Vera edwards – Street Line Video

Director Vera Edwards honored with Citation

Vera Edwards (March 4, 1966) is an American director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. Born and raised in the South Bronx, New York City, Edwards began her career as an author and then graduated to write, direct, and produce television shows on a cable channel called Bronxnet. The show was titled “Street Line.” It was an entertainment show that not only showed what was happening in the streets, but showed celebrities as well as up-and-coming artists, dance, hip-hop, businesses, current events, and politics. The show revolutionized the urban community. In 2009, Edwards and her son Ricardo Cordero (director of photography) received several Beta Awards for their contributions to television.

In 2011 Edwards published her first book titled “BAND OF GOLD,” which was written by Vera Edwards herself. This was the start of her writing career which jumped started her in the direction of making movies.

One of the first female independent multimedia film director and producer in the Bronx, Edwards has captured the essence of urban life by utilizing members of the community by taking real-life experience and turning it into art. She has become a true pioneer in hip-hop culture and urban day living.

Edwards wrote, produced, and directed with her son Ricardo Cordero her first underground independent feature film, Chicken (2013); The film was an urban drama. The entire cast was first-time actors. The film received worldwide praise from parents, children, teens, and several educational institutions ranging from different fields of study that implemented different story elements into their own syllabuses. It was a scripted reality show at its finest. Chicken showcased unfortunate realism that many individuals face in urban communities even to this day. The movie Chicken sold-out not only at the theaters but also sold out as DVDs in stores. It became one of the most sought out underground urban movies till this day.

Her second film was a romantic love story titled “Waiting for 4 Mr. Wright” (2015), which won a Bronxnet Beta Award. It too had first-time actors, Anabel Castillo, and Hip-Hop artist, Mighty Mike C (Michael Clee), from the legendary hip-hop group, The Fearless 4. The film received a standing ovation which was played at the iconic Mist Theater in Harlem, New York; It also was a DVD hit.

This was followed in 2015 by Edwards’s first novella “Perate,” a movie drama that starred Artie Cordel and hip-hop legend Wilfredo “Tito” Dones, of the legendary group The Fearless 4. It was a challenge for Edwards to write and produce the life of a Hispanic dysfunctional family. Her daughter Bobbi Cordero(writer) helped create the movie, which won Edwards another Beta Award. The movie Perate also played in the iconic Mist Theater in Harlem, New York City.

In 2015-2018, Edwards directed her first web series that started out as a small pitch that led to a bigger series of its own name and a powerful relationship drama, “Rodent,” starring Seven and Antoinette “Toni Styles” Vereen. This was a drama that identified with personal relationships amongst friends and family. The web series had twists and turns. Rodent was in high demand on the internet but ended abruptly because of ‘unsettling’ events created only amongst actors based off their newfound popularity that was developed from the success of the Rodent series.

In 2016, Edwards produced and directed “PPRESSED,” based on the everyday life of battle rappers. The movie starred Karine “Sho-Time” Thornton and Michael Deering (Mikey D) from the legendary group, “Main Source.” Since its success and debut, it has become the anthem and blueprint of videography used in today’s hip-hop rap culture within television and feature digital movie format.

Edwards wrote, produced, and directed “A Teenage Story” (2020) starring LA Sunshine (Lamar Hill), from the legendary group The Treacherous 3, DJ and creator of scratch, Grandwizard Theodore (Theodore Livingston), Stevie D (Stevie Lundy), from the legendary Force Mds and first-time actor Justin Hines. The movie was shot during the COVID pandemic and was set for the theaters, but due to the worldwide COVID restriction lock-downs, the 1:49-minute movie was released on YouTube and generated over 800,000 views.

When asked in a recent interview on the podcast “SHO-TIME TV PODCAST,” the interviewer asked Edwards “How were you able to create so many hit movies in such a short time,” Edwards replied” I couldn’t have done it without my son Ricardo Cordero. He is an excellent cameraman. He and I work great together, I know him, and he knows me. He knows my vision. I leave all the camera work to him, and he makes it happen. I think he is the best director of photography I know. To be able to create and share time as a mother and son is priceless. I enjoy those moments”.

On March 26, 2023, Edwards was honored with a Citation by Senator Cordell Cleare for her work with the community as a Film director.

Director Vera Edwards

Vera Edwards is an award-winning American independent film director/producer/and author. Born and raised in the South Bronx, Edwards took her life experience and applied it to film. She and her son Ricardo Cordero began their Journey as visual storytellers by gathering independent artist from the streets and giving them a platform to express their talent by allowing them to further their careers as actors.

Edwards and her son formed Street Line Video an underground media video production team for unsung talent. Edwards and her son Ricardo Cordero have recorded major celebrities on and off stage such as Babyface, Charlie Wilson, Nikki Minaj, New Edition, The Ojays, Millie Jackson, Kurtis Blow Rick Ross just to name a few. She states after filming so many celebrities and helping them retain themselves in the music industry it was time that her son an herself needed to embark on creating history for themselves. She then wrote her first novel Band of Gold, which was one of the urban communities best selling books, you can get it free on Amazon. Edwards stated it was the book that she wanted to turn into a movie drama. Readers requested more of her work that's when She learned that our stories need to be told. So she then decided to shoot her own movies to generate her audience and followers, because of the high demand of her first novel Band of Gold Edwards wrote scripts for her son to shoot and edit and distribute across the world.

Edwards has had several Independent films that played in the theater such as Chick-en, Waiting 4 Mr. Wright starring Michael Clee from The Fearless 4, a their first novella titled Perate starring Tito from the 1980s group The fearless four. All three of these movies won Beta awards and had sold out shows. Edwards also has a soap opera title "Rodent" the Urban Soap opera which was released as a web series which was a drama and a battle rap movie titled PPRESSED starring Karine Sho-time Thornton and Mikey D (Michael Deering) of the Legendary 90s hip hop rap group Main Source. These movies met all kinds of genre in all types of countries. Which made the two web series a download hit.

Edwards latest work a pandemic movie titled a teenage story starring La Sunshine from the 1980s hip hop rap group The treacherous three, Grandwizard Theodore creator of DJ scratch and Stevie D from the 1980s r&b group The Force Mds was aired during the lock-down of the COVID 19 pandemic. The pandemic had the whole world staying in the house for a year and a half 2020 and a portion of 2021. The movie a teenage story was released on youtube for free and generated over 800,000 views. Not bad for and independent full featured movie. Since the pandemic has been lifted somewhat Edwards has started working on a new up-and-coming movie tv drama for the 2023 fall tv line up (now in production). She guarantees her audience will love this one. All movies can be viewed and seen all over the world. Edwards and her son Ricardo Cordero said they will continue to work as a directors and pride themselves by continuing to promote artist who couldn't receive a fair chance in the entertainment world. You can watch all of their movie on youtube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-wMxedqsYlGlg2HezxvWmA

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), better known by her stage name Erykah Badu is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre. She is known as the “First Lady of Neo-Soul” or the “Queen of Neo-Soul”.

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday. She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules and House of D. She also speaks at length in the documentaries Before the Music Dies and “The Black Power Mixtapes”

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her, her brother (Jabbada), and her sister (Nayrok) alone after their father, William Wright Jr., deserted the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children’s grandmother often helped looking after them while Erykah’s mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. Influenced by her mother, Erykah had her first taste of show business at the age of 4, singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. Erykah Badu was the owner of Focal point in Dallas, Texas.

By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her slave name. The term ‘kah’ signifies the inner self. Badu is her favorite jazz scat sound and is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.

Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Badu went on to study theater at the historically black college Grambling State University. Concentrating on music full-time, she left the university in 1993 before graduating and took on several minimum wage jobs to support herself. She taught drama and dance to children at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Working and touring with her cousin, Robert “Free” Bradford, she recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg, who set Badu up to record a duet with D’Angelo, “Your Precious Love,” and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal Imperial Records.

After 10 years as a vegetarian, Badu became a vegan in 2006: “Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.” Badu splits her time between Dallas, Texas and Fort Greene, New York.

In 1995, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had her first child, a son named Seven Sirius Benjamin, on November 18, 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in 1999. Their relationship inspired André 3000 to write the song “Ms. Jackson”.

In 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common; their relationship ended in 2002. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma Sabti Curry; Puma’s father is West Coast rapper The D.O.C., originally from Dallas. On February 1, 2009, Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba Thedford, with her boyfriend of five years, rapper Jay Electronica.

Written by Dianne Washington

Adhama “Pretty Lyon” Cruel

Adhama “Pretty Lyon” Cruel is Brooklyn, NY native as well as overall entertainer. As a recording artist, dancer, model, and actress “Pretty Lyon” as she is known professionally has put together quite an impressive resume of work in New York City and the surrounding areas. A trained dancer and vocalist, PrettyLyon released her project, Princess Of Brooklyn Mixtape and participated in The Black Light Chronicles, which serves as a compilation album featuring established contemporaries.

Wanting nothing more than to be a model for hard work, and quality Pretty Lyon is a spokeswoman for the unity of women in Hip Hop and the entertainment industry as a whole. Living, and breathing the arts both inside and out of the booth Pretty Lyon is at home as a creator. The ever personable upstart is on the scene frequently shaking hands and creating relationships that will last, while promoting her brand. Turning her childhood passion for writing poems into full compositions of music that share her thoughts, experiences and speak for those who are voiceless in a sense. The release of her debut Good Girl Bad Habits introduced this Princess to the world and her moves henceforth have solidified the reason for her being on a lot of people’s radar. With more to come, Pretty Lyonis certainly an artist who will come to blossom in today’s entertainment business creating a catalog of great work.

– IMDb Mini Bio

Written by Charisse Smith

Rodent episode 2

If you had an opportunity to watch Rodent, Episode 1 than you would know that the show is packed with drama. Episode 2 is no different. In the absence of Hammer Thornton Vanessa Hollingsworth has been making some corporate decisions. She has been hiring anyone that came into White Lines Media. Felix and Niles are not feeling the decisions that Vanessa is making. Her excuse is that Hammer can’t be there because he is tied up at the moment! When she said he was tied up at the moment she did not just mean that figuratively. She meant it literally. She had the man tied up in her bedroom and was drugging him up. Thank God for his wife and two closest friends. They saved him from Vanessa but that was after Niles made a pass at Gladys. I wonder what will become of that! Felix has a problem of his own. Farrah came off of the elevator of White Lines Media and caught him lip locking with the new talent who is also his new girlfriend. She gave oh boy back his ring and told him that she will see him in court after dismissing ole girl. At least Farrah was woman enough to know that it was not the girl’s fault.

I guess you want to know what is going on with Drew and his drama! His sister Khris called Pops over to the house. She had some really disturbing news. She is pregnant. Pop swore to kill Drew’s friend only thing is his friend denied ever having sex with Khris. I guess it’s time for a DNA test. That is not all that is going on with the Douglass family. Drew is over at his children’s mother’s apartment when Pops walk in with a key. Before Drew even has an opportunity to find out why his dad has the key to the apartment Pops goes off on Drew about him being irresponsible and not having a job. Wait that’s not the end. Drew is in the room about to be intimate with the mother of his children while Pops is behind the door with his shirt off.

In Episode 1 Ebony told Porsha to find her own hive. Porsha turns to her mother’s long- time boyfriend Greg for a place to stay. Greg watched Porsha grow up all of her life but that doesn’t make him resist when Porsha uses her black girl magic to entice her mother’s boyfriend into sleeping with her. While they are making it do what it do, in walks Ebony with a key that Greg gave her. Imagine his surprise when Ebony informs him that Porsha is her daughter.

Meanwhile Krystal decides to go out clubbing with her straight friends Farrah and Michelle. They are hungover and asleep when Krystal hears her girlfriend Dime walking out. She wakes her girls up and tries to get them out of the apartment before Dime can get an attitude. All hell broke loose when Dime finds Krystal’s bra laying on the sofa. This is when Dime decides to smack daylights out of Krystal!!!!

I am telling you episode 2 was definitely something to be watched. Between the fight scene with Vanessa and Gladys, Felix getting caught by his wife, Pop’s in Drew’s Baby momma’s apartment I was on the edge of my seat. Khris being pregnant and the sex scene between the father and daughter was over the top. I sure cannot wait for Episode 3. This is definitely All my Children In The Hood.

Written By: Regina Alston

Lisa Lisa takes the Bronx home!

Lisa Lisa rips summer stage in the Bronx. ” I Wonder If I Take Home” was the song and the crowd sang as the 80’s pop star brought her talent to St. Mary’s Park located on 450 St Ann’s Ave, Bronx, NY,10454. It became a disco frenzy. The crowd of young and old danced and bobbed their heads reminiscing how music use to be. A fan screamed out, “Thank you God for real music! I love you, Lisa!” Lisa Lisa belted out hit melodies as the crowd sung along. Throughout the park, the audience’s cheers echoed over the singer. Lisa welcomed it as she looked into the crowd while watching the audience – made up of all ages. Chickie Gonzalez of the Bronx was celebrating her 50th birthday with her family and was surprised by the free Lisa Lisa concert. When she heard that Lisa Lisa was performing, she moved her party over to the side where the concert was. She reported that it was the best birthday party she ever had. The park was packed with thousands of people, no one could barely move. Truly an unforgettable night, thanks to Lisa Lisa.

The City Parks Foundation has been giving free concerts and free events for many years. Log on to http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/ for a concert near you.
Thanks, Summer Stage!

Written by: Street Line

Barbecue Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts

The weather is getting nice out as the summer approaches. This is my favorite time of the year. If you are anything like me than you love a good barbecue. There is nothing better than family and friends gathered around for some great food and a great time. There are some things that can are certainly inappropriate for barbecues and there are some things that will definitely go without saying.

The first rule of barbecue etiquette is do not come if you are not personally invited by the host. It does not matter if it is family or a close friend. If you were not invited stay home.

If you were invited that does not make you entitled to invite others with you. Ask permission from the host or hostess.

It is rude to show up at a cook out empty handed. You should always ask what can you bring. In the case that you are told you don’t need to bring anything bring something anyway. A bag of chips, soda, napkins, paper towels and paper plates are all things that you can never have to much of. Remember that anything that you contributed is to be left there when you leave. Please do not think about wrapping up a take home plate if you have not contributed to the barbecue.

It is not necessary to pile plates up with food that you are not going to finish. Please finish the beverage that you are already drinking instead of allowing it to get warm and then going to get another one.

Remember when you bring your children to a barbecue that they are your children. So not expect others attending to watch your children. There are so many ways that children can get hurt at a barbecue so parents please be aware.

With these bases covered we are officially ready to barbecue. Enjoy your summer.

Written by Regina Alston

The Ever Failing System

A considerable amount of American citizens live a life of poverty. Some are impoverished due to unemployment, some are disabled, others earn low wages. They are all impoverishment none the less. The American government created social service agencies to assist these vulnerable citizens in life or at least that is the claim.

In New York State The Department of Human Resource Administration is the agency that was appointed to assist low income families that are living in poverty. This is a system that is failing miserably. Let me explain further.

The ultimate goal of the Human Resource Administration is to provide temporary assistance to needy citizens of New York State. This hardly ever happens. Instead HRA creates dependency for some.

The Back To Work program is inadequate! The program does work for some but the reality is that very few public assistance recipients find work while attending the Back To Work program. In my opinion the purpose of the Back To Work Program is to justify the modern day slavery that is called the Work Experience Program or WEP.

The Work Experience Program does not benefit the public assistance recipient. In fact the recipient skills, qualifications, certifications and interest are never evaluated when issuing these WEP assignments. A computer randomly picks an assignment in a location that is not more than an hour away in traveling time.

When a public assistance recipients is fortunate enough to obtain employment they are deterred. The Human Resource Administration makes returning to work inconvenient. A person who is recently employed must now take days off from work to respond to mandatory appointments. If this is not enough child care sometimes lapse for working parents because someone neglected to file the paperwork properly. Even worse than that a working person can have issues with housing due to departmental errors.

This is bureaucracy intended to keep the impoverished depended on a failing system.

Written by: Regina Alston

What A Good Look. Kim Goodlook Seabrook

*ALERT*MEDIA*BLOG
It is said that laughter is good for the soul, so when I was invited to a comedy show to hear a Spoken Word Artist, I thought, hmmm this will be different. I had know idea how different…

The Black National Theatre of Harlem housed What To Do Ent. comedy show hosted by JC Best in conjunction with comedians OC the Bus Driver and Kenny Woo.

The opening act was a Spoken Word artist by the name of Kim Goodlook Seabrook. Seabrook is a Bronx native Spoken Word artist and radio personality. You can find her weekly on one of New York City’s budding internet radio stations, I AXIS Radio. With her show Keepin’ it 100 with Kim and Della.

As the night got on its way and following her introduction from JC Best, Kim seemed to float out onto the stage, very poised and confident. She immediately surveyed the crowd and attached with the audience. Kim performed three pieces that night, Cocaine, A Woman’s Identity and Got Dam. The three pieces were very different in content but the same in rawness and reality.

The first piece, cocaine, as u would guest was creative writing about the opioid drug. It spoke of how it seems to be your friend in a time of despair however, just like all fairweather friends it let’s you down in the end. The twist and metephores GoodLook used was so vivid, at one time I literally felt chills as she performed. The second piece was dedicated to all woman kind. Kim relayed the message of don’t lose yourself being a wife, a mother an employee or whatever capacity it is you’re in day to day. The message was always remember to keep your identity as a woman first.
Ms.Seabrook did not forget about the men who was in attendance, she delivered a bold piece titled Got Damn, which focused on the struggle of the Black Man. Seabrook spewed so many truths and nuances about being a Black Man in America it received a standing ovation when it was over. This piece touched on nagging baby mothers, police harassment and much more, not to give too much away, this piece touches and goes into the depths of trying to survive in Amerikkka as a Black Man. Got Damn!
Once Kim bowed out from her performance, there were murmurs in the audience of wows and she’s deep along with she was a show all by herself. Sitting in the audience and to hear and see people’s genuine reaction to her tells a truth I couldn’t make up. Kim Goodlook Seabrook is a force to be reckoned with in the spoken word realm. Her sensual voice her command of tje stage and her piuse and cadence is unmatched. She is a humble person who exudes great energy. I recommend everyone see her live performance, you will not be disappointed. Until you get a chance to hear her live, listen to her pieces on SoundCloud…

Written by Sugarhill Sky.
*No funds were given or services bartered for this write up.
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FEELING THE FORCE WITH THE LEGENDARY FORCE M.D.’s

Have you ever had your partner say “Baby Let Me Love U”? Well, there is a group called The Force M.D.’s, which is an American R&B vocal group that was formed in 1981 in Staten Island, New York. Although the group has old school hip hop roots, it is perhaps best known for two tunes that are widely considered 1980s quiet storm classics, “Tender Love” and “Love is a House”. They are considered major forerunners of the new jack swing. The band was originally named The L.D.s, and then became the Force MCs, but ultimately preferred the name Force M.D.’s, which stood for Musical Diversity. Though the group was not quite always as recognizable as other New York R&B acts when it first started, they were among the first R&B vocal groups to intermix doo-wop-affected singing with and sometimes over hip-hop beats. The group was composed of brothers Stevie D., Antoine “T.C.D.” Lundy, and Rodney “Khalil” Lundy, along with their uncle Jessie Lee Daniels. (Later, friends “Trisco” Pearson and Charles “Mercury” Nelson from the Marines Harbor projects in Staten Island, NY joined the group.) They performed at different venues such as BB Kings, and the Eve Ultra lounge until this day their hit songs are still being played on the radio. Three of the group’s members died within five years of each other: Nelson suffered a fatal heart attack in 1995; former collaborator DJ Dr. Rock died suddenly of natural causes in 1996; and in 1998, Antoine Lundy died of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Trisco Pearson died on September 16, 2016, of an undisclosed illness. But that does not stop the group from performing worldwide. The Force M.D.’s are still standing strong after all these years; you can see them at an up coming performance in June at BB Kings in Manhattan. Did I tell there is new music on the way? Check out their new single Don’t Rush now available on iTunes. May the Force be with you.

Written Jewels 78