UNSUNG Featuring Lloyd Premieres at 9P/8C Immediately Followed by Fantasia on UNCENSORED at 10P/9C
TV One‘s longest-running and award-winning documentary series UNSUNG continues its stellar run with a brand new season kicking off with R&B singer Lloyd at 9 p.m. ET/8C. UNCENSORED follows at 10 p.m. ET/9C and gives unprecedented access to American Idol Fantasia.
UNSUNG The smooth R&B singer known as just Lloyd became a heartthrob before he even knew how to drive. Introduced to the world through a boy band at the tender age of 10, he would go on to join one of the most notorious record labels of the millennium, Murder Inc. Under the guidance of label co-founder Irv Gotti, Lloyd hit the ground running with hits like “Southside,” “Get It Shawty” and “You.” When the feds came calling to investigate Murder Inc., however, both the label and Lloyd’s career were put on hold. Although Lloyd was able to reclaim his position on the music charts for a brief time, he eventually retreated from the spotlight for several years. Now with a new label and outlook on life, Lloyd is back and ready to tell his story to UNSUNG. After the episode, be sure to catch the tvone.tv exclusive of Lloyd’s “UNSUNG Live,” a musical performance series where UNSUNG artists perform a hit song allowing fans to experience their amazing talent.
The New Orleans native will perform his latest single “Caramel” in an intimate performance and discuss his musical comeback and his celebration of black beauty. UNSUNG celebrates the lives of trailblazing musicians whose full stories and journey have yet to be explored. This season promises memorable stories of influential artists including songstress Adina Howard, 80s teen sensation The Jets, singer/songwriter Shirley Murdock, dance music legend Crystal Waters, R&B crooner Glenn Jones, vocalist Kenny Lattimore and contemporary gospel musician Tasha Cobbs.
UNCENSORED Long before she rose to fame as the winner of the third season of “American Idol” in 2004, Fantasia was always destined for greatness. Fantasia grew up in a large, musically inclined family that was heavily involved in church. Disputes with her father led her to move out of her family’s home, drop out of school and eventually leave the church. Fantasia bounced around on friends’ couches until she became pregnant. The struggles of being a teenage mother solidified her relationship with God and with the help of her grandmother, she rejoined the church and moved back home with her family. Through the encouragement and support of her local community, Fantasia tried out for and eventually won “American Idol.” With the success of “American Idol” came the realities of becoming an instant music sensation and household name. On this episode of UNCENSORED, Fantasia gets real about how the pursuit of stardom can drive people to unhappiness. She reveals how close friendships with Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin helped her navigate her voice, career and personal life along the way. Launching a new business “Rock Soul” that focuses on the next steps for her career and music, Fantasia is ready to give back and take control of her voice once again.
The popular show UNCENSORED resumes for its second season and explores the private lives of some of today’s most notable personalities including comedian/radio host DL Hughley, legendary hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, actress Tasha Smith, reality TV star Tami Roman, actress/singer Naturi Naughton and the reigning king of urban gospel Kirk Franklin. Viewers will get a glimpse into the lives of celebrities as they personally reveal their own stories, in their own words.
Erica discovers that her eldest child Krista struggles with self-esteem because of her dark skin tone. Erica introduces Krista to Kheris, a social media star who has her own fashion line dedicated to embracing her dark hued complexion. After Erica shares Krista’s concerns with Warryn, he reveals a secret he’s kept from Joi that certain record executives refused to work with her because they thought her skin was too dark. When Warryn shares the truth, she questions remaining in the music industry altogether. Meanwhile, Warryn asks Erica to co-preach with him at church but Erica doesn’t have time to prepare.
ABOUT WE’RE THE CAMPBELLS
The nine-episode docu-series gives viewers an intimate glimpse into the lives of Gospel entertainment power couple Warryn and Erica Campbell, as they tackle the everyday struggles that come with balancing family and work, nurturing their marriage, building their individual careers, and fostering their faith; all while raising their three children Warryn, Zaya and teenager Krista.
WE’RE THE CAMPBELLS is produced for TV One by Entertainment One (eOne). Executive Producers are Tara Long, Mark Herwick, Kim McCoy, Warryn Campbell and Erica Campbell; Co- Executive Producer is Narvin Russaw. For TVOne, Tia Smith is the Executive in charge and Sr. Director of Original Programming & Production; Donyell Kennedy McCollough is Sr. Director of Talent, and Robyn Greene Arrington is Interim Head of Original Programming and
Production.
For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook(@tvonetv) using the hash tags #WERETHECAMPBELLS.
New Limited Crime & Justice Series from TV One and Executive Producer Rushion McDonald Explores the Road to Redemption for Four Wrongfully Convicted African-American Citizens
How would you survive inside the justice system if you were convicted of a crime that you did not commit? TV One’s EVIDENCE OF INNOCENCE spotlights the unbelievable true stories of four people who endured this life-altering nightmare-innocent of crimes for which they were arrested and ultimately imprisoned.
Premiering Monday, June 4 at 10/9c PM on TV One and hosted by acclaimed civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, each one-hour episode of Evidence of Innocence focuses on one wrongfully convicted man or woman – Lisa Roberts, Richard Miles, Melonie Ware and Mark Schand – each faced with the enormous challenge of maintaining faith while awaiting the opportunity to prove their innocence.
Locked in cells for years upon years, wrestling with fear, maddening loneliness, suicide-inducing despair, these survivors who somehow endured the struggle to have their cases overturned and regain their freedom, share their riveting accounts with Attorney Crump.
Attorney Crump, who formerly served as President of the National Bar Association, has dedicated his career to bringing justice to those who are marginalized by the legal system and proves an insightful guide through each Evidence of Innocence journey. Crump served as the lead attorney for the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Alesia Thomas, and is a vanguard in the fight against police brutality.
An Emmy and NAACP Image Award winner, acclaimed television and film producer Rushion McDonald (The Steve Harvey Show, Jamie Foxx, Think Like A Man, Family Feud) of 3815 Media is the series executive producer and creator, in partnership with Jupiter Entertainment. McDonald said that he was moved to create Evidence of Innocence in response to all the national headlines chronicling the racial injustice in America’s justice system.
“As Attorney Crump says,” McDonald recalls, “all you have to do is sit in the back of a court room and you’ll see that justice is not equal in this country.” Evidence of Innocence, however, with its stirring tales of perseverance, is different from any other true crime show. He maintains, “Even though these persons received the blunt end of a bad deal, their stories are inspiring.”
The premiere season’s featured survivors are:
Lisa Roberts (June 4)
When her ex-girlfriend is brutally murdered in a public park in Portland, Oregon, Lisa Roberts immediately becomes the prime suspect. Lisa and her ex were part of a love triangle with another woman that had turned violent in the past. Lisa swears that she is innocent, and she even has an alibi. But when prosecutors discover cell phone evidence that they claim proves Lisa was at the scene of the crime, they give her two options: either plead guilty to manslaughter, or go to trial and risk life in prison. Terrified at the thought of dying behind bars, Lisa takes the plea. Sentenced to 15 years, she begins fighting for her freedom from inside a cell. But who will believe an innocent woman pled guilty to a murder she didn’t commit?
Mark Schand (June 11)
A drug deal gone wrong leads to a shootout in the streets of Springfield, MA that leaves an innocent bystander dead. Witnesses ID the shooter as Mark Schand, a one-time street hustler who’s gone straight. Mark wasn’t even in Massachusetts that night. He was in Hartford, CT with his pregnant wife. But investigators ignore his alibi, and charge him with murder. At trial, multiple witnesses point him out in court as the killer. The jury believes them, and sends Mark Schand to prison for the rest of his life. Buoyed by his wife’s undying love, he refuses to stop fighting. Can he and an all-star legal team find the real killers, and prove that authorities colluded to put an innocent man behind bars?
Richard Miles (June 18)
19-year-old Richard Miles was walking home one night in 1994 when he was suddenly surrounded by police and inexplicably accused of murder. After a swift conviction, he was sentenced to life in the Texas Department of Corrections. There, his faith was tested as he learned the harsh realities of the legal system. With the help of his father, the guidance of a prison mentor, and the strength of his religious principles, Richard continued his fight for freedom on the inside. After more than a decade behind bars, Richard found hope in wrongful conviction nonprofit Centurion Ministries, which made a commitment to vindicate him. But would that be enough in the eyes of the highest court in Texas? Or would Richard remain behind bars forever?
Melonie Ware (June 25)
In 2004, Melonie Ware realized her dream of running a daycare facility from her home. But when an infant mysteriously dies in her care, her life spirals out of control. Doctors and police say Melonie killed the child in a fit of rage. Her own defense attorney even has reservations about her innocence, and refuses to believe her version of events. The jury refuses as well, and sentences Melonie to life in behind bars. Now incarcerated, her fellow prison inmates terrorize her as a child killer. Unwilling to let his wife suffer in this living hell, Melonie’s husband risks the family’s life savings to overturn her conviction. But with prosecutors determined to keep her in jail, will Melonie ever see freedom?
“The Evidence of Innocence series is bringing variety to TV One’s True Crime Monday’s“, said TV One SVP of Original Programming & Production, D’Angela Proctor. “We’re thrilled to introduce a new program to our viewers that opens up a healthy dialogue about the justice system in our country.”
“These stories of redemption after going through horrific circumstances are certain to encourage viewers to face their own personal challenges with renewed resolve.” said Tia A. Smith, TV One Sr. Director of Original Programming and Production.
Evidence of Innocence is produced for TV One by Jupiter Entertainment. Rushion McDonald, Benjamin Crump, Todd Moss and Allison Wallach serve as Executive Producers. Executives in Charge of Production are Robert Twilley and Harrison Land. For TV One, Tia A. Smith is Executive in Charge of Production and Sr. Director of Original Programming and Production; and D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programming and Production.
For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook(@tvonetv) using the hash tags
He’s been a Dogg, a Lion and to some in the Christian community, a big bad wolf. A wolf in Snoop Dogg‘s clothing…a pied piper, even has encroached the sacred space of gospel music. He has long been an outsider, but no stranger, at all! His mother is a minister and he promised his grandmother that he would make a gospel album which brings us to where we are, today. His album currently sits atop the charts, and almost immediately after its March 16th release, “Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love” shot to the top of the gospel music charts, rivaled only by Jonathan McReynolds’ “Make Room” and rightfully so. The musicality matches a budget that seemingly spared no expense. The rapper’s use of household names in gospel music isn’t what makes the project special, it actually sounds good and is put together well.
After much consideration, I too agree that Snoop Dogg’s entry into the gospel music marketplace, should actually be welcomed. Initially, I too sought to keep Snoop out, but some things deserve more consideration than others. I wasn’t alone in my derision of the rapper and his album and this irrational fear nearly kept me from experiencing a musical marvel and modern-day marketing masterpiece. For starters, as Maeve McDermott of USA Today put it, Snoop Dogg’s role on the album is actually more of “curator” and not necessarily featured artist (alas “Snoop Dogg Presents…”, only guesting on a few of the double cd’s 32 tracks.
Some things only a fool would debate. However, music production, song choice and even song writing are not up for debate on “Snoop Dogg Presents: Bible of Love”. You can debate a number of things pertaining to this project, but those three elements are beyond debate. What is debatable and open to interpretation is Snoop’s cold-turkey conversion. Suffice it to be said that many inside the gospel and secular music industry are skeptical, when considering Snoop Dogg as a believer.
Many who have been in his presence as of late recount a different, calmer side to the rapper whose last album was an effort to “Make America Crip Again”. What are the odds that on the heels of an offering like that, Snoop Dogg has answered the call to make gospel music, without fanfare…without a Lebron James-like announcement that he’s taking his talents to church? It’s not uncommon for country and pop artists to turn to their roots. It regularly happens and Reba McEntire is the latest to enjoy critical acclaim for her religious project, winning Dove and Grammy Awards for her “Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope” album. Jazz giant John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” has been known to elicit varying stages of spirituality for listeners and remains an open-ended ode to spirituality in general, though Coltrane only referenced God and not other deities.
In Mark 5:1-20, the bible tells us of a demoniac who was uncontrollable, naked, hurt himself, lived in the graveyard and had to be bound by chains until he met Jesus! As was the case with most people, Jesus changed his life and he was never the same! The bible records that when people saw him- that he was clothed and his right mind, they were afraid (Mark 5:15). Yes, they were afraid, so afraid that they ran Jesus out of town (v17). The man wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay and instead go tell everybody what he had done for him (vv19-20).
The former demoniac was on his own to tell everyone not only about his deliverance, but to convince them that it was not fake news! In my opinion, this is where Snoop Dogg finds himself now that his album has been released! While detractors remain, only time will tell exactly what impact this work has had on his life. Some in the Christian community believe and are rejoicing, some are apprehensive with a ‘wait and see’ attitude, and other are still protesting everything about the album and his persona.
It comes as no surprise that some of Snoop ‘s hip hop fans feel betrayed and alienated. They have been as critical as the gospel community, labeling him a sellout, a traitor and much worse. The gospel community isn’t alone in its cynicism, the Rastafarian response to the rapper’s short-lived time as “Snoop Lion” was also hotly derided. Perhaps they are more discerning that Christians, or maybe a confession of Christ is easier than ascribing to the Rasta principles. Rastafarians were much harsher on the rapper and much bolder in their rejection of his Rasta rhymes and reasoning. There was trouble before the album and documentary hit shelves and the screen. Bunny Wailer and even the Ethio-Africa Diaspora Union Millennium Council lobbied some hefty allegations against the rapper who they felt used their religion and lifestyle only for commercial gain.
Let’s face it, it’s hard to hate Snoop Dogg! His 25 plus years in music have endeared him as one you either love or love to hate. Christian rejection to the album has been re-branded as unloving to the unlovable. Snoop Dogg hasn’t done much talking about the album, but did speak about directly to cynics in a recorded clip during this year’s Stellar Gospel Music Awards saying: “…if you finding (sic) somebody trying to find their way back home, the natural thing to do is to be welcoming, open your arms and say brother we accept you for who you are…” In the same clip, Snoop speaks directly to the critics and cynics showing that the conversion may not have been as sudden as we assumed! That’s the beauty of following Christ; we are all a work in progress (Philippians 1:6), it’s the touch of the Master’s hand however that makes the ultimate difference!
Snoop Dogg as a Christian is a frightful idea. I think many fear for Snoop, who will be forced to leave behind gangsta-rap, marijuana and pornography enterprises and think this turn toward a pure life will be short lived. Some fear that this may only a pit stop and that Snoop Dogg’s success will prop the door open for other ‘one and done’ gospel experiments. It’s my opinion that the fear goes deeper than that: many are hoping against the success of the album out of fear that in some weird way that he will be successful in his efforts to open the door to those the church has been patently unsuccessful reaching.
The bible makes clear what we are to do with fear…love! “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (I John 4:18)
Love is powerful…the Apostle Paul said that love “seeketh not her own” (I Corinthians 13:5) meaning that love doesn’t seek to have its own way. In this context, this means that churches, gospel music artists and fans can’t clamor for the expansion of the Kingdom to be only one-sided, achieved by one method or one group. For those “Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love” will send to church and to other gospel music artists and their ministries, shouldn’t we be ready to with open arms, embrace them and lead them to Christ, the greatest love of all?
Urban One CEO Alfred C. Liggins, has officially announced Michelle L. Rice as the permanent General Manager for TV One.
Urban One CEO Alfred C. Liggins, has officially announced that veteran television executive Michelle L. Rice has been named the permanent General Manager for TV One. Since July 2017 Rice has served in an interim capacity with full management oversight of the 14-year-old general entertainment network serving a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. Urban One, Inc., formerly Radio One, is the parent company of TV One.
Rice was one of the inaugural employees of TV One, hired as the Vice President, Distribution Strategy and Operations. She was later promoted to Senior Vice President and ultimately to Executive Vice President, Content Distribution and Marketing. In this position, Rice was responsible for approximately 50 percent of the network’s revenue and has successfully negotiated all of the network’s affiliate deals and increased its content distribution across all platforms. In her new role, Rice will continue to oversee and lead all business and creative aspects of the network in addition to managing the network’s major affiliate relationships.
“It gave me great joy to promote Michelle as the General Manager of the network she helped to build,” said Liggins. “Her work ethic, leadership skills and business acumen prove her readiness for this role. She has a passion for our audience and a vision to continue the growth of the network in this highly competitive landscape.”
Rice came to TV One with a wealth of progressive leadership experience in cable television spanning affiliate sales and marketing at BET, Comcast NBU Networks and iNDemand. She is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in Journalism and also holds a master’s degree in Communication Management from the University of Southern California. Additionally, Rice is an alumnus of Women in Cable and Telecommunications’ (WICT) Betsy Magness Leadership
Institute, WICT’s Senior Executive Summit program at Stanford University and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications’ (NAMIC) Executive Leadership Development Program.
ABOUT TV ONE:
Launched in January 2004, TV One serves 59 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, and The NAACP Image Awards. In addition, TV One is the cable home of the blockbuster television drama Empire. TV One is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. (NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, http://www.urban1.com), the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.
