14.jpg“Talked with Shae and Pharrell last week. They were in Sacramento. New album “Seeing Sounds” on the way. It won’t be on Virgin, Pharrell reveals. The single, “Everyone Nose” is exactly what you think it’s about (as if there was any doubt.) The VA Beach homeboys are, of course, on tour with Kanye. Pharrell said as the reviews are confirming that Kanye’s show is visually stunning one of the best he’s ever seen. It was great talking with Shae and Pharrell about music and Virginia Beach but it was when our conversation turned away from music I was really blown away. Remember maybe a year or so ago Pharrell was saying he was working to open a resource center for local kids? I asked him what was going on with that and he told me he’d been in talks with Al Gore to make it happen.

esquire-1.jpgI could tell this project was something he was really passionate about, and how much he loves his hometown and how he really wanted to give back. What a great guy. Never mind all the Grammys and millions of albums and such. The guy’s working with the country’s former Vice President! Certainly this will make him a shoo-in for one of those little stars on the Legends of Music Walk of Fame honoring musicians from Hampton Roads, huh? A street sign or something in VA Beach right? Some sort of recognition of the amazing, super successful talent to come from this area?  Speaking of Pharrell and N¤E¤R¤D shot up to D.C. this weekend.

Went to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery to see Recognize!, their exhibit on hip hop. Go if you have a chance. There are some mega turbo large paintings by my current favorite artist, Kehinde Wiley. There are some photographs of artists including Erykah Badu, Public Enemy, and N¤E¤R¤D.
*hamptonroads.com

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