After months of entertaining offers from major record companies, Cash Money Records signed a three year distribution deal with Universal Records, according to Cash Money Records’ President Ronald Williams. “They gave us full control of what we do best-put out the classics,” says Williams. “They have a good marketing and promotional staff, and we were more comfortable with Universal than with the rest of the labels that came at us,” he adds.

Williams says Universal plans to re-release the Big Timers How You Luv That CD (with nine new songs) and Juvenile’s 400 Degrees CD. “The deal with Universal will take our company to another level,” says Williams. “It will increase our sales a lot, and we’ll get a bigger audience. Our deal is not just a national deal, it’s an international deal.” Don’t expect big changes from Cash Money now that they’ve gone worldwide. “We’re gonna keep, it real,” says Williams. “We’re gonna keep doing what we’ve been doing. We ain’t gonna change things.” DJ Mannie Fresh will handle all of the production. Despite Cash Money Records’ success, Williams says he’ll never forget the people who helped him get where he is today. “We just wanna thank New Orleans for supporting us these past seven years,” he says. At press time, Universal Records would not comment on the deal but were preparing a press release due out shortly.

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly will make their fourth appearance at the Essence Music Festival when the musical extravaganza returns to the Superdome July 2, 3 and 4. Joining Maze will be an all-star line up of jazz, blues, soul and R & B entertainers including LSG, Luther Vandross, Usher, Brian McKnight, Patti Labelle, Teena Marie, Mary J. Blige, L.L Cool J and many others. Besides the main-stage performances, there will be concerts in four super-lounges set up inside the Superdome with music by Jeffrey Osborne, Millie Jackson, The Dells and local favorites Kermit Ruffins, Coolbone, Marva Wright and others. Don’t forget to check out the empowerment sessions at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center featuring Attallah Shabazz, actor Blair Underwood and radio personality Ed Lover. The Essence Music Festival is presented by Coca-Cola.

In the early ’90s Tim Smooth was on a roll with a string of hit records and record deals with J.G./Yo Records and Rap-A-Lot Records. Remember songs like “I Gotsta Have It,” “I Don’t Give A Damn About Your Boyfriend” and “Meet Me In Rubenstein”? They put Smooth on the map and established him as one of the South’s smoothest lyricists. His raps were clever and humorous and sometimes controversial as he touched on topics like sex and drugs. Smooth is back in ’98 with more of what he calls “vintage Tim Smooth”. The only difference is that he changed labels and is now pare of the Mobo Records family. His new single “Kaboom!” was released last month, and his new CD The Franchise Player will be in stores this month. Mystikal, King Goldie and the late G-Slimm appear on the CD. Helping out on production were Precise, Ice Mike, Swift and Rock. Smooth admits that some parents might find his music offensive and inappropriate for young kids, but says he’s not responsible for what music kids listen to. “It’s the parents responsibility to monitor kids music,” says Smooth. “I have two kids. I raised them. I can’t raise nobody else’s kids,” he adds.

Smooth believes this is a great time for Southern rap and that all eyes in the industry are focused on New Orleans thanks to Master P. “He opened the door for New Orleans rap. This is the new New York. He was just the first one to jump out and expose it,” says Smooth.

Newly formed Unfadable Records is doing much more than putting out records, they’re giving back to the community. “We’re trying to save a lot of the black youth and keep them off the streets by reaching them through music,” says CEO/President of Unfadable Records Wayne Moore. Moore’s label will release two compilation CD’s this month, Show Me The Money and Unfadable For Life. Show Me The Money is a rap CD featuring Surviving Hustlers and Southside Soldiers. Unfadable For Life is rap and R & B from artists Smooth Dog, Killa Kioz, Infared and others. To celebrate the release of the CD’s, Unfadable Records and Partners With Kids is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Concert in the Park July 4 in City Park (next to Storyland), at noon. There will be live performances, food, giveaways and games. The event is free and promotes non-violence. Following the concert Unfadable will host an after party at Club Unfadable (1201 Burmaster in Gretna). Moore and his company are also giving back to the community through a program called Partners With Kids. They will invest money in programs and activities chat benefit kids.

Listening to the music of Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke and Luther Vandross wasn’t the only motivation for Ynot to become an R&B singer. “Once I got into high school, I realized girls liked it (music) a lot,” says 24 year old Baton Rouge singer Ynot. Ynot grew up singing in the church choir, was a member of several vocal groups and sang in the army. After leaving the military, he and his cousin, Larkin Weber (President of Powerhouse Records) got together and recorded Ynot’s EP Do You Right. The EP, released on Powerhouse Records, contains four songs written by Ynot and co-produced by him and Larkin. “Do You Right” (the rap version) features rapper The Fresh One. Ynot is also working on a CD due out in the fall. Ynot’s other job is Youth Sports Coordinator for the East Baton Rouge Housing Authority. Ynot says working with kids teaches him patience, understanding and how to be a good listener. He hopes to teach them a little something about making music. “You can make a record without degrading women and without using a bunch of bad language,” he says. Look for another release from Powerhouse Records this fall from rapper Red Eyes.

Average White Band at The House of Blues May 21- It was another great show at The House of Blues. New Orleans’ own Adams/Griffin Project opened the show with their special blend of funk and R&B. Tracy Griffin and Marc Adams combined superb trumpet playing with bluesy, Dr. John style vocals for a sound that’s original and upbeat. It was my third time seeing the Average White Band, so my expectations were high. The band did not disappoint. They kept us on our feet dancing to soulful AWB classics “Queen of My Soul,” “Cut the Cake,” “Pick Up the Pieces” and many more. There’s just something about their music that is ageless. It never sounds stale or outdated. If you’re like most fans of old school music, you want to hear the songs just the way you remember them from the ’70s and ’80s. Most of AWB’s songs sounded just like the originals with the exception of a few extended versions where either the music or the vocals varied slightly. As we jammed to our favorite songs, one thought was burning in the back of our minds- “When are they going to play ‘School Boy Crush’,” one of the greatest soul songs ever recorded. AWB said goodnight and exited the stage, but we knew it was only for a short break. The crowd went crazy chanting for “School Boy Crush,” and in minutes the band returned to the stage for an encore that included “School Boy Crush.” Our night was complete. We could go home now.