A guru () (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ) is is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others (teacher). Other forms of manifestation of this principle also include parents, school teachers, non-human objects (books) and even one's own intellectual discipline.Dutch original: "a. De goeroe als geestelijk raadsman Als we naar het verschijnsel goeroe in India kijken, kunnen we constateren dat er op zijn minst vier vormen van goeroeschap te onderscheiden zijn. De eerste vorm is die van de 'geestelijk raadsman'. Voordat we dit verder uitwerken eerst iets over de etymologie. Het woord goeroe komt uit het Sanskriet, wordt geschreven als 'guru' en betekent 'zwaar zijn', 'gewichtig zijn', vooral in figuurlijk opzicht. Zo krijgt het begrip 'guru' de betekenis van 'groot', 'geweldig' of 'belangrijk', en iets verdergaand krijgt het aspecten van 'eerbiedwaardig' en 'vererenswaardig'. Al vrij snel word dit toegepast op de 'geestelijk leraar'. In allerlei populaire literatuur, ook in India zelf, wordt het woord 'guru' uiteengelegd in 'gu' en 'ru', als omschrijvingen voor licht en duister; de goeroe is dan degene die zijn leerling uit het materiële duister overbrengt naar het geestelijk licht. Misschien doe een goeroe dat ook inderdaad, maar het heeft niets met de betekenis van het woord te maken, het is volksetymologie."English translation "a. The guru as spiritual adviser: If we look at the phenomenon of gurus in India then we can see that there are at least four forms of guruship that can be distinguished. The first form is that of the "spiritual adviser." Before we will elaborate on this, first something about the etymology. The word guru comes from Sanskrit and is written as 'guru' en means 'being heavy', 'being weighty', especially metaphorically. In that way, the concept of guru gets the meaning of 'big', 'great', or 'important' and somewhat further it also gets aspects of 'respectable' and 'honorable'. Soon it is applied to the 'spiritual adviser'. In various popular literature, in India herself too, the word 'guru' is explained in the parts 'gu' and 'ru', as descriptions for light and darkness: the guru is then the person who bring the student from the material darkness into the spiritual light. A guru may indeed do that, but it has nothing to do with the meaning of the word, it is folk etymology."

Another etymology of the word "guru" found in the Guru Gita, includes gu as "beyond the qualities" and ru as "devoid of form", stating that "He who bestows that nature which transcend the qualities is said to be guru".

In Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion, Pierre Riffard makes a distinction between "occult" and "scientific" etymologies, citing as an example of the former the etymology of 'guru' in which the derivation is presented as gu ("darkness") and ru ('to push away'); the latter he exemplifies by "guru" with the meaning of 'heavy'."Gurus are not prophets who declare the will of God and appeal to propositions found in a Scripture. Rather, they are said to be greater than God because they lead to God. Gurus have shared the essence of the Absolute and experienced the oneness of being, which endows them with divine powers and the ability to master people and things in this world." Some traditions claim "Guru, God and Self" (Self meaning soul, not personality) are one and the same. Saints and poets in India have expressed the following views about the relationship between Guru and God:

Kabir

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Brahmanand

Brahmanda Purana

Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the following Sanskrit Sloka, that has become a widely sung Bhajan:

Swami Tripurari states:

The Inner Guru

{{quotation| There is a subtle principle that resides within all of us, which is unborn and undying. It is a repository of infinite strength, wisdom, abundance and auspiciousness. It is bliss infinite and the giver of supreme happiness. It is the support-less, infinite sky of supreme wisdom. It is the silent witness of everything. It is neither male, nor female. It exists beyond all dualities. It is not bounded by time, space or conditions. This witnessing presence is pure and clear like the sky, luminous like the morning Sun. It is our inner Guru. #the spiritual advisor for higher caste Hindus who also performs traditional rituals and who is not connected to a temple (thus not a priest); #the enlightened master who derives his authority from his experience, such as achieving enlightenment. This type appears in bhakti movements and in tantra and asks for unquestioning obedience, and can have Western followers. Westerners can even become one, as have, for example Andrew Cohen, and Isaac Shapiro. #the avatar, a guru who considers himself to be an incarnation of God, God-like, or an instrument of God, or who is considered as such by others. #A "guru" in the form of a book i.e. the Guru Granth Sahib in the Sikh religion;

Attributes of guru

Gurus of several Hindu denominations are often referred to as Satgurus.

In the Upanishads, five signs of satguru (true guru) are mentioned.

According to the Indologist Georg Feuerstein, the preceptors were traditionally treated with great reverence, granted excessive authority, and identified with the transcendental Reality. He writes that partly to counterbalance this deification, some Hindu schools began to emphasize that the real teacher is the transcendental Self.

The Vishnu Smriti and Manu Smriti regard the Acharya (teacher/guru), along with the mother and the father, as the most venerable individuals. The mother and father are the first "guru," the spiritual guru is the second.

The Mundak Upanishad says that in order to realize the supreme godhead, one should surrender one's self before the guru who knows the secrets of the Vedas.

On the role of the guru, Swami Sivananda asks: "Do you realize now the sacred significance and the supreme importance of the Guru's role in the evolution of man? It was not without reason that the India of the past carefully tended and kept alive the lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not without reason that India, year after year, age after age, commemorates anew this ancient concept of the Guru, adores it and pays homage to it again and again, and thereby re-affirms its belief and allegiance to it. For, the true Indian knows that the Guru is the only guarantee for the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and experience the Consciousness of the Reality."

Some scriptures and gurus have warned against false teachers, and have recommended that the spiritual seeker test the guru before accepting him. Some have given criteria on how to distinguish false from genuine ones:

The Advaya Taraka Upanishad states that the true teacher is well-versed in the Vedas, is a devotee of Vishnu, is free from envy, knows yoga and is intent upon it, and always has the nature of yoga. Also that a person who is equipped with devotion to the teacher, has knowledge of the Self and possesses the above characteristics may be designated as a guru. The Maitrayaniya Upanishad warns against false teachers who may deceive the naive. The Kula-Arnava-Tantra states that there are many gurus who may rob the disciple's wealth but few who can remove the disciple's afflictions. Swami Vivekananda said that there are many incompetent gurus, and that a true guru should understand the spirit of the scriptures, have a pure character and be free from sin, and should be selfless, without desire for money and fame. Some gurus and the groups they lead attracted opposition. One example of such group was the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON) founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966, many of whose followers voluntarily accepted the demandingly ascetic lifestyle of bhakti yoga on a full-time basis, in stark contrast to much of the popular culture of the time."Devotees don't have such an easy time. They who choose to live in the temples – now a very small minority -chant the Hare Krishna mantra 1,728 time a day. […] Those living in an ashram – far fewer than in the 1970s – have to get up at 4am for worship. All members have to give up meat, fish and eggs; alcohol, tobacco, drugs, tea and coffee; gambling, sports, games and novels; and sex except for procreation with marriage […] It's a demanding lifestyle. Outsiders may wonder why people join."

According to Kranenborg (1984), Jesus fits the Hindu definition and characteristics of a guru.

A British professor of psychiatry, Anthony Storr, states in his book, Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus, that he confines the word guru (translated by him as "revered teacher") to persons who have "special knowledge" who tell, referring to their special knowledge, how other people should lead their lives. He argues that gurus share common character traits (e.g. being loners) and that some suffer from a mild form of schizophrenia. He argues that gurus who are authoritarian, paranoid, eloquent, or who interfere in the private lives of their followers are the ones who are more likely to be unreliable and dangerous. Storr also refers to Eileen Barker's checklist to recognize false gurus. He contends that some so-called gurus claim special spiritual insights based on personal revelation, offering new ways of spiritual development and paths to salvation. Storr's criticism of gurus includes the possible risk that a guru may exploit his or her followers due to the authority that he or she may have over them, though Storr does acknowledge the existence of morally superior teachers who refrain from doing so. He holds the view that the idiosyncratic belief systems that some gurus promote were developed during a period of psychosis to make sense of their own minds and perceptions, and that these belief systems persist after the psychosis has gone. Storr applies the term "guru" to figures as diverse as Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Gurdjieff, Rudolf Steiner, Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Jim Jones and David Koresh."Wat Van der Lans heir signaleert, is het gevaar dat de goeroe een instantie van absolute overgave en totale overdracht wordt. De leerling krijgt de gelegenheid om zijn grootheidsfantasieën op de goeroe te projecteren, zonder dat de goeroe daartegen als kritische instantie kan optreden. Het lijkt er zelfs vaak eerder op dat de goeroe in woord, beeld en geschrift juist geneigd is deze onkritische houding te stimuleren. Dit geldt zeker ook voor goeroe Maharaji, maar het heeft zich -gewild en ongewild ook voorgedaan bij Anandamurti en Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. [..] De vergoddelijking van de goeroe is 'een traditioneel element in de Oosterse spiritualiteit, maar, losgemaakt, uit dit cultuurmilieu en overgenomen door Westerse mensen, gaat het onderscheid vaak verloren tussen de persoon van de goeroe en dat wat hij symboliseert en verwordt tot een kritiekloze persoonlijkheidsverheerlijking' (Van der Lans 1981b, 108)"Partial literal English translation "The deification of the guru is a 'traditional element in Eastern spirituality, but, detached from this cultural environment en used by Westerners, the distinction between the person of the guru and that what he symbolizes is often lost en it degenerates into an uncritical glorification of the personality.'(Van der Lans 1981b, 108)"

In their 1993 book, The Guru Papers, authors Diana Alstad and Joel Kramer reject the guru-disciple tradition because of what they see as its structural defects. These defects include the authoritarian control of the guru over the disciple, which is in their view increased by the guru's encouragement of surrender to him. Alstad and Kramer assert that gurus are likely to be hypocrites because, in order to attract and maintain followers, gurus must present themselves as purer than and superior to ordinary people and other gurus.

According to the journalist Sacha Kester, in a 2003 article in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, finding a guru is a precarious matter, pointing to the many holy men in India and the case of Sathya Sai Baba whom Kester considers a swindler. In this article he also quotes the book Karma Cola describing that in this book a German economist tells author Gita Mehta, "It is my opinion that quality control has to be introduced for gurus. Many of my friends have become crazy in India". She describes a comment by Suranya Chakraverti who said that some Westerners do not believe in spirituality and ridicule a true guru. Other westerners, Chakraverti said, on the other hand believe in spirituality but tend to put faith in a guru who is a swindler.

Notable scandals and controversies

Some notable scandals and controversies regarding gurus or the groups that they founded are: The lifestyle of Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) with his 93 Rolls Royces at his disposal (though as a gift from his followers), a bioterrorist attack at The Dalles, Oregon by some of his followers, the group's successful effort to take control of the city of Antelope, Oregon, his unusual teachings that contradicted both traditional morality and Hindu norms, the group therapy sessions with little restraints, and the liberal sexual freedom that he promoted.

The Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway by Aum Shinrikyo founded by the guru Shoko Asahara in Japan.

Accusations of sexual abuse and false miracles performed by Sathya Sai Baba that resulted in a front page article in the magazine India Today, questions in the British parliament and European parliament, critical TV documentaries produced by the BBC and Danish Radio that were aired in the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark and Australia.

The Karmapa controversy in which the recognition of the 17th Karmapa of Tibetan Buddhism is contested by candidates having been proposed by different authorities, and there is deep division among followers all over the world, with each side accusing the other of lying and wrongdoing.

Lama Osel Tendzin (from the Shambhala Buddhism lineage) had unprotected sex with some of his students while he was HIV positive; one of the young men involved later contracted AIDS and died, after passing the infection on to a girlfriend.

See also

Sikh Gurus

Charismatic authority

Darshan

Guru Gita

Hindu reform movements

List of Hindu gurus

Lifestyle guru

Religious conversion

References

Further reading

Arjun Dev, Guru, Guru Granth Sahib, Amritsar-1604 AD., Rag Bhairo

Aurobindo, Sri, The Foundation of Indian Culture, Pondicherry, 1959

Banani Ray, Amit Ray Awakening Inner Guru, Inner Light Publishers, Kolkata ISBN 8191026902

Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist Bloomsbury publishing, 1998 ISBN 1-58234-034-X

van der Braak, André (2003). Enlightenment Blues: My Years with an American Guru. Monkfish Book Publishing. ISBN 0-9726357-1-8

Garden, Mary The Serpent Rising: a journey of spiritual seduction - 2003 ISBN 1-877059-50-1 *Gupta, Dr. Hari Ram. A Life-Sketch of Guru Nanak in Guru Nanak, His Life, Time and Teachings, Edited by Gurmukh Nihal Singh, New Delhi, 1981

Thomas Forsthoefel and Cynthia Ann Humes, Eds. Gurus in America. Albany, New York: SUNY Press, 2005

Gurdev Singh, Justice, Perspectives on the Sikh Tradition. Patiala-1986

Holtje, D. (1995). From Light to Sound: The Spiritual Progression. Temecula, CA: MasterPath, Inc. ISBN 1-885949-00-6

Isliwari Prasad, Dr. The Mughal Empire, Allahabad-1974

Jain, Nirmal Kumar, Sikh Religion and Philosophy. New Delhi- 1979

Kapur Singh, Parasarprasna or The Baisakhi of Guru Gobind Singh (An Exposition of Sikhism), Jalandhar-1959

Kovoor, Abraham Dr. Begone Godmen published by Shri Aswin J. Shah Jaico Publishing House, Bombay - 1976

Majumdar, Dr R.C., The History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol. VI, Bombay-1960

Mangalwadi, Vishal World of Gurus by India's Vikas Publishing ISBN 0-940895-03-X (1977) excerpts

Mcleod W.H. (ed.). The B40 Janam Sakhi, Guru Nank Dev University, Amritsar, 1980

Mehta, Gita Karma Cola: Marketing the Mystic East Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, first published in 1979 ISBN 0-679-75433-4

Sister Nivedita, The Master as I Saw Him, Kolkata: Udbodhan Office, 1993.

Olsen, G. (1999). MasterPath: The Divine Science of Light and Sound, (Vol. 1). Temecula, CA: MasterPath, Inc. ISBN 1-885949-01-4

Padoux, André The Tantric Guru, in: Tantra in Practice, Ed by David Gordon White, MLBD, New Delhi

Singh, K. (1999). Naam or Word. Blaine, WA: Ruhani Satsang Books. ISBN 0-942735-94-3

Singh, Jaideva, (Ed.), Ïiva Sútras, The Yoga of Supreme Identity, MLBD, Delhi, 1979

Swami Tejasananda, A Short Life of Vivekananda, Kolkata: Advaita Ashram Publication, 1999.

Swami Satyananda, Devi Mandir, "Shree Maa:Guru and Goddess" (ISBN 1-887472-78-9 )

Tarlo, Luna The Mother of God, SCB Distributors (1997) ISBN 1-57027-043-0

Video

Understanding Hindu Traditions Educational Video Network, Inc. (2004)

Origins of India- Hindu Civilization Educational Video Network, Inc. (2004)

Meditation & the Thinking Machine Krishnamurti (2004)

Short Cut To Nirvana (2004) directed by Maurizio Benazzo. Featuring encounters with some of India's most respected holy men and exclusive footage of the Dalai Lama.

Dalai Lama on Life and Enlightenment (2004)]

Guru Busters documentary by Robert Eagle (writer and director) (1995)

Mysterious Miracles, Aliens from Spaceship Earth, A Spiritual Odyssey, directed by Don Como (1977)

External links

Large clickable List of Gurus from around the world

Gurus in Buddhism

Gurus and Saints in Hinduism

Sikh Gurus

*Guru Category:Sanskrit words and phrases Category:Shabd paths *Guru Category:Titles and occupations in Hinduism Category:Hindu tantra Category:Vajrayana Category:Tibetan Buddhism Category:Sikh terms Category:Martial arts ranking Category:Hindi loanwords

Name	Guru Josh
Birthname	Paul Walden
Born	June 09, 1964
Background	non_performing_personnel
Genre	Acid House, Techno, Electro house
Years active	1981–present
Label	Deconstruction, Ministry of Sound,
Associated acts	Seal and Adamski
Url	Official Website

Paul Walden (born 6 June 1964), commonly known as Guru Josh, is an English musician currently part of the electronic band The Guru Josh Project. Guru Josh was an original music icon of the British post-acid house music scene in 1990, most recognised for his debut single "Infinity," initially released in 1989 on Walden's record label, Infinity Records. The song was later re-released in 1990 by BMG Records, and remixed for re-release in 2008 by the German artist DJ Klaas.

On top of continued success in his music career, Guru Josh has also recently created 3D glass art under the name of "Louie Fabrix", sold in small exhibitions in New York, Madrid, Paris and Berlin, receiving critical acclaim and huge appreciation from his fanbase.

Discography

Singles

References

External links

Guru Josh Official website

Guru Josh at Discogs

The Guru Josh Project at Discogs

TranceSound interview, May 2010

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:British electronic musicians

Name	Meagan Good
Birth name	Meagan Monique Good
Birth date	August 08, 1981
Birth place	Panorama City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress/Film producer
Years active	1991–present

Meagan Monique Good (born August 8, 1981) In the early stages of her career, Good started out doing work as an extra on television shows such as Doogie Howser, M.D. and Amen. Good first began to gain recognition for her performance as troubled teen Cisely Baptiste in Kasi Lemmons' critically-acclaimed 1997 film Eve's Bayou, which earned Good two award nominations, including her first NAACP Image Award nomination.

After taking on small film and television roles for the next few years. Good would begin to transition into more mature roles in the early 2000s. From 1999 to 2003, she appeared as Nina on Nickelodeon's hit show Cousin Skeeter. Good later took on small roles in the films 3 Strikes and . 2003 proved to be a major year for Good, as she landed roles in the action-drama Biker Boyz and the romantic-comedy Deliver Us from Eva, which helped her transition from child to adult actress. Good also appeared as the character Vanessa for five episodes during the third season of My Wife and Kids, before being replaced by Brooklyn Sudano for undisclosed reasons. Good also voiced a character for the video game that same year. In 2008, Good appeared in the horror film One Missed Call and the Mike Myers comedy The Love Guru, and in the latter half of the year could be seen in Saw V. Good's most recent role was in 2009's The Unborn with Gary Oldman and Odette Yustman.

Good has also made appearances in many music videos, by artists such as 50 Cent, Imajin, Isyss (of which Good's sister La'Myia Good is a member), Lil' Johnny, Memphis Bleek, Tyrese, and Will Smith.

Good has stated in numerous interviews that she would like to portray the late singer Aaliyah in a biographical film. Although she wasn't raised in the church, Good considers herself to be a very spiritual person, and has stated in numerous interviews that she will not do roles that she feels might "disappoint God."

Filmography

Award nominations

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Result ! Category ! Film |- ! 1998 | rowspan="2" | NAACP Image Awards | rowspan="2" | Nominated | Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress | Eve's Bayou |- ! 2008 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Stomp the Yard |- ! 1998 | YoungStar Awards | Nominated | Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film | Eve's Bayou |- ! 2005 | rowspan="2" | Black Movie Awards | rowspan="2" | Nominated | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | D.E.B.S. |- ! 2006 | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Waist Deep |- ! 2006 | rowspan="2" | Teen Choice Awards | rowspan="2" | Nominated | Choice Breakout (Female) | Waist Deep |- ! 2007 | Choice Movie Actress: Drama | Stomp the Yard |- ! 2006 | Black Reel Awards | Nominated | Best Ensemble | Roll Bounce (Shared with cast) |- ! 2007 | MTV Movie Awards | Nominated | Best Kiss | Stomp the Yard (Shared with Columbus Short) |}2010 the game

See also

List of famous Puerto Ricans

French immigration to Puerto Rico

References

External links

Category:1981 births Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California Category:African American film actors Category:American child actors Category:American film producers Category:American television actors Category:American people of Cherokee descent Category:American people of Native American descent Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent Category:Black Jews Category:Native American actors Category:Living people Category:People from Los Angeles County, California Category:People from the San Fernando Valley Category:B-Class biography (actors and filmmakers) articles

Name	Justin Timberlake
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Justin Randall Timberlake
Birth date	January 31, 1981
Birth place	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, keyboards, guitar, beatboxing
Origin	Shelby Forest, Tennessee, U.S.
Genre	Pop, dance, R&B;
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, businessman
Years active	1993–present
Label	Jive
Associated acts	'N Sync, The Y's,Timbaland,T.I
Url

Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American pop musician and actor. He has won six Grammy Awards as well as two Emmy Awards. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez. Timberlake became famous in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the boy band 'N Sync, whose launch was financed by Lou Pearlman.

In 2002, he released his debut solo album, Justified, which sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. The album was a commercial success, spawning the hits "Cry Me a River" and "Rock Your Body". Timberlake continued his success with his second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006), debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and produced the US number-one hit singles "SexyBack", "My Love", and "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around".

Timberlake's first two albums made him one of the most commercially successful singers in the world, each selling in excess of 7 million copies. Aside from music, he has also begun an acting career, while his other ventures include record label Tennman Records, fashion label William Rast, and the restaurants Destino Following the single, Timberlake released Justified on November 5, 2002. The first role he took during this time was as a journalist in the thriller Edison Force, which was filmed in 2004 and received a direct-to-video release on July 18, 2006. The album, which Timberlake created in 2005, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 684,000 copies its first week.

The album's lead single, "SexyBack", was performed by Timberlake at the opening of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for seven consecutive weeks. He was the special guest performer at the 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for being where he sang SexyBack. In January 2007, Timberlake embarked on the FutureSex/LoveShow tour. "Summer Love/Set the Mood Prelude" was the fourth U.S. single off the album, and the next single in the UK was "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows Interlude". The song "Give It to Me", a Timbaland single on which Timberlake guests with Nelly Furtado, reached the Hot 100 number-one spot. Timberlake began dating actress Cameron Diaz soon after they met at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in April 2003. Regular rumours of break-ups reported in the tabloid press were either ignored or occasionally denied.Nominated–Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |- | 2010 | Yogi Bear | Boo-Boo Bear | Voice role |- | 2011 | Bad Teacher | Scott | Post-production |- | 2011 | Now | Will Salas | Filming |- | 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Dylan | Post-production |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1993–1995 | The Mickey Mouse Club | Himself | |- | 1999 | Touched by an Angel | Street performer | "" |- | 2005–present | Saturday Night Live | Himself/Several roles | Four episodes |}

See also

List of awards and nominations received by Justin Timberlake

References

External links

Category:1981 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Tennessee Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American businesspeople Category:American Christians Category:American dance musicians Category:American dancers Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American voice actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Beatboxers Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:Hip hop singers Category:BRIT Award winners Category:American people of British descent Category:Emmy Award winners Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Jive Records artists Category:Mouseketeers Category:Musicians from Tennessee Category:'N Sync members

Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Sony BMG artists

Category:World Music Awards winners Category:Blue-eyed soul musicians

Name	Erykah Badu
Landscape	no
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Erica Abi Wright
Born	February 26, 1971Dallas, TexasUnited States
Instrument	Vocals, keyboards, guitar
Genre	Neo soul, R&B;, soul, funk, jazz, hip hop soul, hip hop
Occupation	Musician, songwriter, producer, actress
Years active	1996–present
Label	Kedar, Universal, Motown, Puppy Love, Control Freaq
Associated acts	Soulquarians
Url	Erykah Badu.com

, 2009]] Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical stylings and sense of fashion. She is known as the "First Lady of Neo-Soul" or the "Queen of Neo-Soul".

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday. She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules, and House of D, she is also very prominent in the documentary film Before the Music Dies.

Life and career

Early life

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in South Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her and her brother and sister alone; their father, William Wright, Jr., had deserted the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children's grandmother often helped looking after them while Erykah's mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. Influenced by her mother, Erykah had her first taste of show business at the age of 4, singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre.

By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her 'slave' name. The term 'kah' signifies the inner self. Badu is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.

Music career

Baduizm, Badu's highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Lead single "On & On" reached #12 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and UK. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgeoning neo soul genre. Her particular style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. Badu also explained on The Wanda Sykes Show on April 3, 2010, that it was not her intention to insult the memory of the late President Kennedy, saying "My point was grossly misunderstood all over America. JFK is one of my heroes, one of the nation's heroes. John F. Kennedy was a revolutionary; he was not afraid to butt heads with America, and I was not afraid to show America my butt-naked truth." Badu said the video was a protest against “groupthink” and was inspired by Matt and Kim's music video Lessons Learned. Badu has also said she has "no regrets."

On Friday, April 2, 2010, Badu was charged with disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor, in relation to the music video. "Sgt. Warren Mitchell said Friday the decision to cite Badu for disorderly conduct — a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 — came after witness Ida Espinosa, 32, of Vernon, offered a sworn statement to police Thursday [April 1]. Espinosa declined to comment to The Associated Press on Friday." On April 28, 2010, Badu challenged the disorderly conduct charge by pleading not guilty rather than paying the fee by mail. On Friday, August 13, she pleaded, deferred adjudication, which basically means that the final judgment in a situation has been deferred until a later time, paid the $500 fine and agreed to serve six months "probation".

Discography

Studio albums

Baduizm (1997)

Mama's Gun (2000)

Worldwide Underground (2003)

New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008)

New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) (2010)

Live albums

Live (1997)

Tours

Baduizm Tour (1997)

Mamas Gun Tour (2001)

Frustrated Artist Tour (2003)

Worldwide Underground Tour (2004)

The Vortex Tour (2008)

Out My Mind, Just In Time Tour (2010)

Filmography

Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

The Cider House Rules (1999)

House of D (2004)

'' Before The Music Dies (2004)

Dave Chapelle's Block Party (2006)

Yo Gabba Gabba! (2009)

See also

List of awards and nominations received by Erykah Badu

References

External links

Erykah Badu's page on Gigulate

Erykah Badu video

Official website

Category:1971 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Living people Category:African American actors Category:African American female singers Category:African American singer-songwriters Category:African American performance poets Category:American female guitarists Category:American film actors Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul musicians Category:American vegans Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Motown artists Category:Musicians from Dallas, Texas Category:Neo soul singers Category:Actors from Texas Category:Grambling State University alumni Category:Women in jazz

Name	Donald Byrd
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II
Born	December 09, 1932
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Instrument	Trumpet
Genre	BopHard bopFunkSoul
Associated acts	Pepper Adams, Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley

Donald Byrd (born Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, December 9, 1932, Detroit, Michigan) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A notable sideman for many fellow Blue Note Records artists, Byrd is best remembered as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a pop artist.

In 1973, he created the Blackbyrds, a fusion group consisting of his best students. They scored several major hits including "Happy Music" (#3 R&B;, #19 pop), "Walking In Rhythm" (#4 R&B;, #6 pop) and "Rock Creek Park".

Biography

Byrd attended Cass Technical High School. He performed with Lionel Hampton before finishing high school. After playing in a military band during a term in the United States Air Force, he obtained a bachelor's degree in music from Wayne State University and a master's degree from Manhattan School of Music.

While still at the Manhattan School, he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers,as replacement for Clifford Brown. In 1955, he recorded with Jackie McLean and Mal Waldron. After leaving the Jazz Messengers in 1956, he performed with a wide variety of highly regarded jazz musicians, including John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, and Thelonious Monk.

Byrd's first full-time band was a quintet that he co-led from 1958-61 with Pepper Adams, an ensemble whose hard driving performances are captured "live" on At the Half Note Cafe. In June 1964, Byrd jammed with jazz legend Eric Dolphy in Paris just two weeks before Dolphy's death from insulin shock.

In the 1970s, he moved away from his previous hard-bop jazz base and began to record jazz fusion, Jazz-funk, soul-Jazz, and rhythm and blues. He teamed up with the Mizell Brothers (producer-writers Larry and Fonce) for Black Byrd in 1972. It was highly successful and became Blue Note Records' highest-ever selling album. The title track climbed to #19 on Billboard's R&B; chart and reached the Hot 100 pop chart, peaking at #88. The Mizell brothers' follow-up albums for Byrd, Street Lady, Places and Spaces and Steppin' Into Tomorrow were also big sellers, and have subsequently provided a rich source of samples for acid jazz artists such as Us3. Most of the material for the albums was written by Larry Mizell.

In 1994, Byrd appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, . The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.

He has taught music at Rutgers University, the Hampton Institute, New York University, Howard University, Queens College, Oberlin College, Cornell University and Delaware State University.

In addition to his Masters from Manhattan School of Music, Byrd has two masters from Columbia University. Byrd received a law degree in 1976, and his doctorate from Columbia University Teachers College in 1982.

In September 2009, he was named an artist-in-residence at Delaware State University. Byrd lives in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Discography

As leader

Off to the Races (1958), Blue Note

Byrd in Hand (1959), Blue Note

Fuego (1959), Blue Note

Byrd in Flight (1960), Blue Note

At the Half Note Cafe (1960), Blue Note

Motor City Scene - with Pepper Adams (1960), Bethlehem

Chant (1961), Blue Note

The Cat Walk (1961), Blue Note

Royal Flush (1961), Blue Note

Free Form (1961), Blue Note

A New Perspective (1963), Blue Note

Up with Donald Byrd (1964), Verve

I'm Tryin' to Get Home (1964), Blue Note

Mustang! (1966), Blue Note

Blackjack (1967), Blue Note

Slow Drag (1967), Blue Note

The Creeper (1967), Blue Note

Fancy Free (1969) Blue Note

Electric Byrd (1969-70), Blue Note

Kofi (1969), Blue Note

Ethiopian Knights (1971), Blue Note

Black Byrd (1972), Blue Note

Street Lady (1973), Blue Note

Stepping into Tomorrow (1974), Blue Note

Places and Spaces (1975), Blue Note

Caricatures (1976), Blue Note

Thank You... for F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life) (1978), Elektra

Love Byrd (1981), Elektra

Words, Sounds, Colors and Shapes (1983) Landmark

Harlem Blues (1987), Landmark

Getting Down to Business (1989), Landmark

A City Called Heaven (1991), Landmark

Touchstone (2000)

The Transition Sessions (2002)

As sideman

1955 Kenny Clarke - Bohemia After Dark

1955 Cannonball Adderley - Discoveries

1955 Oscar Pettiford - Another One

1955 Hank Jones - Quartet-Quintet

1955 Hank Jones - Bluebird - one track only

1955 Ernie Wilkins - Top Brass

1956 George Wallington - Jazz for the Carriage Trade

1956 Jackie McLean - Lights Out!

1956 Hank Mobley - The Jazz Message of Hank Mobley

1956 Kenny Clarke - Klook's Clique

1956 Art Blakey - The Jazz Messengers

1956 Rita Reys - The Cool Voice of Rita Reys

1956 Elmo Hope - Informal Jazz

1956 Phil Woods - Pairing Off

1956 Jackie McLean - 4, 5 and 6

1956 Gene Ammons - Jammin' with Gene

1956 Horace Silver - Silver's Blue

1956 Hank Mobley - Mobley's Message

1956 Hank Mobley - Jazz Message #2

1956 Art Farmer - 2 Trumpets

1956 Paul Chambers - Whims of Chambers

1956 Phil Woods/Donald Byrd - The Young Bloods

1956 Horace Silver - 6 Pieces of Silver

1956 Hank Mobley - Hank Mobley Sextet

1956 Doug Watkins - Watkins at Large

1956 Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins, Vol. 1

1956 Kenny Burrell - All Night Long

1957 Kenny Burrell - All Day Long

1957 Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - Jazz Lab

1957 Art Farmer/Donald Byrd/Idrees Sulieman - Three Trumpets

1957 Lou Donaldson - Wailing with Lou

1957 Jimmy Smith - ''A Date with Jimmy Smith Volume One

1957 Art Taylor - Taylor Wailer's

1957 Gigi Gryce - Gigi Gryce and The Jazz Lab Quintet

1957 George Wallington - The New York Scene

1957 Various Artists - American Jazzmen Play Andre Hodeir's Essais

1957 Kenny Burrell/Jimmy Raney - 2 Guitars

1957 Kenny Drew - This is New

1957 Hank Mobley - Hank

1957 Paul Chambers - Paul Chambers Quintet

1957 The Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd Jazz Lab - At Newport - One side of LP which also features Cecil Taylor

1957 Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - New Formulas from the Jazz Lab

1957 Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - Modern Jazz Perspective

1957 Sonny Clark - Sonny's Crib

1957 John Jenkins - Star Eyes

1957 Oscar Pettiford - Winner's Circle

1957 George Wallington - Jazz at Hotchkiss

1957 Red Garland - All Mornin' Long

1957 Red Garland - Soul Junction

1957 Red Garland - High Pressure

1957 Lou Donaldson - Lou Takes Off

1958 John Coltrane - Lush Life - one track only

1958 John Coltrane - The Believer - two tracks

1958 John Coltrane - The Last Trane - two tracks

1958 Johnny Griffin - Johnny Griffin Sextet

1958 Pepper Adams - 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot

1958 John Coltrane - Black Pearls

1958 Michel Legrand - Legrand Jazz

1958 Dizzy Reece - Blues in Trinity

1958 Art Blakey - Holiday for Skins

1958 Jim Timmens - Gilbert and Sullivan Revisited

1959 Jackie McLean - Jackie's Bag

1959 Thelonious Monk - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall

1959 Chris Connor - Ballads of the Sad Cafe

1959 Sonny Clark - My Conception

1959 Manny Albam/Teo Macero - Something New, Something Blue

1959 Jackie McLean - Vertigo

1959 Jackie McLean - New Soil

1959 Walter Davis Jr. - Davis Cup

1961 Pepper Adams - Out of This World

1962 Duke Pearson - Hush!

1963 Hank Mobley - No Room for Squares

1963 Hank Mobley - Straight No Filter - released 1986

1963 Hank Mobley - The Turnaround

1963 Jimmy Heath - Swamp Seed

1963 Herbie Hancock - My Point of View

1964 Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up

1964 Cal Tjader - Soul Sauce

1964 Duke Pearson - Wahoo!

1965 Dexter Gordon - Ladybird

1965 Wes Montgomery - Goin' Out of My Head

1967 Stanley Turrentine - A Bluish Bag

1967 Sam Rivers - Dimensions & Extensions

1967 Hank Mobley - Far Away Lands

1977 Gene Harris - Tone Tantrum

1978 Sonny Rollins - Don't Stop the Carnival

1993 Guru - Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1

1995 Guru -

References

External links

Donald Byrd Discogs entry

Donald Byrd discography at jazzdisco.org

Category:1932 births Category:Living people Category:American jazz trumpeters Category:Post-bop trumpeters Category:Jazz-funk trumpeters Category:Jazz fusion trumpeters Category:Hard bop trumpeters Category:Crossover jazz trumpeters Category:American funk musicians Category:African American musicians Category:Manhattan School of Music alumni Category:People from Teaneck, New Jersey Category:People from Detroit, Michigan Category:Wayne State University alumni Category:Bessie Award winners Category:Blue Note Records artists Category:Savoy Records artists Category:Verve Records artists Category:Prestige Records artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Elektra Records artists

Name	Damian Marley
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Damian Marley
Alias	Junior Gong
Born	July 21, 1978Kingston, Jamaica
Genre	Reggae, reggae fusion, dancehall, dub, ragga, hip-hop
Years active	1996–present
Label	Tuff Gong, Ghetto Youth International, Universal
Associated acts	Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Nas, Bruno Mars, K'naan

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley (born July 21, 1978) is a reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards. Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley.

Damian was two years old when his father Bob Marley died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. Damian's nickname Junior Gong is derived from his father's nickname of Tuff Gong. Marley has been performing since the age of 13. He shares, along with most of his family, a full-time career in music.

Albums

His 1996 debut was Mr. Marley. His second release, Halfway Tree was released in 2001 and received the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. His third album, Welcome to Jamrock was released in September 2005. Welcome to Jamrock centers on poverty and politics in Jamaica. Marley stated, that Welcome to Jamrock is about hope and that he wants to continue to spread that throughout his music. At the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. He is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. Welcome to Jamrock was considered the best reggae song of the decade by the New York Times. On May 17, 2010, Marley released Distant Relatives, a collaborative album with Nas. The album title is inspired by Nas and Damian’s relationship, but also their shared African ancestry, which is a common thread

Tours and guest appearances

In 2004 Marley participated in the 27-city Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival Tour with his four brothers, Ziggy, Julian, Stephen and Ky-Mani who all have their own professional recording careers.

Marley frequently tours with his brothers Julian and Stephen, who are both members of the Ghetto Youths Crew. In December 2006 Marley appeared alongside brothers Stephen and Julian in Stephen's music video "The Traffic Jam". In 2004, Marley recorded a song with hip hop group Cypress Hill called "Ganja Bus" on their album Till Death Do Us Part. Marley also appears on the song "Get a Light" by Snoop Dogg. This song is on the album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. He also made a song with Method Man and Redman. He is featured on a recent Gwen Stefani remix "Now That You Got It" (produced by Swizz Beatz).

January 25, 2005 was the release date of Morgan Heritage's album Full Circle; Damian Marley appeared on the song "Girlz 'Round The World".

On September 7, 2005 he did a 1 minute long freestyle as a guest in the famous hip hop programme Rap City on BET, freestyling on the beat of his song, "Welcome To Jamrock".

During mid-2006, Marley went on tour with musical artist Ben Harper all around the US. He played on many known stages, such as Central Park New York. He was also one of the many artists who played at the inaugural Osheaga Festival, in Montreal.

In May 2006, Marley performed at KROQ Weenie Roast. In June 2006, Marley performed at Bonnaroo Music Festival. In July 2006, Damian should have played at the Danish music festival Roskilde Festival, but had to cancel due to troubles with customs.

On January 7, 2006 Marley conducted the main performance at Peace Fest in Trinidad.

On September 19, 2006 Marley became the first reggae artist to perform for the popular PBS show Austin City Limits.

Marley also participated in Season 3 of Extreme Makeover Home Edition by performing a special concert for the Rainford family, in which the father Dunstin was a Jamaican native.

Over the last year he has played numerous University homecomings including Emory and Indiana, often accompanied by his brother Stephen. Stephen was also present when Marley played music festivals such as Miami's Bang, Earth Day in San Francisco and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2007 in Indio, California.

Marley was the opening act for Van Halen during their 2007 Reunion tour concerts in Philadelphia.

Marley performed at the June Black Arts festival in Huntsville, Alabama on June 2007, alongside his second cousin Lance "Wayne" Marley.

Marley recently did a song with pop sensation Gwen Stefani. The two made a remix version to the song "Now That You Got It" off of the album The Sweet Escape. Stefani now performs this song on her Sweet Escape Tour.

A collaboration with Guru has been released on Jazzmatazz 4, "Stand Up Some Things'll Never Change" in 2007

Marley recorded his song "Welcome to Jamrock" in Simlish for , an expansion pack in the The Sims series. The song also featured on FIFA 06 soundtrack.

He also collaborated with Mariah Carey on her new album E=MC² (April 15, 2008) on a song called "Cruise Control". The two recorded the song together in Boca Raton, Florida in December 2007.

Marley recently appeared at the Sonoma County Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa on June 7, 2008.

Marley also made an appearance at the 1st annual Romantic Rhythms Music Festival on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. He appeared alongside a varied list of entertainers such as Shaggy, Lionel Ritchie, Kenny Rogers, Keyshia Cole, Maxi Priest and Brian McKnight, to name a few. The festival ran from June 13 to 15, 2008.

Marley has also helped out on B-Real's debut solo album with the song "FIRE".

Marley and Stephen's latest release is a song called "The Mission", a track from Reggae Gold 2008 album. The track was produced by Trevor "Baby G" James.

Every February in Miami, Marley and his brothers perform at his family's annual Caribbean Festival in honour of their late father Bob Marley.

A song of his, "Something For You (One Loaf Of Bread)" also produced by Trevor "Baby G" James, appears on hit videogame FIFA 09.

In 2009, Damian Marley and Nas are slated for an international tour after the release of their collaborative album Distant Relatives.

Damian Marley is also slated to perform at the Rock the Bells hip hop festival this summer. The concert will hit 10 North American Cities from June 27 and Aug 9. The festival will include, Common, Nas, The Roots and Big Boi along with others. The tour will make stops in Chicago, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Boston, New York, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Vancouver.

February 5, 2010: Damian Marley participated along with Hip-Hop artist Nas at BET's SOS Help for Haiti, a telethon in aid of the earthquake ravaged nation. They performed the song "Strong Will Continue" from their long-awaited album Distant Relatives.

February 23, 2010: Damian Marley performed a free show at the Whistler Live Village Square as part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

February 24, 2010: Damian Marley performed a free show at LiveCity Yaletown as part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Cultural Olympiad.

March 19, 2010: Damian Marley teamed up with Nas again to perform at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

May 19, 2010: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno featured a performance by Damian Marley and Nas of the first single - As We Enter - off of their newly released CD Distant Relatives.

May 25, 2010: Damian Marley and Nas performed in front of a sold out crowd at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA.

June 11, 2010: Damian Marley and Nas performed in Manchester, Tennessee at the 9th Bonnaroo music and arts festival.

July 3, 2010: The 25th Cologne Summerjam on his tour with Nas

July 24, 2010: Splash Music Festival in Germany on his tour with Nas

August 3, 2010: The Late Show with David Letterman performing "Count Your Blessings" with Nas.

August 14, 2010: Damian & Nas played in Commerce city Colorado at Mile High Music Festival.

August 15, 2010: Damian & Nas played at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco, CA.

August 28, 2010: Damien Marley and Nas perform at the Charlottesville Pavilion on the historic Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Va.

September 3, 2010: Damian "Junior Gong" Marley and Nas perform at Moe.Down music festival in Mohawk, New York.

September 6, 2010: Damian Marley and Nas performed at first avenue in Minneapolis Mn.

September 8, 2010: Nas and Damian Marley performed at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA.

Personal life and beliefs

Born as Damian Marley, he was nicknamed "Jr. Gong" in honour of his legendary father, Bob "Tuff Gong" Marley. His mother is Jamaican jazz musician, former model and crowned Miss World 1976 Cindy Breakspeare. He has 13 siblings total; 10 on his father's side and 3 on his mother's side. Damian was two years old when his father died, killed by the spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain, at 36 years of age. Marley has been in the music business since he was a child. He is a Rastafari and his music reflects both his beliefs and the Rastafari guiding principles of one love, one planet, and freedom for all nations. While he travels and tours the better part of the year, his home base is split between Kingston, Jamaica and Miami, Florida. He has a younger half brother Christian and a half sister Leah from his mother Cindy. He is also a leading icon in the Caribbean. Damian Marley has a football team named after him in England known as FC Zion

Discography

1996: Mr. Marley

2001: Halfway Tree

2005: Welcome to Jamrock

2010: Distant Relatives (with Nas)

Singles

Other charted songs

References

External links

Category:Jamaican reggae musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Reggae fusion artists Category:Jamaican Rastafarians Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:People from Kingston, Jamaica Category:Jamaican people of English descent