Month: October 2011

JASMINE with INTERNATIONAL CHART STAR JAY SEAN , his brother renowned video director AMIT (AMIT & NAROOP) and their family at THE ASIAN AWARDS!.

A week full of fun and frolics all in the name of work as I swept through the annual Rumfest at Olympia where porn legend Ron Jeremy intrigued me with his wit! (More on those next week!)

I was late for the Asian awards. I was supposed to arrive at the great room at the Grosvenor House Hotel by 6pm. at 5.55pm my reporter Tom, called as I was having a 12-minute power nap and had over napped. Like a bat out of hell I raced to my wardrobe picked the first long frock I saw as the dress code was black tie or national dress, threw it into a bag with heels and accessories and legged it out of the door. I raced up the motorway, parked at the hotels back entrance and was whisked down to the make up room where Abbi Rose and her highly glam make up team were ready to give me the total make over experience. I sat in Abbi’s chair at 7pm and was done by 7.20pm as all hands on deck were poking my barnet and face. It was a tougher job than usual as I had brought along an extra guest that Abbi wasn’t expecting- a big, sore red spot on my cheek. ‘‘Don’t worry she reassured me-we’ll cover it’’. I love Abbi’s make up room- full of black clad glamazonian make up ladies all conversing a la ‘’only way is Essex’’- pure entertainment whilst getting glam!.

Once given the over haul I rushed into the red carpet area where celeb’s were falling over each other as they backed up for the TV crews. It was a mouth dropping visual moment where hundreds of stunning olive skinned beauties in full sequined, satin-ed, bling-ed out jewelry and flowing long ball gowns in jewel colors were flitting about everywhere clinking their champagne glasses. This is why I LOVE Asian events! The gene in me that loves sparkle and colour can let loose! Honestly-I’m like a magpie-blame my Indian mum! In its 2nd year this years awards were supported by luxury brands; Bulgari, Christian Louboutin (who attended in person), Quintessentially, Audemars, Piguet ,Meridian , Audio ,Lloyds Banking Group and Smythson’s. The night attracted some of the wealthiest and most successful Asians on the planet and covered 14 awards on the night.

There was a charity auction in aid of Save The Children, which was the most fun to witness. A room full of millionaire Asians all trying to outbid each other is fascinating. Prizes for the Live auction included; a Signed Ferrari Opus-, a Private Travel Lot (Private Jet, 5* stay, Maserati car for the week)-, a Stay in a Campbell Gray Hotel, a trip to Antigua or Lebonon with a luncheon with Mr Cambell Gray himself-, Amir Khans boxing glove’s, Opera Tickets-, a1 day visit and meet and greet with the cast of Emmerdale-, a Signed Arsenal shirt, a personally couture gown and Christian Loubotin Shoes and much more.

There were an overspill of VIP’s attending that included (take a deep breath-this list is abundant!)…..Russell Peters – Comedian ,Meera Syal – Television actress and writer, Jay Sean – Singer, Amit Singhal – Head of Search at Google, Murali – cricket player, Anand Mahindra – CEO of Mahindra, Irene Khan – Sec Gen of Amnesty International, Asha Bhosle, Anoushka Shankar, Freddie Mercury Family (mum, sister and in laws), Brian May and Roger Taylor – Queen, Cliff Richard, Boris Johnson – Mayor of London, Nina Wadia – Television actress, Gurinder Chadha – Director, James Caan – Entrepreneur / Television, Kiran Sharma – Manager of Prince (the artist), Christian Louboutin and me LOL! Most of the VIP’s were millionaires, in short I felt like a Big Issue seller amongst them all! As we were all seated at our tables it was stunning to take in the glitz and opulence of the venue.

I’ve been to hundreds of up market events over the years but I can truly say the Grosvenor Great Room is in an opulent league of its own! The stage looked stunning with huge film screens and coloured podium. The table centerpieces were alternately chandelier candelabras or long stemmed red flowers. The over flux of always hovering waiters, were offering drinks of any choice all night- an 18 year old aged whiskey was going round and round-so were most guests heads after a while. The service and quality of food was outstanding and put many a recent function I’ve attended to shame. The starter was a salmon and prawn delicacy. Main was a full tasty thali of Indian curry and dessert was a mouth-watering mango cheesecake and chocolate piece of art.

Sitting right next to me was Radio 1 DJ Nihal and my old Southall brethren international music star Jay Sean whose table was full of his brother Amit (1 half of the TEAMUK Urban music video directors collective Amit and Naroop), their respective ladies, his mum and dad-a very sophist acted looking and mannered couple, his grandma-an adorable elderly lady who was clearly just so proud of her grandson! Jay was very gracious to a constant stream of fans of all ages that consistently approached him to chat and for photo’s-what a truly lovely mannered man! On my table were owner of west end nightclub Anaya, Jonathon Ross’s media company business partner Olly Bengough – an entrepreneur in the media, film, music and entertainment business, the Asian awards organiser Paul’s parents and TV presenter, model, social media kitten Sharon Prasad who’s lil black book of contacts is one to rival mine.

JASMINE WITH COMEDIAN RUSSELL PETERS.

Canadian originated comedian Russell Peters took great pleasure in taking the mickey out of my surname and sang ‘’DUTTY WALA’’ in the manner of Sean Paul repeatedly when he wasn’t laughing at my ‘’crazy eyes’’. I got ball excited when Mayor Boris Johnson presented an award. He called the event “Stupendous” and mentioned that via his wife he had an Asian mother in law!. Prime minister David Cameron sent a video message and MP Teresa may attended and introduced the night which was hosted by lord Sebastian Coe.

Most celeb’s (especially comic Russell peters) got very excited and were in awe of Google ranking chief Amit Patel who won an award on the night. Aging but still beautiful Asian musical legend backing vocalist Asha Bhosle (she who the hit BRIM FULL OF ASHA was based upon) was inducted on the night into the Guinness book of records for recording over 11,000 songs throughout her career-which started at the age of 10!

The last award of the night went to the Asian (Parsi) legend that is the late, great Freddie Mercury whose mother and sister picked up the Founders award on his behalf. it was handed to the family by Queen member and Freddie’s old friend Brian May who told the audience “Freddie loved Indian food, glamour, success and he loved to be heard. And he would’ve loved that he’s still being heard now’’.

A hilarious moment (for me at least) ensued when my guest dropped chocolate on his crotch whilst dinning and then attempted to use his fork to scrape frantically away at his stain under the table. This must have looked quite vulgar and intriguing to our fellow table guests who luckily pretended not to notice. After he rubbed ice on the area and scraped away the whole area looked like a very unfortunate accident, at which point we realized it was well past midnight and like Cinderella, thought it best to depart!

JASMINE with SPIRIT OF LONDON AWARDS host EDDIE KADI

I was invited to the Spirit of London Awards to sit in the Adidas VIP box. The Spirit of London Awards (SOLA) were created as a fusion of all the great celebrity award shows such as the BRITS and MOBO with the one big difference being – The stars of the show are the unsung young heroes of our local communities and the celebrities are there to applaud and pay homage to them – The Community Oscars! The Damilola Taylor Trust developed the awards to address the imbalance in the way young people were perceived due to a small minority who create negative media headlines. The awards are now the standard bearer for the majority of the fantastic young people of London

What an amazing night. We really need more events like this to validate our youth and shoe the mainstream and general public that young people are doing amazing things- its just the positive ones aren’t being noticed. The awards was held at the royal Albert hall and hosted aptly by comedian and DJ Eddie Kadi alongside his less capable co-host Stacy Solomon. (Another case of organisers getting celebs to do presenters jobs-she’s a great singer- a wack presenter). We were informed that as well as hearing the inspirational stories of youth we would be entertained by Tinchy Stryder, Beverly knight, diversity and Dionne Bromfield. I was fascinated by an 8-year-old boy- Lucas pinto- who was named YOUNG HERO for persuading the chief executive of Tesco to reconsider the minimum wage it pays workers. He was articulate and confident and spoke with passion and I had no doubt this kid could one day be prime minister! He thanked everyone. No really. His family, friends, ‘’mister Johnson (Boris), his youth club teams and so many more-what a stone winner!

We watched TeamUK actors Ashley Walters and Adam deacon present awards, Bluey Robinson sang, we had choirs, pianists-hell I was so inspired and proud I even compared Tinchy Stryder and Dappy’s song words to Marvin Gaye LOL! …’’See I don’t understand how you’re number one, when it was just a fling before now, you’re the one, see all i did was blink twice from my homie to my only, number one .you lift me off the ground, I always want you around’’…..

Diversity and Tinchy got the packed venue on their feet, snapping away on their phones and jumping around-even the old blonde coiffed within an inch of their lives Essex wives were up and mouthing along to Tinchy’s set!. Finally when I thought it could get no funnier, Jermaine Defoe walks onstage. He’s there to present an award to his manager Harry Redknapp. The MC narrator has already announced that this is the winner of the LONDON LEGEND award. THE winner. so sharpest tool in the box Jermaine announces ‘’and the nominees are….’’ to an awkward long pause with much giggling amongst the audience. He tries at least 3 times before the MIC announcer says ‘’just announce the winner!’’. Oh how we laughed! a funny upbeat ending to a great night full of amazing stories about young people that are achieving high. a low ending though as organiser Gary Trowsdale informed everyone that the nightclub up the road-AMIKA-had cancelled the after party as they wanted a high turn out of celebrities and the kids just weren’t good enough for them. I hope as these new generation tastemakers and power players come up in their respective worlds they boycott venues like this. How disgusting!

Next I caught up with a young person doing positive things to further her career- dancer/ actress Teneisha Bonner who has been a part of the dance troupe Zoo Nation for the past 10 years- she was one of leads in their amazing production ‘’ Into The Hoodz ‘’ more recently and is now starring in the new hip-hop theatre musical- Some like it Hip-Hop….Loosely inspired by the musical ‘’Some like it Hot’’. Teneisha told me ‘’it’s a  comedic tale of love and mistaken identity, about 2 female characters journey about adapting in a mans world. the show includes an all original musical score. It’s a family show-no age group are excluded, its for everybody. Hip-hop theatre at its best. With all the bad press that hip-hops been getting it breaks down the stereotypes’’. With that pitch how could I not be there!

JASMINE with #TEAMUK champ CHIPMUNK!

I ended the week speaking to one of my favourite TEAMUK acts- the inimitable Chipmunk. Chippy popped into LONDON 360 NEWS to talk about his recent music mix tape SPAZZ.COM , his future path and thoughts on loads including pirate radio stations, life, love and more!. He highlighted the importance for making ‘’pop songs that are grime based’’ to get a wide fan base and get out his music to as many people as possible. Chippy said he understands that ‘’love and hate are simultaneous-if you roll out more success you get more love, but you’ll also reap more hate’’. Commenting on his recent release from his record label Jive he revealed ‘’‘‘Jive as a label is in a situation and therefore I’m now an independent act-it’s a good space to be in, I’m currently independent and I’ve had calls from every major label here in the last fortnight cos they understand I’m only 20 years old and still fresh and ready to elevate me and my team to the next level-The plan is to go with my own label-a lot of people forget that I charted independently before I got my record deal’’.

Chippy said he wanted his album Transition to be an event for the country but he admitted ‘’ if I’m dead honesty I think it was my single  ‘’Champion’’ with Chris Brown that made my mark. In years to come when I’m 30 and people look back think they’ll see Transition as a milestone in my musical career’’

talking about his early days he reminisced ‘‘Youth club’s are what formatted me as an artist, I spent many days there MC’ing and learning how to make the best out of the worst facilities, so when I have a radio mic with drop down compression or 3 cameras on me I know how to confidently deal with it’’

He looked back on the riots poignantly ‘’‘‘Now that the riots are all done with the message I put out is that young people are young adults, the older generation look at us as if we’re kids but we’re not. There is a need for young people to have money that people overlook. The only means a lot of young people have to make money is by negative actions and illegal means’ ‘Everyone has a need for currency-the unfortunate don’t care about what the fortunate have to say- they’re not putting money in their pocket. I’m here living well, someone else suffering will never listen to me-their experience is different. I try not to judge. A lot of young people just need money and I would advise them to do it the positive way’ ‘I had a few mishaps growing up in Tottenham but I saw everything in my area, how quick you could die, seeing this at a young age made me focus my energy correctly-like my fellow area peers like wretch32 and Adele we focused in the right direction’’

Chipmunk was the first UK act during my time at MTV BASE that openly championed his smartness whilst others (who shall remain nameless were ashamed of their education and asked me never to talk about it as it would ‘mess with their street cred’’). Chip stated strongly ‘‘If anyone can tell youth the importance of being intelligent I’d like to do it. I was read to as a child and I’m proud of that and telling people that education was a big part of my life, I never struggled with reading but probably would’ve enjoyed it more if it wasn’t given to me as a punishment. Parents could start by making their child’s first presents a book so subconsciously they are brain fed the idea that you read books as a positive activity-make their first present a book!. ’’

‘’I was never the best MC in my crew but I carried on practised and developed my craft-my school Gladesmore school was great they let me attend interviews with you at MTV and were helpful so I worked with them to make it work’’.

With that Chipmunk left a whole room full of CEO’s and young people in the BBC building all inspired and gushing as new fans-.

You go young soldier! –Onwards and upwards!

What a week of contradictions. Finally the West Coast legend that is Dr Dre throws a party to promote his ‘’Dre beats’’ headphones with HTC at London’s Round House. If a party like this had gone done a few years ago it would have brought the city to a halt. With big names like label mogul Jimmy Iovine and artist Will I Am in attendance this party would’ve shut it down. But as no one knows how to make a party pop off any more it had the worst reviews and was flatter than a pancake. Here’s who attended; Beardyman, Nero, Martin Solveig, Fredde Le Grand and Zedd, Lady Gaga, Cheryl Cole, Fazer, Dynamo, Emmanuel Frimpong, and a whole lot more, fans queued around the block in their hundreds to celebrate. Honestly could you have written a worse press release for a hip-hop inspired party? Seriously what’s happened to our social scene? Can no one throw a cool guest list together anymore? When we had the P Diddy party at Café de Paris we shut it down. The Maxwell party at The Qquarium-shut down! Janet Jackson at the London Dungeon-a shut down. Destiny’s Child at Porchester Hall- a roadblock. You bring in Dr Dre and even he’s bored at his own party? That’s a crime. Even the music that was played at the party-guests said ‘’it was dead’’. What? A Dr Dre party where the beats are not live? A terrible contradiction! Party planners now get the vibe totally wrong. This is one thing that back in the day record labels and PR companies knew how to get right. The crowd has to have some ‘’real street heads’’ and taste makers in the house. Mix this up with a scattering of current celebs and skimpy attired ladies with a dash of a superstar DJ party spinner and you have a sure fire hit. In fact-many still cite my birthday party a few years ago in Kensington as the 1 London party that shut it down for good. With all my friends and family- not-real people that know each other and therefore get down, we had in the house all UK music, sports and power players as well as heart throb singer Usher, R&B vocalist Joe and then heavy weight champ Lennox Lewis. My music was spun by DJ friends Tim Westwood, Manny Norte, Rampage and others who took over the decks organically like an old skool house party. The mic was live; people were sweating so much on the dance floor that by 6am there were bodies lying all over the red-carpeted staircases and private rooms. There was no VIP area- (a rule that Puffy taught me )– if you need help party planning just holla. Dre deserves better!

MOBO’S UNSUNG STAR AND THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE-WRETCH32 with JASMINE.

I wasn’t supposed to attend the MOBO AWARDS this year. I had so much on at work with 10 new staff starting, a multitude of meetings and interviews and the very next day post MOBO I was speaking at a big important news press seminar in central London so all aspects of my diary said no to going to Glasgow for the annual urban music event. However that was soon to change when MOBO CEO Kanya King asked if I wanted to come, and then Adidas big wig Paola Lucktung persuaded me to sit on the Adidas superstar filled table full of their athletes and music acts that the brand support.

So I found myself Tuesday night at the VIP screening for new film THE HELP (in UK cinemas from October 26^th) at the Walt Disney buildings private screening rooms with PR maven Jodie Dalmeda (SONY, VIRGIN UNITE, RICHARD BRANSON) and branding consultant DAREN DIXON. I had been warned that the film, which has been number 12 on top of the American movie charts this year for many weeks, was a tear jerker and I would need tissues. Nothing had prepared us for the depth of emotional and reflection this story would bring. Having said that it also contains numerous hilariously funny, entertaining moments too. Based on the number 1 best selling book by Kathryn Stockett, the film is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960’s and tells the story of 3 women of different ethnicities to tell the story of the ‘’coloured help’’. I hope that everyone reading this column will go and see it with friends and family and particularly young people so they can put their current options and lives in perspective of what’s possible and how their ancestors fought for equality. It’s interesting that even with the huge stateside success of this film that I’ve hardly seen any UK press about it. Are media embarrassed or do they feel awkward about the topics and themes of race and class involved?

It was tragically ironically that I went straight from the film, home to quickly pack an over night bag and jump on the 8am train to Glasgow with the adidas team and their table of superstar guests.

Blearily eyed and struggling with all our bags we excitedly boarded the train with me thinking about exactly 24 hours later when I would be on a 4am train returning from Glasgow to go speak at a national news press seminar all day and how exhausted I would be. But then the naughty angel on my left shoulder said ‘’oh who cares-you can do it-you only have one life and in the words of Jill Scott, you’re living your life like its gorgeous’’. I agreed and got on with joining in the naughty gossipy salacious banter that we then indulged in for the 5-hour train ride. So much for the sleep I was going to catch up on!.

ADIDAS LADY PAOLA, ACTRESS PREEYA, STYLIST RICHARD SHYEMI & JASMINE- pre show backstage.

I pondered so much…. Will Boyz to Men have us at our tables doing every old skool dance to “cooliharmony”? Will Rihanna jump into a helicopter from her gig at the o2 to Glasgow to shoot a man down?  Will Dappy do a Chris Brown and fly on wires in his live performance as rumoured?  Will Tinchy really be butt naked whilst dancing on a table surrounded by painted body dancers in his set?.  Will Wretch32 really be crashing through the back of the stage to make his entrance in a Traktor?  Will Adam Deacon and Preeya Kalidas really snog a la Madonna/Britney as they present an award?Dr Dre, RiRi,Gaga, Kanye and Snoop were all in London- would any of them make it up to Glasgow?  Would Ciara jump on the Eurostar to Glasgow from Paris where she just had her wardrobe malfunction?.  With those questions I was also being told from backstage at the arena that an urban music British lady had had all the other back stage dressing rooms cleared so she could have the largest and that another uk lady had had £3000 of human hair extensions couriered into Glasgow!

The banter on this train between the Adidas team and the artists was unrepeatable. (I attempted noting it all down for you all but was then threatened with banishment from the carriage and as I love my life decided to forego any drama). J2K entertained us all through the train journey by playing old skool classics liker ‘’love come down’’ by Evelyn champagne king which had me most impressed cos many young uns aren’t even aware of that era of music!

As we discussed our outfits for the night I recalled the 3 dresses which were currently rolled with tissue paper in my overnight bag. normally I’d have been sent a lovely number by D&G but as it was a last minute decision to attend I’d had to make do with my own wardrobe (how terribly undiva!). I had packed a lime green D&G classic, a plum Vercase cocktail dress and a floor length green sequinned number. as we discussed options a top hard-core TEAMUK rapper told me “Sequins are for yardies” which had me quickly kicking my sequinned number to the kerb mentally.

The Adidas team were bringing wretch32’s stage performance outfit to Glasgow and the package was being handled, over seen and treated like a precious new born baby so I couldn’t resist every now and again pretending that it was missing to the shocked PR team! LOL. 5 hours is a long time to ponder and I also felt sad that whilst all UK urban acts were mostly well represented by the MOBO AWARDS now that our initial champion Dizzee Rascal was never a part of it. There was a Mobo-Dizzee fall out a few years back when Dizzee swore never to be  a part of it. I wondered if Dizzee cared that he’s never part of the ceremony due to his long running feud with the brand. it would be good to see him there.

On arrival in Glasgow we had a big boisterous lunch before heading off to change clothes and go. the hotel lobby area was like carnival with lots of ladies in their skimpy outfits and stripper shoes accompanied by hoodies that hadn’t bothered to dress up for the occasion. That old cliché of ‘’I’m not bothering to dress fam-I always look fly’’. no love you don’t and you wont get anyway looking like you’re off to do a Tesco’s shop whilst all around you have made the effort!.

COMEDIAN, DJ AND TV PUNDIT EDDIE ”THE JACKET”  KADI , CHIPMUNK and JASMINE.

MYSELF AND THE ADIDAS LADIES-(NOT WEARING THE SAME DRESS!)

Myself and Paola met in the hotel lobby and stopped dead in shock as we acknowledged that we were both wearing similar plum/purple dresses. what a fashion faux pas! but we reassured ourselves that they were totally different shades and styles and so we were okay. Luckily industry peeps understand this. Island records A&R extraordinaire Ben Scarrs was looking slick in his stripy shirt and matching socks combo. Eastenders actress Preeya Kalidas was in a black asymmetrical number-all sexy and dark.

BEEB REPORTER BRENDA WITH JASMINE.

BBC reporter Brenda Emmanus looked serene in a long Grecian style gown, stylist Richard Shoyemi was all smoky dark eyes and glam, according to the Atlantic Music ladies Taponeswa and Mel comedian Eddie Kadi apparently won the prize for most creative jacket blazer, fashion designer Wale Adeyemi rocked a cute dickey bow tie and one of his new look shirt styles. This led to a hilarious moment as another man sitting on our table caught Wales eye. the man was wearing a one off sample shirt that had that very day been requested from Wale’s PR team apparently for a wretch32 video shoot. Well the man rocking the shirt was most certainly not wretch and the shirt was way too tight for him. As Wale sat in bewilderment, Adidas head Paola Lucktung and I roared with laughter.

ATLETICS CHAMPION-PHILLIPS IDOWU with JASMINE.

Sitting on our Adidas table were also acts like Angel with Chipmunk and Wretch next to us. We were easily the loudest and flyest table there!

THE LOUDEST,CRAZIEST MOBO TABLE!.

The Mobo goody bag on each table seat contained a chocolate Lolly pop and Mobo bath oil. My evil angel popped up again on my shoulder and blurted out ‘’hose stripper chic’s later are in for a good time!’’.

Once the show kicked off it was flowing and organised well with the gorgeous Alesha Dixon working her professional magic in a yellow frock-I was disappointed that she hadn’t had more outfit changes-her gorgeous dresses are one of my favourite things to take in! Also not only did her co-host Jason Derulo not add anything to the proceedings, he was awkward and Alesha actually had to nudge him to read his lines a couple of times- in fact I can only assume that the hugest autocue I’d ever seen in my life was cos Jason must be short cited-it was so large even Stevie wonder could’ve read it! (Tim Westwood naughtily stood in front of the autocue jumping around t one point trying to shield the words-hilarity!)

JASMINE with DESIGNER WALE, THE HUB ENTERTAINMENTS AUSTIN and COMEDIAN EDDIE KADI.

People kept questioning why Reggie Yates wasn’t co-hosting. I have no idea why but I know MOBO weren’t particularly pleased that he had thrown his own after party last year detracting from the OFFICIAL MOBO party and that he may be in their bad books.

The crazy one from N –DUBZ -Dappy and Tinchy were reporting from backstage. We noted they were like an urban ant & dec! then the really talented one in N DUBZ- Fazer and model Jourdann Dunn presented best hip-hop and grime to Tinie Tempah who more than deserved the accolade. Fazer also played piano like Alicia keys alongside Dappy onstage. For me its really Fazer that gives the group any credibility. He may be the quiet one-but I think he’s the most musically gifted. I noted that Tinchy was rocking his brand – STAR IN THE HOOD tee shirt. What happened to BBC product placement rules?

Wretch32’s on stage set was by far the best of the jight with an acoustic intro before an all out female drumming dance crew took over- the whole arena were up on their feet bouncing for the 1st time!

As artist Yasmin and actor Adam “my size” Deacon presented the best video award to Dappy and Tinchy I wondered whether N DUBZ manger Jonathon Shalit had bought shares in MOBO this year as Dappy continued to over take the show. (Or was it his new solo management team jack and Archie-the MP’s sons?)

During Katy B’s performance most of the audience were socialising around their tables but then her featured act ms dynamites joined her and all were focused again.

Mr Hudson and Mann presented the best international award to Rihanna who not only didn’t turn up but hadn’t provided a thank you pre recorded video speech either. Baffling as she was in London simultaneously! Record label folks-Ever heard of a live link?

Half way through the night I was shown the winners complete list. I was really disappointed and completely pissed that Wretch32 hadn’t won anything this year. I know the wines are chosen by fans but for wretch to walk away empty handed and Jessie j to dominate winners surely there’s something very wrong with the system. Jessie j is extremely talented but all those awards strictly on her fan base size seems unfair. Maybe industry and fans should vote together moving forwards?

As predicted when it was Jason Derulo’s live set happened most of the audience visited the loo-oops. On my return I noted a guy wearing a full bear fur walking around. What a nutter I thought before realising he and his mate were the comic duo ‘’Shadrack and the Mandem’’ who were looking like an old version of an R Kelly video and serenading Alesha.

As publicised Dionne Bromfield sang a haunting tribute to Amy Winehouse sounding just like her godmother.

As Dappy and Tinchy did their performance someone quipped loudly that they were our version of Eminem and Jigga, which had our tables rolling.

Whilst I obviously love MOBO and all the UK music acts, it did look as the recession must’ve hit hard because there seemed to be no thought or creativity behind the stage sets and performances this years. Wretch32 was the one A class one but the rest were bare stages, dancers in what looked like rehearsal gear and in Professor Green and Emile Sandi’s set whilst their performance was better than most of the rest, it resembled an end of term school Xmas show with a basic gold tinsel curtain!?

Next Alexis Jordan performed. She’s a lovely girl with talent that is still to be fully realised but her onstage performance had no excitement. She had a Riri thing going on but many around us were muttering that they’d rather have seen chipmunk sing his huge hit “champion”.

Later during the show Dappy came to sit with Chipmunk at his table. The mood was sombre. There were lots of disappointed faces regards wretch not having won an award. he and chipmunk have been major players this past 12 months.

When JLS bounced onstage all in their slick black suits the audience went mad! they introduced Boyz to Men who didn’t wow with a set as good as their recent performance at Hammersmith Apollo. Brandy’s old boyfriend Wanya was rocking some really awkwardly ugly boots and many were questioning why the band was 1 member short (Michael left years ago-do keep up!)

We noted that the vibe between N DUBZ boys Dappy and Fazer was awkward. Many a time they passed within inches of each other with no acknowledgement. Coincidence?

THE BOYS GET EXCITED BACKSTAGE- ARTIST ANGEL, TV PRODUCER SHURWIN, COMIC EDDIE, DESIGNER WALE, DJ TREVOR NELSON.

Post show we had a huge crew rolling with DJ Trevor Nelson to his after party where we bust out a few dance routines and Charlie’s angels poses backstage. The dance floor at Trevs party was crazy from the moment my Chrissie Lou shoe stepped on it until the minute we left. Special mention must go to Trev , Mr Play and DJ Charles (Tinie’s DJ) who threw down classic old skool R7B classics and the young un’s all jammed hard to every tune! Wretch, angel, Tinchy and Chipmunk were dancing hard-I was impressed cos I mostly see them head nodding at parties. The dance moves and routines that DJ Abrantee, Wale Adeyemi , Eddie Kadi and J2K were doing were ridiculously impressive! the party was overly sweaty leading to all us ladies scraping sweated out hairstyles into pony tails and taking their shoes off. I was thankful my mum schooled me to carry flat ballet pumps in my handbag-no floor is touching my princess foot-no sir! The clubs dry ice machine was slightly OTT as it was so strong at intervals that we couldn’t see in front of us whilst busting moves. I could’ve been dancing with ANYONE!!! Most of this was recorded by the Grimedaily website for prosperity so check their footage out soon! Adidas head Paola snuck out with me at 3am so I could jump in a cab, head back to the hotel, shower and jump into cab number 2 to whizz me back to the train station. As we exited the car and gripped onto each other as our feet were so sore from dancing and staggered back into the hotel a passing couple yelled ‘’oh you two look cute-are you bridesmaids?’’. !!!

MOBO AFTER PARTY VIP- group banter with EDDIE KADI, WALE AEYEMI, ADIDAS PR MAVEN POALA LUCKTUNG, TREVOR NELSON and friends.

Our scenes been on and off planes, trains and automobiles this week toing and froing from Glasgow for the annual Mobo Awards -more on that next week!.

The night after MOBO I had to take a 4am train back to London to make it to the journalist full day ‘’NEWS REWIRED’’ day where many reporters speak and engage their experiences together. I attended specifically to hear and meet one of my favourite reporters Paul Lewis, who is special projects editor at the Guardian. During the London riots his were the most up to date, reliable, trustworthy, balanced stories.

JASMINE WITH INSPIRATIONAL YOU founder SONIA MEGGIE and branding consultant DAREN DIXON.

Before all that though I was asked to chair the regular INSPIRATIONAL YOU seminar at the very opulent Pearson building in Charing Cross that focused on ‘succeeding in the entertainment and media industry”. Organizers told me ‘’you are Ms Entertainment and know the business inside out, as well as doing a fantastic job on London 360.  we therefore wondered if you would consider being our host on the night and bringing your team down, we have been trying to identify a host who understands the industry and can also give insight at the same time’’. Readers-how could I refuse? Especially when they told me the panelists were DJ Steve Sutherland, ITN HEAD NEWS EDITOR Robin Elias, BBC BREAKFAST TV Producer Anthea Lee, former Head of CHOICEFM and BANGFM radio Ivor Ettiene and tinie tempah’s manager dumi Oburota. I arrived to find a delicious spread of Caribbean and Indian canapés and drinks on offer to settle our rumbling post-work stomachs. The panel introduced themselves and the advice, experience and anecdotes came thick and fast. Many young people don’t know about how to get into or attract an employer to their cv so we shared tips on this as well as take questions from the floor. one thing that became very apparent to me was that many newcomers to TV don’t understand the structure of jobs within the TV structure. So I promised to run up a chart and so it was up on my personal blog the very next day. Next? Steve shared tips on how artists should and shouldn’t approach DJ’S. Robin talked about how he saw the news room platforms changing and his top 5 things he looks for in future staff. Anthea talked about elements she looked for in a music act to see if they fit the ‘’bbc sofa commercial household name’’ remit. Ivor talked about networks and career moves within the radio industry and Dumi told his fascinating story about learning all he knows about music management by reading books, observing the scene and asking loads of questions as well as the branding of the superstar they call tinie tempeh. Want to know the answers to all this? you might want to become a part of INSPIRATIONAL YOU.

JASMINE WITH CHANNEL 4’S ARTS COMMISSIONER-TABITHA JACKSON.

I ended my week catching up with Channel 4’s Tabitha Jackson, a lady I’ve admired from afar for a while now. I became aware of her after noticing the Channel 4 street Summer Season which recently featured CONCRETE CIRCUS, LIFE OF RHYME, GRAFFITI WARS, HOW HIP-HOP CHANGED THE WORLD, ONE MAN WALKING and STREETDANCE. When I watched all these shows I was blown away. Both excited and gutted. Excited cos finally a mainstream broadcaster had covered the vast uk urban scene in a respectful and qualitative manner. Clearly big budgets, an attention to artistic detail and getting the right talent involved was considered with akala, jonzi d, cookie crew, noel Clarke and many many more from the old skool and new skool urban worlds combining to make a great documentary series of shows. I was gutted cos clearly this is the stuff I’d been dying to make myself during my years at MTV and other broadcasters and felt it should have had air time many years ago. I know how tough it is to convince senior TV management teams to make content like this and how hard it is to get it right. So I joined Tabitha Jackson for a conversation to see just how she’s made all this happen. id expected a London born and bred hiphop cultured lover. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Tabitha is a beautifully mannered, friendly, softy but authoritivly-spoken lady who knows what’s current and has her finger on the pulse. But as she told me…..she was ‘’born in Coventry and I was brought up in a tiny rural village  in Warwickshire called Napton on the Hill. With a windmill and lots of canals, a really really rural upbringing. I was adopted, my dad was the local vicar so I think when people look at me they don’t expect that was my upbringing’’. Tabitha explained that her speciality might not have been hip-hop but it was TV just cos she ended up watching so much ‘’living in small village without a driving licence meant that I watched a enormous amount of television and I remember actually watching the first night of channel 4 absolutely glued to it -it was amazing. I think that’s why I have feel that connection with channel 4 because I was 12 and as I was being shaped then channel 4 was part of that’’.  I understood exactly how Tabitha feels. I recall channel 4’s launch too as I attended the opening night party and grew up thinking they were my generations broadcaster that were connected to me. and of course my first few years in TV were at channel 4. unlike me though who has a degree in related media subjects, Tabitha did a philosophy degree and when she finished that she worked for some composers in Soho for a couple of years. ‘’They were doing music for films which was interesting.  But my big break was going to the BBC where I worked in publishing in my university holidays and the BBC were doing a massive oral history series -26 episodes called ‘people century’.  And I went there to work on the book.  Then I soon thought wait a second I liked the bits with pictures more. So I ended up slipping in across into the production team and worked on that for a couple of years.  That was absolutely my biggest ever break because it was a huge team it was protected it was intelligent public service television and we had a reunion just last weekend’’.

So Tabitha clearly understands how to manoeuvre in this manic media world and make the jump from platform to platform but I was most impressed with the length of time she’s taken to perfect her craft. She revealed ‘’I slid in as a researcher and than an AP and then producer and then a director. But it took long time but that was good thing actually, you would effectively be serving an apprenticeship with people who would be very experienced and this wealth of knowledge that they could share with you and you were on a realistic contract so you felt safe’’.

Unlike today where reporters are expected to research, script, shoot, edit and promote their content, Tabitha explains she’s not a shooter ‘’I did do some shooting have but its not very pretty.  Now it’s a skill that I wish I had but in a way I look back on fondness on those times where you just have to concentrate on one thing and in doing it well rather than everything else at once’’.

Tabitha also wrote a book and lived in New York for a bit, and whilst she was out there was approached by channel 4 to see if she would like to join the commissioning team. ..’’Coming into channel 4 after being at the BBC for good few years.  Firstly it was fantastic because it was small it was an institution -You know the first thing I noticed when I came up was how many people that were non-white faces were coming out of the door and I don’t usually seethe world in the terms of colour.  So it was a real first impression, but my biggest shock was the culture shock being commissioner editor rather than a producer or director’’.

Obviously Tabitha having gone from programme maker to commissioner means she’s not so hands on anymore ‘’well the thing I miss most is that complete immersion into a subject matter that you get when you are making a film or going places that I will never normally go to. So that’s being a filmmaker but the commissioner editor side of it I love the fact that you could go into so many peoples edits and you can talk about ideas and you can see how’s it all done and you can be there when the magic happens when its put together. If you do it right you can be a real enabling force.  The downside to commissioning is having to say no really when ideas are perfectly good but is just not right for us and you know people have spent thousands of pounds hours of pounds in developing stuff, the best moment is saying yes and worst moment is saying no’’.

Tabitha broke down her current job remit for us ‘’I am the commissioner editor for arts at channel 4 and the remit is really anything that is art. I am taking it in its broadest sense because I think coming in I felt that art television not arts but arts television was very narrow in what it focussed in and quiet dull and scholastic almost that we going to be lectured and sometimes its absolutely fascinating ways but it was in lecture mode of you need to learn about this make you into a more civilised person so I am going to tell about it. They are expressing it creatively so I think, in my egomaniacal of way I want people in 50 or 100 years to look back at the channel 4 arts output and somehow understand of who we are now.  Whereas if you do that for most of the arts output from all the broadcasters then we would think; we are a people obsessed with impressionist painting or obsessed this school and you don’t have a sense    of all the amazing creative expressions what’s going on now and what people preoccupation are.

being aware of your competitors content is important and when i asked her about the BBC’s current ”mixed race season” this is what she had to say ”As a mixed race person I’m delighted that there’s a mix race season.  I also think that actually when I heard about the mixed race season and I heard about the white season I was really jealous. Working at channel 4 that’s our territory we should be doing that.  I do have slightly mixed feelings about the mixed race season just in the sense of mixed race I have mixed feelings about using the word race as a kind of.. as a reality. …but I don’t describe myself as mixed race really. What’s a race? What races I’m I mixing in? What’s a race in the first place? So yes certainly I got mixed ancestry but everybody does, I’ve got dual heritage but lots people do. So it will be great. I am not sure what’s in the BBC season but if they go into and have a discussion about what mixed race actually means… and also I hope it reflects not just African Caribbean white mixed race or African white that it can be, you know, Jewish and Turkish mixed race”.

Tabitha explained how STREET SUMMER came about ‘’it happened when just before I started the job and I went for a drink with Roy Ackerman  who’s been in the business for years.  So his advice was never give up the mainstream yes you’re doing arts but don’t think that means you have to be on the side-line’s and then we were talking about Hip-hop. Those two things came together and I just I thought I know I want the arts to be about what’s around us in what people are doing.  You can’t look out the window and walk down the street without some manifestation of it. Street dancers on the television, Banksy making films .  This stuff is not niche its mainstream and yet I thought in my egocentric way I don’t understand it and I want to, I don’t understand the discipline and the rigour of it and I want to in the same way that I have been taught I should understand the rigour and the discipline of ballet.  So it was born out of curiosity’’.

Having seen the content of all the urban shows i assumed Tabitha was a big urban culture specialist. instead she revealed ”Massive learning curve. There were meetings; almost every meeting for the first couple of months, people would just talk. There just be words that I had no idea what they were and they would turn out to be incredibly famous rap artist or, you know, hip hop artists or dancers and just hadn’t heard of them. So it was a huge learning curve”.

This summer Tabitha made all young people feel connected and engaged with our media by screening STREET SUMMER. we need more Tabitha’s in our world!