Barack Obama is the 44th President-Elect!
***Updated: It is Official the 44th President-elect of the United States of America and the first African American to hold the highest office in the country is Barack Obama. It was officially announced 11:00PM EST. POW!
Congratulations to Barack and Michelle Obama and to every American that made their voices so overwhelming and unanimously heard by getting out there and voting.
Only in America ladies and gentlemen, only in America… ***
Well today is the day, 2 years of campaigning and here we all are Tuesday November 4th, 2008.
Let me side step my normal political ramblings to touch on two very sad notes. This past Friday, October 31st just as we were all gearing up for a rather large Halloween Costume and Masquerade Ball I got a call from my mother to let me know that my 17 year old cousin Jonathan Touchstone (READ STORY HERE: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/17859421/detail.html ) was gunned down in Pittsburgh, he lost his life at such a young age and in yet again another senseless gun related death. It breaks my heart and was especially hard on my mother because it brought up all those old feelings from when I suffered a similar fate but was blessed enough to recover and survive (I do not always mean to dwell on my past situation, but damn it feels good to be working on this second lease on life and there is not one day that goes by that I do not thank God for giving me my blessings. No one is promised tomorrow, no one). My cousin was not as fortunate. My prayers are with my parents and my entire family as we deal with his untimely passing. I am just in awww sometimes to really remember and think about all the friends and family I have lost to gun related deaths.
Then just as fast as I was made aware of my cousin’s death, I got a flurry of e-mails and texts late Saturday asking me if I had heard about a mutual business colleague’s death; Shakir Stewart (READ STORY HERE: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1598436/20081103/jay_z.jhtml or http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003886223 or READ this really great Blog Kenny Burns wrote at http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=90529948&blogID=445707911 or Sha Money’s Blog at http://www.shamoneymotivation.com/2008/11/shakir-stewart.html#comments ). Shakir was a great person and one of the few truly bright, energetic, talented and up-incoming African American executives coming up in the ranks of our very turbulent industry and he was taken away from all of us entirely too soon. Those of you reading this Blog, I am sure know exactly who Shakir is but for those of you that do not, he was the executive that discovered and signed Ciara, he also discovered and signed Young Jeezy and Rick Ross and just this past June 2008 he had achieved yet another major career achievement by being the predecessor to Jay-Z and being appointed to fill the shoes left by Jay-Z as the Executive Vice-President of the biggest hip-hop label in the world; Def Jam. That is by far not all of Shakir’s accomplishments, but lets just say he did all of us proud with his accomplishment. I refuse to go into the details of his death, because I feel like it does not do all his many accomplishments justice in hindsight. This industry is brutal and treacherous and we have to stand with each other, support each other and be able to reach out our hands to each other when in need. We are brothers in this very small fraternal order. Well all I will say is it was very saddening to me to learn of his death and he will be missed. My prayers and condolences go out all his family, friends and my people/ his co-workers at Island Def Jam Music as we all grieve at his passing. Hip Hop lost a huge advocate and skilled executive.
I am truly saddened at the lost of both Jonathan and Shakir, too young and way too soon. We have to be better people; we have to be actively better everyday.
While I was running like a mad man on this election-day and trying to finish this Blog posting before the polls closed to post it, I got word that Jheryl Busby passed away on Tuesday (READ STORY HERE: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/05/jheryl.busby.obit.ap/ ). Jheryl was one of the original African American music titans, he was the former CEO of Motown Records and I was privileged enough to meet him while he was heading up DreamWorks Records Urban Music Department. My condolences go out to his family and friends.
Now here we all are, Tuesday November 4th 2008 and it is time to do that very American of things, that very democratic thing, that very individual and human thing and that is to change the trajectory of our country by voting. I was up at my polling location about one hour in advance of the polling location opening at 7AM, because I just wanted to vote early and be able to watch the election-day coverage throughout the rest of the day. Yep, that’s right Shadoworld Entertainment is on suspended business today because its boss is a political nut case. As I stood there in line it was such an incredible feeling, such an American blend of cultures and ethnicities all there to make their single voice heard by voting. This is what being and American is all about. Vote for elected officials, vote for different Measures and propositions and make our country, states, counties and cities a better place for not only us, but our children, our families, friends and neighbors. This is the process this is our God given duty.
So I say to everyone again today as I have said to everyone everyday GET OUT AND VOTE. If you do not volunteer, if you do not donate to a candidate, if you do nothing else you are obligated to be knowledgeable about the measures and candidates and voice your opinion and vote. VOTE!!!! Do not say a word about the problems in this country, your state or your city if you do not vote. We all have to be registered and WE ALL MUST VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION!!!
Do not pay attention to the early polling projections and think that the Obama-Biden ticket has the nomination locked up let us all not forget about 2000 election. Make sure everyone you know gets out there and votes. We need every vote, every single vote in every state.
Congratulations to all my first time voters that I hounded around me and convinced to get registered early and to vote this year. My hats off to you all and never forget; when in doubt vote your party.
I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone that came out yet again in massive support of our Halloween Costume and Masquerade Ball (we will have pictures on the Shadoworld website later this week) this past Friday, October 31st that took place in Hollywood at The Music Box Henry Fonda Theater. I am always so very humbled and appreciative of everyone’s die hard support of our many parties, events and different promotional efforts. We can not thank you all enough.
So on behalf of myself and the entire Shadoworld organization along with our associates I want to personally thank all of you for your support and attendance every time.
I know a lot of you forward our e-vites to your own personal e-blast list and direct your friends and family to sign-up for our e-mail alerts and all I can say is keep it up. Keep telling all your friends and family. Keep spreading the word and pushing this Shadoworld movement.
Well that is it for this morning, just checking in with everyone giving my two cents; I am back from SEMA 2008 just to vote today and then heading right back to Vegas for the rest of the SEMA convention. We are still filming for these four reality shows, recording albums, planning promotional photo shoots and getting clothing line approvals. Stay tuned for more G-Unit promotions for the new 50 Cent solo album and feature length move “Before I Self Destruct” December 9th, 2008 worldwide and the B-Real solo album from Duck Down Records “Smoke N Mirrors” January 29th, 2009. We just keep up with the promotions and executing our systematic plan of conquering the known world. The saga continues… Shadoworld is the army!!!
We are living in truly defining times…
Go Obama. Hope, history and change… We are America…
Keep riding with your boy…
Julian T. Edwards, CEO
Shadoworld Entertainment, Inc.
P.S. I just want to thank everyone that takes the time out to read these Blogs and please understand we just have a ton of things going on so when I do find the time to write a new posting I try to touch on as many things as possible in as short a manner as possible. Awww, but who cares about that anyway. Reading is fundamental. LOL
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