Andre Woolery

Born in Jamaica and raised in Morristown, NJ, Andre Woolery had only one thing in mind when he entered Duke University’s brick walkways: major in computer science and make his parents proud. But, like most college students, his dreams changed long before he walked across the stage at Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium. “I basically told my parents, ‘I’m going to change directions, and I want to work in advertising. I want to do something a little more fun,’” says Woolery of his decision to switch his career focus.

After graduation in the summer of 2003, Woolery got hired as an Assistant Media Planner at New York advertising firm Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners [KBS+P]. But understanding that the “digital [world] was emerging,” he started taking night courses headed by art and creative directors, and soon developed an interest in graphic design. Nine years later, Woolery is now the Associate Digital Director of KBS+P, representing clients such as TD Ameritrade and Kodak. “My role is basically finding interesting ways to use digital technology to build a brand [and] build campaigns,” he explains.

Despite his ascension up the corporate ladder, Woolery felt his creative energy wasn’t being fully utilized. Not wanting to be someone who got “trapped by his paycheck,” Woolery decided to save up some money and take a month of unpaid vacation to further explore his imagination and relish in his untapped artistic side. “I’ve been spending so much time doing things for other people, trying a whole bunch of different things, having a whole bunch of different ideas, and never spending the actual time to see how it all panned out,” he says. “I knew I was going to get an unpaid month off, but I realized in the grand scheme of my entire life, one month of not getting a paycheck is really nothing and ultimately it paid off really well.”

During his month off, Woolery started a self-titled blog that documented his day-to-day outside of the work force, and life as a “starving artist.” He tapped into his creativity by pinning portraits of artists together out of thumbtacks. Through that may seem odd and unexpected, the Jamaican-bred artist created ineffable artwork of notable figures ranging from Jay-Z, and Kanye West to Jimi Hendrix and President Obama. He even made political statements, tacking together a 100-dollar bill that read, “United Slaves of America.” These tactful images are part of a series he titled the 2011 Mixtape. In addition to these signature pieces, Woolery also crafted more formal paintings of other people of note like Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Erykah Badu, and Bob Marley.

Stepping out on faith appears to have worked for Woolery. While the profits of his artwork may not be equivalent to his bi-weekly salary, the return on investment for his creativity is quite high. With his pieces ranging in price from $35 to $7,000, Woolery is looking forward to his first solo exhibition this February 23rd at Frontrunner Gallery in New York and expanding his clientele. “I’ve been operating pretty much under the radar, and then once I’ve released these pieces it’s like kind of a turning point for me where a lot of people just started to reach out,” he says. “I’m getting more into the art world, and once you get connected into the art world then you get connected more into the collectors and that’s when you start to get all types of different clientele. It’s just a matter of time.”

Click here to view a photo gallery of Woolery’s most memorable pieces.

Host Marc Lamont Hill with the man known as "Q". (Image: Courtesy of Black Enterprise)

This week on a special edition of Our World with Black Enterprise, host Marc Lamont Hill visits with legendary musician, arranger, composer and 27-time Grammy Award winner Quincy Jones, just in time for Black Music Month. The man also known as simply, “Q”, candidly discusses his work with such music icons as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Michael Jackson, as well as the future of the recording industry.

As a conductor, record producer, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter, Quincy Delightt Jones Jr. has a career that spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991. Jones, 78, is particularly recognized as the producer of the album Thriller, by pop icon Michael Jackson, which has sold more than 110 million copies worldwide, and as the producer and conductor of the charity song “We Are the World.” In 1968, Jones and his songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African Americans to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song The Eyes of Love from the Universal Pictures film Banning. That same year, he became the first African American to be nominated twice within the same year when he was nominated for Best Original Score for his work on the music of the 1967 film In Cold Blood. In 1971, Jones would receive the honor of becoming the first African American to be named musical director/conductor of the Academy Awards ceremony.

Married three times and the father of seven children, Jones, born in Chicago, shares his larger-than-life journey in his 2001 book Q: The Biography of Quincy Jones (Doubleday).

Our World with Black Enterprise is the award-winning weekly 30-minute program, hosted by Marc Lamont Hill, providing a fresh mix of interviews with today’s top newsmakers and celebrities, eclectic roundtable discussions concerning the hottest topics affecting African Americans, and profiles of some of the world’s most intriguing people.

Click here for times and stations where Our World with Black Enterprise airs in your area.

(Image: Getty)

Murray Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor sentenced Dr. Conrad Murray to four years in jail— the maximum sentence allowed under the law— Tuesday. The sentence comes three weeks after Murray was convicted for the involuntary manslaughter death of Michael Jackson.

Pastor delivered a lengthy, 30-minute statement in defense of the ruling.

Jackson died “not because of an isolated one-off occurrence or incident,” Pastor said. “He died because of a totality of circumstances which are directly attributable to Dr. Murray…because of a series of decisions that Dr. Murray made.”

Read more at CNN…

Patrice O’Neal Dead at 41

Comedian Patrice O’Neal died Monday night after suffering complications from a stroke he had in late October, confirmed his friend at the Opie and Anthony radio show. He was 41.

O’Neal was a regular guest on the Opie and Anthony show, and has also appeared on The Chappelle Show, The Office, and most recently the Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen in September.

Read more at The Root…

American Airlines’ Parent Company Files for Bankruptcy

The parent company for American Airlines, AMR Corp., filed for bankruptcy, noting increased labor costs and a flighty economy as the cause.

Until AMR filed for Chapter 11 reorganization Tuesday morning, it was the only airline that didn’t apply for bankruptcy protection after the September 11 attacks.

The nation’s third largest carrier assured passengers that the filing would not affect travel plans and that all tickets, reservations, and reward points would be honored.

Craig Kreeger, the airline’s vice president for customer experience, said American Airlines is operating under a “business as usual” mentality.

Read more at Los Angeles Times…

(Image: Getty)

• Conrad Murray Believes Jackson Lied About Medical History

Less than a week after Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, the doctor is claiming he was duped by the late singer. Murray said in an interview broadcast Thursday Jackson lied to him about his medical history and never stated he had an addiction problem.

“I would hate to put blame on Michael as an individual,” Dr. Conrad Murray told the Today show in the interview done days before the doctor’s conviction.

“I only wish maybe in our dealings with each other he would have been more forthcoming and honest,” he said.

The cardiologist said Jackson was deceptive by not disclosing his full medical history. He told interviewer Savannah Guthrie that he “did not have a clue” that Jackson had an addiction problem.

Murray was convicted on Monday for supplying the insomnia-plagued performer with the powerful anesthetic Propofol. He refused to testify at the trial.

Read more at The Grio…

• Wall Street Rebounds After a Tough Day

U.S. stocks rose Thursday after taking a steep plunge the previous day amid news of Europe’s debt crisis.

Merck raised its dividend and Cisco reported strong earnings, reinforcing the view that while problems in Europe were still on investors’ minds, there were signs of strength in corporate America.

Read more at Yahoo! News…

• NAACP Loses a Longtime Hero

The NAACP mourns the loss of longtime civil rights activist and former Detroit NAACP leader Arthur Johnson. He passed away from Parkinson’s disease and was laid to rest on Saturday—his 86^th birthday.

Born in Georgia, Johnson began his fight for civil rights early in his career. The educator was recruited by the NAACP to serve as executive secretary for its Detroit branch, serving in that capacity for nearly 15 years.  Almost two decades later, Johnson returned to a leadership position with that same branch and served as president.

“Arthur Johnson was a true pioneer of the civil rights movement,” said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.  ”His contributions to the NAACP and the city of Detroit are immeasurable.  He will be missed.”

Dwight "Heavy D" Myers 1967 - 2011

BE INSPIRED!

There was no way for Heavy D to know that his last words to the world would be such a succinct and sparkling tweet. But even if he had, this entertainer—who used his gift for stringing words into rap to create some of hip-hop’s most beloved classics—could have left us with nothing better.

Like everyone, I was shocked to hear of the 44-year-old rapper/actor’s death from presumed respiratory failure on November 8. I came of age as hip-hop came on the scene and, while I’m no rap aficionado by any stretch, I loved Heavy D.

We had a few things in common: West Indian heritage and geographic proximity, for starters. I came up in the Bronx, a few miles south of his hometown, Mt. Vernon, NY. So I had a sense of growing up in roughly the same time and place as Heavy (né Dwight Arrington Meyers). We also shared a love of music and of words. We had a respect for how both could help shape and reshape the world; how they could heal, uplift and, without question, inspire.

As hip-hop became increasingly associated with darker forces—ignorance, self-hate, drugs, violence, misogyny—Heavy kept it mostly light, but he somehow managed to keep it real at the same time. He found ways to acknowledge the complexities of life in his music, and to address the harsh conditions in our communities, our homes, and our souls, while still celebrating the good, the promising, and the joy. He managed to call it like he saw it without condemning or demeaning others. When he encouraged fans to “say ho” it was a shout-out to raise the roof, not defile women. When he rapped about losing siblings or friends tragically and too soon, he never let his pain overrun his positivity; he never let his anger crush his charm.

At a time when a lot of his hip-hop peers became invested in posturing, pimping, and perpetrating, the “overweight lover” really did exude love—for himself, his community, his family, his fans, and his art. In a business often criticized for engendering narcissism and divisiveness, Heavy stepped out of the box to explore acting to collaborate with a diverse (and enviable) group that included Michael Jackson, the Notorious B.I.G. and blues great B.B. King. He also spotted and promoted new talent.

A brokenhearted Sean “Diddy” Combs tweeted, “Heavy D gave me my 1st chance in the music industry. He got me my internship at Uptown [Records]. He believed when no one else did.”

When Heavy appeared on the BET Hip Hop Awards a few weeks ago—his first live rap performance in more than a decade—the audience was a mirror for what he gave: They were up on their feet, dancing, every face smiling, every mouth rapping along with him, especially when he diddly-diddly-diddly-deed. Everybody was having a party, feeling nothing but good.

In the last few months, Heavy seemed poised for a comeback. In addition to performing again, he released an album, Love Opus, and he appears in the recent Eddie Murphy film, Tower Heist. But it’s that last tweet of his that has had the most reach so far. Heavy wrote tens of thousands of words in his short life, many of which we’ll all be dancing to and singing with for a long time, but in just two final words he managed to capture the simple power of his positive legacy.

So let’s answer the call and Be Inspired, by his art, his attitude, his authenticity, remembering that what truly set Heavy apart was his perpetual light.

Any fan of hip-hop would appreciate the new coffee table book, Hip Hop, A Cultural Odyssey. To purchase your copy of Hip Hop, A Cultural Odyssey click here and every 10 books sold will result in a copy being donated to a HBCU library.

(Image: Getty)

• Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

A jury decided Michael Jackson’s doctor was guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

The 58-year-old could face up to four years in prison and the loss of his medical license. Dr. Conrad Murray is to be sentenced November 29.

Read more at the New York Times…

• Sharon Bialek Says Herman Cain Put ‘Hand Under My Skirt’

Defense attorney Gloria Allred and her client Sharon Bialek, the fourth woman to come forward with sexual harassment allegations towards Herman Cain, held a news conference Monday to address harassment accusations against the Republican front-runner.

Bialek alleges the former president of the National Restaurant Association reached under her skirt in 1997 as she sought employment advice from him. “He suddenly reached over and put his hand on my leg…under my skirt and reached for my genitals,” she said. “He also pushed my head toward his crotch,” she said.

His campaign released a statement saying that Allred is bringing forth “false accusations against the character” of Cain.

Read more at USA Today…

• Young Men Are the Biggest Losers Amid Economic Downturn
  

The recession brought numerous men who moved out of their parents’ home with plans to start their own lives back home. There are fewer jobs with less pay, less hours, and more headaches.

The share of men age 25-34 living with their parents jumped to 18.6% this year.  That’s more than 4% higher than the rate four year ago and the highest level since at least 1960, according to the Census Bureau.

“We’re at risk of having a generation of young males who aren’t well-connected to the labor market and who don’t feel strong ownership of community or society because they haven’t benefited from it,” says Ralph Catalano, professor of public health at the University of California, Berkeley.

The unemployment rate for males within this age bracket with a high school diploma is 14.4% —up from 6.1% four years ago and well above today’s 9% national rate.

Read more at The Wall Street Journal…

• Obama Beefs Up Campaign Strategy as Election Draws Closer

With economic and electorate odds against him, President Barack Obama has focused on building an aggressive grassroots campaign in swing states. The commander in chief now has campaign offices in all 50 states – and an average of three new field offices each week, according to campaign manager Jim Messina.

The team’s electoral strategy is aimed at broadening the pool of voters, particularly in traditionally red states that have turned mixed because of recent demographic shifts.

Obama successfully flipped nine states that John Kerry lost to George W. Bush in 2004. Top Democrats believe he has a chance at holding nearly all of them again in 2012.

The president has raised more than $88 million for his re-election through September – quadruple the cash on hand of Republican front-runner Romney.

Read more at Yahoo! News…

• Magic Johnson Marks 20 Years Living With AIDS

Twenty years ago today, five-time NBA champion Magic Johnson announced he was retiring from the NBA. He was 32-years-old and HIV-positive.

“Because of the HIV virus that I have obtained, I will have to retire from the Lakers today,” Johnson said in a full room at the Forum in Inglewood, CA.  Johnson did return to the court, going on to win an MVP award at the 1992 NBA All-Star game, but later left for good after several players said they did not want to play alongside Johnson for fear they would catch the disease.

The ballplayer-turned-businessman took his prognosis and entered a new game—raising millions for HIV/AIDS research.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times…

Additional reporting by Janel Martinez

(Image: Thinkstock)

• BofA to Begin $5 Monthly Fee for Debit-Card Usage

Bank of America Corp. plans to charge a $5 monthly fee for its debit-card users, joining a number of other banks that are pressing their customers to help recover lost revenue from new regulations.

The largest U.S. bank by assets, Bank of America on Thursday said it will begin charging many of its nationwide checking account customers $5 each billing cycle they use their debit card to make a purchase. The fee, set to kick in early next year, will apply to its standard accounts but won’t apply to most of its premium accounts targeted at mass-affluent customers. The fee also will not be triggered by transactions made at automated teller machines.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal…

• Hip-Hop Pioneer Sylvia Robinson Dead at 75

Sylvia Vanterpool Robinson, known as the Mother of Hip-Hop, died today from congestive heart failure, a family spokesperson told S2S Magazine. She was 75 years old.

The founder and CEO of Sugar Hill Records, Robinson is widely recognized as one of the creators of hip-hop music as we know it. She played a major role in the production of Grand Master Flash & the Furious Five’s The Message and, with the help of the Sugarhill Gang, turned Chic’s sample of “Good Times” into “Rapper’s Delight.” It was the first hip-hop record to go mainstream.

Read more at The Root…

• As Many As 16 Deaths Linked to Listeria-Tainted Cantaloupes

Federal health officials said Wednesday more illnesses and possibly more deaths may be linked to an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe in coming weeks.

So far, the outbreak has caused at least 72 illnesses — including up to 16 deaths — in 18 states, making it the deadliest food outbreak in the United States in more than a decade.

The heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said consumers who have cantaloupes produced by Jensen Farms in Colorado should throw them out. If they are not sure where the fruit is from, they shouldn’t eat it.

Read more at Time…

• Jackson’s Bodyguard Takes the Stand

The first bodyguard to reach Michael Jackson‘s bedroom after the singer’s doctor called for help testified Thursday that he was told by the doctor to gather medicine vials before calling emergency services.

Alberto Alvarez said Dr. Conrad Murray grabbed the vials form a nightstand next to Jackson, who was still in his bed. “He said here, put these in a bag.” Alvarez said of Murray.

Alvarez said at first he thought he was bagging the items in preparation for a trip to the hospital. He said he trusted Murray because he was a doctor.

Read more at The Grio…