Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Pulse of Entertainment: Johnny Gill Plans to Change the Game with ‘Game Changer’

Grammy nominated Johnny Gill plans to change the game with new album, ‘Game Changer’

Grammy Award nominated Johnny Gill releases new solo project "Game Changer."
Grammy Award nominated Johnny Gill releases new solo project “Game Changer.”

*“There was something about the album that was beyond my control,” said four-time Grammy Award nominated Johnny Gill about his newest solo album release “Game Changer.” “The people involved, hands down, brought their A-game.”

Johnny Gill’s “Game Changer” features New Edition and Babyface, and is released on his own imprint J Skillz Records. Gill has a signature sound and style which you can hear clearly on his hit singles “My, My, My” and “Rub You the Right Way.” “Game Changer” offers 12 songs and the first single, “Behind Closed Doors,” is already gaining radio airplay.

“I really do believe it was time,” he said sincerely when he talked about why he went back into the studio for this project. “Things happen when it is supposed to…I think it’s my best project ever.”

Johnny started singing seriously back when he was in high school and a member of his family’s singing group in church. It was at the suggestion of a childhood friend, Stacy Lattisaw, that the Washington, DC native recorded a demo. The demo ended up in the hands of the president of Atlantic Records and as they say – the rest is history.

Gill released his self-titled debut album in 1983, as well as a duet with Stacy Lattisaw titled “Perfect Combination.” In 1987 he was recruited by Michael Bivins of New Edition to join the group. That union resulted in the hit singles “Can You Stand the Rain” and “If It Isn’t Love.” In 1990 he released another self titled album which included the hit singles “My, My, My” and “Rub You the Right Way” – the album went platinum. In 1997 he joined the group LSG with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Their album release, “Levert, Sweat, Gill,” achieved muli-platinum status.

Aside from the Grammy nominations Johnny Gill has won a Soul Train Award and was honored by ASCAP R&S Awards with a Golden Note Award. He has appeared in television and film – from “Family Matters” and “Cuts” to Madea Family Reunion. Gill has performed in the stage play “A Mother’s Prayer” with Robin Givens and Shirley Murdock, and is currently a member of Heads of State with Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant.

“I love what I do. This is what I was put here to do,” the R&B crooner said when asked what keeps him going. “You go through ups and downs…If this is my calling it’s not a question.”

It seems Johnny Gill has learned how to reinvent himself. That ability and his Soulful R&B signature vocals, is why he has carved his spot in the history books of American music culture.

Marcus Scribner starts his career off with a bang with an Image Award nomination for starring in ABC’s ‘Black-ish’

Marcus Scribner stars in ABC's 'Black-ish' received an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Marcus Scribner stars in ABC’s ‘Black-ish’ receives an NAACP Image Award nomination.

*A little over four years ago Marcus Scribner (“Castle”) decided to act and the 15 year-old has started his career off with a bang with an NAACP Image Award nomination for starring in ABC’s “Black-ish” as the son of Anthony Anderson (Andre “Dre” Johnson) and Tracee Ellis Ross (Rainbow Johnson), and the brother of Yara Shahidi (Zoey Johnson), Miles Brown (Jack Johnson) and Marsai Martin (Diane Johnson).  Academy Award nominated Laurence Fishburne (CSI: Crimes Scene Investigation”) plays Pops the father of Andre Johnson, his characters’ dad.

The sitcom is executive produced by Anderson (“Law and Order”) and Tony Award winner Laurence Fishburne. It was picked up for 24 episodes, and its September 24, 2014 premiere episode attracted 10.8 million viewers. “Black-ish” airs on Wednesday at 9:30/8:30c.

“I had not known any of the cast members,” said Marcus, who plays Andre Johnson Jr., about working with such iconic actors as Anderson (Transformers), Ross (“Girlfriends”) – a BET and Image Award winner, and Fishburne (Matrix). “We’re in the 16th episode we’re like one giant family. We treat each other like family, a tight knit cast.”

As an Image Award nominee Scribner is in the same group that includes Boris Kodjoe (BET’s “RHOH”), Glynn Turman (Showtime’s “House of Lies”), Fishburne (ABC’s “Black-ish”), and Terry Crews (Fox’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”).

“I was inside of the hair trailer at the Black-ish studio,” he said when asked where he was when he learned of the NAACP Image Award nomination. “The whole trailer erupted. I didn’t react… I was standing there with my jar wide open…it’s a dream.”

“Black-ish” was created by Kenya Barris. It is narrated by Anthony Anderson and it follows Dre (Anderson), a family man, struggling to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. It also stars Jenifer Lewis as Dre Johnson’s mother Ruby. Writers on the sitcom, aside from creator Barris, include Yvette Lee Bowser and Njeri Brown. Additional executive producers include Brian Dobbins, Helen Sugland, Larry Wilmore, Paul Young, Peter Principato, and Tom Russo.

For more information on upcoming episodes log onto www.ABC.go.com/shows/blackish,

(Syndicated Columnist: Eunice Moseley, has an estimated weekly readership of over ¼ million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations/Business consult at Freelance Associates, and Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. Her Event/”Uplifting Minds II”: The 16th annual “Uplifting Minds II” free entertainment conference arrives in Baltimore Sat. April 18, 2015 at Security Square Mall. www.UpliftingMinds2.com, www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com.)

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