tk iv t %' /.4 rt' 4 4 1 1 L.A. & ABU Facing La Label Success 11 plume XV No. 45 December 7, 1990 $5.00 Newspaper ,YOU WANTED IT SMOOTHED OUT OX THE TIP "WHEN WILL SEE YOU SMILE AGAIN" THE FIRST BALLAD AND FOURTH HIT SINGLE FROM THE MULTI-PLATINUM ALBUM POISON Produced By Ti m my Gatiing and Alton " Wookie " Ste wart • Executil;le Produced By Lcaoil Silas, Jr. and Miria m nicks .PACA „,1;;4 ONTENTS Publisher SIDINFY Milt ER Assistant Publisher SUSAN MILLER DECEMBER 7. 1990 VOLUME XV. NUMBER 45 Editor-in-Chief RUTH ADKINS ROBINSON Managing Editor JOSEPH ROLAND REYNOLDS VP/Midwest Editor JERO ME SIM MONS Art Department FEATURES LANCE VANTILE WHITFIELD art director COVER STORY—L A & Babyface 24 MARTIN BLACK WELL INTRO —Queen Mother Rage/Adeva 11 typography/computers PROFILE—D-Nice 28 International Dept. DOTUN ADEBAYO. Great Britain STAR TALK—Sybil 38 JONATHAN KING. Japan SECTIONS NORMAN RICH MOND. Canada PUBLISHER'S 5 Columnists NEWS 6 Rap/Roots/Reggae. On Stage LARRIANN FLORES MUSIC REVIEWS 18 What Ever Happened To JAZZ NOTES 16 SPIDER HARRISON Ivory's Notes STEVEN IVORY MUSIC REPORT 22 In Other Media ALAN LEIGH RADIO NEWS 39 Gosp-I TIM SMITH GRAPEVINE/STAR VIEW 46 Record Reviews CHARTS & RESEARCH LARRIANN FLORES 16 TERRY MUGGLETON JAZZ CHART RACHEL WILLIAMS ALBUMS CHART 19 Staff Writers SINGLES CHART 20 CORNELIUS GRANT NEW RELEASE CHART 27 LYNETTE JONES RADIO tiEPORT 31 RACHEL WILLIAMS Production THE NATIONAL ADDS 33 RUSSELL CARTER PROGRAM MER'S POLL 43 ANGELA JOHNSON COLUMNS RAY MYRIE BRITISH INVASION 9 Administration INGRID BAILEY. Circulation Dir IVORY'S NOTES 10 ED STANSBURY. Marketing Dir FAR EAST PERSPECTIVE 12 ROXANNE POWELL. office mgr CANADIAN REPORT 13 FELIX WHYTE. traffic GOSPEL 14 Printing PRINTING SERVICES. INC RAP, ROOTS & REGGAE 29 BLACK RADIO EXCLUSIVE 6353 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028 (213) 469-7262 Fax 1213) 469-4121 BLACK RADIO EXCLUSIVE USPS 363-210 ISSN 0745-5992 is published by Black Radio Exclusive 6353 Hollywood Blvd . Hollywood. CA 90028-6363 (213) 469-7262 FAX# 213-469-4121 MODEM# 213-469-9172 BRE NEWSSTANDS—New York Penn Book Store. (212) 564-6033, Midwest Ingram Periodicals. Los Angeles World Book & News. Robertson News & Bookstore. Las Palmas Newsstand, Japan Tower Records SUBSCRIPTION RATES 3 Mos -$90. 6 Mos -$120. 9 Mos -5150. 1 Yr -$175. 1st Class-5250. Overseas-5250 Call (213) 469-7262 to subscribe POSTMASTER Please send address changes to Black Radio Exclusive, 6353 Hollywood BI . Hollywood. CA 90028-6363 Second Class postage paid at Los Angeles, CA Newsstand price $5 00 Back issues available at $2 50 BRE is not responsible for any unsolicited material Black Radio Exclusive is published weekly except one week in June. one week at Thanksgiving, one week at Christmas. and two weeks at New Years Cover and contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission 01) Copyright 1990 PLAYBOY'S HIST MerirtZZ. • • • and a whole lot more. The big January issue of Playboy, on sale Blues will savor anc want to save for now, continues PLAYBOY'S HISTORY Of pasterity. JAZZ AND ROCK. In "Ho: Jazz From Also this month Playboy's annual "College Storyville," you and your listeners will learn Basketball Preview,' including conference more about the roots of American Music, Dicks and All-America Team. Not to men- as it makes its way up from New OrlEans in tion our ar nual Centerfold recap: "Playboy's the early 1900s, migrating to Playmate Review," and a both coasts, Chicago and whole lot more. Europe. This is definitely a We think it's an issue you and PLEnr11Wine MEN? WI BOY series true lovers of Jazz aid El %III Ilf your listeners will enjoy. erwet .1 al \RIM 1.1 MN , , • % S ee LEI IM ODA INTE111. TIE CI WV/ MU in, lilt IF 11.‘ RI IOW I 'Dail JANUARY ID YI %UM % %11100D PLUM ITE PLAYBOY RITILI Elil -4à D11 N. /*NE: •1101 11(10 ON SALE NO W Hit eLi OUR HI IR 01 /111111) I PI 11111 FIE! 1111 I M U NI SCAIILKI Tif 1151051 Of Imbrium. PUR R le ISO 1101 ©1990 Playboy 'to UBLISTIER'S W H O CO N T R OL S TH E M U SI C ? t seems like fate that right after I heard the news about Matsushita buying MCA, I was going through my briefcase and found a report outlining Japanese racism. Here are a few points: On Sept. 21, less than two months ago, the Justice Minister of Japan, Seiroka Kajiyama, upon observing police and immigration agents arresting foreign women on prostitution charges in a red-light district of Tokyo, said: "It's like in America when neighborhoods become mixed because Blacks move in, and whites are forced out, prostitutes ruin the atmosphere in the same way." Two years ago, Michio Watanabe, the policy chief for the governing Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, remarked that American blacks had few qualms about going bankrupt, implying that black Americans walk away from their debts. Three years ago Japanese merchants were extensively and justifiably criticized for marketing a variety of products using stereotypical portrayals of black Americans in a highly offensive manner. Four years ago, Japan's Prime Minister suggested that America was intellectually inferior to Japan "because of a considerable number of Blacks, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans." Now both CBS and MCA are owned by the Japanese and what does that mean to us? We cannot say and without indulging in racism of our own, let us be content to say we must keep a vigilant eye for any attempts to control the content or the flow of black music. The enormous power of black music could be intimidating to some; there are those who would strip control if they could. Let us be wary of those who consider us intellectually inferior, portray us in unflattering ways or think we ruin neighborhoods. Let us make sure we control our music. El or-t / t-£Étt, C O NFE RE NCE '91 New Orleans Sheraton Hotel - April 3rd thru the 7th For details, phone: (213) 469-7320 FRONTPAGE NEWS Matsushita Buys MCA $6.6 Billion By Ruth A. Robinson Closing four months of company by Japanese The announcement was percent of that revenue and hard negotiations, Matsu- interests and pushes the tally made at 9:15 a.m. Nov. 26, the black music division shita has agreed to pay nearly to a staggering number of to both the American and accounted for a hefty per- $6.6 billion for MCA Inc., the entertainment firms owned Japanese press at the same centage of the 23 percent. company founded in 1924 as by foreign interests. time, via a video press Impressive sales were racked a booking agency for jazz MCA is now the fourth of conference. up by Bobby Brown's half- bands. the nation's seven major The offer translates to $66 dozen gold and/or platinum Among the units of MCA studios to become foreign per share in cash for MCA singles from his multi- Inc. are Universal Pictures, owned. It adds MCA stock, with an additional platinum LP Don't Be Cruel; Universal Studios Tours in Records to those under amount from the newly gold and/or platinum from Hollywood and in Florida, foreign ownership/control, created spinoff company that Guy, Sheena Easton, Heavy the MCA Music Group, including CBS (Japanese); will own MCA's New York- D. & the Boyz, the MCA Publishing, plus BMG (Germany) owns RCA area TV station. "Ghostbusters II" sound- interests in cable television and Arista, and PolyGram MCA earned $192 million track, Stephanie Mills and and movie theaters. (Germany) owns Island, last year, on revenues of $3.4 Jody Watley. D The deal is the largest A& M, Polydor and billion. The MCA Music takeover of an American Mercury. Group accounted for 23 A&M Completes Restructuring Of Black Division Concluding the restructur- Karen Fisk, David Avery and ing that took place over the Frank Chapin have filled the last few months at A&M remaining positions. Records, Don Eason, vice Debow, who was appoint- president, R&B promotion ed national director, R&B and black music marketing, promotion and marketing, has announced the final will oversee the field staffs players in the last round-up. promotion and marketing "I'm very excited about the activities as well as conceive restructuring of the division," and implement marketing Eason said. "In the next six plans for the black music months the product will division. Prior to his appoint- speak for itself." ment, Debow was regional With the restructuring in marketing manager at Epic its final phase, Chuck Records in Chicago. Debow, Robert Taylor, Rita Taylor, previously a field Rush, Carl Washington, DeRow Washington continued on page 8 A&M Names Cafaro President Scotti Bros. Names Roth President Al Cafaro has been named Myron Roth was named president of A&M Records. president and chief operating Prior to the promotion, officer of Scotti Brothers Cafaro was senior vice Entertainment Industries president/general manager (SBEI), which now has a for the label. multi-year pressing/distribu- "Over the course of his tion agreement with BMG. career at A&M, Al has The company also plans to worked at every level of the merge with All American company and has emerged as Television, Inc. in January a natural leader," said Herb 1991 and Roth's appointment Alpert, vice chairman, A&M. will carry over to the new "Artists and staff respect him, publicly traded company, and Jerry and I feel that his which will change its name strong point of view and to All American Communi- sensitivity to the creative cations.