Public Speech: Soul Train

August 17, 1970 Soul Train’s pilot episode was premiered on WCIU-TV , a local Chicago TV station , Don Cornelius the creator/host, embarked on a new version of American bandstand featuring the sounds and dance moves of black Americans. The first season aired on Saturday October 2,1971 on over 24 local stations out side Chicago and 7 major cities. The first season consisted of 30 episodes and many musical acts such as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Al Green and Curtis Mayfield. The shows popularity grew due to the young talented dancers from the poor Chicago area who were featured on the show.  The show was growing so fast it packed up and moved from Chicago to L.A, the leading town for motion picture and/ television. When in L.A the second season aired on national television to over 50 major cities across the U.S. Don Cornelius took a gamble when moving to L.A well he hit the jackpot

Soul train became the longest running show with 37 seasons and over 1,100 episodes. According to Berry Gordy – Founder of Motown said 
“Don was a pioneer, the first to present Soul music to the masses via television.  His Soul Train show was an important and timely vehicle that showcased Black talent and their new releases to the public. From his unique Soul Train dances to his brilliant commentary, there are not enough adjectives to describe how important his role was to our society, even though it was targeted to blacks, it was for everybody.

Besides the grate success of the soul train era, now I want to talk about the impact this show had by being the first show made for African Americans. Before soul train there was not lot of black faces in the media if there was any it was most likely talking down on. Soul Train gave the black community a show to promote black folks dancing, singing and having fun with style, such as Afros, Dashiki, Bell Bottoms, brads and Medallions. When you tune in every Saturday evening you will watch 60 non-stop minutes of soul. With in the 60 min you will hear the sounds of the latest black artiest performing there latest hits live. In the 70’s black music was on the rise. Due to the culture battle across America it was hard for artiest to get exposure. It all changed when soul train aired giving black arties a chance to be on national television with out the culture boundaries of the 70’s stopping them. According to Berry Gordy, Soul Train was made the unofficial, official stamp of the industry.  He said “You had to go on Soul Train if you wanted to make it in the business.” The music was the driving force of the show and with new talent performing each week made soul train on the right track to success.

I can talk forever about the show and all of the musical acts that perform but I am here today to explain what major importance this show had for African American. (First I want to talk about the dancers)

Soul train had more then just hip people that can dance. The talent did not come from dance schools/studios but it came from the streets . They went around to poor neighborhood rech centers looking for young talented kids who can dance. Soul train would not have soul if it weren’t for the kids, they made the show by taking the latest dance movies from the streets and making it mainstream. They were the real celebrities of the show. When people tuned in every Saturday you will learn the latest fashion and dance moves. Each week it was something new, new style new music new moves, new dancers, and most of all a new way African Americans can be proud of there culture through Soul train. The dancers had such an impact that the fan idol them they where the first true black television star.

Black culture was a underground culture in the 60’s. For an average American to find out about their culture they had to walking in the streets of Harlem, but most of them were problem to scared.

Soul train in the70’s changes that by expressing black culture on national television. The show gave African Americans something to be proud of; this was there show and their time to shine. Music was a big part of show and they did not only have the hippest artist but they were all African American. Stevie Wonder, James Brown, The Temptation, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklyn. The list goes on and on. From on stage to on the dance floor they all had a major thing in common witch was they all were black and they were on national television expressing their culture through the power of soul.

When the success of the show grew it also changed behind the scene. For the first time African American was working on the set of a show as camera crew, stage crew and show producers. Soul train was an unstoppable force when it came to African American and it all happened due to One man, Don Cornelius. After 3 seasons DON was the most influential black man in media. He was the first black lead executive to own the rights to the show. Beside creating one of the most successful shows of all time and creating the first show made for African Americans, he capitalized on every opportunity he had to help the show and most of all help a fellow brother out. The show had the first black advertisement in media. Johnson Product Company, the creators of Afro Seen, aired there commercial during the show for the first time. This was un heard of at the time but Johnson product company increased there profit due to the majority of the people who use the product are watching soul train. Afro Seen then became the show lead sponsor. Soul train was unstoppable. Season after season it was something new and most of all it promoting black culture in the media for the first time.

We all know what hard time they went through with the civil rights movement in the 60’s and in the 70’s they were still fighting for there freedom. Jessie Jackson who was a civil right activist was on the show talking about the current issues of the time. Soul train was viewed by over 4 million people. Soul train was not only just a show for music and dancing but it kept you up to date on current issues.

In the end soul train was not only important to African American it gave them something of there own, there own show, there own style, there own dance moves. The minute soul train went national it was the start of a new beginning for African American. For the first time 4million viewers can experience the joys of black culture on tv. Season after season it just grew and grew and the when the times change the soul did not stop. It finally stopped in 2006. But soul train started a new wave of black culture in media. The Jefferson, the Cosby show, Stamford and son ,MTV yo rap, and BET network all owe its success to soul train by paving the way of black culture in media.

Thank you everyone my name is

Tyler D’Errico

                 And I wish you

                                   Peace love and soul                                                                           

Critiques

Along with my speech i made a power point to show the class what i was talking about. I started off the speech with a brief history on the show and how it was the first show made for African Americans.
Durring the rest of my speech i took my time ready and made sure i made good eye contact with the class. In the end my speech was around 10min and i though i did well. when it came to the class reaction they enjoyed it and they liked my power point and how it shows pictures of what i was talking about.

Bibliography

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBUec5E1Fp8
• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/arts/music/don-cornelius-soul-train-creator-is-dead-at-75.html?_r=0
• http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/01/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/don-cornelius-impact
• http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/soul-train-creator-don-cornelius-made-an-impact-far-beyond-black-america/1213480

Debate: This House Believes That Hip - Hop and Rap has Negative Impacts on Society

• Summery

During the Debate my partner Joe and I were on the house side arguing that Hip - Hop and Rap has negative impacts on society. Before the big day me and Joe took a couple of days to research this topic and mainly listen to present day Hip Hop and Rap songs. During research we learn a lot and we found out that there is a lot of major issues to talk about during our debater. The three major issues of modern day Hip - Hop and Rap is how it degrades women, promotes drugs and violence through its lyrics and how it is damaging the younger generation.

- Degrading Women

In my speech i talking about how in todays world of Hip - Hop women are know as big booty hoes and bitches. then i when it to how that is wrong and that no one as the right to degrade women. I ended with saying.

 Todd Anthony Shaw also know as (Too $hort) who sold over 11 million albums can say this in his song  “Call Her A Bitch”

“I said ‘Bitch, why you such a stupid hoe’ You lil’ bitch, you never could fuck with this. And every bitch that don’t like it, she can suck my dick.” But  CBS fired radio host Don Imus over his remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team for calling them Nappy Headed hoes and jjiiaboos

- What the Lyrics Promotes 
Examples i used
Ludacris - Cry Babies (Oh No)

"I caught him with a blow to the chest 
My hollow put a hole in his vest 
I'm bout to send two to his dome 
Cry babies go home!" 


No Tears - Scarface

"Now the funeral is over and all the tears are dried up

Niggas hangin deep on the cut gettin fired up

Lookin for the nigga who pulled his pistol on my homie"

D-12 - Purple Pills

"I take a couple uppers

I down a couple downers

But nothing compares

To these blue and yellow purple pills

I been to mushroom mountain

Once or twice but who's countin'

But nothing compares

To these blue and yellow purple pills"

Yet, wherever one turns on these songs people enjoy what they hear and usually play the song over and over. What people don’t realize within those three songs they are promoting guns, killing niggers and taking pills. Just picture children of today listening to these songs day after day. Teenagers are young adults who are not yet mature to realize what true harm this genre of music is doing to them. Hip hop is toxic to theses kids by promoting the evils in society though the power of music. We just saw three examples of the what the song promotes thought there lyrics and yet each song was on the billboard top 100 charts

- Damaging the Younger Generation 

Growing up where taught that wrong is bad and thugs are dangerous people and women are equal to man. It has all change due to the major influences Hip hop has on the younger generation.Music is prominent in our lives. Teenagers spend between four and five hours a day listening to music and watching music videos. Kids listen to music everywhere these days from in their car to social gatherings. Music is everywhere.
Kids have young hip-hop stars and rappers who they look up to who, drive fast cars, wear expensive jewelry, and date beautiful women.
They speak of gang life, life in the ghetto, gunfights, drug use, and they degrade women. 
In the end the power of music and the toxicity of Hip - Hop and Rap are killing out younger generation.   As a music industry major i love music and i don't want to get ride of Hip Hop but i just don't get why they have to make music promoting the evils of our society.  

• Critique 

When it came to the speech Joe, started off with the opening statement then i said my statement second. i thought or opening speeches were strong and to the point. in the future we could use stronger words in the opening speeches. 
My favorite part of the debate was the Q & A. This is where we got to attack the other side with questions. First the moderator asked each side a few questions and then both sides were both attacking each other with many different questions. After getting attacked from the other side the audience had a chance to say a few questions. In the end i thought we held our ground with the different questions we were asked. 
In the future i would try to do a little more research on question they might ask the house. If they hit us with a question then we would have no problem on responding back. 
When it came to my partner Joe i though we worked well together. I would have no problem working with him in the future. If we had the chance now we know what it is like to be part of real debate.

• Bibliography 

http://www.sadd.org

http://www.drugabuse.gov

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com 

http://therapup.net

My Biography

Hello my name is Tyler James D’Errico… with a Capital E. I was born on March 10 1993 on Long island. …. Yes Long island home of some of the best pizza and bagels around. As I reach my 20^th birthday I am currently a sophomore at SUNY Oneonta and after 2 more years I will be entering in to the real world ready to start my career in the music industry. Before I got here I want to talk about my last 20 years of my life all 7,355 days

Day one,  I was born at 4:30am on at north shore LIJ during an intense snowstorm. My mom said when I was delivered I was born with spiky red hair

Day two, I was two days old, all ready to go home but I couldn’t due to the snowstorm I was stuck in the hospital with the other annoying crying babies watching fresh prince of bell air in the nursery.

Skipping a few years now, I want to talk about the three main Chapters of my life that molded me in to the fine gentlemen I am today.

Chapter 1 family

My 3 first words that came out of my mouth were… moma ……dad…lynz short for my sister Lyndsey. From that point on they meant everything to me. My mom came from a small Jewish family and grew up in Plainview where we live today and my father came from a large Italian family that grew up in Rockfull center. My sister is 2 years older then me and a senior at SUNY Plattsburg. Growing up I got the best of both worlds from ordering Chinese food and every Sunday with my mom side. To celebration a big Italian Christmas with my dad side. Besides all the holidays I celebrated and presents I got. My family supported my every step of the way. From my first day of school to teaching my how to drive a car.

Chapter 2 middle school  

From growing up in a Jewish town Mattlin Middle school was the best time to be a kid. My friends and I favorite time of the day was Lunch and Recess. When it came to lunch time we would all would gather around the table and talk about the latest’s south park episode and trade our food like we were buying and selling stocks. Then it was recess, I time where we played every sport I could imagine. The rest of middle school was torture, I was the type of kid who instead of do homework would watch TV or go bike riding with my friends. Well that did not work out in 7^th and 8^th grade I was getting poor grades and everyone was worried for me. Before I realized I had 3 more days till I start high school

Chapter 3 High School

It was like walking in to a Jungle. From crazy teachers and a lot weird people. This could have been the downfall of me but instead high school was the greatest 4 years of my life. Unlike middle school I was not I kid anymore I was a young adult who took on many responsibilities such as running track for 4 years and involved in many after school activities. In high school I started to look for employment to make money. After my first job as a camp counselor in 9^th grade, I acquired many different jobs from working at a country club to working in a beer distributor. Besides having a great time from school or making money at work my parents were impressed due to the major improvements in my academics.

High School was not always smooth; due to our generations culture has a major impact on people such as drugs, Facebook, or even Justin bieber

 Thank god I was not big on the latest drama what on Facebook or what was the latest Justin bieber song. High school allowed me to find my own nitch who where people who appreciate cars and music. We didn’t really care much about other people’s opinion of us. Once I found my group the rest of high school was amazing from going to many concert and illegal street races. Even thought we almost had a few run it with the law it was all worth it in the end.

The 4 years of high school taught me many skills that made me able to move on to where I am today at SUNY Oneonta.

              To sum up my life goes like this

I was born, with spiky red hair

I had an amazing chilled hood

I dramatically changed, for the better

And her I am today almost turning 20

In words of Jeremy Clarkson,

Some say he is the happiest kid I know.

All I know him as

 TYLER D’ERRICO

Extra

        After hearing my biography he is a break down of some of my interest I have both academic and non academic. Currently I am a music industry major hoping to get a job in the field in concert producing and marketing. I have a strong interest in those field those due to every since I saw my first rock concert witch was The Who from that point on I wanted to be the one traveling on the road with the band and setting up and promoting them along the way. Besides music I enjoy watching sport and paying them with my friends. My favorite is roller hockey.

       As a music industry major I am required to take Communication 100 as a general educations class. When hearing about the course requirement I found out that we are going to do a lot of public speaking and a debate. I hope to get out of this class is to improve on my speaking and to build up my confidence in speaking. I want to learn about how to execute them and what each side has to do to win the debate.

      When it comes to the public speech I would want to due it on how technology changes the music industry and technology is also destroying the industry.

      When it come to the debate I don’t know what topic to due it on due to I never did one. As a man who loved sports I like to win and when it comes to the debate I want to win and what ever I can do to win I want to be part of that side.