Maybe not a giant surprise, but R. Kelly's performance at July 1's Groovin in the Park isn't happening. Says the R. Kelly camp:

R&B icon R. Kelly wants his fans to know he will not be headlining or performing at the annual Groovin' in the Park concert on Sunday July 1st at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York. Recent advertisements and news stories to the contrary are inaccurate and were made without authorization (apparently due to miscommunication among the promoters of the event) since no deal for the event was ever concluded.

In his place will be Jamaica's "king of dancehall," Beenie Man, along with previously-announced Boyz II Men, Jimmy Cliff (who kicks off the 2012 season of Celebrate Brooklyn tonight) and Beres Hammond. Tickets are $69.50 - $150 and still available.

In related news: in addition to being a huge star in Jamaica, Beenie Man was long known and widely criticized for homophobic lyrics but recently publicly apologized to the gay and lesbian community via a YouTube video, saying:

Let me make this clear and straight. I have nothing against no one. I respect each and every human being, regardless of which race or creed, regardless of which religious belief you believe in, and regardless of which sexual preference you are, including gay and lesbian people.

I love each and every one and am just begging each and everyone to do the same...do not fight against me for a song that I sang 20 years ago...I was a kid. Now I know that people live in the world that live their life differently than the way I live my life. Just love the music and respect the music.

You can watch the whole apology below, as well as a news report on Jamaican public response to said appology.

Continue reading "R. Kelly NOT playing Groovin' in the Park"

R. Kelly is set to play his first NYC concert in six years four years at the annual Groovin' in the Park which will happen at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens on Sunday, July 1. The show will also feature Boyz II Men, Beres Hammond and Jimmy Cliff (who plays Prospect Park In June). Let's hope this goes off better than R. Kelly's recent "appearance" in Austin.

Tickets supposedly went on sale today (5/24), but the ticket page on the Groovin' in the Park website still says "coming soon." (According to the site, it's all done through PayPal too.) Check that site for updates. According to the ticket page, you can also get them at a variety of Queens locations which are listed at the bottom of this post, along with a Groovin' in the Park flyer and promo video.

In related news, R. Kelly will released his eleventh studio album, Write Me Back, on June 26. The only guest artist reported to be on the album is Young Jeezy. Check out the video for "Share My Love," along with the album art and tracklist below.

Continue reading "R. Kelly readying new LP; playing Roy Watkins Park in July"

photos by Colin Kerrigan

Earth, Wind & Fire help Philly celebrate Independence Day

A little after 1 p.m., the Parkway was already jammed with people who had come from near and far for the Fourth of July celebration in Philadelphia - and it stayed that way well into the night as the Roots repeatedly rocked the stage, and Earth, Wind & Fire's Philip Bailey hit some stratospheric high notes.

Many came in red, white, and blue attire, with their children, their spouses, and their dogs.

Courtney Beckett, 22, a medical assistant from West Chester, even brought her six-foot boa constrictor, Sampson.

"They're cold-blooded, so they need heat," she explained as her cousin, Zhabree Jacobs, 8, let the reptile curl around her shoulders.

And, boy, did that snake get grilled.

Temperatures pushed 90 most of the day at the Wawa Welcome America celebration Monday, as people ate gyros and cheesesteaks, swayed to music, and reunited with friends and family to party Philadelphia-style.

Organizers had no official crowd count, although Mayor Nutter said, "This might be the largest Fourth of July event ever." The event has been known to draw a million or more people.

With a pink-and-orange sunset in the background and Sara Bareilles and the Roots performing. [Philly.com]

The Roots hosted and performed at their Fourth of July Jam in Philly with Earth Wind and Fire, Michael McDonald, Estelle, Sara Bareilles, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Boyz II Men and others. The concert, which was billed as "the largest free concert in America," lived up to its title, though as expected at a concert that big, not everyone has a positive experience. According to Anthony Sbarro, "Way too many people at the Roots Fourth Of July on the Parkway concert. Good luck to whomever is going! I'd recommend against it." Tamika Chandler posted a video to her YouTube account of what she dubbed the "4th of July Jam Fiasco." The video description and tags read:

People arguing & fighting. I wanted to enjoy the concert but because so many people were trying to budge in front of those who were smart enough to be early and sitting down in their own seats, I ended up filming the entertaining arguments/fights that arose from this.

Parkway, Philadelphia, Philly, Jam, Concert, Fourth, 4th, of, July, Fireworks, Fights, Beer, Drunk, Arguing, Arguments, yelling, crowded, crowds, kids, pot, marijuana, smoking, wild, fiasco, rude, the roots, earth, wind, fire, &, and, PA, pennsylvania, city, mayor, nutter, police, popo, smh, penn's landing, downtown, city, delaware river, wawa, michael mcdonald, sarah bareilles

Check out her video work, and a video of Estelle and Michael McDonald performing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" together, below.

In other Roots news, Black Thought plays Brooklyn Bowl tonight (7/5) with J. Period, Mr. Mecca, Skotch Davis, Boogie Blind and DJ Suga Ray. Questlove DJs the same venue every Thursday. This Thursday is a "special free edition".

More pictures and videos from the 4th of July Jam below...

Continue reading "The Roots celebrated 4th of July in Philly w/ Earth, Wind & Fire, Estelle, Michael McDonald & more (pics & video)"