OUT 29

Hello cyberfolks....This is your cyber-reporter Ma'at about to give you the happenings going on in my world...of the past 7 days.

Well, let's be like a sex escort get it started!

First, off, I would like to thank the Riverfront Times News for selecting my blog as Local Blog O the Week in the "Unreal" section in this week's paper of Jan 26-Feb. 1 2006("Trick or Treatment" is the main story on the cover and the blog is on page 10--www.theriverfronttimes.com for you cyberheads). They took a glimpse of my site from Jan. 12th edition when I spoke on the Washington loft house party I attended, going to First Fridays and commenting on rapper Chingy trying to get his work out on at Ballys in Clayton. I was very much surprised that it was chosen. I have submitted myself in the running, but that was just the most of it. I guess whatever I wrote must've peaked their interest. But I'm not complaning. Much love to the RFT. I guess they know the real thing when they read it!

OK back to the biz........................................................

Last week was quite interesting because I lost something that was very dear to me and I had to replace it. But I will get to that in a minute. I started off my travels last Friday when I attended the Happy Hour at Formula Nightclub on Washington in downtown ST. Louis. This was my first time checking it out. I had promised manager Miss Kay that I was going to check it out, but never had the energy after hustling and grinding trying to make a dolalr to even go. But I made an effort to go this time and I liked it. I went at about 7 ish (It started around 6) Although it wasnt a lot of people there, it was still a nice hang out to wind down, They had free food there (chicken, meatballs, dirty rice, fruit), $2 beer and two for one specials. Well, you all know me, I had to par-take in what was offered. I chilled a little bit with Post Pop Critic Kevin Johnson who was on his way to see comedian David Alan Grier at Touhill. We chatted a bit and he was about to give me the scoop about some hot R&B singer that is suppose to be blazin throgh teh Lou in two months. He was tight lipped about it and said he would let me know before it hits the streets. But from what he almost told me, it will be the concert of the yar. Hmmm. I'll keep you posted. Anyway, I thought Formula owner Sonia Brascomb or Miss Kay was gonna be there but they must have chilled elsewhere planning the next event at Formula(I guess they are still recovering from all the menses that performed at the Body and Soul Tour that rolled through the Fox Theatre last week! LOL) . In there, I also met up with Ingrid Owens who usually helps out Formula at the door. She was the sista who use dto throw those bachelor auctions and beauty pageants back in the day. yeah, her. She also is doing her thing at H& R Block in Dellwood. It is there when she was on camera with Fox 2 funny guy Tim Ezell last week on Fox 2 in the Morning SHow (along with American Idol contestant and east Boogie boy Deandre Perryman) when people were singing for theri taxes (I havent forgot to pout you on my malier, ya know). Much love to her. I stayed till about 9p.m. and thought I was going to go to Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza but was getting tired after the Corona and Absolut and cran I had drank, so I just did like a bad check and bounced.

And now to my drama. Well, pre-drama.

The next night, Saturday night, I was on my way to the SOSY CD listening party at Formula and I was walking toward the club when this homeless guy came up to me and was telling baout this guy who had a Tommy Hill coat that we didnt want to sell to him. At first, I was like, okay, just ask me for some money that I will pretend I dont have any change for, but he was like, "Man, this dude got this bad coat, I want you to check it out." Huh? I was like, now whats the deal here. There was no way I was going with him. Over a coat? Anyway, He was hollering at the guy who had teh coat who was traveling with two other people. The homeless guy was like, "Hey man, my man right here (meaning myself), wants to see the coat!" When the guy with the coat turned around, I gave him a "No" signal and the guy kept on walking. At this time, I was nearing Formula and was sucking on my second to last lollipop (my trademark these days). He was like, "Man, he's probably going to buy some crack with that coat." I was grunting in agreement. then, the homeless guy asked me if I had another lollipop. Huh? I was like, "Yeah." So, I gave him my last lollipop. He was like, "Thanks man" and grumbled something else under his breath. Is that all it takes to please a homeless man who begs? A lollipop? Man, If I had a whole sack full of them, I might have become his candy pimp. Just kidding. Anyway, into the club, I went to the listening party for hot local new teen girl group, SOSY. These early teens were in the house, sisters Brooke and Brittney Jones and family friend Jasmine Cain (who couldnt attend was dealing with a family tragedy) and they were gracious with those who were attendance. It was held at the Formula (two for two) and I attended to support my former SIUE collleague Damon Green who told me about this party a few weeks back when I ran into him at the Health's Fair at the America's Center. It was a nice intimate crowd as people listened to a sample from their upcoming CD. There are some pretty hot tunes from what I heard (and I guess thats why Damon and his crew were passing out small bottles of SOSY hot sauce to the crowd). They remind you of a younger version of SWV. I relly liked the cut, "How Much Shake" which is their lead off single. I'm sure this club/CD woofer banger will be rolling pretty soon on the local stations. Their manager, Tiffany, who is the sister's mom should be very proud of her girls (and dont be nervous, LOL). The two members who were there performed as well and theyre very spunky and have pipes to back it up. Much love to SOSY and their whole promotions team on a very well put event. If you want to get a smaple of theri CD, contact Femminique Music Management at FM2@femminique.com. In the house were 100.3 the Beat's Bishop-V-Luv,
Raw Soul's Terry Stevenson (thanks for helping with my collar), The Post's Kevin Johnson, talent scout Nate Jackson (I didnt know you had an office all up at the Formula?)St. Louis American photographer Wiley Price, Kameron Hopson, and Majic 104.9's Selena J. Afterward, I talked with Selena a bit and walked her to her car as we conversed about my soon to be upcoming appearance on her Saturday night show "Soulternative." Soon after, I drove to Hampton to check out Jacque and Leata Price Landevent at the Carpenter's Hall where Leata was celebrating her b-day. It was a BYOB occasion (and I definitely brough my B, as in beer, as in four cans of KAMO-8.0 proof!). I met up with my boy Kameron and we went up in there. It was 10 bones to get up in there and I was expecting more of a big turnout, but I think that had to do with some fo the publicity to some of the print media had the date wrong according to Jacque about when their party was going to be. But it wa sstill a nice function. Let me back track--I had on one of my conversation outfits up in there. I had on a light brown Nehru dashiki with belled sleeves and custom made jeans with African applique stiched on them (as designed by STl attorney and former literary collague Sheryl Johnson). When I walke dup in theer and greeted the LAnds, I walked toward a table and former Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, who was sitting with a group, stared me down from head to toe, as though I was some superstar alien who came from another plant. Her look was priceless. I wanted to say, "take a picture, sweetheart, it's me." Anyway, they had a nice spread of food, cake, and liquour. The dee-jay up in therr of course played all the versions of music for people to get their slides on for the partiers and even some latest cuts from Nelly and the like (or something like that. I was too buzzed by then to really know what was played). In the house were Wiley Price, Mary Winbush, Eric Rhone, and Christiaan Coffield ( I got your drunkie!...LOL) . But here come sthe second part of my drama...when I was about to roll out, I went to the restroom, to relive myself of the alcohol I had drank. Well I got a text from a booti call that said that they couldnt kick it and I responded with a "k." Upset, I walked out of the restroom, saw Kam and Floy (a sista who works with Jacque and Leata) chilling out, saluted them, walked to my car, drove off and went home. Now mind you, I was still half-buzzed so there's no telling how I was walking or looking when I went to my car. So, I slept it off, woke up around 8ish Sunday morning listening to the Freeman Bosley Junior Show and hearing that co-host Pat Washington was running for a seat on the St. Louis Public School Board and I was about to check my messages on my cell phone, so I checked near me to check them...couldnt find my cell phone. I called on a resgular phone to hear it ring...didnt hear it ring, but I heard the messages left. I got some clothes on and went to my car, checked inside there, no cell phone. Checked the crib again of where I might have had it, found everytthing but my cell phone (Isnt that always the case). Checked my car again, Checked the yard. Checked under my arms (LOL). NO CELL PHONE. Then, it dawned on me, "Oh shyt, I must have left it in the restroom at the Carpenter's Hall!" You talk about someone who was starting to get sick. It was a very bad feeling to think that something that you have grown accustomed to (Four years now) , like a celly, and to have it lost. It was like losing a loved one almost. Anyway, I called my cell phone about 10 times to see if anyone would pick up the phone and hopefully be a Good Samaratin and say that they had it...NOPE. So, for the next two hours, I spent trying to call Sprint and told them that I lost my SAMSUNG! They had me on hold for near an hour holding for them. I ended uup going to a nearby SPrint store to get my cell phone deactivated so no one could use it if anyone had it (Good thing I lost it over that weekend caus eif it was Monday through Friday before 7 p.m., my phone would probably be out of minutes due to someone calling from Seoul, China somewhere). A rep thatthe Sprint store said that I had insurance (GREAT), But (BUT!!!!), I had to pay $50 nonrefundable deductible for a replacement phone. What the fuck!!! I have to pay for a phone and I have insurance already! What was going on! Well, I was desperate as Terri Hatcher and went on and called the 1-800 to pay for a another phone. It came this pat Tuesday. I called the Carpenter's Hall just to see if they reported any lost cell phones, and they said, no. So, theers no telling where that cell phone was. Now I have to start all over again and program the many many many numbers I had stored from my old phone. So, all of you all who I have called, call my cell phone so I can program your number again into my phone--and this time, I am leaving a paper trail as well, just in case this happened again.

CRAZY LIKE A FOXX...I got a email from one of cyberbuddies singer and producer Aaron Foster earlier this week about this campaign for black folks to tune into Jamie Foxx's NBC special "Unpredictable: A Musical Journey" because of the supposed boycott of sorts from NBC to not publicize his special becasue he refused to put white people on his show and two of his surprise guests (thugged out Snoop Dogg and the Game) didnt fit in NBC's friendly mode (It has even become Urban Legend already) . . The email had it where very black person watch the show because NBC was trying to sabotage the show do to the color thing and they were intentionally puttingit on last Wednesday head to head with Fox's megahit, "Americna Idol." First off, I saw the show--on tape cause I was at Ballys getting my work out on. Secondly, it is not enough black people in America who are even hooked up to a Nielsen's Box that tracks TVs watching certain shows in order to get a Nielsen's rating. Thirdly, I think this was all great publicty in itself, for people of all parts of the rainbow to watch this show in order to get more people to watch it--and for what I saw it was just OK. The show was more like an informercial for Foxx's No. 1 megaselling CD, "Unpredictable," as he sand several songs from it(including the CD's lead off single, "Unpredictible") It played off like a autobiographical stageplay (it was written, produced and staged by urban stageplaywright David Talbert). I was expecting Foxx to clown up a taste . I mean, he is a comedian, but I guess Foxx now wants to be seen as a serious singer (ala Eddie Murphy). The special had taped segments of Foxx's talking about his childhood, growing up with his now deceased grandmom who raised him, being raised in church, and becomg a father at ayoung age. It also cut to live skits of his childhood with two actors who played his grandmother (played by Bebe Drake--go to google images get who she is, she's a good character actress who played in such films as "Boomerang' and TV shows like "Good Times") and Foxx as a kid (I didnt get the young guy who played him). Then they had the musical acts which were rapper, Common, Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige (who sang a killer duet with Foxx on the classic R&B jam, "Love Changes"), and Angie Stone (where was Kanye for Heaven's sake!). His surprise guests rapped with him on the cut. "Wanna Be with you." It was just OK, Nothing spectatcular or anything to knock your socks off. But it was cool to see thug rappers get air time on NBC like that, though. The highlight was when he sang "I Wish You were Here" in dedication to her grandmother who passed just before his Oscar lauded film, "Ray" came out. He was almost in tears as well as the audience. Powerful stuff. Overall, it was a nice concept and it was a first for NBC to have ever aired an entire young urban African American cast on a music special and my hat is off to Foxx for stepping his grounds on who he wanted on the show(I guess if he couldnt get Tookie Williams from getting out of death row, he was going to at least control the content of his show.), but I was expecting more flash and dash and comedy (some of the skits that were funny, did not have anyone laughing in the background which was odd), especially with it being his first special on NBC. Oh well. If you missed it, the show will air again this Friday on NBC, check your local listing for showtimes.

TIDBITZ. When you get a chance and if you have Charter Cable, check out, "The Set," a music show that airs on the local access Channel 8 (Charter Communications Channel), Thurdays at 10:30 p.m at it repeats until Sunday...Black rep actor/singer Chuck Flowers will have a concert at Alvin's Coffee House this Saturday located at 1508 Grand Ave at Park. The show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are 10 bones. for info, call, 314-664-7050...I forgot to mention last time that I saw my former classmate Montina Singleton at the Body and Soul concert at the Fox. She was shocked when she saw me and vice versa (got a little thick in the hind parts but she still is a hot girl)...Fashion desginer Skylar and his tie jacket suit(the sleeves were made out of different ties) was to kill for when he wore it at the Loft last week...the St. Albert the Great Church was torn down Thursday in Fairview Heights, Ill. in order to make room for a new strip mall right next to the St. Clair Square Shopping Center...Kudos to my father, Colonel Herman Atkins for being apart of the Malcolm Martin Park expansion as part of the Metro East Park and Rec District plan to expand land the East Side of the Riverfront. My dad is manager of the Water Geyser that shoots up as high as the Arch that will be a part of the park exapnsion there...What's up with Dee Lee Morning SHow co-host Ebony Walker who is all foulmouthed now on that show on 100.3 The Beat and from what I hear used to be the Hallelujah Girl on Gospel 1600?...What's up with a new law that could pass in the STL about having loud speakers in your car? From what I hear if your woofers are more than 10 inches, and you blast them, you can be fined $250 bones ...Hmmm, I smell DWB--Driving While Black....The STL has become a hotbed recently of national comedians and rappers coming to the Lou, David Alan Grier and Ice T. was here at Touhill Performing Arts Center last Friday and Saturday respectively and Comic View hostess Sheryl Underwood was spittin comedy at the Funny Bone in Fairview Heights, Ill last weeekend as well (Renee, I'm still waiting on your review of that. LOL)...Be looking out for my profile of jazz chanteuse Erin Bode in the West End Word next month who is having a 3-dayCD release party (beginning this Thursday) for her new MAX JAZZ CD "Over and Over' at Jazz at the Bistro . I will also be on KDHX Radio (88.1 FM) next week to give my review of the play, "Ipi Zombi" that is will start playing this Friday at the Hotchner Studio Theatre...

On a serious note, I got an email this week from my buddy local author and actor Lonnie Love about a missing girl. Her name is Mia Carter (she is pictured on the right hand side of my blog) She is about 5' 7 and 117 lbs. She has long wavy black-brown hair usually up in a ponytail or bun. She was las seen on June 19 2005 in Glenarden Maryland. She has a light mole on the left side above her lip if you have ANY info about her please call Megan Battle at:301-773-3799

Well, that is it for me. If you have anything for me to plug or mention on my blog, contact me at maatspear@yahoo.com!

OUT 28

Hello again my cyberfriends, this is your man on the town, Ma'at here one more week with more stuff for you to check out and "eye-tate"on. OK, let's get right to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope everyone had a great MLK holiday. It was a lot of activity going on. From the march from the Old Courthouse to Powell Symphony Hall to the MLK Celebration at the Pavillion Hotel downtown (I'm so glad they moved it from the Adam;s MArk Hotel on Broadway in downtown STL with all of its racial baggage). There were also a few celbrations on the East Side as well giving honors and respect to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Me,. myself, I did a non-traditional celebration of MLK by going to see local author and Forest Park College professor JK Dennis speak at the Schlafly Library last Saturday afternoon on Euclid about his new book "9 Lessons for a Meaningful Life." Although six people showed up (including myself), he talked about the 9 lessons in his book and the colorful charcters in it. For those of you who don't know about thsi book, it is a "fictional" story about Southern people in a fictictious town called Moon County, Ga. and how they deal with their problems in a small town (For more info on this book, go to my story on JK Dennis at www.westendword.com) Dennis talked about the the role of poverty in America as well as what it means to learn how to love someone. The brother is deep, and very analytical. He also talked about the fascination America has about gettiing instant gratifcation on success and how our culture devours peopel who try to reach for that quick fix. After his speech, I congratulated him on his lecture and he said that he was used to speaking to a bunch of empty seats. I reassured him on that and told him, what my mentor Professor Eugene B. Redmond told me, "It's not how many seats you fill, but how many peopel knew about it." Dennis is good people and I think we will have a budding intellectual relationship with each other. Its far and few in between finding brothers who are on a higher level of thinking and still are cool and relatable. Kudos to ya, man After I left the library, I discovered I got a 10 dollar ticket for parking at a meter without money. Huh? On a Saturday? I keep forgetten, that I wasnt downtown where they dont give tickets and I was in Midtown where they do. Oh well. That wasnt going to spoil my day because this was the day that the Fox Theater was going to hold the Body and Soul Tour featuring 90s superstars Johnny Gill (pictured in the center), Bell, Biv , Devoe, Blackstreet and Guy. Talk about a concert! Those artist are from my college days in the early 1990s and when hip-hop and R&B still had meaning and some substance. Here is my review of the show:

The Fox was the place to be to get a touch of body and soul when the Body and Soul concert tour rolled through the Lou Saturday, Jan. 14. Although only half the arena was full (over 2,500), those who were there got a chance to reminisce for three hours with singer Johnny Gill, New Edition off-shoot hip-hop group Bell, Biv, Devoe, and Teddy Riley creations, the Grammy winning Blackstreet and Guy who all had 30 minutes to groove-up the stage. The event was hosted by legendary comedian and "Good Times" star Jimmie Walker. To stall for the latecomers, Walker did a 30 minute stand-up that was semi-funny. More amusing than anything else. It took awhile to really come to grips of how much Walker has aged and gained weight, but his irritating voice was definitely all "JJ", with the zany, loudness that made him famous (I was waiting for him to say his famous catchphrase--Dynomite, but to no avail). His routine started off OK when he asked the ST. Louis crowd, "Who is in charge of the road construction in this town? I was on 70 (West) today and I saw nothing but potholes. One pothole had a Vietnamese family living in thre." Then, the rest of his routine was more on playing the dozens with teh crowd, espcecially the one sin front who were weraing way out furs and a lady with big breasts.

The first on the bill was Gill, who was about a couple of minutes late getting to the stage as Walker had to walk back out to teh stage to stall and say "G-I-L-L!" and he finally appeared as his female fans jumped up to their feet , cheered and screamed when he "Karate danced" toward the front of stage as the three member band (2 keys and a drummer who was the house band of all the acts) played as he performed a few minutes of his first song, "Fairweather Friend" off his 1990 eponymous album. Dressed very casually in a jacket, white long sleeve shirt, jeans and sunglasses, he addressed the lively crowd by shouting, "How many come to party?" then he went into Usher's "Caught Up." This was a puzzling move for him to perform someone else's song especially a young protege of his. During this sone, he took off his shades causing more screams from his admiring female fans who now was lined in front of the stage hoping to get a handshake or a kiss from the handsome singer.

He then slowed his set with the Quiet Storm jam, "There You Go," from the "Boomerang Soundtrack." causing more female frenzy. After the song, he said, "I need something string to drink." Then he went into his background where he was from (Washington D.C) and that his dad was a minister and that he wished it was more time to sing. Then suddenly you heard a female chorus in the audience scream, "I Love you Johnny!" Then one woman shouted, "Sing that red dress!" that caused quite a chuckle from the audience.He also commented how young artists on award shows today "dont realize how artist from the past has helped them get to where they are today" which caused the audience to clap in agreement.

Suddenly, Gill set turned into a Luther Vandross tribute as he sang three songs from the late crooner, "Superstar," "A House is Not a Home," and "Never Too Much" (where he flubbed a line on this song and acknowldged it). On Luther he said, "He's gone, but he;s up there...I remember when Luther and I were in the same category at the Grammies and he beat me. Everytime I would go to his house and I look at the Grammy and I say to him. 'that;s the Grammy that you stole from me.' Then he would say, 'Security!' he was a great human being. I miss him so much..." For someone who was short on time, the Luther tribute was a bit much, but it was heartfelt.

Then it was back to Johnny's hits when he performed, "My , My My," (which caused several women to literally throw themselves on him when he walked into the crowd), taking off his jacket (more scremas from the females); "Rub You the Right Way (which was interloped nicely with Gap band's "You Dropped a Bomb on Me"). Afterward, he jumped back on stage, a threw a couple of towels in the auidience for his many female admirers to fight over. With the alleged rumors of Gill's sexuality and love affair with comedian Eddie Murphy, the female fans, like Luther in a way, did not care of those rumors and loved him as a singer and sex symbol of their imaginations.

The Body and Soul tour went into hip-hop mode as Bell, Biv, Devoe took to the stage. Opening with their hit, "BBD--I Thought it Was Me," along with some tween hip-hop dancers, from their multiplatinum album, "Poison." Dressed in various hip-hop graffiti gear, glittery New Edition t-shirts and leather, BBD (Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie Devoe) had the crowd on their feet for most of their set.Unfortuntely, singer Bell was not in top voice, pleading for the audience to help him out singing and that the "doctor told me not to sing, but I couldnt let you all down." That got the crowd even more hyped and in the group's corner. They perforemd all of their hits from that album inclduing, the title cut (that was performed with Gill who joined BBD on stage) , "Do Me Baby (the infamous "smack it, flip, it, rub it down" mantra had everyone chanting), "She's Dope," and the ballad, "When Will I See You Smile Again" (which was mostly sang by the crowd).

The group asked if the crowd saw them on the BET Silver Anniversary show and let the audience know that New Edition was going to be back on tour as a group in early Spring and they were also coming out with another album, and a movie on their life as well as counting the days (two years to be exact) for a New edition 25th reunion..

"We are coming back to the STL and do it the way it should be done," said Bivins, causing teh crowd to erupt in applause and cheers.

A shocking moment occurred when Devoe walked out to the audience and jumped and stood on a row of seats while performing "Posion." (Good thing he didnt fall because I'm sure the females around him were not going to try and break his fall) And a puzzling monet happened when Bivins told the crowd that they were about to get into the hotel business and then acknowleged UPN-46/WS Hotel/Orpheum Theatre co-owner Mike Roberts from the crowd and said that "He was the man doing it up big in the Lou." (I wonder what wassup with that? Any BBD--Roberts ventures getting ready to happen? I know Devoe has his own successful real estate biz in the ATL, so, I gues she just have to see).

After intermission, it was the Teddy Riley hour as Riley and his off-shot group Black street (sans Dave Hollister) was next on the bill. The stage got dark and a series of lights danced acros steh stage as though it was a sceen from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Then a robotic voice said, "We got Blackstreet in teh house tonite." After the lighting show, the stage lights went up and the quartet walked on stage in black velvet jackets with white shirts and jeans. Riley walked toward a keyboard/voicebox on stage (a strapped keyboard was also around his shoulder) as he claimed his spot as the musician svengali of the group.The group started off its set with the lesser known song, "This is How we Roll" from their multiplatinum CD, "Another Level." Next up was the showcase of tenor singer, Mark Middleton (I'll get to him later) singing the ballad, "Never Gonna Let You Go," from "Another Level" and "Joy" from theri eponymous debut. It was during "Joy" that Middleton took off his jacket and shirt to expose a very buffed frame with an 8-pac 9as well as exposing the top portion of his buttocks (and causing much ooooohs and aaahhhhhs from the mostly females in the crowd) ). Much to the female's delight, Middleton, with a secutiy guard next to him, walked out into the crowdas teh aldies enjoyed being seranaded by a half-nude man. The group also performed their biggets hits, "Before I Let You Go," and the No. 1 Grammy Award winning smash, "No Diggity" (that was performed mostly with the Bill Withers sample, "Grandma;s Hands) and its rendition of Roger's "I Wanna Be Your Man.". Soon after Riley said to the group, "Man, we are running out of time, but we gotta give the peopel what they want" which caused even more erution from the crowd. Balckstreet exited from stage and Riley then said, "I Love working with Blackstreet. I'm a team player. I'm not a solo singer. I just act a fool." And that he did. he did some serious breakdancing, pop-locking moves and teased the audience with the into to "Teddy;s Jam." Then, broke off some of Wrekk's N effect's 1991 jam, "Rumpshaker."

Soon after, the lights faded and the stage was dark. Then, there was music from the intro to Guy's hit 1992 album., "The Future" with all of its futuristic. comic sound effects letting the crowd know that Guy was about to perform (the highlight of the concert). Also, in the background was the song,."Wheer Did Our Love Go", also from "The Future." Suddenly, Riley along with brothers Aaron and Damon Hall (remember that rumor a couple of years back that he died under the Greyhound bus section where people put their luggage?)graced the stage in white and black suits, as the crowd gave tehm astanding ovation acknowleding the orginal kings of New jack Swing. They had SFX of them walking up to the stage, then Aaron shouted, "It's been 15 years since we;ve been togther," causing more cheering from the crowd.

The rest of its set was all about Aaron and Riley, They cruised trhough many of their hits from their "Guy" and The Future" CDs, including, "Spend the Night," "My Fantasy" (from the "Do the Right Thing " soundtrack and Riley playfully reminisced about the tight spandex shorts they had to wear the video and then said, "Remember the song, not the video"), "Teddy;s Jam" (a crowd fave"), the ballads, "Piece of My Love," (which caused Aaron to take off his shirt and pump the floor) "Forever My Love" (which got Aaron to walk into the crowd to find a single lady to sing to on stage with no success--he spanked a lady on the bottom, though), and "Let's Chill.."

A highlight was when Aaron started doing his crazy backward running man dance half way across the stage during "Teddy's Jam" which was unbeleivable!

After the love fest, Riley said, "Did y'all feel that? can we take it to the first song? It took a year to get us on top." That's when the group and band performed, "Groove Me", the 1988 jam that started the New Jack Swing era.

Just when the crowd thought the show was over, Aaron suddenly started singing one of his hits from the early 1990s, "I Miss You." But at that time, most people were looking for the exits. It would had been nice to have seen all the acts perform at the end, but that would have been too much like right, oh well.

In the house were Platinum Group's Jacque and Leata Price (I hope to get to your b-day party Saturday!), dancer Lisa May (who was my date), Freeman Bosley Junior Show co-host Nicci Roach (bet you were glad you didnt act up in the concert! LOL), Post Disptach Pop Critic Kevin Johnson (Your comment about my blue courduroy overalls I was wearing was not cute and I quote: "1987 called and they want their overalls back."), model Christiaan Coffield, Club Formula's Sonya Brascomb and Miss Kay, singer Silky Soul (I saw you trying to get freaky with Aaron hall!) and Herbert Hoover's Indigo Sams. When I was leaving out, I saw American Idol contestant Nikko Smith out in the lobby. I guess he was trying to get on as an opening act on the show. Who knows.

After the concert, I was preparing to walk Lisa May (who was working those black knee boots) to her car. While going there, I ran into Communique PR's Renee Thomas Woods and her husband. She made the comment, "Ma'at, you;re not dead!" I thought that was funny. yeah, right. (Just kidding) Oh and speking of Renee, kudos to her with her write up in this month's Essence magazine. She was quoted in there about black history lessons and how she teaches her kids about black history. I met up with my boy Kameron to the newest hot spot in the Lou, The Jazz Loft on Olive across the street and catconer from rival club Club Seven. I called my boy Ramey to see if he was coming through, but all I got was voicemail. While driving down there, around 11:30 p.m. it was a line of cars waiting to get valeted. I parked two streets over cause I was not feeling trying to get into all that traffic headache).I could have parked in teh Club Seven parking lot. It was a lot of room to park. Just kidding. ). Anyway, they wer charging 5 bones to get in (last week it was free, soon its going to be 10 when it becomes more popular). I think there was acharge last week cause of the concertgoers coming there in droves. Most of the people I mentioned who I saw at the concert was cramped up in the Loft. Others there were Spin City records CEO Cliff Wade, Clayton Bally trainer Deanthony, Mike Roberts (trying to be young in a tan leather jacket), Cedric the Entertainer's manager Eric Rhone, Edwrad Jones broker Roger Macon (who says althoughhe had to pay to get up in the Loft, he thought the club was tight),St. Louis American Graphic Artist Melvin Moore (I saw you dancing with the blonde sistas), singer Tiffany B. (one of the blonde sistas who was wearing a low cut shirt with her cleve out and who told me got a Cd coming out in March)., Robert Kirk and STl rapper Tiffany Foxx (who just got signed with Snoop's label). It was definitely the place to be seen. They even had some chicken wings and raw veggies for those who was getting teh crave to eat. Now my only beef was with the bartending service. Firts off, its only one bar there (and a small bar off to the side). To accomodate over 500 people in a small spot liek the loft was like trying to get Monique to run through a needle. the walking barmaids were not taking anyomore orders and it took me amost 20 minutes to get a drink from the bar and one of those bartendar chicks had teh nerve t have an attitude when it came to fixing people's drinks. Do you think I left a tip, yeah, "Check your attutude." That was my tip. Around 1:30 in the morn, people were calling for last call for alcohol. Around that time, people were getting their last minute hook ups on and where they were going after they left the Loft.

On MLK day, I chilled out for a minute and decided to work out at Ballys for my photo shoot at the Anheuser Busch Brewery this past Wednesday. Before I headed to the gym, I ran into a documentary on the Independent Film Channel called, John Henrick Clarke: In My Own Words. Made in 1996, Clarke (who is pictured on the left of my blog) is the late great Africanist who knew everything and anything when it came to black people and their legacy without holding his tongue. He talked about everything from how the slave trade really began (the Arab Muslims then capitalized by white Europeans acorss the world), Marcus Garvey, the Civil Rights Movement, MLK, the Theory of Turning the Other Cheek(He believed it should have been a strategy not the ends to the means, Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, the Rise of Farrakhan (Clarke believed Farrakhan caused teh atmosphere of Malcolm getting shot and killed) and the Million Man MArch (Clarke beleieved teh MArch was mostly showbiz revolution). If you get a chance, check out this documentary or rent it at the library or request it at Blockbuster. Especially now with Black History Month coming, this documentary is a telling a true picture of a man;s point of view of what it means to be black.

TIDBITZ: Congrats to Gary Johnson, owner of Magnolia's for a very entertaining Mr and Mrs. Newcomer Pageant last Friday....Thank you to Jenny and Rommie of Rio Creative for making my 8 hour photo shoot at Anheuser Busch (Hopefully I will be on billboards in downtown STL starting in March)..I will be talking with Majic 104.9 personality Selena J in hope sto being on her Saturday nite show, Soulternatives in late Feb....Message Therapist Kameron Hopson will be on the guetss on the Saturday morning show, "Enterate" Feb. 4 on UPN-46...Kudos to American Idol contestant and East Boogie native Deandre Perryman for singing for his taxes on Fox 2's morning show Thursday at H and R Block on Dellwood....model Carlos Mclaurin can be seen in an Anheuser Busch ad in this month's Ebony Magazine (go on sexual chocolate!)What's up with this rumor about someone stealing cases of Nelly's energy drink Pimp Juice at the Fillmore Brewery and seleling them in the Black Market? Accoridng to gossip diva Wendy Williams that is what is happneing. In other Nelly news, Nelly and his boys, The St. Lunatics are getting redy to open up a restarant and bar called MACKS (the acronym for Murphy Lee, Ali, Cornell (Nellys; real name), Kyjuan and Slo Down. it is supposed to open up in early spring of this year and it will be located on Howdershell in Ferguson (or is it Hazelwood?)..If you're ever on the East Side and vist Belleville for whatever reason, peep out the Shrine's fried cod fish sandwich plate. It is to die for! They serve it in rye bread, with tomota and lettuce and it will give your taste buds a work out!...local actor/singer Chuck Flowers is doing his thing singing in the Lou on both sides of the water...my SIUE colleague Damon Green is having a listening party this Saturday for local singing girl group SOSY (pronounced Saucy) at the Formula from 6 pm until 10 pm...Oh and thanks to Terrance Cochran for hipping me to how to do a hot link. LOL

Well, I guess that will cover it for now. If you have anything that you want for me topost, cover or talk about, feel free to hit me up at maatspear@yahoo.com.

OUT 27

Happy 2006 to all of my cyberfans. Its been good and hope that you all are still on your New Years resolutions and havent broke any of them yet. One of mine is to make this blogsite one of the hottest sites in the Lou. Another is to keep my blogs more concise and reader friendly. Those who have been keeping up with it say that they enjoy it and want me to keep pushing the envelope with it. And as they say in America, as well as the O'Jays, give the people what they want!

Well for starters, I didnt do too much on New Year's Eve. I chilled out and didnt go celebrating as some club. One of my friends, Ramey, says that his lady went to Chi-Town and peeped out Teena Marie for New years. I'm sure that was hot to death. OK lets get all into it.

Last week, I started my journey last Friday when I attended the Black Rep premiere of the Tony Award winning play, "Caroline or Change" about a black maid, Caroline, played excellently by Anita Jackson, who works for a Jewish family, The Gellmans in the 1960s and her inner turmoil of being a maid (the pic of the play is the one in the center). This play, has to be the best play that the Black Rep has put on its stage ever since Ive been reviewing plays for publications five years ago. And I am not putting that out there lightly. The 10 plus cast also includes Jazz diva, Denise Thimes as Dottie, Caroline's friend; local gospel singer Karen Hylton, as The Moon; R&B chanteuse Coco Soul as The Washing Machine; and new sensation, Naima Carter, who plays Emmie, Caroline's oldest daughter. Great singing, great story and dramatics goes on in this 2 1/2 hour extravaganza. Opening night was packed to the raptors from the balcony to the floor! I wouldnt have minded seeing this play for all of its run (until early Feb). I would not be surprised that this play would be the one to beat at the Black Rep's annual Woodie Awards. To check it out, call, 314-727-0888 and tell them that Ma'at recommended you see this play! Afterward, I went to a house party for a guy named Darrin at a loft on Washington downtown who was going away to be a fireman. Well, I hope that he doesn't breathe on the fires that he puts out cause homeboy was sho-nuff lit with octane when he left the party. But congrats to him. It was about 1:30 in the morning and I decided to meet up with my boy Kameron to catch the last few minutes of First Friday that was held at the Ritz Carton in Clayton. I need to get there as extremely late again cause for one, its free after midnite and everybody is still hanging out after the party is over. I saw a few celebs like Fox 2 sports guy Rob Desir and rapper Chingy. And speaking of Chingy, he has been bulking it up at Ballys in Clayton for the past two weeks. Its so funny to see him without his hip-hop drag cause without it, he looks like a little boy trying to lift weights. He was chilling with three guys in his posse trying to get him in shape. It has been interesting cause with him being so skinny and the guys that he hangs wioth being buffed and ripped, I'm sure Ching a ling must be intimidated. It was also tripped out when Chingy and his boyz left out one night and the Bally music machine started playing his rap vamp on Houston's song, "I like That." That was too funny.

On Saturday, I checked out some of the Health Fair that was going on at the America's Center. My boy Kameron was at the Ballys booth giving free 10 minute messages for people. I have never seen him in action, but my boy had foilks hypnotized with his messages. They were in a trance! It was too deep. I checked out the scene a little bit seeing who was there. I saw SIUE buddy Damon Green who was there with his organization, Missouri Foundation for Health. he was rappin to me about his idea to create an artist development company in the Lou. Yes! Yes! Yes! That is definitely needed!. I was telling him that its so many people in the LOu who look at Nelly and Chingy and say, "Hey I can do that." But they fail to realize that it takes more than a dream to get in teh game. It takes, skill , drive, and longevity--and a gooooood lawyer. Okay. I also saw Annie Burks of Flymusic. She just had her baby (A beautiful baby girl) and she was at the Oxygen Network booth who was giving 30 minute messages and a aerobics class to its patrons. She said that she was trying to raise ends for her trip to USC to go to film school. I'm glad she is still grinding. She also had a spritual experience after her message when she bursted out crying!. She was like it was the first time that she has had some time to herself since her child wa sborn and to have a message like she had was movinbg for her. Whoa! That's heavy.They also had other health related booths like 24 Hour Fitness, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Lupus Foundation and Wild Oats Market. Eternity Restirant was also there giving away free samples of their veggie dishes. They also had a mainsatge going on giving talks about various health issues like diabetes. What was funny , well, shall I say unfunny was when the host of the Mainstage, comedian Thor Ramsey was bombing more than Iraq! If my mamma would have saw him, she would had said, Oooh, I'm so shame for him. He had one funny joke when he said, why is it when you go to a brand new Wal-mart, its clean, but when you leave, its dirty. Now that got a chuckle out of me, but after that---flatline. The health fair's celeb that day was wrestler, Diamond Dalls Page (who is pictured on the right of my blog), who I hear is suing Jay Z for the Rockafella symbol. He was giving tips on yoga and to pub up his new book, "Yoga for Regular Guys." It was interesting to see a man who is famous for screaming at his challengers try to speak to "civilized" people about a quiet sport of yoga. I also met an interesting brother and sister team, Andrew and Allison Zanowsky who was promoting a tasty protein shake called Max Muscle. They were stationed right next to Ballys. I struck up a conversation with them (Allison was giving you light skinned black girl for real) and they are building a Max Muscle shop in front of Ballys in Dorsett in February. Kudos to them 9and to Allison for wearing that string thong while getting a message from kam--ooops!) Later on that night, I checked out the new Jazz Loft on Washington, catacorner to Club Seven and next to the Amoco there> I was really feeling this spot. When I got there, they had a b-day party for the Capricorns there. It was free to get in and everybody was getting their elecrtic slide on . The first person I noticed there was my boy Pete Foggy and his cuzzo up in there chillin. I barely recognized him cause my sunglasses started to fog up from being in the chill outside, but I wa sable to maintain and started my way through the crowd. I also ran into gospel singer Joseph George was clean as a sheet of paper with that white Lutha suit he was sportin. he was up in there serenading the b-day girls up in the joint. And he then said to me, "You;re a bad man." I didnt know what he meant by that, but I took it as a compliment. I then walked to one of the VIP areas and ran into Christiaan who was chillin with his friends. He told that Joel" Mr Theater" King was also up in there and I saw him getting his Fantasy Slide up in there (Too much playing) I talked to my buddy Curtis (what's up with the white Hummer dude!)who was coming up in therr with his out of town buddy Paul. We all chilled up in the VIP like the VIPers we were. I tried calling Kam but he didnt answer his celly (He was probably poope dfrom all thos emessages he was laying down earlier that day). It was hella up in there and the Dee-jay up in there, named Sounds, was mixing hip-hop and house giving yopu straigt up Chi-town up in there. American Idol finalist and East Boogie boy Deandre Perryman (hope I'm spelling your last name right) was up in the building (damn dude, you staright up diesel with the muscles now!) who serenaded the Capricorn sistas up in there with "Happy Birhday" (the traditional one not the Stevie version). Now my thing was like, he was doing his thing, and some fo the crowd started to boo! Now what was up with that. That was not cute. That was ugly! Fortunately, the claps drowned out the boos. He then came up to me and asked how he performed and I told him he was on the mark. Keep up the good work and tell your manager to send me that info on your upcoming stuff! We all left out of there and decided to go to another spot, but I jetted cause a brother wa sgetting hungry at 2 in the morning, so I trekked to Club Illusion to get that dirty rice and fried chicken, awww, talk about finger lickin!

TIDBITZ. Next Wednesday, I will be doing a photo shoot for Anhueser Busch's Brewery Tours for their billboards and mags in the STL area as well in markets such as New Jersey, and Florida... Check my stories on author JK Dennis and the Black rep at www.westendword.com.... Model Carlos Mclaurin's Busch spread in mags and bilklboards will be up next month. The local movie Pieces of a Dream, (you can get mor of a descript at imbd.com and type in Pieces of a Dream) that was filmed in Alton , Ill, last fall will be premeiring ion Chi-town in February and St, Louis in MArch from what I hear. it was the flick directed by Alton born Skee Skinner and starred some of STL's actors inclduing Joel King, Dennis Lebby and kid actor Tre'von Griffith(who can now be seen in Caroline or Change).... The Adam's Mark and the Pavillion hotels will be the site for the Martin Luther King Celebration. Celebs like Judge Mabeline and Omar Tyree will be in town on various panels and a hair show that will be going down thsi coming up weekend. For more info contact Gary Boyd at 314-514-0678 and peep out their website at stlmlkdream.com.... Kudos to East Boogie native Reginald Hudlin for his new gig as head of programming at BET. I can see it now, a marathon of all the flicks he and brother Warrington directed or produced on the network. I hope he can do more original programming to uplift our people beside the Laffy Taffy videos and gutter comedy.... Much love to St. Louis American Entertainment Editor Bill beene for holdinghis won when he rebuttled a member of the Slu Crew on Sunday Morning Live last Sunday on a segment called "Responsibility of the Media." It all started when Beene talked about Big Will, a rapper from the Slu Crew, who went on 106 and park (he was also the one who battled Scooby at the Jay Z concert at the UMB Bank Pavillion two years ago) and he was winning the show's Freestyle Friday segments (he has now retired and has become a 106 and Park Free style Rapper Hall of Fame inductee) and Beene wrote about Big Will saying he is good but therr are other rappers doing ther thing as well and he isnt THE ONE. Well, Big Will didnt like what Beene had to say and he made it known to him at a Unity PArty that STL rapper Ebony eyez threw at Dreams Shante threatening Beene to not write about him the way he did. Well, Ive been knowing Beene for years, even worked with him, and I know Beene wasnt going to stand for that. A Challenge! Thats what hip-hop journalism is all about.. Well, he did and thats what brewed up the debate on Deneen Busby's Sunday Mornming Live show. I say that it was good dialogue. More stuff like that should be addressed and it brings more attention to the ST. Lousi Amerian, Bill Will and Slu Crew, and as they say in the biz, "any publicty is good publicty!."

A HUH FOR YA? What was up with a sista on the Tony Scott Breaking Crew Show this Thursday who was reppin her shop, Butterfly Braids, during the Crew's remote show and said that she can braid hair faster than those Africans! Huh? What was up with that? Sista, arent you African, I mean, your ancestors came from Africa. See, that is too much playing and for her to say it on air was downtright puzzling!

Well, that will do it for me. Until teh next time, Stay in teh mix in 2006 (God thats corny).