Congratulations to the winners of the WYLD Talent Show held at the Saenger Theater Nov. 8. 1st place: Warren “Radio” Gould, 2nd place: Skie Rainey, 3rd place: Lawrence Batiste, 4th place: M.C. Joyce & The Deal, 5th place: High Demand and 6th place: Crescendo.

Congratulations also to LeBron Joseph, Program Director of WYLD-FM, Karen Hence, Promotions Director and their staff for producing a first class event.

From the well organized line-up of talent to the tuxedos and evening gowns worn by the WYLD staff, the talent show was one of the most professional and entertaining show I’ve had the privilege to attend.

Some of the evenings highlights included special performances by comedian Jonathan Slocumb, artists Kimberly Scott, Uncle Sam and New Orleans’ own Hot Boys featuring Juvenile.

The talent competition was fierce. Lawrence Batiste danced his way into 3rd place with a brilliantly choreographed medley of Michael Jackson songs. Skie Rainey wooed the crowd with his moving rendition of “God Bless The Child.” But the man who stole the show was Warren “Radio” Gould who brought the crowd to its feet with his “D.J. Mastermix” presentation.

Using only a table, two microphones, his voice and hands, Radio created the sounds of a deejay mixing a collage of songs. If you closed your eyes you would have sworn he was working with two turntables, a stack of 12”s and a slick mixer. It was incredible. It’s one of those things you have to see live to really appreciate. Radio won $1000 and a chance to be on Showtime at the Apollo. We’ll try and keep you posted as to when his taping will air. It’s a must see.

Partners-N-Crime (PNC) have a new album out on Upper Level Independent/Southcoast Music Group called What’cha Wanna Do? Misdemeanor and Kangolslim say the CD is more of what you’ve come to expect from PNC – bounce and rap music with a street-wise edge.

“We’re givin’ something back to the people, meaning a message,” says Kangolslim. “We’re lettin’ them know how life really is, and we’re not cuttin’ corners on it.” The album has 14 cuts  produced by Precise (President of Upper Level Independent) who also appears on the album as Lil Leroy. Also featured on the CD are the Ghetto Twiinz, DJ Jubilee, Bayou Boy and others. With this album PNC hopes to break out and move beyond regional success. “Our sound is on another level,” says Misdemeanor. “It’s more national now.” PNC is also producing artists for their record label, Crime Labb. Look for new releases from Southcoast Shorty, Drama Squad and Prime Time.

Good news for the producers of the local video show Da Bomb Top 10. The show, which previously aired on Cox Metro 10, has moved to WB38, Fridays, 12 a.m. Hosted by Hasan, the show features weekly top 10 videos by local and national artists, interviews and comedy. When compiling his top ten list, Hasan looks at requests, radio airplay and record sales.

One of the city’s premier club/mobile deejays will spend his New Year’s Eve in Negrille, Jamaica spinning music at The Negrille Treehouse Hotel. Capt. Charles, the deejay most of you know from the local club scene, has proven without a doubt that hard work, talent and a passion for music really pays off Capt. Charles, who began his career in 1980 as a deejay at 2 Brothers on Magazine, is now opening for acts like Cameo, The Ohio Players and Average White Band. He has deejayed parries for the Essence Music Festival, the Superbowl, Fox Network and many others. But to get to where he is today Capt. Charles paid his dues moving from club to club over the years, and in the process attracting many loyal followers. “I enjoy meeting people and seeing people out there having a good time,” says Capt. Charles. “I constantly see the same people coming back to see me play.” Capt. Charles played clubs like 2004, Excaliber, Adantis and Whispers, but he credits Club Discovery for giving him his first big break. “It was a major club in the city, and it gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of stars that came to town like Keith Sweat, AI B. Sure and Sinbad,” he adds. There’s something special that happens when Capt. Charles gets behind the turntables that’s hard to describe in words. You have to experience it in person to know what I’m talking about. There’s a certain energy that takes over and moves the crowd. Capt. Charles is big on audience participation and knows how to motivate people. Whether he’s leading dancers doing the bus stop at a club or encouraging fans at a New Orleans Brass game to do the chicken dance, Capt. Charles knows how to keep the party alive. And the audience loves him. “I think people come to see me because I play a variety of music. I get into the R&B, a little rap, and I go back to the old school,” he says.

In 1995, he starred a mobile deejay company called Capt. Charles, Inc., and he has been busy ever since. Deejays J.C. Kelly and D.J. Marvin joined his team and often fill in for Capt. Charles when he’s overbooked. Besides doing parties and special events, Capt. Charles deejays Fri. and Sat. nights at Prime Example (Sr. Bernard and Broad) and at every New Orleans Brass home game.

Other local releases… Local producer Don B. has several new releases on his Bang-N Records. The first is a single called “Get This Party Started” featuring Don B., TOP, Che and others. Next month look for the album Don B. Compilation VOLI with special performances by Prime Time featuring Partners-N-Crime, Lil Slim, Trigga and more. Rapper TOP, formerly with Da Mobstas, will release a single “Get Yours” and a CD OFF TOP on Bang-N Records next month. Joining TOP on this project are Bang-N artists Calico, Big Merk, Coa Coa and others.

The album is dedicated to TOP’s good friend and rap partner Quentin Bailey who was killed in 1993. R&B singer Pierre hopes to cash in on the success of Peggy Scott Adams’ “Bill” with a song he recorded called “Baby, I’m Bill (the answer).” As you might remember, Adams’ version told the story of a woman whose husband left her for another man. Pierre’s version of “the answer” has “Bill” telling his side of the story. “Baby I’m Bill (the answer)” is the first single off Pierre’s album Bill on Louisiana Red Hot Records.

Mr. Slim the Ghetto Messiah, CEO of Formaldehyde Records, will kick off 1998 with the release of Ghetto Tears, a compilation album featuring Skull Dugrey, Bottom Posse, Dacan and others.

The label will celebrate with a prerelease party at Club 504’s in Baton Rouge, Jan. 13. Ghetto Tears is one of 12 albums Mr. Slim plans to release next year.

LaStmonth’s “Street Talk” question: Cash Money artists the Hot Boys are on fire. Their album, Get It How U Live!, sold thousands of copies locally and charted nationally.

What is it about their music that makes the Hot Boys hot?

Janie Robert, Urban/Product Manager, Big Easy Distributing: “What makes the Hot Boys hot is the elevation effect that Mannie Fresh has done with his production.

Mannie Fresh has taken us from the basic New Orleans sound of the standard “Triggerman” beat to the national quality equivalent to that of Motown, Jive or Paisley Park. This is definitely the album that brought the Cash Money talent together and escalated the quality of music.”