This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since November 2011. Its factual accuracy is disputed. Tagged since November 2011. It may contain wording that merely promotes the subject without imparting verifiable information. Tagged since November 2011. Its neutrality is disputed. Tagged since November 2011.

Look up new jack swing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

New jack swing or swingbeat^[1] is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the early-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene. It fuses the rhythms, samples and production techniques of hip-hop and dance-pop with the urban contemporary sound of R&B. The new jack swing style developed as many previous music styles did, by combining elements of older styles with newer sensibilities. It used R&B style vocals sung over hip hop and dance-pop style influenced instrumentation. The sound of new jack swing comes from the hip hop "swing" beats created by drum machine, and hardware samplers, which was popular during the golden age of hip hop, with contemporary R&B style singing.

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines new jack swing as "pop music usually performed by black musicians that combines elements of traditional jazz, electronica, smooth jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues^[2] Encyclopædia Britannica calls it the "most pop-oriented rhythm-and-blues music since 1960s Motown", since its "performers were unabashed entertainers, free of artistic pretensions; its songwriters and producers were commercial professionals." New jack swing did not take up the trend of using sampled beats, and instead created beats using the then-new SP-1200 and Roland 808 drum machines to lay an "insistent beat under light melody lines and clearly enunciated vocals."^[1] Encyclopædia Britannica states that the "key producers" were Babyface and Teddy Riley.^[1]

History[link]

A collaboration between former members of Minneapolis music group The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Janet Jackson originated the style that came to be known as new jack swing with Jackson's third studio album, Control. Jam and Lewis used similar influences with hip-hop influenced drums with smoother R&B stylings in the production. Though Jackson had previously been popular in R&B music, Control established her crossover appeal in the popular music market. Musicologist Richard J. Ripani Ph.D., author of The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999 (2006), observed that the album was one of the first successful records to influence the rise of new jack swing by creating a fusion of R&B, rap, funk, disco and synthesized percussion.^[3] The success of Control, according to Ripani, bridged the gap between R&B and rap music.^[3] He asserts that "[s]ince Jackson's album was released in 1986 and was hugely successful, it is not unreasonable to assume that it had at least some impact on the new jack swing creations of Teddy Riley."^[3] The term "new jack swing" describes the sound produced and engineered by R&B/Hip hop artist and producer Teddy Riley. Riley, a noted musical genius, is an American R&B and hip hop singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He led the band Guy in the 1980s and Blackstreet in the 1990s. Riley said, "I define the term [new jack swing] as a new kid on the block who's swinging it."^[4]

Music website VH1.com notes that while in the 2000s, "hip-hop and R&B are kissing cousins," in the early 1980s, "the two genres were seldom mentioned in the same breath." However, in the late 1980s, "during the era of high-top fades, and parachute pants, producer Teddy Riley and label boss Andre Harrell successfully fused and marketed the two sounds in a sexy, exclamatory music that critics termed new jack swing. It sparked a revolution." Riley stated that before new jack swing, "Rappers and singers didn't want anything to do with one another," because "Singers were soft, rappers were street." Riley's new style blended "sweet melody and big beats".^[5] The sensibilities of Riley's fusion of the styles would forever change pop music/hip-hop music pairing and was further popularized with Bad Boy's dominance of the late 90's through much of the same techniques. Riley, a 19 year old kid from Harlem, quickly became an A-list producer and commanded big fees to add his sound to major artist projects. The aesthetic of the culture also spread to mainstream white audiences through popular groups such as New Kids on the Block.

New jack swing is mellifluously soulful solo or harmonizing vocals addressing romantic themes and lyrics, sung over rhythms and "street" beats derived from urban musical influences. This style of music melded with hip hop, which also gave it elements of aggression of swaggering on some songs. Some songs consisted of rhythmic beats with music, while others had singing alternating with rap sections over this same type of music.

According to the 2004 New Rolling Stone Album Guide, when Michael Jackson recorded his album Dangerous in 1991, he wanted to update his sound, so he replaced his previous producer Quincy Jones with Teddy Riley.^[6]

Revival[link]

In October 2004, a variety of classic new jack swing tracks are used in the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The songs appear on fictional radio station CSR 103.9 and the soundtrack (released in December, 2004). Bell Biv Devoe member Michael Bivins portrays a self-absorbed DJ named Phillip "P.M." Michaels, who is aspiring to become an actor. New jack swing staged a revival of sorts in the mid-2000s, fueled by the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour. On October 8, 2007 VH-1's 4th Annual Hip-Hop Honors paid tribute to new jack swing with their nationally televised ceremony.

Influences[link]

The Ghostbusters film franchise helped spread new jack swing songs by Ray Parker, Jr. and Bobby Brown, who was nicknamed The King of New Jack Swing. The NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air also boosted the spread of this culture, as the star of the show, Will Smith, was known initially for his hip-hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff. During the first episode of the series, Will Smith dances to the Soul II Soul new jack swing single "Back To Life". A Different World and In Living Color are other television programs of the era which exhibit influences from the new jack swing style. Video Soul, Soul Train, Showtime at the Apollo as well as the late night talk show The Arsenio Hall Show also helped to promote these acts.

House Party with Kid 'n Play, Boyz n the Hood, Juice, New Jack City, Boomerang, Above the Rim, Poetic Justice, Blankman and Bebe's Kids used New Jack Swing songs in their soundtracks. Dance-oriented pop artists such as Sheena Easton, Deborah Gibson, Jane Child, Joey Lawrence, and New Kids on the Block also have new jack swing elements in their early 1990s output. To date the most successful new jack swing album is Dangerous, released in 1991 by Michael Jackson, which has sold 32 million copies worldwide.^[7][8][9]

Notable songs[link]

	"You Called and Told Me" noicon Produced by Dave Hall, the gold-certified single by Jeff Redd was featured on the soundtrack album to the 1991 film Strictly Business.[10]
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Many songs with elements of new jack swing and similar R&B styles ranked in the top 10 of the US R&B Billboard charts or the top ten of the US "top 100" charts throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1987, Keith Sweat's song "I Want Her" was number 5 in the US charts and number 1 in the R&B charts. One of Sweat's singles, "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" was on the soundtrack for the film New Jack City. The musician and record producer Teddy Riley's group Guy, a group which was one of the early pioneers of hip-hop and R&B had a hit with the song "Groove Me", which went to number 4 in the US R&B charts, and the 1988 song "Teddy's Jam", which ranked number 5 in the US R&B charts. Al B. Sure! had success with "Night & Day", "Off On Your Own", and Rescue Me", all 3 records went to the Top 5 of the R&B chart in 1988.

Northern California's Club Nouveau had a Billboard number one single with their cover of Bill Withers's song "Lean on Me" in 1987. The song won a Grammy award later that year. The song was included on the group's debut album Life, Love & Pain, which was released in 1986. The backing track uses a sequenced swing beat, characteristic of the "New Jack Swing" style. Club Nouveau was a later incarnation of the San Francisco Bay area group Timex Social Club who helped to lay the foundation for new jack swing.

In 1988, Bobby Brown began his string of Top 10 Billboard hits with a cut from his second album, "Don't Be Cruel", which ranked number 8 in the US top 100 and number 1 in the US R&B charts. In that same year, former NBA cheerleader Paula Abdul had a number 10 US R&B hit with "(It's Just) the Way That You Love Me" and Ready for the World, a danceable, funk-infused Michigan group founded by Melvin Riley and Gordon Strozier, had a number 6 R&B hit with "My Girly". Tony! Toni! Toné! had three songs in the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, including "Little Walter" which made it to #1. Johnny Kemp's "Just Got Paid" also cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 and went to #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play.

In 1989, Wreckx-n-Effect, a Teddy Riley-produced group which garnered press attention regarding their use of bikini-clad women in their videos, released "New Jack Swing", which lent its name to the emerging style. That same year, Fenderella garnered a hit with "Mr. DJ", a song with featured Doug E. Fresh, who was known as the "human beatbox" for his realistic imitations of drum machines and other hip hop sounds. Also, Janet Jackson released her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. The album included a number of very successful new jack swing tracks, such as the number one Billboard Hot 100 hits "Miss You Much" and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" as well as Alright and Rhythm Nation, both of which made the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Also in 1989, Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance" peaked at number 3 on the US top 100, and key new jack swing producer Babyface had a hit with his song "It's No Crime", which ranked number 7 in the US charts and number 1 on the US R&B charts. Another Teddy Riley-produced group, Today, had a hit with "Girl I Got My Eyes On You", which garnered a number 1 spot on the US R&B charts.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had their share of contributions to new jack swing. Janet Jackson had 7 top 5 singles off her 1989 Rhythm Nation album, which merged the Minneapolis sound with new jack swing. Karyn White, also produced by the Flyte Time team also had hits in the late '80s and early '90s. Sheena Easton also had a few hits from her 1991 album What Comes Naturally produced by hitmakers Vassel Benford, Wolf and Epic, Nick Mundy. The single What Comes Naturally went to US#19 on the Billboard 100 singles chart.

After the band New Edition broke up, its former members formed several splinter groups or acts, including Bell Biv Devoe, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, and Bobby Brown. In 1990, several ex-New Edition members had hit songs. Bell Biv Devoe's songs "Poison" and "Do Me!", as well as Johnny Gill's single "Rub You the Right Way", all made it to number 3 in the US top 100. Ralph Tresvant had a number 4 hit (US top 100 charts) and number 1 hit (US R&B) with his song "Sensitivity", with another on the House Party 2 soundtrack "Yo Baby Yo". Also in 1990 pop singer Whitney Houston recorded "I'm Your Baby Tonight", produced by Babyface and his new jack swing producing partner Antonio Reid. The single topped the US Hot 100, giving Babyface his first produced #1 song while further helping to bring the genre to the mainstream.^[11]

That same year, Samuelle, a former member of the disco-infused dance-urban group Club Nouveau had a number 1 R&B hit with "So You Like What You See". Troop also had a number 1 hit with a single from their second album, Attitude, entitled "Spread My Wings". "Feels Good" by the Oakland, California group Tony! Toni! Toné! reached number 1 on the R&B charts in 1990, and it also placed on the US top 100 (number 9) and on the dance charts (number 3). Today charted again in 1990 with "Why You Gettin' Funky On Me?", which reached number 2 on the R&B charts. "Let's Chill" by Guy garnered a number 3 spot on the US R&B charts.

Color Me Badd had a number 1 hit with "I Wanna Sex You Up". That same year, Christopher Williams released a single "I'm Dreamin'" from the New Jack City soundtrack, which became a #1 single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Boyz II Men's song "Motownphilly" was a #1 R&B hit and top five U.S. pop hits. "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five garnered the US #1 and R&B #1 spots. Jodeci's debut album Forever My Lady garnered 3 #1 R&B Hits in the fall of 1991. (Forever My Lady, Stay, and Come and Talk To Me). "Exclusivity" by Damian Dame charted as number-one R&B single, spending two weeks at the top position, a position also achieved by The Rude Boys with their song "Are You Lonely For Me". In 1992, Michael Jackson's single "Remember The Time" placed at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club, and number 1 in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop category. Joe Public's single "Live and Learn" hit #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #3 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and becoming the group's most successful single. Chuckii Booker scored a #1 R&B hit with his song "Games". That same year, "She's Got That Vibe" by R.Kelly and Public Announcement reached the number 7 position on the R&B charts. "Weak" by SWV (Sisters With Voices) hit the number one spot on both the US top 100 and the R&B charts. In 1993: "Don't Walk Away" by Jade made it to number 7 and number 3 in the US top 100 and R&B charts, respectively. The New Jack R&B group II D Extreme scored a hit in 1993 with their New Jack ballad "Cry No More". TLC's debut album, "Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip" (1992) had several hits, including "What About Your Friends" and "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg". In 1995, Montell Jordan had a number one new jack swing hit, in "This is How We Do It".

Young artists were given the spotlight during this era. They included Tracie Spencer with her hit album Make the Difference (1990) and groups like The Boys with The Boys (Motown, 1990), Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I., whose Teddy Riley-produced debut album A Shade of Red contained the hit single "Pump It Hottie", which reached #2 on the US Hot Rap Singles Chart in 1990,^[12] and Another Bad Creation with Coolin' at the Playground Ya Know! (1991).

Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue incorporated a strong new jack swing sound into her 1991 album Let's Get to It,^[13] most notably the lead single "Word Is Out".^[14] Although the album and single releases did not chart in the US, they did achieve success in the UK, Australia and throughout Europe. This exemplified the growing international popularity of the new jack swing genre.^[15]

Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio also incorporated a strong new jack swing system into her debut 1992 album La Chica Dorada and second album 24 Kilates and most notably her hit lead single Mío which is one of the best songs in the '90s in Spain, third single Amor de Mujer which it also entered the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, peaking at # 8.

Madonna's 1992 album Erotica featured new jack swing sounds on several tracks including the singles "Erotica", "Fever" and "Bye Bye Baby", as well as combining the genre with house music.^[16]

Artists[link]

Criticism[link]

As new jack swing became more popular in the early 1990s, there was backlash from comparatively "harder" acts in hip-hop (particularly gangsta rap), who felt that Brown and the NJS scene had sold them out, capitalizing on the early popularity of rap but watering down its core message. In his song "Wrong Nigga To Fuck Wit," Ice Cube criticized NJS with the line: "It ain't no pop cause that sucks/And you can new jack swing on my nuts." This line was later sampled for NJS group Tony! Toni! Toné!'s 1993 single "If I Had No Loot."

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c} New jack swing - Britannica Online Encyclopedia^{[dead link]}
2. ^ jack swing - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
3. ^ ^{a b c} Ripani, Richard J. (2006). The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 130–153. ISBN 1-57806-862-2 
4. ^ Holden, Stephen (February 6, 1991). "Quite a Guy". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE7D81430F935A35751C0A967958260. 
5. ^ Honorees | Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Whodini, New Jack Swing, A Tribe Called Quest | The Score | 2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honors
6. ^ Michael Jackson: Biography : Rolling Stone^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Michael Jackson sulla sedia a rotelle". AffarItaliani.it. 2008-07-11. http://www.affaritaliani.it/entertainment/micheal-jackson110708.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 
8. ^ Carter, Kelley L. (2008-08-11). "New jack swing". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-5-things-0810aug10,0,1329158.story. Retrieved 2008-08-21. 
9. ^ "Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: The Eccentric King Of Pop (1986-1999)". MTV. 2010-07-06. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615214/20090702/jackson_michael.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-01-21. 
10. ^ "Jeff Redd" (Press release). New York City: Sol Real Bookings Ent.... 2011. http://www.njs4ever.net/SolRealNov2011.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-10. 
11. ^ VH1: A History of Soul
12. ^ Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. Billboard Chart History
13. ^ Let's Get to It
14. ^ Word Is Out (song)
15. ^ Music - The Sound - Kylie: Revisited #4: 'Let's Get To It' - Digital Spy
16. ^ [1]^{[dead 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 2010)

New Jack
Ring name(s)	New Jack
Billed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Billed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Born	(1963-01-03) January 3, 1963 (age 49) Greensboro, NC
Trained by	Ray Candy
Debut	1992

Jerome Young (born January 3, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name New Jack in ECW. He is known for his willingness to take dangerous bumps and his stiff hardcore wrestling style, often taking high risks and "shooting" on opponents, though he is only known to shoot on opponents who are deemed disrespectful in the ring. He is also known for having his theme song ("Natural Born Killaz" by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre) play throughout his matches in ECW. The inspiration for his ring name came from the movie New Jack City.

Career[link]

Young trained under Ray Candy and debuted in 1992 in the Memphis, Tennessee-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA), where he adopted the name New Jack. He went on to form a tag team, The Gangstas, with Mustafa Saed in Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW). The Gangstas took part in several controversial angles, on one occasion using affirmative action to enable them to win matches with a two count pinfall as opposed to the conventional three count. They engaged in a long feud with the Rock 'N Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson). During their stint, the NAACP would picket outside the performance venues because of the "Gangsta" gimmick, claiming that no racial violence had occurred in the Tennessee area for years, and they didn't want the reputation of gangsters to be put into the Tennessee area.

Extreme Championship Wrestling[link]

New Jack at an ECW event in 1998.

In 1995, The Gangstas left SMW and joined the Philadelphia-based Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion. They won the ECW Tag Team Championships twice before Saed was fired from the company in 1997. New Jack then formed The Gangstanators, a new tag team with former Eliminator John Kronus, going on to win a third ECW Tag Team Championship. New Jack began dragging in a garbage can full of weapons and throwing it into the ring as a sort of ultra-violent grab bag.

During Jack's time in ECW when he had started to dive from anything and everything, he has stated in an interview he was contacted by the (at the time) WWF to work for them. Jack also stated he wouldn't leave ECW for either the WWF or WCW because they would "water him down" and "make him look weak", in competition to the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker and others that were working for the company at that time.

August 1998-1999[link]

New Jack throughout the late-1990s was in a bitter feud with Da Baldies and their leader The Spanish Angel over the unofficial title of "King of the Streets". The two battled back and forth over the matter in bloody street fights. One of ECW television's most gruesome moments is when in the course of a match, Angel used New Jack's staple gun (which he often wore around his neck with a chain) against him, stapling him in the eye. Referees called off the match, and New Jack disappeared from the air for several months. New Jack returned by the end of 1999 with his eye seemingly recovered, now sporting a scythe around his neck, claiming that he had "upgraded" the staple gun. The first match he had against Angel since his return was a successful one, as he continued his feud against Da Baldies.

The Danbury Fall[link]

On March 12, 2000 at the Living Dangerously pay-per-view, New Jack legitimately suffered brain damage and was permanently blinded in his right eye when he and his opponent, Vic Grimes, fell around fifteen feet off a scaffold, missed the tables that were supposed to absorb the force of their fall and landed on the concrete floor, with Grimes landing on New Jack's head.^[1] In a rematch between the two in Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW), New Jack threw Grimes from a scaffold (which, this time, was directly above the ring), with Grimes plummeting around thirty feet into the ring. The stunt did not work out as planned, as Grimes only landed on one of the twelve tables that were intended to break his fall and ended up dislocating his ankle on the ring rope. In the 2005 documentary Forever Hardcore, New Jack claimed that he had intentionally thrown Grimes too hard in the hopes that he would hit the ring post and for Grimes to be injured or killed, but under further evaluation Grimes can be seen noticeably pushing off the scaffold with his foot which is one of the main factors leading to the botch. Also in the interview, he said that the Living Dangerously accident was his own fault for prematurely pulling Grimes down from the scaffold. Jack has said that Grimes had been going around telling the locker room that he hurt New Jack, until Jack replied by saying "I hurt me."

XPW and the independent circuit[link]

After ECW declared bankruptcy in April 2001, New Jack began wrestling on the independent circuit. In 2001 and 2002, he wrestled for XPW, and in 2003, he made multiple appearances with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and also Combat Zone Wrestling, competing in Cage of Death V. New Jack appeared at the ECW reunion show, Hardcore Homecoming, on June 10, 2005, as well as competing on the "Extreme Reunion" tour from September 15–16.

In April 2003, New Jack was in a memorable hardcore match with longtime wrestler Gilberto Melendez (better known as Gypsy Joe). Joe was continuously no-selling New Jack. New Jack also states on a shoot interview that Joe headbutted him in the nose. This caused New Jack to legitimately attack the sexagenarian with a chain, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, and several other weapons. Before the match Jack met Gypsy Joe and went to the booker of the show and asked exactly what he was supposed to do with Joe. Jack was told "Gypsy Joe is as tough as leather", and Jack replied that he wasn't going to lose dollar value from this match and won't have either a comedy, or a gimmick match, and told the booker he will kill Gypsy Joe in this hardcore match.^[2]

In October 2004, New Jack, wrestling for Thunder Wrestling Federation, was scheduled to fight fellow wrestler William Jason Lane. During the match, New Jack pulled out a metal blade from his camouflage wrestling attire, and stabbed Lane fourteen times; Or as he claims in an interview was only nine times, this action caused New Jack to receive various felony charges, including for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault to commit murder.^[3] New Jack claims that the two met prior to the match and agreed to use a "piece of metal" to inflict injury. Despite this, a police officer who was recording the incident stated that it looked like it went "past a routine wrestling match." The promoter of the event, Mr. Maurice Williams, claims the event was never intended to be hard-core.

TNA[link]

During 2003 and 2004 New Jack wrestled occasional events for TNA

On August 8, 2010, New Jack appeared at TNA's ECW reunion show, Hardcore Justice, where he and Mustafa assaulted Team 3D and Joel Gertner after a match.^[4]

Other media[link]

In the video game ECW Anarchy Rulz, New Jack's theme song was re-recorded by Bootsy Collins with unique lyrics, unlike every other character's theme, which consisted of sound-alikes of their real themes. The real theme ("Natural Born Killaz"), like everyone else's, could not be featured; copyright issues from their record labels wouldn't allow it. New Jack was featured in the 1999 wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat. In addition, he appeared in the television series Early Edition on May 6, 2000 as a biker in the episode "Mel Schwartz, Bounty Hunter". He was also featured in the video game Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood.

New Jack is referenced in the Weezer song "El Scorcho". The line "watchin' Grunge legdrop New Jack through a press table" was derived from a caption for a photograph of New Jack fighting wrestler Johnny Grunge that was published in Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

New Jack took part in a shoot interview with The Iron Sheik and The Honky Tonk Man where the subject was Chris Benoit's murder-suicide. New Jack commented that nothing could excuse what Benoit had done and all people on WWE and elsewhere who were making excuses for him were hypocrites. He also thought it was ironic how Extreme Championship Wrestling was seen as violent and dangerous wrestling when he was working there and still only one person died under New Jack's time with the company, whereas WWE was "averaging three a year." (It should be noted that so far 5 performers, including Benoit, have died while under WWE contract. All 5 deaths happened within a 10 year period). He also has a DVD documentary called New Jack Hardcore: The History.

New Jack did a DVD interview with The Sandman (Jim Fullington) and Raven (Scott Levy) for Pro Wrestling Insider.

New Jack recently made his hip hop recording debut. He contributed several verses to indie rapper Duckman's new album Duckman for Presidente. An animated commercial for the album featuring a cartoon version of New Jack was recently released. New Jack's voice is featured in the commercial and he tells listeners to "buy the cd or I'll stab your ass". In the popular video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 the player can earn a call sign titled New Jack, referring to when he stabbed his opponent.^[5][6][7]

New Jack has done several shoot interviews for RF Video. He also made a 2-disc shoot interview with Pro Wrestling Insider where he covered his entire career and starred in a couple of his matches.

In February 2012, a video surfaced on YouTube showing New Jack "shooting" on his opponent during an Indy match. New Jack had apparently told his short-haired opponent to take a pin fall, so when he kicked out of the pin by New Jack's long-haired cohort, out of perceived disrespect New Jack gave an unprotected chair shot directly to his opponent as he was being held back by the cohort. He then spills out of the ring, seemingly knocked out cold. Fans begin to realize something is wrong and call for the match as New Jack's cohort breaks kayfabe to check on him while blood begins to pool from his head. New Jack then picks him up and gives him stiff back shots as they go to the back.

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves
  • 187 (Diving elbow drop while holding a steel chair underneath his arm)
  • Death Valley driver
  • Diving splash usually perform from a high place E.g. scaffold

• Signature moves
  • Airplane spin
  • Diving headbutt
  • Guitar shot
  • Various weapon shots (most notably using his signature staple gun)

• Nicknames
  • "The Original Gangsta"

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• Extreme Championship Wrestling
  • ECW World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Mustafa Saed (2) and John Kronus (1)

• North Georgia Wrestling Association
  • NGWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NGWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Festus and Mustafa Saed^[8]

• Smoky Mountain Wrestling
  • SMW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mustafa Saed

• United States Wrestling Association
  • USWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Home Boy

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #386 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.

• Legends Pro Wrestling
  • XWF/LPW Hall of Fame Inductee- Class 2008 (2/22/08)

References[link]

External links[link]

Professional wrestling portal

• Weekly Planet's extensive story on New Jack's career
• New Jack at the Internet Movie Database

Donna Summer
Donna Summer at a recording studio in 1977
Background information
Birth name	LaDonna Adrian Gaines
Also known as	Donna Gaines
Born	(1948-12-31)December 31, 1948 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died	May 17, 2012(2012-05-17) (aged 63) Englewood, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop, disco, dance-pop, rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1969–2012
Labels	Oasis, Casablanca (1975–80), Geffen (1980–88), Atlantic (1988–91), Mercury (1994–96), Warner-Elektra-Atlantic (1980–91), Epic (1999–2001), Burgundy (2006–12)
Associated acts	Giorgio Moroder, Brooklyn Dreams

LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012),^[1] known by the stage name Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970s. She had a mezzo-soprano vocal range, and was a five-time Grammy Award winner. Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the United States Billboard chart, and she also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period.

Born into a devoutly Christian lower middle class African American family in Boston, Massachusetts, Summer first became involved with singing through church choir groups before joining a number of bands influenced by the Motown Sound. Influenced by the counterculture of the 1960s, she became the front singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow and moved to New York City. Joining a touring version of the musical Hair, she spent several years living in West Germany, where she married Helmut Sommer, whose surname she adopted as her stage name.

Returning to the United States, Summer co-wrote the song "Love to Love You Baby" with Pete Bellotte; music producer Giorgio Moroder convinced her to sing it herself, and it was released to mass commercial success in 1975, particularly on the disco scene. Over the following years, Summer followed this success with a string of other disco hits, such as "I Feel Love", "MacArthur Park", "Hot Stuff" and "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)". Becoming known as the "Queen of Disco", she regularly appeared at the Studio 54 club in New York City, while her music gained a particularly large following within the gay community, for whom she became a gay icon. Struggling with drug addiction and depression, she subsequently became a born-again Christian.^[2]

Diagnosed with lung cancer, Summer died in May 2012, at her home on Manasota Key in Englewood, Florida, after a battle with the disease. She was posthumously described as the "undisputed queen of the Seventies disco boom" who reached the status of "one of the world's leading female singers."^[2] Her work with Moroder, particularly "I Feel Love", has also been described as "really the start of electronic dance" music, by Moroder himself.^[3]

Early life[link]

Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts, to her parents, Andrew and Mary Gaines, and was one of seven children.^[4] She and her family were raised in the Boston neighborhood of Mission Hill. Her father, Andrew Gaines, was a butcher, and her mother Mary, was a schoolteacher.^[5] Summer's mother later recalled that from the time she could talk, Summer would often sing: "She literally loved to sing. She used to go through the house singing, singing. She sang for breakfast and for lunch and for supper."^[5]

Summer's performance debut occurred at church when she was ten years old, when she replaced a vocalist who had failed to show up.^[5] Her priest invited Summer to perform, judging from her small frame and speaking voice that she would be an "amusing spectacle", but instead Summer's voice recalled a voice older than her years and frame.^[5] Summer herself recalled that as she sang, "I started crying, everybody else started crying. It was quite an amazing moment in my life and at some point after I heard my voice came out I felt like God was saying to me 'Donna, you're going to be very, very famous' and I knew from that day on that I would be famous."^[5]

Summer later attended Boston's Jeremiah E. Burke High School, where she performed in school musicals and was considered popular.^[5] She was also something of a troublemaker, skipping home to attend parties, circumventing her parents' strict curfew.^[5] In 1967, just weeks before graduation, Summer left for New York where she was a member of the blues-rock band, Crow. After they were passed by every record label, they agreed to break up. Summer stayed in New York and auditioned for a role in the counterculture musical, Hair. When Melba Moore was cast in the part, Summer agreed to take the role in the Munich production of the show. She moved to Munich, Germany after getting her parents' reluctant approval.^[5]

Summer eventually became fluent in German, singing various songs in German. She participated in the musicals Ich Bin Ich (the German version of The Me Nobody Knows), Godspell and Show Boat. Within three years, she moved to Vienna, Austria and joined the Vienna Volksoper. She briefly toured with an ensemble vocal group called FamilyTree, the creation of producer Guenter "Yogi" Lauke. In 1968, Summer released (as Donna Gaines) on Polydor her first single, a German version of the title Aquarius from the musical Hair, followed in 1971 by a second single, a cover of The Jaynetts' "Sally Go 'Round the Roses", from a one-off European deal with Decca Records.^[6] In 1972, she issued the single, "If You Walkin' Alone" on Philips Records.^[6]

In 1973, she married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer and had a daughter, Mimi, the same year. Citing marital problems caused by her affair with German artist (and future live-in boyfriend) Peter Mühldorfer, she divorced Helmuth. She kept his last name, but Anglicized it to "Summer". She provided backing vocals on producer-keyboardist Veit Marvos on his 1972 Ariola Records release, Nice to See You, credited as "Gayn Pierre". Several subsequent singles included Summer performing with the group, but she often denied singing on any of the Marvos releases. The name "Gayn Pierre" was also used by Donna while performing in Godspell with Helmuth Sommer during 1972.^[6]

Music career[link]

1974–1979: Initial success[link]

While singing background in a recording session at Munich's Musicland Studios for Three Dog Night, Summer met German-based producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. The trio forged a working partnership and began collaborating on songs together starting in 1974. A demo tape of Summer's work with Moroder and Bellotte led to a deal with the European-distributed label, Groovy Records. The label issued Summer's first album, Lady of the Night. The album became a hit success in selected countries with two songs, "The Hostage" and "Lady of the Night", reaching the top of the charts in countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium.

In mid-1975, while working on another album, Summer passed on an idea for a song that Moroder was working on for another artist in the then-nascent disco sound, writing part of the song and labeling it as "Love to Love You". Summer would later say that she had imagined how Marilyn Monroe would sing this song and demonstrated how she felt Monroe would've approached it. Prior to recording the song and to get into the mood, she requested Moroder to turn off the lights while they sat on a sofa with him inducing her moans and groans. Moroder liked what he heard after hearing its playback and felt Summer's song should be released. The song was then sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart in hopes of getting an American release. Bogart informed Summer and Moroder he would release the song (now called "Love to Love You Baby") but requested that Moroder produce a longer version for discothèques. Moroder, Bellotte, and Summer returned with a 17 minute version and Casablanca signed Summer and released the single in November 1975. The shorter version of the single was promoted to radio stations while clubs regularly played the 17 minute version (the longer version would also appear on the album). Casablanca became one of the first record labels to popularize the 12" single format.

By early 1976, "Love to Love You Baby" had reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while the parent album of the same name sold over a million copies. The song generated controversy due to Summer's moans and groans and some American and European radio stations, including the BBC, refused to play it.^[7] "Love to Love You Baby" found chart success in several European countries, and made the Top 5 in the United Kingdom despite the BBC ban. Other upcoming singles included "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It", US No. 80; "Could It Be Magic", US No. 52; "Spring Affair", US No. 58; and "Winter Melody", US No. 43. The subsequent albums Love Trilogy and Four Seasons of Love both went gold in the US.

In 1977, Summer released the concept album I Remember Yesterday. This album, again co-produced by Moroder and Bellotte, included her second top ten single, "I Feel Love", which reached number six in the US and number one in the UK. Another concept album, also released in 1977, was Once Upon a Time, a double album which told of a modern-day Cinderella "rags to riches" story through the elements of orchestral disco and ballads. This album would also attain gold status. In 1978, Summer released her version of the Jimmy Webb ballad, "MacArthur Park", which became her first US number one hit. The song was featured on Summer's first live album, Live and More, which also became her first album to hit number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and went platinum selling over a million copies. Other studio tracks included the top ten hit, "Heaven Knows", which featured the group Brooklyn Dreams accompanying her on background and Joe "Bean" Esposito singing alongside her on the verses. Summer would later be romantically involved with Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano and the couple married two years after the song's release. Also in 1978, Summer acted in the film, Thank God It's Friday, playing a singer determined to perform at a hot disco club. The film met modest success, but a song from the film, titled "Last Dance", reached number three on the Hot 100 and resulted in Summer winning her first Grammy Award. Its writer, Paul Jabara, won an Academy Award for the composition.

In 1979, Summer performed at the world-televised Music for UNICEF Concert, joining contemporaries such as Abba, Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, Rod Stewart, John Denver, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson for an hour's TV special that raised funds and awareness for the world's children. Artists donated royalties of certain songs, some in perpetuity, to benefit the cause.

[edit] 1979–1980: Bad Girls and the break from disco

Summer began work on her next project with Moroder and Bellotte, Bad Girls, an album that had been in production for nearly two years. Summer based the whole concept on prostitution (revisiting the theme for 1974's Lady of the Night), even dressing as a hooker herself on the cover art.

The album became a huge success, spawning the number one hits "Hot Stuff" and the title track and the number two "Dim All the Lights". With "MacArthur Park", "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and the Barbra Streisand duet "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)", Summer achieved four number one hits within a thirteen month period. Those aforementioned songs, along with "Heaven Knows", "Last Dance", "Dim All the Lights", and "On the Radio" (from her upcoming double-album) would give her eight US Top 5 singles within a two year period. "Hot Stuff" later won her a second Grammy in the Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, the first time the category was included. That year, Summer played eight sold-out nights at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles.

Summer released On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II, her first (international) greatest hits set in 1979. The double album reached number one in the United States, becoming her third consecutive number one album. A new song from the compilation, "On the Radio", reached the US top five, selling over a million copies in the United States alone.

1980–1985: Continued success[link]

After the release of the On the Radio hits album, Summer wanted to branch out into other musical styles in addition to disco, which led to tensions between her and Casablanca Records as Casablanca wanted her to continue to record in the disco format while Summer wanted to sing more rock and pop-based music. Sensing that they could no longer come to terms, Summer and the label parted ways in 1980, and she signed with Geffen Records, the new label started by David Geffen.

Summer's first Geffen album, The Wanderer, featured an eclectic mixture of sounds similar to Bad Girls but with only little emphasis on Summer's past disco success, instead, bringing elements of rock, rockabilly, new wave and gospel music. The album continued Summer's streak of gold albums with the title track peaking at No. 3 in the US, though its follow-up singles, "Cold Love" and "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'" were only modestly received.

When Summer presented Geffen with her projected second album, I'm a Rainbow, the label disapproved of its production sensing Moroder's sound had grown stale and advised Summer to change producers, leading to an argument between the artist and the label. Eventually, Moroder and Bellotte and Summer agreed to part ways with Geffen hiring top R&B and pop producer Quincy Jones to produce Summer's next album, the eponymously titled Donna Summer, released in 1982 and which took over six months to record, which was unusual for Summer's recordings. Among its releases included the top ten hit, "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)", and the more moderately received "State of Independence" (No. 41 pop) and "The Woman in Me" (No. 33 pop). Problems then increased between Summer and Geffen Records after they were notified by Polygram Records, Summer's former label Casablanca was by then a wholly owned subsidiary, that she needed to deliver them one more album to fulfill her contract with them.

Summer delivered the album, She Works Hard for the Money, and Polygram released it on its Mercury imprint in 1983. The title song became a hit reaching number three on the US Hot 100, and would provide Summer with a Grammy nomination. The album also featured the reggae-flavored UK Top 20 hit "Unconditional Love", which featured the British group Musical Youth who were riding high from the success of their single "Pass the Dutchie". The third US single, "Love Has A Mind of Its Own", reached the top forty of the Billboard R&B chart. The album itself was certified gold.

In late 1984, with her obligation to Polygram complete, Summer returned on Geffen Records with her next release. Geffen, wanting to keep the momentum going, enlisted She Works Hard for the Money's producer Michael Omartian to produce Cats Without Claws. The album, however, was not as successful as She Works Hard for the Money and failed to attain gold status in the US, becoming her first album since her 1974 debut not to do so. It did include a moderate hit in The Drifters cover "There Goes My Baby", which peaked at No. 21. Jellybean Benitez remixed two of the songs for the album that were released as 12" singles for club play "Eyes" & "I'm Free".

On January 19, 1985, she sang at the nationally-televised 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala, the day before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan. She was introduced by Merv Griffin.

Controversy over alleged anti-gay comments[link]

In the mid 1980s, Summer was embroiled in a controversy. She had allegedly made anti-gay remarks regarding the then-relatively new disease, AIDS, which as a result had a significantly negative impact on her career. Summer, by this time a born-again Christian, was alleged to have said that AIDS was a punishment from God for the immoral lifestyles of homosexuals. ^[8][9] However, she denied that she had ever made any such comment and, in a letter to the AIDS campaign group ACT UP in 1989, she said that it was "a terrible misunderstanding. I was unknowingly protected by those around me from the bad press and hate letters... If I have caused you pain, forgive me." She went on to apologize for the delay in refuting the rumours and closed her letter with Bible quotes (from Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians).^[10]

Also in 1989, Summer told The Advocate magazine that "A couple of the people I write with are gay, and they have been ever since I met them. What people want to do with their bodies is their personal preference."^[11] A couple of years later she filed a lawsuit against New York magazine when it reprinted the rumours as fact just as she was about to release her album Mistaken Identity in 1991.^[12] According to a Biography television program dedicated to Summer in which she participated in 1995, the lawsuit was settled out of court though neither side was able to divulge any details.^[13][14]

1987–1989: Continued success in Europe[link]

In 1987, Summer returned with the album All Systems Go, which did not sell well, becoming her second consecutive album not to achieve gold status. It featured the single "Dinner with Gershwin" (written by Brenda Russell), which was only a minor US hit, though it peaked at No. 13 in the UK. The album's title track, "All Systems Go", was released only in the UK where it peaked at No. 54.

For Summer's next album, Geffen Records hired the British hit production team of Stock Aitken Waterman (or SAW), who had enjoyed incredible success by writing and producing for such acts as Kylie Minogue, Dead or Alive, Bananarama, and Rick Astley among others. However, Geffen decided not to release the album, entitled Another Place and Time, and Summer and Geffen Records parted ways in 1988. The album was released in Europe in March 1989 on Warner Bros. Records, which had been Summer's label in Europe since 1982. The single "This Time I Know It's for Real" had become a top ten hit in several countries in Europe, prompting the Warner Bros. subsidiary company Atlantic Records to sign Summer in the US and pick up the album for a North American release soon after. The single peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 in the US, and became her twelfth gold single there. It was also Summer's final Top 40 hit on the American pop charts, though she scored two more UK hits from the album, "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" (UK No. 7) and "Love's About to Change My Heart" (UK No. 20).

[edit] 1990–1999: Mistaken Identity, acting, and Live & More Encore

In 1990, a Warner compliation, The Best of Donna Summer, was released. The album went gold after the song "State of Independence" had been re-released there to promote the album. The following year, Summer emerged with the album, Mistaken Identity, which included elements of R&B as well as new jack swing. While the album itself failed to become a success, the song "When Love Cries" continued her success on the R&B charts, reaching No. 18. In 1992, Summer embarked on a world tour to promote the album and later that year received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1993, Polygram issued the two-disc set, The Donna Summer Anthology, which included 34 tracks of all of Summer's material with Casablanca and Mercury while also including songs from her tenures with Atlantic and Geffen.

Summer signed with Mercury/Polygram that same year and in 1994, issued the the Christmas album, Christmas Spirit which included renditions of classic Christmas songs such as "O Holy Night" and "Joy To The World", while also including Summer-penned songs as well. Another hits collection, Endless Summer: Greatest Hits, was released, featuring eighteen songs, that were single cuts of the songs differentiating from the Anthology set where fuller length recordings were featured. In 1992, she reunited with Giorgio Moroder recording the dance song, "Carry On", which later won Summer the first Grammy given to anyone in its dance category. The 1995 dance tune "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" went number-one on the dance charts in the U.S. while becoming a top 30 hit in the UK, peaking at number 21.

During this time, Summer was offered a guest role on the sitcom Family Matters as Steve Urkel's (Jaleel White) Aunt Oona. She made a second appearance in 1997. In 1998, Summer received a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, being the first to do so, after a remixed version of her 1992 collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, "Carry On", was released in 1997. In 1999, Summer taped a live television special for VH1 titled Donna Summer – Live and More Encore, producing the second highest ratings that year for the network, after their annual Divas special. A CD of the event was released by Epic Records and featured two studio recordings, "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)" and "Love Is the Healer", both of which reached number one on the US dance charts.

[edit] 2000–2009: Later recordings and Crayons

Summer performing at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2009

In 2000, Summer participated in VH-1's third annual Divas special, dedicated to Diana Ross, though Summer sung mostly her own material for the show. In 2003, Summer issued her autobiography, Ordinary Girl: The Journey and that same year released a best-of set titled The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer. In 2004, Summer was inducted to the Dance Music Hall of Fame alongside the Bee Gees and Barry Gibb as an artist. Her classic song, "I Feel Love", was also inducted that night. In 2004 and 2005, Summer's success on the dance charts continued with the songs "You're So Beautiful" and "I Got Your Love".

Summer, in a 2008 interview with The Daily Telegraph, claimed that one month before the September 11 Attacks she had a premonition that they would occur. Summer was living in Manhattan at the time of the attacks. In the same interview she said for a period of time after the attacks she was so depressed she was unable to leave her bedroom and left her blinds closed.^[15]

In 2008, Summer released her first studio album of fully original material in 17 years, entitled Crayons. Released on the Sony BMG label Burgundy Records, it peaked at No. 17 on the United States Top 200 Album Chart (her highest placing on the chart since 1983), and achieved modest international success. The songs "I'm a Fire", "Stamp Your Feet", and "Fame (The Game)" reached number one on the United States Billboard Dance Chart. The ballad "Sand on My Feet" was released to adult contemporary stations and reached number thirty on that chart. While commenting on the album, Summer said "I wanted this album to have a lot of different directions on it. I did not want it to be any one baby. I just wanted it to be a sampler of flavors and influences from all over the world. There's a touch of this, a little smidgeon of that, a dash of something else...like when you're cooking." On the song "The Queen Is Back", Summer reveals her wry and witty self-awareness of her musical legacy and her public persona. "I'm making fun of myself," she admits. "There's irony, it's poking fun at the idea of being called a queen. That's a title that has followed me, followed me, and followed me. We were sitting and writing and that title kept popping up in my mind and I'm thinking, 'Am I supposed to write this? Is this too arrogant to write?' But people call me 'the queen,' so I guess it's ok to refer to myself as what everybody else refers to me as. We started writing the song and thought it was kind of cute and funny." Summer wrote "The Queen Is Back" and "Mr. Music" with J. R. Rotem and Evan Bogart, the son of Casablanca Records founder, Neil Bogart.

On December 11, 2009, Summer performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, in honor of United States President Barack Obama. She was backed by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

2010–2012: Final recordings[link]

In August 2010, she released the single "To Paris With Love", co-written with Bruce Roberts and produced by Peter Stengaard. In October 2010, the single reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart (it would be her last charted single). Also that month, Summer appeared in the PBS Television Special Hitman Returns: David Foster and Friends. In it, Summer performed with Seal on a medley of the songs "Unbreak My Heart / Crazy / On the Radio", before Summer closed the show with "Last Dance".^[16]

On July 29, 2010, Summer gave an interview with Allvoices.com, wherein she was asked if she would consider doing an album of standards. She replied:

I actually am, probably in September. I will begin work on a standards album. I will probably do an all-out dance album and a standards album. I'm gonna do both, and we will release them however were gonna release them. We are not sure which is going first.^[17]

On September 15, 2010, Summer appeared as a guest celebrity singing alongside rising star Prince Poppycock on the television show America's Got Talent.

On October 16, 2010, she performed at a benefit concert at the Phoenix Symphony.^[18]

On June 6, 2011, Summer was a guest judge on the show, Platinum Hit in week two titled, "Dance Floor Royalty". Platinum Hit is a reality competition series on Bravo launched in 2011, in which 12 singer-songwriters compete through innovative songwriting challenges that test their creativity, patience and drive. Every episode features a different topic, from a dance track to a love ballad, that requires the contestants to write and perform lyrics from a multiple of genres, for a cash prize of $100,000, a publishing deal with songwriting collective The Writing Camp, and a recording deal with RCA/Jive label.

In July 2011, Summer was working at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles with her nephew, the rapper and producer O'Mega Red. Together they worked on a track titled "Angel".

Personal life[link]

LaDonna Gaines was one of seven children born and raised in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood, living on the first floor of a three-decker home. Following her move to Austria in 1971, she met and fell in love with actor Helmuth Sommer while the two were acting in Godspell. In 1973, the couple married^[19] and that year Gaines gave birth to her first child, daughter Mimi Sommer. In 1975, the couple divorced.^[19] Gaines took her husband's last name, translated to English, as her stage name.

In 1978, while working on the hit track, "Heaven Knows" which featured Brooklyn Dreams member Joe "Bean" Esposito on vocals, Summer met fellow member Bruce Sudano. Within a few months, Summer and Sudano became a couple. They married on July 16, 1980. In 1981, Summer gave birth to another daughter (her first child with Sudano), Brooklyn Sudano, named after Sudano's group. In 1982, Summer and Sudano had their second child, Amanda Sudano. (Brooklyn would grow up to star in the hit ABC production My Wife and Kids.)

In 1995, Summer and her family moved from Sherman Oaks, California to Nashville,^[20] where she took time out from show business to focus on painting, a hobby she began back in the 1980s. Also during 1995, Summer's beloved mother, Mary Gaines, died of lung cancer. Her father, Andrew Gaines, died in 2004 of natural causes.

Death and aftermath[link]

Death[link]

Summer died on the morning of May 17, 2012, at her home in Englewood, Florida at the age of 63.^[21][22] She had been diagnosed with lung cancer not related to smoking,^[23][24] reportedly being a non-smoker. She believed she contracted the illness by inhaling toxic particles following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York.^[25][26] Summer is survived by her husband Bruce Sudano, their daughters Brooklyn and Amanda, as well as her daughter Mimi from a previous marriage. Her funeral was held in Nashville, Tennessee on May 23, 2012.^[27] Her body was buried in Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.^[28]

Reactions[link]

Donna Summer's memorial made by fans in the Castro District, San Francisco

Singers and music industry professionals around the world reacted to Donna Summer's death.^[29][30] Gloria Gaynor, a famous disco performer during the late 1970s,^[31] said that she was "deeply saddened" and that Donna was "a fine lady and human being." Gaynor said she was devastated by the death of her longtime friend, and that she had not known about Summer's cancer.^[32] Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band said he and Donna "ran in the same circles and are part of the same generation."^[30] Liza Minnelli said, "She was a queen, the queen of disco, and we will be dancing to her music forever." She said that her "thoughts and prayers are with her family always."^[30] Dolly Parton said, "Donna, like Whitney, had one of the greatest voices ever. I loved her records. She was the disco queen, and will remain so. I knew her and found her to be one of the most likable and fun people ever. She will be missed and remembered."^[30] Janet Jackson wrote that Donna "changed the world of music with her beautiful voice and incredible talent."^[30] Barbra Streisand wrote: "I loved doing the duet with her. She had an amazing voice and was so talented. . . It's so sad."^[30] Quincy Jones wrote that Donna's voice was "the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade."^[30] Aretha Franklin said, "It's so shocking to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. In the 70s, she reigned over the disco era and kept the disco jumping. Who will forget 'Last Dance.' A fine performer and a very nice person."^[33] Chaka Khan said: "Donna and I had a friendship for over 30 years. She is one of the few black women I could speak German with and she is one of the few friends I had in this business."^[33] Gloria Estefan wrote that "It's the end of an era," and posted a photo of herself with Summer.^[33] Elton John said, "I'm so sad. This woman was the queen of disco and so much more. Her records sound as good today as they ever did. That she has never been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a total disgrace, especially when I see the second-rate talent that has been inducted. She is a great friend to me and to the Elton John AIDS Foundation and I will miss her greatly."^[34]

United States President Barack Obama said: "Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Donna truly was the 'Queen of Disco.' Her voice was unforgettable, and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna's family and her dedicated fans."^[30][35]

Donna Summer was honored at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards ceremony.^[36][37] Singer Natasha Bedingfield honored Summer, calling her "a remarkable woman who brought so much light, and who inspired many women, including myself through her music. And if we can remember her through her music, this will never really be the last dance." After her statement, she began to sing the "Last Dance", Summer's song that received an Academy Award.^[37] As she sang the song, photos of Summer were displayed on a screen overhead.^[37] Many fans of Summer noticed and were unsatisfied that the Summer's tribute was cut off, supposedly for commercial benefits.^[37]

Fans paid a tribute to Donna by leaving flowers and memorabilia on her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[38] A few days after her death, her album sales increased by a 3,277 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Billboard reported that the week before she died, Summer sold about 1,000 albums. After her death, that number increased to 26,000.^[39]

Funeral[link]

Summer's funeral service was held in the Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee on the afternoon of May 23, 2012.^[27][40][41] The exact location and time of the service was kept secret.^[42] Several hundred of Summer's friends and family appeared at the singer's funeral, according to CNN.^[41] The funeral was a private ceremony^[41] and cameras were not allowed inside the church.^[41] TMZ obtained a copy of Summer's funeral program.^[43][44][45] The program includes a Proverb dedicated to Summer about a "wife of noble character".^[44] According to the program, Pastor Tim Johnson started the service and welcomed the guests.^[44] Afterward, Ricky Gaines, who is a relative of Summer's, gave a speech.^[44] Summer's sisters: Linda Gaines Lotman, Mary Ellen Bernard, Dara Bernard, and Jenette Yancey, performed "We've Come This Far By Faith."^[44] Mary Ellen Bernard performed "Because of Whose You Are".^[44] After that, Rick Dohler, the husband of one of Summer's daughters, gave a speech. Next, Pastor Tim Johnson spoke, again.^[44] The service was closed by David Foster and Natalie Grant performing "The Prayer".^[41][44] Guests left the church, entered their cars, and followed the black hearse with Summer's body to the Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens cemetery in Nashville, where she was buried.^[28][44] Other guests included Giorgio Moroder, who produced several of Summer's hits, and singer Tony Orlando.^[41]

Awards and recognition[link]

Cover versions by other artists[link]

"I Feel Love" has been sampled several times. The song was sampled by artists such as David Guetta, Darren Hayes, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Bette Midler, Moby, Moloko, Mylo, Stuart Price, Diana Ross, Britney Spears, and Robbie Williams. Italian company Gucci used a special version of it in the "Flora" perfume advertising, filmed by Chris Cunningham. "I Feel Love" has been covered onstage by Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante, Kylie Minogue, Blondie, Basement Jaxx, and Finnish progressive rock band Kingston Wall. Venus Hum with Blue Man Group also performed this song with Japanese singer Kumi Koda for their album The Complex, and in 2006, Tracy Bonham stood in for Hum on the Blue Man Group tour, performing the song. Bronski Beat and Marc Almond released the track as a duet with an added bridge section and titled it "I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me", reaching number 3 in the UK charts in April 1985. In 1992 U.K. alterna-pop group Curve recorded a version for the NME's 40th anniversary compilation Ruby Trax, which became an instant underground classic.

"Love to Love You Baby" was sampled in Beyoncé Knowles's "Naughty Girl" and by TLC on their original version of "I'm Good at Being Bad", but was removed by request of Summer on later editions. The song has been covered in portions onstage by Dionne Warwick. Summer's "Starting Over Again" was a number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart as a single for Dolly Parton in 1980. It also was a top-forty hit for Parton on the Billboard Hot 100. Reba McEntire named her 1995 album after the song, and McEntire's version hit No. 17 on the country singles chart in 1996. McEntire stated in the album's liner notes that her recording of the song was intended as something of a tribute to Summer and Parton, both artists whom she admired. Summer's "On the Radio" was covered by country artist Emmylou Harris for her 1983 album White Shoes. British singer and actress Martine McCutcheon recorded a version that reached number seven in the UK charts in February 2001.

Legacy[link]

According to longtime synthpop/electropop musician Marc Almond, Donna Summer's collaboration with producer Georgio Moroder "changed the face of music".^[46] Giorgio Moroder himself has stated in a BBC Radio 5 Live interview that her song I Feel Love was "really the start of electronic dance".^[3] Summer was the first artist to have three double albums reach No. 1 on Billboard's album chart: Live and More, Bad Girls, and On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II. She became a cultural icon, not only as one of the defining voices of the era, but also as an influence on pop divas ranging from Madonna to Beyoncé. Unlike some other stars of disco who faded as the music became less popular in the 1980s and beyond, Summer was able to grow beyond the genre and later segued to a pop-rock sound. She had one of her biggest hits in the 1980s with "She Works Hard For the Money", which became another anthem, this time for women's rights. Although, Summer was never inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, she was garnered as Queen of Disco. Summer was the first African American woman to be nominated for an MTV Video Music Award. Summer remained a force on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart all through her career, fitting, for the Queen of Disco. She notched 14 No. 1s on the chart – all the way up through her most recent hit, 2010's "To Paris With Love". Her last studio album, 2008's Crayons, spun off three No. 1 dance/club hits with "I'm a Fire", "Stamp Your Feet", and "Fame (The Game)". In May 2012, it was announced that "I Feel Love" was included in the list of preserved recordings at the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.^[47]

Concert tours[link]

Discography[link]

• 1974: Lady of the Night
• 1975: Love to Love You Baby
• 1976: A Love Trilogy
• 1976: Four Seasons of Love
• 1977: I Remember Yesterday
• 1977: Once Upon a Time
• 1979: Bad Girls
• 1980: The Wanderer
• 1981: I'm a Rainbow
• 1982: Donna Summer
• 1983: She Works Hard for the Money
• 1984: Cats Without Claws
• 1987: All Systems Go
• 1989: Another Place and Time
• 1991: Mistaken Identity
• 1994: Christmas Spirit
• 2008: Crayons

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Donna Summer

Wikinews has related news: Disco diva Donna Summer dies at 63

	Book: Donna Summer
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Official website
• Donna Summer at the Internet Movie Database
• Donna Summer collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Donna Summer collected news and commentary at The Guardian
• Works by or about Donna Summer in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008)

Wreckx-N-Effect was a New Jack Swing Hip-Hop group from the United States who had the multi-platinum hit "Rump Shaker" in 1992/1993, which was produced by Teddy Riley.

History[link]

The group, originally composed of then adolescent Aqil "A-Plus" Davidson, Keith "K.C." Hanns, Brandon Mitchell and Markell Riley, was formed around 1988 as Wrecks-N-Effect. Their first release, an eponymous EP of six tracks for Atlantic Records, included the singles "Go For What You Know", "Let's Do It Again" (which sampled The Staple Singers hit song), and a self-titled track sampling Jimmy Castor's "Bertha Butt Boogie". They received little promotion from Atlantic however, and, with the help of one-time manager and alleged gangster Gene Griffin, the group jumped ship for Motown Records. By the time they released their self-titled debut album the following year, "K.C." had left and the group had become a trio. Wrecks-N-Effect was produced by producer/songwriter Teddy Riley (brother of Markell Riley), and rapper/producer Redhead Kingpin; the album reached #16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #103 on The Billboard Top 200 chart. The singles "Juicy" and "New Jack Swing" were released, with "New Jack Swing" reaching #1 on the Billboard Rap chart. Tragically, Mitchell was killed in a shooting incident shortly after its release in 1990.

The group, now a duo consisting of Aqil Davison and Markell Riley, changed the spelling of their name from Wrecks-N-Effect to Wreckx-N-Effect (the "X" symbolizing the loss of Mitchell). In the proceeding years they were featured on many of Teddy Riley's productions and remixes, including Michael Jackson's "She Drives Me Wild", Samuelle's "So You Like What You See", Guy's "D-O-G Me Out" and Tammy Lucas' "Is It Good too You".

The group returned with Teddy Riley as a de facto member with 1992's Hard or Smooth on MCA Records. Hard or Smooth fared far better than their debut, selling just under 2 million copies and reaching #9 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The album's success was spurred by the multi-platinum, #2 hit single Rump Shaker, which was kept at bay on the charts only by Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, from her best-selling The Bodyguard Soundtrack. The accompanying video received substantial criticism for its "exploitation" of women in bikinis, despite its setting of a fun day at the beach, with the New York Daily News referring to Wreckx as "Horny Little Rap Kids". "Rump Shaker" is also notable for featuring a verse (performed by Teddy Riley) written by a young Pharrell Williams, who, along with fellow future-Neptune Chad Hugo, contributed additional production work as Teddy Riley's then-protégés.

Wreckx-N-Effect had by this point seemingly reached the peak of their career as a group. Their long-delayed third album, 1996's Rap's New Generation, was not well-received or supported by their label MCA, who had grown weary of internal differences between the Riley brothers and Davidson. Not long afterwards the group disbanded.

In 2003 Aqil Davidson launched the indie label Control Records, and continues to perform under the name EmperA.

In October 2004, "New Jack Swing" appeared in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on the in-game New Jack Swing radio station, CSR 103.9.

Discography[link]