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Focus
C andlelight V igil Rapper Finds Home Front Inspiration
H eld for V andross
Hit song based
*
Singer Aretha
Franklin performs
during a prayer and
candelight service
for friend and
singer Luther
Vandross, shown
in photo behind
Franklin, at Little
Rock Missionary
Baptist Church in
Detroit. Vandross
has been uncon­
scious since
suffering a stroke
in April. (AP Photo)
!
! Atlanta Rapper
Hitman Sammy
Sam.
on own
experience
raising children
®
—
HITMAN SAMMY SAM
People can relate to it. I don’t make the
kind o f music I want to hear. I make the kind
o f music the world wants to hear.
k
- Rapper Hitman Sammy Sam, on his hit single Step Daddy
CANNON'S
RIB EXPRESS
(FORMERLYCHUCK HINTON'S)
(AP) — Atlanta rapper Hitman
Sammy Sam says he found the in­
spiration for his comical hit, “Step
Daddy,” in his own house.
The song - in which a stepfather’s
authority is challenged by back-
talking kids - came to him one night
as his own children were getting
ready to take their baths and go to
bed.
“I heard them singing "The Itsy-
Bitsy Spider," and 1 said, 'I got to
make that into a song,’ ", he said.
The quirky hit, which uses the
nursery rhyme in the lyrics and
samples Frankie Sm ith’s “Double
Dutch Bus,” is nearing the national
top 20 on the rap and R&B airplay
S.C. Pardons James Brown for Crimes
Drug and assault
charges will be dropped
against the soul legend
gia. The chase ended when police shot out the
tires o f his truck.
Brown received a six-year prison sen­
tence after he w as convicted on charges o f
assault, failure to stop for a law enforcem ent
officer, resisting arrest, carrying a pistol and
drug possession. He spent 15 m onths in a
prison near Colum bia, S.C., and 10 m onths in
Catering & Take-Out
CATERING
(AP) — James Brown had plenty o f reason
to
feel
good last week as South Carolina offi­
O ur S pecialty :
cials pardoned the soul legend for his past
R eai H ickory S moked B ar -B-Q
crimes in that state.
Brown, who served a two-and-a-half-year
• Sandwiches • Salads
prison term after a 1988 arrest on drug and
• Chicken • Pork Ribs
assualt charges, and was convicted o f a drug-
• Beef Ribs
related offense in 1998, was granted a pardon
by the state Department o f Probation, Parole
and Pardon Services.
Brown, who appeared before the board,
HOURS:
sang “God Bless America" after the decision,
Mon.-Thurs. 1 lam-9pm
said his publicist, Dan Forman.
Fri.-Sat. I lam-10pm
“God bless America on this beautiful day. I
Sun. 1 lam-8pm
hope my pardon shows the youth that America
is a beautiful country,” the 70-year-old singer
EVENTS LARGE AND SMALL
said in a statement. “1 feel good!”
Brown had friends, family and state lawmak­
FRIDAY
ers speak on his behalf.
&
Brown, famous for countless hits, including
SATURDAY
“I Feel Good," “Sex M achine” and “Living in
America,” unsuccessfully tried to get a pardon
for his crimes in 2001. Last w eek’s pardon
ew ocation
means he is fully forgiven from all the legal
consequences o f his crime and his conviction.
33 rd
State Rep. Ken Kennedy, who spoke on
B ro w n ’s b ehalf,
said the pardon will
allow the singer to
share his experi­
en c e s an d help
"Helping you pursue your health and fitness goals"
others.
“I’ve been a fan
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—S.C. State Rep. Ken Kennedy, who
spoke on James Brown's behalf
Entertainer James Brown was pardoned
last week for his past crimes in South
Carolina. State Rep. Ken Kennedy, who
spoke on Brown's behalf, said the pardon
will allow the singer to share his experi­
ences and help others.
o f James Brown all my life. I ’ve listened to his
music all my life,” Kennedy said. “I think this is
something that he deserves. He has been one
o f our great entertainers in this country. H e’s
done so much for the country and for me as a
young person growing up here.”
In September 1988, Brown, high on PCP and
carrying a shotgun, entered an insurance semi­
nar next to his Augusta, Ga., office and asked
seminar participants if they were using his
private restroom, according to authorities.
Police chased Brown for a half-hour from
Augusta into South Carolina and back to Geor­
(AP) - The rapperC'amoflauge.
whose homespun albums made
him a celebrity in Savannah, Ga.
while flirting with greater fame,
was fatally shot while walking
with his toddler son outside his
recording studio.
T he 21-year-old rapper,
whose real name was Jason
Johnson, died last week at a
local hospital after he was shot
503-5/3-9 7/5
n s
I think this is
something that he
deserves. He s done so
much fo r the country.
a w ork-release program in A iken before be­
ing paroled on Feb. 2 7 ,1 9 9 1 .
In 1998, police found marijuana and guns at
Brow n's home when sheriff's deputies took
him into custody on a probate ju d g e’s order as
a “mental transport.”
Brown spent a week in a private C olum bia
hospital, recovering from w hat his agent
said was d ependency on p ain k illers the
sin g er took after hurting his back during a
show .
He was convicted o f use o f a weapon while
under the influence, but completed a 90-day
drug program, O ’Boyle said.
To receive a pardon in South Carolina, a
person must apply to the Pardon and Parole
department. The board hears about 200 or 300
pardon cases annually and about 60 percent to
65 percent o f those pardons are granted,
O ’Boyle said.
Rapper Camoflauge Fatally Shot
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charts and crossing over to top 40.
The raspy-voiced rapper en ­
gages a chorus o f chi ldren in a call-
and-response over a gal loping bass
line. His character has plans for a
quiet night watching the game, but
the kids’ mother is not home, and
they have other ideas. “You ain ’t
my dad Shut up! Tm acallya’ mama.
Y o u ju stam an ‘cause you ain ’t my
dad.”
The comedic video for “Step
Daddy” features belt-wielding ac­
tor John W itherspoon ( Ice C ube’s
dad from the “Friday” movie series)
trying to get a handle on the m isbe­
having youngsters.
W hile this is H itm an’s first m a­
jor-label release, h e’s put out seven
independent albums over the past
decade. H e’s confident that this hit
is only the beginning.
“ I ain’t no one-hitterquitter,” he
said. “I don’t make the kind o f mu­
sic 1 want to hear. 1 m aketh ek in d o f
music the world wants to hear.”
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4
outside Pure Pain Records in
The rapper
midtown Savannah.
Camoflauge,
His son was not hurt. Police whose real name
had made no arrests Tuesday.
was Jason
Acting Police C hief Willie
Johnson, died
Lovett formed a task force to
last week after
investigate whether Johnson's
he was shot
death was related to recent vio­
outside his
lence including two other kill­
recording studio
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might be involved.
r s i r r iA is u ts r
The Art of Streat
almost I
40^B |
d ill
Out o f viewing for
;a t’s art
art^ W
years, Thelma Johnson Streat’s
displays once more at the Portland Art
Museum. Johnson, an African American artist who
grew up in the Northwest focuses her art on the w orld's
multiple cultures. The exhibit takes place at the Port­
land Art Museum. 1219 S. W. Park. For more informa­
tion, call 503-226-281 I
Woman Tree Art Gallery Opening
Focusing on community artists, the Woman Tree Art
Gallery on Alberta Street will host a different woman
artist each month. The first artist, Soonae Kim, studied
for months the people o f Vietnam, Laos, Nepal and
India for inspiration o f her many talents: fashion de­
sign, ceramics, printmaking, wood sculpting, drawing
and painting. Gallery hours run 11 a.m. through 5 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays. Formore information, call 503-
335-5800 or online at ww’W, womantree.org.
Carl Smith and The Natural Gas Co.
C'ar 1 Smith and The Natural GasCo. will perform funk, at
O'Connors Restaurant with a view for fireworks during
the evening. The show on Friday, May 30 begins 7 p.m.
at the Yamhill Marketplace in downtown PDX.
Def Jam Vendetta Tour,
May 30
Capone and N.O.R.E with guests Joe
Budden and Cadillac Tah lead a night o f rap
with East Coast influence Friday, May 30, 9 p.m.
Tickets on sale Saturday, April 26 at 9 a m. Advanced
ticket purchases through TicketsW est locations are
$20. Tickets purchased at the door are $25 both prices
applicable to service charge. Pay by phone 503-224-
8499,800-992-8499or online at h h h .ticketswest.com.
“Shift" Benefit-film Festival, May 30
A night o f bicycle themed film shorts takes place
Friday, May 30from 8 p.m. through 10p.m. La Palabra
Café Press hosts the event, 4810 N.E. Garfield. Ad­
mission based on a sliding-scale donation with a
minimum $3 to$ 10. Formore information, call 503-542-
Communlty Music Center Concert and
Reception, May 31
CMC faculty performs a concert to benefit the
music center. After the concert a reception at the
Komgold home unfolds. Saturday, May 31 the
concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and the reception will
follow the concert. Ticket prices vary.