By LaToya “Blaze” Edwards

Cirque du Soleil is back, and better than ever with Saltimbanco!  From the Italian, “saltare in banco,” which literally means “to jump on a bench,” it explores the urban experience in all its myriad forms- from the hustle and bustle on the streets, to the idiosyncrasies and likenesses of people who live there.

This signature show compiles aspects of theatre, dance and music and couples it with colorful costuming, lighting and make-up to take spectators on an allegorical and acrobatic journey into the heart of the city.

The show which opens in Houston’s Toyota Center on July 22, and runs through July 26, is made up of a cast of 49 from Canada and 20 other countries.  Jugglers, Artistic Bicycle, Chinese Poles, and Adagio the unmatched acrobatics and colorful performances are presented like only Cirque du Soleil can. 

If you’ve never been to a Cirque du Soleil show, brace yourself for a spectacle you won’t soon forget.  Imagination invoking, emotion evoking, and sensory provoking is their mission, and with 25 years and 90 million spectators under their tent, their mission is being accomplished. 

For more information visit www.cirquedusoleil.com or call The Toyota Center at 1-866-446-8849.  Tickets range from $40 to $95 for adult and $#2 to $76 for children (12 years & under)
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Some of you aren’t in the know, so let me give you the skinny—Fat Tony is the truth!! Similar to an Italian Bambino, Tony murders each and every performance as if it were his last. Whether rockin’ a crowd of 5 or 500, he moves with the energy of a pill poppin’ raver, but spits with the lyrics of wizard.

Mango’s…Thursday night… 10:08pm…

Some indie garage band has just finished killin’ every follicle in my ears. As the crowd disperses, a seemingly harmless African-American guy in a sleeveless white tee and yellow nylon shorts, strolls to the elevated floor which you sophisticates may call a “stage”, armed with a Mac Book and of all things a box fan.
After some moments, adjustments, and signaling to a crew on the patio, this gentleman grips the microphone beckoning the audience to come closer to the stage, and the music begins.

Flanked by Smash Brother, another Underground H-Town spitter, the duo ran through fan favorites such as “Invaders” which tells the tale of the pair breaking into a house, “I Feel Nice” and the acid tripped creation “Much Accomplished.”

A capella, Tony’s interactions with the crowd, the sharing of personal and life experiences, and even “backing dat azz up” on an unsuspecting lady helped earn rapport, but over instrumentals his personal and life experiences had earned him a connection to the crowd—the crowd he now controlled.

He wraps up his set by paying homage to the iconic, Michael Jackson. The record plays, the mood slightly shifts, and strangers pair for a celebratory dance for the late King.

Sweat laden, and out of breath his shirt says it all, “Houston’s Hot.” Best Underground Artist in 2008, a nominee again this year, but I’m certain if he keeps performing as he does, he’ll be “underground” no more.

The Road to Essence Tour made its way to Houston fourth of July week.  The tour which headlined Jazmine Sullivan was at House of Blues-Houston and featured super-producer, Harvard grad Ryan Leslie. 

Leslie, whose debut album Ryan Leslie peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200 and 9 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, opened up the evening’s show with the authority of a veteran.  His presence was commanding and his energy was undeniable.  As he ran through songs like “Diamond Girl” the HOB crowd echoed his every word.  In an earlier radio interview, Leslie boasted about having recently picked up a bassist and alluded to a surprise he would showcase, and showcase he did.  After licking his Prince-esque shaped guitar, and fingering the chords on the keys which his fans have come to known him for, Ryan rounded out his set with a slow, melodical rendition of “Addiction,” clearing the way for the five-time Grammy Award Nominee Jazmine Sullivan.

Once on stage Jazmine bellowed an accapella version of her debut single  “Bust Your Windows” that left the walls shaking and me in awe of her powerful pipes.  In front a near capacity crowd, she asked the audience to help her sing her next song if they knew it.  When she said that it was “Lions, Tigers and Bears”

the audience roared with cheers.  As I peered around the room, I noticed that even the male attendees were reciting the lyrics, and as Jazmine quieted, the crowd filled in the blanks of the words she left empty.

After Jazmine’s  performance was over, Ryan Leslie joined her on stage for “Quicksand,”

one of the singles on Leslie’s album.

Next stop-New Orleans!! Not even the Mighty Mississippi can stop these powerful forces, great show, and great audience.

Special thanks go to the folks at Live Nation and the House of Blues staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police in Nashville are confirming that ex-NFL star Steve McNair’s 20-year-old girlfriend killed him before turning the gun on herself.

They say they may never know what was going through Sahel Kazemi’s mind when she shot McNair in his condominium, but they say it’s clear it was a murder-suicide.

Police earlier had labeled McNair’s death a homicide, but awaited further tests and investigation before saying for sure what happened.
They believe he was asleep on a sofa when Kazemi shot him in the head. She then apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him again in the head and then shooting herself.

McNair, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, was shot at a condo he rented with another man. The gun was found underneath Kazemi.

Police say the gun found at the scene where former NFL star Steve McNair died was bought by Kazemi less than two days before the two were shot to death.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said Monday that 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi bought the semiautomatic handgun Thursday evening from a person he didn’t name.

An autopsy showed that McNair and Kazemi died early Saturday. He was shot four times and his death has been ruled a homicide. She was shot once and Aaron said police are still waiting for ballistics and gunpowder-residue tests before deciding if she was slain or committed suicide.

Citing autopsy results, The Tennessean reported that three of McNair’s four gunshot wounds were fired from more than three feet away. One of the gunshots to his temple was fired at close range, the newspaper said.

The Tennessean also reported Kazemi’s gunshot wound was a contact shot, which means the gun was touching her head when it was fired.

“All the autopsy tells us is that her wound is potentially self inflicted,” state medical examiner Bruce Levy told the newspaper. “In these cases, the cause of death is obvious. The manner of death a little trickier. We like to have as many factors as possible before we make a determination.”

Aaron said Sunday that a semiautomatic pistol was found under Kazemi’s body. She was shot in the head. McNair was discovered in a seated position on a sofa in the living room, shot twice in the head and two more times in the chest.

Abdi said Kazemi believed McNair was divorcing his wife and Kazemi was preparing to sell her furniture to move in with him.

Investigators weren’t looking for a suspect but were questioning friends of the couple as well as Kazemi’s ex-boyfriend. They were also waiting for results of drug and other laboratory tests before deciding whether McNair was killed in a lovers’ quarrel.

Earlier this year, Kazemi and McNair took trips to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Key West, Fla., and Mississippi, said Abdi, the nephew. McNair had been seen at Kazemi’s Nashville apartment two to three times a week.

“They were together all the time unless he was taking his kids on vacation,” Abdi said.

Kazemi was born in Iran but left in 2000, fleeing religious persecution for her family’s Baha’i faith, Abdi said. They spent 2½ years in Turkey before moving to Florida. Later Kazemi dropped out of high school and, at age 17, moved with a boyfriend to Nashville, where she sometimes worked two or three jobs to support herself.

She liked not depending on anyone for money, and she told her nephew that McNair admired her independent nature.

“He liked her so much because they would go shopping and stuff and she would want to spend her own money,” Abdi said. “The reason he said he loves her is because she’s not trying to use him like other girls. She was different from other girls he had been with.”

A public memorial and viewings are scheduled later this week for McNair. The public will have a couple of opportunities to attend viewings in Nashville on Thursday and a memorial will be held later that evening at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

A second memorial service will be held Saturday at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss., on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. McNair, 36, was from Mount Olive, a small town nearby.

“This is hard. This is hard on everybody. This is not an easy thing. There will be a void. Again, I’ll fill that void with those memories. That’s what we have to do,” Titans Coach Jeff Fisher.

Information compiled from Associate Press reports

Ok music lovers, the time that we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived-after month’s of lackluster, sub-par discs being peddaled at your local entertainment retailers, finally, a release that we all can emphatically shelved out $13.99 for! 

On tomorrow, July 7th, 2009, urban soul, Mr. Melodic, Maxwell will be releasing his highly  HIGHLY anticipated album BLACKsummersnight.  Maxwell, who’s been somewhat as a musical recluse, has not dropped an album since 2001′s Now, which featured songs such as “Lifetime,”"For Lovers Only,” and the timeless “This Woman’s Work.”

With his untamed mane gone, Maxwell is back; resurrecting for his first major television performance at this year’s BET Awards late last month.  His first single ”Pretty Wings” landed at number 15 on Billboard’s Adult R&B chart, the highest in four years. 

The disc which is dubbed “a conversation with the audience” was so sparse because the singer said he needed to step back, and step away to live his life.

“I didn’t intentionally step away from all of it, but I just wanted to…live my life a little bit, and then be able to make music with that pure experience again.”

He is currently on tour, and although there is no tenative date for Houston, I am confident that he won’t let me, and his congregation down.

Steve McNair’s  20-year-old girlfriend bought a gun a couple of days before she was found dead alongside the slain former NFL quarterback, her relative said Monday.

Farzin Abdi said police told him about the gun purchase by his aunt Sahel Kazemi, who was raised with him like a sister. Kazemi and McNair were found dead on Saturday in a Nashville condominium leased by the former Titans star.

Abdi said police told him they are almost sure Kazemi was the shooter, but the 27-year-old nephew said he doesn’t believe she would do it. Abdi didn’t know what day of the week the gun was purchased or what type of gun it was.

“There was no way she was depressed and wanting to do this,” he said. “She was so happy. … She just had it made, you know, (with) this guy taking care of everything.”

Nashville police didn’t immediately have a response to Abdi’s comments.

Abdi said Kazemi believed McNair was divorcing his wife and she was preparing to sell her furniture to move in with him.

Nashville courts had no record of a McNair divorce case, but a 14,000-square-foot home he owned in Nashville is on the market for $3 million.

Mechelle McNair has been described as very distraught about her husband’s death and has not commented on it.

Before their deaths, the public knew nothing of Kazemi’s relationship with McNair, a star who had earned the respect of his fellow NFL players for shaking off defenders and injuries and the love of fans amazed at how the quarterback kept showing up for work—and winning.

His death, however, thrust a darker side of his private life into the spotlight.

Even McNair’s longtime agent said he didn’t know about the former quarterback’s relationship with Kazemi.

Hints of a problem with alcohol surfaced in May 2003 when a Nashville police officer pulled McNair over on suspicion of drunk driving. Police said the quarterback’s blood alcohol content was 0.18 percent—well over Tennessee’s legal limit. He also was charged with having a 9mm weapon with him, but all the charges were later dropped.

McNair was charged with drunken driving in 2007 because he let his brother-in-law drive his pickup truck. Those charges were later dropped when the DUI charge against the brother-in-law was reduced to reckless driving.

Associated Press writers Travis Loller, Lucas L. Johnson II and Joe Edwards contributed to this story. Photo courtesy of TMZ.com

What is the goings on in the world, when someone…no, no, some PEOPLE have the audacity to sell Michael Jackson Memorial tickets for $100,000,000?! Now people, I am all about the grind, I am all about the hustle, but to take advantage, and try and reap a profit on such a tragic blow to our culture, is where I draw the line.

As news of Michael Jackson’s death swirled throughout the media on June 26, thousands millions surfed the internet, and turned on their TVs and radios to confirm if the news was true.

In wake of his death, money grubbing parasites have surfaced their little heads, posting tickets for exorbitant amounts of money all over the internet on sites such as Craigslist and eBay .

Got Tickets?

Once the highest bidder has their tickets, they then have to go on a scavenger hunt to get into the arena.

Ticket winners received a special code and instructions to pick up their tickets at Dodger Stadium on Monday, today.

When they get their tickets, they will receive a wristband necessary to enter the venue, but if they become ripped, taped or tampered, they are no longer valid.

The tickets will admit 11,000 people to the Staples Center and 6,500 to the Nokia Theater next door.

All streets surrounding the stadium will be closed!

If you want to watch the service and could not score a ticket, it will be broadcast on five television networks: NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E!.