Latest news with #DougE.Fresh
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Detroit Film "The Return of the Mack" Wins Big at Virginia Black Film Festival!
DETROIT, June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Rising Productions Inc. announces that its film, The Return of The Mack , has received the "Best in Fest" award at the 2025 Virginia Black Film Festival. This prestigious accolade follows four previous wins at the Las Vegas Black Film Festival, including awards for Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cast Ensemble, and Best Supporting Actor (Mike Bonner). This significant achievement builds upon the film's already successful premiere, a star-studded event held at Detroit's Fillmore on June 19, 2025. The premiere featured performances by renowned artists such as Dej Loaf, Tone Tone, K Deezy, Trick Trick, and K Rino, along with a surprise appearance by Doug E. Fresh. The event also included notable attendees like Clifton Powell, Doug E. Fresh, and Tommy Hearns, with Sheryl Underwood serving as the emcee. Furthermore, a $5,000 donation was presented to The Gateway, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting victims of human sex trafficking. "This 'Best in Fest' award from the Virginia Black Film Festival, along with our previous four wins at the Las Vegas Black Film Festival, is a huge milestone for Grand Rising Productions," said DeJuan Ford, Executive Producer. "It's not just about the awards themselves; it's about the positive impact our work is having, and the doors it opens for future projects that will continue telling important stories." The Return of The Mack tells the gripping story of John "Golden" Mickens III, a man released from prison after a decade-long sentence. Returning to his transformed hometown of Detroit, Golden struggles to rebuild his life while confronting his past and a new threat: his daughter's involvement in a human trafficking operation. Driven by guilt and love, he uses his street smarts to rescue his daughter and dismantle the criminal network. The film boasts a talented cast including DeJuan Ford, Clifton Powell, De'aundre Bonds, and Doug E. Fresh. The film's accolades include: "Best in Fest" Award, 2025 Virginia Black Film Festival Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cast Ensemble, and Best Supporting Actor (Mike Bonner) awards at the Las Vegas Black Film Festival This recognition significantly enhances Grand Rising Productions Inc.'s standing within the film industry and paves the way for future projects. The company remains committed to producing high-quality films that explore impactful stories and showcase exceptional talent. The success of The Return of The Mack exemplifies this commitment. Visit to learn more. Media Contact: Grand Rising Productions, Inc. Jami Freeman, Executive Producer 248-800-9955 grandrisingp@ Grand Rising Productions, Inc. is a premier film production company dedicated to creating compelling and impactful visual story telling. Our team is passionate about bringing stories to life through the art of Information: Grand Rising Productions, FreemanExecutive View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Grand Rising Productions Inc.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Masters of the Mic hip-hop show coming to Tuscaloosa this summer
Masters of the Mic, a group hip-hop/R&B show with Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Treach, and EPMD, will perform July 19 in Tuscaloosa at the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 28, through and at the venue's box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway in downtown Tuscaloosa, for $33.50, $53.50, $63.50, $79, $93.50, and $136.50, plus fees and taxes. Doug E. Fresh has played the venue before, then called the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, in a 2018 group show with Parliament-Funkadelic, Morris Day and the Time, and Sheila E. Fresh and Slick Rick also played the amp on a 2013 Old Skool summer show, with Salt-n-Pepa and Bell Biv Devoe. More: Southern Soul Explosion brings package-deal lineup of music to Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater Though trained on drums, percussion and trumpet while studying in a Harlem music school, Fresh first rose rapping, inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes, winning battles under a number of names such as Dougie Doug and Dougie D, before an unintentional misspelling — he'd asked for Dougie's Fresh — led to Doug E. Fresh. He pioneered beatboxing — mimicking the sounds of various instruments, drums, bass and others, using just his mouth, lips, tongue and voice — listening to records by Grandmaster Flash, Spoonie Gee, and Funky 4 + 1, and humming along. He signed as a solo artist in the '80s but worked also with DJs and other rappers as Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. Barbados-born Fresh created seminal hip-hop such as "The Show," and "La Di Da Di," the latter one of the most sampled songs in history, inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, April 2024. Other Fresh hits include "Keep Risin' to the Top" and "Bustin' Out (On Funk)." The 2010 debut single by Cali Swag District was titled "Teach Me How to Dougie," referring to the Fresh-inspired dance created by Lil' Wil for his song "Dougie." Athletes, musicians, models, politicians and other celebrities caught and blew up the craze that decade. Vocalist on "La Di Da Di" was a rapper then known as MC Ricky D, later going by Slick Rick. Born Richard Martin Lloyd Watters to Jamaican parents in London, he went solo in '86. After signing to Def Jam Recordings, he cut four albums full of songs that have been covered and sampled by Beyonce, Eminem, TLC, Nas, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Color Me Badd, Mariah Carey, Beastie Boys and numerous others. His vocal work on "La Di Da Di" became one of the first ever sampled, on Snoop Dogg's 1993 debut album, for a song titled "Lodi Dodi." Of his distinctive, clearly enunciated style, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson said: "Slick Rick's voice was the most beautiful thing to happen to hip-hop culture .... Rick is full of punchlines, wit, melody, cool cadence, confidence and style. He is the blueprint." His 1988 debut album "The Adventures of Slick Rick" sold platinum, and went to No. 1 on R&B charts, as did his 1999 disc, "The Art of Storytelling." Rick's rap and R&B hits include "Children's Story," "I Shouldn't Have Done It," "Sittin' in My Car" (featuring a reunion with Doug E. Fresh), and "Behind Bars." MC Lyte, born Lana Michele Moorer, cut the first full solo album by a female rapper, 1988's "Lyte as a Rock." Also an actor, philanthropist, DJ and businessperson, she's cut songs of political consciousness as well as braggadocio rap, scoring top 10 hits with "Cha Cha Cha," "I'm Not Having It," "Poor Georgie," "Stop, Look, Listen," "Cappucino," "When in Love," "Ruff Neck," "Keep On Keepin' On," "Cold Rock a Party" (with Missy Elliott). As part of the group Stop the Violence Movement, she had another gold-selling No. 1 in "Self Destruction." Chuck D of Public Enemy considers Lyte's husky, authoritative alto voice one of the greatest voices of all time. Rapper, actor and producer Antonio Hardy, who goes by Big Daddy Kane, began, like Fresh and Slick Rick, in the mid-'80s, as part of hip-hop collective Juice Crew. Rolling Stone put his "Ain't No Half-Steppin" ― from 1988 solo debut disc, "Long Live the Kane" ― at No. 25 on its 50 greatest all-time hip-hop songs. MTV placed him at No. 7 on its all-time greatest MCs list. Other Kane hits include "Rap Summary (Lean on Me)," "Smooth Operator," "Cause I Can Do It Right," "Groove With It," "How U Get a Record Deal?," "Very Special," and "Uncut, Pure." Rapper-actor Treach first came to fame leading hip-hop trio Naughty By Nature, with whom he cut four gold and platinum albums. Some of his best-known songs include "O.P.P.," "Hip Hooray," "Ghetto Bastard," "Craziest," "Feel Me Flow," "Mourn You 'Til I Join You," "Jamboree," "Holiday" and "Feels Good (Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing)." Hip-hop duo EPMD is Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, who cut five gold albums from 1988 to 1997. Their hits include "You Gots to Chill," "Strictly Business," "So What Cha Sayin'," "Gold Digger," "Rampage," "Crossover," "Head Banger," and "Da Joint." For more, see Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How to get tickets for Masters of the Mic show in Tuscaloosa
