Recently in 1980s Category

Months ago, I combed the web for Stacy updates, but could not find anything except for her company website. Jet magazine offers a few crumbs more than what you can find on the Internet on what former 70s singing teen sensation Stacy Lattisaw-Jackson has been up to. I wish she would do an interview with someone. I think Janet Jackson picked up right where she left off.



Here is an excerpt from the small paragraph they printed and it goes on to mention she is a minister, runs a recording studio with her husband, and is quite content being a mother:

"She left the music scene 19 years ago after making her mark with the R&B hit Let Me Be Your Angel and remakes of Love On A Two Way Street and Don’t Throw It All Away. Today, Stacy Lattisaw-Jackson at age 41 can be found in Maryland where she headlines as wife and mother of two."

"Let Me Be Your Angel " and "Don't Throw It All Away" were my favorite Stacy Lattisaw songs. Here is a YouTube audio with her duet with Johnny Gill Where Do We Go From Here?:

Photo Credit: left, Global Darkness & rigth, MySpace

Long before Eve, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, etc., there was Roxanne. Remember Roxanne Shante from the 80s'? Now she is Dr. Roxanne Shante. See, there is life after hip hop. On wax, she lyrically battled The Real Roxanne (Adelaida Martinez) and Hitman Howie Tee. Here is a grown up Roxanne rockin the mic at a 80's theme party. Anybody remember the dance, The Wop? LOL

Her starter website at www.roxanneshante.com states:

"Thank you for reaching out to The I Sankofa site of Dr.Roxanne Shante Roxanne Roxanne I want to be your man.... If you can remember that song then you must wonder what happened to the famous Roxanne Shante ? Well she is no longer just Roxanne Shante. She is Dr. Roxanne Shante. Yes, you read right.

This young lady went on not to just conquer the Hip Hop world she is titled the First Female Rapper. She was the first to have a platinum single and Gold albums. She has appeared on Singles with all of QB Finest , Foxy Brown and even the late great Rick James, just to mention a few. Her recent appearances in both Beef Cd’s ( Beef I and Beef II ) showed the world that this lady could hang with the best of them and she has done so without even breaking a sweat . But today she is still making them sweat .She insist on making the Hip Hop world give back and pay atonement. But this woman has many reason to feel the way she does. She has earned the respect of many .Dr. Roxanne Shante a titled that she also has earned. A Doctorate in Psychology from Mary mount University and a degree in Criminology from the New York Law School. She has a lot to be proud of .

Roxanne Shante raised in the Queensbridge Public Housing Projects in Queens , New York released her first single at the age of 13 ( the response record to Roxanne Roxanne titled Roxanne’s Revenge that had more than 17 response records. Not long after she became a teenage mother, at the age of 14 in Newark , New Jersey . Moving to Newark, New Jersey gave Roxanne Shante a whole new outlook on street life and the importance of an education . She has manage to not only raise a teenage son but has also launched a Hip Hop Ices franchise .Her company Hip hop Ices is more than just a Hip Hop hot spot it is an information and safe environment meeting center for teenagers . Where they offer employment and seminars targeting the Music Industry including publishing and writers royalties .

Hip hop Ices believes that an Entertainer with an education has the advantage . During her career Dr. Roxanne Shante wasn’t always educated and because of this she was taken advantage of . But that could no longer be the case . When presented with the question Would she perform again she says” I perform everyday I perform my best in everything I do “. Well, from her track record we can’t argue with that. Dr. Roxanne Shante has appeared at the following Universities Savannah , Howard , Cheney, Hunter College and has spoken on endless panels . Anyone who has been fortunate enough to see this great woman in person can’t wait to see her again .

Dr. Shante "s New Projects include Teen Domestic Violence Groups Queens New York , Family Developement Program LV Nevada , Cease Fire Program Newark New Jersey."

Who Needs a Royalty Check? Smart chick, talks about her record contract she signed when she was maybe 14, and the clause in it stated her college education would be paid. She milked that clause to death...lol, and went on to earn that PhD. In the next video she talks about it. Go girl!

Check her out on MySpace: www.myspace.com/roxanneshante

Slow down ‘cause I can’t take the heat. As we used to say, “They were the bomb” or “They were the joint.”

Their bio from Mp3.com: “ One of the top British dance and urban contemporary trios in the early '80s, Loose Ends formed in London. They were originally called Loose End, and included Carl McIntosh, Jane Eugene, and Steve Nichol. Virgin signed them in 1981, and their debut was written by Chris and Eddie Amoo of the Real Thing. The group changed its name to Loose Ends in 1983, and signed with MCA in America in 1984. Their single "Hanging on a String (Contemplating)" topped the R&B charts in 1985, and they repeated that achievement in 1986 with "Slow Down." Their last hit was "Watching You" in 1988, which reached number two. The group shuffled its lineup in 1990 for the release of Look How Long, with McIntosh now joined by Linda Carriere and Sunay Suleyman. McIntosh also produced several artists, notably Caron Wheeler. Production/remix/ songwriting credits include CARON WHEELER, RUTH JOY, FIVE STAR, CHERYL LYNN, ROBERT PALMER, DANGELO, KWESI B, BEVERLY KNIGHT, LAURNEA WILKERSON, DJ PETE ROCK, SUGAR BABES, LES NUBIENS and LEON WARE.”

Listen to a recent interview Carl McIntosh had with Blues And Soul Magazine out of the UK:
(very good interview...download to your iPod or burn onto a cd, if you don't have time to listen to it now)
Interview with Carl of Loose Ends

His MySpace page is: www.myspace.com/carlmcintoshoflooseends
And he has an album set to be released in Dec. 2007 in the UK.

Here is a live performance of “Slow Down”…that was the JAMMMMM---and still is!

Here is the “Hanging On A String” video….enjoyyyyy!!!!!

Remember real R & B artists like Steve Arrington? If you were at least a teen in the 1980s and listened to real R & B you may remember him. He is also an ex-Slave group member. So you should be familiar with his vocals in Slave's "Watching You" song. Remember: walking down the street watching ladies...go by watching you? LOL I never been great with getting lyrics to songs. Does “Weak At The Knees” ring a bell? Here is a back in the day video of one of his other hits “Dancin' In The Key Of Life” to help your memory.

What is Steve up to now? He is now Reverend Steve Arrington, minister, and runs Steve Arrington Ministries. He is working for Him…delivering a new message. His voice has not changed. Steve still holds titles such as songwriter, singer, drummer and producer. Here is link to his website to get more information on what Rev. Arrington has been up to: http://www.stevearringtonministries.com/