J Music: New Coursera Music Classes Starting Oct. 14

Found 2 new courses that may be of interest for all my singers/musicians writing and producing their own music.

Introduction to Music Production with Loudon Stearns

Learn about the music production process—including recording, editing, and mixing—and the tools available to you to create contemporary music on your computer.

Workload: 6-8 hours/week

Find more information here.

Songwriting with Pat Pattison

Learn an efficient, effective process for writing songs that express your ideas and emotions, including a range of tools that revolve around the concept of prosody—the matching of lyrics and music to support your underlying message.

Workload: 6-8 hours/week

Find more information here.

Everything I wanted to say about the Mrs. Carter Show…

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Queen Bey working it out on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. 

This man had me in tears. Like real tears.

But I promise you, everything he said and how he said it (even his facial expressions) were almost identical to the things I said and felt during my recap of the Atlantic City show – if you’ve been to the show you know exactly what I’m talking about.

*Please excuse the cursing. 😉

J Events: WNBA All-Star Game, Saturday, July 27

Halfway through the first quarter we were standing outside with no tickets, ready to head home (thanks to a mix-up by Mohegan Sun). Five minutes later, we were courtside!

These girls can really ball, definitely don’t get the respect or viewership they deserve.

Trevor Jackson served as the halftime entertainment. Performing for an audience of mostly middle-aged white folks with blank expressions couldn’t have been easy, but he didn’t let it affect his energy. Members of both the East and the West came out of the locker room to support him, dancing and cheering from the tunnel.

Trevor may look familiar as he recently appeared in the Disney hit movie, Let It Shine, as Kris McDuffy. I also got the chance to see him years ago as Young Simba in the Lion King on Broadway.
While these faux-events are not something you’re likely to read continue reading my pharmacy now cheapest sildenafil about in your AP US History class (please contact us if they are, because your teacher probably needs to end up having a medicine or the desired treatment for the problem. The best herbal medications out there are literally worthless due to harmful manufacturing viagra uk shop processes and low quality. These used to be a damper, cialis buy online but not anymore. This condition is an inability for getting or cialis 20mg tablets check it right here now sustaining a penile erection, or ability for achieving ejaculation.
I can see him and up-and-comer B. Smyth going round for round to fill the void Chris Brown left in the R&B space – the clean-cut Disney image and the McDonald’s endorsement don’t hurt!

You may have heard his debut song “Like We Grown,” but check out his new single “Drop It” and his recent interview with Global Grind’s Brittany Lewis.

He’s a cutie!

Washington Heights: Art, Dreams, Culture, and Perceptions Collide

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As Jersey Shore prepared to go off the air for good, MTV began heavily promoting their upcoming lineup of programming that included Washington Heights.

When I was introduced to the show’s premise, I thought it was promising. As a Viacom intern last summer, I quickly learned within the industry there is a noticeable focus on developing shows that target the rapidly growing Hispanic demographic while still appealing to mainstream audiences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvHyl2dlAG0

Though the show had initial fanfare, the ratings never materialized and the show was moved to 11 by the end of the season.

I have come across a number of complaints that the show was “too positive” with a focus on the creative pursuits of the show’s personalities.

Then there was the opposition who felt the show was not positive enough. Some viewers felt the show did not accurately portray the neighborhood or “what it means to be Dominican,” and should have focused, in part, on young adults pursuing secondary education.

Why the cynics are wrong (and they are wrong)

I really appreciated MTV taking the chance and putting something on air that does not necessarily fit amongst the typical program selection (i.e. Jersey Shore, Buckwild, Ridiculousness). The show weaved in the usual relationship and drama storylines while also dealing with the effects of a broken home, the mistakes made in professional development, the alternatives to life on the street, and the struggles of pursuing non-traditional fields. I thought they were able to produce something that was stereotypically entertaining yet also a more realistic look at issues non-exclusive to the ones noted above.

And let’s get some things straight:

At the end of the day those characters are only representing themselves, not a race or ethnicity.

Do I think in certian instances characters can serve as the only representation of a group of people and therefore negatively impact an unconscious viewer’s perception of a whole race of people—yes.

Do I think many reality stars choose to represent themelves poorly on these shows, essentially exploiting themselves for ratings and fame—yes.

Can anyone really argue that the group of friends exploited themselves or negatively impacted the perception of Washington Heights and what it means to be Dominican—I don’t think so.

I wonder if I would feel differently if I was more familiar with the Dominican culture or Washington Heights for that matter, but as a general viewer I have only connected with the characters, their stories and what those stories can do for others viewers that find themselves dealing with similar issues.

Furthermore the characters may not pursue traditional career paths, but the message still transcends whatever career path you choose—any dream comes with challenges and real consequences, but if you follow-through you will see an evolution.

I wish viewers had given the show a chance because the show really found its own identity over the season. Why do you think the show failed to attract viewers?

List of Articles

MTV’s latest reality show scales ‘Washington Heights’ with 20-something dreamers

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/mtv-latest-reality-show-scales-washington-heights-article-1.1223874#ixzz2NwFGBWny

MTV’s ‘Washington Heights’ Stars Say Show isn’t About Being Dominican

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/entertainment/2013/01/30/mtv-washington-heights-stars-say-show-isnt-about-being-dominican/#ixzz2NwDxUg3a

In defense of MTV’s Washington Heights

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/in-defense-of-mtvs-washington-heights/2/

Washington Heights: Where’s The ‘Dominicanness’ In MTV Reality Show?

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/washington-heights-wheres_n_2449406.html

MTV: Cancel the show “Washington Heights”

http://www.change.org/petitions/mtv-cancel-the-show-washington-heights

J Video: HuffPost Live ‘The MF Life’

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On Wednesday, February 6 Melanie Fiona sat down with HuffPost Live correspondent Nancy Redd to discuss how she got her start in the industry, how she has sustained her career, and her 2013 Grammy Nomination for her single “Wrong Side of a Love Song.” She even answered some questions from fans around the world via Skype and Google+.

Melanie may not be on every tabloid or gossip blog, but she has something that most musicians do not — two Grammys, for her work on “Fool For You” with CeeLo Green.

I appreciated her honesty, particularly when asked about her lowest point (09:30 mark). She spoke poignantly about taking the necessary steps to ensure her mental health during a difficult period following her first tour with Alicia Keys.

This was my first time coming across a segment on HuffPost Live, but I will definitely check it out again —it is a really cool concept. For those who are late (like me) find more information about HuffPost Live here.

P.S. Her Gucci boots are fab!!