Pasc 82__________________________________________
(Chi' Jîortlanù (Dbseruer
September 17.2003
Focus
‘Sir M ix-A -L ot’ ends 7-Year Hiatis
“Sir Mix-A-Lot " Anthony Ray works on his new album in his
studio in Auburn, Wash. (AP photo)
Grammy winning
rapper releases
new album
(A P )— The man w ho introduced
big butts to pop culture is back.
Sir M ix-A -L ot, w ho earned a
Grammy for 1992’s"Baby Got Back”
and then all but disap p eared , re­
turned T uesday with a new album ,
"D ad d y ’s H om e.”
The 39-year-old S eattle-b o rn
rapper left the recording industry in
1997 shortly after the killings o f
Tupac Shakur and N otorious B.I.G.
"I w alked aw ay pretty disgusted
w ith the g am e," said M ix-A -Lot,
w hose real nam e is A nthony Ray.
"It w asn ’t about m usic anym ore.
E veryone w as talking about the
sam e thing, sh ooting guns and
b ein g hard. T he creativ ity w as
g o n e.”
R ath er than b ecom e an o th er
g angsta copycat, M ix-A -L ot sim ­
ply stopped m aking records. He
produced som e artists and hooked
up w ith a rock band. The Presidents
o f the U nited States o f A m erica, in
a rap-rock collaboration called Sub­
set. T he group recorded 13 tracks,
but never released any o f them.
“T hey w ere burned out with the
business ju st like 1 w as," M ix-A-
Lot said. “ W e m ade som e songs
and w ent on tour. It w as cool be­
cause it w asn ’t about putting out a
record, it w as ju st about the music.”
B eing out o f the spotlight did n 't
bother M ix-A -Lot, but the itch to
m ake records returned years later
after hearingcreati vity coming back,
in particular the sounds ofth e Black
Eyed Peas, Ludacris and Missy
I lliol.
“ I didn't miss the industry, I missed
the actual music,” Mix-A-Lot said. "I
missed working in the studio. I was
still producing songs. But 1 missed
doing a record, putting it out and
seeing what it’s going to do.”
M ix-A -L ot is often branded a
one-hit-w onder because he never
recaptured the success o f "Baby
G ot Back," w hich received the 1992
(iram m y A w ard for Best Rap Solo
Perform ance and has becom e a
perm anent fixture in pop culture,
having been featured in the movie
“C h arlie’s A ngels" and the hit tele­
vision series "F riends.”
On “ D addy’s H om e,” his sixth
album , M ix-A -L ot set out to show
critics and o th er rappers that his
skills have im proved during his
absence.
“ I upgraded m y lyrical style big
tim e,” M ix-A -L ot said. "I got the
chance to show I can flow, bounce,
and ride w ith anybody.”
James Brown Returns to Famed Apollo
(A P)
Jam es Brown will return
The concerts will be held at the
to H arlem in N ovem ber to celebrate A pollo on Nov. 20 and 21. Special
o n e o f his greatest perform ances. guest stars will be announced at
The 70-year-old G odfather o f th e p ress e v en t, Dan F o rm an ,
Soul w ill hold a press conference B ro w n 's publicist, told The A sso­
on T hursday, Sept. 18 in M anhat­ ciated Press on T hursday.
Afterw ard, Brown will givea free
tan to announce tw o concerts m ark­
ing the 40th anniversary ofhis “Live concert, Form an said.
at th e A p o llo ” a lb u m , w h ich
B ro w n ’s "L ive at the A pollo”
chronicled his landm ark perfor­ album , released in 1963, contains
m ance at the fam ed Apollo Theatre. classics such as “ Please Please
Please” and “N ight T rain.”
James Brown
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‘Three’s Company’ star John Ritter Dies
( A P)— John Ritter, a master ofsitcom
silliness w ho ruled TV com edy with
"T h ree’s C om pany" died o f an unde­
tected heart problem . He w as 54.
Ritter becam e ill T hursday and un­
derw ent surgery at Providence St. Jo­
seph M edical C enter in B urbank for a
tear in his aorta, a rare m edical condi­
tion that can hit w ithout w arning.
He died shortly after 10 p.m. T hurs­
day, publicist Lisa K asteler said. He
w as accom panied by producers, co­
w orkers, his w ife and his 23-year-old
son, Jason, said Susan W ilcox, his assis­
tant o f 22 years.
The son o f Tex Ritter, a W estern film
star and country musician, Ritter was an
effortless funnyman who - given the chance
- could handle dram a as well. Friends re­
called him as loving and buoyant.
“ It’s like there is a big tear in the
w o rld ’s heart," actor H enry W inklertold
“ E ntertainm ent T onight” on Friday. "H e
w as extraordinary in every aspect o fh is
life, especially as a father. His children
w ere there at every m om ent o fh is life."
John Ritter
Epic and In tim a te
Novel tells a familiar
familial tale
T h e b u z z s u rro u n d in g A p ril
R eynolds' first novel, "K nee-D eep
in W onder” is alm ost as thick as her
plotline.
R eynolds w as aw arded the Zora
N eale IIu rs to n /R ic h a rd W rig h t
F o u n d atio n a w ard fo r w o rk -in ­
progress and O prah W infrey's book
club inquired about the book before
she had finished it.
The novel depicts three genera­
tions o f black w om en in the deep
South, offering an unforgettable
portrait o fth e South and its history
and an unflinching exploration o f
fam ily, m em ory, and longing.
W hile literarily am bitious and
m ature, R eynolds’ story is deeply
personal. The story draw s deeply
from R eynolds' father’s background
and search for his past after defying
d o cto rs’ expectations follow ing a
stroke.
Take a Trip
Wally Tesfa
The level o f
commitment is up
to you.
Volunteers are
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answer phones
O ctober 23—28
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Advertise w ith d iv e liity in
Music legend Johnny Cash is shown in this scene from his video “Hurt. “ Also known as the
Man in Black,' Cash s unsteady voice carried a burden of mourning and defiance that struck a
nerve with young listeners raised on rap, punk and hard rock. Cash, 71, died Friday of respira­
tory failure caused by complications from diabetes.
Multi-Million
$ Service
Prudential
Northwnt
Take a trip through tim e to find the
hottest poetry, hip hop and soul influ­
encing Portland W ednesdays at the Ohm . $7
cover. 3 1 NW I st Ave.
Kennedy School Coltrane Bash
M cM enam ins K ennedy School throw s its fifth annual
birthday bash and m usical tribute to revolutionary
jazzm an John C oltrane from local m usician Bryan
D ickerson and friends. The birthday celebration is at 7
p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18.5736 NE 33rd Ave. For more
information,call 503-249-3983.
cases. For m ore inform ation, call
503-282-8846.
Wild Party
Excite y o u rch ild with a birthday party in the w oods,
m eadow or near a pond, hosted by Portland Parks and
Rees staff. T hem es include forest fairies, Indian
legends, L ew is and C lark exploration, anim al track­
ing, cam ouflage critters and “w h at’s in a w aterdrop.”
Parties begin at $ 100 for 10 ch i Idren, inc I udi ng gam es,
activities and favors. For m ore inform ation, call 503-
823-3601.
Fairy Forest
Heading Out
Northwest Properties
1730 NE IOth Ave.
Portland, OR 97212
CELL 503 267-7586
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wtesfato pru-nw.com
pru-nw.com
G et a quick glim pse o f fairy I ife, build fairy houses and
sing and dance to fairy songs at a Fairies in the Forest
party at the Hoyt Arboretum from I to3:30p.m . Sunday,
Oct. 5. C o st is SIO per child, free for parents. For
registration, call 503-823-3601.
Bookies Sports Bar and Lounge offers entertainm ent
T hursdays through Saturdays in O ctober. M utha
Funk Jam plays T hursdays, DJ "T L uv’ jam s on
Friday, Oct. 3, Black N otes perform s S aturday, O ct.
4 and O cean 503 perform s Friday and Saturday, Oct.
10 and 11.
t ü An Independently owned and
Trees Have Friends
operated member of The Prudential
Real Estate Affiliates. Inc.
PIZZA
AGO GO
We Deliver!
F rien d so fT reeshostsaC om m uniT reefestival from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m . O ct. 5 at 3117 NE MLK Blvd. The
celebration includes fun tips for identifying trees, a
naturescape garden tour, paperm aking and other show-
A Living Classic
The W est End Players perform H arper L ee's "T o Kill
a M ockingbird" w eekends from Oct. 19 through Nov.
2 at the W est End Theater, 1220 S W T ay lor St. Tickets
areS 10. F orm ore inform ation, call 503-288-7465.
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