By BAKARI SIMPSON

Posted February 3rd 2010

If there is one thing that this glorious city of Cleveland can be accused of, it’s being unorthodox.  This is the case when examining any and everything from the topsy-turvy weather, its odd politics, horrendous street maintenance protocol and the populace who can be extremely finicky about which of their very own local talent that they are willing to support.  There is no shortage of experienced individuals who will tell you that no matter what your craft, if, you can make it as a success in Cleveland then you can make it anywhere on the planet.

Luckily, despite the rigorous gauntlet of obstacles that are presented to the native Cleveland artist there still remain those who will buck the tide, go against the grain and chase their dreams at all costs.  This Thursday at the Sunset Lounge, 1382 W. 9 Street, music lovers have a supreme treat in native Cleveland singer Tommy Johnson.

Just like the city that raised him, Tommy is full of some of those odd characteristics.  Throughout his entire singing career he has been told that he is anything but the typical singer. In fact, he traditionally does not drink tea on a regular basis; wrap his neck to keep the vocal cords warm or many of the other tried and true habits of the professional singer.  Although Tommy did not come up in the world of singing while maintaining some of its more revered tenants, he was still able to form a strong, long-lasting bond with Gerald Levert who not only took a shine to his music but took him under his wing and along on tours with him and his band.  During this stint of time, Tommy says that the inside information in regards to the music business and how to handle folks within the industry as well as the experiences that he had were invaluable gems that he still uses to this very day.

Currently the young determined crooner has his mind set on getting his own solo career up and in a competitive position with anyone else in the genre.  While many people just sit around and talk about their dreams, Tommy Johnson is seriously doing something about it.  Having begun his career in Cleveland, Tommy has performed everywhere from his native city all the way to California.  In fact, Tommy has performed at various venues around Southern California including Cozy’s, The Cellar, the famed Key Club, the infamous Viper Room and recently opened for Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Anthony David at Lust Ultra Lounge right here in Cleveland; all of which served to inject confidence into urban warbler and further invigorate him to keep pushing forward.

When asked about his overall future goals in relation to his singing career, the humble young brother merely reported that he simply would like to put the city of Cleveland back in the forefront in terms of music and not just music but “real” music.  “Too much of the time these kids and young people are listening to fake music, with synthetic beats and things of that nature to the point that many of them would not know real, genuine, original music if they heard it.  So I just want to bring quality music back to Cleveland and help bring that Cleveland music to the world.”

This is why you will hear a plethora of original songs both written and produced by Tommy during his live set including “My Best Friend,” “Outer Space,” “You Stay on My Mind,” “One Night Her” and the popular “I Wanna Go Home” along with a few great covers by artists like Donny Hathaway.

Clevelanders, do yourselves a huge favor and go out to support one of the truly talented local artists who are putting it all on the line to entertain you and bring glory and prominence to your city.  Cleveland, check out your one and only Tommy Johnson from 8 p.m.-midnight at the Sunset Lounge this Thursday, Feb. 4 for just $7. He will be performing with vocal powerhouse Erika Kayne, The Funny Sound’s Sam Goodi the BBC Band and an abundance of special guests including Cleveland’s own Rude Boy Joe Little. This event will be hosted by Chief Rocka Ent.’s Q-Nice. Tickets available by calling (216) 647.1843 or (216) 659.9539.

By Justin Stewart

For the three members of Fast Life Yungstaz aka F.L.Y., the phenomenon of “Swag Surfin’” that first hit in the summer of ’08 and exploded in 2009 – has been a straight shot to stardom.  Newly-signed to Def Jam Recordings, a division of Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ), F.L.Y. has completed its debut album, JAMBOREE, which will arrive June 23rd in the physical and digital marketplace.

FAST LIFE YUNGSTAZ F.L.Y. JAMBOREE

In the two months since “Swag Surfin’” impacted at Urban and Rhythmic radio in, it has grown to 11.3 million audience and sold more than 63,000 digital copies. The track jumped to #11-bullet last week on the Urban Mediabase side. “Swag Surfin’” has exploded on the internet to the tune of over 1.6 million audio plays on MySpace, while the combined online video plays total over 1 million. In addition, F.L.Y .has launched an online dance contest for high school and college students on their site swagsurfin.com. The contest has generated millions of votes.

“If you go on YouTube and type in ‘Swag Surfin’,” says Mook, “you’ll see videos of people inside clubs going from side to side in a wavy motion, surfin’.”  What started in the clubs has moved into the light: “We got bands, drill teams and college basketball teams playing it before they run out for their games.  The Atlanta Hawks come out to ‘Swag Surfin’’ now too.  It’s just a whole buzz we have that’s building up.”

F.L.Y. – 21 year-old rapper Mook, Myko McFly (20) and Vee (22) – natives of Stone Mountain, Georgia, saw their melodic sing-song track build from a fresh sound down South less than one year ago.  It didn’t take long for IDJ Chairman Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid to catch the “Swag Surfin’” wave and bring the guys up to New York. The phone call came in January, and F.L.Y. found themselves showcasing for Mr. Reid less than 24 hours later.  “We made sure we gave L.A. Reid the best show he’d ever seen,” Mook understates.

Among the new and upcoming producers that F.L.Y. is working with on JAMBOREE is Kevin “KE on The Track” Erondu.  In addition to “Swag Surfin’,” KE produced “Bands,” in which F.L.Y. plays off the kinetic energy of collegiate halftime shows.  “The beat itself sounds like you’re in the band room at a HBCU football game,” says Mook, invoking the circuit of ‘historically black colleges and universities’ across the south.  “I believe the rest of the country will catch on to the F.L.Y. movement because it’s like a wave,” Vee concludes.  “And you don’t want to be left out or you’ll drown.”

Text FLY to 66937 for F.L.Y. updates to your mobile phone.

Determination is one thing. Determination paired with natural talent and passion is something else altogether. Emerging songstress Shonie possesses that “something else”.

SHONIE BIRTHDAY SEX FEMALE VERSION VIDEO

Shonie, (pronounced Shaw-nee), is the newest member of Slip-N-Slide Records, whose roster includes rap stalwarts Rick Ross, Plies, Trick Daddy and Trina. But Shonie chronicles a new chapter in Slip-N-Slide’s storied history: the Miami-based songstress signals the label’s foray into R&B.
The deal later soured. But that didn’t stop manager James Jackson from spearheading a mixtape to build momentum behind the unsigned artist. Jackson teamed Shonie with chart topping Miami producer Jim Jonsin (“Whatever You Like”, “Lollipop”) for the project. Hosted by DJ Khaled, “Street Heat, Vol. 1” caught the attention of Slip-N-Slide CEO Ted Lucas.

Shonie has since racked up an enviable list of credits. She has been featured on tracks by Trina (“Wish I Never Met You”), Flo Rida (“Slow It Down”), and Trick Daddy (“Change”) Current writing gigs include the chorus (sung by Ashanti) for the smash hit by Plies, “Want It Need It” and upcoming projects by Trina (“Keep It On The Hush”)
Down the road, Shonie wants to try her hand at acting. Also on her to-do list: the eventual launch of a perfume line. Acting and entrepreneurial urges aside, however, the recording studio remains Shonie’s comfort zone.

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. But sometimes being patient in the rap game can lead to obscurity. Q, the first artist signed to Tag Records and Island Def Jam, landed one the most exciting new artist deals in recent history thanks to his tireless determination to be at the forefront of the music industry. With the backing of Procter & Gamble (the Fortune 500 consumer goods corporation behind Tag Body Spray) and Island Def Jam, the rapper born Kareem Savage will have a steady stream of marketing dollars for his yet-to-be titled debut album, which is expected out later this year.

Q DA KID DEF JAM/ISLAND RECORDS I NEED THAT VIDEO

“I’ll be featured in every Tag commercial and every magazine ad,” says Q. “I’m filming a MTV Diary right now. Being a new artist out of nowhere doing and MTV Diary? That doesn’t happen! They’re in the studio with me filming the making of my album.”
While the majority of the country may be meeting Q for the first time thanks to an incredible amount of instant exposure, New York City rap fans have been acquainted with the Brooklyn-born MC for quite some time. In the late ‘90s, Q dropped out of Kingsborough College to pursue a career in the music industry. He was offered a deal with Violator Records along with fellow Brooklyn rappers Red Café and Gravy. The trio called themselves Da Franchise, a name they came up with in high school.
During their stint at Violator, Da Franchise was featured on multiple mixtapes and both Violator compilations. Even though their work was well received, the group was never given the opportunity to release their own album. “We were signed for like three years but they wasn’t really trying to push forward,” says Q. “We were just stuck on the label and they didn’t know what to do with us. I was the first person to branch off and leave.”
Hoping to write his own destiny, Q moved to Miami in 1997 and recorded a demo with super producers Cool & Dre. He was introduced to a bevy of industry bigwigs and even offered a deal with one of the country’s most notorious heavyweights. “I met up with Mike Tyson and he was starting a label and he wanted me to be his first artist,” says Q, “but I was not trying to be back in the same situation as Violator so I went into the studio by myself and just kept recording more and more songs.”
During his four year stay in the Sunshine State, Q became a mainstay in the M.I.A. club scene known for his spontaneous live performances. He would team up with DJs like Khaled and Irie and kick live freestyles over whatever record was a hit at the time. After building a name for himself in Miami, Q decided to pack up and head to Atlanta in 2001, which was quickly becoming a hip-hop hotbed.
Once he settled in ATL, Q befriended DJ Shakim who was Bow Wow’s DJ and an associate of Jermaine Dupri’s. Shakim was impressed by Q’s lyrical prowess and the innovative freestyles he tacked onto the end of popular records. Before long, Shakim was playing Q’s homemade remixes in Atlanta’s hottest clubs. “Shakim kept telling me, ‘Yo, I’ve been hollering at JD and we’ve been having conversations about you,’” says Q. “Then one day I was in the club and I heard Shakim call me to the DJ booth. When I got there JD was in there. He was like, ‘What are you doing with yourself?’ I was like, ‘Trying to get it, here’s my number.’ He called me the next morning and I went into the studio with him the same night.”
In the summer of 2006, Q signed with So So Def/Virgin and appeared on a number of songs with A-list artists including, Fabolous’ “Make Me Better,” featuring Ne-Yo, “No One” by Alicia Keys, “Fine” by Mary J. Blige, and “Can’t Help But Wait” by Trey Songz. When Jermaine Dupri was named an executive at Island in early 2007, Q wasn’t sure how he would fit into JD’s new situation. “While he was getting established in the [Def Jam] building he kept telling me, ‘Be patient, I got you,’” says Q. “He told me that for a good year and a half straight. Then he called me one day and was like, ‘I might have a situation that would be good for you.’ We sat down and that’s when he told me about the Tag deal. He said it would be a good look for me and that I deserved it because I grind hard for what I want and that’s what the whole brand is about.”
Dubbing himself “The new breed of hip-hop,” Q is now ready to take over. With production on his debut album so far from No I.D. and Jermaine Dupri, Q promises his first LP will be a proper introduction to exactly who he is and what he stands for. “When I really put it together, I could be in the category of Rakim, Nas and Jay-Z,” he says. “Most rappers just be in the streets talking about selling drugs and stuff like that. I’m more into telling my story. Big was someone who was into telling his story, ‘Pac was a person who told his story, Jay is a person who tells his story.”
Thanks to the help of Jermaine Dupri, Q will not only get to rap about the world as he sees it, but he will also get to rap over the contagious club bangers executive producer JD is known and loved for. “JD told me, ‘Don’t stop grinding and being the person that you are,’” says Q. “’Just like you were determined to meet me and it took a minute to get it going and you was always in the studio, don’t stop now that you’ve got a deal. Just act like you ain’t got it. Stay hungry and be consistent.’ I told him, ‘Dawg, I’m gonna make you proud.’”

By: Nadine Cheung

Who: Livvi Franc
Album: ‘Livvi Franc’
Video: ‘Now I’m That Bitch’ feat. Pitbull
Hails From: Harrogate, England
For Fans Of: Rihanna and Janet Jackson

LIVVI FRANCE NOW I AM THAT BITCH VIDEO

Why She’s About to Pop: Livvi Franc lived in Harrogate, England for the first five years of her life before moving to Barbados with her Bajan father, mother and older sister. When it was time to choose a stage name, the now 21-year-old drew on inspiration from her grandfather, Frank Wilson. “When I was about two, my grandfather noticed me sitting at the piano, playing a tune of my own with two hands, and predicted I was going to be a musician. Sadly he is no longer here. So, in honor of him, I called myself Livvi Franc, Livvi because it’s my nickname, and Franc because it’s a funkier version of Frank.” On her self-titled, debut album, Franc worked with a team of A-list producers such as RedOne (Lady GaGa), JR Rotem (Rihanna, Leona Lewis), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie Minogue), and more. Her debut single, ‘Now I’m That Bitch,’ was produced by Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse), and is not so much about a “bitch” in the colloquial sense, but rather, as Franc says, a woman who is all about “Being In Total Control of Herself.” Look for Livvi Franc’s debut album in early 2010.

Six Questions With Livvi Franc:

Is there anybody you admire whose career you’d like to emulate in some way?

Madonna’s longevity and great continued success speaks for itself. She keeps reinventing her sound and image, but remains true to herself. I’ve got lots of stories, emotions and styles to express through my music so people will keep seeing my evolution.

What has been the most surreal moment so far on your rise to fame?

Being papped!!

Who would be your dream collaboration?

I adore Sade — that collaboration would be phenomenal!

Some people have taken offense to the usage of the word “bitch.” What do you have to say to those who misunderstand the song’s message?

I understand that “bitch” has many negative connotations, but my music is all about positivity and “bitch” in this song is “Babe in Total Control of Herself.” It’s about being confident, leading your own life and making your own decisions.

What advice do you have for other young singers who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Always be you!! Don’t imitate. It’s OK to draw inspiration from other artists, but always put as much of yourself in your music and image as possible. Everyone is unique — embrace it!

Are there any bands or artists you enjoy that may come as a surprise to your fans?

I used to listen to System of a Down. LOL…I like to rock out sometimes! Also I’m a Spice Girls freak! I still sing along with every song.