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I met Krista B. through media. My sister Letty was producing a Black Women in Media blogger panel in 2015 for a brand called Daze Summit. I was on the panel representing my blog at the time, Masconsumption, and she was representing the blog Brooklyn Social. On the panel, someone mentioned wrestling, and me and her eyes lit up. It is not often that you meet another black girl your age that loves wrestling as much as I do…
Read moreI am not sure when I declared it in the last couple of years, but I felt like we were in the middle of a Black Wrestling Renaissance. Everyone knows about WWE, but there are actually about 100 independent wrestling promotions filled with stars, who are putting on great shows on a local level. The definition of a Renaissance is a revival of or renewed interest in something…
Read moreBy Patricia Rogers | Posted Friday, April 29, 2022
I remember when I would attend my sister’s dance recitals and can not help but be overcome with emotion. This is when I learned how moved I was watching people do what they were put on this earth to do. I appreciate seeing people living their purpose, and in a way have always chased that feeling with the plan to make a career out of it.
One thing I love about my generation, and even more so the ones that are coming after me: is that we have made million-dollar careers creating content about our hobbies. I guess that is one of the perks of having the internet and social media at our fingertips. We don’t have to go to school for years to learn how to make and post a YouTube video or rake up millions of TikTok followers. One could say that there really are no barriers that can keep us from at least trying to pursue our biggest dreams.
If you follow me on social media you probably know that I have been dealing with my mental health for the last couple of months, so there was not a lot I was particularly excited about. (Sorry for my absence). However, when I learned of the Beauty of Blackness in Pro Wrestling panel at NY Comic Con this past October, I had to go.
A wrestling brand called Tiger Driver and its mastermind founder Khristen Wilson applied to have a wrestling panel and booth at NYCC this year, “because he wanted to see if he could.” I learned this during an interview with Khris, for a new Men in Wrestling interview series for my podcast, Those Wrestling Girls. I was surprised to learn that he has not done many interviews, and sitting down with me via StreamYard was one of his firsts.
Khris' brand Tiger Driver has a huge influence in the wrestling space, especially among wrestling content creators and popular social media stars in the industry. His goal in starting TD was to become the “Complex of Wrestling”, a mix of music, wrestling, pop culture, and fashion.
And I’d say that he did just that. The Complex brand is a hip hop music, style, and pop-culture-driven brand, that uses the tagline, "Making Culture Pop". TD9X metal-inspired merch can be seen on all your favorite indie stars, and influencers. The TD9X’s Twitter page has 11,000+ followers.
Recently, the power of the black dollar and the lack of representation in wrestling has been a hot topic. The wrestling community, just like the rest of society, has gone through a reckoning. People are taking a closer look at representation or the lack thereof. As well as the treatment of women, and underrepresented communities (more on this in later editions).
Black wrestlers and content creators constantly have to work harder, and often are not seen as valuable as their white counterparts. We have to fight harder to get noticed or be treated as equals. The hashtag #BlackWrestlingDraws went viral among the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community) earlier this year, with fans posting this with the purpose of elevating the promotion and presence of black wrestlers and big matches.
The timing for The Beauty of Blackness in Pro Wrestling panel was perfect. This was the first NY Comic Con event since the pandemic caused the 2020 edition to be canceled. Comic book, fantasy cos-players were able to don their over-the-top looks with like-minded individuals at the Jacob Javits Center again. Wrestling has always been a part of Comic Con, with signings and appearances. However, this was one of the first times that a black wrestling brand had such a presence.
The panel featured indie wrestling star: Faye Jackson, PW Torch writer: Cameron Hawkins, former WWE writer: Kazeem Famuyide, manager: Lovely Laveau, commentator: Jordan Rose, and of course Khris. As well as a surprise appearance by AEW Star MJF.
The audience was filled with fans, and peers in the wrestling media landscape. There was love, support, and hope in the room. There was also a sense of pride that we all felt, being a part of a game-changing moment for black wrestling. There were many introductions made, and business relationships and friendships strengthened.
The panel and TD booth are what made me buy last-minute tickets to my very first NY Comic Con. Not particularly one for cosplay, I never thought there was anything for me at the annual event, as I am not into comics. But I think after the turnout this year, just for the panel, and what Khris and I think was a spike in black attendees, there will be more of a wrestling presence for years to come.
I was able to meet some of my favorites, and well-respected peers, in wrestling media for the first time. As well as support my favorite YouTubers like Alex, aka Queen of the Ring. Also, I got to meet the panelists and Lovely, who has been a friend for over a year, and was able to meet face-to-face.
It was a special moment for all of us, and we were able to go out to eat and drink for the first time in New York City. This has inspired more in-person events that I plan to host with my podcast Those Wrestling Girls.
My interview with Khris, the founder of Tiger Driver 9x is available on Patreon.
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, April 22, 2022
Tapping into the region’s top live music talent, Jazzy Nights hosts live music performances from big-name local artists drawn from all over Northern New Jersey and nearby New York City, Produced by Live Music Ambassador Gregory Burrus of Gregory Burrus Productions.
Jazzy Nights is not just about jazz but all genres of jazzy live music. It's jazz, it's R&B, and it's jazzy. The Jazzy Nights Live mission is focused on keeping the community of summertime live music lovers enjoying live music throughout the Fall, Winter and Spring, whenever possible.
Following is a post about how Jazzy Nights made it to this season. Back in the day, just a few years ago, the South Orange live music season would run June ‘til September and stop. However, so many local folks and attendees from around the various towns wanted more and more. So, we extended the end of the 2019 season by going indoors and kicked off Jazzy Nights Live at The Fox & Falcon restaurant to keep the wonderful vibe going that was established all summer long. Following is a year-by-year recap of previous years up until this year.
2019/11/14 Inaugural Season Kickoff in the Essex Room with DC Fusion Band.
The 2019 Jazzy Nights Live Music season was led by our buddy and bassman Darryl Clark. We ran monthly live music sessions from November to April with the wonderful DC Fusion instrumental band led by Darryl Clark on Bass, Howard Hall on piano, and Bill Bang (Mauricio de Souza this night) on drums. We augmented each event with special guest singers (Shadiyah and Joy Topping-Mann this night), folks came out strong, and we packed the Essex Room of The Fox & Falcon. We were moving along nicely each month right up ‘til April 2021 and then the COVID Pandemic shut the world down, including our Jazzy Nights.
In tribute to our buddies.
Sadly, this season was also marked by the passing of many musicians including two of our friends from our Live music community. Community champion and jazz lover Lee Boswell May aka Boz passed before the South Orange Summer Season started. After the 2020 Summer season in November, our beloved Jazzy Nights Bandleader and Bassman Darryl Clark passed on. May they both RIP in musical heaven.
2021 March Season Opener — Outdoor COVID Sessions.
Enter 2021, and because we were all still under a Pandemic watch from 2020 we started the Summer Season early on a beautiful sunny day in 2021 on March 21st. With a live music community starving for entertainment, we came back out in March of 2021, and due to COVID Pandemic Social Distancing guidelines, the world had moved outside and so did Jazzy Nights as “Jazzy Afternoons.”
Thanks to The Fox & Falcon restaurant owner, Jazzy Nights Live became Jazzy Afternoons Live in the Sloan Street Parking Lot on March 21. We moved from Thursday nights to Sunday Afternoons.
As you can see, lots and lots of people came out with family and friends to enjoy the live music of the MPack Band and the community.
We continued our performances throughout April, which is Jazz Appreciation Month. We planned for live music every weekend. Weather canceled one weekend, but we did produce some very well-attended and swinging live music weekend performances.
Mike Lee Trio with Billy Drummond and Mike Kane in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.
Radam Schwartz Trio with Gene Ghee Sax in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.
The season continued throughout the Summer, we extended it and worked to extend the live music through October.
Also in 2021, after the Summer Live Music Season we produced the October Live Music Fest.
Take a listen to this event. Performances were 2 times a day every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month.
You can read all about it here: South Orange, NJ October Live Music Fest Takes Over the Sounds In Spiotta Park and Jazz On Sloan Street.
We created live music sessions all year from March thru October, so 2021 was a good year.
Enter 2022, and this year we are back and in a new location and already have produced two extremely successful Jazzy Nights events.
2022 Feb. 18 Jazz Season Opener in the Blue Room.
South Valley BBQ and Lounge Presents John Lee and Friends
We are starting off the 2022 Jazzy Nights Live Music Scene in a really nice new location, and we started earlier this year with our first event on Feb. 18th in the new South Valley Lounge. In their newly remodeled Blue Room, we kicked off the season with world-renowned bassist John Lee and his awesome friends.
2022 Apr 9th R&B Season Opener in the Blue Room.
Jazzy Nights Presents MPack Music Live at South Valley BBQ and Lounge
We started off the Jazzy Nights R&B Live Music Scene in the new South Valley Lounge on April 9th in the newly remodeled Blue Room. We kicked off the season with the extremely popular R&B Band MPack.
Our first Jazzy Nights R&B performance was literally off the chain!!! Folks came to dine and dance and had fun all night long.
For 2021, all of these veteran professionals came to perform and they delivered big time. So, a great start over 3 years through a pandemic, and we are continuing on throughout 2022.
At Gregory Burrus Productions, we always have something going on to get you, your family and your friends involved, so take a look at our events calendar and come join in the live music party.
Check Out Our Upcoming Events Calendar! We'll See You Soon.
Gregory Burrus is a local live music ambassador, event planner, live music ambassador and community partner that curates, manages and promotes live music events in the local Northern NJ and New York Area.
Gregory Burrus sits on a number of local boards and committees and is currently serving as a Board Member of Maplewood Community Music and is a Board Member of Harlem World Magazine Advisory Board.
Year-round Gregory Burrus also curates, books and produces: the Jazz973 live music jazz series at Clements Place Jazz for the Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, the Jazzy Nights Live Music performances, and Cranford NJ Summer Sounds.
In addition to producing events, Gregory Burrus Productions also showcases, photographs, videotapes events annually such as the annual NYC John Jay College Friends of Myrna Bain Scholarship Fundraiser, the Orange NJ Farmers Market, numerous local bands at various local venues. Gregory Burrus has a passion for making live music happen anywhere and everywhere he can whether locally around town or around the world while living life every day to the fullest. Learn more at: Gregory Burrus - Gregory Burrus Live Music Ambassador
