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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 2 March 2018
Raphael Saadiq calls Oscar nomination a 'huge milestone'

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. John Legend, D'Angelo,
ATLANTA (AP) — If Rapha- Kenny G, Snoop Dogg and
el Saadiq had a choice, Erykah Badu. He made
he would rather be heard his debut in the late 1980s
than seen. as the lead singer of R&B
But Saadiq's behind-the- group Tony! Toni! Tone!,
scenes musical work has which had hits like "Feels
thrust him into the lime- Good" and "It Never Rains
light once again. The musi- (in Southern California),"
cian earned an Academy among others. He left the
Award nomination for his group in 1996 and went on
co-writing efforts on Mary to win a Grammy for best
J. Blige's "Mighty River," an R&B song for his work on
original song from the Net- Erykah Badu's "Love of My
flix film "Mudbound." Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)."
Saadiq called the Oscar Saadiq wrote Solange's
nod for best original song "Cranes in the Sky," which
a "huge milestone" in his won a Grammy for Best
career, but he is trying R&B Performance last year.
to stay even keel. When He's also the composer on
he first heard the news of HBO's comedy series "Inse-
the nomination through a cure" starring Issa Rae.
friend's text message, he With "Mighty River," it is
just smiled. Saadiq's first Oscar nomi- In this Feb. 5, 2018 file photo, Raphael Saadiq arrives at the 90th Academy Awards nominees lun-
"I've always worked dili- nation. He said Blige, who cheon in Beverly Hills, Calif.
gently no matter what," he is also nominated for best Associated Press
said in a recent interview. supporting actress for her
"I've always worked to the role in "Mudbound," ap- and never letting me see had something with river in one who helped him hone
highest standards no mat- proached him about re- the film," Saadiq recalled it," he said. "From Al Green's his skills as a musician. He
ter who I am working for. I cording a song for the film. of Singleton's method. "He 'Take Me to the River' to Neil credits all of his collabora-
like to be behind the scenes Saadiq said he along with gave me the characters, Young's 'Down By the River,' tors and three high school
instead of out front, but this Blige and Taura Stinson and I took it from there. All and in gospel and church, music teachers in Oakland,
just means to me that the co-wrote the song before I had (for 'Mudbound') was there's always something California. Even though
quality of work I have em- he even saw the movie. Mary's storytelling, which about the river that was Saadiq's calls the Oscar
barked upon speaks to the He would normally rather was great. She is very pas- very powerful. .... We nod a high point, he's fo-
testament of who I am as watch the film beforehand, sionate on how she speaks just sat there and added cusing on upcoming proj-
a musician, composer and but he was well prepared and what she wants. mighty to river. Mary loved ects. The self-proclaimed
a person who works with thanks to filmmaker John Through Mary's eyes, that's it. As we wrote the lyrics, it "studio rat" said he's looking
a lot of people." For years, Singleton, who groomed all we had to go on." just kind of popped out." to record new music with
Saadiq has been creating him for such situations. Saadiq drew some inspira- When Saadiq attends the Solange, the third season
songs as a solo artist and "He started me off with 'Boyz tion for the song's title from 90th annual Academy of "Insecure" and a studio
for many other music artists n the Hood' and 'Higher a couple of music legends. Awards on Sunday, he said album, which he hopes to
including Justin Timberlake, Learning' giving me notes "I've always liked songs that he'll be thinking of every- release this year.q

Jimmy Kimmel jokes about multiple envelope issues at Oscars

By MIKE CIDONI LENNOX people on their toes. And on what will work and what
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jim- then we'll be going into the won't work.
my Kimmel is coming into crowd and pulling Oscars AP: It’s been a tough year
his second year as Oscar from people. in this country, and for you
host with the confidence AP: What's the biggest thing personally. How will you
of knowing he had nothing you learned from hosting strike the right tone?
to do with last year's historic last year's show? Kimmel: All I hope to ac-
envelope malfunction. Kimmel: The biggest thing complish is, well, two things:
"That part of the show is I learned from last year, I want to make people
one I have no influence besides the whole don't- laugh, and I want to appro-
over whatsoever," he said, have-multiple-envelopes priately honor the people
"and I'm very glad I don't." thing — and maybe color- who have been dreaming
The 50-year-old entertain- coding might be an idea? of this night for their whole
er talked with The Associ- ...That's all I learned, really. lives, and let them enjoy it,
ated Press about his plans You get experience when and let them say what they
for what he can control at you do something like this. want to say. If they have
Sunday's show. I hosted the Emmys, and it something they want to
AP: So which category is went fine. And I hosted it In this Jan. 8, 2018, file photo, Jimmy Kimmel participates in the share, I hope they do share
"Jimmy Kimmel Live and 90th Oscars" panel during the Disney/
going to have the wrong again, and it went much ABC Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, it. There are many, many
envelope this year? better. And I hosted the Os- Calif. worthy subjects to discuss
Kimmel: This year, we're cars last year, and I feel like Associated Press on the show.
going to plant the wrong it went very well. And I feel I don’t want to see people
envelope in a number of like now I have some expe- crowd reacts — because for an audience — and I cracking their necks. If I see
categories, just to keep rience and I know how the you do have to get a feel think I have a better handle that, I’ll know I’ve failed.q