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Today 11:27 AM

Irv Gotti, Who Worked With Ashanti and Ja Rule, Dies at 54

Irv Gotti, a noted record executive, music producer and entrepreneur best known as the founder of Murder Inc. Records, has died, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. He was 54.

The cause of death has not been announced, but the music mogul did suffer a number of strokes in recent years and had also battled diabetes-related issues.

Rising to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., played a key role in hip-hop and R&B records of the time, working with artists like Ja Rule, Ashanti and DMX, each of whom saw massive commercial success. His signature production style blended hip-hop beats with melodic hooks and influenced a wave of rap and R&B crossover hits that were inescapable from 2001 to 2004. Among them: several multi-platinum smashes with Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez, including “I’m Real” and “Ain’t It Funny.” With Ashanti, Ja Rule landed another hit with “Always on Time,” and she, as a solo artist, charted with “Foolish,” “Rain on Me” and “Mesmerize.” Attachment 21857
02-03-2025 04:44 PM

Claudette's Role In The Miracles Sound

There's something to be said for the high and decidedly female voice heard in the Miracles recordings that's a confirmation that that's The Miracles you're hearing backing Smokey up.

Songs that readily come to mind include:



and



and



Subtle yet vital.
Without Claudette in the background they would lose that Miracles flavor.
What are other recording's by them that especially stand out as benefiting from the presence of her voice??
Today 03:02 AM

Hit & Run More Motown Guys question

I noticed in the listing of the songs/artists for the forthcoming ACE/KENT CD the first song shown is Without You Babe by Skip Cunningham.

Does anyone know anything about Skip? I checked several sources to determine his background but nothing. The Motown Encyclopedia does not even mention him. The DFTMC has no mention of him either.

Anyone know anything?
02-04-2025 06:58 PM

Martha / Vandellas Billing

"Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" was released by Martha and The Vandellas on August 3, 1967.

Their next single, "Honey Chile" was released on October 14, 1967, but under the group name Martha REEVES and the Vandellas.

Both singles were included on the album RIDIN' HIGH, credited to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, released April 29, 1968.

Curiously, LBLMHA featured Betty Kelly on background; HC featured Lois Reeves on background. It's evident with the departure of Betty and the recruitment of Lois that the name changed. Assuming that Betty left, Lois joined in late August, early September of that year.

Interesting though, I've seen an LP cover for RIDIN' HIGH that features Betty, but the cover that was ultimately issued featured Lois.
Yesterday 07:26 AM

Obscure Motown Guy

I have owned this B&W 10x8 photo of Jimmy Randolph for many years after Brian Southall let me take some Motown artist photos from the UK Motown Press Office filing cabinet because, if I recall correctly, the office was about to move to Gloucester Place in London in the mid-70's. The only condition was that I had to leave at least 3 copies of each artist in their file.

Attachment 21848


Great to have a nice bundle of glossies, but Jimmy Randolph was a mystery to me. There was no bio to accompany the photo, and there was no Discogs in those says. I later found out that he'd had one single,'Plainsville U.S.A.', issued in the U.S. Alas, I suspect that once he was charged for the recording of the single and the photo shoot, he probably didn't earn much money from his time with Motown. Fast forward to February 2025 and I happened to be playing the 'Guys And Dolls' original cast album CD [[MOTD5277) and noticed that the part of Sky Masterson was played by 'James Randolph'. Could it be? A deeper search in Discogs revealed that he was one and the same: James/Jimmy Randolph, one-time Motown artiste and Broadway singer with a leading role in the William Goldstein Guys and Dolls revival of 1976. Maybe he made a little money from his Motown association after all.

Attachment 21849


https://www.discogs.com/artist/2486748-Jimmy-Randolph
01-17-2025 08:47 PM

Joy

Anyone ever hear of this group?

JOY - High Life [[1981)



RPM, PVBL9002
Producers: Patric van Blerk, Fransua Roos & Greg Cutler
Engineer: Greg Cutler
Recorded at: RPM Studios




Made up of the late Anneline Malebo, Felicia Marion and Thoka Ndlozi, Joy pre-empted the bubblegum era with their commercially appealing sound and image, crafted by producer Patric van Blerk [[Victory, Margaret Singana), one of the first to forge a multiracial crossover sound influenced by American soul and R&B. As South Africa's answer to the Supremes, Joy supported touring acts like Lamont Dozier, Clarence Carter, Dobie Gray and Leo Sayer. They were undoubtedly best known for the massive crossover hit 'Paradise Road' in 1980, which helped them earn two Saries Awards for Best Vocal Group and Best English LP of the Year in 1980 [[a landmark moment in the ethnically divided industry) and even led to a tour of the UK. High Life followed in 1981, but lacked a hit to take the trio further. They broke up in 1983, the year that Brenda Fassie, who had once filled in for Malebo in the Joy line-up, ushered in the bubblegum era with 'Weekend Special'. Although their sound was less fresh and funky that the bubblegum acts that followed in the footsteps, Joy's contribution to the local industry should never be forgotten.


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