TASTY CLIPS FAVES OF 2005!

Welcome to the Tasty Clips Faves of 2005! edition. Here are the gems I most enjoyed:

CDs: Black Eyed Peas - Monkey Business (Most hip-hop heads abandoned this group as they crossed over to the world. It's their loss as this album could probably spawn enough hits to be hot in 2006); Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough; Common - Be; Earth Wind, & Fire - Illumination; Soulive - Breakout (Why this disc got little support from their new label is beyond Tasty Clips. Cuts from this jam band feature Robert Randolph and Chaka Khan sounding like she's back with Rufus. If you liked The Blackbyrds and The Olympic Runners, this is for you); Little Brother - The Minstrel Show; Herbie Hancock - Possibilities; Leela James - A Change Is Gonna Come (This girl is the real R&B deal); John Mayer Trio - I Try; Joshua Redman Elastic Band - Momentum; John Scofield - That's What I Say; Various Artists - Different Strokes by Different Folks; Various Artists - Impulsive! - Revolutionary Jazz Reworked; Kanye West - Late Registration; Charlie Wilson - Charlie, Last Name Wilson Tracks: Amerie - 1 Thing; Freddie Jackson - Don't Know Why; Terrence Howard - It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp & Whoop That Trick Mixtape: J.Period - The Best of Lauryn Hill, Vol. 1&2

Movies: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Crash; Four Brothers; Hustle & Flow; King Kong; Lackawanna Blues; Red Eye; Unleashed Book: Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine Steffens TV: 24; The Apprentice; Battlestar Galactica; Carnivale (A great season and finale); Commander In Chief; Lost; Pardon the Interruption; Real Time with Bill Maher; Sleeper Cell

Performances: Kindred The Family Soul at the Koger Center in Columbia, SC (Husband and wife duo Fatin Danztler and Aja Graydon brought so much fire to their set that headliner and '05 "It Guy" John Legend seemed tired. Was this why their appearance was never announced by promoters?); Chante Moore (2005 Women of Soul) at the Atlanta Civic Center (Who knew she would outshine Tamia, Kellye Price, Shanice, and Deborah Cox on this bill?); Queen Latifah (Sugar Water Tour) at Charlotte's Verizon Amphitheatre (It was good hearing her rap hits performed along with her new found singing voice. Proved she could still work a crowd by venturing out to the lawn seats to nothing but love); T.I. (Vibe Music Fest) at The Georgia Dome in Atlanta (So hot that after his set the crowd dwindled leaving Big Boi and Lauryn Hill to perform to an empty stadium!); Zap Mama at ATL's Variety Playhouse (This act has come a long way from their days as a novelty opening for Natalie Merchant's 10,000 Maniacs. The beat ruled over any language barriers to the delight of the multi-ethnic, all ages audience)

And now for what made '05 live for some Tasty Clips Faves:

Franklyn Ajaye - Comic/Actor (Deadwood)/Author (Comic Insights) Favorite Film: Haven't seen many. I liked Shopgirl. I thought Claire Danes was great and it had an air of melancholy. Fave Book: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. An excellent legal thriller. Another book that I really found insightful this year was John Wooden's book on Leadership. Very inspiring. Television: I really enjoy watching Court TV's Forensic Files shows. Also their show The Investigators. I like seeing the real bad guys get caught after they think they've gotten away with their dastardly deeds. HBO's comedy Extras was very funny, subtle, and poignant.

Babs - Rap Artist/Reality TV Star (Making The Band) Favorite Performers: G-Unit Album: Naked Truth by Lil Kim TV: Everybody Hates Chris, America's Next Top Model

Bob Baldwin - Musician/Composer (All In A Day's Work)/Radio Host (KJAZ-FM, Bermuda) Music: Frank McComb/Straight From The Vault - McComb is a Donny-Stevie clone with some Herbie thrown in. He did this record outta pocket at the crib. I'm impressed with his songwriting....it's a little to the left. It's a hard find, but you'll thank me later. Stevie Wonder/A Time 2 Love - His maturity as an artist is quite vibrant on this one. He goes back to his old analog self. Check out the bass on Sweetest Somebody I Know. It gives me Superwoman goose pimples. Now the only question I really have is why are they not playing Stevie on the radio? Does Mmmmm.....oh - don't let me go there! George Duke/Duke - Thank you, GD for finally have the guts....and the contractual wherewithall to step out and doing your own record. I hope that Duke gets the opportunity to buy back some of his older works and keeps them in circulation.

Playthell Benjamin - Author (Reconsidering The Souls of Black Folk)/Radio Host ('Round About Midnight/WBAI-FM, NYC)/Commentator (The Black World Today) Books: Barbara Goldsmith's Other Powers: The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism, and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull; and Robert Farris Thompson's Tango: The Art History of Love. TV: The McNeil-Lehrer Report; Dancing With The Stars; CBS Sunday Morning; Fox Pre-Game Show. I also like the dating shows like Elimidate. As a seasoned player, I like to see who has it and who doesn’t. The seduction of women, I've spent a lot of time on. So I'm interested.

Yvonne Bynoe - Author (Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture)/Lecturer/Commentator (News and Notes with Ed Gordon - NPR) Album: Get Lifted - John Legend Singles: Gold Digger - Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx and Shut Up by Lil Kim Movie: Good Night, and Good Luck Books: Let The Lion Eat Straw by Ellease Southerland (fiction) and Make It Happen: The Hip Hop Guide to Success by Kevin Liles (non-fiction) Best Dining Experiences: Jerk Chicken on the beach - Negril, Jamaica; Mama Mexico restaurant, New York City (Broadway location)

Casual Cal - Ringmaster (Bumpin' Big Top Circus of Soul) Movie: We move so much I rarely get a chance to sit in a theatre. 2005 Recording Artists: Kanye West. Any brother do a record with his mouth wired and determination to be something when nobody believed in him and come out on top, I think I'm with that. I thought Toni Braxton's return was pretty cool. And of course, Hezekiah Walker and his choir. TV: I'm a CNN man. I like to see everything that's happening now as it happens. As far as shows, I'd have to say Bernie Mac. Love a lot of Discovery Channel. Book: The Bible. The book is more interesting every time I pick it up. Memorable '05 Experience: Starting this new show. Having to wear more caps than I've ever worn before. The challenges. The politics. Being up early. Going to bed last. All that good stuff.

Dwele - Singer/Songwriter (Some Kinda) CDs: Faith Evans; Tweet Movies: Team America. I hate to say I'm a big fan. It was hilarious. I enjoyed Crash. TV: Don't really get a chance to watch much, but I just got the DVD of 24 and it's crazy. Books: Dan Brown books: The DaVinci Code and Angel and Demons. He took a little bit of reality and mixed it in with fiction. Before everybody takes it to heart they should do a little research. I read it as entertainment. Video Games: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was last year. This year Halo II was pretty hot. Fave Fashion: The button ups with the T shirt over the top of it. That was the look this year.

A. Scott Galloway - L.A.-based Music Journalist (CD Liner Note Essays: Patti LaBelle's Gold, Teena Marie's Wild & Peaceful (Deluxe)/ Music Editor (Urban Network) Favorite Albums: Waltz Again - David Murray 4tet & Strings (Justin Time); J'ai Deux Amours - Dee Dee Bridgewater (Sovereign Artists); Lyric - Billy Childs Ensemble (Lunacy Music); Charlie, Last Name Wilson - Charlie Wilson (Jive); A Kiss in The Sand - Leon Ware (Kitchen) Best Single: 1 Thing - Amerie (STILL electrifying!); The DJ (I Fell in Luv) - Che'Nelle (runner up) Best New Artist: Nuwamba Top 10 Concerts: Zap Mama/Amp Fiddler - Royce Hall (UCLA) - Sept. 23; Marcus Miller/Lalah Hathaway - Royce Hall (UCLA) - Oct. 25; Destiny's Child (farewell)/Mario/Amerie/Tyra - Staples Center - Sept. 1; Alicia Keys (w/ orchestra)/Isley Brothers - Hollywood Bowl - May 21; Gladys Knight - Hollywood Bowl - Aug. 3; Faith Evans - The Roxy - Mar. 15; Deniece Williams (jazz debut) - Catalina Bar & Grill - Nov. 8 I know it sounds crazy, but Deniece did some very nice jazz work in tribute to the likes of Billie, Nancy and Jimmy Scott on the gig. I was thoroughly impressed and surprised. RioSoul (farewell show) - B.B. King's - July 21; Rebirth - Club Vanguarde - Nov. 9; Raheem DeVaughn/Emanon - Conga Room - May 4 Best Books: Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter - Michelle Mercer (non-fiction); Freshwater Road - Denise Nicholas (fiction)

Michael Henderson - Singer/Songwriter/Bassist(The Bassplayers Ball) Music: Kanye West; Floetry; Destiny's Child. Stevie Wonder (That's my man. He's brilliant) I don't care about R. Kelly stuck in the closet with criminal activity going on. 50 Cent's got it going on. Charlie Wilson coming back like he did. Fave Hobby: I'm a chef. I got my own damn restaurant in my kitchen. I cook it all. Negro chicken. slavery food, Italian. My food is just like the music: All encompassing. '05 Achievements: Sony BMG releasing my recording with Miles Davis: Live-Evil. Miles didn't get funky until my little black butt got in the band in 1970. Also forming The BassPlayers Ball with Ray Parker, Jr.; Bro. George Johnson; and The Calloway Bros. from Midnight Star. Imagine if The Funk Brothers not only played behind everybody, but they had 35 million in record sales on their own. That's who we are.

Chamique Holdsclaw - Pro Basketball Player (Los Angeles Sparks) Music: I'm really into my music and in 2005 Raheem DeVaughn's The Love Experience was so hot. What an amazing album. Common's album Be was the year's best comeback album. He represented for all his true fans. Book: Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Recovery by my favorite author bell hooks. Fave Accessory: My Sidekick 2. It keeps me connected and I'm thankful since I hate talking on my cell phone. Fave Fashion Statement: My Nike Blazer sneakers. I love the vintage kicks.

Stacie J - Model/Harlem Subway Franchise Owner/Reality TV Star (The Apprentice) Music: Mariah Carey Favorite Restaurants: Tao; Cipriani's(NYC) TV Show: Late Night with David Letterman Play: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington

Freddie Jackson - Singer (Personal Reflections) CD: Fantasia's debut album. The girl can sing! Book: The Bible. It's always a good read. Movie: Crash. Great multi-cultural cast, like real life. '05 Experience: Recording my new CD. It was very special to me.

Melvin Jackson, Jr. - Actor (The Wire, Everybody Hates Chris)/Rapper/Composer Movie: Get Rich or Die Tryin because this movie proved that a rapper can be the star of a movie and not be seen as a rapper who is acting, but as an actor who did a great job. '05 Experiences: Meeting John Singleton and discussing working together. He has turned actors into stars and is just an all around good person to know. Also being able to do a movie with one my friends Lil Zane. He has been in the business since he was young and has a lot of experience. A good hearted dude who looks out for his friends and family.

Kenny Leon - Actor/Broadway Director (Gem of the Ocean)/Artistic Director (True Colors Theatre Company-Atlanta) Actor: The exciting Terrence Howard with his performances in both Hustle & Flow and Crash. Book: The Year Of Magical Thinking (winner of the National Book Award) by Joan Didion. It's a very poignant story about grief. From what I understand it will also be translated into film. Eternal Favorite: The late, August Wilson. A man, and icon who did what no other playwright in the history and canon of American theatre has ever accomplished - he completed a 10-play cycle chronicling African-American history. To say the least, August Wilson is a literary giant who will forever be remembered!

Branford Marsalis - Musician/Composer (A Duo Occasion with Harry Connick, Jr. DVD now available) CDs: Greg Osby - Channel Three; Pierre-Laurent Aimard - Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus - composed by Olivier Messiaen; Frank McComb - The Truth; Les Arts Florissants - Castor & Pollux - composed by Jean Philippe Rameau; John Coltrane - One Down, One Up - Live at the Half Note Movies: Capote, The Fog of War, Hotel Rwanda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Motorcycle Diaries Books: Since I have small kids, and am forced to choose between music or books, I've not read in years. But here are a few of the books I read on a regular basis (to my kids, of course). Shel Silverstein - Fall Up, Nancy Freeman Marks & Su Jen Buchheim - Just As You Are: The Story of Leon and Sam, Julia Donaldson & Alex Scheffler - The Gruffalo, The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Beatrix Potter, Berkeley Breathed - Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big Dining: Nana's - (Nouveau American) - Durham, NC; Four Square (Nouveau American) - Durham, NC; Tamarind (Thai) - Atlanta, GA; La Pyramide - Vienne, France; Gordon Ramsey - London, UK

Victor Baines Marshall - Radio Host (CKLN-FM, Toronto) CDs: Steve Spacek SpaceShift has got to one of the year's best "future soul" joints. I'm also feeling the recently discovered concert CD, Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall. Another talent that was "rediscovered" was singer Bettye LaVette with her stunning I've Got My Own Hell To Raise. The reissue of UK soulster Lewis Taylor's Stoned was one of this listeners highlights as well. Concerts: The Last Poets at Toronto's Harbourfront in August was amazing. It's good to see that the brothers are just as incendiary nowadays as they were back in the sixties. Amp Fiddler at Toronto's Downtown Jazz Festival in June was outstanding. Got a chance to get to know tha brotha a bit and he's the real deal, fo sho! Film: I just saw Transamerica, which features Desperate Housewives' Felicity Huffman in a gender bending turn that is sure to receive considerable Oscar buzz for best actress. King Kong, of course, was highly entertaining and true to the original, with the stunning special effects work worth the price of admission alone. Good Night And Good Luck was excellent and rather scary in that it parallels to some extent what is happening in Washington DC right now. Hustle & Flow was a great vehicle for up and coming Terrence Howard to showcase his skills particularly after his role in Crash, which was one of the year's best films. C.R.A.Z.Y. out of Quebec was also an excellent film that I really felt was quite honest in its portrayal of a dysfunctional Montreal family. Dear Wendy, out of Denmark was an exceptional work that spoke volumes in regards to the U.S, (and Canada's) obsession with guns and the resulting violence. TV: Topping my list of favourite TV shows is Blue Jays Baseball. I'm definitely a House man, and, of course, Deadwood is a lock. I miss NewsNight with Aaron Brown on CNN. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, Ken Burns' unflinching account of the life and times of the legendary boxer, broadcast on PBS, was unquestionably one of the year's best.

Tammy Pescatelli - Comedienne/Actress (Last Comic Standing) 2005 wouldn't have been the same for me without TiVO!! That little machine has changed my life. I sit glued to CSI, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Law & Order:SVU, and any Ultimate Fighter match. I loved that Denise Richards, 7 months pregnant kicked her husband, Charlie Sheen out of the house-showing that a girl, no matter what her current state can make it on her own and doesn't have to put up with anything she doesn't want to. I also loved that she took him back-showing that a girl can be tough, but can use her heart to give a second chance. I loved that Philadelphia Eagles player, Terrell Owens suspension was upheld - it's a TEAM sport, so perhaps you might want to be nice to your TEAMMATES!! I couldn't fly without my Bose Headphones, in which my favorite '05 song - Gold DiggER was often rocking. And most of all I loved how the country came together for the Hurricane Katrina Victims.

Public Announcement - R&B vocal group (When The Smoke Clears - due Jan. 10) TV: Nip/Tuck; America's Next Top Model; Making The Band; Break Out Music: Mariah Carey; Destiny's Child; R. Kelly; Heather Headley Movies: Stealth; XXX 2 DVD Rentals: Shrek 2; Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? Concerts: Usher; R. Kelly; Destiny's Child Restaurant: McGarther's in Chicago Fave Cities: Los Angeles; New York; Memphis; St. Louis; Louisville, KY

Lance Reddick - Actor (The Wire)/Singer/Musician Films: Crash; Hustle & Flow; Syriana TV: CSI:Miami; The Oscars; Everybody Hates Chris Actor/Actresses: Terrence Howard; George Clooney; S. Epatha Merkerson Albums: BB King & Friends; Stevie Wonder's A Time To Love; Thelonious Monk Quartet w/ John Coltrane Book: Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age Story in Apartheid South Africa; Fave City: Baltimore. We're filming The Wire there this season and it's actually my home town.

Juelz Santana - Diplomats/Def Jam Recording Artist (What The Game's Been Missing) Books: All Donald Goines' books cause they depict real life experiences. Movie: Saw II TV: The Wire on HBO Fave Concerts: Usher benefit concert I performed at in Atlanta for the hurricane victims, NYC's Scream Tour concert at Madison Square Garden where I performed as a surprise guest during Bobby Valentino's set, and the concert I performed at along with Young Jeezy for Virginia State University's homecoming. Fave Restaurants: Flor De Mayo, McCormick & Schmick's, Olive Garden Fave Music: Anything from my personal discography or my other Dipset crew.

Leslie "Big Lez" Segar - Broadcast Personality/Host (Urban Beauty Collective (UBC-Radio) Book: The book by Superhead (Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine Steffens). I've never met the girl but I know that 99 percent of what she said was true. Movie: Crash. I mostly like foreign films. TV: I have to say I'm caught up in reality shows. I watch The Apprentice all the time. I still watch The Real World every season. I watch Made, Breaking Bonaduce, and Making The Band. I'm caught up. Music: I Changed My Mind by Keyshia Cole

Slum Village (T-3) - Rap Recording Artists/Producers (Slum Village) Music: I like what Wu Tang was doing. MF Doom. Common. Games: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monk; Liberty City for PSP Movies: I Kinda liked Four Brothers because it was supposedly based in Detroit. Lord of War. I even liked Saw II. TV: I watch a lot of VH1. Celeb-Reality is hilarious. Rewarding '05 Experience: Completing this last project. A lot of people counted us out.

Sy Smith - Singer/Songwriter (The Syberspace Social) TV Show: Family Guy! I was so happy that this show returned to primetime network!!! This is the funniest no-one-is-safe cartoon EVER! Song: Feel Good, Inc. by the Gorillaz! This song was my getting-dressed-to-go-to-the-club music! It bangs so hard and who doesn't love De La Soul on the rhyme! Book: Dean Koontz' Frankenstein (actually it's two books, Part 1 & 2). This is a trilogy and I absolutely can't wait for the third book to come out! Koontz tells an excellent story about the monster, mysterious and enchanting and thrilling! Restaurant: Zip Fusion, Downtown L. A. Best sushi in L.A. and great service! I demand that everyone go there and try the albacore sashimi! ooooh weeee! Runner-up: Wà Sushi in West Hollywood, CA! Bar: Little Temple, L.A. (Silverlake) - This bar/venue has it all - great music (live and DJs), intimate/sexy atmosphere, great drinks and bouncers who even remember your name. Where else can you see Raphael Saadiq, Dawn Robinson (of EnVogue), Joi (formerly of Lucy Pearl), performing full-blown funk sets along with local artists?? It's always a cool hang there (and I'm not just saying that because I perform there too!) Runner-up: Bar Nun in Washington, DC! DVD Rental: Triplets of Belleville - Sometimes you just wanna kick it at home, rent a movie and make it a "BLACKbuster" night, right? Well, my favorite DVD rental this year was a different kind of movie - an animated musical in French with subtitles; but one of the best films I've ever seen! Live a little and rent this movie!!

Urban Mystic - Singer/Songwriter/Producer (Ghetto Revelations II - due Feb. '06 from SoBe Ent.) Fave 2005 Song: Unpredictable by Jamie Foxx Movie: Hitch Book: Definitely the Bible! Fave City: My hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. TV: The Bernie Mac Show Fave Couple of 2005: Bow Wow and Ciara

Finesse Mitchell - Comic/Actor (Saturday Night Live) Music: I discovered Jah Cure. He is a reggae artist who is accused of rape and is currently serving a 10 year sentence in Jamaica, but has still been allowed to record his music. He has an incredible voice and great lyrics. His music is all about love and he is as conscious in his messages about love as Bob Marley was about social issues. '05 Diet: I became a vegetarian. I decided I should do something healthy so I figured I would do it and see what would happen. I feel more energized and not as tired as I used to. I actually don't miss eating meat at all. Fave '05 Experiences: Becoming a regular cast member of SNL; and falling in love. I finallly have my love life focused in one direction. It's a great thing to not feel all over the place just for the sake of being all over the place.