Page 14 - aruba-today-20201123

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 23 noveMber 2020
Taraji P. Henson tells New Jack Swing backstory in podcast

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taraji like it was yesterday."
P. Henson remembered The podcast series is the first
wearing her favorite outfit project between Wondery
to a music festival where and Universal Music Group
some of the biggest New since both announced
Jack Swing tunes were be- their partnership last year.
ing performed from Bell Biv Journalists Andy Hermann
Devoe's "Poison" to Tony! and Rico Gagliano were
Toni! Tone!'s "Feels Good." brought on to write the
At the time, Henson had story. Both started about a
no clue about the back- year ago, spending count-
story behind the music era, less hours researching be-
which made its mark in the fore conducting interviews
'80s and '90s. But now, the and developing a script.
Oscar-nominated actor "It was really surprising to
has a clearer view as the learn about the back-
host of the new podcast ground of a lot of these
series "Jacked: Rise of the guys who were creating
New Jack Sound," which this music," Hermann said.
premiered this week on Ap- "There was a real struggle
ple Podcasts, Spotify and that a lot of them went
the Wondery App. through growing up and
"I was too busy living it to coming out of Harlem in
know exactly what was Taraji P. Henson attends the FOX All Star party at the Television Critics Association Winter press tour the '80s during the height of
happening. I was enjoying on Jan. 7, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. the crack epidemic. That
the music," said Henson, Associated Press had an impact on the mu-
who serves as a producer sic, which I thought was su-
of the six-part series, which "Jacked" delves into the ley is known as the leader era was Michael Jackson's per interesting. It was some-
airs Tuesdays. The series ex- complex relationships be- of the New Jack Swing 1991 "Dangerous," a proj- thing I really didn't think
amines the "rise and even- tween a group of teenag- era and the musical mas- ect co-produced by Riley about prior to working on
tual fall" of the New Jack ers from Harlem who cre- termind behind popular that sold tens of millions this series."
Swing movement. ated the musical sound. bands such as Guy and worldwide. Gagliano praised Henson's
"This podcast was very in- It features narration from Blackstreet. The musical Henson said she signed on bringing their words to life.
formative," she said. "Things Henson along with dozens style was a fusion of hip- to host "Jacked" because it He and Hermann were
I did not know make sense of interviews — including hop, R&B, jazz and funk. was a "nostalgic time that I not personally with Hen-
now. Looking back in retro- band members and man- Some of the popular songs wanted to relive." son in the recording booth
spect, like how the execu- agers — and music from from the era included Bob- "It was a good time in mu- because of the corona-
tives were actually street Universal Music Group's by Brown's "My Prerogative," sic," she said. "With Teddy virus pandemic, but both
dudes, they were mixing catalog. Wreckx-N-Effect's "Rump Riley, and Guy what they agreed she did a stellar job.
business with the street. I The story involves a culmi- Shaker," Guy's "Groove Me" did. Michael Jackson. ... "She knocked it out the
wasn't really paying atten- nation of "dashed hopes, and "I Want Her" by Keith C'mon, everybody wanted park every time," Gagliano
tion to that back then, but jealousy, betrayal, drugs, Sweat. to work with Teddy Riley. said. "I didn't think of her as
that's what was happen- hip-hop and rivalries." One of the most decorated Everybody. I remember an audio actress, but she's
ing." Megaproducer Teddy Ri- albums released during the those days. I remember it just great at it."q

White House Rose Garden adds Japanese American's sculpture

installed on the east ter- ment announcing the in- hood in his father's home-
race of the famous garden, stallation. land of Japan. After grad-
which she renovated ear- Noguchi viewed "Floor uating from high school,
lier this year. Frame" as representing the Noguchi apprenticed with
Noguchi is the first Asian intersection of a tree and Gutzon Borglum, who cre-
American artist to be fea- the ground, taking on the ated Mount Rushmore in
tured in the White House qualities of both an implied South Dakota.
collection, according to root system and the cano- He later dropped out of
the first lady and the White py of a tree, Mrs. Trump's of- Columbia University's pre-
House Historical Associa- fice said. He envisioned the medical program to pursue
tion. He died in 1988. sculpture placed directly a career as a sculptor.q
Noguchi's piece, titled on the ground in order to Solution Sudoku
"Floor Frame," was a gift reconnect viewers to the
from the privately funded, planet.
nonprofit historical associa- Noguchi's work was in-
Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi's piece, titled tion. stalled on the east ter-
"Floor Frame," is displayed in the White House Rose Garden on
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Washington. "This sculpture not only race of the Rose Garden
Associated Press showcases diversity within to complement the power
our nation's finest art but it symbolized by the Oval Of-
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE isn't a floral variety. also highlights the beauti- fice at the west end of the
Associated Press Melania Trump announced ful contributions of Asian expanse, the White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Friday that artwork by Jap- American artists to the said.
White House Rose Garden anese American sculptor landscape of our country," Born in Los Angeles, Nogu-
has a new addition, but it Isamu Noguchi has been the first lady said in a state- chi spent most of his child- Puzzle on Page 13