On Friday, January 22, local rappers lost a friend and an advocate of the New Orleans rap and hip-hop community. The Almighty Leader One (Frank Franklin) was killed in an automobile accident when a drunk driver crashed into his car as he was driving Eastbound on I-10 in Mississippi.  He was 25.

Franklin was president and owner of LSR Productions, G-F.O.R.C.E. Records and G-F.O.R.C.E. Publishing. A New York native, Franklin spent a lot of time in New Orleans producing and promoting local rap and hip-hop talent. Those who knew Franklin remember his bright smile, witty personality and passion for music. “He [Franklin] wanted to show the impact the Southeast region had on hip-hop,” says Jeff Bromberger, Franklin’s close friend and business partner. Bromberger and Franklin promoted rap shows together and last July founded Rap Fact magazine. Bromberger plans to carry on with Franklin’s dreams. He’ll continue the magazine and is considering running LSR Productions. Franklin will be greatly missed.

Drummer Harold Brown will reunite with former band members of the group War as they make plans to return to the studio and kick off a major concert tour. Brown left the band in the early ’80s to pursue other interests following the deaths of several band members. After earning a business degree, Brown moved to New Orleans, the home of his wife, Shirley “Sue” Brown. He and his partners founded Direct Box Firehouse Rehearsal Studios, a professional full-service rehearsal and artist-development complex. Brown was one of seven original War members responsible for hits like “Slippin’ into Darkness,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and “Low Rider.” Joining Brown for the reunion tour will be original members Howard Scott, Lee Oskar and Lonnie Jordan, along with newer members Ron Hammond (he’s been with War since 1979) and Harold Brown II, Harold Brown’s son.

“The whole band is excited about it,” says the senior Brown. The reunion is something group members have talked about for years, he says. Scott got together with War’s producer, Jerry Goldstein, and they organized the reunion. The group will spend the next several months recording an LP in San Francisco. Tentative plans call for a promotional tour in April and a major concert tour at the end of ’93. The new LP will be released on Avenue Records and distributed by Atlantic Records.

MC Heavy (aka Dwayne Thompson) has released the first single on his label Heavy Records (distributed by Cash Money Records). Thompson worked with DJ Manny Fresh (Gregory D’s deejay) to produce beats for the cut, a funky, Mardi Gras-soundin’ street rap that samples Re-Birth Brass Band. Thompson decided to produce his own record after watching the crowd respond to him on stage during Gregory D’s concert tour. Thompson went on the road with Gregory D as his “hype man,” working the crowd and getting them hyped before Gregory D went on stage. While on the road, Thompson and DJ Manny Fresh worked on some beats. When he returned to New Orleans, Thompson discovered a new dance that people were doing in the hip-hop clubs. He labeled it the “gangsta walk,” wrote a song about it, and went to Sound Services Studios to record his first release from his forthcoming EP.

Twenty-three-year-old Thompson is no newcomer to the record business. Three years ago, while working as head of security at Club Discovery, he met the Geto Boys. They introduced him to members of their management company and record company, Rap-a-Lot Records. Thompson was later hired by Rap-a-Lot as a street promoter in New Orleans. His job was to promote the label’s music at radio, retail and clubs. He was later picked up by RCA Records to promote Gregory D’s LP, The Real Deal. Now, Thompson’s hitting the street promoting his own music. He hired four female dancers he calls the “Gangsta Girls,” and he’s opening for PMW on a promotional tour of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

NEW RELEASES…RAL/Def Jam Records releases LL Cool J’s new single “How I’m Comin'” at the end of this month. The single is from his new LP, which is due out shortly after the single release.

A&M Records releases “So Close,” the first U.S. single from Dina Carroll. Born in the U.K., Carroll has already made her mark on the British music scene. She’s had three Top 10 British hits and was named “Best Newcomer” at the British Black Music Awards. Hoping to make a similar impact in the U.S., she teamed up with producers Cole and Clivilles of C&C Music Factory on “Special Kind of Love.” On “Heaven Sent” and “This Time,” she worked with Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mom), who brought a choir from her church to sing on Dina’s LP. Dina grew up listening to soul artists like the Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and the Temptations. “So Close” is a mid-tempo cut that sounds like a mix between Randy Crawford and Deniece Williams. Carroll’s debut LP will be released this month.