The power of the world wide web should not b underestimated!

A young 15 year old kid starts a petition, 20,000+ peeps check it out and the reaction from the higher-ups at Soul Train is anything but soulful... read on:

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"Soul Train" Untracked?
Tue Aug 20, 9:25 PM ET
By Joal Ryan

How do you treat a Lady of Soul? Very, very carefully.

That's what California high-school sophomore Rommel Zamora is learning after launching an online petition criticizing the powers-at-be at Soul Train for selecting Ashanti as their Lady of Soul Entertainer of the Year, an honor to be bestowed on the rising R&B singer Saturday in Pasadena, California, at the Eighth Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards.

Zamora's cyber statement drew the attention of TV and radio stations, amassed more than 20,000 virtual signatures (through today)--and apparently prompted a bizarre diatribe from Soultrain.com that dissed the 15-year-old as a "grossly, uninformed moron."

All in all, more than the kid bargained for.

"I didn't really take [the petition] so seriously," Zamora says. "I was bored and I had nothing to do."

On July 31, the bored Zamora logged onto Petition Online and tapped out a modest (and moderately tempered) 116-word petition, entitled, "Better Candidate for Aretha Franklin Award."

In it, Zamora called the selection of the 21-year-old Ashanti for the Aretha Franklin--the official name of the Lady of Soul's Entertainer of the Year honor--"an insult to other entertainers who are more deserving." (His pick to click? India.Arie.)

"Ashanti simply lacks singing ability and stage presence," Zamora wrote.

The teenager says he told his friends about the petition. He says he figured he and his pals would click enough buttons to maybe crack 100 total cyber signatures. But then media outlets picked up the item--and thousands of people Zamora never met started logging on and adding their names.

Then Soultrain.com got funky.

In a response Zamora says was sent to him on August 9 from the Soultrain.com's Webmaster email address, the entertainment site alternately suggested that Zamora's Internet campaign be called, "I'm a fucking loser, I'm not talented or successful, I don't know shit about the music industry and I need to get a motherfucking life!!"

A call to Don Cornelius Productions, the parent of Soul Train and Soultrain.com, was not returned.

"I think they're just mad," says the still even-tempered Zamora of Soultrain.com.

In addition to being emailed personally to Zamora, the blistering response, which also called out the "white-owned" BET.com for publicizing the teen's effort, was posted for several hours on August 9 on Soultrain.com. (No such page currently can be found on the site. Zamora includes what he says are screenshots of those pages on his own Website, The Untold Truth.)

In a message about the petition that currently can be found at Soultrain.com, the Website seems to concede it blew a gasket. "We are no longer angry over what has been a turmoil of insults," the unsigned statement reads.

But the "turmoil of insults" hasn't quite died down yet. Soultrain.com bemoans how "such a large group of individuals" could fall prey to "Black-on-Black disrespect and hatred...under the leadership of an individual whose foreign-sounding name (Rommel Zamora) may be an indication that he is not African-American."

"I mean, I'm not black," Zamora says, "but it doesn't matter. That's not the point."

To Soultrain.com, the point apparently is this: "We will continue to pursue our original dream and to follow our creative instincts" (As well as rant about how "during an age when suicide terrorists have been able to level skyscrapers," thousands have "nothing better to do with the precious time they all have left on Earth" than sign Zamora's petition.)

Come Saturday night, Zamora, for one, will have something--anything--better to do than watch the Lady of Soul Awards, to air on various local TV stations across the country.

Says Zamora: "I've decided to boycott them because of how unprofessional they were."

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(written, produced, arranged, per4med and EDITED...by me )
[This message was edited Wed Aug 21 14:32:35 PDT 2002 by June7]

The rant on their web-site is insulting as all get out.

I think the kid was right. I rate this thread 4 stars.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/S...index.html

the best part...


Soul Train officials posted an unsigned reaction on the show's Web site that expressed outrage "over the fact that a people, whose ancestry suffered 400 years of slavery, can be herded so easily into a virtually bottomless mud hole and be taught to sling such mud therein."


come ON...using the slavery card to spin the fact that you voted the hottie instead of Mary J. Blige? I don't know a thing about any of the nominees' music, but I do know that Mary J. is as seriously respected member of the R&B commuity, right?

PLUS: if Soultrain.com is going to blast people for wasting time on a poll in an age of terrorism, how about wasting time on the award in the first place?

Not that I was really paying attention, but I now have zero respect for soultrain.com. That sounds like some shit that okayplayer.com would pull. Babies.

tommyalma said:

Soul Train officials are pretentious idiots.

Mary J. Blige all the way.

I never even knew there were nominations 4 this award, I thought it was just bestowed upon the honoree. Now that I see the lineup of nominees (thank u tommyalma) I gotta say...gimme a fucking break!

Previous winners being Mariah Carey, Jill Scott, TLC, etc...and now Ashanti? What brainiac at Soul Train thought of adding her in2 the mix. While I did like "Foolish", one hit album does not an "Entertainer Of The Year" make! She needs 2 live life more...more dues 2 pay...more props 2 earn.

Mary J. has proven herself 2 b a contender, a survivor, and a winner! And, lawd, the girl can sing and perform!

No More Drama...indeed.

Extremely low class on Soul Train's behalf ... and 2 pull the race card was just ridiculous.
Yes, Ashanti may be a sweety and the current favorite of the industry, but talent is talent and it can be recognized across the board.
When is the industry going 2 stop pointing fingers and look at the fact that "consumers" are ultimately not happy about the limited choices they're being presented with? Get ur house in order!
I can't even believe Soul Train stooped so low; but, on second thought it doesn't surprise me.
PEACE

This girl is the proof that subududaah's age is not an excuse for her endless ignorance/ stupidity.

Well, this boy

Here's the official "cleaned up" response 2 the petition. It's from the Soul Train web site:

Indeed, we were astonished to learn of the existence of such a large group of individuals, who are under the belief that they, as mere, although, extremely valued, music fans and record buyers, could even, imagine having an honest justification for, aggressively, challenging a, fairly, routine creative decision, made by people who have been, enormously, successful at making sound creative decisions, for more than three decades.

While not, in any way, intending to promote racism, we must concede that we are also, quite, amazed that such a large group of individuals, undoubtedly, mostly African-American, can be provoked toward such vivid expressions of disrespect and hateful speech (against a young, Black recording artist, as well as Soul Train), under the leadership of an individual whose foreign-sounding name (Rommel Zamora), may be an indication that he is not African-American.

Accordingly and regardless of whether Zamora is African-American or not, we are no longer angry over what has been a turmoil of insults. We remain, however, much saddened and we will, probably, never understand the psychology which breeds such mass Black-on-Black disrespect and hatred. Nonetheless, we will continue to pursue our original dream and to follow our own creative instincts, while remaining committed to an idea of resisting outside interference from those having a tendency to overvalue their personal opinions. A commitment, which we have, miraculously, succeeded in maintaining, for all of thirty-two (32), consecutive, years.

What's a foreign sounding name got 2 do with someone's opinion on MUSIC and ARTISTS?

Soul Train just did what they claim 2 b against... blast someone's race 4 their opinion! I think that has pissed me off more than the presenting of the award.

His name is latin sounding, I'm a Latino...so, rightfully (according 2 Soul Train) I have no right 2 question their views or decisions regarding black artists? Gimme a fucking break!

So...as a result, I've signed this petition, and urge u 2 do the same. Here's the link:

http://www.petitiononline...ition.html

This came 2 me (under the circumstances)

Music is in the heart and mind
Music transcends all color lines
Thought and speech, a color-blind right
Soul Train equals a soul-less plight

Cue the violins (re: the "blow smoke up the consumer's azz" explanation)!
These industry cats are a hoot.
PEACE

Soul train and Muder Inc

It is obvious that Murder Inc paid for the award. I feel sorry for Ashanti because the record company has hyped her up and now she is getting a back lash that might have happend years later.

I'm white and I want reparation for Soul Train's actions.

dang soul trains ghetto lol anywhooo


i agree with dude... ashanti? shes kinda wackafide

Check out the news page at www.Billboard.com

This news story isn't going away!

I took a look at what people are saying on that petition. I think that people are not just making a statement about Ashanti, they are using this opportunity to voice their feelings about manufactured, low talent entertainers who are pushed on the public.

Ashanti is just one of many "stars" whose voice is completely created in the studio. Britney Spears is another "star" who can't sing.

The funny thing about this is that Prince fans are used to this type of thing. Prince has a long list of non-singing singers on his resume. Appolonia couldn't carry a tune with a bucket, yet there she is as a part of pop music history singing a duet on Purple Rain, one of the biggest selling and Oscar winning soundtrack albums of all time.

Ashanti has just about the same amount of talent as Appolonia.

Foreign sounding name?! How many African-Americans do you know that have African-sounding names? Like from the Swahili tribe of Nelson, or the Jacksons from Nigeria?! Come ON! Who cares is this kid is black or not? They really need to change their name to "Black Train" and get it over with.

RavedIn2 said:

Yeah but none of Prince's little talent singers were ever picked to receive an award, nevermind an award named after the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.

Big difference.

If anything,this is a cry for a change in music. There is a cry in the land for quality music from qaulity musicians. It's a shame that the most important factor in being a singer is how you look. Nominating Ashanti for this award is a slap in the face to the history of "black" music.

AND I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!!! AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT BELIEVE'S MARY J. BLIGE DOES NOT BELONG IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS ARETHA FRANKLIN, GLADYS NIGHT, PATTI LABELLE? THOSE LADIES ON "AMERICAN IDOL" HAVE STRONGER VOICES. I HEAR THE ARETHA/MARY J. COMPARISON ALL THE TIME AND IT KILLS ME. THE FACT THAT THIS IS A COMMON OPINION IS TESTAMENT TO HOW LOW THE QUALITY OF BLACK SINGERS HAVE GONE. WHERE ARE THE NEW ARETHA'S, PATTI'S, AND WHITNEY'S. WHY DON'T SINGERS SING LIKE GLADYS, DENIECE WILLIAMS, AND MINNIE RIPPERTON ANYMORE? WHERE ARE THE CURRENT VERSIONS OF ANGELA WINBUSH, SHIRLEY MURDOCK,SHANICE, AND MELISSA MORGAN? THE INDUSTRY NEEDS A SERIOUS OVERHALL AND THIS WHOLE ASHANTI THING WAS JUST A CRY OUT.
[This message was edited Fri Aug 23 13:07:26 PDT 2002 by VelvetJ]
[This message was edited Fri Aug 23 13:07:41 PDT 2002 by VelvetJ]

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[This message was edited Fri Aug 23 13:06:23 PDT 2002 by VelvetJ]

VelvetJ said:

You're not the only one. I agree that the Ashanti situation is about people being fed up with the quality of singers being offered to the public.

It used to be that a popular R&B singer really had to be able to sing. Women like Aretha, Patti LaBelle, Denise Williams, Minnie Ripperton, Roberta Flack, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Chaka etc. have real and distinct voices.

These days, you get someone like Ashanti, who has a very average voice, selling over 2 million CDs.

I agree with you about Mary J. Blige. She has a rough and raw voice that does not work well live in concert. Mary J.'s voice is also touched up by studio trickery.

If this were the 1970s, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, and Ashanti would not have gotten record contracts.

And let me also say something that I know some people will flame me for: Janet Jackson is another low voltage singer. Without the studio help, her paper thin whisper of a voice would be lost.

I would never sign a petition like the one against the nomination of Ashanti, but I understand why it exists.

Hopefully, this petition will bring some focus to the real issue at hand, that being the sorry ass state of popular black music in this country. If this petition prompts people to start talking about it and stop relying on sorry ass radio to determine what they listen to then it was well worth it.

RavedIn2 said:

RavedIn2, I could just kiss you for words. I guess sometimes I need to feel validated because to find that someone feels the same as I do about this is refreshing. No matter where I go, it seems Mary J. Blige is put on such a High pedestal that it makes my body ache. I'm not saying I don't like her, in fact I spent my own money on her first album. The thing is the comparison to Aretha, Patti, etc., just insults me. I was recently watching the "Sisters in the Name of Love" HBO special I recorded from back in 1986 with Gladys, Patti, and Dionne, and the entire time I was thinking of the Mary J. Blige comparisons...NO WAY!!!
One of the most common things I hear about Mary's Greatness is "SHE'S OVERCOME SO MUCH". SHE'S OVERCOME DRUGS, A ABSENT FATHER, DEPRESSION, BAD RELATIONSHIPS, ETC." Who HASN'T overcome most of those things. Mary is terribly overrated.

Regarding Janet, although I LOVE Janet to pieces (Velvet Rope album changed my life...hince my name), I couldn't agree with you more. She does not have a very strong voice. But I can appreaciate her and still have sense to know she doesn't belong in the same category as a Patti Labelle.

Ashanti, Alicia Keys, Truth Hurts, Tweet, maybe even Beyonce' would not have made it in the 70's. I only hope that in 3-5 years no one names a award after Ashanti. But with the way music is today, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.
[This message was edited Sat Aug 24 13:38:14 PDT 2002 by VelvetJ]

I am totally disgusted by Soul Train. I guess since I'm white I am not allowed to have an opinion on R&B music...even though I only listen to R&B music and I grew up watching and supporting Soul Train. Race has nothing to do with this...its an issue of talent (or lack thereof).

Regarding Janet, I also agree she has a weak voice...but she is a completely different artist than Patti, Whitney, etc. Janet is an amazing performer who is talented at captivating an audience's attention. She is one of the few artists that has succeeded in standing the test of time and has set trends (Control, Rhythm Nation, janet.).

Ashanti has done nothing to win a title of "Entertainer of the Year" since she has not entertained...she's merely put out a few hits consisting of recycled samples and hooks. Even with a weak voice an artist could be worthy of this award...but if the voice isn't great they need to bring something else to the table.

It's not just Black music (though it's all Black music when you get right down to it) that's in a sorry state. It's popular music in general that's in a sorry state.

Supernova said:

Great Points.Props on that Post.you nailed my exact Sentiments on the Sorry State of the Music Scene that the Industry is Pimping out daily,weekly,monthly.