Entcrttuntucnt
In Brief
I(CCube
Th Odd Coupl
Don't dism· those stories
about Bobby Brown nd
Whitney Houston as merely
rumors. While by all
accounts, these two are no
where Dear getting married,
nor did Hceston give him an
ultimatum, or demand that he
sign a prenupti 1. It i
however (to my
supri e)-true, at least
according to his manager, that
the two cto e friends are
cauaUy dating.
Weddln bell
ring for Be rv
2S-year old act' Halle
Berry (who most recently
played the drug-crazed
"Vivian" in "Jwagle Fever",
nd stars in the upcoming "00
Natalie", due in October), and
R&B sensation, Christopher
Williams.
Berry; a fo er Miss Ohio
who co-starred in the
short-live<) TV series, "Living
Dolls-, reportedly met
Williams dwing the hooting
of "New Jack City", in which
Williams haad a co- tarring
role. At the time, Berry w
reportedly involved with
Wca1ey Snipes.
Berry wu said to have
married WiUianii in a private
Las Vegas ceremony.
Williams, whose latest single,
"I'm Dreaming", has a baby
by actress Stacey Dash, who i
currently filming "MoMoney"
with Damon Wayaos.
- complied by K. Bark.
U .. Collin. contributed
from (BehInd The .)
On Peo«ful J 0UT1feY, vy D.
and 'The Boyz' third aDd t recent
album fo Up own/MCA, the 0 er-
eight lover nd his ere �eli r the
goods like never before, combining
the Hcavs r' oDed vocal surety
with cast of producers including
Marley I, Teddy Riley, DJ Eddie
F., Pete Roc evelle Hodge, D ve
Hall and Howie The. Heavy D. wrote
and co-produced every ng, nd the
. result i a pounding wall-of-groove
sound, equally lic and treetwi e.'
"I feel like I'm very lucky to be
working with all of these producers,
and we all became friends," y
Heavy D., whose physical I is
matched only by hi humility. "I feel
good beca ometimes 1 till don't
really know how big I am a record
ing artist, and yet here I am working
with the best of them."
Heavy D. grew up in money
eamin' Mount Vernon, ew Yor ,
listening to rap music on AM radio.
"It all started when I won $1500.00
t Atlantic City, and Eddie F. wanted
to borrow the money to buy a rom
puter," recalls Heavy, referring to the
long-time member ofTbe Boyz, and
founder of Untouchables Produc
tions. "Eddie F. is damn near a
geni ; so I loaned him the money,
and be got this computer. Before
long be bad traded the computer in
for a drum machine, and that's bow
e tarted making demos." In addi
tion to DJ FAdie F., 1be Boyz include
G-Whiz, wbom Heavy bes
"more than a dancer, and a hell of a
lot of with." G-Whiz has
played an integral part in creating the
group's image, from designing
fashions to conceiving videos. The
third original. member of The Boyz,
Trouble T-Roy (Troy Dixon), was
accidently idned'when be fell from
an elevated car park in Indianapolis
on July 15, 1990, while the band w
on tour.
Heavy D. and the Boyz cut their
teeth at clubs like the Galaxy in the
Bronx (which the young Heavy and
his enterprising friends would lent
out, and then charge admission at the
door), "I·was highly influenced by
R&B," says Heavy. "'We used to OJ
at parties and clubs around the neigh
boIhood. My first single, 'Mr. Big
Stuff,' was based on an old Gene
Knight record by the same name, and
it was always my favorite record to
rhyme off of in the park." The first
album he relCased with the Boyz was
1987's Living Large. The album
eventually went gold and, in addition
to "Mr. Big Stuff," featured the
trademark single, "Overweight
Lovers in the House."
"Eddie F. and I were struggling,
going through a lot of things just
trying to make a record," remembers
Heavy. wADd eventually we wound
up with Russell Simmons aDd. oCf
l "
I
HEAVY D.
THE DO YZ - (l-r) G- Whiz, Heavy D. and DJ Eddie F.
Jam Records. At that time Andre
Harrell was with Def Jam. Later
Andre branched off to form Uptown
records, a subsidiary of MCA. But
back then Def Jam w more inter
ested in bard-core hip-bop and we
alw�ys bad more of an R&B 0 or,
so when Andre moved to Uptown, be
took us with him. It was a feeling I'll
never forget, the first time I heard my
record on the radio. " .
AS ms ALBUM predicted, sud
denly the Heavster was living large:
he bad hit the big time, and overnight
there were the pressures of promot
i ng, recording and endless touring.
But Heavy D. took it all in stride. He
. was characteristically humble and
enthusiastic about the strains of
building a career. "The road was
great, it taught me a lot. It matured
me overnight. No more mommy and
daddy around. My second album,
Big Tyme, reflected the way things
were going in my life, and took my
. music to another level." Big Tyme,
Heavy's platinum-plus selling fol
lOW-Up, reached Number One on the
R&B album charts.
. WithPeQCefuLJo�,HeavyD.
and the Boyz have truly outdone
themselves. A rich, pe onal, and
complex collection of rap, R&B and
reggae-flavored songs, it is an album
that speaks to the mind, body and
soul with equal force, A tribute and .
memorial to Trouble T-Roy, Peace
ful Journey features a star-studded
.gathering of cameo vocalists and
rappers, including Big Daddy Kane,
Q- TIp, Gran Pubs, Jodeci, Perfec
tion, Lady Levi, Kool G. Rap, Guy's
'/
Aaron Hall, C.L Smooth and Johnny
Gill. Heavy D. maintains an open
mindedness when his producers .
bring in young arti ts they're
developing or like to work with; for
example, Marley Marl brought in
The Flex, and Teddy Riley brought
in Tammy Lucas.
"I named the album Peaceful
Journey to wish everyone in their
life, and throughout their travels, a
peaceful journey. But first and
foremost, it is dedicated to Troy M.
Dixon -Trouble T. Roy. He wasn't
just a member of the band, he was my
friend for 17 years and will be truly
missed," says Heavy. "So while the
album is dedicated to those who are
still living, going through the journey
of life, wishing them a peaceful jour
ney, it is really a tribute to hiin and
a.ll other people around the world
going through the same thing -
losing a loved one."
Heavy D. has unquestionably ar
rived. It's been a long, at times tragic
path, and he has demonstrated a
generous and magnanimous spirit
every .step of the way. He has
donated time and money to more
benef 15 than he can remember, in
cluding the United Negro College
Fund and the AIDS awareness
project based on "ABetter Land." He
h also donated talent to public
service announcements for the Stay
'in School and Buckle Up campaigns .
and, of course, bestowed one of the
most outstanding raps on the "Self
Destruction" record, in support of
the Stop tbc Violence Movement.
HFAVY HAS ALSO displayed
an interest in branching out to film
aDd television. Having already ap-
. peared on episodes of Booker, A Dif
ferent World and Fresh Prince of
Bel-Air, it seems obvious that a man
of the Heavster 's far-reaching
abilities will go on to bigger things.
As far as a future in Hollywood goes,
all Heavy will say is, "I'm working
on some movies now."
But it's pretty clear where his
loyalties remain ...:_ even his acting
classes are in Mount Vernon. Heavy
U U T 2 • 1,
...
rn
.
m ieal en
and so does .
one of th rare ego
ems 0 exist in inveme proportion
to his fame.
"I feel bl d. The bard or .
j t that - hardwor 0 r people
have just much talent, or maybe
even more. The reason why I feel this
way is because I wonder hy I
chosen to be Heavy D.I can remem
ber the days when I w j t tanding
on the comer rolling dice or playing
cards without clue to what my
life would come to. When I look a ;
my fans, my friends - that's bow 1 .• :
like to think of them, my sup- .. :.
porters--I want them to kno that 1::,
appreciate them. Because they allo c,
me to be me, just by the way they� ...
treat me. They love me, and it's a "
genuine thing. I 100 around know�'
that I'm so loved, and so well liked "�
in the business and the community. � ..
don't ever want it to be like I can't, ...
bang out on the street in Manhattan,
Brooldyn, or the Bronx, or any othe -
treet in the world. "
"I've matured, I've grown, and.
I'm growing every year. I'm alsci:
scared because I never know bo '.
."
good my music is until it comes out,
But I really took my time with this
one - writing it, developing It, ArA
I had more input creatively, as f
pnoduction goes. I
most of the ideas. g v
input, and theirs is making it happen.
•
"WHATEVER YOU are,
whatever you do, even if you're a
garbage man, you want someone to
love you for that And I'm just your
average joe. I write on what I would
like to happen around me, aDd wba�
does happen around me."
"I know my audience is wide.
have to please everybody. As you get,
more fame, you can ei ther go one of
two ways: forget where you cam
from, or get more into where yo�
came from." And for Heavy D., it'�
obvious which way he's going. :
Upcoming Events'
Compiled .nd Edited
By KASCENE BARK
AUGUST 25th
CLARENCE LAUGHLIN:
VI.lonary Photographer -
This exhibition provides a fresh
perspective on Laughlin's work
, by presenting his most famous
images alongside less familiar
ones, including many early
vintage prints. (Aug. 25 - Sept.
22) Detroit I nstltute of Arts,
5200 Woodward (833-7963).
AUGUST 26th
, I
. '
MARTIN LEWIS PRINTS:
The Maeter Set - Over 40
. prints by Martin Lewis, one of
the most accomplished
American printmakers of the
20th-century. DIA, 5200 Wood
ward (833-7963)
JIAP UP THE SUMMER MUSIC CONTEST - (l-r) Emc for the COD W JLD-FM 98 D.J. DUly T., local
r "Tb Ort C"W": Larry Lumpkin, RaymODd Holifield, and Terre ee Flemln of Detroit
prod aad choreograp eel the wID I perfo aee which GO e the chance to compete
I 80 ywood u t 28, 1991. The "hinl &roup wUl reeelve the grand prla ofSl!,
coatnct a part In a Pepsi-Co commercial.
WOMEN'S EaUAUTY DAY
- Theme: ·Women· In Power:
Past, Present and Future. • This
day commemor as the 19th
amendment which gave
Ernie Skuta: 8-27 Jim Joseph
TAILGATE RAMBERS: 8·28
Ernie Matchulat. (224-1184).
RIVERFRONT FESTIVAL
- Yogoslav F�ival (Aug 23-
25) will bring Detroit's Summer
Sizzlers to a close In Hart
Plaza. Featured highlights In
clude an intemational entertaln-
HP MAYORAL PRIMARY ment schedule, ethnic foods
- -Meet The Candidates- and the history of .Yugo avla
Luncheon, 12:00 noon at the from past to present. (224-
American Legion Hall, 55 Vic- - 1184). 1/1
tor, Highland �ark $10 Admis-
sion includes Lunch. Make II I r
reservations by Aug. 27 to Pat •
Zobel (868-6420). I I I
AUGUST 31 t II I I
MALCOM X EXHIBITION - I I I
Due to continuing popular I I
response, -Malcolm X: Man On . I
A Tightrop, - an exclusive film
and photographic exhibition,
has been extended until Sept.
1, at The Black Cinema Gallery,
1144 Pingree. (Aug. 31, & 9/1)
FUNK, HIP·HOP .. REG·
GAE CONCERT - Ziggy Mar�
ley & The Melody Makers,
Queen Latifah & Crystal Waters
perform for one show only at
7:30 p.m. at the Chene Park
Music Theatre. Tickets
22.50/ 20 (393-0066) .
women the right to vote. A con
ference, leadership awards'
breakfast & special reception
honoring Dr. Deborah McGriff,
will be held in Cobo Center in
downtown Detroit at 8 a. m. $35
registration fee. (224-4965)
AUGUST 29th
HART PLAZA
SUMMER CONCERTS
Come to the Plaz8-bring your
lun�elax & enjoy he fresh
air & FREE, live music Mon.
Thur ., 11:30am.-1pm. 8-28
MUSEU
-AFRICAN A ERICAN
HISTORY, . 301 Fr derlck
Dougl . (833-9800).
- GRAY TONE JAzz.
3000 E. Grand Blvd. (871-
0234).
OTOWN, 2848 W.
Grand Blvd, (878-0091).
Send all announoement. to
Mlohlgan Citizen, PO Box
03580. Highland Park. MI
48203.
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