SELAHVIE

24-hour-recording-project Steve, Hardy Mac & Me!

OK, this one happened quite a while ago but, hey, I”M A LAZY SOD!! (at least for updating my website….internship anyone!?!?).  So I was chatting with my man in Capetown, Hardy McQueen and he was telling me about this crazy project he was putting together where all these musicians and rappers and singers and engineers bang out a record in a single day. WELLLL, I have this thing about people that take a FRKN YEAR to do a record that they could have completed in a committed weekend, with some good advance prep work – in other words, GTFAO, all that time could have been pushing the record and getting on to the next….ok, that’s my soapbox rant…ima shuddup on that.

So, I was coming into Joburg and, like the day before, Hardy tells me Proverb is gonna be there…well, only one thing to do for me! catch the next thing smokin’ down to CT the moment I landed in Jozi! Verb is just a cat I highly respect and is definitely getting his hustle on in a multidisciplinary/entrepreneurial way – he’s got a solid following as a rapper, but since he’s been host of M-Net’s IDOLS, there is a whole audience he’s reaching that may not even have experienced him in that way…LUV IT.

One other highlight of the hectic day was my man Steve Ellsworth and the incredibly warm welcome he had for me, knowing I had just rolled in from ATL via Joburg and was READY TO ROCK! he had everything lined up nicely so I could get in and do my mastering thing with the clock ticking towards the midnight launch at the club! hectic….just the way I like it! Launch was great, club was packed and people so damn into it, it just brought back memories of how hiphop was in the early 90′s and before…. Well, next morning, glutton for punishment, we shot the video below – hope u like it!!! peace.

Facebook Pics: http://goo.gl/7esFK

RedBull Page: http://goo.gl/HMyDq

The MUSIC:
Ill-Literate-Skill – Skills that pay the Bills 24hour project by Red Bull Studio CT

Hi my fantastic SA friends! I’m back in JOBURG from 18-27 Jun (yes, next week!) with a hot scheme to create 200+ new young SA entrepreneurs.
Remember Zuma’s promise of 500,000 new jobs in SA? (http://bit.ly/OuZSj) Let’s do something about it….this month!

How? FUTURE MOGULS has a one-day training curriculum culled from real-life strategies of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, New York, and Atlanta that applies to all bootstrapping start-up ventures. FM has partnered with GreenTree Technologies (http://www.greentreetech.co.za/about.htm) so the trainees get their very own cellular airtime reselling agencies that work with all the domestic carriers (Voda, MTN, CellC, etc). Now the trainees can manage and grow their own business and build capital for their entrepreneurial ideas. Exciting stuff, and who knows what repercussions this will have in the long-term….we’re starting with a goal of 200, but with YOUR help, we can blow past this in the week of training with no problem.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=180366305817&ref=ts

Great, How can I be down?
Basically, we need some venues to train in, some celebrity co-presenters to make it cool, and to get the word out to people.

• DJs, artists and on-air personalities:
  • Interview me, another representative that’s involved, or simply mention it on your show.
  • Come spend one hour or more with trainees (great photo-op and press item!)
  • Spread the word through your networks (email, facebook, twitter, SMS/Text, etc) about the trainings
• Core Team:
  • Fill up the calendar with venues during the week of 19 – 27 JUN, get the word out, and be on hand the day of to assist in the training.
    • BizMoguls needs only a room that can hold the number we expect to draw in that area, and should be in a location that’s easy to find (or instance CityVarsity/Sound and Motion, Bassline, etc…Alex/Soweto)
    • We’ll do a few music production trainings called MixMoguls – needs to be either a studio or venue with a sound system – talking with Bassline, The Rock (Soweto), etc

That’s it, in a nutshell!

Do you have an email list?
Lots of Facebook friends or Twitter followers?
A show? A gig?
People you know want to get involved?
Ideas for where we can train?

GREAT! please inbox me at selah.abrams@gmail.com and let’s get on with it!

All the best, Selah.

This guy has T-A-L-E-N-T!!! download his mixtape here: http://www.mediafire.com/?ii12zlbmdoy

The album will drop soon – final mix and mastering by yours truly….smokin hot! http://www.erniebstclair.co.za/

* July 2002 he entered the Coca cola Pop stars competition.
* He was chosen as one of the 10 finalists out of 10 000 candidates.
* Like in the U.K with the two groups Liberty X and Hearsay; Virgin Records and Tartan decided to give five of the 10 finalists an opportunity to excel in the music industry.
* Two months later contracts were signed and a name Afro –Z was chosen.
* The first single was released in late November 2002 called “Phenomenal” from the album titled “Ain’t it Funny”.

Ernie B St Clair – Tonight feat. Stan1 by Stan1.Baby

Check out Ernie B on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/PipelineRecordsTv

NLC Atlanta 1st Annual Fellows Fundraiser: Leading the Charge for Change

Wow! what a night – what began as a conversation with my cool CNN homegirl Ebony Hillsman just before Obama’s Inauguration has snowballed into a movement among young progressive leaders in Atlanta and in 10 other cities in the US.  We had a packed turnout at Publik Draft House, next to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in midtown Atlanta. The event brought out political veterans like former Mayor Shirley Franklin, and Georgia Senator Nan Orrock. Atlanta City Councilmember Kwanza Hall, City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, and Fulton County Commissioner John Eaves were also among those who came out to celebrate. The Fellows raised more than $6,000.00 which included $1,000.00 pledges from Hall, Orrock, and Eaves.

PHOTOS are here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/newleaderscouncil/sets/72157623999522250/

http://www.pitchengine.com/free-release.php?id=60721

http://www.pitchengine.com/free-release.php?id=60561

Jonathan Rubain

Capetown, South Africa -

The band is headed up by Jonathan Rubain on bass and vocals, who also composed the music for the album. The album also features accomplished solo jazz musicians Donveno Prins on saxophone, Keith de Bruyn on drums, Marco Mentoor on keyboard, Cameron Ward on guitar, Tony Paco on percussion, as well as guest guitarist Julius May and guest trumpeter Mandise Dyantjies.

“I want the people to hear what’s inside my heart,” said Rubain about the recently completed 12-track album. “The songs are about happiness and freedom. And also about love,” he added.

Rubain learned to play the bass growing up in Cape Town’s Hannover Park. He has excelled to become the bass player of preference for legends such as Mac McKenzie, Errol Dyers and Robbie Jansen. With the Cape Jazz Band he has played at festivals in France and Malaysia, and with the Goema Captains of Cape Town in Reunion. He has also appeared as a featured guest with artists such as Wanda Baloyi, Jeff Maluleke, Allou April, David Kramer & Camillo Lombard, and was recently also the bass player for the production Three Wiser Men in the Baxter Theatre. Rubain has performed at numerous concerts and festivals locally and abroad, including the Cape Town Jazzathon, Indian Ocean International Jazz Festival and the Genting International Jazz Festival.

The Jonathan Rubain Band is becoming a festival fixture in Cape Town. They featured, amongst others, on the Basil Coetzee stage at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2009. Happy People is their debut album as a band, and was recorded by James Porter at Session Room Studios in Somerset West, and produced by Jonathan Rubain, with mastering handled by Selah Abrams in Atlanta.

The band will also be performing at the Cape Town Jazz Festival this year.

David Eckoff and I have now presented ID2MKT three times, most recently at GaTech’s Seventh Annual Black Leadership Conference. The extensive weekend-long event was a fantastic experience, as was last year – huge props to friend and former Turner intern Kelli Stancil for handling all the logistics. Conference site here. We’ve also got Flickr Photos and Youtube Videos.

Some quick feedback comments below:

“The greatest value was learning that NO obstacle can hold me back from my dreams.” – Whitney

“Very inspiring program delivered in a simple and direct presentation.” – Dwayne

“Most inspiring 45 minutes of the year!” - Fese

“I’m feeling like I can really achieve my dreams. This course is the epitome of empowerment.” – @3girlsmic

“David and Selah show how to make it happen!” – Candace

“Excellent opportunity to stomp out your obstacles.” – Matthew

“Engaging.” – Lisa

“The greatest value was to know my goals and not let anything stop me. No obstacle is impossible to overcome.” – Taylor

“I will not let distractions keep me from accomplishing my idea.” – Cherrelle

“I learned what I want to do and what it will take to get me there.” – Michael

“The best things said can become the greatest things when done.” – Malcolm

“Loved it – I will leave here with a new attitude about my idea. Will help me bring my idea to life.” – Hattie

“I’ve worked my business idea sparingly for several years. You helped me identify the obstacles holding me back. Now I have a goal and a purpose.” – Nicolette

About a week before traveling to DC for the Obama Inauguration, my colleague at CNN, Ebony Hillsman, told me about a unique organization she found on the internet, New Leaders Council. I found out they had an event at The Watergate Hotel, and made it down to DC from NJ just in time to catch the tail end. I was really impressed with the sincerity and earnestness of all involved, from leadership on down, and knew immediately that NLC is exactly what Atlanta needs. Being the home of the Civil Rights Movement, we have very strong representation of older leadership, but the younger generation has not had the benefit of programmatic mentoring and teaching, and all too often the only ‘passing of the torch’ has been in the form of ‘Candidate X’ needing some overcaffienated, idealistic grunts to help get out the vote during the campaign..this is quite different from grooming.

New Leaders Council began in San Francisco, and has grown to DC, NY, LA, and Boston over the ast four years, and is poised to go up to 10 cities in 2010 – more info here: http://newleaderscouncil.org/about.html

The NLC Atlanta Chapter Facebook Group and Twitter keep us connected to fellows, faculty, and committees.

Joining the international booking and promotions team in 2008 as a typical twist on what a standard venture capitalist does, I leveraged my skillsets (mixing and mastering audio, interactive promotions and online community building), resources, and industry relationships to secure a management positions and share in the company.

Party Republik has offices in Atlanta and Wiesbaden, Germany, and I’m heading up the process of expanding into Africa, particularly South Africa and Nigeria.

Damien “Black” Nicholson, originally from Detroit, is the head of the Atlanta office, and oversees Artist Development and Management, Contractual Agreements (Label/Artist, Artist/Management, Label/Producer, Split Sheets, Recording & Production Deals), Short film & DVD Production, PR, Recording Budget Maintenance, Liaison between Independent & Major Parent Labels, Road Management, Artist Bookings, distribution and retailing of other Merchandise, i.e. Mixtape, T-shirt, Posters, etc.

Thomas Saulters, our Senior Partner, originally hails from Buffalo, New York, and oversees the complete business operations, continually planning the development and expansion of new venues. Directly responsible to the investor(s), ensuring revenue goals are met and operational cost are within 5% of planned budget.

Upcoming European tours for 2010 include Dem Franchize Boyz in January, Yung LA, Lil Scrappy, Keri Hilson in February, LL Cool J in March, NAS in April, Ludacris in May/June,  Redman/Method Man in June/July.