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Sam Moore, who found fame as part of the Sam & Dave duo that delivered the “Soul Man” hit, has died. According to Sam Moore’s publicist, the singer passed away last Friday after complications surrounding a recent surgery procedure.
Sam Moore was born Samuel David Hicks on October 12, 1935, in Miami, Fla. After his mother married his stepfather, Charlie Moore, he took the surname. Moore began singing in church choirs as a young man and joined doo-wop groups but gospel music was where he was a notable force. Moore would be discovered alongside his future Sam & Dave partner and fellow gospel singer, the late Dave Prather, in 1961 at Miami’s King Of Hearts Club and subsequently signing with Roulette Records, a label with reported New York mob ties and was home to acts such as Pearl Bailey and Frankie Lymon among others.
As was customary during this time, Sam & Dave signed with Atlantic Records in 1964 and were contracted out to Stax Records to construct and release records. The fruitful union spawned hits such as “Hold On! I’m Comin’,” “I Thank You,” and perhaps the duo’s best-known hit, “Soul Man” which was written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Booker T. & The M.G.’s, which provided backing instrumentation for several Sam & Dave tracks, was also on hand for the hit.
England’s The Times revealed in their obituary that Moore broke personal ties with his partner after Prather shot his wife in 1968. The pair would continue to perform together but officially split ways for good in 1981. The Times also notes that Moore fathered several children with multiple women and worked as a pimp and conman, some of which was mentioned in an autobiography, For the Record 3: Sam and Dave by Dave Marsh.
After kicking a heroin addiction, Moore would see a late-career resurgence, even re-recording “Soul Man” alongside Lou Reed for the 1986 film of the same name. He remained an active touring and recording musician up until 2022, joining Bruce Springsteen on the New Jersey rocker’s R&B and soul cover album, Only The Strong Survive.
As mentioned at the top of the article, Moore passed after complications from surgery in Coral Gables, Fla. but details are scant beyond that. It isn’t known the exact number of children and no obituaries that we’ve seen gave an accurate number.
Sam Moore was 89.
[h/t Associated Press]
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Richard Parsons, a Black executive lauded for his efforts leading Time Warner and Citigroup, died on Thursday (Dec. 26) at the age of 76. Richard Parsons navigated deals such as splitting one-time Internet giant AOL from Time Warner and other notable moves.
Richard Parsons, who also went by the shortened version of his name Dick, was born on April 4, 1948, in New York and was raised in the South Ozone Park in Queens. Raised by parents of middle-class means, Parsons was an exceptional student in grade school ahead of attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa on a basketball scholarship. Returning to the mainland, Parsons entered Albany Law School of Union University, New York, and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1971.
Parsons’ legal career began after he was invited to work for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, who was later appointed as Vice President of the United States by President Gerald Ford. Parsons traveled to Washington to work alongside Rockefeller in 1974, crossing paths with fellow lawyer Rudolph Giuliani during this stretch. From 1977 to 1988, Parsons worked for the Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler law firm and was made partner.
In 1991, Parsons was asked to join Time Warner’s board and later became its president in 1995. Parsons oversaw Time Warner’s merger with AOL in 2000, but the partnership did not create the financial windfall some expected. After Time Warner Chief Executive Gerald Levin retired in 2001, Parsons stepped in to take Levin’s place. Under Parson’s leadership, Time Warner successfully split from AOL by removing the name association with the company and lowering the company’s $30 billion debt to $16.8 billion after selling Warner Music and portions of the wider business.
After stepping down in 2007 from Time Warner, two years later Parsons became the chairman of Citigroup, using his management and business oversight skills to help the banking company after it was hit by the financial crisis. In 2014, Parsons worked as the interim CEO for the Los Angeles Clippers after the NBA banned owner Donald Sterling for life for his racist remarks. Parsons, a Republican Party voter, did not involve himself with racial politics and famously downplayed race in interviews electing to focus on other aspects of himself.
In 2015, Parsons was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and officially retired in 2018 due to health concerns. Parsons passed away at his Manhattan home according to reports. His death was confirmed by Lazard, where he was a board member.
Richard Parsons is survived by his wife, Laura, and their three children.
[h/t CNBC]
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Art Evans, a veteran actor who broke into the film business in the 1970s and starred in Die Hard 2, passed away last weekend at the age of 82. A California native, Art Evans starred in a diverse slate of films, including CB4, Metro, and The Mighty Quinn.
Art Evans was born on March 27, 1942, in Berkeley, Calif., and began his acting career in the 1960s in Los Angeles as a stage actor. One of Evans’ first major roles was in Christine, directed by John Carpenter and based on a novel by Stephen King. He also starred in A Solider’s Story starring Denzel Washington, Howard E. Rollings Jr., and David Allen Grier, among others. In 1990, Evans landed the role of Leslie Barnes, the Dulles International Airport engineer who helped Bruce Willis’ John McClane avert a terrorist attack.
Evans also had significant roles on television on shows such as The X-Files, Monk, Family Matters, and M*A*S*H. He also had a role in A Different World as the father of Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell).
Evans’ last credited role from IMDB was a voice role on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder television series in 2022.
As seen on Variety, the family of Evans shared a statement that read, “We are heartbroken to share that Art has passed away. Please respect our privacy at this time. A memorial will be held for friends and family to attend at a later date. Thank you.”
Art Evans is survived by his wife, Babe Evans, and their son Ogadae Evans.
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Nikki Giovanni, the famed poet, activist, and educator, died on Monday (Dec. 9). As the news of Nikki Giovanni’s death began to spread online, many are remembering the celebrated scribe and her weight contributions to culture.
Nikki Giovanni was born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni Jr. in Knoxville, Tenn. on June 7, 1943. Raised primarily in Ohio, Giovanni was referred to as “Nikki” by her sister, and the nickname stuck. In 1960, Giovanni attended Fisk University in Nashville. In 1967, Giovanni graduated with a B.A. degree in History.
Shortly after, Giovanni was inspired to write after the passing of her grandmother and these writings would later form the basis of her poetry collection, Black Feelings, Black Talk. After briefly attending the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work and Columbia University School of the Arts, Giovanni began teaching in 1969 at Rutgers University.
Giovanni was one of the prominent names within the Black Arts Movement, later releasing a series of books and spoken world albums in addition to her teaching duties from the 1970s through the 1980s. During the late ’80s, Giovanni began teaching writing and literature at Virginia Tech from 1987 to 2022 and in that time she received 20 honorary doctorates and dozens of awards for her work and service to the community. Among the honorifics, Giovanni was made an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
Giovanni is survived by her wife Virginia Fowler, son Thomas Giovanni, granddaughter Kai Giovanni, and a host of other close relatives.
Nikki Giovani was 81. May she rest powerfully in peace.
[h/t WDBJ]
Learn more about Giovanni’s life and work here.
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Saafir, a talented rapper who was a standout lyricist in the 1990s, was an influential component of the sprawling West Coast underground scene that boosted the likes of the Hieroglyphics and more. According to one of Saafir’s close allies in music, the “Light Sleeper” rapper died on Tuesday morning after reports of him battling health issues surfaced years ago.
On Tuesday (November 19), Xzibit shared a photo of Saafir, who also went by the name of Shaft Yella, with a caption that revealed that the rapper had passed away.
From IG:
I can’t believe I’m writing this right now, but don’t know what else to do at the moment. Approximately at 8:45am this morning, my brother Reggie known to the world as Saafir passed away. We have so much history I can’t even explain what I’m feeling right now. We surrounded him and let him know how much we loved him. He can rest now.
Friends, Family, everyone that rocked with us from the Hip Hop community, if you could be so solid and reach out for @chopblack his younger brother, and @lilsaafir his son, the family really needs to be supported during this time. That’s all I have right now. My soul is crushed.
We love you Bro.
REST IN POWER
Saafir The Saucee Nomad.
Saafir, real name Reggie Gibson, burst onto the scene with his debut album, Boxcar Sessions, which was released via the late Quincy Jones’ Qwest recording label in conjunction with Reprise and Warner Bros Records. Later in life, Saafir converted to Islam and when we have his full righteous name, we will update this post.
The Saucee Nomad famously battled members of the aforementioned Hieroglyphics by himself in a classic radio battle on KMEL’s Wake Up Show with Sway Calloway and DJ King Tech that became the stuff of legend in underground circles. Gibson also worked as an actor, making his debut on film in 1993’s Menace II Society as Cousin Harold.
Along with his solo career, Gibson was a member of the Hobo Junction, a collective of rappers and producers that featured prominently on his debut album. He was also a member of the Golden State Warriors supergroup with Xzibit and Ras Kass.
On X, formerly Twitter, fans of Saafir are joined in mourning the Oakland visionary. We’ve got reactions below. We will update this post with new details and a playlist of songs.
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Quincy Jones, a legendary record producer and songwriter who worked with several musical greats, died over the weekend in his California home. The enormity of the loss of Quincy Jones is on full display on social media, most especially the X social media platform.
Quincy Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Ill. Music became a part of Jones’ life at a young age under the guidance of his mother and a next-door neighbor. The idea of becoming a professional bloomed when Jones was a teenager, crossing paths with a blind pianist and singer by the name of Ray Charles who was just a couple of years his senior.
In the early 1950s, Jones, who was a trumpet player early on, studied for a short while at the Schillinger House facility, now known today as the Berklee College of Music. At the age of 20 in 1953, Jones hit the road as a trumpeter and arranger for Lionel Hampton. This opened doors for Jones to become an arranger for Dinah Washington, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Count Basie, and others. In 1956, Jones joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band as a trumpeter and became its musical director. In that same year, Jones released his first album as a band leader.
Jones’ ear for music and talents as an arranger created a pathway for him to join Mercury Records as its A&R director and in 1964, he was named a vice president at the label, becoming one of the top Black executives in music at the time. Jones would continue to work as an arranger for the likes of Frank Sinatra and Billy Eckstine and moved into composing music for the film industry.
After suffering a brain aneurysm, Jones briefly stepped away from the music industry but returned and found himself drawn to producing pop records. Jones created his record label, Qwest, in 1980. He would also become a film producer in 1985, helping bring The Color Purple to life along with creating the score for the award-winning film.
Source: David Hume Kennerly / Getty
Among Jones’ several achievements, his work with the late Michael Jackson remains notable to this day. Jones was the producer of Jackson’s Off The Wall, Thriller, and Bad which all were massive successes and added to the legacy of both Jones and Jackson alike. During this time, Jones also produced the star-studded fundraising “We Are The World” single. Jones also dabbled in bringing television shows to fruition, serving as a producer for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In 1993, Jones founded Vibe magazine and owned the publication until 2006.
Source: William Nation / Getty
Jones has been awarded several honors, including the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2011, the Ahmet Ertegun Award in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, seven Oscar nominations, the Los Angeles Press Club Visionary Award in 2014 to count just a handful of his accolades.
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In the Hip-Hop sphere, tracks that Jones produced have been the sonic backdrop to acts such as De La Soul, Nas, 2Pac, The Pharcyde, Mobb Deep, LL COOL J, Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and more. Jones also embraced Hip-Hop as a producer, working with Big Daddy Kane and Kool Moe Dee on his Back On The Black album in 1989, and Kid Capri, LL COOL J, Funkmaster Flex, Heavy D, and more on Q’s Jook Joint in 1995.
Quincy Jones is survived by seven children: Rashida Jones, Kidada Jones, Kenya Kinski-Jones, Quincy Jones III, Jolie Jones Levine, Martina Jones, and Rachel Jones. Jones is also survived by his grandchildren. Isaiah Jones Koenig, Quincy Renzo Delight Jones IV, and Nea Jones.
On X, the passing of Jones is the number one trending topic and we’ve got the reactions listed down below.
Quincy Jones was 91.
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Kaseem “KA” Ryan began his Hip-Hop career in relative obscurity in the 1990s but later emerged as one of the most important writers within the genre. With the news of KA passing away over the weekend going wide, Hip-Hop fans and artists alike are mourning the loss of the talented Brooklyn wordsmith.
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— Ka (@BrownsvilleKa) October 14, 2024
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KA was born Kaseem Ryan on August 11, 1972, and was a proud son of the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. His musical career began as a member of the underground group Natural Elements but he would vacate his role, focusing on other endeavors.
After the Natural Elements stint, Ryan joined forces with his friend Kev to form the Nightbreed crew but, just as he did with his former group, Ryan felt that his abilities were lacking in comparison to his rhyming partners.
Ryan speaks about his background during a stellar 2016 interview with the Red Bull Music Academy, which you can find here.
KA would begin his long transformation as an artist via his debut album, Iron Works, which also was the name of his imprint and further a calling to his signature sound. The project caught the ears of fellow Brooklynite GZA, who invited Ryan to join the Wu-Tang Clan swordsman on the chilling track “Firehouse,” produced by Roc Marciano, another artist who transcended his earlier sound and took his art to a stripped-down but still potent level.
In 2012, KA would release Grief’s Pedigree, leaning further into his minimalist, sparse yet lyrically dense style. Blessed already with a distinct, gravelly voice, Ryan used his tone but also his shockingly vulnerable lyrics to great effect. It was not music designed for the day party. Instead, it was meant to be absorbed, dissected, studied, and overall, respected.
The Night’s Gambit. Honor Killed The Samurai. Descendants Of Cain. A Martyr’s Reward. Languish Arts. Woeful Studies. The Thief Next To Jesus. Each of these albums carries its own sonic identity and there is no recommended starting point. Each release is so dense that one will be unpacking the meanings over several dozen listens and still not catch everything.
One of Ryan’s greatest gifts was his commitment to a concept. His will to use every bit of his ability and how he managed to refine his writing on each outing became his calling card but it didn’t capture every measure of the man.
Outside of Hip-Hop, KA was a husband, homeowner, and a New York City firefighter. While he didn’t speak at great lengths about his job in his music, he would share some details of that part of his life in profiles and interviews. Another striking aspect of Ryan is that he didn’t define himself by measuring his success in music. He treated it as a natural extension of himself and perhaps a way to process the things he saw growing up and doing his part to add to the legacy of the culture by willing himself to greatness.
Throughout nine solo projects that he largely produced and two collaborative projects, he also oversaw shooting videos, managing merchandise, and conducting meet-and-greet events with his adoring fans, KA remained humble and grateful.
A quick scan of his social media accounts showcased his everpresent humility, and he engaged his fans when he found the time to do so. Every story that will surely emerge in the coming days was how gracious he was and made himself tangible despite his legendary status in Hip-Hop.
If you ever cared about the quality of songwriting in Hip-Hop and want to discover a shining example of the heights it can reach in the genre, we suggest giving KA a bit of your ear.
As Hip-Hop fans the world over mourn one of the mighty titans of the culture, the jewels KA left us will live on forever.
May he rest powerfully in peace.
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Photo: @brownsvilleka/Instagram
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Cissy Houston, an award-winning singer who made waves in the Gospel world, has died. Cissy Houston was the mother of the late singer Whitney Houston and grandmother to the late Bobbi Kristina Brown.
In a statement from the family estate, featuring words of Cissy Houston’s daughter-in-law Pat Houston, the details of Ms. Houston’s passing were shared with the public:
In our time of deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Emily “Cissy” Houston, who transitioned today, Monday, October 7, at 10:30 a.m. ET, at her home in Newark, New Jersey, while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. Houston, who recently turned 91 years old on September 30, 2024, was surrounded by her family.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We loss the matriarch of our family,” says Pat Houston, the daughter-in-law of Cissy Houston. “Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts. Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled. We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members.”
Cissy Houston was born Emily Drinkard on September 30, 1933, in Newark, N.J. Her singing career began early as part of the Gospel singing group, the Drinkard Four consisting of herself, sister Anne, and brothers Larry and Nicky Houston. Houston had an older sister, Lee, who would later become the mother of singers Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick.
Among Houston’s many accomplishments in both the secular and Gospel music worlds was her work as part of The Sweet Inspirations group with Doris Troy and her niece, Dee Dee Warwick. The group sang background for several artists such as Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, Wilson Pickett, and Dionne Warwick among others. Houston gave birth to her daughter Whitney in 1963, which led to her eventually switching the focus of her career after performing with the group as a background singer for Elvis Presley. Houston also won two Best Traditional Gospel Album Grammy Awards, the first for her album Face to Face in 1997 and the second for He Leadeth Me in 1999.
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Tito Jackson, a member of the Jackson 5 and elder brother of Michael Jackson, has died according to a social media post from family members. Later becoming a member of The Jacksons group, Tito Jackson also embarked on a solo career among other projects within the entertainment industry.
Below is the announcement of the passing of Tito Jackson from the 3T Instagram page, a group comprised of his three sons:
It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being. Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as “Coach Tito” or some know him as “Poppa T.” Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be “Tito Time” for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is “Love One Another.” We love you Pops.
Your boys,
Taj, Taryll and TJ
Tito Jackson was born Toriano Adaryll Jackson on October 15, 1953, in Gary, Ind. According to lore and past accounts, Jackson was discovered playing guitar by his father, Joe Jackson, after breaking a string. The Jackson patriarch instructed Tito to play for him and later asked his brothers Jackie and Jermaine to form a singing group. Marlon and Michael would join the group later and were dubbed The Jackson 5.
Showing prowess as performers by way of street performances, talent shows such as the Apollo Theater Amateur Night competition which the band won, and touring the so-called “Chitlin Circuit,” the Jackson brothers eventually signed a record deal with Steeltown Records in 1967 before signing with Motown in 1969.
The group found major success as an R&B act and crossed over to the mainstream bolstered by several hits. However, Tito’s guitar work never appeared on any of their albums under Motown and instead was played by musicians hired by the label. After leaving the label in 1976 for CBS Records, Tito would then get to display his work.
The years that followed resulted in various incarnations of the brothers as a singing group, with the youngest of them, Randy Jackson joining later under The Jacksons moniker. The brothers would continue to collaborate and tour with one another despite some shuffling of the lineup, releasing their final album as a group, 2300 Jackson Street in 1989.
In 2003, Tito Jackson embarked upon a solo career leaning into the Blues tradition and notched a Billboard charting single, “Get It Baby” from his 2016 album Tito Time featuring Big Daddy Kane. His sophomore album Under Your Spell was released in 2021.
Tito had three sons with his ex-wife Delores “Dee Dee” Martes, Taj, Taryll, and TJ, who later formed the R&B group 3T.
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Frankie Beverly, long known as the frontman for the soul and funk band Maze, has died according to a statement released by the family. Beverly began his career as a teenager before eventually honing his sound which later became one of the foundations of modern R&B.
Beverly was born December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pa., and lived in the East Germantown section. Beverly began singing in church and joined his first band at the age of 13. At 16, much to the dismay of his father who wanted him to take a more traditional route, Beverly formed an acapella group known as The Blenders. While still trying to find his signature sound, Beverly formed a new band known as The Butlers, who cut their first record in 1963.
In 1970, determined to make it in music, Beverly formed the band Raw Soul and moved west to San Francisco to pursue a career in the industry. A chance meeting with the sister-in-law of Marvin Gaye at the time led to a fruitful connection leading to opportunities for the band. The group toured with Gaye as his opening act and according to several accounts, the legendary R&B star urged Beverly to change the band’s name from Raw Soup to Maze.
Through the late 1970s and mid-1980s, Maze notched several hits that charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 and U.S. R&B charts, including “Joy & Pain,” “Southern Girl,” “Back In Stride” and the backyard two-step classic, “Before I Let Go” which was covered in 2019 by Beyoncé.
In the world of Hip-Hop, Maze has been sampled by a few notables of the genre including 50 Cent, T.I., Tha Dogg Pound, Rob Base & DJ EZ-Rock, 2Pac, and more. Maze was also a huge touring act, which featured Beverly in his signature all-white attire complete with a white baseball cap.
The statement from the Beverly family was shared on Instagram and reads as follows:
Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way. This period for is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly.
He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends.
Love one another as he would want that for us all.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, fans of Beverly expressed their sorrow and celebrated the life and legacy of the singer. We’ve got those reactions below.
Beverly was 77.
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