Maxwell is one of those recording artists who take their time between releases, even though it frustrates many of their fans. (He has not, however taken as long as Stevie Wonder!)
Feb. 14 is set as the date for the release of Maxwell’s first new album since 2009. The title only differentiates from the previous album in terms of case. That is, the Feb. 14 release is titled “blackSUMMERS’night” whereas he named the previous one “BLACKsummers’night.” (That seems kind of silly to me.)
For Maxwell, it’s not just about performing and recording.
“I just have so much fun living,” he said. “I just turned 40, and I look at so many artists who always have an album out, but they don’t have actual lives. I feel that I’m so much more than being famous and meeting quotas, and the security and attention is too weird for me.
“Also, so many times people want you to stay the way you were because they want to encapsulate you in a time so they can remember their youth. But I’m here to continually move forward.”
By the way, Maxwell’s full name is Gerald Maxwell Rivera, and he had a Puerto Rican father and his mother is from Haiti.
PHARRELL WILLIAMS, the prolific songwriter, producer, singer, rapper, fashion designer and musician who is 40 but looks 20, gave a rather strange answer when asked why so many people have been connecting with his music lately.
Williams produced, co-wrote and guested on Robin Thicke’s 2013 megahit “Blurred Lines.”
“I think my songs are benefactors to the shift in humanity right now,” he said. “My theory is that over the last 20 years, so much of humanity has become acclimated to the Internet, and now probably half of them are completely living through technology.”
And then the kicker: “I think that at a certain point our nervous systems are near shot.”
Huh?
CISSY HOUSTON had plenty of issues with some of the choices her daughter, Whitney Houston, made, but she had no problem with her dating a younger man.
“She started seeing a young rapper/singer named Ray J whose sister, Brandy, had starred with Whitney in the TV movie ‘Cinderella’,” recalled Houston.
“I didn’t know a thing about Ray J except that people seemed to be getting worked up over the fact that he was 17 years younger than Whitney.
“But I understood that. What do you want with an old man if you can get a younger one? I certainly couldn’t blame her for that.”
IN THE event that you are in the market for a house on the West Coast and have money to the extreme, make a note that Chris Brown is selling his four-story Hollywood Hills home with an asking price of $1.92 million.
Will Smith had very kind words for the late and very talented James Avery who co-starred with him on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” from 1990 to 1996.
“Some of my greatest lessons in acting, living and being a respectable human being came through James Avery. Every young man needs an ‘Uncle Phil’,” he said.
“Saturday Night Live” has hired its first Black female since Maya Rudolph (Minnie Riperton’s daughter) left in 2007. Sasheer Zamata will be seen for the first time on Jan. 18.
John Legend has raised eyebrows with his “At Home With John Legend” video and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy the many nude scenes. (Which also can be seen on the Web.) However, certain parts of his body are blurred.
But the whole thing was done as a joke, the implication being that Legend gets naked to do just about everything (exercise, take naps, compose music, cook, etc.).
Malcolm-Jamal Warner is understandably unhappy about BET deciding to not run the second season of his show, “Read Between the Lines.”
To add insult to injury, the whole second season had already been taped. Some speculate that Tracee Ellis Ross leaving the show might have had something to do with BET’s decision.
The very talented Clay Aiken, runner-up in season two of “American Idol,” is considering a run for Congress in his native North Carolina. Like all entertainers who run for political office, he has the right, but what qualifies him for public office?
It is reported that Wayne Brady is dating Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas from TLC.
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that Geoffrey Owens, who portrayed Elvin Tibideaux (Sondra’s husband) on “The Cosby Show,” now teaches acting in New York.
MEMORIES: “Can We Talk?” (Tevin Campbell), “My Baby” (the Temptations), “Delirius” (Prince), “A Lover’s Concerto” (the Toys), “Starting All Over Again” (Mel and Tim), “Boogie on Reggae Woman” (Stevie Wonder), “All I Want is Forever” (James “J.T.” Taylor and Regina Belle), “You Got the Love” (Rufus featuring Chaka Khan), “She Works Hard for the Money (Donna Summer), “Turn the Beat Around” (Vicki Sue Robinson).
BLESSINGS to Eboni Love, Terry Cabell, Henry Fambrough, Carol Prince, Janice Wilson, Danton Wilson, M.L. Elrick, Sandra McCreary, Cheryl Myhand and John Collins.
WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Colin Powell: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failures.”
Let the music play!
Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.
