Florida A and M University - Rattler Yearbook (Tallahassee, FL)

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THE YEAR IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC 3i WW?WfWff'f.?'5Lff'l' W-WW' rpm f' ,qw , ,W f 5, 1, M , U. , .. W MM. , ,.,,i,., ,. . . www QW fi W , . ,. NM fic, ,. ,,,W,f,,ft4.,tw..i 7,,,,,,.,y1, .ify.,iq,,f ,.ff:.,w,, ffiifwwwff t ff'f www: Mffymz .wma ,W 'Lyi5g.'1-'g 5 'Nfg.c.::eMjww.erye:..v555,Eigggggmes:..11:.wW??f,eiww,,s,,Mmm,ULNN.NmmL,,.M.amy,w,wmm.....,,,,,,,LMW,..N,m,, .,c,,,,, ,,N,s..,- . . .., .. ,.. ,W .. ,, , .W ,., W.. M, . ,MW M . , , . , . ,, . , , Wmasuwe 1. Prince Prince, the unquestionable monarch of erotic music is one ofthe biggest musical accomplishments of the year. His new wave rock album, 1999 takes an altered approach to listening. The title track takes a live for today message. Tunes include Let's get delirious , Automatic, and International Lover. Two of the album's most controversial cuts are Little Red Corvett and Lady Cab Driver. Both have one evasive surface meanings, but sex is the undertone. Much of Prince's finacial success is due to capture both R Bt B and rock audiences. Most significant is the fact that Prince has few pockets to fill other that his own. He continues to produce, arrange, compose and perform all of his music. In addition to his own acclaim two of Prince's prodisy groups The Time and Vanity 6 are doing trumendously well. gnidlliif- ' ? Cold Blooded Rick Some say he nasty rude and coarse. Local civic groups say he has a negative influence on today's youth, but Rick James could care less because he's doing his own thing and enjoying every minute and every dollar of it! Rick James puts on no fronts. His music is about his life street life. Like his prior releases, Throwdown, which featured Dance With Me, and Standing On The Top, ' ffeaturing the return of the Temptations on background vocalsj and Street Songs which featured Getto Life and Pass The Joint his music is symbolic of the street . . . Coldblooded and the title of his current lp. Coldblooded is a countinuation of Slick Rick's musical point of view. The title cut is a celebration of the old boy meets girl, girl plays hard to get routine, getto style. The aIbum's top ballad is Ebony Eyes and features a duo with Rick and Smokey Robinson. This year Rick has also introduced his answer to Prince's Vanity 6, The Mary Jane Girls. They're Candi, Cheri, JoJo and Maxi four sexy ladies with a great sound. Their hits include: All Night Long , Boys, and Candyman . ... U V 1 5- L I il .s-s...LiI., Truly Lionel Truly Lionel 1983 has been a year of transitions, modifications and branching out for many artists. Commodore lead singer, Lionel Richie has taken a break from his career pals and tried his hand at going solo. One thing that hasn't changed is his style music and its effect on women! When Richie sings his lyrics take on special meaning to all femine ears with respect for a love song. His latest effort, Truly is loaded with mellow tunes that hang tough with the leading pop tunes on the charts. Do it Roger Do it. Roger Troutman is also making it out on his own. Former lead singer of the group Zapp , Roger is making remarkable waves with tunes like Dolt Roger Do lt, and Do Wa Diddy . Zapp is not exactly suffering over the lost of Roger. They are continuing to make upward bounds with hits like I Can Make You Dance.

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BIO: AL L WSON FAMU UPSTART GOES FROM LOCAL INSURANCEMAN TO STATE LAWMAKER ini- 2- 2- :-: ga gag: -2 -:-:- - .2 -2 55-:5 :iz :1 -5- 221 5' if-22225 -5 5--2--5-'E212'5 2'.-, Er! 2512: .2 ..- .. : 2'I2E IE:-:I ::: T ia' 5:b:5r1- - :2f:2:.s. M .... F ' T :5:5i.:. -5:- ., M-M e vm:-mms -.s.:.::.E...:tE.E,gf.- -W ke: :-jg... aim?-4 - QExzi5 QW-: - -: :5 5E ES3? Anyone who thinks a person from a small town has to remain a small town person did not know Al Lawson, Jr.. Law- son, a native of Midway, Florida fits this description as well as a lot of added at- tractions. He attended Florida A 81 M University and graduated with a Political Science Degree. Throughout his college years he continued to strive for a career in Politi- cal Science and professional basketball, he said. After college he landed a coach- ing job at Florida State University at which he stayed for five years and opened a private insurance business that has been very successful for him. He is also a family man. His wife, De- lores, is on the FAMU School of Nursing staff. He also has a 12 year old son, Alfred Lawson lll and a daughter Shani age six. Politics has always been in his mind, Lawson said his plans were to try his hand at a city level position and then venture out into the state legislature. He said his plans were interrupted by the rezoning of the city's districts so he de- cided to wait for another opportunity, it finally came and now Al Lawson, Jr. is one of 10 blacks in Florida's House of Representatives. This is not an easy job because of the people's livelyhood. lt is a rewarding ex- perience to some, yet it is hard because you have to deal with the poor people being left out on major breaks. Lawson said. Like all jobs, being in the House of Re- presentatives has its good and bad points. Lawson said, A feeling of work- ing with the people is the most satisfy- ing in his job. Knowing that many peo- ple try to manipulate the system is the most dissatisfying of the job. His major goal while maintaining his po- sition inthe state legislature is to stimu- late economic development to form jobs, he said. He is trying to do just that because he serves on the Tourism, Judi- ciary, Economic Development and High- er Education committees. He is also working on the Cable Television, Regis- tration by Mail and the Alcohol Educa- tion Bills. Like many of his counterparts, the house member is a very well known citi- zen and has served on many of the city's major committees. His record includes being the past chairman of the board and president of the Tallahassee Urban League, past president and chairman, FAMU Boosters, directer and advisor, the United Way Council, vice president, for the Lincoln Neighborhood Center, past board member, FSUEEO Advisory Council, past chairman, FSU Graduate and State Public Administration. He is also a Little League baseball coach. In the insurance business he has won many of the most prestigious awards given. He is affliated with the Northwes- tern Mutual Life Insurance Company. They are a disability and retirement pen- sion corporation. Throughout his career he has won Agent of the Year in 1979 for the best sales in the state of Florida, the Mike Gish Award which is given to the lst and 2nd year outstanding agent, the Bronze Gold and Silver award in sales and the Million Dollar Round Table Award which is given to the most presti- gious insurance salesman. How does he feel about his accomplish- ments? He said, When you get in- volved, the people want you. And get- ting involved is what he did! But it's not stopping there for Lawson. He plans to get a Master's Degree in insurance fi- nance and within five years he plans to produce S10 milliona year in insurance and finally get his own office building. Al Lawson is what many blacks in Talla- hassee considers as their hope, said one source. He continued, This out- standing, young black businessman has not only made another seat in the Flor- ida House of Representatives a little more colorful, he has also inspired hope for Tallahassee's black achievement. Venom '83

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Luther Vandross Success didn't come over night for Luther Vandross. It took many years of ups and downs to reach Luther's pinnacle of success. Now he is considered one of the leaders in contemporary music. In 1981 after a successful stay as lead singer for the group Change, Luther made his debut as a one man show with the release of his first effort, entitled t'Luther His current Ip, Forever, For Always, For Love establishes Vandros as one of the most creative performer of a ballad today. Some of lp's hottest cuts include, Bad Boy fHaving a Partyj, which is a combonation of Luther's own creativity with that of the late Sam Cooke, and She Loves Me back. In addition to producing his own albums, Luther Atomic George ATOMIC GEORGE He's bold, daring and the king of funk, George Clinton started his P-Funk crusade in the 70's with the landing of The Mothership Connection, starting a new wave of music through musical characterizations such as Dr. Funkensteinand Rumpelsteelskin. Currently on tour with the P-Funk All-Stars, George is promoting his new album Computer Games . His smash hit 'Atomic Dog is smoking the charts with such lyrics as Why must I feel like that Why must I chase the cat? ... Nothing but the dog in me. Cheryl Lynn has produced an excellent album for the spirited vocalist and entertainer, Cheryl Lynn. Her new release Instant Love is an instant success. In the title cut Cheryl vibrates on this uptempo tune with crystal clear vocalization. The two come together to do an excellent ballad entitled lf This World were Mine. This song is the hottest cut on the entire album. In addition to producing Cheryl Lynn, Luther is also credited with bringing the spotlight back on the Queen of Soul , Aretha Franklin. He also plans to produce Dione Warwick's upcoming album. Eg. i 3 , , we V. .gf ali Peabo: Born To Love BORN TO LOVE Peabo Bryson's 1982 Don't Play With Fire, was recieved with moderate success. However his 1983 combo with Roberta Flack entitled Born TO Love, brings together two brilliant vocal styles that have made their albums hit bound. The songs have all the classic characteristics of the power and depth that the two artists are famous for. Although both Flack and Bryson's ability can stand alone, together they prove that two marvelous voices are better than one. The album is loaded with ballads and dance tunes. The Album's title cut and Tonight CWe celebrate our lovej and Born to Love are the current smashes but others aren't far behind. i X gi-ri Amazing Grace: A One Man Show AMAZING GRACE: A ONE MAN SHOW Sexy diva singer Grace Jones is amazing. This former european model and Oxford University graduate, has gone back to her Jamaican roots with her latest album entitled Living My Life. As always Grace continues to be a trend setter and occupies her own space in contemporary music. The album is packed with tunes double dipped in raggae Funk. The track My Jamaican Guy, takes you on a journey to an island shore on a hot blazing day. An infallible beat makes it a ' terrific dance tune. The aIbum's hottest release, Nipple to The Bottle , is a chip off the old Pull up to the Bumper block in which the lyrics take on a take it any way you want to meaning. One of the album's best but often over looked in terms of air play is Unlimited Capacity for Love, like the other uptempo selections, it carries a heavy beat. Equally as exotic is Cry Now Laugh Later. Unafraid of being herself Grace is comfortable just being her own outrageous self. She's indeed living her life. Photo credits: Grace Jones, Cheryl Lynn, Luther Vandross, Peabo Bryson, Lionel Richie, Charles Moore. Rick James, Keith Brown. Prince, Brotus QAIpha Phi Alhaj. George Clintong Right On Magazine.