Juice is a 1992 American crime drama film that stars rapper Tupac Shakur and Omar Epps. Additional cast members include Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins, Khalil Kain, and Samuel L. Jackson; the film features cameo appearances by Queen Latifah, EPMD, Special Ed, Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, Flex Alexander, Fab Five Freddy, and Treach. The film was directed by cinematographer Ernest R. Dickerson who has directed and written other Hollywood films such as Surviving the Game and Bulletproof as well as some television series such as ER and The Wire.

The film touches on the lives of four black youths growing up in Harlem. It follows the day to day activities in the young men's lives starting out as innocent mischief but growing more serious as time passes by. It also focuses on the struggles that these young men must go through everyday as well such as police, harassment, and their families.^[2]

The film was shot on location in New York City mainly in the Harlem area.^[3]

Plot[link]

Bishop (Shakur), Q (Epps), Raheem (Kain) and Steel (Hopkins), who refer to themselves as "The Wrecking Crew," are four friends growing up in Harlem. They regularly skip school, instead spending their days hanging out at Steel's apartment, at a neighborhood arcade and also a record store where they steal LPs for Q's local DJ interests. Generally, they are harassed daily by the police or a Puerto Rican gang led by a knife carrying thug named Radames. After witnessing a robbery at the local bar, an aggravated Bishop becomes entralled at the "juice" and the audacity of crime life. He boasts on, about tiring of the harassment by police, gangs and a local bodega owner and decides that the group must scheme on a plan to win respect. Q, however, is unsure if he wants to become involved in a life of crime, stating respect is earned. One Saturday night, under Bishop's persistence, the friends decide to rob a local bodega to teach the owner, Fernando Quiles, a lesson. Q is hesitant to go through with the crime, unsure whether it will be a success; he also fears it will affect his chances of participating in a DJ competition in which he has yearned to compete for years. After being pressured by fellow crew members he decides to join them. During the heist, for no apparent reason, Bishop shoots the owner in the head killing him.

After fleeing the scene, the four gather in an abandoned building where they argue over the evening's events. Q, Raheem and Steel become angry at Bishop for killing Quiles, and Raheem demands that Bishop give the gun to him; Bishop resists, and a struggle ensues between the two, ending when Bishop retorts by shooting Raheem dead. Panicked, Bishop, Q and Steel run to another building, where Bishop stashes the murder weapon and threatens to kill Q and Steel if they reveal to anybody that what has transpired. Soon thereafter the trio are picked up and questioned by Police. Without any concrete evidence, they are all soon released.

Days later, Q and Steel realize that Bishop is fracturing, breaking down into both friend and threat while becoming addicted to the thrill of "juice". They agree to give Bishop as wide a berth as possible. However, while attending Raheem's funeral, the two see Bishop there. Bishop subverts his betrayal, but even goes as far as to hug Raheem's mother and promise to find his killer. Afterwards, Q and Steel are mostly able to avoid Bishop, but he eventually finds them and confronts them one at a time, questioning their loyalty.

One day, after a scuffle with the Puerto Rican gang, Bishop kills their leader Radames. In bloodlust, Bishop wields his newfound ego with authority but rethinks his position. In order to cover his tracks, he begins a plan to frame Q for the murders of Quiles, Raheem and Radames. Fearful of Bishop, Q resorts to buying a gun of his own for protection. Meanwhile, Bishop confronts Steel and leads him into an empty alley, where he shoots him, suspecting him of disloyalty. Steel survives the initial attack and is able to make it to the hospital, where he informs Q's girlfriend Yolanda (Cindy Herron) that he has been framed by Bishop. Fed up with the sudden tension and fears that guns have brought him, Q throws his own gun into the river and decides to confront Bishop unarmed, as a man.

That night, Q and Bishop meet nearby, where a fist fight ensues. Q flees and Bishop gives chase, firing wild and shoots Q in the arm. The youth is subsequently chased into a high-rise building, where he runs into a crowded elevator. Bishop follows, firing the gun and is swarmed by a group of party-goers, losing his weapon in the commotion. Q stumbles into the party, following a fleeing Bishop, who lures him, ducking outside a window to the rooftop. Bishop and Q finally confront each other face to face with Q gaining the upper hand and sucker punching Bishop, who falls over the ledge. Bishop calls out for Q as he grabs his hand, struggling to hold onto him. Tired and wounded, Q loses his grip and Bishop falls to his death.

As Q turns to leave, he looks back to see a large crowd from the party gathered behind him. One of the kids in the crowd looks to Q and says, "Yo, you got the juice now, man." Q stares at him, shakes his head in disgust and starts off. The film ends with a flashback of the four friends together in happier times as Bishop yells, "Wreckin' Crew!"

Cast[link]

Reception[link]

Overall, the film received generally positive reviews.^[4] Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an 83% "fresh" rating based on 18 reviews.^[5] Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, praising how the film is, "one of those stories with the quality of a nightmare, in which foolish young men try to out-macho one another until they get trapped in a violent situation which will forever alter their lives."^[6]. Entertainment Weekly gave the film a "B+" grading, based on how it depicts four young characters who try to gain complete self-control over their surroundings.

The film is an inflammatory morality play shot through with rage and despair. Like Boyz N the Hood and Straight Out of Brooklyn, it asks: When every aspect of your environment is defined by violence, is it possible to avoid getting sucked into the maelstrom?^[7]

Dickerson also received praised for his directorial skills: hc

Coming out from behind Spike Lee's camera, Ernest Dickerson has instantly arrived at the forefront of the new wave of black directors. His film aims for the gut, and hits it.^[8]

Characters[link]

• Omar Epps as Quincy "Q" Powell. A member of The Wrecking Crew and the most sensible of the four. Unlike his friends, he knows right from wrong. He tries out for a DJ audition and makes it, followed by a robbing he was not aware of until last minute. When Bishop kills Raheem, Q is horrified as he and Bishop have been friends since second grade. At the climax of the movie, he is the only one untouched by Bishop and demands that he meets him to settle things, as Bishop has framed him for the killings of characters throughout the movie.
• Tupac Shakur as Roland Bishop, the main antagonist of the film. A member of The Wrecking Crew and the most violent of the four. He is usually seen smoking. He wants mostly respect, as he and his friends are regularly harassed by authorities. After killing a convenience store owner named Quiles, he starts to spiral into darkness, first by killing Raheem, and then gang leader Radames. He quickly realizes that he must kill the witnesses to his crimes, who just so happen to be the remaining members of his crew. After he kills Radames, he attempts to kill Steel, but Steel survives. At the climax of the movie, Bishop confronts Q which ensues in a chase between the two. In the end, after a fight on the roof, Q grabs Bishop after he almost falls, but is unable to hold him.
• Khalil Kain as Raheem Porter. A member of The Wrecking Crew and presumably the leader. He usually takes it upon himself to protect his friends, as depicted earlier in the movie, when he breaks up a potential fight between them and Radames, and when he stops Bishop from taking part in a friend's robbery which resulted in the friend's death. After robbing Quiles's store with his friends, he declares they must get rid of the gun, but is killed by Bishop after trying to take the gun from him.
• Jermaine 'Huggy' Hopkins as Eric "Steel" Thurman. A member of The Wrecking Crew and the most sensitive of the four. He is usually ridiculed because of his weight, usually called "Big Chops" by Bishop. After the death of Raheem at Bishop's hands, he and Q decide to stay as far away from him as possible, but Bishop sees him in the hallway in his building. Steel makes a phone call from Trips's store asking Q for help, but Bishop finds out and shoots him in the back alley. Steel narrowly survives the shot and makes it to the hospital where he tells Q's girlfriend that Q is being framed by Bishop.
• Samuel L. Jackson as Trip, the local store owner. The Wrecking Crew is usually seen in his store either playing video games, smoking, or just talking. Bishop lies to him, framing Q for the murders throughout the movie. Trip plays a role in the final showdown, as Q asks Trip to let Bishop know Q wants to see him.

Advertisement changes[link]

In the original artwork for the promotional poster of the movie, Tupac Shakur, who portrayed one of the leads in the film, was shown prominently while holding a pistol (see film poster, above). This stirred up controversy at the time; some^[who?] feared the advertisements might lead to violence, while others^[who?] felt the issue itself showed a large double-standard towards young black youth, and hip hop culture as a whole, with other films of the time being advertised with even more violent content. Either way, Paramount was eventually swayed, and the gun was airbrushed out of all of the advertisements and promotional artwork for the film, including the covers of its VHS and DVD releases.^[9]

Release on DVD & HD[link]

• In 2001 it was released on DVD.
• In 2010 it was digitized in High Definition (1080i) and broadcasted on MGM HD.
• 2012 Released on Netflix.

Soundtrack[link]

References[link]

This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (January 2012)

External links[link]

• Juice at AllRovi
• Juice at the Internet Movie Database
• Juice at Rotten Tomatoes
• Juice at Box Office Mojo

Mobb Deep is an American Hip-Hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S.,^[1] that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop groups".^[2] The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones Pt. II".^[3] Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in Hip Hop having sold over three million records.^[2] The majority of their albums have been critically acclaimed, in particular The Infamous in which is considered to be classic among avid Hip-Hop listeners and general fans.^[4][5] They are partially credited for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-'90s. Havoc and Prodigy were also judges for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers and breakthroughs.^[6]

Biography[link]

Origins[link]

Havoc and Prodigy supposedly started their career in music in 1986 and they both attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City. Havoc took the role of kurwa and as secondary musician/rapper while Prodigy assumed the position of primary musician/rapper. Originally dubbing themselves the Poetical Profits, the duo later changed its name to Mobb Deep in order to "reflect their reputation on the streets."^[7] It is rumored that before the groups initial career beginnings, Prodigy was at the age of fifteen when he was featured on the classic movie soundtrack Boyz In The Hood in a track call Too Young. In June 1991, when Havoc and Prodigy were at the age of seventeen they released their debut album as they self-titled, Juvenile Hell which was promoted by the single "Peer Pressure." The album sold poorly and eventually met with harsh reviews that dismissed the duo as just another hardcore group with little to distinguish it from the rest of the hip-hop world, despite production by DJ Premier and Large Professor. However, a few songs from Juvenile Hell had gain recognition such as; "Hit It from the Back," "Locked in Spofford" and "Me and My Crew." Moreover, in 1993 Havoc attended a show as a guest appearance on the critically acclaimed Black Moon album Enta Da Stage on a song titled "U Da Man." In 1994 the duo released a single titled "Shook Ones Part 1", which contained verses that later were incorporated into their most commercially successful song, "Shook Ones Part 2".

Rise to Success[link]

The group saw its first major success with their second album, The Infamous released in 1995. Mobb Deep catapulted to the top of the hardcore hip-hop scene through Havoc and Prodigy's straightforward narration of street life. In this album, Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's Queensbridge Houses where they grew up. Following the release of The Infamous, Mobb Deep became some of the most prolific artists of the East Coast in regards to the hardcore Hip Hop sub-genre. The production of this album was very dark and sample-based thanks to Havoc, who produced the beats almost exclusively throughout Mobb Deep's career.^[8] Furthermore, the smash hit single "Shook Ones Pt. II" received critical acclaim and was well-received within the Hip Hop community.

Mobb Deep's third album, Hell on Earth was released in 1996 debuting at number six on the Billboard Album Chart; the album continued the duo's portrayal of harsh street life while further pushing them to the forefront of the hardcore Hip Hop scene along with contemporary East Coast Rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan collective, Jay-Z and fellow Queensbridge Associate Nas. Both Method Man and Raekwon of the Wu Tang Clan appear on 'Hell on Earth'.

In 1996, they appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan and Fat Joe among many other prominent Hip Hop artists. This compilation was solely meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men and this compilation was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source Magazine, a Hip Hop Publication. In 1998, the duo collaborated with a reggae dancehall rapper named, Bounty Killer on the track "Deadly Zone" for the soundtrack to Blade. In 1999, they released the highly anticipated Murda Muzik album in which despite extensive bootlegging, the majority of its songs were unintentionally leaked which resulted in delays in the official album release. When the album officially released it eventually debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and quickly received Platinum Certification and further promoted by the popular single "Quiet Storm." Shortly afterward, Prodigy released his long-awaited solo album H.N.I.C in which the artist collaborated with fellow artist on the likes of, (B.G. and N.O.R.E.) and lastly, producers (including The Alchemist, Rockwilder, and Just Blaze).

East Coast vs. West Coast National Feud[link]

Mobb Deep was part of the infamous East Coast vs West Coast Hip Hop rivalry that was fueled and increasingly promoted by the private media. The beef started when Snoop Dogg and the West Coast group, Tha Dogg Pound released "New York, New York" which Mobb Deep, along with Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi responded with the song "L.A L.A" (This song can be found on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album The War Report). This song was released during rapper 2Pac's final days of incarceration. Members of 2Pac's group, Outlawz, allegedly attended a Mobb Deep concert; they then visited with 2Pac over public rumoring that the duo had snubbed them at the concert. 2Pac dissed Mobb Deep on multiple tracks, including: "Hit 'Em Up" and "When We Ride on Our Enemies" in which 2Pac makes light of Prodigy's sickle-cell disease. Additional 2Pac diss tracks include: "Bomb First (My Second Reply)" and "Against All Odds", both of which were released on 2Pac's posthumous studio album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Mobb Deep retaliated on their 1996 release of Hell on Earth, which contains a diss track entitled "Drop A Gem On 'Em."

2000 to 2010[link]

Mobb Deep released Infamy while in 2001 the song "Burn" (featuring Vita) was perceived as a response to Jay-Z's diss song "Takeover" on The Blueprint, as was "Crawlin'," in which Prodigy's two verses both mention Jay-Z. The album marked a major stylistic change in which the duo moved away from a raw, minimalist, stripped-down beat toward a commercial friendly in terms with such songs as "Hey Luv (Anything)." This transition fostered accusations of "selling out". The eventually led the group's fanbase upset and many long-time fans who did not wish to see them veer away from their original style eventually lost some interest in their music. Although these stylistic adjustments opened up by Mobb Deep to a wider audience, many critics and fans consider their style change as a detriment to Mobb Deep's street image and record sales (most evident when comparing the platinum-selling Murda Muzik to Infamy which struggled to attain gold-record status). In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released Free Agents: The Murda Mix Tape, in which Havoc and Prodigy proclaimed themselves "free agents" and addressed the group's split with its old label and its search for a new label. Jive Records signed the duo later in the year through a deal with the group’s own imprint. Mobb Deep then released Amerikaz Nightmare in 2004 which was seen by the general hip-hop audience as an "weaker release"; this resulted in poor sales and the group’s subsequent departure from the label.^[9] Today, as a result of various mergers, all of Mobb Deep's studio albums from 1995 to 2004 are owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

G-Unit Records[link]

In June 2005, Prodigy and Havoc announced they had signed with 50 Cent's label G-Unit Records. The move was surprising among Hip Hop fans because 50 Cent had ridiculed the group in his song "Piggy Bank". 50 Cent had a connection to Mobb Deep as he grew up in Queens and Havoc had provided production on projects by G-Unit, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. The relationship strengthened as Prodigy and 50 Cent each received tattoos to pledge their loyalty to each other. Prodigy has the word "G-Unit" tattooed on the side of his right hand and 50 Cent has "Mobb Deep" tattooed on his wrist. As part of their contract with G-Unit, both Prodigy and Havoc were given new Porsches. Later, Mobb Deep signed different artists onto Infamous/G-Unit Records including Nyce, 40 Glocc and Gail Gotti. Mobb Deep released their eighth album, Blood Money in 2006. It features G-Unit members 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and Young Buck as well as Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg. In 2006, Mobb Deep became the first American hip-hop duo to perform in India, via VH1's Hip Hop Hustle. It performed in a nightclub called Enigma. In late 2009, Mobb Deep were released from their contract with 50 Cent's G-Unit label.

2011 to Present Day[link]

On April 4, 2011 a possible new Mobb Deep single leaked on the internet named "Dog Shit", this song features rapper Nas as its collaborator. This is the first official song by Mobb Deep since Prodigy made his return from jail and their first consensual collaboration with Nas in nearly ten years due to their feud (Except member Prodigy & Nas appearing on producer The Alchemist's album 1st Infantry, on song "Tick Tock"). It is produced by Havoc and Alchemist. In the longrun of their relationship, they are also recording an upcoming, self titled album (which will be their ninth studio album) with production from Havoc, The Alchemist, Sid Roams, DJ Premier, MTK, Cardiak and the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League as well as other guest artists such as; Rick Ross, Lil' Kim, Wiz Khalifa, Odd Future and Nas on their new album.^[10] On November 21, 2011, the duo released an EP called Black Cocaine which is an EP promoting their LP which is rumored to be released in the Year of 2012.^[11]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mobb Deep on Myspace
• Interview with Prodigy - Prodigy Interview of 2006, Hip Hop Publication
• Prodigy Interview of 2007, Hip Hop Publication

Minute Maid Park
The Juice Box
150px
Former names	The Ballpark at Union Station (2000) Enron Field (2000–2002) Astros Field (February–July 2002)
Location	501 Crawford Street Houston, Texas 77002
Coordinates	29°45′25″N 95°21′20″W / 29.75694°N 95.35556°W / 29.75694; -95.35556Coordinates: 29°45′25″N 95°21′20″W / 29.75694°N 95.35556°W / 29.75694; -95.35556
Broke ground	November 1, 1997
Opened	March 30, 2000 (Exhibition) April 7, 2000 (Regular Season)
Renovated	2010 (Off season)[1]
Owner	Harris County-Houston Sports Authority
Operator	Harris County-Houston Sports Authority
Surface	Platinum TE Paspalum[2]
Scoreboard	54 feet (16 m) feet tall by 124 feet (38 m) feet wide
Construction cost	$250 million ($337 million in 2012 dollars[3])
Architect	HOK Sport (Populous since 2009) Molina & Associates
Project Manager	Schindewolfe and Associates[4]
Structural engineer	Walter P Moore[4]
Services engineer	M-E Engineers, Inc. (Bowl)[5] Uni-Systems, Inc. (Roof)[4]
General Contractor	Brown & Root/Barton Malow/Empire Joint Venture[4]
Capacity	40,981 (2012-present)[6] 40,963 (2011)[7] 40,976 (2006-2010)[8] 40,950 (2000-2005)
Record attendance	43,836 April 5, 2010[9]
Field dimensions	Left Field - 315 feet (96 m) Left-Center - 362 feet (110 m) Left-Center (deep) - 404 feet (123 m) Center Field - 436 feet (133 m) Right-Center - 373 feet (114 m) Right Field - 326 feet (99 m) Backstop - 49 feet (15 m)
Tenants
Houston Astros (MLB) (2000–present)

Minute Maid Park (also The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros.

The ballpark was Houston's first retractable-roofed stadium, protecting fans and athletes from Houston's notoriously humid weather as did its predecessor, the Astrodome, but also allowing fans to enjoy outdoor baseball during favorable weather. The ballpark also features a grass field, compared to the Astrodome's artificial AstroTurf, which was generally disliked by professional baseball players. The largest entrance to the park is inside what was once Houston's Union Station, and the left-field side of the stadium features a train as homage to the site's history. The train moves along a track on top of the length of the exterior wall beyond left field whenever an Astros player hits a home run, or when the Astros win a game. The engine's tender, traditionally used to carry coal, is filled with giant oranges in tribute to Coca Cola's Minute Maid's most famous product, orange juice. The ballpark has 5,095 club seats and 63 luxury suites.

Previous names[link]

Exterior of Minute Maid Park

The ballpark was first christened as Enron Field on April 7, 2000, with naming rights sold to the Houston energy and financial trading company in a 30 year, $100 million deal. Astros management faced a public relations nightmare when the energy corporation went bankrupt in the midst of one of the biggest corporate scandals in American history in 2001, and they bought back the remainder of Enron's thirty years of naming rights for $2.1 million, rechristening the ballpark as Astros Field on February 7, 2002.^[10] The field was unofficially known as "The Field Formerly Known As Enron" by fans and critics alike, in wake of the Enron scandal. On June 5, 2002, Houston-based Minute Maid, the fruit-juice subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, acquired the naming rights to the stadium for 28 years at an estimated price of $170 million.^[11]

Based on its downtown location next to the old Union Station buildings, one of the suggested names (and nicknames) is the Ballpark at Union Station, or the BUS. During its days as Enron Field, it was also dubbed "Ten-Run" or "Home Run" Field due to its cozy left-field dimensions. In keeping with this theme while paying homage to its current sponsor, the nickname "The Juice Box" is colloquially used today.^[12] The dubbing of the park as an extreme hitter-friendly park has been called into question in recent years. In fact, the 2009 season saw the park ranked 24th out of 30 Major League parks in terms of runs scored in the park, meaning only six other stadiums saw fewer runs scored during the season, and ten other ballparks saw more home runs hit.^[13] The extremely deep center-field and left-center-field dimensions help to balance out the park significantly, and Minute Maid's Batting park factor is consistently very near average.

Features[link]

Union Station Lobby is the main entrance to Minute Maid Park, and the former concourse of Houston's original Union Station built in 1911

In dramatic contrast to the Astrodome, the most pitching-oriented stadium in Major League Baseball for most of its existence, Minute Maid Park is known for being particularly hitter-friendly down the lines, especially in left field where it is only 315 ft (96 m) to the Crawford Boxes, though the wall there is 19 feet (5.8 m) tall. In a challenge to home run hitters, Drayton McLane's office windows, located in the old Union Station and directly above the Crawford Boxes, are made of glass and a sign below his window is marked 422 ft (135 m) from home plate.

In contrast to the ease of hitting a home run to the Crawford Boxes, it is quite difficult to hit a ball out in center field, as the dead-center wall is 436 ft (133 m) from home plate. Fielding is a challenge there as well, due to the 90-foot (27 m) wide center field incline known as Tal's Hill, for team president Tal Smith, an element taken from Crosley Field and other historic ballparks (in a bit of gallows humor, the hill is also known as the "Grassy Knoll"), and the flagpole in play, an element taken from Yankee Stadium before its remodeling in the mid-'70s and Tiger Stadium among others. Milwaukee Brewers player Richie Sexson once hit a ball off the flagpole. There was a mark there until the 2011 season, when the pole was repainted.

An illustration of Union Station, 1913

While Crosley Field's infamous left field terrace, which was half as steep (only 15 degrees) as Tal's Hill (30 degrees), was a natural feature of the site on which the park was located, Tal's Hill is purely decorative. Both structures have been held in equal disdain by the respective outfielders who have had to patrol those areas. This hill has caused some of the most replayed catches in recent baseball history, and plenty of controversy as well. Lance Berkman said, "If the ball rolls onto the hill, it's not steep enough to roll back, so you have to go get it. Then there's the chance of running into the flagpole that's on it and getting hurt.” Fans started an online petition to remove the hill and flagpole, though the petition has since been discontinued.

The ballpark features 19,201 seats on the lower level^[14], 7,132 seats on the second level^[14], 880 seats on the suite level^[14], and 13,750 seats on the upper level^[14].

A concourse above Tal's Hill features the "Conoco Home Run Porch" in left-center field that is actually over the field of play, and features a classic gasoline pump that displays the total number of Astros home runs hit since the park opened.

The electrification of Minute Maid Park's retractable roof was developed by VAHLE, Inc.^[15]

The stadium can also be fully air-conditioned when required.

2004[link]

In 2004, the Astros launched Wi-Fi throughout the ballpark, allowing fans to use the Internet while attending a game for a fee^[16]. In addition, the ballpark is the first major sports facility to have a closed captioning board for the hearing impaired^[17].

The visiting team's bullpen is housed entirely in the exterior left field wall, next to the Crawford Boxes, making it one of the few bullpens in Major League ballparks to be completely indoors. Although windows in the outfield fence offer a view into and from the bullpen, its entrance is actually built into the side of the Crawford Boxes.

2006[link]

In 2006, the Chick-fil-A cows were unveiled on the foul poles, saying EAT MOR FOWL, and the cows have Astros caps on. Anytime an Astros player hits the pole, the fans in attendance get a free chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A. Hunter Pence is the first and second Astro to hit the left field "Fowl Pole" when he did it twice in the 2007 season. Ty Wigginton became the third Astro to hit the left field pole on September 16, 2007. Kazuo Matsui hit the right field foul pole on August 3, 2009 with a 2 run homer in the 6th inning to beat the Giants. Carlos Lee hit the left field pole on July 28, 2010, giving the Astros a 8-1 win against the Cubs. 2 days later, Jeff Keppinger hit the Left Field pole to help the Astros win 5-0 against the Brewers.

2008[link]

After the 2008 season, the Astros' groundskeepers began installing 2.3 acres (9,300 m²) of a new turfgrass playing surface at Minute Maid Park. The new sod is called Platinum TE Paspalum. The Astros are the first sports organization in the world to use the product.^[18] The Astros also became one of the first to use the new Chemgrass, later known as AstroTurf after its first well-publicized use at the Houston Astrodome in 1966.

2011[link]

For the 2011 season, the park added a large HD screen nicknamed "El Grande" replacing the original one in center field. At 54 feet high and 124 feet wide, it is the second largest scoreboard in Major League Baseball, behind Kaufmann Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals). The old screen was taken out and replaced by billboards. Additionally they added a smaller HD screen on the far left field wall. The ring of advertisement screens around the park have also been replaced in favor of HD ribbon boards.^[7]

Major events[link]

• On July 13, 2004, Minute Maid Park hosted the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which the American League won 9–4.
• On October 9, 2005, Minute Maid Park hosted the longest postseason game in Major League Baseball history, both in terms of time and number of innings. The Astros defeated the Atlanta Braves 7–6 in a game lasting eighteen innings, which took 5 hours and 50 minutes to play.^[19]
• On October 25, 2005, Minute Maid Park hosted the first World Series game ever played in Texas, and the longest World Series game ever played, which the Astros lost to the eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox 7–5 in 14 innings; this game lasted 5 hours and 41 minutes.^[20] The following night, the White Sox won the World Series—first in 88 years—at Minute Maid Park.
• On June 28, 2007, Craig Biggio hit his 3000th career hit, the first Astro to do so. The hit was a 2-out RBI-single against the Colorado Rockies.^[21]
• On September 30, 2007, in Craig Biggio's last game of his career, Minute Maid Park hit the highest attendance in its eight-year history by selling 43,823 tickets, 107% of its capacity.^[22]
• On April 5, 2010, Opening Day of 2010, Minute Maid Park surpassed its highest attendance total once again by selling 43,836 tickets, 13 more tickets than its previous record.^[9]

Ballpark firsts[link]

Events other than baseball[link]

While primarily a baseball venue, Minute Maid Park can adequately host sports such as American football, soccer, and both codes of rugby. The venue can also play host to large-scale rock concerts.

Its debut as a soccer venue happened during the 2006 edition of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The stadium hosted the first leg of the quarterfinal between Portmore United of Jamaica (the "home" team) and Club América of Mexico. Portmore United effectively sold the rights to their home leg (Portmore's usual home stadium is the 2,000 seat Ferdi Neita Sports Complex in Portmore, Jamaica) to an American sports marketing company who placed the tie in Houston hoping to attract Mexican-Americans to the match. 12,988 (a "home" record for Portmore) saw America run out 2-1 winners with goals from Christian Gimenez, and Aaron Padilla after Remeel Wolfe had given the CFU side a shock lead^[23].

The stadium also is the host of the Houston College Classic college baseball, part of the winter fan festival held in February. The tournament features local schools the University of Houston and Rice University every year, a pair of Big 12 schools, alternating between the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University, and Texas A&M University and Baylor University, as well as two other teams from around the country.

Madonna performed a concert as part of her Sticky & Sweet Tour on November 16, 2008, marking her first Texas appearance in 18 years. The attendance for the concert was 41,498^[24].

The nationally syndicated TV talk show Rachael Ray held a mass wedding at the park following Hurricane Ike for 40 couples who were unable to get married after a company they paid to hold the weddings went bankrupt. Comedian Jeffrey Ross served as best man for all 40 couples. The ceremony was aired as part of a special episode of the talk show on November 21, 2008^[25].

On November 5, 2011 Taylor Swift held her Houston gig of the Speak Now World Tour at Minute Maid Park. There was a record breaking number of attendance of 42,905^[26].

Gallery[link]

• 

  Panoramic interior view of the baseball park.

• 

  The Conoco Home Run Porch

• 

  Interior view of Minute Maid Park

• 

  View of Crawford Boxes, Tal's hill, Train, and Downtown Houston.

• 

  View of the infield from Center Field

• 

  Left field Union Station interior edifice and train.

References[link]

• Minute Maid Park: Facts and Figures. Accessed May 24, 2006.
• Ballpark Digest Visit to Minute Maid Park
• Ryan, Jeff (July 21, 2003). "Dangers of the diamond: TSN picks the nine biggest ballpark obstacles—from the brightest lights to the most unusual landscaping—in the majors - Baseball". The Sporting News. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_29_227/ai_105556749. Retrieved February 28, 2007. 
• Astros Daily - Your best source for news and information on the Houston Astros

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Minute Maid Park

	Houston portal
	Baseball portal

• Stadium site on astros.com
• Levine, Zachary. "Astros looking at the bigger picture." Houston Chronicle. October 8, 2010.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

Bill Champlin
Champlin in 2008
Background information
Birth name	William Bradford Champlin
Born	(1947-05-21) May 21, 1947 (age 65) Oakland, California, United States
Genres	Rock, blues, R&B
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, guitar
Years active	1967–present
Associated acts	Sons of Champlin The Rhythm Dukes Chicago
Website	www.billchamplin.net
Notable instruments
Hammond organ

William Bradford "Bill" Champlin (born May 21, 1947, Oakland, California) is an American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, producer, and songwriter. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago and the Sons of Champlin.^[1] He has won multiple Grammy Awards for songwriting.

Early career[link]

As a child, Champlin demonstrated a talent for piano, and eventually picked up the guitar after being inspired by Elvis Presley. He started a band, The Opposite Six, while at Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California and went on to study music in college, but was encouraged by a professor to drop out of school and pursue music professionally.

The Sons of Champlin and solo career[link]

The Opposite Six, Champlin's band from high school, changed their name to the Sons of Champlin, and eventually recorded a number of well-reviewed but poorly-selling albums (including Loosen Up Naturally and Circle Filled With Love) by 1977, when the 30 year old Champlin moved to Los Angeles.^[2]

In LA he began extensive studio session work. He was especially in demand for his singing, appearing on hundreds of recordings throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) awarded Champlin the Most Valuable Player peer award for male background vocalists in 1980.

Champlin won a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song in 1979 for co-writing the hit song "After The Love Has Gone" with Jay Graydon and David Foster (which was made popular by Earth, Wind & Fire) and a second Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song in 1982 for co-writing the song "Turn Your Love Around" with Jay Graydon and Steve Lukather (which was made popular by George Benson).

In 1979, Champlin was approached by the then-widely successful band REO Speedwagon to add background vocals on some of their songs, which appear on the album Nine Lives; this was the last album in which REO Speedwagon had a predominately hard rock edge.

This work allowed Champlin to become acquainted with other in-demand session men such as Jay Graydon, David Foster, Steve Lukather (of Toto). Among other artists that he worked with were Al Jarreau, Boz Scaggs, The Tubes, Lee Ritenour, Amy Grant, and Nicky Trebek. He also appeared on Barry Manilow's 1982 EP, Oh, Julie!.

David Foster produced two solo albums for Champlin: Single and Runaway. Both albums sold poorly but were promoted poorly by his record company. In the 1990s, Champlin released five more solo albums: No Wasted Moments, Burn Down the Night, Through It All, He Started to Sing, and Mayday. The last was a live recording of songs from his career, and included musicians Greg Mathieson, Jerry Lopez, Eddie Garcia, Tom Saviano and Rochon Westmoreland.

In 1997, Champlin revived the Sons of Champlin, with whom he continues to play live shows throughout the West Coast of the United States.

In September 2008, Champlin released a new solo album No Place Left To Fall and a companion DVD in Japan on JVC/Victor. The record was produced by Champlin and Mark Eddinger, and featured musicians Bruce Gaitsch, George Hawkins, Jr., Billy Ward, Tamara Champlin, Will Champlin, and Eddinger, with guest appearances by Steve Lukather, Peter Cetera, Michael English, and Jerry Lopez. The record was released in Europe by Zinc Music in December 2008 and in the U.S. by DreamMakers Music in August 2009.

In 2009 Bill Champlin and his wife Tamara wrote the lyrics to "Til You Believe", a pop ballad composed, arranged, and produced by the Italian-American composer, arranger, and producer Manuel De Peppe.

Tenure with Chicago[link]

In 1978 the day after Chicago guitarist Terry Kath died, Champlin received a call from someone connected to the group, suggesting that he audition to take Kath's place. Champlin turned down the offer, saying he could not fill that role. But in 1981, he collaborated with Chicago's drummer, Danny Seraphine, singing some backgrounds with Peter Cetera on a non-Chicago project.

Seraphine and Champlin co-wrote a few songs, and Champlin was invited to sing one song ("Sonny Think Twice") as a guest vocalist on what would eventually become Chicago 16. Champlin suggested to Seraphine that David Foster might be a good choice as a producer for Chicago at that time.

Seraphine began a campaign to get Champlin into the group, despite some obstacles (Robert Lamm, initially jealous at the prospect of another keyboardist, said, "What the hell do we need him for?" and Kenny Loggins personally called Champlin, saying, "What are you doing? Those guys are over!"). Reluctant at first, especially after hearing that he would be singing "Colour My World" ("I never really liked that one much"), Champlin finally said, "Why not? I'll give it a year", and joined the band in 1981. Champlin would be instrumental in the firing of Danny Seraphine a few years later.

In the meantime, he was the musical director for the television show Fridays and was featured singing several songs on 16, including "Bad Advice" and "Follow Me."

1984's Chicago 17 enhanced Champlin's presence in the group, when he wrote several songs ("Please Hold On" and "Remember the Feeling"), and sang (with Cetera) the hit single "Hard Habit to Break".

In 1988 Champlin's voice appeared prominently on several major hit singles: "Look Away", "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love", and "You're Not Alone" from Chicago 19. That year he also sang the theme to the television show In the Heat of the Night.

In 1990 Champlin wrote, produced, and sang lead on "Hearts in Trouble", a song for the movie soundtrack of Days of Thunder. Originally a solo song, the producers of the movie decided, for marketing purposes, that it be released under the name of Chicago; so the band's horn section added a brass arrangement to the track and subsequently it was released as a single. In the summer of 1990, Chicago launched their Hearts in Trouble Tour.

By the early 1990s, Chicago's popularity began to wane (Chicago Twenty 1, featuring the Champlin-sung hit "Chasin' the Wind", sold poorly), and the band recorded Stone of Sisyphus, a project that remained unreleased until June 17, 2008, fifteen years after it was recorded. Champlin sings on the tracks "Mah Jongg", "Cry for The Lost", "The Show Must Go On", and "Plaid."

Champlin made major contributions to Chicago's big-band tribute Night & Day Big Band in 1995, and to both editions of their Christmas album (Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album, re-released with additional tracks as What's It Gonna Be, Santa?).

He co-wrote four of the songs on the band's 2006 album Chicago XXX.

In 2008 one week after the U.S. release of the Champlin solo album No Place Left to Fall, Chicago and Champlin announced he would be departing from the group, which he did shortly after Chicago wrapped up their summer tour with powerhouse band Earth Wind and Fire. Chicago's management released a statement saying "Bill Champlin is no longer in Chicago. He was a long time band member and we wish him all the best as he embarks on his new solo project, for which he’s worked long and hard." Meanwhile, Champlin's publicist released a statement saying, "After 28 years with Chicago, singer-songwriter-keyboardist Bill Champlin is parting ways with the classic jazz/rock band to focus once again on his solo career."

In March 2010 Bill Champlin teamed up with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK) in Oslo, Norway for a special performance which was aired on TV in Norway ^[3].

Personal life[link]

As of 2010^[update], Champlin resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Champlin has been married since 1982 to his second wife, singer/songwriter Tamara Champlin.^[4] The couple's only child, Will, graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts ^[5] and is pursuing a career as a singer and songwriter.^[6] Champlin is also the father of two other children, born prior to his second marriage.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2011)

Juice Leskinen
Juice Leskinen at his second to last concert in Tampere, Finland on August 2006.
Background information
Born	(1950-02-19)19 February 1950 Juankoski, Finland
Origin	Finland
Died	24 November 2006(2006-11-24) (aged 56) Tampere, Finland
Genres	Manserock
Years active	1973–2006

Juhani Leskinen as a child

Juhani Juice Leskinen (former Pauli Matti Juhani "Juice" Leskinen), better known as Juice Leskinen (pronounced [ˈjuisɛ] ( listen), not like the English word juice; born 19 February 1950 in Juankoski – died 24 November 2006 in Tampere), was one of the most prominent Finnish singer-songwriters of the late 20th century. From the early 1970s onward he released nearly 30 full-length albums, as well as writing song lyrics for dozens of Finnish artists. Several of Leskinen's songs have reached classic status in Finnish popular music, e.g., "Viidestoista yö", "Kaksoiselämää" and "Syksyn sävel". His early records are considered staples of the so-called Manserock movement of the mid-'70s. In addition to Leskinen's musical work, he extended his focus to poetry and playwriting with nine collections of verse and seven plays published.

After moving to Tampere to study in 1970, Leskinen began his recording career in 1973 with the eponymous debut album of Juice Leskinen & Coitus Int. One more record, Per Vers, runoilija, was made under the same band name, but from then on he released records with several line-ups, most notably Juice Leskinen Slam and Juice Leskinen Grand Slam from the late '70s until mid '80s. Although concentrating more on poetry from the early '90s, Leskinen still released new music every few years despite his failing health caused by years of unhealthy life habits. After the longest hiatus of his recording career, L marked Leskinen's 50th birthday in 2000. His last record, Senaattori ja boheemi (released in 2004), is a collaboration with Mikko Alatalo, a return to their partnership of the early 1970s.

He qualified 38th in the poll of the 100 Greatest Finns held during the summer of 2004.

Leskinen died in 2006 after suffering from renal insufficiency, cirrhosis and diabetes.^[1] He is buried in Kalevankangas cemetery, Tampere, near the main gate.^[2]

Leskinen has gained a considerable amount of posthumous recognition. A musical about Leskinen, titled Juice - taiteilijaelämää (an artist's life) is under production, and premiered in Tampere on 30 August 2011.^[3]

Discography[link]

• 1973 Juice Leskinen & Coitus Int.: Juice Leskinen & Coitus Int
• 1974 Juice Leskinen & Coitus Int.: Per Vers, runoilija
• 1975 Juice Leskinen & Mikko Alatalo: Juice ja Mikko
• 1976 Juice: Keskitysleirin ruokavalio
• 1977 Juice: Lahtikaupungin rullaluistelijat
• 1978 Juice Leskinen Slam: Tauko I
• 1978 Välikausitakki: Välikausitakki
• 1979 Juice Leskinen Slam: Tauko II
• 1980 Juice Leskinen Slam: XV yö (Tauko III)
• 1980 Juice Leskinen Slam: Kuusessa ollaan
• 1981 Juice Leskinen Slam: Ajan Henki
• 1981 Juice Leskinen: Dokumentti
• 1982 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Sivilisaatio
• 1983 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Deep Sea Diver
• 1983 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Boogieteorian alkeet peruskoulun ala-astetta varten - lyhyt oppimäärä
• 1984 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Kuopio-Iisalmi-Nivala (Live)
• 1985 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Pyromaani palaa rikospaikalle
• 1986 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Yölento
• 1987 Juice Leskinen: Minä
• 1990 Juice Leskinen: Sinä
  

  

  Juice Leskinen's grave in December 2006.
• 1991 Juice Leskinen Grand Slam: Taivaan kappaleita
• 1992 Juice Leskinen Etc.: Simsalabim Jim
• 1993 Juice Leskinen: Haitaribussi
• 1996 Juice Leskinen: Kiveä ja sämpylää
• 2000 Juice Leskinen: L
• 2002 Juice Leskinen: Vaiti, aivan hiljaa
• 2004 Juice Leskinen & Mikko Alatalo: Senaattori ja boheemi

Literary works[link]

Collections of poetry[link]

• 1975 Sonetteja laumalle
• 1981 Sanoja
• 1989 Iltaisin, kun veneet tulevat kotiin
• 1990 Pieniä sanoja sinulle, jota rakastan
• 1994 Äeti (luonnos muistelmiksi, runoja)
• 1996 Jumala on
• 1998 Maanosamme, maailmamme
• 1999 Aika jätti (Runoja)
• 2002 Ilonkorjuun aika 2002

Children's books[link]

• 1987 Satuinen musiikkituokio (with Matti Pellonpää, book and cassette)
• 1992 Räkä ja Roiskis
• 1995 Räkä ja Roiskis Suuvedellä
• 1997 Räkä ja Roiskis naisissa

Other works[link]

• 1978 Kuka murhasi rock'n' roll tähden (diary)
• 1984 Päivää (short stories)
• 1993 Vaikuttajat korvissamme (essays)
• 2003 Siinäpä tärkeimmät: edellinen osa E. Ch. (memoirs)

Plays[link]

• 1980 Valto
• 1983 Isänmaan toivo
• 1984 Ravintola Wunderbar
• 1985 Kolme hanhea matkalla pohjoiseen (with Liisa Laukkarinen)
• 1988 Harald Hirmuinen
• 1990 Mikä ny
• 1996 Soma rillumarei

See also[link]

• List of best-selling music artists in Finland

References[link]

External links[link]

• Obituary in English @ Helsingin Sanomat
• A list of books in his library on LibraryThing