s publisher and co-founder. “The ongoing and explosive growth of Hip Hop Weekly during what may be the worst climate in the history of magazine publishing, is a strong testament to the validity and groundbreaking nature of our innovative format and journalistic approach. I would like to acknowledge our entire Hip Hop Weekly staff for their contributions in consistently delivering relevant, informative and entertaining content to the mainstream hip hop audience.”

Hip Hop Weekly (www.HipHopWeekly.com) currently ranks as one of the 10 best-selling magazines nationally in the 7-Eleven chain out of over 65 titles, and the magazine was recently added by Walmart to over 3,000 magazine pockets at cash registers in the front of their stores.

The co-founders of The Source Magazine in 1988, David Mays and Ray Benzino developed The Source into the #1-selling music magazine on newsstands in the world in the 1990’s. The team of Mays and Benzino would go on to be recognized for their innovation in building a stable of media companies around The Source name, establishing one of the best known brands in the media business through their successful ventures in television, music, merchandising, and mobile content downloads. They produced some of the highest-rated TV programs for a hip-hop audience ever, including the 2004 broadcast of The Source Awards which ranks as the 6th highest rated show in the history of the BET network. The Source presents Hip Hop Hits became the most successful series of hip hop compilation albums ever, selling over 5 million copies domestically. The Source Mobile division sold over 3 million ringtone downloads in two years. Their efforts in the corporate space were instrumental in taking hip hop into the mainstream, growing the audience and expanding the universe of businesses selling to the coveted, hard-to-reach 18- to 34-year-old market.

Comedian/satirist Shang has been venting across stages in America and beyond for almost two decades. Politically irreverent at times, cutting edge, insightful and inciting, his humor is known to cut like a sharp knife, revealing budding truths hidden just below the surface of what is seemingly real.

His brand is about to take on another dimension as Incite Talent Management (ITM) has announced a new deal with Codeblack Entertainment. The signing includes the distribution and digital rights to past content owned by Shang in the form of CDs and DVDs as well as the inclusion of future content.

As Codeblack Entertainment is the nation’s leading producer and distributor of urban themed content, the agreement represents yet another milestone in the evolution of Shang’s comedic offerings. Shang will be recording and producing ringtones as part of the packaging as well as short video vignettes and sketches for airing on CodeblackTV. In addition, classics, such as Shang’s debut CD, “Shangry!!” on Uproar Records will now be re-released and marketed.

A native of New York now residing in Los Angeles, Shang has cemented his position as one of the brightest and most stimulating funnymen in the business. His explosive political and social stances have earned him appearances on screens and stages that include Martin Lawrence’s 1st Amendment Stand Up on STARZ, HBO’s Aspen Comedy Festival Special “Best of the Fest,” “Politically Incorrect,” BBC’s “Funny Business, ” Mun2’s “Loco Comedy Jam,” NBC’S “Comedy Showcase,” and MTV’s “Choose or Lose” just to name a few.

He served as co-host on Russell Simmon’s “One World Music Beat” and as co-producer and host of BET’s “Access Granted” in addition to appearing regularly on BET’s “Comic View.” As the political and comedic voice of “Vote First” an initiative launched by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s (NCBCP) Unity ‘08 Campaign, Shang helped to spearhead a grassroots movement credited with propelling the hip hop generation to the polls to vote early in the last historical presidential election.

As Shang is known to irreverently point out, “These may be jokes but I ain’t jokin’!” His searing observation about society, race, politics and sex reflect a path paved by comedic legends Lenny Bruce, Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor and George Carlin. With regard to Codeblack Entertainment, he reflects, “”It’s great to be finally working with Codeblack, the #1 urban marketing company in the world. I appreciate their vision in bringing me on board. My humor is not for the weak- minded or the weak-hearted. It has always been my intention to incite change and this deal offers me yet more ammunition to be able to do so!”

Adds Michael J. Duarte, from ITM, “It is with great joy and excitement that I announce our partnership with Codeblack. They are the leaders with what they do. The combination of Codeblack and Shang makes for a powerhouse presentation. Comedy may never be the same!”

For a dose of what Shang is brewing, go to http://www.IAmShang.com