Aloe
Aloe succotrina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
clade:	Angiosperms
clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Xanthorrhoeaceae
Subfamily:	Asphodeloideae
Genus:	Aloe L.
Species
See Species

Aloe  /ˈæloʊ/, also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe".

The genus is native to Africa, and is common in South Africa's Cape Province, the mountains of tropical Africa, and neighboring areas such as Madagascar, the Arabian peninsula, and the islands of Africa.

The APG III system (2009) places the genus in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae.^[1] In the past it has also been assigned to families Aloaceae and Liliaceae or lily family. Members of the closely allied genera Gasteria, Haworthia and Kniphofia, which have a similar mode of growth, are also popularly known as aloes. The plant Agave americana, which is sometimes called "American aloe", belongs to Asparagaceae, a different family.

Most Aloe species have a rosette of large, thick, fleshy leaves. The leaves are often lance-shaped with a sharp apex and a spiny margin. Aloe flowers are tubular, frequently yellow, orange, pink or red, and are borne, densely clustered and pendant, at the apex of simple or branched, leafless stems.

Many species of Aloe appear to be stemless, with the rosette growing directly at ground level; other varieties may have a branched or unbranched stem from which the fleshy leaves spring. They vary in color from grey to bright-green and are sometimes striped or mottled. Some Aloes native to South Africa are arborescent.^[2]

Uses[link]

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Aloe species are frequently cultivated as ornamental plants both in gardens and in pots. Many Aloe species are highly decorative and are valued by collectors of succulents. Aloe vera is used both internally and externally on humans, and is claimed to have some medicinal effects, which have been supported by scientific and medical research^{[citation needed]}. The gel in the leaves can be made into a smooth type of cream that can heal burns such as sunburn. They can also be made into types of special soaps.

Historical uses[link]

Historical use of various Aloe species by humans is well documented. Documentation of the clinical effectiveness is available, although relatively limited.^[3]

Of the 500+ species of Aloe, only a few were used traditionally as a herbal medicine, aloe vera again being the most commonly used version of aloe in herbal medicine. Also included are Aloe perryi (found in northeastern Africa) and Aloe ferox (found in South Africa). The Greeks and Romans used aloe vera to treat wounds. In the Middle Ages, the yellowish liquid found inside the leaves was favored as a purgative.^{[citation needed]} Unprocessed aloe that contains aloin is generally used as a laxative, whereas processed aloe vera juice does not usually contain significant aloin.

Some species, particularly Aloe vera are used in alternative medicine and in the home first aids. Both the translucent inner pulp and the resinous yellow aloin from wounding the Aloe plant are used externally to relieve skin discomforts. As an herbal medicine, aloe vera juice is commonly used internally to relieve digestive discomfort.^[4][5][6] Some modern research suggests Aloe vera can significantly slow wound healing compared to normal protocols of treatment.^[7] Other reviews of randomised and controlled clinical trials have provided no evidence that Aloe vera has a strong medicinal effect.^[8][9]

Today, aloe vera is used both internally and externally on humans. The gel found in the leaves is used for soothing minor burns, wounds, and various skin conditions like eczema and ringworm. The extracted aloe vera juice is used internally to treat a variety of digestive conditions. The use of this herbal medicine was popularized in the 1950s in many Western countries. The gel's effect is nearly immediate; it also applies a layer over wounds that is said to^{[weasel words]} reduce the chance of any infection. Despite its popularity, aloe is an allergen and should always be tested before use.^{[citation needed]}

There have been relatively few studies about possible benefits of Aloe gel taken internally. Components of Aloe may inhibit tumor growth.^[10] There have been some studies in animal models which indicate that extracts of Aloe have a significant anti-hyperglycemic effect, and may be useful in treating Type II diabetes. These studies have not been confirmed in humans.^[11]

Aloin in OTC laxative products[link]

Succulent plants, such as this Aloe, store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems, or roots, as shown in this split aloe leaf. This allows them to survive in arid environments.

On May 9, 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule banning the use of aloin, the yellow sap of the aloe plant for use as a laxative ingredient in over-the-counter drug products.^[12] Most aloe juices today do not contain significant aloin.

Chemical properties[link]

According to W. A. Shenstone, two classes of aloins are to be recognized: (1) nataloins, which yield picric and oxalic acids with nitric acid, and do not give a red coloration with nitric acid; and (2) barbaloins, which yield aloetic acid (C₇H₂N₃O₅), chrysammic acid (C₇H₂N₂O₆), picric and oxalic acids with nitric acid, being reddened by the acid. This second group may be divided into a-barbaloins, obtained from Barbados Aloe, and reddened in the cold, and b-barbaloins, obtained from Socotrine and Zanzibar Aloe, reddened by ordinary nitric acid only when warmed or by fuming acid in the cold. Nataloin (2C₁₇H₁₃O₇·H₂O) forms bright yellow scales. Barbaloin (C₁₇H₁₈O₇) prismatic crystals. Aloe species also contain a trace of volatile oil, to which its odour is due.^{[citation needed]}

Popular culture[link]

Aloe vossii

Aloe rubrolutea occurs as a charge in heraldry, such as in the Civic Heraldry of Namibia.^[13]

Species[link]

There are around 400 species in the genus Aloe. For a full list, see List of species of genus Aloe. Species include:

• Aloe vera - used in healthcare & health products
• Aloe arborescens - used in healthcare
• Aloe aristata - Torch Plant, Lace Aloe
• Aloe dichotoma - quiver tree or kokerboom
• Aloe nyeriensis
• Aloe variegata - Partridge-breasted Aloe, Tiger Aloe
• Aloe barbadensis - Barbados Aloe, Common Aloe, Yellow Aloe, Medicinal Aloe. This is an older name for Aloe vera.
• Aloe wildii

Trivia[link]

Aloe tree on Batum stamp, 1919.

An Aloe tree appeared on stamps issued in 1919 by Batum, a semi-autonomous region of Georgia in the South Caucasus region.

See also[link]

• List of Aloe species
• List of Southern African indigenous trees

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aloe

Images[link]

• 

  Aloe arborescens

• 

  Aloe aristata

• 

  Aloe dichotoma

• 

  Aloe hereroensis

• 

  Aloe parvula

• 

  Aloe peglerae

• 

  Aloe maculata (A. saponaria)

• 

  Aloe maculata flower

• 

  Aloe sophie

• 

  Aloe speciosa

• 

  Aloe striatula

• 

  Aloe rauhii

Aloe Blacc
Blacc at Festival Mundial in Tilburg on June 19, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III
Born	January 8, 1979
Origin	Orange County, California, United States
Genres	Soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Stones Throw Records, Goontrax
Associated acts	Emanon, Exile, Lena Meyer-Landrut, Sherif
Website	Aloe Blacc.com

Aloe Blacc (born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III; January 7, 1979^[1][2]) is an American soul singer, rapper and musician. He is married to Australian rapper Maya Jupiter.

[edit] Early career and Shine Through (1995–2009)

Blacc was born in Orange County, California to Panamanian parents.^[3] He began his music career in 1995 as a rapper in the hip hop duo Emanon with producer Exile.

By the late 1990s, Blacc was part of the duo Emanon and joined the group Lootpack on tour in Europe. The duo released six albums. This led to Blacc working with the French Jazz group Jazz Liberatorz. He released an album at the end of the 1990s.^[4]

In 2003, Blacc signed with Stones Throw Records and began a solo career. On July 11, 2006, he released his first LP album, Shine Through, on CD, vinyl record and online (on the Stones Throw website).

He then toured across Europe and the U.S. with Emanon, while working on his second solo album.

In 2009, Blacc collaborated with the Japanese hip hop producer Cradle. They called themselves Bee.

[edit] Mainstream success and Good Things (2010–present)

In 2010, Blacc released his second album, Good Things, on Stones Throw records. The album was produced by Jeff Dynamite and Leon Michels for Truth & Soul Productions.

Blacc was signed by Matthew Larkin for the charity album Red Hot + Rio 2, a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot + Rio. Proceeds from the sales were donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. In 2011, Kenneth Bager used Aloe Blacc on "The Sound of Swing, Pt. 2 (Oh Na Na)" co-written by Thomas Troelsen.^[5]

In summer 2011, Blacc performed on the main stages at major festivals such as Glastonbury and The Falls Festival in Australia with his primary touring band The Grand Scheme. "I Need a Dollar" is the opening title track on the HBO series, How To Make It In America.

Television appearances[link]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

With Emanon[link]

With Cradle[link]

• Bee – Open Your Mind (2009)

With The Grand Scheme[link]

• "Dark End Of The Street" from the Carhartt: Dark End Of The Street Compilation (2010)
• "Green Lights Grand Scheme Remix" from the UK Sony/Epic Single Release (2011)

With Joel Van Dijk[link]

• "I Got The Blues" Rolling Stones Cover - Mojo: Sticky Soul Fingers Compilation (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aloe Blacc

• Aloe Blacc
• Aloe Blacc at Stones Throw Records
• RBMA Radio On Demand – Melbourne Marvels – Aloe Blacc (Stones Throw)
• Short Film on Aloe Blacc
• NPR interview from October 2010
• (fr) Interview with Aloe Blacc on Soulrnb.com
• NPR interview from February 2011
• Aloe Blacc – Radio 1Xtra Live Lounge

Alice Smith at the Black Lily Film & Music Festival 2007. Photo by Simba Madziva.

Alice Smith (born 1978) is a New York City-based singer, her style anchored in rock, R&B, blues, jazz and soul. Raised between Washington, D.C. and a farm in Georgia, she sang in Moomtez and Black Rock Coalition while studying History at Fordham University. Releasing her first LP in 2006, Smith has a powerful voice,^{[says who?]} and Rolling Stone said of her, "Smith could easily be lumped in with expressive chanteuses like Norah Jones and Alicia Keys, but she has a broader palette than either." The magazine listed her as one of the 10 Artists to Watch in 2006.[1].

Her debut album, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me, is a collection of songs spanning genres from country to rock to funk and almost everything in between but rap. The title is also eclectic, having been borrowed from an unexpected^{[says who?]} source—the Muppets. "We were just trying to think of a title because I haven’t thought of a name after it was all done," she said in an interview with Hiphoprnbsoul.com. "We were thinking about the music and we were throwing ideas around. We were thinking about The Beatles and The Wizard of Oz and whatever else made us think of. Then something made me think of The Muppets. I don’t even know. It wasn’t something in the forefront of my mind. I just thought of it and it came to me like that."^[1]

The song "Dream" was featured on an episode of Entourage (season four) during the closing credits. "Dream" was also featured in the final act of episode four, season five, of the Showtime series The L Word ("Let's Get This Party Started"). In 2007, she was nominated for a Grammy Award under the Best Urban/Alternative category.

In 2011, she collaborated with Aloe Blacc to contribute the track "Baby" to the Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album Red Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot + Rio. Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.

Discography[link]

• For Lovers, Dreamers & Me (BBE, 2006)

References[link]

Reviews[link]

• Giant Step - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me / Alice Smith
• Sound Generator - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me / Alice Smith
• Rainbow Network - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me / Alice Smith
• Music Emissions - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me / Alice Smith

External links[link]

• Alice Smith Official site
• Alice Smith on Myspace
• Alice Smith On Reelblack TV
• Alice Smith Performs NEW RELIGION (Live)
• Alice Smith performs DREAM (Live)
• Alice Smith Spinner/AOL video podcast
• Alice Smith at NPR Music

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. (May 2010)

Wax Tailor is the alias of French trip hop/hip hop producer, Jean-Christophe Le Saoût^[1] (born 19 July 1975 in Vernon, Eure). He started in 2004 with two EP's (Lost The Way and Que Sera / Where My Heart's At). The first album Tales of the Forgotten Melodies was released in March 2005, mixing hip-hop, downtempo, trip-hop with samples extracted from movies. This album became one of the best selling electronic releases of the year^{[citation needed]}. The second album Hope & Sorrow released in April 2007. It was nominated for the French "Victoires de la Musique" and US Indie music award.

Background[link]

After being a host on a French radio in the Paris suburb of Mantes-La-Jolie, JC Le Saout started the French Rap band La Formule in the 1990s. He created his label Lab'Oratoire in 1998 and produced records from La Formule as well as Break Beat compilations and a collaboration with the Swedish band Looptroop. He began work on the Wax Tailor project in 2001, first appearing on a remix of Looptroop & La Formule's "Deep Under Water". Wax Tailor's first EP Lost The Way was released in 2004 and features contributions from Charlotte Savary, Marina Quaisse, and Big Dada rapper Infinite Livez. Other musicians who have appeared alongside Wax Tailor include North Carolina Hip-Hop duo The Others made up of Mattic, Johnny Madwreck "Madwreck" and DJ DR, Ursula Rucker, Sharon Jones, Voice and A State Of Mind.

His third album "In The Mood For Life" was released on September 22, 2009.

Winner of the 7th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for best Dance/Electronica album "Hope & Sorrow"

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Tales of the Forgotten Melodies 2005
• Hope & Sorrow 2007
• In The Mood For Life 2009

EPs[link]

• Lost the Way 2004
• Que Sera/Where my Heart's at 2004
• Our Dance/Walk the Line 2006
• Positively Inclined/The Way We Lived 2007
• To Dry Up/The Games You Play 2007
• We Be/There is Danger 2008
• Say Yes 2009
• I Own You 2010

Remixes[link]

• Looptroop & La Formule - Deep under Water (Wax Tailor remix) 2001
• Olaf Hund - Kitch Kitch Myrtille Sauvage 2001
• Clover - Death of the Lonely Superhero (Wax Tailor remix) 2005
• Nina Simone - I Am Blessed 2008

Videos[link]

• I Own You (Charlie Winston & Wax Tailor)
• Say yes (A.S.M & Wax Tailor)
• Where my hearts at (Tenas)
• The Games You Play (Tenas)
• We Be (Mathieu Foucher)
• We be (Al'Arash Collectif)
• Positively Inclined (A.S.M)
• To Dry up (Laurent King)
• Hypnosis Theme (Hugo Arcier)
• Our Dance (Laurent King)
• Lost the Way (Seamus Haley)
• Dragon Chasers

Covers, references, and sampling[link]

• His track "Seize The Day" recorded with Charlotte Savary appears in the soundtrack of the 2008 film Paris by Cédric Klapisch.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Wax Tailor at Discogs
• Wax Tailor We Be : by Mathieu Foucher
• Wax Tailor artist page at Le Plan
• Wax Tailor at MusicBrainz
• Wax Tailor artistpage at Mole Listening Pearls