Common, Lincoln Promote Rap Competition

Lincoln, the luxury vehicle line is stepping up is starting a “Lincoln Spotlight” music contest in search of talented rappers, to be spearheaded by Common.

The grand prize winner of the contest will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to open for Common during a performance this year.

Aspiring lyricists must create a song that embraces at least one of Lincoln’s four “brand truths”: advancing the American dream, being proud of where you came from, doing more and daring more, and exploring what it means to “reach higher.”

Contestants will have the chance to work it out through an original song and video based on one of several pre-made tracks available through www.lincolnlounge.com.

Contestants will be judged on originality, verbal technique and visual sophistication; songs must be free of profanity and hate language.

Online visitors will be able to vote for their favorite entries, with the grand prize winner determined by Common and a panel of music insiders.

The deadline for entries is March 17, 5 p.m. From there the pack will be reduced to 25, before being narrowed down to the Top 5, until the grand prize winner is announced May 6 at noon.

Calling All Dancers and Musicians!

Solange Knowles is going to try her hand at making her own band. The “singer” is reportedly holding auditions for real singers, musicians and bands with a “great look, strong musicianship and stage presence” to become members of Hadley Street Dreams, her band. More specifically, she is looking for: two female background singers, one drummer, one guitar player, two keyboardists, and one bass player (must be able to play uptight as well). All aspirants must be able to dance.

Auditions will take place Thursday, March 6, noon to 6 p.m. at SIR Studios, 6465 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. To RSVP for auditions, send an e-mail to AuditionRSVP@musicworldent.com. If you are unable to make the audition, you may also upload your audition video to the official Hadley Street Dreams Audition Myspace: http://myspace.com/hadleystreetdreams.  

2008 Free Law School Admission Prep Courses Announced by Former Dean

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) - Sonel Y. Shropshire, J.D., former Dean of Law Admissions at UCLA, Loyola (CA), Stetson and Texas Wesleyan will be conducting free “Law School Admissions Prep Courses” in Miami, Los Angeles and New York City this spring. Mr. Shropshire, who is now president of The Academic Network Inc., a law school admissions counseling service with over 500 clients in the past two years, is offering the free prep courses as a way of guiding applicants through the entire law school application process. The full day program includes sessions on financial aid, career placement and post-admission programs, anchored by a host of guest speakers from across the country. “Admission to law school becomes more intimidating to prospective applicants each year. The prep course is designed to provide real answers to difficult questions,” says Shropshire. In 2006, over 1,700 people attended the seven national workshops he conducted on law school admissions. The full prep course agenda can be viewed at www.theacademicnetwork.org on the “Free 2008 Prep Course” page. Attendees can also register online at www.theacademicnetwork.org on the “Course Registration” page. The prep course is free, but space could be limited in accommodating the capacity of the venue.

American InterContinental University LA Unveils Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

            Dr. James Carroll, Director of The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies business department at American InterContinental University Los Angeles (AIU LA) has created an innovative, personalized solution to support the success of budding entrepreneurs: the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES). The CES is now open at the AIU LA campus, located at 12655 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles.  Transcending businesses and areas of study, the CES bridges resources, ideas and people to start aspiring entrepreneurs on the road to success. The goal of the CES is to help current and future AIU students as well as local professionals and business owners discover their entrepreneurial potential and provide them with the resources to put their plans into action. Everyone from fashion designers with aspirations of starting a clothing line to business students with dreams of being their own boss will benefit from the CES.  The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies will offer classes in entrepreneurship for all AIU LA majors. In addition, the CES will host monthly workshops and seminars, open to both AIU students and the public, to assist in business planning and provide personal business consulting and counseling. The Center fosters an environment of open discussion and participation.  Surrounding community members and businesses are welcome to come in and learn about the center, network with students and other area business professionals, and provide their own insights. 

            The CES also offers one-on-one consultations with qualified professionals who have proven industry success.  CES consulting services meet the needs of small businesses by assisting with business plan development, marketing, public relations, sales, legal questions, financial planning, loan packaging and human resources.  For established businesses, the CES offers strategies for advanced marketing techniques, state and federal contract procurement, building a productive workplace, and attracting the best workforce.

Meeting space also is available at the CES for conferences, seminars and public meetings.  For more information, please contact Jacquie Corvan, CES development manager at jcorvan@la.aiuniv.edu or (310) 302-2444.

Keeping Up with the Jones’

So first Nas was releasing a CD called “Nigger” …then his label said that they didn’t know anything about the alleged project, then Nas and Kelis showed up to the Grammy’s sporting the word “nigger” adorning their inappropriately casual attire, then there were rumors (and a bad review of the alleged “Nigger” album in Maxim magazine to match) that the CD was in jeopardy and may in fact never be released but by then we realized that we didn’t really care either way. For those of you who were left in limbo and actually do care, here’s the update:

A representative said that the album is still slated to be relased on April 22 under the current working title “Nigger.”

…now what the hell to expect off of this album is another story, let’s all keep focus here- just because you have an inflammatory title to your album, doesn’t mean it’s any good. Nas: please just let us know when you’re ready to release the first single thanks…

As for the wifey, Kelis is actually set to release “Kelis: The Hits” a compilation of all the hit singles she’s produced during her 10 year career. It drops March 11.

 Yeah…if you’re thinking what I’m thinking please view the following list of  so-called “hits”:

1. Caught out there

2. Milkshake

3. Got Your Money (Ol’ Dirty Bastard)

4. Trick Me

5. Lil’ Star (Cee-Lo Green)

6. Get Along With You

7. Young, Fresh N’ New

8. Truth or Dare (N.E.R.D.)

9. Bossy (Too $hort)

10. In Public (Nas)

11. Millionaire (Andre 3000)

12. Finest Dreams (Richard X)

13. Suspended

14. Good Stuff

** 

If you haven’t heard some of these “hits,” it may be because of few of them are from her “Wanderland” CD which was released only overseas… and the rest are anyone’s guess. I love Kelis to death but a hits album, can we say “premature”?

Movie Review: Ferrell Trots out Familiar Persona for ‘Semi-Pro’

By Christy Lemire

AP Movie Critic

Here’s how devoted Will Ferrell is to his craft: That ‘fro he rocks in “Semi-Pro”? It’s his real hair, the product of six months of work or neglect, depending on your perspective. The comedian can certainly be appreciated for his dedication, if not for his creativity. After all, you’ve seen this character before, this Jackie Moon, the owner-player-coach of the Flint, Mich., Tropics, a fledgling (and fictional) American Basketball Association team. It’s essentially the same self-serious, delusional guy Ferrell plays in almost every movie he’s made: Ron Burgundy in barely there polyester shorts; Ricky Bobby in nipple-clinging turtlenecks. It makes you wonder where else he can go with the persona: competitive Tiddlywinks, perhaps?  But Ferrell does go for it, and either you’re with him or you’re not. “Semi-Pro” is consistently funnier and more of a cohesive film, though, than the collection of gags that was “Blades of Glory.” And it has more than a few shadings of “Slap Shot,” “Major League” and even “Kingpin.” It’s that one-last-shot-at-glory premise not that the sports element truly matters in a sports movie like this. It’s really all about the silly vibe and the physical humor. (The script comes from Scot Armstrong, who has co-written such comedies as “Old School” and “Starsky & Hutch.”) The year is 1976, and Kent Alterman, a longtime New Line executive making his directing debut, wallows in the period kitsch. Leisure suits, bad mustaches, Sly & the Family Stone leave no cliche is left unturned. Jackie is trying to keep the Tropics alive as the NBA is about to absorb the four best teams from the ABA. (This actually happened, by the way: the Nets, Spurs, Pacers and Nuggets made the cut.)

Most of Jackie’s promotional ideas are just completely out there: leaping over a line of cheerleaders in roller skates and a cape; wrestling a live bear in a cage; dressing his teammates in flamingo and sea horse costumes for a halftime dance routine. He trades the team washing machine and brings in former Boston Celtics bench warmer Ed Monix (Woody Harrelson) to help his players, including the showboating Clarence “Coffee Black” Withers (Andre Benjamin). But Ed is also in Flint to rekindle a romance with his ex, played by Maura Tierney, whose new boyfriend (Rob Corddry) happens to be Ed’s biggest fan. Yes, all the usual suspects turn up in “Semi-Pro.” Besides Corddry, there’s David Koechner as the ABA commissioner, Will Arnett as the Tropics’ chain-smoking, Scotch-swilling color commentator and Andy Richter as the team manager. But there are also some inspired casting choices, including Andrew Daly as the team’s no-nonsense play-by-play guy and Matt Walsh as Father Pat, a Catholic priest who moonlights as a referee. Will Jackie lead his team to that coveted fourth-place spot? Will Ed get the girl? Does any of this matter? There are enough individual moments to keep you sufficiently distracted and laughing the whole way through. “Semi-Pro,” a New Line Cinema release, is rated R for language and some sexual content. Running time: 90 minutes.

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