The Industry Cosign

Groove B Chill appeared as one of the first acts on a new independent label named "Uptown Records." The label had many acts throughout the years which featured Guy, Al B. Sure!, Father MC, Christopher Williams, Jodeci, Jeff Redd, Monifah, and Mary J. Blige, just to name a few. But, Groove B Chill was one of the first acts on the label's debut project, "Uptown Is Kickin' It" which started with the first song and video, "The Uptown Crew- Uptown Is Kickin' It" featuring Heavy D and the Boyz, Finesse & Synquis, Marley Marl, Woody Rock, The Brothers Black and Groove B Chill.

You recognized Chill right away with his trademark hat as Grove B Chill ended the song and video with their lyrics and recognizable dance. 

Shortly after the group made its debut, they appeared in the Kid N Play-led movie, "House Party." After appearing in the first and second House Party movies, Chill caught the acting bug and never looked back!

He has appeared in shows like "The John Larroquette Show," "Veronica's Closet," "Brothers," "NCIS: New Orleans" and "Fear the Walking Dead." He has also made appearances in movies like, "Inside Man" and "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate."

I got the chance to speak to Chill about a variety of topics, including how he coped with and overcame the tragic car accident that made him lose the use of his legs. He discusses coping with everyday life as an actor and performer and even speaks about becoming a comedian. 

Not everyone can handle entrepreneurship, but for comedian Jamie Roberts, owning a business is not a funny thing. The man has been on the comedy scene for years and has had a hand in running several shows in the New York City area. Roberts was the host and executive producer of a weekly show every Sunday called Sunday Night Live, the longest-running Sunday comedy show in NYC. There you were able to see many comedians honing their skills while hosting some recognizable names like Mike Epps, George Wallace, David Spade, and Marlon Wayans.

He currently owns Harlem's Home For Comedy, 'Comedy In Harlem' which is located at 8 E 117th St where he has several shows per week featuring up-and-coming talent as well as established comedians. He also hosts a class that will help comedians handle their business called The Business of Comedy 101 with instructor Jamie Roberts. "The class is geared to show comedians how to make money as a business in comedy, how to obtain different streams of income within comedy, how to build your brand, and several other great tips and techniques for generating cash flow as a comedian." 

Roberts has also been featured on MTV, Tidal, Sirius XM Radio, The Grio, The Root, 770 WABC Radio (NYC), NBC’s Law & Order, Channel 7 ABC’s (NYC) Eyewitness, Channel 6 ABC News (Philadelphia) commercials. He, along with his partner-in-crime, Nicky Sunshine appeared on FYI’s A Question of Love for 10 episodes. The husband and wife team also tours with their brand “Married and Funny.” The Long Island native is the founder and executive director of 'Comedy With A Purpose,' a business that uses comedy to address some serious social matters.

Being the entrepreneur he is, he also owns a radio station, 108 Soul NY Radio Station where you can listen to R&B and hip-hop.

The Industry Cosign got a chance to talk to Roberts about his business endeavors and how he uses his talent and skills to keep his business going!

The Industry Cosign got the chance to chop it up with Dres as he talked to us about his latest project with late producer, J. Dilla, and the documentary, "The Choice Is Yours" streaming right now on Paramount +.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS, directed and edited by Clark Slater (DMX: Don’t Try And Understand), is the story of rapper and artist Andres “Dres” Vargas-Titus, part of the legendary 90’s hip hop duo Black Sheep, and his incredible journey from being on top of the game to struggling with civilian life and staring down the barrel of his last chance at success. Along the way, he meets Maureen Yancey, aka Ma Dukes, mother to music icon J.Dilla who gifts him with a hard drive of unreleased Dilla beats and tasks him with creating the next great Dilla record. As Dres attempts to uncover the mystery behind his story, which hasn’t been told in full until now, Dres meets with artists, celebs, music executives and journalists to better understand who Dilla was, only to discover that not everyone is happy about Dres being gifted these beats. The accompanying controversy threatens not just the release of the album, but Dres’ very legacy.

Dres also touches on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop which has helped many artists. He also discusses what he has been doing, as well as a little update on the class lawsuit against the record labels that he is spearheading.

The importance of educating the youth is not lost on Brooklyn, NY's own Chip Fu. A founding member of the hip-hop group, Fu-Schnickens, his dedication to hip-hop helped shape his focus to making sure the youth have direction and focus for the future. The child of an educator, Chip is a natural for the program he started and is currently running M.A.A.T.H. (Music Appreciation, Art, Time, and Healing) 

Being a Facebook friend for years and running into each other over the years at hip-hop events, once I saw the program he was doing, I had to feature him on Black Enterprise. The importance of showcasing the positive aspects of hip-hop was definitely a mission to get him to tell the world what he was doing. When I decided to pick up the podcast again, a conversation was again needed from this Brooklyn artist who hadn't yet put down the microphone and pen and pad.

I got the chance to speak to the Trinidadian, East Flatbush representative about the journey he is currently on and his plans beyond the 50th anniversary of this thing we live in called hip-hop. We discussed the re-emergence of artists who were able to perform due to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and even got to talk about one of his friends, Shaquille O'Neal, and his return to the studio.

Lemar Ingram is involved in corporate America for his day job, yet, he has instilled the learnings and culture of hip-hop in order to become successful in his line of work. The self-described hip-hop head is also the author of the self-published book, "The G-Code: Behind the Bars: Hip-Hop Connoisseur's Guide Through Corporate America."

Ingram's tome offers a thought-provoking list of "commandments" crucial to success (and survival) within corporate working environments. The lessons that the once-Queens resident has learned over the years through the halls of hip-hop have given him the chance to bring some of the logic and thought processes to this book.

"Lessons can be learned via positive or negative environments; all that matters is how we apply them," he wrote as the opening to The G-Code before he made his way into the first chapter, I Wrote Me a Manual. A manual it is indeed. "My goal with The G-Code was to help those with less traditional or socially acceptable forms of education visualize how their life experience is replete with transferable skills that will most definitely translate to success in the proverbial boardroom—if applied strategically.

The Industry Cosign got an opportunity to hear some of the blessed words this author had to say as he explained the reason he wrote the book and what people can use it for. It's not just for the corporate world, you can use some of the advice in everyday life!

Coincidentally while the world is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the culture we all love and live, his book comes around at the right moment. He recently debuted the book at the Museum of Graffiti in Wynwood. It is Miami's creative and cultural hub and outdoor museum to some of the world's best-known street artists. The book was also featured at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center's 11th Annual South Florida Book Festival.

Watch the video to see how he used hip-hop to become successful in corporate America and give you the tool to do the same!!

Hip-Hop and politics are two things that are needed in the community and it was only a matter of time before both would intersect with each other. We have always known that there would be politicians who claim hip-hop but to actually see someone actually INVOLVED in the culture to enter into the arena of politics was eventual. Enter Dupre Kelly, who we know as DoItAll of Lords of The Underground. He is the first rapper, well, let's be more specific. The first hip-hop recording artist to be elected to a political office in the United States.

The Newark, NJ native has always represented his city on vinyl, on the microphone, and definitely on stage. DoItAll, ahem, Councilman Kelly is now repping the West Ward in his hometown. We must give a shout to Shyne who has also become a politician in his home country of Belize. The former Bad Boy rapper is the Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party.

But back to Councilman Kelly, amidst the battles he has had to endure in the rap arena, he has gone on to battle for his community. Initially, when Kelly decided to run for political office, he ran for a seat back in 2018 but lost to Councilman Eddie Osborne. Undeterred and still with eyes on the prize, Councilman Kelly beat Chigozie Onyema for the West Ward seat on the Newark city council. Hip-hop always wins and Kelly made sure he did that time! In winning his seat, Kelly became the first platinum-selling artist to hold a political office in the United States.

I can go on and on about what he has done but whatever he has been involved with in the past, we just have to be prepared to see where he goes in the future.

I got the chance to speak to the talented and educated man and he dropped some gems that anyone listening to can learn from. A year into office, he is still involved in making his community better. 

You can check out his website at duprekelly.com, his Instagram, or his Facebook page.

You can get a more in-depth interview with him from the Black Enterprise interview, ⁠Actor and Executive Producer Markuann Smith Tells the Real Story Behind ‘Godfather of Harlem.’⁠

We got a chance to talk about the recent season of Godfather of Harlem and his journey in the entertainment industry.

The latest technology that seems to be on people’s minds is artificial intelligence. With the sudden rise of popular social media apps utilizing AI tools, it’s important that we get on board before it takes off. The Wrap reported that the November launch of the ChatGPT app generated 672 million visits in January. That number placed the app within the Top 50 global websites. With the recent announcement by Google that they will be releasing their own ChatGPT alternative, the competition is escalating.

With information like this, it’s apparent that we need to focus on the latest technology, and 19 KEYS, a high-level thought leader who has a solid following based on his teachings and knowledge, knows that AI is the next big thing.

19 KEYS is the host of the hit podcast High Level Conversations, which is on the Earn Your Leisure Network. He is also the co-founder of The Block World Order (BWO), Goldewater, and Crownz Society. The knowledge he bestows upon his listeners makes him valued for all that he does for creating wealth and knowledge for those who want to create their own businesses. He is also determined to educate the younger generation in terms of creating wealth.

With a growing audience that continues to tune in for what he has to say, he has recently obtained more than 22 million views, half a billion impressions, and 12 million watch hours.

As we touched on myriad topics, one of the most important ones focused on artificial intelligence, with a look toward what’s next. Although it’s already here, we as Black people, who typically latch on to new things at the onset, must be prepared to not only know the importance of AI, but to start learning all aspects about it as the rest of the world plays catch up.

19 KEYS has been speaking about the significance of this latest technology as he wants people to be ahead of the curve. The shift is necessary as this is now “the next big thing.”

"THE MUSIC OF SAM COOKE - A CHANGE IS GONNA COME TOUR" STARRING BRADD MARQUIS

January 20th - Charles W. Eisemann Center, Richardson TX

January 26th - Corsicana Palace Theatre, Corsicana, TX

January 27th - The Grand, Galveston Island TX

The Revolt Summit landed in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia in September. As hundreds of up-and-coming artists, industry executives, and admirers of the culture gathered to gain and/or give knowledge, the heat wasn’t only outdoors. The conference provided opportunities for everyone to network with like-minded people as mostly Black entrepreneurs and artists were there to expand their businesses, to start their own, or to find a way to be further connected.

This year’s theme was aptly titled, “The Future Is Now” and I got the opportunity to speak to Detavio Samuels, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Revolt, and Deon Graham, Chief Brand Officer for Combs Enterprises. Both busy men made themselves available to talk about the future that is being planned for both entities.

He was anointed the “King of Stage” after leaving the popular group New Edition to embark on his solo career in 1986. We all know the story of Boston’s own Bobby Brown as he released his first solo album that immediately scored a number one R&B hit in Girlfriend.  Although that first single went to the top of the R&B chart, his next two singles did not do as well and the album wasn’t the commercial  success anticipated.

Now Brown faced the prospect of getting dropped and seeing his childhood friends continue to be a successful group without him. Going into the studio with hitmaker Teddy Riley and the production duo of L.A. Reid and Babyface, he came out with an explosive project, Don’t Be Cruel. Brown came back with arguably the best album recorded that year as it hit number one on the Billboard charts while being the highest-selling album of 1989.

His roller-coaster career included drugs, stints in prison, and a  reputation that personified his “Bad Boy” lifestyle all while losing the spark of the successful career he built over the years.

Through the trials and tribulations of becoming a superstar, the “Brown Bomber” married and divorced Whitney Houston (Who died in 2012) and had a total of seven children, two of who passed away (Bobbi Christina, 21, died in 2015 and Bobby Jr., 29, died in 2020). Brown remarried Alicia Etheredge and the couple has three children.

In 2018, BET released The Bobby Brown Story which told the story of the former New Edition member but, with the opportunity to tell his own story, he and his wife, Alicia elected to go with A & E to produce and release Biography: Bobby Brown earlier this year. After the release of the biography, the network also gave  the duo a reality TV series that shows the Brown family in the present time, Bobby Brown: Every Little Step.

Alicia explained why they went with the network as they allowed them the creative control needed to rightfully tell their story.

“A&E came to us and was very open and allowed us to have creative control which was very important to us, obviously. Doing a show and  series like we have and letting them into our homes, we wanted to do and  show particular things, obviously, we wanted it to be authentic.”

When the cameras aren’t rolling, the Browns are running their  businesses which range from a food line called Bobby Brown Foods, which  is sold in some stores and online. They just started a wellness line  that features CBD and mushroom coffee, alkaline salt, and fiber  regeneration all the products that dwell on self-care. During the  summer, their seasoning line typically sells out as it is popular around  the states where they are sold.

Bobby also explains that this biography being told by him was “therapeutic.”

“It’s definitely a relief” for him to get his side of the story out.  “It was therapeutic, for me to be able to be to release things that  bothered me in my past.”

Brown definitely appreciates the accolades he’s been given over the  years and he feels these latest releases are similar to how he felt when  Don’t Be Cruel was initially released. He and Alicia are happy and  excited about future projects which include other television work,  another Bobby Brown album and the continuing of their product lines  selling out. 

In the first of a series that BIG CED from The Industry Cosign has started, ‘The Definition of an Entrepreneur’ features select individuals who have started their own businesses while staying true to their passion. This conversation features New York City natives Ken Murphy and Derek ‘D-Mitch’ Mitchell discussing how they started WGOHipHop Flavor and how they continue to pursue their passion for their business.