Music/Business: HYDE PARK RECORDS’ ALEXIS BOUTEVILLE

Posted on October 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Photo courtesy of: https://www.facebook.com/HydeParkRecords

GO BANG! Magazine founder Pierre Andre’ Evans recently approached Hyde Park Records owner Alexis Bouteville, in hopes that Hyde Park Records would stock and sell his debut book “INSIDE THE MINDS OF ENTERTAINERS.” Alexis responded that he was more than happy to support local talent and would definitely place the book in his front window, on full display! That’s the kind of support we ALL need!

You can purchase “INSIDE THE MINDS OF ENTERTAINERS” at Hyde Park Records and on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Mind-Entertainers-Book-ebook/dp/B07JGDT18X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=inside+the+mind+of+entertainers+pierre+andre+evans&qid=1601488870&sr=8-1

The following is a reprint of the Chicago Reader “Faces of 53rd Street” advertisement:
VIDEO/AD LINK: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/hyde-park-records-53rd-street/Content?oid=53837742

You could say that Alexis Bouteville, owner of Hyde Park Records, discovered Chicago by way of Paris. Alexis had a record store in his native France and was going on frequent buying trips in the United States to keep the store stocked. Chicago always had the best selection of unique vinyl, and it wasn’t long before he fell in love with Hyde Park and the whole South Side area.

In 2011, Alexis took over the existing Hyde Park neighborhood record store that had been there since the 1970s – Second Hand Tunes – and renamed it as Hyde Park Records. Located at 1377 E. 53rd Street, the store is always listed as one of the best independent record stores in the city. Thrillist referred to it as “…everything a neighborhood record shop should be. With live DJs, a chummy community vibe, and a bangin’ selection of wax never short on hip hop or international flair, there’s always something happening at this crate digger’s paradise… If anyone tries to tell you all record stores are the same, a visit here provides for an unimpeachable rebuttal.” Alexis explains that Hyde Park Records “… specializes a lot in older music and vinyl, and especially R&B, blues, and jazz. We also sell a lot of tapes so everything vintage is really coming back.” The store also buys used records, and on any day you can see Alexis expertly (and very quickly!) flipping through collections to find the rare records he knows his customers want, as the owners look on hopefully.

A recent Chicago Reader article noted that local rapper Vic Mensa counts Hyde Park Records as one of his favorite neighborhood hangouts from when he was a young kid. He started coming to the store when he was just 11 or so and it “…helped (him) develop his diverse musical taste.” And Mensa is not the only one. Hyde Park Records is more than just a record store – it’s an important part of the neighborhood, ingrained in so many music lovers’ lives. Alexis says, “The store is also a great place for people to meet…to talk and share about music, musicians, DJs, (and) producers – people need a place like this. The community interaction aspect is one of his favorite parts of being a small business owner in the neighborhood, and Alexis adds, ”To go further south is different, further west is different, further north is different. (Hyde Park) is really a little town within Chicago.”

It’s not uncommon to find customers making buying trips from as far away as Europe and Japan. Wellknown hip hop producers DJ Spinna, Pete Rock, and Large Pro are regular customers from New York, as well as DJ QBert from San Francisco.

The store is a part of major local events such as the recent Silver Room Sound System Block Party, held on July 21, hosting Mr. JayToo, DJ Marbll, Erica Kane, Brian Reaves, James Vincent, and DJ Mikey Mike. WGFM’s annual Soul Reunion takes place every spring and summer, and the store hosts a monthly “All Vinyl Series” with visiting DJs. In addition to records, Hyde Park Records stocks CDs, DVDs, books, and vintage Ebony and Jet issues.

1377 E. 53rd Street
773-288-6588
http://www.hydeparkrecords.com

Reprint of the Chicago Reader “Faces of 53rd Street” advertisement:
VIDEO/AD LINK: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/hyde-park-records-53rd-street/Content?oid=53837742

Music/Nightlife: Detroit’s DJ TONY PEOPLES

Posted on October 1, 2020October 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Photo courtesy of www.facebook/com/DJTonyPeoplesHouseGroup

Young Tony Peoples was only seven years old when he picked up a new toy and a record player with two speakers. He would place one speaker outside of his bedroom window and DJ for the neighbors or anyone walking by that could hear him. He knew at that moment he wanted to be a DJ and he wanted the whole world to know.

Later at 12 years old, his older brother came home with a mixer and two belt-driven turntables. He immediately started DJ’ing a small selection of records. His brother asked him “how do you know how to do that and blend music so easy?” He replied “I’ve been doing it for years in my head when I was pretending to be a DJ.” We both started doing parties for people in the neighborhood where we lived. Word got around real fast that we were the ones to hire as DJs. We did cabarets, basement parties and backyard parties.

When Tony turned 19, he went professional after he got a call that hired him as a club DJ for Tuesday nights at the Grand Quarters in Detroit. The theme night was “Tuesday Night Illusions” produced by Keith Giddings and a young lady named Pam. He played music between the shows. After the show he would mix music for the closeout. That was the beginning of his career.

He has DJ’d for clubs, cruises, major cities and outside of the country too. Even though he had a day job working in the factory for many years, he managed to do both. Now he’s excited to explore the world and see the world while using his talents. Tony calls it “a vacation while working.”

Lastly, he has shared the “1 & 2’s” with several notable DJs including Ken Collier, Melvin Hill, DJ Semaj, Melvin Gentry, DJ Cent, DJ Dream, DJ Red Dawg, DJ Marquis Detroit, Mojo Detroit, DJ Eddie Fludd, DJ Tone and many more.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is it about DJ’ing that attracts you to it?

DJ Tony Peoples: People enjoying the music is what attracts me to it. I basically get a rush from people having a good time and dancing.

GO BANG! Magazine: The Chicago House sound, the home of House, is different than Detroit’s House. How would you describe Detroit House and what is similar and different from the Chicago sound?

DJ Tony Peoples: Most definitely is different, however they are very much alike. Detroit’s House has been known as a soulful sound, hard hitting hand claps and a fat bottom bass with what sounds like a fat woman or a fat man singing. What I mean by that is that we want our House sang by a powerful, mature vocalist, not a lil girl or boy that needs to mature.

GO BANG! Magazine: Techno and EDM are also very popular in Detroit. What is YOUR favorite style of Dance music and why?

DJ Tony Peoples: Disco Dubs, Deep House, Garage and Gospel House because I need the type of House that will pierce your soul. Once again must I say I want a fat woman or fat man singing, not a skinny lil boy that needs his voice to mature. I need a vocalist singing about their problems. Something I can relate to .

GO BANG! Magazine: If you had the opportunity to DJ at ANY venue in the world, where would that be and if you had the opportunity to DJ with any other DJ, who would that be and why?

DJ Tony Peoples: I would want to play a big party on Miami Beach. I would like to spin with Louie Vega. He moves me through his music and for me to be on the same platform to spin with him would be a dream come true.

GO BANG! Magazine: Please describe the DJ Tony Peoples sound to our readers and what separates you from other DJs?

DJ Tony Peoples: The DJ Tony Peoples sound is that sound from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. My format is that I make sure I stick to the basics. I try to keep the same sound I had 30 years ago, so people appreciate me not changing. I’m me.

GO BANG! Magazine: Who are your mentors, who inspire you and who motivates you?

DJ Tony Peoples: Ken Collier, Melvin Hill, Larry Levan and Louie Vega motivate me.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it personally?

DJ Tony Peoples: I am making sure I limit the people I am around. If I have an event, I make sure we keep a distance. I also wear my mask. I only go to my gigs and very few other places.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is next on the agenda for you? Do you have any projects lined up for later in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic that you can tell our readers about?

DJ Tony Peoples: Most of my events are in Michigan. I’ve recently started a new party every Thursday at Georgiz419, 1205 Adams St., Toledo, Ohio 43604. So far, it’s doing well on the patio deck and parking lot. It’s called “Jack’d up and Grinded Thursdays.” I will be doing something in Atlanta in the summer of 2021.

GO BANG! Magazine: On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

DJ Tony Peoples: I am disgusted that not only a life had to be taken, but the fact how it was done. How could anyone do something like this and not feel it was wrong.

Follow DJ Tony Peoples:
Facebook @Tony Peoples, Instagram @djtonypeoples, Snapchat @djtonypeoples, Tik Tok @djtonypeoples and Twitter @musesolo

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

CULTURE: The passing of Chicago Activist/Public Servant MARK S. ALLEN (1962 – 2020)

Posted on September 12, 2020September 12, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

REST IN PEACE MR. MARK S. ALLEN

I am so sadden to hear the passing of my friend and motivator Mr. Mark Allen. From the day we met, in 2015, I was inspired by his passion for OUR PEOPLE and his wealth gaining process for Black people. I was inspired by him and attended some of his NATIONAL BLACK WALL STREET meetings and even spoke at one in particular, which featured Black entrepreneurs and entertainers. His heart and spirit was/is kind and generous. The HUMAN RACE has lost a great man and a powerful force, that will forever be missed.

Little did I know at the time, that he had a sister whom I was already cool with from the House music community Michele Allen-Marsh. Such a sweetheart from DAY 1! Michele you and your family have my deepest condolences and know that your brother has made an impact on the world with his life. He impacted my life tremendously.

May GOD comfort you, your family and friends, knowing that MARK’S WORK IS DONE!

ABOUT MARK: (1962 – 2020)
Now celebrating 40 “straight” years in public service on local, state, and national levels. One of the first community organizers to work with Barack Obama in Chicago over 20 years ago and throughout his local career. A veteran activist/journalist, in Who’s Who In Black Chicago and Rev. Al Sharpton called “one of Chicago’s legendary political activists.” former Associate editor of The South Street Journal Newspaper, Chairman Black Wall Street-Chicago, Board member, Chicago Gospel Music Heritage Museum, National Spokesman for National President of National Black Wall Street-USA, Chair of The Voter Restoration Project, and more! New offices located at 4655 South King Drive, Suite 203, Chicago, Illinois 60653 , Suite 203, Chicago, Illinois 60653 773-392-0165

Until we meet again….Rest in POWER my brutha!

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CONDOLENCES BELOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION

AMEN

Pierre

Event: GO BANG! Magazine’s 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY!

Posted on September 5, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

HEY! IT’S GO BANG! Magazine’s 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY!

I debuted my magazine on April 1, 2020 and these past 6 months have been spectacular. I want to thank EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU for your support and feedback. Your encouragement keeps me motivated to continue doing what I do and bringing you more in-depth and BANGIN’ interviews! THANK YOU!

In early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to publish GO BANG! Magazine. I wanted to create a platform designed to be an informational, educational and entertainment resource, providing the reader with in-depth reporting on groundbreaking people, places and events, that are making positive differences in the world. I wanted the coverage to run the gamut, from the Arts to Science, and from Technology to Night Life.

In March 2020, the CORONAVIRUS hit the United States of America. The ENTIRE PLANET was banished to their homes. Everyone was afraid and confused. It was at this point in time that I knew it was time to debut my magazine. The WORLD needed something to soothe their minds, just like comfort food soothes your spirit. They also had plenty of time to read. So I decided to debut in April, which also happens to be my birth month.

GO BANG! Magazine has interviewed local, national and international DJs, Musicians, Producers, Comedians, Actors, Artists, Dancers, Models, Designers, Screenwriters, Authors, Community Activists, Entrepreneurs and people like YOU!

The individuals that we decide to interview are sometimes well-known, but sometimes they are unknown. I use this platform to give a spotlight to those that may not be part of “pop culture” but need attention brought to them, based on their positive contribution to this place we call Earth.

LOG ON NOW: http://www.GoBangMagazine.com

Scroll through the menu tab at the top of page (in white) and you will see the VARIOUS CATEGORIES of interviews. All of the articles are not posted on the HOME page. To see the entire catalog of interviews, you must go through each category individually.

GO BANG! Magazine brings you the latest Entertainment, News, People & Events…with SWAG!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
(ANSWER BELOW IN THE COMMENTS SECTION)

1. Have you enjoyed the in-depth interviews that I have presented to you in my magazine?
2. Which interviews have you liked most?
3. WHO would you like GO BANG! Magazine to interview next?

LOG ON NOW: http://www.GoBangMagazine.com

Event/Opinion: I MARCHED ON WASHINGTON 2020 – “The Comittment March”

Posted on September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

WATCH THE ENTIRE EVENT courtesy of C-SPAN.org VIDEO:
Click here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?475069-1/national-action-networks-get-knee-necks-rally-march&live=&vod=&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=e7e463ea-0c4e-428f-b62c-b4504254a42e&fbclid=IwAR1fNs64SGk1o_KASgWIBPxfdSWUW-THOI-FJDmRqM1KQuyhUXmmeqtw1bg

The National Action Network (NAN) held a “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” rally at the Lincoln Memorial on the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Among the speakers were Vice Presidential Candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King, III. Also delivering remarks were family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Ahmaud Arbery. Following the conclusion of the rally, participants marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

I, Pierre A. Evans, had the desire to attend this historic event from the time that I first became aware of it. In early June, 2020, at the funeral of George Floyd, Reverend Al Sharpton announced that it would be a MARCH ON WASHINGTON set for Friday, August 28, 2020. At that moment I knew that I was going! I immediately hit up my homie, Donald Burns, and asked him if he was interested in attending the march with me. He said “HELL YEA!” We booked our flight and hotel immediately and just waited on the date to arrive.

Once we started our journey on Thursday, August 27, 2020, the first thing that I noticed was that Midway Airport was empty and the plane will filled half capacity. I didn’t mind either of those changes and welcomed the space and room. Bear in kind, we are traveling in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We we’re literally putting ourselves in the midst of it by traveling. But the urge and need for me to go was overwhelming. The last time that I went to DC was to attend the “Million Man March” in the 90’s. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I am a human rights activist.

We get to DC Thursday afternoon and begin to kick it! Basically, we just traveled around the area our hotel (The Homewood Hilton) was in, which was Navy Yard/Washington Nationals Stadium. There was a lot to see and do. We did it ALL!

The next day, Friday, August 28, 2020, is March day! The event started gathering at 5:30 am and the speakers started at 9am and continued until about 2pm. Many of the people and families that have been affected by the unjustice and murders committed against Black/Brown people spoke. The mood of everyone attending was PRIDE!

Being a journalist, I always document and share my travels with my Facebook family, so I went LIVE several times throughout the trip and took numerous photos at historic locations. You can see the footage on my Facebook page @https://www.facebook.com/pierre.a.evans

The ceremony went overtime and the march didn’t start until about 2ish, an hour late (CPT) lol. Unfortunately, my phone died before the march started so I was unable to record it but it was DOPE! You already know it was. I was afraid that it would get violent, especially with ORANGE MAN being in town for the Republican National Convention (RNC). I was prepared though. I’m always ready! Thank GOD all went well and there was no violence on the day of the March. Unfortunately, I found out that there was violence a few days later at a nighttime march there.

Saturday, August 29, 2020 was my chill day. After traveling, waking up early Friday, spending all day on my feet and marching, my 53 year old butt needed to chill and recouperate. #Realtalk So that’s all I did. Chill, drink, sleep and eat….ALL DAY!

Sunday, August 30, 2020 started at 4am with a man beating on my door, turning the door handle, trying to push his way into my room, and say over and over “RICHARD!” Instinctively, I was ready to kick ass! I rushed to the door, looked though the peep hole and saw a man, who looked intoxicated. I said “Wassup? What you want?” He said, “Richard!” I said, “Ain’t no Richard here, you got the wrong room, keep it moving bro!” Again he shouted “Richard” and was trying to turn the knob to get in. I told him, “I’m bout to call security.” He ain’t give a f*ck, he kept on.

So I called the front desk and told them what happened. To my AMAZEMENT, they told me that they do not have ANY Security at 4am. I was like DAMN! So, I called the Police. Long story short, they came in about 20 minutes. The man was gone, but when the Police arrived they said that he was stuck in the stairway, was drunk and was trying to find him room, which was in the same location of the building as mine, just on a different floor.

Later that day, I went to the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial and other historic sites. It’s all on Facebook too and was quite a great experience. I am part of a Facebook group called March on Washington 2020. This group kept all of the members informed of everything we needed to know and a place to communicate with each other. Through that group, I got the chance to bond with a cool brutha that lived in Arlington, VA. Once arriving to DC, we linked up and he was my second kick it partna! His name is Antonio Pearse. I told him come to Chicago and I’ll show him around CHItown. A cool brotha and woke!

So, overrall, it was a well-needed trip for me to take. Many people ask, what did you accomplish? My response is that it’s not like I came back form the march saying NOW I’M FREE! No, not at all! I come back to URGE PEOPLE TO VOTE TRUMP OUT AND FOR ALL OF US TO VOTE, WHETHER MY MAIL OR IN PERSON.

Youth, YOU ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS TIME NOW AND ALL OF YOU need to turn out and VOTE on November 3rd!

I feel that the march was a way to channel my anger, frustration and rage in a way that allows me to remain a FREE man, not locked up in JAIL!

PEACE & POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

Events: ACTIVIST CURTIS HAYES, JR. “IT AIN’T HAPPENING!”

Posted on September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Curtis Hayes, Jr. is a community activist, advocate, entrepreneur and most importantly father from Bluefield, West Virginia. Curtis is known nationally for his heartfelt conversation held during the June 2020 Charlotte, NC protest.

“And I have a 5-year-old son,” Hayes cried out, palms open to the sky. “And it ain’t happening!” – Curtis Hayes, Jr.

The passion that Curtis displayed didn’t start that day. It started when he was 14 and determined to create generational wealth and change his surroundings. His first business was cutting yards to help provide for his family. With an absentee father and a hardworking single mother, Curtis knew he had to make a change and set an example for his younger siblings.

Curtis’ message to his people is not to become comfortable. We must end the notice of being comfortable. When Black people become comfortable, we don’t go and try to achieve the greater heights. Mainly because WE come from a point in life, WE come from a background of not many opportunities. We’ve been oppressed so long as Black people, that we are now becoming oppressors of our own people. That’s my message, breaking the cycle of that.

I have a nonprofit organization EMCB which stands for Excuse Maker Cycle Breaker, where we challenge the youth to break the cycle, not become a statistic and become an upstanding man or woman of their communities.

Haynes is the founder of the Better Way Movement. Curtis is also running for City Council and plans to run for president by age 38 or 39.

A dream deferred isn’t a dream denied!

“Black King! Black Queen! I Am Angry Just Like You! You will feel My pain! You will feel my hurt! You will feel them With My words! You will feel them with my Fight! Hear Me White People! Generations! Enough is Enough!“

Video courtesy of GOOD MORNING AMERICA: (click here) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXHxe6a1tuI

GO BANG! Magazine: How did your childhood experiences shape you to start your own “lawn business” at 14 years old and later become an activist and entrepreneur?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: My childhood taught me to be strong and to take advantage of every opportunity. My life also taught me to not become what I grew up in. Not to become a product of my environment. I understood, coming from a single parent home living paycheck to paycheck, that I did not want that for me and my family. So, at the age of 14, I decided to start my own lawn business. Coming from limited possibilities, I chose to have unlimited possibilities. Therefore, it has taught me ultimately to work hard and create generational wealth.

GO BANG! Magazine: On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: The death of George Floyd not only impacted his family, but the family of the officer. It’s a sad situation on both ends. Both families are suffering for the action of the police officer. We have been fighting this fight for 100 years. For his life to be taken by an officer, it’s horrible and sad for his family having to suffer. To also speak on the family of the officer, they have to now suffer from the actions on his end, while abusing his power. Overall, it’s a tragedy.

When you talk about police reform, no I am not about abolishing the police. Of course we need them to protect and serve. We must get these officers who abuse their authority. We must increase the training. Police reform is deep. We let these officers get recommendations to move to different departments, instead of termination. They are not held accountable. They abuse their authority and we fire them from one department and send them to another. That’s the bigger issues.

GO BANG! Magazine: Many first became familiar with you from your involvement in the worldwide protests over George Floyd’s murder at the knee of a police officer. At the time, you were at a 2020 Charlotte, NC protest. It was due to a viral YOUTUBE video of you creating dialog between three generations; yourself, another Black gentleman, and a Black youth. What inspired you to reach out to them, how did you feel when you had that conversation and how has that video moment changed your life?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: The moment after having the conversation at the protest, I realized I was once a 16 year old that experienced hurt pain and frustration. I felt I needed to have that conversation as a human race, a man in this world, and being a black man on top of that the most. We miss out of giving that to our youth. I want them to start knowing they are the current leaders of our community.

GO BANG! Magazine: What do you feel you accomplished at that protest, what did you learn, and what work still needs to be done to help free the Black/Brown man/woman?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: I feel like it was only the beginning. My message saved a lot of people. I feel as though I brought a lot of awareness of how many generations are experience racial injustice and how long it has been occurring.

GO BANG! Magazine: Please describe your company Excuse Maker Cycle Breaker (EMCB) and its mission to our readers.

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: EMCB – I created this organization to create cycle breakers. We tend to make excuses for what we grew up in. I step in to help break the cycle instead of becoming a part of the systematic problem that the black community faces. We encourage and promote them to become cycle breakers within their neighborhoods and communities.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is the Better Way Movement, which you founded?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: The goal is to create positive change in communities and cities all across the nation through healthy dialogue between ALL races and backgrounds.

GO BANG! Magazine: I understand that you are planning to soon run for President of the United States. That’s quite a goal to set and quite attainable too. How long from now will you begin your campaign and what will your primary issues be?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: As I start my journey into politics, me running for President in the next two terms is a high priority on my list of pursuits. My team and I are working right now to find the best options as far as entering into the race and seeing where I best fit.

The primary issues that I plan to focus on include helping change legislation. Also, I am big on the environment and making sure that the future for our kids is safe. Homelessness is a very big issue in our country. It has been on the rise and we have totally abandoned affordable housing. Another major issue that I feel strongly about is taxes and how the American people are robbed to help bigger organizations grow.

GO BANG! Magazine: Who or what inspires/motivates you to do what you do and why?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: My mom and the American people. I do it because I am a lover of all people.

GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, what is next on the agenda for you? Do you have any projects lined up for later in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic that you can tell our readers about?

Curtis Hayes, Jr.: The next thing on the agenda is to continue to empower and encourage our people through our mentorship, our football organization and through my day to day business endeavors. We plan to enter the political arena. We are starting at the state level and working our way up to the highest office that God allows me to run for.

We do have many projects lined up, but after Covid of course. We have lined up many empowerment speeches/events, as well as other empowering events that will help within our community. We will push this narrative, which is actually the title of my upcoming book, “We Grow up in it. We Grow into it. We need to Grow out of it.”

You can follow Curtis Hayes on Instagram @curtis_hayesnc

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

Business/Events/Nightlife/Music: ROBBI THE PROMOTER

Posted on September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Robbi The Promoter is based in New York City. He began promoting in 1995 and currently promotes dance parties (in and outside of New York), web sites, clothing, dance music videos + releases, and is affectionately known as the “5 Time Award-Winning Best Promoter”, winning Undergroundarchives’ Best Promoter award five years in a row (2000-2005). His promotional reach extends from Chicago to Philly, Miami and beyond.

He also “shops” music to labels and has played a major part “raising” (promoting/managing) a few DJs, from the ground up, such as Ian Friday, Mr.V, Alix Alvarez, Adam Rios + Mark Francis, and Miguel Ortiz, just to name a few.

His managing and promoting has single-handedly made Chicago legends DJ Wayne Williams and DJ Alan King more popular in New York and cities outside of Chicago.

He’s also a “filter” for DJs, which simply means that promoters from all over contact him to book DJs which in turn, he refers them to the actual DJ or their booking agents.

He has a blast doing all of this all day, which makes his “pro” life pretty much his personal life.

GO BANG! Magazine: Why did you decide to pursue the business side of the House music industry and become involved in the marketing and promotion of dance parties?

Robbi The Promoter: Actually I never planned for it to get this far nor be a promoter. I simply love the music but was always too broke to get into clubs. I used to go to these parties called the “Underground Network” and asked around if there was anything I can do to help. So, I was introduced to Cedric Freedom (RIP), Barbara Tucker (yes the Queen of House music), and Don Welch, who ran that party. So funny! It was a meeting that lasted not even 30 seconds…..They gave me a stack of flyers and told me to go hand them out!

GO BANG! Magazine: Over the years you have become what some would call a legendary promoter in the House community. How do you feel about possessing that title?

Robbi The Promoter: Without a doubt I feel great about it. First, I’m probably the only one in the world that uses promoting as an art form. I mean from the time I was handed that first stack of flyers, I’ve been extremely creative with the way I do things. My aim daily is to impress folks with insane thought process that constantly evolves ……for most part, it’s like watching a legendary DJ do those distinct tricks.

GO BANG! Magazine: There are many people that may call themselves promoters that simply share flyers or events on Facebook. Is that all it takes to be a promoter or does promoting consist of more than that?

Robbi The Promoter: Well to be honest, one can succeed in doing just that if they have a ton of followers, but of course promoting consists of way more than that.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is it about you or your personality that make you effective as a promoter?

Robbi The Promoter: I actually don’t have much of a personality and very poor social skills. When I’m out, I don’t talk much, sit at bars, engage in convos or any of that stuff. But, it’s the way I do things and the artists I’m associated with that brings attention to me and the things I’m involved in.

GO BANG! Magazine: Not only do you promote dance parties, you also promote websites, clothing, music and more. What is the difference in promoting products versus events?

Robbi The Promoter: Parties, websites, and clothing, I target everyone. As far as for Music, I target DJs and people I know who collect music.

GO BANG! Magazine: You’ve promoted events in the U.S. and abroad, including here in Chicago, the home of House music. What in particular do you like about promoting Chicago DJ’s and events?

Robbi The Promoter: When working with the Chosen Few DJs and Ron Trent, first the most important thing they NEVER do is crowd or micromanage me (as I’m quick to get away from the controlling types.) They’re swift in providing me with tools I need and working with them is naturally smooth and exciting. Speaking of tools, lemme give a quick shout out to dude MOE (moeknowsbest.com ) the media/artwork/web design guy for the Chosen Few. In my 26 years, his work is the best I’ve seen.

GO BANG! Magazine: What advice would you give to someone that is interested in becoming a promoter, but don’t know exactly how to begin or if they have what it takes?

Robbi The Promoter: First learn and love whatever you’re interested in doing. If you’re desperate and just geared on becoming a star, it’s not going to happen and you’re going to look stupid (to me at least.)

Just starting off?? I’d suggest take a course in Marketing.

Avoid being exclusive to working with one person it never ends well. For example, I’ve seeing tons of so called EXCLUSIVE promoters benched during the pandemic.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it personally?

Robbi The Promoter: I’ve been keeping things moving here. Closed clubs have been replaced with promoting VIRTUAL DJs, festivals and there’s still music, etc.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is next on the agenda for you? Do you have any projects lined up for later in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic that you can tell our readers about?

Robbi The Promoter: As soon as clubbing restarts (if ever), I’m ready to relaunch my UPTEMPO party (residents Franke Estevez and Duce Martinez) at a nice club in Brooklyn.

You can follow Robbi The Promoter on ALL social media formats:
IG@robbipromoter05
FB@robbiethepromoternyc

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

Music/Business/Nightlife: REG ‘DJ BOXX’ ANDERSON, Bosar Music

Posted on September 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Boxx – An established presence in House music, as well as being a complete DJ and Producer in the industry. He’s a long time Chicago DJ, beginning from his first residency at the Galaxy Disco in 1985 at the age of 17.

Boxx has had the opportunity to play in many cities and venues in recent years throughout the country and world including Nassau Bahamas, Dallas, TX – Crown & Harp, Sandaga, Renaissance, Truth, The Shrine, “The Silver Room Block Party”, The Mid, Da House Spot, The Garage, Evil Olive, Cuatro, and several other Chicago venues.

Boxx also plays consistently at venues and events across the country. For instance, New Jersey’s Club Elevation and Club Lush to New York’s Coney Island, Houston’s Club 4212, Detroit’s Club Mix, The White House, TV Lounge, “Beautiful Sundays” at Motor City Wine, Atlanta’s Club Velour, “House In The Park” and many more venues in Miami.

Having had the opportunity to live in Chicago and Dallas at the same time, he held a dual city residency at The Garage / Code Red in Chicago and “The Deep Inside” parties in Dallas for three years.
Boxx has been a Cyberjamz Radio programmer, the founding member of Ascension, and a member of Nu Bang. Along the way, he has produced many new releases, edits and re-edits that eventually lead to the launch of his label Bosar Music.

GO BANG! Magazine: When and how did you first get interested and bit by the DJ bug?

DJ Boxx: The DJ bug didn’t hit me until 1978. I was 12 years old. Me and a few friends from 35th, where I grew up, loved skating and there was skating on Saturdays at the old YMCA on 37th and Wabash. Well, we had normally been going to other rinks like Markham, etc. so I never really saw the DJ equipment being used. Well at the YMCA, the DJ was set-up basically on the skating floor. We walked in and I could see a table with the two turntables and some device in the middle, for which I had no idea what it was. But, I stood there on my skates basically the whole time watching him transition from song to song in amazement. I was instantly mesmerized that this could be done. I was used to playing one record after the other at home. After bugging the DJ and asking him “what’s this?” and “what’s that?” I immediately came home and began to ask my Mom to get me some equipment. Of course she was not having any of that once we realized the prices. LOL. But, two years later, my mom sent me to go live with my Dad in the 100s’.

My Dad saw the need to keep me busy when me, my brothers and cousins weren’t playing baseball, to keep us (me) out of the streets. Well of course he got the pitch about turntables and DJ gear since he was an audio & music enthusiast himself, but he never said ok. Well…one day in the summer of 1980, he came home and yelled from the garage, “Reggie, Mark, Kevin, come get this equipment out of my car!” Imagine the shock! I had already been buying music, etc. because I knew I would DJ someday. It was an undeniable passion that still burns just as hot on that June day in 1980.

GO BANG! Magazine: Please describe the DJ Boxx sound to our readers, explain why you named yourself Boxx, and what separates you from other DJs?

DJ Boxx: This is going to be a long answer (LOL). The DJ Boxx sound is fluid, flexible, energy received and energy returned. It can be gritty, soulful, energized, good feeling, tone setting, encompassing and far reaching. I’ve had many people over the years, suggest or say I should drive this lane or that lane, but the music in me needs to be expressed. I stay ready to lead or adjust, based on what’s in front of me. So the lane thing never intrigued me. Why can’t I play new music, as well as disco, classics, afro, pure underground, acid and even stretch to hip hop, R&B, Jazz, Reggae etc.? I still study music. My musical mental library is etched in my brain and soul. I get booked to do several different types of events and some actually require a full pallet of music to be played. But best believe, whichever it is, it’s going to be played at the highest of levels…bar none!

The name Boxx does not connote what most believe it to (LOL). Way back in the day, I went by another DJ name (Reggie ‘Remixin’ Anderson). After starting my pro DJ career in 1985, I abruptly stopped DJing due to some personal things going on in 1990. I wouldn’t play again professionally until 2003. Well, in between that time, I met some buddy’s and we worked together for a number of years. We always roasted and cracked jokes on each other. One day, me and a good friend Cedrick Hicks were going at it. I made a crack on him and he replied, “I know you’re not talking with yo’ big Boxx head ass.” It just so happened that about eight guys we knew and worked with were coming thru the door at that exact moment. They chimed in, “Yeah Reg, you do have a big ass Boxx head.” From that point on, everyone I knew and was around at the time started calling me Boxx. It ended up sticking and when I started DJing again, I just leveraged the nickname into DJ BOXX.

What separates me from other DJ’s is that number one, we are all a total of our own individual experiences in life and music and that is going to always lend towards individuality. Now I do believe my mental musical library, my flexibility to play extremely well, no matter the format, are huge for me. But one thing I truly believe is a factor, is my accessibility. I am not stand-offish and I actually truly enjoy all of my supporters.

GO BANG! Magazine: Who are your mentors, who inspire you and who motivates you?

DJ Boxx: I was actually a self-taught DJ. So when the radio mixes started in Chicago, I was already pretty well into the culture and techniques of it. I would say Herb Kent was a huge influence because before we had House, as we would come to know it, Herb would do this “Punk Out” hour every Saturday and he opened my ear and mind up to all this cutting edge new wave / punk music that was taking over the city. Then we began to take a turn toward House, as we would come to know it, and the radio stations began playing the mixes.

Well, I had the equipment and a little know how, but I wasn’t polished. So, I keyed in on a couple DJs on the radio for different aspects. I listened to Ron (Hardy) & Farley (Keith) live and Farley and Scott Silz on the radio for content. I would key in on Scott Silz and Ralphie Rosario for technical aspects. I would then go mimic everything I heard until I got it refined. Then, I met Julian Perez when I transferred from Simeon (HS) to Proviso West in 83′. I worked with him for the next three years as an understudy, you could say. His technical ability was the best I’d seen at the time and I emulated what I saw. He put me on at the Galaxy Disco/Dilligafs to open up for him and after he left. That lead to my very first professional residency as a teenager.

The people / DJs that were mentors are Craig Loftis and Celeste Alexander. Celeste is a big sister and we both played integral parts with each other in coming back into the DJing world. Ronda Flowers and Koko were huge in giving me a residency, shortly after I started back DJ’ing in 2003. Craig Loftis was right there too. He put me into rotation on some pretty cool events early on and I can’t leave out DJ Reg (Reg McClain.) He booked me for my first pro set after coming back. DJ Emanuel and Ms. Wynell were huge as well.

The people that motivate me are…the DJs that I have helped and continue to help me: Boolu (Master) is my cousin. To see where he’s gone after breaking all my needles trying to learn is massive. G-Whip is another cousin that is coming into his own. To see the spark light up and turn into a fire is motivating to me. Eric “DJ Eaze” Robinson was an understudy of mine and he wanted to learn bad, but didn’t know much about DJ’ing. I had him carry equipment, roll cables, hook up gear, break down and repack…thinking he’d say F-this! (LOL) But, he never gave up. He stuck with it, has become his own DJ, with his own brand, and now gets his own bookings. He also takes some overflow gigs for me. My other motivation is Fiddy Millz and Dee Jay Alicia. I think we all push the hell out of each other, kinda like steel sharpening steel. But not just in music, but in the walk of life. Music brought us together, but it’s love and family now. In helping others, it brings motivation. Not just musically, but personally. I always tell people if you’re feeling down and out…go help someone!

GO BANG! Magazine: You are a member of two entertainment groups, Ascension and Nu Bang. Please describe your connection to the groups and explain their impact to the nightlife community.

DJ Boxx: I first became a member of Nu Bang in 2009, so it’s been a while. Immediately upon becoming a part of Bang, I began working closely with Greg Gray, Celeste (Alexander), Craig Loftis, Sammy Rock, Tim Mc Callister and others on DJ’ing, promotion, production and the growth and representation of the Nu Bang Collective. Nu Bang connections opened many, many doors for me that probably would’ve been otherwise closed. It created opportunity to create relationships outside of Chicago that stretch around the globe.

Ascension (Elevate Your Mind, Body & Soul) – Ascension was an idea I came up with in 2013, but never acted on it because it was a lot going on DJ-wise for me. I currently had two residencies at the time, one in Chicago and one in Dallas. I had the vision and the idea of what I wanted it to look and feel like. So, when the Chicago residency ended, I sat down with my Ascension co-founder, (she didn’t know she was going to be that at the time) Lisa Henderson and I expressed my vision and desire for her to be a part of it. I really loved Lisa’s presence and energy. I felt as though she was the missing piece to the puzzle. Besides being friends and working together on events, she showed a level of professionalism, engagement, compassion and energy that I felt was needed to craft the Ascension characterization.

This ideology was the idea of impact on the nightlife scene that was envisioned. We wanted to be inclusive and not exclusive. Sure the music is paramount, but we wanted people to have a great time, grasp the good energy, vibes, the hugs and the laughs. Don’t think you’re just welcome…know that you’re home! We wanted the warmth, so we brought even more good vibes with G-Whip and Toni Marie joining us. We wanted to bring in and book DJs that are far reaching, as well as the DJ that maybe needs to get heard more. We are a collective of people that genuinely care about your experience at any Ascension event, rather it be at one of our monthly parties, personal party, party in another city or on an island in the Bahamas!

GO BANG! Magazine: In addition to being a DJ, you were a radio programmer and you have your own record label, Bosar Music. How has being a DJ influenced your abilities as a programmer and a label owner?

DJ Boxx: DJ’ing is the catalyst for all of that. I feel to be an effective, well-rounded DJ, you really have to have the study of music and its organization has to be almost effortless mentally. The ability to recall names, sounds, feels and sound textures is really what a DJ does. So, joining Cyberjamz and doing a mix show for three years was huge for me. I also did “Gotta Have House Radio” with my man Kenny Ray. The gathering of newer music at the time and its presentation was huge in getting in step with what the scene had become. Launching the label was natural. I felt as though the DJ opportunities and the programming show had given me the ear I needed to say, “I’m just not going to produce music for release on others labels.” I thought I’d start my own. So I went to work to gather the knowledge to do it correctly. House music was fresh, energized and new again to me.

GO BANG! Magazine: What type of music does Bosar Music produce, who are some of your past/present artists, what type of artists are you looking for, and how did you arrive at the name Bosar?

DJ Boxx: Bosar produces mostly Soulful House. Under the Bosar identity, even prior to starting the label, I’ve worked with Darryl Pandy…unreleased at this time. (DJ) Gene Hunt and I are about to re-work. My first full release was “Send For Me“ with Carla Prather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoHAXgwPmLc. Wincie Collins did a beautiful spoken word on “Music Is My Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QtUhcC7MQ4 . Both released on Sophisticado Recordings. I’ve worked with Derrick Sales (DJ Sound) on a Luther Vandross remix “Wanna Love” that was released on TMC and eventually Bosar Music. Lafayette Parker was the vocalist on “Heavenly Journey” with me doing the spoken word part released on Joe Smooth’s label. Franky Parker performed on “Fly Free” with remixes from Sean Ali and Salah Ananse, released on Bosar. https://www.traxsource.com/title/775661/fly-free. I’ll also be releasing a production with Koffee (First Flowetrest of House) from New Jersey this year and two projects with some amazing performers from Detroit as well. It’s literally about six projects on the table including one with my Carla Prather.

Bosar is an acronym for – Boxx of Soul and Rhythm.

GO BANG! Magazine: You’ve experienced the House community as a DJ from various cities of America. Could you please describe the House scene here in Chicago and compare and contrast the scene to other locations you’ve spinned in?

DJ Boxx: Excluding the current pandemic (COVID-19), up to that point, and for as long as I can remember, Chicago has had the most consistent number of events / parties on weekly basis that I’ve experienced. Not being a homer either, I do believe that Chi has the largest concentration of DJs of any city, but also the best DJs. I think the number of DJs and opportunities to play created a vacuum. DJs in Chicago had to get good, out of sheer desire for a chance to even be considered to play.

I’ve played just about everywhere there is to play in the U.S., from the east coast to west coast, South Beach to Canada. Most of these other cities tend to have a complete diverse mix of dancers at a higher concentration than Chicago, I must admit. In Dallas, depending on the section, the music is wide ranging and accepted. If the doors open in Dallas at 9pm, at 9:05 the DJ has a full floor. In Chi, we are fashionably late. (LOL) I love the symmetry between the DJ and the Dancer in New York, it’s a flow. They get it in, but different than in Chi. It’s the same energy, but different. New Jersey is very close to Chicago in terms of feel, flow and energy. I really feel of parties in Houston as well. They are very receptive to the DJ, as well as in San Diego. Atlanta is very natural in its feel. It is a great chance to be very expressive with natural vibes and rhythms, when you DJ there. Detroit is awesome…gotta bring your energy! Chicago is a collective of all of these in my opinion. You can find all these aspects in one degree or the other here, while still holding on to the Disco/House foundation.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it personally?

DJ Boxx: Maaan, it’s heavy. It has thrown off a number of things for me professionally, as well as personally, like everyone else. Personally, I have been very selective about what I do, where I go and whom I’m around.

I can say that I can count on my hands and toes, the number of people I’ve been around constantly. I don’t do conspiracy theories. I’ve believed the seriousness of the virus since it was first made public. I know individuals who have lost their lives to it. So to that aspect, it is very personal.

As I type this, I’ve just had my third Covid test a few days ago. I believe we owe it not just to ourselves, but to our families and society, to make sure we follow the guidelines to limit the spread of this virus.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is next on the agenda for you? Do you have any projects lined up for later in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic that you can tell our readers about?

DJ Boxx: Of course! The Bosar Music Production is in full-ops mode at the moment for upcoming releases as we speak. Nu Bang Clan is moving toward bringing in new members.

Ascension plus “The Squad”, which extends beyond Ascension itself, is planning some things for the near and far future, virtual events later in the year and hopefully real events next year. We are putting our faith in hopes that we’ll be beyond this pandemic.

Virtual events coming up are:
“BACK2BACK” w/ Dee Jay Alicia every Saturday 7:30 – 1:30am – http://Twitch.com/deejayalicia

“HOUSE STOCK 2020” Virtual Broadcast Sunday Sept 6th: https://facebook.com/events/s/house-stock-2020-virtual-broad/1202551810099670/?ti=cl

And of course mixes are always on Mixcloud:https://www.mixcloud.com/djboxx/

GO BANG! Magazine: On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

DJ Boxx: I found the officers’ actions and lack of care and concern for Mr. Floyd to be completely void of the level of humanity to even call oneself a human. What I saw was evil in action. Hate in its purest form.

Individuals that will behave in that fashion do not need to hold a badge in this society. Regarding police reform…sure. There’s also a need for further psychological training, in relation to arrests and responses. Hell, maybe even some sensitivity training. However, I do not feel that the “defund the police” aspect would be good for society…well definitely not here in Chicago.

You can follow DJ BOXX on FB: @DJ Boxx, @RegAnderson, @BosarMusic, on IG @DJBoxx, and on Twitch @BoxxBosar

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

Business/Film/Television: AVERY KELLEY, Inspired Melanin LLC., “Soul Train Soul Change”

Posted on September 1, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

Avery Kelley is a name to keep in mind. Ms. Kelley is an up and coming writer, director and producer from the Southside of Chicago. Avery is 12 years old and entering the seventh grade. Since a little girl, she has loved everything about the Arts; dancing, singing, and her passion being writing.

While extremely talented, Avery thinks of herself as an average kid. She loves to hang out with friends, eat pizza and have sleepovers with her besties on the weekend. Ms. Kelley is an honor student at Keller Regional Gifted Center, embracing all facets of school, earning straight A’s since kindergarten. Avery has placed in her schools Science Fair, Speech Arts Competitions and Spelling Bee throughout the years. During the previous school year, Avery participated in the History Fair competition, creating the documentary “Soul Train, Soul Change”, which spoke to how Soul Train broke barriers in the entertainment industry, while being a significant part of the civil rights movement. Avery’s documentary, placed in the school, city and state competitions, advancing to nationals and winning the outstanding entry for the State of Illinois. Her documentary was also recognized by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, exhibited in their digital showcase.

As hard as Ms. Kelley works on her schoolwork during the week, she just as passionately pursues her love for the Arts on the weekend. Avery has studied dance at Studio One Dance Theatre for the past 10 years, taking Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop and African dance. Avery has also participated in the Chicago Children’s Choir for two years. Singing and dancing have always made Avery happy, but her passion is writing. In the words of Ms. Kelley, “I write with every emotion, when I am happy, sad, afraid or mad. My outlet is my journal, telling stories that I want the world to see. It is my dream to have one of my scripts someday turned into a television series.”

Most recently Ms. Kelley has penned a dramatic comedy, which she states is inspired by some of her life experiences. Avery began writing this series during Spring Break of 2018. Ms. Kelley states, “I decided to write a script for a television series, because I wanted to see a show with a different concept than many of the shows you see today. So, I decided to create my own.” In Spring 2019, Ms. Kelley filmed a short episode of her series, entering it into the Mustard Seed Vision Youth Film Festival. At this festival, Ms. Kelley was awarded the Leadership award for her work. Since then she has been writing full speed ahead, working on various creative projects, and continuing to take classes to hone her craft.

Avery Kelley’s entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, drive and perseverance has her shooting for the stars. Her sentiments are that “many writers start small, growing their work into award winning pieces. This is the dream I have for my work. Although young in age, I know I can have BIG dreams. And with commitment and dedication, those dreams can turn into a reality. I am committed, I am dedicated, I am history in the making.”

GO BANG! Magazine: How did you get involved in so much business and entertainment activity at such a young age?

Avery Kelley: I’ve always loved entertainment. My parents say that when I was younger, I would say “when I grow up I want to be in there” (pointing at the TV). In the summer of 2018, I got in trouble with my parents for abusing my phone privileges (texting non-stop) and the punishment was I couldn’t use my phone for a week. To help me find an alternative outlet, my mom bought me a writing journal. Initially, I loved it because it was pink and had my favorite animal, a flamingo, all over. But the upcoming days, revealed a passion that I hadn’t realized was there. This was the summer that I started writing my first scripted series. Fast forward a couple months later, I started practicing the script with my friends at school during recess.

At the beginning of the new year, my mom asked how were things going and I responded “you are hindering my life dreams.” I explained this passion I had for writing to my parents and let them read my journal. They were impressed and said, we will help you as much as we can and try to help you connect with people who have more expertise. They suggested for me to contact a local talent agency and tell them my story. I did, and the agency responded telling me about a Youth Film Festival that was being hosted by Mustard Seed Vision. I created a short film, as a preview for my series for the festival. It was all I ever dreamed of. My parents saw my commitment and excitement in this process and decided to help me pursue my dream of becoming the youngest screenwriter of a scripted television series or feature film on a major platform/network. I work hard daily, every extra moment I get from school work, to make this dream come true. I’m just getting started.

GO BANG! Magazine: Mom, (Amy Kelley) please describe Avery to our readers who may not be familiar with her.

Amy Kelley: “We are blessed to have Avery as our child. Don’t get me wrong, she still is a 12-year old girl. However, she is a great kid. Avery is fun loving, hardworking, and compassionate. She loves to talk…loves…to…talk!!! She is passionate about all things that mean something to her, like her family, her friends…HER WRITING. Avery has a work ethic that is truly amazing. I have watched her in the past two years, commit to learning about being a screenwriter and director. She has taken classes, attended seminars, even asked for books on the topic for Christmas. Often, when we ask her what she is doing (when she is super quiet in her room), she will say…WRITING. Her passion to succeed in this field in undeniable, and even at 12 years old, she is willing to put in the work.”

“But she also has a passion for others. She believes there is a star in the sky for everyone, and loves to see others shine. Her passion, work ethic and drive make me proud, but her heart and caring for others, let me know I am so blessed to be her mom.”

GO BANG? Magazine: Dad, (Charles Kelley, Jr.) how does it feel to have your little girl growing up and becoming a young, black businesswoman?

Charles Kelley, Jr.: “It is a really cool process to see on a daily basis. I feel extremely happy or simply full of joy to see my daughter Avery work so hard to be good at what she chooses to do. As a parent, you want the best for your children, so you offer opportunities and you sacrifice your wants so they can have their needs. What Avery is really good at is the hard work in her preparation, the little things that many will never know about, but I see it daily.”

“My joy is to see Avery perform or the performance. I love seeing the finished product because I know how hard she worked to get to that point. My daughter, my heart, is all I ever wanted and I am extremely happy with the Lords blessing, to witness her growth, development and her gifts to this world.”

GO BANG! Magazine: I first became familiar with you after seeing you on television on ABC7 Chicago’s “Windy City Live” this past July. Many others may know you from your “Tweendom” online talk show on the Restream.io platform. For our readers that may not be familiar with the show, please describe your show and what Restream.io is.

Avery Kelley: “Tweendom Talk Show” is a talk show I created for the kids, the teens, and everyone in between. The mission of this show is to inspire youth to be creative, live outside the box, and have fun while doing it. I had the idea for a similar concept for this show prior to COVID. However, when the pandemic struck, I felt like it would never become a reality. I discussed my anxieties with my friends, family and came up with a way to make it work during a pandemic. The show is livestreamed every Friday night at 6:30pm CST on YouTube and Facebook. It has been a great way to reach an audience during the pandemic, and has allowed me to get a better understanding of production. I produce the entire show myself, coming up with weekly topics, finding guests, creating advertisements and other tasks. I am having a blast and have met a lot of great people along the way.

“Restream.io” is a platform that allows me to multi-stream “Tweendom Talk Show”. Restream.io provides multi-streaming services, allowing a live broadcast to stream to more than one social media platform at a time. Without using Restream, I would not be able to stream the show to both YouTube and Facebook. It makes things work, just the way I envisioned.

GO BANG! Magazine: Your short documentary “Soul Train Soul Change” is a tribute to the legendary “Soul Train” television show, and was originally a school project, but it went national. Please explain what motivated you to create the film, how it went national, and how has your life changed since bringing it to the public.

Avery Kelley: My documentary “Soul Train, Soul Change” began as a school project. Every year the 6th grade class at my school has to participate in the “Chicago Metro History Fair” which is a part of the “National History Day” competition. This year’s theme was Breaking Barriers in History, but our teacher required that our topic have Chicago historical context. The competition allows you to submit your project in the form of a paper, exhibit, website, performance, or documentary. Considering my passion for film, I decided to create a documentary.

My inspiration came from watching the television series American Soul on BET. In watching this show, I realized the barriers “Soul Train” broke in the entertainment industry and in doing research, learned of its Chicago historical ties, and therefore selected “Soul Train” as the topic for my History Fair project. After months of hard work, I finally finished the project. It went from winning the school wide competition all the way to placing in the national competition. At nationals I was awarded the Outstanding Entry for the State of Illinois and my project was also selected to be highlighted at the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s virtual showcase. I am so blessed that my project was recognized in this manner.

GO BANG! Magazine: You write for television and for film. Where do the ideas for your writing come from?

Avery Kelley: My ideas for my writing mainly come from my real-life experiences. I am inspired often by day to day occurrences with friends and family. There will often be situations that stick out in my mind and from there my mind drifts off, my imagination kicks in, and I create entire story lines based on one small funny thing that has occurred. I think it’s my way of communication. I write at all times. When I get excited, I run to write…when I am sad, I run and write and when I am frustrated…you guessed it, I grab my journal. The ideas and inspirations can come at the strangest times, but it makes me so happy.

GO BANG! Magazine: Who inspires or motivates you to create?

Avery Kelley: My parents and my grandma inspire and motivate me to create. They are supportive in all that I do and that is motivating and inspiring for me. I have a few favorite creators that I find truly inspiring. A couple of those are Ava DuVernay and Tyler Perry.

Ava DuVernay is a huge inspiration for my work. This is because she uses her platform and her craft to show her audience empowering stories about Black people in America. Her projects such as “Selma”, “Queen Sugar”, “Cherish the Day” and “A Wrinkle In Time” are projects highlighting African Americans that is used to entertain, but also shows them in a positive light. These are types of work I would like to create. The work that she is creating is inspiring an entire generation and I hope to be able to do the same.

I am also inspired by Tyler Perry. He came from the ground up, when building a name for himself. He went from being homeless, to having one of the largest movie studios in the United States. To see his projects featuring primarily an African American cast, is very empowering to watch. I strive to one day create projects that show minorities in a positive light and become the youngest screenwriter of a scripted series or feature film on a major platform. To see Tyler Perry reaching his goals, expand his craft and continuously branching out in the entertainment field is very inspiring, and lets me know that I can achieve my goals too.

GO BANG! Magazine: You are also the CEO of a corporation named Inspired Melanin, LLC…your own company. Tell us how you started a company and what is its purpose?

Avery Kelley: In August 2019, I established the production company “Inspired Melanin”. The mission of this company is to create projects positively highlighting people of color, their journey and experiences. As I began writing and creating, I realized that I wanted to establish a production company that would allow me and others to create programs highlighting our community in a positive light, hence the name, “Inspired Melanin”. My parents assisted with getting all of the legal stuff done to form the company. They are very instrumental in making sure my vision is illustrated in the works of this corporation.

GO BANG! Magazine: Unfortunately, the Arts have been eliminated in many schools, due to budget restraints and underfunding of schools. Please describe how important it is to you to keep arts in schools and in your life as a teenager.

Avery Kelley: The Arts have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. Knowing that so many programs have been eliminated from schools is very disturbing to me. Art programs in schools expose many talented students to a variety of opportunities. It is a shame to know that schools around the country have been eliminating these programs.
For me, like many other students, the Arts are an outlet that highlights the various skills I learn in the classroom. My passion for writing is an extension of skills I gained in school, my love for dance is only improved by concepts I learned in math class. They go hand in hand, one enhances the other. I hope that the schools will find the proper funding to put these Art programs back into the picture for kids to experience, learn from and explore.

GO BANG! Magazine: When you’re not working or writing, what type of things do you like to do for fun?

Avery Kelley: When I’m not working and writing, I love to dance. I have been a dancer at “Studio One Dance Theatre” for the past 10 years and training in dance is one of my favorite things to do! I look at myself as a normal preteen. I like to talk to my friends on the phone or FaceTime, ride my bike and of course, go on social media…especially Tik Tok.

Since starting to write, I enjoy watching television a lot more. I now find myself dissecting shows, watching the editing, the costumes, the lighting, and other facets of a show. Writing has made watching television a much different experience for me now. Now, watching television is like taking a truly fun class.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it personally?

Avery Kelley: Socially, I am having a hard time during the pandemic. I am an extrovert and love interacting with people. Not being able to see my friends and family has been hard. I also miss activities like dance class, and going to the beach with friends. But I recognize that for my parents and me, social distancing is the right thing to do, to keep ourselves and others safe.

GO BANG! Magazine: What is next on the agenda for you? Do you have any projects lined up for later in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic that you can tell our readers about?

Avery Kelley: During the pandemic I have written a ton. I have brand new projects coming up. Unfortunately, I cannot say much about it. However, I am working with my parents on creating a philanthropic piece to Inspired Melanin. I love to serve others and want to make sure that passion is also incorporated into my business.

I’m excited about the future, during the pandemic and beyond. I always plan on reaching for the stars.

GO BANG! Magazine: On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

Avery Kelley: This situation has been very difficult for me. I watched some of the news clips with my parents. As a 12-year-old black girl, it was difficult to see someone who was a similar build to my dad, harmed by people who are meant to protect us. Luckily my parents have had conversations with me to soothe my fears. I mentioned to them that I don’t ever want to see people judged just because of the color of their skin. They told me that my hopes were similar to those of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, where “people one day would be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” So, I continue to move forward, hoping in the near future that this dream will be realized.

Social Media Links:
Inspired Melanin

Facebook: Inspired Melanin LLC
Instagram: inspiredmelaninofficial
Website: http://www.inspiredmelanin.com
(See the “Soul Train Soul Change” video on the website)

Tweendom Talk Show
Youtube: Tweendom Talk Show

Avery
Instagram: averyk_official

ABC7 Chicago news spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AiWn5nH8Qs

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram

Music: LADY ALMA

Posted on August 1, 2020August 3, 2020 by GO BANG MAG

International singer and songwriter, LADY ALMA, is bringing her soaring, searing vocals back to eager audiences who desire her incomparable funk-house-soul stylings. From her dynamic live shows that left critics and fans alike breathless across the globe for two decades, to the recent revival of her hit single produced by The Rainmakers entitled “Let It Fall”, LADY ALMA continues to be a widely praised source of true sonic satisfaction since her introduction.

Born in San Diego, and raised in Philadelphia, LADY ALMA began her entry into the house music scene recording club anthems helmed by the likes of super-producers Yukihiro Fukutomi, Masters at Work, Fanatix, 4Hero, and fellow Philly mainstay King Britt, where she was featured on his legendary album When the Funk Hits the Fan. She has worked with Mark de Clive-Lowe – fan favorite songs include “Keep It Movin’”, “Believe”, “Hold Your Head Up” and their infectious 2010 cover of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It”. In 2014, she released her single “It’s House Music”, produced by Osunlade, on Yoruba Records, which is still considered a fan-favorite world-wide. In 2017, her single “Peace You’ll Find” was released on Reelsoul Musik, produced by Will “Reelsoul” Rodriguez.

Her track “Let It Fall”, made a resurgence in 2018 when the song went viral via Facebook with over 30 million views (video of a fan seen dancing and lip-syncing to the song in Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa). Not long after, another video of legendary choreographer Toni Basil, dancing to “It’s House Music”, went viral with over 5 million views on Twitter, and was also seen on Inside Edition. The demand for LADY ALMA’s infectious groove went off the charts. Her single “Glory & Honor” (produced by Darryl James) was released in March 2018, and quickly followed by “A Time And A Place” with producer/DJ Ralf GUM, which was released in June 2018 on GOGO Music. Also, in 2018, LADY ALMA was recognized by Traxsource as “Best of 2018” including: “2 Top 10s”, “16 Top 100 spins” and “60 features in DJ Top 10 Charts” to name a few.

The following year, LADY ALMA released her highly anticipated anthology album entitled Twilight (June 28, 2019), with longtime collaborator Mark de Clive-Lowe, via Mashibeats. LADY ALMA’s powerhouse vocals were also featured on a number of tracks including: Low Steppa’s “Make You Move”, which reached #1 on Traxsource; Dego’s (2000Black) third album “Too Much”, on song entitled: “Just Leave It”; Valvin V. Roane’s “Just Call”; and the revered and anthemic “Let It Fall” remix with legend DJ Spinna (“Let It Fall” Galactic Soul Remix), was released on Moulton Music fall 2019. The year concluded on a high note, as Lady Alma performed at the 29th annual Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival in Chicago on July 6th, 2019.

In 2020, LADY ALMA hasn’t slowed down! She’s featured on “Landlord” by Swift Technique, which was released on Swift Technique’s indie label in January. Also in January, LADY ALMA released a compilation of remixes of her track “Make You Move” featuring renowned DJs including: Terry Hunter, Mark Francis, DJ Shannon & Lil Dave on T Box’s Records.
She plans to carry this momentum throughout 2020 and beyond, with an upcoming re-release remix of the 2015 track “Your Time To Shine” (Wipe The Needle Remix) by Sol Brown featuring Lady Alma via Makin Moves Records. LADY ALMA’s fam can also look forward to her newest single, “All The Way Far Away” scheduled for release in August 2020, with more new tracks with features from the likes of Rich Medina and Present Tense coming later in 2020.

Whether you’re in Toronto, Japan, Berlin, London, Paris, Johannesburg, or major cities across the US, LADY ALMA’s music is revered by many fans and DJs alike. As quoted by legendary dj/producer DJ Jazzy Jeff, “Oh my God…if you’re looking for some true soulful emotion, movin’ vocals…here you go…she makes me wanna throw my hands in the air & party the nite away… that’s Philly soul for ya!”.

GO BANG! Magazine: How did you first get started in music and when did you know that you wanted to pursue it professionally?

Lady Alma: l was born into this from day one. I knew I wanted to do this the moment I could talk and so it began my musical journey.

GO BANG! Magazine: How did you receive vocal training as a child growing up?

Lady Alma: I went to Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) from 7th grade to 12th grade, graduating 10th of my class, receiving the “National Honor Roll” and “Alto of the Year” award. After school, I attended Settlement Music School for classical voice and piano.

GO BANG! Magazine: Growing up in Philly, you had to have been influenced by the Philly sound. How would you describe the Philly sound and how has Philadelphia influenced you?

Lady Alma: Absolutely! I would have to describe The Philly Sound as being an eclectic sound of funky jazzy uplifting soulful music, only the way Philly can do it, and if you know you know.

GO BANG! Magazine: Your vocal rhythm, timbre, tones and energy are infectious. Your vocals cause spiritual reactions similar to gospel music. Where does your soulful energy originate?

Lady Alma: I would have to say from my soul and my life experiences, good and bad.

GO BANG! Magazine: Another signature sound of your music is the Chicago House music vibe. How were you introduced to House and what is it about House music that attracts you to perform it?

Lady Alma: I was introduced to House when I attended college for a spell. Coming from a gospel background, it was inevitable to be attracted to the driving forces that House had to offer (ie..drums, keys, bass) the sounds that the producers was doing surely seduced me on the dancefloor. As for why I love to perform house music? It’s the people, the atmosphere, the music…what more can I say?

GO BANG! Magazine: In 2019, you performed here in Chicago at the 29th annual Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival. It is a required event to attend in the House music community worldwide. It attracts over 40,000 House music lovers each year. Can you please describe to our readers how it made you feel to be invited, to perform, as well as the audience reaction to you?

Lady Alma: First I would like to give a mad shout out to my brothers in music, The Chosen Few Djs and thank you for giving me the opportunity. If I had to describe how it was to perform for House elites, well I’ll just say it was humbling and a great big honor to rock. I’m still on cloud nine!

GO BANG! Magazine: “Let It Fall” and “It’s House Music” are two songs that are staples in the House community. Your vocals are totally different on each one, yet the feeling is the same… pure joy. When choosing songs to record, is there anything in particular that you look for that helps you decide if it’s a fit for you and do you have any input in creating the music tracks?

Lady Alma: I want to say thank you and yes it’s a feeling that I get in my heart that usually hits the moment the track starts, and yes sometimes I get to have input in the music process.

GO BANG! Magazine: You’ve had a chance to perform overseas and in other countries. How are you received by foreign audiences and is there any difference in the love that you receive from U.S. audiences?

Lady Alma: If you had asked me this years ago, I would say yes, however I have been blessed lately to be received by both sides of the world with love equally.

GO BANG! Magazine: What are you working on now that our readers should be on the lookout for?

Lady Alma: At this present time, I just released a remix of one of my tunes entitled “Your Time To Shine” by yours truly and Sol Brown and Lee Gomes (Wipe Me Down mix.) Next month I’ll be releasing a track entitled “Far Away All The Way” with my brothers in music Dj Rob Payne and David Marston on BBE records, and more works to come.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you personally dealing with it personally?

Lady Alma: I’m dealing the best way I can. I stay in quarantine and only come out when I need too. I stay safe, sane and sanitized and I’m watching and waiting.

GO BANG! Magazine: Lastly, on May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

Lady Alma: “We are truly living in historic times, and the conversation happening now in our country is so important, and long overdue. Continuing the conversation is the key for us all; and as a collective, to bring about real change.”

GO BANG! Magazine: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

FOLLOW LADY ALMA:
Lady Alma Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/theladyalma

Lady Alma & Sol Brown new single released 7/17/20:

“Your Time To Shine” (Wipe The Needle Remix) – https://makinmoves2.bandcamp.com/album/your-time-to-shine-wipe-the-needle-remix

Dec

Dearest Readers, As the year draws to a close and the festive spirit fills the air, I, Pierre Andre Evans, Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine, want to extend our sincerest gratitude to each and every one of you. Your unwavering support throughout the year has been the driving force behind our continued success. Your readership, […]

Dec

Chicago, IL— Black Ensemble Theater’s Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the world premiere musical revue as part of the 2024 Season of Affirmation: Protection – Hitt Records, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater’s Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks. Hitt Records, replacing the previously announced A Gamble on Huff: The Story of […]

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Podcast courtesy of Entrepreneurial Enclave Donald Crossley is a name synonymous with the birth of house music. As one of the founders of the iconic Warehouse nightclub in Chicago, he played a pivotal role in shaping Chicago’s vibrant dance music scene and fostering the birth of House music and dance culture worldwide. Donald Crossley, […]

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Used by permission: Entrepreneurial Enclave SUBSCRIBE The interview with DJ Wayne Williams, founder of the renowned Chosen Few Djs House Music Festival, the longest-running house music festival worldwide, was captivating, leading to its early release on this page. Our in-depth conversation explores house music extensively. This was our first joint effort. I hope you enjoy […]

Nov

Hey, Go Bang Fam! The crisp autumn air is blowing through the streets of Chicago, and with it comes the warm glow of Thanksgiving! It’s a time for family, for feasting (let’s be real, mostly feasting!), and for reflecting on all the things we’re grateful for. And at the top of that list, we have […]

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YouTube video courtesy of: The Entrepreneurial Enclave SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theentrepreneurialenclave6392 Please check out this interview by Kevin Wortham for his YouTube podcast ENTREPRENEURIAL ENCLAVE.LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R1gScFcPz4 I am honor to be interviewed, each and every time I am approached and a request is made. THANK YOU!!!! BIOPublisher, Journalist, Author, DJ, Dancer Pierre Andre’ Evans has taken the publishing, literary and […]

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Photo courtesy of: https://www.facebook.com/jordonez1234 Tickets $27 – $100: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/body-house-dance-summit-2024-tickets-934277367757?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 4:00 PM – 8:45 PM August 29th: Workshops @ Steadfast Dance Center Date: Thursday, August 29th Time: 4PM – 8:45 PM Location: Steadfast Dance Center, 1860 S. Blue Island Ave, Chicago, IL Instructors & Class Schedule: 4:00PM Jay-J(Jus.be) , 5:11PM Trish (Devine Instant), 6:22PM Brand1 (Circle […]

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Photos courtesy of Singles Films and Music Entertainment STREAMS EVERYWHERE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2024 In the past 5 years, writer, director, and producer Billy Ray Valentine has entertained us with his visions. With streaming phenomenons such as “LIL CEASAR“, “ROSELAND“, “MAGIC“, “THE WALK OF RUFUS 1&2“, and “A MASQUERADE TRAPP“, Mr. Valentine now brings […]

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