Don't Film My Wife!!!!

Back in the day when there were million $ videos, artist would come from near and far to be featured in a  hot artist's video. Seeing and meeting artist and musicians were always fun until this day.

The video being shot this day was for a hip-hop fav. He was like everybody's little brother. Rapping since the age of five he was a platinum teenager. In this particular song he featured a rapper from an up and coming crew. The rapper flew in with a full entourage including a barber. Since the platinum teenager was a shot caller all hands were on deck to make this happen. Cameras were everywhere, the south's largest newspaper had sent a reporter to cover and all was well until the rapper noticed the media cameras. Being apart of the production team we had to be on top of everything!!!! I noticed a group of 4-5 men standing in a circle talking with a lot of passion and anger and a camera being tossed back and forth so I stepped to them to find out what the hostility was about.

The rappers turns to me and screams directly in my face, "I don't want these n*ggas filming my wife!!" after smelling his breath for far too long, I cleared my throat and replied, "so who is your wife"? See dude was all over the rap magazines with different chicks and who knew he was married??? Anywho, he gets in my face yelling, "if I catch any camera on her, I'm coming to see you!" WTF? Did he just threaten me? Yes he did. I stood there as the whole lot got quite, I then replied in my most professional voice, "ok I'll take care of it." and walked back to the other crew members standing near by. Everybody was in shock. Standing there in amazement somebody asked, what's up with him? So I relayed the story, he does not want us to film his wife and he's serious! Everybody had these strange looks on their faces because like I said dude was always with a gang of different chicks. Ok so we made sure not to film the "wife" cause truth be told, these dudes were kinda new to the game but their reputations proceeded them.

The day went on but since he made such a deal about the "wife" we all couldn't help but keep looking in her direction. After a few glances and positioning of where we could stand and get a better view without being seen, we all stored a mental picture of this girl, not woman but girl. ..

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We Salute Shakir Stewart

November 1, 2008 Shakir Saeed Stewart's life ended by his own hands. A successful music industry executive, engaged to be married with two small children was dead. He was 34 years old.

First reports stated he had been shot, possibly killed in a robbery attempt. Then confirmation, Shakir committed suicide. He lead a life filled with star power. Forever the friendly, charismatic, laid back guy who had the details on who was having a party, rockin a show or recording the next big track. His demeanor was cool and friendly, when you'd see him at a gathering, party, video shoot or just grabbing a bite to eat at Marco's Pita, Shake radiated warm energy.

2008 something changed. Friends remembering seeing him in April of that year and noticing he was a little different. Still cool, obviously working but a bit aloof. In early June it was announced that he would take the spot Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter left vacant and become Senior VP Def Jam Records. Shake had hit a career milestone. He was at the top of the food chain, something he had worked for and earned. Then fall came. The day after All Hallow Eve. That Saturday morning began with text messages, phone calls, email messages etc. Calls from LA, New York and Atlanta all asking "What the hell is going on with Shakir?" Nobody had solid answers. Then confirmation from a life long friend. Shakir was dead, he committed suicide. Silence replaced the buzzing phones and message lines. Weeping filled the air. People gathered in small groups to try to make since of it. Was he dealing with some deep depression? He had been deeply affected years prior when his longtime girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident during Christmas. Was it the pressures of the music business? With a position like the one he was in, sure there was going to be pressure but what kind to make you take your own life in the house with your fiance and children? No one knew except for the man who lay dead on the bathroom floor.

The service in his honor at Morehouse's King Chapel was filled with celebrities, friends, acquaintance, business partners past and present and associates.You could hear a pin drop. The speakers spoke of the man who lived a full life. The video showing his life in pictures had the room choked up but still very much composed. As we watched and sat silent, the elephant in the room whisper why? But still no answers.

Most have come to grips with the idea that they will never know the truth as to why Shake took his life. Some have committed to remembering the man that they knew as just that, the man that they knew. A cool dude always trying to make something pop. It is with that notion that we also remember Shakir Saeed Stewart, a smart, charming, well dressed and respected son, father and friend. May your memory live on.

Industry Life and Times Writers

Before #AmberRose or #KimKardasian...

Before I knew what a Kardashian was or even heard of Amber Rose, we got to see the plays of one we will call Ms. Pretty.

When Ms. Pretty arrived on the scene,  it was during the time that a chic would have to be tight!... not just cute, but exotic beautiful, not just cute shape, but killer body, to be considered a suitable side piece for particular men in the music business and she fit the bill. Off top, the first adjective to describe her in conversation was pretty. She had grown up in one of those "off to the side" mid-west big cities and as young adults sitting and talking she shared that she was on a two-fold mission, to go to college yes, but most important to also snag a dude with money. She told us, her mom put and kept her up on game. Plain and simple.

One day we noticed she was moving. She said her mom had transferred her to the all girls school a few blocks away because it had a more prestigious name. *wink* We only saw her occasionally after that but when we did we saw the changes. Sure she had been seen in almost every hot car but now she was driving a fly truck or two. She dropped the thick herring bone necklace she was known for sporting and replaced it with a diamond tear drop necklace with matching earrings and bracelet. She went from being seen on campus to being seen ridin' through, sometimes solo but often shot gun with random rappers, producers and actors. She was seen at parties in their entourages and there are those pictures floating around with she and Tupac on vacation. It became so common place for her to be associated with people of name that you just stopped listening. But everything does change, as time passed we got older, people tried their hands at different careers and she attempted to transform or reinvent herself into a stylist. Nothing ever really came of that but she was still a very big staple on the scene.

Then word came around that she was preggers, ok but what everyone wanted to know was by who? It could have been a number of people but we knew it was NOT a 9-5 type dude. When she gave birth, a popular gossip site known for inventing stories had for once, gotten it right, a high profile, controversial and wealthy music mogul was the dad....Check Mate!

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Industry Life and Times

Industry Life and Times began as a project to document and record experiences from those who have worked, lived and been apart of the music and entertainment world. We set out to create a capsule of stories, experiences and appropriate fodder from across the current music, entertainment and sports community.

Since that time, our goals changed and grew into more. From the blog came the ebook and then the ebook grew into a series. We are very happy that you have decided to stop by and visit with us and as always we hope that in creating this space, where we document and share adventures from the life and times of those in and round the business of music and entertainment, that you enjoy our stories, learn from our mis-steps and share your feedback.

(Note: We change or do not mention some of the names involved to protect the guilty.)

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