BLACK Singer & Her Group Receiving Heritage Award `Soul Train' To Honor LOS ANGELES Gladys Knight & award in 1987. ed the impetus needed for 'Soul the Pips will receive the second an- Knight & the Pips (her brother Train' to ultimately succeed in na- nual Soul Train Heritage Award Merald "Bubba" Knight and cous- tional syndication," says the pro- March 30 as part of the "Soul ins William Guest and Ed Patton) gram's creator, Don Cornelius. Train" awards broadcast. The pre- have been together since 1957, Knight & the Pips' current al- sentation will be broadcast live when the group was formed in At- bum, "All Our Love," on MCA has from the Santa Monica (Calif.) Au- already spawned one major hit, ditorium. "" and a strong The Heritage award is dedicated Awards show will second single, "Livin' On Next To to artists "whose career accom- air live March 30 Nothing." In addition to being an Solar Stars. Solar /Constellation Records has just expanded its promotion and plishments have had a positive ef- accomplished vocalist, Knight has marketing team. The group includes,from left Delores Carr -Manigo, Nancy Pitts, fect upon music acceptance and ap- appeared as an actress in several Artie Dunning, Charm Warren, Doris Butler, Doug Wilkins, Hank Caldwell, Frank preciation worldwide," according lanta. The group's association with films and on several television Williams, and Andre Fuller. to a "Soul Train" spokesman. "Soul Train" dates back to the shows. She also produced the HBO Stevie Wonder was given the show's first episode, produced Oct. special "Sisters In The Name Of 2, 1971, which the group headlined. Love," in which she co- starred "Gladys Knight & the Pips' ap- with Dionne Warwick and Patti pearance on our first show provid- LaBelle. Old School & New School Rappers Battle For Supremacy , L.L. Cool Busy Reggae, Pop Stars Mix It Up For TV Show J Get NEW YORK "A Reggae Ses- the Neville Brothers, Grace Jones, sion," a program mixing Jamaican Sly & Robbie, Third World mem- RAP MUSIC IS, by its very nature, confrontational. Daze" soundtrack aimed at the quiet storm format, reggae stars with performers ber Cat Coore, and Toots Hibbert. While the primary building block of most pop music including "I Can Only Be Me" by Keith John (writ- from other areas of pop, will air The 55- minute broadcast, shot in is the concept of love in its most romantic form, the ten by Stevie Wonder), "Perfect Match" by Tech & March 20 on cable television's the Jamaican cities of Kingston, essential message of rap is an expression of self- the Effx (produced by Lenny White), and "Be One" Cinemax. Among the artists who Port Royal, St. Ann, and Lime Cay, hood. "I'm bad" or "I'm def" or "I'm stoopid fresh" by Phyllis Hyman ... Derek B has been proclaimed will appear are Jimmy Cliff, Bun- was produced by HBO /Cinema are what rappers claim about themselves. Of Britain's best rapper by the British music press. ny Wailer, Ziggy Marley & the and Delilah Films Ltd. The pro- course, everyone can't be "the deffest." So, in rec- With the release of "Get Down" on Profile we'll see Melody Makers, Chrissie Hynde of gram includes a tribute to Bob ord after record, rappers proclaim their various how he fares against the big boys ... Levert has cut the Pretenders, Carlos Santana, Marley. skills and authority. Some folks are bored by all this tracks with Millie Jackson for her next Arista effort bragging, but to rap fans it's an accepted part of the ... Howard Hewett, Doc Powell, and Monte Moir music's personality. have all contributed songs and production to Nia What is fascinating is Peeples' "Nothing But Music To Play A Key Role In Arts Fest how the battle lines Trouble" on Poly - have been drawn recent- Gram. Peeples, who NEW YORK "Celebration '88," a by Atlanta songwriters; a blues ly. It's not just random The hosts the the U.S. ver- major black arts festival, is set for show on Atlanta's historic Auburn boasting anymore. On a sion of television's "Top July 30 -Aug. 7 in Atlanta, and mu- Avenue; and a seminar on compo- number of recent rec- Rhythm Of The Pops," antici- sic will play a major role. sition that will feature Kansas ords we've heard verbal pates an April release. Seventy events are scheduled City big band leader /pianist Jay battles between the "old and the Not surprisingly, Peep- for the festival, including a tribute McShan. school" and the "new les will be debuting her to New York's Savoy Ballroom, a Among those on the panel of ad- school." The old -school Blues first single, "Trouble," famed dance hall in Harlem; per- visers for the events are film mak- rappers are those whose on "Top Of The Pops" formances by classical singer er Spike Lee, opera diva Jessye careers started in the . Tommy Boy has high Leon Bates and gospel star Shir- Norman, and jazz trumpeter Wyn- New York boroughs of byy Nelso n George hopes that TKA's "Tears ley Caesar; a showcase of music ton Marsalis. the Bronx and Manhattan during the early '70s. The May Fall" will be the latest record to cross over term "new school" is applied to anyone outside that from the Latin dance market to black radio and then elite group, though it is usually meant to refer to to the pop audience ... The Waters (Julia, Luther, FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 12, 1988 successful younger rappers, often from Queens or Maxine, Oren) have an album, "Welcome Home," ;board' ©Copyright 1988, Billboard Publications, Inc. No part of this Long Island, N.Y., and elsewhere. coming on the indie label publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or Waterwheel Records. The transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, The fight is defined by old -school star Kool Moe first single is "When You Love Somebody" ... Pres- photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written Dee and new- school superstar L.L. Cool J. The first ton Glass' Glass Slipper Productions has been quite permission of the publisher. volley, according to rap scholars, was fired by L.L. active of late handling production and songwriting on his first album, when the rookie proclaimed him- on projects by: Jermaine Jackson, Johnny Mathis, HOT BLACK SINGLES ACTION self the best out there. Moe Dee, a member of the and Pieces Of A Dream and on the debuts of Leata legendary , resented the kid's Galloway for Columbia and Prince's sister Tyka RADIO MOST ADDED boasting. On the cover of Moe Dee's second Jive al- Nelson. In addition, Glass and company have started PLATINUM/ BRONZE/ bum, a jeep runs over a red Kangol, the symbol of a label, Gourmet Records, and its first act will be a GOLD SILVER SECONDARY TOTAL TOTAL ADDS ADDS ADDS ADDS ON you know who. Moe Dee also has a a few choice re- formed Graham Central Station led by Larry I6 REPORTERS 30 REPORTERS 51 REPORTERS 97 REPORTERS words for L.L. in his liner notes. The clincher is the Graham ... Atlantic saxophonist Gerald Albright is EVERYTHING WILL B -FINE LISA JAM COLUMBIA track "How Ya Like Me Now ?" -the ultimate old - doing showcase dates in major markets, while At- LISA & CULT 3 8 17 28 53 school attack on "new- jack" rappers. L.L. has an- lantic /Omni vocalist Jean Carne is out on a more ex- MY GIRL swered with "Jack The Ripper" on the B side of tensive tour ... A &M is gearing up for an active SUAVE' CAPITOL 1 9 15 25 44 "Goin' Back To Cali." It hits as hard as "How Ya 1988 in black music. The label's latest addition is the NITE & DAY AL B. SURE! WARNER BROS. 4 8 12 24 44 Like Me Now ?" Fit, which debuts with "Just Havin' Fun." The Fit is Who knows where verbal will end? I AM YOUR MELODY this battle composed of vocalist Vince Ebo and instrumentalist NORMAN CONNORS CAPITOL 4 6 9 19 61 Maybe Don King could promote a contest at Trump Chuck old- Gentry ... One of rap's school masters, I NEED MONEY BAD Plaza. But all of the controversy is just another rea- Spoonie Gee, has an album available via Tuff City JOHN WHITEHEAD MERCURY 0 5 13 18 26 son that rap, for all its faults, has so much spirit. Records. It includes remixes of two of his recent 12- LIVIN' IN THE LIMELIGHT inches, "Take It Off" and "The Godfather." Hip - GLENN JONES JIVE 6 11 18 20 SHORT STUFF: Gwen Guthrie is back on the scene hop's hottest producers, Marley Marl and Teddy Ril- WILD, WILD WEST with a new 12 -inch single, "Can't Love You Tonight" ey, handled most of the tracks. Tuff City is at 46 -31 KOOL MOE DEE JIVE 8 8 17 43 b/w "The Surgeon General's Funky 4/4 Beat," on Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, N.Y., 11101 ... Otis WHERE DO BROKEN... Warner Bros. Guthrie produced this safe -sex an- Williams' memoir of his career with the Tempta- WHITNEY HOUSTON ARISTA 1 4 11 16 75 them with Sly Dunbar listed as associate producer tions will be published by Putnam this summer. IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN STEPHANIE MILLS MCA 1 4 10 15 ... Look out for Biz Markie. This unusual -looking Patty Romanowski, who worked on the memoirs 21 MERCEDES BOY rapper may turn out to be the biggest star to of the Supremes' Mary Wilson, aided Williams in his PEBBLES MCA 2 5 8 15 16 emerge from the Cold Chillin'- Warner Bros. liaison. efforts ... Linda Haynes, longtime producer of Bob Biz's first single under the deal is "Biz Is Goin' Off" Law's popular National Black Network public af- Radio Most Added is a weekly national compilation of the ten records most added to the playlists of the radio stations reporting to Billboard. The full panel of radio reporters is published periodi- and was produced by Marley Marl ... Manhattan is fairs broadcast "Night Talk," has joined Virgin re- cally as changes are made, or is available by sending a self -addressed stamped envelope to: servicing black radio with cuts from the "School cords as a publicity director on the East Coast. Billboard Chart Dept., 1515 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036.

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