::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

buzzz worthy. . . On March 1, James Fortune brought along a few members of FIYA to give DC's Praise 104.1 listeners a sampling of his new album, "Live Through It." The Slice was there. The double disc, available in stores and online, offer 20 songs and feature Isaac Carree, Tasha Cobbs, Zacardi Cortez, Israel Houghton and others. Listen to the group perform the title cut live in this exclusive video.

buzzz worthy. . . In the new season of Welcome to Sweetie Pies, the family wants to expand the business. . .but in different directions. What new city will get a taste of Ms. Robbie's soul food? Watch a five minute preview of the season premiere and catch the full episode tonight on OWN!

buzzz worthy. . . Deitrick Haddon's LXW to make nationwide debut on BET's Celebration of Gospel (Indianapolis-March 4th) Deitrick Haddon's LXW (League of Xtraordinary Worshippers) entered into 2014 with a mission to introduce the world to a new choir sound. With their current single, "Great God" steadily rising up the charts (currently #28 on Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart; debuted this week on Mediabase) and the video racking up YouTube view each passing day, it looks like people are beginning to take notice. In a few weeks, the choir will gain the attention of an even larger audience. On April 6th, LXW will make their nationwide debut on BET's Celebration of Gospel where they'll perform, "Great God". Since forming last year, the 100-member strong young adult choir has been wowing audiences with their performances. Not only does LXW capture the high-energy, larger-than-life sound and meticulous melodies that fans have grown to love ab...

buzzz worthy. . . Sneak Los Angeles, CA -  Sassy soul food entrepreneur Miss Robbie Montgomery and her rambunctious family are returning to OWN on March 15 at 9 pm ET/PT for another lively season of the NAACP Image Award-winning docu-series "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's." In the new season, the former Ikette and her "Sweetie Pie's" restaurant franchise experience business growing pains as her son, Tim, attempts to expand their soul food empire beyond St. Louis with a new restaurant in Houston, Texas, and launch a new bottled tea line with the potential to grow their brand nationally.  Miss Robbie's nephew, Charles, is torn about whether to pursue his fledgling acting career or continue trying to move up in the family business, while niece, Monique, expresses interest in taking over the Mangrove restaurant as manager if Tim moves to Texas.  Meanwhile, Tim and Jenae appear to have found a comfortable balance as co-parent...

buzzz worthy. . . Today, Camp Broadway announced a strategic alliance with the United Nations Foundation's  Nothing But Nets  campaign to encourage performing arts-loving kids to take action and raise awareness about the global fight against malaria. The year-round partnership connects arts and advocacy by showcasing youthful creativity, delivering classroom curriculum, and offering immersive summer camp programming. Nothing But Nets  is the largest global, grassroots campaign to fight malaria, a disease that kills a child in Africa every 60 seconds. Malaria, a disease caused by a single mosquito bite, is preventable. Since 2006,  Nothing But Nets  has raised more than $50 million, and together with its UN partners, has delivered 7.25 million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect families in sub-Saharan Africa from malaria. The alliance begins with the Camp Broadway Challenge, a national arts-in-action initiative that invites multi-talented youth, a...

buzzz worthy. . . Dancing With the Stars 2014 cast By Mona Austin Among the 12 celebs who will be putting on their boogie shoes for the 18th season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) are  teen pop stars, legendary actor, game show host, and a "real housewife." First, major changes:  Producers added a twist in the competition called "The Switch Up," which allows America  to vote on partner changes. For the first time in the history of the show, at some point in the season every contestant will have a different partner. So far the dancers are not looking forward to this next level of challenge.  The other big change is that  Brooke Burke-Charvet won't be standing by Tom Bergeron's side as the co-host. She has been replaced by Erin Andrews, a former DWTS  season 10  contestant and sportscaster. This year's line-up of contestants are like the usual ratings grabbing gaggle: popular youngsters, beloved actors, athletes and a reality TV st...

buzzz worthy. . . Ernest Pugh Pastor Keion Henderson Pastor Keion Henderson of The Light House Church, a mega-sized congregation in Houston, TX, has appointed Stellar Award nominated gospel star Earnest Pugh as the assembly’s new Pastor of Worship. “It is an honor to announce the addition of Earnest Pugh to our church,” Pastor Henderson noted. “It’s a perfect match. He fits in with our church’s culture and shares the same vision as I. We are excited to embrace his talent and utilize his God-given gifts to help grow our congregation even further.” Gospel music fans know Pugh for his #1 radio smashes such as “Rain on Us” and “I Need Your Glory” but he has a long history as a church music administrator. Over the last two decades, he’s served as a worship leader at various churches including Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Ft. Washington, MD and recently at Silver Lake Church in Pearland, TX. In 2013, the Institute for Teaching God’s Word awarded him an honorary doctorate for his t...

buzzz worthy. . . By Mona Austin The season 7 premiere of  The Game did not fumble with ratings on March 4.   Garnering nearly 3.4 million viewers, the Sabers and their supporting crew  ranked as the highest rated sitcom on all cable among women 18-49 this season and the No. 1 scripted series premiere among adults 18-49 on all cable for the year. Writers and producers must has heard fans who  complained that the storyline was getting boring in the past as this season is thick with interesting Season 7 finds Tasha Mack (Wendy Racquel Robinson) still trying to manage her men and son changing life experiences.   With the support of Chardonnay, Tasha visits the doctor and gets news that qualifies her to be a guest on Maury, while Malik struggles to come back from an injury that threatens to end his career.  Malik receives physical therapy for injured arm. Photo Credit: Annette Davis Malik.  Both mother and son face potentially game- Kelly...

buzzz worthy. . . New Live-Action Series from Aaron McGruder to Premiere this Year Adult Swim has  greenlit a new half-hour live-action scripted comedy called  Black Jesus  from award-winning writer/producer, Aaron McGruder ( The Boondocks, Red Tails ). The show finds Jesus living in present day Compton, CA on a daily mission to spread love and kindness throughout the neighborhood with the help of his small but loyal group of downtrodden followers. The series stars newcomer Gerald "Slink" Johnson ( Grand Theft Auto V ) as Black Jesus, and also stars Charlie Murphy ( Are We There Yet ), Corey Holcomb ( The Cleveland Show ), and John Witherspoon ( The Boondocks, The First Family ). Productionhas begun on the new series in Los Angeles, CA, which will premiere later this year. McGruder, who created the series, will serve as executive producer through his 5 Mutts Productions along with writer/director Mike Clattenberg ( Trailer Park Boys ) and LEG's Norman Aladjem and Jo...

buzzz worthy. . . VH1's first scripted program, "Single Ladies" won't be returning next season.   The music network has decided to cancel the hour long drama/comedy executive produced by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment.  In a statement VH1 said, “We’ve been proud to deliver three seasons of the drama, romance, and style that engaged viewers in each episode of  Single Ladies.    Although we’ve decided not to move forward with another season, we hope to work again with the talented cast, creatives and producers as well as our partners at Flavor Unit Entertainment in the near future. We also thank the show’s fans for their support since the premiere in 2011.” Catch the series finale of "Single Ladies" on March 24 at 9 p.m. on VH1.

buzzz worthy. . . Jackson, MS - Quartet Pioneer and father of D.A. Johnson (Executive Director, Gospel Division Malaco Music Group), Willie Connell Johnson passed on Thursday March 6, 2014, at his home, surrounded by family in Jamaica, NY. Willie Connell Johnson, b orn in Sumter, SC, founder of The Mighty Brooklyn Skyways, a quartet that enjoyed such hits as, “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Really Wants To Die),” “May The Work I’ve Done Speak For Me,” and “Unbelievable Man,” all with Peacock Records. In the seventies, The Skyways recorded three albums with Savoy Records now wholly owned by the Malaco Music Group. Willie Johnson was honored when he was invited to participate in the historic recording of the 3 CD / 3 DVD Box Set of "Gospel Legends" released exclusively for television in 2005. D.A. Johnson has brought the family legacy full circle by signing with Savoy / Malaco Records in 1999.   Please kee...

buzzz worthy. . . Musical veterans and and future vetrans united in the Performance at the White House  series,  Women of Soul on March 6.     Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle,  Melissa Etheridge ,  Tessanne Chin ,  Jill Scott ,  Janelle Monáe  and  Ariana Grande were all placed in the spotlight ,  President Obama noted ha soul music was rooted in the church, where many R&B performers got their start: "For many of the performers here tonight, it all began on Sunday morning.  Growing up in Detroit, Aretha sang at her father’s church, and recorded her first album at that church when she was just 14 years old.  Patti LaBelle was painfully shy -- I cannot believe that, but this is what I’ve been told --(laughter) -- until she sang a solo in front of the congregation, and got a standing ovation.  That’s when she realized she could do something special.  Eventually, artists like Aretha and Patti began ...