YORK, .. - Film­
m ker St.Clair Bourne h
begun production on a new
documentary, "The Black
We t", that examin the Af­
rican American role in hap­
ing the American Western
Frontier.
Not Love b.k.a.
"Deadwood Dick"
"There' 0 much that's
been eliminated in the his­
tory books about our history",
said Bourne. "This new film
giv me a chance to re-inter­
pret Hollywood's version of
the Old W t."
The national project began
when the National Geo­
graphic Society conducted a
national survey of school dis­
trict supervisors and teach­
ers and found that the Black
West was one of the top 3
issues of interest for the
classroom.
According to Sydney Platt,
Director of the Educational
Film Department at the N a­
tional Geographic Society,
"The results of our survey re­
flected a desire of educators
to include the African Ameri­
can perspective in their cur­
riculum." Platt added, "We
choose St. Clair Bourne be­
cause of the excellen t work he
has done in the -past on two
films for National Geo­
graphic's 'Explorer' televi­
sion series, 'The Gullah
Connection' and 'New Or­
leans Brass Band'."
In 'The Black West',
Bourne will focus on a 'work­
ing'. Black cowboy and his'
family on their Tex ranch,
a Black rodeo, a Black Texas
Ranger and deecendan ts of
the Buffalo Soldiers. The film
will be produced through his
company, The Charnba Or­
ganization, and Bourne will
write and direct. The dOGU­
mentary will be released in
January, 1995 for classroom
use ..
MOST RECENTLY,
Bourne produced and di­
rected two one-hour docu­
mentaries about the raci al
Cowboys attending a fair in Bonham, T�, around 1910.
politics of international
sports for the British Broad­
casting Corporation's (BBC)
six-hour television series,
Bobby WOllUlck to
AAC award
•
recerv
CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY
- R&B singer/songwriter
and performer extraordi­
naire Bobby Womack will be
the recipient of the prestig­
ious NAACP "Lifetime
Achievement Award" in Los
Angeles on June '25th.
The award commemorates
Womack's lifelong career as a
performer, songwriter, pro­
ducer and composer and cele­
brates the positive influences
he has made in African
American music.
"Bobby Wom ck is a mes­
merizing performer, as well
as a multi talented musician,
who has influenced genera­
tions of music lovers." We are
honored that the NAACP will
recognize Black Music Month
by presenting Womack �ith
this important award," com­
mented Tim Brack, president
of Continuum Records.
The award will be pre­
sen ted as a part of the
NAACP's 32nd Anniversary
Entertainment Indu try
Mixer and Showc , taking
place at the home of actor/ac­
tivist Jim Brown, 1851 un­
set Plaza Driv in Lo
Angel from 2 p.m. 6 p.m.
"RE URRE TION",
Womack' 33rd album, will
be released in July. Produced
by Womack, the recording is
a musical autobiography of
his life and features perform­
ances by Stevie Wonder,
.Kei th Richards, Charlie
Watts and Ron Wood of the
Rolling Stones, rapper May
May Ali, and Gerald Al­
bright. Cecil Curti and
Friendly Womack - the
Original Valentions - are
also featured on the album.
Womack is the first sign­
ing to Slide Music, anewly
formed record label owned by
RollingStonesguitarist, Ron'­
nie Wood. The ·label is mar­
keted and distributed
worldwide. through 4the Con­
tinuum Records of New Jer­
sey.
A single, entitled "Forever
Love," is heduled to be re­
leased this month.
WILL TO WIN.
Earlier this year, Bourne
executively produced A
QUESTION OF COLOR, the
Kathe Sandler film about
color consciousness in the
Black community.
The documentary had its
international premier at the
1993 Berlin Film Festival
and aired nationally on PBS
television in February.
AHMAD, what is real rap?
By KAREEMAH KELLY
Michl .n CltJz.n
How many real hiphoppers are there?
How many. can go back before triple fat
goes s', before 'Stop the Violence', before JJ
Fadd, before the Fat Boys came back? Inter­
estingly enuf, Koolio was on Yo Mtv raps
talking about being able to peep out rappers
who are real and those who are fronts.
Koolio was making much sense saying
that no one in this world is all good or all
bad, if a rap is all happy and all good, you
know its fake. Life isn't all good. But in the
same way, no rap could be all bad and one
sided, life isn't like that either.
o h re is AHMAD, dropping his n w
single 'Back in the Day' and talking about
"reminiscing," remem ring and appr iat­
ing who we are and wh r we come from.
"This i real. That's what it i ... the only
w y to descri it. It's not hard or soft, just
real. Everything I talk bout, it's-like 'that's
true'," he says in promotionalliteratur .
IT' CE TO t a break from houts
of "bitch" and "hoe" - which have actu ally
become a scary part of our young peoples
language. 1 get sick of our mothers being
insulted, and ther fore appr iate a brother
who drops a "r al'' jam. eel brating our
culture and reaffirming our heritag i
much appreciated.
AHMAD drops fat a, and his lyrics
aren't consumed by gin, chronic, crack, or
bitches (whoever they may be). Much props
go out to this broth r and other brothers.
who can keep it real.
''But let me fini h thi
telling 'bout when girls