Monday, May 9th (Dallas)

• 6:45-7:45 am Tom Joyner Show (KSOC)
• 11:00-12:00 pm KRNB/
• 2:00-4:00 pm The Ride with Doug & DeDe

Tuesday, May 13/14th (New York)

• 11:00-12:30 pm Sirius Satellite
• 1:00-2:00 pm Music Choice
• 2:30-3:30 pm WBLS
• 4:00-5:00pm WRKS

Monday, May 19th (DC)

• 10-11:00 am WPGC/Michel Wright
• 12:00-1:00 pm (or 1:00-2:00 pm ) WMMJ/WKYS

Thursday, May 22nd (Atlanta)

• TBD The Steve Harvey Show
• TBD WVEE/Porsche Fox
• TBD WAMJ

Thursday, May 29th (Chicago)

• 7:00-10:00 am WSRB(UAC)
• TBD WVAZ (TBA)

Tuesday, June 3rd (Los Angeles)

• 8:00-9:00 am KJLH/Guy Black

Black MUSIC Month is on it’s way and the three R&B singers are all over ESSENCE’s June Cover.

Ladies First: Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Jill Scott
Hip-hop may be dead, but R&B is alive and kicking with artists Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Jill Scott holding it down
By Regina R. Robertson

Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys

Rounding up three multiplatinum, Grammy-winning chart-toppers is no small feat, especially when they’re stationed in different cities and different time zones. Did we mention that one of them was on tour (Mary), one had just come off tour (Jill), and the other was between tours (Alicia)?

For us, Alicia, Mary and Jill are the truth and the light in R&B. During the past year, they, along with other female singers, have bumped the ’hood boys off the top of the charts. No offense, . fellas, but it’s always ladies first here. As the following excerpts from individual chats with each artist reveal, when it comes to penning hits, embracing success, and keeping ahead of the curve, it’s always about the music.

Essence: One thing you all have in common is that you each had a debut album that was a phenomenal success. How do you feel when you hear those songs now?

Mary J. Blige: It’s been about six months since I’ve listened to What’s the 411? I was in Japan working out, and when I heard it, I could definitely feel my youth, but I could also hear that I’ve always had an old soul. When I think back to that time, I remember that I was singing to escape. I understand that some people are stuck in that place, but I firmly believe that if you don’t evolve and grow, you will die.

Essence: From the outside looking in, it seems that success has been yours since day one, but there probably were, and are, disappointments. How do you cope when a project doesn’t pan out?

Jill Scott: This is life, and if something doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. I feel that there is a divine plan in all things. All I can do is the best I can do, and if it’s well received, then, yeah. If not, I hope life will give me an opportunity to try again. Do I challenge myself? Absolutely. But beat myself up? I just can’t do it.

Essence: Have you ever regretted folding to pressure from record labels?

Alicia Keys: In the beginning, I didn’t understand the concept of boundaries. I wanted to make sure the music was heard, but there’s a price you pay for that. I did everything and anything to promote my first album, like flying from New York to Los Angeles and back on the same day, which was a bit excessive.

Essence: Have you figured out the ingredients for the perfect song?

Mary: Yes, but I won’t tell. [Laughs] For me, it’s about being real and honest. And the lyrics have to be relatable.

Jill: Oh, I wish I knew. I think Ne-Yo knows. I think Carvin Haggins, who does a lot of writing for Musiq Soulchild, has the ingredients, too. My songs are mostly about life experiences, about being human and falling and getting back up. About loving and losing.

Essence: But aren’t those the ingredients right there?

Alicia: It’s always a bit of a mystery. A song should deal with a widely understood emotion, have a really strong, clear explanation of that emotion and a great melody that makes you want to sing it at the top of your lungs. Then the music should evoke the same feeling as the lyrics. Somewhere within all of that lies the perfect song.

For our complete interview with Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Jill Scott pick up ESSENCE’s June 2008 issue now on stands.

The following is the schedule for the “Made to Uplift” Tour in store event schedule dates:

• NEW YORK CITY
  MAY 15 2008
  216 West 125th Street
  Harlem, New York 10027
  (212) 531-0800
• WASHINGTON, D.C.
  MAY 20 2008
  3500 East/West Highway
  Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
  (301) 559-4772
• ATLANTA GEORGIA
  MAY 23 2008
  2936 Turner Hill Road
  Lithonia, Georgia 30038
  (770) 484-5117
• CHICAGO ILLINOIS
  MAY 30 2008
  9300 S Western Avenue
  Evergreen Park, Illinois 60805
  (708) 499-1559
• LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA
  JUNE 4 2008
  3650 Martin Luther King Blvd.
  Los Angeles, California 90008
  (323) 296-0957

To read the entire press release and see all the dates | Click Here

Three-time Grammy Award Winner, Actress, Poet and International Entertainer Jill Scott and trend setting clothing brand, Ashley Stewart have partnered, and together spread their wings as they launch the Jill Scott inspired Butterfly Bra Collection on the first stop of “The Made to Uplift Tour.”

The Butterfly Bra is specifically designed to provide true comfort and support to full-figured women, without taking away how a woman should feel in her bra—SEXY. Simultaneously, Ashley Stewart will launch their e-commerce Web site, to provide an easy, online shopping experience to women, world-wide. A panel discussion led by Jill Scott, Marla Minns, EVP/General Manager, Ashley Stewart Stores, Melfi Jimenez, Director of Product Development and Zonobia Washington, Fashion Market Editor, Essence magazine will give an overview of the Butterfly Bra Collection and “The Made to Uplift Tour,” which travel to four other cities in May.

The panel discussion will explore why it is not necessary for voluptuous women to have surgery and the Butterfly bra is an alternative to going under the knife; the importance of support and the necessity of feeling beautiful and sexy.

For years, full-figured women haven’t been given the opportunity to build a good relationship with their bra. Having been forced to wear uncomfortable, unflattering bras that don’t always fit properly in order to accommodate their voluptuous figure, women complain of the heavy weight on their shoulders, the scars from their bras, and unsightly back fat. This inconvenience and discomfort is what Jill Scott experienced every day—every day until she created the concept of the Butterfly Bra and brought the idea to Ashley Stewart. This is a soft, strong, sexy, bra that makes full-figured women wearing it feel soft, sexy and supported.

Ashley Stewart wants to give women all over the world the opportunity to easily purchase the new Butterfly Bra Collection, along with the other fabulous clothes Ashley Stewart has to offer. That is why they are simultaneously launching The Ashley Stewart Online Shopping Experience—the company’s first e-commerce Web site—so that women everywhere can be just one click away to fabulous.

To read the entire article as a PDF | Click Here

Give it up for a very talented artist named Franziska Windover who has submitted a wonderful pencil drawing of Jill. To see the rest of her portfolio please visit www.originalpencil.com.

Share your love and appreciation for this drawing and the rest of her work.

Thanks to all the 1,300 people who voted on the single…. we’re listening and reading your posts….

So that leads us to “Whenever You’re Around” being the 3rd single… already picking up spins at radio stations over the past few weeks.

Here is this week’s radio report:

“My Love”, the second single is still going on strong maintaining in the Top 10 position.

Help both singles to the top… Please request your local radio stations.

At this time we don’t know if there will be a music video for WYA… but stay posted you never know…

Also, stay tuned to hiddenbeach.com as the next record, Unwrapped Vol. 5 will be out in late June. The first song released will be “Get Low” as most of the record will be of southern hip hop flavor.. with a little bit of crunk… stay posted. It’s a great alternative for your kids… it’s Unwrapped.

Share your thoughts on the issue and how Jill looks in the magazine.