OK, not really. But the power of the Mixtape can no longer be denied. Once, just thought to be a way to keep a musician’s voice and music on the streets between albums, it’s clear that Mixtapes are just as important as the actual album. And quite possibly, more popular. The “Mixtape” has become, literally, FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE. All without the lingering 2 cents of the so called “Industry Know it All’s” or “Suits” and their opinions of what WILL and what WILL NOT work or their knowledge of what the PEOPLE like or don’t like.

But with the lackluster sales of the biggest stars in recent years, maybe the “Suits” don’t know as much as they think they do. THE PEOPLE determine what’s hot in the streets. Not radio programmers, not DJ’S. THE PEOPLE. The “Mixtape” eliminates the middle man. It’s brilliant. Yes, Mixtapes have been around forever, but with the success of the ‘MIXTAPE POSTER BOY”, the stakes are higher. Your mixtape can get you, not only to The Grammy’s, but on the Grammy stage, with a couple Grammy’s chillin on your mantel. Oh yes….WITHOUT A MAJOR DEAL. Let’s pause as we hear the collective “UH OH” from every music label under the Hollywood sign.

Granted, the Poster Boy did have help from a certain rapper with a large dental bill. But the point is, it can be done.Independently. The reality is, labels aren’t signing new talent like they once were. So the Mixtape is the perfect opportunity to showcase new talent. And in some cases, it’s a better deal than getting signed, and waiting until the “Suits” think you’re ready.

This is the spirit of Hip Hop. The Hustle. The Drive. The spirit of selling tapes out of the drunk of your car. The local tours. Getting the DJ to play your records on the radio or in the club, not because they’ve been paid to, but because the people demand it. With music going through such a huge commercial period, now it’s time to get reconnected with the people. Even R&B acts are getting in on the Mixtape action.

I’ve seen all of this first hand. Watching my brother in law DeJuan, an amazing singer and songwriter go through the obstacles he’s gone through, it’s incredible that he still chooses to be in this business. But after all of these years; God + work + hustle = results. And he’s finally seeing some of the seeds he planted begin grow. My hat goes off to him and the thousands of other talented artists trying to get their music to the masses. One thing’s for sure, this business is not for the weak or lazy. It’s not meant for everybody. YOU PRAY AND HUSTLE. You can’t do one without the other. Believe in yourself, when no one else does. And know, What God has for you, no one can take away. Good luck to you guys! And here’s some new music for ya!! Look out for him!

-Reagan Gomez

SWV Gaves Us Classics In the 90′s & Now They’re Coming Back For More

Hello everyone, this is Coko and I have been on quite an interesting journey since SWV disappeared from the spotlight. I am married to the love of my life, Michael Clemons and we have two adorable sons.

I released one R&B album entitled “Hot Coko” that spawned the Rodney Jerkins produced hit “Sunshine”. I have also released two gospel projects, the Grammy nominated ”Grateful” and recently “The Winner in Me” which debuted at number four on the gospel billboard charts. I am a firm believer in giving back. That is why I devote lots of time to being an advocate for our youth, especially young boys. I feel that they need our support, attention and love just as much as young girls. I am very excited about being back with my sisters and we are working on the comeback of the century!

Hey everyone this is Lelee, and since taking a break from the industry my life has been quite busy. I have two children, a girl and a boy, I’ve started my own production company and I am currently working with several artists.

In addition, I finally decided to follow my educational aspirations and I‘m currently in school pursuing an accounting degree with a minor in communications. I am also a motivational speaker and an advocate for teen pregnancy prevention. I speak all over the world. I am so excited about the future of SWV. When we come together words cannot describe my feelings. It’s just something special that Coko, Taj and I have. Stay tuned SWV is definitely back in the house babe!

Hey yall this is Taj, I am married to former NFL player Eddie George and we have two sons. I was blessed to star in my own reality show ”Married to a Baller” with my husband.

I have written two books called Player Hate Her, How to Avoid The Beat Down and Live In a Drama Free World. Additionally, I appeared on the CBS reality series “Survivor” and I finished in fourth place. Currently Eddie and I serve as consultants for the “Dr. Oz Show”. I can truly say that Coko, Lelee, and I are all grown up now, excited to be back and we are definitely ready to bring back the R&B feel the world has come to love and expect from us!

The Sisters with Voices (SWV) is gearing up for a full comeback, with a new studio album in the works and a tour, it’s guaranteed to feel like SWV never left the music scene. We have some other great projects in the works as well. Specifically, this Friday (March 12, 2010) SWV will be shooting our first photo shoot in ten years with celebrity photographer Derek Blank and we are extremely excited. Also this Saturday, SWV will be hosting a mixer at Uptowns Lounge and Restaurant at 201 Court land Street in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are in the ATL please come and meet us there!

Go to therealswv.com and click on LINKS for all myspace, twitter and facebook accounts!!

Follow Coko on Twitter @CokoLemons / Myspace / Facebook

Follow Lelee on Twitter @LeleeLyons / Myspace / Facebook

Folow Taj on Myspace

Being in a position to give back is a blessing! I just had an amazing experience being a part of ABC’s EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION.

I got a chance to meet the Powell Family and hear the stories and struggles of a courageous and powerful single mom with four kids. They moved to America from Jamaica in search of a better life. I had a blast painting, sanding, drilling and I even planted a tree, owww!

The most rewarding piece was being a part of changing someone’s life forever! It’s so important to give back. I’ve been very blessed and I wanted to give something back to the Powell Family.

Tears of joy and great fullness are priceless!

-Ashanti(@ashantithisisme on Twitter)

I am very blessed to be surrounded by a wonderful group of people including my parents who support me and tell me when I’m right and when I’m wrong.  I love being an actress and having this support system has made my job so much easier.  As a spokesperson for the “It’s Cool To Be Smart” program of the Boys and Girls Club, I help them to spread the message of how important mentors are!

This is why it is important for me to share the advice I get from my support system with other young people.  I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to feel alone with no one to talk to and I’m sure there are tons of teens out there who are going through this.

A mentor can be anyone – a teacher, a coach, a friend’s parent, a family member…people who want the best for you.   We all have potential to be great and make a wonderful contribution to this world.  Sometimes we need a mentor to help nurture and bring out the best of the talents we have within. Another reason why having a mentor is so important.

Start today.  This will be the best decision of your life.  After you experience what it is like to have a mentor, you can turn around and be a mentor to another young person to keep the cycle going!

Love,
Keke

Follow me on twitter  @kekeinaction
www.kekepalmer.com

http://www.interscope.com/kekepalmer

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. . And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”-Marianne Williamson

As I reflect on the topic of mentorship as we approach this years celebration of the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I begin to  think of the sincere purpose that we are called to live here on earth. We are called to make a contribution to the lives of others. Yet, as we have gained more access to material success, we have strayed away from the thoughts of community.

It is our duty and responsibility for us to look out for one another. It is without question there is  a  misunderstanding for any of us to believe that we have made it solely  on our own. While intellect and skill count for something, there has  been someone who has advocated on our behalf  for us to reach certain levels of  success in life. Someone took the chance and vouched for our character, capability, or natural born talent. Someone thought enough of us to extend guidance to expand our horizons, and push us beyond our comfort  levels. Someone has inspired us to be our best. Someone encouraged to  stay focused  despite adversity. Someone makes us  recognize that we, too, impact the world.

As I am a recording artist, I realize that I  stand on the shoulders of those who have come before me. I realize that it is my responsibility to motivate and incite change in others.

Inspired by musical greats such as Marvin Gaye’s, “What’s Going On?” and Teddy Pendergrass’, “Wake Up Everybody?”, my first single, “Bulletproof” featuring Ludacris from my upcoming album, The Love and War Masterpeace, was written as a song to discuss the social ills that continue to plague our society. I am pleasantly surprised about the positive response that the song has received.

I wrote the song to make people pay attention to what is going on in the world and their local community. Oftentimes, entertainers are labeled as role models and held accountable to live as such. Yet, we must remember the everyday stars who walk amongst us.

We must applaud those who have overcome  harsh circumstances to not become negative stereotypical images shown in the media.

We must salute our teachers and community leaders who care and give selflessly everyday to ensure that our children are prepared for the world that awaits them. However, we must all realize that everyone has the opportunity to be leaders.

There are more than enough qualified positive young men and women throughout the country and world who are mentors who shape the lives of the youth. Let us not  neglect the power of the peer mentor for we also can empower one another towards positive change.

In closing, I leave you with a quote by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”

-Raheem Devaughn

Follow me on twitter @radiorah

If you ask my parents they would say I was a perfect child, a model child, because I did everything that was asked of me. I got great grades, I was a great athlete, I was a student leader, the police were never called, there were never any major scandals on our cul-de-sac…but what was going on inside, and what I was dealing with individually and as a group of girls, was absolute turmoil. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, we were forced to deal with a lot of adult issues and situations as a collective, and often times we wouldn’t turn to each other, we would internalize everything, we didn’t have an outlet. So, I was going through MAJOR low self esteem. I was a black girl in an all white school in an all white community, never feeling good enough, but always being encouraged by my parents to be bigger, badder and better. And perfect is the standard. That’s an immense amount of pressure to put on a child. Then I’m starting to like guys. And in my own town, with me being THE black girl, the white guys weren’t really checking for me in that way. When I got to go to basketball camp and I got be around black boys, I was like cool…until I got dumped…for a light skinned girl. And then that whole thing started. My hair isn’t straight enough. My nose isn’t pointy enough. My lips are too big. My boobs aren’t big enough. And you start going through all of that. And I realize as I’ve gotten older a lot of issues that I was dealing with at 15, I am still dealing with today.

My niece is a teenager and is dealing with her skin, she’s dealing with her hair, she’s dealing with what clothes to wear, the music she listens to…I would love to say a lot has changed, but I certainly believe that there is a lot more work to do be done.

In the business that I am in now, it is incredibly tough, and to be honest, sometimes it is is hard to keep my head above the water, sometimes I feel like I’m drowning. I’m just really fortunate to have people, friends I can call on at any hour. You don’t get a job, and you immediately want to blame it on, if my hair was different, or maybe if my nose…or they just want to go with light-skin girls, and you start to doubt yourself, and the self-doubts and the low self-esteem starts to creep in. When that happens I know that I can call on a good friend. One day, he made me do this exercise, which I thought was ridiculous at first, standing in the mirror and finding things about my face that I loved, whether it be the freckles or my eyebrows, and just concentrating on all of the positive things…and I thought it was a load…and then, I found myself doing it one day and I found myself feeling a little bit better. So I texted him and I was like, “it worked.” But what I found is that it’s great that I have a group of girlfriends that I can rely on, but it can’t just be this one-way street of women validating women. There’s something about a platonic, non-sexual male voice in your life, ideally your parent, your father, relative or brother, which should be a steady, consistent source of nothing but positivity. And having this friend inspired me to reach out to my own dad and tell him that he’s got to tell my niece everyday that she is a beautiful princess. I can tell her that she has a lovely jump shot, or she does well in school, but what she’s gonna start looking out for from other people, from other men, is to tell her how beautiful she is, and she’s gonna find validation in all the wrong ways. So, it is important to be that mentor, to be that guiding figure in her life, so she doesn’t accept validation from the wrong places.

We don’t generally share these stories. These are things that you generally take to the grave with you. You don’t want people to know that I hate my nose. You don’t want people to know that I have this fear a light-skinned woman walking into the room, ya’ know, you don’t want people to know that, so you take that your grave. So, I write this to let you all know that I’m still in it, but it’s getting better and there is light at the end of the tunnel. And when a young person has a mentor, it only makes the light seem that much more real.

-Gabrielle

Well, now that we’re in to 2010, I can really look back and reflect on the amaaaazing year that was 2009. I started out strong. My first single ”Give it To Me Right” was released and getting a lot of buzz in the industry. But I couldn’t have been prepared, even if someone warned me, for what it really takes for a new artist to break.

Hard Work and No Sleep would be an understatement.

I lived on the road, out of my suitcase and literally was rarely in one city for more than 2 days. Radio promo is way serious!!! By that point,  my health was suffering and my stress levels at their highest… And all I can do is wait for THE MOMENT! The moment when you feel like your hard work is paying off, even slightly. Who knew that by the end of 2009, I would be celebrating the US release of my debut album, The Bridge, my first Grammy Nomination and a #1 record at Billboard for my second single “It Kills Me”.

Dreams Do Come True!!! In one short year – I have traveled the world, done some amazing things, met the most incredible people, and surpassed my own expectations. My motto to share with anyone who’s working towards something is “start strong, finish stronger”. Surround yourself with good people who have your best at heart, and want to see you win. The road is always gonna be filled with bumps, but believe in yourself and stay focused on the goal.

There is no such thing as luck…Only the point where hard work and opportunity meet.

Will you be ready at the crossroads?

Here’s to the journey of 2010!!

Much Love and Thanks for the Support

xo,

MF

It was growing up that I experienced the positive influence a mentor can have on someone’s life.  Someone you can trust, who will support you and give you advice that is in your best interest.

Having a parent that was addicted to drugs was especially challenging for me. There were times she was unable to be there for me due to her illness which is why having a growing support system was so critical. My mentors were family members, friends and teachers that I felt comfortable sharing all aspects of my life with.

In my life, mentors played a large role.

Growing up my Grandmother, Mr. Price (my Music teacher) and my Pastor’s son kept me on the right path when the wrong path was so easily accessible.

The importance of giving back and caring for those who are most in need of help is why I often lend my time to different charities and why I started my own foundation – MARIO’s DO RIGHT FOUNDATION

I encourage you to find a mentor and make that person an important part of your life.

Best,
Mario

Follow me on twitter @mariosoultruth