The homie Ne-Yo held a VIP listening session last night at MF Sushi in Midtown along with Moet. As usual I was on my way, but suddenly became over it. However, judging by the pictures taken by Kiddunot.com, it looks like typical “Groundhogs Day”. Except for the old spice guy being in attendance.
Ne-Yo is currently promoting his new album “Libra Scale” which is due to be released sometime in Oct.
Ludacris, Roscoe Dash, Kenny Burns, Quincy Combs, Lisa Wu, Kat Graham, James Brown’s daughter Yamma Brown Lumar and more of Ne-Yo’s celebrity friends all came out to pop bottles and take in the music. No word yet on the project just yet, but knowing Ne-Yo’s work, I’m sure its going to be nothing short of brilliant.
Ludacris showing Ne-Yo some luv.
Quincy Combs..
The homie Nate Walka
I can’t BELEIVE I missed the Old Spice guy. Damn! That would’ve been the interview of the night.
Will Packer’s Rainforest films produced “Takers” is finally coming to theaters. And the city of Atlanta welcomed the action flick, which stars the self-proclaimed King of the South, TI.
Atlantic Station’s Regal 16 was the backdrop to the star studded event.Actors Paul Walker and Michael Ealy were in the building, along with ATL’s biggest VIP’s. Gyant was on hand to snatch up some major interviews with T.I., Paul Walker, Will Packer, Roger Bobb, Teyanna Taylor and many, many more, which I will have for you top of next week on a brand new “Gyantunplugged Show” on Comcast on Demand.
Everyone remained on the best behavior as the likes of Tyler Perry, Judge Hatchett, and Tip’s family were all in the building as well. Now that I think about it hip-hop took a back seat to this event. There weren’t many rappers there at all, with the exception of Grand Hustle of course.
Gyant doing my stand-ups during the red carpet. <<Clown away.. Just goes to show you what a bad angle can do to ya.. EPIC FAIL!
The homies Rock City
The King himself.
Actor Micheal Ealy, Producer Will Packer and Director John Luessenhop.
Popular promoter Botchey Yaw and Guest (I’m assuming his wife)
Tip again.
The homie Greg Street
Angie Stone and guest
The Real Housewives Cynthia Bailey
Paul Walker showing the fans love.
Tameka Foster Raymond Glover trying to do it. If she had just raised her head a bit she would have nailed it.
Rasheeda.
All in all it was a good time. Shouts to Shayla Cowan (Rainforest Films), Matthew Courtoy (Allied Marketing), Stephanie Giles (Allied Marketing), Cannon Kent (Atlantic Records) and Melanie Snare (Comcast on Demand)
I’m always being asked, “Gyant, who is Nate Walka I always here you talking about?” Well last night the Tastemakers, and local media, all got the opportunity to be properly introduced to the Grammy award winning songwriter.
Nate is behind such massive hits like Jaime Foxx “Blame It, ” and Trey Songz “Say Ah”. But after taking the back seat to stardom, he and his Versatile Music Group team is gearing him up for the limelight.
Per Kodak at Kiddunot.com:
Nate Walka is undoubtedly one of the hottest songwriters ["Blame It" and "Say Ahh"] working in the music industry today. The 24-year-old Grammy Award winning songwriter played all new songs at Atlanta’s Door 44 Tuesday night. At the listening session, “Sex Machine” and “Robot” were crowd favorites.
Free Ciroc flowed as Drumma Boy, Shawty Lo, Sean Garrett, Greg Street, Cristal “Serious” Steverson, Renaldo Nehemiah, Lords And Lady, and other movers n’ shakers within the industry listened closely.
Atlanta was turned upside down this week. Not only was Trey Songz, Monica and Dondria Nicole killing at Fox for the “Passion,Pain and Pleasure,” but N.E.R.D. and Raekwon also killed it downtown with their people.
Thanks to Cannon Kent and Sydney Margetson, I was in the bulding for Trey and Monica’s sold-out concert. While tours tend to bore me these days, I have to admit that I was VERY impressed with ATLien Monica’s set. Look we all know that Mo is a singer STRAIGHT-UP. Nobody looks to Mo for the latest dance moves, and she didn’t even try to herself.
She took me back with all her smash hits from over the years. The spirit of Monica always draws me in, and it was a true honor to witness her captivate the audience.
Trey also performed well. Nobody can deny the fanatics luv for Mr. Songz. I was a tad bit bothered by the fact that Trey’s swagger is that of a rapper — not an R&B singer.
The way he motions his hands like he’s freestyling was redundant. But he did his thing no matter what so I have to give him his props. And while I hate to admit this, it was really good to be around the fans — people who genuinely love artists for what they do on the stage.
All of Atlanta was there including Ciara — who’s currently in town working with Ludaris and N.E.R.D. on some music. I’m assumimg.
Watch the video above of the former princess of crunk & B getting it in with Mrs. Songz.
Don’t forget Trey and Monica will be coming to a city near you very soon. Check your local listings.
Gyant is still LA Bound covering the new Disney “Step It Up 3D” media junket, and last night was the actual premiere. Held at the legendary El Captain Theaters on Hollywood Blvd, the entire cast from the new 3-D film.
Ironically this was my first Hollywood premiere, and I had a blast interviewing stars like Stephen “Twitch” Boss, Rick Malambri, Alyson Stoner [the little white girl who used to dance in all the Missy Elliot videos with the pig tails], Adam G. Sevani, Sharni Vinson and more.
The interviews will be up soon, but in the meantime check some flicks I snatched from my phone. Adam aka Moose called me ghetto for not having a camera. But its all good. Y’all can see the quality of my mobile tools.
Check out Adam’s ill footwork. I hear those kicks cost 10k. They’re fly..but not for 10k.
Jon Slaughter, who plays the evil brother out to destroy everybody’s happiness [oh please, its not "Avatar," you can know a little about the film] talking with Vibe.com
Atlantic Records Flo Rida rolled through. I tried to get him to talk about Eva Marcille, his new love — yes I saw it with my own two eyes as they grabbed lunch at the hotel I was staying in while here in LA. But he wasn’t having it.
Shouts to Necole Bitche’s Sunni Bitchie. We were cutting up…um OK I was more cutting up as the Bosnian beauty laughed on.
ESPN’s Erin Andrews, who’s sister Kendra Andrews is in the flick.
The funniest Argentinian twins I know.
Blah and who cares..
Yes it was THICK on Hollwood Blvd. Fans lined up for miles.
The actress from down under Sharni Vinson, who refused to play along with the fun, [I asked her to give to switch on her "Natalie" dialect, and she totally wasn't down], picked up her gown last minute, but still rocked it out as her family looked on.
When I tell you this little girl, and her pint sized friends SHUT IT DOWN in this film. You have to watch.
OK, OK, here’s a sneak peek at my interview with ESPN’s Erin Andrews & her sister Kendra Andrews, but that’s all you’re going to get.
This years Car & Bike show, hosted by V103’s “The People Station,” was stupid dope as usual. This year the annual automobile aficionado convention got quite the hip-hop upgrade.
Rap superstars like Diddy, Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Monica, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Gorilla Zoe & a whole lot more all came out to show the fans love.
Of course “Gyant” was in the building to bring you all a live blog. Check the pictures from my excursion below.
Fat Joe and Atlantic Records Cannon Kent.
Collipark & Lil Jon chopping it up about this and that.
Grandmaster Flash and Soulja Boy posing.
Monica, JD & the kids showing the camera’s luv.
Look at the groupies lined up to get inside Diddy’s luxury ciroc luxury lounge..
.I guess I can see why.
Rick Ross, Dirty Money and Elle Duncan chopping it up backstage. Notice Ricky is draped in Sean John.
All in all this year was by far one of the best car & bike show’s I’ve attended. Be sure to check back for my exclusive video.
Special shouts to Reggie Rouse and Aisha Hardimon of V103.
Last night another part y that popped off was a Def Jam Pre BET award affair that had everybody from Outkast’s Big Boi and Scott Storch, to Nipsey Hussle and VP of Def Jam Bu.
Last night I hit up the Warner Bros Pre-BET Awards party for quick minute.
There wasn’t much to talk about, especially since my mobile phone died and I wasn’t able to update my online audience with the blow by blow’s. However, thankfully for Exclusiveaccess.net, we got a few snap shots in the bldg, who had Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson, Chaka Zulu, Lisa Raye, Big Tigga & many, many more.
I’m sure some more pictures will materilaize soon, however here’s what I got right now.
The Warner Bros pre-Bet party had performances by Lyfe Jennings, Kandi and The New Boyz I was able to catch up with superstar writer Nate Walka and his new team of writers Jack&Jill, along with up and coming songstress Stephanie Martinez, and Todd Moscowitz Executive Vice President of Warner Bros.
Last night the Park Tavern over by Piedmont park in Atlanta got a nice musical upgrade of epic proportions.
Superstar songwriter Ne-Yo, Keith Robinson, DTP’s Rudy Currence and Untilted, Jeff Dixon, Chaka Zulu, RL from Next and more all came out to baskin and celebrate R&B music.
Atlanta’s key movers and shakers packed the tent at Park Tavern last night for the second edition of Shanti Das & Marlon Nichols’ “ATL LIVE on the Park” music showcase. Gyantunplugged.com was of course in the building to give you all a bird’s eye view of event, which you can view here.
RL jumped onstage for an impromptu jam session that ended with the old NEXT hit “Too Close.”
Finally, actor/singer Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls, Dear John) closed the show with his smooth vocals. And you already know the fantastic new cognac from Ludacris and Kim Birkedal-Hartmann was up in the building.
