R.G.'s Two Pennies: James Harden must be 'LeBron'-like vs Warriors in Game 7

Perennial All-Star and All-NBA First Team shooting guard James Harden led the Houston Rockets squadron to an amazingly successful 65-win regular season in 2017-18, scoring a little over 30 points and almost nine assists per game in 72 contests, and is the frontrunner for the league's Most Valuable Player award. But with the dramatic loss of veteran point guard and co-leader Chris Paul late in Game 5 due to a badly sprained hamstring, it's an urgent 'must' that Harden goes full-throttle in Game 7 against Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and the defending world champion Golden State Warriors in the friendly confines of their Toyota Center home court.

I think J.Hard must be at least 'LeBron James'-like in his approach to this pivotal seventh game of the Western Conference finals. That means playing 40+ minutes, producing a strong 'Triple Double' stat line and playing maniacal defense - along with of course the much-needed help from his Rocket teammates in order to have a chance to dethrone the mighty Bay Area b-ballers. If James Harden desires to put his stamp on his incredible individual season and solidify his MVP status, he MUST be in 'monsta-mode' and led the Houston Rockets to their first West Finals crown since winning it all in 1995 and face 'King' LeBron James and the defending four-time Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

R.G.'s Female Crush Of The Moment

Brilliant and stunnamazingly gorgeous NBC New York news anchor Jummy Olabanji.

2018 Oscars a success despite ratings drop

So many historic, entertaining and all-around awesome moments occurred on Sunday, March 5, 2018 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. Everyone looked quite good in their outfits and accessories - of course. For the second consecutive year as host, late night TV funny dude Jimmy Kimmel was in vintage form doing what he did throughout the entire telecast. The expressions of defiance against the policies of President Donald Trump - as well as the Women's Rights #MeToo movement were brought to the forefront by the various creatives in attendance. 'The Shape Of Water' won four Academy Awards, including capturing Best Picture and it's Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro winning Best Director. Jordan Peele became the first African-American male to win the Oscar for Original Screenplay to his debut, ground-breaking film 'Get Out.' Recently retired and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant became the first former NBA player to win an Academy Award for his animated short film, 'Dear Basketball,' et cetera, et cetera. So why were only an estimated 26.5 million sets of eyeballs tuned in this year in comparison to last year? Well, for one thing, the Academy Awards are the only ceremonies that gives out awards to every single category live, therefore it tends to run for about four hours, max. Personally, I think giving out all the awards on TV will actually inspire many to push hard with their dreams - that the ones working behind-the-scenes get rewarded and acknowledged for their important works. So for me, the 90th edition of the Academy Awards was incredible, 'can't miss' programming in spite of the 20% decline in viewership.

Gang Green Still Alive: Jets stun struggling Chiefs to remain in playoff hunt

After falling into a gaping 14-0 hole early in the first quarter by way of two touchdown grabs by All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, the New York Jets responded strongly with just enough defense, sloppy play by the opposition and a solid effort by their veteran starting quarterback Josh McCown the rest of the way to eek out a huge 38-31 victory over the free-falling Kansas City Chiefs in front of an energetically raucous 77,562 fans at MetLife Stadium. The Jets (5-7) remain alive for an improbable AFC wildcard playoff spot with four crucial games remaining on their schedule. McCown put forth a very much-needed efficient game under center, completing 26 of 36 pass attempts for 331 yards and a TD toss to running back Matt Forte, and also entered the end zone himself on two 1-yard sneaks. Also, big kudos to place-kicker Chandler Cantanzaro on his three big field goal makes in the 'W' over KC, who fell to the .500 mark at 6-6 after kicking off the season with a 5-0 start. Next up for head coach Todd Bowles and Team Gang Green are the equally struggling and underachieving Denver Broncos (3-9) on the road come Sunday, December 10.  

The managerial hiring of Aaron Boone an interestingly bold move by the New York Yankees

Since the Bronx Bomber's positively surprising 2017 regular season and postseason run to the A.L. Championship Series ended with release of manager Joe Girardi, there was oh so much speculation as to who would be the guy to replace him. Names such as former major leaguers David Cone, Carlos Beltran, and even Alex Rodriguez were all in the conversation for the highly coveted position of Yankees manager. So when GM Brian Cashman and the higher-ups decided that former pinstriper and ESPN baseball analyst Aaron Boone, 44, would be the successor to Giradi and the 35th field manager in franchise history - despite having 'zero' prior experience either coaching or managing on any level, I think it's a refreshingly exciting move. I think Boone will step into the dugout and do a reasonably good job with his coaching staff. Plus, I think he'll not only relate well with the players on the roster come Spring of 2018, but will be very accommodating to the New York media, most importantly. Boone is already a legend and fan favorite from his days as a player in the Bronx - most notably, of course, for his dramatic, ALCS-clinching walk-off home run off of Boston Red Sox reliever Tim Wakefield back in the Fall of 2003. Plus, it helps being part of the legendary Boone family legacy in Major League Baseball. With talented young building blocks such as reigning A.L. Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up Aaron Judge, A.L. Cy Young third-place finisher Luis Severino, backstop Gary Sanchez and first baseman Greg Bird, a successful future is definitely in the cards for the new manager and the New York Yankees - with hopefully more World Series titles in mind.

Back On The Red Carpet: SAMMIE 'Coming Of Age' LP

By Ross Guity aka R.G. Major (www.instagram.com/R.G.Major)

Since his 1999 debut on the radio airwaves as a young teen, the now 30-year-old Sunshine State native Sammie has definitely experienced his fair share of highs and lows in this unforgiving music industry. Now as 2017 comes to a close, his new album release 'Coming Of Age' truly reflects his growth as a man, but with still more to learn in the game of life. Tracks like the lead single 'C.O.A.' and 'Confessional' are strong, soulfully emotional pleas for forgiveness that indeed touches the heart. Other quality selections are 'Good Life' featuring Florida brethren Rick Ross, the sexy flow of 'Tsunami,' 'Be Alone,' and the Caribbean-spiced 'Bad Gal,' which has definite potential to be on heavy rotation at radio stations worldwide. After releasing a few fairly nice EPs over the past couple of years, the awesomely talented Sammie Leigh Bush, Jr. and his creative songwriting/production team came through positively solid this time around, and has literally, truly COME OF AGE as we head in to Chapter 2K18 as the Savior of R&B!

www.instagram.com/SammieAlways
www.twitter.com/SammieAlways

A big 2017 for Adult R&B/Soul music

To the pessimists who insisted that the state of traditional R&B/Soul music is on a downward spiral towards irrelevancy has proven to be false here in Chapter 2017. Yes - I know and I got it that album sales aren't what they used to be, but you cannot deny the incredible quality of work that's been put out this year by super-talented newbies such as Kevin Ross, Yuna, La'Porsha Renae, and multi-faceted actress/singer Demetria McKinney - just to name a few. But for me, what's been amazingly impressive in 2017 has been the vibes released by the legendary O.G.s of the game like Mary J. Blige, Keith Sweat, Charlie Wilson, Joe, Leela James, Chante' Moore, Musiq Soulchild, Will Downing, Bell Biv DeVoe, Johnny Gill and so many others that have quietly slayed it majorly on the Urban Adult Contemporary radio airwaves, giving hope for the truly 'grown and sexy' demographic that 'Real R&B/Soul Music' performed by truly talented, top-quality, real R&B/Soul recording artists are still in vogue, and is showing 'zero' signs of slowing down going into year 2018. No disrespect to the artists doing the 'Urban R&B/Hip-Hop' thing, but the Adult/Traditional vibe is STILL winning in my book. Oh, and who could forget the big reunion of Kandi, Tiny, LaTocha and Tamika - aka multi-Platinum-selling vocal quartet Xscape?

Wizards rout Celtics to even up East Semis

Fueled by a 42-point offensive explosion in the third quarter - which included a 26-0 run, the Washington Wizards evened up their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal round series with the top-seeded Boston Celtics at two-apiece with a resounding 121-102 victory at the Verizon Center in DC. John Wall bounced back from a slow start and finished with 27 points and 12 dimes. Bradley Beal shot an efficient 11 of 16 from the field and led the Wiz and all scorers with a 29-spot. Isaiah Thomas was held in check on the offensive end for a second straight game by Washington's collective defensive effort, scoring just 19 points to pace the Celts in the loss. A pivotal Game 5 will be played in Boston on Wednesday night, May 10.

Michel'le's TV biopic SURVIVING COMPTON a rousing success on LIFETIME

Saturday, October 15, 2016

So many talented female vocalists have come along and placed their mark in the music landscape over the past three decades to date, but to me, one woman in particular who is so vastly underrated and who I believe should hold the title of 'Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B' is Michel'le Toussaint. Her LIFETIME TV biopic SURVIVIVING COMPTON: Dre, Suge and Michel'le' is compelling, revealing and shocking. The 120-minute mostly dramatic visual detailed her rise to fame through her affiliation with legendary producer and her then-boyfriend Andre 'Dr. Dre' Young back in the late 1980-era. But what was depicted brutally throughout much of the film was the awful domestic violence she endured at the hands of Dre that was eerily reminiscent of what the iconic Tina Turner unfortunately experienced in her marriage with volatile musician Ike Turner. I tell ya - when alcohol/drugs is in the mix of things, most times it's NEVER a good thing, and as sweet a person as Queen Ley-Ley (my nickname for Michel'le) seems to be, the physical and verbal abuse hurled at her was ugly and unwarranted, and further exposed the now billionaire mogul as being the unhinged, crude and disrespectful monster that he was behind the scenes. Ley-Ley also connected with notorious former Death Row Records CEO Marion 'Suge' Knight, which to me completely took me by total surprise after going through what she went through with Dre. Michel'le was very much a part of the rise of the groundbreaking Rap group NWA while with Dre, and with her one-of-a-kind, kid-like speaking voice and soulfully anointing singing voice, Ley-Ley overcame the odds and went on to record successful, timeless classic hit songs like 'No More Lies,' 'Nicety,' and the painfully beautiful 'Something In My Heart,' as well as her feature on the World Class Wrecking Crew hit 'Turn Off The Lights' to jumpstart her promising career. Talented, versatile actress/singer/dancer Rhyon Nicole Brown did an outstanding job in the lead role, along with upcoming acting talent Curtis Hamilton as Dr. Dre. I also loved the narration of the story and on-camera appearance of Ley-Ley, who at 45-years-young is as gorgeous as ever and is ready to reinvent herself and conquer the world again with her all-around greatness as Chapter 2K16 comes to a close and going into 2K17. Big blessings go to her amazing 'babies' - 25-year-old Marcel Young (Ley-Ley's son with Dre) and her lovely 14-year-old daughter Bailei Knight - her child with Suge. Truth strengthens the heart, mind and soul, and we are so blessed that Queen Michel'le is still standing on Earth today to boldly share her truth with the masses globewide by way of the creation of SURVIVING COMPTON!

www.twitter.com/MichelleMuzic
www.instagram.com/MichelleMuzic

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/27 - Sun 11/1/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: For the first time in exactly three decades, the Kansas City Royals won the 111th edition of the World Series by outlasting the New York Mets in five exciting, action-packed games. Catcher Salvador Perez was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Fall Classic - becoming the first backstop since Pat Borders of the 1992 champion Toronto Blue Jays took home the trophy....New managerial hires - Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins; Andy Green, San Diego Padres

NFL: Through Week 8 and the halfway point of the 2K15 regular season, the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos are your teams still without a blemish in the 'loss' column with 7-0 marks. The Carolina Panthers will also try to improve to 7-0 on the year when they face the struggling Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, November 2 at home...Game of the Week - New Orleans Saints 52, New York Giants 49. Both starting QBs Eli Manning (6) and Drew Brees (7) combined to throw a league-record 13 TD passes in the game.

NBA: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway, and as of Sunday, November 1, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors led by interim head coach Luke Walton are off to a perfect 3-0 start early on. Head coach Steve Kerr is still recuperating from off-season back surgery and will return to the bench once he's fully healed-up.....Indiana Pacers legend and Hall-of-Famer Mel Daniels passed away at the age of 71.

College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Notre Dame. 9. Stanford. 10. Iowa

Distance Running: 33-year-old Mary Keitany of Kenya won the women's pro division of the TSC New York City Marathon for the second year in a row with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds. In the men's pro, 29-year-old Kenyan Stanley Biwott emerged victorious with a 2:10:34 mark.

Misc: The 2K15 World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House, and all-time goal-scoring great Abby Wambach announced her retirement.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/20 - Sun 10/25/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: The Kansas City Royals repeated as American League champs after taking out the offensively potent Toronto Blue Jays in six games of the ALCS. KC looks to win their first World Series title in exactly three decades when they face sizzling-hot slugging second baseman Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets, who swept a young, talented, on-the-rise Chicago Cubs squad to win their first National League pennant since 2000. The Amazin's seek to win their first world championship since their historic, magical run back in 1986. My prediction - KC will suffer disappointment in the Fall Classic for a second-straight season, falling to the Mets' young, talented arms in six games max....After five seasons, 446 wins and postseason disappointment, Don Mattingly decided to wrap up his tenure as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers...Great news for the Boston Red Sox organization and their loyal fan base going into the 2K16 campaign: Manager John Farrell looks like he'll return to the dugout as his non-Hodgkins lymphoma is currently in remission from the treatment he's received since he took medical leave back in August....The underachieving Seattle Mariners hired 48-year-old Scott Servais as their new manager for 2K16.

NFL: The New England Patriots remain without a loss at 6-0 after edging out the New York Jets 30-23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Also remaining impressively unbeaten are the 6-0 Carolina Panthers after their latest win over the Philadelphia Eagles at home 27-16.

Men's College Basketball: The infamous sex scandal involving the Louisville Cardinals basketball program - in particular by way of former staff member Andre McGee paying escorts to engage in very intimate and explicit activity with players and recruits in a dorm on campus is getting serious burn. Hall-of-Fame head coach Rick Pitino alleges that he had absolutely 'zero' knowledge of what supposedly took place between 2K10 and 2K14. Former escort Katrina Powell is the source that has initially ignite the firestorm by writing a book on what allegedly took place. A messy situation for sure, and I hope that Pitino is being truthful about the matter coming into a season where they're not expected to be amongst the top 25 teams in the nation.

NHL: As of Sunday, October 25, the Montreal Canadiens are still the league's lone unbeaten at a perfect 9-0 thus far. (18 points).....Notable head coach firing - Todd Richards, Columbus Blue Jackets

NBA: In very sad news, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach/President of Basketball Ops/part-owner Flip Saunders passed away from cancer (Hodgkin lymphoma) at just 60-years-young. Saunders coached 17 seasons with the T-Wolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, winning 654 career games...After holding out the entire preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers inked rebounding power forward Tristan Thompson to a five-year, $82 million extension.

College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Stanford. 9. Notre Dame. 10. Iowa....No. 1 Ohio State behind new starting QB J.T. Barrett breezed through the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 49-7 to remain unbeaten at 8-0 on the season thus far. Barrett was efficient in completing 14 of 18 passes for 223 yards, ran for an additional 101 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns scored for the Buckeyes... After getting totally embarrassed 58-0 on their home field by the then sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes fired head coach Al Golden.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/13 - Sun 10/18/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

WNBA: For the third time in the past five years, head coach Cheryl Reeve and her Minnesota Lynx team were crowned league champions after defeating a tough, determined and gritty Indiana Fever squad in five games. Lynx veteran center Sylvia Fowles was voted the Finals' Most Valuable Player. All-Star forward/guard Maya Moore in her first five years has won three titles, Rookie of the Year and MVP. Simply incredible!

MLB: The American League Championship Series got underway, and as of Sunday, October 18, the Kansas City Royals hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven over the Toronto Blue Jays and are just two more 'W's away from making a return trip to the Fall Classic. In the matchup for the 2K15 National League pennant, the New York Mets are up two-nil over the wild-card Chicago Cubs - who eliminated the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals in the division round.

NFL: As of Sunday, October 18, the teams that have yet to lose a game thus far through six contests are the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (5-0), Green Bay Packers (6-0), Denver Broncos (6-0), Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) and Carolina Panthers (5-0). The Detroit Lions finally broke through victoriously with a 37-34 overtime win over the Chicago Bears at home...My top individual performance for Week 6 goes to San Diego Chargers All-Pro QB Philip Rivers, who in a 27-20 loss to the unbeaten Packers at Lambeau Field completed 43 passes on 65 attempts for 503 yards and two TDs.

College Football: A.P. Top 10 (Week 8) - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Utah. 4. Texas Christian. 5. LSU. 6. Clemson. 7. Michigan State. 8. Alabama. 9. Florida State. 10. Stanford.....Notable head coach firing - Steve Sarkisian, USC Trojans.....Steve Spurrier, 70, decided to retire immediately after 23 total seasons directing on the sidelines for the Florida Gators and for the last 11 seasons at the University of South Carolina.

Men's College Basketball: USA TODAY Preseason Top 10 Poll - 1. North Carolina. 1. Kentucky. 3. Maryland. 4. Duke. 5. Kansas. 6. Virginia. 7. Iowa State. 8. Oklahoma. 9. Villanova. 10. Arizona

NHL: As of Sunday, October 18, the red-hot Montreal Canadiens (6-0; 12 points) are the lone undefeated team in the league early on thus far.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/6 - Sun 10/11/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: The playoffs got underway, and as of Sunday 10/11 in the National League, the favorite St. Louis Cardinals and the wild-card Chicago Cubs are knotted-up at one apiece in their division series, as well as the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley - pending an appeal - will be suspended for Games 3 and 4 at Citi Field for illegally sliding directly into Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada which resulted in him breaking his right leg in Game 2, which L.A. ending up winning 5-2. In the American League, the wild-card Houston Astros are up 2-1 in their series against the defending league champion Kansas City Royals, while in the other matchup in the A.L. bracket, the Texas Rangers hold a 2-1 series advantage over the offensively powerful Toronto Blue Jays....35-year-old New York Yankees lefty starter CC Sabathia will enter rehab for a month to battle his addiction to the booze. Get well soon, brother CC.....Notable managerial firings - Matt Williams, Washington Nationals (2K14 N.L. Manager of the Year); Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners

NFL: The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals are all without an 'L' through five games thus far. The New England Patriots (4-0) are also perfect early on after crushing the Dallas Cowboys 30-6 on the road coming off a bye-week....The surprisingly hapless Detroit Lions are the lone squad without a victory five contests in, but on a historic note, All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson became the franchise's all-time leader in passes caught, surpassing the great Herman Moore on the list.....Top individual performance - QB Eli Manning, New York Giants (personal and franchise-best 41 completions on 54 attempts for 441 yards and three TDs in a huge, come-from-behind 30-27 home victory over the struggling San Francisco 49ers).....Notable player injury - RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (Torn ACL in right knee; out for the season)....Notable head coach firing - Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins

NHL: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway for all 30 clubs, and as of Sunday 10/11, the New York Rangers are a perfect 3-0 early on. The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are 2-1 to start their run at yet another title....As a result of a brutal illegal check he administered to the head of Anaheim Ducks right winger Jakob Silfverberg during a preseason matchup, San Jose Sharks goon forward Raffi Torres was handed a record-41-game suspension by the league.

NBA: Despite the  off-court distraction of second-year head coach Derek Fisher's love life involving his current squeeze Gloria Govan and her ex-husband/baby daddy - current Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes, the new-look New York Knicks with a healthy Carmelo Anthony are focused and playing well thus far through two preseason wins so far.

Men's College Basketball: Rookie St. John's head coach Chris Mullin hired former Golden State Warriors teammate and NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond to be part of his staff as a special assistant coach.

WNBA: As of Sunday 10/11 in the league Finals, the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever are tied 2-2 in their epic best-of-five series. A do-or-die,championship-deciding Game 5 will take place Wednesday night 10/14 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Men's Pro Golf: For the sixth consecutive year, the Americans hoisted the Presidents Cup after narrowly edging out the international squadron 15.5 to 14.5 in South Korea.

On The Red Carpet: LAFF MOBB comedy series founder Bob Sumner

 

It takes a special, on-point, unique individual to discover top-notch, exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime talent, and in the always fun and competitive arena of comedy, Bob Sumner has been and continues to be THE guy in that department. As the co-creater, producer and talent scout of the iconic HBO series Def Comedy Jam with renowned music industry mogul Russell Simmons during the 1990-era, Sner was largely responsible for introducing not just America, but the entire universe to the legendary likes of the late Bernie Mac, as well as Chris Tucker, Bill Bellamy, Mo'Nique, Mike Epps, Adele Givens, Dave Chappelle, Sheryl Underwood and so many other gifted funny men and women at that point, and as of now in 2K15,  each and every one of them has achieved great success. In 2K8, Sumner - along with talent manager/producer Arthur Spivak joined forces to give birth to the on-the-rise LAFF MOBB Enterprises, with comedy series on both the SHOWTIME (LAFF MOBB Presents) and ASPIRE (LAFF MOBB's 'We Got Next') networks, and looks to continue in making a massive impact in the game. I recently spoke to Sumner by phone to discuss LAFF MOBB, the state of today's comedy landscape and more.

RG: Why should fans of stand-up comedy check for the LAFF MOBB brand?

BS: The reason the people should check out what LAFF MOBB is all about is because of exactly what the name stands for - people LAUGHING; a MOB is somewhat of a family. Therefore, we are a comedy family, but in particular, the MOBB portion of the name stands for 'More Of Bob's Best.' So basically, what I had already accomplished in the past with Def Comedy Jam in launching the careers and changing the lives of some of the best to ever do it, I am now presently trying to contribute that trend with the next generation of super-talented, hilariously funny comedians. I am trying to build LAFF MOBB the same way Berry Gordy did with Motown Records and what Russell (Simmons) did with both Def Jam Records and RUSH Management. It's all top-quality comedy here at LAFF MOBB.

RG: What's your take on the current landscape of stand-up comedy?

BS: I think it's gotten watered down and it's used too much as a hustle. People are busy wanting you to buy their DVD after the show that they couldn't deliver a great performance and look at things the hard way. That's what stand-up comedy reminds me of today. I like to look at people do their thing live onstage and see and hear what they're really all about. Some stand-up comedians are not putting in the time to perfect and hone their craft - especially when it comes to working on fresh, new, original material. For me, it's not just about seeing a funny comic onstage - it's about if that comic has 'star' quality and can make the transition to TV and film. Classic shows like 'Seinfeld' (Jerry) and 'The Bernie Mac Show' were based on their stand-up routines. They weren't just shuckin' and jivin' and humping on stools. (Both laugh)

RG: Interesting! Now with your impeccably proven and highly successful track record of discovering comedic talent over the past two decades-plus, who are the hot, on-the-rise, funny fellas and ladies that fans should be on the lookout for in 2K15 and beyond?

BS: As far as the guys are concerned, Karlous Miller (Nick Cannon's Wild'n Out) is the funniest comedian I've seen since Bernie Mac. His stand-up stage performance is like WOW! He's fresh and original, so he's doing his thing. The other fellas to also check for are Rubyn Warren, Brandon 'Hot Sauce' Glover, Austin Hall, Bryan Dey (He's the Freddie Prinze of Comedy), veteran Red Grant, Boogie B Montrell and Trey Elliot. On the women's side, look out for Pretty Ricki Fontaine. She's more of an entertainer than a stand-up - like a Carol Burnett-type. Also check for Meshelle Forman Shields aka The Indie-Mom of Comedy, and Tyree Elaine. Those are just a few of the names that jump out at me right off the bat that are really talented in the comedy game right now.

RG: Who are the most influential comedians of all-time, from your perspective?

BS: 'Moms' Mabley, Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, Pigmeat Markham, Carol Burnett, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy (He changed the game like Michael Jordan), 'The Godfather' Dick Gregory, Chris Rock.

RG: What are the keys to a solid stand-up comedy stage performance?

BS: The 'IT' factors I look for are confidence without cockiness....Seeing someone in their natural, relaxed element....Just being themselves and not trying to be someone else....Most importantly - ORIGINALITY! They MUST come with something that I've never heard or seen before to really 'WOW' me.

RG: What is comedy to you, Bob Sumner?

BS: THE BEST MEDICINE!

www.LaffMobb.com

*For those who feel they have the goods to become the next hot stand-up comic superstar, send your performance video links via e-mail to info@laffmobb.com

Kendall and Kylie Jenner Deserve A Ton Better Treatment.....CEASE THE HATE!

 

As I was thoroughly enjoying much of the 2K15 edition of the BILLBOARD Music Awards, which was well-hosted by both Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges and the oh-so-fine and quirky Chrissy Teigen last night, one thing absolutely bothered me - the mistreatment of both Kendall and Kylie Jenner (who both looked amazing as always) by way of a smattering of boos from the crowd as they were introducing their mega-talented brother-in-law Kanye West on stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

I get it. The vast majority of the general public here in the U.S. of A. are sick and tired of seeing or hearing about ANY of the Kardashian family members on TV, radio, or online every single day, but don't penalize two young, lovely, impressionable ladies who are not doing any harm to anyone. Being under the shadow of their mega-famous dad - 1976 Olympic Decathlon gold medalist Bruce - who is already dealing with so much mess from the media in regards to his current transitioning into a woman - plus their older step-sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney is hard enough as it is, but I think both Kendall and Kylie have blossomed very beautifully - both internally and externally - and have carved their very own niches and are doing so well for themselves thus far as supermodels, TV personalities and budding entrepreneurs with the potential to be extra-phenomenal in the very near future. The credit largely goes to the bosstress mom Kris - who I admire greatly for all that she's endured in her life in raising her kids after her husband Robert, Sr. passed away. Kris will forever get lots of love from me because I think she is a FANTASTIC MOTHER - first and foremost - PERIOD!

*Personal memo to Kendall and Kylie: Whenever you hear 'boos' directed at the both of you, just look at it as the crowd respecting the good things that the both of you are currently doing. ALL of the GREATS have been booed because a small portion of the general public CANNOT handle their GREATNESS, and only WISH they could be in their league. I love the both of you gorgeous, awesome and career-driven ladies and just continue being the BEST that the both of you can be with all that you love to do. Keep up the great work, stay positively focused, and most importantly, BE BLESSED WITH GOD'S L-O-V-E because the both of you young ladies DESERVE A TON BETTER TREATMENT from both the media, general public and yes, the hounding paparazzi!

Follow Kendall: www.instagram.com/KendallJenner; www.twitter.com/KendallJenner
Follow Kylie: www.instagram.com/KylieJenner; www.twitter.com/KylieJenner

Mo'Ne Davis blossoms at The Garden in NYC during NBA All-Star Weekend 2K15

By Ross 'R.G. Major' Guity

 

Yes - superstar comedian, actor and pretty good baller Kevin Hart took home yet another MVP trophy (his fourth) for his 15-point performance in the Sprint All-Star Celebrity Game at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple of New York City despite his East team losing to the West 59-51 in front of a packed house, but for me, THE brightest star of the game was without question the very athletically-talented, internally awesome and gorgeous young Miss Mo'Ne Davis. Why do I say this? First off, the huge amount of love she received from the fans inside the World's Most Famous Arena was incredible - most notably for her memorable, historic work on the pitcher's mound in the Little League World Series competition during the summer of 2K14.....Secondly, she's only 13-years-young competing in a game with the likes of Hall-of-Famer Chris Mullin, former New York Knicks great Allan Houston and WNBA All-Stars Tina Charles, Skylar Diggins and Shoni Schimmel, who led all scorers with 17 points....Lastly, despite only contributing four points in the game for the West, Mo'Ne made those points count in a LOUD way - especially the electrifying spin move she put on her Philly brethren K. Hart to score a bucket, which sent The Garden, the 'Net and social media ablaze! She is truly a mega-superstar on the rise and has a solid foundation with her loving, amazing family - most notably her beautiful mom LaKeisha, which only bodes immensely well for her obviously promising future. Friday the 13th of 2K15 was definitely a night to remember at MSG for all the right reasons. MO'NE - ALL DAY!

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Back On The Red Carpet: HI-FIVE

Legendary Platinum-selling veteran male vocal quintet HI-FIVE have been in the game for two-and-a-half decades thus far despite countless setbacks - most notably the untimely passing of mega-talented lead singer Tony Thompson back in 2K7, and are back to re-ignite the fire that's missing in the current landscape of R&B/Urban Adult Contemporary music with their brand new collective release HI-FIVE: THE EP. Their sexy smooth lead single 'It's Nothing' is soulfully loaded with the vintage sound vibe that we've come to expect and love from the fellas when they achieved major success back in the early-to-mid 1990s when they were led by Thompson. 'We went into the studio to re-create the classic HI-FIVE sound and give the fans what it is that they're looking for - and that's true R&B music from a true R&B group.' said original member and 'Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment' label CEO Treston Irby during our recent phone chat. Irby - along with fellow original group brethren Marcus Sanders and talented new teammates Shannon Gill, Billy Covington and Faruq Evans will bring a substantially more mature sonic soul flavor to the masses worldwide with the EP and will undoubtedly fill the loyal, long-time fans in on the new direction of the group and where their mindset is right now. Anticipate a full-length album release from the fellas in the year of 2K15, but for right this minute, HI-FIVE: THE EP is now available on iTunes and all other retail digital outlets under the Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment label imprint.

*Sending out a big THANK YOU to the group's publicist Ra-Fael Blanco of 2R's Entertainment & Media PR (www.twitter.com/TwoRsEnt) for giving me the opportunity to interview my Bronx, New York City brethren Treston for the piece!

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Back On The Red Carpet: TODAY

Best known for their R&B smash hits 'Him Or Me,' 'Girl I Got My Eyes On You' and 'Why You Gettin' Funky On Me' during the innovative 'New Jack Swing' era of the late 1980s-early 1990s, veteran Platinum-selling R&B/Contemporary Gospel male vocal quartet TODAY are returning to the music scene wiser and better than ever with their unique brand of soulfully inspirational vibes that will without a doubt touch the hearts of their loyal fan base and also gain brand new followers to their movement. The reunion of Frederick Lee 'Big Bub' Drakeford, Larry 'Love' McCain, Wesley 'Wes' Adams and 'Larry 'Chief' Singletary in 2K10 when they independently released their amazing contemporary gospel single 'Orchestrate' after nearly two decades of taking timeout to mature on all levels and work on individual projects sent a big statement to the industry that as a collective, they mean business and are more than ready at this stage of their careers to produce their finest work yet. 'There's definitely been a change from within us. We've matured a lot and the adversities that we've endured has prepared us for this time - which is RIGHT NOW.' said Adams during our recent phone chat. 'Our new music will not only be soulful, but spiritual as well. We want whatever we're conveying now in our songs to be translated into love in many of its forms.'

Bub, Chief, Love and Wes are currently spread out on the East Coast with residences in their home base of New Jersey, as well as The Carolinas and Atlanta, Georgia. Look out for the group's new inspirational single 'The Gift of Life' to be independently released during the Fall of 2K14, as well as an original Christmas song just in time for the upcoming holiday season. As far as dropping their first full-length album since 1991's 'The New Formula,' 2K15 looks to be the year that both R&B and Contemporary Gospel music fans can anticipate the newest addition of the TODAY catalog. Also check for group member Wesley Adams' enlightening debut e-book titled 'The Enemies and Allies of Your Dreams' at Amazon, Barnes & Noble Online and iBook Store.

*Big kudos to my Beantown brother and street promoter extraordinaire Kevin Gray (www.facebook.com/Kevin.Gray.5851) for allowing me the opportunity to interview Wes for the piece!

www.Today.Bandcamp.com
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www.instagram.com/BrotherWes360_TODAY
www.facebook.com/Larry.McCain.184
 

The Red Carpet Treatment: MORGAN JAMES 'Call My Name' (Music Review)

Idaho native Morgan James is one superbly amazing vocal talent that is on fire as 2K14 draws to a close. She owned her role as the late great iconic Teena Marie in the hugely successful Broadway show 'Motown: The Musical' and during the summer released her soulfully epic rendition of Prince's Grammy-winning song 'Call My Name.' On the latter - WOW! James can without a doubt 'SANG' and did the tune supreme justice and then some! I KNOW that if Prince has indeed heard this awesome re-do, he would absolutely be proud, and me personally, I think this multitalented and gorgeous 'sanger'/songwriter/actress SHOULD garner a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in the upcoming ceremonies come early 2K15. I - along with the rest of the world - can't wait to hear a lot more from the one - the only - the mega-soulful Miss MORGAN JAMES!

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Mo'Ne is Money On The Mound

 

I tuned into ESPN on Monday afternoon, August 11, 2K14 at home in the Bronx, New York City USA to check out the latest happenings in the wide world of the sports landscape, and what definitely caught my immediate attention was the groundbreaking exploits of African-American female 13-year-old Taney Dragons right-handed pitching phenom Mo'Ne Davis of Philadelphia, PA. Not only is she very pretty in the face and extremely bright-minded, she is 'real-deal' talented and supremely confident in her abilities - throwing intimidating heat at 70 MPH top-speed, along with a nice curveball and a split-fingered fastball, all the while leading her team into the Little League World Series as the ONLY girl on the Taney squad. During her interview with ESPN, she even challenged current Los Angeles Dodgers Cy Young award-winning lefty Clayton Kershaw to a pitch-off. Now how's THAT for confidence! Well, her amazingness has caught on fire around the country and has quickly become the newest inspiration to young girls and even grown women as well!

On Friday, August 14, 2K14, 'Magic' Mo'Ne, who stands at 5'4 and weighs around 110 pounds, displayed more her dominance on the mound, throwing 70 pitches in six innings of work, giving up no runs and just two hits, no walks and eight strikeouts in a 4-0 victory for Pennsylvania over Nashville, Tennessee in the first game of the Little League World Series and made history by becoming the first African-American girl to partake in the annual classic and to also pitch a shutout as a female. Mo'Ne is just the 18th girl to ever play in the Little League World Series in it's 68-year history. I am rooting for this athletically mega-talented and beautiful young lady to go all the way, and Heaven's definitely the limit in regards to her bright future with whatever she sets her mind to do. Basketball is Mo'Ne's other love as she mentioned in her recent interview with ESPN and has dreams of playing in the WNBA in the future. Could she be the first-ever female Major League pitcher someday? With her immense talent and pending that she doesn't hurt her gifted right arm, it CAN be possible!

www.twitter.com/MoNeDavis11