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Tit Bits About The Stars
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Usher Raymond
Usher Raymond, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. Drawn from LaFace Records' seemingly inexhaustible wellspring of young R&B acts, Usher is one of the few who can boast of real star quality. Indeed, after the release of his self-titled debut in 1994, there seemed to be a danger that he would become better known as a face rather than a musical talent. He appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and also performed at the American Music Awards as part of the all-star recording collaboration Black Men United. However, sales of his Sean "Puffy" Combs-produced debut were a little disappointing at just over a quarter of a million, though it did spawn the hit single "Think Of You". As a consequence, he took creative control over the production of the US Top 10 follow-up My Way, although he did enlist Jermaine Dupri, Teddy Riley and Babyface as co-writers and co-producers. The first single to be taken from the album, "You Make Me Wanna", was typical of the smooth ballads on offer. More unusual was the experimental, hip-hop-styled "Nice 'N' Slow", a US chart-topper in March 1998. The album also included a remake of Midnight Star's "Slow Jam", featuring fellow teenage R&B star Monica. The title track climbed to US number 2 in August 1998. A live album was issued as a stopgap while the singer recorded new material. His 2000 comeback single "Pop Ya Collar", co-written with husband-and-wife team Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Kandi, was a surprising failure in America. Usher was more successful in the UK, where the single debuted at number 2 in February 2001. He returned to the top of the US charts in July with "U Remind Me", which premiered the transatlantic hit album 8701. The single "U Got It Bad" also reached the number 1 position in 2002. |
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Nelly
True to his word, Nelly has, in interviews, taken every opportunity to sing the praises of the St. Lunatics, who played an integral role in the making of Country Grammar. Moreover, under the auspices of their group moniker, Nelly and his mates recently contributed a hip-hop version of the Lovin' Spoonful classic "Summer in the City" to the Original Kings of Comedy film soundtrack. Plans for the coming year call for solo releases by each member of the Lunatics (which now includes Jason Epperson and Ali, in addition to its founders). And if that's not enough, Nelly himself is reported to be readying a follow-up to Country Grammar, to be released in 2001.
Meanwhile, Nelly continues to evidence a humility that's refreshingly at odds with the prevailing hip-hop ethos. Reflecting on his success thus far, he told Wall of Sound, "It feels good. I appreciate it, but we're still working hard, and hopefully this is just the beginning. The good thing is that people are excited now; they're starting to believe they can make it up out of here. It's all about the love now." -ubl.com
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Sisqo
The Sisqo story begins in Baltimore, where he was born (with the given name Mark Andrews) Nov. 9, 1978. Raised by an electrician father and a mother who worked as a Social Security administrator, the singer first showed a precocious talent around the age of 5, when he began singing in the gospel choir at a local church. Musically, Sisqo's early tastes ran toward R&B pop icons such as the Jackson 5 (especially Michael) and more modern R&B vocal outfits such as Jodeci. As a youth he was arrested three times for minor infractions twice for fighting, and once for taking a pager to school but by most accounts, he was nurtured in a family environment that was staunchly middle-class.
In the wake of this restructuring, Sisqo wasted no time launching his solo career. Defending the Dru Hill breakup to the press ("We realized that throughout history nobody really cared what [groups] did after their third album," he told USA Today in a typical comment), Sisqo released Unleash the Dragon in November 1999. Co-produced and co-written almost entirely by Sisqo, the CD featured material that was more pop-oriented and up-tempo than Dru Hill's ballad-heavy R&B. Fueled by the frenetic MTV favorite "Got to Get It," the album achieved impressive sales from the start, but it was the racy "Thong Song" that propelled the CD to No. 2 on the Billboard pop charts. Dubbed "the official anthem of Spring Break 2000" by MTV, the song quickly became the most-played video on the network, which helped to send Unleash the Dragon to multi-platinum status -www.celebritystorm.com
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J.Lo
Real Name: Jennifer Lopez
Birthplace: Bronx, N.Y.
Birthdate: 7/24/70
Relationships: Ojani Noa (divorced); Sean "Puffy" Combs (relationship; no longer together); Cris Judd (2001; filed for divorce, 2002); Ben Affleck (engaged)
Fact: The daughter of Puerto Rican parents, Lopez danced for music videos and on stage, and then was selected to be a Fly Girl for TV's In Living Color.
Actress/singer Jennifer Lopez was born in the Bronx, NY on July 24, 1970; after starting out in musical theatre as a child, at age 16 she made her film debut in the little-seen 'My Little Girl,' but her career then stalled until she was tapped to become one of the dancing "Fly Girls" on the television sketch comedy series 'In Living Color.'
A recurring role on the TV drama 'Second Chances' followed before Lopez was thrust into the limelight co-starring with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in the 1995 feature film 'Money Train'; smaller roles in pictures including 'My Family/Mi Familia,' 'Jack' and 'Blood and Wine' followed before she landed the title role in 1997's 'Selena,' portraying the slain Tejano singer.
Co-starring opposite George Clooney in 1998's acclaimed 'Out of Sight,' Lopez (the product of a Puerto Rican family) became the highest-paid Latina actress in Hollywood history; the following summer, she returned to her musical roots with her debut pop album 'On the 6,' scoring a hit with the infectious single "If You Had My Love."
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Jarule
"I named my album The Last Temptation because I feel I am the last temptation of hip-hop. N---as were breaking and popping, breaking into the train yards and tagging on the train. I was little then, running with the big n---as. So any rappers younger than me right now ain't lived that. They don't know the true culture of hip-hop.
"Hip-hop is not just rapping," he continued. "It's the culture, the break dancing, the graffiti art. It's not just about getting the money that's kind of how hip-hop is now, they don't care about the culture, they just want to get the money."
NEXT: ''Since I already bossed him down, everybody knows [DMX] is a clown'; and Ja rushes his LP to compete with the Darkman ... Excerpts from an interview with Ja, courtesy MTV
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Ronaldo, Rivaldo & Ronaldhino [Bra]
Back to the future
Ronaldo, once again, the protagonist in Korea and Japan. It was in these two countries that the "Fenomeno" reached the top of his career by becoming World Champions with Brazil. We must remember that in Korea the team had disputed the first games of the World Cup, until winning the final against Germany in the Yokohama stadium. Now 5 months later, Brazil returns for a friendly match against South Korea and in about 2 weeks Ronaldo will have to make the long trip again for the finals of the Intercontinental Cup between Real Madrid and Olympia in the Yokohama stadium. So in 5 months the Brazilian will have the chance to be the champion of the world twice and in the same place!
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David Beckham [Man U & England]
Beckham's Biography
David Beckham was born in Leytonstone on 2 May 1975. After having trials with Leyton Orient and attending Tottenham Hotspur's school of excellence, he signed for Manchester United as a trainee on 8 July 1991. As a schoolboy he represented Essex Schools.
On 2 April 1995, David made his League debut at home to Leeds United. His first team debut had come two and a half years earlier when he came on as a substitute, 20 minutes from time, during the away leg of a Rumbelows Cup second round tie at Brighton and Hove Albion on October 1 1992.
It was in United's 1995/96 Double winning season that David established himself in the first team. Playing mainly right midfield (although his preferred position is central midfield) to fill the void left by the departure of Andrei Kanchelskis.
It is David's goals which have made him a household name. He scored the winner in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea in 1996, a superb free kick in the 1998 World Cup Finals and "that goal" from the halfway line in the first game of the 1996/97 season at Wimbledon.
In 1998 David was included in Hoddle's 22-man squad for the World Cup finals in France. The tournament itself was one of mixed emotions for David, being left out of the starting line-up for the first two matches, he then scored a fantastic free-kick against Colombia in England's final match in the group stages and was hailed as a national hero. However, four days later he turned villain after being sent off in the second round match against Argentina.It was the first sending-off of his professional career.
Some experts predicted that his World Cup problems could lead to his exit from English football, but he knuckled down to prove them all wrong. In the first League game of the season against Leicester, he curled in one of his trademark free-kicks to prevent defeat.
In March 1999 he became a father to Brooklyn, whose name appeared on his boots when United completed the unprecedented Treble of Premiership, FA Cup and European Cup. In July 1999, David married Victoria Adams, better known as 'Posh', a member of the Spice Girls pop group.
The 1999/2000 season was another successful one for David, despite all the press hype caused by a new haircut and a high-profile argument with Sir Alex Ferguson.
The midfielder picked up his fourth Premiership winner's medal, and was voted second best player in Europe and the World. Rivaldo of Barcelona and Brazil pipped him to both awards. David also finished runner-up in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, losing out to boxing champion Lennox Lewis.
The major highlights of David's 2000/01 season were on the international stage, although he again won the Premiership title with United, having scored in three matches in a row early in the campaign.
David proudly captained England for the first time in a friendly in Italy and then kept the armband for the friendly with Spain and the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Finland, against whom he scored an important goal at Anfield, home of Liverpool FC.
November 2002
DAVID Beckham is using a fleet of armour-plated BMWs worth‚£450,000 to protect his family. The England soccer skipper is driving a powerful 540i which has a bullet-proof body, glass and tyres. Wife Victoria, 28, is using a 750i which has been fitted with heavy armour designed to withstand a direct hit from a BAZOOKA.
And the familys ex-SAS minders have been given an armoured BMW X5 4x4. The Beckhams are testing the motors with a view to buying them. Victoria's car weighs a ton more than the normal model because of its armour and costs a staggering £250,000.
It has even been fitted with special rear-view cameras to make it easier for occupants to keep an eye on following vehicles
May 2003
Beckham's amazing ability has led engineers in Europe and Japan to study his efforts. The conclusion is, simply, that he is a genius, with an innate sense of physics. He has, says one software company, figured out how to balance the kick angle, kick speed, spin and direction, in order to get the "optimal turbulent-laminar transition trajectory." That is, Beckham knows how to get the bloody ball over the wall, then dip it past the goalie. The trajectory Beckham's brain calculates in seconds from instinct, would, the engineers say, take computers hours to figure out.
What fascinates everybody even more is that Beckham was a poor student who left school at 16, and who, at least before he won Posh Spice's heart, was snickered at for his everyday attempts to deal in the Queen's English.
It's always been apparent to me, though, that there is some sort of acumen that few athletes possess, no less than there are other ordinary people who can uniquely paint or sing or perform heart transplants. I've met all sorts of quarterbacks, pitchers and point guards who show no real intelligence away from the field, but who are blessed with some special sense in the arena. The game they are in is somehow, to them, in slow motion. They can visualize movement ahead -- a geometric prescience. Whatever else they cannot divine in this world, they are indeed specific geniuses. No athlete, though, may ever have been so brilliant at one thing as David Beckham is at bending it. - last part courtesy Frank Deford, SI
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