BV Entertainment Newswire June 28

Destiny's Child

Kierra "KiKi" Sheard is ready for her close up… again.

The 19-year-old daughter of gospel pioneer Karen Clark Sheard released her sophomore opus, 'This Is Me,' this week.

"It's much more of myself behind the scenes, and just being involved," the Detroit native told Black Voices of the new project, which follows her chart-topping debut 'I Owe You.'

"It shows my maturity, me growing spiritually and naturally," she added.

"It's real personal because of my life experiences and my testimonies and I think more people can relate to this album than the last one."

Sheard, who celebrated her birthday last week, has been wowing gospel audiences for the past decade, touring with and appearing on albums by her mother -- one of the founding members of the iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters.

At nine, she appeared on her mother's solo debut alum, 'Finally Karen,' in a live tour-de-force of the gospel standard "Will of God." For her contribution, she was awarded a prestigious Stellar Award.

"I was nervous but I wasn’t nervous like I get today," she said about the career-defining experience.

"I was young and my mind was elsewhere. I wasn’t thinking 'I have to get up here and minister' or 'What if I make a mess-up, or what if I don’t hit the right note.’

"Where as now, I think and look at everything because I am this young adult and it’s much more behind just getting up there and sing."

Sheard, now considered one of the most beloved voices of gospel's new generation, which includes acts like Ty Tribett, Israel & New Breed and Mary Mary, also revealed that she constantly feels pressure of being compared to her mother and her siblings --who are credited with helping gospel cross over with the 1983 radio hit "You Brought The Sunshine (Into My Life)."

"[Some consumers and listeners] expect me to do a lot of what they can do but a lot of people --and I don’t want to sound snobby-- may not know that I have my own uniqueness to my gift that God has given me," she added.

'Riot' Time

'There's A Riot Goin' On,' written by Miles Marshall Lewis, was recently published by Continuum Books. In the tome, the former 'Vibe' magazine editor examines the recording process and spirit of the times surrounding the landmark Sly & The Family Stone album after which the book is titled.

Released in 1971, the 11-track set --reportedly recorded in a gothic LA mansion amid drugs, sex, violence, and the inspiring camaraderie of musicians like Miles Davis, Billy Preston, Ike Turner, Herbie Hancock, and Bobby Womack-- yielded hits such as "Family Affair" and 'Thank You For Talking To Me Africa."

"I always felt Sly Stone doesn’t receive the attention he deserves," Lewis told Black Voices. "With the Family Stone band, Sly made just as many pioneering moves to popularize funk music as more recognized musicians like James Brown and George Clinton.

"Sly was a great influence on black artists who blend musical genres, including Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Lenny Kravitz and more. "

Having written for 'Rolling Stone,' 'Spin,' 'Blender' and 'The Village Voice,' the pop culture critic has a full grasp on music as a subject matter and wanted to break out of the mold that, he said, his other peers and colleagues were doing.

"I never felt inspired to write a celebrity biography or help some MC with his as-told-to memoir," the always outspoken Lewis added. "Writing about Sly Stone from the perspective of his last multi-platinum, number one album created a more interesting challenge to me."

Stone mesmerized the crowd at this year's Grammy Awards, during an all-star tribute, and Lewis believes that he may still be viable to music consumers.

"The public is really used to the comeback, especially in pop culture. In his time, Sly Stone was as vital to music as Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles or the Jackson 5, and after his cocaine delirium, he just up and disappeared. I think music fans are still looking for Sly’s 'Behind the Music' moment, where he gets the cover of 'Rolling Stone,' totally explains himself and makes a new Santana-like career-reviving album.

"Ain’t gonna happen, though," he quipped.

Starry Night To Come

The Grammy Foundation will host an intimate benefit concert and dinner, titled 'A Starry Night' July 22, at the private Malibu estate Villa Casablanca.

The special fundraiser, featuring performances by multiple Grammy Award winners Dionne Warwick, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, BeBe Winans, David Foster with nominees Eric Benet and Josh Groban, will honor Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa with the foundation's Leadership Award.

"Antonio Villaraigosa is known as a tireless and dynamic leader, renowned for his exceptional skills at building broad bi-partisan coalitions," said The Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation President Neil Portnow. "As the mayor of our great city, he continues to support activities that motivate, educate and engage the youth of Los Angeles in positive ways."

'Madea,' Vivica At Home

Tyler Perry's recent box-office smash 'Madea's Family Reunion' arrived on DVD this week. Starring Blair Underwood, Boris Kodjoe, Lynn Whitfield, Maya Angelou, Cicely Tyson, KeKe Palmer, and Perry in the lead role (and in two other roles), the film chronicles the adventures of southern pistol packing matriarch Madea. 'Family Reunion' delves into domestic abuse and incest -- all in the midst of the adoption of a wayward youth and planning a family reunion. The Perry plays 'Madea Goes To Jail' and 'Why Did I Get Married' (starring Cheryl Pepsii Riley) are also available this week.

Vivica A. Fox's latest movie, 'Getting Played,' is also available on DVD. Co-starring Carmen Electra, Stacey Dash, Bill Bellamy, Dorian Gregory and Joe Torry, the David Silberg-directed comedy revolves around three modern women who have been unlucky in love and who hatch a plan to become “players."